GNU Info

(fileutils.info)install invocation

---

Next: mv invocation Prev: dd invocation Up: Basic operations

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

`install': Copy files and set attributes
========================================

   `install' copies files while setting their permission modes and, if
possible, their owner and group.  Synopses:

     install [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST
     install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
     install -d [OPTION]... DIRECTORY...

   In the first of these, the SOURCE file is copied to the DEST target
file.  In the second, each of the SOURCE files are copied to the
destination DIRECTORY.  In the last, each DIRECTORY (and any missing
parent directories) is created.

   `install' is similar to `cp', but allows you to control the
attributes of destination files.  It is typically used in Makefiles to
copy programs into their destination directories.  It refuses to copy
files onto themselves.

   The program accepts the following options.  Also see Note: Common
options.

`-b'
`--backup[=METHOD]'
     Note: Backup options.  Make a backup of each file that would
     otherwise be overwritten or removed.

`-c'
     Ignored; for compatibility with old Unix versions of `install'.

`-d'
`--directory'
     Create each given directory and any missing parent directories,
     setting the owner, group and mode as given on the command line or
     to the defaults.  It also gives any parent directories it creates
     those attributes.  (This is different from the SunOS 4.x
     `install', which gives directories that it creates the default
     attributes.)

`-g GROUP'
`--group=GROUP'
     Set the group ownership of installed files or directories to
     GROUP. The default is the process' current group.  GROUP may be
     either a group name or a numeric group id.

`-m MODE'
`--mode=MODE'
     Set the permissions for the installed file or directory to MODE,
     which can be either an octal number, or a symbolic mode as in
     `chmod', with 0 as the point of departure (Note: File
     permissions).  The default mode is `u=rwx,go=rx'--read, write,
     and execute for the owner, and read and execute for group and
     other.

`-o OWNER'
`--owner=OWNER'
     If `install' has appropriate privileges (is run as root), set the
     ownership of installed files or directories to OWNER. The default
     is `root'.  OWNER may be either a user name or a numeric user ID.

`-p'
`--preserve-timestamps'
     Set the time of last access and the time of last modification of
     each installed file to match those of each corresponding original
     file.  When a file is installed without this option, its last
     access and last modification times are both set to the time of
     installation.  This option is useful if you want to use the last
     modification times of installed files to keep track of when they
     were last built as opposed to when they were last installed.

`-s'
`--strip'
     Strip the symbol tables from installed binary executables.

`-S SUFFIX'
`--suffix=SUFFIX'
     Append SUFFIX to each backup file made with `-b'.  Note: Backup
     options.

`--target-directory=DIRECTORY'
     Specify the destination DIRECTORY.  Note: Target directory.

`-v'
`--verbose'
     Print the name of each file before copying it.

`-V METHOD'
`--version-control=METHOD'
     Change the type of backups made with `-b'.  The METHOD argument
     can be `none' (or `off'), `numbered' (or `t'), `existing' (or
     `nil'), or `never' (or `simple').  Note: Backup options.