copying folder to another withtout overwritting the destinaion files

basher400 · 07-16-2009, 07:56 AM

hi

I have 2 folders "source" and "destination".
some of the files at the "destination" are the same name as "source" and are newer than the ones at "source".

I need to copy all files in "source" and symbolic links and sub-folders and etc. to "destination" without overwriting anything at the "destination" folder even if the files are the same name , even if the files at the "source" folder are newer than the ones at "destination"

I have to do this via a shell script with 1 or 2 commands and can't be prompt to ask if I want to overwrite or not.

another obstacle : I can't use the rsync command, system administrator doesn't give me access to do so.

this is as close as I got so far:

Code:

cp -p -r -u /source/* /dest

the only problem right now is that the "-u" flag works as so (form the man):

Quote:

"copy only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing"

and as mentioned: I don't want to overwrite even if the files at the "source" are newer.

pixellany · 07-16-2009, 08:21 AM

I think you simply have to give some of the files different names, but.... If the files you are copying are the same, then why would you need to keep two copies?

basher400 · 07-19-2009, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

If the files you are copying are the same, then why would you need to keep two copies?

i'm not sure I understand what you mean by that...

the files at the destination and the source are not the same.
some of them MIGHT have the same name but some of the files at the destination are newer.
also I can't give them different names...why should I ? I don't want to overwrite files at the destination folder at all

you know what...let me start with something simple:
is there a way to copy files from one folder to another without overwriting the files in the destination folder no matter if the files at the source are newer or whatever ?
OR
is there a way to set a list of files to exclude when copying one folder to another ?

GazL · 07-19-2009, 04:38 AM

You could try something along the lines of a

Code:

tar -C /sourcedir -cvf - * | tar -C /destdir -k -xvf -

-k = keep old files

The exact syntax may not be exactly right above, but you get the idea.

basher400 · 07-19-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GazL

You could try something along the lines of a

Code:

tar -C /sourcedir -cvf - * | tar -C /destdir -k -xvf -

-k = keep old files

The exact syntax may not be exactly right above, but you get the idea.

this is getting closer.
i got a lot of "No such file" errors....

AlucardZero · 07-19-2009, 08:47 AM

rsync's -u option

basher400 · 07-19-2009, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlucardZero

rsync's -u option

as I said in my first post, I can't use the rsync command

GazL · 07-19-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basher400

this is getting closer.
i got a lot of "No such file" errors....

Ahh, ofcourse. The * wildcard will be expanded to filenames in the current directory by the shell, but the -C will make tar change directory internally so the files won't be found. I've never used -C in anger before so I hadn't thought about that. The basic principle is sound, you just need to work around that.