cp and symbolic links?
 

Noticed a difference in behaviour between fedora and gentoo using the cp command over symbolic links and hoping someone can explain why...

My /etc/localtime file is a symbolic link back to --> /usr/share/zoneinfo/Australia/Sydney

In the two operating systems, I issue a: cp /usr/share/zoneinfo/Australia/Adelaide /etc/localtime

FEDORA:
The Adelaide file overwrites the localtime file.

GENTOO:
The Adelaide file overwrites the file that /etc/localtime is pointing to, in this case, /usr/share/zoneinfo/Australia/Sydney becomes a copy of Adelaide.

Can anyone explain why and tell me what switches I need that will force an overwrite, deleteing the old symbolic link and writing Sydney as the new /etc/localtime file (no longer being a symbolic link)?

to see what switches are used (FC) type: alias
and compare to gentoo

hope this helps

Ah........ reveals some info. Thank you.

Fedora has cp as 'cp -i'
Gentoo has nothing

To me this means the only difference is that Fedora will force you to select (Y/N) to an overwrite.

Other than that, the behaviour should not be different. Handy util though.

i have no experience with gentoo other than watching friends start the compile...

there is a -d switch in 'man cp' which says:
so maybe trying: cp -d /usr/share/zoneinfo/Australia/Adelaide /etc/localtime

hope this helps