cpio

[SAM_24]

Hi,

Using cpio when I copy data(exists in destination already) from one file system to another I get error message "Cannot link error no 17. I am using options -pdmluv.
Is there any option which says to suppress this error message.

When I copy first time ( no data in destination ) I don't get error message. I need to copy data multiple times.We don't want to see error message when we copy second time or onwards.

Thanks.

[Bill Hassell]

errno 17 = file exists, or in this case, the link already exists. You can suppress the error message with 2>/dev/null but this eliminates all error messages (like filesystem full, etc) which may not be a good thing...you could look over the destination and remove links prior to copying to eliminate the error message.

[RolandH]

You try to copy a link. So the first time the link is not there and is copied without the error message. Then you copy second time and you get a error message, because the link is already there.

use this instead:
find . | cpio -pvumod|(cd ; cpio -pumid)

Roland

[Keith Bevan_1]

Hi,

Error 17 is reported as the 'l' option in cpio tries to restore the symbolic link that already exists.

If you are looking to restore the data for the symbolic links rather than the links themselves you could try the 'L' option that does the following :-

-L, (copy the files that they point to
instead of copying the links).

Haven't tried it myself but worth considering.

Hope this helps.

Keith

[Bill Hassell]

Be careful with the L option. The reason links exists is to provide another name for the same file. If the link is converted to a real file, then the files are now separate and changes made to one will not appear in the other.