cp command process info

Question

Is there any specific package for cp command which shows the process of being copied.

I'm wondering if there is any package cp which shows additional information that what has been copied and what are left or how many percentage it has been copied...etc. Any body using any?

Solution 1

You can pipe things into the pv command to add progress indication to programs that might not have their own progress meter.

cp -a source/ dest/ | pv

However if I'm doing a copy large enough that I need a progress bar I end up using rsync anyway as Jeremy recommends. He also points out that you'll need to arrange your pipeline so that the data is piped though pv - the example gives only tells you how much data the cp is printing out, not how much is being copied. Something like this will work for single files: pv source > dest.

However, for copying directories, you'll need to get more complex.

Solution 2

You can use rsync to do the copy. If you use the -P option (show progress), it does just that.

I tend to use rsync -avP <source> <dest> for most copying.

Comments

[phwd]

Yeah you are right and I'll use that for synchronization but the problem is with me as I'm called mistake maker. In hurry, if I exchange soruce with destination or vise versa then I'm done. I seldom use rysnc until it's necessary and I'll have to be very careful. Good answer, thanks!

[phwd]

A problem with apt-update 0% [Waiting for headers], once installed pv I'll get back here again.

[djeikyb]

How is making a mistake with rsync any worse than making a mistake with cp?

[phwd]

@djeikyb: what if you specify source in place of destination when using rsync?

[phwd]

@djeikyb: what happens if you do the same with cp?

[Jeremy Kerr]

If you want to use pv, you'll need to arrange your pipeline so that the data is piped though pv - the example Jorge gives only tells you how much data the cp is printing out, not how much is being copied. Something like this will work for single files: pv source > dest. However, for copying directories, you'll need to get more complex.

[djeikyb]

If there are no files matching the command, they both fail. If there are files matching the command, they both overwrite. Correct?

[phwd]

@djeikyb: Yes, you know better than what I know as I said I'm a mistake maker I try to be at the safer side. But I feel, completely not using rsync is worst using linux

[phwd]

@Jeremy Kerr: +1 for more information

[djeikyb]

shrugs Up to you. I like rsync because it has built-in progress information, and built in copy verification. If you make a mistake, they both have the same consequences.

[Jorge Castro]

@Jeremy Thanks for the info, I've added it into my answer, feel free to propose an edit if there's anything else you'd like clarified.

[sobi3ch]

Maybe the best solution is to just extend original cp command with progress options? github.com/goj/coreutils/blob/rm-d/src/cp.c