From f17c1df3919d66fd1e71057070604f9af6d4bcc5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?utf8?q?P=C3=A1draig=20Brady?= Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2017 16:18:00 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] doc: clarify that cp --force may recreate files * doc/coreutils.texi (cp invocation): The language used to describe recreating the file was a little confusing as it mentioned opening a removed file. Fixes https://bugs.gnu.org/29315 --- doc/coreutils.texi | 5 +++-- 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/coreutils.texi b/doc/coreutils.texi index 09730f6d34..ed3a63308e 100644 --- a/doc/coreutils.texi +++ b/doc/coreutils.texi @@ -8520,8 +8520,9 @@ Equivalent to @option{--no-dereference --preserve=links}. @opindex --force When copying without this option and an existing destination file cannot be opened for writing, the copy fails. However, with @option{--force}, -when a destination file cannot be opened, @command{cp} then removes it and -tries to open it again. When this option is combined with +when a destination file cannot be opened, @command{cp} then +tries to recreate the file by first removing it. +When this option is combined with @option{--link} (@option{-l}) or @option{--symbolic-link} (@option{-s}), the destination link is replaced, and unless @option{--backup} (@option{-b}) is also given there is no brief -- 2.47.2