linux copy symbolic link

Question

How do I copy a symbolic link from one directory to another?

ls -ls

file1.txt
file2.txt
files -> /mnt/iscsi-nfs-share/faulttracker-files

what I'm looking to do is copy files symbolic link into another directory?

cp files /var/copylinktohere/

the above results in cp: omitting directory `files'

im only looking to copy the symlink not the actual contents of the directory — Robbo_UK, Apr 26 '12 at 09:48
Did you have a look in the manual pages? If not, is `--no-dereference` what you're looking for? — HonkyTonk, Apr 26 '12 at 09:52
thanks for this gave plus one. I found all the options available a little confusing. — Robbo_UK, Apr 26 '12 at 09:59
@Benjamin: Fair comment — no mention of C. It is still on topic as it is about how to write shell programs (even if it is a one-liner). As such, it is fine on Stack Overflow. — Jonathan Leffler, Dec 30 '13 at 14:11

score 52 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 26 '12 at 09:51

52

Use the -d option:

cp -d files /var/copylinktohere/

From man cp:

   -d     same as --no-dereference --preserve=link

   --no-dereference
          never follow symbolic links

answered Apr 26 '12 at 09:51

dogbane

does this work if the symbolic links are not relative? ie copying into a destination directory higher or lower than the source directory. – Andrew Brown Mar 20 '14 at 06:57
wouldn't it be quite the other way around? Absolute symlinks work from every path, while relative symlinks can't work, if you change their path. It's quite logic – Sedat Kilinc Aug 23 '18 at 11:43

1 Answers1