bug#20094: cp --dry-run

[Pádraig Brady]

On 12/03/15 02:27, 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson wrote:
> Proposal:
> add a new "cp --dry-run"
> Reason: we want to know what the verbose output of e.g.,
> $ cp -i -av /mnt/usb/thumb/ tmp/androidBackup/SDCard
> will be without actually running the command first.
> We are about to commit to a megabyte copy and we want to be sure where
> all those files are exactly going even after understanding all the
> documentation, and without needing to do partial "wet" runs etc. etc. etc. 
> etc.
> 
> Also add a "mv --dry-run".
> 
> Please also document both would normally be used with -v.
> 
> In fact cpio (mainly -p) needs a --dry-run too.
> 
> Sorry if I have proposed this before, but it's an idea you just can't beat!

I never needed such an option myself.
It couldn't check the space or permissions of the dest,
so wouldn't be that useful. Perhaps cp --attributes-only
would help for your use case?

thanks,
Pádraig