cpio command in MacOS

The MacOS cpio command is a powerful tool for creating, extracting, and manipulating archives. It allows users to easily manage large sets of files by archiving them into a single file or extracting them from an existing archive. With cpio, you can preserve file permissions, timestamps, and ownership when creating or extracting archives. Additionally, you can specify various options to customize the behavior of cpio according to your needs.

cpio Syntax:

cpio [options] [parameters]

MacOS cpio Options:

Option	Description
-i	Restore archive
-o	Create archive
-t	List archive contents
-v	Verbose mode (print file names as processed)
-d	Create leading directories where needed
-B	Set the block size to 5120 bytes

cpio Parameters:

Parameter	Description
directory	Specify the directory to archive or extract files from
file	Specify the file to archive or extract
archive_file	Specify the archive file to create or extract from

Caution

Exercise caution when using the cpio command, as incorrect usage can lead to unintended consequences such as overwriting files or directories.

How to use cpio command:

Create a cpio archive from a list of files

ls | cpio -o > archive.cpio

Create a cpio archive named “archive.cpio” from the list of files in the current directory.

Extract files from a cpio archive

cpio -i < archive.cpio

Extract files from the cpio archive “archive.cpio” in the current directory.

Create a compressed cpio archive

ls | cpio -o | gzip > archive.cpio.gz

Create a compressed cpio archive named “archive.cpio.gz” from the list of files in the current directory.

Extract files from a compressed cpio archive

gunzip -c archive.cpio.gz | cpio -i

Extract files from the compressed cpio archive “archive.cpio.gz” in the current directory.

Copy files and directories into a cpio archive

find . -print | cpio -oBv > archive.cpio

Copy files and directories from the current directory into a cpio archive named “archive.cpio” with verbose output.

Extract specific files from a cpio archive

cpio -i -F archive.cpio 'file1.txt' 'directory1/file2.txt'

Extract specific files “file1.txt” and “file2.txt” from the cpio archive “archive.cpio”.

Copy files with extended attributes into a cpio archive

find . -print | cpio -oX@ > archive.cpio

Copy files from the current directory into a cpio archive “archive.cpio” preserving extended attributes.

Extract files with extended attributes from a cpio archive

cpio -i -dX@ < archive.cpio

Extract files from the cpio archive “archive.cpio” while preserving extended attributes.

Tip

When using the cpio command in MacOS, make sure to carefully read the command options and parameters to ensure proper execution. Additionally, always practice with test data to avoid accidental data loss or corruption.

How do I use cpio in MacOS?

To use the cpio command in MacOS, execute the following command:

cpio --create < files.txt

What is the syntax for creating a cpio archive in MacOS?

To create a cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command syntax:

find . -depth -print0 | cpio --null --create --format=newc > archive.cpio

How can I extract files from a cpio archive in MacOS?

To extract files from a cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

cpio --extract < archive.cpio

How do I list the contents of a cpio archive in MacOS?

To list the contents of a cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

cpio --list < archive.cpio

How can I create a compressed cpio archive in MacOS?

To create a compressed cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

find . -depth -print0 | cpio --null --create --file=archive.cpio.gz --format=newc | gzip

What is the command for adding files to an existing cpio archive in MacOS?

To add files to an existing cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

find additional_files -depth -print0 | cpio --null --append < archive.cpio

How can I extract a specific file from a cpio archive in MacOS?

To extract a specific file from a cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

cpio --extract --pattern="specific_file.txt" < archive.cpio

What is the command to create an incremental cpio archive in MacOS?

To create an incremental cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

find . -depth -print0 | cpio --null --create --format=newc --reset-access-time > incremental.cpio

How can I extract files interactively from a cpio archive in MacOS?

To extract files interactively from a cpio archive in MacOS, use the following command:

cpio --extract --verbose < archive.cpio

Applications of the cpio command

• Creating archives
• Extracting files from archives
• Copying files between directories
• Preserving file permissions and ownership
• Incremental backups
• Verifying data integrity
• Listing contents of archives