GNU bug report logs - #73875
cp: there isn't even an option to quit on errors

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: cp: there isn't even an option to quit on errors
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2024 15:45:37 +0800

$ cp -a /usr/share/doc/qpdf/manual-html/ ~/Downloads/
cp: cannot create symbolic link '/home/jidanni/Downloads/manual-html/_static/css/badge_only.css': Permission denied
cp: cannot create symbolic link '/home/jidanni/Downloads/manual-html/_static/css/theme.css': Permission denied....

It just keeps rolling on. No way to quit except ^C.

$ cp --version
cp (GNU coreutils) 9.4

Message #8 received at 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>, 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#73875: cp: there isn't even an option to quit on errors
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:05:15 +0100

On 19/10/2024 08:45, Dan Jacobson wrote:
> $ cp -a /usr/share/doc/qpdf/manual-html/ ~/Downloads/
> cp: cannot create symbolic link '/home/jidanni/Downloads/manual-html/_static/css/badge_only.css': Permission denied
> cp: cannot create symbolic link '/home/jidanni/Downloads/manual-html/_static/css/theme.css': Permission denied....
> 
> It just keeps rolling on. No way to quit except ^C.
> 
> $ cp --version
> cp (GNU coreutils) 9.4

Well POSIX states that cp should continue upon failure to create a symlink.
An exit early option may be useful.
I don't see such an option with rsync either though, so I'm not sure how generally useful it is.

cheers,
Pádraig

Message #11 received at 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
Cc: 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#73875: cp: there isn't even an option to quit on errors
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2024 22:21:53 +0800

Well OK, it is creating an unusable copy, and probably doesn't
even return an error to the calling shell.

So Makefiles using it will go on to the next step... with the final
result being missing files, discovered just minutes away from the boss's
big ceremony...

>>>>> "PB" == Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com> writes:
PB> Well POSIX states that cp should continue upon failure to create a symlink.
PB> An exit early option may be useful.
PB> I don't see such an option with rsync either though, so I'm not sure how generally useful it is.

OK, I'll tell them to add it to rsync too.

Message #14 received at 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#73875: cp: there isn't even an option to quit on errors
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2024 18:46:45 +0100

On 20/10/2024 15:21, Dan Jacobson wrote:
> Well OK, it is creating an unusable copy, and probably doesn't
> even return an error to the calling shell.
> 
> So Makefiles using it will go on to the next step... with the final
> result being missing files, discovered just minutes away from the boss's
> big ceremony...

Any error is propagated to the exit status,
so one can always determine if any part of the copy fails.

cheers,
Pádraig.

Message #17 received at 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Pádraig Brady <P <at> draigBrady.com>
Cc: 73875 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#73875: cp: there isn't even an option to quit on errors
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2024 06:32:15 +0800

Even if it does exit 1,
it doesn't stop at the first sign of damage.
Sort of like "Mom's going to find out anyway, so we might as well eat
even more cookies."
P.S., I made https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/issues/654

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