NAME

     install-mimic — overwrite files preserving the destination's ownership and access mode

SYNOPSIS

     install-mimic [-v] [-r reffile] srcfile dstfile
     install-mimic [-v] [-r reffile] file1 [file2...] directory
     install-mimic -V | -h

DESCRIPTION

     The install-mimic utility copies the specified files to the specified destination (file or
     directory) similarly to install(1), but it preserves the ownership and access mode of the
     destination files.  This is useful when updating files that have already been installed with
     locally modified copies that may be owned by the current user and not by the desired owner
     of the destination file (e.g. root).

     Options:

     -h      Display program usage information and exit.

     -r      Specify a file to obtain the ownership and access information from; useful when
             installing a new file that should be similar to other files in the same location.

     -V      Display program version information and exit.

     -v      Verbose operation; display diagnostic output.

RETURN VALUES

     The install-mimic utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

ENVIRONMENT

     The install-mimic utility's operation is currently not directly affected by its environment.

FILES

     The install-mimic utility's operation is currently not directly affected by any files.

EXAMPLES

     Overwrite a system file with a local copy:

           install-mimic ./install-mimic.pl /usr/bin/install-mimic

     Overwrite several files with local copies with the same name:

           install-mimic cinder/*.py /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/cinder/

     Install a new file similar to a system file:

           install-mimic -v -r /usr/bin/install-mimic install-none /usr/bin/

HISTORY

     The install-mimic utility was written by Peter Pentchev in 2015.

AUTHORS

     Peter Penchev ⟨roam@ringlet.net⟩