install(1M)

install -- install commands

Synopsis

/usr/sbin/install [-c dira] [-f dirb] [-i] [-n dirc] [-m mode] [-u user]
[-g group] [-o] [-s] file [dirx . . . ]

Description

The install command is most commonly used in makefiles (see make(1)) to install a file (updated target file) in a specific place within a filesystem. Each file is installed by copying it into the appropriate directory, thereby retaining the mode and owner of the original command. The program prints messages telling the user exactly what files it is replacing or creating and where they are going.

If no options or directories (dirx . . .) are given, install will search a set of default directories (/bin, /usr/bin, /etc, /lib, and /usr/lib, in that order) for a file with the same name as file. When the first occurrence is found, install issues a message saying that it is overwriting that file with file, and proceeds to do so. If the file is not found, the program states this and exits without further action.

If one or more directories (dirx ...) are specified after file, those directories will be searched before the directories specified in the default list.

Command options

-c dira: Installs a new command (file) in the directory specified by dira, only if it is not found. If it is found, install issues a message saying that the file already exists, and exits without overwriting it. May be used alone or with the -s option.
-f dirb: Forces file to be installed in given directory, whether or not one already exists. If the file being installed does not already exist, the mode and owner of the new file will be set to 755 and bin, respectively. If the file already exists, the mode and owner will be that of the already existing file. May be used alone or with the -o or -s options.
-i: Ignores default directory list, searching only through the given directories (dirx . . . ). May be used alone or with any other options except -c and -f.
-n dirc: If file is not found in any of the searched directories, it is put in the directory specified in dirc. The mode and owner of the new file will be set to 755 and bin, respectively. May be used alone or with any other options except -c and -f.
-m mode: The mode of the new file is set to mode.
-u user: The owner of the new file is set to user.
-g group: The group id of the new file is set to group. Only available to the superuser.
-o: If file is found, this option saves the ``found'' file by copying it to OLDfile in the directory in which it was found. This option is useful when installing a frequently used file such as /bin/sh or /lib/saf/ttymon, where the existing file cannot be removed. May be used alone or with any other options except -c.
-s: Suppresses printing of messages other than error messages. May be used alone or with any other options.

References

make(1)