GNU bug report logs - #12433
doc: cp: slightly misleading documentation for "cp -f"

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Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:07:24 +0100
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Subject: Slightly misleading documentation for cp -f
From: Reuben Thomas <rrt@HIDDEN>
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--help says:

              if an existing destination file cannot be opened, remove
it and try again (redundant if the -n
              option is used)

That use of the word "redundant" suggests to the unwary reader that if
-n is used, then -f is not needed, but in fact (AFAICT) it means that
if -n is used then -f has no effect, so I suggest s/redundant/has no
effect/.

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