CLI Machines Files Cp

`ed machines files cp`

Copies one or more paths into a directory on the machine. This is the window's copy and paste.

ed machines files cp <machine> <path>... <directory> [--dry-run] [--replace] [--yes] [--json]

Name	Type / values	Default	What it does
`machine`	machine name, SSH alias, id or unambiguous prefix	required	Which machine.
`path...`	one or more remote paths, then the destination directory last	at least two values required	What to copy, and where to.
`--dry-run`	flag	off	Print the exact resolved destinations without copying.
`--replace`	flag	off	Target an existing matching name instead of making a numbered copy.
`--yes`	flag	off	Confirm replacements requested with `--replace`.
`--json`	flag	off	Emit JSON on stdout.

{
  "operation": "machines.files.copy-within-machine",
  "machine": "Asus TUF 7",
  "destination": "/home/pulkit/backup",
  "dryRun": false,
  "executed": true,
  "requiresConfirmation": false,
  "items": [{
    "source": "/home/pulkit/notes.md",
    "destination": "/home/pulkit/backup/notes 2.md",
    "replacesExisting": false
  }],
  "skipped": []
}

ed machines files cp tuf /home/pulkit/notes.md /home/pulkit/backup
ed machines files cp tuf /srv/a.conf /srv/b.conf /srv/keep
ed machines files cp tuf /var/log/syslog /tmp --json

The last value is always the destination and the rest are sources. Fewer than two values exits 1 with give at least one source and a destination directory.

The destination is listed before anything changes. A matching name is kept by adding 2, then 3, while preserving the extension. --dry-run prints those resolved targets. --replace previews every replacement and changes nothing until --yes is also present.

What runs is cp -a, so a directory is copied whole and modes, ownership where the account is allowed to set it, and timestamps are preserved. A confirmed replacement copies to a unique staging name first, renames the old target to a rollback name only after the copy succeeds, publishes the staged arrival, and then removes the rollback. A failed publication restores the old target.

The command is capped at 300 seconds. Without --json the output names every resolved source and destination. The batch stops at the first failed item so a later success cannot hide its status. A non-zero exit on the machine exits 1 with that same description and whatever the machine printed:

$ ed machines files cp tuf /srv/a.conf /srv/locked
error: copied 1 into /srv/locked failed on Asus TUF 7: cp: cannot create regular file '/srv/locked/a.conf': Permission denied

executed distinguishes a preview from a completed copy. items is the same resolved plan in both modes, so automation can preview and confirm exact paths.