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ditto:tldr:00dd8

ditto: Print a line to the Terminal window for every file that's being copied.
$ ditto -V ${path-to-source_directory} ${path-to-destination_directory}
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The ditto command is used in macOS to copy directories and preserve resource forks, HFS metadata, and file and folder permissions.

Let's break down the given command:

  • ditto: This is the command itself, used to copy directories and their contents.
  • -V: This option is used to enable verbose mode, which displays detailed information about the copy process in the Terminal.
  • ${path-to-source-directory}: This is the path to the source directory that you want to copy. You need to replace ${path-to-source-directory} with the actual path to the directory you want to copy. For example, /Users/username/Documents/Source.
  • ${path-to-destination-directory}: This is the path to the directory where you want to copy the source directory. You need to replace ${path-to-destination-directory} with the actual path to the destination directory. For example, /Users/username/Documents/Destination.

So, when you run this command with the actual paths, it will copy the contents of the source directory to the specified destination directory while preserving resource forks, HFS metadata, and file and folder permissions. Additionally, the verbose mode will provide detailed information about the copying process in the Terminal.

This explanation was created by an AI. In most cases those are correct. But please always be careful and never run a command you are not sure if it is safe.
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