install versus cp -a in %install

[Michael Schwendt]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 11:55:40 +0200 (CEST), tian at c-sait.net wrote:

> Hello,

Would it be asked too much that you enter your real name in your
messages? (presumably it's the one from whois c-sait.net)

> There was a question about this topic in one of my previous mails. But it
> could have gone unoticed because there was a lot of other information in
> it ;)
> 
> https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-extras-list/2005-May/msg00374.html
> 
> So the question is about the use of install program in %install section of
> a .spec to copy files. Is that better to use it instead of a more simple
> 'cp -a'
> 
> A major drawback of install is that it doesn't have recursive mode. And
> its only advantage, from my point of view, is that it is possible to
> specify some permissions and ownerships.
> 
> But as this last operation is performed in the %files section, I think
> there is no need to use this feature.
> 
> Am I missing something there? If there is no advantages using install, I
> will be able to do a more concise and clean .spec file.

Use what works for you. Use what is appropriate. Use what makes sense.
"cp -a" makes sense when you want to transfer entire trees. Like "cp -p",
"install -p" is one way to copy files with preserved time-stamps.
"install" is also useful when you need to chmod at the same time and
don't want to do it in the %files section.
 
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