Provided by: runit_2.2.0-4ubuntu1_amd64 
NAME
cpsv - utility to install and manage runit services
SYNOPSIS
cpsv [-f] a <service-directory> [ <service-directory2> ...]
cpsv p <service-directory> [ <service-name> ]
cpsv d <service-directory> [ <service-name> ]
cpsv [-f] s
cpsv l
DESCRIPTION
cpsv is a tool to install runscripts from CPSV_SOURCE to CPSV_DEST. It can also be used to manage
runscripts that are already installed in CPSV_DEST.
In a Debian system, by default, CPSV_SOURCE is /usr/share/runit/sv.src and CPSV_DEST is /etc/sv. Deb
packages install runscripts in /usr/share/runit/sv and a runitme copy of each relevant service is
maintained at /usr/share/runit/sv.current. By default sv.src is a symlink that points to
/usr/share/runit/sv.
When a runscript is installed in /usr/share/runit/sv/, /etc/sv/ becomes reserved for a locally modified
copy of the service.
COMMANDS
a Copy <service> from CPSV_SOURCE into CPSV_DEST, then create symlinks as when the p command is
used; more than one <service> name can be given with this command and each <service> directory
must exists in CPSV_SOURCE.
If <service> already exists in CPSV_DEST, cpsv prints a warning, the cp invocation is skipped and
the return code is increased by one. The -f option can be used to change this behaviour.
p Copy <service-directory> in the <sv.current> runtime directory and create <service-name> in
CPSV_DEST, if it does not exists. <service-directory> must exists in CPSV_SRC; if <service-name>
is omitted, <service-directory> is used instead. When <p> is invoked without root privileges,
<service-directory> must already exists in the runtime <sv.current> directory and the <@user>
string in <service-name> , if any, is replaced by <@username>. Then <CPSV_DEST/service-name> is
populated with directories and symlinks: <run,check,finish,xchopts,control,.meta,env> and
<log/run> are symlinked to their conterpart in /usr/share/runit/sv.current/<service-directory>/;
the <CPSV_DEST/service-name/log> directory is created, if needed; files or directories already
found in <CPSV_DEST/service-name/ are skipped.
If a <service-name>/supervise symlink or directory is not found, cpsv creates one. If a <service-
name>/.meta/finish file exists, and a <service-name>/finish file or symlink is not found, cpsv
creates a symlink to /lib/runit/finish-exec.
When a <service-name>/log directory exists: if <service-name>/log/supervise link or directory is
not found, cpsv creates one; if <service-name>/log/run file or symlink is not found, cpsv creates
a symlink to /etc/sv/svlogd/run.
d Print the diff between the <service-directory> in CPSV_SOURCE and the <service-name> directory in
CPSV_DEST. The exit status of diff is returned; <service-directory> must exists in CPSV_SOURCE.
If <service-name> is omitted, <service-directory> is used instead. When <p> is invoked without
root privileges, <service-directory> must already exists in the runtime <sv.now> directory and the
<@user> string in <service-name> , if any, is replaced by <@username>. Supervise , conf and wtime
are excluded from the diff.
s Sync CPSV_DEST with CPSV_SOURCE; for each <service> directory in CPSV_SOURCE cpsv search the
system for a systemd or sysv service file with the same name: if it finds one then it copies the
<service> directory as when the a command is given and goes to the next directory; else cpsv looks
for the path written in a <service>/.meta/bin file, and if such path exists in the system then it
copies the <service> directory as when the a command is given; otherwise it goes to the next
directory.
l List installed services in CPSV_DEST; the name of each <service> that would be copied with the s
command is printed, preceded with character surronded by square brakets;
[a]: <service>;
exists in CPSV_SOURCE but not in CPSV_DEST
[i]: <service>;
exists both in CPSV_SOURCE and CPSV_DEST, the copy in CPSV_DEST is identical
to the one created with the a command
[l]: <service>;
exists both in CPSV_SOURCE and CPSV_DEST, the copy in CPSV_DEST is different
from the one created with the a command
OPTIONS
-f Overwrite <service> files in CPSV_DEST with <service> files in CPSV_SOURCE, no backup is provided.
When a <service>/log directory exists, the <service>/log/run file or symlink is replaced with the
default one that is created with the p command; supervise directories or symlinks are never
overwritten or replaced this way.
ENVIRONMENT
CPSV_DEST
The environment variable $CPSV_DEST overrides the default directory where services are copied. If
omitted or empty, the default is /etc/sv; when cpsv is run without root privileges, the default
value is set to ~/.runit/sv
CPSV_SOURCE
The environment variable $CPSV_SOURCE overrides the default directory from where services are
copied. If omitted or empty, the default is /usr/share/runit/sv.src. By changing the target of
the /usr/share/runit/sv.src symlink it is possible to permanently override CPSV_SOURCE to use a
local colletion of runscripts. When cpsv is run without root privileges, the default value is set
to /usr/share/runit/sv.current.
AUTHOR
Lorenzo Puliti <plorenzo@disroot.org>
SEE ALSO
update-service(8)
July 12, 2025 cpsv(8)