DOS Command Copy
Type:
Internal (1.0 and later)
Syntax:
COPY [/Y|-Y] [/A][/B] [d:][path]filename [/A][/B]
[d:][path][filename] [/V]
or
COPY [/Y|-Y] [/A][/B] [d:][path]filename+[d:][path]filename[...]
[d:][path][filename] [/V]
Purpose: Copies or appends files. Files can be copied with
the same name or with a new name.
Discussion
COPY is usually
used to copy one or more files from one location to another. The
COPY command can also be used to create new files.
The first name you type is referred to as the source file. The
second name you enter is referred to as the target file. If errors
are encountered during the copying process, the COPY program will
display error messages using these names.
Unlike the BACKUP command, copied files are stored in the same
format they are found in. The copied files can be used just as you
would use the original (whether the copied file is a data file or a
program).
COPY can also be used to transfer data between any of the system
devices. Files may also be combined during the copy process.
NOTE:
Files can be copied to the same directory only if they are copied
with a new name. If you copy a file to a different directory without
specifying a new name, the file will be copied with the same name.
If you attempt to copy a file to the same directory without
providing a new name, DOS will cancel the copy and display the
message
File cannot be copied onto itself
Options
/Y -
Causes COPY to replace existing files without providing a
confirmation prompt. By default, if you specify an existing file as
the destination file, COPY will provide a confirmation prompt. (In
previous versions of DOS, existing files were simply overwritten.)
/-Y - Displays a confirmation prompt before copying over
existing files.
/A - Used to copy ASCII files. Applies to the filename
preceding it and to all following filenames. Files will be copied
until an end-of-file mark is encountered in the file being copied.
If an end-of-file mark is encountered in the file, the rest of the
file is not copied. DOS will append an end-of-file mark at the end
of the copied file.
/B - Used to copy binary files. Applies to the filename
preceding it and to all following filenames. Copied files will be
read by size (according to the number of bytes indicated in the
file`s directory listing). An end-of-file mark is not placed at the
end of the copied file.
/V - Checks after the copy to assure that a file was copied
correctly. If the copy cannot be verified, the program will display
an error message. Using this option will result in a slower copying
process.
Examples
The first name
you enter is the source file; the second name is the target file. To
copy the file first.DOC from the current directory to drive B (with
the same name), enter
copy first.doc b:
To copy the file first.DOC to the current directory with the new
name, first2, enter
copy first.doc first2
To copy and combine (concatenate) the files first1.DOC and
first2.DOC to a new file, first3, enter
copy first1.doc+first2.doc b:first3
You can also combine files by using wildcard characters (? and *).
To copy all files with a .DOC filename extension on drive C to a new
file ALLDOCS on drive B, enter
copy c:*.doc b:alldocs
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