COPY + Copying Files

Copies, renames, and concatenates (combines) files.

VERSION

PC-DOS 2.0+ (revised from 1.0)

MS-DOS equivalent: COPY (2.0+)

TYPE

Internal

SYNTAX

To copy files with the same or different names:

COPY [B] [sd:][spath]sfilename [B]

[td:][tpath]tfilename [B][/V]

To copy and combine files:

COPY [B] [sd:][spath]sfilename [B]

[+[cd:][cpath]cfilename [B] . . .]

[td:][tpath]tfilename [B][/V]

OPTIONS

/A or /B Indicates whether the

preceding file and all

subsequent files are to be

read as ASCII (text) or binary

files, and it is in effect

until further modified.

[sd:][spath]sfilename Specifies source file or files

to be copied.

(source)/A Causes the file to be treated

as a text SCII) file (read

only to the ^Z mark).

(source)/B Causes the entire file to be

copied based on the size

indicated in the directory (as

a binary file).

[td:][tpath]tfilename Specifies target file or files

to be copied to. The tFilename

is specified if you wish to

rename the target file during

copy.

(target)/A Adds a ^Z (end of file) as the

last character in an ASCII

file.

(target)/B Causes no ^Z to be added to

the end of a binary target

file.

+[cd:][cpath]cfilename Specifies file(s) to be

combined with source file

during copy.

/V Tells DOS to verify that the

target file is correct.

COPY is used to make copies from one disk to another, to

duplicate a file on the same disk, to read or write to or from

external devices, and to combine files.

EXAMPLES

COPY C:\TEST.FIL C:\DOS

copies TEST.FIL from the root directory to the subdirectory named

DOS (if this subdirectory exists).

COPY C:\TEST.FIL C:\DOS\NEW.FIL

copies TEST.FIL from the root directory into the subdirectory

DOS, naming the copy NEW.FIL.

COPY A:*.* B:

copies all the files from the current directory on the disk in

drive A to a disk in drive B, using their same file names.

COPY TEST.FIL COM1

sends the contents of TEST.FIL to COM1.

COPY CON: QUICK.FIL

sends whatever you type at the keyboard to a file named

QUICK.FIL. To end the file, press Ctrl-Z and Return.

COPY TEST.FIL + NEW.FIL TEST2.FIL

concatenates TEST.FIL and NEW.FIL into TEST2.FIL.

COPY TEST.FIL + NEW.FIL

concatenates TEST.FIL and NEW.FIL under the name TEST.FIL.

COPY TEST.FIL TEST2.FIL /V

makes another copy of TEST.FIL under the name TEST2.FIL, and

verifies that the copy is correct.

MESSAGES

Cannot do binary reads from a device

The /B option was used while attempting to copy from a system

device. Omit the /B and retry.

File cannot be copied onto itself

You tried to make a copy of a file on the same disk without

changing its name. Specify a new file name and retry.

File not found

The file does not exist or there is an error in the way its name

was typed.

Invalid path or name

The path or file name that was specified does not exist.

UNDO

Repeat the COPY command using correct drive/directory and/or

file name parameters. If you renamed the file during the copy, be

sure to use the new file name when repeating the COPY command.

Also, delete the unwanted copy.

NOTES

If a target file name is not specified, the source file name

is used. If there is more than one source file, as in a

concatenation, the name of the first source file is used.

Wildcards may be used. Device names may be used in place of file

names.

The /A and /B options are seldom used; when they are, it is

to distinguish between ASCII (text) and binary files that contain

special nontext characters, such as program files and database

files. When concatenating files, /A is the default; otherwise, /B

is the default.

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[For related topics, press R]

SEE ALSO

ATTRIB Command

BACKUP Command

CHKDSK Command

DEL (DELETE) and ERASE Commands

DIR Command

DISKCOPY Command

ECHO batch file command

PRINT Command

RENAME EN) Command

REPLACE Command

TYPE Command

XCOPY Command



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