Command: copy
COPY copies one or more files to another location.
Syntax:
COPY [drive][path]filename [/A | /B]
+ [drive][path]filename [/A | /B]
[+ [...]] [drive][path]filename [/A | /B] [/V] [/Y | /-Y] [/?]
drive The drive letter, e.g. C:
path The directory, e.g. \example\
filename The file name, e.g. test.txt
Options:
source Specifies the file or files to be copied
(= first [[drive][path][file]]).
/A Indicates an ASCII text file.
/B Indicates a binary file.
destination Specifies the directory and/or filename for the new
file(s) (=last [[drive][path][file]]).
/V Verifies that new files are written correctly.
/Y Suppresses prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an
existing destination file.
/-Y Causes prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an
existing destination file.
/? Shows the help.
Comments:
COPY won't copy directories or files that are of zero length.
To copy either of these, use XCOPY.
The COPYCMD environment variable can be set to make /Y the default:
SET COPYCMD=/Y
To cancel the /Y for a particular copy command, use /-Y at the command
line. The COPYCMD variable also affects the XCOPY command.
To append files, specify a single file for destination, but multiple
files for source (using wildcards or file1+file2+file3 format).
Detailled explanation of the Options:
source The source consists of "drive" "path" and "file".
drive The drive letter, e.g. "C:" or "D:".
path The directory, e.g. "\example\"
file The name of a file to copy, e.g. "test.txt".
Completely: C:\example\test.txt .
destination The name of destination file(s) or directory. If the
dest filename contains a *, then this is replaced by
that part of the filename with the same part as the
source.
/A Copies an ASCII file. If this precedes a filename in a
list of files, then from this file on, copy as ASCII
files.
e.g.: copy /A ASCI1.txt+ASCI2.txt+ASCI3.txt /B+BIN1.bin
TARGET
/B Copies a binary file. This is the default. If this
precedes a filename in a list of files, then from this
file on, copy as binary files. E.g.:
copy /B BIN1.bin+BIN2.bin+BIN3.bin /A+ASCI1.txt TARGET
/V Verifies that the files are written correctly.
/Y Suppresses the overwrite confirmation message; existing
files with the same name at the destination will be
overwritten.
COPY is a command internal to command.com and needs no other file
in order to work.
Examples:
copy c:\command.com a:
copy c:\*.exe d:\example
copy c:\fdos\bin\edit.* a:
See also:
diskcopy
move
set
verify
xcopy
Copyright © 1998 Jim Hall, updated 2007 by W. Spiegl.
This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.