COPY

Copy one or more files to another location

Syntax
      COPY source destination [options]

      COPY source1 + source2.. destination [options]

Key
     source :  Pathname for the file or files to be copied.

        /A  :  ASCII text file (default)
        /B  :  Binary file copy - will copy extended characters.

destination :  Pathname for the new file(s).

        /V  :  Verify that the new files were written correctly.

        /N  :  If at all possible, use only a short filename (8.3) when creating
               a destination file. This may be necessary when copying between disks
               that are formatted differently e.g NTFS and VFAT, or when archiving 
               data to an ISO9660 CDROM.

        /Z  :  Copy files in restartable mode. If the copy is interrupted 
               part way through, it will restart if possible. (use on slow networks)

        /Y  :  Suppress confirmation prompt (Windows 2000 only)

        /-Y :  Enable confirmation prompt (Windows 2000 only)

Prompt to overwrite destination file

NNT 4 will overwrite destination files without any prompt, Windows 2000 and above will prompt unless the COPY command is being executed from within a batch script.

To force the overwriting of destination files under both NT4 and Windows2000 use the COPYCMD environment variable:

  SET COPYCMD=/Y

  This will turn off the prompt in Win2000 and will be ignored by NT4 (which overwrites 
  by default)

Binary copies
"COPY /B ... " will copy all the files in binary mode , you can also put /B after any one file to copy just that file in binary.

Combine files
To combine files, specify a single file for the destination, but multiple files as the source. To specify more than one file use wildcards or list the files with a + in between each (file1+file2+file3)
When copying multiple files in this way the first file must exist or else the copy will fail, a workaround for this is COPY null + file1 + file2 dest1

COPY will accept UNC pathnames

Examples:

In the current folder
COPY oldfile.wp newfile.doc

Full path specified
COPY g:\department\oldfile.wp "c:\Files to Convert\newfile.doc"

Specify the drive and filename (assumes the current folder on both drives is correct)
COPY a:oldfile.wp c:newfile.doc

Specify source only (will copy the file to current folder, keeping the same filename)
COPY g:\department\oldfile.wp

Quiet copy (no feedback on screen)
COPY oldfile.wp newfile.doc >nul

"I've been going to Bible classes. They're teaching me to be more judgmental" - Flanders' wife

Related Commands:

ROBOCOPY - Robust File and Folder Copy
SCOPY - File Copy with Security
XCOPY - Copy files and folders
MOVE - Move a file from one folder to another
Mcopy - Copy and create a log file (Win 2K ResKit)
Fcopy - File Copy for MMQ (copy changed files & compress. (Win 2K ResKit)
Permcopy - Copy share & file ACLs from one share to another. (Win 2K ResKit)

Equivalent Linux BASH commands:

cp - Copy one or more files to another location
install - Copy files and set attributes