MOVE command, C:, C:\

  • Thread starter jackson6612
  • Start date
In summary, the "MOVE" command is used to move files between different directories on the same partition. When using the "C:" as the destination, the file will go into the current directory on the C: drive. However, when using "C:\" as the destination, the file will go into the root directory of the C: drive. If the move is done between different partitions, it will actually copy the file and then delete the original. In a DOS/Windows environment with multiple logical disks on an extended partition, moving files between them will involve copying and deleting the original file.
  • #1
334
1
"MOVE" command, C:, C:\

Hi

Please have a look on the video. I have two text files in the drive D: NewFileD and NewFileD2. When I use the Command "move d:\NewFileD2.txt c:", the file is copied but it doesn't appear in the C drive. I don't know where it goes.

But when I use the as "move d:\NewFileD2.txt c:\" with "c:" being followed by a back slash, it appears there. What's the reason for this behavior and where does the file get moved when not using back slash?

Video:

Please help me. Thanks.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Technology news on Phys.org
  • #2


What's the reason for this behavior and where does the file get moved when not using back slash
C:\ is the address of the root directory of a windows system. "\" means that whatever comes before it is a directory, so "x\" would be the x folder. c: is a file reference, so you may want to look around your d: drive for for a file called c or c:
 
  • #3


Enter the command

dir c:

and it should display the current directory for the c: partition at the start of the listing. To change it to the root directory, enter the command:

cd c:\
 
  • #4


story645 said:
C:\ is the address of the root directory of a windows system. "\" means that whatever comes before it is a directory, so "x\" would be the x folder. c: is a file reference, so you may want to look around your d: drive for for a file called c or c:
Is that it? Or has the file simply been moved to the curdir on the c: drive, whatever that might be?

Been a while since I last did DOS stuff but, IIRC, curdir will be the last directory that you explicitly pointed at on the C: drive before attempting the transfer. Or a default.
 
  • #5


DaveC426913 said:
Is that it? Or has the file simply been moved to the curdir on the c: drive, whatever that might be?
Possible. I honestly got an error when I tried to replicate his code using c:, so I just tried to do it using c and that's what it did.

Just tried again and it worked just the way you said it should.
 
  • #6


c: is a current dir at disk C, c:\ is a root dir at disk C, no doubt about it. It was always this way.
 
  • #7


Thanks a lot, everyone. You all have really helped me. Thank you.

So, did the file go into CURDIR? How do access it? Please let me know.
 
  • #8


Enter

Code:
c:
dir

or

Code:
dir c:
 
  • #9


You can also enter:

cd c:

which will display the current directory for the c partition.

Note that the move command is normally used on the same logical disk, and will just move the file's directory entry from one folder to another folder without actually moving any data. If you use the move command with different partitions, it does a copy followed by a delete.
 
Last edited:
  • #10


rcgldr said:
Note that the move command is normally used on the same partition, and will just move the file's directory entry from one folder to another folder without actually moving any data. If you use the move command with different partitions, it does a copy followed by a delete.

It is not exactly true.

In DOS/Windows environment you may have several logical disks on one extended partition, and moving files between them will mean copying and erasing data.
 
Last edited:
  • #11


Borek said:
In DOS/Windows environment you may have several logical disks on one extended partition, and moving files between them will mean copying and erasing data.
Sorry, I meant logical disk, wasn't considering moving a file between different logical disks on an extended partition. I corrected my previous post.
 

Suggested for: MOVE command, C:, C:\

Replies
2
Views
73
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
10
Views
851
Replies
8
Views
725
Replies
2
Views
909
Replies
5
Views
2K
Back
Top