Move (command) explained

move
Developer:	Microsoft, IBM, JP Software, DR, Novell, Joe Cosentino, ReactOS Contributors
Programming Language:	FreeDOS, ReactOS: C
Operating System:	MS-DOS, PC DOS, MSX-DOS, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows, DR DOS, FreeDOS, ReactOS
Platform:	Cross-platform
Genre:	Command
License:	FreeDOS, ReactOS: GPLv2

In computing, move is a command in various command-line interpreters (shells) such as [[COMMAND.COM]], [[cmd.exe]],^[1] 4DOS/4NT, and PowerShell. It is used to move one or more files or directories from one place to another.^[2] The original file is deleted, and the new file may have the same or a different name. The command is analogous to the Unix [[mv (Unix)|mv]] command and to the OpenVOS move_file and move_dircommands.^[3]

Implementations

The command is available in DOS, IBM OS/2,^[4] Microsoft Windows and ReactOS.^[5] On MS-DOS, the command is available in versions 6 and later.^[6] In Windows PowerShell, is a predefined command alias for the Move-Item Cmdlet which basically serves the same purpose. The FreeDOS version was developed by Joe Cosentino.^[7] DR DOS 6.0 includes an implementation of the command.^[8] The open-source MS-DOS emulator DOSBox has no MOVE command. Instead, the [[ren (command)|REN]] command can be used to move files.^[9]

Syntax

To move one or more files: MOVE [/Y | /-Y] [drive:][path]filename1[,...] destination

To rename a directory: MOVE [/Y | /-Y] [drive:][path]dirname1 [destination\]dirname2

To move a directory: MOVE [/Y | /-Y] [drive:][path]dirname1 destination

Parameters

• [drive:][path]filename1: Specifies the location and name of the file or files you want to move.
• destination: Specifies the new location of the file or directory. Destination can consist of a drive letter and colon, a directory name, or a combination, and must already exist. If you are moving only one file, you can also include a filename if you want to rename the file when you move it.
• [drive:][path]dirname1: Specifies the directory you want to rename or move.
• dirname2: Specifies the new name of the directory.
• /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.

The switch /Y may be present in the COPYCMD environment variable. This may be overridden with /-Y on the command line. Default is to prompt on overwrites unless MOVE command is being executed from within a batch script.

Notes

• When moving a directory, dirname1 and its contents wind up as a subfolder beneath destination. Caution is advised - if the final subfolder of the destination path does not exist, dirname1 will be both moved and renamed.

See also

• List of DOS commands
• List of Unix commands

Further reading

• Book: Wolverton. Van. MS-DOS Commands: Microsoft Quick Reference, 4th Revised edition. 1990. Microsoft Press. 978-1556152894.
• Book: Kathy Ivens. Brian Proffit. 1993. OS/2 Inside & Out. Osborne McGraw-Hill. 978-0078818714.
• Book: Frisch, Æleen. 2001. Windows 2000 Commands Pocket Reference. O'Reilly. 978-0-596-00148-3.

External links

• move | Microsoft Docs

Notes and References

1. Web site: Move . Microsoft Docs . 11 September 2009 . 2017-08-26 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170826175654/https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490935.aspx . 2017-08-26 . Microsoft TechNet Move article
2. https://www.computerhope.com/movehlp.htm MS-DOS and Windows command line move command
3. Web site: OpenVOS Commands Reference Manual . StrataDOC Online Documentation Service for Stratus Products . "move_dir: Purpose: This command moves a directory and its contents from one place to another. ... move_file: Purpose: This command moves a file or set of files to another file or directory." . 2-552, 2-558 . October 1, 2019 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190922035829/https://stratadoc.stratus.com/vos/19.1.0/r098-19/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/r098-19.pdf . 2019-09-22 .
4. Web site: JaTomes Help - OS/2 Commands . www.jatomes.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190414130029/http://www.jatomes.com/Help/Os2Cmd.php . 2019-04-14.
5. Web site: reactos/move.c at master . GitHub . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191001164803/https://github.com/reactos/reactos/blob/master/base/shell/cmd/move.c . 2019-10-01.
6. Book: Wolverton. Van. Running MS-DOS Version 6.22 (20th Anniversary Edition), 6th Revised edition. 2003. Microsoft Press. 0-7356-1812-7.
7. http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/repos/pkg-html/move.html ibiblio.org FreeDOS Package -- Move (FreeDOS Base)
8. Web site: DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips . 2019-08-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190930135943/http://www.4corn.co.uk/archive/docs/DR%20DOS%206.0%20User%20Guide-opt.pdf . 2019-09-30 . dead .
9. https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Commands Commands - DOSBoxWiki