move (command)

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 command and to the OpenVOS move_file and move_dircommands.[3]

move
Developer(s)Microsoft, IBM, JP Software, DR, Novell, Joe Cosentino, ReactOS Contributors
Written inFreeDOS, ReactOS: C
Operating systemMS-DOS, PC DOS, MSX-DOS, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows, DR DOS, FreeDOS, ReactOS
PlatformCross-platform
TypeCommand
LicenseFreeDOS, ReactOS: GPLv2

Implementations

The command is available in DOS,[4] IBM OS/2,[5] Microsoft Windows and ReactOS.[6] On MS-DOS, the command is available in versions 6 and later.[7] In Windows PowerShell, move is a predefined command alias for the Move-Item Cmdlet which basically serves the same purpose. The FreeDOS version was developed by Joe Cosentino.[8] DR DOS 6.0 includes an implementation of the move command.[9] The open-source MS-DOS emulator DOSBox has no MOVE command. Instead, the REN command can be used to move files.[10]

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

References
  1. "Move". Microsoft Docs. 11 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2017-08-26. Retrieved 2017-08-26. Microsoft TechNet Move article
  2. MS-DOS and Windows command line move command
  3. "OpenVOS Commands Reference Manual" (PDF). StrataDOC Online Documentation Service for Stratus Products. pp. 2–552, 2–558. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-09-22. Retrieved October 1, 2019. 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.
  4. Jamsa, Kris A. (1993), DOS: The Complete Reference, Osborne McGraw-Hill, p. 206, ISBN 0078819040, archived from the original on 2018-01-25.
  5. "JaTomes Help - OS/2 Commands". www.jatomes.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-14.
  6. "reactos/move.c at master". GitHub. Archived from the original on 2019-10-01.
  7. Wolverton, Van (2003). Running MS-DOS Version 6.22 (20th Anniversary Edition), 6th Revised edition. Microsoft Press. ISBN 0-7356-1812-7.
  8. ibiblio.org FreeDOS Package -- Move (FreeDOS Base)
  9. "DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  10. Commands - DOSBoxWiki

Further reading
  • Wolverton, Van (1990). MS-DOS Commands: Microsoft Quick Reference, 4th Revised edition. Microsoft Press. ISBN 978-1556152894.
  • Kathy Ivens; Brian Proffit (1993). OS/2 Inside & Out. Osborne McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0078818714.
  • Frisch, Æleen (2001). Windows 2000 Commands Pocket Reference. O'Reilly. ISBN 978-0-596-00148-3.
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Guide to Windows Commands
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