Copy /n option order

[David Marcus]

Why do the two copy commands below with "/n" produce different results? The only difference is where on the command line the "/n" is.

C:\Junk\Bar>dir

Volume in drive C is OS Serial number is 1ce5:1203
Directory of C:\Junk\Bar\*

11/17/2009 5:07p DIR .
11/17/2009 5:07p DIR ..
11/17/2009 5:07p SYMLINKD Sym [C:\Junk\Foo\]
0 bytes in 0 files and 3 dirs
191,257,014,272 bytes free

C:\Junk\Bar>copy /s /e /n /nj * ..\
C:\Junk\Bar\Sym\Foo.txt => C:\Junk\Sym\Foo.txt
1 file would be copied

C:\Junk\Bar>copy /s /e /nj /n * ..\
0 files would be copied

C:\Junk\Bar>copy /s /e /nj * ..\
0 files copied

C:\Junk\Bar>

Vista Home Premium. Take Command 11.00.33.

 

[David Marcus]

It seems that all arguments to /N must be given together. Is this WAD? I interpreted the Help's "A /N with one of the following arguments has an alternate meaning" to mean you should only give one at a time.

C:\Junk>erase /s /x /y /Nn /Nt *
TCC: (Sys) There are no more files.
"C:\Junk\*"
1 file would be deleted

C:\Junk>erase /s /x /y /Nnt *
TCC: (Sys) There are no more files.
"C:\Junk\*"
Deleting C:\Junk\Foo\Foo.txt
Removing C:\Junk\Foo\
1 file deleted

C:\Junk>

 

[rconn]

> It seems that all arguments to /N must be given together. Is this WAD?
> I interpreted the Help's "A /N with one of the following arguments has
> an alternate meaning" to mean you should only give one at a time.

WAD - you cannot have multiple /N arguments.

Rex Conn
JPO Software

 

[David Marcus]

WAD - you cannot have multiple /N arguments.

Does that also mean that I can't have a /N with a /Nj ? That seems inconvenient.

By the way, the Help for Copy says, "j Skip junctions (when used with /S)\". I don't think the final backslash belongs.

 

[Steve Fabian]

rconn wrote:
| WAD - you cannot have multiple /N arguments.

Request that you remove this limitation in the next version, not only from
COPY, but from all other commands this rule currently affects. It is very
convenient to be able to have an alias that already includes e.g. /nenst,
and when using the alias (esp. interactively) to add /nj when appropriate,
instead of requiring two separate aliases.

As for the "report without acting" (/n) option, it is most useful
interactively, and as such, its most convenient location is at the end of
the command line, so that a satisfactory command could be recalled with a
single keystroke, and the /n erased with just two more. From my observation
the REN command handles it correctly even when it is so located. I wish this
behavior would be the documented operation for all commands that accept this
option!
--
Steve

 

[rconn]

Does that also mean that I can't have a /N with a /Nj ? That seems inconvenient.

No, it means that you cannot have multiple /N... arguments. And if you have an /N, it has to follow the /N... argument.