ZCOPY.COM
Command

Bob Flanders
1989 No. 4 (Utilities)


Purpose:Transfers files at high speed, via a serial link, between
machines that do not share a common disk format.

Format:ZCOPY source [target] [/w][/n][/u][/o][/a][/p][/d]

Remarks:The two machines must be IBM-compatible and must be connected by
a standard "null modem" cable. ZCOPY is executed, with appropriate parameters,
on both machines; a 30-second (default) connect timeout is provided.

On the sending machine both a source (filename plus any needed drive and
path) and a target (COM1 or COM2) must be specified. ZCOPY supports the * and ?
DOS filename "wildcards," but it does not permit renaming files during transfer.
On the receiving machine the source is COM1 or COM2, and the target, if
specified, must be a directory path. (Any needed subdirectories must be created
on the receiving machine before using ZCOPY.)

The optional /w and /n switches operate before connection is
established, and so are entered on the ZCOPY command line of each machine. The
/w parameter prolongs the default connection timeout indefinitely; it can be
cancelled with Ctrl-Break. The /n parameter sets the highest bit-per-second
(bps) rate at which ZCOPY will attempt to transfer data. If used, it must be
the same on both machines. The default is /1 (115 kbps). Other acceptable
values are /2 through /6 (57.6 kbps, 38.4 kbps, 19.2 kbps, 9600 kbps, and 4800
kbps, respectively). If ZCOPY cannot maintain error-free transfer at a given
transfer rate, it automatically steps down to the next lower speed.

The other optional parameters may be entered on either machine's ZCOPY
command line. The /u (Update) switch permits overwriting same-named files on
the receiving machine without operator confirmation if the source file is more
recent. The /o (Overwrite) switch suppresses the confirmation prompt for all
files. By default, when ZCOPY receives a disk-full signal, before aborting it
tries to find a smaller selected source file that will fit on the receiving
disk. The /a (Abort on Full) aborts at the first disk-full indication. The /p
(Pause) switch creates a pause before the transfer operation begins after the
connection between machines has been made, permitting changing a disk. The /d
option changes the date of a received file to that of the receiving machine.