Another task you can perform with the COPY command is to combine a number of files into one file. For example, to create a new file called DATA that consists of the files REPORT, FACTS, and MEMO, type the following and press Enter:
COPY REPORT + FACTS + MEMO DATA
The three files are combined into one file in the order in which their names appear in the COPY command.
Using the BACKUP Command
The BACKUP command lets you store files in a special format for archive purposes. BACKUP is normally used to back up hard disk files; however, you can use BACKUP to copy files from any disk to another (hard disk to diskette, diskette to hard disk, diskette to diskette, or hard disk to hard disk).
Here are some of the advantages of using the BACKUP command:
BACKUP is able to split large files between two or more diskettes. That is, if the diskette to which you are copying has only 200KB of available space, and the next file to be backed up occupies 300KB, the BACKUP command copies the first part of the file to the current diskette and the remainder to the next backup diskette. This results in more efficient diskette use.
The BACKUP command can be used to perform incremental backups. That is, you can use BACKUP to copy only those files that have changed since the last time you used the BACKUP command. This also results in more efficient diskette use.
The BACKUP command can format new diskettes as it copies files. You don’t have to go through a separate formatting step when you use BACKUP.
Unlike DISKCOPY and COPY, which make readable copies of files, BACKUP creates files that you cannot use until you restore them to the disk by using the RESTORE command.