Copies an existing file to a new file.

The CopyFileEx function provides two additional capabilities. CopyFileEx can call a specified callback function each time a portion of the copy operation is completed, and CopyFileEx can be canceled during the copy operation.

To perform this operation as a transacted operation, use the CopyFileTransacted function.

Syntax

BOOL WINAPI CopyFile(
  __in  LPCTSTR lpExistingFileName,
  __in  LPCTSTR lpNewFileName,
  __in  BOOL bFailIfExists
);

Parameters

lpExistingFileName [in]

The name of an existing file.

In the ANSI version of this function, the name is limited to MAX_PATH characters. To extend this limit to 32,767 wide characters, call the Unicode version of the function and prepend "\\?\" to the path. For more information, see Naming a File.

If lpExistingFileName does not exist, CopyFile fails, and GetLastError returns ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND.

lpNewFileName [in]

The name of the new file.

In the ANSI version of this function, the name is limited to MAX_PATH characters. To extend this limit to 32,767 wide characters, call the Unicode version of the function and prepend "\\?\" to the path. For more information, see Naming a File.

bFailIfExists [in]

If this parameter is TRUE and the new file specified by lpNewFileName already exists, the function fails. If this parameter is FALSE and the new file already exists, the function overwrites the existing file and succeeds.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

Security attributes for the existing file are not copied to the new file. To copy security attributes, use the SHFileOperation function.

File attributes for the existing file are copied to the new file. For example, if an existing file has the FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY file attribute, a copy created through a call to CopyFile will also have the FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY file attribute. For more information, see Retrieving and Changing File Attributes.

This function fails with ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED if the destination file already exists and has the FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN or FILE_ATTRIBUTE_READONLY attribute set.

When CopyFile is used to copy an encrypted file, it attempts to encrypt the destination file with the keys used in the encryption of the source file. If this cannot be done, this function attempts to encrypt the destination file with default keys, as in Windows 2000. If neither of these methods can be done, CopyFile fails with an ERROR_ENCRYPTION_FAILED error code.

Windows 2000:  When CopyFile is used to copy an encrypted file, the function attempts to encrypt the destination file with the default keys. No attempt is made to encrypt the destination file with the keys used in the encryption of the source file. If it cannot be encrypted, CopyFile completes the copy operation without encrypting the destination file.

Symbolic link behavior—If the source file is a symbolic link, the actual file copied is the target of the symbolic link.

If the destination file already exists and is a symbolic link, the symbolic link is overwritten by the source file.

Examples

For an example, see Retrieving and Changing File Attributes.

Requirements

See Also

CopyFileEx

CopyFileTransacted

CreateFile

File Management Functions

MoveFile

Symbolic Links

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Build date: 6/25/2009