Understanding Robocopy's /PURGE and /MOVE Options: Files Deleted and Destination
Robocopy, or Robust File Copy for Windows, is a powerful command-line tool for file management in Windows. It offers a variety of options for customizing file copying behavior, including the /PURGE and /MOVE options. This article will focus on these two options, explaining what they do and how they interact with each other, particularly in the context of deleting files and specifying a destination directory.
What does Robocopy do?
Robocopy is a command-line tool that allows you to copy files and directories from one location to another, with a wide range of options for customizing its behavior. It is particularly useful for copying large directories or files, as it has built-in features for handling network errors, resuming interrupted copies, and preserving file attributes such as timestamps and permissions.
What is the /PURGE option?
The /PURGE option tells Robocopy to delete files in the destination directory that do not exist in the source directory. This is useful when you want to synchronize two directories, ensuring that the destination directory only contains the files present in the source directory. When used in conjunction with the /MIR option, which mirrors the source directory to the destination directory, /PURGE ensures that the destination directory is an exact copy of the source directory.
What is the /MOVE option?
The /MOVE option tells Robocopy to move files from the source directory to the destination directory, rather than copying them. This has the effect of deleting the files from the source directory after they have been copied to the destination directory. When used with the /PURGE option, /MOVE can be used to synchronize two directories, moving files from the source directory to the destination directory and deleting any files in the destination directory that do not exist in the source directory.
Example usage
Here is an example usage of Robocopy with the /PURGE and /MOVE options:
Robocopy source\_directory destination\_directory /PURGE /MOVE
This command will move all files from the source directory to the destination directory, and delete any files in the destination directory that do not exist in the source directory.
Robocopy is a powerful tool for file management in Windows, with a wide range of options for customizing its behavior. The /PURGE and /MOVE options are particularly useful for synchronizing two directories, moving files from the source directory to the destination directory and deleting any files in the destination directory that do not exist in the source directory. By understanding these options and how they interact with each other, you can use Robocopy to efficiently manage your files and directories.
References
- Microsoft Documentation: Robocopy
- SS64.com: Robocopy
- Robocopy Examples: How to Use Robocopy to Sync Files and Folders in Windows
Note: The above references are for informational purposes only and are not endorsed or affiliated with this article.