File Management - Copy Files (Copy-Item)

Copy files or group of files

Snippets

Adapt and Copy following snippets on your code/context. At the end of the article there is a detailed explanation within a Practical sample.

# Objects - Initialize from CSV
# Snippets
# www.PowerShellExamples.com


# Ensure target base folder exist before copy
New-Item -Path "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -ItemType Directory -Force -Verbose

# copy one file -_-
copy-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt" -Destination "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -Verbose 

# copy one file forcing overwrite without prompt -_-
copy-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt" -Destination "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -Verbose -Force -Confirm:$false

# copy only *.Log1 and *.Log3 files -_-
copy-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\*" -Include "*.Log1","*.Log3" -Destination "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -Verbose

Practical Sample

Copy below code in a power shell session and execute to see commands in action.
You can find expected results at the end of the article.

# Sample : copy files on different scenarios
# File Management - Copy Files -_-
# PowerShellExamples.com

# Preparing example source folder/files

remove-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\" -Force -Recurse -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | out-null
remove-item -Path "c:\Temp\Target\" -Force -Recurse -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | out-null

New-Item -Path "c:\Temp\" -ItemType Directory -Force | out-null
New-Item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\" -ItemType Directory -Force| out-null
New-Item -Path "c:\Temp\Target\" -ItemType Directory -Force| out-null

# Create Text File -_-
New-Item "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt" -ItemType File -Value "TextFileRoot1"| out-null
New-Item "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt" -ItemType File -Value "TextFileRoot2"| out-null
New-Item "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log1" -ItemType File -Value "LogFileRoot"| out-null
New-Item "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log2" -ItemType File -Value "LogFileRoot"| out-null
New-Item "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log3" -ItemType File -Value "LogFileRoot"| out-null

Write-Host "Showing all source files" -ForegroundColor DarkCyan
Get-ChildItem -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\*" -Recurse | select-object -Property FullName | out-string | Write-Host


# Ensure target base folder exist before copy
New-Item -Path "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -ItemType Directory -Force -Verbose


# Copy one file -_-
Write-Host "Copy one file -_-" -ForegroundColor Green
copy-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt" -Destination "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -Verbose 

Write-Host "Showing copied file" -ForegroundColor DarkCyan
Get-Item -Path "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt" | select-object -Property FullName | out-string | Write-Host


# Copy one file forcing overwrite without prompt -_-
Write-Host "Copy one file forcing overwrite without prompt -_-" -ForegroundColor Green
copy-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt" -Destination "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -Verbose -Force -Confirm:$false

Write-Host "Showing copied file without prompt" -ForegroundColor DarkCyan
Get-Item -Path "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt" | select-object -Property FullName | out-string | Write-Host


# Copy only *.Log1 and *.Log3 files -_-
Write-Host "Copy only *.Log1 and *.Log3 files -_-" -ForegroundColor Green
copy-item -Path "c:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\*" -Include "*.Log1","*.Log3" -Destination "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\" -Verbose 

Write-Host "Showing additon of copied files from filtered extensions *.Log1,*.Log3" -ForegroundColor DarkCyan
Get-ChildItem -Path "c:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\*" -Recurse | select-object -Property FullName | out-string | Write-Host

Result

PS C:\>

Showing all source files
PS C:\Users\cesar>

FullName
--------
C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log1
C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log2
C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log3
C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt
C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt



VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Create Directory" on target "Destination: C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\".


    Directory: C:\Temp\Target


Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
d-----         2/24/2023   1:11 AM                baseFolder
Copy one file -_-
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Copy File" on target "Item: C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt Destination: C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt".
Showing copied file

FullName
--------
C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt



Copy one file forcing overwrite without prompt -_-
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Copy File" on target "Item: C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt Destination: C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt".
Showing copied file without prompt

FullName
--------
C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt



Copy only *.Log1 and *.Log3 files -_-
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Copy File" on target "Item: C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log1 Destination: C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log1".
VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Copy File" on target "Item: C:\Temp\Source\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log3 Destination: C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log3".
Showing additon of copied files from filtered extensions *.Log1,*.Log3

FullName
--------
C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log1
C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\LogFileRoot.log3
C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot1.txt
C:\Temp\Target\baseFolder\TextFileRoot2.txt