So you want something that will copy until the disk is full then ask you to insert the next disk etc?

You can always use something like norton commander to select + copy the specific files you want

keenmaster486 wrote:

So you want something that will copy until the disk is full then ask you to insert the next disk etc?

Yup. Or at least be able to list multiple files that I want to copy in one line, so I don't have to retype copy and destination each time.

konc wrote:

You can always use something like norton commander to select + copy the specific files you want

I wouldn't have thought to use a separate program for copying files.

For now the workaround I've found is XCOPY with /P so that it will ask me Y/N for each individual file. This let's me hit N until I get to the last file that was copied, then spam Y. Sure I have to sit there and keep pressing N/Y but at least I don't have to type out the copy command and file names over and over.

where do You take the filenames from? is there a pattern here? is placing all filenames in a textfile first acceptable?

infiniteclouds wrote:

I wouldn't have thought to use a separate program for copying files.

Then please do. File managers exist for exactly this reason: to make dealing with large collections of files easier.

RAR 2.0 for DOS. I'm using this for all my diskette-only retro systems. It does all the work for you and due to compression, will even use less disks.

Volkov Commander?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkov_Commander

copy *.* c:\temp
copies all files in the current folder to c:\temp

xcopy c:\temp /e
copies all folders,sub folders and files in the current folder to c:\temp

I say also i have been using Volkov Commander 4.0x for about 20 years for now. Latest is 4.05. And it has never failed me in any way.
It is my main shell in DOS. Usually i even launch all my games from there.

Cyberdyne wrote:

I say also i have been using Volkov Commander 4.0x for about 20 years for now. Latest is 4.05. And it has never failed me in any way.
It is my main shell in DOS. Usually i even launch all my games from there.

Latest is something like 4.99 beta, it might even support long file names. However, for pure DOS, 4.05 is perfectly fine 😀

Thanks for all the recommendations. I now know the joy of using a file manager -- I discovered this machine actually had one installed on it (XTGOLD).