VMS Help DECnet-Plus, DCL Commands, COPY, Qualifiers, /REPLACE  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

       /REPLACE
       /NOREPLACE

    Qualifier type:        Output file qualifier

    Supported file types:  Local and remote

    This qualifier determines how the copy operation responds when the
    file specification requested for the output file currently belongs
    to a preexisting file. On an OpenVMS system, the /REPLACE qualifier
    is meaningful only when the output file specification contains
    a version number. In this situation, the /NOREPLACE qualifier
    generates an error condition and the output file is not created;
    the /REPLACE qualifier deletes the preexisting file and copies the
    input file to the preexisting file specification. The FTAM copying
    utility allocates new space for the output file.

                                   NOTE

       To ensure success of the /REPLACE qualifier, use the exact
       file specification that is returned by the DIRECTORY/APPLICATION_
       PROTOCOL=FTAM command for the output file.

    Default value:         No replacement