VMS Help EXCHANGE, COPY, Parameters  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

 input-file-spec[, . . . ]

    Specifies the names of one or more input files to be copied. If
    you specify more than one input file, separate them with commas
    or plus signs. The syntax for input file names depends on the
    volume format option. You can specify standard OpenVMS wildcards
    in both Files-11 and foreign file names. COPY supports wildcard
    directories for Files-11 and DOS-11 input.

                                   NOTE

       The EXCHANGE COPY command does not process search lists as
       input files. If you specify a search list as input to the
       COPY command, only the first item is processed. For example,
       suppose you issue the following commands:

       $ DEFINE search_list [directory_1], [directory_2]
       $ EXCHANGE COPY search_list:*.* [directory_3]

       The EXCHANGE command does not copy anything from directory_
       2.

 output-file-spec

    Specifies the name of the output file, directory, or device
    to which the input files are to be copied. If the input is a
    single file, you can specify an explicit output name (which is
    equivalent to a rename on a copy operation). If the input is more
    than one file, the output specifier must be one of the following:

    o  Wildcards (*, *.* or *.*;*) specifying current default device
       and directory

    o  An explicit device and/or directory for Files-11 output, such
       as BB:[EXCHANGE.TMP], with or without wildcards for the file
       name

    o  An explicit device for RT-11 as in DLA2:/VOLUME=RT11

    o  An explicit device or directory for DOS-11 output, such as
       TAPE:/VOLUME=DOS11 or TAPE:[11,132]/VOLUME=DOS11

    The output file names are constructed according to rules
    implied by the input and output volume qualifiers. COPY does
    not concatenate multiple input files into a single output file.
    Wildcard directories are not permitted. The syntax for input file
    names depends on the volume format option.

    You must specify at least one field in the output file
    specification; COPY replaces missing fields with the
    corresponding field of the related input file specification.
    If the input file has no corresponding field, COPY substitutes
    null text fields and maximizes version numbers.

    The UIC of the output file is the UIC of the current process.
    For DOS-11 output in UIC format, EXCHANGE uses the current
    default directory; otherwise, it uses the current process UIC
    as a directory. You can specify an alternate directory for DOS-11
    output in the command.