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In cmd.exe if you type:

copy c:\a.txt

it will copy a.txt* (including a.txt1, a.txtb, etc).

How can I just copy a.txt?

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Is it a modern version of Windows you're using, or actually MS-DOS? Because the cmd.exe command interpreter is not the same as DOS, it merely tries to be compatible. When I try the above command on Windows 7, it copies only a.txt, not a.txt1. – Indrek Sep 27 '12 at 14:49
I'm using windows 7 – nima Sep 27 '12 at 14:51
Is this the actual command you're using or just an example? – Dennis Sep 27 '12 at 14:51
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No version of DOS or CMD that I am aware of would treat that command as having a wildcard without explicitly putting a wildcard in the command. – EBGreen Sep 27 '12 at 14:51
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@nima: What's the name of the file that gets unintentionally copied? – Dennis Sep 27 '12 at 15:06
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I don't know where you got that idea... DOS (all versions of) does not copy all files that start the same way without using a wild-card character. For example:

copy c:\a.txt x:\somewhere\else

will ONLY copy a.txt to that new location. The alternative:

copy c:\a.txt* x:\somewhere\else

will copy all files starting with a.txt to the new location. This would include a.txt1, a.txt2, and a.txtyourpantsareonfire.spitting.monkeys.bat.com.fish

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This is not my idea, it's happening in front of my eyes :) – nima Sep 27 '12 at 15:00
This is not the default behavior of any version of DOS. Perhaps something has become corrupted on your system, and/or perhaps you have some sort of bug on your machine. – TheCompWiz Sep 27 '12 at 15:02
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The problem was in the path I used a / instead of \ before my file name. Thanks for your time. – nima Sep 27 '12 at 15:38

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