Copy command called through FM SXPG_CALL_SYSTEM not performed properly

Question

Hi  Gurus,
I am calling the FM SXPG_CALL_SYSTEM with the command name as COPY maintained for windows NT server and I am passing the additional parameters with the file names ( source file <space> destination file). Source files can be picked using wild characters (for eg:filename_o_*.wrk) and all the files fetched from Source has to be placed into the one target file specified in the destination.
While performing this FM, we are getting error sometimes. suppose if there are two files present in the source, first part of first file and second part of second file is copied and not the whole file. So we are missing second part of first file and first part of second file. This happens randomly like once in a day. Can you please suggest how to rectify this error?
This is in High priority.  Any immediate response is highly appreciated.
Please advice me the right forum for posting this if this is not the right forum.

Answer 1

Thx for the explanation, you're right! (very surprising to me)
Well, I tried on my XP SP 3 system:
When we use * or ?, then there's the issue you mention:
- For the test, I created 2 files named source1 and source2, one containing AAAA\[CTRLZ\]BBBB in my local encoding (cp1252), and the other CCCC\[CTRLZ\]DDDD.
- If I use COPY source* result, a new file "result" is created containing AAAACCCC\[CTRLZ\]. Note that \[CTRLZ\] is always added once at the end.
- If I do it with only one file but with a generic character (COPY sourc?1 result), there's the same issue.
- Same issue also if I copy a whole directory to a file (COPY directory result)
When I use COPY source1 result (only one source file, and no generic character * or ?), there's no issue.
When I use /b (COPY /b source* result), it works well. Note: be careful with /b position, COPY source* result /b, /b is ignored if it is at the end.
Doesn't explain why the beginning of a file was not copied, though.