file · Command reference

`qzx copyPath`

What it does

Copies one file, symbolic link, or directory to a separate destination with explicit depth and replacement behavior

Command maturity: Alpha

Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve. This is the current development-checkout assessment. Every future immutable release tag preserves the exact assessment shipped by that version. Available in PyPI 0.2.2.0.9. This page documents the 0.2.2.0.9 alpha development checkout.

Behavior and built-in protections

Live mode applies the changes you request

Direct execution for this operation

Works without invoking native programs

Works without network access

Uses your current permissions; results can vary

Creating a new destination is direct. Regular files are verified by size and SHA-256, and symlinks are preserved rather than followed. Filesystem roots, special entries, identical paths, and unsafe ancestor/descendant relationships are blocked before mutation. --force replaces an existing destination only after a fail-closed backup.

QZX creates a recovery archive before live changes; use --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox/--yolo only when you deliberately choose to skip it.

This safety classification was reviewed by OpenAI GPT-5.6 Pro against implementation digest sha256:260c76d7cb57431a1004b2fd439742cea98ad524b0ecd8f46277131405da3cc6 on 2026-08-25.

Exact syntax

qzx copyPath <source> <destination> [recursive] [force] --json

Parameters

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Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
source	str	Yes	Not declared	Path to the source file, symlink, or directory
destination	str	Yes	Not declared	Path to the separate destination
recursive	str	No	Not declared	For directories: omit or use -r to copy everything; use -rN for at most N levels; false/0 creates only the root
force	bool	No	false	Replace an existing destination after a safety backup

Input examples

qzx copyPath source.txt destination.txt

Copy one regular file and verify it with SHA-256

qzx copyPath myfile.txt backup/myfile.txt

Copy one file into a backup directory

qzx copyPath sourcedir destinationdir -r

Copy a complete directory and preserve symlinks

qzx copyPath sourcedir destinationdir -r2

Copy a directory through two levels

qzx copyPath sourcedir destinationdir -r --force

Back up and replace an existing destination with a complete copy

For the complete structured payload, add --json: qzx copyPath <source> <destination> [recursive] [force] --json

Representative output example

This illustrative JSON is derived from the current implementation-backed result contract. It shows what the command can return without claiming a recorded execution; values vary with inputs, host, permissions, and optional tools.

Example command: qzx copyPath source.txt destination.txt --json

{
    "success": true,
    "message": "Copies one file, symbolic link, or directory to a separate destination with explicit depth and replacement behavior. In this illustrative example, the command completed successfully.",
    "meta": {
        "command": "copyPath",
        "command_maturity": {
            "stage": "alpha",
            "label": "Alpha",
            "sequence": 2,
            "public_executable": true,
            "stability": "interface_may_change",
            "summary": "Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve.",
            "promotion_review_required": false,
            "assessment_scope": "development_checkout"
        },
        "duration_ms": 0,
        "schema_version": 1
    },
    "details": {
        "status": "ok",
        "source_exists_after": "C:\\project\\example.txt",
        "destination_exists_after": "C:\\project\\example.txt"
    }
}

View the JSON result contract

{
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "required": [
        "success",
        "message",
        "meta"
    ],
    "properties": {
        "success": {
            "type": "boolean"
        },
        "message": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "meta": {
            "type": "object",
            "required": [
                "command",
                "command_maturity",
                "duration_ms",
                "schema_version"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "command": {
                    "type": "string"
                },
                "command_maturity": {
                    "type": "object",
                    "required": [
                        "stage",
                        "label",
                        "sequence",
                        "public_executable",
                        "stability",
                        "summary",
                        "promotion_review_required",
                        "assessment_scope"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "stage": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "label": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "sequence": {
                            "type": "integer"
                        },
                        "public_executable": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "stability": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "summary": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "promotion_review_required": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "assessment_scope": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "note": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "review": {
                            "type": "object",
                            "required": [
                                "reviewed_on",
                                "rationale",
                                "evidence"
                            ],
                            "properties": {
                                "reviewed_on": {
                                    "type": "string",
                                    "format": "date"
                                },
                                "rationale": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                },
                                "evidence": {
                                    "type": "array",
                                    "minItems": 1,
                                    "items": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                },
                                "replacement": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                }
                            },
                            "additionalProperties": false
                        }
                    },
                    "additionalProperties": true
                },
                "duration_ms": {
                    "type": "number"
                },
                "schema_version": {
                    "type": "integer"
                }
            },
            "additionalProperties": true
        },
        "details": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
                "status": {
                    "type": "string"
                },
                "source_exists_after": [],
                "destination_exists_after": []
            },
            "additionalProperties": true
        },
        "error": [],
        "error_code": []
    },
    "additionalProperties": true
}

Errors and limits

The public contract requires success=false and a descriptive message on failure. This catalog does not yet declare a command-specific error taxonomy; inspect the result and do not invent error codes.

QZX is alpha software. Optional dependencies, permissions, and host capabilities can change the result.

Evidence workflow: requires a controlled privileged environment.

Evidence and provenance

Implementation: src/qzx/commands/file/copy_path.py
Tests: No command-specific test file with the same module name was found; this does not prove that all coverage is absent.
Documentation channel: Development documentation 0.2.2.0.9 · main · sha256:cfba936e39931c286ca23add0ae546693db17d8b316e7cbc3891d26642d9b7e8
Availability: 0.2.2.0.9 or earlier

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