Windows API Reference

MoveFile Function

The MoveFile function moves an existing file from one location to another.

BOOL MoveFile(
  LPCTSTR lpExistingFileName,
  LPCTSTR lpNewFileName
);

Parameters

lpExistingFileName

A null-terminated string that specifies the current name of the file. For more information, see the Remarks section of MoveFileEx.

lpNewFileName

A null-terminated string that specifies the new name of the file. For more information, see the Remarks section of MoveFileEx.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero. If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

The MoveFile function provides basic file moving capabilities. For more advanced options, such as controlling whether the move is atomic or can be rescheduled, consider using the MoveFileEx function.

If the destination file already exists, MoveFile will overwrite it. If the source and destination are on different volumes, this function will fail unless the source file is first copied and then deleted.

Error Codes

The following table lists common error codes that may be returned by GetLastError:

Requirements

See Also

• MoveFileEx
• CopyFile
• DeleteFile
• File Management Functions