--- content_copy.module.original	2009-11-27 18:39:46.000000000 -0500
+++ content_copy.module	2009-11-27 18:32:47.000000000 -0500
@@ -464,8 +464,10 @@
     $field['type_name'] = $type_name;
 
     if (!empty($field['field_name']) && isset($content_info['content types'][$type_name]['fields'][$field_name])) {
-      drupal_set_message(t('The imported field %field_label (%field_name) was not added to %type because that field already exists in %type.', array(
-        '%field_label' => $field['label'], '%field_name' => $field_name, '%type' => $type_label)));
+      $field = content_field_instance_update($field, FALSE);
+      $rebuild = TRUE;
+      drupal_set_message(t('The field %field_label (%field_name) was updated for the content type %type.', array(
+        '%field_label' => $field['widget']['label'], '%field_name' => $field_name, '%type' => $type_label)));
     }
     else {
       $field = content_field_instance_create($field, FALSE);
@@ -474,6 +476,11 @@
         '%field_label' => $field['widget']['label'], '%field_name' => $field_name, '%type' => $type_label)));
     }
 
+    // remove the field just processed from the content_info
+    // this way what it is left in the content_info are fields
+    // that have to be removed because no longer present in the content type
+    unset($content_info['content types'][$type_name]['fields'][$field_name]);
+
     // Fieldgroup module erases all group related data when a module that
     // provides a content type is disabled, but CCK does not remove the fields.
     // In this case, we should ensure group data related to fields is properly
@@ -484,6 +491,17 @@
     }
   }
 
+  // if we are updating an existing content type
+  if ($form_values['type_name'] != '<create>') {
+      // let's look for fields to be deleted
+      foreach ($content_info['content types'][$type_name]['fields'] as $field) {
+        content_field_instance_delete($field['field_name'], $type_name, FALSE);
+        drupal_set_message(t('The field %field_label (%field_name) was removed from the content type %type.', array(
+        '%field_label' => $field['widget']['label'], '%field_name' => $field_name, '%type' => $type_label)));
+        $rebuild = TRUE;
+      }
+  }
+
   // Clear caches and rebuild menu only if any field has been created.
   if ($rebuild) {
     content_clear_type_cache(TRUE);