Windows

Attempt To Use Batch Files While Keep Structure

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I wanted to use robocopy, but it is not possible due to my text file has filenames attached. I ended up have to use copy instead.

I wanted to copy files like this…

Source: S:folderABCDEproduct_pdfDriveDriveDeluxeAluminumBathChair_RTL12202KDR.pdf
Destination: C:wamp64FGproduct_pdfDriveDriveDeluxeAluminumBathChair_RTL12202KDR.pdf

Here is how my text file (ActivePDF.txt) listed..

product_pdfDriveDriveDeluxeAluminumBathChair_RTL12202KDR.pdf
product_pdfDriveDriveCommodesNRS185007-11117N.pdf
product_pdfDriveDriveCommodes11125Series.pdf
product_pdfDriveDriveSuctionCupGrabBar_RTL13082.pdf
product_pdfDriveDriveChromeKnurledGrabBar.pdf

My attempted batch file is looked like this

@echo on
enableextensions 
set main_folder=S:folderABCDE
set my_folder=C:wamp64FG
set log_file="%main_folder%CopyLog.txt"
for /f "delims=" %%a in (ActivePDF.txt) do if exist "%main_folder%%%a" (
    md "%my_folder%%%a" 2>nul
    copy /v /y "%main_folder%%%a" "%my_folder%%%a"
)

It did copied, but it ended up created folder with “.pdf” and actual PDF files are inside that “.pdf” folders. (Therefore, each PDF contained in the own folder…)

I think I’m getting there… but I do wonder if there is any cleaner way to do it.

Answer

It’s the commands in the for loop that are causing the problem: %%a contains both the subdirectory path and the PDF file name, so md "%my_folder%%%a" 2>nul will create in the target folder a directory path which includes the PDF name as the last subdirectory.

When the target path is a directory the copy command copies the source file(s) into it, with the result you observed.

While it is possible to parse %%a to extract the directory path and file names, there is a trick that can be used to reference the directory path without parsing: if %%a contains a file name with directory path, then %%a.. will reference the directory path. Even though %%a is a file path, the parsing of %%a.. will identify the containing directory without checking whether the last element of %%a is a file or directory.

So the commands in the for loop become:-

md "%my_folder%%%a.." 2>nul
copy /v /y "%main_folder%%%a" "%my_folder%%%a.."

The md is needed to create the target subdirectory if it does not exist.