Batch/CMD Error "The system cannot find the file specified" - batch-file

I'm trying to write a batch/cmd file that will rename directories when it finds " - " that is SpaceDashSpace. I thought I had everything I needed by outputting things via Echo and not actually renaming them. Next I tested it on a few directories and it worked perfectly.
When I tried to move it to a networked folder/sub folder I found I needed the PushD command. Again all is well if I run it in a specific directory.
Path information would look something like:
\\MyNetworkStorage\TopLevelFolder\Music
Followed by:
Artist1
Artist1 - Album1
Artist1 - Album2
Artist1 - Album3
Artist2
Artist2 - Album1
Artist2 - Album2
You get the idea.
If I kick the batch file off in either:
\MyNetworkStorate\TopLevelFolder\Music\Artist1 or
\MyNetworkStorate\TopLevelFolder\MusicArtist2
all is good. If I try to do it from one level up, that is:
\MyNetworkStorate\TopLevelFolder\Music
I get the following error for every single directory.:
"The system cannot find the file specified"
Googling tells me the path might be to long and I've followed instructions to
Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative
Templates > System > Filesystem
Double click the Enable Win32 Long
paths option and enable it
Another suggestion was when running my .cmd file on the local machine to preface it with:
cmd.exe /c MyCmdFile.cmd
Nothing I've searched for has fixed my problem.
I'm new to batch files so perhaps the problem is actually in what I've cobbled together the last 1.5 days. At this point I wish I wrote a C# program for it. I thought this would be simple. Any suggestings?
Again if I start it in any specific Artist's directory it will rename all the sub-directories removing the "Artists Name - " portion and leave just the album name as I want it to. When I move up to the directory that contains all the artists, it fails. I'm changing this on line that starts with "PUSHD" of the command file.
#Echo Off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
PUSHD \\MyNetwork\Music\HighRez <<<---This fails
PUSHD \\MyNetwork\Music\HighRez\Any Artist I pick <<<---This works for all sub directories
:: If this fails then exit
If %errorlevel% NEQ 0 goto:eof
:: other commands...
FOR /D /r %%G in ("* - *") DO (
SET DirName=%%~nxG
set "NewName=!DirName:* - =!"
Echo Renaming from "!DirName!" To "!NewName!"
REM ***Remove REM from line below to actually rename once you are happy with results
ren "!DirName!" "!NewName!"
)
popd

This is what ended up working for anyone who might need something similar. It was the combination of using %%G along with quotes around it as in:
ren "%%G" "!NewName!"
In place of the original variable "!DirName!"
Working example, finally ;-)
#Echo Off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
PUSHD \\NASBoxOnNetwork\Music\HighRez
:: If this fails then exit
If %errorlevel% NEQ 0 goto:eof
:: other commands...
FOR /D /r %%G in ("* - *") DO (
SET DirName=%%~nxG
set "NewName=!DirName:* - =!"
Echo Renaming from "%%G" To !NewName!
REM ***Remove REM from line below to actually rename once you are happy with results
ren "%%G" "!NewName!"
)
popd

Related

Am I the only one who have this problem: While running something like .bat, the "X:\..\..path" often becomes ""X:\..\path and producing errors?

While running something like .bat, the "X:\..\..path" often becomes ""X:\..\path and producing errors. For example, I was installing apktool, then it just appeared this:
'""C:\Program' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
I then copy the command and put one of the double quote to the end, which is like this: "C:\Program"
And everything just went smoothly, installation was successful. Then I tried to decode an apk, and the exactly same problem occurred: '""C:\Program' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. This time I have no idea how to fix it, it's not like the .bat now, I cannot get the #echo on and copy the last command and edit it. So I am here to ask: If I am the only one who met this? Any way to fix this? Thank you.
My command:
apktool d test.apk
Image of running a decode command : 1
apktool.bat content:
#echo off
setlocal
set BASENAME=apktool_
chcp 65001 2>nul >nul
set java_exe=java.exe
if defined JAVA_HOME (
set java_exe="%JAVA_HOME%\bin\java.exe"
)
rem Find the highest version .jar available in the same directory as the script
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
pushd "%~dp0"
if exist apktool.jar (
set BASENAME=apktool
goto skipversioned
)
set max=0
for /f "tokens=1* delims=-_.0" %%A in ('dir /b /a-d %BASENAME%*.jar') do if %%~B gtr !max! set max=%%~nB
:skipversioned
popd
setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion
rem Find out if the commandline is a parameterless .jar or directory, for fast unpack/repack
if "%~1"=="" goto load
if not "%~2"=="" goto load
set ATTR=%~a1
if "%ATTR:~0,1%"=="d" (
rem Directory, rebuild
set fastCommand=b
)
if "%ATTR:~0,1%"=="-" if "%~x1"==".apk" (
rem APK file, unpack
set fastCommand=d
)
:load
"%java_exe%" -jar -Duser.language=en -Dfile.encoding=UTF8 "%~dp0%BASENAME%%max%.jar" %fastCommand% %*
rem Pause when ran non interactively
for /f "tokens=2" %%# in ("%cmdcmdline%") do if /i "%%#" equ "/c" pause
Use set "var=value" for setting string values - this avoids problems caused by trailing spaces. Don't assign a terminal \, Space or " - build pathnames from the elements - counterintuitively, it is likely to make the process easier. If the syntax set var="value" is used, then the quotes become part of the value assigned.
set java_exe="%JAVA_HOME%\bin\java.exe"
Should be
set "java_exe=%JAVA_HOME%\bin\java.exe"
(apply this principle throughout your code)
Then, if you require " anywhere, insert it where it's needed - don't try to include it as part of a variable's value.
This should clean up at least some of your problems.

How to properly use rename (ren) in Batch

I am trying to rename every image in a directory to add the date that each file was created, however, I keep either getting "invalid syntax" or "A duplicate file name exists, or the file cannot be found"
I am running Windows 10, and accessing the images off a flash drive (hence the short file path). I tried having all the code in one for-loop, when that didn't work I tried using batch functions, no dice. I did see someone mention on another thread to use delayed expansion, I would be up for using this if someone could give a better explanation than the /? command.
#echo off
REM batch file is placed in top of F drive, same as "images 2017+"
cd "F:\images 2017+"
FOR /R "F:\images 2017+" %%F in (*.jpg) do call :renER "%%~nF" "%%~tF"
goto :eof
:renER
cd "F:\images 2017+"
pause
echo %1
echo %2
rename %1.jpg %1_%2.jpg
pause
goto :eof
:end
For every .jpg file in "images 2017+", the date which that file was created would be stuck onto the end after a space.
thisIsMyFile.jpg made at 5-13-2017, would become thisIsMyFile 5-13-2017.jpg
Current output
EDIT:
I am CDing into the same directory as the images are, then using the passed variables to locate the correct image (The date is one of the passed variables, and shows up in the echo command).
I notice that you only want the date, not the time so you can do that as follows using your existing Call to a label, There is also no need to use FOR /R in this case so I'll use a normal for loop:
#echo off
FOR %%A IN ("F:\images 2017+\*.jpg") DO (
CALL :RenER "%%~fA" %%~tA
)
GOTO :eof
:RenER
PAUSE
ECHO %1
ECHO %2
SET "_tmp=%~2"
SET "_tmp=%tmp:/=-"
REN "%~1" "%~n1_%_tmp%%~x1"
PAUSE
GOTO :eof
Notice how above we are dropping the Time off immediately by not wrapping it in quotes since you don't want that to be part of the file name.
You can also forgo the call to a label entirely without needing delayed expansion by using a second loop, as a matter of preference I think this is quite a bit cleaner!
#echo off
FOR %%A IN ("F:\images 2017+\*.jpg") DO (
FOR /F "Tokens=1-3 Delims=/ " %%a IN ('echo.%%~tA') DO (
PAUSE
ECHO.%%~fA
ECHO.%%~tA
REN "%%~fA" "%%~nA_%%a-%%b-%%c%%~xA"
PAUSE
)
)
this is nice and clean and with a minor edit we can paste it directly into the CMD Prompt which is nicer still This is because we are not using DelayedExpansion, Calling a Label, or using Temp variables so by changing the %%s to %s, we can then Paste this directly into the CMD Line which is often more convenient when doing these sorts of operations:
This Multi-line will do just fine to be pasted into CMD directly:
FOR %%A IN ("F:\images 2017+\*.jpg") DO (
FOR /F "Tokens=1-3 Delims=/ " %a IN ('echo.%~tA') DO #(
PAUSE
ECHO.%~fA
ECHO.%~tA
REN "%~fA" "%~nA_%a-%b-%c%~xA"
PAUSE
)
)
or, as a single line to paste into CMD if you prefer:
FOR %A IN ("F:\images 2017+\*.jpg") DO #( FOR /F "Tokens=1-3 Delims=/ " %a IN ('echo.%~tA') DO #( PAUSE& ECHO.%~fA& ECHO.%~tA& REN "%~fA" "%~nA_%a-%b-%c%~xA"& PAUSE ) )
no need to cd anywhere. ren takes a full path/filename for source - just the destination must be a filename only. So ... do call :renER "%%~fF" "%%~tF" is fine (no need to snip the extension and add it again later). In the subroutine reformat the time to a valid string and reassemble the destination file name:
#echo off
FOR /R "F:\images 2017+" %%F in (*.jpg) do call :renER "%%~fF" "%%~tF"
goto :eof
:renER
pause
echo %1
echo %2
set "string=%~2"
set "string=%string::=-%"
set "string=%string:/=-"
ECHO rename "%~1" "%~n1_%string%%~x1"
pause
goto :eof
:end
NOTE: I disarmed the rename command. Remove the ECHO after troubleshooting, if it works as intended.
#Stephan's answer is probably the best approach. But if you want to change directories ...
The windows shell has a working drive/volume, and on each drive/volume a current working folder. cd changes the working folder on a disk; to change the working folder on a drive (which is not the working drive) and to make that drive the working drive, you need to use cd /d, in this case cd /d "F:\images 2017+".
(A plain cd in this instance changes the working folder on F:\, but if your working folder is on C: -- as I'm guessing is the case -- it will not be changed.)
Assuming command extensions are enabled, you should also be able to use pushd and popd. pushd behaves like cd /d but also saves your previous location; popd returns you to that previous location. (And IIRC pushd will accept UNC paths.)
So at the beginning of your script, pushd "F:\images 2017+", and at the end popd.
I tend to favor pushd/popd over cd because invocations can be nested. So you can do things like
(assume working directory is C:\Users\IoCalisto):
pushd "F:\images 2017+"
(working directory is now F:\images 2017+)
pushd "Z:\images 2015-2016"
(working directory is now Z:\images 2015-2016)
popd
(working directory is now F:\images 2017+)
popd
(working directory is now C:\Users\IoCalisto)
... with this approach, your scripts will have fewer "side effects" and be more modular, or at least modularizable.

How do you search through a directory and take actions?

I am looking to make a batch file which will sift through a directory full of computer backups. The file format is "computername-date." Since I know the computer name is static, I need to find and take that directory so I can restore it's contents.
I never realized that for loops are so foreign from what I play with in other languages, so I find myself getting nowhere anytime soon.
REM First mount the drive that contains the backed up files
net use P: \\DC1\Shared\1Backups
REM Get the computer's name so we know what PC backup to use.
set SaveDirectory=%computername%
REM For each folder in the directory, do this when the computer name is found.
FOR /R "P:\" %%G in (%SaveDirectory%*) DO (
REM Restore files
echo found it.
REM Copy subdirectories into User Folder
mkdir P:\UGH
)
REM Dismount drive
The problem with what I have now is that when I run the code, the DO never runs. It should find that there is a folder called "INTERN-6.21.2019" by searching "INTERN*"
My impression of the for statement may be wrong. I need it to search through the P:/ Directory, not the subfolders. Compare the folder names to the SavedDirectory, then do something when they match. What am I doing wrong?
I've normally had good results with using CALL statements to invoke a subroutine rather than running items inside ( ).
The trick here is that you need to pass arguments to the the subroutine. Typically you'd pass the variable(s) you use in your FOR statement. These are referenced using %1 (or %1 %2 %3 if you have multiple things to pass) because these act like command line arguments. To exit the subroutine you then jump to EOF which then returns control to your FOR loop. After your FOR loop, don't forget to jump over your subroutine or you'll execute it again. In the example below I jump to :end, but you certainly could jump to somewhere else to do more things.
So using this methodology, your code might be like this:
set SaveDirectory=%computername%
FOR /R "P:\" %%G in (%SaveDirectory%*) DO CALL :process %%G
Goto :end
:process
REM Processing goes here
goto :end
:end
Hope this helps
This might get you going. This will find the "newest" directory. It is not clear from the question exactly what is to be copied and to where.
SET "MOSTRECENT=unknown"
FOR /F "delims=" %%d IN ('DIR /B /A:D /O:D "P:\%COMPUTERNAME%*"') DO (
SET "MOSTRECENT=%%~fd"
)
ECHO The most recent backup is "%MOSTRECENT%"
IF EXIST "MOSTRECENT" (COPY ...
This answer is based upon my understanding of what you're trying to do, copy a network directory named with the computername and a datestring, (with todays date), to another location:
#PushD "\\DC1\Shared\1Backups" || GoTo :EOF
#For /F "EOL=DTokens=1-3" %%A In (
'WMIC Path Win32_LocalTime Get Day^,Month^,Year'
)Do #For /F Tokens^=* %%D In ("%%C"
)Do #XCopy "%COMPUTERNAME%-%%B.%%A.%%D" "P:\UGH\" /H /R /K /Y>NUL 2>&1
#PopD

CMD deleting folder recursively (i.e. same folder name in multiple locations)

Due to a Dreamweaver setting mess-up, we've had thousands of "_notes" folders pop up in our websites dev & qa areas. There's too many to delete through Windows Explorer - everything just locks up - so I was hoping to run a batch script to sort it out for us once and for all. The problem is I'm not entirely sure that "rd /S" will do what I want.
My understanding is that rd /S will look recursively in the folder I tell it, so if I say:
rd /S r:/<siteName>/_notes/
then it will just look in the _notes folder and delete what's in there and then try to move further down that tree. What I need is a script that would take into account things like the following:
r:/<siteName>/_notes/
r:/<siteName/<someFolder>/_notes/
r:/<siteName/<someOtherFolder>/_notes/
r:/<siteName/<someFolder>/<someSubFolder>/_notes/
r:/<siteName/<someFolder>/<iThinkIveMadeMyPoint>/_notes/
Hope I made sense...
I found this in another thread, but it doesn't work with folders with a . in the name, so it's no use for site names...
#Echo OFF
REM Important that Delayed Expansion is Enabled
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
REM This sets what folder the batch is looking for and the root in which it starts the search:
set /p foldername=Please enter the foldername you want to delete:
set /p root=Please enter the root directory (ex: C:\TestFolder)
REM Checks each directory in the given root
FOR /R %root% %%A IN (.) DO (
if '%%A'=='' goto end
REM Correctly parses info for executing the loop and RM functions
set dir="%%A"
set dir=!dir:.=!
set directory=%%A
set directory=!directory::=!
set directory=!directory:\=;!
REM Checks each directory
for /f "tokens=* delims=;" %%P in ("!directory!") do call :loop %%P)
REM After each directory is checked the batch will allow you to see folders deleted.
:end
pause
endlocal
exit
REM This loop checks each folder inside the directory for the specified folder name. This allows you to check multiple nested directories.
:loop
if '%1'=='' goto endloop
if '%1'=='%foldername%' (
rd /S /Q !dir!
echo !dir! was deleted.
)
SHIFT
goto :loop
:endloop
read HELP FOR, HELP SET and HELP IF
note that FOR /D /R will recursively walk the directory tree.
note also that %~na is the funny syntax to extract the name part of a full path.
so, putting this little pieces togethere, try this command on the command line
for /d /r %a in (*) do #if %~na==_notes #echo rd %a
after careful testing, remove the echo command.
This command has worked for me and I hope this could help. Switch to the common root folder, and type in CMD:
for /d /r . %d in (<folder name>) do #if exist "%d" rd /s/q "%d"
Change the to the name of folder you want to remove. Then all children folders with this name would be removed.

copying *.dat from different directories to a mirror directory

I have a directory with the following structure:
C:\Directory1\
sub1\
sub2\
sub3\
somefilename.txt
someotherfile.txt
Inside each sub*\ there are .dat files that I need to copy to another directory mirroring along the way the directory name where they were found. So if I find C:\Directory1\sub2\file.dat I would copy that into C:\mirror\sub2\file.dat and so on.
I tried several combinations of things similar to
for /R %SRC_DIR% %%f in (*.dat) do copy "%%f" %BACKUP_DIR%\%%~nf%%~xf
(please note this is just an example of code I was playing with, i know it doesn't work)
anyway, after trying to a couple of day I still don't know how to do it. Any chance of help?
Code is appreciated.
thanks!
This works for me:
#echo off
setlocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
set SourceDir=c:\source\dir
set TargetDir=d:\target\path
set FileMask=*.cpp
for /r "%SourceDir%" %%F in (%FileMask%) do (
call :ReplacePrefix target_path "%%~F" "%SourceDir%" "%TargetDir%"
call :CopyFile "%%~F" "!target_path!"
)
endlocal
goto :EOF
:CopyFile %1=source_path %2=target_path
mkdir %~dp2
copy %1 %2
goto :EOF
:ReplacePrefix %1=result_var_name %2=string %3=replace_what %4=replace_with
rem a question mark is prepended to ensure matching only at the beginning of the string
set rp_value=?%~2
call :DoIt "set %1=%%rp_value:?%~3=%~4%%"
goto :EOF
:DoIt %1=cmd
%~1
goto :EOF
Keep in mind though that it can break if paths contain unusual characters (such as = and some others which I can't remember now).
Use the following XCOPY command:
xcopy "c:\directory1\*.dat" "c:\mirror\" /s /v /c /y
If you do not want to see the filenames displayed on the screen add '/q' to the list of options.
The '/s' will copy files from subfolders. If the subfolders don't already exist they will be created.
The '/v' forces verification. Not necessary but it's nice to have that peace of mind.
The '/c' forces XCOPY to continue with the rest of the files if it encounters any problems - in other words, your batch file won't halt abruptly with only 'some' of your files copied. XCOPY will copy all that it can.
The '/y' suppresses prompting to overwrite an existing file.

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