How to read path from textfile? - batch-file

Question

I have a .txt file with multiple lines. Each line contain a path to a folder on my network drive/computer:
[NetworkDrive_PathToFolder1]
[Computer_PathToFolder1]
[NetworkDrive_PathToFolder2]
[Computer_PathToFolder2]
[NetworkDrive_PathToFolder3]
[Computer_PathToFolder3]
etc...
The idea is to have a .bat file that will read line 1 and 2 and copy files in folder [NetworkDrive_PathToFolder1] into folder [Computer_PathToFolder1], then read line 3 and 4 and copy files in folder [NetworkDrive_PathToFolder2] into folder [Computer_PathToFolder2], etc.
This will enable me to add/remove paths without need of altering the code.
I'm not sure how the .txt file should look like. Maybe it's better to use a xml file?
This is for a Windows 10 computer with a network drive connected.
When I start my computer I want to automatically update some specific files from my network drive to a local folder on my computer.
To map the network drive I'll prefer to use PUSHD and POPD instead of NET USE since I don't want the network drive to be permanently mapped.
Today I have a .txt file with paths to the folders in the network drive:
[NetworkDrive_PathToFolder1]
[NetworkDrive_PathToFolder2]
[NetworkDrive_PathToFolder3]
etc...
And the path to the folder where the files are copied to are in the .bat file.
But then everything is just copied into the same folder at my computer.
FOR /F %%i IN (C:\UpdateFilesFromNetworkPaths.txt) DO (
NET USE L: /delete
NET USE L: %%i
xcopy L:\*.txt C:\FilesFromNetwork\ /d /y
)
Result from this code:
Every .txt files that doesn't exist in the folder [C:\FilesFromNetwork] will be copied from the paths in the textfile [UpdateFilesFromNetworkPaths.txt].
If a file exist, copy the file if it's a newer version.

Answer 1

So based on your post, it looks like you're trying to copy files based on paths in a text file. All groups of two (1-2, 3-4, 5-6) contain source and destination paths. This problem can be solved by a simple for loop and a simple counter.
Assuming your text file (.txt) is formatted in my example bellow:
C:\PathToNetworkDriveFolder1
C:\PathToComputerFolder1
C:\PathToNetworkDriveFolder2
C:\PathToComputerFolder2
C:\PathToNetworkDriveFolder3
C:\PathToComputerFolder3
Bellow will be the solution script:
#ECHO OFF
#Setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
Set "Count=1"
Rem | Read The Text File Line By Line
FOR /F "tokens=*" %%A in ('Type "list.txt"') DO (
Rem | Grabbed First Line
IF "!Count!"=="1" (
Rem | Add One To Count
Set /a "Count=!Count!+1"
Rem | Save Current Variable
Set "NetworkDrivePath=%%A"
Rem | Grabbed Second Line
) else (
Rem | Subtract One To Count
Set /a "Count=!Count!-1"
Rem | Save Current Variable
Set "ComputerDrivePath=%%A"
Rem | Copy Files
Echo "!NetworkDrivePath!" "!ComputerDrivePath!"
)
)
Goto :EOF
Keep in mind my example uses list.txt. Feel free to change that to your example or your usage. If you have multiple text files you want to use your can simply add another for loop at the beginning to search for all *.txt file names.
For all my scripts, I put in rem comments to help you follow along in what each process is doing. For help on any of the commands do the following in a new window:
set /?
for /?
if /?
ren /?
So on.