Finding a latest folder that contains a specific file - batch-file

Question

I need to search a directory with multiple folders and check for the latest file(.exe) and copy that to another location.
SET "src_root"
SET "tgt_path"
DIR "%src_root%" /B /AD /O-D /TC > "%TEMP%\dirlist.tmp"
< "%TEMP%\dirlist.tmp" SET /P last_dir=
XCOPY "%src_root%\%last_dir%\*.exe" "%tgt_path%"**
This code helps me copy the EXE file in the latest folder, but in case, there is no EXE in the latest folder, I need to copy it from the folder which contains the latest EXE, can anyone help me out?

Answer 1

#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET "sourcedir=c:\sourcedir"
SET "filename="
FOR /f "delims=" %%a IN (
'dir /s /b /a-d "%sourcedir%\neo.7z" '
) DO SET "filename=%%a"&set "dirname=%%~dpa"&goto found1
ECHO NOT found!
GOTO :eof
:found1
FOR /f "delims=" %%a IN (
'dir /s /b /a-d "%sourcedir%\neo.7z" '
) DO IF /i "%dirname%" neq "%%~dpa" FOR /f %%s IN ('XCOPY /y /L /D "%filename%" "%%~dpa"') DO IF "%%s"=="0" SET "filename=%%a"&set "dirname=%%~dpa"&goto found1
ECHO latest file is "%filename%"
GOTO :EOF
You would need to change the setting of sourcedir to suit your circumstances.
I used files named neo.7z for my testing - I believe that you should have a fixed filename in the situation you describe - the directories are no doubt not crammed with *.exe files.
It's very pedestrian, but will do the job.
Essentially, find any file with the required name in the required directory-tree and record the name in filename, directory in dirname.
Using that filename as a base, try xcopying it over every other matching filename. Use the /L flag to list-only, and the /y flag to remove user-intervention. If the return is 1 file(s) copied ,f which only the first token is selected into %%s, then the chosen file is later. 0 file(s) copied sets %%s to 0 and means that the chosen file is earlier, so select the newer file and directorynames and restart.
I'll leave it a a user-exercise to speed it up. (suggestions if interested : delayedexpansion, subroutine and retain-new-startpoint)
Revision [about 5 times faster]
#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET "sourcedir=c:\sourcedir"
SET "filename="
FOR /f "delims=" %%a IN (
'dir /s /b /a-d "%sourcedir%\neo.7z" '
) DO SET "candidate=%%a"&CALL :latest
ECHO latest file is "%filename%"
GOTO :eof
:latest
IF NOT DEFINED filename GOTO selectnew
FOR /f %%s IN ('XCOPY /y /L /D "%filename%" "%candidate%"') DO IF "%%s"=="1" goto :eof
:selectnew
SET "filename=%candidate%"
GOTO :EOF
This revision avoids the repetitive directory-scan. For each matching filename, compare the newly-found file against the previously-found file using the xcopy /L method, and select the new candidate if the new one is later. continue untill all matching names have been tested.