Batch script - Create folder issue - batch-file

Question

I'm trying to create a batch script that creates folders based on lines in a text file. I want to be able to automate the "D" function so no typing required.
#echo off
set /P D="Enter Name e.g. ABCD:"
for /F "delims=" %%a in (list.txt) DO (
FOR %%x IN (
"C:\test\%D%\%%a"
"C:\test\%D%\%%a\Folder1"
"C:\test\%D%\%%a\Folder2"
) DO (
MD "%%~x"
)
)
My List file looks like this
JACK-12345
JOHN-12345
I'm wanting to read the first 4 characters of each line and create directories in relevant folders that already exist.
So JACK-12345 will create a folder in C:\test\JACK\JACK-12345 and JOHN will create a folder C:\test\JOHN\JOHN-12345
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
SET "targetdir=U:\destdir"
for /F "delims=" %%a in (q35285628.txt) DO (
SET "ch4=%%a"
SET "ch4=!ch4:~0,4!"
FOR %%x IN (
"%targetdir%\!ch4!\%%a"
"%targetdir%\!ch4!\%%a\Folder1"
"%targetdir%\!ch4!\%%a\Folder2"
) DO (
ECHO(MD "%%~x"
)
)
GOTO :EOF
You would need to change the setting of targetdir to suit your circumstances.
I used a file named q35285628.txt containing your data for my testing.
The required MD commands are merely ECHOed for testing purposes. After you've verified that the commands are correct, change ECHO(MD to MD to actually create the directories. Append 2>nul to suppress error messages (eg. when the directory already exists)
Invoke delayedexpansion to allow substringing of the metavariable %%a Assig the entire string as read to ch4 then select the first 4 characters.
!var! required within the block to access the changing value of the variable at run-time.
For the extended question (unspecified : where "maths" etc fits into the tree - additional, replacement, whatever??
Using the "meat" of the routine:
SET "ch4=%%a"
SET "ch4=!ch4:~0,4!"
SET "folder1=Folder1"
if /i "!ch4:~0,1!"=="m" SET "folder1=Maths"
if /i "!ch4:~0,1!"=="s" SET "folder1=Science"
FOR %%x IN (
"%targetdir%\!ch4!\%%a"
"%targetdir%\!ch4!\%%a\!folder1!"
"%targetdir%\!ch4!\%%a\Folder2"
) DO (
ECHO(MD "%%~x"
)
)
would replace "folder1" from the original scheme with "Maths" if the first character of the line read from the file was "m" (in either case), "Science" if it was "s" and "Folder1" otherwise.