Rename text files based on multiple strings in their contents - batch-file

Question

Firstly, there are a couple of similar questions on here to this (Rename file based on file Content batch file being the one I have tried to work an answer from - but I have no real clue what I'm doing), however I cannot find anything that meets my exact needs, and this is my first real foray into batch programming so the syntax is fairly new to me.
The question:
I have several hundred text files, with different names, where the header is formatted like so:
"Event Type : Full Histogram"
"Serial Number : xxxxxx"
"Version : V 10.60-8.17 "
"File Name : W133FA0Z.580H"
"Histogram Start Time : 12:39:08"
"Histogram Start Date : 2014-04-11"
I would like if possible to create a batch file to rename all the files in the folder to the format of:
StartDate StartTime
so for this example:
2014-04-11 12:39:08
My problems lie in the fact I'm not sure how to actually point it to where to find the string if it was for just one line (I've tried editing the answers in the question I posted above). And, futhermore, I have no idea how to add a second bit of code to find the StartTime string and then append that to the StartDate.
Thanks in advance,
Chris

Answer 1

Here is a very efficient method.
#echo off
pushd "pathToYourFolderContainingFilesToRename"
for /f "tokens=1,3 delims=:" %%A in (
'findstr /bc:^"\"Histogram Start Date :" *.txt'
) do for /f delims^=^"^ %%C in (
"%%B"
) do for /f tokens^=4-6^ delims^=^":^ %%D in (
'findstr /bc:^"\"Histogram Start Time :" "%%A"'
) do ren "%%A" "%%C %%D.%%E.%%F.txt"
popd
The 1st loop serves two purposes. It establishes file names that contain the start date string, as well as also returning the date string for each file.
The 2nd loop strips out spaces and quotes from the date string.
The 3rd loop parses out the start time from the file.
The 2nd and 3rd loops have very awkward syntax to enable including a quote in the list of delimiters. The 2nd loop sets DELIMS to a quote and a space. The 3rd set DELIMS to quote, colon, and a space.

Answer 2

Assuming you JUST have file formatted like in your description in the working directory :
#echo off&cls
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for %%x in (*.txt) do (
set /a $sw=1
for /f "skip=4 tokens=2-4 delims=:" %%a in ('type "%%x"') do (
if !$sw! equ 1 set $Time=%%a-%%b-%%c
if !$sw! equ 2 (
set $Date=%%a
call:DoRen !$Time:~1,-1! !$Date:~1,-1! %%~nx%%~xx)
set /a $sw+=1
)
)
exit/b
:DoRen
echo ren "%3" "%2 %1"
If the output is OK you can remove the echo

Answer 3

The following will get the output you want, where the output will look like 2014-04-11 123908.
#echo off
set file=test.txt
for /f "delims=: tokens=2-4" %%a in ('find "Time" %file%') do set ftime=%%a%%b%%c
for /f "delims=: tokens=2" %%a in ('find "Date" %file%') do set fdate=%%a
echo %fdate:~1,-1% %ftime:~1,-1%
If all the files are in the same directory, then you can simply do this in a another for loop.
#echo off
setLocal enableDelayedExpansion
for /f %%f in ('dir C:\whatever\path\*.txt /B') do (
for /f "delims=: tokens=2-4" %%a in ('find "Time" %%a') do set ftime=%%a%%b%%c
for /f "delims=: tokens=2" %%a in ('find "Date" %%a') do set fdate=%%a
ren "%%~a" "!fdate:~1,-1! !ftime:~1,-1!.txt"
)
This will rename all text files in a specified directory the date and time in their contents. Note that this does not account for text files that do not have the date and time in their contents. You can (and probably should) add that as you see fit.

Answer 4

#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
DEL incorrectformat.log 2>nul
DEL alreadyprocessed.log 2>nul
SET "sourcedir=U:\sourcedir"
FOR /f "delims=" %%a IN ('dir /b /a-d "%sourcedir%\*.txt" ') DO (
SET keepprocessing=Y
SET "newname="
FOR /f "tokens=1-5delims=:" %%b IN (
'TYPE "%sourcedir%\%%a"^|findstr /n /r "$" ') DO IF DEFINED keepprocessing (
IF %%b==1 IF NOT "%%~c"=="Event Type " SET "keepprocessing="&>>incorrectformat.log ECHO %%a
IF %%b==5 SET newname=%%d%%e%%f
IF %%b==6 (
SET "keepprocessing="
SET "newname=%%d!newname!.txt"
SET "newname=!newname:"=!"
SET "newname=!newname:~1!"
IF "!newname!"=="%%a" (>>alreadyprocessed.log ECHO(%%a) ELSE (ECHO REN "%sourcedir%\%%a" "!newname!")
)
)
)
GOTO :EOF
Here's my version.
You'd need to set the value of sourcedir to your target directory.
A list of files not matching the specified format is produced as incorrectformat.log
A list of already-processed files is produced as alreadyprocessed.log
The required REN commands are merely ECHOed for testing purposes. After you've verified that the commands are correct, change ECHO REN to REN to actually rename the files.