Windows batch: How to remove last part of folders names - batch-file

Question

In a batch file I get a folder with a list of subfolders with an unknown number of underscores e.g.:
a_b_10
c_d_e_2
f_17
I need to remove the last token of the names i.e.
a_b
c_d_e
f
Thanks

Answer 1

You could try to get the last part with an underscore and then remove this from your string, but this only works when the last part is unique.
In your sample the last part seems to be always a number in spite of the other parts.
This uses the trick to parse parts of a string by replace the delimiter by a linefeed character.
#echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set LF=^
for /F "delims=" %%X in ('dir /b /AD') do (
call :removeLastPart "%%~X"
)
exit /b
:removeLastPart
set "str=%~1"
for %%L in ("!LF!") DO (
for /F "delims=" %%P in ("!str:_=%%~L!") do set "last=%%P"
)
echo The last part is '!last!'
REM ** now remove the last part by replacing with nothing **
set "str=!str:_%last%=!"
echo !str!
exit /b

Answer 2

#echo off
set "root_dir=C:\scriptests"
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
for /f %%d in ('dir /b /a:d *_*') do (
call :lastindexof "%%d" _ lio
set "f_name=%%~d"
echo renaming !f_name!
for %%S in (!lio!) do ren !f_name! !f_name:~0,%%S!
)
endlocal
exit /b 0
:lastindexof [%1 - string ; %2 - find last index of ; %3 - if defined will store the result in variable with same name]
#echo off
setlocal disableDelayedExpansion
set "str=%~1"
set "splitter=%~2"
set LF=^
rem ** Two empty lines are required
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
for %%L in ("!LF!") DO (
for /f "delims=" %%R in ("!splitter!") do (
set "var=!str:%%R=%%L!"
)
)
for /f delims^=^" %%P in ("!var!") DO (
set "last_part=%%~P"
)
if "!last_part!" equ "" if "%~3" NEQ "" (
echo "not contained" >2
endlocal
set %~3=-1
exit
) else (
echo "not contained" >2
endlocal
echo -1
)
call :strlen0.3 str strlen
call :strlen0.3 last_part plen
call :strlen0.3 splitter slen
set /a lio=strlen-plen-slen
endlocal & set lio=%lio%
endlocal & if "%~3" NEQ "" (set %~3=%lio%) else echo %lio%
exit /b 0
:strlen0.3 StrVar [RtnVar]
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set "s=#!%~1!"
set "len=0"
for %%A in (2187 729 243 81 27 9 3 1) do (
set /A mod=2*%%A
for %%Z in (!mod!) do (
if "!s:~%%Z,1!" neq "" (
set /a "len+=%%Z"
set "s=!s:~%%Z!"
) else (
if "!s:~%%A,1!" neq "" (
set /a "len+=%%A"
set "s=!s:~%%A!"
)
)
)
)
endlocal & if "%~2" neq "" (set %~2=%len%) else echo **%len%**
exit /b

Answer 3

This solution will create the "renfolders.bat.txt" file for you to check in notepad, and run it as a batch file if you are happy with it.
This uses a helper batch file called repl.bat - download from: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qidqwztmetbvklt/repl.bat
Place repl.bat in the same folder as the batch file or in a folder that is on the path.
dir *_* /b /s /ad |repl ".*\\(.*)_.*" "ren \q$&\q \q$1\q" xa >"renfolders.bat.txt"

Answer 4

I just figured out this solution:
for /f %%f in ('dir /b /AD c:\MainFolder\') do (
set var=%%f
set var=!var:_= !
set /a count=0
for %%i in (!var!) do (set /a count+=1)
set /a count2=0
for %%i in (!var!) do (
set /a count2+=1
if /I !count2! equ 1 (set var2=%%i) else if not !count2! equ !count! (set var2=!var2!_%%i)
)
echo !var2!
)

Answer 5

Here is a novel approach
For each folder containing at least one _ in name:
create a temporary empty file with the same name
rename the temporary file, stripping off everything after the final _
read the new name into a variable
strip off the final _ from the name
For an explanation of how the rename works, see How does the Windows RENAME command interpret wildcards?
#echo off
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
set "loc=%temp%\removeToken"
md "%loc%"
for /d %%F in (*_*) do (
copy nul "%loc%\%%F" >nul
ren "%loc%\*" "*_"
for %%A in ("%loc%\*") do set "new=%%~nxA"
del /q "%loc%\*"
echo old=%%F
echo new=!new:~0,-1!
echo(
)
rd "%loc%"

Answer 6

EDITED - Wrong copy of the code posted
It separates the elements of the directory name and iterates over them discarting the last element
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
for /d %%a in (*_*) do (
set "old=%%~na" & set "new=" & set "previous="
for %%b in ("!old:_=" "!") do (
if not defined previous (
set "previous=%%~b"
) else if not defined new (
set "new=!previous!"
) else set "new=!new!_!previous!"
set "previous=%%~b"
)
echo ren "%%~fa" "!new!"
)
endlocal