Hello All,
My goal with the batch below is to delete from the downloads directory any file that is not listed in 'Files_To_Keep.xls'.
When I run the below, it deletes everything in the downloads directory. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.
@echo off
:main
set dir=D:\Downloads
dir /b %dir% >FilesInDir.txt
for /f "tokens=*" %%I in ('type FilesInDir.txt') do set line=%%I & call :SearchFile
del FilesInDir.txt
goto :eof
:SearchFile
find /i "%line:~0,-1%" D:\Downloads\Files_To_Keep
if errorlevel 1 del "%dir%\%line:~0,-1%"
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it works for me otherwise. (here's a copy of my code that works (which should be just like yours)):
@echo off
:main
set dir=C:\Downloads
dir /b %dir% >FilesInDir.txt
for /f "tokens=*" %%I in ('type FilesInDir.txt') do set line=%%I & call :SearchFile
del FilesInDir.txt
goto :eof
:SearchFile
find /i "%line:~0,-1%" C:\Downloads\Files_To_Keep
if errorlevel 1 del "%dir%\%line:~0,-1%"
It still does not work for me. The file is actually xls.
Here it is:
@echo off
::deleteFiles.bat
:main
set dir=D:\Downloads
dir /b %dir% >FilesInDir.txt
for /f "tokens=*" %%I in ('type FilesInDir.txt') do set line=%%I & call :SearchFile
del FilesInDir.txt
goto :eof
:SearchFile
find /i "%line:~0,-1%" Files_To_Keep.xls 1>&2> nul
if errorlevel 1 del "%dir%\%line:~0,-1%"
This is what happens when I run it:
D:deleteFiles
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
File Not found - D:\Downloads\FILES_TO_KEEP
--------------------------
The batch file is located in D:
and the other files including "FILES_TO_KEEP.XLS" are located in D:\downloads
The first time i ran mine, i was getting those File Not Found msgs too. I tried renaming my Files_To_Keep.txt file FILES_TO_KEEP.txt and it started working. but then deleted it (didn't have it listed in itself) and when i remade it, didn't use all caps and it still worked fine; so i figured the first was a fluke. Don't know why it's not finding yours, but that seems to be the problem.
If the spreadsheet was made in Escel, batch files will not be able to read the .xls file without another process.
First open the spreadsheet in Excel, and use the export option in the file menu to start the export wizard. Export it to a .csv (Comma Separated Values) file and select the field that holds those file names.
Then enter the following command at the command prompt in a command window:
type " D:\Downloads\Files_To_Keep
That should show the files you want to keep, one per line without any other characters or commas, or else you need to export the spreadsheet again with different options, or edit the file to get what you want in there.
Only after that correctly shows what you want to keep will you be ready to start with your batch, substitute .csv where needed, and it looks fairly good (add the .csv to the file, of course)
Good Luck,
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: gilbarPosted on 2005-12-14 at 11:21:25ID: 15484840
how come you refer to it first as 'Files_To_Keep.xls', then (in the Code) as 'Files_To_Keep.txt'?