return list of folders/file names - MS DOS

OK - explaining my post time.. i was meant to cut the code into the code window, not copy it, so ignore the code in the main post :)

Ben

I don't agree. The same can easily be done in DOS.

If you build a dialog, it gets interesting in VBS, though. Dumping file and folder names into a file, editing it, and start actions depending on the content is neither luxurious nor failsafe at all.

Here is the cmd prompt...

dir C:\ > c:\contents.txt

If you want to include contents of subfolders use the /s switch with the dir command.

shadowless,
that format is not usable for this purpose. You should use
dir /s/b > c:\contents.txt
at least.

Very true - this can be done in command line.  I still prefer VB though as you can build a prompt around it for starting folders, can just get the folder and file names without having to use loads of switches etc.  Either way both solutions work fine :)

I reckon working on the "select" part would be what we should do.

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
objStartFolder = InputBox( "Enter Your Start Path")
 
Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(objStartFolder)
Set colSubfolders = objFolder.Subfolders
Set colFiles = objFolder.Files
 
For Each objSubfolder in colSubfolders
   Wscript.Echo objSubfolder.Name
Next
 
For Each objFile in colFiles
    Wscript.Echo objFile.Name
Next

Hi,

Thanks for the help.

Will this script work in a batch file, I created a batch file with the VBS code and recieved the following error:



C:\Temp\Test>Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

C:\Temp\Test>objStartFolder = "C:\Temp\Test\"

C:\Temp\Test>Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(objStartFolder)

C:\Temp\Test>Set colSubfolders = objFolder.Subfolders

C:\Temp\Test>Set colFiles = objFolder.Files
C:\Temp\Test>For Each objSubfolder in colSubfolders



How would I out put the string to a file.

Thanks

Hi,

Can I create the VBS script in a Batch file as so, is this correct, except I got an error <Unexpected 'Next'>:

REM The following VBScript will give a list of the files in the folder
set tmpVBS=%2\CreateFileList.vbs
 
echo Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") > %tmpVBS%
echo Set objStartFolder = "{ctrl::OrigWorkspacePath}" >> %tmpVBS%
echo Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(objStartFolder) >> %tmpVBS%
echo Set colSubfolders = objFolder.Subfolders >> %tmpVBS%
echo Set colFiles = objFolder.Files >> %tmpVBS%
echo 'For Each objSubfolder in colSubfolders  >> %tmpVBS%
echo Wscript.Echo objSubfolder.Name >> %tmpVBS%
echo Next >> %tmpVBS%
echo 'For Each objFile in colFiles >> %tmpVBS%
echo Wscript.Echo objFile.Name >> %tmpVBS%
echo Next >> %tmpVBS%
 
REM Execute the script file
call %tmpVBS%
 
REM Clean up after execution
del %tmpVBS%

                                              

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this is to be saved to a vbs file, not a batch file.  copy the code into notepad and save it as "test.vbs" or whatever (with a .vbs extension, not a batch file one)

Hi,

The attached vbs script will display the files in the folder specified in the script.
I can run the vbscript from a bat file like so:

REM Execute the vbscript file
test.vbs

In the code I posted before I was trying to create the vbscript and run it in the same bat file or windows batch script.
I wanted to be able to pass a dir to the script using the windows batch editor and ultimately print a string of file names within that dir/folder

Thanks

Do you really care if it is a vbscript file or just a batch file?

Save the code as .cmd or .bat like Getinfo.cmd

getinfo c:\temp\test

Use quotes around paths with spaces.

getinfo "c:\Program Files"

dir /b /ad %1
dir /b /a-d %1
                                              

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Or maybe your batch file was going to call multiple directories?

test.vbs C:\temp\test
test.vbs "C:\Program Files"

crompnk--Rather than reinvent the wheel, I use the very versatile Karen's Directory Printer
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp

Hi,

Sorry for confusing you.
I originally asked if a batch command that would give me a string of folders or files, so for example if the folder was C:\Temp\Test and the files in that folder were:
Test.txt
Test2.txt
Test3.txt

Then the string would be 'Test.txt,Test2.txt,Test3.txt'

The reason I want this is becasue the editor I have is compatable with Windows Batch Script and TSQL. The editor has an interface, which has a control that lets a user select a path (dir) that can be passed to another command to copy files (or something else if needed). This is fine and I can get this working with an easy command, but I wanted the string of files so another control on the interface can list the files that the user can select from if required (only wants to copy certain files).
As the editor is compatable with sql I was thinking I could return the string using an sql statement that calls/uses a batch script/vbscript.

The experts came back with a vbs script that works, but doesn't return a string. It seems to be more complicated than I thought, I was hoping to have a windows batch script or vbscript that returns a string that the tsql could read and print.

I'm not re-inventing the wheel, but rather adding new functionality to an existing interface that is connected to a sql server db.

Thanks for the help and feedback.

Thanks for the clarification.

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set Args = WScript.Arguments
objStartFolder = Args(0)
 
Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(objStartFolder)
Set colSubfolders = objFolder.Subfolders
Set colFiles = objFolder.Files
 
For Each objSubfolder in colSubfolders
   Names = Name + objSubfolder.Name + ","
Next
 
For Each objFile in colFiles
   Names = Name + objFile.Name + ","
Next
 
wscript.echo Left(Names, Len(Names) - 1)

                                              

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There you go ;-) See what I mean?  Outclassed by the real experts.

jcimarron wrote

"Rather than reinvent the wheel, I use the very versatile Karen's Directory Printer
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp"

I also didn't understand the question asked, but I really like this utility. It has a lot of options regarding what to print, or better, save to a file.

One of the side benefits experts opinion is to find utilities like this one.

It's that old DelayedExpansion thing again.  I keep forgetting that.

Need double quotes?

SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
Set Names=
for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('dir /b /ad "%~1"') do Set Names=!Names!"%%a",
for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('dir /b /a-d "%~1"') do Set Names=!Names!"%%a",
ECHO !Names:~0,-1!
                                              

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JT92677
Karen Kenworthy has a few pretty useful and free utilities that I use all the time (including the one mentioned) such as "Replicator" and "Decombobulator".  This is where I pick up url's for little utilities too :-)

Hi BillDL,

The string doesn't have to be comma delimited, it can be double quoted.

Thank you

Amazing Tech

Indeed, very clever stuff you come up with, and some of the other EEs in this DOS area, and I thought I was pretty good at DOS, but I've never tried to get BAT files to do any of the things you're able to force out of the various DOS level commands.

Amazing Tech and others -- Now I have to go back and read some of the other solutions you folks have posted, I'm very impressed.

Thanks for the great posts !!!

Jeff

AmazingTech
Don't you get fed up with the adulation?  If not, then I'm impressed as always at the deceptively simple but very clever use of "DOS's" limitations.  If cars had never been invented, I'm sure you could have tweaked a triangular-wheeled bicycle to go at 120 mph :-)

I had to use too many workarounds and temp filter files in my much less clever "file picker" batch menu system before you reminded me of Delayed Expansion and had me kicking myself.

crompnk

I'm sure that you will find a working solution from AmazingTech's suggestions to suit your needs.  The secret (in Windows XP Batch) to getting a list of files or folders on one line rather than as a DIR listing on separate lines is with the extremely useful EnableDelayedExpansion.

To read more about how it works, type SET /? in a command window and page down about 4 screenfulls.

Thanks for some more great methods, AmazingTech.

Things like this is really easy for me so I really can't see what's the big deal. But thanks for all your appreciation. I always try to make things simple. I hope if I keep it simple others will learn and be able to make their own modifications.

There are also a lot of great experts here and I too have learned things along the way.

For each question I usually start from scratch that really helps in learning the syntax and figuring out new ways to tackle a problem.