Question

Need to capture archive bit value as a batch file variable

Asked by: falcs2k1

I am trying to write a batch file to perform several maintenance tasks on some VMWare virtual disks. These tasks are destructive and I only want them to run after confirming the VM files were successfully backed up.
I am trying to use the ATTRIB command to return the value of the archive bit of a file (MyDisk.VMX). If the value is "A" (i.e. set) then I want the batch file to terminate. If the archive bit value is clear, then the maintenance task can run.
I have done Internet searches with every type of wording, but I can't find any batch file syntax that will let me query for archive bit value and use the returned value in an IF-THEN / IF-ELSE subroutine.
The attached code snippet shows what I'm trying to do. Right now I am only dumping to a log file just to see what the value is, but it is just treating it like a string. Any ideas? Can this even be done in a batch file?

@ECHO OFF
 
set logfile=C:\VM_Maintenance.LOG
set Archive_Status=ATTRIB MyDisk.VMX
 
echo Batch command: %0 %* >%logfile%
echo Started at %date% %time% >>%logfile%
echo ------------------------ >>%logfile%
ECHO %Archive_Status% >>%logfile%

                                  
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Asked On
2008-05-22 at 12:02:56ID23425566
Tags

Microsoft

,

Server 2003

,

SP2

,

badgrade

Topics

Windows Batch Scripting

,

VMware

,

Scripting Languages

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
5

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Answers

 

by: Shift-3Posted on 2008-05-22 at 12:38:10ID: 21626898

You can do this by using the FOR command to loop through the output of ATTRIB and set the Archive_Status variable to the first item on the line.  If the Archive attribute is set then this will be an A.

See here for more information on FOR /F:
http://www.ss64.com/nt/for_cmd.html

@ECHO OFF
setlocal
 
set logfile=C:\VM_Maintenance.LOG
set diskfile=MyDisk.VMX
 
for /F "tokens=1" %%G in ('attrib "%diskfile%"') do set Archive_Status=%%G
 
if "%Archive_Status%"=="A" (
 echo Archive bit is set on %diskfile%
 pause
 goto :eof
)
 
echo Maintenance tasks here

                                              
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by: canaliPosted on 2008-05-22 at 13:57:45ID: 21627567


another way... using Conditional Execution and findstr
attrib "%file%"|findstr /b "A"&&set Archive_Status=A
http://www.ss64.com/bashsyntax/conditional.html












































































@ECHO OFF
setlocal
::  log file with standard error
set logfile=C:\VM_Maintenance.LOG 2^>^&1
::  Target file
set file=c:\vm\my os\MyDisk.VMX
:: so u find something usefull in the log
set Archive_Status=Archive status is empty
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: set the value only if the 1st char of rhe attrib result is A 
attrib "%file%"|findstr /b "A"&&set Archive_Status=A
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
if "%Archive_Status%"=="A" goto :END 
::  start the maintai
echo Batch command: %0 %* >%logfile%
echo Started at %date% %time% >>%logfile%
echo ------------------------ >>%logfile%
ECHO %Archive_Status% >>%logfile%
                                              
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by: canaliPosted on 2008-05-22 at 14:02:47ID: 21627620

Oops

 

by: falcs2k1Posted on 2008-05-22 at 14:17:17ID: 31460484

THANK YOU for the rapid response. I have to deploy this to 75 servers before Memorial Day. You saved my vacation!!

 

by: Shift-3Posted on 2008-05-22 at 14:58:46ID: 21628007

Saving your vacation is only worth a B?  Were you going to Jersey or something?

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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