Question

copy file to detected empty directory

Asked by: Vediorap

Having trouble with using the for /f statement.

Have tried to use a script I found to remove empty directories, but instead of deleting the directory I want to copy a text file from the root into the empty directory.  

Original Script - Delete empty directories -
for /f "tokens=*" %%d in ('dir /ad/b/s ^| sort /R') do rd "%%d"

My script - to find empty directories and copy a txt file into it
for /f "tokens=*" %%d in ('dir /ad/b/s ^| sort /R') do copy readme.txt "%%d"


Problem is when I run this script, the readme.txt file is copied to every directory even when the directory is not empty in which I don't want.  The readme.txt should only be copied to empty directories.

I am not too sure if this will also copy a readme.txt file to directories that have no files in but does have existing directories?

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Asked On
2009-11-02 at 02:21:26ID24863144
Tags

windows batch detect empty directories

Topic

Windows Batch Scripting

Participating Experts
3
Points
125
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: LeeeRussellPosted on 2009-11-02 at 03:32:13ID: 25718505

Hi

I think your problem lies in the original batch file.  This does not check for empty directories.  RD will only delete empty directories, so a list of ALL directories is supplies to it and RD will only delete the empty ones.

This page: http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/MS_DOS/Q_22732091.html
gives a description of how to check for empty directories.  Once you have that list you can use it to copy the file you need to empty directories only.

HTH,
Lee Russell

 

by: billprewPosted on 2009-11-03 at 04:48:35ID: 25728374

Do you want to copy into a directory only if there are no files in that directory, or only if there are no files or sub directories in it?

~bp

 

by: billprewPosted on 2009-11-03 at 07:06:42ID: 25729615

Try this out.

~bp

 

by: billprewPosted on 2009-11-03 at 10:12:47ID: 25731746

Sorry, attached file got blacked due to extension, here's the solution I wanted to attach to prior post, let me know how this works for you.  It currently only copies the file to directories that don't contain any files, or other sub-directories.  Adjust as needed.  I also assumed you wanted to recursively look in all directories under some parent directory, hope I got that right.

~bp

 

by: canaliPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:58:35ID: 25735523

try this

Bye Gastone

@echo off
:: copy the file defined in copyFile in every empty directory
:: starting from the RootDir 
:: by Gastone Canali
set RootDir="c:\test"
set copyFile="c:\temp\_readme.txt"
cd /d %RootDir%
for /F "tokens=*" %%A in ('dir /a:d /b /s') do  for /F "tokens=*" %%s in ('dir /a:-d /b "%%A" 2^>^&1 ^|findstr  /i "file not found"') do copy %copyfile% "%%A\"
                                              
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by: VediorapPosted on 2009-11-10 at 20:15:52ID: 25792247

Great thanks canali... exactly what I was after.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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