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Batch file or Script for moving specific files and folders to another location

Hello,
I looking to write a batch or script to run at system system startup, which will go into the directory %userprofile%desktop\ and move all the files and folders and subfolders contained in there to \\servername\sharename\orphans\ and if it already contains a file or folder of the same name, renames the file or folder so it can moved. But I would like to exclude files from being moved with the *.lnk extension.

Your help would be mostly appreciated. Many Thanks in advance

see

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/23423822/Clearing-desktop-of-local-profile-on-logoff-or-restart.html?

for sample

I hope this helps !

also xcopy can be used to copy all but the excluded files ( has exclude option ), and then do a delete of all

I would suggest something like moving the lnk files to a temp location, move all the rest, and then move the lnk files back

I hope this helps !

ASKER

So far from the info you have sent me, I have been testing this:-

@echo off
cd\ %userprofile%desktop
attrib +r +s *.lnk
move /Y *.* "c:\temp"
attrib -r -s *.lnk

It works great but how do I move Folders and not just Files also?

That's why I suggested a copy ( xcopy ) , and then a delete since xcopy and robocopy will both handle files and directories, while Move will not.

Other option is to use a For loop and parse through each subdirectory

ASKER

My appologise, or course yes I've been reading about this command. I'll give it a go thank you

ASKER

OK,

So far I have this test batch file and it works great:-

@echo off
:: variables
set drive=\\management\UserDocs\JUNK
set backupcmd=xcopy /s /c /e /i /r /y
/EXCLUDE:\\servername\SYSVOL\company.co.uk\scripts\Exclude.txt

echo ### Copying Desktop Content...
%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop" "%drive%\Desktop Content"

echo ### Hiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib +r +s %userprofile%\Desktop\*.lnk

echo ### Deleting Desktop Content...
del %userprofile%\Desktop\*.* /S /Q

echo ### Unhiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib -r -s %userprofile%\Desktop\*.lnk

The only problem I have is that it leaves empty folders on the users Desktop. If I use the RD command it tries and deletes the actual Desktop folder itself and not to mention it deletes all the shortcut .lnk files!!!

Any sugestions?

Many Thanks

ASKER

Tried using Robocopy with the /MOVE command but the folders still stay on the Desktop??

Sigh.....

You may need to add a separate cleanup command that deletes the folders on the desktop

ASKER

Would you be able to give me an example please?

Thanks

as an example, desktop is actually located somewhere like this

C:\Documents and Settings\admin\Desktop - if admin is the user.

So using a batch file you could easily delete folders o the desktop

RD /s /q C:\Documents and Settings\admin\Desktop\foldername

could be added to the batch file or similar to delete folders

rd /? for options

ASKER

Would I be able to change it to lets say:-

RD /s /q C:\Documents and Settings\admin\Desktop\*.*

So it will delete any folder on the Desktop?

ASKER

Apparently the RD command removes the Root folder also, so I cannot see this command working.

There are two ways to prevent RD from removing the root folder:

change into that folder first, and do a rd . /s/q 2>nul . Since the folder is in use, it cannot be removed, resulting in an error, but all subfolders are removed at that time.

remove each folder by a FOR loop

for /D %%D in ("%UserProfile%\..\admin\Desktop") do rd "%%~D" /s/q

Open in new window

ASKER

I'll give it a go,

Thanks

Hey.

Just stumbled across this app 'Sync' looks promising.
http://syncdir.sourceforge.net/

Copy sync.bat and sync.jar to an appropriate location. Edit Sync.bat as needed.

ASKER

Thanks Here2Help

ASKER

Hi Qlemo,

You state that there are 2 ways of achieving what I am after. The example above, which one of the 2 is it?

Thanks

Do you mean the code snippet I provided? That one belongs to the 2nd option, "remove each folder by a FOR loop".

ASKER

Qlemo so far I have this code below. I know how to move the files as you know it's how I delete them all afterwards including the folder on the users Desktop. So how can I adapt your coding the delete all the files and folders on the users Desktop?

echo ### Hiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib +r +s %userprofile%\Desktop\*.lnk

REM echo ### Deleting Desktop Content...
REM del %userprofile%\Desktop\*.* /S /Q
rd %userprofile%\Desktop\*.* /q

echo ### Unhiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib -r -s %userprofile%\Desktop\*.lnk

ASKER

Sorry I have forgotten to remove the remark off the fifth line.

That line is not necessary. RD removes the files in all folders when called with /s. So the first option (changing into the root folder) would look like this:

pushd %userprofile%\Desktop
echo ### Hiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib +r +s *.lnk

REM echo ### Deleting Desktop Content...
REM del %userprofile%\Desktop\*.* /S /Q
rd . /s /q

echo ### Unhiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib -r -s *.lnk
popd

Open in new window

ASKER

Brill thanks it's working!!

One thing when it runs the commands:-

echo ### Hiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib +r +s *.lnk

echo ### Unhiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib -r -s *.lnk

It says " File not found - *.lnk " But it works and does not delete the users shortcuts. Why is this?

Thanks

I had to reread the thread to get what you really are looking for ;-).
Those attrib commands are useless anyway now. RD will ignore the attributes, and still delete the links. Your links are not deleted only because they are not in the user's profile, but probably in the "all users" one.
If you really need to maintain the .lnk files (and I think you should) then you have to use the second method; it replaces all the stuff related to deleting:

for /D %%D in ("%UserProfile%\Desktop") do rd "%%~D" /s/q

Open in new window

ASKER

Yes Qlemo your right, silly me I should of thought of that, it's been a long day!

Ok I've re-done the code with what you have said, but it still deletes the shortcuts I've now placed on the test Desktop and also displays the " File not found - *.lnk "

@echo off
pushd %userprofile%\Desktop
echo ### Hiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib +r +s *.lnk
echo ### Deleting Desktop Content...
for /D %%D in ("%UserProfile%\Desktop") do rd "%%~D" /s/q
echo ### Unhiding Desktop Shortcut files...
attrib -r -s *.lnk
popd

Sorry, I should have added a wildcard to the for. And, as said, you need to replace ALL "deleting" parts, and we do not need the pushd/popd anymore:

@echo off
echo ### Deleting Desktop Content...
for /D %%D in ("%UserProfile%\Desktop\*") do rd "%%~D" /s/q

Open in new window

ASKER

Thanks Qlemo,

The last code works fab, but it only deletes the folders and their contents on the user’s Desktop and not the files I put on there? Do we need to put back another bit of coding and do that separately?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

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ASKER

Nice one Qlemo it works perfect! If I also wanted to stop .rpd files from being deleted off the users Desktop would I do the following:-

@echo off
pushd %UserProfile%\Desktop
echo ### Deleting Desktop Folders ...
for /D %%D in (*) do rd "%%~D" /s/q
echo ### Removing anything but links
attrib -r *
attrib +r *.lnk
attrib +r *.rdp
del /a:-r /q *
attrib -r *.lnk
attrib -r *.rdp
popd

Exactly.

ASKER

Awesome Thanks!!

ASKER

Qlemo, may I ask another question regarding the code you wrote for me? How would I incorporate the code so it would also delete files and sub folders in a directory called C:\CAD Temp

@echo off
pushd %UserProfile%\Desktop
echo ### Deleting Desktop Folders ...
for /D %%D in (*) do rd "%%~D" /s/q
echo ### Removing anything but links
attrib -r *
attrib +r *.lnk
attrib +r *.rdp
del /a:-r /q *
attrib -r *.lnk
attrib -r *.rdp
popd

Many Thanks