copy command in DOS

FOR /F %%I IN ('DIR "c:\myfolder\test*.txt" /B /O:-D') DO COPY "c:\myfolder\%%I" test.txt & EXIT

It looks like you are trying to copy each file to a new file called test.txt - is that correct?  Are you trying to create one big file that contains all the other files?  What is your goal?

this is the part I think is problematic, depending on your goal:

  COPY "c:\myfolder\%%I" test.txt

As is, it will prompt you to over-write test.txt with each file.  I doubt that is what you really want.  If "test.txt" is a folder name, then you are okay.  If you want to over-write it each time, use COPY/Y instead of just COPY .

If you want to create one big file from all the other .txt files, do this:

  cd "c:\myfolder"
  copy *.txt  output.file
  ren  output.file  bigfile.txt

The way you use the FOR it terminates %%I at each white space, which is likely to happen in particular in folder names. To get the whole line into %%I, you can perform this:

FOR /F "tokens=*" %%I IN ('DIR c:\myfolder\test*.txt /B /O:-D') DO COPY %%I test.txt & EXIT

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BTW, you are aware that the first file found will be copied only, because of the EXIT?
And you are aware that EXIT also terminates cmd.exe? In a batch you should use EXIT /B instead. That only terminates this batch, and will return to the calling batch file or cmd.exe.

I didn't even see the EXIT, you are correct about that.  But I believe the issue is that %%I doesn't contain the full path, so it must be specified in the COPY command (see above).

%%I would contain the full path if /S was used with the DIR command, but in this case it is not.

That's true and a oversight by me. I've "spotted" a /S, which seems to be invisible ;-).

another option is to CD into the desired folder before running the FOR:

CD "c:\myfolder"
FOR /F %%I IN ('DIR test*.txt /B /O:-D') DO COPY/y  %%I  test.txt  & EXIT

hmm, this may be a problem too, since you are creating a .txt file in the folder, which may recurse - so scratch my last. :)

And the save method is (if test*.txt might contain spaces):
FOR /F "tokens=*" %%I IN ('DIR c:\myfolder\test*.txt /B /O:-D') DO COPY "C:\myfolder\%%I" test.txt & EXIT /b

quoting the path in both places now:

FOR /F "tokens=*" %%I IN ('DIR "c:\myfolder\test*.txt" /B /O:-D') DO COPY "C:\myfolder\%%I" test.txt & EXIT /b

That should cover all, I reckon.

Thanks for all the help.  I know what to do know.  But, I am getting a recursive copy to test.txt somehow.  Here is my command.  Thanks!!!

FOR /F IN ('DIR "c:\myfolder\test*.txt" /B /O:-D') DO COPY "C:\myfolder\%%I" test.txt & EXIT /b

again, what is your goal?  to create one big file with the content of all the others?  If so, this won't do it...

To copy the oldest file only, change  /O:-D  to  /O:D

To copy all the .txt files in that folder to one big .txt file:

copy/y  "C:\myfolder\*.txt"  output.file
ren  output.file  test.txt

kEk, your switches are reversed. /o:-D will sort for date descending, and so the last value found is the oldest.

ewang1205, your target file must not be created in c:\MyFolder, or use a different filename which is not catched by the FOR.

Thanks!