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Using Powershell, Move files while retaining folder structure

I'm trying to write a powershell script that will move any files that havn't been access in over Xdays to an archive location.

I was trying to follow along with this: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powershell/archive/2007/04/27/fun-with-paths.aspx

I can get individual parts of it to work but when i try to move the files it fails.

this is my script:

$Source="c:\TEST\Source"
$Target="c:\TEST\Target"
$days="365"
$Now=Get-Date
$LastAccess =$Now.AddDays(-$days)
$Files=get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse | Where {$_.LastAccess -le “$LastAccess”} 

CD $Source

foreach ($File in $Files)
{Move-Item -destination {join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($pwd.path.length)}}

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This is the error i get when i run it:

Move-Item : Cannot evaluate parameter 'Destination' because its argument is specified as a script block and there is no inpu
t. A script block cannot be evaluated without input.
At C:\Scripts\MoveOldFiles.ps1:11 char:24
+ {Move-Item -destination <<<<  {join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($pwd.path.length)}}
    + CategoryInfo          : MetadataError: (:) [Move-Item], ParameterBindingException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ScriptBlockArgumentNoInput,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MoveItemCommand
 
Move-Item : Cannot evaluate parameter 'Destination' because its argument is specified as a script block and there is no inpu
t. A script block cannot be evaluated without input.
At C:\Scripts\MoveOldFiles.ps1:11 char:24
+ {Move-Item -destination <<<<  {join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($pwd.path.length)}}
    + CategoryInfo          : MetadataError: (:) [Move-Item], ParameterBindingException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ScriptBlockArgumentNoInput,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MoveItemCommand
 
Move-Item : Cannot evaluate parameter 'Destination' because its argument is specified as a script block and there is no inpu
t. A script block cannot be evaluated without input.
At C:\Scripts\MoveOldFiles.ps1:11 char:24
+ {Move-Item -destination <<<<  {join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($pwd.path.length)}}
    + CategoryInfo          : MetadataError: (:) [Move-Item], ParameterBindingException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ScriptBlockArgumentNoInput,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MoveItemCommand

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SOLUTION

Dale Harris

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Qlemo

Use subexpressions instead of a script block as destination. Further I recommend to pipe the result to move-item, so both the get-childitem and the move-item can work in parallel, instead of having gci finishing before performing the moves. See this improved code:

Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
$Source="c:\TEST\Source"
$Target="c:\TEST\Target"
$days="365"
$LastAccess =(get-date).AddDays(-$days)
get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse `
| ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} `
| % {Move-Item -WhatIf $_.FullName -destination (join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($Source.length))}

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Or, without using foreach-object (%), and instead having a code block in move-item:

Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
$Source="c:\TEST\Source"
$Target="c:\TEST\Target"
$days="365"
$LastAccess =(get-date).AddDays(-$days)
get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse `
| ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} `
| Move-Item -WhatIf -destination {join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($Source.length)}

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Remove the -whatif in both snippets to actually perform the move.

SladeHD

ASKER

Qlemo, Using your code (either one, with the -WhatIf removed) i get the following error:

Move-Item : Could not find a part of the path.
At C:\Scripts\MoveOldFiles.ps1:30 char:124
+ get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse | ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} | % {Move-Item <<<<  $_.FullName -destination (join-path $Target $_
.FullName.SubString($Source.length))}
    + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (C:\TEST\Source\Files\TESTFILE1.txt:FileInfo) [Move-Item], DirectoryNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MoveFileInfoItemIOError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MoveItemCommand
 
Move-Item : Could not find a part of the path.
At C:\Scripts\MoveOldFiles.ps1:30 char:124
+ get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse | ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} | % {Move-Item <<<<  $_.FullName -destination (join-path $Target $_
.FullName.SubString($Source.length))}
    + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (C:\TEST\Source\Files\TESTFILE2.txt:FileInfo) [Move-Item], DirectoryNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MoveFileInfoItemIOError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MoveItemCommand
 
Move-Item : Could not find a part of the path.
At C:\Scripts\MoveOldFiles.ps1:30 char:124
+ get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse | ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} | % {Move-Item <<<<  $_.FullName -destination (join-path $Target $_
.FullName.SubString($Source.length))}
    + CategoryInfo          : WriteError: (C:\TEST\Source\Files\TESTFILE3.txt:FileInfo) [Move-Item], DirectoryNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MoveFileInfoItemIOError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MoveItemCommand

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However, when i leave the -WhatIf the output looks good:

What if: Performing operation "Move File" on Target "Item: C:\TEST\Source\Files\TESTFILE1.txt Destination: C:\TEST\Target\Fil
es\TESTFILE1.txt".
What if: Performing operation "Move File" on Target "Item: C:\TEST\Source\Files\TESTFILE2.txt Destination: C:\TEST\Target\Fil
es\TESTFILE2.txt".
What if: Performing operation "Move File" on Target "Item: C:\TEST\Source\Files\TESTFILE3.txt Destination: C:\TEST\Target\Fil
es\TESTFILE3.txt".

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Qlemo

Stupid me. Of course you need to create the folder structure first - move-item will not do that for you. So we have to use the first version:

Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
$Source="c:\TEST\Source"
$Target="c:\TEST\Target"
$days="365"
$LastAccess =(get-date).AddDays(-$days)
get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse `
| ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} `
| % {
  $newpath = join-path $Target $_.FullName.SubString($Source.length)
  New-Item $newpath -type directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
  Move-Item -WhatIf $_.FullName -destination $newpath
}

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SladeHD

ASKER

That works but it creates a directory for every file, for example

if the Source is C:\Test\Source\ Files\File1.txt
and the Target is C:\Test\Target\

it should create C:\Test\Target\ Files\File1.txt

but instead it is doing this: C:\Test\Target\ Files\File1.txt\File1.txt
it is making a directory for every file.

any ideas on how i could get around that?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Qlemo

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SladeHD

ASKER

this is what i ended up with, its working great, thanks!

Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
$Source="H:\"
$Target="E:\H Drive Archive"
$days="365"
$LastAccess =(get-date).AddDays(-$days)
get-childitem $Source -include *.* -recurse | ? {!$_.PsIsContainer -and $_.LastAccessTime -le “$LastAccess”} | % {
  $newpath = join-path $Target $_.DirectoryName.SubString($Source.length)
  New-Item $newpath -type directory -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
  Move-Item $_.FullName -destination $newpath

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SladeHD

ASKER

None of the answers provided worked as they were, i had to use pieces of them and put something together.