asked on

Delete a set of files

I just posted a similar question. I need a script which deletes all files EXCEPT those whose names are included in a text file (e.g. nodelete.txt). I would be very grateful if someone could help me with this.

Vitor Montalvão

Powershell solution:

 $files2Exclude=Get-Content .\nodelete.txt : Remove-Item * -Exclude $files2Exclude

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David Johnson, CD

not as elegant
---
@echo off
set source=C:\30092014
for /f "Tokens=* Delims=" %%x in (list.txt) do copy %%x %temp%
del %source%\* /q
for /f "Tokens=* Delims=" %%x in (list.txt) do copy %temp%\%%x %temp% %source%
---

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Vitor Montalvão

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Haris Dulic

Better late then never ;)

@echo off
set source=C:\30092014

for /f "tokens=*" %%G in ('dir /b /a-d "%source%\*"') do (call :del_proc "%%G")
GOTO :eof
:del_proc
findstr -sip %1 list.txt > NULL
IF  ERRORLEVEL 1  del %1

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Rothbard

ASKER

Thanks but it doesn't seem to work. I get the following error message:

Get-Content : A positional parameter cannot be found that accepts argument ':'.
At line:1 char:27
+ $files2Exclude=Get-Content <<<< .\nodelete.txt : Remove-Item * -Exclude $files2Exclude
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Get-Content], ParameterBindingException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PositionalParameterNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetContentCommand

Vitor Montalvão

You need to give full path to the file or run it in the folder where's that file.

Rothbard

ASKER

Thanks!

David Johnson, CD

The easier you make the code to read the better off you are down the road when you look at the code a year or so from now. Comments are always good

 $files2Exclude=Get-Content .\nodelete.txt
 Remove-Item * -Exclude $files2Exclude

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$files2exclude = Read-Host "Please Enter the Path and File name of the Files to Exclude List"
if ((test-path $filestoexclude) -eq $false ) 
    {
    $output = $files2exclude + "Does Not Exist!"
        Write-output $output
     }
else {
    $filepath = read-host "Please Enter the Path of the files to delete"
    if ((test-path $filepath) -eq $false ) {
         $output = $filespath + "Does Not Exist"
         Write-output $output
         }
    else {
     #
     #assumes that you are on the same drive
     #
     cd $filepath
     Remove-Item * -Exclude $files2exclude
     }
}

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