Batch File - Directory operations

In this article we are going to see how to delete a folder and subfolders using batch files,

          FOR /D %%i IN ("E:\delfolder\*") DO RD /S /Q "%%i" DEL /Q "E:\delfolder\*.*"
If you want to leave a specific folder from delete, Then Make that folder as Hidden first after the deletion make it as visible.

         ATTRIB +H D:\delfolder\hiddenfolder
         FOR /D %%i IN ("E:\delfolder\*") DO RD /S /Q "%%i" DEL /Q "E:\delfolder\*.*"
         ATTRIB -H D:\delfolder\hiddenfolder


we are going to see how to make a progress indication in batch file execution .

       @ECHO OFF
       set "max=11"
       call :init %max% "Window Title: [PPP]"
       for /l %%N in (1,1,%max%) do (
              ping -n 2 -w 1 127.0.0.1>NUL
              call:doProgress
        )
      GOTO:EOF

      :init max format
      set /a "ProgressCnt=-1"
      set /a "ProgressMax=%~1"
      set "ProgressFormat=%~2"
      if not defined ProgressFormat set "ProgressFormat=[PPPP]"
      set "ProgressFormat=%ProgressFormat:[PPPP]=[P] completed.%"
      call:doProgress
      EXIT /b

     :doProgress
     set /a "ProgressCnt+=1"
     SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
     set /a "per100=100*ProgressCnt/ProgressMax"
     set /a "per10=per100/10"
     set /a "per10m=10-per100/10-1"
     set "P=%per100%%%"
     set "PP="
     for /l %%N in (0,1,%per10%) do call set "PP=%%PP%%*"
     for /l %%N in (%per10%,1,9) do call set "PP=%%PP%% "
     set "PPP="
     for /l %%N in (0,1,%per10m%) do call set "PPP=%%PPP%%*"
     set "ProgressFormat=%ProgressFormat:[P]=!P!%"
     set "ProgressFormat=%ProgressFormat:[PP]=!PP!%"
     set "ProgressFormat=%ProgressFormat:[PPP]=!PPP!%"
     title %ProgressFormat%
     EXIT /b

From the above two code snippets, you can learn some basic concepts of batch files.


 

Batch File Creation - Basics

       To create a batch file, open a notepad and save the file with an extension of  ".bat". Type the cmd in run and enter , execute the batch file by drag and drop the .bat file into the command prompt and pass the parameters.

Let we start with some basics .

     keyword REM indicates that this line is a comment by using this we can specify the comment for what usage the code is written.

                      REM test 

keyword @echo off indicates that this will stop the several lines of repetitive output from showing

                      @echo off

keyword %1, %2 indicates there are two input parameters for the batch file

                      START %1

Example 1

  Launch a website in default browser

  REM Launch a Website in default browser by getting the input from user

    @ECHO OFF

    START %1

    @ECHO OFF

  Type following line in command prompt, Now you can see the website is launched in default browser.

         C:\test.bat www.dotnetvisio.blogspot.com

Example 2

  Launch a website in specified browser

  REM Launch a Website in specified browser by getting the input from user

    @ECHO OFF

    START /D "C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\INTERNET EXPLORER" IEXPLORE.EXE %1

    @ECHO OFF

  Type following line in command prompt,now you can see the website is launched in specified browser.

         C:\test.bat www.dotnetvisio.blogspot.com 

Example 3

  Copy a File from a path to desktop

  REM Copy a file from specified path to desktop

    @ECHO OFF

    COPY %1%USERPROFILE%\DESKTOP

    @ECHO OFF

  Type following line in command prompt,to copy a specified to desktop

         C:\test.bat "c:\c#.pdf"

Example 4

  Iterate to the parent directory and moved to the adjacent directory and change the parent directory.

:: Changes from the current directory to an adjacent directory or to the parent directory

@ECHOOFF

ECHOBatch started

IF"%1" =="1" GOTO Parent-1

IF"%1" =="2" GOTO Parent-2

IF"%1" =="3" GOTO Parent-3

:Parent-1

CD..\%2

GOTOEND

:Parent-2

CD..\..\%2

GOTOEND

:parent-3

CD..\..\..\%2

GOTOEND

:END

      CD %dir%

Input :

                                                                                                                           

         C:\Users\s\Desktop\test.bat 1 documents                                                          

output:

  Batch Started                                                                                                            

      C:\Users\s\Documents