How to copy files which are modified and the new ones that are added in the source location to the target location using a batch script? The existing files that are already present in the target should not be copied again, only the newly added ones and the modified ones. Kindly help.
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1welcome at superuser. Please note that this isn't a free script-writing service, please share what have you tried already and why that doesn't work.– Máté JuhászDec 17, 2015 at 14:30
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2 Answers
Copy from one location to another using batch script based on modified date and also newly added files in source
Okay, so you're using batch in Windows and the XCOPY command. You should be fine to use the native Windows Robocopy command rather than XCOPY, which is a much more robust way to complete your task than a batch script using FOR loops with XCOPY and date time stamp substitution checking, etc. That's possible too but with some gotchas but it's a bit more complex than the simple and clearer method using the Windows native ROBOCOPY commands from a batch script or command line.
If you're building something new, it'd be best to use Robocopy instead of XCOPY as XCOPY is a deprecated command intended to be replaced by Robocopy specifically per Microsoft as of Windows Vista (and newer OSes) I believe.
Assumption Per Your Question
The assumption I'm going to make here is that you tried this using some XCOPY commands and couldn't get it to work for your need so I'm going to assume you did that work and now asking for help, but if you have any example of what you tried (and didn't work), go ahead and update your question with that to satisfy this concern for others.
I'm not recreating the wheel here and making a sensible suggestion based on your question and good judgement for what you've disclosed. You will still need to do some work, read the syntax of Robocopy, plug in your variables and/or further options and switches, and do some testing on your side confirming everything works as expected in case you need further adjustments.
Robocopy Script
(See Script Notes below for options I used in this example and also be sure to change the sourcedir and targetdir variable paths where you need those set. Be sure to test from a test location as well just to be thorough and to confirm yourself before using for production purposes.)
@ECHO ON
SETLOCAL
SET SourceDir=C:\SourcePath
SET TargetDir=C:\TargetPath
SET LogFile=C:\LogPath\Logfile.txt
ROBOCOPY "%SourceDir%" "%TargetDir%" *.* /PURGE /S /NP /R:5 /LOG+:%LogFile% /TS /FP
GOTO EOF
Script Notes
I used these options in my example but see below how to see all options to further suit your particalar needs.
/S :: copy Subdirectories, but not empty ones.
/PURGE :: delete dest files/dirs that no longer exist in source.
/NP :: No Progress - don't display % copied.
/R:n :: number of Retries on failed copies: default 1 million.
/LOG+:file :: output status to LOG file (append to existing log).
/TS :: include source file Time Stamps in the output.
/FP :: include Full Pathname of files in the output.
Further Resources
From command line in Windows, type in Robocopy /? and then press Enter
C:\Users\User>robocopy /?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROBOCOPY :: Robust File Copy for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Started : Fri Dec 18 02:29:48 2015
Usage :: ROBOCOPY source destination [file [file]...] [options]
source :: Source Directory (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
destination :: Destination Dir (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
file :: File(s) to copy (names/wildcards: default is "*.*").
::
:: Copy options :
::
/S :: copy Subdirectories, but not empty ones.
/E :: copy subdirectories, including Empty ones.
/LEV:n :: only copy the top n LEVels of the source directory tree.
/Z :: copy files in restartable mode.
/B :: copy files in Backup mode.
/ZB :: use restartable mode; if access denied use Backup mode.
/EFSRAW :: copy all encrypted files in EFS RAW mode.
/COPY:copyflag[s] :: what to COPY for files (default is /COPY:DAT).
(copyflags : D=Data, A=Attributes, T=Timestamps).
(S=Security=NTFS ACLs, O=Owner info, U=aUditing info).
/DCOPY:T :: COPY Directory Timestamps.
/SEC :: copy files with SECurity (equivalent to /COPY:DATS).
/COPYALL :: COPY ALL file info (equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU).
/NOCOPY :: COPY NO file info (useful with /PURGE).
/SECFIX :: FIX file SECurity on all files, even skipped files.
/TIMFIX :: FIX file TIMes on all files, even skipped files.
/PURGE :: delete dest files/dirs that no longer exist in source.
/MIR :: MIRror a directory tree (equivalent to /E plus /PURGE).
/MOV :: MOVe files (delete from source after copying).
/MOVE :: MOVE files AND dirs (delete from source after copying).
/A+:[RASHCNET] :: add the given Attributes to copied files.
/A-:[RASHCNET] :: remove the given Attributes from copied files.
/CREATE :: CREATE directory tree and zero-length files only.
/FAT :: create destination files using 8.3 FAT file names only.
/256 :: turn off very long path (> 256 characters) support.
/MON:n :: MONitor source; run again when more than n changes seen.
/MOT:m :: MOnitor source; run again in m minutes Time, if changed.
/RH:hhmm-hhmm :: Run Hours - times when new copies may be started.
/PF :: check run hours on a Per File (not per pass) basis.
/IPG:n :: Inter-Packet Gap (ms), to free bandwidth on slow lines.
/SL:: copy symbolic links versus the target.
::
:: File Selection Options :
::
/A :: copy only files with the Archive attribute set.
/M :: copy only files with the Archive attribute and reset it.
/IA:[RASHCNETO] :: Include only files with any of the given Attributes set.
/XA:[RASHCNETO] :: eXclude files with any of the given Attributes set.
/XF file [file]... :: eXclude Files matching given names/paths/wildcards.
/XD dirs [dirs]... :: eXclude Directories matching given names/paths.
/XC :: eXclude Changed files.
/XN :: eXclude Newer files.
/XO :: eXclude Older files.
/XX :: eXclude eXtra files and directories.
/XL :: eXclude Lonely files and directories.
/IS :: Include Same files.
/IT :: Include Tweaked files.
/MAX:n :: MAXimum file size - exclude files bigger than n bytes.
/MIN:n :: MINimum file size - exclude files smaller than n bytes.
/MAXAGE:n :: MAXimum file AGE - exclude files older than n days/date.
/MINAGE:n :: MINimum file AGE - exclude files newer than n days/date.
/MAXLAD:n :: MAXimum Last Access Date - exclude files unused since n.
/MINLAD:n :: MINimum Last Access Date - exclude files used since n.
(If n < 1900 then n = n days, else n = YYYYMMDD date).
/XJ :: eXclude Junction points. (normally included by default).
/FFT :: assume FAT File Times (2-second granularity).
/DST :: compensate for one-hour DST time differences.
/XJD :: eXclude Junction points for Directories.
/XJF :: eXclude Junction points for Files.
::
:: Retry Options :
::
/R:n :: number of Retries on failed copies: default 1 million.
/W:n :: Wait time between retries: default is 30 seconds.
/REG :: Save /R:n and /W:n in the Registry as default settings.
/TBD :: wait for sharenames To Be Defined (retry error 67).
::
:: Logging Options :
::
/L :: List only - don't copy, timestamp or delete any files.
/X :: report all eXtra files, not just those selected.
/V :: produce Verbose output, showing skipped files.
/TS :: include source file Time Stamps in the output.
/FP :: include Full Pathname of files in the output.
/BYTES :: Print sizes as bytes.
/NS :: No Size - don't log file sizes.
/NC :: No Class - don't log file classes.
/NFL :: No File List - don't log file names.
/NDL :: No Directory List - don't log directory names.
/NP :: No Progress - don't display % copied.
/ETA :: show Estimated Time of Arrival of copied files.
/LOG:file :: output status to LOG file (overwrite existing log).
/LOG+:file :: output status to LOG file (append to existing log).
/UNILOG:file :: output status to LOG file as UNICODE (overwrite existing
log).
/UNILOG+:file :: output status to LOG file as UNICODE (append to existing
log).
/TEE :: output to console window, as well as the log file.
/NJH :: No Job Header.
/NJS :: No Job Summary.
/UNICODE :: output status as UNICODE.
::
:: Job Options :
::
/JOB:jobname :: take parameters from the named JOB file.
/SAVE:jobname :: SAVE parameters to the named job file
/QUIT :: QUIT after processing command line (to view parameters).
/NOSD :: NO Source Directory is specified.
/NODD :: NO Destination Directory is specified.
/IF :: Include the following Files.
Scott - Слава Україні
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answered Dec 18, 2015 at 8:14
Vomit IT - Chunky Mess StyleVomit IT - Chunky Mess Style
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Here is script to copy files.
if there is already files presents at destionatin folder
xcopy always prompt you to overwrites files with y/n/All option.
to avoid this we can use echo command.
@echo off
rem copy only files which not available at destionation folder (in your case)
echo n|xcopy /e /v "Source Folder" "Destionation Here"
rem copy and overwrites All files
echo All|xcopy /e /v "Source Folder" "Destionation Here"
rem copy and overwrites All files
echo y|xcopy /e /v "Source Folder" "Destionation Here"
pause
exit
