I need to move thousands of files from one folder to new folders

Well this is really a job for a 20-30 line script. Python, perl whatever...

Don't know what your skill level with that sort of thing is, but even as a coding noob it may take less time to figure out how to write a python script than to do it all by hand. (And pick up an awesome skill for future problems like this at the same time)

(An experienced scripter could probably do it in 5 minutes if here is anyone like that in the company)

Well you can google for "Python Scripting" and install the interpreter (from here http://www.python.org/) and it comes with a simple editor. Then try googling "Getting started with python". I don't have any specific site recomendations. There will be tons of sample code if you can find one that seems close to what you want to do. Like "Sort files using pyton".

For example, this sample does several of the things you will need to do for your task even though it doesn't do exactly the same thing:

Using Python to delete old files and keep newest ones : Graham Lyons

But it shows how to iterate over all files in a foilder, find information about them and then do something with them... ANd it's only 7 lines of code. Yours may be a bit longer but should still be pretty simple.

Are you planning to only access these via program or command line? I'm just thinking Explorer or any Gui file manager may choke when sifting through all the file and folder attributes.

Also wide may be better than deep if you plan on using Explorer. It balks if the length of the nested folder paths start approaching 260 characters.

You know, if you're a windows nut... and you like scripts... you should be hanging out here:
Hey, Scripting Guy! How Can I Move Files Based on a Portion of the File Name? - Hey, Scripting Guy! Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs
That one sounds similar, but you can edit or search the site if thats not what you're looking for.
Make sure it will work on your system first. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s...enter/dd940113
I've only tried this on XP so I'm not sure what may have changed with 7.

I have an AutoIt3 function that returns the "base name" of a path. For example, _FileBaseName("C:\MyFolder\MyFile.txt") returns "MyFile"

You could use it to put the file into the proper folder

Whatever programming language you decide to use should either have a canned function that does the same, or have library functions you can use to roll your own without too much difficulty

Basically it just returns the characters after the last backslash up to but not including the first extension dot

Code:

; return the basename part of a file path
; works only for files with extension
; e.g. returns "test" for c:\folder\test.exe path
;
Func _FileBaseName($path)
	If $path = "" Then Return ""
	If StringLen($path) < 3 Then Return ""

	Local $pos = StringInStr($path, "\", 0, -1)
	$pos += 1
	Local $tmp = StringMid($path, $pos)
	Return StringLeft($tmp, StringInStr($tmp, ".", 0, -1) - 1)
EndFunc   ;==>_FileBaseName

So in AutoIt3 you would do something like
$basename = _FileBaseName($path)

FileMove($basename & ".*", $basename & "\*.*)

The "&" is string concatenation operator. So it becomes "move files with base name x inside folder named x"

Should be pretty simple if the folders are all on the same level.