Automatically send files from one folder to another

[Matthew425]

So I have a folder and what I want to do is automatically send everything that's saved to that folder to another.

For example, I will want whatever that goes into the Documents folder to go to my custom folder on the desktop. Whenever a new file has been made, it will always go there.

 

[MilesAhead]

You might try the freeware download sites for a free monitoring program. There is a Windows API for file system change notification. It can watch a folder and notify a program when a change occurs. Unfortunately it has been my experience whenever I tried a utility that uses this mechanism, it had a draining effect on system resources.

However I haven't tried all that many. You may find one that is coded efficiently.
Look for utilities to do with file syncing. If it has an automatic folder sync feature then it is usually accomplished using the API I alluded to above.

 

[Brink]

Hello Matthew,

If you like, you should be able to just create a shortcut of this folder, and place the shortcut on your desktop.

Hope this helps.

 

[Matthew425]

are there any other options besides having a shortcut? I want the files of one folder to go to another, I don't exactly want a shortcut.

 

[Ztruker]

I use a program called Mirror Folder to do this. Not free though but works great.

Take a look at SyncToy, it may do what you want and it's free.

 

[paul1149]

You could set up a sync prog, such as Syncback free, to mirror the folder periodically. Or if the second folder can be the home folder of a sync service such as Dropbox, you should be able to mirror the first folder to it as the first folder changes.

 

[Wandering one]

Possibly set up an 'auto hot key' combo to move all files from one to the other whenever you hit the key combo. I use that with a video edit program that is determined to keep a log and duplicates of all work. When I finish just hit three keys and space bar and everything clears.
Art.

 

[Pyprohly]

If a folder you want to keep in sync with another resides on the same partition as the target folder, use a Shortcut. Else if you need applications to access the contents of this Shortcut, use a Junction Point instead. Both of these features exist for a reason.

Matthew, in the example you mention, namely, sending files from your user's Documents folder to some other arbitrary folder on your desktop, you should indeed be using a Shortcut here. I recommend, Matthew, you take Brink's advice and simply create a Shortcut file on your desktop that links to this target folder of yours.

It's never necessary to sync two folders along the same partition when builtin features such as Shortcuts and Junctions exist. Consider it.

 

[LittleSomething]

You need to move the files, or copy? Most sync tool can do the job if you want to copy the files.

 

[mike009]

Hi,

You can create batch file with this command that can be run manually when required(if you really want to store data on the desktop which can slow down boot/log on times and performance of windows)

Xcopy /S /E C:\Users\username\Documents\foldertocopy C:\Users\username\Desktop\folder

 

[MilesAhead]

Also some file copy tools will copy to more than one folder simultaneously. I don't know which ones since I don't need the feature.

This page may be of interest:
Copy Files to Multiple Directories - FileBoss, The Power File Manager

Also this open source may be worth a look
Beanland: AutoVer