ROBOCOPY - Create Backup Script

Thank you for your reply. I am quite aware of this, however I am simply pointing out that the NOTE is wrong. It plainly states that "the source and destination syntax arguments in ROBOCOPY can only be folder names." which is wrong, you can also add a syntax for a specific file.

There is other uses to ROBOCOPY than just copying the entire flolder, sometimes its useful to copy specific files only and also use ROBOCOPY's features, it's syntaxes.

Regards,

Alan

Fair enough. I am only pointing out that it can be used to copy specific files instead of whole folders. I use this sometimes to copy multiple specific files (for example files I want to keep data on i.e. using the DAT).

Cry for help ..... and I know I should go through all 28 pages again as I think the answer is probably here, but having had a skim through, I cannot see it.

Looking to use Robocopy to backup c:\SOURCE to :d:\SOURCE with date

I would want a different folder for each night, either in dd/mm/yy format or even just day of the week "Monday, Tuesday, etc" on a 4 week cycle.

I have tried various things but all seem to fail, as the data is critical and I am up against the clock, I thought I would just ask the question and see what comes back.


Many thanks

D95gas,

Your batch file can do that. All you need to get the script to do is create a folder with the desired date, then perform a Robocopy to that folder.

Here’s something you may modify to your liking.

Code:

@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

set "source=C:\SOURCE"
set "destination=D:\SOURCE"
set "destination_new_foldername=`YEAR-`MONTH-`DAY"

goto :main
:GetUTCDateTime
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
	for /f "delims=" %%D in (' wmic OS get LocalDateTime ^| find "." ') do (
		set "dt=%%~D"
		set "DATETIME.YEAR=!DT:~0,4!"
		set "DATETIME.MONTH=!DT:~4,2!"
		set "DATETIME.DAY=!DT:~6,2!"
		set "DATETIME.HOUR=!DT:~8,2!"
		set "DATETIME.MINUTE=!DT:~10,2!"
		set "DATETIME.SECOND=!DT:~12,2!"
		set "DATETIME.FRACTIONS=!DT:~15,6!"
		set "DATETIME.OFFSET=!DT:~21,4!"
		if "%DATETIME.HOUR%" gtr "11" (set DATETIME.PERIOD=PM) else set "DATETIME.PERIOD=AM"
	)
	for /f "delims=" %%I in (' date /t ') do (
		set "dayofweek=%%~I"
		set "DATETIME.DAYOFWEEK=!DAYOFWEEK:~0,3!"
	)
endlocal & (
	set "DATETIME.YEAR=%DATETIME.YEAR%"
	set "DATETIME.MONTH=%DATETIME.MONTH%"
	set "DATETIME.DAY=%DATETIME.DAY%"
	set "DATETIME.HOUR=%DATETIME.HOUR%"
	set "DATETIME.MINUTE=%DATETIME.MINUTE%"
	set "DATETIME.SECOND=%DATETIME.SECOND%"
	set "DATETIME.FRACTIONS=%DATETIME.FRACTIONS%"
	set "DATETIME.OFFSET=%DATETIME.OFFSET%"
	set "DATETIME.PERIOD=%DATETIME.PERIOD%"
	set "DATETIME.DAYOFWEEK=%DATETIME.DAYOFWEEK%"
)
goto :eof

:main

if not exist "%SOURCE%"\* echo Source location not found& exit /b 1
if not exist "%DESTIN%"\* echo Destination location not found& exit /b 1

call :GetUTCDateTime
for %%I in (`YEAR `MONTH `DAY `HOUR `MINUTE `SECOND `FRACTIONS `OFFSET `PERIOD) do (
	set "timeunit=%%~I"
	call call set "destination_new_foldername=!DESTINATION_NEW_FOLDERNAME:%%~I=%%%%DATETIME.%%TIMEUNIT:~1%%%%%%!"
)

if exist "%DESTINATION%\%DESTINATION_NEW_FOLDERNAME%"\* (
	echo Destination folder already contains a folder with name "%DESTINATION_NEW_FOLDERNAME%"
	exit /b 1
)

robocopy "%SOURCE%" "%DESTINATION%\%DESTINATION_NEW_FOLDERNAME%"

xFiReStOrMx said:

I am curious however why it states the following:

ROBOCOPY is a FOLDER copier, not a FILE copier - the source and destination syntax arguments in ROBOCOPY can only be folder names.

This is totally false and ROBOCOPY can absoltutely copy single files.

Good catch of detail. While the text in blue is a correct statement, I agree that calling Robocopy a folder copier is not right. Robocopy most definitely has the capability to copy single files, so calling the tool a folder copier would certainly be misleading.

chrishammond said:

Now herein lies a problem - the only batch file I have ever edited was a simple one line affair that listed contents of a directory (you had to drop the bat into the file you wanted to list - then it would run alphabetical list and add filelist.txt and a few other things to the directory) and the only programming skill he has is the microwave oven

Lucky you, the Robocopy command requires only one line by default.

So what’s the problem?

essenbe said:

Name it Robocopy.bat and it will be a batch file. Just click it and it will run.

Except don’t name it “Robocopy” or big problems.