How to verify if a file exists in a batch file

Question

I have to create a  BAT file that does this    If C  myprogram sync data handler exists  exit  If C  myprogram html data sql does not exist  exit  In C  myprogram sync  delete all files and folders except  test  test3 and test2  Copy C  myprogram html data sql to C  myprogram sync  Call other batch file with option sync bat myprogram ini    If it was in the Bash environment it was easy for me  but I do not know how to test if a file or folder exists and if it is a file or folder

User · Accepted Answer

You can use IF EXIST to check for a file:

IF EXIST "filename" (
  REM Do one thing
) ELSE (
  REM Do another thing
)

If you do not need an "else", you can do something like this:

set __myVariable=
IF EXIST "C:\folder with space\myfile.txt" set __myVariable=C:\folder with space\myfile.txt
IF EXIST "C:\some other folder with space\myfile.txt" set __myVariable=C:\some other folder with space\myfile.txt
set __myVariable=

Here's a working example of searching for a file or a folder:

REM setup

echo "some text" > filename
mkdir "foldername"

REM finds file    

IF EXIST "filename" (
  ECHO file filename exists
) ELSE (
  ECHO file filename does not exist
)

REM does not find file

IF EXIST "filename2.txt" (
  ECHO file filename2.txt exists
) ELSE (
  ECHO file filename2.txt does not exist
)

REM folders must have a trailing backslash    

REM finds folder

IF EXIST "foldername\" (
  ECHO folder foldername exists
) ELSE (
  ECHO folder foldername does not exist
)

REM does not find folder

IF EXIST "filename\" (
  ECHO folder filename exists
) ELSE (
  ECHO folder filename does not exist
)

User · Answer

Type IF    to get help about if  it clearly explains how to use IF EXIST   To delete a complete tree except some folders  see the answer of this question  Windows batch script to delete everything in a folder except one  Finally copying just means calling COPY and calling another bat file can be done like this   MYOTHERBATFILE BAT sync bat myprogram ini

User · Answer

Here is a good example on how to do a command if a file does or does not exist   if exist C  myprogram sync data handler echo Now Exiting  amp  amp  Exit if not exist C  myprogram html data sql Exit   We will take those three files and put it in a temporary place  After deleting the folder  it will restore those three files   xcopy  test   C  temp  xcopy  test2   C  temp  del C  myprogram sync  xcopy  C  temp   test  xcopy  C  temp   test2  del  c  temp    Use the XCOPY command   xcopy  C  myprogram html data sql    c  d  h  e  i  y   C  myprogram sync     I will explain what the  c  d  h  e  i  y means      C           Continues copying even if errors occur     D m-d-y     Copies files changed on or after the specified date                 If no date is given  copies only those files whose                source time is newer than the destination time     H           Copies hidden and system files also     E           Copies directories and subdirectories  including empty ones                 Same as  S  E  May be used to modify  T     T           Creates directory structure  but does not copy files  Does not                include empty directories or subdirectories   T  E includes    I           If destination does not exist and copying more than one file                 assumes that destination must be a directory     Y           Suppresses prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an                existing destination file    To see all the commands type xcopy    in cmd      Call other batch file with option sync bat myprogram ini    I am not sure what you mean by this  but if you just want to open both of these files you just put the path of the file like  Path sync bat Path myprogram ini      If it was in the Bash environment it was easy for me  but I do not   know how to test if a file or folder exists and if it is a file or   folder    You are using a batch file  You mentioned earlier you have to create a  bat file to use this      I have to create a  BAT file that does this

[windows] How to verify if a file exists in a batch file?

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