Combine directories (move)

[VAN0]

Hello.

I'm trying move content of several folders into one. DirMove seemed like a perfect solution for speed and simplicity, however the remark

If the destination already exists and the overwrite flag is specified then the source directory will be moved inside the destination.

messes things up so bad that I can't get my brain around how to get around that nonsense.

Here is a test script:

 

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$dir = "c:\test"
$src = "\src"
$dest = "\dest"

Func create()
    DirRemove($dir & $src, 1)
    DirRemove($dir & $dest, 1)
    DirCreate($dir & $src & "\dir1")
    DirCreate($dir & $src & "\dir1\dir1.2")
    DirCreate($dir & $src & "\dir2")
    DirCreate($dir & $src & "\dir2\dir2.2")
    DirCreate($dir & $src & "\dir3")
    DirCreate($dir & $src & "\dir3\dir3.2")

    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir1\file1.1.txt", "text1")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir1\file1.2.txt", "text2")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir1\file1.3.txt", "text3")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir2\file1.1.txt", "text4")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir2\file2.1.txt", "text5")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir2\file2.2.txt", "text6")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir2\file2.3.txt", "text7")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir3\file3.1.txt", "text8")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir3\file3.2.txt", "text9")
    FileWrite($dir & $src & "\dir3\file3.3.txt", "text10")
EndFunc

Func move($type = 1)
    create()
    Switch $type
        Case 1
            DirMove($dir & $src & "\dir1", $dir & $dest, 1)
            DirMove($dir & $src & "\dir2", $dir & $dest, 1)
            DirMove($dir & $src & "\dir3", $dir & $dest, 1)

        Case 2
            DirMove($dir & $src & "\dir1", $dir & $src & $dest, 1)
            DirMove($dir & $src & $dest, $dir, 1)

            DirMove($dir & $src & "\dir2", $dir & $src & $dest, 1)
            DirMove($dir & $src & $dest, $dir, 1)

            DirMove($dir & $src & "\dir3", $dir & $src & $dest, 1)
            DirMove($dir & $src & $dest, $dir, 1)

        Case 3
            RunWait('robocopy /mt /e /move "' & $dir & $src & '\dir1" "' & $dir & $dest &'"', "", @SW_HIDE)
            RunWait('robocopy /mt /e /move "' & $dir & $src & '\dir2" "' & $dir & $dest &'"', "", @SW_HIDE)
            RunWait('robocopy /mt /e /move "' & $dir & $src & '\dir3" "' & $dir & $dest &'"', "", @SW_HIDE)
    EndSwitch
EndFunc

move(1)
MsgBox(0, 1, "Move")

move(2)
MsgBox(0, 2, "Rename then move")

move(3)
MsgBox(0, 3, "Robocopy move")

Exit

The first test "Move" after simply moving each folder from c:testsrc to c:testdest results to

c:\test\dest\

dir1.2
dir2
-dir2.2
-file1.1.txt
-file2.1.txt
-file2.2.txt
-file2.3.txt
dir3
-dir3.2
-file3.1.txt
-file3.2.txt
-file3.2.txt
file1.1.txt
file1.2.txt
file1.3.txt

Not what I was after, but it follows the remark, so fine.

The next test "Rename then move" involves first renaming each folder from c:testsrcXXX to c:testsrcdest then move that folder to c:test

The result is also not what I wanted:

c:\test\dest\

dest
-dir2
--dir2.2
--file1.1.txt
--file2.1.txt
--file2.2.txt
--file2.3.txt
-dir3
--dir3.2
--file3.1.txt
--file3.2.txt
--file3.2.txt
dir1.2
file1.1.txt
file1.2.txt
file1.3.txt

Finally the third test "Robocopy move" uses external robocopy command that only available on Windows Vista and newer resulting exactly what I'm after:

c:\test\dest\

dir1.2
dir2.2
dir3.2
file1.1.txt (text4)
file1.2.txt
file1.3.txt
file2.1.txt
file2.2.txt
file2.3.txt
file3.1.txt
file3.2.txt
file3.2.txt

Any suggestions how to avoid using external commands to achieve this?

Thank you.

Edited May 12, 2014 by VAN0

[Melba23]

VAN0,

I suggest using _FileListToArrayRec to get a list of the files and then looping through the array to move them using the $FC_CREATEPATH flag. That way you create the new folder structure on the fly.

M23

[VAN0]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I was trying to avoid moving each file individually, because it's very inefficient when it comes to several thousand files within sub directories.

For now I found that robocopy can do this at quiet decent speed (I've updated my original example)

[czardas]

Melba's answer is excellent and I'm sure it's exactly what you want. I thought it also worth to mention some scripts I've created recently during a big backup. They are too rough and ready - coded on the fly - so I will describe what they do and maybe post something in the future. It's easy to create a library like this if anyone wants, and has the time, to do so.

Using hash functions and file type/name filters:

1. Grab all (or specific) files within a directory structure and move (or copy) unique files to a single folder.

    If duplicate names occur for several files containing different information, you could add the CRC32 8 digit hash to the original name - also making sure no overwrites occur.

    Delete duplicates on the fly or leave the original directory intact.

2. Compare files within two directories A and B.

    Copy all (or specific) files in directory A which are missing from directory B to a single separate folder.

    Again taking care not to duplicate or overwrite the files being copied to the new location.

I think it's most useful to have both the original directory structure intact, whilst having the means to create a resources backup folder. With Melba's functions this should be an easy task, but caution is needed when deleting or dumping files (which may be interdependent) outside their original directories. I didn't actually use Melba's code (there's absolutely nothing wrong with it), but I can appreciate some of the technical aspects of creating a flexible set of functions and the effort that goes into it, after writing these rough and ready snippets to suit my own needs.

Edited May 12, 2014 by czardas