How to Copy files that are in a directory to another directory recursively in Windows? - powershell

Question

I have to create an script to copy files from a folder structure to other.
My source folder structure is similar to this:
-RootFolder
--ParentFolder1
--SubParentFolder1
--ToCopy
/*Here are the files to copy*/
--SubParentFolder2
--ParentFolder2
--OtherSubParentFolder
--ToCopy
/*Here are the files to copy*/
--ParentFolder3
--OtherSubParentFolder2
I want to copy the files that are in the "ToCopy" folders, into another folder, with this structure:
Destination folder structure:
--TargetDirectory
--SubParentFolder1
//Here the files that were in the ToCopy folder inside the SubParentsFolder1
--OtherSubParentFolder
//Here the files that were in the ToCopy folder inside the OtherSubParentFolder
Notice that I use the name of the "ToCopy" parent folder in the destination subfolders.
I know how I would do this with code (like C#), but I am at a lost on how to achieve it with a Batch file. Is it even possible? Or I would need to use something like powershell?
How can I copy my files following the structure I described?

Answer 1

I think, this should work...
$Folder= gci -path "d:\pstest" -recurse -Filter "ToCopy" | where { $_.psiscontainer }
Foreach ($Foldername in $Folder) {
$Destinationfolder=$Foldername.Parent
copy-item $Foldername.fullname -Destination "d:\Outputfolder\$Destinationfolder" -recurse
}

Answer 2

Hi to follow is a script I hacked away (via help from stack overflow), that reads the files from a txt document, then requests destination folder input and also src folder name it then just goes and recursively copies all the files to the new folder without keeping the old subfolder structure.
I will update this in future with the link to the person that I got the base template from for the admin area, but to keep in mind once you click that Batch can run as though it was a php script then everything makes sense. Took me whole day to research every command and alternative on SS64.com
Major thing to note is the pushd "%~dp0" this I use to make sure batch always uses my current directory as root.
As said I will do a proper write up on this and further stream lining since I am using it actively for moving files during a woocommerce shop update. P.S. the text file name should be entered without the .txt extention and every file name should start on a new line. Also if the destination directory does not exist it will create it. Use excel maybe to list the names then for renaming could output to new column and compile the batch rename command copy to new batch run first batch to fetch files and second batch to rename to preferred title, I do it in steps to keep my sanity.
Sorry was just a example of how I use it, but yes go ahead and enjoy hope this works for you.
#echo off
CLS
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
REM Changes root path to relative of current bat folder
pushd "%~dp0"
REM finds files in provided .txt file and copies them to destination directory
REM CHECK FOR ADMIN RIGHTS
COPY /b/y NUL %WINDIR%\06CF2EB6-94E6-4a60-91D8-AB945AE8CF38 >NUL 2>&1
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO:NONADMIN
DEL %WINDIR%\06CF2EB6-94E6-4a60-91D8-AB945AE8CF38 >NUL 2>&1
:ADMIN
REM GOT ADMIN RIGHTS
COLOR 1F
ECHO Hi, %USERNAME%!
ECHO Please wait...
set /p DEST_DIR="Copy files to:"%=%
set /p SEARCH_DIR="Copy files from:"%=%
#echo.
#echo Please check folder name for accuracy.
#echo Copy files to: %DEST_DIR%
#echo Copy files from: %SEARCH_DIR%
set /p CORRECT_FOLDERS="Are these correct? (please check spelling) y/n:"
if '%CORRECT_FOLDERS%'=='y' GOTO:YES_ANSWER
if '%CORRECT_FOLDERS%'=='n' GOTO:NO_ANSWER
COLOR 2F
ECHO.
PAUSE
GOTO:EOF
:NONADMIN
REM NO ADMIN RIGHTS
COLOR 4F
ECHO.
ECHO PLEASE RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR
ECHO.
pause
GOTO:EOF
:YES_ANSWER
#echo.
#echo you answered yes
#echo.
if exist %DEST_DIR% GOTO:READ_DATA
if not exist %DEST_DIR% md %DEST_DIR%&GOTO:READ_DATA
PAUSE
:NO_ANSWER
#echo.
#echo you answered no
set /p TRY_AGAIN="Try again? y/n:"
if '%TRY_AGAIN%'=='y' GOTO:YES_ANSWER
if '%TRY_AGAIN%'=='n' GOTO:EXIT_PROGRAM
PAUSE
:EXIT_PROGRAM
#echo.
#echo "So Sorry"
PAUSE
GOTO:EOF
:READ_DATA
#echo.
set /p GET_FILENAMES="What is the name of the text file your filenames are stored in?"%=%
if exist %GET_FILENAMES%.txt #echo We will now read and copy the files for you, have some coffee might take awhile & GOTO:WRITE_DATA
if not exist %GET_FILENAMES%.txt #echo Filename does not match, please type only the name without .txt extention & GOTO:READ_DATA
PAUSE
:WRITE_DATA
#echo.
#echo reading file name...
for /f "usebackq delims=" %%a in ("%GET_FILENAMES%.txt") do (
for /r "%SEARCH_DIR%" %%b in ("%%a*") do (
#echo Copy Started...
copy "%%b" "%DEST_DIR%\%%~nxb"
)
)
#echo Copy finished, please review actions. Lekker Man.
PAUSE``