Windows – How to run multiple batch files with one master batch file

batch filecommand linewindowswindows 8.1

I have three bat files I would like to run, in three different directories:

directory/bat1/bat1.bat

directory/bat2/bat2.bat

directory/bat3/bat3.bat

I would like to use one master .bat to start all of the other bats in their directories. I can't use call because I get errors because there are dependencies for each different bat in the directory. I tried using start but that doesn't work either, it just bring up a command prompt withing the folder.

I know this sounds a little confusing but all I want to do is use one single .bat file to run multiple .bat files independent from each other in their own directories.

Best Answer

If you use start, the other bat-files will create new process for each bat, and run them all at the same time.

cd "\directory\bat1\"
start bat1.bat
cd "\directory\bat2\"
start bat2.bat
cd "\directory\bat3\"
start bat3.bat

But if you want to run the next one after the last one is finished, you can use call

cd "\directory\bat1\"
call bat1.bat
cd "\directory\bat2\"
call bat2.bat
cd "\directory\bat3\"
call bat3.bat

don't forget the first \ at the beginning of the cd , otherwise it will try to change the directory into a subdirectory of the current working directory.

Related Solutions

Batch file: Change names on files with certain extensions in multiple directories based on the directory name and copy into one directory

Ok, here's one. You might want to consider using something more flexible than a batch file; a simple C++ program would have been much easier. Batch does not play nice with the string manipulation necessary to extract the directory name.

@ECHO OFF

SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion

SET _destination=%~1
SHIFT

SET _source=%~1
SHIFT

SET _cmdstring=dir /b /s

:LoopGetExt
    SET _cmdstring=%_cmdstring% "%_source%\*%~1"
    SHIFT
    IF NOT "%~1"=="" GOTO LoopGetExt
::End LoopGetExt

FOR /F "tokens=*" %%i IN ('%_cmdstring%') DO (
        SET _fullpath=%%i
        SET _splitpath=!_fullpath:\=^

!
        SET _filename=%%~ni%%~xi
        FOR /F "tokens=*" %%j IN ("!_splitpath!") DO (
            IF NOT "%%j"=="!_filename!" SET _dirname=%%j
        )

        ECHO "%%i" =^> "%_destination%\!_dirname!_!_filename!"
        COPY "%%i" "%_destination%\!_dirname!_!_filename!"
)

ENDLOCAL

At the moment nothing has been hardcoded: to use it, do this.

copyfiles.bat <destination> <source> <ext> [ext]

e.g.

copyfiles.bat "C:\Dest" "C:\Source" .txt .xml .csv .log

EDIT (as per request in first comment)

::copyfiles.bat <destination> <source> <ext> [ext]
::e.g.
::copyfiles.bat "C:\Dest" "C:\Source" .txt .xml .csv .log

@ECHO OFF

SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion

SET _destination=%~1
SHIFT

SET _source=%~1
SHIFT

SET _cmdstring=dir /b /s

:LoopGetExt
    SET _cmdstring=%_cmdstring% "%_source%\*%~1"
    SHIFT
    IF NOT "%~1"=="" GOTO LoopGetExt
::End LoopGetExt

FOR /F "tokens=*" %%i IN ('%_cmdstring%') DO (
        SET _fullpath=%%i
        SET _splitpath=!_fullpath:\=^

!
        SET _filename=%%~ni
        FOR /F "tokens=1 delims=. " %%j IN ("!_splitpath!") DO (
            IF NOT "%%j"=="!_filename!" SET _dirname=%%j
        )

        ECHO "%%i" =^> "%_destination%\!_dirname!%%~xi"
        COPY "%%i" "%_destination%\!_dirname!%%~xi"
)

ENDLOCAL

How to Organize Files into Named Directories from Command Line in Linux

I guess the solution to your problem is called parameter substitution (have a look at the detailed description). Given a name of a file in filename you'll get its extension using ${filename##*.} and the name w/o extension with ${filename%.*}.

That said, you may want to modify your for loop like:

# for all (*) files in the current directory
for i in *;
do
    # -f checks if it is a file (skip directories)
    [ -f "$i" ] || continue
    # store the file name in filename
    filename=$(basename $i)
    # ext = the extension of the file (here we don't care, jfi)
    ext="${filename##*.}"
    # dir = the file name without its extension
    dir="${filename%.*}"
    # create the directory
    mkdir -p $dir
    # move the file in that directory
    mv $i $dir
done

Unfortunately, I did not get the point of your bonus task, so it'll remain an open challenge... :)

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Batch file: Change names on files with certain extensions in multiple directories based on the directory name and copy into one directory

How to Organize Files into Named Directories from Command Line in Linux

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