Windows – How to copy a folder hierarchy while excluding selected files and folders

file-transferwindows

I'm looking for a way to copy a folder structure from one place to another, selecting and deselecting individual files and folders for copying, including selecting parts of the content of previously deselected folders.

As an example, for the following hierarchy, I'd like to be able to select four files:

☑ File 1
☐ File 2
☑ Folder 1
  ☑ File 1.1
  ☑ File 1.2
☒ Folder 2
  ☐ File 2.1
  ☑ File 2.2
☐ Folder 3
  ☐ File 3.1
  ☐ File 3.2

and have the destination contain this hierarchy after copying:

- File 1
- Folder 1
  - File 1.1
  - File 1.2
- Folder 2
  - File 2.2

Tools like Windows Explorer, command-line copying and TeraCopy allow only copying entire hierarchies or deselecting individual files. How can I quickly copy the parts of the hierarchy I want while maintaining an overview?

Best Answer

TotalCommander can do this as Mick said.

When you have two panes open, select Commands -> Synchronise Directories option.

It doesn't display strictly like a tree (no collapsing nodes), but it allows one to select individual items. Right clicking a folder allows bulk (de)selection.

Now select Compare for the directories content to be scanned, ready for (de)selection.

Note that in the latter screenshot I have only chosen to Show the Green Arrow Meaning only items on the left and not the right are displayed.

FreeFileSync is almost there, but it's not ideal for this task (at least for me) for two reasons as it removes files/folder from the view immediately when you uncheck them for synchronisation.

Emulating a Recursive File and Folder Structure with `MKLink`

Note: This works with an already existing root level target folder.

You can use a for /d loop and iterate the first level root sub-folders within the source directory, and then use the mklink command with the /D parameter to create directory symbolic links to link those sub-folders in the target path's root directory creating an emulated directory structure beneath each as you desire with files beneath each being referenced recursively too—the root level target folder can already exist with this method.

You can then use a for loop iterating the first level files within the source directory and then use the mklink command accordingly to create those as direct symbolic links within the root of the target directory, and the root level target folder can already exist with this method too.

Batch Script

@ECHO ON

SET SrcRoot=Z:\a
SET TargetRoot=Z:\b

FOR /D %%A IN ("%SrcRoot%\*") DO (
    MKLINK /D "%TargetRoot%\%%~NA" "%%~A"
    )

FOR %%A IN ("%SrcRoot%\*") DO (
    MKLINK "%TargetRoot%\%%~NXA" "%%~A"
    )

PAUSE
EXIT

Results

Further Resources

FOR /D
FOR
Batch Substitutions (FOR /?)
In addition, substitution of FOR variable references has been enhanced. You can now use the following optional syntax:
```
%~nI        - expands %I to a file name only
%~xI        - expands %I to a file extension only
```
MKLink

mklink /?

Creates a symbolic link.

MKLINK [[/D] | [/H] | [/J]] Link Target

        /D      Creates a directory symbolic link.  Default is a file
                symbolic link.
        /H      Creates a hard link instead of a symbolic link.
        /J      Creates a Directory Junction.
        Link    Specifies the new symbolic link name.
        Target  Specifies the path (relative or absolute) that the new link
                refers to.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Windows – Batch file to copy folder structure

How to parse a directory recursively and MKLINK each file into a target path with the same tree structure

Emulating a Recursive File and Folder Structure with MKLink

Batch Script

Results

Further Resources

Related Question

Emulating a Recursive File and Folder Structure with `MKLink`