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FORFILES

FORFILES [/P pathname] [/M searchmask] [/S]
[/C command] [/D [+ | -] {dd/MM/yyyy | dd}]

Description: Selects a file (or set of files) and executes a command on that file. This is helpful for batch jobs.

Parameter List:

/P pathname Indicates the path to start searching.
The default folder is the current working directory (.).
/M searchmask Searches files according to a searchmask.
The default searchmask is '*' .
/S   Instructs forfiles to recurse into subdirectories. Like "DIR /S".
/C command Indicates the command to execute for each file.
Command strings should be wrapped in double quotes.
    The default command is "cmd /c echo @file".
    The following variables can be used in the command string:
    @file - returns the name of the file.
    @fname - returns the file name without extension.
    @ext - returns only the extension of the file.
    @path - returns the full path of the file.
    @relpath - returns the relative path of the file.
    @isdir - returns "TRUE" if a file type is a directory, and "FALSE" for files.
    @fsize - returns the size of the file in bytes.
    @fdate - returns the last modified date of the file.
    @ftime - returns the last modified time of the file.
    To include special characters in the command line, use the hexadecimal code for the character in 0xHH format (ex. 0x09 for tab). Internal CMD.exe commands should be preceded with "cmd /c".
/D date Selects files with a last modified date greater than or equal to (+), or less than or equal to (-), the specified date using the "dd/MM/yyyy" format; or selects files with a last modified date greater than or equal to (+) the current date plus "dd" days, or less than or equal to (-) the current date minus "dd" days. A valid "dd" number of days can be any number in the range of 0 - 32768.
"+" is taken as default sign if not specified.
/?   Displays this help message.

Examples

FORFILES /?
FORFILES
FORFILES /P C:\WINDOWS /S /M DNS*.*
FORFILES /S /M *.txt /C "cmd /c type @file | more"
FORFILES /P C:\ /S /M *.bat
FORFILES /D -30 /M *.exe
/C "cmd /c echo @path 0x09 was changed 30 days ago"
FORFILES /D 01/01/2001
/C "cmd /c echo @fname is new since Jan 1st 2001"
FORFILES /D +30/3/2015 /C "cmd /c echo @fname is new today"
FORFILES /M *.exe /D +1
FORFILES /S /M *.doc /C "cmd /c echo @fsize"
FORFILES /M *.txt /C "cmd /c if @isdir==FALSE notepad.exe @file"
 

Associated Commands

 

 

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Last Page Update: 30/03/2015

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