Batch file to recursively scan for a while existence and if exists add it to zip always fails

Question

Below is a batch file which accepts 2 or more arguments. The

first argument shall be a base directory to search for files (for example D:\temp)
second argument and consecutive shall be file name pattern to search (for example 2017_02_01 or myapp)

The batch file will do the following

Check if first argument is empty and display appropriate message.
Check if first argument is not existing directory or display appropriate message.
Call a subroutine to parse and take action on each and every argument.
In the subroutine check if any unwanted symbols are in arguments and display appropriate message.
In the subroutine do not take action on first argument.
In the subroutine check if the file pattern argument exists in base directory which is first argument. Here the check is failing and always returns 1 which is incorrect.
If the file pattern argument exists then take action like add the file to a temporary zip file using 7zip. Similarly do for rest of the arguments.
If the argument is empty then stop subroutine.

Below is the batch file.

@echo off
set BASE_DIR=%1

REM check if first argument is empty and display appropriate message
set NEW_DIR=%BASE_DIR%X
if %NEW_DIR%==X goto displayUsage

REM check if first argument is not existing directory or display appropriate message
if not exist %BASE_DIR% goto displayUsage
cd /d C:\temp\
if exist "C:\temp\temp.zip" del /q /f "C:\temp\temp.zip"
call :subr %*
exit /b

:subr
rem check if any unwatned symbols are in arguments
if exist "C:\temp\temp.txt" del /q /f "C:\temp\temp.txt"
echo %* > "C:\temp\temp.txt"
findstr /r ".*[<>/|?*%%].*" "C:\temp\temp.txt" >nul
if %errorlevel% equ 0 goto displayUsage

rem start parsing each argument
for %%A in (%*) do (
    if not %%A==%BASE_DIR% (
        rem check if file exists and take action on it
        pushd %BASE_DIR%
        dir /b /s /a-d *%%A* | find "File not found"
        set FILE_EXISTS=%errorlevel%
        rem HERE FILE_EXISTS STATUS IS ALWAYS 1 IRRESPECTIVE OF FILE PRESENCE
        popd
        if %FILE_EXISTS% equ 0 (
            rem take action on the file like add it to a zip file
            "7za.exe" a -r -y "C:\temp\temp.zip" %BASE_DIR%\*%%A*.*
        ) else (
            echo File %%A does not exists in %BASE_DIR%
        )
    ) else (
        echo No need to parse base directory %%A
    )
)
exit /b

:displayUsage
echo Usage: create-logs-zip.bat existing-base-directory log-file-name
echo Do not use symbols: ^< ^> / ? ^| ^*
goto end

:end
if exist "C:\temp\temp.zip" del /q /f "C:\temp\temp.zip"
if exist "C:\temp\temp.txt" del /q /f "C:\temp\temp.txt"
exit /b

Can any one point what is the mistake in checking file exists and share why it is always returning 1.

Request: Please do not give power shell or cmdlets or VB script as alternatives.

I haven't worked with batch files in a decade, but in Bash, that "File not found" error message would go to STDERR and wouldn't be seen by the `find` command. — miken32, Feb 05 '17 at 02:33
Your `FILE_EXISTS` variable will never be read correctly. You need delayed expansion. Check [this question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13805187/how-to-set-a-variable-inside-a-loop-for-f) — J.Baoby, Feb 05 '17 at 07:41
Yes, delay expansion was necessary and variables should be used between exclamation instead of percent. — Hsehdar, Feb 06 '17 at 09:28

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 06 '17 at 09:30

Delay expansion was necessary and variables should be used between exclamation instead of percent. Below is the excerpt which worked as expected

for %%A in (%*) do (
    if not %%A==%BASE_DIR% (
    PushD "%BASE_DIR%"
    dir /b /s /a-d *%%A* 2>null>&2
    set FILE_EXISTS=!errorlevel!
    PopD
    if !FILE_EXISTS! equ 0 (%ZIPTOOL% a -r -y %TEMPZIP% %BASE_DIR%\*%%A*.*) else (echo File %%A is not found)
    ) else (
    echo Skipping compressing of base-directory %%A
    )
)

Batch file to recursively scan for a while existence and if exists add it to zip always fails

1 Answers1