How to create a copy using powershell without overwriting the original file

Question

So lets say I want to copy the file test.txt to another folder, but I want it to put create a copy and not just erase the file.

I know that Copy-Item overwrites the file in the destination folder but I don't want it to do that.

It also has to be a function

is there any way to make i the same filename but with and number after like (1)? — Yoyodiggydog, Dec 03 '18 at 13:24
The problem i have is that i have to copy from one folder to another, changing folder is not an option in this case. — Yoyodiggydog, Dec 03 '18 at 13:49
Possible duplicate of [Batch copy and rename files with PowerShell](https://stackoverflow.com/q/42127065/1630171). — Ansgar Wiechers, Dec 03 '18 at 15:01
is there any way to use this as a function Get-Item C:\Users\Administratör\Documents\mappen\* | foreach { Copy-Item -Path $_.FullName -Destination (Join-Path C:\Backup ($_.BaseName + "(1)" + $_.Extension)) } — Yoyodiggydog, Dec 03 '18 at 18:01

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 03 '18 at 13:59

I think this will help you:

$destinationFolder = 'PATH OF THE DESTINATION FOLDER'
$sourceFile        = 'FULL PATH AND FILENAME OF THE SOURCE FILE'

# split the filename into a basename and an extension variable
$baseName  = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($sourceFile)
$extension = [System.IO.Path]::GetExtension($sourceFile)
# you could also do it like this:
#   $fileInfo = Get-Item -Path $sourceFile
#   $baseName = $fileInfo.BaseName
#   $extension = $fileInfo.Extension

# get an array of all filenames (name only) of the files with a similar name already present in the destination folder
$allFiles  = @(Get-ChildItem $destinationFolder -File -Filter "$baseName*$extension" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name)

# construct the new filename
$newName = $baseName + $extension
$count = 1
while ($allFiles -contains $newName) {
    # add a sequence number in brackets to the end of the basename until it is unique in the destination folder
    $newName = "{0}({1}){2}" -f $baseName, $count++, $extension
}

# construct the new full path and filename for the destination of your Copy-Item command
$targetFile = Join-Path -Path $destinationFolder -ChildPath $newName

Copy-Item -Path $sourceFile -Destination $targetFile

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 03 '18 at 14:51

Even if i isn't the most elegant way, you could try something like this

$src = "$PSScriptRoot"
$file = "test.txt"
$dest = "$PSScriptRoot\dest"
$MAX_TRIES = 5
$copied = $false

for ($i = 1; $i -le $MAX_TRIES; $i++) {
    if (!$copied) {
        $safename = $file -replace "`.txt", "($i).txt"
        if (!(Test-Path "$dest\$file")) {
            Copy-Item "$src\$file" "$dest\$file"
            $copied = $true
        } elseif (!(Test-Path "$dest\$safename")) {
            Copy-Item "$src\$file" "$dest\$safename"
            $copied = $true
        } else {
            Write-Host "Found existing file -> checking for $safename"
        }
    } else {
        break
    }
}

The for-loop will try to safely copy the file up to 5 times (determined by $MAX_TRIES)
- If 5 times isn't enough, nothing will happen
The regEx will create test(1).txt, test(2).txt, ... to check for a "safe" filename to copy
The if-statement will check if the original file can be copied
The elseif-statement will try to copy with the above created $safename
The else-statement is just printing a "hint" on what's going on

How to create a copy using powershell without overwriting the original file

2 Answers2