backup batch file to recognize day names

[RonC]

Hello all;
I am trying to write a backup batch file and I want the code to direct the backup to a specific directory based on the day of the week, Monday, Tuesday, etc.
I believe the coding should look something like:

if dayname = Monday then
copy *.* f:\monday    /y
else
if dayname = Tuesday then
copy *.* f:\tuesday  /y

etc, etc for Monday through Friday with an end if at the end.

Can anyone provide me with the proper nomenclature? I volunteer for a non-profit and I'm trying to get them to make sure and backup their files.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

Regards,
Ronc

[RonC]

I just read the readme file for this forum and need to add; I am using Windows10 and will create my bat file using Notepad then save it as a .bat file. The program will be very straightforward; change to the proper directory, etc then  use copy (or xcopy) to copy the files to the backup directory.

Thanks again.
RonC

[Squashman]

Open up a cmd prompt and type: IF /?

This will show you the syntax for the IF command.

[patio]

I had syntax on my waffles this mornin...

[Salmon Trout]

You don't need else in batch to do this. End If and Then are not keywords in batch. IF tests can be one line.

Variable names have percent signs before and after and it is often preferred to quote both sides of an IF test...

The equality test operator is a double equals sign ==

The IF test is case sensitive unless you use the /i switch. That is:

if "%dayname%" is "Monday":
if "%dayname%"=="monday" will FAIL
if /i "%dayname%"=="monday" will PASS

Code: [Select]

if "%dayname%"=="Monday" copy *.* f:\monday /y
if "%dayname%"=="Tuesday" copy *.* f:\tuesday /y
...etc...
HOWEVER!!! If you have already have five dayname folders, and %dayname% is only ever one of the five days of the work week, why not just do this? This method does not care about case.

copy *.* f:\%dayname% /y

[patio]

 

[Salmon Trout]

Variable names have percent signs before and after

Sometimes they have exclamation points instead !varname! but that is a more advanced topic.

[Salmon Trout]

HOWEVER!!!

Salmon's motto: think about what you want the script to do and then write the code. I have to say that I often fail to see a simpler way of doing something until I have already done it a complicated way.

[patio]

I should make your motto a sticky for the DOS Forum....

[Salmon Trout]

I don't think there's anything wrong with thinking it out as you go along, but it's good to take a good look at your code and see if you can reduce the number of lines, as long as you can still remember what it does in 6 months time!

certainly
if %food%==bacon copy *.* d:\bacon
if %food%==eggs copy *.* d:\eggs
if %food%==ham copy *.* d:\ham

can all be collapsed into

copy *.* d:\%food%

as long as there are exactly the same number of folders as there are possible foods, and the food variable value will always be one of them. There is a site called The Daily *censored* where contributors share code that actually made into production where the long way around was taken, especially, it seems with dates. Also things like if number=4 then value="four"...

[RonC]

A big thank you to Salmon Trout and Patio. I'm a real novice at DOS and only use it for backups so you have been a tremendous help.

RonC

[patio]

Keep in mind this is how we all learned...Salmon is a better student than i...

[RonC]

My problem has been solved, is there a way to close the thread and mark it as resolved? I've looked around and can't find the information.

Thanks,

RonC

[patio]

It's fine as it stands...someone else may benefit from it.

[Salmon Trout]

Also things like if number=4 then value="four"...

I meant where you see

if number=1 then value="one"
if number=2 then value="two"
if number=3 then value="three"
(etc)

and some time later...

if value="one" then newnumber=1
if value="two" then newnumber=2
if value="three" then newnumber=3
(etc)

I have done this sort of thing myself.