How to copy entire directory structure?

Question

I am copying 10,000 files from one directory to another directory.

Both directory structures have the same files; however, the sizes might be different.

How do I force overwriting on files that have different sizes and DO NOT copy files that are the same size?

So far I have this:

$source = 'D:\Test1'
$destination = 'D:\test2'
$exclude = @('*.db','test2.log')
$sourcelist = Get-ChildItem $source -exclude $exclude
foreach ($file in $sourcelist){
  $result = test-path -path "$destination\*" -include $file
  if ($result -like "False"){
    #uncomment the next line to see the value being passed to the $file parameter
    #Write-Host $file
    Copy-Item "$file" -Destination "$destination"
  }
}

I think that will copy files that do not exist on the destination. However, I also want to copy files that DO exist but where their size differs.

Ansgar Wiechers · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-22 08:29:58Z

10

Use robocopy instead of trying to re-invent it in PowerShell.

robocopy D:\Test1 D:\Test2 /s

If you also want to include files where only attributes differ ("tweaked files"), add /it as well.

answered Mar 22, 2013 at 8:29

Ansgar Wiechers

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3 Comments

Richard Over a year ago

The /mir option to only copy new or different files, and delete from destination where removed from source is a very efficient way to update the destination.

Alex Gordon Over a year ago

@Richard so would the full thing be robocopy D:\Test1 D:\Test2 /s /mir /it ??

Ansgar Wiechers Over a year ago

@АртёмЦарионов Tweaked files are files that have the same size and timestamp, but different attributes (e.g. source file was changed to hidden). See this answer on SU for an explanation of robocopy's terminology.

billy · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-22 06:19:59Z

-1

I think check $sourcelist files LastWrite Time Stamps and then compare it to the destination files time stamps.

answered Mar 22, 2013 at 6:19

billy

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