Check if file exist and run a batch file in PowerShell?

Question

This may be a simple question, but I am new to PowerShell and could not find a way to do it. Basically, I have to run a .BAT file if a specified file does not exist. The file name is in a patten like "mmddyyy.dat" in a folder, where mmddyyyy is today's month, day(0 prefix if < 10) and year. Pseudo codes would be something like this:

 $File = "C:\temp\*mmddyyyy*.dat" # how to parse Get-Date mmddyyyy and build this pattern?
 #if $File exist # check any file exist?
     .\myBatch.bat  # run the bat file, can I run it in hidden mode?

Richard · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-02 13:34:32Z

23

The command is :

test-path .\example.txt

Returns True or False

For Docs how about official documentation? That's where I check. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/scriptcenter/dd742419.aspx

also eggheadcafe.com has a lot of examples: http://www.eggheadcafe.com/conversationlist.aspx?groupid=2464&activetopiccard=0

Although I haven't tried regex in poweshell this may help you:

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/33029659/regex-multiline-question.aspx

edited Mar 2, 2011 at 13:34

Richard

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answered Nov 13, 2009 at 22:23

konung

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1 Comment

David.Chu.ca Over a year ago

how to guild a string based on today's date, in a pattern mmddyyyy? For example "11132009" for today.

animuson · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-15 17:23:59Z

7

I'd recommend making a reusable function like the following:

function GetDateFileName
{   
    $date = Get-Date
    $dateFileName = "$(get-date -f MMddyyyy).dat"
    return $dateFileName
}
$fileName = GetDateFileName
$filePath = "c:\temp\" + $fileName

if([IO.File]::Exists($filePath) -ne $true)
{
    #do whatever
}

edited Feb 15, 2017 at 17:23

animuson♦

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answered Nov 13, 2009 at 22:31

BlueSam

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6 Comments

David.Chu.ca Over a year ago

If I want to add two parameters as args to the function and return the result in the format of "{0}{1:d2}{2:d2}{3}{4}" -f arg[0],...,arg[1]. How Can I make the call this function? I got failure by calling GetDateFleName("C:\temp*", "*.dat").

Joey Over a year ago

$dateFileName = "{0:MMddyyyy}.dat" -f (Get-Date) would be a little bit shorter and less convoluted.

BlueSam Over a year ago

You add the parameters to a function like so: function foo([string]$foo = "foo", [string]$bar = "bar") { Write-Host "Arg: $foo"; Write-Host "Arg: $bar"; } and you call the function like so: foo "param1" "param2"

Keith Hill Over a year ago

$dateFileName = "$(get-date -f MMddyyyy).dat" would be even shorter and less convoluted. :-)

Thiago Silva Over a year ago

You should be using the cmdlet Test-Path in PowerShell, instead of using the .NET File.Exists directly

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