Copy first N files from source directory to "serialized" destination directory using powershell

Question

Either Powershell or batch script will work. I want to distribute every N number of files from directory A to directory B1, B2, B3, etc.

Example: C:\a (has 9 .jpg files) file1.jpg file2.jpg ... file9.jpg

then c:\b1, C:\b2, C:\b3 should have 3 files each. it should create directories C:\b* as well.

So far I came up with this code, works fine but copies ALL the files from directory A to directory B:

$sourceFolder = "C:\a"
$destinationFolder = "C:\b"
$maxItems = 9
Get-Childitem  $sourceFolder\*.jpg | ForEach-Object {Select-Object -First $maxItems | Robocopy $sourceFolder $destinationFolder /E /MOV}

Jeff Seb · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-06 10:04:46Z

1

This also works, will calculate how many new folders should be created.

$excludealreadycopieditems = @()
$sourcefolder = "C:\a"
$destinationFolder = "C:\b"
$maxitemsinfolder = 3
#Calculate how many folders should be created:
$folderstocreate = [math]::Ceiling((get-childitem $sourcefolder\*.jpg).count / $maxitemsinfolder)
#For loop for the proces
for ($i = 1; $i -lt $folderstocreate + 1; $i++)
     {
#Create the new folders:
New-Item -ItemType directory $destinationFolder$i
#Copy the items (if moving in stead of copy use Move-Item)
get-childitem $sourcefolder\*.jpg -Exclude $excludealreadycopieditems | sort-object name | select -First $maxitemsinfolder | Copy-Item -Destination $destinationFolder$i ;
#Exclude the already copied items:
$excludealreadycopieditems = $excludealreadycopieditems + (get-childitem $destinationFolder$i\*.jpg | select -ExpandProperty name)
     }

answered Jul 6, 2015 at 10:04

Jeff Seb

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user5084064 Over a year ago

Thanks!! Works like a charm... it does create 3 different directories as well.

Ansgar Wiechers · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-12 09:50:30Z

0

Something like this should do:

$cnt = 0
$i   = 1
Get-ChildItem "$sourceFolder\*.jpg" | % {
  if ($script:cnt -ge $maxItems) {
    $script:i++
    $script:cnt = 0
  }

  $dst = "$destinationFolder$script:i"
  if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $dst)) {
    New-Item $dst -Type Directory | Out-Null
  }
  Copy-Item $_.FullName $dst

  $script:cnt++
}

edited Jul 12, 2015 at 9:50

answered Jul 6, 2015 at 7:51

Ansgar Wiechers

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6 Comments

user5084064 Over a year ago

Thanks but it does not create 3 different directories. Though copies all files in 1 directory... which is what the program I wrote does eventually anyway.

user5084064 Over a year ago

Thanks but it still does not work. I had to change to $sourceFolder\*.jpg(without double quotes) and to New-Item $destinationFolder$i (with $i at the end) and it did went through a little bit. but i had 8 files in c:\a and it create c:\b with 4 files and C:\b\1 with another 4 files directory.

Ansgar Wiechers Over a year ago

@user5084064 The code in my answer worked fine when I tested it. Please provide evidence.

user5084064 Over a year ago

1) it creates empty directory b 2) it also creates b1 b2... bn files if there are n files in c:\a directory

New-Item : Item with specified name C:\b already exists. At C:\ansgar.ps1:12 char:13 +     New-Item <<<<  $destinationFolder -Type Directory | Out-Null     + CategoryInfo          : ResourceExists: (C:\b:String) [New-Item], IOException     + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DirectoryExist,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.NewItemCommand

Ansgar Wiechers Over a year ago

@user5084064 The New-Item statement in my sample code doesn't use the variable $destinationFolder. Please edit your question and show the actual code you're using.

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