PowerShell Copy-Item not creating subfolders

Question

I want Copy-Item to copy to the destination file and create any subfolders on the way, but I can't seem to get that to work.

Copy-Item $fullsrc $fulldst -Recurse -Force -Verbose

$fullsrc and $fulldst are full paths with filenames as the destination filename is different from the source filename. Is there a way to get Copy-Item to create the subfolders and then copy the file over?

VERBOSE: Performing the operation "Copy File" on target "Item: D:\mypath\logs\001.123.log
Destination: D:\newpath\newlogs\123.234.log".
Copy-Item : Could not find a part of the path 'D:\newpath\newlogs\123.234.log'.

Create the destination folder in $fulldst first

Theo
– Theo

2021-03-27 15:03:25 +00:00
Commented Mar 27, 2021 at 15:03 — Theo
– Theo, Commented Mar 27, 2021 at 15:03

FletcherF1 · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-27 15:07:33Z

1

Copy-item have't function to create a folder, you need to previously create it

 Copy-Item $fullsrc $(new-item -ItemType Directory -Path $fulldst) -Recurse -Force -Verbose -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

answered Mar 27, 2021 at 15:07

FletcherF1

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zett42 · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-27 19:37:05Z

1

You have to create the parent directory of the destination file on your own.

# Split-Path with single parameter outputs the parent directory
$null = New-Item (Split-Path $fulldst) -ItemType Directory

Copy-Item $fullsrc $fulldst -Force -Verbose

Note that -Recurse switch has no use when you specify full source and destination file paths, so I've removed it.

answered Mar 27, 2021 at 19:37

zett42

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2 Comments

YorSubs Over a year ago

I was pretty sure that -Recurse did nothing, but was just trying anything to see if it would work. I've not seen $null = used in this way. Is this preferable to | Out-Null, or are they essentially identical constructs?

zett42 Over a year ago

@YorSubs It is preferable to Out-Null, because it is much faster. See measurements here: stackoverflow.com/a/5263780/7571258

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