How do I check (in a batch file) if a file is a directory?

On Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:34:33 +0200, Angel Tsankov wrote:

> How do I check (in a batch file) if a file is a directory?


Here's one way:

@echo off
setlocal
if not exist %1 goto :EOF
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('dir %1 ^|find "<DIR>"') do set var=folder
if "%var%"=="folder" (echo %1 is a folder) else (echo %1 is a file)

On Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:34:33 +0200, Angel Tsankov <NA@NA> wrote:

>How do I check (in a batch file) if a file is a directory?

See tip 10229 » How can a script determine if a file system object is a folder or a file? (03-Mar-06)
in the 'Tips & Tricks' at http://www.jsifaq.com

Jerold Schulman
Windows Server MVP
JSI, Inc.
http://www.jsiinc.com
http://www.jsifaq.com

if exist \windows\nul (echo yes) else (echo no)

.... replace \windows per your requirements.

--
Dean Wells [MVP / Directory Services]
MSEtechnology
[[ Please respond to the Newsgroup only regarding posts ]]
R e m o v e t h e m a s k t o s e n d e m a i l

Angel Tsankov wrote:
> How do I check (in a batch file) if a file is a directory?

Angel Tsankov wrote:
> How do I check (in a batch file) if a file is a directory?

75} How do I detect if an object is a file or a folder?
59} How do I find if a folder exists? How about visible files in it?
157253 Mar 9 2006 ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/link/tscmd.zip
tscmd.zip Useful NT/2000/XP script tricks and tips, T.Salmi

All the best, Timo

--
Prof. Timo Salmi ftp & http://garbo.uwasa.fi/ archives 193.166.120.5
Department of Accounting and Business Finance ; University of Vaasa
private.php?do=newpm&u= <http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/> ; FIN-65101, Finland
Timo's FAQ materials at http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/http/tsfaq.html

Dean Wells [MVP] wrote:
> if exist \windows\nul (echo yes) else (echo no)

Not in XP. A frequent misunderstanding. The null trick is about
MS-DOS+Win../95/98/Me.

All the best, Timo

--
Prof. Timo Salmi ftp & http://garbo.uwasa.fi/ archives 193.166.120.5
Department of Accounting and Business Finance ; University of Vaasa
private.php?do=newpm&u= <http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/> ; FIN-65101, Finland
Useful script files and tricks ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/link/tscmd.zip

On Mon, 13 Mar 2006 15:38:15 +0200, Timo Salmi wrote:

> Dean Wells [MVP] wrote:
>> if exist \windows\nul (echo yes) else (echo no)
>
> Not in XP. A frequent misunderstanding. The null trick is about
> MS-DOS+Win../95/98/Me.


It does work in XP, Timo. Rather elegant in its simplicity.

Having tested this prior to posting, I find no problem. Can you
demonstrate where or under what conditions it fails?

I wouldn't label it a trick either, it's simply an artifact of the way
the shell handles well-known names (devices in this case) ... they exist
in every location.

--
Dean Wells [MVP / Directory Services]
MSEtechnology
[[ Please respond to the Newsgroup only regarding posts ]]
R e m o v e t h e m a s k t o s e n d e m a i l

Timo Salmi wrote:
> Dean Wells [MVP] wrote:
>> if exist \windows\nul (echo yes) else (echo no)
>
> Not in XP. A frequent misunderstanding. The null trick is about
> MS-DOS+Win../95/98/Me.
>
> All the best, Timo

Dean Wells [MVP] wrote:
> Having tested this prior to posting, I find no problem. Can you
> demonstrate where or under what conditions it fails?

C:\>if exist "C:\Documents and Settings\nul" (echo yes) else (echo no)
no

Next test. Leave out the quotes, and nothing happens.

Next test this, and it goes right
C:\>if exist "C:\Documents and Settings\" (echo yes) else (echo no)
yes

These are tricky tasks.

All the best, Timo

--
Prof. Timo Salmi ftp & http://garbo.uwasa.fi/ archives 193.166.120.5
Department of Accounting and Business Finance ; University of Vaasa
private.php?do=newpm&u= <http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/> ; FIN-65101, Finland
Useful script files and tricks ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/link/tscmd.zip

Timo Salmi wrote:
> Dean Wells [MVP] wrote:
>> Having tested this prior to posting, I find no problem. Can you
>> demonstrate where or under what conditions it fails?

> These are tricky tasks.

Here is one of the ways to do it so that it works also for long paths

@echo off & setlocal enableextensions
if "%~1"=="" (
echo Usage: %~0 [FileOrFolderName]
goto :EOF
)
::
if not exist "%~1" (
echo File or folder "%~1" not found
goto :EOF
)
if exist "%~1\" (
echo "%~1" is a folder
) else (
echo "%~1" is a file
)
endlocal & goto :EOF

All the best, Timo

--
Prof. Timo Salmi ftp & http://garbo.uwasa.fi/ archives 193.166.120.5
Department of Accounting and Business Finance ; University of Vaasa
private.php?do=newpm&u= <http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/> ; FIN-65101, Finland
Useful script files and tricks ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/link/tscmd.zip