Thank you very much for your answer.
I have a lot of CDs and DVDs with a lot of directories
and subdirectories on each of them. The directories and
subdirectories contain various types of files. I need to
copy all *.doc* files from the CDs and DVDs
to one directory on my HDD. [...]
I don't know how to abstract all *.doc* files
from them and save the files in one directory on my HDD.
I'd like to do it more or less automatically.
One way:
You can use the default win xp Search.
Open Search\search options\advanced options, check subfolders
(and system and hidden if needed).
Enter *.doc in "search for files...". Enter the search path
Did you notice this line above. Maybe the .lack of a space before
"search" misled you. Enter asterisk dot doc in the search field.
Actually I don't think you need the asterisk, because the entire
Search program seems to assume asterisk before and after what you
type. You might have to type a space after doc to avoid geting
windows.documentary.pdf etc.
But all in all, it sounds easier to use CMD commands.
That was my first idea I tried to do. Unfortunately this way
all directories and all files in them are copied, not only
*.doc files.
See above.
I don't know why and telling the truth I don't understant it
but it's a fact.
This way only *.doc files are copied but with full path.
Not if you do it right. It's subtle, but you can make some test runs
with only a couple files. You can ask for more info in
alt.msdos.batch, and you can ask dos questions a lot of ngs that
aren't named dos. but to start you out, it depends on how you write
the commands. My recollection is not so good, but it might depend on
whether you end the directory names with a slash or not. If I'm wrong
about that, I'm still sure you can do it.
I'm figuring your not going to finish in one day, or you'll buy more
CDs etc in the future. Do some work up front and when you're done,
you'll only have to put the disc in the drive and run ExtractDoc or
whatever you call it, and it will do everything. You can also make it
write a file to the HDD saying what all it copied, etc.
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If you want to make your life really easy, download XXCOPY It's
free for individual use, and runs on XP and maybe higher. The author
is still working on it. It has all the options of XCOPY, and many
many more, maybe 3 times as many. It has better help than XCOPY.
Plus it has a busy Yahoo group with users and the author himself who
will answer questions on how to do things. And the ability to
search Yahoo group archives, though I never do that.
I guarantee you that it has an option or method not to copy more than
the file itself, without any path.
Your bat file might be only 3 or 4 lines, or less.
(There is also XXClone by the same author. The simple version is
free, though one should really use something less simple. It has a
google group, iirc, though not a newsgroup.)
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You also can make your life easier by installing TCC LE, which is free
for individual use, and definitely runs on winXP (and maybe higher) .
It has all the commands and options of DOS, and many many more, maybe
3 times as many.
I have both TCC LE and XXCOPY XXCOPY runs fine in a TCC LE window.
You can set your computer up with icons to start both CMD and TCC,
althought there is little reason to run CMD once you have TCC LE
(Especially it has the List command, which allows you to look inside
any file, without loading it into an editor, and with no chance you'll
modify the file, and it runs verrrrry quickly, so that you can look in
80 or 100 files in a minute if you can decide that quickly. You're not
limited by the speed of the software. )
It probably has better help too. It might well have an option for
copy or xcopy that suppresses the path.
Here is a newsgroup for it, comp.os.msdos.4dos, which I think still
has readers and posters, when people ask questions. 4DOS was its
earlier name, and Norton DOS was another name for it, when Norton was
distributing it. 15 years ago.