Very weird DOS error

[Wowbagger]

I have a batch file used to sort lots and lots of files into various
directories alphabetically.

The batch file reads as follows:
{batch starts}

cd \picdir

if not exist thumbs.db GOTO main

attrib -s -h thumbs.db
del thumbs.db

:main
if not exist #Numbered GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist 0*.* move 0*.* #Numbered
if exist 1*.* move 1*.* #Numbered
if exist 2*.* move 2*.* #Numbered
if exist 3*.* move 3*.* #Numbered
if exist 4*.* move 4*.* #Numbered
if exist 5*.* move 5*.* #Numbered
if exist 6*.* move 6*.* #Numbered
if exist 7*.* move 7*.* #Numbered
if exist 8*.* move 8*.* #Numbered
if exist 9*.* move 9*.* #Numbered

if not exist -a-c GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist a*.* move a*.* -a-c
if exist b*.* move b*.* -a-c
if exist c*.* move c*.* -a-c

if not exist -d-f GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist d*.* move d*.* -d-f
if exist e*.* move e*.* -d-f
if exist f*.* move f*.* -d-f

if not exist -g-i GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist g*.* move g*.* -g-i
if exist h*.* move h*.* -g-i
if exist i*.* move i*.* -g-i

if not exist -j-l GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist j*.* move j*.* -j-l
if exist k*.* move k*.* -j-l
if exist l*.* move l*.* -j-l

if not exist -m-n GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist m*.* move m*.* -m-n
if exist n*.* move n*.* -m-n

if not exist -o-r GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist o*.* move o*.* -o-r
if exist p*.* move p*.* -o-r
if exist q*.* move q*.* -o-r
if exist r*.* move r*.* -o-r

if not exist -s-t GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist s*.* move s*.* -s-t
if exist t*.* move t*.* -s-t

if not exist -u-x GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist u*.* move u*.* -u-x
if exist v*.* move v*.* -u-x
if exist w*.* move w*.* -u-x
if exist x*.* move x*.* -u-x

if not exist -y-z GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist y*.* move y*.* -y-z
if exist z*.* move z*.* -y-z

GOTO END

:error_missing_dir
@echo ERROR! Destination directory missing. Process halted.

:END
pause
{batch ends}

The weird error manifests as follows (I turned on the echo, this is a
capture from the window showing the output of the relevant lines):

X:\picdir>if not exist -s-t GOTO error_missing_dir
X:\picdir>if exist s*.* move s*.* -s-t
X:\picdir>if exist t*.* move t*.* -s-t
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
X:\picdir>if not exist -u-x GOTO error_missing_dir
X:\picdir>if exist u*.* move u*.* -u-x

What is so special about t*.*?

 

[billious]

I have a batch file used to sort lots and lots of files into various
directories alphabetically.

The batch file reads as follows:
{batch starts}

cd \picdir

if not exist thumbs.db GOTO main

attrib -s -h thumbs.db
del thumbs.db

:main
if not exist #Numbered GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist 0*.* move 0*.* #Numbered
if exist 1*.* move 1*.* #Numbered
if exist 2*.* move 2*.* #Numbered
if exist 3*.* move 3*.* #Numbered
if exist 4*.* move 4*.* #Numbered
if exist 5*.* move 5*.* #Numbered
if exist 6*.* move 6*.* #Numbered
if exist 7*.* move 7*.* #Numbered
if exist 8*.* move 8*.* #Numbered
if exist 9*.* move 9*.* #Numbered

if not exist -a-c GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist a*.* move a*.* -a-c
if exist b*.* move b*.* -a-c
if exist c*.* move c*.* -a-c

if not exist -d-f GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist d*.* move d*.* -d-f
if exist e*.* move e*.* -d-f
if exist f*.* move f*.* -d-f

if not exist -g-i GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist g*.* move g*.* -g-i
if exist h*.* move h*.* -g-i
if exist i*.* move i*.* -g-i

if not exist -j-l GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist j*.* move j*.* -j-l
if exist k*.* move k*.* -j-l
if exist l*.* move l*.* -j-l

if not exist -m-n GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist m*.* move m*.* -m-n
if exist n*.* move n*.* -m-n

if not exist -o-r GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist o*.* move o*.* -o-r
if exist p*.* move p*.* -o-r
if exist q*.* move q*.* -o-r
if exist r*.* move r*.* -o-r

if not exist -s-t GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist s*.* move s*.* -s-t
if exist t*.* move t*.* -s-t

if not exist -u-x GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist u*.* move u*.* -u-x
if exist v*.* move v*.* -u-x
if exist w*.* move w*.* -u-x
if exist x*.* move x*.* -u-x

if not exist -y-z GOTO error_missing_dir
if exist y*.* move y*.* -y-z
if exist z*.* move z*.* -y-z

GOTO END

:error_missing_dir
@echo ERROR! Destination directory missing. Process halted.

:END
pause
{batch ends}

The weird error manifests as follows (I turned on the echo, this is a
capture from the window showing the output of the relevant lines):

X:\picdir>if not exist -s-t GOTO error_missing_dir
X:\picdir>if exist s*.* move s*.* -s-t
X:\picdir>if exist t*.* move t*.* -s-t
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
X:\picdir>if not exist -u-x GOTO error_missing_dir
X:\picdir>if exist u*.* move u*.* -u-x

What is so special about t*.*?

Nothing at all.

What you probably have is a directory named t* - which IF EXISTS will
detect, but isn't a file so MOVE can't move it.

Try:

[1]@echo off&setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
[2]for /f "delims=" %%i in ('dir /b /a-d *.*') do set yFN=%%i&call
rocess&echo move "%%i" !yDD!
[3]goto :eof
[4]
[5]rocess
[6]set yC1=%yFN:~0,1%&set yDD=unknown
[7]if /i %yC1% GEQ 0 if /i %yC1% LEQ 9 set yDD=#Numeric
[8]if /i %yC1% GEQ G if /i %yC1% LEQ I set yDD=-g-i
[9]if /i %yC1% GEQ S if /i %yC1% LEQ T set yDD=-s-t
[10]md %yDD% 2>nul
[11]goto :eof

Each line begins [number]. Lines will be wrapped in transmission and need to
be rejoined. The [number] at the beginning of each line needs to be removed.

Notes :

[1] setlocal ... allows the instantaneous value of a variable to be used
(!varname!) rather than the parse-time value
As a bonus, SETLOCAL ensures that environment changes made by the script are
dropped when the process terminates.
[2]will ECHO the required command. Remove the ECHO keyword to perform the
MOVE.
[3],[11] NT+ defines ":eof" (specifically with the colon) as
"end-of-script-file". [11] is redundant but good practice (IMHO)
[6]sets envvar yC1 to the first character of the filename in yFN, then sets
the destination directoryname yDD to a default destination-directory
[8],[9] - pattern for -g-i, -s-t. Not a big problem for you to complete...
[10] create the destination directory & suppress the error message if it
already exists.
if not exist %yDD%\. md %yDD%
would also probably work here

You may be interested in the batch discussion group alt.msdos.batch.nt

HTH

....Bill