DOS Batch FOR Loop to delete Files not Containing a String

Question

I want to delete all the files in the current directory which do not contain the string "sample" in their name.

for instance,

test_final_1.exe
test_initial_1.exe
test_sample_1.exe
test_sample_2.exe

I want to delete all the files other than the ones containing sample in their name.

for %i in (*.*) do if not %i == "*sample*" del /f /q %i

Is the use of wild card character in the if condition allowed?
Does, (*.*) represent the current directory?

Thanks.

dbenham · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-28 17:09:29Z

7

Easiest to use FIND or FINDSTR with /V option to look for names that don't contain a string, and /I option for case insenstive search. Switch to FOR /F and pipe results of DIR to FIND.

for /f "eol=: delims=" %F in ('dir /b /a-d * ^| find /v /i "sample"') do del "%F"

change %F to %%F if used in a batch file.

answered May 28, 2012 at 17:09

dbenham

132k29 gold badges273 silver badges410 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Neon Flash Over a year ago

Thanks. That works. It even works without adding, "eol=: delims=". May I know what is the reason for using it in the above command line? Also, the additional arguments to the dir command other than /b. I understand the use of /b switch however, what is the use of /a-d?

dbenham Over a year ago

Use HELP DIR from the command line for help on all the options. But /a-d excludes folders from the output. DELIMS should be set to nothing to preserve the entire file name. The default of space and tab would break at the first space in a file name. A ; is a valid file name character. Any file name starting with ; would be ignored by FOR with the default EOL option. No file name can contain a :, so I set the EOL option to that character.

user3052500 · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-30 16:15:01Z

3

The answer from Aacini worked for me. I needed a bat file to parse the directory tree finding all files with xyz file extension and not containing badvalue anywhere in the path. The solution was:

setlocal enableDelayedExpansion

for /r %%f in (*.xyz) do (
   set "str1=%%f"
   if "!str1!" == "!str1:badvalue=!" (
        echo Found file with xyz extension and without badvalue in path
   )
)

answered Nov 30, 2013 at 16:15

user3052500

311 bronze badge

1 Comment

Ben Over a year ago

This isn't really different from Aacini's answer. What does it add?

Aacini · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-29 05:08:50Z

2

setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for %i in (*.*) do (set "name=%i" & if "!name!" == "!name:sample=!" del /f /q %i)

answered May 29, 2012 at 5:08

Aacini

67.7k12 gold badges74 silver badges114 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

DOS Batch FOR Loop to delete Files not Containing a String

3 Answers 3

2 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

2 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related