Batch program - How could i open a random image from a specified folder?

[syeuk2002]

Here is what i am trying to do...

I have all of the covers for my DVD's in a folder on the PC. In order to decided what to watch i flick through these images.

I was wondering, say if i have all the dvd covers in the folder C:\DVDCOVERS

Could i then write a batch file to open a random image file?

I have found 1 method on-line but it requires that i rename all of the images as numbers. I don't really want to do that.

Please help!!

Thanks x

[PC-XT]

You could have a list of them in a file (or generate one with dir) and try possibly using a variation of that method you found to find a particular file name to show by taking that line of the file?

[GermanOne]

Hi, you can try this:

:: --snip--- start of batch

@echo off & setlocal
:: start of main
rem Set your path here:
set "workDir=C:\DVDCOVERS"

rem Read the %random%, two times is'nt a mistake! Why? Ask Bill.
rem In fact at the first time %random% is nearly the same.
@set /a "rdm=%random%"
set /a "rdm=%random%"

rem Push to your path.
pushd "%workDir%"

rem Count all files in your path. (dir with /b shows only the filenames)
set /a "counter=0"
for /f "delims=" %%i in ('dir /b ^|find "."') do call :sub1

rem This function gives a value from 1 to upper bound of files
set /a "rdNum=(%rdm%*%counter%/32767)+1"

rem Start a random file
set /a "counter=0"
for /f "delims=" %%i in ('dir /b ^|find "."') do set "fileName=%%i" &call :sub2

rem Pop back from your path.
popd "%workDir%"

goto :eof
:: end of main

:: start of sub1
:sub1
rem For each found file set counter + 1.
set /a "counter+=1"
goto :eof
:: end of sub1

:: start of sub2
:sub2
rem 1st: count again,
rem 2nd: if counted number equals random number then start the file.
set /a "counter+=1"
if %counter%==%rdNum% (start "" "%fileName%")
goto :eof
:: end of sub2

:: -snap--- end of batch

Hope that helps and regards from Germany.