Simple dos Batch Script

I'm fairly certain this can be done (simply), but it's been years since I wrote a batch file, and I'm scared I'll screw things up and end up deleting all the files on my HD

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish.

I have a directory of audio files (.mp3), and a program I use writes a plot file for each audio file (it's an .mxm file).

When you rename an audio file, it will create a new .mxm file, but it leaves behind the old .mxm file. The orphaned .mxm is no longer needed and in fact kinda makes a mess things.

I'm trying to find a simple batch file (or even a shareware program) that will:

1. Look at all the files within a directory that have an extension of .mxm

2. See if, within that directory, there is a matching .mp3 file (where the filename of the .mp3 is the exact same filename of the .mxm file)

3. If there is a matching .mp3 to the .mxm, then go to the next .mxm file and look for a .mp3, etc ...

4. If there is NO matching .mp3 to the .mxm, then delete the unneeded .mxm file then move to the next .mxm for a comparison.

5. Hopefully have the batch file end once all the .mxm files are compared (but if it starts at the top of the directory again and runs in a continuous loop, I can always stop that manually.

6. I've tried using this code with no luck. I think it's because these are long file names, not DOS 8.3 file names.

@ echo off
for %%f in (*.mxm) do if not exist %%~nf.mp3 del %%f

I certainly don't mind if someone wants to give me some instructions as to how to go about writing such a batch file. I'll be glad to do it. But I figure it will probably be easier and quicker for someone to throw together a quickie batch file and just be done with it.

Either way, I sure appreciate anyone's help.

Thanks

 

I've been working with batch files for almost 12 years. (started on a PC-XT ) I found it easier to do what you are attempting with BASIC, usually QBasic, because the %%f in the batch file's for statement will be the full filename, including the extention. It gets a bit tricky to change the extention. I don't know if you have QBasic. [It can be downloaded from the microsoft website.] I remember working on a utility to chop off the extention of a file, and put it in an environment variable. It was a .com program I was making in debug. I don't remember if I finished, but I could probably rewrite it. I could also write it in C, as well, though I'd have to look up how to handle the DOS environment in C. If you had a utility like that, you could have one batch file [named delmxm in this example] like this:

Code:

@echo off
remext %1
if not exist %remext%.mp3 del %remext%.mxm

(remext is the utility)
Then your batch file could call the previous one like this:

Code:

@echo off
for %%f in (*.mxm) call delmxm %%f

I've used batch files less in the last few years, so I may have forgotten something, but this seems to be the solution I found simplest. I think I'll probably attempt that utility again anyway. I suppose I could even write it in assembler, if it would compile in C's assembler. Let me know if you want it posted in a zip file, but it'll take a few days since I'm fully loaded with work right now. Maybe over the weekend :confused

 

I forgot to mention Windows alternatives. The Windows Scripting Host uses VBScript with extra objects that let it handle file systems and other system stuff. I think it may go something like:

Code:

path = "C:\Media"'[path to directory to check]
Set fSys = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set dir=fSys.GetFolder(path)
Set AllFiles=dir.Files
for each file in AllFiles
 f=file.Name
 if right(f,4)=".mxm" then
  mp3=left(f,len(f)-4)&".mp3"
  If not fSys.FileExists(mp3) Then
   fSys.DeleteFile(f)
  end if
 End If
next

Just save it with a .vbs extention, and double-click it. (You will need to have the Windows Scripting Host installed. I think it's available in the Windows component tab of the Add/Remove Programs control. I think it's in accessories.)

 

VBS File !
YES !!!

Worked perfectly.

MANY MANY Thanks.

 

Great! You're welcome. Glad it worked!

 

Re: Simple dos Batch Script to delete unneeded .mxm files, based on .mp3 files

cutterdog says:

Here is script written using biterscripting (http://www.biterscripting.com) . You can use any batch scripting language.

Code:

cd "C:/some directory" ; var str l ; lf -n "*.mxm" > $l
while ($l <> "")
do
  var str mxmfile, mp3file ; lex "1" $l > $mxmfile
  set $mp3file = {stex -p "]^.mxm^l" $mxmfile}+".mp3"
  var str out ; set $out = "" ; lf $mp3file > $out 2>null
  # If file does not exist, $out will be blank.
  if ($out == "")
    system del ("\""+$mxmfile+"\"") >null 2>null
  endif
done

Patrick