Find folder using batch

Question

I'm trying to make a script that helps to go through a big library with lots of folders, names and numbers. The part numbers are divided in 4 parts XXX.XX.XX.XXXX. To help the searching the library folders are set like this: (example names) 100_Vegetal\01_Flower\01_Red\0001_Rose

My issue is the name of the folders, if the folder was only called "100" it would be easy to go through. Here is the code that I use to separate the part number and to try to open the folder.

set /p pnr="Please enter the PNR : " 
echo %pnr%
echo %pnr:~0,3% 
echo %pnr:~4,2%
echo %pnr:~7,2%
echo %pnr:~10,4%
explorer ".library\%pnr:~0,3%(*)"

I would like to open a folder that has the first 3 digits of the part number. Can you please help me with that issue. I tried with the star but it open the explorer...

Thank you.

Answer 1

Provided the numbers from the pnr are unique in the folder tree, the following batch will open directly the folder matching all 4 numbers by iterating with successive for /d loops

Take care, the for meta variables distinguish between upper/lower case,
so the pnr is split into %%A..%%D and the found folders are in %%a..%%d

Sample tree on my ram drive A:

> tree
A:.
└───.library
    └───100_Vegetal
        └───01_Flower
            └───01_Red
                └───0001_Rose

---

:: Q:\Test\2018\10\26\SU_1370234.cmd
@Echo off 
set "Base=A:\.library"
set /p pnr="Please enter the PNR : " 
:: set pnr=100.01.01.0001
echo %pnr%

:: reset Level variables
for /l %%L in (1,1,4) do Set "Level%%L="

:: first split pnr, then dive into folders
for /f "tokens=1-4 delims=." %%A in ("%pnr%" ) Do (
  for /d %%a in ("%Base%\%%A*") Do (Set Level1=%%a
    for /d %%b in ("%%a\%%B*") Do  (Set Level2=%%b
      for /d %%c in ("%%b\%%C*") Do (Set Level3=%%c
        for /d %%d in ("%%c\%%D*") Do (Set Level4=%%d
          Explorer "%%d
        )
      )
    )
  )
)
:: set Level

Sample output:

> Q:\Test\2018\10\26\SU_1370234.cmd
Please enter the PNR :
100.01.01.0001
Level1=A:\.library\100_Vegetal
Level2=A:\.library\100_Vegetal\01_Flower
Level3=A:\.library\100_Vegetal\01_Flower\01_Red
Level4=A:\.library\100_Vegetal\01_Flower\01_Red\0001_Rose

Explorer opens here in A:\.library\100_Vegetal\01_Flower\01_Red\0001_Rose

Answer 2

You can use the dir command with the /S /B /AD parameters in a for /f loop and make it recursively traverse the source folder for directories only and then iterate those folders with the numbers you type using a wildcard to be opened in Explorer.

Script Example

set /p pnr="Please enter the PNR : " 
set pnr=%pnr:~0,3%
FOR /F "TOKENS=*" %%a IN ('DIR /S /B /AD ".library\%pnr%*"') DO explorer "%%~fa"

---

Further Resources

• For /F

• FOR /?

      tokens=x,y,m-n  - specifies which tokens from each line are to
                        be passed to the for body for each iteration.
                        This will cause additional variable names to
                        be allocated.  The m-n form is a range,
                        specifying the mth through the nth tokens.  If
                        the last character in the tokens= string is an
                        asterisk, then an additional variable is
                        allocated and receives the remaining text on
                        the line after the last token parsed.
  

• Dir