I need to create an batch file that will rename a file on my F: drive named MyBackup 00001.qic to MyBackup nnnnn.qic (nnnnn = next available file number). For example if files exist: MyBackup 00002.qic MyBackup 00003.qic MyBackup 00004.qic MyBackup 00005.qic then rename MyBackup 00001.qic to MyBackup 00006.qic Yes, the file names always have a space just before the 5 digit number. Since I am just learning how to write .bat files for my Windows2000 Computers, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so very much, mikeburg

Hi Mike, Let me know if this works: @echo off setlocal enableDelayedExpansion set I=2 :NextI if /I %I% LEQ 9999 set II=0%I% if /I %I% LEQ 999 set II=00%I% if /I %I% LEQ 99 set II=000%I% if /I %I% LEQ 9 set II=0000%I% if not exist "MyBackup !II!.qic" ( ren "MyBackup 00001.qic" "MyBackup !II!.qic" goto :eof ) set /a I+=1 if /i %I% LSS 99999 goto NextI ) -- Holla.

Hi Holla, Looks pretty cool. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

Thanks M2. I am honored. :] I tried to use "for /l %I (1,1,99999)"; then it actually generates 99999 sets of instructions and then calls it in sequence.. even though I break out of the loop in 4th iteration. (or something very close to it)... So resorted to simple goto. :-) -- Holla.

My approach would be to discover last used number, strip leading zeros, increment, then pad to 5 places. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

This works great! However I need 2 things: (1) I discovered I was suppose to copy the file & not rename it. (Leave the original file MyBackup 00001.qic & merely copy it creating the new name of the next available numbered file like you did above). (2) The bat file exists in a folder on my D drive & the backup files exists in F:\backups\. The above bat file works great as long as it is in the same folder with the backup files & I can't always have it there. Can you show me the bat file with the above modifications? Sorry for the changes, but this is helping me start learning a lot. mikeburg

Mike, 1. 'Ren' is changed to 'Copy'. 2. 'cd /d f:\backup' inserted in the beginning. This changes the current directory to f:\backup. If you need to execute the same script in some other directory, we have to change the script then. Here is the new script: @echo off setlocal enableDelayedExpansion cd /d f:\backup set I=2 :NextI if /I %I% LEQ 9999 set II=0%I% if /I %I% LEQ 999 set II=00%I% if /I %I% LEQ 99 set II=000%I% if /I %I% LEQ 9 set II=0000%I% if not exist "MyBackup !II!.qic" ( copy "MyBackup 00001.qic" "MyBackup !II!.qic" goto :eof ) set /a I+=1 if /i %I% LSS 99999 goto NextI ) -- Holla.