i need a batch file that checks the attribute date from several xls files. When the date is today it has to open another xls file. When it is not today do nothing. This batch file must check the folder ACALL and ZCALL every 15 minutes.

:: process only today's files @echo off > %TEMP%\# setLocal EnableDelayedExpansion for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ('dir /s/b %TEMP%\#') do ( set mydate=%%~Ta ) for /f "tokens=1 delims= " %%a in (' echo !mydate!' ) do ( set today=%%a ) for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ('dir/b/a-d') do ( set TD=%%~Ta for /f "tokens=1 delims= " %%a in ('echo !TD!') do ( set filedate=%%a ) if !filedate! equ !today! echo process %%a ) ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

thanks for youre quick reaction. Fot so far it works. But can you help me further because i am totally new to this. The exact problem is; I need a batch file that runs every 15 min, and then checks the c:\ACALLA, c:\ACALLF and c:\ZCALLZ folder for new files with the date of today. When they arrive in this folder the batch file has to open another xls file c:\excel\splitsing.xls. This excel file has an auto_macro in it..

I'll get back to you. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

Write a batch file to do just one iteration of the task. Then run this batch file every 15 minutes by using the Windows XP Task Scheduler. Alternatively, have a batch file that calls this one in a loop (with a suitable .exe utility that provides a delay.) The batch file (which should be run every 15 minutes) is below. @echo off setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion set new_file= for %%f in (C:\ACALLA\*.xls C:\ACALLF\*.xls C:\ZCALLZ\*.xls) do ( for /f "tokens=1" %%t in ("%%~Tf") do ( set filedate=%%t ) if !filedate! == %DATE% ( rem echo New file added: %%f set new_file=y ) ) if defined new_file c:\excel\splitsing.xls Note: the above batch file assumes that splitsing.xls will delete any new files every time it is run. If it doesn't, then the batch file will open the Excel file every time, because the files with today's date are still there. If you want to check only for *new* files, i.e. those that weren't there the last time the batch file was run, well then that's a completely different problem.

Or, even more consisely, the batch file can be done in a single line: dir C:\ACALLA\*.xls C:\ACALLF\*.xls C:\ZCALLZ\*.xls | find "%DATE%" >nul && c:\excel\splitsing.xls

Hi Klint... Thanks for the quick support..... I want to check only for *new* files, i.e. those that weren't there the last time the batch file was run. An other problem was that in both batches splitsing.xls was not started. The path was oke but i got the error "system cannot find the file specified"