Hi, need some help creating a batch file. I've seen one solution on here but I can't seem to get it to work. What I need is a batch file that will put the CREATE date and time (including seconds) at the beginning of a file name while preserving the original file name. So for example: test.msg -> 09132009_0436_test.msg Again I've already tried the suggestions in forum post www.computing.net/answers/programming/batch-file-to- append-create-date/14993.html but was unsuccessful. Please help thank you Brian

Just as in that high mileage thread you referenced, nothing gets done until we know the output of: dir/od/tc ===================================== Helping others achieve escape felicity M2

Okay Dos can not help you with this. You need two extra Unix programms called AWK and GREP Here is a link were you can download them: http://rapidshare.com/files/2795393... awk.exe and grep.exe must be in a folder which is in the PATH so be smart and take c:\windows\system32 start.bat in the folder where you want to change the filenames ! Also in Bin.rar you will find a batchfile called start.bat That will do what you want !! Let me explain the working AND PAY VERY GOOD ATTENTION TO THE SYNTAX ! first line dir /TC /A-d |grep -e ":"|grep -e "-"|awk {sub(/:/,"\"-"\");print}|awk {print\"ren\","$4,\"\"$1\"-\"$2\"-\"$4"}>>"select.bat" dir /TC /A-d : will dir the folderlisting date-time -size filename and the header and bottom text grep -e ":" and grep -e "-" will cut of the extra info (header and bottom text SO NOW WE HAVE ONLY FILE INFO) awk {sub(/:/,"\"-"\");print}| In the time notation the seperator is : and that is not allow in a file name by DOS. So we substitute it for - awk {print\"ren\","$4,\"\"$1\"-\"$2\"-\"$4"} Look at DIR /TC /A-d output $1 is date colomn $2 is time column $3 is files size (don't need that) column $4 is filename column we now make each line change in: ren oldfilename date-time-oldfilename ren is from rename these lines are stored in a batchfile called "select.bat" then select.bat is called and wil change the filenames CAVEAT 1. your start.bat will also be renamed RENAME IT BACK 2. if you want to change the line : dir /TC /A-d |grep -e ":"|grep -e "-"|awk {sub(/:/,"\"-"\");print}|awk {print\"ren\","$4,\"\"$1\"-\"$2\"-\"$4"}>>"select.bat" MAKE SURE OF 1 THING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN DOS THERE CAN NOT BE A SPACE BETWEEN THE { and } IN THE CODE 3. You can not start start.bat from a dos box (command line command) that will not work in XP or VISTA DOS (CMD) Go to explorer and klik on the start.bat file I tested it and it ran great Success

This has nothing to do with DOS. There is no 'created date' in DOS. And I doubt that it will require awk & grep. Let's see if OP provides the info requested. ===================================== Helping others achieve escape felicity M2

I actually got something working that will do just fine. @ECHO OFF FOR %%V IN (*.msg) DO FOR /F "tokens=1-5 delims=/: " %%J IN ("%%~tV") DO IF EXIST %%L%%J%%K_%%M%%N%%~xV (ECHO Cannot rename %%V) ELSE (Rename "%%V" %%L%%J%%K_%%M%%N%%~xV) That renames the file to the create date. So it just places the create date in place of the file name. So far it works great. Thanks for the help. Oh and I can't download or install any programs, hence the reason I'm using batch files instead of perl or python or anything else that's infinitely more powerful than a batch file. Brian

I don't think %%~Tv gets you time created. But, whatever gets you through the night. ===================================== Helping others achieve escape felicity M2

Well I know it works. I created a file named test.msg at 4 am and I ran the batch file the file was renamed to 20090014_0400.msg. Maybe it's using the modified date, but whatever it's using it works. :)