Hi, I wish to rename a log file by appending the date to the end of the file name. This is what it is named now: log.txt This is what I want to rename it to using today's date of 09/18/2005: log09182005.txt After searching this forum I found a previous poster had gotten a reply how to do this in Windows 2K. I tried the suggested command for Windows 2K in my Windows XP Home: ren log.txt log_%date:~4,2%-%date:~7,2%-%date:~12,2%.txt and got an error "The syntax of the command is incorrect". Might anyone know the correct format of this command for Windows XP ? Appreciate your help ! Carl

Hi Carl, Ut's not so much a w2k/xp issue as it is about the way your DATE is formatted. Mine is: Mon 19-09-2005 So I can: echo %date:~10,4%%date:~7,2%%date:~4,2% and get: 20050919 If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

Hi M2, Thanks !! Say that worked just fine !! For the sake of completeness if anyone else ever reads this thread, the proper DOS command to rename: before: C:/mysqlback/log.txt after: C:/mysqlback/log09192005.txt is the DOS command: ren c:\mysqlback\log.txt log%date:~10,4%%date:~7,2%%date:~4,2%.txt Please note that ren wants the full path. Thanks again M2 !! Carl

Hi Carl, Yeah, well, you either need to specify the file location or you need to change to the drictory where the file is. cd c:\mysqlback If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

For the sake of completeness if anyone else ever reads this thread, the proper DOS command to rename: before: C:/mysqlback/log.txt after: C:/mysqlback/log09192005.txt is the DOS command: ren c:\mysqlback\log.txt log%date:~4,2%%date:~7,2%%date:~10,4%.txt You can change the order of the date around easily enough to suit yourself. Thanks again M2 !! Carl