Compare date last modified of two files

[DOSScriptWriter]

I have two files with the same name, let's say "C:\file.txt" and "D:\file.txt". I need a script which when I run it, will compare date last modified for the two and write file.txt from C to D if they are not the same.

Thanks

[ghostmachine4]

vbscript for dealing with dates

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strFile1 = WScript.Arguments(0)
strFile2 = WScript.Arguments(1)
Set objFS = CreateObject( "Scripting.FileSystemObject" )
If objFS.GetFile(strFile1).DateLastModified > objFS.GetFile(strFile2).DateLastModified Then
   WScript.Echo strFile1 & " newer than " & strFile2
Else
   WScript.Echo strFile2 & " newer than " & strFile1
End If

usage

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C:\test> cscript //nologo myscript.vbs C:\file.txt D:\file.txt

[amel27]

by time:

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for /f %%a in ("C:\file.txt") do for /f %%b in ("D:\file.txt") do (
if not "%%~ta"=="%%~tb" copy /y "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt"
)

by content:

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fc "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt" >nul||copy /y "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt"

[ghostmachine4]

by time:

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for /f %%a in ("C:\file.txt") do for /f %%b in ("D:\file.txt") do (
if not "%%~ta"=="%%~tb" copy /y "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt"
)

by content:

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fc "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt" >nul||copy /y "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt"

Using %%~ta will not be accurate, since it doesn't display number of seconds. So even though 2 files may be the same until the last minute, they will not be the same if the number of seconds differ.

[amel27]

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xcopy /d /y "C:\file.txt" "D:\file.txt"

[DOSScriptWriter]

Okay I tried the code below:

for /f %%a in ("C:\New Folder1\file.txt") do for /f %%b in ("C:\New Folder2\file.txt") do (
if not "%%~ta"=="%%~tb" copy /y "C:\New Folder1\file.txt" "C:\New Folder2\file.txt"
)

but could not get it to work. Don't know why. Nothing happens and no errors either - just blank Is there another way of accomplishing it? I am now using "C:\NewFolder1\file.txt" and "C:\NewFolder2\file.txt".

Thanks

[aGerman]

Remove the /f switches in both for loops.

Regards
aGerman

[DOSScriptWriter]

I did. Still won't work

[aGerman]

Hmm, works for me

BTW A different "date last modified" is an indication that a files content was changed. But actually the file could have the same content even if the date is not the same and of course two files could be different even if they have the same date.
Maybe you should change your strategy. FC would compare the files. It returns errorlevel 1 if they are not equal.

Code: Select all

fc /b "C:\New Folder1\file.txt" "C:\New Folder2\file.txt" >nul ||copy /y "C:\New Folder1\file.txt" "C:\New Folder2\file.txt"

Regards
aGerman

[DOSScriptWriter]

Done. Thanks so much. Appreciate everybody's help.

[aGerman]

Credits have to go to amel27 who suggested this first (in the third post)

Regards
aGerman