.bat file to delete certain files

[iwoodland]

Hi all - just wondering if someone has some coding i could use for a batch file in windows


I have a back up folder and files automatically backup with a date and time at the end. Over time this becomes a long list. Can someone share some coding for a batch file that once there is more than 2 of a specific file name [taking into account the file name will have successive dates and times] and then delete them leaving only the 2 latest files of each of the different files in that folder. Only needs to work when i run the batch.

e.g. keep The 2 latest
Apple 2017-01-01 21.30.xls
Apple 2017-01-01 21.59.xls
Apple 2017-01-02 21.10.xls
Apple 2017-01-03 21.150.xls

and keep the 2 latest
Water 2017-01-01 21.30.mdb
Water 2017-01-01 21.59.mdb
Water 2017-01-02 21.10.mdb
Water 2017-01-03 21.15.mdb




Many thanks in anticipation


Ian

 

[RedBeard]

Powershell solution:

# Keeps latest 2 files from a directory based on Creation Time


#Declaration variables
$path = "C:\temp\"                               # For example $path= C:\temp\
$total= (ls $path).count - 2 # Change number 2 to whatever number of objects you want to keep


# Script


ls $path |sort-object -Property {$_.CreationTime} | Select-Object -first $total | Remove-Item -force

As always, try on a backup of your data.