I need a .bat for compact.exe and ignoring file types?

Question

I am using task scheduler to run a batch file every few days to compress files on a backup drive to squeeze more files onto it.

This is what I use

H:
compact /c /s /i /exe:lzx
exit

Is there a way to make this run and ignore .7z files for example? I might add .mp4 .mkv to the list to ignore since those files are usually compressed anyways.

thanks

Answer 1

You can use a For /R loop along with some conditional If logic to only compact the files if the file extension is NOT .7z using some simple FOR loop substitutions to get the file extension from each iterated file name value the loop processes, and by specifying the file names with the command.

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Script

set Src=H:\
for /r "%Src%" %%a IN (*) DO IF /I NOT [%%~Xa]==[.7z] compact /c /s /i /exe:lzx "%%~a"
::::for /r "%Src%" %%a IN (*) DO IF /I NOT [%%~Xa]==[.7z] IF /I NOT [%%~Xa]==[.mp4] IF /I NOT [%%~Xa]==[.mkv] compact /c /s /i /exe:lzx "%%~a"
exit

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Further Resources

• FOR /R
• IF

• Batch Substitutions (FOR /?)

  In addition, substitution of FOR variable references has been enhanced. You can now use the following optional syntax:

  %~nI        - expands %I to a file name only
  

• Compact

  Syntax
        COMPACT [/C | /U] [/S[:dir]] [/A] [ /I] [/F] [/Q] [filename [...]]
  
  Key
  
    filename  Specifies a pattern, file, or directory.