Filter by keyword batch script issue

Question

Hi,

I am new to batch scripting, and I am currently trying to write a script that filters through a directory for filenames containing a keyword and write those files to a text document. It will then iterate onto the next keyword in the string and repeat the process. Unfortunately, I need the keywords to include the parenthesis as otherwise it will include unnecessary files when filtering certain keywords, "TH" for example.

This is the script I have written. It completes but it does not save the filenames to the outfiles. It currently just echoes the print statements to console, creates the outfiles, and the outfiles contain no data. What have I done wrong? Sorry if I have posed this question to the wrong tag, there doesn't seem to be a batch script tag.

@echo off

setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

set "searchDir=P:"

set keywords="(BC)" "(AKF)"

for %%K in (%keywords%) do (

set "keyword=%%~K" 

set "outfile=%USERPROFILE%\Documents\PTA !keyword!.txt" 

echo Searching for files with keyword "!keyword!" in the filename... 

> "!outfile!" echo Files containing "!keyword!" in the filename: 

for %%F in ("%searchDir%\*.*") do ( 

	set "filename=%%~nxF" 

	echo !filename! | findstr /L /I /C:"!keyword!" >nul 

	if not errorlevel 1 ( 

		echo %%~nxF >> "!outfile!" 

	) 

) 

echo Done with keyword "!keyword!". Results saved to: !outfile!. 

)

endlocal

Answer 1

there doesn't seem to be a batch script tag.

That's probably because the .bat script syntax is outdated and, in my opinion, just terrible. Powershell is a much better choice as a scripting language.

The added benefit is that as you become more familiar with Powershell, you can use it for all kinds of support tasks.

cls
$SearchDir = "c:\utils"
$Keywords = "IIS", "invoke-command", "xyzzy"
$results = @() 
foreach ($kw in $Keywords) { 
    Write-Host "Searching for $kw"
    foreach ($f in (Get-ChildItem -Path $SearchDir -recurse -File)) {
        $search = Select-String -Path $f.fullname -Pattern $kw
        if ($search.count -gt 0) {
            $results +=   [PSCustomObject]@{
                KeyWord = $kw
                Count = $search.count
                File = $f.FullName
            }
        }
    }
}
Write-Host "Here is what I found."
$results                                    # show the results 
# Uncomment to save the results to a file
# $results | Out-File C:\Temp\results.txt  
# $results | Export-Csv -Path "c:\temp\results.csv" -NoTypeInformation
 

Use Powershell_ISE to develop and test the code.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=powershell+tutorial

Answer 2

Can you not just go simple old school?

(search for files that contain "th")

dir th.* /s >> output.txt

there are options for the DIR command (remove headers, etc)