DONE: File Search and Replace

[darklight_tr]

This has been solved!  See the bottom of this post for the download! 

I am trying to find a program that allows me search for and replace files with a source file.

Example:

I have a large directory structure that has numerous folders and subfolders.  There are many scripts that execute from this structure, and some rely on psexec.exe.  Since many people access this structure, a copy of psexec.exe is stored in each of the script directories instead of one central location.  The problem comes in when I want to update psexec.exe to the newest version.  Finding and replacing each old one with a new one is a tedious task.

So, I would like a program that can search for every instance of a specific file name and replace it with a source file that I specify.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

UPDATE: (01/01/09)

File Propagator has been removed, as it has been replaced by File Replicator.

[justice]

It will be relatively easy to write an AHK script for this in an hour or so I reckon,
the AHK can execute a 'dir /b /s psexec.exe > result.txt' from a base folder, then read that result.txt in line by line and copy the psexec.exe from the AHK working dir to these destination paths. I won't have time tomorrow but later on during the week I could have a go if noone else has.

[justice]

Try this:

FilePropagator 1.0
Replace all instances of a certain file in a folder with an updated copy. Select a root folder and the updated file that you want to replace all instances of, and confirm the operation. Search.txt and replace.txt logfiles are kept in the application folder. Autohotkey source provided.

edit: download removed by request of topicstarter as it has a serious bug in it that is now fixed.

[darklight_tr]

That works perfectly!  Thanks a ton! 

[justice]

No problemo, just check the replace.txt logfile the first few times to make sure there are no bugs -- I tested it on newly created folderstructures and you're the second person to use it hehe.

[Molasar]

Doesn't work for me, it let me select the folder and the file, but then do nothing.

I'm using WinXP with SP2.

Anyways i've found a command that i didn't know before, the REPLACE command did a very good and fast job. I think if you use that you wouldn't need to read that result.txt in line by line.

[justice]

Hmm there is no information in the logs at all? Which version are you using? Interesting note on the replace command lol

[darklight_tr]

Hmm...I just tested v2.1.0 again (on Windows XP SP2) and it worked fine.  As justice said, what version are you using?  Do the logs report anything?

I'll do some research into the Replace command.  Maybe I can use that instead of the existing command.

EDIT: I created a Beta version that uses the Replace command, but it will need more testing.  Check it out in the bottom of the first post.

EDIT 2: The version using the Replace command has been released.  Check it out in the bottom of the first post.

[darklight_tr]

I wanted everyone to know that I discovered and fixed a rather annoying bug in File Propagator.  This was most likely the bug that Molasar experienced.  See the first post for details.

[NACarter]

I am having trouble with v3.1.0.  The source file isn't propagated - when I look at the replace.txt file it's contents say "No file replaced".  Trying the replace command from a command window worked ok.  I do have spaces in the folder names, but this version is supposed to be ok with that.  I am using Win XP SP2.

Nick

[darklight_tr]

I am having trouble with v3.1.0.  The source file isn't propagated - when I look at the replace.txt file it's contents say "No file replaced".  Trying the replace command from a command window worked ok.  I do have spaces in the folder names, but this version is supposed to be ok with that.  I am using Win XP SP2.

Nick

D'oh!  I missed one of the variables, so the spaces in your directory name choked the script.  I fixed it this time, I promise.   Please see File Propagator v3.1.1 in the first post which fixes the problem.  Thanks for noticing that and reporting it!

[mouser]

nice teamwork 

[NACarter]

Thanks darklight_tr.  I can now confirm that it works as expected. 

There's one thing that confused me at first. The choice of the phrase "source folder" is a bit misleading - it's really the root destination folder, and nothing to do with the source of the file being copied.  Perhaps this could be modified in your new GUI version.

Nick

[darklight_tr]

Thanks for the feedback.

The changes I made are built on top of justice's original v1.0 source, and the terminology used by the script is unchanged.  I'll take a look at it when I build the GUI version.

The GUI version will be be built from scratch, and will no longer rely on justice's source code.  I do have to thank him for the fact that it was his script that got me interested in AutoHotkey, and for allowing me to modify his File Propagator source.

[rjbull]

Did nobody think of using XXCopy "the boldly extended xcopy?"

Code

/U  Updates the files that already exist in destination.

/S  Copies directories and subdirectories except empty ones.

/Y  Overwrites existing files without prompt

[darklight_tr]

Did nobody think of using XXCopy "the boldly extended xcopy?"

Interesting suggestion, but I was trying to avoid using commercial software to accomplish this.  XXCopy's freeware license forbids commercial use, so I wouldn't be able to use it at work anyways.

The Windows Replace command does the job just fine.