Conditional renaming with batch file

Question

i'd like to rename two files in a specific directory on my computer with a batch file. The problem is that i'd like, if it's possible doing so with standard batch commands, to rename the files conditionally. To be more specific, my example is as follows:

I've got two "hosts" files located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc; one is named "hosts", the other is named "hosts_X", a "hosts" file that contains specific instructions that i need to be active in a specific case.

I'd like to switch between this two "hosts" files: there are two cases: case "A" in which there's a "hosts" file and a "hosts_X" file, case "B" in which the original "hosts" file is renamed to "hosts_Y" and "hosts_X" is renamed to "hosts".

Is it possible to have a single batch file that renames the two files conditionally? Like, if there's a file named "hosts" and a file named "hosts_x", rename "hosts" to "hosts_y" and "hosts_x" to hosts, and if there's a file named "hosts" and a file named "hosts_y", rename "hosts" to "hosts_x" and "hosts_y" to "hosts"?

Thank you for any info and help!

Just check with [IF EXISTS](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4340350/how-to-check-if-a-file-exists-from-inside-a-batch-file) then rename? — Alex K., Oct 30 '15 at 17:06
How about creating host_x and host_y, then `COPY /Y` the one you want onto the hosts file? — lit, Oct 30 '15 at 19:15

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

I summarize the useful suggestions by Liturgist and Alex K. and answer this question to get it removed from list of questions with no answer.

Batch file according to idea provided by Liturgist:

@echo off
if not "%~1" == "" (
    if exist "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts_%~1" (
        copy /Y "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts_%~1" C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
    ) else (
        echo %~f0 %*
        echo.
        echo Error: There is no file C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts_%~1
        echo.
        pause
    )
) else (
    echo %~f0
    echo.
    echo Please call this batch file with either X or Y as parameter.
    echo.
    pause
)

The batch file must be called with a parameter which specifies which hosts file should become active with at least hosts_X and hosts_Y in directory C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.

The parameter should be either X or Y.

An additional file check is made in case of parameter does not specify an existing hosts file resulting in an error message.

There is also a message output if batch file is called without a parameter.

Batch file according to idea provided by Alex K.:

@echo off
if exist C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts_X (
    ren C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts hosts_Y
    ren C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts_X hosts
    echo hosts_X is now the active hosts file.
) else (
    ren C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts hosts_X
    ren C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts_Y hosts
    echo hosts_Y is now the active hosts file.
)
echo.
pause

This batch file toggles active hosts file depending on which template hosts file currently exists:

With hosts_X existing, hosts is renamed to hosts_Y and hosts_X is renamed to hosts.
Otherwise with hosts_Y existing, hosts is renamed to hosts_X and hosts_Y is renamed to hosts.

There should be never hosts, hosts_X and hosts_Y all existing at the same time in the directory as this would result in failing file renames. But all 3 files existing at same time should not be a use case to take into account for this task. (Using move /Y instead of ren with second file name having also full path would help in this not to expect use case.)

For understanding the used commands and how they work, open a command prompt window, execute there the following commands, and read entirely all help pages displayed for each command very carefully.

call /? ... for an explanation of %~1, %~f0 and %*.
copy /?
echo /?
if /?
ren /?
pause /?

Thank you, Mofi, for your perfect summary and your effort. I chose the second one and it works perfectly! Thanks to Alex K. and Liturgist — Jonotespere, Nov 02 '15 at 12:02

Conditional renaming with batch file

1 Answers1