How do I move variable named files from one directory to another?

Question

Here is what I have so far that doesn't work:

set from=V:\directory\CONCA*.*
set to=V:\directory\CONCA
for /f %%a IN ('dir "%from%" /b') do move %from%\%%a %to%

This returns the error message:

The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect

I do not always have a file in the directory that it is from, I do not want to see any error messages when it does not find a file.

I do want to see what is it moving when it finds something to move.

Answer 1

set "from=V:\directory"
set "to=V:\directory\CONCA"
    rem ensure that target folder exists
md "%to%" 2>NUL
for /f "delims=" %%a IN ('dir "%from%\CONCA*.*" /b /A:-D 2^>NUL') do (
    echo "%from%\%%a"
    rem move "%from%\%%a" "%to%\"
)

Explanation:

• my comment to your question shows up the quoted error message culprit;
• 2>NUL redirect error messages to NUL ; we need to escape > redirection operator when used in a command processed by for /F loop as 2^>NUL ;
• "delims=" to treat possible spaces in file names properly;
• /A:-D exclude folders to prevent move "V:\\directory\\CONCA" "V:\\directory\\CONCA\\" (attempt to move itself to itself );
• echo "%from%\\%%a" to satisfy I do want to see what is it moving when it finds something to move claim;
• rem move "%from%\\%%a" "%to%\\" operational move command is commented up using rem merely for debugging phase: remove rem as soon as debugged (but no sooner).