Bat file does not work, code in cmd works

[Victoor]

Hello,

I created a bat file in windows and put following commands into it:

@echo on
cd /d "d:\1_pdf\test_pdf\"
start "\\d:\\1_pdf\test_pdf" exiftool.exe -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount d:\1_pdf\test_pdf > upload_pdf_list.csv
pause

Result is that the upload_pdf_list.csv file will be created but is EMPTY (0 kb).

If I run the same command in the command windows in Windows, the csv file will be created and all metadata will be exported as it should be.
Any suggestions how I have to modify the code? I'm a newbie, so please clear instructions. 

[StarGeek]

Where is Exiftool located?  Maybe try using the full path to Exiftool?

[Victoor]

Where is Exiftool located?  Maybe try using the full path to Exiftool?

Still the same, I now changed the code as follows to tackle your suggestion:


@echo on
cd /d "d:\1_pdf\test_pdf\"
start exiftool.exe -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount d:\1_pdf\test_pdf > upload_pdf_list.csv
pause


Result is: file will be created but content is empty and it still keeps 0 kb.

[StarGeek]

On the cmd line, type Where Exiftool.  This will tell you the full path to the executable.  It should be something like "C:\Path\To\exiftool.exe"

Try using that in your batch file instead of just instead of just exiftool.exe, i.e.  start C:\Path\To\exiftool.exe

My guess is exiftool is not located in a place that the batch file can find normally, especially after you change directories.

[olball]

@echo on
cd /d "d:\1_pdf\test_pdf\"
start exiftool.exe -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount d:\1_pdf\test_pdf > upload_pdf_list.csv
pause


Result is: file will be created but content is empty and it still keeps 0 kb.

The redirection refer to the start command.
Remove the start

exiftool.exe -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount d:\1_pdf\test_pdf > upload_pdf_list.csv

or you need the escape the redirection sign

start exiftool.exe -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount d:\1_pdf\test_pdf ^> upload_pdf_list.csv

[ryerman]

Any suggestions how I have to modify the code? 

Hi Victoor.

My experience is that if the START command is used, the /b switch must be included.
ie start /b C:\Path\To\exiftool.exe
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770297.aspx
For me, this is true in the command window as well as a batch file.

But as olboll says, the START command is unnecessary.
I found that escaping the redirection symbol did not allow the CSV file to be created.

Assuming exiftool is in the PATH, the BAT file can be simplified like this:
exiftool.exe -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount "d:\1_pdf\test_pdf" > "d:\1_pdf\test_pdf\upload_pdf_list.csv"
pause

It could be generalized so that either a file or folder can be dropped on it like this:
exiftool -r -ext pdf -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount %1 > "W:\some path\to wherever\you want\FileName.csv"
In a batch file, %1 expands to the quoted full path of whatever is dropped on it.
Use option -r to recurse through all subfolders
Use option -ext pdf to process only PDF files

You may want to generalize it even further by writing the CSV file on the Desktop, like this:
set TimeStamp=%time::=%
exiftool -r -ext pdf -csv -Title -Author -Description -Keywords -PageCount %1 > "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\%~n1-%TimeStamp:.=%.csv"

[StarGeek]

The redirection refer to the start command.

Ah, that makes sense.  I'm unfamiliar with the Start command.