Ever need a service that copies a single folder to multiple locations at once? This script will do just that. It will copy a single location to more than one location and even log the outcomes accordingly. Thus, you will be able to set this one up as a task and run it every so often.

Invoke-SHDMoveFiles {
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
        Copy files from target source folders to a set of target folders.
    .DESCRIPTION
        Copys from multiple source folders to a select target folders. This allows archiving to occur.
        The folders are not auto created. Thus, the folders must exists. The script also adds a log file of any error
        messages you see. See notes for more details.
    .PARAMETER SourceFolder
        [String[]] SourceFolder is an Array of Strings of target folders to move the files from.
    .PARAMETER TargetFolder
        [String[]] TargetFolder is an Array of strings where the files will be copied to. This is not a one for one ratio. Thus all files will exist inside the targetfolder.
    .EXAMPLE
        ./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Source Folder 2\' -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder 2\'
        Moves all files from the source folder 1 and 2 to target folders 1 and 2.
    .EXAMPLE
        ./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder\' -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder 2\'
        Moves all files from the source folder 1 to target folders 1 and 2.
    .EXAMPLE
        ./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 1\','C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 2\','C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 3\'  -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\'
        Moves all files from the source folder 1, 2, and 3 to the target folder
    .EXAMPLE
        ./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Source Folder 2\' -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder 2\' -Recurse
        Moves all files under Source folder 1 and 2 to target folders 1 and 2.
    .EXAMPLE
        ./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder\' -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder 2\' -Recurse
        Moves all files under source folder 1 to target folders 1 and 2.
    .EXAMPLE
        ./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 1\','C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 2\','C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 3\'  -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\' -Recurse
        Moves all files under source folder 1, 2, and 3 to the target folder
    .INPUTS
        [String] Folder Paths
    .OUTPUTS
        No Output
    .NOTES
        Author: David Bolding
        Date: 8/16/2020
        Purpose: Moving files around and making archives
        Min Powershell Version: 4

        This command generates error logs located c:\tbc\SHDMoveFileLog.txt. The error logs structure is broken up in 4 sections seperated with by ;
        1;$((Get-Date).tostring());Catch;$($_.Exception)
        1 - The placement of the error physically inside the script.
        2 - The date and time of the error
        3 - What type of error
        4 - Information about the error

        Run this command inside a scheduled task every 5 minutes to copy files needed to required locations. Make sure the
        tasks running user has full access right to the file locations provided.
    .LINK
        https://bolding.us
    #>
    [cmdletbinding()]
    param (
        [Parameter(HelpMessage = "Source Folder", Mandatory = $True)][string[]]$SourceFolder,
        [Parameter(HelpMessage = "Target Folders", Mandatory = $True)][string[]]$TargetFolder,
        [parameter(HelpMessage = "Recurse the Source Folder")][switch]$Recruse
        [parameter(HelpMessage = "Log Location")][string]$Logs = "C:\tmp\SHDMoveFileLog.txt"
    )
    #Tests to see if local c:\tbc exists, if it doesn't, it will create the path.
    if (Test-Path (Split-Path $logs)) { "" >> $logs } else { mkdir (Split-Path $logs) }

    #Start with the first source
    foreach ($Source in $SourceFolder) {

        #Tests to see if the source path exists.
        if (Test-Path -Path $Source) {

            #Grabs the required files from the first source path. It only grabs files.
            #Also checks if there is a recruse flag. If so, recurses accordingly.
            if ($Recruse) { $files = Get-childitem -Path $Source -File -Recurse } else { $files = Get-childitem -Path $Source -File }

            #Next we sort through the files in question
            foreach ($File in $files) {

                #Create a test bool.
                $success = $false

                #Starts the target folder sorting
                foreach ($Target in $TargetFolder) {

                    #Tests to see if target folder exists. If not, logs.
                    if (Test-Path -Path $target) {

                        #Enter a try catch to copy the files
                        try {

                            #Copys a single file to target folder. Overwrites any other there without confirmation
                            #No Confiramtion due to the lack of human Interaction.
                            Copy-Item -Path $file.fullname -Destination $Target -Force -Confirm:$false

                            #If no error so far, sets the success bool to true
                            $success = $true
                        }
                        catch {

                            #a failure occured, thus we set the success bool to false
                            $success = $false

                            #We log the error. This is the first log that shows up in the system.
                            #We date it.
                            #We state it's a catch
                            #Then we give the reason the try catch gives.
                            "1;$((Get-Date).tostring());Catch;$($_.Exception)" >> $logs
                        }
                    }
                    else {
                        #We log the fact that we can't reach the target location
                        "2;$((Get-Date).tostring());CanNotFind;$Target" >> $logs
                    }
                }
                #We test the bool for success.
                if ($success -eq $true) {
                    try {

                        #if successful we remove the file.
                        Remove-Item -Path $file.FullName -Force -Confirm:$false
                    }
                    catch {

                        #If we can't remove the file we log the reason why.
                        "3;$((Get-Date).tostring());Catch;$($_.Exception)" >> $logs
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        else {
            #We log the fact we can't reach the source location.
            "4;$((Get-Date).tostring());CanNotFind;$Source" >> $logs
        }
    }
}

Examples

./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder\' -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\','C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder 2\'

Moves all files from the source folder 1 to target folders 1 and 2. This is good for a backup of files. What I use this for is a custom software at work. It other products drop to location 1. Then it has a backup folder and the system folder. There we go, good as gold.

./Invoke-SHDMoveFiles -SourceFolder 'C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 1\','C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 2\','C:\tbc\Tmp\Source Folder 3\'  -TargetFolder 'C:\tbc\tmp\Target Folder\' -Logs c:\tmp\Combiner.txt

Moves all files from the source folder 1, 2, and 3 to the target folder. It also logs any errors. This is useful when trying to come folders together.

Notes

  • This script was designed to be ran as a task. If it doesn’t grab a file the first time around, it will grab it the second time around. It does this by using the try catch. It trys to move a file. if it doesn’t, it logs it and leaves it. We do that because a lot of times these files are being created and have a lock state. It’s best not to move them during that state.
  • This script auto logs into the c:\tmp location if you don’t state otherwise when things go wrong.