Question

I have two directories (dirA and dirB), and i want to copy all files from dirA including sub-folders to dirB where a file in dirA replaces a file in dirB only if the two files have the same name (and also the same sub-path) and also fileB.LastWriteTime < fileA.LastWriteTime, or else if a file in dirA is not present in dirB.

So, if I have these directories:

<directory Name="dirA">

   <file Name="file1" LastWriteTime="10:00" />
   <file Name="file2" LastWriteTime="11:00" />
   <file Name="file7" LastWriteTime="12:00" />

   <directory Name="subDir">
      <file Name="file3" LastWriteTime="10:00" />
      <file Name="file4" LastWriteTime="11:00" />
   </directory>

   <directory Name="subDir2">
      <file Name="file5" LastWriteTime="10:00" />
      <file Name="file6" LastWriteTime="11:00" />
   </directory>

</directory>

<directory Name="dirB">

   <file Name="file1" LastWriteTime="09:00" />
   <file Name="file2" LastWriteTime="13:00" />

   <directory Name="subDir">
      <file Name="file3" LastWriteTime="09:00" />
      <file Name="file4" LastWriteTime="12:00" />
   </directory>

   <directory Name="BsubDir2">
      <file Name="file5" LastWriteTime="09:00" />
   </directory>

</directory>

After the update dirB will be:

<directory Name="dirB">

   <file Name="file1" LastWriteTime="10:00" />
   <file Name="file2" LastWriteTime="13:00" />
   <file Name="file7" LastWriteTime="12:00" />

   <directory Name="subDir">
      <file Name="file3" LastWriteTime="10:00" />
      <file Name="file4" LastWriteTime="12:00" />
   </directory>

   <directory Name="BsubDir2">
      <file Name="file5" LastWriteTime="09:00" />
   </directory>

   <directory Name="subDir2">
      <file Name="file5" LastWriteTime="10:00" />
      <file Name="file6" LastWriteTime="11:00" />
   </directory>

</directory>

Thanks.

Answer 1

Here a solution for you. Tried and tested with some files,
Worked fine, but I think more test are needed

Private Sub UpdateRec(Src As String, Dest As String, IsTest As Boolean)

    ' Update files in dest dir 
    For Each fileSrc As String In Directory.GetFiles(Src)
        Dim srcInfo As New FileInfo(fileSrc)
        Dim destFile As String = Path.Combine(Dest, srcInfo.Name)
        Dim foundFile As Boolean = File.Exists(destFile)
        if foundFile = true then
            Dim destInfo As New FileInfo(destFile)
          ' Copy only if newer 
          If Not IsTest AndAlso destInfo.LastWriteTime < srcInfo.LastWriteTime Then
              File.Copy(srcInfo.FullName, destInfo.FullName, True)
          End If
        else
        'File not found in dest copy always
        If Not IsTest Then File.Copy(srcInfo.FullName, destFile)
        end if
    Next

    ' Update folder in dest
    For Each dirSrc As String In Directory.GetDirectories(Src)
        Dim srcInfo As New DirectoryInfo(dirSrc)
        Dim dstDir As String = Path.Combine(Dest, srcInfo.Name)
        Dim foundDir As Boolean = Directory.Exists(dstDir)
        ' Not found, create 
        if foundDir = false then
         Directory.CreateDirectory(dstDir)
        end if
        ' recurse to copy file and other subdirs
        Call Me.UpdateRec(dirSrc, dstDir, IsTest)
    Next
End Sub

Now it’s time to go to bed. Buonanotte.