What is best practice for moving files?

[Burgaud]

Assume I want to move files from local drive to

1. an external detachable drive
2. should that drive is detached/not available, move it to another local drive

What is the best practice?

Assume $Repository is the Folder in the detachable drive
Assume $LocalDrive is the Folder to another local drive

Should I:

if FileExists($Repository) then
   Filemove(...., $Repository....)
else
   FileMove( ...., $LocalDrive...)
endif

or

If NOT FileMove( ...., $Repository..) then
    FileMove(...$LocalDrive....)
endif?

 

I know both will work, but what is the best practice?

I assume doing the FileExists one is better. What do you think?

 

Thanks!  

 

 

 

[careca]

Since you're talking about moving files to different drives, you should know that it's not really going to move them, but instead it copies.

So as a general rule, and if you want to do it proper, i'd say you do a FileExists on the drive for the destination,

then a FileGetSize on the original file, then do a copy, and then another FileGetSize on the destination file.

 

 

[seadoggie01]

3 hours ago, careca said:

it's not really going to move them, but instead it copies

What? Please explain what you mean by this. I just tried this and it moves the files across drives for me

[careca]

Has to copy, the file doesn't exist in the other drive.

As stated in the remarks for filemove:

"If the source and destination paths are on different volumes a copy and delete operation is performed rather than a move."

[spudw2k]

To @careca's point, technically the file move operation between volumes is a copy from source, then a deletion from source after the copy.  Not sure how important that detail is as far as accomplishing the goal of moving a file, but I suppose it's useful to know how it works.

Also, due to the nature of how it works, I would expect that there is some sort of successful copy validation already inherent in the process before it deletes the original, otherwise if the move didn't actually copy the file accurately and deleted the original you'd be at risk of losing integrity of the file data and be screwed.

If you are really worried about it, perhaps perform the copy yourself, compare the two files, then delete the original. If I was worried checking a transferred file I might employ something to verify integrity more precisely than file sizes (i.e. a hash/checksum comparison).

[careca]

I agree, a checksum is a better idea.

Found a post with it

#include <Crypt.au3>
;Get SHA1
Local $File = FileOpenDialog("Select a file", EnvGet("systemdrive"), "All (*.*)")
_Crypt_Startup()
$sha1 = _Crypt_HashFile($File, $CALG_SHA1)
MsgBox(64 + 262144, '$sha1', $sha1)
_Crypt_Shutdown()

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by careca