For loop: file in directory treatment (batch)

Question

I'm having a problem with the next code. I want to process the files in the directory "pdfs_hospital" and remove the password that the .pdf files have. I use the utility pdftk, it works well in a batch file for only one .pdf but I'm having problems when I have to treat more than one .pdf located in a directory. The error is that when I'm in the for loop %%A takes correctly the name of the .pdf file to treat but in the next echo I see that the path of that .pdf is "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\name.pdf" when it has to say "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital\name.pdf" so the pdftk.exe program would work fine.

This is the program:

REM @echo off
REM Current directory:
set curr_dir=%cd%
set PATH=C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital\

REM We change to pdftk.exe directory:
chdir /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin"
echo %cd%

for /F "delims=," %%A in ('dir /b "%PATH%"') do (
    echo %%~fA
    REM Executing the program:
    start pdftk.exe "%%~fA" input_pw "matrix" output "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital_procesados\%%A"
)

chdir /D %curr_dir%

And this is the exit:

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>PdfRemovePass2.bat

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>REM @echo off

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>REM Directorio actual:

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>set curr_dir=C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>set PATH=C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital\

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>chdir /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin"

C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin>REM Cambiamos a directorio del pdftk:

C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin>echo C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin
C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin

C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin>for /F "delims=," %A in ('dir /b "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital\"') do (
echo %~fA
 REM Ejecutamos el programa:
 start pdftk.exe "%~fA" input_pw "matrix" output "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital_procesados\%A"
)

C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin>(
echo C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\Apache Quick Reference Card.pdf
 REM Ejecutamos el programa:
 start pdftk.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\Apache Quick Reference Card.pdf" input_pw "matrix" output "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pd
fs_hospital_procesados\Apache Quick Reference Card.pdf"
)
C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\Apache Quick Reference Card.pdf

C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin>(
echo C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\exam08-1.pdf
 REM Ejecutamos el programa:
 start pdftk.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\exam08-1.pdf" input_pw "matrix" output "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital_procesa
dos\exam08-1.pdf"
)
C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin\exam08-1.pdf

C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin>chdir /D C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop

C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop>

ManoDestra · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-14 16:49:47Z

1

Change...

for /F "delims=," %%A in ('dir /b "%PATH%"') do (

To...

for /F "delims=," %%A in ('dir /b "%PATH%\*.pdf"') do (

Or, simply...

for %%f in (%PDF_UNLOCK_PATH%\*.pdf) do (::processing here)

edited Mar 14, 2016 at 16:49

answered Mar 14, 2016 at 16:30

ManoDestra

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4 Comments

Guillem Escuder Over a year ago

ok, I did it but the error still happens. I don't know if it is that I change directory before the loop. I'm working from the Desktop. There I have the directory "pdfs_hospital" with all the .pdf and the output directory "pdfs_hospital_procesados" when running pdftk.exe. The program pdftk.exe is in C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin

ManoDestra Over a year ago

One thing: I wouldn't change the PATH environment variable, personally. I would call it something else, like PDF_UNLOCK_PATH, rather than affecting the global PATH variable. Or just write the path in the FOR loop. FOR %%f IN (C:\path\to\pdfFiles\*.pdf) DO ( ::process them here ) I think you can dispense with the /F. I would personally just use.. FOR %%f IN (%PDF_UNLOCK_PATH\*.pdf) DO (::stuff)

Guillem Escuder Over a year ago

I changed that PATH variable, I agree with you, it's one mistake. I need to use "delims=," tag because there are maybe one pdf with blanc spaces inside the folder and it forces me to use /f. I don't know why doing an echo %%~fA to show the path of the variable that the loop is processing it shows the current path where I'm in the computer adding at the end the file. I don't know another way to execute the .exe with not changing directory to the path of the program.

Guillem Escuder Over a year ago

I found the solution, thanks for taking your time on me on trying to solve it.

Guillem Escuder · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-14 17:07:06Z

0

SOLVED!

I just put the PDF_UNLOCK_PATH followed by \%%A in the command line of the program and it worked! I don't know if it is a good solution but it works.

This is the code:

set curr_dir=%cd%
set PDF_UNLOCK_PATH=C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital

for /f "delims=," %%A in ('dir /b "%PDF_UNLOCK_PATH%\*.pdf"') do (
    echo %%A
    chdir /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk Server\bin"
    start pdftk.exe "%PDF_UNLOCK_PATH%\%%A" input_pw "matrix" output "C:\Users\Guillem Escuder\Desktop\pdfs_hospital_procesados\%%A"
    chdir /D %curr_dir%
)

chdir /D %curr_dir%

answered Mar 14, 2016 at 17:07

Guillem Escuder

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1 Comment

ManoDestra Over a year ago

Yep. That's exactly what I said above. Glad you got it working! :)

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