Inserting a Date/Time stamp to a file name

Question

_{Tuesday, June 26, 2012 6:56 PM}

I want to create a script that will allow me top copy a file addign a date/time stamp to the file name, and delete the original one.

Can someone help me. I've seen a lot of samples but its not very clear to me.

Paul Arbogast

All replies (8)

_{Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:09 PM ✅Answered}

You can't have colons in your file name.

Grant Ward, a.k.a. Bigteddy

_{Tuesday, June 26, 2012 7:01 PM | 2 votes}

Can't hand ya over everything now can I ;-)

Here's how to name the file with a date in it

$filename = "whatever_you_want" + (Get-Date -Format "mm-dd-yyyy")

_{Tuesday, June 26, 2012 7:14 PM}

To copy a file and delete the original is called moving the object.  Use Move-Item.

Grant Ward, a.k.a. Bigteddy

_{Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:02 PM}

Thanks D-doug, that bit of script helps

but for some reason its not letting me actually use the variable to change the name of the file.

This is what I have

$filename = "Iamthelog_" + (get-date -Format "MM-dd-yyyy_hh:mm:ss")
Copy-Item c:\testing1\testinglvl2\testinglvl3\Iamthelog.log c:\testing1\testinglvl2\testinglvl3\archive\
Rename-Item -path c:\testing1\testinglvl2\testinglvl3\archive\Iamthelog.log -NewName $filename

The Rename_Item commandlet works if I do not use $filename, but instead usse somethinglike Iamthelog.bak

I end up getting the following error

Rename-Item : Cannot rename because the target specified represents a path or device name.
At line:3 char:12

• Rename-Item <<<<  -path c:\testing1\testinglvl2\testinglvl3\archive\Iamthelog.log -NewName $filename
      + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Rename-Item], PSArgumentException
      + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.RenameItemCommand

Paul Arbogast

_{Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:18 PM}

Ah  yes, that would do it Bigteddy much thanks

Paul Arbogast

_{Sunday, January 21, 2018 6:36 AM}

i tried to remove the colons still getting the error, can you share what you changed in the script

_{Friday, March 16, 2018 3:38 PM}

To insert date & time stamp in file name, you can use something like,

 $FileName = "FileName" + (Get-Date).tostring("dd-MM-yyyy-hh-mm-ss") 

_{Friday, March 16, 2018 4:35 PM}

You know you can do this to get a timestamp whenever you want it?

(get-item filename).lastwritetime 

Wednesday, July 12, 2017 11:06:10 AM