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dublove
dublove
Legend
Nov 7, 2026 5:07 AM UTC
Answered

The script for recursively copying files and folders has some issues.

Hello everyone.

The original script could only copy files and reported an error when encountering a folder.


Later, I found this online, but it seems to be JS, which is still very different from ExtendeScrip.
For example, the original traversal of the file 'var items=srcFolder. getFiles();' seems incorrect.

I tried it, but it didn't work. I don't know where the problem lies.

Can you help me take a look？
Thank you very much.


var src = "D:\\aa"
var des = "D:\\bb"
copy(src, des);
/**
 * Recursive Copy Folder
 * @param {Folder} srcFolder 
 * @param {Folder} destFolder 
 */
function copyFile(srcFolder, destFolder) {
    if (!srcFolder.exists) {
        alert("The source folder does not exist");
        return;
    }
    // Retrieve all files and subfolders from the source folder
    //var items = srcFolder.getFiles();
    var items = Folder(srcFolder).getFiles();
    for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
        var item = items[i];
        var destItem = new File(destFolder.fsName + "/" + item.name);
        // If it is a folder, recursively call
        if (item instanceof Folder) {
            copyFile(item, new Folder(destFolder.fsName + "/" + item.name));
        }
        // If it is a file, perform a copy operation
        else if (item instanceof File) {
            item.copy(destItem.fsName);
        }
    }
}

 

    rob day
    rob dayCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Nov 7, 2026 3:58 PM UTC

    Hi ​@dublove , Looks like your folder paths don’t exist. Using the default folder object paths make this a lot easier.

     

    I use this—the source and destination folders named aa and bb are on the desktop:

     

    //the source folder — a folder named "Test" on the desktop
    var s = Folder(Folder.desktop + "/aa")

    //the destination folder — a folder named "Copy" on the desktop
    var d = Folder(Folder.desktop + "/bb")

    //check that the souce and destination folders exist
    if (s.exists && d.exists) {
    	//gets the nested files in the source folder
    	var f = GetFiles(s)
    	//copy only the InDesign files
    	for (var i = 0; i < f.length; i++){
    		if (f[i].type == "IDdD") {
    			File(f[i]).copy(d + "/" + f[i].name)
    		} 
    	}; 
    } else {
    	alert("Check folder paths")
    }


    /**
    * Gets an array of nested files 
    * @ param the folder with the files 
    * @ return an array of files 
    */
    function GetFiles(f) {
    	var a = [],
    	fl = f.getFiles(),
    	i, file;
    	for (i = 0; i < fl.length; i++) {
    		file = fl[i];
    		if (file instanceof Folder) {
    			a = a.concat(GetFiles(file));
    		}
    		else if (file instanceof File) {
    			a.push(file);
    		}
    	}
    	return a;
    }

     

    View reply

    9 replies

    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Nov 7, 2026 3:58 PM UTC

    Hi ​@dublove , Looks like your folder paths don’t exist. Using the default folder object paths make this a lot easier.

     

    I use this—the source and destination folders named aa and bb are on the desktop:

     

    //the source folder — a folder named "Test" on the desktop
    var s = Folder(Folder.desktop + "/aa")

    //the destination folder — a folder named "Copy" on the desktop
    var d = Folder(Folder.desktop + "/bb")

    //check that the souce and destination folders exist
    if (s.exists && d.exists) {
    	//gets the nested files in the source folder
    	var f = GetFiles(s)
    	//copy only the InDesign files
    	for (var i = 0; i < f.length; i++){
    		if (f[i].type == "IDdD") {
    			File(f[i]).copy(d + "/" + f[i].name)
    		} 
    	}; 
    } else {
    	alert("Check folder paths")
    }


    /**
    * Gets an array of nested files 
    * @ param the folder with the files 
    * @ return an array of files 
    */
    function GetFiles(f) {
    	var a = [],
    	fl = f.getFiles(),
    	i, file;
    	for (i = 0; i < fl.length; i++) {
    		file = fl[i];
    		if (file instanceof Folder) {
    			a = a.concat(GetFiles(file));
    		}
    		else if (file instanceof File) {
    			a.push(file);
    		}
    	}
    	return a;
    }

     

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    dublove
    dubloveAuthor
    Legend
    Nov 7, 2026 4:33 PM UTC

    Hi ​@rob day 

    I just want to copy all the content under aa (including subfolders).
    It's not just copying files.

    I found that adding the phrase 'create new subfolders' to my previous code is sufficient.

    // Copying subfolders is an essential step.
     if (!Folder(destFolder).exists) {
     df.create();
            }

     

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    Dipangana Chatterjee
    Community Manager
    Dipangana ChatterjeeCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    Nov 7, 2026 3:54 PM UTC

    Hi ​@dublove  Thank you for reporting the issue to us? may i know in which InDesign version, you are facing this issue?

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    dublove
    dubloveAuthor
    Legend
    Nov 7, 2026 4:35 PM UTC

    Hi ​@Dipangana Chatterjee 

    2024 19.5

    This has nothing to do with the version. All versions of InDesign have the issue of not being able to copy subfolders.

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    dublove
    dubloveAuthor
    Legend
    Nov 7, 2026 2:24 PM UTC

    Hi ​@rob day 

    Take a look at this copied folder.
    It seems that it still hasn't been successful.

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    Community Expert
    Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Nov 7, 2026 5:10 AM UTC

    I don’t see this different from extendscript. Anyhow, did not work is a proper explanation. What did not work? Did it crash? Did it work but not as per what you want? Provide details

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    -Manan
    dublove
    dubloveAuthor
    Legend
    Nov 7, 2026 7:11 AM UTC

    Hi ​@Manan Joshi 

    Sorry, I made a mistake in my original code.
    But for some reason (! SrcFolder. lists) did not make a correct judgment, as srcFolder does exist.
    I modified the last line and can copy the language file, but there is still no response to the folder.




    var src = "C:\\aa"
    var des = "C:\\bb"
    copyFile(src, des);
    /**
     * Recursive Copy Folder
     * @param {Folder} srcFolder 
     * @param {Folder} destFolder 
     */
    function copyFile(srcFolder, destFolder) {
        //if (!srcFolder.exists) {
        //    alert("The source folder does not exist");
        //    return;
        //}
        // Retrieve all files and subfolders from the source folder
        //var items = srcFolder.getFiles();
        var items = Folder(srcFolder).getFiles();
        for (var i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
            var item = items[i];
            var destItem = new File(destFolder.fsName + "/" + item.name);
            // If it is a folder, recursively call
            if (item instanceof Folder) {
                copyFile(item, new Folder(destFolder.fsName + "/" + item.name));
            }
            // If it is a file, perform a copy operation
            if (item instanceof File) {
                //item.copy(destItem.fsName);
                item.copy(destFolder + "/" + item.name);
            }
        }
    }

     

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    dublove
    dubloveAuthor
    Legend
    Nov 7, 2026 9:42 AM UTC

    Does not support. fsName?
    It seems like removing this would be correct?

    But why is it wrong to determine if the file exists?
    My destFolder is a real existence.

    if (!srcFolder.exists) {
     alert("The source folder does not exist");
    return;
    }

     

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