batch script for xcopy

Question

I am trying to create a simple batch script to copy a folder to another folder.

@ECHO OFF
IF %1.==. GOTO INFORM
XCOPY  %1 D:\CopyLoc /D /E /C /R /I /K /Y
ECHO Copied
GOTO EXT
:INFORM
ECHO USAGE: CUSTCP <SOURCE DIRECTORY>
:EXT

I have saved this file under the name custcp.cmd.

When I say

C:\>custcp 

I get the message The syntax of the command is incorrect. But what I want is to display USAGE: CUSTCP <SOURCE DIRECTORY> message. Is there any other novel way of doing this? Also I want to know if this command will work for folders in mapped network drives?

PS:This is my first attempt at batch file creation.

Answer 1

Since < and > are redirection characters, batch wonders where you want to redirect the text to.

Use a caret (^) directly before the redirection characters to turn off their special meaning, thus:

ECHO USAGE: CUSTCP ^<SOURCE DIRECTORY^>