How to copy a file to multiple folders using the command line?

I have tried to copy a file test.txt to multiple directories with one command:

for ii=0:5:175
for jj=0:3:90
newdir=sprintf('phi=%2dtheta=%2d',ii,jj);
mkdir(fullfile(newdir))
end
end
for ii=0:5:175
    for jj=0:3:90
       source_dir=sprintf('G:/SYSTEM MATRIX - MCNP/phi%2dtheta%2d',ii,jj);
        copyfile('test.txt','source_dir')
 end
end

But I didn't succeed. Is there a way to do that in one command so I can copy a file or even a folder to multiple directories?

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

What does "didn't succeed" mean? Did it finish with no errors but there were no files there? Or did it give an error message? copyfile() takes the destination folder as the second argument, not the source folder. As if that wasn't bad enough, you're passing the string 'sourcedir' instead of sourcedir so it's not even passing the string you want it to. To fix, get rid of the single quotes. And make sure all folders exist before you call copy file. exist(folder, 'dir') is useful for that purpose.

[viet le]

I do not make sense.

[Image Analyst]

I know you don't. That's why I asked you questions -- to try to make sense of what you said.

You might like to read the FAQ related to your question: http://matlab.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ#How_can_I_process_a_sequence_of_files.3F

Are you still having the problem?

[viet le]

thanks. but I think it is different my problem. I have only one file test.txt and I have to copy and paste this file to 1000 folders different.

[Image Analyst]

Create the destination folder in a loop

baseFileName = 'whatever.dat';
inputFullFileName = fullfile(inputFolder, baseFileName);
for k = 1 : 1000
    outputFolder = sprintf('...........whatever
    if ~exist(outputFolder, 'dir')
        mkdir(outputFolder);
    end
    outputFullFileName = fullfile(outputFolder, baseFileName);
    copyfile(inputFullFileName, outputFullFileName);
end