How do I create a new folder each time I run a code?

I want to make a new folder each time I run my code.

Example:

If there is a folder named 'newFolder', then generate newFolder1 after running once.

If there is a folder named 'newFolder7', then generate newFolder8 after running once.

In general, if there is a folder named 'newFolderx', then generate newFolderx+1 after running once.

I am using this code below: (important part is the nextname fumction usage)

mkdir("C:/Users/vaidy/Desktop/JAY/Labwork/Models for devices/FeFETIMT model/MATLAB code/Voltage source/25x25/" + nextname('newFolder','1')).

mkdir("C:/Users/vaidy/Desktop/JAY/Labwork/Models for devices/FeFETIMT model/MATLAB code/Voltage source/25x25/" + nextname('newFolder','1')).

But this generates a new folder only for the first time, and later it says that the folder already exists.

[Walter Roberson]

What is the code for nextname() ?

[Jay Vaidya]

This is borrowed from this extrenal program. The code is attached below as well.

EDIT: Copyright code removed from this comment. Do NOT post COPYRIGHT code on this forum ... unless you are the copyright holder and wish to release your own code under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 license:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/termsofuse.html#answers

[Jay Vaidya]

Ok Sorry for that. I will keep that in mind.

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

There are two problems with your code:

1. You are not passing nextname the path of that location, so instead of looking in the location that you want, it will only check the current directory. How do you expect nextname to know where to look for folders if you do not tell it where to look?
2. The current version of nextname can optionally return exactly the same absolute/relative path of the input file/folder name (plus the incremented suffix) in its output, so you do not need to concatenate the path onto its output.

You need to use nextname something like this:

D = 'C:/Users/vaidy/Desktop/JAY/Labwork/Models for devices/FeFETIMT model/MATLAB code/Voltage source/25x25';
mkdir(nextname(fullfile(D,'newFolder'),'1','',true))

This worked when I tried it just now:

>> D = 'C:\Users\stephen.cobeldick\Documents'; % not the current folder!
>> dir(fullfile(D,'newF*'))
'C:\Users\stephen.cobeldick\Documents\newF*' not found.
>> mkdir(nextname(fullfile(D,'newFolder'),'1','',true))
>> dir(fullfile(D,'newF*'))
newFolder1  
>> mkdir(nextname(fullfile(D,'newFolder'),'1','',true))
>> dir(fullfile(D,'newF*'))
newFolder1  newFolder2  
>> mkdir(nextname(fullfile(D,'newFolder'),'1','',true))
>> dir(fullfile(D,'newF*'))
newFolder1  newFolder2  newFolder3

[Jay Vaidya]

Thanks for clarifying my doubt.

Answer 2

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

This is easily solved:

dirname = fullfile(path_2_root_dir,sprintf('NewFolder-%s',datestr(now,'yyyymmdd-HHMMSS')));
mkdir(dirname)

Gives you an easy enough time to separate directories, with the added bonus that you explicitly have the create-time in the name, and this will give you unique numbers that sort nicely.

HTH

[Jay Vaidya]

Thank you. This is amazing.

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

Yes, I know. And you still go for a cludgy solution where you will have to take extra steps to zero-pad the ID-numbers? (Which we all know is at best a temporary solution because we'll run into the case where we will generate just enough names to fill up the available space plus a few extra...)

[Stephen23]

"And you still go for a cludgy solution where you will have to take extra steps to zero-pad the ID-numbers?"

Ouch, that hurt... but wait, what is that in the nextname documentation: it states that leading zeros can be specified quite simply in the suffix, for example if you want four digits:

nextname(fullfile(D,'newFolder'),'0001')
%                                 ^^^^ specifies four digits!

The number will be padded with zeros to ensure that it has atleast as many digits as requested.

Unless of course you really consider adding a few leading zeros to the suffix as painfully difficult "extra steps", a bit like reading documentation...

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

Yes. Let me ask how many until the problem I pointed out occurs?

[Walter Roberson]

?? There are no ID-numbers mentioned in the original question. Also, the original author specifically indicated that the second folder was to be newFolder1 -- not, for example, newFolder0001 so padding with zeros is not desired by the original poster (and not necessary for Stephen's FEX contribution.)

Answer 3

[Image Analyst]

Here's another way:

parentFolder = pwd; % Wherever you want
prefix = 'newFolder'; % Whatever you want.
baseFolderName = sprintf('%s1', prefix);
newFolder = fullfile(parentFolder, baseFolderName);
maxIterations = 5000; % Whatever.  However many times you want to try before giving up.
counter = 1;
while isfolder(newFolder) && counter <= maxIterations
	baseFolderName = sprintf('%s%d', prefix, counter); % Can use %3.3d if you want leading zeros.
	newFolder = fullfile(parentFolder, baseFolderName);
	counter = counter + 1;
end
if counter >= maxIterations
	% Could not find a suitable folder name.  Alert the user.
	message = sprintf('Could not find a folder name after trying %d times', maxIterations);
	uiwait(errordlg(message));
else
	% Found a good name so make the folder.
	mkdir(newFolder);
end