robocopy with every option, checked before it deletes anything.

One trailing backslash, one wrong target, one locked file.

robocopy is the tool for large copies, mirrors and file server migrations, and it has close to a hundred switches with their own syntax. The classic failures are small: "D:\Target\" in quotes, where the backslash escapes the quote and robocopy reports an invalid parameter; /MIR pointed at the wrong folder; no /R, so a single locked file is retried a million times, 30 seconds apart. sqmRobocopyGui catches those while you click.

What it needs.

Paths on top, options on the left, command and live log on the right.

Show-sqmRobocopyGui uses the Visual Studio dark theme of the other powershelldba.de tools. Only options you actually set end up in the command; everything else stays at robocopy's default.

1. Source, target, filesExplorer folder dialog with address bar and quick access, also under PowerShell 5.1 where WinForms only offers the old tree dialog. History of the last 15 paths, drag and drop from Explorer, swap, open in Explorer. A status per path (exists, will be created, not found, no answer) is checked with a timeout, so a dead share never freezes the window.
2. 95 options in 8 categoriesCopy, file info and attributes, delete and move, file selection, retry, throttling and schedule, logging, job files. Check boxes, letter boxes for /COPY and attribute flags, optional values for /MT, file and folder pickers for /XF, /XD and the log file. Mutually exclusive options deselect each other.
3. PresetsCopy folder, mirror, add new files only, move, server migration with ACLs, NAS or Linux share, large files, distribute SQL backups, slow WAN link, folder structure only, dry run.
4. Command, log and findingsThe command is rebuilt on every change with syntax highlighting. A run switches to the live log with progress; the list at the bottom shows errors and hints.

Errors robocopy would throw, and runs you would regret.

Errors mean robocopy would refuse the call or the combination contradicts itself. Hints flag what is allowed but risky. Double-click on a line jumps to the option. Before a real run the GUI also checks that the source is reachable and the target drive or share exists.

Four formats, one source of truth.

robocopy D:\Daten\Projekte "\\nas01\backup\Projekte" /MIR /MT:16 /DCOPY:DAT /XF *.tmp Thumbs.db /XD ~snapshot /R:3 /W:5 /LOG:"C:\Logs\projekte.log" /NP

Dry run first, then the real thing, with a live log.

robocopy runs in the background; the window stays responsive and shows the output as it arrives.

1. Dry run (F5)Adds /L: robocopy lists what it would copy, delete or skip, and changes nothing.
2. Run (Ctrl+F5)After a confirmation. With /MIR, /PURGE, /MOV or /MOVE it names the folder in which files will be deleted, and "No" is the default button.
3. Live logNew files in green, older or changed in blue, *EXTRA files that a mirror deletes in orange, errors in red. Progress bar and name of the current file, cancel button.
4. ResultThe exit code as text, for example exit code 3: files copied, extra files in the target. With a log file the GUI adds /TEE for this run, so the output still appears in the window.

The same generator for deployment scripts.

Install, then the GUI, or one call.

# Installation - AllUsers when elevated, otherwise CurrentUser
Install.cmd

# GUI (or double-click Start-sqmRobocopyGui.cmd without installing)
Show-sqmRobocopyGui -Source D:\Daten -Destination \\nas01\backup\Daten

# Mirror as a nightly scheduled task
$p = @{ Source = 'D:\Daten'; Destination = '\\nas01\backup\Daten'; MIR = $true; MT = 16; R = 3; W = 5; LOG = 'C:\Logs\daten.log'; NP = $true }
Test-sqmRobocopyParameter -Parameter $p -CheckPath
New-sqmRobocopyCommand -Parameter $p -Format ScheduledTask -ScheduleType Daily -ScheduleTime 22:00

The last sources and targets are remembered in %APPDATA%\sqmRobocopyGui\config.json. Tests\Test-sqmRobocopyGui.ps1 lets robocopy parse every option itself, runs all output formats against a folder with spaces, an umlaut and % in its name, and drives the GUI including dry run, real run and cancel.

Your first mirror in a minute, dry run included.

No dependencies to install: unzip, double-click Start-sqmRobocopyGui.cmd, drag two folders in.