arrays are...
well, arrays of data.
array has fields/elemenents and each field has a value.
so, basically, an array is multiple variables in one.
instead of having zillion variable names, you can reference the values from one variable name by the index number.

when you deal with dynamic data that is a must... and in this case too.
so, instead of having a line for each subdir, you just put them in simple array:
$subdirs = "subdir1","subdir2"

now, as I'm not a perfect teacher... let me see if I can write your script for you

but before that, I must say you are repeating a lot in your script, like:
Code:

      COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"
      COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"
      COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"


by just removing dublicates and totally meaningless lines in your script it reduces to:
Code:

if ingroup ("GISSHAPES")
   $Result = CompareFileTimes("I:\gisdata\shape\DONOTDELETE-GISscript.txt", "C:\gisdata\shape\DONOTDELETE-GISscript.txt")
   IF $Result <> 1 ; '1'=File1 is more recent than file2
    $Result = -3 ;  '-3'=File2 couldn't be open (nonexistant)
   ENDIF
ENDIF

COPY  "i:\gisdata\shape\DONOTDELETE-GISscript.txt" "c:\gisdata\shape\DONOTDELETE-GISscript.txt"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\airport\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\airport\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\bldgs\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\bldgs\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\bmarks\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\bmarks\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\cbs\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\cbs\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\dwgs\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\ease\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\ease\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\fldplain\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\fldplain\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\grids\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\grids\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\inch50\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\inch50\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\intersec\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\intersec\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\laterals\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\laterals\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\limits\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\limits\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\plats\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\plats\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\presslns\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\presslns\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\ss\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\ss\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\ssstr\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\ssstr\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\streams\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\streams\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\streetcl\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\streetcl\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\streets\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\streets\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\surveys\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\surveys\"
COPY	"i:\gisdata\shape\tlots\"	"c:\gisdata\shape\tlots\"
exit



I take, this is not what you are after or is it?
I mean, that's the actual deal the script you posted does.
_________________________
!

download KiXnet