Output forfiles error to a variable - variables

I am trying to save the output of forfiles to a variable in batch.
I've tried a few things to set a var to the output directly as well as saving to a file
Long story short, I am comparing the output text to another string variable, if it matches an event log is created and I get an alert.
Everything in my script works as intended other than saving the forfile output to the variable so I can compare it to my default text variable
forfiles /P %filename% /D -1 > variable
set TEST=
the variable just stays completely blank.
If I run the command just in command prompt it outputs like this
forfiles /P C:\users\justin.pcs\desktop\test\ /D -1 > variable
ERROR: No files found with the specified search criteria.
So I am getting the error I am watching for, but the variable stays blank. I'm assuming I am missing some sort of switch that is necessary for this.

to get the output of a command, either redirect STDERR to a file and read it back:
forfiles /P C:\users\justin.pcs\desktop\test\ /D -1 2>temp
<temp set /p variable=
echo %variable"%
or use a for construct (no temporary file needed):
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('forfiles /P C:\users\justin.pcs\desktop\test\ /D -1 2^>^&1 1^>nul') do set variable=%%a
echo %variable%
The redirections (2^>^&1 1^>nul)are needed, because STDOUT is parsed, but you need STDERR.

Related

Saving a batch variable in a text file

I am trying to save a batch variable into a text file. I currently have this code:
#echo off
Set var=6
#echo %var%>txt.txt
For /f "tokens*" %%i in (txt.txt) do #echo %%i
Pause
It's supposed to save the 6 into the variable var and then write the variable in a text file. I want to do this to save user input into a text file so that when the batch program is terminated it will hold the variables.
There is a little problem with redirection. You are redirecting a "stream"; they are numbered 0-9. 0 is for "Standard Input" (STDIN), 1 is for "Standard Output" (STDOUT), 2 is for "Error Output" (STDERR).
If you use the redirection symbol > without a stream number, it defaults to "1".
So echo text>txt.txt is just an abreviation for echo text 1>txt.txt
Now it's getting tricky: echo 6>txt.txt won't echo "6" to the file, but tries to redirect "Stream 6" (which is empty) to the file. The Standard Output echo is off goes to the screen, because "Stream1" is not redirected.
Solution:
If you try to redirect a number or a string which ends with a number, just use a different syntax:
>txt.txt echo 6
Use the set command to get the contents of a file:
set /p var=<filename
Use the echo command to put into a file:
#echo Contents Of File > "FileName"
To append another line to the end of the file, use:
#echo Contents Of File >> "FileName"
Also, put the commands on separate lines or use '&&' between them on the same line.

How to set batch variable to output of another script

I try to set a batch variable to an output of another command. In Linux/Unix you can simply use backticks, e.g. (in csh)
set MY_VAR = `tail /etc/passwd`
Is there something similar available in windows batch?
Actually I found already something but it is not fully working:
d:\>for /F "skip=1" %n in ('wmic OS Get CurrentTimeZone') do set TimeZone=%n
d:\>set TimeZone=120
:\>set TimeZone=
d:\>
The problem is the wmic commands returns several lines, otherwise it would work fine. The first I know to skip, however I did not manage to skip the second empty line. I tried with IF but no success.
yes - the output of wmic is a bit ugly to handle.
Use a trick: search for a number in the ouput (findstr "[0-9] will only return lines, that contain a number):
for /F %n in ('wmic OS Get CurrentTimeZone ^|findstr "[0-9]"') do set TimeZone=%n
echo Timezone is %TimeZone%.
(for use in a batchfile use %%n instead of %n)
Another way is:
for /F %n in ('wmic OS Get CurrentTimeZone') do if not defined TimeZone set TimeZone=%n
EDIT:
I prefer the first version, as findstr (or find) converts the wmic-line-endings, so the second for mentioned by MC ND is not neccessary.
I suggest following batch code:
#echo off
for /F "skip=1" %%I in ('%SystemRoot%\System32\wbem\wmic.exe OS Get CurrentTimeZone') do (
set "TimeZone=%%I"
goto BelowLoop
)
:BelowLoop
echo Time zone difference is: %TimeZone%
The FOR loop is exited with command GOTO after the value of interest is assigned to environment variable TimeZone.
The entire FOR loop can be optimized to a single command line:
#echo off
for /F "skip=1" %%I in ('%SystemRoot%\System32\wbem\wmic.exe OS Get CurrentTimeZone') do set "TimeZone=%%I" & goto BelowLoop
:BelowLoop
echo Time zone difference is: %TimeZone%
Exiting the FOR loop after having the value of interest avoids the problem with wrong parsing of Unicode (UTF-16 Little Endian) encoded output of WMIC by FOR which otherwise would result in deleting the environment variable TimeZone. For details on wrong parsing of Unicode output by FOR see answer on How to correct variable overwriting misbehavior when parsing output?
for /f "tokens=2 delims==" %a in ('wmic OS get CurrentTimeZone /value') do set "timeZone=%a"
(to use in a batch file, remember to double the percent signs)
The added /value in wmic changes its output to key=value format. The delims clause in for command indicates a = as a separator. The tokens clause ask to retrieve only the second token/field in the line. As the only line with two tokens is the line with the required data, only this line is processed.
BUT, wmic output includes an aditional carriage return at the end of its output, that needs to be removed from the variable. An aditional for command can be used. The resulting command will be
for /f "tokens=2 delims==" %a in ('wmic OS get CurrentTimeZone /value') do for /f %b in ("%a") do set "timeZone=%b"
Or, for a batch file
for /f "tokens=2 delims==" %%a in (
'wmic OS get CurrentTimeZone /value'
) do for /f %%b in ("%%a") do set "timeZone=%%b"
echo %timeZone%

Saving Number of Lines in File as a Variable in Batch File

I have this really nice line in my batch file that tells me how many lines are in a file:
find /v /c "" C:\Users\c1921\mypath\myfolder\!$Unit!.txt
This is nice and gives me 31 for the particular file I'm working with. My problem is the file looks something like this:
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
my_handled
219278
check
219276
control
219274
I want to be able to skip the first three lines entirely and then save the first value and then use the second value in my next command etc.
How do I save the number (e.g. 31) into a variable in my batch file?
On a hunch I tried setting a variable like so but it wasn't effective:
set "$testVar="""
echo !$testVar!
This command allows you to "save the number (e.g. 31) into a variable in my batch file":
for /F %%a in ('find /v /c "" ^< C:\Users\c1921\mypath\myfolder\!$Unit!.txt') do set numLines=%%a
This command allows you "to skip the first three lines entirely" and process the rest:
for /F "skip=3 delims=" %%a in (C:\Users\c1921\mypath\myfolder\!$Unit!.txt) do echo Processing: "%%a"
However, in my opinion this problem could be entirely avoided if the three first lines in the text file are supressed from the very beginning. I think this file is generated via a VBScript of JScript program that is executed this way:
cscript progname.vbs > C:\Users\c1921\mypath\myfolder\!$Unit!.txt
The first three lines in the text file may be avoided adding //nologo switch this way:
cscript //nologo progname.vbs > C:\Users\c1921\mypath\myfolder\!$Unit!.txt
#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET /a count=3
SET "first="
FOR /f "skip=3delims=" %%a IN (q25089468.txt) DO (
IF DEFINED first (CALL :show %%a) ELSE (SET "first=%%a")
)
ECHO count=%count%
GOTO :EOF
:show
ECHO first=%first% second=%1
SET /a count+=2
SET "first="
GOTO :eof
I used a file named q25089468.txt containing your data for my testing.
You appear to be asking two entirely different things - how to count the lines and how to skip the first 3, then deliver each succeeding pair to another process.

Variables in loops Dont Work, Batch

This is the new Script and it Still Doesn't Work
I Get The syntax of the command is incorrect.
on FOR /F "USEBACKQ tokens=*" %%A IN (TYPE "C:\Windows\System32\tasks\at!num! ^| FIND "Command") DO (
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set num=1
:START
IF NOT EXIST "C:\Windows\System32\tasks\at%num%" (GOTO:EOF)
FOR /F "USEBACKQ tokens=*" %%A IN (`TYPE "C:\Windows\System32\tasks\at!num! ^| FIND "Command"`) DO (
set var=%%A
ECHO %var%
SET /a num=%num%+1
PAUSE
)
GOTO:START
To understand your code, I'm going to break it down into logic first then try to solve it. Let me know if I miss a detail...
Set num var to 0
Begin :Loop
set num var to its current value ::NOT NEEDED - You've specified this prior to the GOTO
increment num var by +1
if myfolder\at* file exists then read at%num% and find a string then output that line to %tmp%\1.txt ::Need quotations on file location.
set F var to the line stored in %tmp%\1.txt
set F="%%F: =%%" ::Please explain what you are trying to do with this command.
set F to start on 10th character and remove the last 11 characters from the line.
echo the variable
If it doesn't exist, exit, but if it does return to :Loop
You should tell us what you are attempting. If it is as simple as saving a variable from a text file output, set F=<file.txt will work. If it didn't, then something happened prior to that command. Still... what is set F="%%F: =%%"?
Unless you are using a FOR loop variable, there is no need to use %% on each end of the variable.
If this were a FOR loop, it would look like this:
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set num=1
:START
IF NOT EXIST "myFolder\at%num%.txt" (GOTO:EOF)
FOR /F "USEBACKQ tokens=*" %%A IN (`TYPE "myFolder\at%num%.txt" ^| FIND /i "string"`) DO (
PAUSE
SET var=%%A
ECHO !var!
PAUSE
SET var=!var: =!
ECHO !var!
PAUSE
SET var=!var:~10,-11!
ECHO !var!
PAUSE
SET /a num=!num!+1
ECHO !num!
PAUSE
)
GOTO:START
One good practice to check if commands are working, such as SET, insert an ECHO on the variable and a PAUSE right after each time you believe the variable should be changed. This will track what has changed on the variable so you can see if your command was correct and the changes were made.
I'd suggest using Batch's inbuilt function for loops, see here.
Conditionally perform a command for a range of numbers
Syntax
FOR /L %%parameter IN (start,step,end) DO command
Or maybe iterating over files in a folder would be better for what you are trying to do?
Loop through files (Recurse subfolders)
Syntax
FOR /R [[drive:]path] %%parameter IN (set) DO command
Or iterating over file contents?
Loop command: against a set of files - conditionally perform
a command against each item.
Syntax
FOR /F ["options"] %%parameter IN (filenameset) DO command
FOR /F ["options"] %%parameter IN ("Text string to process") DO command
This site has plenty of examples here which should point you in the right direction.
There are a few issues with your code, I've amended as follows to get the variable populated with the contents of the temp file.
set num=0
:Loop
set /a num=%num%+1
if exist "myFolder\at*" (
TYPE "myFolder\at%num%" | FINDSTR "\<Command\>" > "%temp%\1.txt"
set /P F=<"%TEMP%\1.txt"
Echo %F%
Pause
)
I don't know if this is the problem, but have you tried enabling:
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
Then, inside the loop (or the IF(...)), you use !foo! to signify environment variables instead of %foo%.
See setlocal /? and set /? for more information.

Removing double quotes from variables in batch file creates problems with CMD environment

Can anybody help with effective and safe way of removing quotes from batch variables?
I have written a batch file which successfully imports a list of parameters %1, %2, %3 etc. and places them into named variables. Some of these parameters contain multiple words, and therefor are enclosed in double quotes.
> "Susie Jo" (%1)
> "Smith Barnes" (%2)
> "123 E. Main St." (%3)
These %variables are next placed in named variables:
> set FirstName=%1
> set LastName=%2
> set ShipAddr=%3
verification of variables is done by echo.
> echo.%FirstName%
> echo.%LastName%
> echo.%ShipAddr%
results display as
"Susie Jo"
"Smith Barnes"
"123 E. Main St."
I need to eliminate the included quotes on selected variables. For instance, FirstName and LastName are used elsewhere and must not include quotes.
In a test batch file I was successful at eliminating quotes using the ~tilde character in variables.
> set FirstName=%~1
> set LastName=%~2
I thought I had the solution, but I soon experienced unusual behavior with execution of batch files. Suddenly CMD is no recognizing long path statments. Normal execution of batch file from full path
> C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Txt\batchtest\dataout.bat
returns
> 'C:\Documents' is not recognized as an internal or external command....
So it would appear that the addition of the ~tilde character to the in-coming %1 %2...%n variables has caused some change. Possibly some environment variables have been altered?
I also tried clearing quotes from within variable with various attempts using the FOR command. That seems awkward and I have been unable to learn how to accomplish this by creating a list of variable to perform the task:
something like this:
for %%g in (%FirstName% %LastName%) do (
set %%g=%%~g
set %%h=%%~h
set FirstName=%%~g
set LastName=%%h
echo.%FirstName% %LastName%
)
I think I have two issues.
My 'short and sweet' idea of inserting ~tilde in the incoming %1 %2 variables (%~1, etc) seems to have affected some settings and altered how CMD navigates long pathnames.
I'm still in search of a clean and easy way to eliminate quotes from selected named variables.
Any help for those more experienced would be most appreciated. I'm at the end of my skills here... need some guidance please!
edit 12/26/2009 13:36 PST
entire batch file:
:: dataout.bat
:: revision 12/25/2009 add ~tilde to incoming %variables to eliminate embedded "quotation marks.
:: writes address list using command line parameters
:: writes data output list for QBooks IIF import
:: writes Merchant Order data for RUI
:: sample command line string for testing
:: listmail[firstname][lastname]["address string"]["city string"][state][zip][Order#][PurchDate][Regname]["FirstName LastName"][TransactionID][PaymentMethod][Total][ProductID][Qty][Price_Each][PackPrep] [Shipping] [CommissionPmt] [Invoice#]
:: example: dataout Bellewinkle Moose "123 Green Forest Way" "Vancouver" WA 98664 1004968 05/25/2009 "Bellewinkle Moose" "Olive Oyl" 101738 "On Account" 20.67 FK-1P 1 8.95 3.00 1.39 239
#echo off
cls
c:
cd\
cd documents and settings\administrator\my documents\txt\batchtest
echo processing %1 %2
:VARISET
:: Convert %n command line parameters to string variables
set ($FirstName)=%~1
set ($LastName)=%~2
set ($BillingAddress1)=%~3
set ($BillingCity)=%~4
set ($BillingState)=%~5
set ($BillingPostal)=%~6
set ($OrderNumber)=%~7
set ($Purch_Date)=%~8
set ($RegistrationName)=%~9
shift
set ($TransactionID)=%~9
shift
set ($PaymentMethod)=%~9
shift
set ($Total)=%~9
shift
set ($ProductIdentifier)=%~9
shift
set ($Quantity)=%~9
shift
set ($Price_Each)=%~9
shift
set ($Pack_Prep)=%~9
shift
set ($Shipping)=%~9
shift
set ($ServiceFee)=%~9
shift
set ($Discount)=%~9
shift
set ($Invoice)=%~9
shift
set ($UnitPrice)=%~9
set _ShipCombName=%($FirstName)% %($LastName)%
echo ship combo name is %_ShipCombName%
pause
:: write string varibables to logfile
echo FN %($FirstName)% LN %($LastName)% BA %($BillingAddress1)% %($BillingCity)% %($BillingState)% %($BillingPostal)% %($OrderNumber)% %($Purch_Date)% %($RegistrationName)% %($TransactionID)% %($PaymentMethod)% %($Total)% %($ProductIdentifier)% %($Quantity)% %($Price_Each)% %($Pack_Prep)% %($Shipping)% %($ServiceFee)% %($Discount)% %($Invoice)% %($UnitPrice)% %_ShipCombName% >> d_out_log.txt
:: Assign Account by Service Provider
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Amazon Receivables SET _QBAcct=Amazon.com
:: 12-25-2009 added second Amazon pm't method for versatility
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Amazon SET _QBAcct=Amazon.com
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==MAST SET _QBAcct=Auth/Net
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==MasterCard SET _QBAcct=Auth/Net
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Visa SET _QBAcct=Auth/Net
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==PayPal SET _QBAcct=PayPalPmts
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==On Account SET _QBAcct=%($RegistrationName)%
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Mail SET _QBAcct=%($RegistrationName)%
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==AMER SET _QBAcct=Auth/Net
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==DISC SET _QBAcct=Auth/Net
:: Assign Rep designator based on QBAccount
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Amazon Receivables SET _Rep=Amazon
:: 12-25-2009 added second Amazon pm't method for versatility
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Amazon SET _Rep=Amazon
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==MAST SET _Rep=BlueZap
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==MasterCard SET _Rep=BlueZap
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Visa SET _Rep=BlueZap
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==PayPal SET _Rep=BlueZap
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==On Account SET _Rep=R B
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==Mail SET _Rep=R B
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==AMER SET _Rep=BlueZap
IF /i %($PaymentMethod)%==DISC SET _Rep=BlueZap
:: check for duplicate address data
findstr /i /s "%_ShipCombName%" addrlist.txt
echo errorlevel: %errorlevel%
if errorlevel 1 goto :ADDRWRITE
if errorlevel 0 goto :ADDRFOUND
:ADDRWRITE
echo %_ShipCombName% >> addrlist.txt
echo %($BillingAddress1)% >> addrlist.txt
echo %($BillingCity)% %($BillingState)% %($BillingPostal)% >> addrlist.txt
echo. >> addrlist.txt
echo Address File Written
:ADDRFOUND
echo selected rep is %_Rep%
echo selected account is: %_QBAcct%
pause
:: RUI OUT
:: write Merchant Order ID & RUI Order ID to RUI
:: check for duplicate RUI data in writeRUI.txt
cd..
cd RegKOut
find /i "%($OrderNumber)%" writeRUI.txt
echo errorlevel: %errorlevel%
if errorlevel 1 goto :RUIWRITE
if errorlevel 0 goto :IIFWRITE
:RUIWRITE
echo %($Invoice)% %($OrderNumber)% >> writeRUI.txt
:: end write RUI
:: IIF OUT
:IIFWRITE
:: Check for duplicate invoice data in writeIIF.txt
find /i "%($OrderNumber)%" writeIIF.txt
echo errorlevel: %errorlevel%
if errorlevel 1 goto :HEADWRITE
if errorlevel 0 goto :LINEWRITE
:HEADWRITE
:: write Header, Ship/Handling, discount, Rep & commission data to QB IIF import file
echo %($OrderNumber)% %($Purch_Date)% Invoice %($TransactionID)% %_QBAcct% Accounts Receivable %($Total)% %_Rep% >> writeIIF.txt
echo H/P %($Pack_Prep)% 1 ? >> writeIIF.txt
echo SHP %($Shipping)% 1 ? >> writeIIF.txt
echo DISC %($Discount)% 1 ? >> writeIIF.txt
echo Comm %($ServiceFee)% 1 ? >> writeIIF.txt
:LINEWRITE
IF /i %($ProductIdentifier)% equ PH-1 goto WRITE_DEFA ELSE goto WRITE_DISC
echo %($ProductIdentifier)%
:WRITE_DISC
::writes discounted prices parsed from custom variable:
echo %($ProductIdentifier)% %($Price_Each)% %($Quantity)% ? >> writeIIF.txt
goto :EOF
:WRITE_DEFA
:writes default prices parsed from Product data
echo %($ProductIdentifier)% %($UnitPrice)% %($Quantity)% ? >> writeIIF.txt
goto :EOF
:: 3-second delay
:: TYPE NUL | CHOICE.COM /N /CY /TY,3 >NUL
:EOF
You have an extra double quote at the end, which is adding it back to the end of the string (after removing both quotes from the string).
Input:
set widget="a very useful item"
set widget
set widget=%widget:"=%
set widget
Output:
widget="a very useful item"
widget=a very useful item
Note: To replace Double Quotes " with Single Quotes ' do the following:
set widget=%widget:"='%
Note: To replace the word "World" (not case sensitive) with BobB do the following:
set widget="Hello World!"
set widget=%widget:world=BobB%
set widget
Output:
widget="Hello BobB!"
As far as your initial question goes (save the following code to a batch file .cmd or .bat and run):
#ECHO OFF
ECHO %0
SET BathFileAndPath=%~0
ECHO %BathFileAndPath%
ECHO "%BathFileAndPath%"
ECHO %~0
ECHO %0
PAUSE
Output:
"C:\Users\Test\Documents\Batch Files\Remove Quotes.cmd"
C:\Users\Test\Documents\Batch Files\Remove Quotes.cmd
"C:\Users\Test\Documents\Batch Files\Remove Quotes.cmd"
C:\Users\Test\Documents\Batch Files\Remove Quotes.cmd
"C:\Users\Test\Documents\Batch Files\Remove Quotes.cmd"
Press any key to continue . . .
%0 is the Script Name and Path.
%1 is the first command line argument, and so on.
Your conclusion (1) sounds wrong. There must be some other factor at play.
The problem of quotes in batch file parameters is normally solved by removing the quotes with %~ and then putting them back manually where appropriate.
E.g.:
set cmd=%~1
set params=%~2 %~3
"%cmd%" %params%
Note the quotes around %cmd%. Without them, path with spaces won't work.
If you could post your entire batch code, maybe more specific answer could be made.
I usually just remove all quotes from my variables with:
set var=%var:"=%
And then apply them again wherever I need them e.g.:
echo "%var%"
Spent a lot of time trying to do this in a simple way.
After looking at FOR loop carefully, I realized I can do this with just one line of code:
FOR /F "delims=" %%I IN (%Quoted%) DO SET Unquoted=%%I
Example:
#ECHO OFF
SET Quoted="Test string"
FOR /F "delims=" %%I IN (%Quoted%) DO SET Unquoted=%%I
ECHO %Quoted%
ECHO %Unquoted%
Output:
"Test string"
Test string
The simple tilde syntax works only for removing quotation marks around the command line parameters being passed into the batch files
SET xyz=%~1
Above batch file code will set xyz to whatever value is being passed as first paramter stripping away the leading and trailing quotations (if present).
But, This simple tilde syntax will not work for other variables that were not passed in as parameters
For all other variable, you need to use expanded substitution syntax that requires you to
specify leading and lagging characters to be removed. Effectively we are instructing to remove strip away the first and the last character without looking at what it actually is.
#SET SomeFileName="Some Quoted file name"
#echo %SomeFileName% %SomeFileName:~1,-1%
If we wanted to check what the first and last character was actually quotation before removing it, we will need some extra code as follows
#SET VAR="Some Very Long Quoted String"
If aa%VAR:~0,1%%VAR:~-1%aa == aa""aa SET UNQUOTEDVAR=%VAR:~1,-1%
I learned from this link, if you are using XP or greater that this will simply work by itself:
SET params = %~1
I could not get any of the other solutions here to work on Windows 7.
To iterate over them, I did this:
FOR %%A IN (%params%) DO (
ECHO %%A
)
Note: You will only get double quotes if you pass in arguments separated by a space typically.
This sounds like a simple bug where you are using %~ somewhere where you shouldn't be. The use if %~ doesn't fundamentally change the way batch files work, it just removes quotes from the string in that single situation.
All the answers are complete. But Wanted to add one thing,
set FirstName=%~1
set LastName=%~2
This line should have worked, you needed a small change.
set "FirstName=%~1"
set "LastName=%~2"
Include the complete assignment within quotes. It will remove quotes without an issue. This is a prefered way of assignment which fixes unwanted issues with quotes in arguments.
set widget="a very useful item"
set widget
widget="a very useful item"
set widget=%widget:"=%"
set widget
set widget=a very useful item"
The trailing quote " in line 4 is adding a quote " to the string. It should be removed.
The syntax for line 4 ends with %
I thought I had the solution, but I soon experienced unusual behavior with execution of batch files. Suddenly CMD is no recognizing long path statments. Normal execution of batch file from full path
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Txt\batchtest\dataout.bat
returns
'C:\Documents' is not recognized as an internal or external command....
There's your whole problem. CMD doesn't understand spaces inside of filenames from the command line, so it thinks you're trying to pass
and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Txt\batchtest\dataout.bat
as parameters to the
"C:\Documents"
program.
You need to quote it to run a batch file with spaces in the path:
> "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Txt\batchtest\dataout.bat"
would have worked.
#echo off
Setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
Set 1=%1
Set 1=!1:"=!
Echo !1!
Echo "!1!"
Set 1=
Demonstrates with or without quotes reguardless of whether original parameter has quotes or not.
And if you want to test the existence of a parameter which may or may not be in quotes, put this line before the echos above:
If '%1'=='' goto yoursub
But if checking for existence of a file that may or may not have quotes then it's:
If EXIST "!1!" goto othersub
Note the use of single quotes and double quotes are different.
Azure devops sometimes uses double quoting character (") to specify string. Powershell can use single quote character (') to specify string. Naturally I wanted to have a flexibility to be able to specify parameters however I wish, so same parameter can be used from both - command line - via batch file, and as a powershell script, as any parameter, including empty value.
Quote natural thinking is to write something like this:
build.bat:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set args=%*
set args=%args:"='%
echo powershell -executionpolicy bypass "%~dpn0.ps1" %args%
endlocal
But like you can guess - this does not work out of box - if no arguments are provided to batch file so %* == empty string. args expands as no string, and next replacement notices that args is not set - and instead of replacing string - it would append extra "=' garbage to args parameter.
Solution to this was just to add extra space in first assignment.
build.bat:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set args=%*
set args=%args:"='%
echo powershell -executionpolicy bypass "%~dpn0.ps1" %args%
endlocal
After this character translation should be correct:
C:\test>build
powershell -executionpolicy bypass "C:\test.ps1"
C:\test>build aa
powershell -executionpolicy bypass "C:\test\build.ps1" aa
C:\test>build "aa"
powershell -executionpolicy bypass "C:\test\build.ps1" 'aa'
C:\test>build 'aa'
powershell -executionpolicy bypass "C:\test\build.ps1" 'aa'