I have a batchscript mybatch in which I try to store the first user argument in a variable called FILE
set FILE = %1
if defined FILE (
echo defined
echo do something with %1
) else (
echo not defined %1
)
If I execute my batch via mybatch test1 I get always not defined test1. Why is variable FILE not defined?
You have unwanted spaces in your variable assignment, so you have defined a variable with a space in the name that always has a value beginning with a space. Your IF statement is checking if a variable without a space exists.
See Declaring and using a variable in Windows batch file (.BAT)
I recommend your first line should be:
set "FILE=%~1"
You can try like this :
#echo off
set "FILE=%~1"
if Exist "%FILE%" (
echo.
echo "%FILE%" Exist
echo do something with "%FILE%"
) else (
echo "%FILE%" is not defined
)
Pause
Related
I'm trying to set a variable every time + 1 with a batch file. So when the batch file opens it calls the file with the var and then redefines it plus 1. But when i open the file and then open count.bat i see this(in count.bat): set backupcount= instead of
set backupcount=1 which it should be (1 can also be 2, 3, 4, 5, enz).
This is the code i'm using:
#echo off
if exist "backup-tool\count.bat" call "backup-tool\count.bat"
if not exist "backup-tool\count.bat" echo set backupcount=0 > "backup-tool\count.bat"
call "backup-tool\count.bat"
if "%backupcount%"=="8" (
echo set backupcount=1 > "backup-tool\count.bat"
) else (
set /a "backupcount=backupcount+=1"
echo set backupcount=%backupcount% > "backup-tool\count.bat"
)
pause >nul
Anyone that knows what i'm doing wrong and tell me how i should do it?
All help is very much appreciated!
This one needs to use setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION, because you work in a block of code where you manipulate that variable and you want to use it right there(not the variable that is out of the block). This should work:
#echo off
setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
if exist "backup-tool\count.bat" call "backup-tool\count.bat"
if not exist "backup-tool\count.bat" echo set backupcount=0 > "backup-tool\count.bat"
call "backup-tool\count.bat"
if "!backupcount!"=="8" (
echo set backupcount=1 > "backup-tool\count.bat"
) else (
set /a "backupcount=backupcount+=1"
echo set backupcount=!backupcount! > "backup-tool\count.bat"
)
pause >nul
Your original problem is related to Delayed Expansion as other answer said; however, your code is also unnecessarily complex. This is the way I would do it:
#echo off
if exist "backup-tool\count.bat" call "backup-tool\count.bat"
set /A "backupcount=backupcount%%8+1"
echo set "backupcount=%backupcount%" > "backup-tool\count.bat"
The set /A command takes as zero the value of any non-existent variable, so it is not necessary to initialize it with zero when the data file not exists.
If you want a repeating count from 1 to 8 and then reset the counter to 1, you may use the % Modulus operator in a simpler way that don't require an if. Type set /? for further details on %% operator, or see this Wikipedia article.
EDIT: Additional explanations added
The first time the program run the backupcount variable does not exist, so the set /A "backupcount=backupcount%%8+1" expression generate a 1 that is stored in the file. You may also add a set backupcount=0 command before the if just to avoid problems with previous executions of the same Batch file (or add a setlocal command at beginning).
The next time this variable is initialized with 1, so set /A "backupcount=backupcount%%8+1" expression produce a 2. The same happen with next numbers up to 8.
When the variable is initialized with 8 the expression backupcount%%8, that is the remainder when the variable is divided by 8, is zero; so the whole expression produce a 1 again.
I am trying to store a concatenated set of variables into a newly SET variable. When I add a variable into another variable it doesn't seem to actually get set correctly. I'm curious if BATCH can store variables within variables, or if I have to do formatting beyond what I currently have:
Example: The 'oldDirectory' variable should display the same thing as "%progdata%\%datetime%"
#echo off
For /f "tokens=2-4 delims=/ " %%a in ("%DATE%") do (
SET YYYY=%%c
SET MM=%%a
SET DD=%%b
)
For /f "tokens=1-3 delims=/:." %%a in ("%TIME%") do (
SET HH24=%%a
SET MI=%%b
SET SS=%%c
)
SET datetime=%YYYY%%MM%%DD%_%HH24%%MI%%SS%
SET progdata=C:\ProgramData
#echo on
IF EXIST "%progdata%" (
echo Found %progdata%
SET oldDirectory="%progdata%\%datetime%"
echo %oldDirectory%
)
pause
try with :
CALL SET oldDirectory="%progdata%\%datetime%"
CALL ECHO %oldDirectory%
First method:
IF EXIST "%progdata%" (
echo Found %progdata%
SET oldDirectory="%%progdata%%\%%datetime%%"
call echo %oldDirectory%
)
Second method:
IF EXIST "%progdata%" (
echo Found %progdata%
SET oldDirectory="!progdata!\!datetime!"
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
echo %oldDirectory%
)
An interesting point is that echo %oldDirectory% command display the current value of progdata and datetime variables with the same value of oldDirectory!
EDIT: Example added
#echo off
set progdata=C:\ProgramData
echo First method:
SET oldDirectory="%%progdata%%\%%date:/=%%_%%time::=%%"
call echo %oldDirectory%
echo Second method:
SET oldDirectory="!progdata!\!date:/=!_!time::=!"
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
echo %oldDirectory%
Output:
First method:
"C:\ProgramData\14082013_211303.20"
Second method:
"C:\ProgramData\14082013_211303.21"
You have a standard DELAYED EXPANSION problem, discussed endlessly on SO.
When batch encounters a "Block statement" - that is typically a parenthesised statement spread over many lines such as your IF EXIST then the entire statement is parsed through to the closing parenthesis AND at this time, ANY %var% is replaced by the value of that variable as it stands WHEN THE STATEMENT IS PARSED
Consequently, your ECHO %olddirectory% is replaced by ECHO since olddirectory has no value AT PARSE TIME and executing ECHO will report ECHO is On/Off progdata on the other hand IS set at parse-time and hence echo Found %progdata% is replaced by echo Found C:\ProgramData
The very simplest cure is to move the ECHO statement outside of the block
IF EXIST "%progdata%" (
echo Found %progdata%
SET oldDirectory="%progdata%\%datetime%"
)
echo Olddirectory=%oldDirectory%
(I added the olddirectory= so that the echo statement finds something to echo if olddirectory is not set)
The second easiest way to display the value is
IF EXIST "%progdata%" (
echo Found %progdata%
SET oldDirectory="%progdata%\%datetime%"
CALL echo %%oldDirectory%%
)
Here, the ECHO command is not expanded in the context of the IF, but in the context of the CALL which acquires its environment from the run-time value of the IF context.
The third easiest way to display the value is by using the delayedexpansion option of a setlocal command. An NT batch command traditionally starts
#echo off
setlocal
which suppresses echoing and establishes a local environment. Any changes to the local environment are backed out when an endlocal or end-of-file is reached in the setlocal's context. If this mantra is consistently followed, we don't get the situation where a variable is established by one batch and the environment is 'dirty' for the next. Consider running your original twice within the same cmd session. progdata, and all of the other variables you are establishing would remain set for the second coming - and hence olddirectory may be set by your first invocation, and retain that stale data if for some reason it's not EXPLICITLY set in the second. setlocal backs all those changes out for you.
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion adds an extra facility to the mix. Whereas %var% is resolved to the PARSE-TIME value of var, if delayedexpansion has been invoked then !var! is resolved to the RUN-TIME value - as it changes in a FOR loop...
Hence, adding
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
at a strategic point (after the #echo off until you're off your training wheels...) would allow you to make a simple change to the display of olddirectory
IF EXIST "%progdata%" (
echo Found %progdata%
SET oldDirectory="%progdata%\%datetime%"
echo !oldDirectory!
)
I am writing a file to remove spaces from filenames in a folder and then put the result in a .txt file. I just get a result of "Echo is on." over and over.
This is what I have so far:
#echo ON
SET LOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
For %%# in (*.*) do (
SET var=%%~n#
Set MyVar=%var%
set MyVar=%MyVar: =%
echo %MyVar%>>text.txt
)
Can someone tell me whats wrong?
Removing all spaces (not just leading and trailing) can be done without using setlocal enabledelayedexpansionwith the following line:
set var=%var: =%
This works by replacing all spaces in the string with the empty string.
Source: DOS - String Manipulation
The reason why you are getting ECHO is on. is because delayed expansion was not used, which caused the value of %var% and %MyVar% to be inserted before the for command is run, and since they were not defined at the start, empty variables were inserted in. When the echo %MyVar%>>text.txt was run, it was interpreted as echo >>text.txt. When echo is run without any arguments, it outputs whether echo is on or off, which is what you get in text.txt.
To fix the problem, you have to do two things:
First, there is something wrong with your second line. There is no space between set and local in setlocal. The second line should be SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion.
Second, to use delayed expansion, you have to replace all %s in each variable with !, like !var! instead of %var%.
End result:
#echo ON
SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
For %%# in (*.*) do (
SET var=%%~n#
Set MyVar=!var!
set MyVar=!MyVar: =!
echo !MyVar!>>text.txt
)
You actually do not need to use a temporary variable in this case, you can just do SET MyVar=%%~n# and skip to set MyVar=!MyVar: =!.
The wrong thing is you've enabled the variable expansion (you wroted it bad...) and also you are not using it, when you use enabledelayedexpansion you need to write the variable names as this: !Variable! instead of this else: %Variable%
But you don't need to use it with this code:
#echo ON
For %%# in (*) do (
SET "var=%%~n#"
Call Set "MyVar=%%var: =%%"
Call echo %%MyVar%%>>text.txt
)
Run the following batch in the folder holding the files to be renamed
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
for %%j in (*.*) do (
set filename=%%~nj
set filename=!filename=.=_!
set filename=!filename= =_!
if not "!filename!"=="%%~nj" ren "%%j" "!filename!%%~xj"
)
you just need to add the print to txt
The set var=%var: =% did not work for me.
So I tried with success for a number the following code:
set /a var-=1 & set /a var+=1
In my Windows batch file I have a various amount of variables. Lets say I have the following variables:
set varTest1=test1
set varTest2=test2
set otherVar=variable500
set varS=string
set yetAnotherVar=foo
They do really make no sense buts thats not the point. I am looking for a method that prints out all values of variables that start with var:
So when I run my batch with a certain help parameter it should print out all three variables starting with var and its value.
The output could look like this:
These are the available variables:
varTest1 : test1
varTest2 : test2
varS : string
I created the following for reading the parameter:
IF "%1" == "" (
echo No help parameter was set. Program will exit. ) ELSE (
IF "%1" == "help" (
call :showAllAvailableVars ) ELSE (
echo Do something else))
Now I would have my method
:showAllAvailableVars
I think the solution could be something with the findstr method but I could not figure it out how to do that because findstr is mainly for files and not for searching through own program variables.
Create array instead of different variables. Like,
set var[0]=test1
set var[1]=test2
set var[2]=string
then in your 'showAllAvailableVars' function do this
for /L %%i in (1,1,%n%) do echo !var[%%i]!
You could use set var to print all variables which begins with var.
See also set /?
I have written a batch file that is launched as a post processing utility by a program. The batch file reads ~24 parameters supplied by the calling program, stores them into variables, and then writes them to various text files.
Since the max input variable in CMD is %9, it's necessary to use the 'shift' command to repeatedly read and store these individually to named variables. Because the program outputs several similar batch files, the result is opening several CMD windows sequentially, assigning variables and writing data files. This ties up the calling program for too long.
It occurs to me that I could free up the calling program much faster if maybe there's a way to write a very simple batch file that can write all the command parameters to a text file, where I can process them later. Basically, just grab the parameter list, write it and done.
Q: Is there some way to treat an entire series of parameter data as one big text string and write it to one big variable... and then echo the whole big thing to one text file? Then later read the string into %n variables when there's no program waiting to resume?
Parameter list is something like 25 - 30 words, less than 200 characters.
Sample parameter list:
"First Name" "Lastname" "123 Steet Name Way" "Cityname" ST 12345 1004968 06/01/2010 "Firstname+Lastname" 101738 "On Account" 20.67 xy-1z 1 8.95 3.00 1.39 0 0 239 8.95
Items in quotes are processed as string variables. List is space delimited.
Any suggestions?
echo %* 1>args.txt
%* references all arguments: %1 %2 %3...
It also works with subroutines.
call :test 1 2 3
goto :eof
:test
echo 1: %1
echo 2: %2
echo 3: %3
echo *: %*
exit /b
output:
1: 1
2: 2
3: 3
*: 1 2 3
See the following website for more information:
http://ss64.com/nt/syntax-args.html
Interesting Post. It sparked my interest.
I too am needing something that could accept parameters and although this probably isn't useful to you now I thought it might be useful at some later date.
My solution is less simple - because there just isn't an elegant way to do it.
Basically, in this example the "-" can be used to identify a parameter, and the next space is assumed to be set to a value.
Legal Stuff:
So this is all my code and I don't really care how or where you choose to use it. No need to cite me it's just an example anyway.
Like this:
Microsoft Batch:Begin Copy below and save as filename.bat
#ECHO OFF
REM USAGE: this-batch-name.bat -BUILD "1.2.3 build 405" -JOB "Running This Job" -run RUN_FUNCTION
SET __CURRENT_WORKING_DIRECTORY__=%~dp1
ECHO.__CURRENT_WORKING_DIRECTORY__=%__CURRENT_WORKING_DIRECTORY__%
REM # Clear Previous Variables
SET PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER=
SET PACKAGING_JOB_NAME=
SET GO_DEEPER=
SET RUN_COMMAND=
REM ## In order to read variables set while in a "FOR" loop
REM ## you have to set the 'ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION' with 'SETLOCAL'.
SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
REM ## Capture Command line parameters here with a %*
FOR %%A IN (%*) DO (
REM ## If we found something with a '-' in previous pass run GO_DEEPER will be defined and thus set to the command line argument.
IF DEFINED GO_DEEPER (
REM ## When ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION is Set with setlocal command you have to use exclamation: i.e. '^!'
IF /I "-BUILD"=="!GO_DEEPER!" SET PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER=%%A
IF /I "-JOB"=="!GO_DEEPER!" SET PACKAGING_JOB_NAME=%%A
IF /I "-RUN"=="!GO_DEEPER!" SET RUN_COMMAND=%%A
SET SET GO_DEEPER=
)
IF /I "%%A" GEQ "-" (
REM ## Wow we found your command line argument that started with a '-' so set the GO_DEEPER Var
SET GO_DEEPER=%%A
) ELSE (
SET SET GO_DEEPER=
)
)
REM ## Time to grab the variables set while in delayed expansion mode
ENDLOCAL && SET PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER=%PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER% && SET PACKAGING_JOB_NAME=%PACKAGING_JOB_NAME% && SET RUN_COMMAND=%RUN_COMMAND%
REM ## Sucks, but you have to clear the '"' and "'" if it exists.
IF DEFINED RUN_COMMAND (
SET RUN_COMMAND=%RUN_COMMAND:"=%
SET RUN_COMMAND=%RUN_COMMAND:'=%
)
IF DEFINED PACKAGING_JOB_NAME (
SET PACKAGING_JOB_NAME=%PACKAGING_JOB_NAME:"=%
SET PACKAGING_JOB_NAME=%PACKAGING_JOB_NAME:'=%
)
IF DEFINED PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER (
SET PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER=%PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER:"=%
SET PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER=%PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER:'=%
)
REM ## Now we can try to run the command function if the -run was used...
IF DEFINED RUN_COMMAND (
CALL:--%RUN_COMMAND% "'%PACKAGING_JOB_NAME%'","'%PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER%'"
) ELSE (
ECHO Try running:
ECHO %0 -BUILD "1.2.3 build 405" -JOB "Running This Job" -run RUN_FUNCTION
)
GOTO DONE
:--RUN_FUNCTION
ECHO running... %~0
SET VARPASSED1=%~1
SET VARPASSED2=%~2
IF DEFINED VARPASSED1 ECHO VARPASSED1 was %VARPASSED1%
IF DEFINED VARPASSED2 ECHO VARPASSED2 was %VARPASSED2%
ECHO Add your code to process here...
GOTO:EOF
:DONE
ECHO We got the following results...
IF DEFINED PACKAGING_JOB_NAME ECHO PACKAGING_JOB_NAME=%PACKAGING_JOB_NAME%
IF DEFINED PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER ECHO PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER=%PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER%
IF DEFINED RUN_COMMAND ECHO RUN_COMMAND=%RUN_COMMAND%
</pre> </code>
Microsoft Batch END Copy
RESULTS:
__CURRENT_WORKING_DIRECTORY__=C:\dev\a\win\sysprep\
running... :--RUN_FUNCTION
VARPASSED1 was "'Running...'"
VARPASSED2 was "'This...'"
We got the following results...
PACKAGING_JOB_NAME="Running This Job"
PACKAGING_BUILD_NUMBER="1.2.3 build 405"
RUN_COMMAND=RUN_FUNCTION