Variables in loops Dont Work, Batch - variables

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.

Related

batch script for file system: use of for-loop variable in another nested for-loop

the last 4-5 hours I spent trying to get my script fixed, and tried several things, but it still doesn't work as supposed. Here is the working part:
#echo off
rem automatically sort MP3s into an existing structure or add folders if needed
rem example of MP3-file pattern: Wu-Tang Clan - Gravel Pit (LP Version Clean).mp3
SETLOCAL
rem set variables
SET "source=g:\music\folder"
SET "str=Wu-Tang Clan - Gravel Pit (LP Version Clean).mp3"
SET "test=%source%\%str%"
rem split the filename from the remaining path. Take the left part
rem and assign it to %band% while the right part gets assigned to %song%
FOR /f "delims=" %%i IN ("%test%") DO SET "result=%%~nxi"
SET "band=%result: - =" & SET "song=%"
rem If there is no such folder (%band%), create it
IF not exist "%source%\%band%" MD "%source%\%band%"
rem As soon as there definetely is a fitting folder
rem move the file over there.
MOVE /-Y "%source%\%result%" "%source%\%band%"
The next step would be to enhance the code by a for-loop so I don't have to edit the script for every single one of my 3k+ files ;)
I tried really hard to get this code going, but failed:
#echo off
SETLOCAL
SET "source=g:\music\folder"
FOR %%f IN (%source%\*.mp3) DO (
echo %%f
FOR /f "delims=" %%i IN ("%%f") DO SET "result=%%~nxi"
SET "band=!result: - =" & SET "song=%"
IF not exist "%source%\%band%" MD "%source%\%band%"
MOVE /-Y "%source%\%result%" "%source%\%band%"
)
pause
So I added a for-loop and %%f was correctly filled at first and wasn't in the next for-loop.
FOR %%f IN (%source%\*.mp3) DO (
echo %%f
That resulted in: "g:\music\folder\Wu-Tang Clan - Gravel Pit (LP Version Clean).mp3"
Like it was supposed to. But after that
FOR /f "delims=" %%i IN ("%%f") DO SET "result=%%~nxi"
result and every following variable was empty, always.
I tried to fix it with a second variable as a 'helper':
FOR %%f IN (%source%\*.mp3) DO (
SET "helper=%%f"
FOR /f "delims=" %%i IN ("%helper%") DO SET "result=%%~nxi"
Even added 'enabledelayedexpansion' after I read about that and went for
FOR /f "delims=" %%i IN ("!helper!") DO SET "result=%%~nxi"
still doesn't work.
Now I could really need some help and would really appreciate it :)
regards Phoenix
Next code snippet could work. Note that the SET "band=%result: - =" & SET "song=%" trick can't be performed using ! delayed expansion unlike %-expansion. Therefore, that command is moved to the :myset subroutine and executed via call command.
#echo off
SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
SET "source=g:\music\folder"
FOR %%f IN (%source%\*.mp3) DO (
echo %%f
FOR /f "delims=" %%i IN ("%%f") DO SET "result=%%~nxi"
call :myset
IF not exist "%source%\!band!" MD "%source%\!band!"
MOVE /-Y "%source%\!result!" "%source%\!band!"
)
goto :skipMyset
:myset
SET "band=%result: - =" & SET "song=%"
goto :eof
:skipMyset
pause
Resources (required reading):
(command reference) An A-Z Index of the Windows CMD command line
(additional particularities) Windows CMD Shell Command Line Syntax
(special page) EnableDelayedExpansion

Batch: variable definition useable in count loop

In my batch I want to copy a variable amount of source- to target destinations.
I want to define like this:
#setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set source1="C:\folder1"
set target1="f:\folder1"
set source2="C:\folder2"
set target2="f:\folder2"
...
set sourcen="C:\foldern"
set targetn="f:\foldern"
Dependently from a defined amount of folders
set numFolder=5
I want to go through the folders in a loop:
set /a COUNT=0
:LOOP
echo %COUNT%
set /a COUNT+=1
rem write the NAME of the parameter variable (source1,source2 etc.) in nameor
set "nameor=source%COUNT%"
rem write the VALUE of the parameter variable (source1,source2 etc.) into origin ("C:\folder1", "C:\folder2")
set "origin=%nameor%"
echo %origin%
if %COUNT% lss %numFolder% goto LOOP
When I show
echo %nameor%
I get what I expectet: source1, source2 etc.
but
echo %%%origin%%%
only provides
source1
instead of the expected value
"C:\folder1"
I thought, that I could resolve this by using DelayedExpansion but what did I miss?
To avoid confusion for me, I change the "origin" to "source". E.g. set "origin=%nameor%" changed to set "source=%nameor%".
To print out "C:\folder1" to "C:\foldern", you should use echo !%source%!, else you will just see "source1" to "sourcen".
Your problem is just about array element management. Try this:
#echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
rem Define the two arrays
set i=0
for %%a in ("C:\folder1=f:\folder1"
"C:\folder2=f:\folder2"
"C:\foldern=f:\foldern") do (
set /A i+=1
for /F "tokens=1,2 delims==" %%b in (%%a) do (
set source!i!="%%a"
set target!i!="%%b"
)
)
rem Show up to numFolder elements of both arrays
set numFolder=5
for /L %%i in (1,1,%numFolder%) do (
echo %%i- Source%%i=!source%%i!, Target%%i=!target%%i!
)
The first part is equivalent to your series of individual element assignments. In this way is easier to add new pairs of values.
For further description on array management in Batch files, see: Arrays, linked lists and other data structures in cmd.exe (batch) script

Batch increment part of variable name

How can I increment part of a variable name?
EG. i want to increment
filename holds something like mmddyyyy-prev01-Database.mdb
and I'm trying to rename it to mmddyyyy-prev02-Database.mdb
With the code
Setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set /a nextFileName=!fileName:~0,13!!fileName:~13!+1
and I get the error
Missing operator.
I am using this to make a batch sub that will recursively rename the prevXX items so that the newest one is always prev01. I'm also doing regular setlocal in my method to keep the variables from getting mixed up between the deeper calls
I'm going the hard way:
#ECHO OFF &SETLOCAL disableDelayedExpansion
FOR /f "delims=" %%x IN ('DIR /b /a-d /o-n *-prev*-Database.mdb') DO (
FOR /f "tokens=1-3*delims=v-" %%a IN ("%%~x") DO (
FOR /f "tokens=*delims=0" %%e IN ("0%%c") DO (
FOR /f %%f IN ('SET /a %%e+1') DO (
IF %%f LEQ 9 (
ECHO REN "%%~x" "%%~a-%%~bv0%%~f-%%~d"
) ELSE (
ECHO REN "%%~x" "%%~a-%%~bv%%~f-%%~d"
)
)
)
)
)
Just remove the ECHOs to make it working.
SET /A won't allow you do this.
You'll have to break up into two lines, like this:
SET BaseFileName=!FileName:~0,13!
SET /A Counter=!FileName:~13!+1
Then, put the pieces back together:
SET NextFileName=%BaseFileName%%Counter%-Database.mdb
NOTE: This will not handle your leading 0...you'll have to write more code for that.
...
set filename=mmddyyyy-prev01-Database.mdb
call :nextname
ren %filename% %newname%
...
:nextname
set /a newname=1%filename:~13,2%+1
set newname=%filename:~0,13%%newname:~-2%%filename:~15%
goto :eof
Whether you'd use ren %filename% %newname% or ren !filename! !newname! is a matter of context. You've posted insufficient code to be certain. If, as I suspect, you are executing the ren in a loop, then you would need the !var! form and delayedexpansion (with which you appear familiar.) Within the subroutine :nextname, the %var% form should be used.
but remember that you need to rename your existing files in reverse-alphabetical order, so
mmddyyyy-prev03-Database.mdb becomes mmddyyyy-prev04-Database.mdb
mmddyyyy-prev02-Database.mdb becomes mmddyyyy-prev03-Database.mdb
mmddyyyy-prev01-Database.mdb becomes mmddyyyy-prev02-Database.mdb

Removing spaces from a variable in batch

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

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'