Comments on: Using variables in Windows batch files

By: hswipf

hswipf — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:18:55 +0000

I’ve seen %%a or %%x used here or other sites that explain how to use variables in batch files – BUT NO ONE EXPLAINS THE %%A. When you copy and paste a command that should read all the lines from a file and echo or process each line I get a:

%%A was unexpected at this time.

By: Eduardo Oliveira

Eduardo Oliveira — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:55:24 +0000

I was needing a help to unset a variable, and i find it here!
And reading the comments learn how to read args in bat/cmd and how to make a loop in a really easy way!

Thanks for your post and commenters!

By: Andrew Basta

Andrew Basta — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:51:00 +0000

I don’t like Windows-style data output and using %date:~6,4%-%date:~3,2%-%date:~0,2% for backup, it gives YYYY-MM-DD format

By: sonoma

sonoma — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:55:00 +0000

I like the nested () after the do in the for loop. But seem to be having problems with nested for loops within it, as I want to take the first loop variable and add the second loop variable to it using the SET /A command…doesn’t seem to work. would be a great way to increment or decrement a number for file manipulation….
any ideas?

By: Potranquito

Potranquito — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:16:00 +0000

The next code does the job. I know it does the job using a different approach, but I guess the end result is the same as you wanted it.
Hope it helps…
Note: Because of the line “set /a count=%count%+1″ this script works well under cmd, but not under good old command.com.

SET count=0

:new_col
set /a count=%count%+1
if %count%==9 goto end
SET Colour=Colour%count%
goto get_col

:get_col
if “%Colour%”==”Colour1″ set Colour=BLACK
if “%Colour%”==”Colour2″ set Colour=BLUE
if “%Colour%”==”Colour3″ set Colour=GREEN
if “%Colour%”==”Colour4″ set Colour=CYAN
if “%Colour%”==”Colour5″ set Colour=RED
if “%Colour%”==”Colour6″ set Colour=PURPLE
if “%Colour%”==”Colour7″ set Colour=ORANGE
if “%Colour%”==”Colour8″ set Colour=GRAY
goto show_col

:show_col
ECHO Colour is %Colour%
goto new_col

:end

By: Jalal ud Din

Jalal ud Din — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:14:00 +0000

have you found the answer? I have the same problem

By: Me

Me — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:27:00 +0000

How about answering the question ‘using variables in batch files’ …
printing the variables doesn’t really amount to ‘use’

By: Phatsta

Phatsta — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:17:00 +0000

When you’ve learned this it’s easy to use it for backup purposes, like this one:

—————————————————————————–
md “C:testBackup %date%”
set bkpdir=”C:testBackup %date%”

xcopy C:temp %bkpdir% /E /C /Q /H /Y
—————————————————————————–

All you have to do is schedule this script to run each night or whenever you like, using windows scheduler. Works like a charm :)

By: OrangeBoxTutorials

OrangeBoxTutorials — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 20:28:00 +0000

Thanks, just needed this for my tutorial! :D

By: Helpme

Helpme — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:02:00 +0000

Hello,
In bat scripting how can i get the value of a variable within a variable.
Ex:
SET Colour1=RED
SET Colour2=BLUE
SET Colour3=GREEN
SET count=1
SET Colour=Colour%count%
ECHO Colour is %Colour%

Now Color shows Color1, as output…
How can i get Colour to show value of Color1 ie RED