Batch: How to prevent looping code when holding enter - loops

So iv'e made a little something here where there will be a list of numbers like 1-10 and whichever one you type (so far only 1) will show you information (so if i type and enter 1, it will go key1=key).
However, if I type 1 and click enter, it shows me that the Key1 = key which i intended but then if I hold down Enter key, it will keep looping the Key1=Key script and the homepage one, can this be stopped?
#echo off
:T
cls
echo Home Page
echo [1] NameA
echo.
echo [e] Exit
set /p word=
if "%word%"=="1" goto aaa
if "%word%"=="e" goto eee
goto T
:aaa
cls
echo Key1 = Key
pause
goto T
:eee
exit

set /p keeps the last value, if you just press enter. You should set the variable to empty (or a default value, if you prefer):
#echo off
:loop
REM set "word=" ; for "empty"
set "word=string"
set /p "word=Enter your choice (or just ENTER for '%word%': "
echo you choosed %word%
goto :loop
May I bring your attention to the choice command, which may (or may not) be a better choice.

#echo off
setlocal
:T
cls
echo Home Page
echo [1] NameA
echo.
echo [e] Exit
rem Undefine variable word before input.
set "word="
set /p "word="
rem No input = word is not set a new value, thus not defined.
if not defined word goto eee
if "%word%"=="1" goto aaa
if "%word%"=="e" goto eee
goto T
:aaa
cls
echo Key1 = Key
pause
goto T
:eee
exit
If you only press Enter at the set /p prompt, variable word is not set (a new value).
If word is undefined before the set /p input, then it will be undefined after,
if you only press Enter.
setlocal added to keep variables set local to the current script
execution.

Related

Batch counter program shutting down

So I am making a counter and I am not sure how to make it work.. I have this right now with some other functions for customization purposes:
set /a current_value=current_value+incremental_value
but it does not work unfortunately..
The whole purpose is to use the pause >nul function so when ever the user presses a key then the screen will show a number go up by the incremental value chosen earlier..
This is the whole script:
#echo off
cls
title Counter
:Incremental_Value
cls
echo./----------------------------------------------\
echo.I Set the Incremental Value then press Enter I
echo.\----------------------------------------------/
echo.
set /p %incremental_value%= [
:Starter_Value
cls
set current_value=%starter_value%
echo./------------------------------------------\
echo.I Set the Starter Value then press Enter I
echo.\------------------------------------------/
echo.
set /p %starter_value%= [
goto Counter
:Counter
cls
echo./-------------------\
echo.I %current_value% I
echo.\-------------------/
echo.
pause >nul
set /a current_value=current_value+incremental_value
goto Counter
Edit: I fixed the shutting down problem, but when you first get to the Counter screen the number does not appear. Once you hit a key it becomes zero (if you set the starting value to zero) then it wont add the incremental value if you continue to press the key.
A very simple issue you had was the improper use of the set /p command. When using set /p, you do not specify the string as set /p %String%= but rather set /p String=. For more information on the set command try typing set /? into a command prompt.
Another issue, not problem is that you have :Incremental_Value & :Starter_Value but you never call or goto them in the script. The only place you properly did this was with goto Counter. Unless you are going to individually goto/call them later, just remove them; or use goto :Starter_Value - exc.
In the future, try using echo( instead of echo. to call a blank space in the window.
Counter.bat
#echo off
title Counter With Incremental Progression
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º Set the Starter Value then press Enter º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
echo(
set /p starter_value=Value:
cls
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º Set the Incremental Value then press Enter º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
echo(
set /p incremental_value=Value:
Set "current_value=%starter_value%"
:Counter
cls
echo Current Number: %current_value%
echo(
pause >nul
set /a "current_value=current_value+incremental_value"
goto Counter
PS: Switch the file encoding to ANSI for fun boxes - :-)

Batch file IF statement only using first character

Not quite sure what I'm doing wrong. For the most part, this works. If I were to type just 1, I would go to opt1.
The problem is, if I type "11", "1111", or even "1234567" it always goes to opt1. The only time it seems to not select opt1 is when the first number is something other than 1.
Likewise, entering 21 chooses option 2. The only way I've been able to get this to work as intended, which is only entering 1, 2, or 3 selects the respective options, is to omit the IF NOT statement.
Could someone kindly point me in the right direction?
#ECHO OFF
CLS
:MAIN_MENU
ECHO Welcome Menu
ECHO.
ECHO 1 - Option 1
ECHO 2 - Option 2
ECHO 3 - Option 3
ECHO.
SET ans=
SET /P ans="Select your option and then press ENTER: "
IF NOT "%ans%" == "" SET ans=%ans:~0,1%
IF "%ans%" == "1" GOTO opt1
IF "%ans%" == "2" GOTO opt2
IF "%ans%" == "3" GOTO opt3
ECHO "%ans%" is not a valid option, please try again!
ECHO.
PAUSE
CLS
GOTO MAIN_MENU
:opt1
ECHO This is option 1
PAUSE
CLS
GOTO MAIN_MENU
:opt2
ECHO This is option 2
PAUSE
CLS
GOTO MAIN_MENU
:opt3
ECHO This is option 3
PAUSE
CLS
GOTO MAIN_MENU
With the code you snipped I can't replicate the bug, however, I do remember to face that very same problem long time ago.
The answer is the quotes; just add it and you will avoid more complex code:
:input
cls
set ans=:
set /p ans=
if "%ans%" equ "1" (
goto opt1
) else (
goto input
)
:opt1
echo success!
EDIT: Regarding the first ans that was set, it is to clean the shell memory. Sometimes a variable could be stored in Windows memory, and even if you do not input anything to the set /p variable, and only press return, the batch will check for the variable and it will already have a value previously set in the memory. Example:
set /p option=
The user input "1". As a result, Windows will store option=1, or, %option% resulting in 1.
So, the even if you do not input anything, the next code will move forward as the answer is previously stored in the memory:
set /p option=
The user does NOT input anything, only press return. The code will move on:
if "%option%" equ "1" do (
echo %option% is equal to 1 because it was previously stored.
)
EDIT: Here is the code, with comments and explanations:
#echo off
:main_menu
cls
echo Welcome menu
echo.
echo 1 - option 1
echo 2 - option 2
echo 3 - option 3
echo.
rem Blank "ans" will clean the memory for a previous set value.
set ans=
rem You can either quote the whole variable with its option, ot not quote it at all.
rem However, its always better to quote it, as follows.
set /p "ans=select your option and then press enter:"
if "%ans%" == "1" goto opt1
if "%ans%" == "2" goto opt2
if "%ans%" == "3" goto opt3
rem The following line will force a loop to main menu if only return is pressed; blank options will not display message.
if "%ans%" == "" goto main_menu
rem In case that another option rather than 1, 2 or 3 are pressed, the loop will warn you, and then return to main menu.
echo "%ans%" is not a valid option, press any key to try again!
pause > nul
goto main_menu
:opt1
cls
echo this is option 1
pause
goto main_menu
:opt2
cls
echo this is option 2
pause
goto main_menu
:opt3
cls
echo this is option 3
pause
goto main_menu
Regarding the %ans:~0,1%, it is to limit the string to a certain position.
So, for example, %any_variable:~0,5% is saying "Start the string since character 0, and go ahead until character 5". You can try that out in the following example. Notice that all echo lines will type out the very same text:
#echo off
set example=Batch files are kinda cool
echo %example%
echo %example:~0,11% are kinda cool
echo Batch files %example:~12%
pause
As it turns out, there were remnants in the code that needed to be removed.
IF NOT "%ans%" == "" SET ans=%ans:~0,1%
IF "%ans%" == "1" GOTO opt1
I'm not entirely sure what that first line was setting however, removing it resolved the issue.
Thanks for all the help, much appreciated!

set /a in If statement condition unable to work

Below are my simple calculator batch i trying to do, however on the set /a unable to do the job. What is the problem and my mistake?
#echo off
Title Calculator
:start
echo Press 1 for "+"
echo Press 2 for Exit
echo.
set /p input="Please choose your option: "
if %input%==1 (
echo.
set /p num1="Please enter first number: "
set /p num2="Please enter second number: "
set /a ans=%num1%+%num2%
echo Your answer is %ans%
pause
cls
goto start
)
if %input%==2 (
echo.
echo Thanks!
pause
exit
) else echo Invalid input!
pause
goto start
When i first run the batch is will return me the Missing operand. When i continue again the error disappear without giving me the answer, when the third time i continue, it return me the answer of the number that i wanted to add up.
For example:
1. 10+10 result is Missing operand
2. 1+1 result is empty
3. 2+2 result is 20 (which is the 2 number i enter at first time)
Please help what my error is. Thanks.
Here is your batch code with using delayed expansion and indents as wisely suggested by rojo:
#echo off
title Calculator
setlocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
:Begin
echo Press 1 for "+"
echo Press 2 for Exit
echo/
set "input="
set /P "input=Please choose your option: "
if "!input!"=="1" (
echo/
set /P "num1=Please enter first number: "
set /P "num2=Please enter second number: "
set /A ans=num1+num2
echo Your answer is !ans!
pause
cls
goto Begin
)
if "!input!"=="2" (
echo/
echo Thanks^^!
echo/
pause
exit /B
)
echo Invalid input^^!
echo/
pause
echo/
goto Begin
Variable input is always cleared before user is asked because otherwise the user could just hit key RETURN or ENTER to keep current value of variable input.
Delayed expansion is used on checking user input against 1 or 2 in case of user enters a character which would result in a syntax error on execution with not using delayed expansion. Better would be nevertheless the usage of command choice for first user prompt.
For an expression evaluated on runtime by using set /A the environment variables can be specified directly without being expanded at all. So instead of using
set /A ans=%num1%+%num2%
or
set /A ans=!num1!+!num2!
it is enough to write
set /A ans=num1+num2
because with parameter /A command set interprets num1 and num2 automatically as names of variables.
Delayed expansion is nevertheless needed to print the result value stored in variable ans because command processor expands otherwise %ans% by nothing respectively the value of previous run on parsing the entire block starting with ( and ending with ). This can be seen on running your batch file from within a command prompt window with first line changed to #echo on for debugging.
For more details run in a command prompt window set /? or help set and read the output help pages.
start is the name of a command. Therefore it is not good to use this word as name of a label although possible.
By the way: Always use set "variable=value" and never set variable="value" as this makes a big difference, see the answers on
Why is no string output with 'echo %var%' after using 'set var = text' on command line?
How to set environment variables with spaces?

(Windows Batch File) IF statement inside FOR LOOP

I'm trying to write manual document validation part of my program. It's basically opening all the pdf documents one by one in the same folder. When its open i would like to echo few possibilities for user. Here starts the problem. I have around 180 possible choices. I was thinking to ask for the first letter of choice. Then it will echo all choices with started with X letter and user has to simply enter the number of this choice. So for example we have :
1. Asomething
2. Asomename
3. Asomenametoo
4. Bname
5. Bname 2
6. Bname 3
I want user to choose first letter and print possible choices. When the choice is made program should add some string to txt file with the same name in the same folder. Here i have a problem with IF statement inside FOR loop. I wanted to use goto but i can't do it inside FOR loop.
I can set up all the strings for each number before. For example : When you choose 1 it will add SomeString to txt. It's important to use choice option to avoid any typo's. Does anybody knows any other way to do this inside FOR loop ?
CODE:
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
FOR %%b IN (c:\test\*.txt) DO (
IF "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="0" ECHO Document will open now...
start Acrobat.exe %%b.pdf
ECHO 1. Sample 1
ECHO 2. Sample 2
set /p choice= Please enter number:
call :OPTION
ECHO !choice! >> %%b
PAUSE
taskkill /IM Acrobat.exe >> c:\test\log\temp.txt
)
PAUSE
GOTO MENU
:OPTION
IF !choice!==1 SET /A !choice!==MNV666
IF !choice!==2 SET /A !choice!==MNV777
GOTO:EOF
I'm having some trouble understanding the problem you're having, but it looks like all of the statements following the IF should all be conditions of the IF, not just the ECHO statement. For that, you can put the entire block in parentheses like this:
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
FOR %%b IN (c:\test\*.txt) DO (
IF "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="0" (
ECHO Document will open now...
start Acrobat.exe %%b.pdf
ECHO 1. Sample 1
ECHO 2. Sample 2
set /p choice= Please enter number:
call :OPTION
ECHO !choice! >> %%b
PAUSE
taskkill /IM Acrobat.exe >> c:\test\log\temp.txt
) else (
goto :EOF REM Just an example of else
)
)
PAUSE
GOTO MENU
:OPTION
IF !choice!==1 SET /A !choice!==MNV666
IF !choice!==2 SET /A !choice!==MNV777
GOTO:EOF
Were you having some problem using goto in the FOR loop?

Using If Statements in Batch Files

I have a script of batch (modeled after Joshua in "War Games")
#echo off
color 0b
echo Greetings, Professor Falken
set /p interface =
echo Would You Like to Play a Game?
set /p ifGame =
if /i "%ifGame%" =="yes" goto yesgame
if /i "%ifGame%" =="no" goto nogame
:yesgame
echo List of Games
echo chess
echo Poker
echo Fighter Combat
echo Guerilla Warfare
echo Desert Warfare
echo Air-to-Ground Actions
echo Theaterwide Tactical Warfare
echo Theaterwide Biotoxic and Chemical Warfare
echo Global Thermonuclear War
pause
echo Which game would you like to play?
set /p WhichGame =
pause
exit
:nogame
set /p areYouSure=Are You Sure?
pause
exit
But, when I enter "No" it still shows the list of games...
You need to remove the spaces between the variable name and the = symbol when using set /p. From:
set /p ifGame =
To:
set /p ifGame=
Otherwise the variable you set has a space at the end of the name. So %ifGame% expands to nothing, whereas %ifGame % will expand to the correct value.

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