Replace Special Characters In Batch-File Variable Feeding ffmpeg program - batch-file

Question

I am attempting to write a batch-file that leverages ffmpeg.exe to convert all files in a folder structure to mp3 format (specifically 128 KBps).
My batch-file is presently unable to process filenames (constructed by concatenating the %_SOURCE% and %%~F variables) containing certain special characters generating the following errors:
No such file or directory
… ellipsis sign
– en dash
— em dash
− minus sign
Invalid argument
‘ and ’ curved single quotation marks
“ and ” curved double quotation marks
Invalid argument (yet sometimes passes depending on where symbol is in the filename, for example, seems to work if placed between the n and t of Dont in C:\Users\Test\Documents\Input\Peter Bjorn And John - I Know You Dont Love Me.mp3)
- hyphen
! exclamation mark
~ tilde
' non-curved single quotation mark
= equals sign
+ plus sign
% percentage sign
( open bracket
How can I modify my batch-file script so that the %%~F variable escapes these characters correctly?
Example current filename input: C:\Users\Test\Documents\Input\Peter Bjorn And John - I Know You Don't Love Me.mp3
Example desired filename input: C:\Users\Test\Documents\Input\Peter Bjorn And John - I Know You Don"^'"t Love Me.mp3
Script (see line beginning C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe):
#echo off
setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
rem // Define constants here:
set "_SOURCE=C:\Users\Test\Documents\Input" & rem // (absolute source path)
set "_TARGET=C:\Users\Test\Documents\Output" & rem // (absolute target path)
set "_PATTERN=*.*" & rem // (pure file pattern for input files)
set "_FILEEXT=.mp3" & rem // (pure file extension of output files)
pushd "%_TARGET%" || exit /B 1
for /F "delims=" %%F in ('
cd /D "%_SOURCE%" ^&^& ^(rem/ list but do not copy: ^
^& xcopy /L /S /Y /I ".\%_PATTERN%" "%_TARGET%" ^
^| find ".\" ^& rem/ remove summary line;
^)
') do (
2> nul mkdir "%%~dpF."
rem // Set up the correct `ffmpeg` command line here:
set "FFREPORT=file=C\:\\Users\\Test\\Documents\\Output\\ffreport-%%~F.log:level=32"
"C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe" -report -n -i "%_SOURCE%\%%~F" -vn -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 128k "%%~dpnF%_FILEEXT%"
if not errorlevel 1 if exist "%%~dpnF%_FILEEXT%" del /f /q "%_SOURCE%\%%~F"
)
popd
endlocal
pause

Answer 1

#echo off
setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
rem // Define constants:
set "_SOURCE=C:\Users\Test\Documents\Input" & rem // (absolute source path)
set "_TARGET=C:\Users\Test\Documents\Output" & rem // (absolute target path)
set "_PATTERN=*.*" & rem // (pure file pattern for input files)
set "_FILEEXT=.mp3" & rem // (pure file extension of output files)
pushd "%_TARGET%" || exit /B 1
for /r "%_SOURCE%" %%F in ("%_PATTERN%") do (
set "_fullpath=%%~F"
set "_filename=%%~nF"
call :ffmpeg
)
popd
endlocal
pause
exit /b
:ffmpeg
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
rem // Get target path and log path:
for %%A in ("!_fullpath:%_SOURCE%=.!") do (
set "_logpath=%%~dpAffreport-!_filename!.log"
set "_targetpath=%%~dpA"
)
for %%A in (_logpath _targetpath) do if not defined %%A (
echo ERROR: %%A not defined.
exit /b 1
)
rem // Escape logpath:
set "_logpath=!_logpath:\=\\!"
set "_logpath=!_logpath::=\:!"
set "_logpath=!_logpath:'=\'!"
set "_logpath=!_logpath:%%=%%%%!"
rem // Set FFREPORT:
set "FFREPORT=file=!_logpath!:level=32"
rem // Make dir for the target file:
if not exist "!_targetpath!" md "!_targetpath!"
rem // Run ffmpeg command:
"C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe" -hide_banner -report -n -i "!_fullpath!" -vn -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 128k "!_targetpath!\!_filename!%_FILEEXT%"
if not errorlevel 1 if exist "!_targetpath!\!_filename!%_FILEEXT%" del /f /q "!_fullpath!"
exit /b 0
Use of for /f with a command tends to alter filenames if
contains Extended ASCII such as the ellipsis.
Using a for /r to iterate the files gives better results
and have adjusted the code to handle the change.
Added the label :ffmpeg to make it easier for working with
the delayed expansion variables etc.
Added _logpath variable to store the log filepath with any
backslash, colon or single quote to be escaped with a backslash.
Percent signs are escaped by doubling up.
Added _targetpath variable to store the path to where ffmpeg
is to output the file. Used by md command to make a directory
structure like that of the input.
This may not solve all issues. Tried to do without delayed
expansion though always had some failures depending on special
characters i.e. %.