I have a complex string I'm trying to parse. I have a short subroutine to fine the index of two specific characters, and I need the string in between. So the question is:
How do I use variables inside string manipulation of another variable?
Here's some sample code:
#ECHO off
set start=2
set end=5
set str=Hello World
echo %str:~2,5%
echo %str:~%start%,%end%%
How do I get the second echo to display what the first echo displays? (right now second echo is just showing what I want, it'll crash as is)
#ECHO off
set start=2
set end=5
set str=Hello World
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
echo %str:~2,5%
echo !str:~%start%,%end%!
endlocal
or (the worst way)
#ECHO off
set start=2
set end=5
set str=Hello World
echo %str:~2,5%
call echo %%str:~%start%,%end%%%
or (can be used if start and end definition and the substringing are all in brackets context)
#ECHO off
set start=2
set end=5
set str=Hello World
echo %str:~2,5%
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
for /f "tokens=1,2" %%a in ("%start% %end%") do echo !str:~%%a,%%b!
endlocal
or (also a bad way)
#ECHO off
set start=2
set end=5
set str=Hello World
call :substr "%str%" %start% %end%
goto :eof
:substr
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
set "_str=%~1"
echo !_str:~%2,%3!
rem without delayedExpansion
rem call echo %%_str:~%2,%3%%
endlocal
goto :eof
CALL echo %%str:~%start%,%end%%%
in place of your version. No need for enabledelayedexpansion
Related
#echo off
#chcp 65001
setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
set test=qwert
goto start
:IsStrInStrFunc
setlocal
call set check=%%1:%2=%
echo %check%
endlocal
exit /b
:start
call :IsStrInStrFunc %test%, q
pause
The "check" variable must contain "wert". What's wrong?.......
if you want to set %check% to be "wert"
set check=%%1:%2=%
should be
set check=%test:~1%
For more info check command help set in Command Prompt
Perhaps this example will assist you:
#Echo Off
SetLocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
For /F "Delims==" %%G In ('"(Set _cp) 2> NUL"') Do Set "%%G="
For /F Tokens^=* %%G In ('"%SystemRoot%\System32\chcp.com"'
) Do For %%H In (%%G) Do Set "_cp=%%~nH"
If Not %_cp% Equ 65001 (Set "_cpc=TRUE"
"%SystemRoot%\System32\chcp.com" 65001 >NUL)
Set "test=qwert"
GoTo Start
:IsStrInStrFunc
Set "check=%~1"
Echo Before: %check%
SetLocal EnabledelayedExpansion
Set "check=!check:%~2=!"
EndLocal & Echo After: %check%
Exit /B
:Start
Call :IsStrInStrFunc "%test%" "q"
Pause
If Defined _cpc "%SystemRoot%\System32\chcp.com" %_cp% >NUL
GoTo :EOF
To do substring substitution on a variable, you need the variablename, not its value (see set /?), so your parameter in the call can't be %test% (which would pass the string quert), but must be test.
And as you are using delayed expansion anyway, why not using it?
#echo off
#chcp 65001
setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
set "test=qwert"
goto start
:IsStrInStrFunc
setlocal
REM call set "check=%%%~1:%~2=%%"
set "check=!%~1:%~2=!"
echo %check%
endlocal
exit /b
:start
call :IsStrInStrFunc test q
PS: you don't need the ~ chars with your simple example, but they don't disturb either. Imagine you want to replace a string, you can simply do that with call :IsStrInStrFunc test "a string" (that's where the ~ are necessary. Good practice to include them anyway (just in case))
Executing batch file gives ECHO is off.
The batch file code is present below:
#echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
SET a = Hello
SET b = World
SET /A d = 50
SET c = %a% and %b% %d%
echo %c%
endlocal
pause
As MC ND wrote, you have to get rid of spaces before and behind the equality sign. It should be SET a=Hello and not SET a = Hello and so on. This code works as expected:
#echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
SET a=Hello
SET b=World
SET /A d=50
SET c=%a% and %b% %d%
echo %c%
endlocal
pause
Further, the lines setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion and endlocal are useless in your code as you never use the delayed expansion (e.g. !a! instead of %a%). Your code is still correct as there is doesn't need delayed expansion.
If you have further questions, please post them as such. Don't expand this post on other questions.
Here are your two, altered codes:
#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
SET "a=Hello"
SET "b=World"
SET/A "d=50"
SET "c=%a% and %b% %d%"
ECHO %c%
ENDLOCAL
PAUSE
Please check and try them, then read up on the individual commands to learn from your errors.
#ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
SET/P "pathToJava= **Provide your Response: "
IF /I "%pathToJava%"=="Y" ECHO found
ENDLOCAL
PAUSE
Below code was works fine. This will output shown "TF-IPHB160240_JATS".
#echo off
set file="D:\Backup\12-14-2016\tool\TF-IPHB160240_JATS.xml"
FOR %%i in ("%file%") do echo %%~ni
I want to set a variable to store the file name. below is what I have tried but it is not working.
#echo off
set file="D:\Backup\12-14-2016\tool\TF-IPHB160240_JATS.xml"
FOR %%i in ("%file%") do (
set view=%%~ni
echo %view%
pause
Although you have a parenthesis missing in your code, I think you are trying to echo the variable inside a for loop. For that you'll need to use delayed expansion.
However it's not necessary to echo it inside the loop
#Echo off
Set "file=D:\Backup\12-14-2016\tool\TF-IPHB160240_JATS.xml"
For %%i In ("%file%") Do Set "view=%%~ni"
Echo=%view%
Pause
Here it is using delayed expansion
#Echo off
Set "file=D:\Backup\12-14-2016\tool\TF-IPHB160240_JATS.xml"
For %%i In ("%file%") Do (Set "view=%%~ni"
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion
Echo=!view!
EndLocal)
Pause
I'm 90% of the way there on a Windows Batch file.
It takes 2 input parameters, input and output files.
It then reads in the input file, and substrings certain lines into arrays (Well line 2 onwards).
Then we come to a loop for outputting.
With delayed expansion on my counter for going through the array doesn't update unless I use !counter2!, %counter2% doesn't work.
Using !arrayname[!counter2!]! doesn't work.
Here is the code as it stands.
#Echo off
if [%1] == [] goto usage
if [%2] == [] goto usage
echo start time : %time%>logfile.log
set input_file=%1
set output_file=%2
if exist %output_file% del %output_file%
Echo Start reading %input_file%>> logfile.log
setLocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set /a counter=1
for /F "tokens=* delims=" %%a in ('type %input_file%') DO (
::echo !counter!
if "!counter!"=="1" set header=%%a
if not "!counter!"=="1" (
set data[!counter!]=%%a
set line=%%a
set jobnumber[!counter!]=!line:~0,7!
set docnumber[!counter!]=!line:~7,5!
set pagecount[!counter!]=!line:~12,2!
set customernumber[!counter!]=!line:~14,20!
set presort[!counter!]=0000
set postcode[!counter!]=0000
set inserts[!counter!]=!line:~36,11!
set filler[!counter!]=000000
set address[!counter!]=!line:~58,350!
set filler2[!counter!]=" "
set endline[!counter!]=X
)
set /a counter=counter+1
)
Echo Start writing %output_file%>> logfile.log
for /L %%G in (2,1,%counter%) DO (
set counter2=%%G
echo !counter2!
echo !jobnumber[%counter2%]!!docnumber[%counter2%]!!pagecount[%counter2%]!!customernumber[%counter2%]!!presort[%counter2%]!!postcode[%counter2%]!!inserts[%counter2%]!!filler[%counter2%]!!address[%counter2%]!!filler2[%counter2%]!!endline[%counter2%]!>>%output_file%
)
echo end time : %time%>>logfile.log
pause
goto :eof
:usage
echo Usage: blah.bat input_filename output_filename
pause
goto :eof
It is the echo !jobnumber[%counter2%]! where things are not being resolved.
The echo !counter2! works fine.
Before you ask, Yes I know this could be done better and easier in C# or another programming language, However I am tasked with doing it in a windows batch file.
Thanks in advance for any help provided.
Tel
Try with:
for /L %%G in (2,1,%counter%) DO (
set counter2=%%G
echo !counter2!
echo !jobnumber[%%G]!!docnumber[%%G]!!pagecount[%%G]!!customernumber[%%G]!!presort[%%G]!!postcode[%%G]!!inserts[%%G]!!filler[%%G]!!address[%%G]!!filler2[%%G]!!endline[%%G]!>>%output_file%
)
You are not changing the value of the coutner2 so you don't need it and you can directly use %%G.
Though if you need changes in counter2 you'll have to wrap it again in for loop and to use its tokens.
I made this code
dir /B /S %RepToRead% > %FileName%
for /F "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %FileName%') do (
set z=%%a
echo %z%
echo %%a
)
echo %%a is working fine but echo %z% returns "echo disabled".
I need to set a %z% because I want to split the variable like %z:~7%
Any ideas?
There are two methods to setting and using variables within for loops and parentheses scope.
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion see setlocal /? for help. This only works on XP/2000 or newer versions of Windows.
then use !variable! instead of %variable% inside the loop...
Create a batch function using batch goto labels :Label.
Example:
for /F "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %FileName%') do call :Foo %%a
goto End
:Foo
set z=%1
echo %z%
echo %1
goto :eof
:End
Batch functions are very useful mechanism.
You probably want SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION. See https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20060823-00/?p=29993 for details.
Basically: Normal %variables% are expanded right aftercmd.exe reads the command. In your case the "command" is the whole
for /F "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %FileName%') do (
set z=%%a
echo %z%
echo %%a
)
loop. At that point z has no value yet, so echo %z% turns into echo. Then the loop is executed and z is set, but its value isn't used anymore.
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION enables an additional syntax, !variable!. This also expands variables but it only does so right before each (sub-)command is executed.
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
for /F "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %FileName%') do (
set z=%%a
echo !z!
echo %%a
)
This gives you the current value of z each time the echo runs.
I struggeld for many hours on this.
This is my loop to register command line vars.
Example : Register.bat /param1:value1 /param2:value2
What is does, is loop all the commandline params,
and that set the variable with the proper name to the value.
After that, you can just use
set value=!param1!
set value2=!param2!
regardless the sequence the params are given. (so called named parameters).
Note the !<>!, instead of the %<>%.
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
FOR %%P IN (%*) DO (
call :processParam %%P
)
goto:End
:processParam [%1 - param]
#echo "processparam : %1"
FOR /F "tokens=1,2 delims=:" %%G IN ("%1") DO (
#echo a,b %%G %%H
set nameWithSlash=%%G
set name=!nameWithSlash:~1!
#echo n=!name!
set value=%%H
set !name!=!value!
)
goto :eof
:End
Simple example of batch code using %var%, !var!, and %%.
In this example code, focus here is that we want to capture a start time using the built in variable TIME (using time because it always changes automatically):
Code:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
SET "SERVICES_LIST=MMS ARSM MMS2"
SET START=%TIME%
SET "LAST_SERVICE="
for %%A in (%SERVICES_LIST%) do (
SET START=!TIME!
CALL :SOME_FUNCTION %%A
SET "LAST_SERVICE=%%A"
ping -n 5 127.0.0.1 > NUL
SET OTHER=!START!
if !OTHER! EQU !START! (
echo !OTHER! is equal to !START! as expected
) ELSE (
echo NOTHING
)
)
ECHO Last service run was %LAST_SERVICE%
:: Function declared like this
:SOME_FUNCTION
echo Running: %1
EXIT /B 0
Comments on code:
Use enabledelayedexpansion
The first three SET lines are typical
uses of the SET command, use this most of the time.
The next line is a for loop, must use %%A for iteration, then %%B if a loop inside it
etc.. You can not use long variable names.
To access a changed variable such as the time variable, you must use !! or set with !! (have enableddelayexpansion enabled).
When looping in for loop each iteration is accessed as the %%A variable.
The code in the for loop is point out the various ways to set a variable. Looking at 'SET OTHER=!START!', if you were to change to SET OTHER=%START% you will see why !! is needed. (hint: you will see NOTHING) output.
In short !! is more likely needed inside of loops, %var% in general, %% always a for loop.
Further reading
Use the following links to determine why in more detail:
Difference between %variable% and !variable! in batch file
Variable usage in batch file
To expand on the answer I came here to get a better understanding so I wrote this that can explain it and helped me too.
It has the setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion in there so you can locally set this as you wish between the setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion and it.
#echo off
title %~nx0
for /f "tokens=*" %%A in ("Some Thing") do (
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set z=%%A
echo !z! Echoing the assigned variable in setlocal scope.
echo %%A Echoing the variable in local scope.
setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion
echo !z! &rem !z! Neither of these now work, which makes sense.
echo %z% &rem ECHO is off. Neither of these now work, which makes sense.
echo %%A Echoing the variable in its local scope, will always work.
)
set list = a1-2019 a3-2018 a4-2017
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set backup=
set bb1=
for /d %%d in (%list%) do (
set td=%%d
set x=!td!
set y=!td!
set y=!y:~-4!
if !y! gtr !bb1! (
set bb1=!y!
set backup=!x!
)
)
rem: backup will be 2019
echo %backup%
Try this:
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
...
for /F "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %FileName%') do (
set z=%%a
echo !z!
echo %%a
)
You can use a macro if you access a variable outside the scope
#echo off
::Define macro
set "sset=set"
for /l %%a in (1,1,4) do (
::set in loop
%sset% /a "x[%%a]=%%a*%%a"
if %%a equ 4 (
:: set in condition
%sset% "x[%%a]=x Condition"
%sset% "y=y Condition"
)
)
echo x1=%x[1]% x2=%x[2]% x3=%x[3]% x4=%x[4]% y=%y%
:: Bonus. enableDelayedExpansion used to access massive from the loop
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
echo Echo from the loop
for /l %%a in (1,1,4) do (
::echo in one line - echo|set /p =
echo|set /p "=x%%a=!x[%%a]! "
if %%a equ 4 echo y=%y%
)
pause
I know this isn't what's asked but I benefited from this method, when trying to set a variable within a "loop". Uses an array. Alternative implementation option.
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
...
set Services[0]=SERVICE1
set Services[1]=SERVICE2
set Services[2]=SERVICE3
set "i=0"
:ServicesLoop
if defined Services[%i%] (
set SERVICE=!Services[%i%]!
echo CurrentService: !SERVICE!
set /a "i+=1"
GOTO :ServicesLoop
)
The following should work:
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for /F "tokens=*" %%a in ('type %FileName%') do (
set "z=%%a"
echo %z%
echo %%a
)