Kick command for batch chat program - batch-file

Question

i am working on a batch chat program... because it's fun.. but i have run into a problem.
I want the users to be able to chat, or use commands from the same prompt and this method works:
set /p m=Message:
set tm="%m%"
if %tm% == "KICK" goto kick
echo %time% ^<%u%^>: %m% >> %log%
However to make the command work i need to have another step somewhere else in the batch file:
:kick
set /p person=Who to kick?
del %dir%\%person%
How can i make it so that someone can just type "KICK John" to kick someone?

Answer 1

set /p m=Message:
set tm=%m%
if /i "%tm:~0,4%"=="KICK" goto kick
echo %time% ^<%u%^>: %m% >> %log%
:kick
set person=%tm:~5%
if not defined person set /p person=Who to kick?
if not defined person goto kick
del %dir%\%person%
Naturally, the destination label for the final if not defined is debatable.
Fix : remove quotes surrounding %m%
Additional 20130924T0736Z
Here's my test batch:
:: #ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET u=whatever
SET log=u:\log.log
set /p m=Message:
set tm=%m%
if /i "%tm:~0,4%"=="KICK" goto kick
echo %time% ^<%u%^>: %m% >> %log%
TYPE %log%
GOTO :eof
:kick
set person=%tm:~5%
if not defined person set /p person=Who to kick?
if not defined person goto kick
ECHO del %dir%\%person%
GOTO :EOF
And run-report:
>SETLOCAL
>SET u=whatever
>SET log=u:\log.log
>set /p m=Message:
Message:
>set tm=Hello Friend :P
>if /I "Hell" == "KICK" goto kick
>echo 15:33:12.77 <whatever>: Hello Friend :P 1>>u:\log.log
>TYPE u:\log.log
15:33:12.77 <whatever>: Hello Friend :P
>GOTO :eof
So - given that I've no idea of what your setting for u or log or dir happens to be, and that it works for me as shown above, I can only conclude that the quotes ARE required somewhere in the rest of your code - which you haven't shown.
There's no ban on using your quotes - once the presence of "kick" is determined, so
set tm="%m%"
directly after the IF /i... line should fix your problem.

Answer 2

Well, you could try this:
Setlocal Enableextensions
set /p m=Message:
set tm="%m%"
if /i %m:~0,4% == "KICK" call kick "%m:~4%"
echo %time% ^<%u%^>: %m% >> %log%
:kick
del %dir%\%1
goto :eof
Im not too familiar with this sort of Batch scripting (I'd normally use C#), but that should work fine. Tell me if it doesn't work, along with the errormessage. There are other ways of doing it as well.
Mona