Switch statement equivalent in Windows batch file - batch-file

Question

I wonder if there is a simple way to branch execution in a Windows batch file depending on the value of one single expression. Something akin to switch/case blocks in C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, PHP, and other real programming languages.
My only workaround is a plain if/else block where the same expression is repeatedly checked for equality against different values:
IF "%ID%"=="0" (
REM do something
) ELSE IF "%ID%"=="1" (
REM do something else
) ELSE IF "%ID%"=="2" (
REM do another thing
) ELSE (
REM default case...
)
So dumb. Is there a better solution?

Answer 1

I ended up using label names containing the values for the case expressions as suggested by AjV Jsy. Anyway, I use CALL instead of GOTO to jump into the correct case block and GOTO :EOF to jump back. The following sample code is a complete batch script illustrating the idea.
#ECHO OFF
SET /P COLOR="Choose a background color (type red, blue or black): "
2>NUL CALL :CASE_%COLOR% # jump to :CASE_red, :CASE_blue, etc.
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 CALL :DEFAULT_CASE # If label doesn't exist
ECHO Done.
EXIT /B
:CASE_red
COLOR CF
GOTO END_CASE
:CASE_blue
COLOR 9F
GOTO END_CASE
:CASE_black
COLOR 0F
GOTO END_CASE
:DEFAULT_CASE
ECHO Unknown color "%COLOR%"
GOTO END_CASE
:END_CASE
VER > NUL # reset ERRORLEVEL
GOTO :EOF # return from CALL

Answer 2

This is simpler to read:
IF "%ID%"=="0" REM do something
IF "%ID%"=="1" REM do something else
IF "%ID%"=="2" REM do another thing
IF %ID% GTR 2 REM default case...

Answer 3

Compact form for short commands (no 'echo'):
IF "%ID%"=="0" ( ... & ... & ... ) ELSE ^
IF "%ID%"=="1" ( ... ) ELSE ^
IF "%ID%"=="2" ( ... ) ELSE ^
REM default case...
After ^ must be an immediate line end, no spaces.

Answer 4

I guess all other options would be more cryptic. For those who like readable and non-cryptic code:
IF "%ID%"=="0" (
REM do something
) ELSE IF "%ID%"=="1" (
REM do something else
) ELSE IF "%ID%"=="2" (
REM do another thing
) ELSE (
REM default case...
)
It's like an anecdote:
Magician: Put the egg under the hat, do the magic passes ... Remove the hat and ... get the same egg but in the side view ...
The IF ELSE solution isn't that bad. It's almost as good as python's if elif else. More cryptic 'eggs' can be found here.

Answer 5

I searched switch / case in batch files today and stumbled upon this. I used this solution and extended it with a goto exit.
IF "%1"=="red" echo "one selected" & goto exit
IF "%1"=="two" echo "two selected" & goto exit
...
echo "Options: [one | two | ...]
:exit
Which brings in the default state (echo line) and no extra if's when the choice is found.

Answer 6

Hariprasad didupe suggested a solution provided by Batchography, but it could be improved a bit. Unlike with other cases getting into default case will set ERRORLEVEL to 1 and, if that is not desired, you should manually set ERRORLEVEL to 0:
goto :switch-case-N-%N% 2>nul || (
rem Default case
rem Manually set ERRORLEVEL to 0
type nul>nul
echo Something else
)
...
The readability could be improved for the price of a call overhead:
call:Switch SwitchLabel %N% || (
:SwitchLabel-1
echo One
goto:EOF
:SwitchLabel-2
echo Two
goto:EOF
:SwitchLabel-3
echo Three
goto:EOF
:SwitchLabel-
echo Default case
)
:Switch
goto:%1-%2 2>nul || (
type nul>nul
goto:%1-
)
exit /b
Few things to note:
As stated before, this has a call overhead;
Default case is required. If no action is needed put rem inside to
avoid parenthesis error;
All cases except the default one are executed in the sub-context. If
you want to exit parent context (usually script) you may use this;
Default case is executed in a parent context, so it cannot be
combined with other cases (as reaching goto:EOF will exit parent
context). This could be circumvented by replacing goto:%1- in
subroutine with call:%1- for the price of additional call overhead;
Subroutine takes label prefix (sans hyphen) and control variable. Without label
prefix switch will look for labels with :- prefix (which are valid) and
not passing a control variable will lead to default case.

Answer 7

Try by this way. To perform some list of operations like
Switch case has been used.
Checking the conditional statements.
Invoking the function with more than two arguments.
#echo off
:Start2
cls
goto Start
:Start
echo --------------------------------------
echo Welcome to the Shortcut tool
echo --------------------------------------
echo Choose from the list given below:
echo [1] 2017
echo [2] 2018
echo [3] Task
set /a one=1
set /a two=2
set /a three=3
set /a four=4
set input=
set /p input= Enter your choice:
if %input% equ %one% goto Z if NOT goto Start2
if %input% equ %two% goto X if NOT goto Start2
if %input% equ %three% goto C if NOT goto Start2
if %input% geq %four% goto N
:Z
cls
echo You have selected year : 2017
set year=2017
echo %year%
call:branches year
pause
exit
:X
cls
echo You have selected year : 2018
set year=2018
echo %year%
call:branches year
pause
exit
:C
cls
echo You have selected Task
call:Task
pause
exit
:N
cls
echo Invalid Selection! Try again
pause
goto :start2
:branches
cls
echo Choose from the list of Branches given below:
echo [1] January
echo [2] Feburary
echo [3] March
SETLOCAL
set /a "Number1=%~1"
set input=
set /p input= Enter your choice:
set /a b=0
set /a bd=3
set /a bdd=4
if %input% equ %b% goto N
if %input% leq %bd% call:Z1 Number1,input if NOT goto Start2
if %input% geq %bdd% goto N
:Z1
cls
SETLOCAL
set /a "Number1=%~1"
echo year = %Number1%
set /a "Number2=%~2"
echo branch = %Number2%
call:operation Number1,Number2
pause
GOTO :EOF
:operation
cls
echo Choose from the list of Operation given below:
echo [1] UB
echo [3] B
echo [4] C
echo [5] l
echo [6] R
echo [7] JT
echo [8] CT
echo [9] JT
SETLOCAL
set /a "year=%~1"
echo Your have selected year = %year%
set /a "month=%~2"
echo You have selected Branch = %month%
set operation=
set /p operation= Enter your choice:
set /a b=0
set /a bd=9
set /a bdd=10
if %input% equ %b% goto N
if %operation% leq %bd% goto :switch-case-N-%operation% if NOT goto Start2
if %input% geq %bdd% goto N
:switch-case-N-1
echo Januray
echo %year%,%month%,%operation%
goto :switch-case-end
:switch-case-N-2
echo Feburary
echo %year%,%month%,%operation%
goto :switch-case-end
:switch-case-N-3
echo march
echo %year%,%month%,%operation%
goto :switch-case-end
:switch-case-end
echo Task Completed
pause
exit
goto :start2
:Task
cls
echo Choose from the list of Operation given below:
echo [1] UB
echo [3] B
echo [4] C
echo [5] l
echo [6] R
echo [7] JT
echo [8] CT
echo [9] JT
SETLOCAL
set operation=
set /p operation= Enter your choice:
set /a b=0
set /a bd=9
set /a bdd=10
if %input% equ %b% goto N
if %operation% leq %bd% goto :switch-case-N-%operation% if NOT goto Start2
if %input% geq %bdd% goto N
:switch-case-N-1
echo Januray
echo %operation%
goto :switch-case-end
:switch-case-N-2
echo Feburary
echo %year%,%month%,%operation%
goto :switch-case-end
:switch-case-N-3
echo march
echo %year%,%month%,%operation%
goto :switch-case-end
:switch-case-end
echo Task Completed
pause
exit
goto :start2

Answer 8

If if is not working you use:
:switch case %n%=1
statements;
goto :switch case end
etc..
http://lallouslab.net/2016/12/21/batchography-switch-case/

Answer 9

It might be a bit late, but this does it:
set "case1=operation1"
set "case2=operation2"
set "case3=operation3"
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
!%switch%!
endlocal
%switch% gets replaced before line execution. Serious downsides:
You override the case variables
It needs DelayedExpansion
Might eventually be usefull in some cases.