Windows CMD - set within for loop is not working - batch-file

Question

I want to write batch file which will loop through all directories containing backup directory and remove files older than X days within it.
On computer which I want run my script there's no "forfile" command.
There's no PowerShell, so CMD or VBScripts seems to be only way of accomplishing this task.
Currently I have problem with "set" statement - it seems that when I'm calling %checkpath% I didn't receive expected folder.
rem we will memorize current directory
pushd %cd%
set folder="C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Desktop"
cd %folder%
rem loop only folders with five chars within their names (unfortunately on less also
for /D %%g in (?????) DO (
set checkpath="%cd%\%%g\backup"
if exist %checkpath% (
for %%a in ('%%g\backup\*.*') do (
set FileDate=%%~ta
set FileDate=%%FileDate:~0,10%%
rem here I want to compare file modification data with current date
)
)
popd
pause

Answer 1

You need to use delayed expansion to read a variable that you have set inside a for loop.
Try this instead
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
rem we will memorize current directory
pushd %cd%
set folder="C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Desktop"
cd %folder%
rem loop only folders with five chars within their names (unfortunately on less also
for /D %%g in (?????) DO (
set checkpath="%cd%\%%g\backup"
if exist !checkpath! (
for %%a in ('%%g\backup\*.*') do (
set FileDate=%%~ta
set FileDate=!%FileDate:~0,10%!
rem here I want to compare file modification data with current date
)
)
popd
pause
Replacing the %'s with !'s on variables you have created will signal it to use delayed expansion instead.

Answer 2

Bali's answer has a slight mistake. The second set filedate is incorrect, otherwise his is fine, but may not work if you do not have delayed expansion enabled. I fixed his mistake and showed you how to ensure delayed expansion is enabled. I have also made some other changes:
::This command will ensure that the delayed expansion, i.e. the "!"s below,
:: will work. Unfortunately, it also means you loose the results of any
:: "set" commands as soon as you execute the "endlocal" below.
setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
::you might want
::set "folder=%USERPROFILE%\Desktop"
set "folder=C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Desktop"
rem we will memorize current directory
::If you ran this code with the current directory set to a directory on
::a drive other than C:, your previous code would not have worked to
:: change to your desired target directory. this slight change fixes that.
pushd "%folder%"
rem loop only folders with five chars within their names - unfortunately on less also
::Use capitals for your loop variables. The var names are case sensitive, and
::using capitals ensures there is no confusion between the var names and ~modifiers
for /D %%G in ( ????? ) DO (
set checkpath="%CD%\%%G\backup"
if exist !checkpath! (
for %%A in ('%%G\backup\*.*') do (
set FileDate=%%~tA
set FileDate=!FileDate:~0,10!
rem here I want to compare file modification data with current date
)
)
popd
endlocal
pause
But, you don't need the "setlocal" or delayed expansion if you write it like this:
::you might want
::set "folder=%USERPROFILE%\Desktop"
set "folder=C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Desktop"
rem we will memorize current directory
::If you ran this code with the current directory set to a directory on
::a drive other than C:, your previous code would not have worked to
:: change to your desired target directory. this slight change fixes that.
pushd "%folder%"
rem loop only folders with five chars within their names - unfortunately on less also
for /D %%G in ( ????? ) DO (
if exist "%%~G\backup" (
for %%A in ('%%~G\backup\*.*') do (
for /F "usebackq" %%T in ( '%%~tA' ) do (
echo File date is %%T, todays date is %DATE%
)
)
)
popd
pause