I'm having difficulty with a simple Windows script. This examines the current directory, stores the names of the (assumed to be 2) text files in an array, and then runs fc to compare them, piping the output to a text file.
#echo off
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
IF EXIST comparison.txt del /F comparison.txt
set filename=
set /a N=0
for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ('dir /b *.txt') do (
set /a N+=1
set v[!N!]=%%a
)
fc %v[1]% %v[2]% > comparison.txt
When I run this I get the error message "the process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process".
I've tried variants where I write the completed fc command line to another BAT file and then call that but with the same result (note that the actual fc code appears to be correct in this—it has the correct file names and output redirection destination). After trying to run the BAT once, I then even get the same error if I pull up an interactive command line and type the fc command manually. This doesn't happen if I type the command without first running the BAT.
This is on Win 7 x64, Version 6.1.7601.
Related
In my efforts to understand the for..do loops syntax and their use of %% variables. I have gone through 2 specific examples/implementations where the one for loop does not use DELAYEDEXPANSION and another where it does use DELAYEDEXPANSION with the ! notation. The 1st for loop appears to be compatible with older OSs like the Windows XP whereas the 2nd for loop example does not.
Specifically, the 1st for loop example is taken from this answer (which is related to this) and the 2nd for loop example is taken from this answer.
Modified code for both examples copied below:
1st for loop
for /f "tokens=2 delims==" %%a in ('wmic OS Get localdatetime /value') do set "dt=%%a"
set "YY=%dt:~2,2%"
set "YYYY=%dt:~0,4%"
set "MM=%dt:~4,2%"
set "DD=%dt:~6,2%"
set "HH=%dt:~8,2%"
set "Min=%dt:~10,2%"
set "Sec=%dt:~12,2%"
set "datestamp=%YYYY%%MM%%DD%"
set "timestamp=%HH%%Min%%Sec%"
echo datestamp: "%datestamp%"
echo timestamp: "%timestamp%"
2nd for loop
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set "path_of_folder=C:\folderA\folderB"
for /f "skip=5 tokens=1,2,4 delims= " %%a in (
'dir /ad /tc "%path_of_folder%\."') do IF "%%c"=="." (
set "dt=%%a"
set vara=%%a
set varb=%%b
echo !vara!, !varb!
set day=!vara:~0,2!
echo !day!
)
Since I have been reading and seeing issues where delayed expansion (or the ! notation) is not compatible with older OSs (e.g. Windows XP), I would like to see how to write the 2nd loop like the 1st loop; i.e. without the use of DELAYEDEXPANSION.
I explain in detail what aschipfl wrote already absolutely right in his comment.
Both batch files work also on Windows 2000 and Windows XP using also cmd.exe as command processor. The batch files do not work on MS-DOS, Windows 95 and Windows 98 using very limited command.com as command interpreter.
A command can be executed with parameter /? in a command prompt window to get output the help for this command. When in help is written with enabled command extensions it means supported only by cmd.exe on Windows NT based Windows versions and not supported by MS-DOS or Windows 9x using command.com. That means, for example, for /F or if /I or call :Subroutine are not available on Windows 9x, or on Windows NT based Windows with command extensions explicitly disabled. On Windows 9x it is not even possible to use "%~1" or "%~nx1".
The first batch file executes in FOR loop only one command exactly once:
set "dt=%%a"
That command line requires already enabled command extensions. All other commands below are executed after the FOR loop finished. In other words the FOR loop in first batch file does not use a command block to run multiple commands within the FOR loop.
Whenever the Windows command processor detects the beginning of a command block on a command line, it processes the entire command block before executing the command on this command line the first time.
This means for second batch file all variable references using %Variable% are expanded already before the command FOR is executed and then the commands in the command block are executed with the values of the variables as defined above FOR command line. This can be seen by removing #echo off from first line of batch file or change it to #echo ON and run the batch file from within a command prompt window because now it can be seen which command lines respectively entire command blocks defined with ( ... ) are really executed after preprocessing them by the Windows command processor.
So whenever an environment variable is defined or modified within a command block and its value is referenced in same command block it is necessary to use delayed expansion or use workarounds.
One workaround is demonstrated below:
setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
set "FolderPath=%SystemRoot%\System32"
for /F "skip=5 tokens=1,2,4 delims= " %%a in ('dir /AD /TC "%FolderPath%\."') do if "%%c"=="." (
set "VarA=%%a"
set "VarB=%%b"
call echo %%VarA%%, %%VarB%%
call set "Day=%%VarA:~0,2%%
call echo %%Day%%
)
endlocal
pause
As there is no #echo off at top of this batch code it can be seen on executing the batch file what happens here. Each %% is modified on processing the command block to just %. So executed are the command lines.
call echo %VarA%, %VarB%
call set "Day=%VarA:~0,2%
call echo %Day%
The command CALL is used to process the rest of the line a second time to run the ECHO and the SET commands with environment variable references replaced by their corresponding values without or with string substitution.
The disadvantage of this solution is that CALL is designed primary for calling a batch file from within a batch file. For that reason the command lines above result in searching first in current directory and next in all directories of environment variable PATH for a file with name echo respectively set with a file extension of environment variable PATHEXT. That file searching behavior causes lots of file system accesses, especially on running those command lines in a FOR loop. If there is really found an executable or script file with file name echo or set, the executable respectively the script interpreter of the script file would be executed instead of the internal command of cmd.exe as usually done on using such a command line. So this solution is inefficient and not fail-safe on execution of the batch file.
Another workaround to avoid delayed expansion is using a subroutine:
#echo off
setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
set "FolderPath=%SystemRoot%\System32"
for /F "skip=5 tokens=1,2,4 delims= " %%a in ('dir /AD /TC "%FolderPath%\."') do if "%%c"=="." call :ProcessCreationDate "%%a" "%%b"
endlocal
pause
exit /B
:ProcessCreationDate
echo %~1, %~2
set "Day=%~1"
set "Day=%Day:~0,2%
echo %Day%
goto :EOF
A subroutine is like another batch file embedded in current batch file.
The command line with exit /B avoids a fall through to the code of the subroutine.
The command line with goto :EOF would not be necessary if the line above is the last line of the batch file. But it is recommended to use it nevertheless in case of more command lines are ever added later below like a second subroutine.
The second batch file is for getting the day on which the specified folder was created. It would be possible to code this batch file without usage of delayed expansion and any workarounds.
#echo off
setlocal EnableExtensions DisableDelayedExpansion
set "FolderPath=%SystemRoot%\System32"
for /F "skip=5 tokens=1,2,4 delims= " %%a in ('dir /ad /tc "%FolderPath%\." 2^>nul') do if "%%c"=="." set "CreationDate=%%a, %%b" & goto OutputDateAndDay
echo Failed to get creation date of "%FolderPath%"
endlocal
pause
exit /B
:OutputDateAndDay
echo %CreationDate%
set "Day=%CreationDate:~0,2%
echo %Day%
endlocal
pause
Once the line of interest with the creation date of specified folder is found, the creation date/time is assigned to an environment variable and the FOR loop is exited with using command GOTO to continue execution on a label below. For the meaning of operator & see single line with multiple commands using Windows batch file.
This solution is better than all other methods because the FOR loop executes the single command line with the three commands IF, SET and GOTO only once which makes this solution the fastest. And it outputs an error message when it was not possible to determine the creation date of the directory because of the directory does not exist at all.
Of course it would be possible to add a GOTO command also on the other solutions to exit FOR loop once the creation date of the directory was determined and output. The last solution is nevertheless the fastest and in my point of view best one for this task.
BTW: All posted batch file examples were tested on Windows XP and produced the expected output.
I've a fairly rudimentary knowledge of batch files and usually manage to get by but have hit a problem which I can't solve.
The batch files are run on Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 10 Professional systems and are usually invoked by a Scheduler program, although sometimes I just click the relevant desktop icon. Essentially, the role of the batch files is to download specific files (TV programmes) which are listed in an external text file, in my case, located in my Dropbox account. For each item in the text file (TV.txt) there are two lines, one naming the file, the other listing its ID:
name1
ID1
name2
ID2
name3
ID3
The batch files successively work through the items listed in the text file, one file works on the "IDs", the second on the "names".
The "IDs" file (tv-pid.cmd) consists of the following:
set $textFile="D:\Dropbox\Get_iPlayer\0-TVdl\tv.txt"
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type %$textFile%') do get_iplayer --pid %%a
The "names" file (tv-nopid.cmd) consists of the following:
set $textFile="D:\Dropbox\Get_iPlayer\0-TVdl\tv.txt"
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type %$textFile%') do get_iplayer --get %%a
Each batch file works well on its own, the problem is when I try to combine the two into a single batch file.
If I create a "combined" batch file (tv.cmd):
call tv-pid.cmd
call tv-nopid.cmd
the first "call" is executed but the batch operation terminates before calling the second file.
Equally if I create a "combined" batch file (not using "call" commands)
set $textFile="D:\Dropbox\Get_iPlayer\0-TVdl\tv.txt"
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type %$textFile%') do get_iplayer --pid %%a
set $textFile="D:\Dropbox\Get_iPlayer\0-TVdl\tv.txt"
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type %$textFile%') do get_iplayer --get %%a
the same happens, the download activity on line 2 is executed after which the batch operation terminates.
Personally I would prefer a solution based on the "call" commands, but I don't mind.
set $textFile="D:\Dropbox\Get_iPlayer\0-TVdl\tv.txt"
set "idnames="
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type %$textFile%') do (
if defined id_names (
set "id_names="
call get_iplayer --pid %%a
) else (
set "id_names=Y"
call get_iplayer --get %%a
)
This may work. I've no idea what get_iplayer is or does.
The idea here is that the line-content alternates, so toggling the variable id_names between set-to-a-value and set-to-no-value (=cleared) allows us to execute get_iplayer with the correct options.
Note that your code would execute get_iplayer with the option pid or get for each line of the input file - which may be causing the problem.
This is My first post in here
I need a help for your side I have made a batch file for run autocad exe and load a script file but give error when I run the batch file
#echo off
set KEY_NAME=HKCU\Software\Laxman Enterprises\Xpresslisp Tools
set VALUE_NAME=installpath
set FN=loadload
set FE=scr
FOR /F "tokens=2*" %%A IN ('REG.exe query "%KEY_NAME%" /v "%VALUE_NAME%"') DO (set pInstallDir=%%B)
set approot=%pInstallDir:~0,-1%
echo %approot%\%FN%.%FE%
"C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD 2002\acad.exe" /b %approot%\%FN%.%FE%
pause
Error: while running batch file autocad opens and in commandline the script file not loading "Xpresslisp.scr": Can't find file."
and bellow one is working
script file loading without getting error
#echo off
set path=%USERPROFILE%
set fol=Documents
set NAME=1
set SUFFIX=scr
"C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoCAD 2002\acad.exe" /b %path%\%fol%\%NAME%.%SUFFIX%
pause
Regarding your second question in the comments...
Bellow command will create the text file and write the first line to it e.g. "some text" like in the command below.
Echo some text > full_path_to_txt_file
Command below will append new text to same file.
Echo some text >> full_path_to_txt_file
'>' char creates file and writes firs line
'>>' char append text
check that %path%\%fol%\%NAME%.%SUFFIX% returns the Full Path to the "Xpresslisp.scr" file !
if it does, inspect the Full Path and see if it contains any white spaces.
if it does, enclose the %path%\%fol%\%NAME%.%SUFFIX% with apostrophes
"%path%\%fol%\%NAME%.%SUFFIX%"
It may be something as simple as blindly removing the last character of the installpath without knowing for sure what it is, (doublequote or backslash?).
As there is unlikely to be multiple copies of any filename in the Xpresslisp Tools tree, I would suggest something like this:
#Echo Off
Set "KEY_NAME=HKCU\Software\Laxman Enterprises\Xpresslisp Tools"
Set "VALUE_NAME=installpath"
Set "FN=loadload"
Set "FE=scr"
(Echo=FILEDIA 0
Echo=(LOAD "C:\\loadmyfile.lsp"^)
Echo=FILEDIA 1)>%FN%.%FE%
For /F "Tokens=2*" %%A In ('Reg Query "%KEY_NAME%" /v "%VALUE_NAME%"') Do (
For /F "Delims=" %%C In ('Dir/B/S/A-D "%%~B"\"%FN%.%FE%" 2^>Nul') Do (
Start "" "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\AutoCAD 2002\acad.exe" /b "%%~C"))
This doesn't care if there is a trailing backslash or not and will only run the AutoCAD command if the file is there.
Let's say I have a text file, it contains batch commands. How can I run that text file as a batch file from within one, without renaming it. I want too keep a portable aspect too it, so no registry keys or such.
The reason for no renaming is too prevent leftover unrenamed files upon unexpected closure.
The simplest way is this:
cmd < file.txt
As in the previous answers, there are several commands that will not work in this file, like GOTO, SETLOCAL and others. However, multiline nested if and for commands do work as long as for replaceable parameters use just one percent (like in the command-line).
Although this method alaways show in the screen the executed commands (#echo off not works here), you may redirect the output to NUL and in the "Batch" file redirect the desired output to CON. For example, this is test.txt:
#echo off
echo Hello World! > CON
(for /L %a in (1,1,10) do (
echo Turn: %a
if %a equ 4 echo TURN NUMBER FOUR!
)) > CON
Output example:
C:\> cmd < test.txt > NUL
Hello World!
Turn: 1
Turn: 2
Turn: 3
Turn: 4
TURN NUMBER FOUR!
Turn: 5
Turn: 6
Turn: 7
Turn: 8
Turn: 9
Turn: 10
type some.txt>temp.bat
call temp.bat
del /q /f temp.bat
Is creating a temp file cheating?It's not mentioned as restriction in the question.Though you can loose the %ERRORLEVEL% because of the del command , but you can keep it in temp variable:
type some.txt>temp.bat
call temp.bat
set temp_el=%errorlevel%
del /q /f temp.bat
exit /b %temp_el%
I'm pretty sure you cannot do what you want. Windows will not let you configure the OS to recognize any other extensions as batch files. Only .bat and .cmd are supported.
You could process a series of simple commands within a text file using a FOR /F loop, but it will be very restrictive. For example, it will not support IF, FOR, GOTO Label, or CALL :Label. There are probably other restrictions. Within your main batch file, you could have the following:
for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%A in (script.txt) do %%A
You might be able to support IF and/or FOR if you execute the command via a new CMD.EXE shell, but then you cannot preserve the value of variables that might be SET by the command.
for /f delims^=^ eol^= %%A in (script.txt) do cmd /c "%%A"
See the windows shell commands
assoc. Associates a filename extension (e.g. *.txt) with a file type.
ftype. Lets you create a new file type that tells the windows shell how to open a particular kind of file.
From a command prompt, typing assoc /? or ftype /? will get you help on them. Or use your google-fu to find the MS docs.
*.bat is mapped to the file type batfile; *.cmd is mapped to the file type cmdfile. In windows 7 they are identical. If you want to be able to run files named *.foobar as a batch files, just type:
assoc .foobar=cmdfile
Then, assuming a file named 'sillyness.foobar' existing on the path, you just just type
c:\> sillyness
and it will find sillyness.foobar and execute it as a batch file. The Windows shell has a priority for how it resolves conflicts when you have files with the same name and different extensions (.com vs .cmd vs .bat, etc.)
Something like
assoc .pl=perlscript
ftype perlscript=perl.exe %1 %*
will set you up to run perl scripts as if they were .bat files.
If your batch commands are simple sequential ones then you could use this at the command prompt. Double the % signs for use in a batch file.
for /f "delims=" %a in (file.txt) do %a
I have a file that contains the output of a file compare thats written to a text file:
Comparing files C:\LOGS\old.txt and C:\LOGS\NEW.TXT
***** C:\LOGS\old.txt
***** C:\LOGS\NEW.TXT
folder_thats_different
*****
I need to pull out the next to last line "folder_thats_different" and put in a new string:
folder contains a file that is different: folder_thats_different
Yes, I know I can use another language, but I'm stuck with batch files for now.
You can try to read it with a for-loop and take the current line, and always save the previous line
#echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for /f "delims=" %%x in (myFile.txt) do (
set "previous=!last!"
set "last=%%x"
)
echo !previous!
Here's an example you can use as a starting point. Just change the filename in the set command= line to the appropriate name (or replace the command with whatever will gerneate the log listing).
#echo off
#setlocal
(set command=type test.txt)
for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%i in (`%command%`) do call :process_line %%i
echo next to last line: %old_line%
goto :eof
:process_line
(set old_line=%new_line%)
(set new_line=%*)
goto :eof
Of course, you'll probably want to do something other than simply echoing the found line.
The first answer works for me. I also added 2 lines after the end to allow it to repeat so I could watch an active log file without having to close and reopen it. I do a lot of debugging for the mods that are used in the game Space Engineers.
My version looks like this:
#echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for /f "delims=" %%x in (SpaceEngineers.log) do (
set "previous=!last!"
set "last=%%x"
)
echo !previous!
timeout 15 /nobreak
se_log
The line below stops the batch file from looping too fast and stop the key bypass. To change the amount of time in seconds just change the number "15" to anything you want. To stop the batch file just press ctrl+c.
timeout 15 /nobreak
The line below is the name of the batch file I made so it will tell CMD to run this again.
se_log