How to output exclamation mark with EnabledDelayedExapnsion? - shell

Question

I am working on editing an XML file, and approximately the first 10 lines are comments. And for xml comments are in the form
<!-- COMMENT HERE -->
But when using my code it does not output that ! mark, which screws up the comments in the xml. I understand that the ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION is doing this because it thinks the exclamation mark is expanding a variable. How could I get this to work?
Here is my code below
setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set line=0
FOR /f "usebackqdelims=" %%a in ("%filename2%") do (
set /a line = !line!+1
if !line!==39 (echo REPLACED TEXT39>>%tempfile%
)else if(!line!==45 (echo REPLACED TEXT45>>%tempfile%
)else (echo %%a>>%tempfile%
))
EDIT1 Basically what it is supposed to do is output each line as it is, unless it is line 39 or 45. It works, except the ! marks in the comments don't get outputted and they are not comments anymore.
EDIT2
set line=0
FOR /f "usebackqdelims=" %%a in ("%filename2%") do (
setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set /a !line! +=1
echo !line!
if !line!==39 (
echo REPLACED TEXT39>>%tempfile%
endlocal
)else if !line!==45 (
echo REPLACED TEXT45>>%tempfile%
endlocal
)else (
endlocal
setlocal DISABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
echo %%a>>%tempfile%
endlocal
))
Here is the latest code I have been using. It works the best, but now the problem is that the variable "line" is not getting updated. I have a feeling that it is because of the "endlocal". The only problem is that I need the "endlocal" there otherwise I get an error
Maximum setlocal recursion level reached.
The problem is, I need to alternate between enableddelayedexpansion and disabledelayedexpansion so that my exclamation marks show up properly. But to do that I need to keep up with the "endlocal" calls which i think is messing up my line variable. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

You can't output the exclamation mark this way.
The exclamation mark is part of the content of %%a but while delayed expansion is enabled you can't access it, as it will be parsed after the %%a is epanded.
So you need to disable delayed expansion at all or temporary.
A sample for temporary disabling it
setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set line=0
FOR /f "usebackqdelims=" %%a in ("%filename2%") do (
set /a line = !line!+1
if !line!==39 (
echo REPLACED TEXT39>>%tempfile%
) else if !line!==45 (
echo REPLACED TEXT45>>%tempfile%
) else (
setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion
echo %%a>>%tempfile%
endlocal
)
)
Or you don't use it at all, then you only need to get the if line=42 part working.
This uses the fact that modulo by 0, will produce an error (which is suppressed by 2>nul) and the variable stays unchanged, in this case they stay undefined.
setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion
set line=0
FOR /f "usebackqdelims=" %%a in ("%filename2%") do (
set /a line+=1
set "notLine39="
set /a "notLine39=1%%(line-39)" 2>nul
set "notLine45="
set /a "notLine45=1%%(line-45)" 2>nul
if not defined line39 (
echo REPLACED TEXT39>>%tempfile%
) else if not defined line45 (
echo REPLACED TEXT45>>%tempfile%
) else (
setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion
echo %%a>>%tempfile%
endlocal
)
)
Edit: Added explanation to your changed question
This uses the toggling delayed expansion technic, described in SO: Batch files: How to read a file?
The trick is to be in disabledDelayedExpansion when transfering %%a to text, then switching to enabledDE and be able to use the extended syntax.
But don't forget the endlocal before the next loop starts.
setlocal DisableDelayedExpansion
set line=0
FOR /f "usebackqdelims=" %%a in ("%filename2%") do (
set /a line+=1
set "text=%%a"
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
if !line!==39 (
echo REPLACED TEXT39>>%tempfile%
) else if !line!==45 (
echo REPLACED TEXT45>>%tempfile%
) else (
echo %%a>>%tempfile%
)
endlocal
)