Batch File Parameters

MAKEMSI quickly and reliably creates MSI files in a non-programmatic way

Tips and Tricks

Batch Files

Batch File Tips and Tricks

Batch File Parameters

Batch File Parameters

Batch files take parameters which are referred to by numbers (1-9) and "0" is used to represent the batch file itself. The first parameter is referred to as "%1", the second "%2" etc.

In the table below "1" is used (for the first parameter). As the syntax only supports a single "character" for the parameter "number" there is a trick to similarly process environment variables (or strings or command output) as demonstrated here (for a string) to deteremine the full name of the current directory:

for %%f in (".") do set FullCurrentDir=%%~ff

The Syntax of Parameter Replacement

Code Description

%* Refers to all the arguments (e.g. %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 ...). In Windows NT 4 a leading space is added to %*. In Windows 2000 all leading spaces are removed from %*

%~1 Expands %1 removing any surrounding quotes (")
For example:
set FileNameQuotesRemoved=%~1

%~f1 Expands %1 to a fully qualified path name
For example:
set FileNameIsParm1FullyQualified=%~f1 for %%f in (".") do set FullCurrentDir=%%~ff

%~$PATH:1 Searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable and expands %1 to the fully qualified name of the first one found. It does not look in the current directory and returns "" if not found.
For example:
@echo off set FullNameOfCtextExe= for %%f in ("ctext.exe") do set FullNameOfCtextExe=%%~$PATH:f if "%FullNameOfCtextExe%" == "" echo "CTEXT.EXE" not found in PATH (weird)! if not "%FullNameOfCtextExe%" == "" echo "CTEXT.EXE" found at: "%FullNameOfCtextExe%"

%~d1 Expands %1 to a drive letter only
For example:
@echo off @rem *** Demonstrates main file manipulations *** setlocal cls set BatchFile=%~f0 set BatchFileDir=%~dp0 for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set File83Name=%%~fsx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileDrive=%%~dx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FilePath=%%~px for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileExtn=%%~xx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileAttr=%%~ax for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileTime=%%~tx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileSize=%%~zx for %%f in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileNoPath=%%~nf%%~xf echo BatchFile = %BatchFile% echo BatchFileDir = %BatchFileDir% echo File83Name = %File83Name% echo FileDrive = %FileDrive% echo FilePath = %FilePath% echo FileExtn = %FileExtn% echo FileAttr = %FileAttr% echo FileTime = %FileTime% echo FileSize = %FileSize% echo ShortName = %FileNoPath%

%~p1 Expands %1 to a path only

%~n1 Expands %1 to a file name only
For example:
set FileThis=C:\TMP\SomeFile.Extn ... for %%f in ("%FileThis%") do set FileThisSN=%%~nf%%~xf

%~x1 Expands %1 to a file extension only

%~s1 Changes the meaning of n and x options to reference the short name instead

%~a1 Expands %1 to file attributes

%~t1 Expands %1 to date/time of file

%~z1 Expands %1 to size of file

Code	Description
%*	Refers to all the arguments (e.g. %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 ...). In Windows NT 4 a leading space is added to %. In Windows 2000 all leading spaces are removed from %
%~1	Expands %1 removing any surrounding quotes (") For example: set FileNameQuotesRemoved=%~1
%~f1	Expands %1 to a fully qualified path name For example: set FileNameIsParm1FullyQualified=%~f1 for %%f in (".") do set FullCurrentDir=%%~ff
%~$PATH:1	Searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable and expands %1 to the fully qualified name of the first one found. It does not look in the current directory and returns "" if not found. For example: @echo off set FullNameOfCtextExe= for %%f in ("ctext.exe") do set FullNameOfCtextExe=%%~$PATH:f if "%FullNameOfCtextExe%" == "" echo "CTEXT.EXE" not found in PATH (weird)! if not "%FullNameOfCtextExe%" == "" echo "CTEXT.EXE" found at: "%FullNameOfCtextExe%"
%~d1	Expands %1 to a drive letter only For example: @echo off @rem * Demonstrates main file manipulations * setlocal cls set BatchFile=%~f0 set BatchFileDir=%~dp0 for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set File83Name=%%~fsx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileDrive=%%~dx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FilePath=%%~px for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileExtn=%%~xx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileAttr=%%~ax for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileTime=%%~tx for %%x in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileSize=%%~zx for %%f in ("%BatchFile%") do set FileNoPath=%%~nf%%~xf echo BatchFile = %BatchFile% echo BatchFileDir = %BatchFileDir% echo File83Name = %File83Name% echo FileDrive = %FileDrive% echo FilePath = %FilePath% echo FileExtn = %FileExtn% echo FileAttr = %FileAttr% echo FileTime = %FileTime% echo FileSize = %FileSize% echo ShortName = %FileNoPath%
%~p1	Expands %1 to a path only
%~n1	Expands %1 to a file name only For example: set FileThis=C:\TMP\SomeFile.Extn ... for %%f in ("%FileThis%") do set FileThisSN=%%~nf%%~xf
%~x1	Expands %1 to a file extension only
%~s1	Changes the meaning of n and x options to reference the short name instead
%~a1	Expands %1 to file attributes
%~t1	Expands %1 to date/time of file
%~z1	Expands %1 to size of file

The modifiers can be combined to get compound results:

Code Description

%~dp1 Expands %1 to a drive letter and path only

%~nxx1 Expands %1 to a file name and extension only

%~dp$PATH:1 Searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable for %1 and expands to the drive letter and path of the first one found.

%~ftza1 Expands %1 to a DIR like output line

Code	Description
%~dp1	Expands %1 to a drive letter and path only
%~nxx1	Expands %1 to a file name and extension only
%~dp$PATH:1	Searches the directories listed in the PATH environment variable for %1 and expands to the drive letter and path of the first one found.
%~ftza1	Expands %1 to a DIR like output line

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