I'd like to find a Windows batch counterpart to Bash's $@ that holds a list of all arguments passed into a script.
Or I have to bother with shift?
448
votes
13 Answers
688
votes
dancavallaro has it right, %* for all command line parameters (excluding the script name itself). You might also find these useful:
%0 - the command used to call the batch file (could be foo, ..\foo, c:\bats\foo.bat, etc.)%1 is the first command line parameter,%2 is the second command line parameter,
and so on till %9 (and SHIFT can be used for those after the 9th).
%~nx0 - the actual name of the batch file, regardless of calling method (some-batch.bat)%~dp0 - drive and path to the script (d:\scripts)%~dpnx0 - is the fully qualified path name of the script (d:\scripts\some-batch.bat)
More info examples at https://www.ss64.com/nt/syntax-args.html and https://www.robvanderwoude.com/parameters.html
70
votes
%1 ... %n and %* holds the arguments, but it can be tricky to access them, because the content will be interpreted.
Therefore it is impossible to handle something like this with normal statements
myBatch.bat "&"^&
Each line fails, as cmd.exe try to execute one of the ampersands (the content of %1 is "&"&)
set var=%1
set "var=%1"
set var=%~1
set "var=%~1"
But there exists a workaround with a temporary file
@echo off
SETLOCAL DisableDelayedExpansion
SETLOCAL
for %%a in (1) do (
set "prompt=$_"
echo on
for %%b in (1) do rem * #%1#
@echo off
) > param.txt
ENDLOCAL
for /F "delims=" %%L in (param.txt) do (
set "param1=%%L"
)
SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
set "param1=!param1:*#=!"
set "param1=!param1:~0,-2!"
echo %%1 is '!param1!'
The trick is to enable echo on and expand the %1 after a rem statement (works also with %2 .. %*).
But to be able to redirect the output of echo on, you need the two FOR-LOOPS.
The extra characters * # are used to be safe against contents like /? (would show the help for REM).
Or a caret ^ at the line end could work as a multiline character.
The FOR /F should be work with delayed expansion off, else contents with "!" would be destroyed.
After removing the extra characters in param1 and you got it.
And to use param1 in a safe way, enable the delayed expansion.
Edit: One remark to %0
%0 contains the command used to call the batch, also preserving the case like in FoO.BaT
But after a call to a function %0 and also in %~0 contains the function name (or better the string that was used to call the function).
But with %~f0 you still can recall the filename.
@echo off
echo main %0, %~0, %~f0
call :myLabel+xyz
exit /b
:MYlabel
echo func %0, %~0, %~f0
exit /b
Output
main test.bat, test.bat, C:\temp\test.bat
func :myLabel+xyz, :myLabel+xyz, C:\temp\test.bat
53
votes
I found that next time when you need to look up these information. Instead of opening a browser and google it, you could just type call /? in your cmd and you'll get it:
...
%* in a batch script refers to all the arguments (e.g. %1 %2 %3
%4 %5 ...)
Substitution of batch parameters (%n) has been enhanced. You can
now use the following optional syntax:
%~1 - expands %1 removing any surrounding quotes (")
%~f1 - expands %1 to a fully qualified path name
%~d1 - expands %1 to a drive letter only
%~p1 - expands %1 to a path only
%~n1 - expands %1 to a file name only
%~x1 - expands %1 to a file extension only
%~s1 - expanded path contains short names only
%~a1 - expands %1 to file attributes
%~t1 - expands %1 to date/time of file
%~z1 - expands %1 to size of file
%~$PATH:1 - searches the directories listed in the PATH
environment variable and expands %1 to the fully
qualified name of the first one found. If the
environment variable name is not defined or the
file is not found by the search, then this
modifier expands to the empty string
The modifiers can be combined to get compound results:
%~dp1 - expands %1 to a drive letter and path only
%~nx1 - expands %1 to a file name and extension only
%~dp$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
In the above examples %1 and PATH can be replaced by other
valid values. The %~ syntax is terminated by a valid argument
number. The %~ modifiers may not be used with %*
20
votes
5
votes
Here is a fairly simple way to get the args and set them as env vars. In this example I will just refer to them as Keys and Values.
Save the following code example as "args.bat". Then call the batch file you saved from a command line. example: arg.bat --x 90 --y 120
I have provided some echo commands to step you through the process. But the end result is that --x will have a value of 90 and --y will have a value of 120(that is if you run the example as specified above ;-) ).
You can then use the 'if defined' conditional statement to determine whether or not to run your code block. So lets say run: "arg.bat --x hello-world" I could then use the statement "IF DEFINED --x echo %--x%" and the results would be "hello-world". It should make more sense if you run the batch.
@setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
@ECHO off
ECHO.
ECHO :::::::::::::::::::::::::: arg.bat example :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: By: User2631477, 2013-07-29 ::
ECHO :: Version: 1.0 ::
ECHO :: Purpose: Checks the args passed to the batch. ::
ECHO :: ::
ECHO :: Start by gathering all the args with the %%* in a for loop. ::
ECHO :: ::
ECHO :: Now we use a 'for' loop to search for our keys which are identified ::
ECHO :: by the text '--'. The function then sets the --arg ^= to the next ::
ECHO :: arg. "CALL:Function_GetValue" ^<search for --^> ^<each arg^> ::
ECHO :: ::
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: From the command line you could pass... arg.bat --x 90 --y 220 ::
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
ECHO.Checking Args:"%*"
FOR %%a IN (%*) do (
CALL:Function_GetValue "--","%%a"
)
ECHO.
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: Now lets check which args were set to variables... ::
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: For this we are using the CALL:Function_Show_Defined "--x,--y,--z" ::
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
CALL:Function_Show_Defined "--x,--y,--z"
endlocal
goto done
:Function_GetValue
REM First we use find string to locate and search for the text.
echo.%~2 | findstr /C:"%~1" 1>nul
REM Next we check the errorlevel return to see if it contains a key or a value
REM and set the appropriate action.
if not errorlevel 1 (
SET KEY=%~2
) ELSE (
SET VALUE=%~2
)
IF DEFINED VALUE (
SET %KEY%=%~2
ECHO.
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::::::::: %~0 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: The KEY:'%KEY%' is now set to the VALUE:'%VALUE%' ::
ECHO :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
ECHO %KEY%=%~2
ECHO.
REM It's important to clear the definitions for the key and value in order to
REM search for the next key value set.
SET KEY=
SET VALUE=
)
GOTO:EOF
:Function_Show_Defined
ECHO.
ECHO ::::::::::::::::::: %~0 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: Checks which args were defined i.e. %~2
ECHO :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
SET ARGS=%~1
for %%s in (%ARGS%) DO (
ECHO.
ECHO :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO :: For the ARG: '%%s'
IF DEFINED %%s (
ECHO :: Defined as: '%%s=!%%s!'
) else (
ECHO :: Not Defined '%%s' and thus has no value.
)
ECHO :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ECHO.
)
goto:EOF
:done
4
votes
For to use looping to get all arguments and in pure batch:
Obs: For using without: ?*&<>
@echo off && setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for %%Z in (%*)do set "_arg_=%%Z" && set/a "_cnt+=1+0" && call set "_arg_[!_cnt!]=!_arg_!")
:: write/test these arguments/parameters ::
for /l %%l in (1 1 !_cnt!)do echo/ The argument n:%%l is: !_arg_[%%l]!
goto :eof
Your code is ready to do something with the argument number where it needs, like...
@echo off && setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for %%Z in (%*)do set "_arg_=%%Z" && set/a "_cnt+=1+0" && call set "_arg_[!_cnt!]=!_arg_!"
echo= !_arg_[1]! !_arg_[2]! !_arg_[2]!> log.txt
2
votes
The following code simulates an array ('params') - takes the parameters received by the script and stores them in the variables params_1 .. params_n, where n=params_0=the number of elements of the array:
@echo off
rem Storing the program parameters into the array 'params':
rem Delayed expansion is left disabled in order not to interpret "!" in program parameters' values;
rem however, if a parameter is not quoted, special characters in it (like "^", "&", "|") get interpreted at program launch
set /a count=0
:repeat
set /a count+=1
set "params_%count%=%~1"
shift
if defined params_%count% (
goto :repeat
) else (
set /a count-=1
)
set /a params_0=count
rem Printing the program parameters stored in the array 'params':
rem After the variables params_1 .. params_n are set with the program parameters' values, delayed expansion can
rem be enabled and "!" are not interpreted in the variables params_1 .. params_n values
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
for /l %%i in (1,1,!params_0!) do (
echo params_%%i: "!params_%%i!"
)
endlocal
pause
goto :eof
2
votes
If you have parameters in quotes that containing spaces, %* will not work correctly.
The best solution I found is to have a loop that joins all arguments: https://serverfault.com/a/22541
set args=%1
shift
:start
if [%1] == [] goto done
set args=%args% %1
shift
goto start
:done
(use %args% here)
1
votes
You can use For Commad,to get list of Arg.
Help : For /?
Help : Setlocal /?
Here is my way =
@echo off
::For Run Use This = cmd /c ""Args.cmd" Hello USER Scientist etc"
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set /a Count=0
for %%I IN (%*) DO (
Echo Arg_!Count! = %%I
set /a Count+=1
)
Echo Count Of Args = !Count!
Endlocal
Do not need Shift command.
0
votes
0
votes
Lot of the information above led me to further research and ultimately my answer so I wanted to contribute what I wound up doing in hopes it helps someone else:
I also wanted to pass a varied number of variables to a batch file so that they could be processed within the file.
I was ok with passing them to the batch file using quotes
I would want them processed similar to the below - but using a loop instead of writing out manually:
So I wanted to execute this:
prog_ZipDeleteFiles.bat "_appPath=C:\Services\Logs\PCAP" "_appFile=PCAP*.?"
And via the magic of for loops do this within the batch file:
set "_appPath=C:\Services\Logs\PCAP"
set "_appFile=PCAP*.?"
Problem I was having is that all my attempts to use a for loop weren't working. The below example:
for /f "tokens* delims= " in %%A (%*) DO (
set %%A
)
would just do:
set "_appPath=C:\Services\Logs\PCAP"
and not:
set "_appPath=C:\Services\Logs\PCAP"
set "_appFile=PCAP*.?"
even after setting
SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
Reason was that the for loop read the whole line and assigned my second parameter to %%B during the first iteration of the loop. Because %* represents all arguments, there is only a single line to process - ergo only one pass of the for loop happens. This is by design it turns out, and my logic was wrong.
So I stopped trying to use a for loop and simplified what I was trying to do by using if, shift, and a goto statement. Agreed its a bit of a hack but it's more suited to my needs. I can loop through all of the arguments and then use an if statement to drop out of the loop once I process them all.
The winning statement for what I was trying to accomplish:
echo on
:processArguments
:: Process all arguments in the order received
if defined %1 then (
set %1
shift
goto:processArguments
) ELSE (
echo off
)
UPDATE - I had to modify to the below instead, I was exposing all of the environment variables when trying to reference %1 and using shift in this manner:
echo on
shift
:processArguments
:: Process all arguments in the order received
if defined %0 then (
set %0
shift
goto:processArguments
) ELSE (
echo off
)
0
votes
Sometimes I need to extract several command line parameters, but not all of them and not from the first one. Let's assume the following call:
Test.bat uno dos tres cuatro cinco seis siete
Of course, the extension ".bat" is not needed at least you have test.exe in same folder. What we want is to get the output "tres cuatro cinco" (no matter if one line or three). The goal is that only I need three parameters and starting in the third one. In order to have a simple example the action for each one is just "echo", but you can think in some other more complex action over the selected parameters.
I've produced some examples, (options) in order you can see which one you consider better for you. Unfortunately, there is not a nice (or I don't know about) way based on a for loop over the range like "for %%i in (%3, 1, %5)".
@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
echo Option 1: one by one (same line)
echo %3, %4, %5
echo.
echo Option 2: Loop For one by one
for %%a in (%3, %4, %5) do echo %%a
echo.
echo Option 3: Loop For with check of limits
set i=0
for %%a in (%*) do (
set /A i=i+1
If !i! GTR 2 if !i! LSS 6 echo %%a
)
echo.
echo Option 4: Loop For with auxiliary list
for /l %%i in (3,1,5) do (
set a=%%i
set b=echo %%
set b=!b!!a!
call !b!
)
echo.
echo Option 5: Assigning to an array of elements previously
set e[0]=%0
set i=0
for %%a in (%*) do (
set /A i=i+1
set e[!i!]=%%a
)
for /l %%i in (3,1,5) do (
echo !e[%%i]!
)
echo.
echo Option 6: using shift and goto loop. It doesn't work with for loop
set i=2
:loop6
set /A i=i+1
echo %3
shift
If %i% LSS 5 goto :loop6
Probably you can find more options or combine several ones. Enjoy them.
