How can I pass arguments to a batch file?
-
09-06-2019 - |
Question
I need to pass an ID and a password to a batch file at the time of running rather than hardcoding them into the file.
Here's what the command line looks like:
test.cmd admin P@55w0rd > test-log.txt
Solution 2
Here's how I did it:
@fake-command /u %1 /p %2
Here's what the command looks like:
test.cmd admin P@55w0rd > test-log.txt
The %1
applies to the first parameter the %2
(and here's the tricky part) applies to the second. You can have up to 9 parameters passed in this way.
OTHER TIPS
Another useful tip is to use %*
to mean "all". For example:
echo off
set arg1=%1
set arg2=%2
shift
shift
fake-command /u %arg1% /p %arg2% %*
When you run:
test-command admin password foo bar
the above batch file will run:
fake-command /u admin /p password admin password foo bar
I may have the syntax slightly wrong, but this is the general idea.
If you want to intelligently handle missing parameters you can do something like:
IF %1.==. GOTO No1
IF %2.==. GOTO No2
... do stuff...
GOTO End1
:No1
ECHO No param 1
GOTO End1
:No2
ECHO No param 2
GOTO End1
:End1
Accessing batch parameters can be simple with %1, %2, ... %9 or also %*,
but only if the content is simple.
There is no simple way for complex contents like "&"^&
, as it's not possible to access %1 without producing an error.
set var=%1
set "var=%1"
set var=%~1
set "var=%~1"
The lines expand to
set var="&"&
set "var="&"&"
set var="&"&
set "var="&"&"
And each line fails, as one of the &
is outside of the quotes.
It can be solved with reading from a temporary file a remarked version of the parameter.
@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 .. %*
).
So even "&"&
could be echoed without producing an error, as it is remarked.
But to be able to redirect the output of the 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, even in after a rem
.
Then reading the rem parameter output from the file, but carefully.
The FOR /F should work with delayed expansion off, else contents with "!" would be destroyed.
After removing the extra characters in param1
, you got it.
And to use param1
in a safe way, enable the delayed expansion.
Yep, and just don't forget to use variables like %%1
when using if
and for
and the gang.
If you forget the double %
, then you will be substituting in (possibly null) command line arguments and you will receive some pretty confusing error messages.
There is no need to complicate it. It is simply command %1 %2 parameters, for example,
@echo off
xcopy %1 %2 /D /E /C /Q /H /R /K /Y /Z
echo copied %1 to %2
pause
The "pause" displays what the batch file has done and waits for you to hit the ANY key. Save that as xx.bat in the Windows folder.
To use it, type, for example:
xx c:\f\30\*.* f:\sites\30
This batch file takes care of all the necessary parameters, like copying only files, that are newer, etc. I have used it since before Windows. If you like seeing the names of the files, as they are being copied, leave out the Q
parameter.
@ECHO OFF
:Loop
IF "%1"=="" GOTO Continue
SHIFT
GOTO Loop
:Continue
Note: IF "%1"==""
will cause problems if %1
is enclosed in quotes itself.
In that case, use IF [%1]==[]
or, in NT 4 (SP6) and later only, IF "%~1"==""
instead.
A friend was asking me about this subject recently, so I thought I'd post how I handle command-line arguments in batch files.
This technique has a bit of overhead as you'll see, but it makes my batch files very easy to understand and quick to implement. As well as supporting the following structures:
>template.bat [-f] [--flag] [/f] [--namedvalue value] arg1 [arg2][arg3][...]
The jist of it is having the :init
, :parse
, and :main
functions.
Example usage
>template.bat /?
test v1.23
This is a sample batch file template,
providing command-line arguments and flags.
USAGE:
test.bat [flags] "required argument" "optional argument"
/?, --help shows this help
/v, --version shows the version
/e, --verbose shows detailed output
-f, --flag value specifies a named parameter value
>template.bat <- throws missing argument error
(same as /?, plus..)
**** ****
**** MISSING "REQUIRED ARGUMENT" ****
**** ****
>template.bat -v
1.23
>template.bat --version
test v1.23
This is a sample batch file template,
providing command-line arguments and flags.
>template.bat -e arg1
**** DEBUG IS ON
UnNamedArgument: "arg1"
UnNamedOptionalArg: not provided
NamedFlag: not provided
>template.bat --flag "my flag" arg1 arg2
UnNamedArgument: "arg1"
UnNamedOptionalArg: "arg2"
NamedFlag: "my flag"
>template.bat --verbose "argument #1" --flag "my flag" second
**** DEBUG IS ON
UnNamedArgument: "argument #1"
UnNamedOptionalArg: "second"
NamedFlag: "my flag"
template.bat
@::!/dos/rocks
@echo off
goto :init
:header
echo %__NAME% v%__VERSION%
echo This is a sample batch file template,
echo providing command-line arguments and flags.
echo.
goto :eof
:usage
echo USAGE:
echo %__BAT_NAME% [flags] "required argument" "optional argument"
echo.
echo. /?, --help shows this help
echo. /v, --version shows the version
echo. /e, --verbose shows detailed output
echo. -f, --flag value specifies a named parameter value
goto :eof
:version
if "%~1"=="full" call :header & goto :eof
echo %__VERSION%
goto :eof
:missing_argument
call :header
call :usage
echo.
echo **** ****
echo **** MISSING "REQUIRED ARGUMENT" ****
echo **** ****
echo.
goto :eof
:init
set "__NAME=%~n0"
set "__VERSION=1.23"
set "__YEAR=2017"
set "__BAT_FILE=%~0"
set "__BAT_PATH=%~dp0"
set "__BAT_NAME=%~nx0"
set "OptHelp="
set "OptVersion="
set "OptVerbose="
set "UnNamedArgument="
set "UnNamedOptionalArg="
set "NamedFlag="
:parse
if "%~1"=="" goto :validate
if /i "%~1"=="/?" call :header & call :usage "%~2" & goto :end
if /i "%~1"=="-?" call :header & call :usage "%~2" & goto :end
if /i "%~1"=="--help" call :header & call :usage "%~2" & goto :end
if /i "%~1"=="/v" call :version & goto :end
if /i "%~1"=="-v" call :version & goto :end
if /i "%~1"=="--version" call :version full & goto :end
if /i "%~1"=="/e" set "OptVerbose=yes" & shift & goto :parse
if /i "%~1"=="-e" set "OptVerbose=yes" & shift & goto :parse
if /i "%~1"=="--verbose" set "OptVerbose=yes" & shift & goto :parse
if /i "%~1"=="--flag" set "NamedFlag=%~2" & shift & shift & goto :parse
if not defined UnNamedArgument set "UnNamedArgument=%~1" & shift & goto :parse
if not defined UnNamedOptionalArg set "UnNamedOptionalArg=%~1" & shift & goto :parse
shift
goto :parse
:validate
if not defined UnNamedArgument call :missing_argument & goto :end
:main
if defined OptVerbose (
echo **** DEBUG IS ON
)
echo UnNamedArgument: "%UnNamedArgument%"
if defined UnNamedOptionalArg echo UnNamedOptionalArg: "%UnNamedOptionalArg%"
if not defined UnNamedOptionalArg echo UnNamedOptionalArg: not provided
if defined NamedFlag echo NamedFlag: "%NamedFlag%"
if not defined NamedFlag echo NamedFlag: not provided
:end
call :cleanup
exit /B
:cleanup
REM The cleanup function is only really necessary if you
REM are _not_ using SETLOCAL.
set "__NAME="
set "__VERSION="
set "__YEAR="
set "__BAT_FILE="
set "__BAT_PATH="
set "__BAT_NAME="
set "OptHelp="
set "OptVersion="
set "OptVerbose="
set "UnNamedArgument="
set "UnNamedArgument2="
set "NamedFlag="
goto :eof
Let's keep this simple.
Here is the .cmd file.
@echo off
rem this file is named echo_3params.cmd
echo %1
echo %2
echo %3
set v1=%1
set v2=%2
set v3=%3
echo v1 equals %v1%
echo v2 equals %v2%
echo v3 equals %v3%
Here are 3 calls from the command line.
C:\Users\joeco>echo_3params 1abc 2 def 3 ghi
1abc
2
def
v1 equals 1abc
v2 equals 2
v3 equals def
C:\Users\joeco>echo_3params 1abc "2 def" "3 ghi"
1abc
"2 def"
"3 ghi"
v1 equals 1abc
v2 equals "2 def"
v3 equals "3 ghi"
C:\Users\joeco>echo_3params 1abc '2 def' "3 ghi"
1abc
'2
def'
v1 equals 1abc
v2 equals '2
v3 equals def'
C:\Users\joeco>
FOR %%A IN (%*) DO (
REM Now your batch file handles %%A instead of %1
REM No need to use SHIFT anymore.
ECHO %%A
)
This loops over the batch parameters (%*) either they are quoted or not, then echos each parameter.
I wrote a simple read_params script that can be called as a function (or external .bat
) and will put all variables into the current environment. It won't modify the original parameters because the function is being call
ed with a copy of the original parameters.
For example, given the following command:
myscript.bat some -random=43 extra -greeting="hello world" fluff
myscript.bat
would be able to use the variables after calling the function:
call :read_params %*
echo %random%
echo %greeting%
Here's the function:
:read_params
if not %1/==/ (
if not "%__var%"=="" (
if not "%__var:~0,1%"=="-" (
endlocal
goto read_params
)
endlocal & set %__var:~1%=%~1
) else (
setlocal & set __var=%~1
)
shift
goto read_params
)
exit /B
Limitations
- Cannot load arguments with no value such as
-force
. You could use-force=true
but I can't think of a way to allow blank values without knowing a list of parameters ahead of time that won't have a value.
Changelog
- 2/18/2016
- No longer requires delayed expansion
- Now works with other command line arguments by looking for
-
before parameters.
To refer to a set variable in command line you would need to use %a%
so for example:
set a=100
echo %a%
rem output = 100
Note: This works for Windows 7 pro.
Make a new batch file (example: openclass.bat) and write this line in the file:
java %~n1
Then place the batch file in, let's say, the system32 folder, go to your Java class file, right click, Properties, Open with..., then find your batch file, select it and that's that...
It works for me.
PS: I can't find a way to close the cmd window when I close the Java class. For now...
Inspired by an answer elsewhere by @Jon, I have crafted a more general algorithm for extracting named parameters, optional values, and switches.
Let us say that we want to implement a utility foobar
. It requires an initial command. It has an optional parameter --foo
which takes an optional value (which cannot be another parameter, of course); if the value is missing it defaults to default
. It also has an optional parameter --bar
which takes a required value. Lastly it can take a flag --baz
with no value allowed. Oh, and these parameters can come in any order.
In other words, it looks like this:
foobar <command> [--foo [<fooval>]] [--bar <barval>] [--baz]
Here is a solution:
@ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
REM FooBar parameter demo
REM By Garret Wilson
SET CMD=%~1
IF "%CMD%" == "" (
GOTO usage
)
SET FOO=
SET DEFAULT_FOO=default
SET BAR=
SET BAZ=
SHIFT
:args
SET PARAM=%~1
SET ARG=%~2
IF "%PARAM%" == "--foo" (
SHIFT
IF NOT "%ARG%" == "" (
IF NOT "%ARG:~0,2%" == "--" (
SET FOO=%ARG%
SHIFT
) ELSE (
SET FOO=%DEFAULT_FOO%
)
) ELSE (
SET FOO=%DEFAULT_FOO%
)
) ELSE IF "%PARAM%" == "--bar" (
SHIFT
IF NOT "%ARG%" == "" (
SET BAR=%ARG%
SHIFT
) ELSE (
ECHO Missing bar value. 1>&2
ECHO:
GOTO usage
)
) ELSE IF "%PARAM%" == "--baz" (
SHIFT
SET BAZ=true
) ELSE IF "%PARAM%" == "" (
GOTO endargs
) ELSE (
ECHO Unrecognized option %1. 1>&2
ECHO:
GOTO usage
)
GOTO args
:endargs
ECHO Command: %CMD%
IF NOT "%FOO%" == "" (
ECHO Foo: %FOO%
)
IF NOT "%BAR%" == "" (
ECHO Bar: %BAR%
)
IF "%BAZ%" == "true" (
ECHO Baz
)
REM TODO do something with FOO, BAR, and/or BAZ
GOTO :eof
:usage
ECHO FooBar
ECHO Usage: foobar ^<command^> [--foo [^<fooval^>]] [--bar ^<barval^>] [--baz]
EXIT /B 1
- Use
SETLOCAL
so that the variables don't escape into the calling environment. - Don't forget to initialize the variables
SET FOO=
, etc. in case someone defined them in the calling environment. - Use
%~1
to remove quotes. - Use
IF "%ARG%" == ""
and notIF [%ARG%] == []
because[
and]
don't play will at all with values ending in a space. - Even if you
SHIFT
inside anIF
block, the current args such as%~1
don't get updated because they are determined when theIF
is parsed. You could use%~1
and%~2
inside theIF
block, but it would be confusing because you had aSHIFT
. You could put theSHIFT
at the end of the block for clarity, but that might get lost and/or confuse people as well. So "capturing"%~1
and%~1
outside the block seems best. - You don't want to use a parameter in place of another parameter's optional value, so you have to check
IF NOT "%ARG:~0,2%" == "--"
. - Be careful only to
SHIFT
when you use one of the parameters. - The duplicate code
SET FOO=%DEFAULT_FOO%
is regrettable, but the alternative would be to add anIF "%FOO%" == "" SET FOO=%DEFAULT_FOO%
outside theIF NOT "%ARG%" == ""
block. However because this is still inside theIF "%PARAM%" == "--foo"
block, the%FOO%
value would have been evaluated and set before you ever entered the block, so you would never detect that both the--foo
parameter was present and also that the%FOO%
value was missing. - Note that
ECHO Missing bar value. 1>&2
sends the error message to stderr. - Want a blank line in a Windows batch file? You gotta use
ECHO:
or one of the variations.
Simple solution(even though question is old)
Test1.bat
echo off
echo "Batch started"
set arg1=%1
echo "arg1 is %arg1%"
echo on
pause
CallTest1.bat
call "C:\Temp\Test1.bat" pass123
output
YourLocalPath>call "C:\Temp\test.bat" pass123
YourLocalPath>echo off
"Batch started"
"arg1 is pass123"
YourLocalPath>pause
Press any key to continue . . .
Where YourLocalPath is current directory path.
To keep things simple store the command param in variable and use variable for comparison.
Its not just simple to write but its simple to maintain as well so if later some other person or you read your script after long period of time, it will be easy to understand and maintain.
To write code inline : see other answers.
For to use looping get all arguments and in pure batch:
@echo off && setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set "_cnt=0" && for %%Z in (%*) do (
set "_arg_=%%Z" && set /a "_cnt=!_cnt! + 1" && set "_arg_[!_cnt!]=!_arg_!"
shift && for /l %%l in (!_cnt! 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
set "_cnt=0" && for %%Z in (%*) do (
set "_arg_=%%Z" && set /a "_cnt=!_cnt! + 1" && set "_arg_[!_cnt!]=!_arg_!"
shift
)
fake-command /u !_arg_[1]! /p !_arg_[2]! > test-log.txt