How to create empty text file from a batch file?

Question

Can somebody remember what was the command to create an empty file in MSDOS using BAT file?

Answer 1

echo. 2>EmptyFile.txt

Answer 2

copy NUL EmptyFile.txt

DOS has a few special files (devices, actually) that exist in every directory, NUL being the equivalent of UNIX's /dev/null: it's a magic file that's always empty and throws away anything you write to it. Here's a list of some others; CON is occasionally useful as well.

To avoid having any output at all, you can use

copy /y NUL EmptyFile.txt >NUL

/y prevents copy from asking a question you can't see when output goes to NUL.

Answer 3

type NUL > EmptyFile.txt

After reading the previous two posts, this blend of the two is what I came up with. It seems a little cleaner. There is no need to worry about redirecting the "1 file(s) copied." message to NUL, like the previous post does, and it looks nice next to the ECHO OutputLineFromLoop >> Emptyfile.txt that will usually follow in a batch file.

Answer 4

Techniques I gathered from other answers:

Makes a 0 byte file a very clear, backward-compatible way:

type nul >EmptyFile.txt

idea via: anonymous, Danny Backett, possibly others, myself inspired by JdeBP's work

A 0 byte file another way, it's backward-compatible-looking:

REM. >EmptyFile.txt

idea via: Johannes

A 0 byte file 3rd way backward-compatible-looking, too:

echo. 2>EmptyFile.txt

idea via: TheSmurf

A 0 byte file the systematic way probably available since Windows 2000:

fsutil file createnew EmptyFile.txt 0

idea via: Emm

A 0 bytes file overwriting readonly files

ATTRIB -R filename.ext>NUL
(CD.>filename.ext)2>NUL

idea via: copyitright

A single newline (2 bytes: 0x0D 0x0A in hex notation, alternatively written as \r\n):

echo.>AlmostEmptyFile.txt

Note: no space between echo, . and >.

idea via: How can you echo a newline in batch files?

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edit It seems that any invalid command redirected to a file would create an empty file. heh, a feature! compatibility: uknown

TheInvisibleFeature <nul >EmptyFile.txt

A 0 bytes file: invalid command/ with a random name (compatibility: uknown):

%RANDOM%-%TIME:~6,5% <nul >EmptyFile.txt

via: great source for random by Hung Huynh

edit 2 Andriy M points out the probably most amusing/provoking way to achieve this via invalid command

A 0 bytes file: invalid command/ the funky way (compatibility: unknown)

*>EmptyFile.txt

idea via: Andriy M

A 0 bytes file 4th-coming way:

break > file.txt

idea via: foxidrive thanks to comment of Double Gras!

Answer 5

REM. > empty.file

Answer 6

If there's a possibility that the to be written file already exists and is read only, use the following code:

ATTRIB -R filename.ext
CD .>filename.ext

If no file exists, simply do:

CD .>filename.ext

(updated/changed code according to DodgyCodeException's comment)

To supress any errors that may arise:

ATTRIB -R filename.ext>NUL
(CD .>filename.ext)2>NUL

Answer 7

fsutil file createnew file.cmd 0

Answer 8

One more to add to the books - short and sweet to type.

break>file.txt
break>"file with spaces in name.txt"

Answer 9

You can use a TYPE command instead of COPY. Try this:

TYPE File1.txt>File2.txt

Where File1.txt is empty.

Answer 10

You can also use SET to create a null byte file as follows

set x=x > EmptyFile.txt

Or if you don't want to create an extra variable reassign an existing variable like

set PROMPT=%PROMPT% > EmptyFile.txt

or like this:

set "PROMPT=%PROMPT%" > EmptyFile.txt

Answer 11

The easiest way is:

echo. > Filename.txt