batch file - use of variable

Question

@echo off
set filename = 
cd GWConfig_TDS-mtpe3003
set filename = VCU17_CCU6\applications\VCU17APP 
GOTO CHECKFILE

:CHECKFILE 
echo reached
IF EXIST %filename% ( echo exists 
) ELSE ( echo Doesnot exist )

/////////////////////////////////////////////////

Here output shows :

reached

Doesnot echo "exists" or "Doesnot exist"

Is there anything wrong with the use of variable "filename".

Also,

@echo off
set filename = 
cd GWConfig_TDS-mtpe3003
set filename = VCU17_CCU6\applications\VCU17APP 
GOTO CHECKFILE

:CHECKFILE 
echo reached
IF EXIST VCU17_CCU6\applications\VCU17APP ( echo exists 
) ELSE ( echo Doesnot exist )

gives output:

reached
exists.

Did you try SET without spaces around the =? I don't know if dos understands whitespaces here :) — ZeissS
– ZeissS, Commented Sep 7, 2009 at 8:44

Jon Skeet · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-07 08:45:06Z

6

There are two problems here. One is the space after the variable name:

SET filename = whatever

should be

SET filename=whatever

(Or you could use %filename % later, but that's just horrible :)

The second problem is that without any quotes, your "IF" test won't work properly if %filename% is empty. Quote it instead:

IF EXIST "%filename%" ( echo exists
) ELSE ( echo Doesnot exist )

answered Sep 7, 2009 at 8:45

Jon Skeet

1.5m893 gold badges9.3k silver badges9.3k bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Joey Over a year ago

Yuck, indeed, the variable name has a trailing space. That's just awful. I banish spaces around = out of habit, never noticed that it has consequences for the variable name too.

Joey · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-07 08:47:16Z

2

I don't have the time to properly re-create this now, but I can spot a few potential problems:

Have you tried removing the spaces around the = in set:
```
set filename=VCU17_CCU6\applications\VCU17APP
```
otherwise you might have a single space leading your file name
You might want to try to quote the use of %filename%:
```
IF EXIST "%filename%" ( ...
```

answered Sep 7, 2009 at 8:47

Joey

357k88 gold badges704 silver badges699 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

batch file - use of variable

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related