Variable is ignored in batch script

Question

I have a code snippet in a bat file which reads a text file and echos each line like this.

This one works.

FOR /F "tokens=*" %%i IN (tags.txt) DO (
    @ECHO %%i
)

This one does not work. (Echos tags.txt)

set file="tags.txt"

FOR /F "tokens=*" %%i IN (%file%) DO (
    @ECHO %%i
)

What is wrong?

Magoo · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-27 16:15:07Z

2

Try

FOR /F "usebackqtokens=*" %%i IN (%file%) DO (

You need the usebackq directive to tell for that the quoted string is a filename, not a literal.

answered Dec 27, 2013 at 16:15

Magoo

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1 Comment

noway Over a year ago

+1 I accepted the other answer for the simplicity, but this one is also good to remember.

Matt Williamson · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-27 15:54:21Z

0

You are telling it to read as a string. Move the quote before file and it should work.

set "file=tags.txt"

or just remove the quotes altogether.

answered Dec 27, 2013 at 15:54

Matt Williamson

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1 Comment

foxidrive Over a year ago

This works, until the path or filename contains spaces or & characters. The following will always work for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type "c:\folder A\test file.txt" ') do echo(%%a as will the answer by Magoo.

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