Windows Batch Files - Moving/Getting For Loop Variables

Question

I'm trying to simply get the filenames from a directory into a loop and then process (with the eventual aim of then doing a substring on the filename), but can't get it to work.

I've googled plenty and it seems to me that what I'm doing should work, but I'm obviously missing something.

Here's my code:-

setlocal ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set files=*.*
FOR %%A IN ("%files%") DO (
  echo %%A
  Set MYVAR=%%A
  echo MYVAR=%MYVAR%
)
pause

The echo of the %%A works fine, but MYVAR is always empty. I had this working on 1 line earlier, before I added the brackets.

Please help. I've spent far too long on this already and am pulling my hair out.

Possible duplicate of Why are environment variables not updating within FOR loop? — aschipfl
– aschipfl, Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 15:57

Compo · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-19 20:28:06Z

0

Try using one of the two methods below.

Either:

@Echo Off
SetLocal EnableDelayedExpansion
Set "files=*.*"
For %%A In ("%files%") Do (
    Echo=%%A
    Set "MYVAR=%%A"
    Echo=MYVAR=!MYVAR!
)
Timeout -1

Or:

@Echo Off
Set "files=*.*"
For %%A In ("%files%") Do (
    Echo=%%A
    Set "MYVAR=%%A"
    Call Echo=MYVAR=%%MYVAR%%
)
Timeout -1

answered Dec 19, 2016 at 20:28

Compo

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3 Comments

BFG Over a year ago

Thanks. Using ! instead of % worked. I don't seem to need the Timeout -1 though. What's that for?

Compo Over a year ago

You used pause, timeout is effectively a similar command with a little more control, type Timeout /? for more information, you can of course use either!

BFG Over a year ago

oh, okay, got you. Thanks.

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