Dos batch file call statement

If you execute a second batch file without using CALL you may run into some buggy behaviour: if both batch files contain a label with the same name and you have previously used CALL to jump to that label in the first script, you will find execution of the second script starts at the same label.

Even if the second label does not exist this will still raise an error "cannot find the batch label". This bug can be avoided by always using CALL. The CALL command will pass control to the statement after the label specified along with any specified parameters. To exit the subroutine specify GOTO:eof this will transfer control to the end of the current subroutine.

Variable substitution: The following table lists optional syntax for any variable I :. It is treated as a command line, which is passed to a child Cmd. The output is captured into memory and parsed as if it is a file. To display the contents of all the files in the current directory that have the extension. In the preceding example, each file that has the. Otherwise, the variable is ignored and an error message is displayed.

This command parses each line in myfile. It ignores lines that begin with a semicolon and passes the second and third token from each line to the for body tokens are delimited by commas or spaces. If the file names that you supply contain spaces, use quotation marks around the text for example, File Name. To use quotation marks, you must use usebackq. Otherwise, the quotation marks are interpreted as defining a literal string to parse.

Skip to main content. This browser is no longer supported. Download Microsoft Edge More info. Contents Exit focus mode. Is this page helpful? Please rate your experience Yes No. Any additional feedback? The percent followed by a numeric value, beginning with one, allows you to add matched variables to a batch file. The line below is an example of what can be used in a batch file. With a batch file containing the above line if you type myname name of bat file and then your name, as shown below.

It would output "Hello Bob" because "Bob" is the first matched text. Two colons in front of a line remarks that line in the batch file and is never displayed when the batch file is run. By adding a colon in front of a word, such as LABEL, you create a category, more commonly known as a label. A label allows you to skip to certain sections of a batch file such as the end of the batch file.

Also see GOTO. A call is used to run another batch file within a batch file. When the batch file that is called is completed, the remainder of the original batch file is completed. If the batch file does not exist, you get an error. The choice and set commands allow you to have options in your batch file. Further information about each of these commands is on the choice and set pages.

Like the DOS command, cls would clear your screen.