DOCUMENT:Q75634 17-DEC-2000 [msdos] TITLE :Percent Signs Stripped from Batch File Text PRODUCT :Microsoft Disk Operating System PROD/VER:MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= Using a percent sign (%) in a batch file requires that two percent signs (%%) be specified. For example, the command to display "5%" from a batch file would be : ECHO 5%% MORE INFORMATION ================ MS-DOS uses %1, %2, ... %9 as replaceable command line parameters. For example, before executing the command ECHO %1, %1 will be replaced with the first parameter passed to the batch file. %0 is replaced with the command used to execute the batch file. A single percent sign on a line is treated as a "nul" character in a batch file. For example: ECHO % is processed as ECHO ECHO a%b is processed as ECHO ab If a command contains two percent signs, MS-DOS will treat any characters between them as an environment variable to be expanded. For example, if the SET command shows that the current environment variables are COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM PATH=C:\DOS PROMPT=$P$G B=C then ECHO %PATH% is processed as ECHO C:\DOS ECHO a%b% is processed as ECHO aC ECHO a%b b%a is processed as ECHO aa If there are no characters between the two percent signs, one percent sign is stripped off and the other will remain. This is why a FOR command that echos the name of each file with a .COM extension would be FOR %V IN (*.COM) DO ECHO %V but if the same command is placed in a batch file, the following is required: FOR %%V IN (*.COM) DO ECHO %%V Reference(s): "Microsoft MS-DOS Batch File Quick Reference," Microsoft Press. Additional query words: 6.22 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 4.01a 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a Version : MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.