CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory

Dalgetty · 10-18-2009, 12:44 PM

Apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place but this is my first post

Help! I'm stuck with a simple batch file I've been creating. It should be simple but .... ! I would be ever so grateful if someone could come to my rescue with the variables I need.

I have a directory of text files and I am trying to run these through a batch file so that I can access each file, read the first line of text in each one and write it to another file - ie append each first line, on a separate line in another file, as each file gets read in. However I've got stuck.

Everywhere I've checked I've found a line of code which will pull the first line of text off a specific file but nowhere can I find one where there are many file names (residing in the directory) which have to be handled.

What I have got so far is:

for %%a in ("c:\documents and settings\sh\my documents\file*.txt") do (
set /p var=<####
%var% >> output.fil
)

I need something to replace where I have the 4#s to reflect the different file names. They all start with File and have the extension .txt eg File125.txt, File176.txt, File205.txt etc

As a silver surfer I do my best but I'm way behind you experts!

Thank you in anticipation!

Dalgetty

**TheOutcaste** · 10-18-2009, 07:12 PM

Welcome to TSF!

Give this a try:

Code:

@Echo Off
Setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
Set _Path=%Userprofile%\My Documents
For /F "Tokens=1 Delims=" %%a In ('Dir /A-D /B "%_Path%\file*.txt"') Do (
Set /p var=<"%_Path%\%%a"
>>output.fil Echo.!var!
)

You can spell out the complete path instead of using the UserProfile variable if you are running this from a different user account.

HTH

Jerry

Dalgetty · 10-19-2009, 12:19 PM

Jerry,

That was pure dead brilliant!! You're a star! It worked a treat. I have now added %%a between Echo. and !Var! so that the output file has the file name preceding the relevant line of text. However, I find I'm stymied again as I have been unable to get the code to output what I want eg output the name of the as File123 rather than File123.txt. In other words I want to leave off the file extension from the file name but I can't work out how. If this is possible I would be very grateful for your assistance again.

Many many thanks again!

Dalgetty

**TheOutcaste** · 10-19-2009, 01:23 PM

The ~n loop variable modifier will output the file name only:
>>output.fil Echo.%%~nA - !var!

See For /? for a list of the loop variable modifiers, all the way at the bottom:

Code:

In addition, substitution of FOR variable references has been enhanced.
You can now use the following optional syntax:

    %~I         - expands %I removing any surrounding quotes (")
    %~fI        - expands %I to a fully qualified path name
    %~dI        - expands %I to a drive letter only
    %~pI        - expands %I to a path only
    %~nI        - expands %I to a file name only
    %~xI        - expands %I to a file extension only
    %~sI        - expanded path contains short names only
    %~aI        - expands %I to file attributes of file
    %~tI        - expands %I to date/time of file
    %~zI        - expands %I to size of file
    %~$PATH:I   - searches the directories listed in the PATH
                   environment variable and expands %I to the
                   fully qualified name of the first one found.
                   If the environment variable name is not
                   defined or the file is not found by the
                   search, then this modifier expands to the
                   empty string

The modifiers can be combined to get compound results:

    %~dpI       - expands %I to a drive letter and path only
    %~nxI       - expands %I to a file name and extension only
    %~fsI       - expands %I to a full path name with short names only
    %~dp$PATH:I - searches the directories listed in the PATH
                   environment variable for %I and expands to the
                   drive letter and path of the first one found.
    %~ftzaI     - expands %I to a DIR like output line

Dalgetty · 10-19-2009, 02:28 PM

Hi Jerry,

When I changed the coding to >>output.fil Echo.%%~nA - !var! as you suggested I found it doesn't work - it produces %~nA + the line of text. Any suggestions what I'm doing wrong?

Kind regards

Dalgetty

**TheOutcaste** · 10-19-2009, 02:47 PM

Drat, my bad. The loop variables are case sensitive. %%A and %%a are not the same, so use a lower case a - %%~n a

Dalgetty · 10-20-2009, 01:57 PM

Hi Jerry,

That's ace - a perfect solution for me!

Many thanks

Dalgetty

10-18-2009, 12:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dalgetty Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7 OS: Windows 2000 Pro Sp4	CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory Apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place but this is my first post Help! I'm stuck with a simple batch file I've been creating. It should be simple but .... ! I would be ever so grateful if someone could come to my rescue with the variables I need. I have a directory of text files and I am trying to run these through a batch file so that I can access each file, read the first line of text in each one and write it to another file - ie append each first line, on a separate line in another file, as each file gets read in. However I've got stuck. Everywhere I've checked I've found a line of code which will pull the first line of text off a specific file but nowhere can I find one where there are many file names (residing in the directory) which have to be handled. What I have got so far is: for %%a in ("c:\documents and settings\sh\my documents\file.txt") do ( set /p var=<#### %var% >> output.fil ) I need something to replace where I have the 4#s to reflect the different file names. They all start with File and have the extension .txt eg File125.txt, File176.txt, File205.txt etc As a silver surfer I do my best but I'm way behind you experts! Thank you in anticipation! Dalgetty Last edited by Dalgetty; 10-18-2009 at 12:48 PM.*

10-18-2009, 07:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 815 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory Welcome to TSF! Give this a try: Code: @Echo Off Setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion Set _Path=%Userprofile%\My Documents For /F "Tokens=1 Delims=" %%a In ('Dir /A-D /B "%_Path%\file.txt"') Do ( Set /p var=<"%_Path%\%%a" >>output.fil Echo.!var! ) You can spell out the complete path instead of using the UserProfile variable if you are running this from a different user account. HTH Jerry __________________ Microsoft MVP* - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right? Last edited by TheOutcaste; 10-18-2009 at 07:13 PM.

10-19-2009, 12:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dalgetty Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7 OS: Windows 2000 Pro Sp4	Re: CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory Jerry, That was pure dead brilliant!! You're a star! It worked a treat. I have now added %%a between Echo. and !Var! so that the output file has the file name preceding the relevant line of text. However, I find I'm stymied again as I have been unable to get the code to output what I want eg output the name of the as File123 rather than File123.txt. In other words I want to leave off the file extension from the file name but I can't work out how. If this is possible I would be very grateful for your assistance again. Many many thanks again! Dalgetty

10-19-2009, 02:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dalgetty Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7 OS: Windows 2000 Pro Sp4	Re: CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory Hi Jerry, When I changed the coding to >>output.fil Echo.%%~nA - !var! as you suggested I found it doesn't work - it produces %~nA + the line of text. Any suggestions what I'm doing wrong? Kind regards Dalgetty

10-19-2009, 02:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 815 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory Drat, my bad. The loop variables are case sensitive. %%A and %%a are not the same, so use a lower case a - %%~n a __________________ Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right?

10-20-2009, 01:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
Dalgetty Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 7 OS: Windows 2000 Pro Sp4	Re: CMD.exe Batch Files - Writing out first line of files residing in a directory Hi Jerry, That's ace - a perfect solution for me! Many thanks Dalgetty