Windows batchfile tips and tricks

Note: the %% and %~ notation is used within a batchfile and will not work on the DOS prompt.

This will make your DOS batch file ask for administrator rights. It creates and uses a small Visual basic script.

Batchfile information

Within a batchfile the '%0' parameter will contain the full path and name of the batchfile.

@echo off
set fullpath=%~dp0
for %%i in ( %0 ) do set basefile=%%~ni
for %%i in ( %0 ) do set basepath=%%~pi
for %%i in ( %0 ) do set basedrive=%%~di
for %%i in ( %0 ) do set filesize=%%~zi

echo batchfile=%0
echo fullpath=%fullpath%
echo basedrive=%basedrive%
echo basepath=%basepath%
echo basefile=%basefile%
echo filesize=%filesize% bytes

D:\path\to> example.bat

batchfile=D:\path\to\example.bat

fullpath=D:\path\to\

basedrive=D:

basepath=\path\to\

basefile=example

filetimestamp=/=.

filesize=101 bytes

D:\path\to>

In general:

Use	Meaning
%~1	expands %1 removing any surrounding quotes (")
%~f1	expands %1 to a fully qualified path name
%~d1	expands %1 to a drive letter only
%~p1	expands %1 to a path only
%~n1	expands %1 to a file name only
%~x1	expands %1 to a file extension only
%~s1	expanded path contains short names only
%~a1	expands %1 to file attributes
%~t1	expands %1 to date/time of file
%~z1	expands %1 to size of file

Timestamp

@echo off
call :get_timestamp
echo timestamp=%timestamp%
goto :EOF

:get_timestamp
rem timestamp YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS (werkt alleen in batchfile)
for /f "tokens=2 delims==" %%a in ('wmic OS Get localdatetime /value') do set "dt=%%a"
set "YY=%dt:~2,2%" & set "YYYY=%dt:~0,4%" & set "MM=%dt:~4,2%" & set "DD=%dt:~6,2%"
set "HH=%dt:~8,2%" & set "Min=%dt:~10,2%" & set "Sec=%dt:~12,2%"
rem set "timestamp=%YYYY%.%MM%.%DD%-%HH%.%Min%.%Sec%"
set "timestamp=%YYYY%.%MM%.%DD%-%HH%.%Min%"
goto :EOF

timestamp=2020.04.25-11.53

See also

• Acquiring admin rights within a DOS batch script