Windows batchfile tips and tricks
From WickyWiki
Note: the %% and %~ notation is used within a batchfile and will not work on the DOS prompt.
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 |
| 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 |
Timestamp v2
Format date/time:
dos> echo %date% %time% 10/08/2025 10:38:23,14
Create timestamp:
dos> set dt=%date% dos> set tt=%time% dos> echo %dt:~6,4%%dt:~3,2%%dt:~0,2%_%tt:~0,2%%tt:~3,2%%tt:~6,2% 20250810_102614
Find file
for /F "delims=" %%a in ('dir /B /A:-D "%basedrive%%basepath%*fun*.*" 2^>NUL') do echo FOUND %%~Fa
Check if application is running
set filter1=%%cmd.exe%% set filter2=batchfile.bat if "%filter2%"=="" set filter=%1 wmic PROCESS where "name like '%filter1%'" get Name,Processid,Caption,Commandline 2>NUL | find /I /N "%filter2%" >NUL rem tasklist /FI "IMAGENAME eq %1" 2>NUL | find /I /N "%1">NUL if "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="0" goto :check_app_running_isrunning echo Program %1 %2 is NOT running goto :einde :check_app_running_isrunning echo Program %1 %2 is running :einde
Check if service is running
set unquoted=W32Time sc query "%unquoted%" | findstr "STATE..............:.4..RUNNING" >NUL if "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="0" goto :check_svc_running_isRunning echo Service %unquoted% is NOT running goto :einde :check_svc_running_isRunning echo Service %unquoted% is running :einde
