Microsoft KB Archive/66292

= Reading Text Files into MS-DOS Environment Variables =

Article ID: 66292

Article Last Modified on 5/10/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.2 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3a
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 6.2 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 6.21 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q66292



SUMMARY
This article describes the several steps needed to use the results of a query (using the FIND filter) as a replaceable parameter in a one or more batch files. A use for this would be to search for a specific file and then perform some action on or with this file. The file could then be used in one or more batch files as a replaceable parameter.



MORE INFORMATION
First, you need to set up a one-line file with the partial command   set varname= with no carriage return (CR) or linefeed (LF) at the end (this can be done with COPY CON by pressing CTRL+Z after the equal sign [=] and pressing ENTER).

The file would look like this on the screen:   C:\>COPY CON INIT.TXT SET VARNAME=^Z The following steps can be issued from the MS-DOS command prompt or from within a batch file:

  Search for a single directory entry and place the results in a text file.      dir | find &quot;dos&quot; > textfile   Append the two files into one batch file using the COPY command as follows:      copy init.txt+textfile varset.bat  Place the contents of the text file in a variable by running VARSET.BAT.

VARSET.BAT sets an environment variable equal to the directory entry found earlier. This allows the environment variable to be used as a replaceable parameter in later batch files. VARSET.BAT can be called from the command prompt or from within another batch file.

NOTE: This process works for directory names only if MS-DOS 5.0 or 6.0 is being used. Under MS-DOS 5.0 and 6.0, the /B switch must be used when you are searching for a directory name. The following is an example of searching for a directory under MS-DOS 5.0 or 6.0.   dir /b | find &quot;dos5&quot; > textfile NOTE: There is still a 127-character limit to the length of this variable, which includes the variable name and equal sign (=).

Additional query words: 6.22 3.x 4.x 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20

Keywords: KB66292

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