How to use a wildcard for filenames in batch command For?

Question

This batch line works with full filenames:

for /f "skip=3 delims=*" %%g in (cc_data_3-3-2016_15-37-19.xml  cc_data_3-28-2016_0-25-36.xml) do (echo %%g >>tempfile.txt)

This one doesn't when filenames are replaced by a wildcard:

for /f "skip=3 delims=*" %%g in (*.xml) do (echo %%g >>tempfile.txt)

What's wrong and what should I do to make it work? I need the *.xml files. They are in the same folder as the batch file.

Anon Coward · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-10 01:20:05Z

2

for /f takes a filename only. If you want to use a wildcard, you'll need to expand the wildcards yourself. You can use for to do that, just not in one call:

for %%f in (*.xml) do (
    for /f "skip=3 delims=*" %%g in (%%f) do (echo %%g >>tempfile.txt)
)

answered Jul 10, 2016 at 1:20

Anon Coward

11k3 gold badges31 silver badges42 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

Karel Over a year ago

@Anon_C What a wonderful solution! It works like a charm. Thank you so much. Where can I find some documentation about this arcane feature?

aschipfl Over a year ago

Instead of echo %%g >>tempfile.txt I would write >> tempfile.txt echo %%g in order to avoid a trailing space to be echoed too...

Kuo Over a year ago

@AnonCoward Then why for %%f in (*.xml) without parameter /f can dosomething?

Anon Coward Over a year ago

Because that does take a wildcard and returns filenames from the filesystem.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to use a wildcard for filenames in batch command For?

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Related