Remove quotes from named environment variables in Windows scripts

Craig_Walker_3488 0
Viewed 58196

I want to store a URL prefix in an Windows environment variable. The ampersands in the query string makes this troublesome though.

For example: I have a URL prefix of http://example.com?foo=1&bar= and want to create a full URL by providing a value for the bar parameter. I then want to launch that URL using the "start" command.

Adding quotes around the value for the SET operation is easy enough:

set myvar="http://example.com?foo=1&bar="

Windows includes the quotes in the actual value though (thanks Windows!):

echo %myvar%
"http://example.com?foo=1&bar=true"

I know that I can strip quotes away from batch file arguments by using tilde:

echo %~1

However, I can't seem to do it to named variables:

echo %~myvar%
%~myvar%

What's the syntax for accomplishing this?

quotes environment-variables batch-file scripting windows
9 Answers

echo %myvar:"=%

Admin1

This is not a limitation of the environment variable, but rather the command shell.

Enclose the entire assignment in quotes:

set "myvar=http://example.com?foo=1&bar="

Though if you try to echo this, it will complain as the shell will see a break in there.

You can echo it by enclosing the var name in quotes:

echo "%myvar%"

Or better, just use the set command to view the contents:

set myvar
zdan_43040

I think this should do it:

for /f "tokens=*" %i in (%myvar%) do set %myvar%=%~i

But you do not need this, 

set myvar="http://example.com?foo=1&bar="
start "" %myvar%

Will work too, you just need to supply a title to the start command.

Wimmel_334990
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