Windows Bat file optional argument parsing

chickeninabiscuit_3966 0
Viewed 127561

I need my bat file to accept multiple optional named arguments.

mycmd.bat man1 man2 -username alice -otheroption

For example my command has 2 mandatory parameters, and two optional parameters (-username) that has an argument value of alice, and -otheroption:

I'd like to be able to pluck these values into variables.

Just putting out a call to anyone that has already solved this. Man these bat files are a pain.

batch-file
6 Answers

Dynamic variables creation

enter image description here

Pros

  • Works for >9 arguments
  • Keeps %1, %2, ... %* in tact
  • Works for both /arg and -arg style
  • No prior knowledge about arguments
  • Implementation is separate from main routine

Cons

  • Old arguments may leak into consecutive runs, therefore use setlocal for local scoping or write an accompanying :CLEAR-ARGS routine!
  • No alias support yet (like --force to -f)
  • No empty "" argument support

Usage

Here is an example how the following arguments relate to .bat variables:

>> testargs.bat /b 3 -c /d /e /f /g /h /i /j /k /bar 5 /foo "c:\"

echo %*        | /b 3 -c /d /e /f /g /h /i /j /k /bar 5 /foo "c:\"
echo %ARG_FOO% | c:\
echo %ARG_A%   |
echo %ARG_B%   | 3
echo %ARG_C%   | 1
echo %ARG_D%   | 1

Implementation

@echo off
setlocal

CALL :ARG-PARSER %*

::Print examples
echo: ALL: %*
echo: FOO: %ARG_FOO%
echo: A:   %ARG_A%
echo: B:   %ARG_B%
echo: C:   %ARG_C%
echo: D:   %ARG_D%


::*********************************************************
:: Parse commandline arguments into sane variables
:: See the following scenario as usage example:
:: >> thisfile.bat /a /b "c:\" /c /foo 5
:: >> CALL :ARG-PARSER %*
:: ARG_a=1
:: ARG_b=c:\
:: ARG_c=1
:: ARG_foo=5
::*********************************************************
:ARG-PARSER
    ::Loop until two consecutive empty args
    :loopargs
        IF "%~1%~2" EQU "" GOTO :EOF

        set "arg1=%~1" 
        set "arg2=%~2"
        shift

        ::Allow either / or -
        set "tst1=%arg1:-=/%"
        if "%arg1%" NEQ "" (
            set "tst1=%tst1:~0,1%"
        ) ELSE (
            set "tst1="
        )

        set "tst2=%arg2:-=/%"
        if "%arg2%" NEQ "" (
            set "tst2=%tst2:~0,1%"
        ) ELSE (
            set "tst2="
        )


        ::Capture assignments (eg. /foo bar)
        IF "%tst1%" EQU "/"  IF "%tst2%" NEQ "/" IF "%tst2%" NEQ "" (
            set "ARG_%arg1:~1%=%arg2%"
            GOTO loopargs
        )

        ::Capture flags (eg. /foo)
        IF "%tst1%" EQU "/" (
            set "ARG_%arg1:~1%=1"
            GOTO loopargs
        )
    goto loopargs
GOTO :EOF
user_14905840
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