Variable in script.

[Woodman]

Win XP H  SP3

When the following script is run, without a value being entered for %1, %a% is set to 'ECHO is off.' without the '  ' - how can I prevent this happening please?

Code: [Select]

@echo off
cls

set a=%1

echo %a% > %temp%\length.txt
for %%a in (%temp%\length.txt) do set /a length=%%~za%-4


echo %length%
type %temp%\length.txt

 

[Prince_]

@echo off
cls

set a=%1

echo.%a% > %temp%\length.txt
for %%a in (%temp%\length.txt) do set /a length=%%~za%-4


echo %length%
type %temp%\length.txt

[Woodman]

Thank you for the very speedy solution.

W.