Does %1 have limitation on certain characters

[Frank]

Hello
I am using a batch file to launch a web page that contains '=' signs followed by numbers. I pass this URL to the batch file via a command line argument %1.
eg:
start "" /B %1 %2
The problem is that the URL gets truncated just before the = sign.
An example URL is http://www.tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=287&page=1
Is there something I can do about this.

[Frank]

I found a complicated solution.
I encoded the '=' and '&' to strings 'equal' and 'and'. This now transfers correctly with the new strings.
In the batch file I use substitution to restore the '=' and '&'.
It seems to work.

[BC_Programmer]

I believe you could also enclose the parameter variables in quotes.

[Salmon Trout]

The following are treated as parameter delimiters: space, tab, comma, semicolon, equals sign.

If you pass the parameter with quotes like this

mybatch.bat "http://www.tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=287&page=1" "parameter 2"

... the batch script will receive the whole string OK but now you run into a START command syntax issue. If you use quotes you trigger the START "title" "parameter" syntax and you need to have a title string which can be null if you like thus the batch line becomes

start /B "" %1 %2

[Frank]

Thank you for the idea of using the quotation marks.
Unfortunately, I am using TCL/TK to generate the command line to launch my batch file with the command line argument of the URL. I am able to create the text with quotation marks, but, when it arrives in the batch file, the quotation marks end up being preceded with a '\' (ie it arrives as \"http://...etc....\").
What I have been able to do is substitute ordinary letters for the symbols and then in the batch file reverse substitute that does work. This is how I reverse substituted in the batch file:

setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set var=equal
set url=!url:%var%==!
echo !url!

set var=and
set url=!url:%var%=^&!
echo !url!

This substitutes 'equal' to '=' and 'and' to '&'.
This does the job but I would like to do more substituting and would prefer to place the substituting into a loop. Is there a way to do that in an batch file?
Thanks

[BC_Programmer]

in TCL you need to escape double quotes. I believe the string would, if inserted literally, look something like this:

Code: [Select]

"start /B \"\" \"%1\" \"%2\""

[BC_Programmer]

in TCL you need to escape double quotes. I believe the string would, if inserted literally, look something like this:

Code: [Select]

"start /B \"\" \"%1\" \"%2\""

Correction: use curly braces:

Code: [Select]

{start /B "" "%1" "%2"}
Sounds like you might be using curly braces and trying to escape the quotes, at the same time. (this the backslashes appear) You only need to escape curly braces, though.

[Frank]

No,
start /B %1
line is in the batch file.

The TCL script that calls the batch file should look like this:
exec trial1.bat \"${url}\" &
or
set url \"${url}\"
exec trial1.bat $url &
This produces a string enclosed by quotation marks, but, in the batch file it looks like \"string....\".

[Salmon Trout]

Unfortunately, I am using TCL/TK to generate the command line to launch my batch file with the command line argument of the URL.

I am using a ladder perched on a chair standing on a table to kiss my girlfriend who is half way up the stairs...

[Frank]

Yes, I understand that I am going about it the long way around but my last question got lost.
How do I place the following in a loop:

setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set var=equal
set url=!url:%var%==!
echo !url!

set var=and
set url=!url:%var%=^&!
echo !url!

Thanks

[Salmon Trout]

How do I place the following in a loop:

What is the source of the lines to be processed?

[Frank]

I have shown 2 sections above. I would like to do about 5.
I am not sure what you mean by 'the source'
Thanks

[Salmon Trout]

I am not sure what you mean by 'the source'

I am not sure what you mean by 'in a loop'

Loops in batch are implemented with the FOR command or by gotos. The FOR command processes a dataset which can be an explicit list

for %%A in (cat dog owl horse) do (
    echo Animal is %%A
    )

or using the /f switch a source of lines such as a file or the console output of a command or program:

for /f %%A in (animals.txt) do (
    echo Animal is %%A
    )

So what is the reason for doing it in a loop?

[EDIT] I believe I see what you are getting at.... you want to cycle through all the substitutions... ?

[Frank]

Yes, that is the sort of loop I am looking for.
The whole source I want convert into a loop is:

set var=\"
set url=!url:%var%=!
echo !url!

set var=equal
set url=!url:%var%==!
echo !url!%2

set var=and
set url=!url:%var%=^&!
echo !url!

set var=comma
set url=!url:%var%=^,!
echo !url!

set var=semi
set url=!url:%var%=^;!
echo !url!

set var=space
set url=!url:%var%=^ !
echo !url!

The reason for placing this into a loop is to shorten the code, and so that I know how to do it in the future.
Thanks

[Salmon Trout]

You could do something like this


REM This can go at the start of the script
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
REM Must escape quotes in dataset
for %%A in (\^" equal and comma semi space) do (
   set var=%%A
   if !var!==\"    set url=!url:%var%=!
   if !var!==equal set url=!url:%var%==!
   if !var!==and   set url=!url:%var%=^&!
   if !var!==comma set url=!url:%var%=^,!
   if !var!==semi  set url=!url:%var%=^;!
   if !var!==space set url=!url:%var%=^ !
   )