Delete last 2 characters from every line in a text file

Question

How to create a batch file that deletes last two characters from every line of a txt file named list.txt

Answer 1

@echo off &setlocal
(for /f "delims=" %%a in (list.txt) do (
    set "line=%%a"
    setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
    set "line=!line:~0,-2!"
    echo(!line!
    endlocal
))>list.txt.new

---

you can also use sed for Windows:

sed "s/..$//" list.txt>list.txt.new

Answer 2

Using a hybrid JScript/batch utility called REPL.BAT

type list.txt | repl ..$ "" >list.txt.new

If you want to over-write the original, then add this command

move /y list.txt.new list.txt >nul

Answer 3

Basically you take a substring of the string you read.

set str=politic
echo.%str%
set str=%str:~0,4%
echo.%str%

Since you cannot overwrite the file itself just make a copy of the original file. Write the new strings in there using the above method to change them. Then replace the old file with the new one. For details about that look at the following link Batch / Find And Edit Lines in TXT file

Answer 4

I was just trying to do this but with a cut implementation. I add it here in case someone also wants it.

rev list.txt | cut --complement  -c -2 | rev >> new_list.txt