How to Echo a variable without calling it?

Question

I am trying to make a batch file that creates another batch file (Compile.bat) and need to echo the %errorlevel% variable into Compile.bat, but since it's a global variable when it is called is uses current value.

This is the code

ECHO if NOT "%errorlevel%"=="0" PAUSE >> .\%name%\Compile.bat

But Compile.bat receives

if NOT "0"=="0" PAUSE

Is there a way to stop it from thinking %errorlevel% is a variable?

The outer brackets for your comparisons are not needed. You can just use double quotes. `ECHO if NOT "%%errorlevel%%"=="0" PAUSE >> .\%name%\Compile.bat` — Squashman, Apr 04 '18 at 21:03
[Is there a way to prevent percent expansion of env variable in Windows command line?](https://stackoverflow.com/q/33016094/995714) — phuclv, Apr 06 '18 at 01:28

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 05 '18 at 11:10

1

You have to escape the errorlevel variable with double %% like this:

ECHO if NOT "%%errorlevel%%"=="0" PAUSE >> .\%name%\Compile.bat

I think this is what you wanted:

if NOT "%errorlevel%"=="0" PAUSE

edited Apr 05 '18 at 11:10

Adk9p

15
3

answered Apr 04 '18 at 20:26

Streamfighter

454
4
15

3

Your explanation is not generic enough. The issue is the percent symbols. Not the variable. If you need to echo a percent symbol to another file you always double the percent symbol. – Squashman Apr 04 '18 at 21:01

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 04 '18 at 22:16

Here's some helper code for you.

@Echo Off
Set "name=SomeName"
Set "variable=Value"
Rem Write to Compile.bat
Echo Press any key to write to Compile.bat
Pause > Nul
(
    Echo @Echo Off
    Echo %%variable%% = %variable%
    Echo Pause
) > "%name%\Compile.bat"
Echo Finished writing to Compile.bat
Timeout 3 /NoBreak > Nul
Rem Rest of code below here

How to Echo a variable without calling it?

2 Answers2