Windows batch programming - Unexpected at this time

Question

I am just trying out some basic batch programming. I am getting some error during execution

set /a x=0
:while1
if %x% leq 5 (
    echo %x%
    goto:callfun
    /dir:/Prod /user:admin /pass:anc /level:error >> C:\Logs\A.txt
   set file=C:\Logs\J_FINANCIALS_EVENING.log
   set /a "cnt=0"
   for /f %%a in ('type "%file%"^|find "!Kitchen.Error.NoRepDefinied!" /i /c') do set /a cnt=%%a
     if %cnt% NEQ 0 (
          if %x% NEQ 5 (
              DEL C:\Logs\abc.txt
              )
      set /a x=x+1
      goto :while1

)
    echo "OUTSIDE LOOP"
   echo The Status is %errorlevel%
  call:check_file
  exit /b %errorlevel%

)
  endlocal

callfun: 
CALL C:\Pentaho\pdi-ce-5.2.0.0-209\data-integration\kitchen.bat /rep:"Admin" /job:"XXXX"

I am getting the error at

set /a "x = 0"

0 was unexpected at this time.

What am I doing wrong here?

Remove any and all spaces on either side of = symbols. Your first line does not set x to 0, but sets the variable x to the string ` 0` (note the spaces). Also, near the bottom you have set /d - there is no /d option. You want /a for math. — SomethingDark
– SomethingDark, Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 15:48
I edited the code above and still getting the same error. Also code exits at if NEQ 0 (. — Karthi
– Karthi, Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 16:03
You need delayed expansion. stackoverflow.com/a/20854972/2152082 explains that. — Stephan
– Stephan, Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 16:36
@SomethingDark - The space issue is only valid for normal SET. It does not apply to SET /A (space before and after = is ignored) — dbenham
– dbenham, Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 21:39

Magoo · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-21 16:47:17Z

2

Episode about 2 billion of delayedexpansion

Within a block statement (a parenthesised series of statements), the entire block is parsed and then executed. Any %var% within the block will be replaced by that variable's value at the time the block is parsed - before the block is executed - the same thing applies to a FOR ... DO (block).

Hence, IF (something) else (somethingelse) will be executed using the values of %variables% at the time the IF is encountered.

Two common ways to overcome this are 1) to use setlocal enabledelayedexpansion and use !var! in place of %var% to access the changed value of var or 2) to call a subroutine to perform further processing using the changed values.

hence - easy fix:

SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set /a x=0
:while1
if %x% leq 5 (
    echo !x!
    goto callfun

    REM this following line appear to make no sense in winbatch

    /dir:/Prod /user:admin /pass:anc /level:error >> C:\Logs\A.txt
   set "file=C:\Logs\J_FINANCIALS_EVENING.log"
   set /a cnt=0
   for /f %%a in ('type "%file%"^|find "!Kitchen.Error.NoRepDefinied!" /i /c') do set /a cnt=%%a
     if !cnt! NEQ 0 (
          if !x! NEQ 5 (
              DEL C:\Logs\abc.txt
              )
      set /a x=x+1
      goto while1

)
    echo "OUTSIDE LOOP"
   echo The Status is !errorlevel!
  call :check_file
  exit /b !errorlevel!

)
  endlocal

REM Note that this will fall-through to the process. Best add
GOTO :EOF
REM Here.

REM Colon must precede label
:callfun 
CALL C:\Pentaho\pdi-ce-5.2.0.0-209\data-integration\kitchen.bat /rep:"Admin" /job:"XXXX" 
REM Note that this would exit the subroutine by reaching (apparent) EOF. Best add
GOTO :EOF
REM Here - as a habit - it contributes to preventing fall-through failures
REM if you add a new subroutine and forget to include the newly-required goto :eof

Notes:

GOTO does not require a colon on the label except in the special case of :EOF which is defined to mean end of file

SET /a does not need quotes.

SET "stringname=stringvalue" is good syntax for string-assignments because the quotes cause any trailing spaces on the line to not be included in the value assigned.

any %var% which is varied within the loop should become !var! with delayedexpansion to access the run-time rather than the parse-time value.

(I've only tackled the delayed-expansion errors - other problems are flagged with REMs)

answered Nov 21, 2014 at 16:47

Magoo

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2 Comments

dbenham Over a year ago

But quotes are often useful with SET /A when using any of !, <<, >>, &, ^, | operators (also assignment variants). Without quotes the operators must be escaped.

Magoo Over a year ago

@dbenham : ah, yes - true, but in nearly 20 years of writing NT-style scripts, I've never felt the urge to use those operators. Or maybe I've contrived to avoid them. Good point.

djangofan · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-21 15:39:14Z

0

To me, it looks like the error is caused by having a "CALL" within a parenthesis block. Instead of using a parenthesis block inside a IF statement, put the code that is in the parenthesis in a external "GOTO method" instead. You have to be careful with parenthesis in dos batch programming. Personally, I have developed a code style that rarely needs them.

answered Nov 21, 2014 at 15:39

djangofan

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1 Comment

djangofan Over a year ago

Sorry, I forgot to emphasize that anytime , in a batch file, when you have parenthesis inside parenthesis, then your getting yourself into trouble. Try re-writing the script without using any parenthesis and I bet it works. You should ONLY use parenthesis when you are sure that what you are doing isn't going to be problematic to the DOS parser.

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