How do I pass parameters to a batch file?

A. When you call a batch file, you can enter data after the command that the batch file refers to as %1, %2, etc. For example, in the batch file hello.bat, the following command

@echo hello %1 boy

would output

hello john boy

if you called it as

hello john

The following table outlines how you can modify the passed parameter.

The following table shows how you can combine some of the parameters.

To see all the parameters in action, put them into the batch file testing.bat, as follows.

@echo off

echo fully qualified name %~f1

echo drive %~d1

echo path %~p1

echo filename %~n1

echo file extension %~x1

echo short filename %~sn1

echo short file extension %~sx1

echo drive and directory %~dp1

echo filename and extension %~nx1

Then, run the file with a long filename. For example, the batch file run on the file c:\temp\longfilename.long would produce the following output.

fully qualified name c:\TEMP\longfilename.long

drive c:

path \TEMP\

filename longfilename

file extension .long

short filename LONGFI~1

short file extension .LON

drive and directory c:\TEMP\

filename and extension longfilename.long

This method also works on the second and subsequent parameters. You simply substitute the parameter for 1 (e.g., %~f2 for the second parameter’s fully qualified path name).

The %0 parameter in a batch file holds information about the file when it runs and indicates which command extensions you can use with the file (e.g., %~dp0 gives the batch file’s drive and path).