Batch script: Parsing text gives totally unexpected output, variable value missing

Question

The Scenario:

I am trying to reformat an output of an application (Wpkg, command wpkg.js /query:a). I am limited to standard commandline tools.

The command output consists of repetitive blocks of software package title and it's parameters, ie.:

Mozilla Firefox
    ID:                mozilla-firefox
    Revision:          23.0.1.1
    Reboot:            false
    Execute:           -
    Priority:          100
    Status:            Installed


Mozilla Thunderbird
    ID:                mozilla-thunderbird
    Revision:          17.0.8.1
    Reboot:            false
    Execute:           -
    Priority:          100
    Status:            Installed

This makes a long output that is hard to read. I also do not need all the information.

Therefore I am trying, for each block, to collect interesting information in one variable which I would then output in one line, getting result like this:

Mozilla Firefox             mozilla-firefox          23.0.1.1     Installed
Mozilla Thunderbird         mozilla-thunderbird      17.0.8.1     Installed

The Problem:

To achieve that, I began first to parse the output using following code:

rem Split all lines into two tokens

@for /f "tokens=1,2" %%G IN ('%WPKG_CMD% /query:a') DO @(

rem With first token, check what to do:
rem I can get known strings (Store, Ignore)
rem or I can get package name (NewLine)

@set WpkgListAll_ToDo=NewLine

@if [%%G]==[ID:]        set WpkgListAll_ToDo=Store
@if [%%G]==[Revision:]  set WpkgListAll_ToDo=Store
@if [%%G]==[Reboot:]    set WpkgListAll_ToDo=Ignore
@if [%%G]==[Execute:]   set WpkgListAll_ToDo=Ignore
@if [%%G]==[Priority:]  set WpkgListAll_ToDo=Ignore
@if [%%G]==[Status:]    set WpkgListAll_ToDo=Store

rem Echo for debug purpose

@echo [%%G][%WpkgListAll_ToDo%]

rem Next follows some unimportant code

)

From that code above I would totally expect a following debug output:

[Mozilla][NewLine]
[Revision:][Store]
[Reboot:][Ignore]
[Execute:][Ignore]
[Priority:][Ignore]
[Status:][Store]
[Mozilla][NewLine]
[ID:][Store]
[Revision:][Store]
[Reboot:][Ignore]
[Execute:][Ignore]
[Priority:][Ignore]
[Status:][Store]

What I get though is...:

[Mozilla][]
[Revision:][]
[Reboot:][]
[Execute:][]
[Priority:][]
[Status:][]
[Mozilla][]
[ID:][]
[Revision:][]
[Reboot:][]
[Execute:][]
[Priority:][]
[Status:][]

...and I've been trying hard to understand why, but I failed.

The Question:

Can anyone explain me why the output fails me and what should I do to get it right?

Edited tags - This is a Windows batch file, not MS-DOS. MS-DOS does not support the FOR /F syntax. — dbenham
– dbenham, Commented Aug 22, 2013 at 20:15

MBu · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-22 18:57:34Z

3

You have to use delayed variable expansion. First, add setlocal enabledelayedexpansion line at the beginning and endlocal at the end of the script. Then change the echo statement to:

@echo [%%G][!WpkgListAll_ToDo!]`

answered Aug 22, 2013 at 18:57

MBu

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