How can I pass arguments to a batch file?

Question

I need to pass an ID and a password to a batch file at the time of running rather than hardcoding them into the file.

Here\'s what the command line looks like:

Answer 1

A friend was asking me about this subject recently, so I thought I'd post how I handle command-line arguments in batch files.

This technique has a bit of overhead as you'll see, but it makes my batch files very easy to understand and quick to implement. As well as supporting the following structures:

>template.bat [-f] [--flag] [/f] [--namedvalue value] arg1 [arg2][arg3][...]

The jist of it is having the :init, :parse, and :main functions.

Example usage

>template.bat /?
test v1.23
This is a sample batch file template,
providing command-line arguments and flags.

USAGE:
test.bat [flags] "required argument" "optional argument"

/?, --help           shows this help
/v, --version        shows the version
/e, --verbose        shows detailed output
-f, --flag value     specifies a named parameter value

>template.bat          <- throws missing argument error
(same as /?, plus..)
****                                   ****
****    MISSING "REQUIRED ARGUMENT"    ****
****                                   ****

>template.bat -v
1.23

>template.bat --version
test v1.23
This is a sample batch file template,
providing command-line arguments and flags.

>template.bat -e arg1
**** DEBUG IS ON
UnNamedArgument:    "arg1"
UnNamedOptionalArg: not provided
NamedFlag:          not provided

>template.bat --flag "my flag" arg1 arg2
UnNamedArgument:    "arg1"
UnNamedOptionalArg: "arg2"
NamedFlag:          "my flag"

>template.bat --verbose "argument #1" --flag "my flag" second
**** DEBUG IS ON
UnNamedArgument:    "argument #1"
UnNamedOptionalArg: "second"
NamedFlag:          "my flag"

template.bat

@::!/dos/rocks
@echo off
goto :init

:header
    echo %__NAME% v%__VERSION%
    echo This is a sample batch file template,
    echo providing command-line arguments and flags.
    echo.
    goto :eof

:usage
    echo USAGE:
    echo   %__BAT_NAME% [flags] "required argument" "optional argument" 
    echo.
    echo.  /?, --help           shows this help
    echo.  /v, --version        shows the version
    echo.  /e, --verbose        shows detailed output
    echo.  -f, --flag value     specifies a named parameter value
    goto :eof

:version
    if "%~1"=="full" call :header & goto :eof
    echo %__VERSION%
    goto :eof

:missing_argument
    call :header
    call :usage
    echo.
    echo ****                                   ****
    echo ****    MISSING "REQUIRED ARGUMENT"    ****
    echo ****                                   ****
    echo.
    goto :eof

:init
    set "__NAME=%~n0"
    set "__VERSION=1.23"
    set "__YEAR=2017"

    set "__BAT_FILE=%~0"
    set "__BAT_PATH=%~dp0"
    set "__BAT_NAME=%~nx0"

    set "OptHelp="
    set "OptVersion="
    set "OptVerbose="

    set "UnNamedArgument="
    set "UnNamedOptionalArg="
    set "NamedFlag="

:parse
    if "%~1"=="" goto :validate

    if /i "%~1"=="/?"         call :header & call :usage "%~2" & goto :end
    if /i "%~1"=="-?"         call :header & call :usage "%~2" & goto :end
    if /i "%~1"=="--help"     call :header & call :usage "%~2" & goto :end

    if /i "%~1"=="/v"         call :version      & goto :end
    if /i "%~1"=="-v"         call :version      & goto :end
    if /i "%~1"=="--version"  call :version full & goto :end

    if /i "%~1"=="/e"         set "OptVerbose=yes"  & shift & goto :parse
    if /i "%~1"=="-e"         set "OptVerbose=yes"  & shift & goto :parse
    if /i "%~1"=="--verbose"  set "OptVerbose=yes"  & shift & goto :parse

    if /i "%~1"=="--flag"     set "NamedFlag=%~2"   & shift & shift & goto :parse

    if not defined UnNamedArgument     set "UnNamedArgument=%~1"     & shift & goto :parse
    if not defined UnNamedOptionalArg  set "UnNamedOptionalArg=%~1"  & shift & goto :parse

    shift
    goto :parse

:validate
    if not defined UnNamedArgument call :missing_argument & goto :end

:main
    if defined OptVerbose (
        echo **** DEBUG IS ON
    )

    echo UnNamedArgument:    "%UnNamedArgument%"

    if defined UnNamedOptionalArg      echo UnNamedOptionalArg: "%UnNamedOptionalArg%"
    if not defined UnNamedOptionalArg  echo UnNamedOptionalArg: not provided

    if defined NamedFlag               echo NamedFlag:          "%NamedFlag%"
    if not defined NamedFlag           echo NamedFlag:          not provided

:end
    call :cleanup
    exit /B

:cleanup
    REM The cleanup function is only really necessary if you
    REM are _not_ using SETLOCAL.
    set "__NAME="
    set "__VERSION="
    set "__YEAR="

    set "__BAT_FILE="
    set "__BAT_PATH="
    set "__BAT_NAME="

    set "OptHelp="
    set "OptVersion="
    set "OptVerbose="

    set "UnNamedArgument="
    set "UnNamedArgument2="
    set "NamedFlag="

    goto :eof