batch-files

Name: batch-files
Author: github

37kstars4.6kforks

How to install batch-files?

github/awesome-copilot/batch-files

$npx -y skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill batch-files

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Expert-level Windows batch file (.bat/.cmd) skill for writing, debugging, and maintaining CMD scripts. Use when asked to "create a batch file", "write a .bat script", "automate a Windows task", "CMD scripting", "batch automation", "scheduled task script", "Windows shell script",

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# Batch Files
2
3	A comprehensive skill for creating, editing, debugging, and maintaining Windows batch files (.bat/.cmd) using cmd.exe. Applies to CLI tool development, system administration automation, scheduled tasks, file operations scripting, and PATH-based executable scripts.
4
5	## When to Use This Skill
6
7	- Creating or editing `.bat` or `.cmd` files
8	- Automating Windows tasks (file operations, deployments, backups)
9	- Building CLI tools intended for a `bin/` folder on PATH
10	- Writing scheduled task scripts (SCHTASKS, Task Scheduler)
11	- Debugging batch script issues (variable expansion, error levels, quoting)
12	- Integrating batch scripts with external tools (curl, git, Node.js, Python)
13	- Scaffolding new batch-based projects with structured templates
14
15	## Prerequisites
16
17	- Windows NT-based OS (Windows 7 or later)
18	- cmd.exe (built-in)
19	- Optional: a `bin/` directory on PATH for distributing scripts as commands
20	- Optional: PATHEXT configured to include `.BAT;.CMD` (default on Windows)
21
22	## Command Interpretation
23
24	cmd.exe processes each line through four stages in order:
25
26	1. Variable substitution — `%VAR%` tokens are replaced with environment variable values. `%0`–`%9` reference batch arguments. `%*` expands to all arguments.
27	2. Quoting and escaping — Caret `^` escapes special characters (`& \| < > ^`). Quotation marks prevent interpretation of enclosed special characters. In batch files, `%%` yields a literal `%`.
28	3. Syntax parsing — Lines are split into pipelines (`\|`), compound commands (`&`, `&&`, `\|\|`), and parenthesized groups `( )`.
29	4. Redirection — `>` overwrites, `>>` appends, `<` reads input, `2>` redirects stderr, `2>&1` merges stderr into stdout, `>NUL` discards output.
30
31	## Variables
32
33	### Environment Variables
34
35	```bat
36	set _MY_VAR=Hello World
37	echo %_MY_VAR%
38	set _MY_VAR=
39	```
40
41	- `set` with no arguments lists all variables
42	- `set _PREFIX` lists variables starting with `_PREFIX`
43	- No spaces around `=` — `set name = val` sets variable `"name "` to `" val"`
44
45	### Special Variables
46
47	\| Variable \| Value \|
48	\|----------\|-------\|
49	\| `%CD%` \| Current directory \|
50	\| `%DATE%` \| System date (locale-dependent) \|
51	\| `%TIME%` \| System time HH:MM:SS.mm \|
52	\| `%RANDOM%` \| Pseudorandom number 0–32767 \|
53	\| `%ERRORLEVEL%` \| Exit code of last command \|
54	\| `%USERNAME%` \| Current user name \|
55	\| `%USERPROFILE%` \| Current user profile path \|
56	\| `%TEMP%` / `%TMP%` \| Temporary file directory \|
57	\| `%PATHEXT%` \| Executable extensions list \|
58	\| `%COMSPEC%` \| Path to cmd.exe \|
59
60	### Scoping with SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL
61
62	```bat
63	setlocal
64	set _LOCAL_VAR=scoped value
65	endlocal
66	REM _LOCAL_VAR is no longer defined here
67	```
68
69	To return a value from a scoped block:
70
71	```bat
72	endlocal & set _RESULT=%_LOCAL_VAR%
73	```
74
75	### Delayed Expansion
76
77	Variables inside parenthesized blocks are expanded at parse time. Use delayed expansion for runtime evaluation:
78
79	```bat
80	setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
81	set _COUNT=0
82	for /l %%i in (1,1,5) do (
83	set /a _COUNT+=1
84	echo !_COUNT!
85	)
86	endlocal
87	```
88
89	- `!VAR!` expands at execution time (delayed)
90	- `%VAR%` expands at parse time (immediate)
91
92	## Control Flow
93
94	### Conditional Execution
95
96	```bat
97	if exist "output.txt" echo File found
98	if not defined _MY_VAR echo Variable not set
99	if "%_STATUS%"=="ready" (echo Go) else (echo Wait)
100	if %ERRORLEVEL% neq 0 echo Command failed
101	```
102
103	Comparison operators: `equ`, `neq`, `lss`, `leq`, `gtr`, `geq`. Use `/i` for case-insensitive string comparison.
104
105	### Compound Commands
106
107	```bat
108	command1 & command2 & REM Always run both
109	command1 && command2 & REM Run command2 only if command1 succeeds
110	command1 \|\| command2 & REM Run command2 only if command1 fails
111	```
112
113	### FOR Loops
114
115	```bat
116	REM Iterate over a set of values
117	for %%i in (alpha beta gamma) do echo %%i
118
119	REM Numeric range: start, step, end
120	for /l %%i in (1,1,10) do echo %%i
121
122	REM Files in a directory
123	for %%f in (*.txt) do echo %%f
124
125	REM Recursive file search
126	for /r %%f in (*.log) do echo %%f
127
128	REM Directories only
129	for /d %%d in (*) do echo %%d
130
131	REM Parse command output
132	for /f "tokens=1,2 delims=:" %%a in ('ipconfig ^\| findstr "IPv4"') do echo %%b
133
134	REM Parse file lines
135	for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%a in ("data.txt") do echo %%a
136	```
137
138	### GOTO and Labels
139
140	```bat
141	goto :main_logic
142	:usage
143	echo Usage: %~nx0 [options]
144	exit /b 1
145
146	:main_logic
147	echo Running main logic...
148	goto :eof
149	```
150
151	`goto :eof` exits the current batch or subroutine. Labels start with `:`.
152
153	## Command-Line Arguments
154
155	\| Syntax \| Value \|
156	\|--------\|-------\|
157	\| `%0` \| Script name as invoked

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batch-files

37kstars4.6kforks

View on GitHub

How to install batch-files?

github/awesome-copilot/batch-files

$npx -y skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill batch-files

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# Batch Files
2
3	A comprehensive skill for creating, editing, debugging, and maintaining Windows batch files (.bat/.cmd) using cmd.exe. Applies to CLI tool development, system administration automation, scheduled tasks, file operations scripting, and PATH-based executable scripts.
4
5	## When to Use This Skill
6
7	- Creating or editing `.bat` or `.cmd` files
8	- Automating Windows tasks (file operations, deployments, backups)
9	- Building CLI tools intended for a `bin/` folder on PATH
10	- Writing scheduled task scripts (SCHTASKS, Task Scheduler)
11	- Debugging batch script issues (variable expansion, error levels, quoting)
12	- Integrating batch scripts with external tools (curl, git, Node.js, Python)
13	- Scaffolding new batch-based projects with structured templates
14
15	## Prerequisites
16
17	- Windows NT-based OS (Windows 7 or later)
18	- cmd.exe (built-in)
19	- Optional: a `bin/` directory on PATH for distributing scripts as commands
20	- Optional: PATHEXT configured to include `.BAT;.CMD` (default on Windows)
21
22	## Command Interpretation
23
24	cmd.exe processes each line through four stages in order:
25
26	1. Variable substitution — `%VAR%` tokens are replaced with environment variable values. `%0`–`%9` reference batch arguments. `%*` expands to all arguments.
27	2. Quoting and escaping — Caret `^` escapes special characters (`& \| < > ^`). Quotation marks prevent interpretation of enclosed special characters. In batch files, `%%` yields a literal `%`.
28	3. Syntax parsing — Lines are split into pipelines (`\|`), compound commands (`&`, `&&`, `\|\|`), and parenthesized groups `( )`.
29	4. Redirection — `>` overwrites, `>>` appends, `<` reads input, `2>` redirects stderr, `2>&1` merges stderr into stdout, `>NUL` discards output.
30
31	## Variables
32
33	### Environment Variables
34
35	```bat
36	set _MY_VAR=Hello World
37	echo %_MY_VAR%
38	set _MY_VAR=
39	```
40
41	- `set` with no arguments lists all variables
42	- `set _PREFIX` lists variables starting with `_PREFIX`
43	- No spaces around `=` — `set name = val` sets variable `"name "` to `" val"`
44
45	### Special Variables
46
47	\| Variable \| Value \|
48	\|----------\|-------\|
49	\| `%CD%` \| Current directory \|
50	\| `%DATE%` \| System date (locale-dependent) \|
51	\| `%TIME%` \| System time HH:MM:SS.mm \|
52	\| `%RANDOM%` \| Pseudorandom number 0–32767 \|
53	\| `%ERRORLEVEL%` \| Exit code of last command \|
54	\| `%USERNAME%` \| Current user name \|
55	\| `%USERPROFILE%` \| Current user profile path \|
56	\| `%TEMP%` / `%TMP%` \| Temporary file directory \|
57	\| `%PATHEXT%` \| Executable extensions list \|
58	\| `%COMSPEC%` \| Path to cmd.exe \|
59
60	### Scoping with SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL
61
62	```bat
63	setlocal
64	set _LOCAL_VAR=scoped value
65	endlocal
66	REM _LOCAL_VAR is no longer defined here
67	```
68
69	To return a value from a scoped block:
70
71	```bat
72	endlocal & set _RESULT=%_LOCAL_VAR%
73	```
74
75	### Delayed Expansion
76
77	Variables inside parenthesized blocks are expanded at parse time. Use delayed expansion for runtime evaluation:
78
79	```bat
80	setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
81	set _COUNT=0
82	for /l %%i in (1,1,5) do (
83	set /a _COUNT+=1
84	echo !_COUNT!
85	)
86	endlocal
87	```
88
89	- `!VAR!` expands at execution time (delayed)
90	- `%VAR%` expands at parse time (immediate)
91
92	## Control Flow
93
94	### Conditional Execution
95
96	```bat
97	if exist "output.txt" echo File found
98	if not defined _MY_VAR echo Variable not set
99	if "%_STATUS%"=="ready" (echo Go) else (echo Wait)
100	if %ERRORLEVEL% neq 0 echo Command failed
101	```
102
103	Comparison operators: `equ`, `neq`, `lss`, `leq`, `gtr`, `geq`. Use `/i` for case-insensitive string comparison.
104
105	### Compound Commands
106
107	```bat
108	command1 & command2 & REM Always run both
109	command1 && command2 & REM Run command2 only if command1 succeeds
110	command1 \|\| command2 & REM Run command2 only if command1 fails
111	```
112
113	### FOR Loops
114
115	```bat
116	REM Iterate over a set of values
117	for %%i in (alpha beta gamma) do echo %%i
118
119	REM Numeric range: start, step, end
120	for /l %%i in (1,1,10) do echo %%i
121
122	REM Files in a directory
123	for %%f in (*.txt) do echo %%f
124
125	REM Recursive file search
126	for /r %%f in (*.log) do echo %%f
127
128	REM Directories only
129	for /d %%d in (*) do echo %%d
130
131	REM Parse command output
132	for /f "tokens=1,2 delims=:" %%a in ('ipconfig ^\| findstr "IPv4"') do echo %%b
133
134	REM Parse file lines
135	for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%a in ("data.txt") do echo %%a
136	```
137
138	### GOTO and Labels
139
140	```bat
141	goto :main_logic
142	:usage
143	echo Usage: %~nx0 [options]
144	exit /b 1
145
146	:main_logic
147	echo Running main logic...
148	goto :eof
149	```
150
151	`goto :eof` exits the current batch or subroutine. Labels start with `:`.
152
153	## Command-Line Arguments
154
155	\| Syntax \| Value \|
156	\|--------\|-------\|
157	\| `%0` \| Script name as invoked

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