What does the percent sign indicate when used as a directory in batch files?

Question

I have made a few batch files the hard way by CD-ing into the directory by typing all the way from root drive to folder. I have seen a few example codes use percent signs enclosing a few key words and continue from there, eg:

%user_files%\programs\destination folder

They have always worked too.

try ECHO %USERPROFILE%<ENTER> try SET<ENTER> try SET a=abc try ECHO %a% — barlop, Feb 18 '15 at 20:03

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 18 '15 at 19:44

0

The different %directory_name% examples you see are called Environment variables. Normally, no matter how or where your Windows was installed, these environment variables are resolved by the command line interpreter (CLI) to the actual directories. E.g. %userprofile% will, on Windows 7, always point to C:\Users\[username]\, assuming your Windows was installed on the C:\ drive.

answered Feb 18 '15 at 19:44

R-D

2,546

not necessarily a directory name – barlop Feb 18 '15 at 20:02

What does the percent sign indicate when used as a directory in batch files?

1 Answers1