The Windows CMD command “for” is a powerful command line prompt that allows users to perform a variety of tasks. It is used to iterate through a set of commands, and can be used to automate repetitive tasks. It is a versatile command that can be used to create loops, perform calculations, and manipulate files and directories. This article will provide an overview of the “for” command, its syntax, options, and user examples.
Syntax of the Windows CMD Command “For”
The syntax of the “for” command is as follows:
for %variable in (set) do command
The “for” command requires two parameters: a variable and a set. The variable is a placeholder for the items in the set. The set is a list of items, such as files, directories, or strings. The command is the action that will be performed on each item in the set.
Options of the Windows CMD Command “For”
The “for” command has several options that can be used to customize its behavior. These options include:
- /f: This option allows the user to specify a file as the set of items. The file must be in the same directory as the “for” command.
- /d: This option allows the user to specify a directory as the set of items. The directory must be in the same directory as the “for” command.
- /l: This option allows the user to specify a list of strings as the set of items. The strings must be separated by spaces.
- /r: This option allows the user to specify a range of numbers as the set of items. The range must be in the form of “start-end”.
- /p: This option allows the user to specify a prompt for each item in the set. The prompt must be in the form of “prompt:”.
User Examples of the Windows CMD Command “For”
The “for” command can be used to automate a variety of tasks. Here are some examples of how the “for” command can be used:
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To copy all files in a directory to another directory, use the following command:
for %f in (*) do copy %f c:\destination
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To delete all files in a directory, use the following command:
for %f in (*) do del %f
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To rename all files in a directory, use the following command:
for %f in (*) do ren %f %f.new
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To calculate the sum of a range of numbers, use the following command:
for /l %i in (1,1,10) do set /a sum=%sum%+%i
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To prompt the user for input, use the following command:
for /p %i in (prompt:) do set input=%i
Conclusion
The Windows CMD command “for” is a powerful command line prompt that allows users to perform a variety of tasks. It is used to iterate through a set of commands, and can be used to automate repetitive tasks. It is a versatile command that can be used to create loops, perform calculations, and manipulate files and directories. This article has provided an overview of the “for” command, its syntax, options, and user examples.