Any way to escape parenthesis characters in a batch file?

if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
set PROGNAME=Program Files
) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
)

This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround already,
but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to escape the
parenthesis characters so this will work?

--
Bill Baker

WB wrote:
> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files
> ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> )
>
> This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround already,
> but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to escape the
> parenthesis characters so this will work?
>
I didn't think .bat files would accept if/else commands.
I know 'if exists ... goto' works. I use it to skip to another line in
a batch file, and thus the next line is the else.
But not much else you can do.

Can you use the short file name for Program Files (x86)? It is "PROGRA~2".
Or is that your workaround?

"WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C713DAEC-73F3-42FB-ABE5-6EFB594BC3E1@microsoft.com...
> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files
> ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> )
>
> This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround
> already,
> but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to escape
> the
> parenthesis characters so this will work?
>
> --
> Bill Baker

WB wrote:
> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files
> ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> )
>
> This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround already,
> but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to escape the
> parenthesis characters so this will work?
>
see http://home7.inet.tele.dk/batfiles/batfiles.htm
I was partially right. Use the GOTO to get to another line of code

if ........... goto OKAY
rem here if IF is false
goto END

:OKAY
rem here if IF is true
goto END


:END
rem here on both.

"Big Al" <BigAl@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:JLWGj.9189$Oj5.1280@trnddc06...
> WB wrote:
>> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
>> set PROGNAME=Program Files
>> ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
>> set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
>> )
>>
>> This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround
>> already, but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way
>> to escape the parenthesis characters so this will work?
>>
> I didn't think .bat files would accept if/else commands.
> I know 'if exists ... goto' works. I use it to skip to another line in a
> batch file, and thus the next line is the else.
> But not much else you can do.

They actually do. Try this for fun:

@echo off
if %UserName%==Al (echo Hello Al) else (echo Goodby %Username%)

"WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C713DAEC-73F3-42FB-ABE5-6EFB594BC3E1@microsoft.com...
> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files
> ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> )
>
> This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround
> already,
> but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to escape
> the
> parenthesis characters so this will work?
>
> --
> Bill Baker

Try this:
@echo off
if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
set PROGNAME=Program Files
) else (
if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
)

This is pretty much the same code I had. Unfortunately it sets PROGNAME as
"Program Files (x86" with the missing closed parenthesis.

My workaround is as follows:
SET PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" SET PROGNAME=Program Files

This will also work if PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE changes to "AMD128", or
"Intel128" like it should be .
--
Bill Baker


"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>
> "WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C713DAEC-73F3-42FB-ABE5-6EFB594BC3E1@microsoft.com...
> > if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> > set PROGNAME=Program Files
> > ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
> > set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> > )
> >
> > This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround
> > already,
> > but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to escape
> > the
> > parenthesis characters so this will work?
> >
> > --
> > Bill Baker
>
> Try this:
> @echo off
> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> set PROGNAME=Program Files
> ) else (
> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> )
>
>
>

You never did comment on whether "progra~2" could work for you. Can't you
use the short filename?

"WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C49F7B14-DDF4-4F6E-9BF6-5153E3F81854@microsoft.com...
> This is pretty much the same code I had. Unfortunately it sets PROGNAME as
> "Program Files (x86" with the missing closed parenthesis.
>
> My workaround is as follows:
> SET PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" SET PROGNAME=Program Files
>
> This will also work if PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE changes to "AMD128", or
> "Intel128" like it should be .
> --
> Bill Baker
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
>
>>
>> "WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:C713DAEC-73F3-42FB-ABE5-6EFB594BC3E1@microsoft.com...
>> > if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
>> > set PROGNAME=Program Files
>> > ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
>> > set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
>> > )
>> >
>> > This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround
>> > already,
>> > but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to
>> > escape
>> > the
>> > parenthesis characters so this will work?
>> >
>> > --
>> > Bill Baker
>>
>> Try this:
>> @echo off
>> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
>> set PROGNAME=Program Files
>> ) else (
>> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" set PROGNAME=Program Files
>> (x86)
>> )
>>
>>
>>

My suggestion may have been pretty much the same as
your own code, with a slight difference: It was able to handle
if-then-else statements. Your work-around is, of course,
an excellent alternative solution.


"WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C49F7B14-DDF4-4F6E-9BF6-5153E3F81854@microsoft.com...
> This is pretty much the same code I had. Unfortunately it sets PROGNAME as
> "Program Files (x86" with the missing closed parenthesis.
>
> My workaround is as follows:
> SET PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" SET PROGNAME=Program Files
>
> This will also work if PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE changes to "AMD128", or
> "Intel128" like it should be .
> --
> Bill Baker

The short filename method may work as well, but I prefer my workaround method
just for clean-looking code. Plus I just have a deep hatred for short
filenames, and there's always that one-in-a-million chance that something
will happen to make it "progra~3". We had an issue recently where a DOS
program had to look for a text file. A backup of the file had been made, and
somehow the two short filenames got switched, causing the DOS app to fail.
--
Bill Baker


"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> You never did comment on whether "progra~2" could work for you. Can't you
> use the short filename?
>
> "WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:C49F7B14-DDF4-4F6E-9BF6-5153E3F81854@microsoft.com...
> > This is pretty much the same code I had. Unfortunately it sets PROGNAME as
> > "Program Files (x86" with the missing closed parenthesis.
> >
> > My workaround is as follows:
> > SET PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> > IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" SET PROGNAME=Program Files
> >
> > This will also work if PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE changes to "AMD128", or
> > "Intel128" like it should be .
> > --
> > Bill Baker
> >
> >
> > "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> "WB" <WB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:C713DAEC-73F3-42FB-ABE5-6EFB594BC3E1@microsoft.com...
> >> > if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> >> > set PROGNAME=Program Files
> >> > ) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
> >> > set PROGNAME=Program Files (x86)
> >> > )
> >> >
> >> > This fails because of the parenthesis in (x86). I have a workaround
> >> > already,
> >> > but I'd prefer using the method above for readability. Any way to
> >> > escape
> >> > the
> >> > parenthesis characters so this will work?
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Bill Baker
> >>
> >> Try this:
> >> @echo off
> >> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="x86" (
> >> set PROGNAME=Program Files
> >> ) else (
> >> if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" set PROGNAME=Program Files
> >> (x86)
> >> )
> >>
> >>
> >>
>