asked on

problems with win 2000 bat file using %date%

Hi,

I am running windows 2000 Pro. When I access the command prompt and type the command %date%

I am returned the message: 'Fri' is not recognized as an internal or exteral command, operable programme or batch file

I want to use %date% in a .bat file I am creating to create a files on a daily basis named the current date.

'Fri' obviously relates to today which is a Friday but I do not want the day I just want the date in the format 28-11-03 not Fri 28-11-03.

How can I change the system to stop the Fri being generated which is stopping my .bat file from running.

Many thanks,

Tom Gribbin
<Email address removed by SerCouWisMOD pursuant of https://www.experts-exchange.com/help/mistakes.jsp#2 >

shivsa

solve this problem by creating a variable named "date" and put the current date into that variable. use this command at the beginning of the batch file:

for /f "delims==" %%G IN ('date /t') do set date=%%G

now when you'll write %date% (within the batch file you'll recieve the date)

MikeKane

I had a similiar issue. I use 2 old com files called getmonth.com and getday.com and I create batchfiles that do something like the following:

GETMONTH
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 2 SET MMDD=01
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 3 SET MMDD=02
etc..etc...all the way to 12

then
GETDAY
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 2 SET MMDD=%MMDD%01
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 3 SET MMDD=%MMDD%02
etc... all the way to 31

this worked well in NT and 2k.

shivsa

or like this
FOR /f "tokens=2-4 delims=/ " %%a in ('date /t') do set date=%%a%%b%%c
If you want your date in different format, you can rearrange the variables a, b and c.

tomgribbin

ASKER

Shivsa,

Thanks for your swift reply. the code for batch file is below. where and how would i inser the variable which you mention? Sorry for being dim - batch file follows:

cd\
copy e:\datamain.xls e:\dailystats\
rename e:\dailystats\datamain.xls e:\dailystats\%date%.xls

Cheers

shivsa

for /f "tokens=1,2,3,4 delims=/ " %%a in ('date /t') do set today=%%b-%%c-%%d
%today% will have the format u asked for.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

shivsa

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial