Windows Command Line Text Files

Incrementing a Value in a Text File Using Windows Command-Line

Are you working on a project that requires a compile counter, but you prefer not to install any additional software? It can be frustrating to seek out a solution that doesn’t involve extra tools, especially when you have a straightforward problem to solve. Fortunately, you can use the built-in capabilities of the Windows command-line to achieve your goal!

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the steps to increment a simple number stored in a text file using a batch file.

The Challenge

Imagine you’re developing a project with frequent compilations, and you want to keep track of how many times you’ve compiled your code. The idea is simple: maintain a text file with a plain number in it, and increment this number each time you compile. This will give you a reliable way to monitor your progress without external dependencies.

Solution: Creating a Batch File

To automate the incrementing of the counter, we will create a batch file that reads the current value from the text file, increments it, and writes it back. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

Step 1: Prepare Your Files

  • Create a Text File: Create a file named counter.txt in your desired directory, and store a number (e.g., 0) in it. This file will hold your compile count.

  • Create a Batch File: In the same directory, create another file called count.bat. This file will contain the script to increment the value.

Step 2: Write the Batch Code

Open the count.bat file in a text editor and paste the following code:

@echo off
for /f "delims==" %%i in (counter.txt) do set /A temp_counter=%%i+1
echo %temp_counter% > counter.txt

How It Works:

  • @echo off: This line disables the command prompt’s output display, keeping things tidy.

  • for /f “delims==” %%i in (counter.txt) do: This command reads the contents of counter.txt, and for each line, it assigns the value to the variable %%i.

  • set /A temp_counter=%%i+1: This increments the value stored in counter.txt by one and assigns it to a new variable called temp_counter.

  • echo %temp_counter% > counter.txt: Finally, the script writes the updated count back into counter.txt.

Step 3: Run Your Script

Now that you’ve prepared your batch file:

  1. Open the Command Prompt (cmd).
  2. Navigate to the directory where your count.bat and counter.txt files are located using the cd command.
  3. Simply type count.bat and hit Enter.

Each time you run the batch file, the number in counter.txt will increase by one, effectively keeping track of your compile count.

Conclusion

Using this simple batch file method, you can effortlessly maintain a compile counter using just the native Windows command-line tools. This approach maximizes efficiency without the need for extra installations. Whether you’re a seasoned programmer or just starting, this method proves to be a handy tool for project management.

So next time you need to keep count while compiling, you’ll know just the trick! Happy coding!