FOR /R

Loop through files (Recurse subfolders).

This command walks down the folder tree starting at [drive:]path, and executes the DO statement against each matching file.

FOR /R /?

To use FOR in a batch program:

FOR /R [[drive:]path] %%variable IN (set) DO command [command-parameters]

To use FOR from the command prompt:

FOR /R [[drive:]path] %variable IN (set) DO command [command-parameters]

command (NT4)

The command to carry out, including any command-line parameters.

command-parameters (NT4)

Specifies any parameters or switches that you want to use with the specified command (if the specified command uses any parameters or switches).

)

[[drive:]path] (NT4)

The folder tree where the files are located.

If the [drive:]path are not specified they will default to the current drive:path.

(set) (NT4)

A set of one or more files. Wildcards may be used. If (set) is a period character (.) then FOR will loop through every folder.

%variable or %%variable (NT4)

Represents a replaceable variable. The FOR command replaces %%variable (or %variable) with each text string in the specified set until the command (specified in the command parameter) processes all the folders. Use %%variable to carry out the FOR command within a batch program. Use %variable to carry out FOR from the command prompt. (Do NOT use %0 through %9 to avoid confusion with the command-line arguments passed to the batch file).

/? (NTXP)

Display help.

FOR - Loop through a set of files in one folder.
FOR /D - Loop through several folders.
FOR /L - Loop through a range of numbers.
FOR /F - Loop through items in a text file.
FOR /F - Loop through the output of a command.
FORFILES - Batch process multiple files.
GOTO - Direct a batch program to jump to a labelled line.
IF - Conditionally perform a command.
Equivalent Linux BASH commands:
cut - Divide a file into several columns.
for - Expand words, and execute commands.
eval - Evaluate several COMMANDS/arguments.
if - Conditionally perform a command.
m4 - Macro processor.
until - Execute commands (until error).
while - Execute commands.

none.

To delete every .bak file in every subfolder starting at C:\temp:

    FOR /R C:\temp\ %%G IN (*.bak) DO del %%G

none.

Internal

DOS

none

Windows

none

Windows NT

NT4 NT2000 NTXP NT2003