Parse multiple arguments inside a batch file. - command-line

Question

I would like to read two parameters that are passed to a batch file. The batch file will be executed from a C++ program using CreateProcess method. The second parameter to the batch file is a folder path, so from the program if I am passing the second parameter such as "E:\test folder\test2" the batch file does not get executed.
But if I instead pass E:\test folder\test2 the batch file gets executed but obviously the second parameter has the value E:\test only.. So what I would like to do is to read the first parameter using %1 and get the rest of the contents into another variable.
Can some one tell me how I can achieve this ? I tried with %* but it gives me both first and second parameters. I would like to remove the first token with space as delimiter so that I have the rest of the contents in the variable. Is there a way to do this ?
For example If I pass test.bat testparameter1 E:\test folder\test folder2\test folder3
I would like to read the value E:\test folder\test folder2\test folder3 into a variable.
If I pass test.bat testparameter1 E:\test\test folderX\test folderY the valueIi want to read in to a variable inside the batch file is E:\test\test folderX\test folderY
Can someone help me with this ? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Could you change spaces in the path by another character in your C++ code? For example, if we change spaces by arroba, then you could pass this:
test.bat testparameter1 E:\test#folder\test#folder2\test#folder3
and in the Batch file do the opposite change this way:
set param2=%2
set param2=%param2:#= %
Another possible method is to collect all the parameters from the second one on in the same variable, separating each one by one space:
set param1=%1
shift
set param2=
:nextParam
set param2=%param2% %1
shift
if not "%1" == "" goto nextParam

Answer 2

If your batch file is called with
test.bat testparam1 "E:\test\folder2\test folder 3"
You can read the parameters using %1 and %2
rem Contents of test.bat
#echo %0
#echo %1
#echo %2
The above produces:
C:\Temp>test testparam1 "E:\test\folder2\test folder 3"
test.bat
testparam1
"E:\test\folder2\test folder 3"
C:\Temp>
So you already have the parameters as variables; they're called %1 for the first one, %2 for the second, and so forth.
If the problem is that you're trying to do something using the "E:\test\folder2\test folder 3" path, just make sure you add a trailing backslash before passing it in:
"E:\test\folder2\test folder 3\"