Display text from .txt file in batch file - text

Question

I'm scripting a big batch file.
It records the date to a log.txt file:
#echo off
echo %date%, %time% >> log.txt
echo Current date/time is %date%, %time%.
#pause
exit
It can record it several times, on several lines. Now what I want to do is that the batch file file shows the last recorded date/time from the log.txt file.
How?

Answer 1

type log.txt
But that will give you the whole file. You could change it to:
echo %date%, %time% >> log.txt
echo %date%, %time% > log_last.txt
...
type log_last.txt
to get only the last one.

Answer 2

hmm.. just found the answer. it's easier then i thought. it just needs a bunch more stuff:
#echo off
if not exist log.txt GOTO :write
echo Date/Time last login:
type log.txt
del log.txt
:write
echo %date%, %time%. >> log.txt
#pause
exit
So it first reads the log.txt file and deletes it. After that it just get a new file (log.txt) with the date & time!
I hope this helps other people!
(the only prob is that the first time it does not work, but then just enter in random value at log.txt.)
(This problem is solved and edited.)

Answer 3

Use the tail.exe from the Windows 2003 Resource Kit

Answer 4

Try this: use Find to iterate through all lines with "Current date/time", and write each line to the same file:
for /f "usebackq delims==" %i in (`find "Current date" log.txt`) do (echo %i > log-time.txt)
type log-time.txt
Set delims= to a character not relevant in the date/time lines. Use %%i in batch files.
Explanation (update):
Find extracts all lines from log.txt containing the search string.
For /f loops through each line the command inside (...) generates.
As echo > log-time.txt (single > !) overwrites log-time.txt every time it's executed, only the last matching line remains in log-time.txt

Answer 5

Here's a version that doesn't fail if log.txt is missing:
#echo off
if not exist log.txt goto firstlogin
echo Date/Time last login:
type log.txt
goto end
:firstlogin
echo No last login found.
:end
echo %date%, %time%. > log.txt
pause

Answer 6

Ok I wonder when's the use but, here are two snipets you could use:
lastlog.cmd
#echo off
for /f "delims=" %%l in (log.txt) do set TimeStamp=%%l
echo %TimeStamp%
Change the "echo.." line, but the last log time is within %TimeStamp%. No temp files used, no clutter and reusable as it is in a variable.
On the other hand, if you need to know this WITHIN your code, and not from another batch, change your logging for:
set TimeStamp=%date%, %time%
echo %TimeStamp% >> log.txt
so that the variable %TimeStamp% is usable later when you need it.

Answer 7

A handy timestamp format:
%date:~3,2%/%date:~0,2%/%date:~6,2%-%time:~0,8%

Answer 8

Just set the time and date to variables if it will be something that will be in a loop then
:top
set T=%time%
set D=%Date%
echo %T%>>log.txt
echo %d%>>log.txt
echo time:%T%
echo date:%D%
pause
goto top
I suggest making it nice and clean by putting:
#echo off
in front of every thing it get rid of the rubbish C:/users/example/...
and putting
cls
after the :top to clear the screen before it add the new date and time to the display

Answer 9

Here is a good date and time code:
#echo off
if %date:~4,2%==01 set month=January
if %date:~4,2%==02 set month=February
if %date:~4,2%==03 set month=March
if %date:~4,2%==04 set month=April
if %date:~4,2%==05 set month=May
if %date:~4,2%==06 set month=June
if %date:~4,2%==07 set month=July
if %date:~4,2%==08 set month=August
if %date:~4,2%==09 set month=September
if %date:~4,2%==10 set month=October
if %date:~4,2%==11 set month=November
if %date:~4,2%==12 set month=December
if %date:~0,3%==Mon set day=Monday
if %date:~0,3%==Tue set day=Tuesday
if %date:~0,3%==Wed set day=Wednesday
if %date:~0,3%==Thu set day=Thursday
if %date:~0,3%==Fri set day=Friday
if %date:~0,3%==Sat set day=Saturday
if %date:~0,3%==Sun set day=Sunday
echo.
echo The Date is %day%, %month% %date:~7,2%, %date:~10,4% the current time is: %time:~0,5%
pause
Outputs: The Date is Sunday, September 27, 2009 the current time is: 3:07

Answer 10

#echo off
set log=%time% %date%
echo %log%
That is a batch for saving the date and time as a temporary variable, and displaying it.
In a hurry, I don't have time to write a script to open a txt, maybe later.