Batch file command line arguments are parameter values submitted when starting the batch. They should be enclosed in quotes if they contain spaces. In a running batch file, the arguments are used for various purposes, i.e. redirection to :labels, setting variables, or running commands.

The arguments are referred to in the batch file using %1, %2, ..., %9.

@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
if not "%1"=="" (
    set "dir=%~1" & set "file=%~2"
    type !dir!\!file! | find /n /i "True" >nul^
     && echo Success! || echo Failure
)
exit /b

C:\Users\UserName> test.bat "C:\Temp\Test Results" "Latest.log"
Success!

Notes:

• In the above example, double quotes are removed by using the argument modifier %~1.
• Long strings are split to several lines using ^, and there is a space before the character on the next line.

When more than 9 arguments are supplied, the shift [/n] command can be used, where /n means start at the nth argument, n is between zero and eight.

Looping through arguments:

:args
set /a "i+=1"
set arg!i!=%~1
call echo arg!i! = %%arg!i!%%
shift
goto :args

Note, in the above example delayed expansion variable i is used to assign argument values to variables array. The call command allows to display such variable values inside the loop.

Counting arguments:

for %%i in (%*) do (set /a ArgCount+=1)
echo %ArgCount%

Set a variable to n'th argument:

set i=5
call set "path%i%=%%~i"

Lets have the following example.bat and call it with arguments 1 ,2 and 3:

@echo off

(
    shift
    shift
    echo %1
)

As the variable expansion will change after the the end brackets context is reached the output will be:

1

As this might be an issue when shifting inside brackets to access the argument you'll need to use call:

@echo off

(
    shift
    shift
    call echo %%1
) 

now the output will be 3. As CALL command is used (which will lead to additional variable expansion) with this technique the arguments accessing can be also parametrized:

@echo off

set argument=1

    shift
    shift
    call echo %%%argument%

with delayed expansion:

@echo off
setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
set argument=1

    shift
    shift
    call echo %%!argument!

the output will be

3