I don’t understand this iff error

[Claire_CJS]

Why does an equals sign in the filename parameter here make iff totally forget that it’s in an iff?

Sorry for lack of better phrasing here, but I just can’t get error-free output on my latest project when dealing with files that have equal signs in them.

@echo off

iff "%1" != "" .and. "%2" == "" then        
        gosub check_for_filemask
endiff              

quit

:check_for_filemask 
        echo Hello, world!
return

 

[Claire_CJS]

We’re allowed to use gosubs within iffs, right?

 

[vefatica]

The quotes remain in %1.

iff "%1" != ""

turns into

iff ""a=.txt"" != ""

which doesn't look very good. Using `a=.txt` works better.

We’re allowed to use gosubs within iffs, right?

Yes.

 

[Claire_CJS]

Really good observation!

This kinda makes iff a lot harder to work with than if, though.

Consider that out of 6 different situations (3 ifs * filenames with or without equals), ONLY iff fails:

@echo off

echo Try with iff:
        iff "%1" != "" then       
                gosub check_for_filemask
        endiff             

echo.
echo Try with if:
        if "%1" != "" gosub check_for_filemask

echo.
echo Try with multipe-line if ():
        if "%1" != "" (
                gosub check_for_filemask
        )    



quit

:check_for_filemask
        echo Hello, world!
return

I end up with an "endiff" error in only 1 out of 6 of those situations:

>testrf2  a.txt
Try with iff:
Hello, world!

Try with if:
Hello, world!

Try with multipe-line if ():
Hello, world!

>testrf2  a=.txt
Try with iff:
Hello, world!

Try with if:
Hello, world!

Try with multipe-line if ():
Hello, world!

>testrf2  "a.txt"
Try with iff:
Hello, world!

Try with if:
Hello, world!

Try with multipe-line if ():
Hello, world!

>testrf2  "a=.txt"
Try with iff:
Hello, world!
  Unknown command: 'endiff' 


Try with if:

Try with multipe-line if ():

Doesn’t that feel kind of inconsistent?

It doesn’t seem to be a quoting issue. It’s like this with or without quotes.