Fixed Using last argument variable !

[rps]

I clearly don't understand how to use the ! (variable), based on how I read the docs.

" ! returns the last argument of the previous command. The command is retrieved from the history list, so this will not work in a batch file -- it's intended for aliases and command line work."

The following code blocks are being entered at the command line.

What am I doing wrong?

C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs>ver

TCC  17.00.53 x64  Windows 7 [Version 6.1.7601]

C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs>*dir /k /m  tc16* & echo %!
11/16/2014  11:31  70,123  TC16_Nov_2014.log
10/17/2014  2:47  362,052  TC16_Oct_2014.log
!

A second example just in case echo is a special case:

C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs>
C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_nov_2014.log & *copy %! tc16_nov_2014Test.log
11/16/2014  11:30  70,001  TC16_Nov_2014.log
TCC: (Sys) The system cannot find the file specified.
 "C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs\!"
  0 files copied

As 2 separate commands, no connecting & :

C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_nov_2014.log
11/16/2014  11:46          70,938  TC16_Nov_2014.log


C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs>*dir /k /m %!
TCC: (Sys) The system cannot find the file specified.
"C:\JPSoft\TCMD17x64\logs\!"

Using TCC 16.03.55 x64 yields different and confusing results.

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>ver

TCC  16.03.55 x64   Windows 7 [Version 6.1.7601]

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16*
1/17/2014   1:18         224,499  TC16_Jan_2014.log
5/16/2014  23:27           5,280  TC16_May_2014.log
11/16/2014  12:26          25,066  TC16_Nov_2014.log
10/17/2014   2:47          54,604  TC16_Oct_2014.log
9/17/2014  10:53          57,421  TC16_Sep_2014.log

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m %!
1/17/2014   1:18         224,499  TC16_Jan_2014.log
5/16/2014  23:27           5,280  TC16_May_2014.log
11/16/2014  12:26          25,112  TC16_Nov_2014.log
10/17/2014   2:47          54,604  TC16_Oct_2014.log
9/17/2014  10:53          57,421  TC16_Sep_2014.log

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_jan_2014.log & *dir /k /m %!
1/17/2014   1:18         224,499  TC16_Jan_2014.log
TCC: Variable loop "%!"

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_nov_2014.log
11/16/2014  12:29  25,345  TC16_Nov_2014.log

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_may_2014.log & *dir /k /m %!
 5/16/2014  23:27  5,280  TC16_May_2014.log
11/16/2014  12:30  25,502  TC16_Nov_2014.log

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>ver

TCC  16.03.55 x64  Windows 7 [Version 6.1.7601]

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16* & echo %!
 1/17/2014  1:18  224,499  TC16_Jan_2014.log
 5/16/2014  23:27  5,280  TC16_May_2014.log
11/16/2014  12:33  25,610  TC16_Nov_2014.log
10/17/2014  2:47  54,604  TC16_Oct_2014.log
 9/17/2014  10:53  57,421  TC16_Sep_2014.log
TCC: Variable loop "%!"

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_jan_2014*
 1/17/2014  1:18  224,499  TC16_Jan_2014.log

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>echo %!
tc16_jan_2014*

 

[vefatica]

It seems to be broken in v17.
In v16 ... The key word here is "history". As you quoted, the value of %! comes from the history. Compound commands go into the history together, just as they were entered. So when I say "echo foo & echo %!" TCC doesn't find "%!" in what it must do next (echo foo) so it puts the (whole) command line in the history and echoes "foo". Now it's time to "echo %!". TCC looks at the last argument in the last command in the history and finds "%!". Thus the variable loop.
I can't figure out what's happening in the last example.

 

[vefatica]

Maybe my explanation was nonsense. This is going to be affected by your history settings (what to do with duplicates). I discard duplicates and leave the most recent. So below, the 2nd command worked as one might expect. The 3rd command is OK because TCC replaces it with itself in the history; the previous command still ends with "foo". But the 4th command is new ... it's added to the history and now the previous command ends in %! ... hence the loop. (OSLT)

v:\> echo foo
foo

v:\> echo bar & echo %!
bar
foo

v:\> echo bar & echo %!
bar
foo

v:\> echo foo & echo %!
foo
TCC: Variable loop "%!"

 

[rps]

It seems to be broken in v17.
In v16 ... The key word here is "history". As you quoted, the value of %! comes from the history. Compound commands go into the history together, just as they were entered. So when I say "echo foo & echo %!" TCC doesn't find "%!" in what it must do next (echo foo) so it puts the (whole) command line in the history and echoes "foo". Now it's time to "echo %!". TCC looks at the last argument in the last command in the history and finds "%!". Thus the variable loop.
I can't figure out what's happening in the last example.

Vince,

Thanks for the explanation, I understand for now.

This last example just shows the %! working as you have explained.

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>*dir /k /m tc16_jan_2014*
1/17/2014  1:18  224,499  TC16_Jan_2014.log

C:\JPSoft\TCMD16x64\logs>echo %!
tc16_jan_2014*

This variable is not as useful to me as I had hoped.

Docs could use some examples and a qualifier/warning about using ` & ` with this variable. Something like: Warning: using this variable when connecting commands with ` & ` will not produce the desired result.

It is still broken in V17.00.53. I have changed the subject to Bug so Rex will notice.

 

[rconn]

Fixed in build 54.

 

[Jay Sage]

I can confirm that it is fixed for

TCC 17.00.54 x64 Windows 7 [Version 6.1.7601]