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Q69576: Testing for a Specific Error Level in Batch Files

Article: Q69576
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
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SUMMARY
=======

The Microsoft MS-DOS "IF ERRORLEVEL <number>" statement checks for error
levels of the given number or greater. If you want to check for a specific error
level, you should use the following command construct

  IF ERRORLEVEL <N> IF NOT ERRORLEVEL <N+1> <COMMAND>

where <N> is the desired number. The <N+1> portion of the command
must be calculated as the command is entered, because the MS-DOS command
interpreter cannot perform mathematical calculations.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The nested IF statements allow specific selection of an error level because the
NOT operator effectively reverses the inequality. The command

  IF ERRORLEVEL 5 ...

is equivalent to the algebraic construct

  IF E = 5 OR E > 5 THEN ...

while the command

  IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 6

is equivalent to the algebraic construct:

  IF E < 6 THEN ...

The combination of the two IF commands works as described because the second IF
is executed only if the first is true, and the <command> is executed only
if the second is true; therefore, the combination of the two commands is
executed only if BOTH are true. Because the desired error level is bracketed
with the two tests, the entire conditional is TRUE only when ERRORLEVEL is
exactly that value.

This same syntax can be expanded to cover a sequential range of ERRORLEVEL return
codes by increasing the difference between the values checked for.

Additional query words: 6.22 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 5.00 6.00 6.20

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

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