(It is very difficult to search Google on this topic, because it
ignores the % punctuation in my search. Very provoking.)

As is well known, the %TIME% variable expands to the current time:

C:\>echo %TIME%
10:36:30.71

If I use it several times in a batch file that takes a nontrivial
amount of time, the later times are indeed later:

C:\>type test1.cmd
echo %TIME%
ping google.com >nul
echo %TIME%

C:\>test1

C:\>echo 10:37:19.86
10:37:19.86

C:\>ping google.com 1>nul

C:\>echo 10:37:23.55
10:37:23.55

But in a loop, apparently %TIME% is only expanded once and then
substituted the same on each loop pass:

C:\>type test2.cmd
for %%i in (1 2 3) do echo %%i 10:38:28.91 & ping -n 2 google.com >nul

C:\>test2

C:\>for %i in (1 2 3) do echo %i 10:38:28.91 & ping -n 2 google.com
1>nul

C:\>echo 1 10:38:28.91 & ping -n 2 google.com 1>nul
1 10:38:28.91

C:\>echo 2 10:38:28.91 & ping -n 2 google.com 1>nul
2 10:38:28.91

C:\>echo 3 10:38:28.91 & ping -n 2 google.com 1>nul
3 10:38:28.91

The other traditional way to get the time, using for with delims and
TIME /T, doesn't get me the seconds, which I need. Any other way to
get the current time while in a loop?

On 29 Jun 2006 07:40:44 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> (It is very difficult to search Google on this topic, because it
> ignores the % punctuation in my search. Very provoking.)
>
> As is well known, the %TIME% variable expands to the current time:
>
> C:\>echo %TIME%
> 10:36:30.71
>
> If I use it several times in a batch file that takes a nontrivial
> amount of time, the later times are indeed later:
>
>
> But in a loop, apparently %TIME% is only expanded once and then
> substituted the same on each loop pass:
>
>
> The other traditional way to get the time, using for with delims and
> TIME /T, doesn't get me the seconds, which I need. Any other way to
> get the current time while in a loop?

@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
for %%i in (1 2 3) do echo %%i !time! & ping -n 2 google.com >nul

foxidrive wrote:
> On 29 Jun 2006 07:40:44 -0700, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
> > Any other way to
> > get the current time while in a loop?
>
> @echo off
> setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
> for %%i in (1 2 3) do echo %%i !time! & ping -n 2 google.com >nul

Thank you! This is perfect.