batch file infinite loop when parsing file
- by Bart
Okay, this should be a really simple task but its proving to be more complicated than I think it should be. I'm clearly doing something wrong, and would like someone else's input.
What I would like to do is parse through a file containing paths to directories and set permissions on those directories.
An example line of the input file. There are several lines, all formatted the same way, with a different path to a directory.
E:\stuff\Things\something else (X)\
(The file in question is generated under Cygwin using find to list all directories with "(X)" in the name. The file is then passed through unix2win to make it windows compatible. I've also tried manually creating the input file from within windows to rule out the file's creation method as the problem.)
Here's where I'm stuck... I wrote the following quick and dirty batch file in Windows XP and it worked without any issues at all, but it will not work in server 2k8.
Batch file code to run through the file and set permissions:
FOR /F "tokens=*" %%A IN (dirlist.txt) DO echo y| cacls "%%A" /T /C /G "Domain Admins":f "Some Group":f "some-security-group":f
What this is SUPPOSED to do (and does in XP) is loop through the specified file (dirlist.txt) and run cacls.exe on each directory it pulls from the file. The "echo y|" is in there to automagically confirm when cacls helpfully asks "are you sure?" for every directory in the list.
Unfortunately, however, what it DOES is fall into an infinite loop. I've tried surrounding everything after "DO" with quotes, which prevents the endless loop but confuses cacls so it throws an error.
Interestingly, I've tried running the code from after "DO" manually (obviously replacing the variable with the full path, copied straight from the file) at a command prompt and it runs as expected. I don't think it's the file or the loop, as adding quotes to the command to be executed prevents the loop from continuing past where it's supposed to... I really have no idea at this point. Any help would be appreciated. I have a feeling it's going to be something increadibly stupid... but I'm pulling my hair out so I thought I'd ask.
