[batch-file] Windows batch command(s) to read first line from text file

How can I read the first line from a text file using a Windows batch file? Since the file is large I only want to deal with the first line.

Slightly building upon the answers of other people. Now allowing you to specify the file you want to read from and the variable you want the result put into:

@echo off
for /f "delims=" %%x in (%2) do (
set %1=%%x
exit /b
)

This means you can use the above like this (assuming you called it getline.bat)

c:\> dir > test-file
c:\> getline variable test-file
c:\> set variable  
variable= Volume in drive C has no label.

uh? imo this is much simpler

  set /p texte=< file.txt  
  echo %texte%

Note, the batch file approaches will be limited to the line limit for the DOS command processor - see What is the command line length limit?.

So if trying to process a file that has any lines more that 8192 characters the script will just skip them as the value can't be held.

Uh you guys...

C:\>findstr /n . c:\boot.ini | findstr ^1:

1:[boot loader]

C:\>findstr /n . c:\boot.ini | findstr ^3:

3:default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

C:\>

Another way

setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
@echo off
for /f "delims=" %%i in (filename.txt) do (
if 1==1 (
set first_line=%%i
echo !first_line!
goto :eof
))

To cicle a file (file1.txt, file1[1].txt, file1[2].txt, etc.):

START/WAIT C:\LAERCIO\DELPHI\CICLADOR\dprCiclador.exe C:\LAERCIUM\Ciclavel.txt

rem set/p ciclo=< C:\LAERCIUM\Ciclavel.txt:
set/p ciclo=< C:\LAERCIUM\Ciclavel.txt

rem echo %ciclo%:
echo %ciclo%

And it's running.

Thanks to thetalkingwalnut with answer Windows batch command(s) to read first line from text file I came up with the following solution:

@echo off
for /f "delims=" %%a in ('type sample.txt') do (
echo %%a
exit /b
)

The problem with the EXIT /B solutions, when more realistically inside a batch file as just one part of it is the following. There is no subsequent processing within the said batch file after the EXIT /B. Usually there is much more to batches than just the one, limited task.

To counter that problem:

@echo off & setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
set myfile_=C:\_D\TEST\My test file.txt
set FirstLine=
for /f "delims=" %%i in ('type "%myfile_%"') do (
  if not defined FirstLine set FirstLine=%%i)
echo FirstLine=%FirstLine%
endlocal & goto :EOF

(However, the so-called poison characters will still be a problem.)

More on the subject of getting a particular line with batch commands:

How do I get the n'th, the first and the last line of a text file?" http://www.netikka.net/tsneti/info/tscmd023.htm

[Added 28-Aug-2012] One can also have:

@echo off & setlocal enableextensions
set myfile_=C:\_D\TEST\My test file.txt
for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%a in (
  'type "%myfile_%"') do (
    set FirstLine=%%a& goto _ExitForLoop)
:_ExitForLoop
echo FirstLine=%FirstLine%
endlocal & goto :EOF

Here is a workaround using powershell:

powershell (Get-Content file.txt)[0]

(You can easily read also a range of lines with powershell (Get-Content file.txt)[0..3])

If you need to set a variable inside a batch script as the first line of file.txt you may use:

for /f "usebackq delims=" %%a in (`powershell ^(Get-Content file.txt^)[0]`) do (set "head=%%a")

Try this

@echo off
setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
set firstLine=1
for /f "delims=" %%i in (yourfilename.txt) do (
    if !firstLine!==1 echo %%i
    set firstLine=0
)
endlocal

for /f "delims=" %a in (downing.txt) do echo %a & pause>nul

Prints 1st line, then waits for user to press a key to print next line. After printing required lines, press Ctrl+C to stop.

@Ross Presser: This method prints lines only, not prepend line numbers.

You might give this a try:

@echo off

for /f %%a in (sample.txt) do (
  echo %%a
  exit /b
)

edit Or, say you have four columns of data and want from the 5th row down to the bottom, try this:

@echo off

for /f "skip=4 tokens=1-4" %%a in (junkl.txt) do (
  echo %%a %%b %%c %%d
)

One liner, useful for stdout redirect with ">":

@for /f %%i in ('type yourfile.txt') do @echo %%i & exit