--- title: "Learning the Powerful Goto Batch Command" description: "Learn how the goto batch command works and walk through some real-world use cases of how to use the goto command!" canonical: "https://adamtheautomator.com/goto-batch/" --- # Learning the Powerful Goto Batch Command > Learn how the goto batch command works and walk through some real-world use cases of how to use the goto command! Source: https://adamtheautomator.com/goto-batch/ --- ATA Learning Tap to hide [ ATA Learning ](/) * [Home](/) * [Tutorials](/tutorials/) * [Instructors](/author/) * [Advertising](/advertising/) * [Recommended Resources](/resources/) * [About Adam](/about-adam/) Search for: * [](https://twitter.com/adbertram) * [](https://github.com/Adam-the-Automator) * [](https://www.linkedin.com/company/adam-the-automator-llc) * [](/feed/) ![Learning the Powerful Goto Batch Command](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Learning-Batch-The-Goto-Command.jpg) # Learning the Powerful Goto Batch Command [![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f08b754bc0dce1c76685f6afa93185ecfb6f861fd14f993286e06bba69eaeb8b?s=192&d=mm&r=g)Adam Listek](https://adamtheautomator.com/author/alistek/)17 June 20216 min. read Categories: [IT Ops](/category/it-ops/) Tags:[Batch Files](/tag/batch-files/)[Command Line](/tag/command-line/) Table of Contents * [Prerequisites](#h-prerequisites) * [Understanding a Simple goto Command](#h-understanding-a-simple-goto-command) * [Best Practices Using Labels](#h-best-practices-using-labels) * [Using the if Command with the goto Command](#h-using-the-if-command-with-the-goto-command) * [Calling a Subroutine and Using the goto Command](#h-calling-a-subroutine-and-using-thegoto-command) * [Special Cases, Bugs, and GOTO Statement Considerations!](#h-special-cases-bugs-and-goto-statement-considerations) * [Command Extensions and the :eof Special Label](#h-command-extensions-and-the-eof-special-label) * [Using Command Groups and Goto Batch Commands in an if Statement](#h-using-command-groups-and-goto-commands-in-an-if-statement) * [Next Steps](#h-next-steps) In Windows, using batch files to script common tasks has been around for decades. Even though other scripting languages like PowerShell now exist, batch files are still widely used. If you see the [`goto` batch command](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/goto) in a batch file and have always wondered what it does, you’re in luck. In this tutorial, you will learn how the goto batch command works in batch files with several examples, and where you may still find a use for this older command today! ## Prerequisites As the `goto` executable is a part of the `cmd.exe` suite of batch commands, any version of supported Windows will work. ## Understanding a Simple `goto` Command In a nutshell, the `goto` command is a way to control the flow of a batch file. Typically, when you execute a batch file, the script executes from top to bottom following each line. But sometimes, you need the script to start executing at a different place in the script. The `goto` command is perfect for this. Let’s say you have a batch script with a couple of simple lines to send text to the screen like below. ```bash @echo off echo Run this line first echo Run this line second echo Run this line third ``` When you run it, as seen below, it sends the three messages to the screen. ![Running a simple batch file](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T081812.382.png) Running a simple batch file Now, perhaps, you’d like to run the third line _before_ the second line. You could cut and paste but for a real batch file, this might not be possible. Instead, you can _redirect_ the batch file with the `goto` command. To do that, you’ll use the `GOTO` command combined with a label. Below you can see three concepts: * The `goto` labels created by starting with a colon with code underneath called `run_first`. * Comments that start with `::` to indicate the code is not executable. * An optional `goto:eof` command that tells the batch script to finish or jump to the end of the file (`eof`). Notice the colon vs. the space here. If you simply use `GOTO eof`, without the colon, the batch script looks for the label of `:eof` somewhere in the file and does not jump to the end and return! When you run the below script, you’ll see that the batch script runs the code in the order that you have the `GOTO` commands. The `goto` command changes the flow of the batch script. The first `echo` command is never run as the batch script jumps to the specified `goto` command. From that point forward, the script executes line-by-line. ```bash @echo off :: Start comments. The goto commands reference the labels GOTO run_first :: Optional internal goto command that jumps to the end of the script immediately GOTO:eof echo This line will never be output :run_first echo Run this line first :: Each label starts with a colon echo Run this line second echo Run this line third ``` ![Running a simple batch file](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T081913.466.png) Running a simple batch file ## Best Practices Using Labels In the previous example, you defined labels with an underscore. There’s nothing wrong with this approach but there are many other ways to create these labels. There are several caveats to keep in mind, as not just any label will work. What _will_ work in a label: * Spaces * Periods * Hypens What _won’t_ work in a label: * Equal signs (`=`) * Semicolons (`;`) * Ending with anything other than a space, colon or CR/LF (carriage return / line-feed) or simply pressing Enter. > _Adding various control characters will cause the batch script to run forever in a loop and require manual termination._ If you define a label and the `goto` command cannot find it, you will receive an error indicating “_The system cannot find the batch label specified_“. > _If a label isn’t found searching forward from the GOTO statement to the end of the file, `cmd.exe` will restart the search at the beginning of the file._ ```powershell :: Spaces are OK in labels GOTO Label with spaces :Label with spaces Echo This is from a label with spaces :: Underscores, hyphens, and periods are all ok GOTO Label_hyphenated-with.a.period :Label_hyphenated-with.a.period Echo This label has an underscore, hyphen, and a period :: Control characters such as semi-colons (;) or equal signs (=) cannot be used :: GOTO Label=Equal :: GOTO Label;Semicolon :: If you specify a GOTO statement but do not have a corresponding label :: you will see an error GOTO Label_nonexisting ``` > _In fact, if you use either of the GOTO statements with the equal (=) or semicolons (;),_ ![Demonstrating various label iterations](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T090826.792.png) Demonstrating various label iterations ## Using the `if` Command with the `goto` Command Jumping to different points of a batch file is handy but in the previous example, it wasn’t practical. To add more practicality, what if you needed a batch script to run some commands only if a certain condition were true? The `goto` command used in conjunction with the `if` command gives you control over exactly when that jump is made. For example, check out the below example. In this example, the batch file is using the `call` command to run a program. That program will always return an exit code that’s always represented in the internal [`ERRORLEVEL` variable](https://ss64.com/nt/errorlevel.html). The batch file then checks to see if the `ERRORLEVEL` variable is not equal to 0. If so, it skips to the end of the script. Otherwise, it runs the `echo` command to tell you that an error has occurred and _then_ skips to the end of the batch script. ```bash @echo off :: Executing a call command with a single space after will set the %ERRORLEVEL% :: environmental variable to 1, but not exiting the overall script. call if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO End echo There was an error and the Error Level was set to a non-zero value GOTO:eof :: This will never run if there is an error :End echo End of the Script ``` When you run the above script, you’ll see that `call` returned a non-zero exit code and existed the `echo` command to tell you an error occurred. ![Non-zero exit code](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T090935.683.png) Non-zero exit code ## Calling a Subroutine and Using the `goto` Command Now that you have learned the basics of a `goto` statement, how about using the `goto` command with a subroutine? A subroutine is like a block of code or a function that you can _call_ to execute. Similar to the `goto` command, there is a [`call` command](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/call) which also uses labels. Unlike the `goto` command, the `call` command will run code after the label and then return execution to after the original `call` command when terminated. In the below example, this batch file is running the subroutine called `my_subroutine` using the `call` command. Then, _inside_ of that subroutine, the batch script runs the `goto:eof` command to jump to the end of the script. ```bash @echo off :: Use the SET command to get user input and assign that input to the %Text% variable set /p Text="Enter Text: " :: Call the subroutine with the label :my_subroutine and pass in the %text% variable call :my_subroutine %Text% :: Return here after the subroutine, echo some text, and then end the script Echo End of the script GOTO:eof :: Run everything in the subroutine :my_subroutine :: Each variable passed in is sequentially assigned a variable number, i.e %Text% = %1 Echo User Text: %1 :: Jumps to end of the file, which automatically exits the subroutine GOTO:eof ``` ![batch file is running the subroutine](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T091258.504.png) batch file is running the subroutine ## Special Cases, Bugs, and GOTO Statement Considerations! As with any command, there are special cases, bugs, and important considerations to keep in mind while using the `goto` statement in your code. ### Command Extensions and the `:eof` Special Label You may have noticed that the previous examples used extensive use of the `:eof` label. `cmd.exe` has both internal and external commands. Although the `goto` command is built-in to `cmd.exe`, the special label `:eof` is known as a [command extension](https://renenyffenegger.ch/notes/Windows/dirs/Windows/System32/cmd_exe/command-extension/index). Command extensions can actually be disabled, via the following methods: * Set the DWORD registry key `HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\EnableExtensionsCommand` to `0`. * Use the option, `cmd.exe /e:off` to disable command extensions. * Within a batch script, run the command `SETLOCAL DisableExtensions` Although the `goto` command will work in most contexts, the special label `:eof` will no longer take effect. You can get around this limitation by using a `goto` label at the very end of the batch script. ```bash SETLOCAL DisableExtensions Echo This will display :: The following command will break the script as the :eof label does not exist :: GOTO:eof GOTO End Echo This will not display :End ``` ![The left-hand script fails due to the :eof label, whereas the right-hand script properly goes to the end.](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T091617.487.png) The left-hand script fails due to the `:eof` label, whereas the right-hand script properly goes to the end. > _When you disable command extensions, other `cmd.exe` functionality also ceases to work such as the dynamic variables, `%TIME%`._ ### Using Command Groups and Goto Batch Commands in an `if` Statement A command group is a series of commands grouped within a parenthesis. This allows an entire set of commands to be operated as one. If you include a `goto` statement within the command group and an `if` statement, the remaining conditionals are ignored, such as the below `else` statement, and the included code is executed. ```bash :: Like before, a call statement without following spaces sets the %ERRORLEVEL% to 1 call if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 1 ( GOTO :subsection :subsection ECHO This will show since 1 = 1 for the if statement ) else ( :: This will show even though it should not echo This should not show, but will because GOTO within a command group breaks the if statements ) ``` ![Demonstrating how a command group with a GOTO statement breaks an if statement](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Untitled-2021-06-17T091711.564.png) Demonstrating how a command group with a GOTO statement breaks an `if` statement As you might imagine, this could have unintended consequences! If, for example, you included a delete command in the `else` statement that was not intended to run, this `goto` statement will break that logic. ## Next Steps Despite there being newer automation languages, such as [PowerShell](https://adamtheautomator.com/basic-powershell-commands/), batch files still find use in many different areas, such as package deployment. Understanding how to structure a script with `goto` statements and control the script flow becomes invaluable to crafting useful automations! 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