ECHO-ing special characters into output file

[Hexonx]

I'm using a tool to generate a C# code file and am using the ECHO command to do it. I need need to write this line to the output file:

//<autogenerated>

but I keep getting a syntax error message. I tried this:

"//<autogenerated>"

but the quotes are retained in the output file.

This is an example of what I need:

cmd.exe /C echo //<autogenerated> > out.txt

to generate the file, out.txt that contains this single line:

//<autogenerated>


What am I doing wrong here? Is there a way to escape the special characters?

 

[tsuji]

Hello Hexonx,

Try this.

for /f "tokens=1*" %%a in ('//<autogenerated>') do echo %1 >>out.txt

regards - tsuji

 

[tsuji]

Correction:

Consistently double up % only for batch process. Hence use %a rather at command prompt.

- tsuji

 

[Hexonx]

Tsuji,

Thanks for the info. I'm running on Win2k and it still complains about the < and > characters. The code you sent was close, but here's what worked at the command line (except for < and >):

for /f "usebackq tokens=1*" %a in ('//autogenerated') do @echo %a > out.txt

 

[tsuji]

Hexonx,

If I fall to simpler approach, it seems to work all right.

for /f %a in ("//<autogenerated>") do @echo %a > out.txt

- tsuji

 

[Hexonx]

That did it, my friend!

This is good to know, since XML is so prevalent these days and the command processor has such difficulty processing special characters.

Thanks, again!

 

[tsuji]

Hexonx,

It is indeed a need-to-know workaround. Legacy escape sequence type is not going to work.

- tsuji

 

[bcastner]

Now if only you could send a zero 0 for a COM applicaton...

 

[2300721]

O/S Windows XP Pro, upon booting I receive Pri Master Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T. status BAD, Backup and Replace press F1 to resume. The Amibios is American Megatrends Inc., the Hard Disk is: Maxtor 40GB. I found the tools to download to the flopy drive, and it stated that I had no problem with the hard drive. The amibios still gives 2 beeps prior to booting, and still gives the message status BAD. All help is greatly appreciated. DiamondMax 40 Model Maxtor 96147U8. Capacity 40 GB.