Unlike PowerShell, which fully supports arrays, there is no built in support for array variables within the CMD shell. However with some effort you can replicate this functionality using a series of separate variables, named to represent the array:
Set elem[1]=First element
Set elem[2]=Second one
Set elem[3]=The third one
To perform array indexing operations with these, use EnableDelayedExpansion and a reference like !elem[%var%]!
this is explained fully in this StackOverflow Q/A.
Example of building and then reading an array of values:
@echo off Setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion Set _folder=c:\pictures Set _count=1 :: Store each filename in a pseudo-array named like "_pic[0], _pic[1]..." For /r "%_folder%" %%A in (*.jpg) do ( Set _pic[!_count!]=%%~A Set /a _count+=1 ) Set /a _count-=1 Echo The number of files is %_count% Echo: Echo Now enumerating the array: For /L %%G in (1,1,%_count%) Do ( Echo Array item _pic[%%G] is !_pic[%%G]! )
Credits: bluesxman, adapted from this forum thread: Pick random file from a folder.
"There are only two hard things in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things" ~ Phil Karlton
How-to: Variables and Operators - Create variable, add to value, subtract, divide.
How-to: Environment variables - Windows environment variables Env:
How-to: Functions - How to package blocks of code.
PowerShell equivalent: Create and use PowerShell Arrays