Redirection Disables REM in Batch Files

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This article was previously published under Q26281

In Microsoft MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later, redirection has higher priority than the REM command. For example, the following batch file causes the file test to contain either "BBBBB" or zero bytes after the REM statement, depending on which version of MS-DOS your are using. In other words, the redirection symbol is not disabled by the REM statement.

   echo AAAAA > test
   type test
   REM echo BBBBB test > test
   type test

Even if you comment out the redirection with a REM statement, it still occurs, nullifying the file (because the REM command ensures that nothing would be redirected into the file).

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1
Microsoft MS-DOS 3.2 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3a
Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 6.2 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 6.21 Standard Edition
Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 Standard Edition

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KB26281

Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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