Now it is clear that %~ff was interpreted as reference to full qualified file name of string assigned to loop variable f while %~I is interpreted as referencing the string assigned to loop variable I with double quotes removed. I is not a modifier and so the wrong output by the command line above can be avoided using %I instead of %f as it can be seen on running in a Windows command prompt window: for %I in ('1. It can be confusing for readers and in some special cases also for cmd.exe what is meant on using as loop variable a character which is also a modifier, for example on running in a cmd window the command line: for %f in ('1. It is in general better readable to use a loop variable in upper case and the modifiers in lower case. Please note that loop variables are case-sensitive while the modifiers like n, x, f. at beginning of file name makes this file hidden on UNIX/MAC file systems. htaccess is on UNIX/MAC a file with real name being htaccess and.

htaccess and not %~nI which is in this special case an empty string.

So %~xI references the file name of a file with a name like.

The file extension referenced with %~xI is everything from last dot after last backlash to end of string assigned to loop variable. is a folder path, or name of file starts with a dot and has no real file extension like hidden files on UNIX/MAC are often named. It can be an empty string if the string assigned to loop variable ends with a backslash, i.e. The file name referenced with %~nI is the string after last backslash up to last dot or end of string. Please note that it does not matter if the string assigned to case-sensitive loop variable I is really a file or a folder which really exists or does not exist at all. There is explained %~xI – only file extension of %I – and %~nI – only file name of %I – and %~nxI – file name with extension of %I. Open a command prompt window, run for /? and read the output help carefully and completely.

Batch rename file extension