Hi, I receive a file that contains the following: \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\file1 \direcotry1\file2 \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\directory4\file3 \direcotry1\file4 \direcotry1\directory2\file5 file6 The amount of files in the file and the amount of directories are variable. What I need is the path only. \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\ for file1 \direcotry1\ for file2 \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\directory4\ for file3 \direcotry1\ for file4 \direcotry1\directory2\ for file5 and nothing for file6 I used the variable %%~pi which works for all except for the last one. For the last one it returns \cft\ I guess the \cft\ is returned as the program that is calling the bat file launches it from there. FOR /F %%i in (test.txt) DO ( echo %%~pi command1 command2 ) Does anyone know how I can avoid that the batfile returns \cft\? I want the bat to return nothing when there's no path. Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

using find: C:\batch>for /f "tokens=*" %a in (test.txt) do @echo %~pa|find /v "%cd:~2%\" \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\ \direcotry1\ \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\directory4\ \direcotry1\directory2\ using if: C:\batch>for /f "tokens=*" %a in (test.txt) do @if not .%~pa==.%cd:~2%\ echo %~pa \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\ \direcotry1\ \direcotry1\directory2\directory3\directory4\ \direcotry1\directory2\