Why doesn't @ECHO ON/OFF work within a batch file IF block?

Question

@echo on and @echo off don't seem to have any affect when executed within a bracketed if block in a batch file. Here's a simple demo:

@echo off
echo Test #1
if 1 == 1 (
  @echo on
  echo Test #2
  @echo off
  echo Test #3
)
@echo on
echo Test #4

The output from running the above on the command line is:

Test #1
Test #2
Test #3
C:\mybatchfilelocation>echo Test #4
Test #4

Could anyone explain this and/or suggest a workaround? (Expect it could probably be fixed by copious use of goto and labels but would prefer to continue using bracketed if blocks if possible...)

Answer 1

As you have discovered, the changed ECHO state is not recognized by the parser until it reaches a statement that is after the code block that contains the ECHO ON/OFF.

But there is one exception - the commands after FOR... DO do take on the state change within the same block:-)

Note that you only need @ to suppress command output when ECHO is currently ON. If it is OFF, then there is no need for @ECHO ON . And if you turn it ON and OFF within the same code block, then you don't need it there either.

Here is a demo that echos the even test lines:

@echo off
echo Test #1
(
  echo on
  for %%. in (.) do echo Test #2
  echo off
  echo Test #3
  echo on
  for %%. in (.) do echo Test #4
  echo off
  echo Test #5
)
echo on
echo Test #6
@echo off
echo Test #7

-- OUTPUT --

Test #1

C:\test>echo Test #2
Test #2
Test #3

C:\test>echo Test #4
Test #4
Test #5

C:\test>echo Test #6
Test #6
Test #7

You might find it convenient to declare a simple echo_on "macro". The following produces the exact same output:

@echo off
setlocal

set "echo_on=echo on&for %%. in (.) do"

echo Test #1
(
  %echo_on% echo Test #2
  echo off
  echo Test #3
  %echo_on% echo Test #4
  echo off
  echo Test #5
)
echo on
echo Test #6
@echo off
echo Test #7

Answer 2

Have just found out what is causing this by turning the echo on before an if block.

@echo on
if 1 == 1 (
  echo Test #1
  echo Test #2
)

This outputs:

C:\mybatchfilelocation>if 1 == 1 (
echo Test #1
echo Test #2
)
Test #1
Test #2

So the statement that is echoed is the entire if block rather than each statement within it. This answer explains this further and this answer gives a workaround - unfortunately not what I wanted to hear but it looks like lots of goto s and labels may be the only workable solution.

Answer 3

You could do something like this to achieve the result you want:

@echo off
set "ExecuteCmd=echo Test #2"
echo Test #1
if 1 == 1 (
  echo %ExecuteCmd%
  %ExecuteCmd%
  echo Test #3
)
@echo on
echo Test #4

Answer 4

How about putting the echo control commands inside a subroutine?

@echo off
echo Test #1
if 1 == 1 (
  CALL :DO_ECHO_ON
  echo Test #3
)
@echo on
echo Test #4

@EXIT /B

:DO_ECHO_ON
@ECHO ON
echo Test #2
@ECHO OFF
@EXIT /B

This produces the output I'd expect from your description.

Test #1

C:\secret>echo Test #2 
Test #2
Test #3

C:\secret>echo Test #4 
Test #4

Based on one of your comments, I suppose you want to be able to turn echo on for arbitrary commands. This modified version does that.

@echo off
echo Test #1
if 1 == 1 (
  CALL :DO_ECHO_ON_CMD echo Test #2
  echo Test #3
  CALL :DO_ECHO_ON_CMD dir /b "C:\Program Files"
  echo Test #3.1
  CALL :DO_ECHO_ON_CMD attrib c:\Windows
)
@echo on
echo Test #4

EXIT /B

:DO_ECHO_ON_CMD
@ECHO ON
%*
@ECHO OFF
@EXIT /B 0