CODEWITHSUNDEEP
batch-filecmdhighest
Billy Jeffs
Billy Jeffs

Reputation: 29

Batch command to find highest number in set of strings?

For instance:

file.txt contains:

4.3 - random1
5.6 - random2
2.2 - random3
3 - random4
1.8 - random5

I need a command that will output the highest number only, not the preceding text.

Ie. 

Output = 5.6

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2982

Answers (3)

aschipfl
aschipfl

Reputation: 34949

The following script does proper sorting of fractional numbers with eight digits before and after the decimal separator . at most:

@echo off
setlocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion

rem // Define constants here:
set "_FILE=%~1"  & rem // (input file; `%~1` means first command line argument)
set /A "_ZPAD=8" & rem // (number of zeroes to be used for temporary padding)

set "_ZERO=" & for /L %%K in (0,1,%_ZPAD%) do set "_ZERO=!_ZERO!0"

for /F "usebackq delims=- " %%L in ("%_FILE%") do (
    for /F "tokens=1,2 delims=." %%I in ("%%L.") do (
        set "INT=%_ZERO%%%I" & set "FRA=%%J%_ZERO%"
        set "$NUM_!INT:~-%_ZPAD%!_!FRA:~,%_ZPAD%!=%%L"
    )
)
set "MIN=" & set "MAX="
for /F "tokens=2 delims==" %%L in ('2^> nul set $NUM') do (
    if not defined MIN set "MIN=%%L"
    set "MAX=%%L"
)
echo Minimum: %MIN%
echo Maximum: %MAX%

endlocal
exit /B

Upvotes: 0

Stephan
Stephan

Reputation: 56188

sort will sort in correct order (Attention: this is sorting strings, not numbers, but will work fine for your example. Note that with string comparison 5 or 6.3 are "bigger" than 15).

Put a for around to process the ouput (Standard tokens is 1 and Space is a standard delimiter, so the for /f gets only the first element - your desired number)

for /f %%a in ('sort t.txt') do set high=%%a
echo %high%

EDIT to also process numbers higher than 10. Note: there is no math involved - it's just clever string manipulation.

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

(
  for /f "tokens=1,2 delims=. " %%a in (t.txt) do (
    set a=0000%%a
    if "%%b"=="-" (echo !a:~-4!) else (echo !a:~-4!.%%b)
  )
)>temp.txt
type temp.txt
pause
for /f "tokens=1,2 delims=0" %%a in ('sort temp.txt') do set high=%%a

echo %high%

Upvotes: 1

Squashman
Squashman

Reputation: 14320

You can give SORTN.bat a try.

Here is the code for it as well.

@ECHO OFF
if "%~1"=="/?" (
    echo.Sorts text by handling first number in line as number not text
    echo.
    echo.%~n0 [n]
    echo.
    echo.  n     Specifies the character number, n, to
    echo.        begin each comparison.  3 indicates that
    echo.        each comparison should begin at the 3rd
    echo.        character in each line.  Lines with fewer
    echo.        than n characters collate before other lines.
    echo.        By default comparisons start at the first
    echo.        character in each line.
    echo.
    echo.Description:
    echo.        'abc10def3' is bigger than 'abc9def4' because
    echo.        first number in first string is 10
    echo.        first number in second string is 9
    echo.        whereas normal text compare returns 
    echo.        'abc10def3' smaller than 'abc9def4'
    echo.
    echo.Example:
    echo.        To sort a directory pipe the output of the dir
    echo.        command into %~n0 like this:
    echo.           dir /b^|%~n0
    echo.
    echo.Source: http://www.dostips.com
    goto:EOF
)
if "%~1" NEQ "~" (
    for /f "tokens=1,* delims=," %%a in ('"%~f0 ~ %*|sort"') do echo.%%b
    goto:EOF
)
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION
set /a n=%~2+0
for /f "tokens=1,* delims=]" %%A in ('"find /n /v """') do (
    set f=,%%B
    (
        set f0=!f:~0,%n%!
        set f0=!f0:~1!
        rem call call set f=,%%%%f:*%%f0%%=%%%%    
        set f=,!f:~%n%!
    )
    for /f "delims=1234567890" %%b in ("!f!") do (
        set f1=%%b
        set f1=!f1:~1!
        call set f=0%%f:*%%b=%%
    )
    for /f "delims=abcdefghijklmnopqrstuwwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUWWXYZ~`@#$*_-+=:;',.?/\ " %%b in ("!f!") do (
        set f2=00000000000000000000%%b
        set f2=!f2:~-20!
        call set f=%%f:*%%b=%%
    )
    echo.!f1!!f2!!f!,%%B
    rem echo.-!f0!*!f1!*!f2!*!f!*%%a>&2
)

I gave it a try using this input as an example

4.3 - random1
11.3 - random6
5.6 - random2
2.2 - random3
100.1 - random8
3 - random4
1.8 - random5
11.12 - random7
11.11 - random7

This is how I ran it but you should be able to capture the output as well using a FOR /F command just like Stephan showed you in his answer.

type sortme.txt |sortn.bat

Output 

1.8 - random5
2.2 - random3
3 - random4
4.3 - random1
5.6 - random2
11.11 - random7
11.12 - random7
11.3 - random6
100.1 - random8

Upvotes: 1

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