set def="c:\temp\doc1.txt" set def2="c:\temp\doc2.txt" @echo off setlocal enabledelayedexpansion set /a n=-1 for /f "delims=*" %%w in ('Type %def%') do ( set /a n=!n!+1 call :Fix %%w ) GOTO :eof :Fix if !n! GTR 0 ( set SKIP="skip=!n!" ) else ( set SKIP= ) for /f %SKIP% %%f in ('dir /b "C:\temp\test space"') do ( @echo on echo Hi %1, nice to meet %%~nf @echo off GOTO :eof )