Store command output as a variable [Batch file]

h0stn0tf0und

Hopefully some one can point me in the right direction.

I am trying to store the the output of a command as a variable

Example:

dir C:\somefile.ext /s /b | Set myvar=
echo %myvar%

I am having trouble with this, am I totally going in the wrong direction? Do I have to store the output in a text file > myvar.txt and then read it back in? Sorry if this is really easy but I dont seem to be getting it.

Thanks peeps.

Esel

Putting it into a file via > seems the best way?

Why do you want to put it into a variable?

h0stn0tf0und

I want to search for a file and if its found run it. The idea is to look for programs such as spybot and run it with command line switches (auto updates and scans). I would like to find the program first as not everyone might install it to the default directory or it might not be installed at all.
Example: search for spybot

DIR %systemdrive%\SpybotSD.exe /s /b
Set the output to variable pathtosb

if found store the path to it and then I could run it

START %pathtosb% /autoupdate /autoclose

Thanks

Capt'n Midnight

If Windows NT/2K/XP you use the FOR /F command

It's worth generating a text file with the filename at the end so you can tell if you have done it. - to run all exe's that have not been run yet
For /D %%i in ( *.exe ) do if not exist %%i.txt %%i >%%i.txt

You can also use the FSUM utility to do MD5 checks on the file to make sure it's the right version