Using CALL for labels in a batch script

Question

When using the CALL command to call a label in a batch script, and you end the sub-routine with GOTO:eof, what happens from there? Does it return back to where the sub-routine's CALL is located? Or does it continue on after the location of the call script?

For example:

ECHO It's for my college fund.
CALL :OMGSUB
ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl*

:OMGSUB
ECHO Your mom goes to college.
GOTO:eof

ECHO *picks up jewelry box*

After GOTO:eof which line will it echo next?

Diseuse

See robvanderwoude.com/goto.php for an example of how to use labels to create "subroutines" and how to exit the batch without repeating those content within the subroutine. – Architectonics

You could also replace GOTO:eof with exit /b. Also, ECHO Your mom goes to college. will be executed after ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl*, which may not be intended. The solution would be to add an exit after ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl*. – Doran

See also Where does GOTO :EOF return to? – Morganne

Answer 1

Why not just run it and see for yourself? I saved your script to a batch file called foo.bat, and I changed the Your mom goes to college. to have an echo in front.

C:\temp>foo

C:\temp>ECHO It's for my college fund.
It's for my college fund.

C:\temp>CALL :OMGSUB

C:\temp>echo Your mom goes to college.
Your mom goes to college.

C:\temp>GOTO:eof

C:\temp>ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl*
*runs away and cries like a little girl*

C:\temp>echo Your mom goes to college.
Your mom goes to college.

C:\temp>GOTO:eof

C:\temp>

So it's easy to see that after the OMGSUB is called, it

1. Goes to the end of file.
2. Then it returns to the line right afer the CALL :OMGSUB and echos the "runs away" line
3. Then it echos the Your Mom line again
4. Then it goes to end of file and terminates
5. The line echo *picks up jewewlry box* never gets reached.

Constrained

because why not ask it in a question, have it get answered, you can get points, people who look it up can find out right away and save some time, and everyone=happy? XD yes I could have easily put it in a batch script but why not just have it documented? And thank you for the answer. I wasn't sure about that last part, it re-iterating over the subroutine even after it is called. – Diseuse

Mechaflash, this is trivial to try, actually. I doubt this is a good question that plenty of others will stumble over and be happy to find an answer. But I might be proven wrong. – Fossette

You must note that any command placed after a goto will never be executed, like your ECHO picks up jewelry box. To avoid these confussions I suggest to never use goto :eof and use exit /b instead. – Ascham

C:\>HELP CALL should give you more info. – Beatabeaten

Answer 2

GOTO:eof ends the OMGSUB subroutine in your batch file. So ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl* executes next, but ECHO Your mom goes to college. will also execute again.

Sidenote which was also a comment:

You could replace GOTO:eof with exit /b. Also, ECHO Your mom goes to college. will be executed after ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl*, which may not be intended. The solution would be to add an exit after ECHO *runs away and cries like a little girl*.

Doran