How to split string with "=" without for loop in batch file

Question

I would like split a string in two part with = as delimiter.

I saw this post but I do not manage ta adapt.

I try this:

set "str=4567=abcde"
echo %str%
set "var1=%str:^=="^&REM #%
echo var1=%var1%

Why it does not work?

Answer 1

While not a bulletproof solution (use the for, artoon), without more info, this can do the work

@echo off
    setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion

    set "str=4567=abcde"

    rem Step 1 - remove the left part
    set "str1=!str:%str%!"

    rem Step 2 - Get the right part
    set "right=!str:*%str1%!"

    rem Step 3 - Get the left part
    set "left=!str:%right%=!"
    set "left=%left:~0,-1%"

    echo [%left%] [%right%]

edited to adapt to comments (OP code in comments adapted to my code, or the reverse)

for /f "delims=" %%i in ('set') do ( 
    setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

    rem Step 1 - remove the left part
    set "str=%%i"
    for %%x in ("!str!") do set "str1=!str:%%~x!"

    rem Step 2 - Get the right part 
    for %%x in ("!str1!") do set "right=!str:*%%~x!" 

    rem Step 3 - Get the left part 
    for %%x in ("!right!") do set "left=!str:%%~x=!" 
    set "left=!left:~0,-1!" 

    echo [!left!] [!right!] 
    endlocal
)

And no, as previously indicated this is not bulletproof and some of the variables show problems (had I said it is not bulletproof?).

What i don't understand is the requirement to not use a for loop and then use a for loop. It is a lot easier this way

for /f "tokens=1,* delims==" %%a in ('set') do (
    echo [%%a] [%%b]
)

Another alternative (not as easy as the for, more stable than the previous one, non bulletproof) is

    for /f %%a in ('set') do (
        call :split left right %%a
        echo [!left!] [!right!]
    )
    goto :eof


:split leftVar rightVar data
    set "%~1=%~3"
    setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
    set "data=%*"
    set "data=!data:*%1 %2 %3=!"
    set "data=%data:~1%"
    endlocal & set "%~2=%data%"
    goto :eof

Answer 2

As npocmaka commented above, = has special meaning and cannot be replaced with traditional variable string manipulation. If you know the length of either side of the equal sign, you could strip off a number of characters. For example, if "4567" will always be 4 characters, you could set "var1=%str:~0,4%". Or if "abcde" will always be 5 characters, you could set "var1=%str:~0,-6%" (5 chars + 1 for the equal sign).

Otherwise, a for loop is your only other option without using 3rd party utilities.

for /f "delims==" %%I in ("%str%") do set "var1=%%I"

If you've got grep installed, you can do something like:

echo %str% | grep -P -o "^[^=]*"

... but you'd still need to capture its output with another for /f loop.

If you are allergic to for loops, and as an exercise in providing a solution to your question without any regard for efficiency, here's how you get the first half of your string without using a single for loop. Put grep and its dependencies in your %PATH%. Then:

echo %str% | grep -P -o "^[^=]*" >temp.txt
set /P "var1="<temp.txt
del temp.txt
echo %var1%

There, I fixed it!