Format date and time in a Windows batch script

Question

In a Windows (Windows XP) batch script I need to format the current date and time for later use in files names, etc.

It is similar to Stack Overflow question How to append a date in batch files, but with time in as well.

I have this so far:

echo %DATE%
echo %TIME%
set datetimef=%date:~-4%_%date:~3,2%_%date:~0,2%__%time:~0,2%_%time:~3,2%_%time:~6,2%
echo %datetimef%

which gives:

28/07/2009
 8:35:31.01
2009_07_28__ 8_36_01

Is there a way I can allow for a single digit hour in %TIME%, so I can get the following?

2009_07_28__08_36_01

Answer 1

I ended up with this script:

set hour=%time:~0,2%
if "%hour:~0,1%" == " " set hour=0%hour:~1,1%
echo hour=%hour%
set min=%time:~3,2%
if "%min:~0,1%" == " " set min=0%min:~1,1%
echo min=%min%
set secs=%time:~6,2%
if "%secs:~0,1%" == " " set secs=0%secs:~1,1%
echo secs=%secs%

set year=%date:~-4%
echo year=%year%

:: On WIN2008R2 e.g. I needed to make your 'set month=%date:~3,2%' like below ::otherwise 00 appears for MONTH

set month=%date:~4,2%
if "%month:~0,1%" == " " set month=0%month:~1,1%
echo month=%month%
set day=%date:~0,2%
if "%day:~0,1%" == " " set day=0%day:~1,1%
echo day=%day%

set datetimef=%year%%month%%day%_%hour%%min%%secs%

echo datetimef=%datetimef%