windows batch: react to command not found

Question

hello, i want to write a simple batch script, that calls a certain exe, but if this one is not found, it should call another exe.

so in pseudocode

set file=c:\path\tool.exe
if(fileexists(file))
{
    call file
}
else
{
    call c:\somethingelse.exe
}

thanks!

Answer 1

Perhaps something like this might work?

set FILE=whatever.exe
IF EXIST %FILE% GOTO okay

:notokay
echo NOT FOUND
GOTO end

:okay
echo FOUND
%FILE%

:end

Answer 2

You could use ERRORLEVEL to check if the call executed successfully.

call file.exe
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 other.exe

This will work for executables that are in the path and you don't know the exact location. It will print an error message though.