Used as the target of GOTO command(s).
GOTO label
none.
Most commonly used with GOTO.
The LABEL must begin with, at least, one colon (:).
The first 8 characters of the LABEL should be unique. Otherwise, when the GOTO is executed; it will choose the LABEL to transfer control to (and that could be the "wrong" LABEL, resulting in an infinite loop).
Use of a double colon (::) before a LABEL (::THIS IS A REMARK) is a "fast" batch remark (for some reason, DOS parses any REM command it finds; taking "extra" time).
The infinite loop:
@ECHO OFF
:AGAIN
ECHO Press CONTROL+BREAK to stop!
GOTO AGAIN
The fast (executes faster) remark:
@ECHO OFF
::This is to remind me to backup...
ECHO backup!
IF Branch to the appropriate message:
@ECHO OFF
FIND /I "error" < my.log
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO LERROR
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO LNOT
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO LFOUND
GOTO LEND
:LERROR
ECHO Houston, the "find" command had a problem!
GOTO LEND
:LNOT
ECHO not found.
GOTO LEND
:LFOUND
ECHO found at least once.
GOTO LEND
:LEND
none.