Nested if in windows batch file cmd - if-statement

Question

I try to write some simple program in windows batch file. This program is similar to some simple application from "C programming language" Kernighan and Ritchie.
The task of this program is to count char numbers and words numbers. Belove there is a source code
rem Char Number and words number
#echo off
cls
echo ===============================================================
echo input strin
set /P a=
::set variables
set Temp_str=%a%
set /A charcounter = 0
set /A wordscounter = 0
:loop
if defined Temp_str (
set /P actual_char=%Temp_str:~0,1%
if %actual_char%=="" ( set /A wordscounter+=1 )
set Temp_str=%Temp_str:~1%
set /A charcounter+=1;
goto loop
)
echo %a% %charcounter% %wordscounter%
There is error somewher but I can't find it. I don't know what is wrong. I actually start with batch windows programming.

Answer 1

To debug batch files always disable #echo off otherwise you're flying blind
From there you'll see the issue is on the line
if %actual_char%=="" ( set /A wordscounter+=1 )
You need to add quotes.
if "%actual_char%"=="" ( set /A wordscounter+=1 )
In addition there are other issues with the code:
1).
set /P actual_char=%Temp_str:~0,1%
Should not have the /p option as you're not wanting to prompt the user to enter the character.
2) Your word counter should be checking for spaces in addition to the blank string and you also should check what happens with the end of the first word.
rem Char Number and words number
rem #echo off
cls
echo ===============================================================
set /P a=input string:
::set variables
set Temp_str=%a%
set /A charcounter = 0
set /A wordscounter = 0
:loop
if "%Temp_str%" NEQ "" (
set actual_char=%Temp_str:~0,1%
if "%actual_char%"==" " ( set /A wordscounter+=1 )
set Temp_str=%Temp_str:~1%
set /A charcounter+=1;
goto loop
)
REM Increment word count for the final word
if "%a%" NEQ "" ( set /A wordscounter+=1 )
echo %a% %charcounter% %wordscounter%