batch echo string variable to text file returns Echo is off

1> is a special way of redirecting standard input and output.

If you had echoing on you would see cmd adding a 1 in front of your redirection, as you put a number there it doesn't bother.

The answer is to leave a space before the redirection character.

echo 1 >>test.txt

and leave ECHO ON and you'll see cmd change it to

echo 1 1>>test.txt

From The Windows NT Shell Scripting by Tim Hill

Table 2.4 Command Redirection Symbols

Symbol Description

>file Redirects command output to the file specified. You can also use a standard device name such as LPT1, CON, PRN or CONOUT$ as the file name. Any preexisting contents of the file are lost.

>>file Redirects command output to the file specified. If the file already exists, all command output is appended to the end of the file.

2>file Redirects command error output to the file specified. You can also use a standard device name such as LPT1, CON, PRN or CONOUT$ as the file name. Any preexisting contents of the file are lost.

2>&1 Redirects command error output to the same location as command output. This makes any command output redirection also apply to command error output.

cmd1 | cmd2 Pipes the command output of cmd1 to the command input of cmd2. Multiple pipe characters are allowed, creating a chain of commands, each sending output to the next command in the chain.