Encapsulate the variable in quotes and otherwise modify it slightly.

1If "%1"=="" Goto Inst

However, this doesn't take into account someone may type garbage in, and so if they don't present two different strings it'll try to copy a file that probably doesn't exist to an unspecified filename, but then they'll get a "file not found" message for that.

Escape the greater than/less than symbols. Those are for file redirection and if not escaped will try to do their function rather than echo as text.

1echo Rename a File.  Usage: RENAME ^<^FILE^>^  ^<^NEWNAME^>^

Well I think I found one problem, and that was that there is already a rename command. (doh!) I'm still getting a weird file not found error even when the program successfully copies a file. Tested it on MSDOS 6.22 and I'm getting a lot of file not found errors, and in dosbox it creates a file called ^ for some reason. (I'm guessing a bug)

Here is the latest rendition. @echo off is REMed out just so I can see what it's doing.

1REM @echo off
2REM - Rename a file, usage: RENAME <FILE> <NEWNAME>
3
4If "%1"=="" Goto Inst
5
6copy %1 %2 
7del %1
8
9Goto End
10
11:Inst
12        echo Rename a file.
13        echo Usage: RENAME ^<^FILE^>^ ^<^NEWNAME^>^
14:End

I've renamed the file rname.bat, I just didn't change it in code yet.

You may be getting file not found if they are hidden.

What are you renaming?

I pretty much always use rash.

Attrib - r - a - s - h %1

Have a look at the second last link in my sig.
It's a complex bat. Might give you tips.

I'm still half asleep so I'm sure I'd see the problem normally. I think the "" might be an issue though

rem if [%vtemp2%]==[] xset write=no

Look at that line. If [%1]==[] is a blank check. The [] are only there so it's not actually blank