Creating a variable from a txt file

Hello,


I want to make a batch file that creates variables by parsing a .txt file made from a "dir /b /n > dirlist.txt" command. Each line in the .txt file is a single filename.

I need each line/filename to be a new variable which I can use as part of the syntax for the program i'm trying to run:

program.exe targetfile %1 %2 %3

Using the above works if I just drag & drop the files onto the .bat, but they aren't in order as required, that is the reason the i've used the dir command to create the file.

I found that using:
FOR /F "USEBACKQ DELIMS==" %%I IN (a.txt) DO (SET var=!%%I)
It sets the variable but only holds the last line in the file.

I've also tried: FOR /F "tokens=1,2*" %%I IN (a.txt) DO SET var=%%I %%J %%K
Which works great (using dir /w) until "a.txt" has more than one line. If there's a way to adjust the file via a batch command to make all the text only on the first line separating the filenames with a space/tab, then it would work fine.

Am I even on the right track?

Configuration: Windows XP
Internet Explorer 6.0