Foreword

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Batfiles The DOS batch file programming handbook & tutorial

Contents

 1. The boot process
 2. Internal and external commands
 3. Command hierarchy
 4. Syntax and help.com
 5. The DOS editor - your friend
 6. Break and verify
 7. Doskey.com
 8. Echo, redirection and pipes
The call command
Using doskey to create a batch file
 9. Prompt and path
10. Doskey macros
11. Variables and the Set command
12. Temp and copycmd variables
13. The environment
Comspec variable
Shell statement
14. The ansi.sys device driver
Set screen colors and text attributes
Remap the keyboard
15. Smartdrv.exe
16. Partition your hard disk
17. Using a RAM drive
18. Input and data directories
19. Optimize config.sys
20. Optimize autoexec.bat
21. Optimize BIOS
22. Simple batfiles

BEEP.BAT	Beep once.
BLANK.BAT	Blank screen until key is pressed.
BO.BAT	Turn break on and show previous status.
VO.BAT	Turn verify on and show previous status.
ORGPATH.BAT	Return to original path started with.
ORGPRMPT.BAT	Return to original prompt started with.
STDPRMPT.BAT	Set standard DOS prompt; no ansi.sys.
COLPRMPT.BAT	Set color prompt; ansi.sys.
MACROS.BAT	Load doskey macros.
DKM.BAT	Show doskey macros.

More simple batfiles

CMDHIS.BAT	Show command history.
LEFT.BAT	Show bytes left on drive.
EC.BAT	Edit config.sys.
EA.BAT	Edit autoexec.bat.

Fixed batfiles

BAT.BAT	Change to bat directory.
DOS.BAT	Change to dos directory.
CTEMP.BAT	Change to c:\temp directory.
MAPKEYS.BAT	Maps keys to desired values.
RESKEYS.BAT	Restore keys to original values.
SAVHIS.BAT	Save command history.
EHIS.BAT	Edit command history.
BATBAK.BAT	Make bat directory back up.
TXTPRMPT.BAT	Set txt prompt; no ansi.sys.

Replaceable parameters
Goto and labels
Rem vs. the colon

E.BAT	Run edit.com.
H.BAT	Run help.com.

The IF statement

If a file exists If multiple files exist If a file does not exist If a drive exists If a directory exists

If strings are equal If strings are not equal Comparing variables If errorlevel If not errorlevel

Smart batfiles
Documentation guidelines
Built-in help function

TD.BAT	Change to %temp% directory.
XDIR.BAT	Extended dir; find file with partial name.
HOWMANY.BAT	How many files in current and sub-directories.
DRIVE.BAT	Report total bytes and bytes free on drive.

BEGWORK.BAT	Make record of when you begin work.
ENDWORK.BAT	Make record of when you end work.
TT.BAT	Open timetrak.dat; file where work record is.
REMIND.BAT	Be reminded of important things.
RENE.BAT	Rename a file and open it in edit.
COPYE.BAT	Copy a file and open the new file in edit.
MOVEE.BAT	Move a file and open it in edit.

CDD.BAT	Change Drive and Directory.
CPD.BAT	Change to parallel directory.
CPPD.BAT	Change to parent parallel directory.
MDCH.BAT	Make new directory and change (to it).
MPD.BAT	Make new parallel directory.
MPDCH.BAT	Make new parallel directory and change.
MPPD.BAT	Make new parent parallel directory.
MPPDCH.BAT	Make new parent parallel directory & change.
LOCATE.BAT	Locate file on current or specified drive.
CHKDRV.BAT	Check if drive exists.
FFILE.BAT	Find file on current drive with partial file name.
ADDPATH.BAT	Add a directory to path.
ENVSIZE.BAT	Report environment size required.
VARIBEEP.BAT	Variable beep in number and interval.
ONCEADAY.BAT	Run a program once a day.

Shift

SHOWFILE.BAT	Show contents of one or more files.
COPFILES.BAT	Copy one or several files.
1TOMANY.BAT	Copy 1 file to many files.

Batfiles with secondary or ancilliary batfiles

CHKDRVS.BAT	Check which drives exist.
CHKVOL.BAT	Check volume label on all drives.
DRIVES.BAT	Bytes total and free on all or specific drives.
SEARCH.BAT	Search all drives for a file.

This page last updated 9 March 2000
E-mail the author.  Main site: http://purl.oclc.org/net/Batfiles/
© Laurence Soucy 1997, 2001. All rights reserved.