Programming

Batch File Commands

@
%DIGIT
%VARIABLE%
CALL
CLS
ECHO
FOR
GOTO
IF
PAUSE
REM
SET
SHIFT
Miscellaneous


@
In DOS version 3.3 and later, hides the echo of a batch command. Any
output generated by the command is echoed. The at-sign can be prefixed
to any DOS command, program name, or batch file name within a batch
file.
@[command]
examples @ {Seperates sections of the batch file
without diplaying the DOS prompt.}
@echo OFF {Hides the echo off report.}

%DIGIT
Replaceable batch parameters which are defined by the user when the
batch is executed. The parameters are separated by spaces, commas, or
semicolons.
%digit {Digit: any digit from 0 to 9. %0 has the
value of the batch command as it appears
on the command line when the batch is
executed. %1 represents the first string
typed after the batch commmand. Each
occurrence of %digit is replaced by the
corresponding string from the batch
command line.}
examples MYBATCH DOC A:
COPY *.%1 %2
{Copies all .DOC files in the default
directory to drive A:}

%VARIABLE%
Replaces the DOS environment variable name with its environment value.
%variable% {Variable: a string of uppercase
characers in the environment associated
with a string value. Variable is created in
the environment by using SET.}
examples %PATH% {Returns the value of PATH, the current
search path, which is executable.}
echo %PATH% {Displays the value of PATH, the current
search path.}
%PROMPT% {Returns the value of PROMPT, the
current prompt string, which is
executable.}
echo %PROMPT% {Displays the value of PROMPT, the
current prompt string.}
echo The current search path
is: %PATH%
{Displays the message including the
current search path.}
set USER=John
if %USER%= =John goto
LABEL
{Since the value of USER does equal
"John", the control is transferred to the
label, LABEL.}

CALL
Loads and executes a batch file from within a batch file as if it were a
external command. When a second batch file completes, control is
returned to the calling file.
call [drive:][path]filename [batch-parameters]
Before DOS version 3.3:
command /c [drive:][path]filename [batch-parameters]

CLS
Clears the video display screen, setting the cursor in the upper left-hand
corner.
cls

ECHO
Controls whether commands and comments within a batch file are
displayed.
echo [ON|OFF|message|.]
examples echo {Displays echo status}
echo ON {Restores normal display activity.}
echo OFF {Halts display of DOS prompt and
commands.}
echo Processing... {Displays "Processing..." on the screen.}
echo %USER% {Displays the value of USER on the
screen.}
echo. {Displays a single blank line on the
screen.}
echo ^L > prn {Sends an ASCII control-code (form
feed) to the printer. Press <Ctrl> plus
<L> to type the ^L character.}
echo Y|Del *.* {Answers the DEL "Are you sure"
question automatically.}

FOR
Repeats the operation of a DOS command for each member of a list. Use
CALL to execute a batch file as a command.
for %%argument in (list)
do command
{Argument: any letter from A to Z. List:
a sequence of strings separated by spaces
or commas. Wildcards are allowed.}
examples for %%d in (A,C,D) do DIR
%%d *.*
{Displays the directories of drives A, C,
and D sequentially.}
for %%f in (*.TXT *.BAT
*.DOC) do TYPE %%f
{Types the contents of all .TXT, .BAT,
and .DOC files in the current default
directory.}
for %%P in (%PATH%) do if
exist %%P\*.BAT COPY
%%P\*.BAT C:\BAT
{Copies all batch files which exist in any
directory on the DOS command search
path into the directory C:\BAT.}
for %%f in (*.PAS) do call
compile %%f
{Compiles all .PAS files in the current
default directory.}

GOTO
Transfers control within a batch file to a line identified by a label. The
label must be of the form ":LABEL".
goto LABEL
:LABEL

IF
Tests a condition and executes a command only if the condition is TRUE.
But if the NOT modifier is present, the command will be executed only if
the condition is FALSE.
if [not] condition command {Condition: errorlevel number; string1=
=string2; or exist filename.Command:
any DOS command, batch command,
batch file name, or program name.}
examples if [not] errorlevel number
command
{Errorlevel: an exit code returned by a
program or an external command. The
following DOS commands return an exit
code: BACKUP, RESTORE, FORMAT,
REPLACE, and XCOPY.Number: a
numerical value (integer) against which
the exit code is compared. The condition
is TRUE if the exit code returned by the
previous program is greater than or equal
to number. The condition is FALSE if the
exit code is less than number.}
BACKUP C:\*.* A: /s
if errorlevel 3 goto TROUBLE
{If the BACKUP command exits with a
code of 3 or higher, control will be
transferred to the label TROUBLE.}
if errorlevel 3 if not errorlevel
4 echo ERROR #3 occurred
if errorlevel 4 if not errorlevel
5 echo ERROR #4 occurred
{Nested if statements that determine the
exact error number.}

if [not] string1= =string2
command
{The condition is TRUE if both strings
are identical. The comparison is case
sensitive. If either string is blank, a
syntax error occurs.}
if (%1)= =(LTRS) CD
C:\WORD\LTRS
{If the first parameter is LTRS, the
change directory to LTRS.}
if "%1"= ="" goto ERROR {If there is no parameter, then control is
transferred to label ERROR.}
if not %2X= =X DIR %2\*.* {If there is a second parameter, then
display all the files contained in the
directory %2.}
if not "%3"= ="" if not "%3"=
="b" if not "%3"= ="B" goto
BADPARAM
{If there is no third parameter or if it is
anything other than b or B, then go to
label BADPARAM.}

if [not] exist filename
command
{The condition is TRUE if filename can
be located. The filename can include
drive and path specifications. Wildcards
are allowed.}
if exist D:\%1\nul CD %1 {Tests for the existence of directory %1
even if it contains no files, then changes
to that directory if it exists.}
if not exist A:\FLASH.EXE
COPY
C:\PROJECTS\FLASH.EXE
A:
{Copies FLASH.EXE to drive A, but
only if it doesn't exit there already.}

PAUSE
Pauses the running of a batch file and displays the message "Press any key
to continue ..." on the screen. If the optional message is included, it will be
displayed first. Use pause to optionally terminate the batch file with <Ctrl-
Break> at a safe place. The optional message is not displayed when echo is
OFF, so the message must be echoed on the preceding line.
pause [message]
examples pause {Displays "Press any key to continue
...".}
pause < nul {Waits with no comment.}
pause Do you want to
continue?
{Displays "Do you want to continue?"
with "Press any key to continue ..." on the
next line.}

REM
Adds remarks to a batch file.
rem [remark]
examples @rem {Hides the remark from display.}

SET
Set will view the DOS environment or create, change, or delete
environment values.
set [variable=[value]] {Variable: a string of characters,
unbroken by spaces, which are converted
to uppercase letters in the
environment. Value: a string of
characters, case specific, associated with
variable.}
examples set {Display the entire DOS environment.}
set USER=John {Sets the value of USER to the string,
"John".}
set USER= {Removes USER from the environment.}
set PATH=C:\;C:\DOS {Sets C:\;C:\DOS as the current search
path.}
set
PATH=%PATH%;C:\TEST
{Appends ;C:\TEST to the current search
path.}

SHIFT
Shifts any parameter on the command line one position to the left. Use
SHIFT to refer to multiple parameters by one name or to use more than ten
parameters on a single command line.
shift
examples :LOOP
COPY %1 A:
shift
if not (%1)==() goto LOOP
{Beginning with the first parameter, all
the parameters listed on the command
line are iterated and a file, the value of
the parameter, is copied to A:.}

Miscellaneous

command > nul {Redirects command output to oblivion.}
command > file {Redirects command output to file.}
command >> file {Appends command output to file.}
command < file {Redirects file output to command.}
PATH {Displays "PATH=" followed by the
value of PATH, the current search path.}
PATH directories {Sets directories as the current search
path.}
PATH = directories {Sets directories as the current search
path.}
PATH; {Disables extended command searching
and confines the searching to the default
directory.}
PROMPT {Resets the prompt string to its default,
$n$g.}
CD {Displays the current directory and its
path.}
. {Represents the default directory (If
PATH=D:\;C:\SYS;C:. then current
directory will be searched after D: and
C:\SYS).}
.. {Represents the parent of the default
directory (C:\TOOLS\WP\LTRS.DOC is
the same as ..\WP\LTRS.DOC).}
%% {A literal "%".}