Just beginning with batch programming

Hey, I just began learning batch programming, and I was woundering if anyone could help me. I'm attempting to have a small options menu, with three options, yes, no, and win98. But, The program seems to not want to let me input the yes, no, or win98. It seems to just skip over it. I know it sounds dumb, but I'm not really into programming. I'm also having problems whith the formatting, when it comes time to enter a label, the keyboard won't accecpt anytype of input. Thanks in advance.


ECHO This program will format your c: drive and install Win 98.
ECHO Press Y to continue or N to quit. Type MS to skip formatting and install Win 98

IF %1. == . GOTO MENU
IF %1 == Y GOTO CONTINUE
IF %1 == y GOTO CONTINUE
IF %1 == N GOTO EXIT
IF %1 == n GOTO EXIT
IF %1 == MS GOTO WIN98
IF %1 == Ms GOTO WIN98
IF %1 == ms GOTO WIN98
IF %1 == mS GOTO WIN98

Your batch file looks like one designed for a paramater at the command line.

if you type batch y, then it will execute using the condition for Y.

it you type batch n, then it will execute using the condition for N.

if you type batch ms, then it will execution using the condition for MS.

batch=your batch file name

Below is an example of how it would work using paramaters

Code:

---

  @ECHO OFF

IF %1. == . GOTO MENU
IF %1 == Y GOTO CONTINUE
IF %1 == y GOTO CONTINUE
IF %1 == N GOTO EXIT
IF %1 == n GOTO EXIT
IF %1 == MS GOTO WIN98
IF %1 == Ms GOTO WIN98
IF %1 == ms GOTO WIN98
IF %1 == mS GOTO WIN98
GOTO MENU

:CONTINUE
***ROUTINE FOR FORMAT***

:WIN98
***ROUTINE FOR WIN98 INSTALL***
GOTO EXIT

:MENU
ECHO This program will format your c: drive and install Win 98.
ECHO Press Y to continue or N to quit. Type MS to skip formatting and install Win 98

:EXIT

---

You could always use the CHOICE program which allows you to wait for input from the keyboard.

Use the DOS Help command or have a look here for more info.

An example would be:

Code:

---

ECHO This program will format your c: drive and install Win 98.
ECHO Press Y to continue or N to quit.
ECHO Type W to skip formatting and install Win 98
CHOICE /C:YNW /T:Y,5 "Your Choice:"

---

The above will print the text, then wait for either Y,N or W. You can make it case sensitive with the /S switch. It will also default to the Y option in 5 seconds.

You then check the returned value in ERRORLEVEL where 1 is the first key, 2 is the second, etc, so in our example, Y=1, N=2, W=3:

Code:

---

IF ERRORLEVEL 1 FORMAT
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 QUIT
IF ERRORLEVEL 3 WINDOWS

---

This should just slot straight into your code!

Thanks antonye, that was exactly what I wanted. Now all I gotta do if figure out why I'm getting a bad command or filename when I inserted the lines, and skip ahead to the formatting. It seems to be giving a errorlevel of 0 for somereason.

Ok, head bleeding out of ears now.... :-) Thanks guys, you've helped a lot!!

echo off
cls
ECHO This program will format your c: drive and install Win 98.
ECHO Y to Continue
ECHO W to Skip Format and install Windows 98Se
ECHO N to Quit Program

CHOICE /C:YWN /T:Y,25
IF ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO EXIT
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO WIN
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO CONTINUE
:CONTINUE
ECHO Now Formatting
format /u c:
choice /c:yn /t:y,25 Install Windows? (Y/N)
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO EXIT
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO WIN
:WIN
cls
PAUSE Please make sure the Windows 98 disk is in the cd-rom drive.
msbatch.inf
:EXIT
cls

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Quiet Thunder:
IF ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO EXIT

---

You don't need the GOTO in there.

It should read:

IF ERRORLEVEL 3 EXIT

HTH,

Quote:

---

Originally posted by antonye:
<STRONG>

You don't need the GOTO in there.

It should read:

IF ERRORLEVEL 3 EXIT

HTH,</STRONG>

---

I've tried it both with goto and without goto and it dosn't make a difference. It sitll tells me "Bad connand or file name" and won't give me the chance to enter in Y, N, or W. I just put the goto in there, because it was on the website link you gave me.

Ok, I finally figured it out. I feel like an idiot now that I know what it was. After reading through the site antonye gave me, it clicked. Apparently, I had to have a copy of command.com in the folder with my batch file. (I was testing it on a cpu with a blank HD) After adding the file, it worked! Yea. Thanks for all the help Antonye, you'll be in the credits for the readme.txt