| • EDIT command |
| o Usage: EDIT filename.bat |
| Where filename.bat is an optional parameter. We are recommended to give a name when we open the editor because it will simplify some steps in saving the file when it’s done. |
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| o Run EDIT command at the command prompt, we will go to an editor mode, normally in blue screen. Make sure we have saved the file upon completion. |
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| o Remember to give an extension of .BAT in your batch file. |
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| • COPY command |
| o Usage: COPY con filename.bat |
| Where filename.bat is a required parameter if we want to save the file. We must give a name when we run COPY command. |
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| This method is useful when you are writing a short batch file. |
| o “COPY con filename” |
| 1. Similar to backup a file using COPY command, “COPY con filename” means copying from “con” (the source) to a file called filename.bat (the target). |
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| 2. CON is a reserved name for console. The keyboard is known to MS-DOS as console. |
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| 3. By running the command, we instruct MS-DOS to copy what we type from the keyboard to a file filename.bat . When MS-DOS display a blinking cursor instead of a command prompt, it means it’s ready for we to type in any text. |
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| 4. Remember to use Ctrl-Z (i.e. hold down the ctrl key and hit Z) or press the function key F6 to end the file. MS-DOS will display ^Z on the screen. It is the end of file marker. |
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| 5. And then, press Enter to save the file. MS-DOS will signal back “1 file(s) copied” and return to the command prompt. |
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| • DOSKEY command |
| o Usage: DOSKEY /h > filename.bat |
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| o This method is useful for a “write-and-test” approach. While we are writing a batch file, we are working on the command prompt directly. By the way, we can know the result of every command immediately. |
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| o The DOSKEY program, once loaded into memory, keeps track of the commands we have typed through the keyboard. |
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| o DOSKEY /h — displays all commands stored in memory. |
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| o By running the command, we instruct MS-DOS to redirect the history of commands to a batch file filename.bat . |
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| o Steps in using this method: |
| 1. Make sure DOSKEY program has been loaded into memory. |
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| 2. Press Alt-F7 to clear the memory buffer before we “write-and-test” our file. |
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| 3. Run the commands that we want to put in the batch file. |
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| 4. Upon completion, run DOSKEY /h > filename.bat |
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| 5. Run EDIT filename.bat to delete the last line “i.e. DOSKEY /h > filename.bat” and all other unnecessary lines, if necessary. |