@ In DOS version 3.3 and later, hides the echo of a batch command.

Any output ge nerated 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 p rompt.} @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 fir st 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 associ ated 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 i s executable.} echo %PATH% {Displays the value of PATH, the current search path.} %PROMPT% {Returns the value of PROMPT, the current prompt string, which is exec utable.} echo %PROMPT% {Displays the value of PROMPT, the current prompt string.} echo The current search path is: %PATH% {Displays the message including the cur rent search path.} set USER=John if %USER%= =John goto LABEL {Since the value of USER does equal "John", the cont rol is transferred to the label, LABEL.} CALL Loads and executes a batch file from within a batch file as if it were a ex ternal command. When a second batch file completes, control is returned to the c alling 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 c orner. 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 <C trl> 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 t o 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 driv es A, C, and D sequentially.} for %%f in (*.TXT *.BAT *.DOC) do TYPE %%f {Types the contents of all .TXT, .BA T, and .DOC files in the current default directory.} for %%P in (%PATH%) do if exist %%P\*.BAT COPY %%P\*.BAT C:\BAT {Copies all bat ch files which exist in any directory on the DOS command search path into the di rectory 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 i f the NOT modifier is present, the command will be executed only if the conditio n is FALSE. if [not] condition command {Condition: errorlevel number; string1= =string2; or exist filename. Command: any DOS command, batch command, batch file name, or pr ogram name.} examples if [not] errorlevel number command {Errorlevel: an exit code return ed by a program or an external command. The following DOS commands return an exi t 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 e xit code returned by the previous program is greater than or equal to number. Th e 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 hi gher, 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 i dentical. 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 di rectory 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 BAD PARAM.} if [not] exist filename command {The condition is TRUE if filename can be locat ed. The filename can include drive and path specifications. Wildcards are allowe d.} if exist D:\%1\nul CD %1 {Tests for the existence of directory %1 even if it co ntains 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 dr ive 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-Br eak> 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 v alues. set [variable=[value]] {Variable: a string of characters, unbroken by spaces, w hich are converted to uppercase letters in the environment. Value: a string of c haracters, 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 SHI FT to refer to multiple parameters by one name or to use more than ten parameter s on a single command line. shift examples :LOOP COPY %1 A: shift if not (%1)==() goto LOOP {Beginning with the first parameter, all the parameter s 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 de fault 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 direct ory 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 "%".}