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From: cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us (Gordon Hlavenka)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: DOS Batch File HELP
Message-ID: <26d95e00-186.1comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc-1@vpnet.chi.il.us>
Date: 27 Aug 90 17:55:05 GMT
References: <3084@orbit.cts.com>
Lines: 35


>I am trying to figure out a way to read/verify a VOL label on a disk in
>drive
>A, through a command line in a batch file.
>  
>Currently I am using an IF...EXIST line which looks and verifies the
>existance
>of a dummy text file on the disk.  Because this takes up precious room on
>the
>disk, I'd like to be able to just verify the label.  BTW, I am using DOS
>3.3.

Well, you're on the right track.  Who says a "dummy" file has to take up
disk space?  Try this with DEBUG:

C>debug
-ndummy.fil
rcx
CX 0000
:0                        /* Just to be sure! */
-w
Writing 0000 bytes
-q
C>

This will create a zero-byte file (called DUMMY.FIL) which takes up NO DISK
SPACE. It consumes only a directory entry, which (assuming root) is allocated

whether you use it or not.  This file will give you the desired response to
an IF EXIST line.


-----------------------------------------------------
Gordon S. Hlavenka            cgordon@vpnet.chi.il.us
Disclaimer: I've fallen!  And I can't get up!
            So how could I have expressed an opinion?