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From: paulg@bhpmrl.oz.au (Paul Gallagher)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc
Subject: Re: DOS .cmd files...
Message-ID: <1991Apr17.125623.8380@bhpmrl.oz.au>
Date: 17 Apr 91 12:56:23 GMT
References: <FORNAX.91Apr14212004@hornfel.WPI.EDU>
Sender: usenet@bhpmrl.oz.au (USEnet nntp account)
Distribution: comp.os.msdos.misc
Organization: BHP Research - Melbourne Laboratories, AUSTRALIA
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If you're really talking:

  C:\..> program <file.cmd

Then file.cmd will be a plain ASCII file (created with anything from
edlin to Word for Windows) and contain literally everything a user
will normally type (including carriage-return/line-feed i.e. <enter> 
sequences). To make such a file, the best way is probably to enter
the command:

  C:\..> copy con file.cmd

and then type the expected user respoenses _exactly_. End the session
with <control-Z>. This will make a file called file.cmd containing all
the keystrokes you entered.

HOWEVER, this only works with program that read user input from "stdin"
to use C terminology (alias CON). Not many programs (worthwhile ones at least)
fit into this category.

If this doesn't work, there are a number of public domain programs
available that emulate user input by running in the background and stuffing
characters into the keyboard buffer, or intercepting either int9 or int16.
Off hand, I seem to remember one called "AUTOKEY" or "KEY-something". I can't
tell you where they maybe available by FTP. Again, these may or may not
work, depending on how deep into DOS/BIOS the program goes to get it's
input vis the way the "macro" program works.

Hope this helps,
Paul Gallagher.