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From: jkelly@violet.berkeley.edu (John Kelly;;25241;;LN41)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: Batch Files
Summary: Line-by-line, yes; return to first batch file, no.
Keywords: MS-DOS, batch files
Message-ID: <1991Jun19.064921.16122@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 19 Jun 91 06:49:21 GMT
Expires: Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT
References: <49377@ut-emx.uucp> <91146.162307IO92203@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Sender: jkelly@violet.berkeley.edu (John Kelly)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 39

In article <91146.162307IO92203@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
IO92203@MAINE.MAINE.EDU (Scott Maxell) writes:

>A batch file is opened, one line is read from it, then closed, then the line
>is executed. If a batch file calls another batch, that line will be read, the
>line marker for the first file saved, then the next batch runs. After that
>batch file finishes executing, the first is opened again and the next line
>is read.

What version of MS/PC-DOS are we talking about here?  In the versions I
know only too well (up to 3.21), this does NOT happen (would that it
did!).  When a batch file calls another batch file, control transfers to
the called file and never returns--unless you make the call using the
syntax "command /cSECOND.BAT".  This loads another copy of command.com
with instructions to execute SECOND.BAT; when that copy of command.com
finishes, it exits to the original batch file and goes on.

For example, given:
	FIRST.BAT			SECOND.BAT	
	echo This is line 1 of FIRST	echo Line 1 of SECOND
	second
	echo Line 3 of FIRST

you will never see the message "Line 3 of FIRST".  You have to rewrite
FIRST.BAT:
	echo This is line 1 of FIRST
	command /cSECOND
	echo Line 3 of FIRST

Right, I just said it couldn't be done and then told you how to do it.
It's late and I should be in bed.  Anyway, my point is that you can't
do it by just calling the second batch file--you have to jump through a
hoop.  Remember, MS-DOS was originally designed to run on 64K IBM PC's;
it's no wonder we have to twist it up like a pretzel to make it do the
things a real operating system does.

Scott is right about the line-by-line reading and executing.  That's
why it's so easy to get the message "Insert disk with batch file and
press any key to continue."