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From: birdsall@manana.dec.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Interactive BAT files: here's how
Message-ID: <8810040015.AA21729@decwrl.dec.com>
Date: 4 Oct 88 00:15:55 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 101

> Subject: Interactive BAT files: HOW?
> Posted: 29 Sep 88 00:19:14 GMT
> Organization: Evans & Sutherland, Salt Lake City, Utah
 
> I would like to alter my AUTOEXEC.BAT file (or another BAT file)
> to accept interactive input.  I want it to ask me a question
> (such as who I am), and based on the answer, perform a system setup.
> Alas, I cannot find anything in my eMeSS-DOS (3.3) manual or elsewhere
> that tells me how to do this.  Is it possible?  If so, how, and which
> book(s) describe it?
 
Is it "possible"? Why of course! All things are possible under MS-DOS ... 
but it can be painful ...

Try this:

First write a C program that asks you questions and returns some value based on 
your answer.

	if (strcmp (Input_Buffer, "one") == 0)
	    return (1);

Now write a BAT file. Include your C program at the top. It will return its
value in ERRORLEVEL. Then write some BAT statements that branch on ERRORLEVEL
(consult your DOS reference manual ). The syntax is a bit obscure but this is
how you branch on a specific errorlevel using a BAT file IF statement: 

	if errorlevel 1 if not errorlevel 2 goto one:
	if errorlevel 2 if not errorlevel 3 goto two:
	goto exit:
	:one
		one statements 
		...
		goto exit
	:two
		two statements
		...
		goto exit
	:and_so_on 
		...
	:exit

Here is a sample C and sample BAT file. Cut, compile, link, and then modify to
suit your application.

=============ASK.C  (cut here) ===========
/*
 * compile and link as ASK.EXE (done under MSC 5.0)
 */
   #include <conio.h>
   char buffer[20];

   main()
   {
   int status;

   cprintf("Please enter user name: "); /* get a name from the user           */
   scanf("%19s", buffer);
   status = 0;                          /* reset status to 0                  */

   if (strcmp (buffer, "tom") == 0)     /* is it tom?                         */
     status = 1;                        /* yes. return a 1                    */

   if (strcmp (buffer, "dick") == 0)    /* is it dick?                        */
     status = 2;                        /* yes. return a 2                    */

   if (strcmp (buffer, "harry") == 0)   /* is it harry?                       */
     status = 3;                        /* yes. return a 3                    */

     return(status);

   }
==================================

Now load and run the following BAT file:

================== INQUIRE.BAT  (cut here) ===================
echo off
ask
if errorlevel 0 if not errorlevel 1 goto zilch:
if errorlevel 1 if not errorlevel 2 goto tom:
if errorlevel 2 if not errorlevel 3 goto dick:
if errorlevel 3 if not errorlevel 4 goto harry:
:tom
echo Matched on tom
goto exit
:dick
echo Matched on dick
goto exit
:harry
echo Matched on harry
goto exit
:zilch
echo No Name Was Matched
:exit

====================================================

Have fun!

walt