Displaying the results of winbatch script at DOS command line

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Question:

I am running NT4.0 and at times I would like to write winbatch scripts to perform various admin task, however I would like the results dispalyed at the command line not in a GUI window. Can WinBatch display at the DOS command line?

Answer:

No, but here is a workaround to display text in a dos window. It doesn't save it, but you see it on the screen:

1. at the dos prompt type

        echo {alt-195}>-.com
   

   This will make a 3-byte file called -.com put this file on your path! Note that this must be done in a dos box, and {alt-195} is to hold down the alt key and press the number 195 on the numberic keypad.

2. Using Command.com. You need to set the command.com shortcut (or a copy of it that you run instead of command.com (and its a PIF file - look at it in DOS)) to "CLOSE WINDOW ON EXIT" and "RUN AS A WINDOW".

   	; assume Dos window called "MS-DOS"
   	RunShell("command.com","","c:\",@NORMAL,@NOWAIT)
   	SendKeysTo("MS-DOS","echo off~")
   	SendKeysTo("MS-DOS","cls~")
   
   	; then for each message you want to send to the screen, 
   	msg = "message to send to the screen"
   	SendKeysTo("MS-DOS","- %msg%~")
   
   	; when done the job
   	SendKeysTo("MS-DOS","exit~")
   	; to close the Dos box
   

   The trick is to send each line to the command line, but as parameters to the -.com file. Each line shows up with a "- " before it, a small price to pay. -.com is simply the assembly code "return" function, a 1-byte code.

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Article ID:   W12880

Filename:   Display Results in a DOS Command Window.txt