Tandy 1000 MS-DOS User Manual

Chapter 4 / Batch Files
The Autoexec.bat File
An autoexec.bat file executes programs or commands automati-
cally when you start MS-DOS. By creating an appropriate batch
file, you can run an application program or execute a series of
commands each time you start the system.
When you start MS-DOS, the command processor searches the
MS-DOS disk for a file called autoe;;ec.bat. If MS-DOS finds the
file, it immediately executes it.
Note: If you use an autoexec.bat file, MS-DOS prompts
for a current date and time only if you include the
DATE and TIME commands in the file. Because MS-
DOS
uses this information to keep the directory cur-
rent, you should always include these commands.
Creating an autoexec.bat file. The autoexec.bat file must be
created in the root directory of your MS-DOS disk. (You must be
in that directory when you create the file.) You create it the
same way as any other batch file, except that you name it
autoexec.bat.
To create and save a file that loads BASIC and runs a BASIC
program named MENU each time you start MS-DOS, type:
copy con autoexec.bat [ENTERI
d ate ( ENTER I
tim e i ENTER)
ba51c menu (ENTERI
1m [ ENTER)
Batch Files With Replaceable Parameters
When creating a batch file, you may want to include replaceable
(dummy)
parameters. In this way, you can use different sets of
data when you run the file. For example, the prepdisk.bat file
shown
earlier is changed in the following listing to include the
dummy parameter %1.
cop y con pre pd 15k. bat I ENTER]
rem Thi5 prepare5 and check5 new d15k5 I ENTER I
rem in the drive you 5peclfy [ENTER)
rem I t 15 calle d Pre p d i 5 k . bat (ENTER)
format %1 ! ENTER)
c h k d 5 k %1 I ENTER i
1m I ENTER I
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Tandy 1000 MS-DOS Specifications

General

Brand	Tandy
Model	1000 MS-DOS
Category	Desktop
Language	English