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INPUT.DOC
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1991-02-16
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INPUT Ver. 1.0
(c) Copyright 1986
William C. Parke
for CHUG
Capitol Heath Users' Group
INPUT is a batch file utility to get console input from
within a batch file. There are several variants of this type of
program in the public domain. A common type uses the ERRORLEVEL
to pass a keyboard response to a BAT file. These type are
limited to a single key transfer. Another type, such as ANSWER,
written by Frank Schweiger, prompts for a console input, then
puts the result into an Environment Variable. INPUT is of this
type, but adds some refinement. With INPUT, the response string
is set to upper case unless the 'bare' switch is used. A
linefeed is sent to the console after the response to allow a
following ECHO command. In addition, preceding and trailing
blanks are removed in the default mode. Another option lets the
BAT file define the length of the string used in the response.
The syntax for INPUT is the following:
INPUT prompting string [/b/nn]
Output of this program is placed in the Environment Variable
called ANS. If there is no space left in the Environment, the
ERRORLEVEL is set to 1. If a previous ANS is found, it is
removed and the new ANS is placed at the end of the Environment
Variable list. If there is no response to the INPUT prompt,
ERRORLEVEL is set to 1. The prompting string may contain any
standard ASCII characters except the dollar sign and the slash
'/' character. This string is displayed on the console as soon
as INPUT is evoked. If no string is present, a help display for
the use of INPUT is displayed. The brackets above enclose two
optional parameters. Either or both may be used. They are
defined as:
b = bare input
nn= a truncation number from 1 to 72
If the 'b' switch is used, then the console response string is
left as typed and inserted into the Environment as the variable
ANS. Without the 'b' option, a response string is converted to
upper case, and any preceding or trailing spaces are removed. If
the 'nn' truncation number is used, the console response string
will be truncated to length nn before being used to define ANS.
This option is useful for insuring that a 'yes-no' answer is
properly handled. By using 'nn'=1, all of the following
responses will give an ANS=Y : 'yes', 'y', ' yes', ' y', ' yes ',
' y ', 'YES', 'Y', ' YES', ' Y', ' Y ', etc.
Example fragments from batch file applications:
Example 1: Getting yes/no answers:
IF EXIST %1 GOTO OK
INPUT %1 not found. Do you wish to go on? /1
IF %ANS%==Y GOTO OK
GOTO EXIT
:OK
...
:EXIT
SET ANS=
The last line of this example drops ANS from the Environment,
saving space for additional variables.
Example 2: Getting new path and file names:
INPUT Give new file name:
SET FILE=%ANS%
SET ANS=
...
Note: A space should be added at the end of the colon above.
Example 3: Starting a requested program:
ECHO OFF
:START
TYPE PROGS.LST
REM PROGS.LST is an ascii list of programs
INPUT Enter program and command line, if needed :
IF ERRORLEVEL=1 GOTO EXIT
%ANS%
IF NOT ERRORLEVEL=1 GOTO EXIT
ECHO Program error.
ECHO Please re-enter or type a carriage return.
GOTO START
:EXIT
SET ANS=
Note that the user can exit this BAT by typing a carriage return
in response to the INPUT string. Alternatively, CTRL-C can be
used for the same purpose.
Comments may be sent to the author via CHUG, Capital Heath Users'
Group, P.O. Box 16406, Arlington, VA 22215-1406.