SUPER BATCH

Are ther any more powerful versions of batch.  I dont want to have to learn a new language, but o wnat something with a bit bigger, morcommands, etc.  If there isnt one, any ideas for what i should learn

[Global Moderator]

Go to google and type 'Programming Languages'

I don't understand what 'powerful version of batch' means. A batch file is only a text file containing a series of commands that are interpreted by Windows Command Prompt.
It's in fact not a programming language.

There is PowerShell
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/powershell/default.mspx

But PowerShell does require a download to write the scripts.

thanks

The last freestanding DOS was DOS 6.22

Since then DOS has been hidden by various versions of windows.

Also, since then, many new options have been added to DOS commands.

But in any case, a batch file is nothing more than a list of DOS commands,
interpreted by Command.com
It is NOT, nor was it ever a programming language.

There are also stand alone, "External" dos commands that can be run by themselves.
XCOPY and Deltree.exe are good examples.

So, learn DOS the way it is today.

Cheers!
Shadow 

Well, Batch is very powerful.

Well, Batch is very powerful.

Until you want to make an actual windows application...

It's in fact not a programming language.

Well, you could say that it's a scripting language, I suppose, but those are really programming languages. A programming language is a machine-readable artificial language designed to express computations that can be performed by a machine, particularly a computer. A scripting language, script language or extension language, is a programming language that allows some control of a single or many software applications. Although a batch file is analogous to a shell script in Unix-like operating systems, the limited syntax and commands available means it is less suited for general-purpose programming. I would call batch scripting a restricted and limited kind of programming, but programming nevertheless.

Yes... It is a form of programming most surely.

Also, in a sense, changing any form of data in a machine to ones preference is "programming"... just look at VCRs and such...

Yes... It is a form of programming most surely.

Also, in a sense, changing any form of data in a machine to ones preference is "programming"... just look at VCRs and such...

My mother used to program her electric sewing machine 40 years ago... it was done with special cams that you could put in and take out which made special stitch patterns, and she also had a Hoover Keymatic washing machine which had a program "card" which you put in a slot.

You could say that whenever a hot rodder replaces the standard cams in their engine with performance ones, they are changing the "program" that controls the valves.

Of course, the Jaquard loom, and Babbage's Difference Engine are so well known that I would be insulting everyone's intelligence by mentioning them...

Well, anything that can be programmed through text in a computer could be considered a programming language. However the difference is that batch isn't really special. Unless you include that if it is a true programming language it's one of the easiest. However it can't do much. Can it make a decent fun game, NO. Can it make a professional looking program, NO. Actually it is possible to make a fun game. But you have to individually create each frame. That's just a pain. 

But you have to individually create each frame.

yeah. In text. Whoopee!

Well, anything that can be programmed through text in a computer could be considered a programming language.

that would be an awful broad definition- a language, by definition, has syntax, grammar, etc. For example- if you enter a filename in a dialog to open a file, it's not really programming, we know that- but it IS entering text to determine what the computer does.

Batch has Syntax and grammars. So it wins. Text files don't. neither does Perl. (LOL! JK)

or you could try to make a Command Line app in VB.NET.
take my FINFO app i made in VB.NET.
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,72108.msg470826.html#msg470826

and be sure to add error checking and all those goodies.

Yes... It is a form of programming most surely.

Urban Myth

Yes... It is a form of programming most surely.

Urban Myth

programming is getting the computer to do what you want. If you do that in batch, your programming.

or you could try to make a Command Line app in VB.NET.
take my FINFO app i made in VB.NET.
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,72108.msg470826.html#msg470826

and be sure to add error checking and all those goodies.

Or my BCScript Script interpreter in my sig! Except that's a console app created in VB6... I have to actually use API calls to determine the start mode (console or GUI) and manually acquire the handles to the opened Stdout,stdin, and stderror streams. Even then, I need to use the API WriteFile and ReadFile functions to read or write anything to or from console. yep, it's tough using VB6 in today's world, but well worth avoiding the requirement of .NET.

Besides... I have all the console code in a module. I just add the module and the app has Console support.

Tricky part was the late binding... Never realized how lost I could be without intellisense.