Talk:Batch file

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The "10 Useful Batch Commands, B.Arthur" link is slightly broken.

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[edit] Confusing "SET" command description

The following sentence under the "Uses" heading is very confusing.

"They are mainly used to use the "set" command, which sets a string to another, during the time the batch file is being processed."

Possibly the author meant:

  • "Batch files can be used to set global environment variables."
    • However, a "DOS" command shell in a modern Windows platforms runs in a virtual space, so simple "SET" commands cannot be used to modify global environment variables.
  • "Batch files often use environment variables, which are string keys that map to string values."
    • This is possibly useful information, but it should be in its own section and requires more than one sentence of explanation.

If the sentence is not replaced with something more informative, does anyone take issue with deleting it?

Johngiors 05:01, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] External link on this page leads to site with Virus.

Link: Laura Fairhead's .BATs (chess!) URL: http://lf.8k.com/BAT/BAT.HTM

page bat.htm contains signature of the HTML scrpt virus"HTML/Dldr.Agen.QV.7

Not only that, I think that the examples of bad things that can be done is not such a good idea. I think that talking about how to do loops and access executables that are installed with Windows using switches to perform specific functions is a great idea for examples and is one of the big reasons to make batch files but we don't have to show how to create havoc, unless maybe in a context of "watch out for infinite loops" or some link to bad programming techniques. (Dan Apr.12.2008)

I agree. I'm going to take them out. If anyone has a good justification for their existence, please note it here. akaDruid (talk) 10:52, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] IExpress.exe

IEXPRESS.EXE (included with windows xp) can be used to convert .bat to .exe according to: http://renegadetech.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-convert-bat-file-or-vbs-file.html L CuRtiS 21:23, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

IExpress is a packager, like any other setup packager (NSIS, INNO etc) or self extracting archiver (Winzip, Winrar). It just compresses and you specify what to run when it is uncompressed and it is packaged within an exe file (which is the uncompressor and executor). I don't think IEXPRESS applies here.(Dan Apr.12.2008)

[edit] Some people make batch files for fun that look like security programs

Videos on youtube (such as: My greatest batch file, or batch anti virus program) are harmless uneffective batch files that imitate or create a fake fictional security programs on a batch file. I also made one myself but I can't place it on here because the preview page doesn't align the command-lines correctly. —Preceding unsigned comment added by The guardians27 (talk • contribs) 21:44, 31 May 2008 (UTC)