Computer Files » bat http://www.computer-files.com Everything you need to know about computer files Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:51:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 About the autoexec.bat file http://www.computer-files.com/about-the-autoexecbat-file.html http://www.computer-files.com/about-the-autoexecbat-file.html#comments Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:25:14 +0000 Computer Expert http://www.computer-files.com/2008/01/22/about-the-autoexecbat-file/

It is the acronym for automatically executed batch file which is used in MS-DOS and early versions of Windows like Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. The autoexec.bat file is positioned in the root directory and it automatically executes commands each time the system starts up.

This batch file is mostly used to set environment variables like printer, keyboard, soundcard and location of temporary files.

The autoexec.bat was created together with the config.sys file for MS-DOS and Windows operating systems and was a suitable solution to load the required files for various computer components or hardware devices and make the system run smoothly. This proved to be the best solution for older versions of operating systems until the release of Windows 95. New operating systems do not require this files however there are still cases when they are being edited and configured manually.   

The autoexec.bat file can be easily edited in MS-DOS with the help of the EDIT command while in Windows you can run the SYSEDIT command.
Here is a command in autoexec.bat file which loads the mouse driver into the memory:
LH C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.EXE

]]> http://www.computer-files.com/about-the-autoexecbat-file.html/feed 0 What are batch files http://www.computer-files.com/what-are-batch-files.html http://www.computer-files.com/what-are-batch-files.html#comments Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:30:30 +0000 Computer Expert http://www.computer-files.com/2008/01/21/what-are-batch-files/

Definition: A batch file is a simple text file with a series of commands which are executed whenever the file is being run either manually with cmd.exe or automatically on a specific date and time.

Usually it is used to erase, move or archive files on a regular basis. The command lines are easy to learn and do not require advanced programming skills. Commands used in batch files are not case sensitive similarly to the MS-DOS commands.

The earliest and most used batch file is probably the autoexec.bat boot file. This file is loaded whenever the computer starts booting MS-DOS or Windows and contains all the commands the operating system requires to run properly.

Batch files can have different extensions depending on the operating system from which most often used are .bat, .cmd or .btm.

Some batch command examples:

@ or @ECHO OF – prevents echoing back the text after the symbol
CALL – this command is used whenever another batch file in the original one is needed to be run
CLS – used to clear screen just like in MS-DOS
IF – used to search for a condition and only in case it finds then will execute the function
REM – used to write comments
START – used to run Windows applications (ex. C:\Windows\NOTEPAD.EXE)

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