In Windows, the batch file is a file that stores commands in a serial order. Command line interpreter takes the file as an input and executes in the same order. A batch file is simply a text file saved with the.bat file extension. It can be written using Notepad or any other text editor. A simple batch file will be. ECHO OFF ECHO GeeksforGeeks. A Windows batch file is a special type of script that can be run by the Windows command line tool, known as cmd. It's essentially a list of commands that you could type into the command prompt all combined into one file in order to automate a particular task.
- Batch Script Tutorial
- Batch Script Resources
- Selected Reading
In this chapter, we will learn how to create, save, execute, and modify batch files.
Creating Batch Files
Batch files are normally created in notepad. Hence the simplest way is to open notepad and enter the commands required for the script. For this exercise, open notepad and enter the following statements.
Saving Batch Files
After your batch file is created, the next step is to save your batch file. Batch files have the extension of either .bat or .cmd. Some general rules to keep in mind when naming batch files −
Try to avoid spaces when naming batch files, it sometime creates issues when they are called from other scripts.
Don’t name them after common batch files which are available in the system such as ping.cmd.
The above screenshot shows how to save the batch file. When saving your batch file a few points to keep in mind.
- Remember to put the .bat or .cmd at the end of the file name.
- Choose the “Save as type” option as “All Files”.
- Put the entire file name in quotes “”.
Executing Batch Files
Following are the steps to execute a batch file −
Step 1 − Open the command prompt (cmd.exe).
Step 2 − Go to the location where the .bat or .cmd file is stored.
Step 3 − Write the name of the file as shown in the following image and press the Enter button to execute the batch file.
Modifying Batch Files
Bat File Parameter
Following are the steps for modifying an existing batch file.
.bat Files Won't Open
Step 1 − Open windows explorer.
Step 2 − Go to the location where the .bat or .cmd file is stored.
Step 3 − Right-click the file and choose the “Edit” option from the context menu. The file will open in Notepad for further editing.