How do you create a file to execute a dos command?

[substance12]

how would you create a file you can double click that will

open up cmd prompt, change directories/drives, and then run a program?

something like???

run cmd d: cd d:\folder1\folder2 random_program

 

[calpha]

yah, it's called a batch file.
if you know how to launch the file manually from dos, then just put all those commands in a text file and label it "launch.bat"

EG:
to launch notepad I'd have:

cd\
cd windows\system32
notepad.exe

 

[BlueWeasel]

Why couldn't you just create a shortcut to the program executable and run it?

We have alot of older DOS programs that we still run and that's how we do it...

 

[calpha]

Originally posted by: BlueWeasel
Why couldn't you just create a shortcut to the program executable and run it?

We have alot of older DOS programs that we still run and that's how we do it...

Read his first post.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Most of the time, you don't need to change directories before starting a program in windows. Set the target to the full path of the executable, and change the "start in" or "working directory" to whatever directory you were going to cd into.

Now, if you wanted to, say, delete a temp file before starting the program, you would need a batch (.bat) file like calpha says.

 

[substance12]

Ah, so I don't need to have "cmd" in the first line? batch files automatially know to run the command in DOS?

thanks.

 

[sciencewhiz]

just like word files (.doc) open in word, batch files (.bat) open in cmd (or command for win9x)