Ok, this surely is dumb, but what is "%1", "%start%" and "%%f" all these stuffs? I tried to read some tutorials, but they never tell me what are those stuffs and start using it in the tutorial. Thanks for your help.

When you start a batch file, you can pass it a series of parameters. Each parameter is a text string separated by spaces. How do you access these parameters within the batch file? The "%1" in the batch file gets replace by the string of the first parameter. "%2" gets replaced by the string of the second parameter, and so on through "%9". In addition, the "%0" parameter gets replace by the batch file name. So if you have MYBATCH.BAT and enter: MYBATCH IS A good one %0 = MYBATCH %1 = IS %2 = A %3 = good %4 = one %5 through %9 have a null string value. So if in the batch file you have: ECHO %3%4 It gets replaced by ECHO goodone and the ECHO command displays "goodone". So how do you enter more than nine parameters? There is also a SHIFT command, that when executed shifts each of the input parameters left one and discards the first one. So that the values become: %1 = A %2 = good %3 = one %4 through %9 have a null string value. And then you could SHIFT it again. In addition there are a list of Environment variables that have names and a text string associated with it. You can display the current ones with a SET command. In addition you can change or add one to the environment with the SET command: SET TESTVALUE = TEST In a batch file, you can access the strings in the environment, in this case the "%TESTVALUE% has the value and gets replaced with the string "TEST". So in this case a batch file line of: ECHO %3%TESTVALUE% displays goodTEST Now %%f and %f are variables you define within the batch file, where the "f: is any alphabetic character(s). You assign a string value to the %%f (or a series of string values) and in the rest of the statement the %f gets replaced by the string.

also if you are a beginner a good site to visit would be www.computerhope.com and www.robvanderwoude.com (i hope i spelt that right) :) btw:microsoft gives some surprisingly useful information by typing in command.com "(command) /?" I'm sure you already new this but just in case.

Thanks, JackG and Nathan, that' really helpful, especially the reply about the parameters. Btw, maybe I din check clear enough, but http://www.robvanderwoude.com is one of those site who starts using %1 ...etc without explaining it. =) I have another question, is there any other method to accept user inputs from user except CHOICE? Can a batch prompt and accept strings like "MYBATCH IS A good one"? Thanks again.

depends if windows ME supports the "set /p" command. goto start>run>cmd then type "set /?" if there is nothing in there about the "/p" in there then i dont know what to tell you.

sorry about my previose post i just wanna say i found something at www.batch.hpg.ig.com.br leonardo's web site. SOME GREAT STUFF THERE

yeah, no info about set /p there. Also, I'd already checked Leonardo's website. But the stuffs there's a bit too hard for someone who know lil about batch scripting like me. I just want to know a simple command that accepts string input, like scanf or gets in C. Help me please. I just need it to write a very simple batch.