I want to create a scenario by which I can query a text file for a certain string and if the string exist then print that the search was successful. I'am writing my first DOS batch program and need some major help. thanks

I didn't write this....But perhaps it will get you started. @echo off if %1.==GOTO. %1 %2 SET FMTEM=%TEMP% SET FMOUT=%FMTEM%\FINDM.TXT if not %2.==. goto DO echo I use FIND.exe /I /N to find a word in a wild-card group of files. echo Syntax: %0 word filegroup [output_file] echo Default output file = %FMOUT% goto END :DO SET FMYES= if not %3.==. set FMOUT=%3 if exist %FMOUT% del %FMOUT% for %%f in (%2) do call %0 GOTO DO1 %1 %%f if %FMYES%.==Y. type %FMOUT% if %FMYES%.==Y. echo %0: Word "%1" occurs in (%2) as listed in %FMOUT%. if not %FMYES%.==Y. echo %0: Word "%1" was not found in %2. if exist %FMTEM%\FIND.RPT del %FMTEM%\FIND.RPT for %%w in (OUT TEM YES) do set FM%%w= goto END :DO1 find /N /I "%3" %4 >%FMTEM%\FIND.RPT if errorlevel 1 goto end set FMYES=Y type %FMTEM%\FIND.RPT >>%FMOUT% :END

This might be a bit simpler. Change BAT to txt and AWK to the string. You can add all the @echo off ,labels and cls to suite your needs. for %%f in (*.bat) do find /I "awk" %%f >>find.rpt