hi.. sorry if this sounds dumb...but i always wondered is there away to create a self destruct batch file ??? i mean if the file is executed it should but when opened for editing/viewing source the whole contents should get erased off (imagined abt self deleting but that would be impossible as it will be already loaded in memory to start opening the file so it will say file currently in use and cannot delete)when it is opened .... is this possible plz do reply programming newbie :)

um you can use del %0 to delete the batch script other than that i have no clue what your saying

I think he means it opens a file, type it to the screen... After a certain amout of time it deletes it ad the batch file. SO would this work.... @echo off Type "file" PING 127.0.0.1 -n 1 -w "time" >NUL DEL "file" DEL %0 EXIT I only Batch if possible, 2000 more lines of code, oh well.

Are you guys out of coffee? ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

thank you all for replying... what i meant will be more clear if i explain my scenario: see let me assume that i have some important details written to a file using a batchfile. now when some one execute it the write operation which i have coded in my batch should occur to the text file ...but when some one tries to open and view the source or edit it ...the whole content of the same batch file should self erase .... i guess i explained clearly.....if have confused u poeple somewhere leme knw :) programming newbie :)

There is no way to do this, that i know off, you cannot make your batch just dissapear if someone tries to edit it. One thing you could do is make it into an executable so the source file is hidden, this requires a compiler. I only Batch if possible, 2000 more lines of code, oh well.

@Mechanix2go coffee? Well it is 1 am out here, but why do you think I'm out of coffee? I only Batch if possible, 2000 more lines of code, oh well.