Purpose: Used to provide a prompt so that a user can make a
choice while
a batch program is running (new with DOS Version 6).
Discussion
This command is used only in batch programs. It is used to display a
prompt to
the user. The specified prompt is displayed and the program pauses while
the
user makes a choice from a specified set of keys.
For more information on CHOICE and other batch commands, see Chapter 5,
Using Batch Files, in the downloadable
book DOS the Easy Way
Options
text - Used to specify text to be displayed before the prompt. When
text has not been specified, CHOICE will display only the prompt. You must use
quote marks around the text if you include a switch character (/) as part of
the text.
/C[:]keys - Used to specify the keys that the user can select from when
the prompt is displayed. When displayed, the list of key choices will be
separated by commas and enclosed in brackets with a question mark at the end. If
the /C option is not used, the CHOICE command displays the default key choices
of Y and N. The colon [:] is optional.
/N - When the /N option is used the prompt will not be displayed,
however the
text before the prompt will be displayed and the specified keys will
still be valid.
/S - Using the /S option causes CHOICE to be case sensitive to the keys
entered by the user at the prompt.
/T[:]c,nn - The /T option can be used to limit the number of seconds
the batch
program will pause before it defaults to a specified key. The values for
the /T
switch are:
c - Specifies the default key (character). The key must be one of
those specified in the /C switch.
nn - Specifies the length of the pause in seconds (0 to 99).
Example
If you were writing a batch program and wanted to use the CHOICE command
to
prompt the user to select from the keys Y, N, and C, you would enter the
following:
choice /c:ync
The user would see the following prompt:
[Y,N,C]?
To make it more obvious to the user exactly what they are selecting, you
could
add some explanatory text to the prompt by entering,
choice /c:ync Yes, No, or Continue
The user would then see,
Yes, No, or Continue [Y,N,C]?
If you wanted to use the /T option to limit the amount of time a user has
to make a choice at the prompt you might enter,
choice /c:ync /t:c,10
The user would still see the prompt [Y,N,C]? from which they could make
their
choice. If a selection was not made within 10 seconds the C option would
be
assumed and the batch program would continue.
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