Bat-Ques
--------

To ask a question:

   Bat-Ques tttttt$     where ttttttt is the text of the question

User then keys a single character response.

To check answer, use IF [not] errorlevel cc, where cc is the 
character code value of the response. Only single character responses 
are supported.

This program allows one to build decently friendly batch files. One 
no longer has only the ctrl-break response to a pause (which isn't 
very friendly).

Examples:

This program allows a batch file to ask the user a question and 
return a one-character response which is testable by the IF 
subcommand of bat files, via the errorlevel.

You use the question asker per following example:

   .
   .  (your batch file to ask if user wants to edit with
   .       mince/emacs or ibm's editor)
   .
   echo off
   bat-ques WHICH EDITOR, m OR e FOR MINCE (EMACS), i FOR IBM's? $
   if errorlevel 110 goto badresp
   if errorlevel 109 goto minceed
   if errorlevel 106 goto badresp
   if errorlevel 105 goto ibmed
   if errorlevel 102 goto badresp
   if errorlevel 101 goto minceed
   :badresp
   echo Your response was invalid. Sorry.
   goto endit
   :minceed
   if not exist mincomm.sum copy \bin\mince.swp mince.swp
   mince %1
   if not exist mincomm.sum del mince.swp
   goto endit
   :ibmed
   profed %1
   :endit
   echo on

Note that the question prompt follows the bat-ques command and must 
end with a dollar sign. The ascii value of the response is returned 
as the error level. Since error level tests are always greater than 
or equal tests, you must check for highest value first and lowest 
value last. Example above shows what you do to check for missing 
values. Note that the example assumes lower case answers only for 
simplicity sake.

Ascii values (e.g., A is 65, B is 66, a is 97) are found in back of 
your BASIC manual. Only one character responses are accepted, and 
they are not followed by a carriage return.

Extended ascii codes (function and alt keys) should work as per page
G-6 of your BASIC manual; the first call to bat-ques will return a 
zero and the next call (presumably "bat-ques $" without another 
prompt) will return the number shown on page G-7.