program: ask_bat

       Copyright 1989 Floyd D. Pretz Sr.
                      5834 Spaulding St.
                      Omaha, NE  68104

       Distribution of this program for non-commercial purposes
       is permitted.  Author assumes no liability for losses due to
       malfunction of this program.

       Description:  The ask_bat program was designed to allow
                     for timed response to (Y/N) type prompts
                     in .BAT files - esp the Autoexec.bat file.
                     The program was written to satisfy a need
                     to recover from a system reboot of a BBS
                     (Bulletin Board System) following the loss
                     of modem carrier, and still allow the system
                     operator (if present) to answer typical
                     configuration 'boot' questions.  Using ask_bat
                     with timing options, the system will not wait
                     indefinitely for console response, but will assume
                     a default response after a specified period of
                     time.  This also allows you the opportunity to
                     go fill your coffee cup during the boot process
                     and not wait around to answer batch prompts.

Use: ask_bat [ "string" errlev ... ] [ /T:nnn ] [ /H ] [ /F ] [ /P "prompt" ]

                where: 'string' is an optional keyboard (console)
                        response to which the program will exit with
                        an ERRORLEVEL set to errlev.  You can use as
                        many of the 'string'-errlev sets as you wish
                        (DOS command line can not exceed 128 characters).
                        The absence of any such pairs will function
                        as 'Press any key to continue' with the
                        errorlevel set to 0.  'string' is not case
                        sensitive (i.e.  'Yes', 'YES' & 'yEs' are
                        treated identically).

                        /T:nnn is an option to time keyboard activity
                        and exit ask_bat after nnn seconds.  If the
                        /T parameter is not specified or nnn=0 then
                        keyboard activity is not timed and ask_bat will
                        wait indefinitely for console activity.  In the
                        case of a time out (user did not respond within
                        nnn seconds) the default is assumed to be the
                        first 'string'-errlev parameter (if any).
                        The default is also assumed if the console
                        response is null (Enter key only).

                        /H is an option to enable a HOT KEY feature
                        which attempts to match a single keystroke
                        to one of the 'string' parameters and exit
                        accordingly.

                         /F is an option to force the user to key in
                        one of the 'strings' in order to exit the program.
                        the program will 'beep' if an incorrect entry
                        is detected.

                        /P prompt is an option to display a string on the
                        screen without forcing a <RETURN>.

                        Invocation without any parameters will function
                        similar to the DOS PAUSE statement.

             examples:        ask_bat yes 1 no 2 maybe 3 /T:15 /H

                                 will exit with errorlevel=1 if the
                                 character 'Y' or 'y' is pressed or
                                 if 15 seconds elapses or only the
                                 <RETURN> key is pressed.  Also exits with
                                 errorlevel=2 if 'N' or 'n' is pressed
                                 and exits with errorlevel=3 if 'M' or
                                 'm' is pressed.

                        ask_bat /H

                                 Functions similar to the PAUSE command.

                        ask_bat tom 10 dick 20 /F

                                 Will exit with errorlevel=10 if 'TOM',
                                 'tom', 'Tom', etc is keyed in, or exit
                                 with errorlevel=20 if 'Dick', etc is keyed
                                 in. Because of the '/F' parameter one
                                 of these two responses must be keyed in
                                 in order for ask_bat to exit.

                        ask_bat yes 3 no 2 /H /T:15 /P "Continue --> "

                                 Will display the prompt string and then
                                 wait up to 15 seconds for a hot key.

                        ask_bat ? > readme.txt

                                 This will create the readme.txt file
                                 which you can later print. Or ...

                        ask_bat ? | more

                                 Which will force the screen to pause
                                 while you read the help text.