1. ECHO
This batch command displays messages, or turns command echoing on or off.
Syntax
ECHO “string”
Example
The following example shows the different variants of the dir command.
Rem Turns the echo on so that each command will be shown as executed
echo on
echo "Hello World"
Rem Turns the echo off so that each command will not be shown when executed
@echo off
echo "Hello World"
Rem Displays the contents of the PATH variable
echo %PATH%
Output
The following output will be displayed in the command prompt.
C:\>Rem Turns the echo on so that each command will be shown as executed
C:\>echo on
C:\>echo "Hello World"
"Hello World"
C:\>Rem Turns the echo off so that each command will not be shown when executed
"Hello World"
C:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp
2. DATE
This command gets the system date.
Syntax
DATE
Example
@echo off
echo %DATE%
Output
The current date will be displayed in the command prompt. For example,
Mon 12/28/2015
3. TIME
This command
sets or displays the time.
Syntax
TIME
Example
@echo off
echo %TIME%
Output
The current system time will be displayed. For example,
22:06:52.87
4. START
This batch
command starts a program in new window, or opens a document.
Syntax
START “programname”
Example
@echo off
start notepad.exe
Output
When the batch file is executed, a new notepad windows will start.
5. VOL
This batch command displays the volume labels.
Syntax
VOL
Example
@echo off
VOL
Output
The output will display the current volume label. For example,
Volume in drive C is Windows8_OS
Volume Serial Number is E41C-6F43
6. Chkdsk
This batch command checks the disk for any problems.
Syntax
Chkdsk
Example
@echo off
Chkdsk
Output
The above command starts checking the current disk for any errors.
7. COPY
This batch command is used for copying files from one location to the other.
Syntax
Copy [source] [destination]
The files will be copied from source to destination location.
Example
The following example shows the different variants of the copy command.
@echo off
cd
Rem Copies lists.txt to the present working directory.
If there is no destination identified , it defaults to the present working directory.
copy c:\lists.txt
Rem The file lists.txt will be copied from C:\ to C:\tp location
copy C:\lists.txt c:\tp
Rem Quotation marks are required if the file name contains spaces
copy “C:\My File.txt”
Rem Copies all the files in F drive which have the txt file extension to the
current working directory copy
F:\*.txt
Rem Copies all files from dirA to dirB. Note that directories nested in dirA will not be copied
copy C:\dirA dirB
Output
All actions are performed as per the remarks in the batch file.
8. DEL
This batch command deletes files and not directories.
Syntax
del [filename]
Example
The following example shows the different variants of the del command.
@echo off
Rem Deletes the file lists.txt in C:\
del C:\lists.txt
Rem Deletes all files recursively in all nested directories
del /s *.txt
Rem Deletes all files recursively in all nested directories , but asks for the
confirmation from the user first
Del /p /s *.txt
Output
All actions are performed as per the remarks in the batch file.
9. VER
This batch command shows the version of MS-DOS you are using.
Syntax
Ver
Example
@echo off
Ver
Output
The output of the above command is as follows. The version number will depend upon the operating system you are working on.
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
10. DIR
This batch command lists the contents of a directory.
Syntax
dir
Example
The following example shows the different variants of the dir command.
@echo off
Rem All the directory listings from C:\ will be routed to the file lists.txt
dir C:\>C:\lists.txt
Rem Lists all directories and subdirectories recursively
dir /s
Rem Lists the contents of the directory and all subdirectories recursively, one
file per line, displaying complete path for each listed file or directory.
dir /s /b
Rem Lists all files with .txt extension.
dir *.txt
Rem Includes hidden files and system files in the listing.
dir /a
Rem Lists hidden files only.
dir /ah
Output
All actions are performed as per the remarks in the batch file.
11. MD
This batch command creates a new directory in the current location.
Syntax
md [new directory name]
Example
@echo off
md newdir
cd newdir
cd Rem “Goes back to the parent directory and create 2 directories”
cd..
md newdir1 newdir1
cd newdir1
cd
cd..
cd newdir2
cd
Output
The above
command produces the following output.
C:\newdir
C:\newdir1
C:\newdir2
12. RD
This batch command removes directories, but the directories need to be empty before they can be removed.
Syntax
rd [directoryname]
Example
The following example shows the different variants of the rd command.
@echo off
Rem removes the directory called newdir
rd C:\newdir
Rem removes 2 directories
rd Dir1 Dir2
Rem Removes directory with spaces
rd "Application A"
Rem Removes the directory Dir1 including all the files and subdirectories in it rd /s Dir1
Rem Removes the directory Dir1 including all the files and subdirectories in it but
asks for a user confirmation first.
rd /q /s Dir1
Output
All actions are performed as per the remarks in the batch file.
13. REN
Renames files and directories
Syntax
ren [oldfile/dirname] [newfile/dirname]
Renames the file name from the old file/dir name to the new one.
Example
@echo off
ren C:\lists.txt C:\newlists.txt
Output
The file lists.txt will be renamed to newlists.txt.
14. REM
This batch command is used for remarks in batch files, preventing the content of the remark from being executed.
Syntax
REM remark description
Example
@echo off
REM This is a batch file
Output
None
15. FORMAT
This batch command formats a disk to use Windows-supported file system such as FAT, FAT32 or NTFS, thereby overwriting the previous content of the disk.
Syntax
format [drive]
Where drive is the drive which needs to be formatted.
Example
@echo off
format D:\
Output
With the above command, D drive will be formatted.
16. SHUTDOWN
This batch command shuts down a computer, or logs off the current user.
Syntax
shutdown
Example
@echo off
shutdown
Output
If the user executing the batch files has the relevant rights, the computer will be shutdown.
17. SYSTEMINFO
This batch command shows configuration of a computer and its operating system.
Syntax
Systeminfo
Example
@echo off
Systeminfo
Output
The above command will show the system information on the current system. Following is a subset of the output.
Host Name: WIN-50GP30FGO75
OS Name: Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
OS Version: 6.3.9600 N/A Build 9600
OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration: Standalone Server
OS Build Type: Multiprocessor Free
Registered Owner: Windows User
Registered Organization:
Product ID: 00252-70000-00000-AA535
Original Install Date: 12/13/2015, 12:10:16 AM
System Boot Time: 12/28/2015, 4:43:04 PM
System Manufacturer: LENOVO
System Model: 20287
System Type: x64-based PC
18. TREE
This batch command displays a tree of all subdirectories of the current directory to any level of recursion or depth.
Syntax
Tree
Example
@echo off
Tree
Output
The above command will display the tree structure of the current directory. Following is an example of the output.
Folder PATH listing for volume Windows8_OS
Volume serial number is E41C-6F43
C:.
├───newdir
├───newdir1
└───newdir2
19. TITLE
This batch command sets the title displayed in the console window.
Syntax
TITLE [Tilename]
Where tilename is the new name to be given to the title of the command prompt window.
Example
@echo off
Title “New Windows Title”
Output
The above command will change the title of the window to “New Windows Title”.
20. PING
This batch command sends ICMP/IP "echo" packets over the network to the designated address.
Syntax
PING [address]
Where address is the IP address or hostname of the destination system.
Example
@echo off
Ping 127.0.0.1
Output
The above command will send ICMP/IP "echo" packets to the destination address 192.168.0.1. Following is an example of the output.
Pinging 127.0.0.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes = 32 time<1ms TTL = 128
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes = 32 time<1ms TTL = 128
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes = 32 time<1ms TTL = 128
Reply from 127.0.0.1: bytes = 32 time<1ms TTL = 128
Ping statistics for 127.0.0.1:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms