How do I get a batch file in XP to accept keyboard input

[JohnyCanuck]

I have XP home edition and I am experimenting with batch files by trying to put together a batch file to automate backing up the My Documents folder to a 2nd hard drive. I've got the backup part working OK using XCOPY etc., but now I am trying to gussy it up with some prompts etc. and I can't figure out how to get the batch file to recognize input from the keyboard.

Going by some examples I found on the internet, I thought I could use the CHOICE command to accept user input along the lines of the the example below.

ECHO This batch file backs up your My Documents folder
ECHO and your Outlook Express folder to the F drive.
ECHO.
ECHO Do you want to run the backup at this time?
ECHO.
CHOICE /C:YN /N Select Y for Yes or N for No
IF errorlevel 2 goto End
IF errorlevel 1 goto Run_Backup

When I try to run the above, I get an error message saying CHOICE is not recognized as an internal or external command. I assume there must be some way to get input from the keyboard in XP. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

[jayfish]

1. I Think You Can Grab A Copy Of choice.com

from an MS-DOS install disk. You will have to decompress it using expand.exe. It should reside in your .\WINNT\System or .\Windows\System directory. Give it a shot.

Jay

[welshTerrier2]

2. choice is DEAD in XP ... use the "set" command

it looks like it's been replaced with the "set" command ... here's an example:

source: http://www.computerhope.com/sethlp.htm#04

How to use the set command as a substitute for the choice command in Windows 2000 and Windows XP

In the below example a user would be prompted to enter an option of 1,2, or 3 to print "hello", "bye", or "test".

@ECHO off
cls
:start
ECHO.
ECHO 1. Print Hello
ECHO 2. Print Bye
ECHO 3. Print Test
set choice=
set /p choice=Type the number to print text.
if not '%choice%'=='' set choice=%choice:~0,1%
if '%choice%'=='1' goto hello
if '%choice%'=='2' goto bye
if '%choice%'=='3' goto test
ECHO "%choice%" is not valid please try again
ECHO.
goto start
:hello
ECHO HELLO
goto end
:bye
ECHO BYE
goto end
:test
ECHO TEST
goto end
:end

[JohnyCanuck]

3. Yup the set command does the trick.

Thanks for the feedback jayfish and WelshTerrier2