I'm having to do some coding in a dos batch file. I was wondering if someone could reccommend a good, free (and able to download) editor. I'm not super at programming, just basicly trying to spot where the problems lie, and fix them so it will run.

Thanks

8/25/2005 12:37:42 PM

ultraedit

8/25/2005 12:46:02 PM

Exactly what kind of features are you looking for? I write batch files in good ol' notepad.

8/25/2005 1:53:17 PM

notepad

or wordpad if you want to get really technical


then textpad if you're really extreme.



and if you want dos only, edit works great.

8/25/2005 1:55:24 PM

yeah if you are at a dos prompt and the file is FILE.BAT just type

C:\> edit file.bat

it will open the built in editor

8/25/2005 2:06:43 PM

note pad is doing strange things with it. isn't legible. I'm not so dumb that i didn't try those first.

can't edit it in the dos prompt either. Don't know why. Tried. Wouldn't work.

8/25/2005 3:19:13 PM

if at the dos prompt you type

C:\> type file.bat | more

does it properly list it there?

8/25/2005 4:42:37 PM

no

8/25/2005 4:52:47 PM

it may've gotten saved in a format other than text if the 'type' command doesnt list it...batch files should be plain text files saved with a .bat extension...you have a backup of it?

8/25/2005 4:55:54 PM

yeah, i've been playing with it trying to get it to work. I can get it to open up as a read-only file in one piece of software we have. I tried to change the extension to a .txt file, but that did not work either. i've since changed it back to a .bat file.

8/26/2005 8:17:35 AM

this is rediculous..

8/26/2005 10:39:19 AM

He's probably fucking around with a COM file.

8/26/2005 10:46:11 AM

8/26/2005 11:18:04 AM

if you cant properly edit a text file, or in your case, a batch file, you might want to personally get someone to help you out.

If not, you need to explain in extremely explicit detail what you are doing, so that someone with no knowledge of computers can reproduce your same problems. Explain the problem to us like you would your grandma (or someone who doesnt know shit about compuers). Tell us what version of Windows (or DOS) you're using, tell us what the batch file is for, what the filename is, what the file attributes are, and why you're trying to do this in the first place.

DETAILS man, DETAILS.

8/26/2005 11:32:43 AM

batch files are just text for the most part in dos, if notepad wouldnt open it to a legibile degree, you should probably let us know wtf ur trying to do and or edit

8/26/2005 11:35:47 AM

Completely novel concept: POST A LINK TO THE FILE SO WE CAN DOWNLOAD IT OURSELVES.

8/26/2005 11:50:42 AM

Quote :

"C:\> type file.bat | more"

Save some keystrokes

just use

C:\>more file.bat

8/26/2005 11:55:12 AM

i can't post the file for security reasons. I appreciate trying to help. Basicly what i'm doing is drag and dropping a big ass .bat file into the notepad. That didn't work so i tried word pad. That didn't work so i tried text pad. I could get it to open legibly in slick edit, but it was read only in there (maybe because it was a demo version?) We have a piece of software that is used to run traffic analysis called cube. I can open teh .bat file in there and read it fine. However, cube does not let you write the code in it, you just read and run it in there. The file runs like a normal .bat file, however it has some logic errors in it that need to be fixed (hence the need to use an editor). The files "open" in the text editors, but it is in a font that consists mostly of boxes and symbols. Not to mention there is only about 4 lines of that mess.

I'm using the network version of windows 2000 i believe. The files are not stored locally, but on a server.

8/26/2005 12:36:07 PM

You can't post a batch file for security reasons? Okay, whatever, you don't deserve that security clearance if this is that hard for you.

8/26/2005 12:43:40 PM

its for a DOD contract. We aren't supposed to release anything.

8/26/2005 12:53:46 PM

maybe you have a Unicode file on your hands, Notepad usually blows chunks on Unicode files for me

try using Notepad2 from here http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html It will edit most anything

Also, dont use this drag-n-drop shit to open the file, instead go to the file menu and choose Open, then select All Files, or type in *.* in the file selection box. Then open your file that way.

^ and yeah, he's right.

Are you sure that the file is a batch file at all, and its not a specific format to this 'Cube' program? Why is this Cube program show you the file in a read-only format? Are the RO permissions on the file set? What is the size of the file? Can you open it in a hex editor and legibly make out any of the file content?? Who wrote this file originally? Why cant you contact the author?

8/26/2005 12:59:26 PM

Quote :

"He's probably fucking around with a COM file."

8/26/2005 1:00:34 PM

a COM file will not open in anything, its only executable, he specifically said it would open as readonly in another program

8/26/2005 1:01:59 PM

sweet...the notepad2 did it. thanks alot guys

8/26/2005 1:04:20 PM

this is sad

8/26/2005 1:05:22 PM

Was it the file encoding of the bat file that had notepad screwed up?

In notepad2 you can see what the file encoding was detected as under the File menu. It is also shown along the status bar at the bottom of the window.

8/26/2005 1:06:41 PM

says it is ANSI

8/26/2005 1:12:22 PM