### Usage of the ECHO Command
The ECHO command is a sub - command of the well - known DOS batch processing commands, but there may be some functions and usages of it that you don't all know. Just take a look:
1. As a switch to control whether the command line itself is displayed when the batch processing command is executed
Format: ECHO
If you want to close the display of the “ECHO OFF” command line itself, you need to add “@” before this command line.
2. Display the current ECHO setting status
Format: ECHO
3. Output a prompt message
Format: ECHO message content
The above are the three common usages of the ECHO command, and they are also what everyone is familiar with and can use. But as a DOS command gold digger, you should also know the following tips:
4. Turn off the DOS command prompt
Typing ECHO OFF at the DOS prompt can turn off the display of the DOS prompt, leaving only the cursor on the screen. The prompt will reappear until you type ECHO ON.
5. Output a blank line, which is equivalent to entering a carriage return
Format: ECHO.
It should be noted that the “.” in the command line should be closely followed by ECHO without a space in between, otherwise the “.” will be output to the screen as a prompt message. In addition, the “.” can be replaced by any one of symbols such as,, : ; " / +.
In the following example, the carriage return output by ECHO. is redirected through the DOS pipe as the input of the TIME command, which is equivalent to giving a carriage return after the TIME command is executed. So when it is executed, the system will automatically return to the DOS prompt state after displaying the current time:
C:>ECHO.|TIME
Another application example of the ECHO command outputting a blank line is: adding ECHO. in the auto - batch file to make the originally displayed prompt screen at the bottom of the screen appear at the top of the screen.
6. Answer the question in the command
Format: ECHO answer|command file name
The above format can be used to simplify the operation of some commands that need human - computer dialogue (such as: CHKDSK / F; FORMAT Drive:; del *.*). It is to use the DOS pipe command to take the preset answer output by the ECHO command as the input of the human - computer dialogue command. The following example is equivalent to entering “Y” and a carriage return when the called command has a human - computer dialogue:
C:>ECHO Y|CHKDSK/F
C:>ECHO Y|DEL A :*.*
7. Create a new file or add content to a file
Format: ECHO file content> file name
ECHO file content>> file name
For example: C:>ECHO @ECHO OFF>AUTOEXEC.BAT to create an auto - batch file
C:>ECHO C:\CPAV\BOOTSAFE>>AUTOEXEC.BAT to append content to the auto - batch file
C:TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT to display the auto - batch file
@ECHO OFF
C:\CPAV\BOOTSAFE
8. Output print content or print control codes to the printer
Format: ECHO printer control code> PRN
ECHO print content> PRN
The following example is to input print control codes to the M - 1724 printer. <Alt> 156 is to hold down the Alt key and type 156 on the numeric keypad. The same situation is类推:
C:>ECHO +156+42+116>PRN (input the underline command FS*t)
C:>ECHO +155@>PRN (input the initialization command ESC@)
C:>ECHO.>PRN (new line)
9. Make the speaker beep
C:>ECHO ^G
“^G” is input by Ctrl + G or Alt + 007. Entering multiple ^G can produce multiple beeps. The usage is to directly add it to the batch file or call it as a batch file.
10. Execute ESC control sequences to modify screen and keyboard settings
We know that the device driver ANSI.SYS of DOS provides a set of ESC control sequences for modifying screen and keyboard settings. For example, executing a batch program with the following content can define the function key F12 as the DOS command “DIR / W” and modify the screen color to white characters on a blue background.
@ECHO”←
