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Something like "choice" (Win7) for WinXP?

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Kenny McCormack

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Feb 21, 2024, 2:57:17 PMFeb 21
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Is there something in Windows XP that can be used to make choices in a
batch file?

Under Win7, I use "choice.exe", but I can't seem to get that to work under XP.

I have a vague memory of there being something like this - maybe going back
all the way to DOS days - but I can't remember what it was called now.

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JJ

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Feb 21, 2024, 8:49:11 PMFeb 21
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On Wed, 21 Feb 2024 19:57:14 -0000 (UTC), Kenny McCormack wrote:
> Is there something in Windows XP that can be used to make choices in a
> batch file?
>
> Under Win7, I use "choice.exe", but I can't seem to get that to work under XP.
>
> I have a vague memory of there being something like this - maybe going back
> all the way to DOS days - but I can't remember what it was called now.

If your WinXP is 32-bit...

You can use CHOICE.COM (DOS program) from MS-DOS v6.22 or from DOS boot
floppy disk images which are widely availavle in the net. You can use 7-Zip
to open the DSK/IMG floppy disk images.

Alternatively, you can use CHOICE.EXE (DOS program) from FreeDOS.

R.Wieser

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Feb 22, 2024, 2:44:32 AMFeb 22
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Kenny,

> I use "choice.exe", but I can't seem to get that to work under XP.

Its always a good idea to specify what "can't seem to get that to work"
means to you. Your house blows up ? Your cat/dog starts to attack you ?
Your 'puter crashes and reboots ? A "wrong OS version" response ?
Anything else ? (and as you seem to have already used it under Win7 I'm
skipping the "maybe you misuderstood how its supposed to work?" possibility)

> I have a vague memory of there being something like this - maybe
> going back all the way to DOS days - but I can't remember what it
> was called now.

It was called the same - for the versions that included it. But there have
been multiple non-MS versions of the same around. Though mostly without the
time-out feature.

Maybe you can use this (SET /P) :

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/566944/windows-batch-choice-command-for-windows-xp-2003

Regards,
Rudy Wieser



Kenny McCormack

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Feb 22, 2024, 8:23:08 AMFeb 22
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In article <1ld0lk0k0levj$.1egaaal5...@40tude.net>,
OK - thanks for this response. I think I should be able to find it from
one or some of those sources. I think I have a Win98 VM laying around
somewhere; it might be in there.

I wonder why they left it out of XP???

The following link may have it (haven't checked yet):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/117600

P.S. The idea of using "set /p" doesn't appeal. The whole point is to
avoid the "having to press enter" issue.

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Kenny McCormack

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Feb 22, 2024, 9:55:24 AMFeb 22
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In article <1ld0lk0k0levj$.1egaaal5...@40tude.net>,
JJ <jj4p...@outlook.com> wrote:
Success!

I was able to boot up an old Win98 VM (hadn't been used since 2016) and
copy the CHOICE.COM from there. It seems to have pretty much the same
functionality as the one in Win7.

A couple of strange things I noticed when running this CHOICE.COM under XP
(in a CMD window):

1) The first time I ran it on XP, it took a long time (maybe 15-30 seconds)
to start up. I was panicked for a bit 'cause I thought it may have
crashed the machine. Anyway, I assume it was loading some 16 bit
subsystem in XP. After that first time, though, it runs fine
(launches right up).
2) It changes my prompt to something weird with ~s in it (i.e.,
everything gets forced to 8.3 conventions). cd'ing to %homepath%
fixes this, so no worries... Still jarring to the eye, though.

A couple of other notes:
1) Still wondering how/why they left this out of XP...
(They must have realized the error of omission when they put Win7 together)
2) In case anyone was wondering, the reason the Win7 version doesn't
work under XP is that it (the Win7 version) is a 64 bit executable.

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