How to cmd.exe switches (/U or /A) from INSIDE a DOS batch script?

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Matt Solob - 24 May 2008 08:09 GMT

Ok, I could set a cmd.exe's switches when calling a batch file by entering

cmd.exe /U mybatchfile.bat

But assume I start with the default /A (ANSI) or just by double clicking on a *.bat file.
Now (after some performed statements) I want to switch output to /U (=Unicode).

Is there a way to set/modify this /U switch from INSIDE a DOS batch script?

Matt

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Pegasus (MVP) - 24 May 2008 10:11 GMT

> Ok, I could set a cmd.exe's switches when calling a batch file by entering
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Matt

You need to invoke another instance of the Command Processor,
e.g. like so:
@echo off
if /i "%1"=="Unicode" goto action
echo Primary processor
cmd.exe /u /c %0 Unicode
goto :eof

:Action

echo Secondary processor
dir c:\
{Your other batch file commands go here}

By the way, DOS is an operating system introduced some thirty
years ago. It is now considered a legacy OS and is only rarely
used. DOS did not understand switches such as /U or /A. The
example I gave above is a batch file, not a DOS batch script.

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