How to Create Options or Choices in a Batch File

Last Updated: April 2, 2020 Tested

Are you really good at programming Batch Files, but you just don't know how to make those yes or no Choices or Menus that list Choices 1, 2, and 3? Well you've come to the correct place!

Steps

1
Click Start>Run
2
Type "cmd" (no quotations)

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3
Type "edit"
4
Type the following, careless of bolded/unbolded worlds. After each press enter. Anything in parenthesis do NOT type, these are side-notes that tries to explain the steps.
5
@echo off (This command will 'hide' the command input - optional but recommended)
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cls (This will clear anything above - optional but recommended if you're wanting to make it look neat)
7
:start
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echo.
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echo Choice 1 ("Choice 1" can be renamed to whatever you want, any of the choices)
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echo Choice 2
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echo Choice 3 (Keep doing that until you have all of the choices that you need.)
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Type "set /p choice=(Insert question or command here, like "Yes or no?")
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if not '%choice%'== set choice=%choice:~0,1%
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if '%choice%'=='1' goto :choice1
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if '%choice%'=='2' goto :choice2
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(Continue doing this pattern until you have enough. Then type:)
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echo "%choice%" is not a valid option. Please try again.
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echo.
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goto start
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After that you type:
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:choice1
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(commands you want to run)
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goto end
24
:choice2
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(commands)
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goto end
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:choice3
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(commands)
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goto end
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Continue doing this pattern until you have completed the file.
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:end
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pause
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exit
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Save this as a .bat file. Double click to test your batch file.

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Community Q&A

Question

True or false: you can open Notepad using run options?

Felix Vincent

Community Answer

True, type in notepad or notepad.exe. Also, you can use CMD for that with "start Notepad."

Example

@ECHO off
cls
:start
ECHO.
ECHO 1. Print Hello
ECHO 2. Print Bye
ECHO 3. Print Test
set /p choice=Type the number to print text.
rem if not '%choice%'=='' set choice=%choice:~0;1% ( don`t use this command, because it takes only first digit in the case you type more digits. After that for example choice 23455666 is choice 2 and you get "bye"
if '%choice%'=='' ECHO "%choice%" is not valid please try again
if '%choice%'=='1' goto hello
if '%choice%'=='2' goto bye
if '%choice%'=='3' goto test
ECHO.
goto start
:hello
ECHO HELLO
goto end
:bye
ECHO BYE
goto end
:test
ECHO TEST
goto end
:end
pause
exit

Warnings

Command that are used without knowledge may harm your computer.

Thanks!
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Do not use commands unless you know what you are doing.

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