Advanced batch scripts with menu's and much more

What is the difference between GOTO and CALL

@echo off

:top

echo I love Phonlab

goto :top

@echo off

:top

echo I love Phonlab

call :top

Both of the above scripts will do that same thing but the call script will eventually crash

"goto" - goes to the label.

"call" - goes to the label and then returns to the caller when the code is complete.

In the example, as the code is never complete, it never returns to the caller.

The only difference you may see, is that the "call" version would eventually crash when the list of "where to return to" will become so big until it "fills up" the memory.

At the end of the subroutine an EXIT /B will return to the position where you used call

(GOTO :EOF can also be used for this)

To see how the call command can be used properly: http://ss64.com/nt/call.html

Below is another basic menu system that is really nice to use.

typescript

@ECHO OFF
  
  :MENU
  CLS
  
  ECHO  ============= MENU NAME =============
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO 1.  Selection 1
  ECHO 2.  Selection 2
  ECHO 3.  Selection 3
  ECHO 4.  Selection 4
  ECHO 5.  Selection 5
  ECHO 6.  Selection 6
  ECHO 7.  Selection 7
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO 8.  Selection 8
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO 9.  Selection 9
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO ==========PRESS 'Q' TO QUIT==========
  ECHO.
  
  SET INPUT=
  SET /P INPUT=Please select a number:
  
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='1' GOTO Selection1
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='2' GOTO Selection2
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='3' GOTO Selection3
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='4' GOTO Selection4
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='5' GOTO Selection5
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='6' GOTO Selection6
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='7' GOTO Selection7
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='8' GOTO Selection8
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='9' GOTO Selection9
  IF /I '%INPUT%'=='Q' GOTO Quit
  
  CLS
  ECHO ============INVALID INPUT============
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO Please select a number from the Main
  echo Menu [1-9] or select 'Q' to quit.
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO ======PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE======
  
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection1
  CLS
  color 0A
  echo Number 1
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  
  :Selection2
  CLS
  color 0b
  echo Number 2
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection3
  CLS
  color 0c
  echo Number 3
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  
  :Selection4
  CLS
  color 0d
  echo Number 4
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection5
  CLS
  color 0e
  echo Number 5
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection6
  CLS
  color 0f
  echo Number 6
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection7
  CLS
  echo Number 7
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection8
  CLS
  echo Number 8
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Selection9
  CLS
  echo Number 9
  ::Your code here
  PAUSE > NUL
  GOTO MENU
  
  :Quit
  CLS
  ECHO ==============THANKYOU===============
  ECHO -------------------------------------
  ECHO ======PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE======
  PAUSE>NUL
  EXIT
  
  pause
  cls
  goto top