Choice (command)

In computing, choice is a command that allows for batch files to prompt the user to select one item from a set of single-character choices. It is available in DOS and Microsoft Windows command line interpreters (shells) such as cmd.exe and COMMAND.COM and was introduced in MS-DOS 6.0. [http://www.computerhope.com/choicehl.htm]

Starting with Windows 2000, the set command has similar functionality using the /P command-line argument.

Usage

The command returns the selected choice using the ERRORLEVEL environment variable which is set to the index of the key that the user selects from the list of choices. The first choice in the list returns a value of 1, the second a value of 2, and so forth.If a key is pressed that is not a valid choice, the command will sound a warning beep. If an error condition is detected, an ERRORLEVEL value of 255 will be returned. An ERRORLEVEL value of 0 will be returned, if the user presses keypress|CTRL+keypress|BREAK or keypress|CTRL+keypress|C.Choice displays the default choices Y and N if used without parameters. [ [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732504.aspx Microsoft TechNet Choice article] ]

yntax

choice [/C [:] choices] [/N] [/S] [/T [:] c,nn] [text]

Arguments:
*/C [:] choices Specifies allowable keys. The default is "YN".
*/T [:] c,nn This defaults choice to "c" after "nn" seconds.
*text Specifies the prompt string to display.

Flags:
*/N Specifies not to display the choices and "?" at end of prompt string.
*/S Specifies that choice keys should be treated as case sensitive.

Example

The batch file below gives the user 3 choices. [http://www.computerhope.com/batch.htm] The user is directed depending upon his input by evaluating the ERRORLEVEL environment variable. The selected choice is then printed to the screen using the echo command.

@echo off:BEGINchoice /N /C:123 Please pick a number (1, 2, or 3)%1if ERRORLEVEL =3 goto THREEif ERRORLEVEL =2 goto TWOif ERRORLEVEL =1 goto ONEgoto END:THREEecho You have pressed 3!goto END:TWOecho You have pressed 2!goto END:ONEecho You have pressed 1!:END

ee also

*List of DOS commands

References

External links

* [http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732504.aspx Microsoft TechNet Choice article]