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Relatively simple but comprehensive batch file edits any Windows INI file after making a safety backup copy.
  technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

Batch file project: A batch file that edits and backs up Windows INI files


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 1997, Al Fasoldt

   Please read this introduction if you are unfamiliar with batch files. The batch file is listed after this introduction. (Experienced DOS users can skip this section.)
   
   Batch files are texts that contain instructions for the MS-DOS command processor. They are texts that contain the same kind of commands that you could type on the DOS command line, either in a DOS window while running Windows or when the PC is running only DOS.
   Create a batch file using Notepad or any other editor (or, less suitably, a word processor) with word-wrap turned off. Save the file as a text using the name listed above in big type. Make sure the file has a .BAT filename extension, like this: MYFILE.BAT. You can cut and paste from your browser window to create the batch file listed here.
   You run a batch file by typing the first part of its name from a DOS command line or from another batch file. To run MYFILE.BAT, you'd type "MYFILE" at the command line, or you'd run it from a batch file with a line that says the same thing. You should make sure that all your batch files are located in the path that MS-DOS uses. This could be "C:\Windows\Command" under Windows 95 or "C:\DOS" under Windows 3.1 and 3.11, or it could be a special folder (called "BAT," maybe) somewhere else. If you use a special folder, make sure the location of that folder is part of the path statement in your PC's AUTOEXEC.BAT. (Note well: If you have Windows 95, you do not need to do anything fancy; just put the batch folder's name in the AUTOEXEC.BAT this way:
  SET PATH=C:\BAT
and leave out the "C:\Windows; C:\Windows\Command" stuff entirely. Windows 95 ALWAYS puts its own folders in the path.)
   
********** BATCH FILE BEGINS HERE. ********** 

@echo off

goto top



 ini.bat

 Al Fasoldt 9-26-97

 Edits ini files. Creates backups before editing.

 Windows 3.1 or Windows 95.



 Stores INI backups in folder separate from Windows folder.



 NOTE: EDIT.COM or EDIT.EXE should be in the path.



:top

if %1()==() goto help

if not exist c:\windows\%1.ini echo INI file not found.

if not exist c:\windows\%1.ini goto done

if not exist c:\Recover\nul md c:\Recover

if not exist c:\Recover\Iniback\nul md c:\Recover\Iniback

copy c:\windows\%1.ini c:\Recover\Iniback

edit c:\windows\%1.ini

goto done

:help

cls

echo.

echo INI.BAT Al Fasoldt 10-14-97

echo ==========================

echo.

echo Saves copy of selected INI file, opens original for editing.

echo.

echo Usage:

echo INI [inifilename]

echo.

echo Examples:

echo INI WIN

echo INI SYSTEM

echo.

goto quit

:done

echo.

echo Done!

:quit
********** BATCH FILE ENDS HERE. **********