ECHO OFF Prevents ANSI Escape Sequences Using PROMPT (71558)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.1
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.2
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.21
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3a
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.01
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
This article was previously published under Q71558 SUMMARY
If ECHO is currently OFF in a batch file, ANSI escape sequences cannot be
issued using the PROMPT $E[... statement. ECHO must be temporarily turned
ON, or the escape sequences must be issued using ECHO <esc>[..., where
<esc> is whatever sequence of characters is used by a particular text
editor to specify an escape character (for example, ^V[ in Edlin).
MORE INFORMATION
When ECHO is OFF in a batch file, command lines in the batch file
(including the command prompt) are not echoed to the screen. Thus, the
command prompt containing the desired escape sequence is not echoed to the
console, and the escape sequence is not issued. If the prompt contains an
escape sequence when the batch file ends execution, this escape sequence is
issued.
If the DOSSHELL command is executed from a batch file with the echo off and
MS-DOS Shell is then used to execute a batch file that uses PROMPT $E[...,
the escape sequence is not issued. Shell must first be terminated, either
by using F3 or by explicitly setting ECHO ON, before the batch file can be
used to issue escape sequences.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 5/12/2003 |
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| Keywords: | KB71558 |
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