| .SHELL Statement Details. |
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| SHELL Statement Details |
|
| Syntax |
| SHELL [commandstring] |
| |
| The commandstring must be a valid string expression, containing the name |
| of a program to run and any program options. |
| |
| Any .COM file, .EXE file, .BAT program, or DOS function that runs under the |
| SHELL statement is called a "child process." Child processes are executed |
| by the SHELL statement, loading and running a copy of COMMAND.COM with |
| the /C option automatically; this option allows any parameters in |
| commandstring to be passed to the child process. It also allows redirection |
| of standard input and output, and execution of built-in commands such as |
| DIR, PATH, and SORT. |
| |
| The program name in commandstring may have any extension you wish. If no |
| extension is supplied, COMMAND.COM looks for a .COM file, then an .EXE file, |
| and finally, a .BAT file. If COMMAND.COM is not found, SHELL issues an error |
| message that reads "File not found." BASIC does not generate an error if |
| COMMAND.COM cannot find the file specified in commandstring. |
| |
| Any text separated from the program name by at least one blank is treated as |
| program parameters by COMMAND.COM. |
| |
| BASIC remains in memory while the child process is running. When the child |
| process finishes, BASIC continues. |
| |
| SHELL with no commandstring gives you a new COMMAND.COM shell. You may |
| now do anything that COMMAND.COM allows. Enter the DOS command EXIT |
| when you are ready to return to BASIC. |
| |
