******* Are YOU Booming Or Fuming? *******

There is nothing that will stand without a Sure Foundation.

Although it seems easy to write a quick script in great haste
with no documentation to solve today's urgent problem...
it becomes a horrifying mess later when you (or someone else)
have to reap that nightmare code which you have sown!

*******

Joe Fumer suddenly cries out,

"I just can't see why I need to spend the time!
It's ONLY a little batch file!!"

"Well..., Joe...

Remember that quick backup script that you thought
was working but it turned out that only changed
files were being copied each night?!

A Sure Foundation would have shined the light on
that problem the first day!"

"OK. Tell me more."

*******

If you're stuck in the Pit of Pity,
wasting your precious time slugging
through the Crater of Confusion...

___ DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! ___

The confidence and reliability that we have built with
our Command Library has opened a new world for Windows
System Administrators. It is no longer necessary to
write a confusing mess of tangled code. The resources
in the Library allow self-documenting shell scripts
that really work!

One brick at a time, we are building a Tower of Knowledge
for writing .bat/.cmd files. A comprehensive

Single File Solution,

filled to the brim with answers for the most grievous
tribulations that face the Windows Admin each day,
while still retaining the look and feel of a simple
batch file. And we're doing it without third party
utilities of any kind!

You only need one file---NTCmdLib.cmd!

So leave that old darkness of confusion at the foot of
Mount Knowledge and follow the Path of Understanding
to the TOP, where clearness reigns!

*******

There's been a Flying Rumor going around about Big Things
coming, and we can now confirm that it's true!

There ARE new Advanced and Expert Libraries coming!

Here's a taste of what we have prepared!

*******

The shining star of our Command Library is the
"Mounted Command", or Mt/\Cmd for short.

This is a section of Reliable, Cross-Platform Scripting Code
that has been optimized and compressed into a single line.
Then, this little jewel is saved to an environment variable
for instant access. The variable is named to "sound like what
it does" so when you use it in your script, the script becomes
self-documenting!

For example, the code for the command .GetFree is stored in the
variable %.GetFree%. This command retrieves the free space of
the current disk drive, displays it to the console, and saves
the value to variable %#Free%.

More info about .GetFree is at
(http://TheSystemGuard.com/MtCmds/GetValue/GetFree.htm).

*******

One of our biggest challenges in constructing these commands
is that there was not an easy way to specify parameters.
The object of the command's actions had to be determined by
one of three methods.

1. Prefixing the arguments before the Mt/\Cmd

COPY Source Destination %.Silent%

2. Appending the arguments after the Mt/\Cmd

%.TimeEcho% Job started on Server1

3. Implying the argument based on some known parameter
of the console window at the time of execution.
For example, .GetFree reports on the current drive.

CD /D C:\
%.GetFree%

*******

When the required task had to "parse" a parameter,
we always needed multiple lines of code and had to
implement the next best thing: a $FUNCTION within
the Command Library.

You still call the $FUNCTION with a one line command

%.Call% $FUNCTION Parm1 Parm2 [...]

But a trip to the disk drive, and through the
Command Library was required, which is slightly
slower than our cached Mt/\Cmd code.

*******

But what if we could change the parameters anywhere inside
a command, while still having the code "preloaded" and
instantly available?! Well--now we can!! The answer is the
Twin^^Peaks MountCommand, or M^^C for short.

And it's a major leap over the wall!

In essence, this is a two-step command.

Step 1: Load the input variable with one or more parameters

Step 2: Execute the M^^C while dynamically expanding the
input variable from Step 1.

For CONSISTENCY, the input variable name is always the same as
the Twin^^Peaks command name, without the "." prefix.

Let's look at an example.

*******

A frequent SysAdmin need is to check the accessibility of a remote
system by using the native Ping utility. A new M^^C called .Alive
provides a CONSISTENT self-documenting method to check one machine,
a list of machines or an entire range of IP addresses.

The variable which contains the input is called, of course, %Alive%.

The scripting code is stored in variable %.Alive%.

Since the input is expanded at runtime, you can set the input value
and run the command within the same line of code! Delayed Variable
Expansion is not necessary, allowing full compatibility across
NT/2K/XP/K3. The self-documenting code looks like this:

FOR /L %%A IN (1,1,254) DO @(
(SET "Alive=10.7.7.%%A")
(%.Alive%)
)

..Alive takes the internal Ping command up on Mount Knowledge!
The code above will check the entire address range from
10.7.7.1 through 10.7.7.254, reporting on each address in turn.

But it get even better than that!

Success is reported to STDOUT, failure is reported to STDERR.
So, to see only the addresses that are active, suppress STDERR
using the %.Kity% {Keep-It-To-Yourself] command.

FOR /L %%A IN (1,1,254) DO @(
(SET "Alive=10.7.7.%%A")
(%.Alive% %.Kity%)
)

To see only the machines that are inaccessible,
suppress STDOUT using the %.Quiet% command.

FOR /L %%A IN (1,1,254) DO @(
(SET "Alive=10.7.7.%%A")
(%.Alive% %.Quiet%)
)

Additional examples are on the pre-release ".Alive Page" at
(http://TheSystemGuard.com/MtCmds/CrystalClear/Alive.htm).

There is also a link there to download the pre-release code
and test it on your machine.

To look up the syntax of any other "Mounted Commands"
used in the examples, see the Master Catalog at
(http://TheSystemGuard.com/MasterCatalog.asp).

*******

Joe Fumer has been reading intently and thinking about
the batch he uses to check the company's server farm.

"You mean--uh--you mean, I can replace all of my

Ping | Find "Reply"

stuff with something like:

FOR /F %%A IN (FumerFarm.txt) DO @(
(SET "Alive=%%A")
(%.Silent% %.Alive%)
(%.ifNotOK% ECHO:Meltdown on Server %%A!)
)

"Yes! YES!! Y-E-S!!!"

"And I can run it on any machine in the house?!
Even my old NT4 Servers?!"

"You sure can, Joe!
You're really soakin' up that knowledge now!"

"I see the light! I see the light!
How do I sign up? When can I get my hands
on that new Command Library?!"

*******

The new Command Libraries are nearing final trials!

When they come out as *Pure^Gold*,
we'll release them to the world!

The clock is ticking, so you better start clicking!!!

Make speed over to "The Almost Free Price List"!
at (http://TheSystemGuard.com/AlmostFree.asp)

D-O I-T N-O-W !!!

Or risk being left behind in the fumes!

*******

This is the public version of "Booming or Fuming?".

To get your own copy, which includes special offers,
available ONLY to subscribers, go to
(http://BoomingOrFuming.com). It's FREE!

Space is limited and time is short, so reserve your spot today!

*******

Communication Is Business! We Master It With Knowledge!

COME ON UP WITH US!

And Congratulations On Your Decision To
RISE ABOVE
THE REST!!!

*******

-tsg
__________________________________________________________
Are you spooked by the "Doubts of Slowdoms"?!
You can dig yourself out of another man's doubt!
GO AHEAD! Be the first to pull out from the Net of Fear.
(http://TheSystemGuard.com)

Hallo guard,

> So leave that old darkness of confusion at the foot of
> Mount Knowledge and follow the Path of Understanding
> to the TOP, where clearness reigns!

From over here it really seems the religious right is getting the upper
hand in the US :-)

> while still retaining the look and feel of a simple
> batch file. And we're doing it without third party
> utilities of any kind!

Am I dense or what? I still have to download from you (a 3rd party, if I
ever saw one) a file that could be called "utility" without any qualms.

If you really meant your fire and brimstone sermon humorous, as I
suspect, I missed some smileys thrown in.

> For example, the code for the command .GetFree is stored in the
> variable %.GetFree%. This command retrieves the free space of
> the current disk drive, displays it to the console, and saves
> the value to variable %#Free%.

Using 4DOS, the info you seek can be accessed using the @diskfree[]
function, with options to specify drive, size of free space in Bytes,
Kilo- or Megabytes.

> COPY Source Destination %.Silent%

4DOS' Copy command has a /Q (quiet) switch
>
> 2. Appending the arguments after the Mt/\Cmd

> %.TimeEcho% Job started on Server1

ECHO Job started on server at %_time

> 3. Implying the argument based on some known parameter
> of the console window at the time of execution.
> For example, .GetFree reports on the current drive.
>
> CD /D C:\
> %.GetFree%

See above.

And so on, and so on....

You are really reinventing the wheel, which might be nice if it was much
sleeker. But your method is sadly much more clumsy than 4DOS, and from
what I've seen 4DOS can easily match each of your examples.

> The clock is ticking, so you better start clicking!!!
>
> Make speed over to "The Almost Free Price List"!
> at (http://TheSystemGuard.com/AlmostFree.asp)

4DOS is totally _FREE_

> D-O I-T N-O-W !!!
>
> Or risk being left behind in the fumes!

Do you sell snake oil or batch enhancers?

> Are you spooked by the "Doubts of Slowdoms"?!
> You can dig yourself out of another man's doubt!
> GO AHEAD! Be the first to pull out from the Net of Fear.
> (http://TheSystemGuard.com)

Hallelujah, and all the rest. :-(


--
Mit freundlichem Gruß,

Klaus Meinhard

"Klaus Meinhard" wrote
>
> Am I dense or what? I still have to download from you (a 3rd party, if I
> ever saw one) a file that could be called "utility" without any qualms.
>

The single .cmd file which is a Command Library
consists of ONLY scripting code using ONLY
the native commands and utilities that are present
on all NT-based operating systems.

It is a highly optimized and extremely intelligent batch file.

It is NOT--a third party utility.

In practice, it has been accepted and used in the same
manner as retrieving scripting code from a newsgroup or
other online forum. Only much better.

The sysadmin can actually understand how the code works,
can learn at their own pace in as much detail as their
time schedule permits, and can extend the Command Library
by creating their own "Mounted Commands".

This makes a script look like the one at this link.
(http://TheSystemGuard.com/Scripts/Sn...hot.cmdsrc.htm).
That application (Snapshot) is included with the FREE ntlib.cmd.

*******

The vocal minority that post answers in public newsgroups
do not represent the vast majority of sysadmins. No matter
how good the answer, it is always specific to today's crisis
and does NOT provide a foundation to move forward.

Finding 1000 answers to a question after "Googling" does not
give someone an answer. Just more questions. And every
time the same question is answered again, in a slightly
different way, the next search returns even more hits.

Libraries of solutions are common in most programming languages.

Before we released ours publicly in late 2002, the world of
batch scripting, arguably the one with the most non-programmers,
did not have one. Now it does. And there's no turning back.

*******

The reason for the HUGE success of the Command Library
is that there are no changes of any kind needed to run
a script that uses library commands.

No installation.
No uninstallation.
No multiple files to keep track of.
No "my script needs xxx utility to run".
No "do step1 for NT, step2 for 2000"

One line loads the entire Library:

CALL [drive:][path]ntlib.cmd /Init
or
CALL \\server\sharename\ntlib.cmd /Init

And, since the Sure Foundation is in place to support
virtually unlimited resources, we can continue to extend
the features without sacrificing performance, and while
maintaining ONLY ONE FILE to keep track of.

You write your script ONE TIME.
You solve your problem ONE TIME.
You take the solution and use it again and again.

And...you actually understand the code!

*******

If you're a small network "part-time" admin with limited
time for learning anything new, you get self-documenting
scripts that build on your basic knowledge of batch
scripting without adding any complexity to your life.

If you're in a larger network, you get a standard
set of tools to use in login scripts and other
administrative scripting that helps to keep all of
your departmental sysadmins on the same page.
The more experienced ones can share their knowledge
with those that are learning without having to explain
every detail of convoluted shell scripting command syntax.

And, if you're an integrator or a consultant, you get to
build a scripting toolbox that can run on any of your
clients machines, including those "no 3rd party software"
boxes. Best of all, you can customize anyone of your
scripts, turn it over to the local sysadmin, and they'll
actually be able to understand what you wrote AND
maintain it themselves when you're gone.

*******

>
> You are really reinventing the wheel, which might be nice if it was much
> sleeker. But your method is sadly much more clumsy than 4DOS, and from
> what I've seen 4DOS can easily match each of your examples.
>
> 4DOS is totally _FREE_
>

4DOS is a binary executable. There are many solutions of
this type. Most admins have a toolbox full of small
utilities to perform command line administration.

Even when using external tools is allowed, the growing toolbox
of utilities can be difficult to manage. Especially in large
sites where multiple admins use different tools to solve the
same problems. Not only is this redundant work, but it limits
the ability to reuse the corporate resource (their scripting code)
in another department.

The Command Library is an NT-based shell script that requires
no other resources besides itself to provide it's services.
It is an entirely new way of writing shell scripts.

The functionality of many separate tools is integrated
into ONE FILE, including an expandable help system that
does not impact the performance of the code. And, it's
constantly being updated to the same features as many
command line tools, without downloading anything and
without having to keep track of multiple single-purpose
tools from multiple authors.

The Command Library, with it's Sure Foundation, is the
result of thousands of hours of coding and testing as
well as over 20 years of knowledge in how people
actually maintain networks and systems at all levels.

The Advanced Library is FREE for unlimited
personal or commercial use.
(http://ntlib.com)

The Expert Library is "Almost Free" at $9 or less.
Price breaks start at qty 5, and the cost can get
as low as $2/system for larger sites.
(http://NTCmdLib.com)

*******

The world of NT-based shell scripting now has a
Command Library with hundreds of highly optimized
cross-platform solutions. THERE IS NO TURNING BACK!

You can stay where you are, or you can...

COME ON UP WITH US!

And Congratulations On Your Decision To
RISE ABOVE
THE REST!!!

*******

-tsg

/-----------------+---------------+----------------------\
| COMPATIBILITY | CLARITY | SPEED |
| Write code ONCE | Make it clear | THEN...Make it fast! |
\-----------------+---------------+----------------------/
400+ command-line resources using ONLY native NT commands!
(http://TheSystemGuard.com/default.asp#MasterCommandList)

guard,

> The single .cmd file which is a Command Library
> consists of ONLY scripting code using ONLY
> the native commands and utilities that are present
> on all NT-based operating systems.
>
> It is a highly optimized and extremely intelligent batch file.
>
> It is NOT--a third party utility.

I'm always asking myself who is the second party in this case, but
anyway: anything one has not written himself is a third party utility in
my definition, but religious convictions vary :-)

> In practice, it has been accepted and used in the same
> manner as retrieving scripting code from a newsgroup or
> other online forum

.... which would be 3rd party code, too.

> This makes a script look like the one at this link.
> (http://TheSystemGuard.com/Scripts/Sn...hot.cmdsrc.htm).
> That application (Snapshot) is included with the FREE ntlib.cmd.

Admittedly impressive :-)

Nonetheless you have to work within the limited scope of CMD.EXE, which
lacks many features that can be found even in a DOS command interpreter
like 4DOS.

--
Mit freundlichem Gruß,

Klaus Meinhard

TAKE A HIKE!

guard wrote:

> ******* Are YOU Booming Or Fuming? *******

John D. Zanette <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

(Cross postings removed, again, for what seems like the 50th time)

> It is NOT--a third party utility.
> ...
> The Expert Library is "Almost Free" at $9 or less. Price breaks start
> at qty 5, and the cost can get as low as $2/system for larger sites.

John,

Your seeming arrogance aside, every environment that I have worked in
(both US government and commercial sites) classifies 3rd party software
as code that is written and maintained by someone else. Especially if
you have to pay for it. I strongly suggest you reconsider this as a
selling point.

Also, I recommend that you post only to appropriate newsgroups. For
example (and I have said this several times, but you don't seem to be
paying attention), alt.msdos.batch is not an appropriate newsgroup since
your stuff is cmd.exe-specific.

Regards,

Bill

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 14:01:42 +0200, "Klaus Meinhard"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I'm always asking myself who is the second party in this case, but
>anyway: anything one has not written himself is a third party utility in
>my definition, but religious convictions vary :-)

The terminology is from legal contract language. In this case the
first and second parties are the user and Microsoft - I'm not sure
which is which, but I think the user would be the second party (based
on MS's insistance that it really owns and controls your OS and even
hardware).



T.E.D. ((E-Mail Removed))
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.

The question should be "are you booming or fumigating", as all batch script
is capable of having bugs - even the guard's code.

/Al

"Bob I" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> TAKE A HIKE!
>
> guard wrote:
>
> > ******* Are YOU Booming Or Fuming? *******
>

"Klaus Meinhard" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:clrr4k$lq6$00$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hallo guard,

<snip>

> > while still retaining the look and feel of a simple
> > batch file. And we're doing it without third party
> > utilities of any kind!
>
> Am I dense or what? I still have to download from you (a 3rd party, if I
> ever saw one) a file that could be called "utility" without any qualms.
>
> If you really meant your fire and brimstone sermon humorous, as I
> suspect, I missed some smileys thrown in.

There are not enough smileys in the world to make the megalomania seem
humourous - it remains just very sad.

Sadder still, this self-proclaimed saviour of all batch programmers seems
truly disinterested in anyone's opinion than his own to the point of never
really engaging in objective discussion.


/Al

"Klaus Meinhard" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cltbhn$ih4$03$(E-Mail Removed)...
> guard,
>
> > The single .cmd file which is a Command Library
> > consists of ONLY scripting code using ONLY
> > the native commands and utilities that are present
> > on all NT-based operating systems.
> >
> > It is a highly optimized and extremely intelligent batch file.
> >
> > It is NOT--a third party utility.
>
> I'm always asking myself who is the second party in this case, but
> anyway: anything one has not written himself is a third party utility in
> my definition, but religious convictions vary :-)

A megalomaniac would be, by definition, unable to contemplate the
possibility that he is anything other than the first party, nor that there
are any parties other than himself.

/Al