Dos Batch File Power with the Jamsa Batch Utilities. (book reviews)
by Tony Roberts

Programmer Kris Jamsa packs everything you could want to know about DOS batch file programming into this hefty edition. Jamsa clearly explains the ins and outs of all the batch file commands and their myriad switches and options. Beginners can build from this solid foundation, and more advanced programmers can benefit from the tricks and tips displayed in the book's plentiful program examples.

Going well beyond the basics, Jamsa includes dozens of programming examples and more than 100 batch language extenders on the three disks included with the book. With this set of utilities, batch files become extraordinarily sophisticated.

These programs, called Jamsa Batch Utilities, permit batch files to process input and to format output; to work with system information such as dates, filenames, and available hardware; to accept mouse input; and to compare and manipulate strings. These programs will permit you to use batch programs to automate activities in even the most complex of computer environments.

Jamsa has structured this book like a textbook, building from the very basic to the complex. The chapters are short and focused. Thanks to repetition, less advanced programmers can study the information from a number of angles, and each chapter includes a set of review questions and answers designed to make certain you understand the material that's been presented.

While jammed with valuable information, this book unfortunately seems to talk down to all but the most elementary to all but the most elementary of users, and the amateurish illustrations that introduce each chapter help engender this feeling. despite this shortcoming in form, I recommend DOS Batch File Power for its content. It includes nearly all the informaiton batch file programmers could need, and the value of Jamsa Batch Utilities to programmers is indisputable.