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 pause(CMD)                      19 June 1992                      pause(CMD)


 Name

    pause - suspend processing of a batch program

 Syntax


    pause


 Notes


    Prompting the user to continue the program

    MS-DOS displays the following message in response to the pause command:

       Press any key to continue . . .


    Dividing a batch file into sections

    If you press CtrlC to stop a batch program, MS-DOS displays the following
    message:

       Terminate batch job (Y/N)?


    If you press Y (for yes) in response to this message, the batch program
    ends and control returns to the operating system.  Therefore, you can
    insert the pause command before a section of the batch file you may not
    want to process.  While pause suspends processing of the batch program,
    you can press CtrlC and then Y to stop the batch program.

 Example

    Suppose you want a batch program to prompt the user to change disks in
    one of the drives.  To do this, you might create the following file:

       @@echo off
       :begin
       copy a:*.*
       echo Please put a new disk into drive A
       pause
       goto begin


    In this example, all the files on the disk in drive A are copied to the
    current directory.  After the displayed comment prompts you to place
    another disk in drive A, the pause command suspends processing so that
    you can change disks and then press any key to resume processing.  This
    particular batch program runs in an endless loop.  The goto begin command
    sends the command interpreter to the begin label of the batch file.  To
    stop this batch program, press CtrlC and then Y.