please put in /frontends

 This archive includes a fixed version of photo.bat. Extract this archive
to c:\doombat (use the -d option if using pkzip) and type lphoto to start.
Edit markmenu.bat to reflect the location of Doom in your system



                       Doom.bat README 


           Doom Batch file creator/Doom launcher v1.3 
                     by Mark David Bowman

  Please note: this archive has been updated to include a version of Doombat
that features a sort of console, password protection, and the ability
to jump to sections of the program from the command line.  Unfortunately,
it's not very polished, and some of the commands will send you back
to the start of the program (don't worry, you can still jump back to 
the section you were at, and the values you entered will be untouched).
 Though you can go anywhere in the program at just about 
any time, you still have to select whether you want to make a doom batch file
or launch doom when you are ready to do those things, or the program won't 
work (you'll only see the neat previewing feature before the program exits :)
Please keep in mind that there may be some other minor bugs in this program.
This modified Doombat is for Doom and Doom2 only, but the regular Doombat  
and Doomhere programs are still included and unchanged.

  Here's a list of what to type at the Dos prompt to use the various 
versions of Doombat.

 Makebat- Doombat 1.3
 Makebat2- Doombat 1.4a (experemental version of Doom 1.3)
 Makeall- Doom/Heretic/Hexen batch file creator/launcher 1.5
 Doom1ex- example batch file for Doom1 made by program. E1M8 skill 4
 Doom2ex- example batch file for Doom2 made by program. Map08 skill 4
                                                                                                                                
 And here is the answers to questions some of you may have been asking: 

Q. Why a batch file?

 
A.
  Because I happen to like batch files, and I'd like to see how far I
can push the language. Other than part of the input routines, this
whole program is written in pure batch language. This program is really more
of an experiment, and is not ment to replace any of the major Doom 
launchers out there. Also, batch language is often the road for people 
to writing "real" programs in C, Java, Pascal, etc. Hopefuly this will 
inspire some other batch writers/beginner programmers.

Q.  Does this program have any malicous code in it?


A.  It shouldn't, and I do not sabotage my programs. Unfortunately,
there are some cretins out there who like to stick destructive
commands into batch files to try to ruin someone else's data.
Frankly, I don't see the pleasure in it scince 1) they don't
know who they've harmed or get to see their dirty work 2) they
risk getting caught (IP addresses are often logged and tracable) 3)
I don't know how they sleep at night knowing they might have cost 
someone hundreds of $$$$$ worth of of money and time. When in 
doubt, only download programs (of any kind) from FTP sites who 
check programs/documents/data files for viruses and other 
malicous code.

Q. Errr... Why does this simple program have a 'console'?
Infact, this is the first batch file I've ever seen with one!

A. I like text command interfaces, and often a console is much easier to
use than a menu system for some tasks in very complicated programs. 
This batch file reflects some ideas that I feel should be put 
in most programs today, so that's why it has a console. Besides, 
these days it seems just about every recent utility and program 
that is Doom related has some sort of console built in :) . Just 
about all major FPSes for the PC made in the past couple
years have console interfaces.

Q. Where can I find a list of console commands?

A. Type help at just about any prompt. These commands will work at any
prompt, except the parameters and batch name prompts.

 I've also listed them here (all commands must be typed
 in lowercase):

Just answer the prompts and Doom bat will either create a batch file,
echo or launch Doom or Doom2 Type   to return to Doombat
  Commands that can be typed at any prompt, or the Dos command line:
  quit- Quit Doombat
  nomonsters- goto nomonsters prompt
  respawn- goto respawn prompt
  skill- goto skill prompt
  restart- goto doombat prompt
  make_batch_file- make the batchfile
  launch_doom- launch Doom
  goto_label- goes to a subroutine in this batch file
   
   Note: Subroutine labels start with a :, but don't type
  in the collon when typing in the label name. This command  
  allows you to do strange things, and it is possible to lock
  up your computer with it.
  
  about- shows version number and name of author, then exits
  reset_values- Clears everything you've entered
  doom1- Select doom1  
  wad- Goto wad prompt 
  warp- goto warp prompt 
  help- This screen 
  doom_version- Goto doom version prompt
  doom2- select doom2
  nomonsters- Goto nomonsters prompt
  parameters- Goto parameters prompt

 Note: Most these commands can also be typed from the Dos prompt. 
When typing goto_label from the 'console', you'll be prompted to
enter one. However, when you type it from the Dos prompt you have to
include it on the comamnd line. For example:

makebat2 goto_label warp <=====name of subroutine label

   This is really only useful for debugging purposes, or when you 
you just want to mess around with the program to see what kind of neat
things you can do. :) Just keep in mind that the effects could lock
your computer (puts the batch file in a loop you can't break out of,
unless you are running Windows, or some other shell program that
lets you break out of a batch file/dos session). 

Q.  I hate consoles! I want an interface with those colorful faceless 
stick figures and prompts that asks me 'if I am sure' 1000 times and that 
decides what I can and cannot do with my computer!

A.  This program is probaly not for you. This program can still be used
the same way as the previous versions, and you don't even have to type in 
a single command if you don't want to. If you *really* want to avoid the 
console, I have included the regular versions of this program that dosen't 
have it. But if you are using an interface that is doing the things you've 
described, it might not want you to use a *DOS* batch file ;)

Q. I love consoles! This was really neat!

A. I'm glad you liked it. :)

Q. My disk keeps churning when I run your batch file, and  
the program is very slow

A. Unfortunately, this is one of the downsides of using large batch files.
If your disk is fragmented, this probaly means the batch file
is also fragmented, which will make the execution slower. Also, 
scince a batch file is 'interpreted' rather than compiled (Dos
is reading the file line by line, and converting the text
into commands the computer can understand while executing the file), 
it runs slower than a .com or .exe file . Also, Dos reads the file
from the disk rather than loading the whole file in memory and reading 
it from there, and that also slows it down (Hard disks are much slower
than ram). My advice is to try running  the disk defrag program that 
came with your  computer, use a disk cache, or load the batch file 
into a ramdisk.

 Q. I have a little brother/sister/son/daughter/cousin, and I don't 
 want him/her playing Doom.

 A.  This program now has a password feature that allows you to
 lock him/her out of the program. Just follow the instructions in the 
 makebat2.bat file, or add these lines to your autoexec.bat
 file:

   set doom_access=locked (this locks the program)
   set lockdume10=your_password (this sets the password. Replace your_password
  with the one you want)

   Unfortunately, scince this is just a batch file, this would only
  protect against people who don't know anything about your system
  or Windows/Dos. You still have to set up your system so people 
  could only access Doom through this batch file, and can't break out
  of it to the Dos prompt.  Again, this is just an experemental batch 
  file.

Q. Aren't you worried that someone might see this program as 'lame'?

A. This program is mainly an experiment on how far the batch language
can be pushed, and what can be done with such a limited language 
(other people have pushed it much further than this. Check
out alt.msdos.batch for some examples). I've decided to release it
to the public incase anyone else might be interested in the mechanics
of a batch file like this. Don't take it too seriously (after all, 
the zip is under 15k :) .


Q. I don't like this program. I want my money back!

A. Err... You shouldn't have paid a dime for it. 

 
Q. How come you use :: in place of rem in comments of
doombat2.bat?

A. :: Actualy works the same as rem. Infact, lines beginning
with :: aren't interpreted, unlike rem, so it helps to speed
up the execution. It shouldn't cause any problem with 
M$-DOS, IBM Dos, Window$ 95/98 or DR-DOS/Open-DOS. 

 However, if you are using a shell/COMMAND.COM replacement
that chokes up on the colon, just open the file with an editor 
that has a search and replace feature (make sure it saves in plain 
text!) and replace the :: with rem

Q. This batch file chokes up under Windows NT.

A. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about Windows NT's 
Dos emulation (which has a much larger and somewhat different 
set of commands/switches than Dos/Win 95/98) to adjust the
batch file to work right under NT. I think it might have 
problems with the command.com statement in the set/loader 
batch files. 

 I hope this answers some questions about this batch file.

***********Text for regular version files*************

 (this is the readme for the files incuded in the previous archive.
 It's mostly unchanged.)

 NEW: 
  This version launches Doom and Doom2 and makes batch files. I've 
  also included another version of this program that will launch 
  Hexen and Heretic (named DoomHere) but I haven't tested this 
  program out on those games.
  
 Use Makebat.bat to launch Doombat and Makeall.bat to launch
Doomhere
 

 Doom.bat is the easy way to create batch files to run doom wads with.
Once it's setup, all you have to do is type Makebat and answer the prompts.
After your batch file is created, just type in the name you gave the 
batch file to run the wad you want. This program now allows you to
launch Doom directly.

 Features:

 Easy to use interface- Just answer the prompts and hit enter after each
choice
 
 Logging- Doom.bat will record what choices you made
when creating the batch file. The log filename is 
doombat.log 

 Writes some of the most commonly used command line parameters into 
the file- Such as to load wads, warp to different levels, turn monsters
on or off and change skill levels


Setup:

 There are a couple of lines you should change in MAKEBAT.BAT if
you decide to keep Doombat in a different directory. If not, just unzip 
or copy the files to your Doom or Doom 2 directory, switch to it, and 
start using the program.

The lines to change are:

set doombatloc=\directory\ -Location of DOOMBAT1.BAT (or DOOMHERE.BAT)

set doombat=\directory\ -This tells Doombat where to record the file 
DOOMBAT.LOG

set doombatc=\directory\ -This shows Doombat the location of 
DOOMBATC.COM 

set tempbat\directory\ -This is where the file TEMP.BAT is written

set nolog=:: -this line disables the logging feature in Doombat (optional).

 
  Known bugs: If you type in more than 90 characters during any option, it's
possible that your computer will lock up. If this happens, just reboot your 
computer.
  
 There is a limit of a little over 80 characters total that can be put 
on the line that loads Doom in the batch file. This won't cause the computer
to lock up but it either won't record the file (you might see the 
paramaters displayed twice near the end of the program) or it might 
shorten the the file name. If the latter happens, simply rename the file 
and make sure it has the extension .BAT at the end.


 Disclaimer:

 This program is Public Domain. Though I doubt there is even a
remote chance of this program corrupting your data, causing serious errors
with your system files, or causing your computer to blow up, I cannot 
guarantee that this program is completely bug free (other than the bugs 
I've mentioned). I'm not liable for any damage this program may cause. 
If you decide to use this software, you do so at your own risk. There 
are no warranties for this program either expressed or implied.

