How To Write Batch File

I recently discovered the basics of making a batch file, thru a tweak for automating deletion of the prefetch.
I know there are tons of progs for cleaning web history + IE has it in its options, but i would like to learn to make one in batch mode.
I have found alot of info in google which i am going through.
This is the begining for me.

1.Whats the difference between these two?
Deleting the prefetch :
a: del C:\Windows\Prefetch\*.*

In Temp folder it doesnt work, instead i have to write :
b. cd C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\Local Settings\Temp\
del *.*
using ** deletes them without asking permission
hoewever these do not remove folders...only files

2.How do i Delete All sub Folders in the Temp file?
cd C:\Documents and Settings\NAGNU\Local Settings\Temp\
del *FOLDERS????*??

3.How do i write a batch file for deleting all contents of the folllowing folders?
a.C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\Cookies\
b.C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\Local Settings\Temp\
c.C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\
d.C:\Documents and Settings\XXX\Local Settings-History-Today-My Computer - ........

The problems here are;
a.Cookies: contains things like : cookie@dfkdfkdkdkwtf?
b.Temp: contains folders??
c.Temporary Internet Files: contains listings Without extensions???
d.History: I have no clue how to empty todays history since its not in c:\ etc language and has no extensions.????

or do i have it all wrong and it has to be done another way.....?

Thank you for your patience in explaining this to me
or just write the batch and i will figure it out.

Thanks

Code:

---

@echo off
cls
echo Deleting files...
echo.
c:
cd \"documents and settings"\xxx\"local settings"
deltree/y ..\cookies
deltree/y temp
deltree/y "temporary internet files"
[insert other folders here]
cd\
cls
echo Deletion done.
echo.
pause
cls
exit

---

:eek: WOW!!! that was fast

haxor41789 - thats it???!!!!!!
so little yet so very effective

okay i've got some serious figuring out to do...........

If you have a liiiitle bit more energy
if you dont no problems ;)

what does @echo off mean?
what does the echo do?
in another batch for putting something into the registry it worked as an "ecco" of where the location of the batch was - is that close?
deltree/y = means delete everything inside
[insert other folders here]-thanks
echo Deleting files... : is not really an order but more a guid to the one using it?
whats the cls?


If you dont reply - no problems

Thanks alot :) ;)

@echo off means that it will not repeat the directory after every command. Otherwise, it would look like this:

Code:

---

C:\>
C:\Documents and Settings>
C:\Documents and Settings\xxx>

---

and so forth. The @ symbol makes the command invisible, which can be used on any command.

echo is basically a print function - it really does nothing. For comments, use rem.

ECCO is a command line Win NT registry editor.

You can place the batch file anywhere, on any drive.

echo Deleting files... is another print command.

cls clears the screen so it doesn't get messy. This is used at the end because a cls|exit command will close the window instead of waiting for you to exit. exit alone will exit shell, but not the window.

Hmm... I just checked my PMs... I would recommend removing the qoutes or trying docume~1.

If you are running Windows NT, 2000, or XP, the deltree command will not work. Go to Start -> Run -> cmd, then type in del/?. There will be a switch (say /x) which will delete directories. In the batch file, change all of the deltree/y commands to del/x. See if that helps.

Ive been warping my brain all day, trying different combinations and searching why it didnt work
i was happy to see your response

However....... (im using xp)

if i type del/? in run - an error pop up comes with windows cant find.....

i changed the deltree/y to del/x - and tried with and without quotes - no good

i am uncertain how to use the "docume~1" technique ...in the sense i dont know where to put the ~1 eg.
cd \docum~1 and setti~1\ton~1\local setti~1
del/x te~1
you get what i mean???

Jeeezzz somebody must have written this ages ago..i searched but could not find.
any more help appreciatted

the reason why im doing this is 1.out of Pure interest, and want to know
2.caused because i use public pc's and my girlfriends laptop - shes paranoid about the web and wants me to use the limited user when on the web - and most\all Web\History Cleaners do not function in limited user function (haxor41789 - yes i tried the batch in administrator user everytime)-i would like her and me to have a one clik batch file which does it all.

(by the way, what "language " is this C+ or msdos or? and what is the most important language to learn nowadays?)

Thanks again

Don't do del in run, go to run, then type in cmd to get the prompt.

del/x isn't a command, I told you to look up what x should be in del/?. I found the command though, and it's del/f/s.

You should put the ~ after the sixth character. This does not apply to files or folders under 8 characters.

This would be DOS, or a windows shell script.

Here's what the file should look like:

Code:

---

@echo off
cls
echo Deleting files...
echo.
c:
cd \"documents and settings"\xxx\"local settings"
del/f/q ..\cookies
del/f/q temp
del/f/q "temporary internet files"

---

[insert other folders here in the same fashion]

Code:

---

cd\
cls
echo Deletion done.
echo.
pause
cls
exit

---

Hope this helps.

Quote:

---

del/x isn't a command

---

ooops http://www.neowin.net/forum/html/emoticons/blush.gif

Okay - i was to shy to ask you for more help yesterday
because your last solution was better but Only deleted the files in Temp (but not the sub folders)

so....

i went deep and found this... :)

Code:

---

@echo on
c:
cd \
rd /s/q winnt\temp
md winnt\temp
cd docume~1\tonjel
rd /s/q locals~1\tempor~1
rd /s/q locals~1\history
rd /s/q locals~1\temp
md locals~1\temp
rd /s/q recent
md recent
rd /s/q cookies
pause

---

All IE windows must be closed for this to work

Which deletes everything - except for "history" Only way to combat that is to logout and login to another account that has administrator privliges to wipe out history, index.dat, etc. files.

heres the result

http://server5.uploadit.org/files/ze...004_123712.jpg
im not sure what the rd,md means why he ends it differently than you-

The Solution has been found - phew that was some process - learnt alot

Thanks again haxor41789 ;)

That would work, but I was always under the impression that rd did not remove empty folders.

rd removes (empty?) folders, md makes a folder.

And in that image, your deletion of history and temporary internet files didn't work. You'll need to be in DOS to do that.

your right md made a folder i dont have or need.
thanks