Builder

A batch file language extender/

Reviewed by Bob Balocca

Where have you been all my life?

For years I have been writing

DOS batch files as front ends for

those clients who don’t want to

know anything about DOS

commands and directories. They

often prefer the “simple” method

of merely typing a key-word,

such as “Wordstar” or “WS”, or a

number or function key. These

keyboard strokes (unknown to

them) call a batch ifie which in

turn, frequently, uses an “ask”

type program in order to capital-

ize on the batch file errorlevel

branching system. I was never

very comfortable with that

situation for several reasons with

which most of you are familiar;

the main one being the limita-

tions of the “Batch Language”

which consists of a sparse seven

commands.

There are, of course, many DOS

shell programs which are the

next step solution. However,

they do things their own way and

leave you with no real control

over screen presentation and

error checking, not to mention

the fact that they are an added

expense to the client. The fact

that .BAT files are ASCII and

run in an interpreter also nagged

me with concerns for security

and reliability of operation.

Abetter mousetrap.

All those problems, as well as

many I have not personally

experienced, claims Hyperki-

netix, find a solution with their

new product called “Builder,” a

batch file compiler! This is one

of those wish list things that has

finally made its appearance. (At

least it’s the first time I have seen

or heard of it.) You may recall

that Hyperkinetix markets

“WarpLink” the fast linker boast-

ing true dynamic overlays. With

“Builder” (a name I can’t quite

relate to, but whatever. . .) they

have come up with a product

that seemingly could be more

than just a simple utility. This is

full-featured language with hard

ware checking functions, file I/C

case structure and subroutines,

as well as the expected keyboard

input and screen control. The

product literature claims that

Builder is network compatible

and that it will automatically use

a Microsoft-compatible mouse, i

present. (It didn’t recognize my

Mouse Systems Mouse emulat-

ing a MS mouse; I didn’t test on

a network.)

First, however, we have to clear

up a rather major point; i.e.,

“Builder” is not really a Batch file

compiler. It actually converts

.BAT files to .BLD files through

an import procedure which adds

certain commands and syntax

useable by the Builder compiler.

“Builder” is a separate and

distinct language which simply

started with the seven basic DOS

Batch commands and went a

long, long way from there.

Editing the .BLD file and includ

ing Builder specific commands

provides the needed screen con-

trol, keyboard input control, disi

and file operations that are so

sorely lacking in the Batch

language as provided by DOS.

There is, of course, a memory

price to pay for the added func-

tionality. This is to be expected,

but, percentage-wise, it would

seem to be a horrendous price.

For example, a forty line .BAT

file, while executing, is probably

using less than 100 bytes of

RAM. A .BLD file of the same

size, compiled and linked into a

.COM file, would use about 14K

- 140 times as much RAM! But

the reality is that, usually, that

would not be relevant given the

Continued on Page 9.

The Newsletter of the Dbase Language Professional Developers Group, September 1990

Page 8