MS-DOS Batch file pause with enter key

Question

Is it possible in MS-DOS batch file to pause the script and wait for user to hit enter key?

I wish to do this inside a for loop. After each iteration, I want the script to pause and wait for user to hit 'Enter'

Answer 1

There's a pause command that does just that, though it's not specifically the enter key.

If you really want to wait for only the enter key, you can use the set command to ask for user input with a dummy variable, something like:

set /p DUMMY=Hit ENTER to continue...

Answer 2

pause command is what you looking for. If you looking ONLY the case when enter is hit you can abuse the runas command:

runas /user:# "" >nul 2>&1

the screen will be frozen until enter is hit.What I like more than set/p= is that if you press other buttons than enter they will be not displayed.

Answer 3

You can do it with the pause command, example:

dir
pause
echo Now about to end...
pause

Answer 4

Depending on which OS you're using, if you are flexible, then CHOICE can be used to wait on almost any key EXCEPT enter

If you are really referring to what Microsoft insists on calling "Command Prompt" which is simply an MS-DOS emulator, then perhaps TIMEOUT may suit your purpose (timeout /t -1 waits on any key, not just ENTER) and of course CHOICE is available again in recent WIN editions.

And a warning on SET /P - whereas set /p DUMMY=Hit ENTER to continue... will work,

set "dummy="
set /p DUMMY=Hit ENTER to continue...
if defined dummy (echo not just ENTER was pressed) else (echo just ENTER was pressed)

will detect whether just ENTER or something else, ending in ENTER was keyed in.

Answer 5

The only valid answer would be the pause command.

Though this does not wait specifically for the 'ENTER' key, it waits for any key that is pressed.

And just in case you want it convenient for the user, pause is the best option.