[comp.os.msdos.misc] Need a batch oriented diskette format utility

ericm@ims.UUCP (Eric Martinson) (04/11/91)

I am in need of a tool that will allow me to format floppy diskettes
from a batch file.  I need to be able to issue the appropriate command
and have the diskette be formatted without any additional input from
the user.  This process is used in the creation of distribution media
for our product.  There are a number of kludgy ways to get some versions
of FORMAT (the one provided with most DOS systems) to do the job but
it is not very portable from DOS to DOS (V3.21, V3.30, V4.01, etc).

I have tried PCFORMAT from Central Point, and it absolutely doesn't
do this, neither does Norton Utilities format program.

What I would like is source code to a utility that will do this.

Since we are not yet hooked up to the NET and I can't ftp to an
archive, I would appreciate it if someone would mail me a copy.

Thank you in advance.

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tporczyk@na.excelan.com (Tony Porczyk) (04/13/91)

The News Manager)
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Reply-To: tporczyk@na.excelan.com (Tony Porczyk)
Organization: Standard Disclaimer
References: <142@ims.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1991 07:54:48 GMT

In article <142@ims.UUCP> ericm@ims.UUCP (Eric Martinson) writes:
>I am in need of a tool that will allow me to format floppy diskettes
>from a batch file.
>This process is used in the creation of distribution media
>for our product.  There are a number of kludgy ways to get some versions
>of FORMAT (the one provided with most DOS systems) to do the job but
>it is not very portable from DOS to DOS (V3.21, V3.30, V4.01, etc).
>I have tried PCFORMAT from Central Point, and it absolutely doesn't
>do this, neither does Norton Utilities format program.

First with Norton - have you tried "SF a: /a" ?  That should take care
of it (assuming you have proper switches after a:.  But I understand
that you might not want to rely on an external utility for building
ditribution diskettes.  I am sure you've tried:
format a: /[whatever switch] < c:\format.rsp
where format.rsp contains of character 13 on the first line, character
13 on the second line, N on the third line, and nothing on the fourth
line. It's worked for me with DOSes up to 5.0...

Tony

ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) (04/14/91)

In article <142@ims.UUCP> ericm@ims.UUCP (Eric Martinson) writes:
>I am in need of a tool that will allow me to format floppy diskettes
>from a batch file.  I need to be able to issue the appropriate command
>and have the diskette be formatted without any additional input from
>the user.  This process is used in the creation of distribution media
:

Now what's wrong with putting the format command in a batch file and
have a simple redirection to take care of an equivalent of pressing
the enter key? If you don't know how the trick is done, try getting
(by anonymous ftp from our site) /pc/ts/tsbat24.arc to see how this
is done. 

...................................................................
Prof. Timo Salmi        
Moderating at garbo.uwasa.fi anonymous ftp archives 128.214.12.37
School of Business Studies, University of Vaasa, SF-65101, Finland
Internet: ts@chyde.uwasa.fi Funet: gado::salmi Bitnet: salmi@finfun

rdippold@cancun.qualcomm.com (Ron Dippold) (04/17/91)

In article <142@ims.UUCP> ericm@ims.UUCP (Eric Martinson) writes:
>I am in need of a tool that will allow me to format floppy diskettes
>from a batch file.  I need to be able to issue the appropriate command
>and have the diskette be formatted without any additional input from
>the user.  This process is used in the creation of distribution media
>for our product.  There are a number of kludgy ways to get some versions
>of FORMAT (the one provided with most DOS systems) to do the job but
>it is not very portable from DOS to DOS (V3.21, V3.30, V4.01, etc).
>
>I have tried PCFORMAT from Central Point, and it absolutely doesn't
>do this, neither does Norton Utilities format program.

If you have Norton 5, it does have a SF with batch mode.

gxv8597@tesla.njit.edu (04/23/91)

In article <142@ims.UUCP>, ericm@ims.UUCP (Eric Martinson) writes:
> I am in need of a tool that will allow me to format floppy diskettes
> from a batch file.  I need to be able to issue the appropriate command
> and have the diskette be formatted without any additional input from
> the user.  This process is used in the creation of distribution media

> I have tried PCFORMAT from Central Point, and it absolutely doesn't
> do this, neither does Norton Utilities format program.
> 

if you run norton safe format with the /a switch, it starts formatting 
right away.  i think this works with any version.

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