cmd.exe: when to use call to run external programs

Question

It seems that a cmd script containing:

prog1
prog2

does the same as

call prog1
call prog2

What is the point of using the CALL command ?

Answer 1

You should use call when you either want to:

• call another command file and return to this one when it's done. ; or
• call a function in the current command file.

A command file with the line:

number2.cmd

will chain to the number2.cmd file, meaning it will run that script but not return to continue execution on the current one.

As to the second point, you can do things like:

call :subroutine
call :subroutine
goto :eof

:subroutine
    echo in here
    goto :eof

and you will get in here printed twice. This ability to call functions within command scripts is actually quite handy.

Answer 2

You should use call when you need to call another batch program (cmd script). Using 'call' will have no effect if prog1 is an executable file. (prog1.exe)

If you, for example, have two scripts:

cmd1.cmd
cmd2.cmd

And within cmd1.cmd you have a line:

cmd2.cmd

... then your script will stop as soon as cmd2.cmd is finished executing. Instead you should use:

call cmd2.cmd