I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger
font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

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On 11/30/24 01:59 PM, Bill Powell wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

Copilot gave this response:

@echo off
reg add "HKCU\Console" /v FontFace /t REG_SZ /d "Lucida Console" /f
reg add "HKCU\Console" /v FontSize /t REG_DWORD /d 0x02000000 /f
start cmd.exe

But the problem is that the font is changed and you have to restart cmd.exe. (last line).
So you have to start a new batch file basically. Not really user friendly.

Why don't you just adjust the window for larger fonts? Permanently? Then batch files would all be
larger.


--
Linux Mint 22, Cinnamon 6.2.9, Kernel 6.8.0-49-generic
Thunderbird 128.5.0esr, Mozilla Firefox 133.0
Alan K.

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On 30.11.2024 19:59, Bill Powell wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/179097-how-change-font-size-windows-terminal-profile-windows-10-a.html

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Bill Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

After the console window appears for the command shell (cmd.exe), use
the Control Menu (click the icon at left end of title bar), Properties,
Font tab. That changes the properties for how that shell got loaded.
When you use the same means of loading the shell, the font selections
get reused. Lots of settings under Properties.

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On 11/30/2024 1:59 PM, Bill Powell wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42481782/how-to-make-the-console-font-bigger-when-running-a-batch

Have the batch open a new window with larger fonts to ask/answer the
question.

You may need to something to move the cursor into the new window to type
in it. See free NirSoft at https://nircmd.nirsoft.net/movecursor.html

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On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 14:54:24 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

Bill Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger
font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose
questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

After the console window appears for the command shell (cmd.exe), use
the Control Menu (click the icon at left end of title bar), Properties,
Font tab. That changes the properties for how that shell got loaded.
When you use the same means of loading the shell, the font selections
get reused. Lots of settings under Properties.

You have to try it before you say that because I tried everything already.
The font selections do NOT get used. At least not in my experience.
So you have to do it every time - which is the main reason I'm asking.
Nothing sticks. Yet.

You have to try it to understand the problem.

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On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 20:16:58 -0500, Zaidy036 wrote:

On 11/30/2024 1:59 PM, Bill Powell wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger
font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose
questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42481782/how-to-make-the-console-font-bigger-when-running-a-batch

Have the batch open a new window with larger fonts to ask/answer the question.

You may need to something to move the cursor into the new window to type
in it. See free NirSoft at https://nircmd.nirsoft.net/movecursor.html

Before I asked I searched for & found a few stackexchange hints but every
one was as complex as hell requiring multiple batch files to do the job.

But I did not know about that NirSoft move cursor trick (which is nice). Thanks.

I also missed the shortcut idea but I'd rather NOT have to create a
shortcut to every batch file because that's just a dumb way to do it. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27120267/specify-the-size-of-command-prompt-when-executing-a-batch-file

So thanks for that idea as I had already set the font to 72 points
but it didn't take (but I wasn't doing it to the shortcut but to the
command window - which doesn't stick in my tests before I had asked).

1. Take foo.bat and make a shortcut to it called foo.lnk
2. Rightclick on foo.lnk & set the Properties for Font size = 72
3. Now when I click on foo.lnk, the questions come up in large font

Thanks. It's a dumb inelegant way to do it, but it does work. :->
You just have to always execute shortcuts to batch files.
Instead of executing batch files. Which is the dumb part.

I was looking for a programatic way to set the font size of the command
window that pops up when I run a batch file, but this is for a shortcut.

But at least it works.
Thanks.

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On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 20:37:26 +0100, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

On 30.11.2024 19:59, Bill Powell wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger
font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose
questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/179097-how-change-font-size-windows-terminal-profile-windows-10-a.html

The first step is "open the Windows terminal app".
I didn't even know there was such a thing as the Windows terminal app!
"wt.exe is what's known as an "Execution Alias", a "fake exe" method to
open a Windows Store app (a.k.a. Metro, a.k.a. Universal, a.k.a. Modern, or whatever it's called today)."

Apparently it's located here. https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9n0dx20hk701?hl=en-us&gl=US
But nothing shows up in my web browser at that url.
Maybe because I don't have a Microsoft account?

Searching for how to install the Windows terminal app without it https://www.google.com/search?q=install+windows+terminal+app+without+microsoft+account
This comes up from a site appropriately named cheap windows VPS https://cheapwindowsvps.com/blog/how-to-install-windows-terminal-without-using-the-microsoft-store/
"The Windows Terminal console comes pre-installed on Windows 11
and on Windows 10 22 H2" so let me check my Windows 10 version.
ver reports "Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.5131]"
How do I know if that's the same or better than "Windows 10 22 H2"? https://www.google.com/search?q=which+windows+version+is+Windows+10+22+H2 Apparently anything after "Build number: 10.0.19045" is 10 22 H2.
So I must have this Windows terminal on my system already.
But where?
https://www.google.com/search?q=where+is+Windows+terminal
Which brings up the same question from here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62894666/path-and-name-of-exe-file-of-windows-terminal-preview
Which says it's here, but on my system, it's not there. C:\Users\bp\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps> dir
11/26/2024 02:02 AM <DIR> Backup
11/24/2024 04:43 PM <DIR> Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe
11/24/2024 04:43 PM 0 python.exe
11/24/2024 04:43 PM 0 python3.exe
11/24/2024 04:43 PM 0 WindowsPackageManagerServer.exe 11/24/2024 04:43 PM 0 winget.exe
where.exe wt.exe
INFO: Could not find files for the given pattern(s).

So I'm back to finding how to install the Windows terminal on Windows 10. https://cheapwindowsvps.com/blog/how-to-install-windows-terminal-without-using-the-microsoft-store/
Which says to either go here to get a "msixbundle package". https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases
Or go here to get things off of the Windows MS store without an account. https://woshub.com/how-to-download-appx-installation-file-for-any-windows-store-app/

I picked up something called an "msixbundle" from here. https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases/latest https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/releases/download/v1.21.3231.0/Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle
Name: Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle
Size: 21868845 bytes (20 MiB)
SHA256: C80BC461B22A17650A58BC5CAD743E1AD97E0A4EA92CCDCB514EE7D7AA134243

Now I have to figure out how to install that "msixbundle" thing.

powershell
"Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Try the new cross-platform PowerShell https://aka.ms/pscore6"

add-appxpackage -path .\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle

"Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 12/1/2024 5:35 AM 21868845 Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle"

Get-AppxPackage *WindowsTerminal* -AllUsers

Name : Microsoft.WindowsTerminal
Publisher : CN=Microsoft Corporation, O=Microsoft Corporation, L=Redmond, S=Washington, C=US
Architecture : X64
ResourceId :
Version : 1.21.3231.0
PackageFullName : Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
InstallLocation : C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_1.21.3231.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe IsFramework : False
PackageFamilyName : Microsoft.WindowsTerminal_8wekyb3d8bbwe
PublisherId : 8wekyb3d8bbwe
PackageUserInformation : {S-1-5-21-1978554282-384915032-812892281-1001 [a]: Installed}
IsResourcePackage : False
IsBundle : False
IsDevelopmentMode : False
NonRemovable : False
Dependencies : {Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.8_8.2310.30001.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe}
IsPartiallyStaged : False
SignatureKind : Store
Status : Ok

Now I think I can run "wt.exe" because it's found now.
where.exe wt.exe
C:\Users\bp\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\wt.exe

Now back to the tenforums article to see what the next step might be. https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/179097-how-change-font-size-windows-terminal-profile-windows-10-a.html
Open the Windows Terminal app.
Click/tap on the down arrow button on the top bar
Click/tap on Settings Ctrl+,
Click/tap on the profile called "Command Prompt"
Click/tap on the Appearance tab on the right side.
Change the Font Size from the default of 12 to something else (48).
Click/tap on Save to apply.
Close the Windows Terminal.

It didn't work. But probably I did something wrong.
When I open a new command window, the font is still the default at 12.
So I'll try again as if this works, it solves the problem.

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On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 14:28:56 -0500, Alan K. wrote:

But the problem is that the font is changed and you have to restart cmd.exe. (last line).
So you have to start a new batch file basically. Not really user friendly.

I had tried hard before I asked which is why I'm asking for an "easy way".
If a person hasn't tried it, they have no idea how hard it is to do.
The AI output from a search isn't likely going to work (ask me how I know).

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On 01.12.2024 05:56, Bill Powell wrote:

On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 20:37:26 +0100, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

On 30.11.2024 19:59, Bill Powell wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger >>> font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops >>> up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose >>> questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/179097-how-change-font-size-windows-terminal-profile-windows-10-a.html

The first step is "open the Windows terminal app".
I didn't even know there was such a thing as the Windows terminal app!

Microsoft has replaced conhost by terminal as default window for
CMD/Powershell (at least in Win11, don't know about Win10). If you
open a CMD window and can open more tabs then terminal instead of
conhost is used. I think with terminal the font size specified in a
link to batch isn't used anymore, you have to change the font size
direct in terminal. Also you can't change the window size by a
"mode con" anymore (because all tabs share the same window).

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Bill Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:

On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 14:54:24 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

Bill Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger >>> font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops >>> up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose >>> questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

After the console window appears for the command shell (cmd.exe), use
the Control Menu (click the icon at left end of title bar), Properties,
Font tab. That changes the properties for how that shell got loaded.
When you use the same means of loading the shell, the font selections
get reused. Lots of settings under Properties.

You have to try it before you say that because I tried everything already. The font selections do NOT get used. At least not in my experience.
So you have to do it every time - which is the main reason I'm asking. Nothing sticks. Yet.

You have to try it to understand the problem.

I have a shortcut to run cmd.exe. I use it to load a shell. Whatever I previously selected for font size gets reused. If I open the shell a
different way, those font settings don't apply. Whatever I used for the
other shortcut gets remembered.

I create a test.bat file on the Windows desktop containing:

echo This is a test batch script.
set b=hello today
echo b var is %b%
pause

I double-click the .bat file, and a shell opens with the typical font
size. Before htting a hit for the 'pause' command, I change the font to something huge. I hit a key and the shell window closes. I
double-click again on the test.bat file. The huge font is used.

Works for me. However, you never mentioned how *you* run the batch
file. The method I mentioned of change font size in properties works,
so my suggestion was a solution, but not apparently for however you call
the .bat file.

You have to try to better to describe the problem.

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On Sun, 1 Dec 2024 14:49:11 +0100, Herbert Kleebauer wrote:

The first step is "open the Windows terminal app".
I didn't even know there was such a thing as the Windows terminal app!

Microsoft has replaced conhost by terminal as default window for CMD/Powershell (at least in Win11, don't know about Win10). If you
open a CMD window and can open more tabs then terminal instead of
conhost is used. I think with terminal the font size specified in a
link to batch isn't used anymore, you have to change the font size
direct in terminal. Also you can't change the window size by a
"mode con" anymore (because all tabs share the same window).

Thanks for trying to help, but since yesterday I've been trying to get the Windows Terminal (which has tabs by the way), to default to a larger font,
in a command prompt (not Powershell!).

But the problem with Windows Terminal (wt.exe) is that it's defaulting to PowerShell every time (which I never use unless I'm forced to use it).

I'm sure it works if I get all the details jut right, but there are a LOT
of options in Windows Terminal (wt.exe), starting with the default being
either to open a "Windows Console Host" or a "Windows Terminal".

Anyway, for now, I'm using a shortcut to run the batch command as that's
the only thing that worked so far to bring up a command window with a
larger font.

Bear in mind I wouldn't have asked the question if it was easy to answer.
So I do appreciate all your help and kind advice.

Nobody can answer this question just by running a search because I already
did that - and I know it's a very difficult question to answer correctly.

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On Sun, 1 Dec 2024 07:30:20 -0600, VanguardLH wrote:

I have a shortcut to run cmd.exe. I use it to load a shell. Whatever I previously selected for font size gets reused. If I open the shell a different way, those font settings don't apply. Whatever I used for the other shortcut gets remembered.

I create a test.bat file on the Windows desktop containing:

echo This is a test batch script.
set b=hello today
echo b var is %b%
pause

I double-click the .bat file, and a shell opens with the typical font
size. Before htting a hit for the 'pause' command, I change the font to something huge. I hit a key and the shell window closes. I
double-click again on the test.bat file. The huge font is used.

Works for me. However, you never mentioned how *you* run the batch
file. The method I mentioned of change font size in properties works,
so my suggestion was a solution, but not apparently for however you call
the .bat file.

You have to try to better to describe the problem.

I have the problem "solved" (for some value of solved that is) using the suggestion by one person to make a shortcut to the batch file, and then set
the properties of *that shortcut* to have a larger font - which does work.

Of course, that doesn't work for all batch files though, where my batch
file is (simplified) shown below which simply asks for input from a user.

@echo off
:START
set /p dirname="DIR NAME? "
if not exist "%dirname%" mkdir "%dirname%"
set /p repeat=Repeat? [y/n]:
if %repeat%== y goto START else goto FINISH
:FINISH
exit /B 0

I'm trying to test your solution above, but unfortunately I already tested
the Windows Terminal (wt.exe) solution from someone else, which, good news,
is finally working (after a lot of tweaking as I was unfamiliar with wt).

But now I can *only* open up a Windows Terminal (wt.exe) when I run any
batch file. That means, I can't get to a "normal" command window anymore.

I'm kind of stuck in this Windows terminal which used to bring up only the PowerShell but I've gotten it to bring up C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe but
with tabs (so it's not really a command window but a Windows terminal).

Anyway, that Windows Terminal is now coming up with the larger font (22px) every time I run any batch file (which isn't really what I had wanted).

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On 02.12.2024 06:22, Bill Powell wrote:

But now I can *only* open up a Windows Terminal (wt.exe) when I run any
batch file. That means, I can't get to a "normal" command window anymore.

In the settings (right click on title bar of wt.exe) you can select conhost/terminal and CMD/PowerShell. If you switch back to conhost
and later want terminal, you have to type wt.exe to open a terminal
to access the settings.

In Win10 you can also type "conhost" to get a cmd window using conhost.

Of course, that doesn't work for all batch files though, where my batch
file is (simplified) shown below which simply asks for input from a user.

@echo off
:START
set /p dirname="DIR NAME? "
if not exist "%dirname%" mkdir "%dirname%"
set /p repeat=Repeat? [y/n]:
if %repeat%== y goto START else goto FINISH
:FINISH
exit /B 0

If it is only this batch where you want a big font, why not use an
editor to enter the directory names. This way you can select any
font size you like:

@echo off
echo.>list.txt
start /w list.txt
for /f "tokens=*" %%i in (list.txt) do if not exist "%%i" (
mkdir "%%i"&echo creating: %%i ) else ( echo already exisiting: %%i)
del list.txt
pause

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On 11/30/2024 3:54 PM, VanguardLH wrote:

Bill Powell <bill@anarchists.org> wrote:

I run a batch command file which asks a few questions but I need a bigger
font when it asks for input to be typed into the command window that pops
up. How can a bigger font be called for within a batch command file whose
questions are in that big font in the command window which comes up?

After the console window appears for the command shell (cmd.exe), use
the Control Menu (click the icon at left end of title bar), Properties,
Font tab. That changes the properties for how that shell got loaded.
When you use the same means of loading the shell, the font selections
get reused. Lots of settings under Properties.

not sure about this but would changing to a different desktop before
starting a new batch allow the new one to have different command
properties than the first?

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On Sat, 30 Nov 2024 14:28:56 -0500, Alan K. wrote:

Copilot gave this response:

@echo off
reg add "HKCU\Console" /v FontFace /t REG_SZ /d "Lucida Console" /f
reg add "HKCU\Console" /v FontSize /t REG_DWORD /d 0x02000000 /f
start cmd.exe

But the problem is that the font is changed and you have to restart cmd.exe. (last line).
So you have to start a new batch file basically. Not really user friendly.

Why don't you just adjust the window for larger fonts? Permanently? Then batch files would all be
larger.

Or if you don't want it permanent, create two shortcuts to cmd.exe
with two different font settings. I confess I haven't tried it, but
it should be possible.


--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

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