Absolute Beginner's Guide to Programming, Third Edition

Summary

Several interactive languages exist to control system functions. These languages—such as DOS's batch language, JCL, and the Windows scripting languages—enable you to automate a series of commands to simplify your use of the system and common tasks such as logging into online services. If you find yourself typing the same operating system commands, consider automating the task with a scripting language.

Not only can you automate operating system tasks, but also, many applications include an automation macro language. For example, you can automate the Microsoft Office products by recording the keystrokes of commands that you type. You can also write background applications in Visual Basic for Applications, a language that is finding its ...