View source for Extended Batch Language

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=Languages
|subcat=Programming Languages
|extensions={{ext|bat}}
|released=≤1984
}}
'''Extended Batch Language''' ('''EBL''') is a script interpreter and scripting language, primarily for DOS. The language is an enhanced variant of that used in [[Batch file|batch (.BAT) files]]. It was developed by Frank Canova, later by Seaware.

EBL was apparently renamed to '''EBL-Plus''' as of version 4.00. There is also '''Professional EBL-Plus''', which can compile scripts to [[DOS executable (.com)|COM]] format.

== Identification ==
EBL scripts usually contain one or more lines (often including the first line) beginning with "<code>bat&nbsp;</code>".

EBL scripts are often accompanied by a file named "BAT.COM".

== Software ==
* EBL
** {{CdTextfiles|rbbsv3n1/bins/bat201b.zip|v2.01b}}
** {{CdTextfiles|rbbsv3n1/bins/bat203.zip|v2.03}}
** {{CdTextfiles|rbbsv3n1/bins/bat204.com|v2.04}}
** {{CdTextfiles|rbbsv3n1/bins/bat204a.com|v2.04a}}
** {{CdTextfiles|rbbsv3n1/bins/bat204b.com|v2.04b}}
** {{CdTextfiles|rbbsv3n1/bins/bat204c.com|v2.04c}}
** {{CdTextfiles|originalsw/2/ebl305.zip|v3.05a}}
** v3.06c: [https://archive.org/details/shareware-grab-bag Shareware Grab Bag] → 007/bat.com
** v3.12a: [http://annex.retroarchive.org/cdrom/chst-swoverload/PROGM/index.html] → EBL.ZIP

* EBL-Plus
** {{CdTextfiles|goldii/FILEUTIL/EXTBATCH/|v4.00}}
** {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel20/MSDOS/BATUTL/EBL405.ZIP|v4.05}}
** {{CdTextfiles|swextrav8/swextrav8-1/dosutil/ebl409.zip|v4.09}}

== Sample files ==
* Most distributions of the EBL software include some demo scripts.
* http://cd.textfiles.com/rbbsv3n1/bins/bat.zip

== Links ==
* http://www.canova3.com/seaware/
* [[Wikipedia: Batch file]] - Briefly discusses EBL.