GM> Because the above line presented an "unpleasant" color effect, I
 GM> changed it to:

:) you picked the colours,  I'M doing this for fun I don't need a
shecduler.

 JB> set df=
 GM> unset /q df

"set df=" has the same effect as "unset /q df" it's
just wasier to type :)

 JB>> unset /q next,

 GM> The above has me a little baffled.  Why the comma

a typo.  (oops)

 GM> and why not
 GM> place it on the line before ENDDO?

no reason    (not everything I do is right)

 GM> NEXT what?

it's your variable. (next run date as read from the file) it's never used.

 JB>> move /q/u %tempfile %bootfile >& nul iff "%i"
ne "0" then do m=1
 JB>> to %i echo. %+ echo. color bri whi on whi echos XBOOT3 Program
 JB>> Execution: color bri cya on bla echo  %{at}upper[%[run%m]] echo.
 JB>> call %[run%m]

 GM> If I am putting a CALL (before all the batch file names) in the
 GM> DAT file, does it not translate to "call call batchame"?  Or is
 GM> one of the redundant CALLs ignored?

redundant calls are ignored. try it:  call call call echo hello!

 -=> Bye <=-

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