windows - Execute multiple batch files concurrently and monitor if their process is completed

Question

I have a main batch file which calls multiple batch files. I want to be able to execute all these batch files at the same time. Once they are all done, I have further processes that needs to carry on in the main batch file.

When I use 'Start' to call the multiple batch files, I'm able to kick off all batch files concurrently but I lose tracking of them. (Main batch file thinks their processes are done the moment it executes other batch files).

When I use 'Call', I'm able to monitor the batch file process, but it kicks off the batch files sequentially instead of concurrently.

Is there a way around this? I have limited permissions on this PC and I'm trying to accomplish this using Batch only.

Main Batch file

call first.bat
call second.bat
call third.bat
:: echo only after all batch process done
echo done!

first.bat

timeout /t 10

second.bat

timeout /t 10

third.bat

timeout /t 10

Answer 1

This is the simplest and most efficient way to solve this problem:

(
start first.bat
start second.bat
start third.bat
) | pause

echo done!

In this method the waiting state in the main file is event driven, so it does not consume any CPU time. The pause command would terminate when anyone of the commands in the ( block ) outputs a character, but start commands don't show any output in this cmd.exe. In this way, pause keeps waiting for a char until all processes started by start commands ends. At that point the pipe line associated to the ( block ) is closed, so the pause Stdin is closed and the command is terminated by cmd.exe.