The READLINE command

Use the nearly undocumented DOS command READLINE to read a line from the 
keyboard and place it in the batch parameter variables. Use the parameter 
/V for READLINE to convert the input into upper case. ("nearly 
undocumented" because READLINE /? works but you can't find anything about 
it in the online help) 

Note:  READLINE reads from the keyboard -- not from STDIN. 

 
 Example: 

  
   @ECHO OFF
   REM *** DOS batch file
   ECHO. Type something to test the READLINE function:
   READLINE
   ECHO. You typed: %0 %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
 

 Source:  The OS/2 WARP Survival Guide