A rchive Date
[ 20-01-2001 ]
Category
[ Information Technologies ]
sub-Categoy
[ Microsoft ]
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[Tweak Freak Newsletter
Take a Crack at the Command Line
January 17, 2001
DOS lives!
Microsoft has been trying for years to extinguish the Disk Operating System that was the foundation of Bill Gates's empire. Although DOS has evolved into the slick GUI we call Windows today, there are still some pretty cool things you can do from the DOS command line. You can view directories, copy files, edit text files, and more--all without the aid of the mouse.
How do you get to the command line prompt? Easy. From Windows 9x, select Start • Programs • MS-DOS Prompt. From Windows ME, select Start • Programs • Accessories • MS-DOS Prompt. If you don't want to touch the mouse, just press the Windows command key, hit R (for Run), type Command, and then hit Enter.
Manage Your Files
If you want to delve into your directories, copy files from one directory to another, delete files, create new directories, or engage in just about any file-management activity, the command line is a great place to start. All you need to do is type the command at the DOS prompt and hit the Enter key to make it work. Here's a sample of the more common commands:
- dir -- Shows the files contained in the current directory.
- dir /p -- Shows all the files in the current directory, but stops each screenful of text from scrolling past until you hit a key.
- dir <filename>* -- Shows all the files in the current directory that start with <filename>.
- dir <filename>.* -- Shows all the files that are exactly named <filename> but have any extension.
- dir *.<extension> -- Shows all the files that have a specific extension, such as .doc or .txt.
- copy <filename> <destination directory> -- Copies a file to a different directory.
- copy <filename> <new filename > -- Makes a copy of a file with a new file name.
- cd <directory name> -- Changes the directory you're browsing to <directory name>. This only works for subdirectories.
- cd .. -- Moves up one directory level.
- cd \ -- Moves to the very top directory on the drive.
- md <directory name> -- Makes a new directory.
- del <pathname><filename> -- Deletes a file from the specified directory or, if the path name is missing, from the current directory.
- deltree <directory name> -- Deletes a directory. (Caution: Any files or directories deleted from the DOS prompt will not be saved in the Recycle Bin.)
If you need help with a DOS command, just enter the following command: <command> /? |more. For example, if you want to learn more about the dir command, type dir /? |more for a short description of its function, an example of proper command syntax, and a list of switches that can be used with it.
Redo Your Commands
Confounded by typos in your DOS commands? Before you snap off your PC in frustration, try these two essential keystrokes: F1 and F3. DOS has a keystroke buffer that saves the characters you've typed right up until you hit the Enter key. The F3 key "retypes" all the keystrokes in the buffer, while the F1 key retypes the keystrokes character-by-character. Once you've edited those keystrokes as you see fit, hit Enter.
Here's an example. Say you want to copy a file, myfile.txt, into a new directory called oldfiles. But instead of entering this command:
copy myfile.txt \oldfiles
you type this command by mistake:
copy myfile@.txt \oldfiles
Instead of typing the whole command over again, press F1 until you see the E in myfile and then press the Delete key to remove the @ that follows. Next, press F3 to make DOS fill in the remainder of the file name automatically.
Edit Your Text, DOS Style
Want to try a real text editor? One without all the bells and whistles of, say, Microsoft Word? You have one already, and it's called MS-DOS Editor. This bare-bones text editor is definitely un-GUI, and it's great if you want to scratch out some code or dash off an INI file without all of the hoopla of Windows. Just don't expect to be able to change fonts or justify your text. Access the MS-DOS Editor from the MS-DOS prompt in Windows or just click Start • Run and type Edit. Or, if you don't want to have to even touch the mouse, press the Windows command key, hit R (for Run), and then type Edit to start the program. ]
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