DOS Tips : |
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Showing Long and Short Filenames
Changing
a File's Date and Time Stamp
Removing
the Microsoft Copyright from a DOS Prompt
Setting the Number of Lines in a DOS Window
Starting
DOS Fast
Long
Filenames in a DOS Box
Expanding
Full Path or File Name
Adding
DOSKEY to your DOS Window
Showing
DOS Error Codes
Changing
Directories in DOS
Entering
Long Paths in a DOS Window
Having
DOS Programs Prompt for Input
Verbose
Directory Listing
Easy
way to open up DOS prompt in a specific directory |
Showing Long and Short Filenames |
| There
are two additional switches that can be used when doing a DIR
/B - Shows
only the long filename, no details
/Z - Shows the short filename, with details
/B /Z - Shows only short filename, with no details Go
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Changing a File's Date and Time Stamp |
| You
can change the Date and Time stamp of a file to the current setting.
Type:
COPY filename /B + ,, /Y
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Removing the Microsoft Copyright from a DOS Prompt |
By
default, when you open a DOS window, the Microsoft Copyright notice shows.
To disable it, add the /K switch in the Program tab
For example:
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM /k
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Setting the Number of Lines in a DOS Window |
| To
set the number of lines displayed when you open up a DOS window:
Create
a shortcut for the MS-DOS Prompt
Right click on it
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
In the Batch file:, line enter mode con: lines=xx (where xx is the number
of lines you want displayed)
Valid numbers for xx are 25 or 43 Go
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Starting DOS Fast |
| Want
to start it even FASTER without the mouse?
Change
the shortcut properties of the DOS icon to something unique, like Ctrl-Alt-Z.
Then to start DOS from within Win95/98?/NT just enter C-A-Z and poof!
it's there.
If you toggle away, and hit the shortcut sequence again, you'll get
the "old" DOS box, not a new one.
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Long Filenames in a DOS Box |
| More
long filenames in DOS paths...
You don't
need the close double quote when entering long folder names in DOS.
CD "\program
files
works as well as
CD "\program files"
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Expanding Full Path or File Name |
| Expand
full path/file name with defined char using Command Prompt in Win NT 4.0
You can
expand the full name of a file or directory using a character of your
choice.
Close all
Command Prompts
Start the Registry Editor
Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
If not present, add Key: CompletionChar
If you like to use TAB-Key for expand: set value (REG_SZ): "9"
You can test it:
Open up
a DOS window
Type: CD (followed by TAB)
The first available directory will appear
Press TAB again, the next one will appear
The same can be done with the DIR command Go
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Adding DOSKEY to your DOS Window |
One
way to have DOSKEY available when you open a DOS window would be to have
it in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
This takes away conventional memory, even when you don't have a DOS window
open.
To only use DOSKEY when you open a DOS window:
Right click
on your DOS shortcut
Select Properties
Click on the Program tab
Add DOSKEY > NUL to the Batch File field
You can also add /INSERT if you prefer
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Showing DOS Error Codes |
If
you want to see what error codes are being generated by DOS programs,
start your DOS session with the addition of a /Z parameter to the COMMAND.COM
program. |
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Changing Directories in DOS |
Normally,
you can move up one directory level by typing CD ..
The DOS with Windows95 allows you to continue moving up beyond the first
directory by simply adding more periods
For example, to move up two levels, type CD ... Go
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Entering Long Paths in a DOS Window |
| If
you have to enter a long path and program name in a DOS window,
Open up
the Explorer
Go to the folder you want
Drag it to the DOS window
The path will be inserted into the window
This can come is useful with the long path names and all the ~'s you
would normally need to type.
If you need to change directories, type in the CD before you drag the
directory.
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Having DOS Programs Prompt for Input |
When
you normally create a shortcut for a DOS program, it does not prompt you
for any input and just runs the program
To change that, simply add a ? after the program name in the CMD field.
For example:
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EDIT.COM ?
will start the DOS editor and prompt you for a file name to edit. Go
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Verbose Directory Listing |
| To
see your free memory and other useful info in detail:
Open a
DOS box
Go to the directory that you want to get specific info about, or if
you just want to see memory info go to any directory (I use the root).
Type DIR /V
The /v argument stands for "verbose".
All sorts of good information comes up.
Go
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Easy way to open up DOS prompt in a specific directory |
With
the advent of long directory names, it can be difficult to open up a DOS
box and CD to the directory you want
particularly if it is several layers of long names deep.
An easy
way is to:
Open up
Explorer and highlight the directory you want to be in
Select Run / Command from the Start Menu
Your DOS prompt will now be in the directory you highlighted in Explorer
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