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 to Top

You can change the Date and Time stamp of a file to the current setting.

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

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 to Top

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.

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"

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 to Top

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

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.

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 to Top

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.

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 to Top

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.                                                                      

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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