Home of the Act Sirius 1 and Victor Computers

Notes:

End each CP/M-86 command with a carriage return.
CP/M-86 commands that do not specify a drive name operate only on the default or currently selected drive. (The default drive is indicated in the system prompt; for example. A> indicates that A is the default drive
The ALT (Alternate) key acts as the Control key. The key sequences Control-C is the same as ALT-C on the Sirius 1 In this guide, the ALT key is represented by a ^ , such as ^ Z.
Italics are used through this guide to represent elements you provide when entering commands (such as filename)
The list below is not all the commands available for CP/M-86 but are the most common and should be adequate for everyday use

File Specifiers

A CP/M-86 file is identified by its file specifier, which consists of three parts: the drive name, file name, and an optional file extension. The drive name may be omitted when the file is on the diskette in the default drive.
File specifiers have the following form: d:filename.ext

Where:	d:	is the drive name
	filename	is the 1 to 8 character file name
	.ext	is a 0 to 8 character file extension

CP/M-86 will not accept the following characters in file specifiers : < > . , : ; = ? + [ ]

Wild-card characters

CP/M-86 has two wild card characters for use in file specifiers:

? means " match any character - or no character - in this location in the filename or extension ".

* means " pad with ?s ". (pads all characters that follow it, within the filename or extension)

Wild-card examples:

PAY???.ROL	- matches -	PAYJAN.ROL, PAYFEB.ROL, PAYDAY.ROL etc.
*.TXT	- matches -	any files with the extension .TXT
BA.	- matches -	any files with names beginning with BA
?TEST.*	- matches -	any files with 4 or 5 -character filenames, the last 4 of which are TEST
.	- matches -	all files on the default drive

By including wild-card characters, you can enter commands that refer to any number of files with similar names.
PIP, DIR/DIRS, ERA, and STAT accept wild-card characters.
REN and TYPE do not.

Built-in Commands

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
DIR	Display file directory, default drive
DIRS	Display names of system files, default drive
DIR x:filename.ext	Search for named directory file, named drive
DIRS filename.ext	Search for named system file, default drive
TYPE filename.ext	Display contents of named file, default drive
ERA filename.ext	Erase named file, default drive
ERA x:.	Erase all files, named drive
REN newname.ext = oldname.ext	Rename file, default drive
REN x:newname.ext = oldname.ext	Rename file, named drive

CP/M-86 Alternate-Character Functions

ALT CHARACTER	FUNCTION	ASCII CODE
^C	Clear or reset disk system	03H
^E	Start new physical line	05H
^H	Move cursor back and delete one character (also backspace)	08H
^I	Tab 8 character columns	09H
^M	Carrage return and terminate input	0AH
^P	Start/stop output to printer	0DH
^R	Redisplay current line	12H
^S	Stop display output; any character except ALT-C restarts output	13H
^U	Delete current line	15H
^X	Delete start of line	18H
^Z	Mark end of line (ED and PIP)	1AH
"Delete/Rubout"	Delete and display last typed character	7FH

STAT Commands

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
STAT	Display free space and accessing attribute (RW or RO) of diskette, active drive
STAT x:	Display free space and accessing attribute, named drive
STAT DEV:	Display physical to logical device assignments
STAT DSK:	Display diskette characteristics, default drive
STAT x:filename.ext	Display space used and accessing attribute for named file, named drive
STAT*.ext	Display space used and accessing attribute for all files with named extension, default drive
STAT filename.ext[size]	Display size, space used, and accessing attribute of named file, default drive
STAT x:=RO	Set named drive to read-only
STAT filename.ext[RO]	Set named file to read-only, default drive
STAT filename.ext[RW]	Set named file to read-write, default drive
STAT filename.ext[SYS]	Set named file to system file, default drive
STAT filename.ext[DIR]	Set named file to directory file, default drive only
STAT logdev:=physdev:	Set physical-to-logical device assignment
STAT VAL:	Display valid STAT parameter options

PIP (Peripheral Interchange Program) Commands

You may enter PIP commands in either of two ways:

Type the command stem (PIP) and Return to load PIP; after the PIP prompt (an asterisk), enter the remaining command elements. To exit the PIP program, enter a Return at the PIP prompt.
Type the entire PIP command on one line, ending with a carrage return.

The examples shown below use the first method of entering a PIP command.

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
PIP	Initiate PIP
d:=s:filename.ext	Copy named file from source drive to destination drive
d:newname.ext=oldname.ext	Copy old named file from source drive to new named file on destination drive
d:=s:.	Copy all files from source drive to destination drive
LST:=filename.ext	Send named file (default drive) to list device
AXO:=filename.ext	Send named file (default drive) to auxiliary output device
CON:=s:filename.ext	Send named file (source drive) to consol device
filename.ext=AXI:	Copy data from auxiliary input device to named file,default drive
d:newname.ext=s:a.ext,s:b.ext	Copy and concatenate files a and b from source to destination drive
LST:s:a.ext,s:b.ext	Send files a and b (source drive) in sequence to list device

PIP Parameters

Example:

PIP LST:=x:filename.ext[FT8P66]
(Outputs named file to list device, filters embedded form feeds, sets tabs at every 8 columns, and inserts a form feed every 66 lines).

PARAMETER	WHAT IT DOES
[Dn]	Delete characters past column n
[E]	Echo copy operation to consol
[F]	Filter (delete) embedded form feeds
[H]	Check for proper hex format
[I]	Check for proper hex format and ignore :00 records
[L]	Change uppercase characters to lower case
[N]	Add line numbers with leading zeros suppressed
[N2]	Add line numbers with leading zeros displayed
[O]	transfer object file; ignore end-of-file marker
[P]	Insert form feed every 60 lines
[Pn]	Insert form feed every n lines
[Qstring^Z]	Quit copying after string is found
[Sstring^Z]	Start copying after string is found
[R]	Read SYS (system) file
[Tn]	Set tabs every n columns
[U]	Change lower case characters to upper case
[V]	Verify copied data
[W]	Overwrite RO (read-only) files at destination
[Z]	Set parity bit to zero on all characters in file

PIP Keywords

Logical Devices
CON:	Consol device (defined in BIOS)
LST:	List device (defined in BIOS)
AXO:	Auxiliary output device (defined in BIOS)
AXI:	Auxiliary input device (defined in BIOS)
Physical Devices
CRT:	Keyboard and cathode ray tube display
LPT:	Line printer (parallel output port)
TTY:	Teletype-style printer (serial output port A)
UL1:	Serial printer (port B)
BAT:	Batch mode-reader AXI:) as input, a printer (LST:) as output
Special Terms
EOF:	Send end-of-file (ALT-Z or ASCII 1AH) to device
NUL:	Send 40 nulls to device
PRN:	Send file to list device, but with tabs every 8^th column, numbered lines, and a form feed every 60 lines (with initial form feed)

Other Utilities

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
SUBMIT filename parameters	Execute .SUB file, using optional paramater(s)
FORMAT	Initiate FORMAT program
FORMAT x: $[C\|D\|E\|Z]	Format disk in named drive, including optional switches
BOOTCOPY	Initiate BOOTCOPY program
BOOTCOPY s: to d:	Copy boot tracks from drive s: to drive d:
DCOPY	Initiate DCOPY program
DCOPY f: to t: $[C\|D\|E\|Z]

Format and Dcopy switches
C -	Display count of tracks copied and number of soft errors encountered
D -	FORMAT or DCOPY double-sided diskette
E -	Display the location of soft errors
Z -	Display disk zone information (size of tracks and gaps)

ED Commands

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
ED x:filename.ext	Execute editor program: create/edit named file, named drive
nA	Append n lines to edit buffer (if n=0, fill half of buffer)
B	Move character pointer to beginning of file
-B	Move character pointer to end of file
nC	Move characer pointer foward n characters
nD	Delete next n characters
E	Edit end, close file, return to CP/M-86
Fs^Z	Find string s
nFs^Z	Find n^th occurance of string s
H	End edit, move pointer to beginning of file
I	Insert following text at pointer until ALT-Z is typed
Is^Z	Insert string at pointer
Is1^Zs2^Zs3	Juxtapose and delete: delete text between string 2 and beginning of string 3; insert string 2 after string 1
nK	Kill n lines starting at pointer
nL	Move pointer n lines
nMx	Execute Macro command string (x) n times
nMs	Global search (F command) through end of file
O	Abandon edit file, start over with original file
nP	Display next n pages of 23 lines ( if n=0, display current page)
Q	Quit edit, abandon temporary file, and return to CP/M-86
Rfilename.LIB	Read filename.LIB into buffer at character pointer
Sx^Zy	Substitute string y for string x
nSx^Zy	Substitute string y for next n occurrences of string x
nT	Type n lines
U	Translate following lower case to upper case
-U	Disable lower-to-upper case translation
-V	Disable line number generation
nW	Write n lines to output file (start at beginning of buffer)
nXfilename.ext	Write next n lines to named temporary file
nX	Write next n lines to file X$$$$$$$.LIB
nZ	Sleep (pause) n\2 seconds
n	Move foward n lines and type new line
<RETURN>	Move foward one line and type new line
n:x	Move to line number n and perform x command
:nx	Perform command x from current line to line x
n::mx	Move to line number n and perform command x (T, L or K) through line number m

File Extensions

Below is a list of common file extensions found in CP/M-86 and their meaning.

. EXT	MEANING
.A86	8086 assembly language source code
.BAK	Backup file created by ED program
.BAS	BASIC source code
.CMD	Executable command file
.COB	COBAL source code
.CBL	COBAL source code
.DAT	Data file (assumed to be ASCII)
.FOR	FORTRAN source code
.H86	Hex file
.INT	Intermediate compiled code
.LST	Listing of compilation or assembly
.OVR	Overlay module
.PRN	Listing of compilation or assembly
.REL	Relocatable object code module
.SUB	Command file executed by SUBMIT command
.SYM	Symbol table of assembly or compilation
.XRF	Cross-reference
.$$$	Temporary, system-generated file

CP/M-86 Quick Reference Guide: