Notes:

1. General forms (such as filename) are italicizied in this guide. d: represents a drive designation.
2. End each MS-DOS command with a carriage return.
3. MS-DOS commands that do not specify a drive operate on the default drive.
4. The ALT (Alternate) key acts as the Control key. In this guide, the ALT key is represented by a ^ , such as ^ C.

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Specifying a file

An MS_DOS file is identified by a file name and an extension, and (optionally) a drive name: d:filename.ext

• A filename contains 1 - 8 characters.
• A file extension contains 1 - 3 characters.
• Do not use these characters in a filename or extension: " / [ ] + = , : ; \

Most commands that specify a filename can also have a path to a filename. A file can be in the root directory or a sub-directory. A \ and the directoryname is the path to the file. The drive name precedes the path and the path precedes the filename.

This is form of a path:   d:\directoryname \directoryname

In this guide, filespec stands for full file specifier, including drive, path, filename,and extension.

This is the form of a full filespec:    [ d:] [ \ ] [ directory name... ]  filename.ext

The drive name is optional when the file is on the default drive. An initial backslash always indicates the root directory. The directory name is optional when the file is in the current working directory of the specified drive.

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Wild-card characters

The two MS_DOS wild-card characters are the ( ? ) and the ( * ).
The ? means " match any character - or no character - in this location in the filename or extension ". The * means " pad with ?s ". The * character pads all characters that follow it, within the filename or extension where it appears.

Wild-card examples:

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

Wild-card characters can be used in any combination.

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Batch Files

Batch files contain "batches of commands and have the extension .BAT. You process the commands in a batch file by typing its filename, followed by any command parameter (switches) you want:

This is the form of a command plus parameters:   filename param1 param2...

MS-DOS substitutes the parameters in the batch command ( param1, param2 and so on) for replacement parameters (%1 through to %9) in the batch file. The name of the batch command itself is substituted for %0. To specify more that 10 replaceable parameters, use the SHIFT command.

MS-DOS automatically processes the commands in the AUTOEXEC>BAT and CONFIG.BAT files (if present) each time the operating system loads into memory.

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Internal commands

When you enter any internal command it executes immediately, so long as COMMAND.COM (the command processor) is in memory.

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
BREAK	Display ALT-C interrupt status (ON or OFF)
BREAK ON	Allow ALT-C interrupt anytime
BREAK OFF	Allow ALT-C interrupt during keyboard operation
CAUX device	Select the named device driver for auxiliary input/output
CAUX AUX	Reinstate standard device driver for auxiliary device
CHDIR [ d: ]	Display name of the current directory on default drive or select drive. Can be abbreviated to CD
CHDIR [ \ ] dir name	Change working directory to the last subdirectory named in the path
CD ..	Change working directory to parent directory
CD / A	Display names of working directories on all drives
CLST device	Select the named device driver for the list device input/output
CLST SERIALA	Select serial port A for output for list device (printer)
CLS	Clear the CRT screen
COPY d:filespec	Copy file from named device onto default drive
COPY filespec1 filespec2	Copy first file to second file
COPY filespec1 + filespec2 filespec3	Copy first and second files into third
COPY filespec1/b + filespec2/a filespec3/b	Copy first binary and second ASCII files into third binary file
COPY filespec1/a filespec2	Copy first file up to the first embedded ^Z into second file
COPY *.ext filespec	Copy first file group into second file
COPY *.ex1 + *.ex2 *.ex3	Copy matching files from first and second file groups into third file group
CTTY	Change the console input/output device
DATE	Display date
DATE mm/dd/yy	Set new date. (Use dd-mm-yy in Europe)
DEL filespec	Delete file
DEL *.ext	Delete all files with named extension
DEL filename.*	Delete all files with given filename, regardless of extension
DEL *.*	Delete all files in the working directory of default drive
DIR	Display the current directory, default drive
DIR d:	Display the current directory, named drive
DIR d:[ \ ]directoryname...	Display the last named subdirectory in the path on the named drive
DIR filespec	Display directory entry for named file
DIR /P	Stop directory display when screen is full
DIR /W	Display filenames across screen width
ECHO	Display setting (ON or OFF) for display of batch file commands and comments
ECHO ON	Display all batch file commands and comments
ECHO OFF	Stop display of batch file commands and comments
ERASE filespec	Erase (delete) the named file. Same as DEL command
EXIT	Return from an invoked COMMAND.COM to previous program
FOR %%variable in (set) do MS-DOS command %%variable	For each member in "(set)" do the MS-DOS command
GOTO label	Continue batch processing with the next command below the specified label
HISTORY	Display command history. (Can also be HI)
HI n	Re-enter command n from history into command-line template
IF string1 = = string2 MS-DOS command	If the condition is TRUE (equal), process the MS-DOS command. Batch file command only
IF [ not ] exist filespec MS-DOS command	Look for specified file. Process MS-DOS command if file exists, or when, "if not" is TRUE. Batch file command only
IF errorlevel n MS-DOS command	Check for specified errorlevel number (n). Process MS-DOS command if previous program exit code n is the same or higher than n. Batch file command only
IF not errorlevel n MS-DOS command	When previous exit code is less than n, process MS-DOS command. Batch file command only
MKDIR [d:][ \] directoryname...	Make new sub-directory in the current directory or in the last directory in the specified path. (Can also be MD)
PATH	Display the current path (Location of command and batch files)
PATH;	Search only the current directory for command and batch files
PATH [d:][ \] directoryname... [;[d:][\] directoryname...]	Search for command or batch files in the specified sub-directory or sub-directories
PAUSE	Pause or stop batch file processing
PAUSE comment	Display comment during pause in batch file processing
PROMPT	Use the MS-DOS default prompt
PROMPT prompt text	Change default MS-DOS prompt to specified alphanumeric characters (prompt text)
REM comment	Display the specified characters (comment) during batch file processing
RMDIR [d:][\] directoryname...	Remove the specified directory name from the current directory or from the last directory in the path. (Can also be RD)
REN filespec filespec	Rename the first file with the second file name
SHIFT	Move all replaceable parameters one position to the left. (%0 < %1 < %2....%9 < next parameter)
SYS source destination	Copy operating system and support files from source drive to designated drive. Source must be an existing system or system configuration file.Use /O to copy only MS-DOS.SYS
TIME	Display time
TIME hh:mm	Set time (hours and minutes)
TYPE filespec	Display the named file
VER	Display current version of MS-DOS
VERIFY	Display current setting (ON or OFF) of verify
VERIFY ON	Verify any data written to disk
VERIFY OFF	Do not verify data written to disk
VOL	Display mane of volume in default drive
VOL d: /C	Display name of volume in named drive and prompt for a new Volume ID

External commands

External commands are programs stored in disk files. When you enter an external command, the program loads from disk before it can execute.

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
CHKDSK	Make consistency check on default drive. Display errors (lost clusters and chains) and prompt for converting lost chains to files (status report)
CHKDSK d:	Check directory of named drive and display status report
CHKDSK /F	Automatically correct errors
CHKDSK /V	Display trace of files and directories
CHKDSK filespec	Report extents for named files in current directory after normal consistency check
COMMAND	Reload COMMAND.COM
CONCAT filespec	Display contents of named file(s)
CONCAT directoryname	Concatenate all files in the named sub-directory and display the results
DISKCOPY	Load DISKCOPY program
DISKCOPY LEFT TO RIGHT	Copy contents of disk in left drive to disk in right drive
DISKCOPY R to L /E /Z	Copy contents of right drive to left drive; display number and location of soft errors, and zone information
FILCOM file1 file2	Compare file1 with file2 on a line-by-line basis and display the differences between the files
FILECOM file1 file2 /B /#	Compare file1 with file2 on a byte-by-byte basis with # (number) lines required to match
FILECOM file1 file2 /C /W	Compare file1 with file2 on a line-by-line basis, ignoring the case of letters, and compressing white spaces
FGREP "a string" filespec... directoryname...	Search all named files and all named sub-directories. Output filenames and all lines that contain "a string"
FGREP /RVCI string filespec... directoryname...	Search all named files and all named sub-directories and recursively search (/R) any sub-directories below. Print only a count (/C) of the lines that do not contain (/V) the string, ignoring upper/lowercase (/I)
FIND "string"	Filter to search the displayed lines for the specified string and display all lines containing the string
FIND /C "string"	Display the relative number of the lines that contain the specified string
FIND /N "string"	Display only the lines that contain the specified string
FIND /V "string"	Display the lines that do not contain the specified string
FIND "string" filespec	Display the lines from the named file that contain the specified string
FORMAT	Load the FORMAT program to prepare a diskette to receive data
FORMAT side /D /C /Z	FORMAT the diskette on the named side of the machine (left or right); do double-sided format; display number of soft errors, and zone information
LS /LRE	List the directory of the default drive in long format (/L), with recursive searching of all sub-directories below current directory (/R), in order by extension (/E)
LS d: /BT	List the directory of the named drive with files sorted backwards (/B) according to file date and time
MODCON source savefile	Set source as active keyboard and/or character set. Save current keyboard and/or character set as savefile
MODCON * savefile	Save the current character set and/or keyboard file as savefile. Do not change the active keyboard or character set
MORE	Filter to display one screen of data at a time, until a key is pressed
MV filespec file2	Move the named file into the second file and delete the original file
MV filespec directoryname	Move the original named file into the named directory and delete the original file
PORTSET HELP	Display help about portset utility
PORTSET A 300 EVEN 1 6	Set serial port A to 300 baud rate, even parity, 1 stop bit, and 6 bits per character
PORTSET B 1200	Set serial port B to 1200 baud rate. Leave other settings unchanged
PRINT	Display the names of the files in the print queue
PRINT d:	Put the file(s) from the named drive current directory into the print queue
PRINT d:filename.ext	Queue and print the named file(s)
PRINT /C	Cancel the queued files for printing
Print filename1/P          filename2          filename3/C          filename4	Print the first and second file. Cancel the third file in the print queue. Print the fourth file.     /P is the default
RDCPM d:filename.ext	Transfer named CP/M file to default drive
RDCPM d:*.ext	Transfer all CP/M files with named extension on named drive to default drive
d:/directoryname...     RDCPM d:filename.ext	Transfer named CP/M file to named drive and sub-directory (First named drive contains the MS-DOS disk)
RDCPM DIR d:	Display directory of CP/M disk in named drive
RDCPM DIR d:filename.ext	Display directory entry of named CP/M file
RECOVER filespec	Recover the named file from a defective disk
RECOVER d:	Recover all files from a defective disk
SDCOPY	Load the SDCOPY program to copy the contents of one diskette to another formatted diskette using a single floppy drive
SDCOPY d:	Copy the contents of the diskette in the named drive to another formatted diskette using the same drive
SEARCH files constraints actions	Search the named files and/or directories for the files that meet the matching constraints. Perform the named actions on the matching files
SET	Display all current SET values
SET string1 = string2	Set string1 equivalent to string2. MS-DOS uses string2 in place of string1 in subsequent operations
SORT	Rearrange data alphanumerically
SORT /R	Reverse the alphanumerical sort (z to a, or N to 0)
SORT / + n	Sort the data by the specified numerical column
SORT /R / + n	Reverse the numerical column sort
SORT <[d:]input source >[d:] output source	Sort data from disk file or device alphanumerically and send the sorted data to a file, printer or other device
TAIL /n directoryname	Display the last n lines of the files in the named directory
TAIL filespec	Display the last 10 lines of the named file(s)
WC directoryname /R	Count the words and lines in all files in the named directory, including any sub-directories (/R)
WC filespec /W	Count the lines only (/W) in the named file(s)

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Redirecting INPUT/OUTPUT

SYMBOL	WHAT IT DOES
|	Use the output from any MS-DOS command on the left side of bar as input to one of the filter commands: FIND, SORT, or MORE
<	Use the following file or device as input for the preceding command
>	Send the output of the preceding command to the following file or device
>>	Append the output of the preceding command to the end of the following file

Examples

COMMAND	WHAT IT DOES
DIR | SORT | MORE	Displays the directory, sorted alphabetically, one screen at a time
CONCAT directoryname > filespec	Concatenates all files in the named sub-directory and stores the result in the named file
DIR | SORT > filespec	Outputs the directory, sorted alphabetically, to the named file
SORT / 16 < file1 > > file2	Sorts the data from the first file, starting at the 16th column (file size for directory listings): appends the data to the second file

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Device Filenames

AUXIN, AUXOUT	Input from or output to an auxiliary device
CON	Keyboard input or output to terminal
LST	Line printer
NUL	Used when command syntax requires an input or output filename
PRN	Line printer

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Alternate-Character Functions

ALT-KEY SEQUENCE	FUNCTION	ASCII CODE
^C	Interupts current command. Aborts printing when printer not ready	03H
^H or Backspace	Moves cursor back and deletes one character	0H8
^J	Inserts line feed but does not empty command line	0AH
^N	Cancels echoing of output to printer	0EH
^P	Echoes consol output to the printer	10H
^S	Stops display output; any key restarts output	13H
^X	Cancels current line, empties command line, outputs backslash (\), carrage return, and line feed	18H
^Z	Terminates text entry	1AH
^(cr)	Flushes type-ahead buffer

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Edit Line\Template Commands

The top row of function keys on the keyboard are used for ediditing the MS-DOS command line template and the EDLIN edit line template. Function keys are preceded by F (for example, Function key 1 is F1).

FUNCTION KEY	WHAT IT DOES
F1	Insert: Enters and exits insert mode (toggle)
F2	New Line: Makes new line in the new template
F3	Copy Character: Copies the next character from the template to command line
F4	Skip Character: Skips over (does not copy) characters in template
F5	Skip Multiple Characters: Skips over (does not copy) characters in template up to the next character typed
F6	Copy Multiple Characters: Copies all characters from template (up to the next character typed) to command line
F7	Copy Template: Copies all remaining charactesr from template to command line