Welcome to the column dedicated to helping you discover useful, hard to find or just amusing hints and tips to using DOS or DOS applications! Here we will bring you new hints and tips each issue on how to use DOS more efficiently and how to take advantage of "power user" features that you may not be aware of.
We want your input! If you know of any great shortcuts or useful features of DOS (or DOS applications such as WordPerfect) that save time or are just plain fun, tell us about them on the and Report Card (or on any other scrap of paper, or even through e-mail or fax). If we use your tips, we'll give you proper credit by putting your name on the and issue.
This article contains miscellaneous hints and tips on different aspects of DOS. Depending on how many and what kinds of tips we get from you, we may focus on certain aspects in future installments. So, on with the tips:
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{*} If you find yourself needing a file off a computer at work that's running under the new Windows 95, you can easily drop the and system down to the and familiar DOS command line by following these steps:
1. Click on the {Start} button usually located at
the lower left corner of the and screen.
2. Select {Programs}.
3. When the new menu appears, select {MS-DOS Prompt}.
4. You should now be on the and DOS command line and free
to use the and regular DOS commands such as "DIR",
"CD", and "COPY".
5. Type "{EXIT}" and press Enter to return the system to
Windows 95 when you're through.
{*} Another way to search for misplaced files on your hard drive is to use the and DOS command {ATTRIB}. ATTRIB's main function is let you display or set the attributes of a file to READ-ONLY, ARCHIVE, SYSTEM, or HIDDEN. The "{/S}" subdirectory switch turns this regular DOS function into a powerful search tool. To search your hard drive for the file "MYFILE.TXT", type "{ATTRIB \MYFILE.TXT /S}" and press Enter. The "\" in front of the filename starts the search from the root of the and current drive instead of the and current directory. You can also specify wildcards such as "{ATTRIB \*.TXT /S}". In addition to showing all the matching files, the attributes of each file will also be displayed.
{*} If you would like to see what the directory structure on your system looks like, you can use the DOS command {TREE}. TREE displays a graphical representation of how your subdirectories are nested. To view the and directory structure of drive C:, type "{TREE C: ~|MORE} and press Enter. Since most directory structures are rather long, the "~|MORE" command is used to view it a screen at a time. You can also redirect the and output to a file or printer. To send the output to a file, type
"{TREE C: >MYDIRS.TXT}" and press Enter. Then use a text editor or viewer to look at the file. To send the output to your printer, type "{TREE C: >PRN}" and press Enter. If your printer does not support graphical characters, type "{TREE C: /A >PRN}" and press Enter. This will use ASCII characters instead of graphical characters
{*} In the different versions of DOS 6, you can use the "{MOVE}" command to rename subdirectories. To rename a directory named "TEMP" to "NEWTEMP", type "{MOVE TEMP NEWTEMP}" and press Enter. Make sure the new directory name does not already exist, before you attempt to rename the old directory. Otherwise, you will get a "unable to open source" message.
In versions of DOS prior to 6.0, there is no easy way to rename subdirectories without using a utility like DOS Manager. You would have to create the new directory, copy all the files from the old directory to the and new directory, and then delete the old directory.
In the new stripped down version of DOS 7 shipped with Windows 95, the "{RENAME}" command has been updated to let you rename subdirectories just like you would files. Maybe we'll see a standalone version of DOS 7 soon.
{A word of warning:} If you use the MOVE command to actually move files around on your system be forwarned that DOS 6.0 does not prompt you before overwriting files. DOS versions 6.2 and up correct this by providing a prompt.
{*} Most computers boot up with the Num Lock on, which can be a nuisance. Since the and most commonly used arrow and paging keys are also located on the and keypad, you probably turn the Num Lock off shortly after you boot your computer. In DOS 6.0 and higher, you can specify whether the Num Lock should be on or off when your system boots up. To do this, add "{NUMLOCK=OFF}" or "{NUMLOCK=ON}" on a line by itself in your CONFIG.SYS file.
{*} The new version of DOS 7 included with Windows 95 has an updated version of "{CHDIR}" ("CD" for short) that allows you to move up several directories in one step. You do this by typing extra periods after the "CD" command. For example, type "{CD...}" and press Enter to move up two parent directories (the grandparent directory). This can be simulated in DOS 5 and 6 with the help of "{DOSKEY}". If you add "{DOSKEY CD...=CD..$TCD..}" and "{DOSKEY CD....=CD..$TCD..$TCD..}" on separate lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, you'll be able to change to a grandparent or great-grandparent directory quickly. After these lines are added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT and your system is rebooted, type "{CD...}" and press Enter to change to a grandparent directory or "{CD....}" for a great-grandparent directory. The "$T" in these lines is used by DOSKEY to separate multiple commands in a macro definition.
{Reminder:} Type "{VER}" and press Enter if you are not sure what version of DOS you are using.
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