PowerUser: Working with a Command Box in Windows

Friday, 10 October 2014

Using the command box

Generally commands are typed into the command box using the keyboard and are executed once the enter key (<-enter) is pressed

Change to drive letter and directory where image files are located

Type in single drive letter followed by a colon and press enter
- e.g. d: (<-enter)
To change the current directory type cd (space) \users-tmp\2005-10-28 (<-enter)
In order to save typing
- Open a MyComputer and browse to directory which contains files to be worked with
- In the command box type CD (space) and drag the folder icon in the address bar to the Command Prompt box and them press enter. The directory will change to the directory displayed in theMyComputer window

Working in the Command Box

DIR - list directory contents.
drive: - change drive letter. e.g. d: (<-enter)
CD - change directory e.g. go to top directory (root) cd \ (Remember to be on the drive which contains the directory before doing cd )
MD - make a new directory
TYPE - list contents of text files. e.g. 2005-10-28.txt
MORE - pause text display after each screen page. e.g. dir | more
- Scrolling will stop at one screen worth of text with. Press space bar when --- More --- appears to display subsequent pages
| - the vertical line know as a pipe re-directs screen output to another program. e.g. dir | more

Files specification and wild cards

More useful commands

XCOPY - copy files
REN - rename a file
ERASE / DEL - erase files
TREE - list directory tree
HELP - command box help
PATH - lists directories which are searched to find programs which are not built into Windows

Getting help / hints

HELP - list commands available. Note that most commands can be safely ignored. A sub-list of more useful commands.
HELP command name. e.g. HELP DIR