Cheet Sheets 1995 February

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~DOS Information. Introduction to DOS Commands and Operating Systems. A guide written way back in 1989 by Wayne Roberts. This guide was written for DOS 3.3 (not 5 or 6 !!!). So many of the options maybe different, extended or even non-existant. This guide is only for use as basic info on the DOS commands, please refer to your DOS HELP for greater info on the commands included in your current operating system. This is done by typing HELP at anytime at the DOS Prompt. ~Introduction. DOS is the acronym for Disk Operating System. The operating system is a large collection of programs that help with the management of the computer's resources. A disk operating system also controls the drives for the storing and loading of programs and data. Anyone using a computer with at least one disk drive will have some knowledge of a Disk Operating System. What you need to know about DOS is roughly what you are going to use the computer for. Commands in DOS range from simply formatting a disk, copying and erasing files, getting a directory of files and executing of files. When you first start using DOS you only need to know the basic functions of the DOS commands that you are going to use the most often. As time goes on you can learn the commands in greater detail. Below is a list of DOS commands that I think are used the most often and are more useful in a working situation within the college. ~ASSIGN This command is used to assign a drive of a certain letter to be equal with another drive letter eg. If you have a 5.25" disk drive and a 3.5" drive you can swap the letter of the drives across making one drive a: whilst making the other b: ASSIGN A: = B: ~CD / CHDIR Allows the user to change from current directory to another directory. CD C:\WINDOWS\EXCEL\USER ~CHKDSK Checks a disks directory and file allocation table (FAT). Also reports a status, which includes disk space available, disk spaced used, bad sectors etc and can also be used to repair errors in the directories or FAT. CHKDSK a: (Check floppy drive). ~CLS Clears the whole of the display screen. ~COPY Copies one or a selection of files one drive in a particular directory to another directory either on the same drive, or another, into a different directory or the same. Files can also be copied into each other. Eg. COPY A:\WORD\WORK.DOC C:\TEMP COPY C:\TEMP\*.* C:\GAMES Example of copying a file from floppy disk to another directory on hard disk. <A:\WORD>copy dos_one.doc C:\temp 1 File(s) copied <A:\WORD> ~DATE Allow user to view, change the system date. Eg. DATE 26-09-89 ~DEL Allows a user to delete file(s) on an allocated drive and/or directory. When stating the wild card "*.*" you will be prompted with a message that asks you if you are sure that you wish to delete everything in that directory. DEL C:\GAMES\*.* Example of deleting a file from a directory on the hard disk. <C:del c:\temp\dos_one.doc <C: ~DIR Lists any or all filenames and sub-directories in a particular directory. DIR A:\WORD\EXERCISES Example of a Directory using DIR. <A:\EXCEL>dir Volume in drive A is WAYNE-WORD Directory of A:\EXCEL . <DIR> 21-11-88 1:59p .. <DIR> 21-11-88 1:59p ACCOUNTS XLS 4280 09-12-88 9:48a CHART XLC 2446 09-12-88 9:28a CMONITOR XLS 7018 20-03-89 10:02a CSPRINT XLS 3226 20-01-89 11:01a DOTMATRX XLS 3317 10-01-89 10:01a FORM XLS 7948 08-05-89 2:59p INVOICE XLS 6585 08-05-89 3:28p IP XLS 9799 09-12-88 1:19p LASER XLS 4473 26-01-89 11:48a LOGIC XLS 3440 09-12-88 3:38p MMONITOR XLS 5591 16-03-89 2:35a PIASTATE XLS 3822 25-05-89 11:56a STATEMNT XLS 5663 10-05-89 2:42p TREND XLS 958 20-06-89 11:58a TREND XLC 6257 20-06-89 3:20p<+ | 17 File(s) | 425984 bytes free | ++ ++ | | | (Filename)(Exten) (Size)(Date Created)(Time) ~FORMAT Initialises the disk to accept DOS information and files. The command also checks for defective tracks and optionally place DOS on the disk. Using various options you can format the disk to various types eg. FORMAT d: - formats a floppy to 720 KBytes. FORMAT a: - formats a floppy to 1.44 Mbytes. FORMAT /1 - formats a floppy single sided. DO NOT TYPE FORMAT or FORMAT C: WHILST USING THE HARD DISK. Example of using the format command. <C:format a: Insert new diskette for drive A: and press ENTER when ready... Format complete 1457664 bytes total disk space 1457664 bytes available on disk ~MD / MKDIR Creates a new directory or sub-directory. Example. <C: MD WAYNE <C: CD WAYNE (CD - Change directory see CD) <C:\WAYNE> ~PATH Typing the command path at the prompt will display the path the machine is currently set up to look in. If file is not found in one directory it searches in the next directory defined in the path. Path is set up in the AUTOEXEC.BAT of the computer. Eg. PATH = C:\;C:\WORD;C:\EXCEL;C:\GAMES; Typing PATH will give the above message. If you have a program called JUMP.EXE in directory C:\GAMES and you type JUMP in the root it will search through the root, WORD, and EXCEL directories first before finding the right program. ~PRINT Prints a list of files on the printer, while the computer performs other tasks. Eg. PRINT A:\WORD\TESTDOC.DOC ~PROMPT Often set up again in the AUTOEXEC.BAT, but can be changed at any time whilst using DOS. Eg. PROMPT $L$P$G$ will produce <(current directory)> <C:\temp> ~REN / RENAME Changes the name of a file/files on disk. Eg. REN a:\filee.txt a:\file ~RD / RMDIR Removes a subdirectory, which must be empty of any files or other directories. Eg. RD GAMES ~TIME Displays or enables you to set the current system time. Eg. TIME hh:mm:ss:xx 16:32:01 ~TYPE Display the contents of a file to the screen. Eg. TYPE A:\TRIAL.TXT ~VER Shows the DOS version number to the screen. Example of using VER command with DOS 4.0. <C:VER IBM DOS Version 4.00 <C: ~What is an INTERNAL DOS command ? In internal DOS command is a program built into the command.com of your MS-DOS disk. This means when typing in the command you may be in any directory and you will not have to state where to find the command. But with external commands you have to set up the path so as the computer can find the command and external commands can be deleted. Examples of some Internal DOS command. CD / CHDIR - Change directory. MD / MKDIR - Make directory. TYPE - Type file to screen. ~Execution of commands. The priority of executing programs is very important. If you have more than one program in the same directory it will execute them in a certain order, shown below :- .COM file first .EXE file second .BAT file third Eg. If three files TEST.COM, TEST.EXE and TEST.BAT are in the same directory and TEST is typed, then TEST.COM will be executed. To execute a program called TYPE.COM you would have to rename it to another name as in DOS there is an internal command called TYPE. If TYPE was entered at prompt it would execute the DOS TYPE command not the TYPE.COM file. To rename the TYPE.COM other filename type :- REN TYPE.COM <new name> in directory with file. ~Use of MV command in ROOT Directory. The use of the MV (MOVE) command anywhere on disk and especially with wild cards (*'s) and even more in the root directory of the hard disk. This is because the MV function as well as copying the file removes it from it old position on the disk automatically. In the ROOT directory of the hard disk there are two files called "IBMBIO.COM" and "IBMDOS.COM" which are put on a particular part of the disk, if they are deleted or moved then the hard disk will not work properly next time it is re-booted. So if you type MV *.* in the root directory you might as well say goodbye to programs stored on the disk which you are enable to copy off and then type "FORMAT C:". ~Introduction to UTILITIES. There are many utility programs available today on the software market in our computer centre we have six different utility program these being PC-TOOLS, PCSHELL, Q-DOS, DOSSHELL, and the less used Xtree and Norton Utilities. Within the computer department we all have our own personal preferences, PC-TOOLS being mine. Utility program are mainly used for maintenance of disks including deleting, undeleting, compression, sorting, viewing, editing etc.. of various files and/or directories. The next few pages will show how files can be examined, hidden, have their attributes changed etc.. using PC-TOOLS. The opening screen to PC-TOOLS after typing "PCTOOLS" at prompt. By pressing any key at the opening screen you will go straight into the file functions part of PC-TOOLS which shows all the files in the current directory. ~Editing or viewing a file. To edit a file in PC-TOOLS all you have to do is select the file that you wish to edit by moving the highlight bar over the file and press return. When selected (should have a number next to it) press 'E' to edit. You will then be faced with an editing screen which includes the options at the bottom of the screen and the file which you are editing in the rest of the screen. Pressing F3 to edit the file. ~Hiding files and/or changing their attributes. To hide or change a files attribute using PCTOOLS you need to select the file to be changed by moving the highlight bar above it and pressing return. By selecting 'A' for Attribute you will then go into a separate screen for editing the attribute of your selected file. Shown below is a screen dump of the attribute edit where the files attribute is being changed so as the file becomes hidden. Other attributes of the file can be changed just as easily following instruction given on the screen. These instructions are very clear to follow and even a novice can come along and change the attribute. ~Hiding a directory using PC-TOOLS. All files in MS-DOS are made up of a series of numbers called attributes. To alter the structure of a file you simply change the numbers but only change the numbers if you know what you are doing else you may corrupt the file or directory. One number refers specifically to the attribute of the file or directory and changing this does the same as in above paragraphs but for directories as well. For example to hide a directory all you need to do is type F3 for other menu (whilst in file functions), then type 'E' for edit, F2 to change sector, 'R' for root, then move down to the file attribute and change it as shown overleaf. ~The Disks and the Operating System. Obviously as the operating system is called DISK Operating System then disks and disk drives are your computer system's most important peripherals. The Keyboard, and VDU are just useful input and output devices. Whereas Printers and Modems extend the capability of your system. The disk drives allow the computer to store and retrieve large amounts of information. Information stored in RAM (Random-Access Memory) is temporary as when the computer is turned off it disappears, whereas information stored on disk stays until changed or deleted. The floppy disk is a very fragile piece of equipment able to store over 360,000 + characters. The care of the disks and the files on them needs to be taken properly. Files on the disk need to be kept in a tidy order (kept in directories etc.) and the disk itself needs to be compressed (a utility used within PC-TOOLS) regularly so as files are sorted out properly on the disk surface and all bad clusters are deleted. Floppy drives also need to be cared for. As they are open to the atmosphere dust, dirt etc tends to get within the drive and heads can become dirty. So regular cleaning with a disk cleaner. ~Use of Switches and flags in a DOS command. What is a Switch ? - Most DOS commands have options that affect the way the command works. To use the switch options, you must "pull the switch" when you use this command. When you pull the switch you tell this command to do extra work or handle the command in a different way. Most DOS commands have switches. Typing a forward slash (/) and the appropriate switch letter will operate the switch. The switch is often typed at the end of the command. What is a Flag ? - A flag is similar to a switch but is not part of the command being used, it is an option used as an extra to options built into the command. The flag often being the location of the file. Examples of switches and flags. FORMAT /s - Formats a disk with system files on it. DIR /W - Wide directory listing. DIR /P - Directory listing with pause when screen full. DIR a: - Directory of floppy disc. ~Some common DOS commands. Below is another list of commonly used DOS commands, that have been explained in Task One but are explained here in greater detail. The following abbreviations are used in the following section :- d: - For drive letter. path\ - Directory path for filename. .ext - For extension used. PRINT - Is a command used to print a disk file while another program is running. Print is a very primitive way of multi-tasking (a way of running more than one program at a time). Print will print the contents of a file to the printer a non ASCII text file will probably contain a great deal of control codes which may turn you r printer crazy when printed out. Printing them use PRINT is exactly the same as using the TYPE command but you get a hard copy of the contents. The syntax of the PRINT command :- PRINT d:filename.ext /T/C/P... The three switches are optional but the /P option is the default if neither of the others is typed. These switches do the following :- /T Terminate, stop printing /C Cancel the printing of a file /P Print this file The ... referred to above in the syntax refers to any other flags or switches which the user wishes to use. RENAME / REN - allows you to change the name of a file. DOS will accepteither version of the command. The syntax of the RENAME command is :- RENAME d:path\oldfilename.ext newfilename.ext The oldfilename being the name of file to be renamed and the newfilename being the name for it to be changed to. The path need not be given if the filename is in the current directory. DOS protects itself from having to files of the same name, an error message is given if a file is being renamed as a file that already exists. RENAME does not touch the contents of a file it only changes the name assigned to it. Be careful when renaming files that you don't rename it so as a program does not find it when execution is in progress. CHKDSK - Checks the directory and file allocation table (FAT) of the disk and reports disk and memory status. Also able to repair errors in the directories or FAT. The syntax of the CHKDSK command is :- CHKDSK d:\filename.ext /F/V The switches F and V do the following :- /F Fixes the File Allocation Table, if errors are found. /V Shows CHKDSK's progress and more detailed information about the errors it finds. (Verbose) Examples of the use of CHKDSK. a) CHKDSK - analyzes the disk or diskette in the current drive. b) CHKDSK A: - analyzes the diskette in a: c) CHKDSK A:/F - analyzes the diskette in a: and asks permission to repair the FAT if a flaw is found. Example output from a CHKDSK command. <C:chkdsk Volume 5740544 created 02-10-1989 2:39p 21170176 bytes total disk space 81920 bytes in 5 hidden files 51200 bytes in 21 directories 18251776 bytes in 670 user files 20480 bytes in bad sectors 2764800 bytes available on disk 2048 bytes in each allocation unit 10337 total allocation units on disk 1350 available allocation units on disk 655360 total bytes memory 471504 bytes free FORMAT - Initializes the disk to accept DOS information and files. Thecommand also checks the disk for defective tracks and optionally places DOS on the disk. The syntax of FORMAT command is :- FORMAT d: /O/V/S The three switches doing the following :- /O Formats an 8-sector diskette and leaves the proper places in the directory for the operating system, but does not place the operating system on the disk. /V Write a volume label on the disk. /S Places on the disk a copy of the operating system, which makes the diskette bootable (able to reset machine on it). Using PCFORMAT (Formatter with DOS 4.0) you are able to format using other options (Shown Below). <C:pcformat a: /h PC Tools Disk Formatter v4.11 The PCFormat options are: /V Add volume label /S Include DOS; make it bootable /TEST Simulation; disk isn't written /1 Single-sided /4 360k disk in 1.2 Meg drive /8 8 sectors per track /N:ss Sectors per trk (8,9,15,18) /T:tt Tracks (40,80) /F Reformat & rewrite entire diskette /DESTROY Format & erase diskette See part one for an example of the FORMAT command. PATH - Sets up the path for DOS to search the specified directories on the specified drives if a program or batch file is not found in the current directory. The path is usually set up in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and is usually formatted in the following way :- PATH= C:\;C:\DOS;C:\UTILITY;C:\WORD5;C:\ORACLE;C:\GAMES; When a command is typed and the current disk drive name is not given DOS will search the current drive directories. If the file is not found int the current directory and the other given directories an error message will occur. PROMPT - Allows the user to set up the system prompt to his/her desired format. The prompt being <A: or <C:\DOS. The syntax of the prompt command being :- PROMPT promptstring The promptstrings available are as follows :- ` Character What it Produces ` $ $, the dollar sign ` _ (underscore) Carriage return, move top next line. ` b |, vertical line ` e The escape character ` d Date ` h Backspace ` g >, greater than sign ` l <, less than sign ` n current drive ` p the current drive and directory ` q =, equal sign ` t Time ` v Dos Version ` All others Nothing or null, ignored Examples of the PROMPT command. 1) PROMPT - a: or c: (normal prompt) 2) PROMPT The current Drive is $n: - The current drive is a: 3) PROMPT $p - A:\WORD5\TEMP (Current directory) 4) PROMPT $l$p$g - <C: (Prompt used in computer centre) TYPE - This command allows a user to display the contents of a file to the screen. Works in exactly the same way as the PRINT command but does not print the file onto paper unless CTRL-P or by adding "> PRN" at the end of the command. Syntax of the TYPE command. TYPE d:path\filename.ext DOS is a very large and comprehensive operating system and as explained is an essential part of a computer system. DOS can be easy for many people to learn but others may struggle. Probably the easiest way of learning DOS is to experiment with various files on your floppy disk. Expermenting on the hard disk is not recommended as you may corrupt files or programs essential to the hard disk. Happy DOSsing.