Command-line
Command line tip #4 – How to save the output of a command to a file
Normally, the results of a command-line operation are displayed on the screen. However, a more permanent record can be created by sending the results to a new text file with the redirect symbol “>”. If the file already exists, any previous contents will be replaced. You can append results to the contents of an existing [...]
Command line tip #3 – Targeted deleting
The Windows XP (and Vista) command shell has a delete command “del” that provides flexibility and power for the chore of deleting files. If there are any voices in the background saying, “What else is new, it’s just DOS”, they couldn’t be more wrong. This 32-bit command shell is much more powerful. The 16-bit DOS [...]
Command line tip #2 – Open the command prompt at any folder
In the first command line tip, I gave two ways to open a command prompt window. Please remember that paths in all commands are relative to the folder indicated in the command prompt itself, unless explicitly indicated otherwise. The default reference folder is usually C:\Documents and Settings\(log on name)\. Thus if a reference is made [...]
Command line tip #1 – Accessing the command prompt
Because I think there are a number of simple but very handy ways to use the command line or prompt in Windows, I am going to begin posting some tips that I think almost any home PC owner can use. But first we have to show how to open a command prompt. One way is [...]
Don’t forget the command line
As I have posted before, the command line or prompt in Windows XP (and Vista) is a powerful and useful accessory that most home PC users neglect. Unfortunately, people keep calling it DOS, which it isn’t, and this leaves the misconception that the command prompt is that old outmoded thing that nobody has used for [...]
Recovery console for those without an XP disk
Greetings from Emporia, Kansas where there are a lot of cattle and the tall grass prairie still exists.
The Windows XP Recovery Console is a command-line application for repairing XP systems. It is included on full Windows XP disks but is often missing from systems that come with only a “restore” disk. It is possible to [...]
An overlooked resource and a new Web site about it
Most PC owners ignore the command line. If they know of its existence at all, they think it’s the old outmoded DOS. They are overlooking something with many uses. In fact, the Windows XP command line is a powerful tool employed all the time by systems administrators and knowledgeable PC users. I have mentioned some [...]
Watch out for “read-only” attributes when copying files from a CD
When you copy files from a CD the usual way, they will still have the read-only attribute that files on a CD normally have. If you ever want to edit these files, you will need to change the attribute. There are several ways to to do this.
One way is to use the command line and [...]
How to list all files of a certain type
Have you ever wanted to have a list of all the MP3 files in a certain folder or for that matter on your whole computer? Or a list of all the photos with extension JPG? Or of all the Microsoft Office DOC files? I have written a script that makes this very simple. It can [...]
The Return of the C:\ Prompt?
The command line returns! Actually it never went away. However PC World reports that there will be a new command-line interface in Windows Vista. That may not sound very interesting to many people but it means that a lot of system and file tasks may be easier. PC World says
Code-named Monad, the new shell will [...]