MS-DOS 6.22 Command Reference
SUMMARY
APPEND Allows programs to open data files in specified directories as if they were in the current directory. ATTRIB Displays or changes file attributes. BREAK Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking. CD Displays the name of or changes the current directory. CHCP Displays or sets the active code page number. CHDIR Displays the name of or changes the current directory. CHKDSK Checks a disk and displays a status report. CHOICE Prompts the user to make a choice in a batch program. CLS Clears the screen. COMMAND Starts a new instance of the MS-DOS command interpreter. COMP Compares the contents of two files or sets of files. COPY Copies one or more files to another location. CTTY Changes the terminal device used to control your system. DATE Displays or sets the date. DBLSPACE Creates and manages drives compressed by using DoubleSpace. DEBUG Starts Debug, a program testing and editing tool. DEFRAG Reorganizes the files on a disk to optimize the disk. DEL Deletes one or more files. DELOLDOS Deletes the OLD_DOS.1 directory and the files it contains. DELTREE Deletes a directory and all the files and subdirectories in it. DIR Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory. DISKCOMP Compares the contents of two floppy disks. DISKCOPY Copies the contents of one floppy disk to another. DOSKEY Edits command lines, recalls MS-DOS commands, and creates macros. DOSSHELL Starts MS-DOS Shell. DRVSPACE Creates and manages drives compressed by using DriveSpace. ECHO Displays messages, or turns command echoing on or off. EDIT Starts MS-DOS Editor, which creates and changes ASCII files. EMM386 Enables or disables EMM386 expanded memory support. ERASE Deletes one or more files. (obsolete command, see DEL) EXIT Quits the COMMAND.COM program (command interpreter). EXPAND Decompresses one or more compressed files. FASTHELP Provides summary Help information for MS-DOS commands. FASTOPEN Decreases the amount of time needed to open frequently used files and directories. FC Compares two files or sets of files, and displays the differences between them. FDISK Configures a hard disk for use with MS-DOS. FIND Searches for a text string in a file or files. FOR Runs a specified command for each file in a set of files. FORMAT Formats a disk for use with MS-DOS. GRAPHICS Loads a program that can print graphics. HELP Provides complete, interactive Help information for MS-DOS commands. INTERLNK Connects two computers via parallel or serial ports. INTERSVR Starts the Interlnk server. KEYB Configures a keyboard for a specific language. LABEL Creates, changes, or deletes the volume label of a disk. LH Loads a program into the upper memory area. LOADFIX Loads a program above the first 64K of memory, and runs the program. LOADHIGH Loads a program into the upper memory area. MD Creates a directory. MEM Displays the amount of used and free memory in your system. MEMMAKER Starts the Memmaker program, which optimizes your computer's memory. MKDIR Creates a directory. (obsolete command, see MD) MODE Configures a system device. MORE Displays output one screen at a time. MOVE Moves one or more files. Also renames files and directories. MSAV Scans your computer for known viruses. MSBACKUP Backs up or restores one or more files from one disk to another. MSD Provides detailed technical information about your computer. NLSFUNC Loads country-specific information. PATH Displays or sets a search path for executable files. PAUSE Suspends processing of a batch file and displays a message. POWER Turns power management on and off. PRINT Prints a text file while you are using other MS-DOS commands. PROMPT Changes the MS-DOS command prompt. QBASIC Starts the MS-DOS QBasic programming environment. RD Removes a directory. REN Renames a file or files. RENAME Renames a file or files. (obsolete command, see REN) REPLACE Replaces files. RESTORE Restores files that were backed up by using the BACKUP command. RMDIR Removes a directory. (obsolete command, see RD) SCANDISK Checks a drive for errors and repairs any problems it finds. SET Displays, sets, or removes MS-DOS environment variables. SETVER Sets the version number that MS-DOS reports to a program. SHARE Installs file-sharing and locking capabilities on your hard disk. SORT Sorts input. SUBST Associates a path with a drive letter. SYS Copies MS-DOS system files and command interpreter to a disk you specify. TIME Displays or sets the system time. TREE Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or path. TYPE Displays the contents of a text file. UNDELETE Restores files previously deleted with the DEL command. UNFORMAT Restores a disk erased by the FORMAT command. VER Displays the MS-DOS version. VERIFY Directs MS-DOS to verify that your files are written correctly to a disk. VOL Displays a disk volume label and serial number. VSAFE Continuously monitors your computer for viruses. XCOPY Copies files (except hidden and system files) and directory trees.
SPECIFIC COMMANDS
COPY
Syntax:
COPY [/Y|-Y] [/A][/B] [d:][path]filename [/A][/B] [d:][path][filename] [/V] or COPY [/Y|-Y] [/A][/B] [d:][path]filename+[d:][path]filename[...] [d:][path][filename] [/V]
Purpose: Copies or appends files. Files can be copied with the same name or with a new name.
/Y - Causes COPY to replace existing files without providing a confirmation prompt. By default, if you specify an existing file as the destination file, COPY will provide a confirmation prompt. (In previous versions of DOS, existing files were simply overwritten.)
/-Y - Displays a confirmation prompt before copying over existing files.
/A - Used to copy ASCII files. Applies to the filename preceding it and to all following filenames. Files will be copied until an end-of-file mark is encountered in the file being copied. If an end-of-file mark is encountered in the file, the rest of the file is not copied. DOS will append an end-of-file mark at the end of the copied file.
/B - Used to copy binary files. Applies to the filename preceding it and to all following filenames. Copied files will be read by size (according to the number of bytes indicated in the file`s directory listing). An end-of-file mark is not placed at the end of the copied file.
/V - Checks after the copy to assure that a file was copied correctly. If the copy cannot be verified, the program will display an error message. Using this option will result in a slower copying process.
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