convert a MSdos command line prompt from w9x se to Wxp

convert a MSdos command line prompt from w(*se to Wxp

I use msDos 'shortcuts' to copy files in Win98SE. Such as "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\XCOPY.EXE c:\progra~1\logplot\logfiles c:\BAKUP" in the cmd line, with the working directory 'C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND' How can I do that in WinXP? Thanks, Jim

 

Exactly the same way, but you don't need to include the path.
Here's the XP version of your line:
XCOPY.exe c:\program files\logplot\logfiles c:\BAKUP

 

I would recommend creating batch files and making shortcuts to them.

Other things to remember are:

• Use Quotation marks to surround long filenames
• XP uses \WINDOWS\System32 as the path for most executables

XCOPY "C:\Program Files\Something" "D:\Long Name" /s /e

http://www.ultratech-llc.com/KB/?File=Scripting.TXT

 

convert a MSdos command line prompt from w(*se to Wxp

Thanks so much for your reply! I am really lost trying to run XP @work. I am a 63 yr old Granpa with lots of experience (actually used & maintained analog computers in the '60s. Can hardly believe the computer growth since then. Jim

 

theobrien - not to worry. You'll get the hang of it and probably like it once you do. Meanwhile, feel free to ask whatever you want.

I'm a couple years younger than you but also an XP using grandpa who had to write his own Fortran and punch it onto cards - 1963 was the beginning for me.

 

XP is not like 98. There is NO need to use quotes for long filenames, as it's not actually going into DOS (using the 8.3 naming convention) when you run your command from a prompt.
It's simply a shell, or window, that's running the command.
If you were booting to DOS somehow (XP will do it with a startup diskette), I see no other way to get to DOS.
There is also no reason to include the path to the command. That is, you don't need to put the "c:\windows\system32" in front of the XCOPY.EXE command.
Anyhow, using quotation marks is redundant in XP.

 

Try writing a batch file that operates on long file names and don't use the quotes. It won't work, except for a few commands (like CD) which only take a single parameter, and thus don't need to parse the line individually.

Example:

START -> RUN -> CMD

dir c:\Program Files\Windows Media Player

dir "c:\Program Files\Windows Media Player "


One of these commands will work, but one will not.

 

Your example is correct. You cannot specify a path that is not already pathed, without quotes.
My example is that Xcopy.exe is already pathed, so there's no need to specify c:\windows\system32\xcopy32.exe, you can simply type xcopy.
The xcopy command includes it's own pathing parameters, so if you specify xcopy c:\program files\windows media player\something.ext c:\backups the something.ext will be copied to c:\backups, without having either of those paths included beforehand.