Two question about MS Dos

Hi,
I got two problem in using MS Dos in my WindowsXP:

1. I don't know why my folder name cann't be more than four characters. If I have one folder named "folder1010 ", I always can not get into this directory from MS Dos by "cd folder1010 ". The error is "bad directory name ". If I change it to "fold1010 ", it can work cause "fold" is only four characters.

2. I can't use doskey. Each time after I typed "doskey" in MS Dos,
I still can't user the command history by the up arrow key. And the key of "F1" doesn't work either, it doesn't bring the last command to me.

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

Since there is no DOS in XP, the DOS emulation is not complete. Maybe you are using the 16-bit "command" to get to the DOS emulator, rather than the 32-bit "cmd ". I use large file names all the time, but have not used "command ".

F3 should repeat the previous command.

 

Abraxas - I'm gonna restate what you said with a slight bit of amplification since this is something that may well bite lots of 9X converts in the hindparts.

sadsun -

start~run~command on an XP system will put you into an old (16bit) emulation of DOS. Not MS-DOS either but simply a program to emulate it.

start~run~cmd will put you into a program emulating the newer 32bit version and it will behave just like you want. You will not need to try doskey since all those features are standard with the cmd window. Long file names, arrow return to previous instructions, etc.

 

 
 
Thank you for the amplification, Newt .
It's sometimes hard to know where to start with these questions, the poster being unknown and such.

Please amplify anytime you feel like it. I sometimes get lazy about typing. Other times, I hope the response from the OP will give a better idea about where to begin, or end.

 

Sadsun and all,

I can't resist adding that in case you need Help with command line syntax under XP, just create a new Desktop Shortcut and put the following path line in when asked:

%windir%\hh.exe ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm

This will give you an excellent GUI presentation of the command line help files. When navigating those Help files, you can right click and go back to a previous screen or forward again, since all moves are cached.

Of course you can also enter "Help" from any command line but it isn't nearly as detailed as the GUI verson.

I have also noticed that when running the 16-bit "Command" line the preface information on screen reads:

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

Whereas when running the 32-bit "Cmd" version it says:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

I never use the 16-bit version since it requires using "Truncated" filenames when referring to longfile names (over 8 characters) so I can't tell you what it might be good for or whether it can do something that the 32-bit version can't. I'm not at all sure why it was supplied. In your case for instance, if you had typed cd folder~1 instead of cd folder1010, your command would have worked.

I think using the 32-bit version is much wiser and easier.

 

Touché.

 

Abraxas, Newt and Zephyr,
Thank you for your help. You guys explained this to me very clearly.
Thanks again.

 

sadsun - you are quite welcome.

We've been thinking about forming a company called "Clarity R Us" but that would require only posting when cold sober so we probably won't.