INTRODUCTION
MS-DOS is a single user operating
system. It is a CUI operating system. It is also called Disk Operating System
because it is loaded into the memory from a disk when the computer is switched
on. The first version of MS-DOS was released in 1981 i.e. Ver. 1
CUI and GUI
A CUI (Character User Interface)
operating requires one to type commands in order to get the work done. There is
no use of graphics, images or pictures in CUI.
On the other
hand A GUI operating system requires one to select or click the desired
commands or actions being displayed on the screen.
Some
important terms:
System Prompt: It is a symbol
which is either A :\> or C :\>. It
is the starting point of DOS interaction with users. Every command must be
given in system prompt at cursor position.
Syntax: Syntax is the
details writing rules of command or instruction to the system. Each and every
command follows a definite syntax. If there is any error in the syntax of a
command, it will no way work to give an output.
(Syntax
= System Prompt + Command)
Command: Commands are
the order or instruction to the computer to do a specific task. With the
commands, users can interact directly with the computer.
File: A file is
collection of related information. A file has two parts i.e. 1st name and
extention name separated by a dot. E.g. word.docx, excel.txt
Directory: A directory is
the container of file and subdirectories
Classification
of MS-DOS Commands:
MS-DOS
commands are classified into the following categories:
1.
Environmental
Command
2.
File
Management Command
3.
Directory
Management Command
4.
Disk
Management Command
Environmental Command:
1. CLS: It clears the screen
Syntax: C:\>cls
(enter)
2. Date: It is used to display or set the system date
Syntax:
C:\>date (enter)
3. Time: It displays the current time of system.
Syntax:
C;\> time (enter)
4. Vol: It displays the volume label and serial number
Syntax:
C:\> vol (enter)
5. Ver: It displays the version of the system
Syntax:
C:\> ver (enter)
6. Colon: It is used to change the active drive
Syntax:
C:\> <drive letter>: (enter)
7. Label: It displays the volume label of the system
Syntax:
C:\> label (enter)
8.
Prompt:
We use this command to change the MS-DOS command prompt.
Syntax: prompt
<text>
Special codes to
change prompt:
$Q
------------------ for = (equal
sign)
$$
------------------ for $ (dollar
sign)
$T
----------------- for current time
$D
----------------- for current date
$P
----------------- for current
drive and path
$G
---------------- for >
(greater than sign)
$L
----------------- for <
(smaller than sign)
$B
----------------- for | (pipe)
File Management Command:
1. Copy con: It is used to create a file
Syntax: C:\> copy Φ con Φ <file
name> (enter)
2. Edit: It is used to create/modify a file
Syntax: C:\> edit Φ <file
name> (enter)
3. Type: It is used to see the contents of a file
Syntax:
type Φ <file name> (enter)
4. Ren: It is used to rename a file
Syntax:
ren Φ (old file name> Φ <new file name> (enter)
5. Copy: It is used to copy a file from one location to another
Syntax: copy Φ <source drive>:\ <file name> Φ <destination drive>: (enter)
6. Attrib +H: It is used hide a file
Syntax:
C:\> attrib Φ +h Φ <file name> (enter)
7. Attrib -H: It is used unhide a file
Syntax:
C:\> attrib Φ -h Φ <file name> (enter)
8. Attrib +R: It is used to make a file read only
Syntax:
C:\> attrib Φ +r Φ <file name> (enter)
9. Attrib -R: It is used to disable the read only mode
Syntax: C:\> attrib Φ -r Φ <file name> (enter)
10. Del: It is used to delete a file
Syntax:
C:\> del Φ <file name> (enter)
DireCTORY Management Command:
1. MD: It is used to make a directory
Syntax: C:\> md Φ <dir
name> (enter)
2. CD: It is used to enter into a directory
Syntax: C:\> cd Φ <dir
name> (enter)
3. CD.. : It is used to come out from a directory
Syntax: C:\>cd.. (enter)
4. CD\ : It is used to come to the root directory
Syntax: C:\> cd\ (enter)
5. RD: It is used to remove a directory
Syntax: C:\> rd Φ <dir
name> (enter)
6.
Dir:
It is used to display the file & directories Syntax:
C:\> dir (enter)
7.
Dir/p:
It is used to display file & directories in page wise Syntax: C:\> dir/p (enter)
8.
Dir/w:
It is used to display files & directories widely Syntax: C:\> dir/w (enter)
9.
Dir/ad:
It is used to display only the directories Syntax: C:\> dir/ad (enter)
10. Dir/a-d: It is used to display only the files
Syntax: C:\>
dir/a-d (enter)
11. Dir/as:
It is used to display only the system files Syntax: C:\> dir/as (enter)
12. Dir/ah:
It is used to display only the hidden files Syntax:
C:\> dir/ah (enter)
13. Dir/ar: It is used to display only the read only files
Syntax:
C:\> dir/ar (enter)
14. Dir/oe:
It is used to display files & directories with extension Syntax: C:\> dir/oe (enter)
15. Dir/os:
It is used to display files & directories with their size Syntax: C:\> dir/os (enter)
16. Dir/od:
It is used to display files & directories with their creation in ascending order
Syntax:
C :\> dir/od (enter)
17. Dir/o-d: It is used to display files & directories with their creation in descending order
Syntax: C :\> dir/o-d (enter)
DiSK Management Command:
1. FORMAT: It is used to format a drive
Syntax:
C :\> format Φ <target drive :> (enter)
2. DISKCOPY: It is used to copy the contents of a drive to another drive
Syntax: C :\> diskcopy Φ <drive1 :> Φ <drive2 :> (enter)
3. CHKDSK: It is used to verify a disk and display a status report
Syntax: C :\> chkdsk Φ <drive :> (enter)
Wild Cards Characters:
In MS-DOS there are two wild card characters, they are: ASTERISK (*) and QUESTION MARK (?)
1.
ASTERISK
(*): It represents any number of character
2.
QUESTION
MARK (?): It represents a single character
Examples:
i)
*.*
represent all files
ii)
*.txt
: display all files having .txt as extension
iii)
S*.*
: display files starting with letter S
iv)
?????.com:
display all files having maximum of 5 characters with extension .com
BATCH FILE:
A batch file is a combination of two or more DOS commands grouped together in a systematic manner to carry out a specific job. A batch file helps us to reduce the time and also reduce the number of keystrokes required every time to execute the same set of commands.
Naming a Batch file:
A batch file
always must have an extension of .BAT. The 1st name of the file
should never be same as any DOS command such as DATE.BAT.
Creating a Batch file:
To
create a batch file we can use either COPY CON or EDIT command.
Syntax:
C:\> copy Φ con <file name>.bat
Date
Time
Cls
(Ctrl+z)
(enter)
To executing a Batch file: Syntax: C
:\> <file name> (enter)
Some of the important commands
related to Batch file:
ECHO: It is used when we want to display
the commands in the batch file
e.g.
C:\> copy Φ con fan.bat
ECHO
OFF
Cls
Md
Φ man
Cd
Φ man
Copy
Φ con cat
^z
1
file (s) copied
To know MS-DOS practically, click here
No comments:
Post a Comment