Windows' Command Line Puts You in Control

Text commands can make quick work of many Windows tasks; plus, a free file-copy utility.

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Some of Windows' most useful tools don't have desktop icons. Nor are they listed on the Start menu, or even in Control Panel. If you search for them in the operating system's labyrinth of folders and subfolders, you probably won't find them. Some don't even exist as independent files. Instead, you launch these terrific tools by entering their text commands in Windows' Run box (or at the command, or DOS, prompt) to perform all sorts of useful tasks quickly. The chart below (under the heading "Command Compendium"--click on the thumbnail for a full view) lists several of my favorites.

Open the window: Usually you'll type the commands in a command window (which resembles the fabled DOS screen of eons past). To open it in Windows 98, choose Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt. In Windows Me, click Start, Programs, Accessories, MS-DOS Prompt. In Windows 2000 and XP, select Start, Programs (All Programs in XP), Accessories, Command Prompt. Alternatively, you can open the window by choosing Start, Run, typing command (in Windows 98 and Me) or cmd (in 2000 and XP), and pressing <Enter>.

Often you can use commands without opening a prompt window, by clicking Start, Run and entering the command there. Some can instead be entered directly in the Address bar of any Explorer or folder window. For a host of additional tips to simplify your command-line life, check out the November 2003 Windows Tips.

Stay awake at the switch: While the commands are useful by themselves, their real power comes from their "switches" (optional codes typed at the end of the command that vary the function). For almost every command, the best way to find the appropriate switches is to type the command name followed by a space and /?. Then press <Enter>. This provides you with a summary of the command's purpose, as well as a description of its syntax (so you'll know which switches to use and in what order) and an explanation of each switch. In some cases you can get help by choosing Start, Help and searching for the command name in question.

Drag to avoid typing: When your command acts on a file or folder (such as the 'attrib.exe' and 'compact.exe' commands described below), generally you must type the path to that folder after the command (if the folder name isn't already to the left of the prompt). You can save typing time by doing a little dragging-and-dropping. First, type the desired name into the command window, followed by a space. Next, open Windows Explorer or any folder window and select the file or folder you need. Finally, drag the file or folder from Explorer into the command window. Windows then types the path for you. If your command needs a second file name (like the 'fc' file-compare command), type another space, and drag and drop a second file or folder in the window. For another way to save on typing, see my description of the 'doskey.exe' command below.

Give it a new look: To spiff up the command line, right-click the title bar of the command window and choose Properties. Under the Font tab, select the size and style of type you want; this also affects the size of the command window. In Windows 2000 and XP, you can change the background color and the text color via the Colors tab (see FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1: Change the color of your command prompt in its Properties dialog box.

), and the default size of the window by choosing the Layout tab. When you click OK, Windows gives you the option of applying the changes to the current window only or to all future command windows as well.

Command Compendium

The chart

Get fast access to many of Windows' most useful tools.

(thumbnail below--click on it for a full view) doesn't include the basic navigation and file-management commands from the old DOS days: 'dir' lists the files and folders in a directory, 'cd' changes the current directory, 'format' "erases" a disk, 'md' creates a directory, 'ren' renames a file or folder, 'copy' copies the selection, 'xcopy' copies all of the subdirectories as well, 'move' puts the item in a new location, 'del' removes it, and 'deltree' deletes a directory along with its subdirectories and files.

cmd.exe (Windows 2000 and XP), command.com (98 and Me): These commands (you don't need to enter the period and extension) open the window where you enter the other commands discussed here. Using either one with the /c switch, you can create a shortcut that opens a command window, executes a command, and then closes the window. This allows you to launch a command just by double-clicking its icon or choosing it from the Start menu. For example, to make an icon that refreshes your network connection, right-click the desktop or in any folder window and choose New, Shortcut. In the first box, type cmd /c ipconfig /renew (see FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2: Make a shortcut for a command via switches in the Create Shortcut wizard.

, as well as the discussion of 'ipconfig.exe' below). Click Next and follow the wizard's instructions to create the shortcut. If you want the command window to stay open so that you can see the results of your command, simply replace the '/c' with /k. You can use this shortcut technique with many of the commands listed here.

attrib.exe: This command lets you change one or more of a file's attributes (such as 'Hidden', 'System', 'Read-only', or 'Archive'). It's usually easier to right-click the file in an Explorer or folder window, choose Properties, and check the desired boxes (see FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3: The 'attrib' command lets you change the attributes of several files at once.

). But when you need to change attributes for files in multiple subfolders, this command line (with the /s switch) can do it for you in one step.

compact.exe: If your drive is formatted with the NTFS file system (available only in Windows 2000 and XP), you have the option of compressing files and folders by right-clicking them, choosing Properties, clicking Advanced under the General tab, and selecting the appropriate check box. But what if some of the files in a folder are already compressed (such as JPEG photos), while others could benefit from compressing? Use this command with the /s switch and wild-card characters to compress only specific files in the selected directory (and in all its subdirectories). For example, compact /c /s:c:\doc *.doc will compress all of the Word documents in your Doc folder and subfolders. To uncompress, change the '/c' to /u.

doskey.exe (Windows 2000 and XP), doskey.com (98 and Me): Once you enter this command at the prompt, it stays resident in memory, keeping a list of the commands you type. Just press the up or down arrow keys on your keyboard while at the prompt to scroll through the commands you've used in the past. You can also navigate to a command that's similar to the one you need and then change it as necessary: Move left or right one character with the arrow keys, or left or right one word by holding down <Ctrl> and pressing an arrow key. Make your changes and press <Enter> to execute the change. To see all the commands you've typed since you loaded Doskey, type doskey /history. To clear the history and start afresh, type doskey /reinstall (or press <Alt>-<F7>).

Don't bother using Doskey in Windows Me, 2000, or XP. In these versions, the command windows already have a built-in buffer to remember past commands.

ipconfig.exe: This helpful network utility displays your current IP address, as well as its subnet and gateway addresses. Use the /all switch to see even more network information. The /renew switch (/renew_all in Windows 98 and Me) refreshes the connections. (See also 'ping.exe' below.)

openfiles.exe: If you need to figure out who on your network has a shared file open, type this command at the prompt and press <Enter>. You can also use it to close the open files in a shared folder or to disconnect the user currently viewing them. For details, type openfiles /disconnect /? at the command prompt.

ping.exe: When your network is experiencing technical difficulties, this simple troubleshooting utility will tell you whether two computers are talking to each other. Just type ping, a space, and the network name or IP address of the problem computer. If it reports a reply, you'll know that the connection is okay. You can also use this command to confirm that your own Internet connection is working.

recover.exe: If you lose a file to a corrupt sector on an NTFS disk, this command restores as much of the lost data as possible. Type recover followed by a space and the full path and name of the file you want to resuscitate. No wild-card characters are allowed in the specified file path, and you can recover only one file at a time when using this command.

runas.exe: People who log in to a non-administrator Windows account (which Microsoft recommends for security reasons) may think that they have to log off and back on to perform administrator-only tasks. Not so! This command launches a program as if you were another user. Just type runas /user: followed by the name of the profile under whose auspices you want to run the application, then a space and the program's name. (Use the /? switch to get details on the exact form to use with this command.) You will, of course, be prompted for that profile's password before the program launches.

sort.exe: To sort the items in a text file alphabetically, type sort, a space, the name of the file, another space, the greater-than symbol (>), another space, and the path and name of the file in which the sorted entries will appear (for example, you might type sort messylist.txt > neatlist.txt). Add the /r switch at the end if you want the list to appear in reverse alphabetical order.

taskkill.exe: You could use Windows XP's Task Manager to close any running application or process, but this utility not only closes one app, it also lets you stop multiple programs at once via wild cards and filters. For example, to shut down all applications that are not responding, type taskkill /fi "status eq not responding". For more options, consult the help screen.

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