MS DOS Command: EDIT.COM

Reference from Microsoft MS-DOS cmd help

Description

Starts MS-DOS Editor, a text editor you can use to create and edit ASCII text files.

MS-DOS Editor is a full-screen editor that allows you to create, edit, save, and print ASCII text files. Using MS-DOS Editor, you can choose commands from menus and specify information and preferences in dialog boxes. MS-DOS Editor includes extensive online Help about MS-DOS Editor techniques and commands.

Syntax

EDIT [[drive:][path]filename] [/B] [/G] [/H] [/NOHI]

Parameters

Switches

CAUTION: MS-DOS Editor does not work if the file QBASIC.EXE is not in the current directory or in the search path or in the same directory as the file EDIT.COM. If you delete QBASIC.EXE to save space on your hard disk, you cannot use MS-DOS Editor.

Remarks

Some monitors may not support the display of shortcut keys by default. If your monitor does not display shortcut keys, use the /B switch (for CGA monitors) and the /NOHI switch (for systems that do not support bold characters).

MS DOS Command: EXPAND.EXE

Reference from Microsoft MS-DOS cmd help

Description

Expands a compressed file. You can use this command to retrieve one or more files from the Setup disks that accompany MS-DOS 6.22. These files are not usable unless you expand them.

Syntax

EXPAND [drive:][path]filename [[drive:][path]filename[ ...]] destination

If you type the following, EXPAND will prompt you for the location and/or name you want to give the expanded file:

EXPAND [drive:][path]filename

If you type the following, EXPAND will prompt you for the location and name of the compressed file you want to expand, then prompt you for the location and/or name you want to give the expanded file:

EXPAND

Parameters

Remarks

Retrieving files from the Setup disks

Most of the files on the Setup disks provided with MS-DOS 6.22 are compressed. Each of these compressed files has a file extension that ends with an underscore character (_). When you installed MS-DOS, you ran the Setup program, which expanded these files before copying them to your system. However, if you need to retrieve just one or a few files from the original disks, you can use the EXPAND command.

Letting EXPAND prompt you

If you don't include the destination, or don't include the compressed file and the destination, EXPAND prompts you for the information and provides examples.

Examples

Suppose you accidentally delete the SORT.EXE file from your DOS directory on drive C. You can copy and expand the compressed file SORT.EX_ from the MS-DOS 6.22 Setup disks to your hard disk. First, find out which disk contains SORT.EX_ by opening the PACKING.LST file on Setup Disk 1. Then insert the appropriate disk into drive A and use the following command to copy and expand the file:

expand a:\sort.ex_ c:\dos\sort.exe

To copy and expand the SORT.EX_ file to the hard disk by letting EXPAND prompt you, type the following at the command prompt:

expand

EXPAND prompts you with the following:

Type the location and name of the compressed file you want to expand. (Example: A:\EGA.SY_)

Compressed file:

To expand and copy the SORT.EX_ file from the Setup disk in drive A, type the following:

a:\sort.ex_

EXPAND prompts you with the following:

Type the location and/or name you want to give the expanded file. (Example: C:\DOS\EGA.SYS)

Expanded file:

If your MS-DOS files are in the C:\DOS directory, type the following:

c:\dos\sort.exe

MS DOS Command: EXIT

Reference from Microsoft MS-DOS cmd help

Description

Quits the MS-DOS command interpreter (COMMAND.COM) and returns to the program that started the command interpreter, if one exists.

Syntax

EXIT

Remarks

Using exit with the command interpreter

When you use the MS-DOS COMMAND command to start a new instance of the command interpreter, you can use the EXIT command to return to the old command interpreter. Also, while running some programs, you can run the MS-DOS command interpreter and then use the EXIT command to return to your program. For more information about command interpreters, see the COMMAND command.

If you are not using the /P (permanent) switch with the inital copy of COMMAND.COM, the EXIT command quits the command interpreter. You must then specify at the command prompt the location of the COMMAND.COM file to start the command interpreter again.

Using exit when the command program is loaded as permanent

If you start the COMMAND.COM program with the /P (permanent) switch, the EXIT command has no effect.