Starting and Stopping The Desktop Taskbar Tweaking Tuning Up Explorer Keyboardese Shortcuts Galore Sound Advice Registry Review Improving Performance Installing Software Custom Looks Net Working Dos Forever DOS FOREVER Using the Command Prompt Here are some tips for people who don't want to leave behind their command prompts. In addition to the MS-DOS standards . and .., there are two new directory symbols: ... is the parent directory, once removed .... is the parent directory, twice removed You can drag and drop files to the Command Prompt. The file name appears in the keyboard buffer. You can run Windows programs from the Command Prompt. You can also open folders by typing "start ." or "start .." at the prompt. The start command can even run programs or documents. To run a batch file at the Command Prompt Right-click Command Prompt and select "Properties" Enter batch file under "program/batch file." Command Line Multi-tasking Here is handy way to multitask on the command line. A small batch file does the trick. Save the following as ascii text with a .bat extension, "bg.bat" for example. start /m command /c %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 "bg" then placed ahead of routine a command line such as "bg pkunzip data.zip c:\datadir -d will unzip in the background. Those using UNIX or OS/2 are used to this feature. Copying In DOS You may copy graphics from a DOS window as well as text. For example, while running a graphics game you can press: Alt-Enter to make a DOS window Click on the upper left hand corner Select Edit/Mark Select a region with the mouse Select Edit/Copy or press the Enter key You can then paste it into another program Options in MSDOS.SYS To activate the following options, attrib your MSDOS.SYS file in your directory and use a text editor to add any of these lines under the OPTIONS heading. These commands are case sensitive. NOTE: Tested only with Windows95 full install. BootWin=0 This command will boot into your OLD DOS without loading Windows 95. BootGUI=0 Boots DOS 7.0 instead of Windows 95. BootMenu=1 Displays the Windows 95 Start Up Menu WITHOUT having to hit the F4 and F8 keys. BootDelay=n (number value in seconds) Just like the old multi-boot, the sets the value in seconds for how long you want the scroll bar to wait until it processes the menu. BootMenuDefault=n Just like the old multi-boot, this allows you place the scroll bar on the menu item of your choice as a default. BootMulti=1 This will put the line "Previous Version of DOS" at the bottom of the menu options. LOGO=0 Disables the Windows 95 logo on Windows boot-up. New XCOPY Switches There are quite a few new switches to the XCOPY command. To get a full listing, type XCOPY /?. Below are some of the additions over DOS 6.X. /C - Continues copying even if errors occur /I - If destination does not exist and copying more than one file, assumes that destination must be a directory /Q - Does not display file names while copying /F - Displays full source and destination file names while copying /L - Displays files that would be copied /H -Copies hidden and system files also /R - Overwrites read-only files /T - Creates directory structure, but does not copy files. Does not include empty directories or subdirectories. /T /E includes empty directories and subdirectories /U - Updates the files that already exist in destination /K - Copies attributes. Normal Xcopy will reset read-only attributes /Y - Overwrites existing files without prompting /-Y - Prompts you before overwriting existing files /N - Copy using the generated short names A DOS lover's registry hack This registry hack adds an "Open DOS Box" command to the right-click menu when highlighting folders or folder shortcuts. Clicking it opens an MS-DOS box set to the directory and folder you clicked on! Two commands,"Edit with Notepad" and "Open DOS Box," are added when you right-click a file. Notepad defaults for unknown extensions, so if you have a file like "blah.rmn," it will open in notepad. Just double click on the REG fileto initiate. REGEDIT4 ; Add the 'Open DOS Box' option, for folders and files [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\Shell\Open_DOS_Box] @=3D"Open DOS &Box" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\Shell\Open_DOS_Box\command] @=3D"COMMAND.COM /K CD %1" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\Shell\Open_DOS_Box] @=3D"Open DOS &Box" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\Shell\Open_DOS_Box\command] @=3D"COMMAND.COM" ; Add the 'Edit with Notepad' option for files [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\Shell\Edit_with_Notepad] @=3D"Edit &with Notepad" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\Shell\Edit_with_Notepad\command] @=3D"notepad.exe %1" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\*\Shell] @=3D"Edit_with_Notepad" Unabridged version of Tips and Tricks for Windows 95 copyright © 1995 - 2001 Hanar Software, all rights reserved. Tips and Tricks for Windows 95 Abridged Internet Edition copyright © 1997-2001, Hanar Software and William Foard Publishing, all rights reserved. AmericaToday.com copyright © 1995 - 2001 William Foard Publishing. Microsoft, MS, Windows, and the Windows logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Corporation in no way endorses or is affiliated with Tips and Tricks for Windows 95. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owner(s).