Command Line

Command-Line Interface (CLI) processes commands to a computer program in the form of lines of text. The program which handles the interface is called a command-line interpreter or command-line processor. Operating systems implement a command-line interface in a shell for interactive access to operating system functions or services.

Basic Command Line inputs

  • x /? provides syntax info and complete list of all parameters for x (a command, like “cd”)
  • cd change directory
  • cd .. move to the parent directory
  • cd x move to the current\x directory
  • cd z: change to the z root directory (as opposed to c:)
  • copy x y copy file x to directory y (Ex: D:\games\galaga.exe C:\programs[\awesome.exe]), [] = optional
  • copy file con display file contents in console
  • copy con file.txt create text file in the console window, end with ctrl+z (z or F6)
  • date change the date
  • del delete/erase
  • del x deletes all files/folders fitting x
  • del . deletes all files within current directory
  • del . = deletes all files within current directory
  • dir display contents of current directory (Ex: dir [c:][\programs]), [] = optional
  • dir *.txt list all .txt files in current directory
  • dir *.? list all files with extensions one character in length in current directory
  • dir /w /p . = display all contents one screen at a time
  • dir display all contents one line at a time
  • dir /? provides syntax info and complete list of all dir parameters
  • echo send command line input to display (by default)
  • echo sometext » somefile.txt append line(s) of text to any file
  • echo sometext > somefile.txt overwrites file with sometext
  • erase delete/erase
  • exit exit the command prompt
  • filename.txt opens filename.txt in current directory in Notepad (or default .txt program)
  • format z: format z drive [Ex: use to format a disc or flash drive]
  • mkdir x make directory x in current directory
  • move x y more or rename x to y
  • q escapes sequential display of contents (i.e. the more parameter)
  • rd x remove/delete directory x if it’s empty
  • ren x y rename file x to y
  • time change the time
  • type file display the contents of the file ‘file’ (displays file contents in console)
  • type file display the contents one line at a time