The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group
More Windows and DOS tips
George Skarbek
 gskarbek@melbpc.org.au
  • When using a DOS box in Win 95 you can still use long file names to change directories. For example:

     CD \WINDOWS\FAVORI~1
    or
     CD \WINDOWS\FAVORITES

    If there is a space in the name then you may use quotes such as:
     cd "My briefcase"

    The case is not important.
  • If Internet response appears to be slow on the site that you are exploring and you are looking at a blank screen, don't be afraid to press the Stop icon on the browser. Often it will bring up most of the page.
  • Ever used Explorer to find a file, but it was on another drive, so you had to use Find again and possibly again? Well Explorer allows you to search all drives in the one hit. Just select "My Computer" when you have Explorer open and Find will search all drives, or right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select Find.
  • If you are sending faxes via the fax modem, scan an image of your signature and insert it into your letter. In this way it will appear at the other end. If you don't have a scanner, fax to your computer's fax a page that contains your signature then just cut and paste it.
  • In Windows 95 you can assign sounds to many events. Double-click the Sounds icon in Control Panel and experiment. Search for *.wav to find more sounds. You can always turn them off.
  • By adding a "?" to the command line of DOS programs you will be prompted to add parameters when you start the program.
  • In Windows Explorer you can rename a file quickly by clicking once on it and pressing F2. You can rename desktop icons in the same way.
  • If you have to close a program that normally starts with Win 95, such as the Microsoft Office toolbar, you do not have to reboot to bring it back. Using Explorer, open the folder C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\ Programs\StartUp and double click on the required program.
  • When working in DOS, there are some things that must not be done from a DOS box in Windows 3.1 or 95 but must be done from DOS itself when Windows is not running. You can change the DOS box prompt to make it different from normal DOS to remind you you're still in Windows. Edit AUTOEXEC.BAT and add one line that reads

     SET WINPMT=Windows is active $p$g.
  • If you are at a command prompt in the Win 95 DOS box and want a visual display of that directory, type

    start .

    and an open folder of that directory will appear on the desktop. Typing

    start ..

    will give you the root directory view.
  • Win 95 DOS box now allows for expanded use of the * (wildcard) symbol in that you can specify to search before as well as after text. For example,

     DIR *good*.DOC

    will display all .DOC files with good anywhere in the name.
  • If you are running DOS 6 then you can optimise your computer memory use automatically by running MEMMAKER. This should do an acceptable job. Run this again after you alter your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files.
  • Dragging and dropping using Windows Explorer seems simple most of the time, with the odd perplexing result for some users. Here are the full rules:
    • When you drag a file from one folder to another on the same drive, Windows moves the file.
    • When you drag a file to a folder on a different drive, Windows copies the file.
    • If the original file is executable (COM, EXE, or BAT) and you drag it to a folder on a hard disk, you create a shortcut by default. If you drag it to a floppy, you get a copy.
    • Holding down Shift while you drag forces a move,
    • Holding Ctrl forces a copy,
    • Holding Ctrl+Shift creates a shortcut.
Now it's simple, isn't it?

Reprinted from the June 1998 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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