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Command line interpretor functionality

Never hit enter prematurely. Sorry guys! Anyway here my question. I've used MS-DOS in all its forms since its inception. I know most of the command syntax for older versions of DOS, but I'm unsure of what commands the XP (or Vista) shells support for two reasons. First, many of the commands I used to be able to use are either non-functional or irrelevant (to XP). Second, I need a resource (other than struggling with help files) to sort out what I've got to re-learn in order to make the most of this feature.
So, do any of you know a convient source for this information? I would find it very useful.

BTW - I've noticed that there appears to be an ongoing arguement about the utility of CLI's versus GUI's. In my humble opinion (having watched GUI's evolve, EACH has its own utility. Come on guys! GUI's can help automate a lot of tedious stuff we used to have to do by typing. Has anyone out there worked with a early verion of Motif? I did almost 20 years ago. Starting and managing a GUI from CLI commands was a pain in the rear. So, do you think we could cut down on the snide comments about 'lazy' people that don't want to be forced to learn the syntax of a lot of obscure command?
 
http://www.ss64.com/nt/index.html is a useful reference. It is a bit light on syntax information; but it at least gives you some idea of what is out there.

I've not been able to find a guide to commands and general syntax(as are fairly common with bash) for cmd.exe. Sorry. You can find bits and pieces scattered over Microsoft's knowledgebase with enough poking(this is what I've done when I needed something).
 
knowledgebase isn't really the place to look that up.

Use helpfiles or /? switch.

find the topic in the helpfiles call "command-line reference a-z". I'm not really sure what else you would need. Be sure to try the /? switch with cmd.exe itself as well.
 
I guess everyone is in the same boat over this one. The so-called 'MS-DOS' CLI window contained in XP's Program>Accessories menu doesn't offer a full range of MS-DOS commands and documentation for those that are still supported is limited . Further, any other commands that might have been implemented (if there are any) aren't documented all all. Would you consider these statements to be a fair summation of the situation? If so, then XP doesn't have a real Shell. Rather it has a pale imitation of the rather poor CLI included in older versions of DOS.
 
Sorry guys. The above comments were made before I checked out your references. Thanks for the useful information. Using both sources it looks like I'll be able to figure out most of the available commands (looks like an odd mix of NT and MS-DOS commands). Shouldn't be too hard to figure out (MS OS' usually don't feature the kind of complex command syntax and structure that Unix/unix-like OS' use - a blessing in some ways).
Thanks for the great responses.
 
That got kinda ranty dude. You shouldn't allow yourself to form and express such strong opinions when you already admit you don't know all the facts 🙁 Of course I shouldn't tell you what to do either 😛


If you are delving back into command line be sure to flip on quickedit, crank up the buffer, screen width and set some colors. Also, please never use the start menu to reach the command line. Windows key+R then CMD. Download the XP power toy or lookup the reghack to enable the "Open command window here" extension for the GUI .. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Be sure to hit the helpfiles regarding the recovery console as well. There are some commands there that don't exist in the OS and some that behave differently (/p switch in chkdsk for instance).
 
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