Entering an MS-DOS Command
To enter an MS-DOS command, you need to type the command in the correct format. The command format provides MS-DOS with the information needed to perform a task.
The MS-DOS command format consists of the command name, parameters, and delimiters. The command name tells MS-DOS the task you want the computer to perform. Parameters specify information such as what data you want to process and where to locate or store a file. Delimiters are characters such as spaces or commas that separate command names and parameters.
For example, the command to format a diskette in drive A is:
FORMAT A:
delimiter
FORMAT is the name of the command that tells MS-DOS to execute the file FORMAT.COM. The A : is a parameter that tells MS-DOS what to format-in this case, the diskette in drive A. The space between FORMAT and A : is the delimiter that allows MS-DOS to distinguish the command name (FORMAT) from the parameter (A : ).
Some commands also have optional switches you can use. A switch is a type of parameter that changes the effects of a command. A forward slash usually precedes a switch. For example, suppose you want to format a 720KB diskette in a 1.44MB diskette drive. To do this, you add the following switch to the FORMAT command:
FORMAT A: /F:720
If you do not add the /F:720 switch, MS-DOS tries to format the 720KB diskette as a 1.44MB diskette.
Using MS-DOS with Your Equity 386SX | 4-7 |