On 10/15/05, Russell McMahon <apptech@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
>
> "Many probably new this for years" category.
> "DOS" commands can be complementary to Windows features.
> eg despite Windows 'find' / 'search' feature I find that DOS level
> commends are often more flexible and useful.
>
> I've just discovered a "feature" of the humble DI command which is (to
> me) most useful.
> I'm sure this never worked in real DOS and I don't recall it working
> in earlier versions of the Windows "DOS box".
>
> You can find files in a directory with the DIR command by adding "*"
> wild card before, between and after any number of fragments of the
> whole name.
>
> eg DIR *ASE*OD*ULA*
> would find "Laser Diode Modulator"
>
> The fragments can be at the start or end of a line and the leading and
> trailing * respectively become optional.
>
> eg DIR LASE*OD*DOC
>
> would find LASER DIODE MODULATOR.DOC
> and anything DOC file beginning with LAS, and containing OD.
>
> If you organise your file names systematically with eg Client Project
> Subject in order left to right, then this "feature" allows easy
> extraction of selected files.
>
> There are many file handling tools that are far far more powerful than
> this, but few that, once you own the O/S, are cheaper.
>
>
>
> RM
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>

One way of using dir that is lost now was typing dir.exe/s to find all the
exe's in the tree.. now it doesn't know what the heck you're trying to say
and you have to type dir *.exe/s . I miss DOS honestly. I enjoyed everythin=
g
about it that the layperson hated.
 James
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist