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Working with the Command Prompt

Preserving a tradition that goes back decades, with Windows 7 you can enter commands, run batch programs, and run applications by typing commands in a Command Prompt window. If you're accustomed to performing administrative tasks at the command line, you don't need to change your ways in Windows 7.

The command prompt works identically in all editions of Windows 7.

Learn:

  • Starting and Ending a Command Prompt Session

  • Easy ways to invoke administrator Command Prompt sessions

  • Starting Command Prompt at a Particular Folder

  • Strings with Spaces Need Quotes

  • Cmd.exe vs. Command.com

  • Commands Are Not Case Sensitive

  • Starting Command Prompt and Running a Command and more.

In this tutorial:

  1. Starting and Ending a Command Prompt Session
  2. Easy ways to invoke administrator Command Prompt sessions
  3. Starting Command Prompt at a Particular Folder
  4. Strings with Spaces Need Quotes
  5. Cmd.exe vs. Command.com
  6. Commands Are Not Case Sensitive
  7. Starting Command Prompt and Running a Command
  8. Cmd.exe and Other Command Prompts
  9. Using AutoRun to Execute Commands When Command Prompt Starts
  10. Using Cmds Command-Line Syntax
  11. Using Commands
  12. Type /? for help
  13. Starting Programs
  14. Open Windows Explorer at the current Command Prompt folder
  15. Using File-Name and Folder-Name Completion
  16. Use a different completion character
  17. Using Wildcards
  18. Editing the Command Line
  19. Using Command Symbols
  20. The Redirection Symbols
  21. The Pipe Symbol
  22. The Command Combination Symbols
  23. Pausing or Canceling Commands
  24. Simplifying Command Entry with Doskey Macros
  25. DOSKEY Saves Typing
  26. System Variables Identify the Environment
  27. Viewing Environment Variables
  28. Modifying Environment Variables
  29. Predefined Environment Variables
  30. Customizing Command Prompt Windows
  31. Setting the Window Size and Position
  32. Setting the Window Size and Position Visually
  33. Selecting a Font
  34. Setting Colors
  35. Setting Other Options
  36. Copy and paste in the command prompt window
  37. Navigating from the command prompt
  38. Printing a list of filenames
  39. Commands Use Paths
  40. Identifying Executables
  41. Modifying the Path to Executables
  42. Modifying the Path with the GUI
  43. Changing the Current Path with CD
  44. Changing the Current Path with Windows Explorer
  45. Capturing the Output
  46. A Sampling of Commands
  47. Dir
  48. Copy
  49. XCopy
  50. SET
  51. NET USE
  52. SystemInfo
  53. DriverQuery
  54. Echo
  55. Advanced Shell Commands
  56. Creating a Batch File
  57. Scheduling a Batch File
  58. Creating Scheduled Tasks with a Script
  59. Using Windows PowerShell and the PowerShell ISE
  60. Windows PowerShell ISE
  61. PowerShell Commands
  62. Verbs and Nouns
  63. Sending Output to a Text File
  64. PowerShell Syntax
  65. Variables Created with a $ Symbol
  66. Comparison Operators
  67. Parentheses, Brackets, and Braces
  68. Running PowerShell Scripts
  69. PowerShell Execution Policy
  70. Changing the Execution Policy
  71. Looping
  72. Collections
  73. Creating a PowerShell Script
  74. Documenting Scripts
  75. Using PowerShell Commands
  76. Getting Help on PowerShell
  77. Using WMI_Cmdlets
  78. Getting Details on an Object
  79. Querying Information on Specific Objects
  80. Terminate Applications with Win32_process
  81. Formatting Output with the -f Format Operator
  82. Filtering the Output with the Where-Object Command
  83. Using the IF statement
  84. Using the Switch Statement
  85. Script Reusability