How to use DOS!

[Sethster]

Welcome. This forum will help you learn to use DOS, the way to use a computer before the pretty new point-and-click way. This can help if you have a really old computer or using emulation, such as DOSbox.

During the topic, if something is in [ ], that means it can be a number of different things.

Here are some basic commands:
dir- shows the current drive's contents. It is basically the same thing as opening file explorer in Windows or Finder in Mac.
cls or clrscr- clears the screen. Great for when your screen is too full of syntax errors.
date- displays the date and prompts the user to enter a new date.
time- same as date, but with time instead.
del [file]- deletes one or more files. I would try del sys 32.
edit- opens a text editor, pretty much the same as notepad from windows.
exit- exits the current command processor. Does nothing as a primary command unless in an open window in a windows computer. Closes the window if used as a primary command.
help- gives list of dos commands. Probably better than this topic.

Those are a few DOS commands I know. Visit http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_DOS_commands for a full list.

For DOSbox users:
version- states the current version of DOSbox
mount [drive] [file]- mounts the specified file to a drive. For example, mount c windows/users/user/downloads will mount the download file to the C drive.
[drive]- selects the drive you want. For example, entering C: will go to the C drive.

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

anyone using an MS-DOS VM (or god forbid using DOS period) is probably already going to know how to utilise it, and i would think cd (and md) are essential, basic commands

not to mention this is the wrong forum

[Sethster]

Under Programing, I'm pretty sure it would fit in well. Plus, I just wanted to give some tips to anyone who would want to use it but doesn't know how to.

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

a small guide to an operating system (which is unnecessary, as the operating system itself should either be ubiquitous enough or the user should be familiar enough) does not fit in Programming, which is for programming instead

Off-Topic is a more appropriate forum, so i have moved it there

[Raz]

It's close enough. This was not needed to be moved at all

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

Does a "how to use an iPad" guide fit under Programming

[Raz]

It's close enough. Not like a dead forum needs your help to stay dead.

[Kimonio]

If anyone knows how to program up a file that will flash LCDs without screwing with the keyboard, that'd be a nice guide.

[Sethster]

I would try BASIC coding if you want to do that. Here's the code for that, btw: (It's really a countdown timer but the screen flashes at the end)

1 Private Sub tmrFlash_Tick(ByVal sender AsSystem.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)Handles tmrFlash.Tick
2   If Me.BackColor = Color.Black Then
3      Me.BackColor = Color.White
4   ElseIf Me.BackColor = Color.Black Then
5      Me.BackColor = Color.White
6   Else
7      Me.BackColor = Color.White
8   End If
9 End Sub

If this doesn't work, I don't know.

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

"flashing the screen" is not flashing LCDs wherever they may be located, and did you not just directly take that from here