Appendix D. DOS and DOS Utility Programs' Keyboard Commands

In this appendix

DOS Startup Control Keys

When you start your computer and the Starting MS-DOS... message appears onscreen, you have about five seconds to press a few special keys to bypass some or all of the commands in your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files. These keys are available only in MS-DOS 6.0 and later:

  • F5 (Clean Boot). MS-DOS performs a minimal startup, ignoring any CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files in the root directory of the startup drive. DBLSPACE.BIN is still loaded into memory if your system uses compressed drives.

  • Ctrl+F5 (Clean Boot). Just like F5, except DBLSPACE.BIN is not loaded into memory. Any compressed drives are inaccessible.

  • F8 (Interactive Boot). MS-DOS prompts you for every line in your CONFIG.SYS file, enabling you to selectively execute or skip each line. To execute the remaining commands without being prompted, press the Esc key. When the CONFIG.SYS file is complete, DOS asks whether you want to execute your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

    Note that DBLSPACE.BIN is still loaded into memory if your system uses compressed drives. With F8 (Interactive Boot), you cannot choose whether to load DBLSPACE.BIN into memory.

    For MS-DOS 6.2, Microsoft has changed the behavior of the F8 key, and you are now prompted for each line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file as well as in your CONFIG.SYS file. To stop being prompted for each line, press the Esc key to execute or press the F5 key to bypass all the remaining lines in your startup files.

  • Ctrl+F8 (Interactive Boot). This is just like the F8 boot, except DBLSPACE.BIN is not loaded into memory. Any compressed drives are inaccessible.

ROM BIOS Control Keys

ROM BIOS commands are available at all times, although an application program can prevent them from working. (All are eliminated or changed when Microsoft Windows is active.) Break and Reboot should be avoided if possible because terminating a program in this way can damage open files, causing lost clusters or data loss. Your computer's ROM BIOS may provide other key combinations as well, such as commands to change processor speed, enter sleep mode, or access the CMOS Setup screen. Some keyboards provide a single key for these services (listed in Table D.1).

Table D.1. BIOS Control Keys and Their Functions

Keystroke Function Description
Ctrl+Alt+Del Reboot Requests the BIOS to perform a system reset (warm boot). Use only at the DOS prompt or when the computer stops responding to normal commands.
Ctrl+Break Break Stops (exits) a command or software application program. Use with caution.
Shift+PrtSc Print screen Prints the contents of the video display (text only). Check that your printer is turned on before requesting this service.
SysReq System request Requests system services. Does nothing on most PC systems. Not available on older 83-key keyboards.

DOS Control Keys

DOS provides the following functions, listed in Table D.2, although application programs often prevent them from working. (All are eliminated or changed when Microsoft Windows is active.)

Table D.2. DOS Control Keys and Their Functions

Keystroke Function Description
Ctrl+C Break Stops (exits) a command or software application program. Very useful for halting DOS commands. This DOS-provided Break command is somewhat safer than the Break command provided by the ROM BIOS.
Ctrl+S Pause Pauses the system until the next key is pressed. Identical to the ROM BIOS–provided service.
Ctrl+P Echo to PRN Echoes all characters to the printer (LPT1) as well as to the screen. Press Ctrl+P a second time to turn off.

Command-Line Editing Keys Without DOSKEY

The following keys listed in Table D.3 enable you to edit text on the command line when DOSKEY is not loaded. When you press Enter, the command line is placed in a template buffer and then executed by DOS. By pressing certain function keys, you can reuse characters from the template buffer in the next command line.

A cursor (current position) is maintained for both the template buffer offscreen and the command line onscreen. Normally, both cursors track each other, but certain function keys can alter this tracking. All actions are performed on the character at the cursor.

Table D.3. MS-DOS Command-Line Editing Keys and Their Functions

Keystroke Function Description
Enter Execute Executes the current command line and places a copy of it in the template buffer.
Esc Cancel Cancels the current command line without changing the template buffer. Resets the template cursor to the beginning of the line.
Backspace or left arrow Delete Moves left and one character from the command line. Leaves the template buffer unchanged.
F1 or right arrow Copy one Copies one character from the template to the command line.
F2 Copy up to Copies all remaining characters from the template up to, but not including, the next character you type.
F3 Copy all Copies all remaining characters from the template to the command line.
Del Skip one Skips (deletes) one character in the template buffer. (Complement of F1.)
F4 Skip up to Skips (deletes) all remaining characters from the template up to, but not including, the next character you type. (Complement of F2.)
Ins Add in Toggles insert mode. In insert mode, characters you type at the command line do not cause the template cursor to move. Note that this doesn't enable you to insert characters on the command line by moving the cursor and typing. It enables you only to type without moving the template cursor at the same time.
F5 New template Copies the current command line into the template buffer but doesn't execute the command line.
F6 EOF Inserts an end-of-file (EOF) marker (Ctrl+Z) into the command line.

When you use the console like an input file with certain commands (for example, COPY CON filename), some of the previous keystrokes become very useful. Pressing F6 inserts an end-of-file marker (Ctrl+Z) into the file and terminates the copy operation when you press Enter. (Anything you type after the Ctrl+Z is discarded.) Pressing Ctrl+Break or Ctrl+C aborts the copy operation.

Command-Line Editing Keys with DOSKEY

If you have DOSKEY loaded, the following keys are available:

Enter Executes the current command line.
Esc Clears the current command line.
Left arrow Moves left one character.
Right arrow Moves right one character.
Ctrl+left arrow Moves left one word.
Ctrl+right arrow Moves right one word.
Home Moves to the beginning of the command line.
End Moves to the end of the command line.
Backspace Moves left one character and deletes that character.
Del Deletes the character at the cursor.
Ctrl+Home Deletes all characters from the cursor to the beginning of the command line.
Ctrl+End Deletes all characters from the cursor to the end of the command line.
Up arrow Displays the previous DOS command.
Down arrow Displays the next DOS command; displays a blank line if you are at the end of the list.
PgUp Displays the first (earliest) command in the command- history buffer.
PgDn Displays the last command in the command-history buffer.
F7 Displays the contents of the command-history buffer in a numbered list.
Alt+F7 Clears the command-history buffer.
F8 Searches for the command or commands that most closely match the characters on the command line.
F9 Prompts you for the line number of the stored command you want to display. Use F7 to see a numbered list of the commands in the command-history buffer.
Alt+F10 Clears all macro definitions from memory.
Ins Toggles between overwrite mode (the default) and insert mode. (Note that the cursor changes shape.)
Ctrl+T Inserts a paragraph mark in the command line. Use Ctrl+T to separate multiple commands typed on one line.

Edit Keystroke Commands

When you are using the DOS editor (Edit), the following keystroke commands are available.

Enter  Executes the current command line.
Alt  Accesses menus.
Esc  Cancels a menu choice or a dialog box; exits Help.
F1  Opens context-sensitive help.
Shift+F1  Opens the “Getting Started” section of Help.
Left arrow Ctrl+S Moves left one character.
Right arrow Ctrl+D Moves right one character.
Ctrl+left arrow Ctrl+A Moves left one word.
Ctrl+right arrow Ctrl+F Moves right one word.
Up arrow Ctrl+E Moves up one line.
Down arrow Ctrl+X Moves down one line.
 Ctrl+Q,S Moves to the beginning of the current line.
Home  Moves to the first indent level on the line.
End Ctrl+Q,D Moves to the end of the current line.
Ctrl+Enter Ctrl+J Moves to the beginning of the next line.
 Ctrl+Q,E Moves to the top of the window.
 Ctrl+Q,X Moves to the bottom of the window.
F6  Toggles between the Help window and the Editing window when both are open.
Ctrl+up arrow Ctrl+W Scrolls up one line.
Ctrl+down arrow Ctrl+Z Scrolls down one line.
PgUp Ctrl+R Scrolls up one screen.
PgDn Ctrl+C Scrolls down one screen.
Ctrl+PgUp  Scrolls left one window.
Ctrl+PgDn  Scrolls right one window.
Shift+left arrow  Selects the character to the left.
Shift+right arrow  Selects the character to the right.
Ctrl+Shift+left arrow  Selects the word to the left.
Ctrl+Shift+right arrow  Selects the word to the right.
Shift+up arrow  Selects the line above.
Shift+down arrow  Selects one current line.
Shift+PgUp  Selects one screen up.
Shift+PgDn  Selects one screen down.
Ctrl+Shift+Home  Selects to the beginning of the file.
Ctrl+Shift+End  Selects to the end of the file.
Ctrl+Ins  Copies selected text to the Clipboard.
Shift+Ins  Pastes (inserts) text from the Clipboard.
Shift+Del  Cuts selected text to the Clipboard.
Ctrl+Y  Cuts the current line to the Clipboard.
Ctrl+Q,Y  Cuts to the end of the line to the Clipboard.
Backspace Ctrl+H Deletes the character to the left.
Del Ctrl+G Deletes the current character.
Del Ctrl+G Deletes the selected text.
Ctrl+T  Deletes to the end of the current word.
Shift+Tab  Deletes leading spaces from selected lines.
 Home, Ctrl+N Inserts a line above the cursor.
End+Enter  Inserts a line below the cursor.
 Ctrl+Q,F Searches for text.
F3 Ctrl+L Repeats the search.
 Ctrl+Q,A Changes text (search and replace).
Ins Ctrl+V Toggles between insert mode (the default) and overwrite mode.
Ctrl+P, Ctrl+key  Inserts a control character into the text.

DOS Shell Keystroke Commands

DOS 6.0 assigns special functions to some keys when you use them in the DOS Shell:

Enter Executes a command or operation.
Esc Cancels a command or operation; exits Help.
F1 Displays context-sensitive Help.
F3 or Alt+F4 Exits the DOS Shell.
Shift+F5 Repaints the screen.
Shift+F9 Goes to the DOS command prompt. You can type EXIT to return to the DOS Shell.
F10 or Alt Accesses the menu bar.
Up arrow Scrolls up one line.
Down arrow Scrolls down one line.
PgUp Scrolls up one screen.
PgDn Scrolls down one screen.
Letter key Moves to (finds) the next line in a list that begins with the letter entered.
Home Moves to the beginning of a line or list.
End Moves to the end of a line or list.
Ctrl+Home Moves to the beginning of a list.
Ctrl+End Moves to the end of a list.
Tab Moves to the next area or window.
Shift+Tab Moves to the previous area or window.
F5 Updates (refreshes) the directory tree and file list.
Ctrl+F5 Updates the file list for the current directory.
Ctrl+drive Selects the specified disk drive and displays its directories and files.
F7 Moves the selected files.
F8 Copies the selected files.
F9 Views the contents of the selected file. You can use F9 to toggle between an ASCII view and a hexadecimal view of the file.
Del Deletes the selected files.
Spacebar Selects the current file (Add mode).
Shift+up arrow Selects the previous file.
Shift+down arrow Selects the next file.
Shift+PgUp Selects the previous screen of files.
Shift+PgDn Selects the next screen of files.
Shift+spacebar Selects all files from the previously selected file to the cursor (Add mode).
Ctrl+/ Selects all files in the list.
Ctrl+ Deselects all files in the list.
Shift+F8 Toggles Add mode on and off.
Minus (–) Collapses (hides) the current branch of the directory tree.
Plus (+) Expands (displays) the current branch of the directory tree one level.
Asterisk (*) Expands (displays) the current branch of the directory tree completely.
Ctrl+* Expands (displays) all directories in the tree.

When the task list is activated, the following functions are available:

Shift+Enter Adds a program to the active task list.
Ctrl+Shift+Enter Adds a program to the active task list. When you run the program, it opens the file specified in the Properties dialog box automatically.
Ctrl+Esc Suspends a program and returns to the MS-DOS Shell.
Alt+Esc Switches to the next program in the task list.
Shift+Alt+Esc Switches to the previous program in the task list.
Alt+Tab Cycles forward through the active task list.
Ctrl+Alt+Tab Cycles backward through the active task list.
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