Software that provides a blank line and cursor on screen, allowing the user to type in instructions for immediate execution. All major operating systems (Windows, Mac, Unix, Linux, etc.) support command lines that system administrators and programmers can use to perform myriad operations more directly and efficiently than by using a graphical user interface (GUI). After typing a command, it is executed by pressing the enter key.
Windows Examples
There are numerous Windows/DOS commands in this encyclopedia, all of which have a "DOS" prefix, such as "DOS Copy" and "DOS dir. Following are two brief command examples. To do these operations in Windows Explorer or a Windows-based Pkzip utility would take numerous mouse clicks.
Interactive or Sequential
Commands can be executed interactively by the user, one at a time, or several commands can be executed sequentially as a group. To execute a group, the commands are saved in a text file with a name and extension (.bat for DOS, .cmd for Windows and .sh for Unix, Linux and Mac). The name of the file is typed on the command line, and after pressing Return, each command is executed in order. This file of commands is called a "script" or "batch file." See command processor and PowerShell.
Windows Command Line
This example shows three commands issued after the command line was launched in Windows XP. The cd /stage switches focus to the STAGE folder. The dir *.cmd lists all Windows batch files, which have a .CMD extension, and setstage executes the commands in the SETSTAGE.CMD file.
Mac/Unix/Linux Command Line
This example from Mac OS X, which is a Unix-based operating system, shows two commands issued after the command line ("terminal window") was launched. The cd desktop switches focus to the desktop, and ls X* lists all files that begin with upper case "X."
Windows Examples
There are numerous Windows/DOS commands in this encyclopedia, all of which have a "DOS" prefix, such as "DOS Copy" and "DOS dir. Following are two brief command examples. To do these operations in Windows Explorer or a Windows-based Pkzip utility would take numerous mouse clicks.
Command Operation Performed
copy *.html d:abc Copy all HTML files in
the current folder to the
ABC folder in the D drive.
pkzip xyz *.jpg Compress all JPEG files in
the current folder into a
Zip archive named XYZ.ZIP.
Interactive or Sequential
Commands can be executed interactively by the user, one at a time, or several commands can be executed sequentially as a group. To execute a group, the commands are saved in a text file with a name and extension (.bat for DOS, .cmd for Windows and .sh for Unix, Linux and Mac). The name of the file is typed on the command line, and after pressing Return, each command is executed in order. This file of commands is called a "script" or "batch file." See command processor and PowerShell.
Windows Command Line
This example shows three commands issued after the command line was launched in Windows XP. The cd /stage switches focus to the STAGE folder. The dir *.cmd lists all Windows batch files, which have a .CMD extension, and setstage executes the commands in the SETSTAGE.CMD file.
Mac/Unix/Linux Command Line
This example from Mac OS X, which is a Unix-based operating system, shows two commands issued after the command line ("terminal window") was launched. The cd desktop switches focus to the desktop, and ls X* lists all files that begin with upper case "X."
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Thanksgiving reading. Soccer and enterprise apps: the similarities and differences
- The other evening I had the pleasure of visiting Old Trafford soccer stadium. It's the home of Manchester United, arguably the most successful soccer team in living memory. Consistently at the top or near the top of the British Premier League and European Champions League in the late 20th and...
- Blog posts 2009-11-25
- The ARP Gadget
- Windows offers a command-line utility that lets you examine or modify the ARP cache. To make the tool easier to use, Greg Shultz has 'gadgetized' it for Vista and Windows 7. Visit our Microsoft Windows blog for more Windows information and resources.
- Download resources 2009-11-25
- Evaluate the efficiency of Windows 7 Power Plan settings
- In this edition of the Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, Greg Shultz examines the Windows 7 Power Plans. He then shows you how to use Windows 7's PowerCfg command line tool to evaluate the efficiency of your Power Plan settings.
- Download resources 2009-11-24
- WhosIP 1.05 (Windows)
- WhosIP is a simple command-line utility that allows you to easily find all available information about an IP address: The owner of the IP address, the country/state name, IP addresses range, contact information (address, phone, fax, and email), and more.
- Software downloads 2009-11-23
- Batch File FTP Sync Uploader 2009.1.1122 (Windows)
- Batch FTP Upload Synchronizer is an ultra-fast incremental FTP uploader/synchronizer. It has a friendly GUI and drag-n-drop interface which makes it easy to use software. Batch FTP Upload Synchronizer supports efficient Multi-Thread upload engine, so you can control the upload action with a couple of clicks. You can run the...
- Software downloads 2009-11-22
- ProduKey 1.40 (Windows)
- ProduKey is a small utility that displays the ProductID and the CD-key of MS-Office, Windows, Exchange Server, and SQL Server installed on your computer. You can view this information for your current running operating system, or for another operating system/computer, by using command-line options. This utility can be useful if...
- Software downloads 2009-11-22
- 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S
- Photo gallery:2010 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 SWhen the 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe showed up in our garage, we registered some disappointment as we first looked around the car. The cool coupe style suggested days spent straightening the curves along winding mountain roads, but the continuously variable automatic transmission and four-cylinder...
- Product reviews 2009-11-20
- Talking Clipboard 1.7.1.5 (Windows)
- Talking Clipboard is a text to speech software, that can read text documents, RSS feeds and Web pages using realistic synthetic voices and can convert text to audio files for your music player. It has lots of useful features, and supports all SAPI 5 compliant voices. It can read text...
- Software downloads 2009-11-20
- MimMac 1.10 (Mac)
- Clones, backups, and data synchronization made easy. MimMac is a fast, easy-to-use, and comprehensive backup and cloning utility, designed to make backing up, synchronizing, merging, and cloning your data as painless as possible. With MimMac, there's no need to set up complex scripts, or navigate a bloated interface just to...
- Software downloads 2009-11-20
- SMTPSEND 8.0.0.3 (Windows)
- SMTPSEND is a small light weight application used to send mail messages without the need for a heavy weight e-mail client such as Microsoft Outlook. SMTPSEND will use any SMTP mail server that resides on your local network. When sending an email message you can specify many parameters such as...
- Software downloads 2009-11-20
- Google makes Chrome OS open source today
- I like itThe ChromeOS demo looked pretty cool!I'm almost 100% webapp-based already, so I could see myself using a simple, fast & no maintenance OS like that the majority of the time.I like it too, but, for me, I need to compile and run programs locally. I would imagine that...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- 2010 Honda Fit Sport
- Photo gallery:2010 Honda Fit SportSince its introduction to the U.S. market in 2007, the Honda Fit has endeared itself to small car lovers with its economical engine and flexible interior. The car received an update for 2009, gaining size and an optional navigation system. Those updates came just in time,...
- Product reviews 2009-11-19
- logKext 2.3 (Mac)
- LogKext is a freeware keylogger for Mac OS X. LogKext is controlled by a command-line client called logKextClient, and logfiles are encrypted with Blowfish encryption by default.
- Software downloads 2009-11-19
- Egg 1.591 (Windows)
- Looking for a program to measure how much time you spend on jobs, time chess games, or to prevent you freezing soft-drink cans? Egg is an easy to use timer that can do these tasks and more. It can count up and down, is settable by second divisions from 3...
- Software downloads 2009-11-19
- TextPipe Lite 8.4.4 (Windows)
- TextPipe Lite searches and replaces your entire website even millions of files quickly and easily. Features: Perform one or more replacements at the same time. Search for multi-line text and special characters. Restrict replacing to just inside HTML tags like the TITLE tag, META tags, inside the ALT text of...
- Software downloads 2009-11-18
- install4j 4.2.5 (Windows)
- install4j is a cross platform Java installer that produces native launchers and installers for all major platforms. Install4j offers an intuitive GUI that makes it easy to quickly define installation projects. A command line compiler and integration for Apache ANT are included.
- Software downloads 2009-11-18
- Tcl Dev Kit 5.1 (Mac)
- The Tcl Dev Kit TDK provides essential tools for Tcl programmers, making it easy to create, build and deploy applications. Rapidly deploy Tcl applications to a broad range of platforms, as ready-to-run executables, starkits or starpacks. Simplify development with tools for finding and fixing bugs, managing complex code bases, and...
- Software downloads 2009-11-17
- Porticus 1.8 (Mac)
- Porticus is a Cocoa GUI for the MacPorts package manager. MacPorts provides ready to build open-source software packages modified to compile and run on Mac OS X. The MacPorts project provides a TCL command line tool to manage installation, update and activation of the port packages. Porticus provides a GUI...
- Software downloads 2009-11-17
- CLIX 2.0.0.6 (Mac)
- Get the power of a command line without ever getting near it. Do all those things your system maintenance utilities try to do - but do them better and do them your own way. No typing - just 'clix'. You have to perform maintenance routines. You know that. But make...
- Software downloads 2009-11-16
- Falco Graph Builder 2.1 (Windows)
- alco Graph is one of the useful program for the education. It allows to draw mathematical, geometrical graphics on the axis. When parameters in the command line have been set the graphic appears on the axis. Falco Graph is a very useful instrument for a schoolkid or a student. It...
- Software downloads 2009-11-16
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
- The more you simplify, the more you save
-
When you transition from your existing Red Hat environment to SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, you can recognize dramatic cost savings, perhaps as much 50%
- Learn more >>
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
Popular Sanity Saver Videos
