Using Windows 2000 Command Reference

Windows 2000 provides a rich set of command line functions that extend and enhance what has been possible with previous versions of Windows 2000 and MS-DOS. You can use these commands directly from a command prompt; for example, to change folders (chdir or cd), to obtain a list of the contents of a folder (dir), or to copy files (copy and xcopy).

In addition, you can combine and organize these commands into a batch file. Batch files (also called batch programs) allow you to simplify routine or repetitive tasks. A batch program is a text file that contains one or more commands and has a .bat or .cmd file name extension. When you type the file name at the command prompt, the commands in the file are executed sequentially. Putting together a batch file makes it possible to take advantage of program control commands such as if statements, goto statements, and for loops, which are standard program control constructs.

Windows 2000 Command Reference Main Page