How To Use a DOS-Window in Windows™


If you've never worked at a DOS prompt before, you can find the program in your START, "Programs" menu as shown here:

Programs, MS-DOS

You should now see a DOS window on your screen like this:

MS-DOS WINDOW

In this case, you simply make use of the mouse to Mark text and the ENTER key to Save it to the Clip-board. Pasting is done with the "Right-click" of the mouse. Those of you who work with Linux consoles will find this rather interesting I would assume! Both the Scroll and Find features ( which are entirely new compared to the old DOS-windwos) have been seemingly ported from the Linux console as well. You will also notice that the text in the Title bar changes depending upon which functions you select from the "Edit" menu; another helpful addition.


Location of the "Properties" and "Background" buttons:

If you click on the "Properties" button, you'll be presented with a properties box full of tabs that is a bit overwhelming for many users. We will not  be covering most of these functions in this introductory page. For some brief help on any item not discussed here, either right-click on the item, such as "Allow Screen Saver" and choose "What's This?" or use the Question-Mark button (see below) to get the pop-up help box.


There's one more button left to discuss: The "Background" selection button. This is only here for those users who need to manage their computing resources on a very strict basis! You should always leave the button pushed IN (normal setting) to keep whatever program you may have started in the DOS window "running in the background" just like any other Windows™ program.

If you click this to the off position, then your DOS program will not use "any system resources" (see the next pic) unless the window is active; if you minimize or set the focus on another window, it's similar to halting or pausing the DOS program when the button is in the off position. [ Note: Clicking on this button either checks or unchecks the same property under Background in the "Misc" TAB of the Properties box.]



Button pushed IN = ON ("Run in the background")
Button OUT = OFF ( The same as checking
"Always suspend" in the Properties box under Miscellaneous.)




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