Win7 command prompt questions

I have a netbook running Win7 and I want to use the command prompt to run a DOS version of Turbo Basic. I can get it to run but I have to type in CMD into the start search menu to open the DOS window and then I have to change directories to start Turbo Basic and then load the program. I also can't get the command prompt window to run in full screen.

I'm wondering if there's a way to place an icon on the desktop to do all the directory changes and load the program without so many keyboard strokes? And also how to run the command prompt in full screen?

Reply to
Bill Bowden
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Have the command prompt run a batfile.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

Reply to
pcdhobbs

Have you looked into DOSBox?

Hell, I've used DOSBox to poke at some ancient QuickBasic programs I wrote; it handles serial port forwarding to a USB device, so the outing was even fruitful.

Win7 dropped NTVDM (XP had it) so I'm not sure how you're getting anything at all, actually. (Huh, or is it that they can still run from Win7 32 bit, but not 64?)

Tim

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Reply to
Tim Williams

Yes.

1) start menu 2) type in 'CMD' 3) RIGHT click on cmd.exe 4) Select 'Send to desktop (shortcut)' 5) Locate desktop cmd shortcut. 6) Right click. 7) Select 'Properties' 8) Set working directory
Reply to
Martin Riddle

Yes, that works. I wrote a batch file of 3 lines (CMD, CD\TB, TB.exe) using wordpad and saved it as c:\tb.bat. Then added a shortcut icon to the desktop so I just click the icon twice and it starts running Turbo Basic. But it won't run in full screen and I get a message that full screen mode is not supported. Thanks for the idea, I spent a couple hours getting it to work.

Reply to
Bill Bowden

Grumble. Example captured and displayed was for WinXP; i think the procedure may be slightly different for Win7 and will check. Basically, the CMD shortcut properties "should" allow that change. Will fiddle later and get back with results.

Reply to
Robert Baer

Well, no amount of fiddling with the CMD shortcut helps. BUT..

** Copied from
formatting link

--> BEWARE! Ignore all "recomend" crap. does not seem to be true, my maximized CMD window is moveable.

In Windows XP, after you open a command prompt, you could run the cmd in full-screen mode by clicking Alt+Enter, but if you try this in Windows Vista and later, you will get the following message: This system does not support fullscreen mode.

This happens because in Windows 7 and Windows Vista, the device drivers do not support running all of the DOS video modes. The device drivers are based on the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).

You may be able to work around this problem by installing the Microsoft Windows XP version of the video drivers for your video adapter. But by doing this, while you may be able to to run full screen DOS programs, you may lose the ability to run Aero!

There is another workaround of sorts, being recommended on the Internet for this, if you want the cmd to fill your screen. But remember that it is NOT the full-screen command prompt as is understood in XP; it is only a maximized window!

Type cmd in start search box and right-click on the cmd shortcut which appears in the results. Select Run CMD as administrator.

Next, in the command prompt, type wmic and hit Enter.

Now try to maximize it!

Close it and again open it. It will open as a maximized window!

*--> Well, i did not go that far. I simply clicked on the CMD shortcut for properties and set ScreenBuffer to 800 wide by 600 high; and window to (max) 128 wide, 58 high.

You may have to ensure that the Quick Edit Mode in the Options tab is checked.

Ofcourse, you could instead, also change its screen buffer size and window size, to achieve the same results!

If you want to reset the size back to normal defaults, right click the title bar and open Properties.

In the Layout tab, set Screen Buffer Size Width to 80, Window Size Width to 80 and Window Size Height to 25. Click OK.

In Windows 7, there?s no such thing as a real full-screen window-less cmd! What this trick does is simply make the screen size big!

/END COPY/

Above being said. i tried the following: Click Start, then go to All Programs, then Accessories. Click on Command Prompt. I see a full screen. You may click on the top bar to access Properties, which shows Screen Buffer to 800 wide by 600 high; and window to 128 wide, 58 high.

Did not exercise this; may or may not be a real full-screen window-less cmd.

Reply to
Robert Baer

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