Content

MS DOS Command: DIR

Reference from Microsoft WinXP cmd help

Description

Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.

Syntax

DIR [drive:][path][filename] [/A[[:]attributes]] [/B] [/C] [/D] [/L] [/N] [/O[[:]sortorder]] [/P] [/Q] [/S] [/T[[:]timefield]] [/W] [/X] [/4]

Parameters

[drive:][path][filename]	Specifies drive, directory, and/or files to list.
attributes	D Directories R Read-only files S System files H Hidden files A Files ready for archiving - Prefix meaning not
/B	Uses bare format (no heading information or summary).
/C	Display the thousand separator in file sizes. This is the default. Use /-C to disable display of separator.
/D	Same as wide but files are list sorted by column.
/L	Uses lowercase.
/N	New long list format where filenames are on the far right.
/O	List by files in sorted order.
sortorder	N By name (alphabetic) S By size (smallest first) E By extension (alphabetic) D By date/time (oldest first) G Group directories first - Prefix to reverse order
/P	Pauses after each screenful of information.
/Q	Display the owner of the file.
/S	Displays files in specified directory and all subdirectories.
/T	Controls which time field displayed or used for sorting
timefield	C Creation A Last Access W Last Written
/W	Uses wide list format.
/X	This displays the short names generated for non-8dot3 file names. The format is that of /N with the short name inserted before the long name. If no short name is present, blanks are displayed in its place.
/4	Displays four-digit years

Remarks

Switches may be preset in the DIRCMD environment variable. Override preset switches by prefixing any switch with - (hyphen)--for example, /-W.