Boing Ball  Amiga Emulator FAQ

AmigaDOS Commands

Updated: 19/02/2024

These are the AmigaDOS commands found in the C directory with an explaination of the command, format and an example.
See AmigaOS 4 commands here.


Addbuffers
Format: Addbuffers Drive/A Buffers/N
Purpose: To add memory to floppy disk buffers to improve speed.
Parameters: Drive = Name of drive, Buffers = Size of buffers to add.
Example: Addbuffers DF0: 10

AddDatatypes
Format: AddDataTypes files/M QUIET/S REFRESH/S
Purpose: To activate datatypes or adds another datatype.
Parameters: files = List of datatypes to add, Quiet = No output, Refresh = Update datatypes.
Example: AddDataTypes gif.datatype REFRESH

Alias
Format: Alias Name String/F
Purpose: To assigns a short name to a command.
Parameters: Name = Alias name, String = String or command to use for alias.
Example: Alias Del Delete

Ask
Format: Ask Prompt/A
Purpose: To ask a user a question in a script (reply y/n). Use IF WARN to test for a yes.
Parameters: Prompt = Text to be displayed.
Example: Ask "Are you sure? Y/n"

Assign
Format: Assign Name Target/M LIST/S EXISTS/S DISMOUNT/S DEFER/S
PATH/S ADD/S REMOVE/S VOLS/S DIRS/S DEVICES/S

Purpose: To assign names to directory paths.
Parameters: Name = Name of the assign, Target = Directory path, List = Display list of assigns, Exists = Test if
assign exists (use IF WARN), Dismount = Remove assign, Defer = Assign later, Path = Add assign with path,
Add = Add a new target to existing path (like LIBS:), Remove = Remove an assign, Vols = List volumes,
Dirs = List directories, Devices = List devices.
Example: Assign PPaint: DH0:PPaint
Alternative commands: AddAssign, AsgPrefs, AutoAssign

Avail
Format: Avail CHIP/S FAST/S TOTAL/S FLUSH/S VIRTUAL/S [SHOW=BLOCKS | BYTES | SIZE]
Purpose: To display memory availablility.
Parameters: Chip = Display chip memory, Fast = Display fast memory, Total = Display all memory, Flush = Free up
memory. New version options: Virtual = Virtual memory, Show = Show in Blocks bytes or
Example: Avail TOTAL

Binddrivers
Format: BindDrivers
Purpose: To load device drivers for old hardware.
Example: BindDrivers

Break
Format: Break Process/A/N ALL/S C/S D/S E/S F/S
Purpose: To stop a program (see Status) using a Ctrl+Key combination.
Paramters: Process = Process name, All = Apply C,D,E and F, C = Apply Ctrl+C, D = Apply Ctrl+d, E = Apply Ctrl+E,
F = Apply Ctrl+F.
Example: Break 2 C

CD
Format: CD Dir/A
Purpose: To change to another directory.
Parameters: Dir = The directory to change to.
Example: CD Text_Files

ChangeTaskPri
Format: ChangeTaskPri Pri=Priority/A/N Process/K/N
Purpose: To change a program's execution priority (see Status).
Parameters: Pri = Priority to apply (-128 to +127), Process = Process number (see Status).
Example: ChangeTaskPri 2 1

CMD
Format: CMD Parallel/S Serial/S File/A Opt/K/M Skip/S Multiple/S Notify/S
Purpose: To redirect output sent to a parallel or serial port and store result to a file.
Parameters: Parallel = Capture parallel port, Serial = Capture serial port, File = Destination file,
Opt = S (Skip), M (Multiple files), N (Notify user of progress), Skip = skip initial short write eg reset,
Multiple = Redirect multiple files until Break or Ctrl+C, Notify = Notify user of progress.
Example: CMD Parallel T:Output.dat Skip
Alternative commands: New Printer preferences Generic Text and To File option.

Conclip
Format: Conclip Unit/N OFF/S
Purpose: to activate the clipboard device.
Parameters: Unit = Clipboard unit, Off = Turn off clipboard.
Example: Conclip 1

Copy
Format: Copy From/M To/A ALL/S QUIET/S BUF=BUFFER/K/N CLONE/S
DATES/S NOPRO/S COM/S NOREQ/S

Purpose: To copy files to another file or to another directory (with/without protection bits).
Parameters: From = Files to copy, To = Directory or file to copy to, All = Copy all files, Quiet = No output,
Buffer = Size of buffer (default = 100K), Clone = Copy file and datestamp, protect bits and comment, Dates =
Copy datestamp as well, NoPro = Set default protection bits, Com = Copy comment, NoReq = No requester popups.
Example: Copy mydoc.txt docs: Dates

CPU
Format: CPU CACHE/S BURST/S NOCACHE/S NOBURST/S DATACACHE/S DATABURST/S
NODATACACHE/S NODATABURST/S INSTCACHE/S INSTBURST/S NOINSTCACHE/S
NOINSTBURST/S COPYBACK/S NOCOPYBACK/S EXTERNALCACHE/S
NOEXTERNALCACHE/S FASTROM/S NOFASTROM/S NOMMUTEST/S CHECK/K

Purpose: To change or display CPU settings e.g. caches, burst, fastrom. Useful for some backward compatibility.
Parameters: Cache|NoCache|DataCache|InstCache|NoDataCache|NoInstCache = Turn all or some caches on of off,
Burst|NoBurst|DataBurst|InstBurst|NoDataBurst|NoInstBurst = Turn all or some burst modes on or off,
CopyBack|NoCopyBack = Enable/disable copyback mode for 68040, ExternalCache|NoExternalCache = Enable/disable external
cache for 68040, FastRom|NoFastRom = Copy ROM Fast memory or not, NoMMUTest = Don't check for MMU, Check = Check cpu.
Example: CPU INSTCACHE FASTROM

Date
Format: Date Day Date Time To=Ver/K
Purpose: To display or change the date or time.
Parameters: Day = Day of the Week, Date = Date in dd-mmm-yy format, Time = Time in hh:mm[:ss] format, To = Save to filename.
Example: Date To=date.txt

Delete
Format: Delete File/M/A ALL/S QUIET/S FORCE/S
Purpose: To delete files or directories.
Parameters: Files = One or more files, All = Delete all subfolders and files, Quiet = No output, Force = Ignore
protection flags when deleting.
Example: Delete OldFilesDir All

Dir
Format: Dir Dir Opt/K ALL/S DIRS/S FILES/S INTER/S
Purpose: List the contents of a directory.
Parameters: Dir = Directory, Opt = Option, Dirs = List directories, Files = List Files, Inter = Interactive mode.
Example: Dir S: Files

Diskchange
Format: Diskchange Device/A
Purpose: To tell Amigados that a disk has been changed in a non-autosensing disk drive.
Parameters: Device = Name of a removable device.
Example: Diskchange DF2:

Diskcopy
Format: Diskcopy From/A To/A Name/K NOVERIFY/S MULTI/S
Purpose: Duplicates disk to another disk.
Parameters: From = Disk to copy from, To = Disk to copy to, Name = Volume name, NoVerify = Do not verify copy,
Multi = Make more than one copy.
Example: Diskcopy DF0: to DF1:
Alternative commands: X-Copy

DiskDoctor
Format: Diskdoctor Drive/A
Purpose: Program to repair disk problems (in place). Deprecated in WB2.
Parameters: Drive = Disk drive name.
Example: DiskDoctor DF0:
Alternative Commands: DiskSalv, PFSSalv2, RDBSalv

Echo
Format: Echo String/M NOLINE/S FIRST/K/N LEN/K/N TO/K
Purpose: To display text in a script or part of a string of text.
Parameters: String = Text to display, NoLine = Do not print a new line, First = Position of first character, Len = Length of substring, To = Destination file.
Example: Echo "Enter your name: " NoLine

Ed
Format: ED From/A Size/N With/K Window/K Tabs/N Width=Cols/N Height=Rows/N
Purpose: To edit text files using a screen editor.
Parameters: From = File to Edit, Size = Size of Memory for file, With = Extended commands file, Window = Console window (e.g. * = current), Tabs = Tab size, Width = Number of columns, Height = Number of rows.
Example: ED S:User-Startup
Alternative commands: MEmacs, BlacksEditor, CygnusEd, GoldEd, StormC5Ed

Edit
Format: Edit From/A To With/K Ver/K Opt/K Width/N Previous/N
Purpose: To edit text files using a line editor.
Parameters: From = File to Edit, To = Destination file, With = Extended commands file, Opt = Options
Width = Number of columns, Previous = Number of previous vesions.
Example: Edit s:User-Startup With Ed-Script

Else
Format: Else
Purpose: It is used with the IF statement. Run if the conifition is not true do the following .commands
Example:
If Exists s:User-Startup
  Say "User Startup already exists"
Else
  Ed s:User-Startup
Endif

Endcli
Format: Endcli
Purpose: To close the current command line interface (cli) window
Example: Endcli

Endif
Format: Endif
Purpose: To finish an IF..ELSE..ENDIF block.
Example:
If $Age GT 65
  Say "You are a pensioner!"
Endif

Endskip
Format: Endskip
Purpose: Command to stop a SKIP branch (for debugging).
Example: Endskip

Eval
Format: Eval Value1/A Op Value2/M To/K LFormat/K
Purpose: To evaluate a simple arithmetic expression.
Parameters: Value1, Value2 = Values to evaluate (Decimal, Hex (0xn) or Octal (0nnn), Op = Operation (+,-,*,/,^,%), To = File to save result, LFormat = Output format string (use *n to give a line feed).
Example: Eval $count + 1 to env:count

Execute
Format: Execute File/A
Purpose: To execute a script or batch file.
Parameters: File = Script file to execute.
Script operators: .key = argument name, .bra = Open bracket char, .ket = Closing bracket char, .dol = default dollar char, .def Ard "content" - set default contents of argument.
Example: Execute PCD

Failat
Format: Failat RCLIM/A
Purpose: To change the failure limit for scripts (0,5,10,20).
(0 - Ok, 5 - Warn, 10 - Error, 20 - Fail).
Parameters: RCLIM = Failat number (0-20)
Example: Failat 20

Fault
Format: Fault Error/N/M
Purpose: To display an error message from a code.
Parameters: Error = One or more error numbers.
Example: Fault 221
"Fault 221: Disk is full"

FixFonts
Format: Fixfonts
Description: Updates the dot-font files after updating contents of FONTS: drawer.
Example: FixFonts

FF
Format: FF
Purpose: To turn on Fast Fonts.
Example: FF

FileNote
Format: Filenote File/A Comment ALL/S QUIET/S
Purpose: To attach a comment to a file (see LIST).
Parameters: File = File to add comment to, Comment = Text to apply, All = Apply to all files, Quiet = No output
Example: FileNote List.txt "A list of people's names"

Format
Format: Format Device=Drive/K/A Name/K/A OFS/S FFS/S INTL=INTERNATIONAL/S NOINTL=NOINTERNATIONAL/S DIRCACHE/S NODIRCACHE/S NOICONS/S QUICK/S
Purpose: Program to initialise Amiga disks
Location: System folder
Parameters: Device|Drive = Disk device or name to format, Name = New volume name, OFS = Old Filing System, FFS = Fast File System, Intl|International = FFS International mode, NoIntl|NoInternational = International mode off, DirCache|NoDirCache = Directory caching on or off, NoIcons = No disk or trash icons, Quick = Less thorough format
Example: Format Drive DF0: Name "Docs" NOICONS FFS

Get
Format: Get Name/A
Purpose: Program returns the contents of local environment variable.
Parameters: Name = Enviornment variable name.
Example: Get RC

Getenv
Format: Getenv Name/A
Purpose: Program returns the contents of a global environment variable.
Parameters: Name = Enviornment variable name.
Example: Getenv Workbench

GraphicDump
Format: GraphicDump Size/K Tiny/S Small/S Medium/S Large/S Delay/N/K Unit/N/K Dots
Purpose: Prints the front most screen to the printer using the size or dimensions given.
Parameters: Size = Specify size, Tiny = 1/4 of width of printer, Small = 1/2 of width of printer,
Medium = 3/4 of width of printer, Large = Full Size, Delay = time before printing,
Unit = Printer unit, Dots = Resolutions in width:height format:
Example: GraphicDump Medium

Iconx
Format: Iconx
Purpose: Program enables a script to be run from Workbench. The script must have a Project .info file and the Default Tool set to c:IconX to run the script.
Example: Iconx

If
Format: If NOT/S WARN/S ERROR/S FAIL/S EQ/K GT/K GE/K VAL/S EXISTS/K
Purpose: If the econdition is true then execute following commands until an ELSE or ENDIF statement occurs.
Parameters: Not = Reverse boolean result, Warn = Test warn flag from previous command, Error = Test error flag from previous command, Fail = Test fail flag from previous command, EQ = Equality test, GT = Greater than test, GE = Greater or equal test, VAL = Input is a number, Exists = Test file exists.
Example: IF WARN, IF $count GT 10, IF EXISTS C:List

Info
Format: Info Device
Purpose: Program to display information about mounted disks.
Parameters: Device = Name of device to display.
Example: Info DH0:

InitPrinter
Format: InitPrinter
Purpose: To initialise a printer using setting in the Printer Preferences. Prnter must be on for this to complete.
Example: InitPrinter

Install
Format: Install Device/A NOBOOT/S CHECK/S FFS/S
Purpose: Program saves a bootblock to a disk. If you have only one drive then type INSTALL ? and then swap disks and then type DF0: and press RETURN to save the bootblock.
Parameters: Device = Disk to install bootblock, NoBoot = Erase bootblock, Check = Test for bootblock, FFS = Use Fast File System.
Example: Install DF0:

IPrefs
Format: IPrefs
Purpose: Program to initialise the preferences files on startup.
Example: IPrefs

Join
Format: Join File/M/A AS=TO/K/A
Purpose: Program to join two or more files together.
Parameters: File = File(s) to join together, To|as = Destination file Example: Join File1 File2 File3 as FileFull

Lab
Format: Lab Label
Purpose: Defines a label of a position in a script to skip to in a script using the Skip command.
Parameters: Label = Name of label
Example: Lab PROC2

List
Format: List Dir/M P=PAT/K KEYS/S DATES/S NODATES/S To/K Sub/K Since/K Upto/K QUICK/S BLOCK/S NOHEAD/S FILES/S DIRS/S LFORMAT/K ALL/S
Purpose: Program which lists file details in a directory.
Parameters: Dir = One or more directory name(s), Keys = Display keys, NoDates = Do not display dates, To = Destination file, Sub = Subdirectories included, Since = List files since date given, Upto = List files upto given date, Quick = Simple directory list, Block = List files in block sizes, NoHead = Do not display header lines, Files = Files only, Dirs = Directorys only, LFormat = Output list using this format string, All = All files.
Example: List Workbench: Block Dates Since=01-Jul-00

LoadResource
Format: LoadResource NAME/M LOCK/S UNLOCK/S
Purpose: Loads resources into memory to avoid excessive disk swaps.
Parameters: Name = Name of library, device, font or catalog resource, Lock = Lock resource into memory to prevent it being flushed due to low memory, Unlock = Allow resource to be flushed from RAM.
Example: LoadResource LIBS:asl.library

LoadWB
Format: Loadwb -DEBUG/S DELAY/S CLEANUP/S NEWPATH/S
Purpose: Program which displays the workbench screen.
Parameters: Debug = Activate debug menu, Delay = Wait 3 secs before loading, Cleanup = Clean up desktop, NewPath = Resnap current path settings.
Example: LoadWB -Debug

Lock
Format: Lock Drive/A ON/S OFF/S Passkey
Purpose: Program to lock or unlock a device from writing to it..
Parameters: Drive = Drive to lock, On|Off = Turn lock on or off, PassKey = Specify password.
Example: Lock DH1: On GHK459

MagTape
Format: MagTape Device/K Unit/N/K RET=RETENSION/S REW=REWIND/S SKIP/N/K
Purpose: Program controls a magnetic tape device.
Parameters: Device = Tape device, Unit = Unit number, Ret|Retension = Retension tape, Rew|Rewind = Rewind tape, Skip = Skip parts of tape by a value.
Example: Magtape Device TAPE1: Unit 0 REWIND

MakeDir
Format: Makedir Name/M
Purpose: To create one or more new directories.
To create an icon for it too, copy Env:sys/def_drawer.info to the Name.info where the drawer is.
Parameters: Name = One or more directories to create.
Example: MakeDir DH1:Docs DH1:Basic DH0:TempFiles

MakeLink
Format: MakeLink From/A To/A HARD/S FORCE/S
Purpose: To create a logical link between two files.
Parameters: From = Link file, To = Actual file, Hard = Hard link, Force = Link to sub-directory
Example: MakeLink T C:Type Hard

Memacs
Format: Memacs From/A Opt/K Goto/K
Purpose: Full screen editor.
Parameters: From = file to edit, Opt = W = Open in Workbench screen rather than its own,
Goto = Open file and go to the specificed line in that file.
Example: Memacs file.txt Opt W Goto 100
Alternative commands: Ed, BlacksEditor, CygnusEd, GoldEd, StormC5Ed

More
Format: More filename | <PIPE:pipename
Description: Display a file from a file or piped from a pipe queue.
Parameters: Name of file or pipe to read file from.
Example: More readme.txt
Alternative commands: Type, Multiview , Less, Muchmore or EvenMore

Mount
Format: Mount Device/M From/K
Purpose: To load and mount a device.
Parameters: Device = Device to mount, From = Mount file
Example: Mount DEVS:CD0

Multiview
Format: MULTIVIEW filename [CLIPBOARD/S][CLIPUNIT unit/K/N][SCREEN/S][PUBSCREEN/K][REQUESTER/S][BOOKMARK/S][FONTNAME/K][FONTSIZE size/K/N] [BACKDROP/S][WINDOWS/S]
Purpose: To display text, pictures, audio or video using datatypes.
Examples:
MULTIVIEW readme.txt
MULTIVIEW document.txt FONTNAME Courier FONTSIZE 12
MULTIVIEW pic1.jpg SCREEN
MULTIVIEW music.mpg
Alternative commands: AmigaAmp3,

Newcli
Format: Newcli Window From
Purpose: To open a new Command Line Interface console (CON) window. Window format: CON:X/Y/Width/Height/Name/Option(s).
Options: Auto,Backdrop,Noborder, Nodrag,Simple, Smart,Wait,Close
Parameters: Window = Window config string, From = Alternative script to Shell-Script.
Options. Auto = Open only when output sent to it, Backdrop = Open as a backdrop behind other windows, NoBorder = No left or bottom borders, NoDrag = No draggable title bar, Simple = Simple refresh, Smart = Smart refresh, Wait = Remain open under window is close manually.
Example: Newcli CON:0/10/400/200/Shell/CLOSE
Alternative Commands: KingCON

NewShell
Format: NewShell Window From
Purpose: To open a new shell (CON) window.
Parameters: Window = Window config string, From = Alternative script to Shell-Script.
Example: NewShell From S:Shell-Startup
Alternative Commands: A-Shell, Bsh , C-Shell, ZShell

NoFastMem
Format: Nofastmem
Purpose: Disables the Fast Memory, leaving only Chip Ram. Used when some apps do not like using Fast Ram.
Example: NoFastMem

Path
Format: Path Path/M ADD/S SHOW/S RESET/S REMOVE/S QUIET/S
Purpose: To set or change the program search path.
Parameters: Path = Directory path to change, Add = Add path, Show = Display path, Reset = Clear path, Remove = Remove entry from path, Quiet = No output
Example: Path SC:C Add

PrepCard
Format: PrepCard Disk/S Ram/S
Purpose: Prepares a PCMCIA card for disk or ram usage.
Example: PrepCard Disk

Printfiles
Format: PrintFiles [-f] file [ ...] (-f=formfeed)
Description: Print one or more files to the printer with optional formfeed between files.
Example: Printfiles text1.txt text2.txt

Prompt
Format: Prompt Prompt
Purpose: To change the command prompt text (Codes: %R = last return code, %S = Current path, %N = CLI Number).
Parameters: Prompt = Path format
Example: Prompt "%N.%S> "

Protect
Format: Protect File/A Flags ADD/S SUB/S ALL/S QUIET/S
Purpose: To change the protection' flags of a file. (r=read,w=write, e=execute,d=delete,s=script,p=pure)
Parameters: File = File to change, Flags = One or more flags, Add = Add flag(s) to existing flags, Sub = Remove flags from file, All = Change all files, Quiet = No output
Example: Protect Editor rwed

Quit
Format: Quit RC/N
Purpose: To quit a script and return an optional code value.
Parameters: RC = Return Code
Example: Quit 5

Relabel
Format: Relabel Drive/A Name/A
Purpose: To change the name of a disk.
Parameters: Drive = Disk to change, Name = New volume name
Example: Relabel DF0: "Documents"

RemRAD
Format: RemRAD Device FORCE/S
Purpose: To remove a RAD device from memory.
Parameters: Device = RAD device, Force = Remove even if in use.
Example: RemRAD RAD:

Rename
Format: Rename From/A/M To=As/A QUIET/S
Purpose: To rename a file aanother file name or move a file to another directory.
Parameters: From = Old filename, To|As = New filename, Quiet = No output.
Example: Rename MyDoc as MyDoc.doc

RequestChoice
Format: RequestChoice Title/A Body/A Gadgets/M PubScreen/K
Purpose: To ask a user for input via a requester dialog box.
Parameters: Title = Title for dialog box, Body = Text for dialog box, Gadgets = List of buttons, Pubscreen = Screen to use.
Example: RequestChoice >ENV:RT "Format" "About to format your hard disk*nAre you sure?" "Go ahead" "No way!"

RequestFile
Format: RequestFile Drawer File/K Pattern/K Title/K Positive/K
Negative/K AcceptPattern/K RejectPattern/K SAVEMODE/S MULTISELECT/S DRAWERSONLY/S NOICONS/S PUBSCREEN/K

Parameters: Drawer = Initial drawer to use, File = Initial file name, Pattern = Use pattern as filter, Title = Title of dialog box, Positive = Text for OK button, Negative = Text for Cancel button, AcceptPattern = Defines file pattern(s) to show (overrides Pattern), RejectPattern = Pattern(s) of files to hide, SaveMode = Change colours to indicate Save or other mode, MultiSelect = Allow multiple file selection, DrawersOnly = Display only directories, NoIcons = Suppress info files, PubScreen = Screen to use.
Purpose: To ask a user for a filename via a file requester.
Example: RequestFile >ENV:File Title "Select a File" Positive "Load" Noicons

Resident
Format: Resident Name File REMOVE/S ADD/S REPLACE/S PURE=FORCE/S SYSTEM/S
Purpose: To store an AmigaDOS command in memory (quicker then reloading from disk each time it is executed). To ensure that a command can be made resident, check the pure flag (see List).
Parameters: Name|File = File to be made resident, Remove = Remove file from resident list, Add = Add file to resident memory, Pure|Force = Force a non-pure file to be resident, System = Show system's resident code segments.
Example: Resident C:Dir Pure

Rexxmast
Format: Rexxmast
Purpose: Starts the AREXX server and load into memory, usually via the s:startup-sequence.
See commands in Sys:Rexxc to run and manage ARexx programs.
Example: SYS:System/Rexxmast >NIL:
Alternative Command: Python2

Run
Format: Run Command/F
Purpose: To execute a program in the background (multi-tasking).
Parameters: Command = Program to run
Example: Run Printfiles Doc1

Search
Format: Search From/M Search/A ALL/S NONUM/S QUIET/S QUICK/S FILE/S PATTERN/S
Purpose: To search for a string in a file or search for a file on a disk.
Parameters: From = Directory to seach from, Search = Text to search for, All = Search sub-directories, NoNum = Line numbers are not displayed, Quiet = No Output, Quick = Reduce output listing, File = Search a file rather than content, Pattern = Search using a pattern.
Example: Search SYS: "List" File All

Set
Format: Set Name String/F
Purpose: To set or list a local environment variable (local to current shell or current process).
Parameters: Name = Variable name, String = Text or number for variable.
Example: Set MyName "Peter"

SetClock
Format: Setclock LOAD/S SAVE/S RESET/S
Purpose: To load or set the date and time from a battery-backed clock.
Parameters: Load = Load date from clock, Save = Save date and time to clock, Reset = Resets the clock.
Example: Date 27-Nov-00 10:00, SetClock Save

SetDate
Format: Setdate File/A Weekday Date Time ALL/S
Purpose: To set the date of a file or a directory (see List).
Parameters: File = File to change, Weekday = Day of week, Date = Date, Time = Time, All = All files.
Example: Setdate DEVS: Monday 10:30

Setenv
Format: Setenv Name String/F
Purpose: To change the contents of a environment variable.
Parameters: Name = Variable name, String = Text or number for variable.
Example: Setenv Workbench "3.1"

Setfont
Format: Setfont Name/A Size/N/A SCALE/S PROP/S ITALIC/S BOLD/S UNDERLINE/S
Purpose: To set the console font.
Parameters: Name = Font name, Size = Font size, Scale = Scale font to size, Prop = Specify if a Proportional font, Italic = Use italic font, Bold = Use bold font, Underline = Use underlined font.
Example: SetFont Courier 15 Bold

SetKeyboard
Format: Setkeyboard Keymap/A
Purpose: To set the keyboard layout using layout files in Devs:Keymaps.
You can use the Input preferences instead.
Parameters: Keymap = Keymap file to use.
Example: SetKeyboard USA0

SetMap
Format: SetMap <keymap id>
Purpose: To set the keyboard layout. Deprecated in WB2.
Keymaps include CDN,CH1,CH2,D,DK,E,F,GB,I,IS,N,S,USA0,USA1,USA2. Keymap can be set in icon using Tooltype: KEYMAP=<map>
Parameters: Keymap = Keymap file to use
Example: Setmap GB

SetPatch
Format: Setpatch QUIET/S NOCACHE/S REVERSE/S NOAGA/S
Purpose: To patch Operating System functions and remove bugs (43.4).
Example: Setpatch Quiet

SetPatch
Format: Setpatch QUIET/S NOCACHE/S REVERSE/S NONSD/S NOAGA/S PATCHCONFIGFILE=PCF/K PATCHCONFIGLINE=PCL/K PATCHINFO=PI/S FORCEUPDATE/S KILLUPDATE/S NOROMUPDATE/S DISABLEROMMODULES/S SKIPROMUPDATES=SKIPROMMODULES/K WAITFORVALIDATE/S AVOIDMEMFKICKFORPATCHES/S
Purpose: To patch Operating System functions, enable or disable rom updates, disable HD NDS mode, wait for disk validation and remove bugs (44.38).
Parameters: Quiet = No output, NoCache = Cache off, Reverse = Reverse action of setpatch, NoNSD = No New Style Device (Large HD support), PatchConfigFile = Specify a patch config file, PatchConfigLine = Specify a Patch Config line, PatchInfo = Show patch infom, ForceUpdate = Install updates despite something installed earlier, NoRomUpdate = Do not install ROM updates, DisableRomModules = Remove some ROM modiles (can cause a crash), SkipRomUpdates = Skip following updates,WaitForValidate = Waits for all volumes to be validated, AvoidMemFKickForPatches = Ignore MemFKick for Patches.
Example: Setpatch NOROMUPDATE NONSD QUIET
Other patch commands: ReqChange, AlertPatch, Alloc Patch, Arexx Patch, Exec Patch

ShowConfig
Format: ShowConfig Debug/S
Purpose: Display system configuration including processor, custom chips, version, memory and boards.
Parameters: Debug displays more information including Manufacturer, Product, Type, Flags, InitDiagVec etc.
Example: ShowConfig

Skip
Format: Skip Label BACK/S
Purpose: To jump to a label in a script (see Lab). Use the back option if the label occurs before the Skip command.
Parameters: Label = Label name to skip to, Back = Go back in script to label.
Example: Skip Lab2 Back

Sort
Format: Sort From/A To/A Colstart/K CASE/S NUMERIC/S
Purpose: To sort a file and output results to a new file.
Parameters: From = File to sort, To = Output file, Colstart = Column to sort from, Case = Upper case entries are done first, Numeric = Input treated as numbers.
Example: Sort Figures To SortedFigures Numeric

Stack
Format: Stack Size/N
Purpose: To change or display the amount of stack space in bytes.
Parameters: Size = Stack size in bytes.
Example: Stack 10000

Status
Format: Status Process/N FULL/S TCB/S CLI=ALL/S COM=COMMAND/K
Purpose: To display the status of running programs. TCB stands for Task Control Block.
Parameters: Process = Task number, Full = Full output of process info, TCB = Information except the command name, CLI|All = Command info only, COM|Command = Search for command.
Example: Status 2 Full

Type
Format: Type From/A/M TO/K OPT H|N/K HEX/S NUMBER/S
Purpose: To display the contents of text file on screen or binary files using the HEX option with optional line numbers.
Parameters: From = Text file to display, To = Output file or device, Opt H | Hex = Display as hex values, Opt N | Number = Number the lines.
Example: Type C:DIR HEX
Alternative commands: More, Multiview , Less, Muchmore or EvenMore

UnArc
Format: Unarc Archive Destination PUBSCREEN/S
Purpose: To extract files from archived file (lha, zip) and put the extrated files into destination folder.
Example: UnArc Installer.lha Installer_folder.

Unset
Format: Unset Name
Purpose: To remove a local environment variable.
Parameters: Name = Environment variable name.
Example: Unset MyName

UnSetEnv
Format: UnSetEnv Name
Purpose: To remove a global environment variable.
Parameters: Name = Environment variable name.
Example: UnSetEnv Workbench

Unalias
Format: Unalias Name
Purpose: To remove a shortcut name for a command.
Parameters: Name = Alias name.
Example: UnAlias MyDir

Version
Format: Version Name Version/N Revision/N FILE/S FULL/S Unit/N INTERNAL/S RES/S
Purpose: To display workbench, library or device version information.
Parameters: Name = File, Version = Print Kickstart or Workbench number and sets env variables and sets Warn flag, Revision = As Version but for Revision numer, File = Check file rather than memory, Full = Display full information, Internal = Check internal files, Res = Check resident files.
Example: Version kickstart Version=39 Revision=106

Wait
Format: Wait Time/N SEC=SECS/S MIN=MINS/S UNTIL/K
Purpose: To wait for a specified period of time.
Parameters: Time = Time period in either Sec (Seconds) or Mins (Minutes), Until = Wait until a time.
Example: Wait Until 12:00

Which
Format: Which File/A NORES/S RES/S ALL/S
Purpose: To find where a file is in the command path (see Path) and sets a warn flag.
Parameters: File = File to locate, NoRes = Resident list is not searched, Res = Only the resident list is searched, All = Search full path.
Example: Which Multiview

Why
Format: Why
Purpose: To display a reason why a previous command failed.
Example: Why

Key:
> /A Required argument
/F Final argument in list
/K Keyword must be entered with argument
/M Multiple arguments
/N Number
/S Switch (optional)

Amiga OS 4 commands

Additional AmigaDOS commands

DMS
Format:
DMS Read file[.DMS] [FROM dev:] [TEXT filetext] [CMODE mode] [LOW lowtrack] [HIGH hightrack] [NOVAL] [NOZERO] [ENCRYPT password]
DMS Write file[.DMS],,, [TO dev:] [LOW lowtrack] [HIGH hightrack] [NOVAL] [NOTEXT] [NOPAUSE [DECRYPT password]
DMS Repack file[.DMS] [TO dev:] [LOW lowtrack] [HIGH hightrack] [CMODE mode]
DMS View file[.DMS],,, [FULL] DMS Text file[.DMS],,,
DMS Test file[.DMS],,, DMS Help
Purpose: To read, write or view Disk Masher disk images of floppy disks.
Example: DMS Write MyDisk.DMS FROM DF0:
Source: Aminet - DMS111.run
Alternative command: DMSII_V1.0

Installer

Format: Installer [SCRIPT] filename <[APPNAME] name> <[MINIUSER] level> <[DEFUSER] default> <[LOGFILE] logname> <[LANGUAGE] language> <NOPRETEND> <NOLOG> <NOPRINT>
Purpose: To install an application via a installer script. Usually provided as a default tool for script files in icon.
Example: Installer SCRIPT InstallApp APPNAME MyProgram LOGFILE DH0:MyProgram.log
Source: Aminet - Installer-43_3.lha
Alternative commands: eInstaller, MUI Installer ,and InstallerNG.

LHA
Format: LHA [-options] <command> <archive[.LZH|LHA]> [[homedir] <filespec...] [@file] [destination]
Purpose: To create, modify or list LHA or LZH files
Examples:
LHA a pictures.lha #?.jpg (archives all jpg files into pictures.lha)
LHA l pictures.lha (lists all files in pictures.lha)
LHA x pictures.lha (extracts all files fro m pictures.lha)
Source: Aminet - lha.run
Alternative commands: GuiArc, MiraWizArc

LZX
Format: LZX [-options] <command> <archive> [<file> ...] [<destdir>]
Purpose: To create, modify or list LZX archive files.
Examples:
LZX a documents.lzx #?.doc (archives all doc files into documents.lzx)
LZX l documents.lzx       (lists all files in documents.lzx)
LZX x documents.lzx       (extracts all files from documents.lzx)
Source: Aminet - lzx121r1.lha

UNZIP
Format: UNZIP [-Z] [-opts [modifiers]] file[.zip] [list] [-x xlist] [ -d exdir]
Purpose: To extract files from ZIP archives.
Example: Unzip program.zip -d Work:Program
Source: Aminet: unz550A.lha
Alternative commands: AmiZip , Archiver, Avalanche,


Additional AmigaDOS Information

Clear Screen

Example: Echo "*E[0;0H*E[J"
Purpose: Clears the AmigaOS screen. Uses printer commands to control text formatting in CLI, so *E is equivalent to the ESC (Ascii 27) character.
The command clear is normally defined using an Alias or an AmigaDOS script in S: folder.

Text in Italics
Example: Echo "*E[3mItalics*E[23m"
Purpose: *E[3m turns on italics and *E[23m turns off italics

Text in Bold
Example: Echo "*E[1mBold*E[22m"
Purpose: *E[1m turns on bold, and *E[22m turns off bold.

Underline Text
Example: Echo "*E[4mUnderline*E[24m"
Purpose: *E[4m turns on underline, and *E24m turns off underline.

Coloured Text
Example: Echo "*E[32mRed Text*E[0m"
Purpose: *E[nm where n=30-39 for foreground color or n=40-49 for background colour.
*E[0m resets to normal character set.

Devices

Use the Assign command to view available devices.
Devices are defined in file in Devs:DosDrivers folder.

Name: AUX:
Description: Unbuffered auxillary (serial) device
Used to read or write to a peripheral connection to the serial port, such as a console connection over serial port.

Name: CD0
Description: Compact disc device
Used to read optical disks which may be data (ISO9660, Rockridge format), video or audio dicss.

Name: CON:
Description: Console device
Used by NEWCLI or NEWSHELL to create a command window. You can specify addtional attributes
such as size, title and gadgets.

Name: DFx:
Description: Floppy disk drive (x=0 to 3)
Used to read or write to 3.5" floppy disks. DF0: is usually refering to the internal drive, Disks can be
upto 800Kb for standard density or 1.6Mb for double density discs.

Name: DHx:
Description: Hard disk drives (x=0 - 9)
Used to read or write to hard drives which may be SCSI or ATA drives. Upto Workbench 3.0, drives
were limited to 4GB, but with newer 64 bit file systems, larger drives may be used.

Name: NIL:
Description: Nil or nothing device
Used to direct output to nothing, ie discard the output.

Name: PAR:
Description: Parrallel device
Used to read and write from peripherials, usually a printer, connected to the parrallel port.

Name: PIPE:
Description: A queue like device that can be used to temporarily store data and pass to other commands.
Data can be written to a PIPE and read from elsewhere by another command.

Name: PRT:
Description: Printer device
Used to write data using a printer device using a printer driver to print text or graphics onto paper.
Printer drivers are needed to convert commands into printer specific commands e.g. ESC/P, PCL, Postscript.

Name: RAD:
Description: Recovable memory device
Used to read or write data to a device, in memory, that acts like a disk, but unlike RAM, data is not lost when the computer is restarted.
Amount of space is limited to the amount of RAM available.

Name: RAM:
Description: Random Access Memory device
Used to read or write data to device in memory that acts like a disk, but data is lost if the computer is restarted or shutdown.
Amount of space is limited to the amount of RAM available.

Name: RAW:
Description: Unbuffered console device
Similar to the Console device but any key presses are not buffered and not displayed on the screen, so they can be picked up by another
application to process the keys.

Name: SER:
Description: Serial device
Used to read or write to a peripheral connection to the serial port, such as a printer, sampler, MIDI or other device.

Name: SPEAK:
Description: Speaking device
Used to create speech using the narrator device on the computer, through the speakers.

Useful Command Aliases
Add these lines to your S:Shell-Startup script.

Alias Exit Endcli
Alias Del Delete
Alias Ren Rename
Alias Rm Delete
Alias Cp Copy [] Clone
Alias Kill Break [] all
Alias Mkdir Makedir
Alias Pwd CD
Alias RmDir Delete
Alias Sh Execute
Alias Lpr Copy [] PRT:
Alias Open Mulitview
Alias Mv Rename
Alias Ls Dir
Alias DF Info []

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