DOS Window keyboard function 2

[mscallisto]

When in a DOS window (start run cmd) I can:

left mouse click on the C:\ icon or right mouse click anywhere on the title bar so reveal the main menu.

My question is is there a keyboard sequence to reveal this menu?

I hope this is the proper forum to ask this DOS question.
I tried searching but the search option seems to be off line at the moment.

 

[bcastner]

Not in a DOS box, as there is no dropdown menu itself in DOS.

See:

http://search.microsoft.com/search/...st=b&na=82&qu=keyboard+shortcuts+windows+2000

 

[mscallisto]

But why can I left mouse click on the C:\ icon then type E to activate the "edit" feature then type F to activate the "search" feature etc.

Also in some DOS windows I see the E in "Edit" underlined (activate by keystroke) and sometines not? There seems to be no option for this feature.

 

[bcastner]

Why does the mouse work in a DOS window, but Windows native keyboard equivalents do not?
You have to make a choice. There are DOS specific, and DOS application specific, keyboard shortcuts.

Do you throw them out in a Win2k setting, or do you try as best you can for compatability?

The decision was the later course: provide limited mouse functions that are germane just to the DOS BOX, and remove keyboard shortcuts that have specific meanings in the native Windows world. Preserve the use of F3 and other user DOS specified function keys. This prevents a conflict with DOS apps run under Windows that have their own specific uses for a mapped key shortcut.

This stikes me as a reasonable compromise.

 

[mscallisto]

yes I certainly understand that but perhaps I'm not asking the question correctly.

When I'm in a DOS "Window" (not rebooted as DOS as I used to do in W98 etc.), isn't it the same as any other window with the exception that it's the only window that allows me to communicate with DOS using DOS commands?

I lost mouse functionality while in a "DOS" window and simply wanted to exit the window. I was using a "Belkin" box to switch between computers and accidently powered it off causing me to loose my mouse, although the keyboard was ok.

With the mouse I could have clicked the c:\ Icon then (clicked close or typed C) to close the DOS window.

Without the mouse I could not get to the menu to close the window.

MicroSost usually doesn't leave one in this predicament, there is usually a keyboard command as an alternative).

The Windows Key would not have helped in this case.

 

[bcastner]

In this situation, type in the console window:

exit

 

[mscallisto]

Oh yes...seems to me I've done that before long long ago when my brain retained more than it does now, thanks bcastner.

 

[bcastner]

mscallisto,

Darn,

I thought I would have to write a custom keyboard wrapper around a Shell script to then start a DOS box session.

Often the easiest things are the hardest. I feel badly I did not ask you to type "exit" earlier above.

Best wishes,
Bill Castner

 

[mscallisto]

no problem...thanks again

 

[TonHu]

And then: Alt-Space does open the system-menu, as it should in any decent Windows app, like the DOS-box is. The normal cursor keys allow to navigate through the menu, and Enter activating the current item, as well as pressing the underlined (on W2K/XP by default only visible while Alt is pressed) character.

HTH
TonHu

 

[bcastner]

TonyHu,

You are semi-right. Alt-Spacebar opens the menu. Now try an Alt-anything character. The results are not predicatable. You can use the up and down cursor keys and Enter, and you can use the mouse.

If the intention was just to close the box, the above suggestion works every time.

 

[mscallisto]

Thanks TonHu Alt space does do what I originally wanted to do (open the menu)

 

[TonHu]

bcastner,

It works just fine over here, Press and hold Alt, then press Spacebar, then press the key that is assigned (has the underscore) to the Close or Exit menuitem (I have a non-english Windows here). In the latter case, it is not needed to hold the Alt key, but both cases work Ok.

HTH
TonHu