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DIR /4 question

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Topic "dir.htm" last edited 2009-07-30

"The /4 option is similar to /2, but displays directory information in
4 columns. On drives which do not support long filenames, or when /Z
or /X is used (see below), the display shows the file name and the
file size in kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB), with "<D>" in the size
column for directories."


On my Novell drive, which does NOT support long filenames, and on my
Windows FAT and FAT32 drives (which do accept it, so maybe they don't
count), DIR /4 does not show the size. With either /X or /Z added, it
does.

--
Jim Cook
2009 Saturdays: 4/4, 6/6, 8/8, 10/10, 12/12 and 5/9, 9/5, 7/11, 11/7.
Next year they're Sunday.
 
TCC 11.00.34 Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
TCC Build 34 Windows XP Build 2600 Service Pack 3


On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 4:12 PM, Jim Cook <> wrote:

> On my Novell drive, which does NOT support long filenames, and on my
> Windows FAT and FAT32 drives (which do accept it, so maybe they don't
> count), DIR /4 does not show the size. With either /X or /Z added, it
> does.

--
Jim Cook
2009 Saturdays: 4/4, 6/6, 8/8, 10/10, 12/12 and 5/9, 9/5, 7/11, 11/7.
Next year they're Sunday.
 
> Topic "dir.htm" last edited 2009-07-30
>
> "The /4 option is similar to /2, but displays directory information in
> 4 columns. On drives which do not support long filenames, or when /Z
> or /X is used (see below), the display shows the file name and the
> file size in kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB), with "<D>" in the size
> column for directories."
>
>
> On my Novell drive, which does NOT support long filenames, and on my
> Windows FAT and FAT32 drives (which do accept it, so maybe they don't
> count), DIR /4 does not show the size. With either /X or /Z added, it
> does.

WAD. DIR /4 is a (very) obsolete option, which is only there for backwards
compatibility, and only useful when combined with /X or /Z.

The reason it doesn't display sizes on your Novell drive is because your
network redirector is returning "LAN" for the drive type, and it's not
possible for TCC to automagically determine whether it supports LFNs.

Rex Conn
JP Software
 
Below I ignore the aspect of the OP that DIR/4 displays only file names, but
not file properties.

rconn wrote:
| WAD. DIR /4 is a (very) obsolete option, which is only there for
| backwards compatibility, and only useful when combined with /X or /Z.

On the contrary, /4 is very useful to just list the (LFN but not
excessively long) names of a large number of files or subdirectories, with
/b /v /w.
In fact, I'd like an enhanced version of the /w option to use only the
currently visible window width, so that horizontal scrolling could be
avoided. To implement it without losing backward compatiblity for those of
us who do not specify each option with its own slash / separator, I suggest
that the new option /ww would require its own option separator. An even
better enhancement to be dreamed about would be dynamic adjustment of column
widths to have only a 2-character gap between columns, based on actual name
lengths, or the use of a column separator character, e.g., the vertical bar
|, preferrably in a different color than the filenames.
The nice feature of building the display routine used for this type of
display is that it could also be used in a few other commands, e.g., ? (to
list all commands).
--
Steve
 
> rconn wrote:
> | WAD. DIR /4 is a (very) obsolete option, which is only there for
> | backwards compatibility, and only useful when combined with /X or /Z.
>
> On the contrary, /4 is very useful to just list the (LFN but not
> excessively long) names of a large number of files or subdirectories,
> with /b /v /w.

You cannot combine /4 with /w; they will override each other. (And there
wouldn't be any reason to; /w will use as many columns as it can given the
maximum LFN width.)

And /4 (and /w) already imply /b. So the only difference between a "dir /4
/v" and a "dir /w /v" would be that /w would actually work with all LFN name
lengths, and /4 wouldn't.


> In fact, I'd like an enhanced version of the /w option to use only
> the currently visible window width, so that horizontal scrolling
> could be avoided.

I cannot imagine why you would want to create a TCC window that has
horizontal scrolling?!?

Rex Conn
JP Software
 
>>
> ---End Quote---
> I cannot imagine why you would want to create a TCC window that has
> horizontal scrolling?!?
>

In my build process my link lines run to dozens of lines when wrapped.
My boss has his console window thousands of characters wide. Without
that, previous messages and compiled files are well lost off the top.

I had asked something along these lines before in tcmd but will have
to search back to find the thread.
 
rconn wrote:
| You cannot combine /4 with /w; they will override each other. (And
| there wouldn't be any reason to; /w will use as many columns as it
| can given the maximum LFN width.)
|
| And /4 (and /w) already imply /b. So the only difference between a
| "dir /4 /v" and a "dir /w /v" would be that /w would actually work
| with all LFN name lengths, and /4 wouldn't.
...
| I cannot imagine why you would want to create a TCC window that has
| horizontal scrolling?!?

You are right, I don't normally create a TCC window that has horizontal
scrolling. However, if a full-width window is created at high screen
resolution, and for the sake of other programs I reduce the resolution, the
TCC window automatically acquires a horizontal scroll bar. If under these
circumstances I want to perform some tasks in the TCC window, and minimize
it again, I want to do it without horziontal scrolling. Most of my activity
fits in the narrower window, and that's what my requested enhancement would
do for DIR/W. Of course, the purpose of the /W (or /B/2 or /4) is to make
better use of the viewing area - a medium-sized directory could be displayed
well on the screen. In my usage the /B/2 or /4 often eliminate horizontal
scrolling, while /W usually makes it necessary.
--
Steve
 

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