Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 17:16:25 -0700 (MST)
Message-Id: <199711270016.RAA26213@kewlaid.highfiber.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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To: opendos AT delorie DOT com
From: raster AT highfiber DOT com (Charles Dye)
Subject: DIR switch bitch
Precedence: bulk

May I vent a little about the DIR command?  It's annoyed me since DR DOS 6.0
that DIR is absolutely incapable of displaying files and subdirectories with
the 'hidden' bit set.  Worse, the documentation for DIR is misleading
concerning the DIR switches ... again, since DR DOS 6.0 at least.

Default behavior, DIR with no switches, is to display only files and sub-
directories with both 'System' and 'Hidden' clear.  Sensible, and similar
to the way MS- and IBM DOS work.

DIR /S, which is documented as displaying system files, actually displays
only items with S set and H clear.  Since system files almost always have
H set as well, DIR /S is practically useless.

DIR /A, which is documented as displaying all files, actually displays only
items with H clear, disregarding the S bit.  Again, system files nearly
always have H set too, so DIR /A is also useless -- it will nearly always
display exactly the same items as DIR with no switches.

It's a minor complaint, I know.  But DIR has got to be the single most-used
DOS command, and it's obnoxious when a very common command doesn't do the
Right Thing.  Usually, when using any DR-descended DOS I wind up remapping
DIR to an external command like XDIR just so I can see all the files.
Please, in future could we have DIR /S and DIR /A disregard the hidden bit?
I'm certain this would be a very simple fix, and would make DIR more useful.

raster AT highfiber DOT com