Introduction to DOS

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Introduction to DOS

DOS (an acronym for Disk Operation System) is a tool which allows you to control the operation of the IBM PC. DOS is software which was written to control hardware. IDRISI, Atlas*GIS, Microstation, AutoCAD, CPS/PC, and ARC/INFO are, in turn, application software which run under DOS. By this we mean that, although IDRISI, Atlas*GIS, Microstation, AutoCAD, CPS/PC, and ARC/INFO were written to accomplish a single task or application (in this case manipulation of spatially related data), they must use DOS to pursue its work.

DOS can be used for a wide range of tasks far beyond the requirements of this class. You will be able to manage well if you master only a small subset of DOS commands and functions. These relate almost exclusively to file and directory management and are introduced in this handout.

This tip sheet assumes that you have learned how to turn on the PCs as they are configured in room 230 and that you have familiarized yourself with their keyboards (no small task in itself). It also assumes that you understand the meaning of the concept of a file and the elements of a file specification (drive, filename, and extension). The microcomputers you will be using are equipped with two floppy disk drives. The A-drive is the 3.5" (1.44MB) drive and the B-drive is the 5.25" (360KB) drive. The microcomputers also contain a C-drive, a hard disk drive of 130MB or 200MB capacity.

You will quickly find that the best way to learn how to use a computer is through experimentation. That is, once you have learned a command, try some variations until they don't work, then start over. Often there are five or six ways for you to accomplish a particular task. Usually, I will introduce you to only one, leaving it up to you to discover the rest. Don't hesitate to consult the DOS Reference Manual; copies can be found on the bookcase in room 230. Finally, don't be unduly disturbed by error messages. With computers, one of the best ways to learn is by making mistakes.

Most of the common DOS commands you need to use for this class (copy, rename, delete) are available to you in Windows through the Filemanager icon. And, since you can move back and forth between DOS and Windows, it doesn't matter which option you employ. Some commands are faster in invoke in Windows, some in DOS. If you haven't worked with Windows previously, go to the Windows tutorials in the help area.