DOCUMENT:Q32655 17-DEC-2000 [msdos] TITLE :DIR Does Not Work with ANSI Escape Sequence ESC[nh PRODUCT :Microsoft Disk Operating System PROD/VER:MS-DOS:3.3,4.x,5.0,5.0a,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.3, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== After you set the mode through ANSI escape sequences with the PROMPT command, the following occurs regardless of the particular mode chosen. When you call directory listing with the DIR command, the screen clears immediately after displaying the directory listing, so that you do not have a chance to look at the directory listing. However, if you type "prompt $p$g" (without the quotation marks) and then use the DIR command, the directory works correctly. CAUSE ===== Any time you use one of the ANSI escape codes to set the screen mode, the screen is cleared. This explains why you are seeing the screen cleared after doing a DIR command. WORKAROUND ========== To avoid this problem, set the screen mode in a batch file. For example, if you wanted to set the screen mode to 40x25 monochrome mode, you would insert the following text into a batch file: echo [0h Depending upon your editor, you would replace with whatever character represents ESCAPE. In EDLIN, you use ^[. And in other word processors, you use the back arrow character. Additional query words: 6.22 3.30 4.00 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a Version : MS-DOS:3.3,4.x,5.0,5.0a,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.