CHDDIR - An intelligent replacement for the CD (CHDIR) Command

CHDDIR

An intelligent replacement for the CD (CHDIR) Command

Procon Construction Systems

WHAT IS CHDDIR?
CHDDIR.EXE is a command line program that will switch the current Drive and Directory. It is a flexible and intelligent replacement for the internal COMMAND.COM and CMD.EXE "Change Directory" command (CD or CHDIR).

The CHDIR command is a basic staple of Console operations but is quite limited.

While maintaining basic compatibility with CHDIR, Procon's CHDDIR.EXE speeds keyboard navigation in console modes as it will:-

change the Drive as well as the Directory,
accept abbreviated notation,
try to match partial directory names, and
provide quasi-Long Filename support - even under MS-DOS and Windows 9x.

CHDDIR.EXE also avoids a few anomalies in CHDIR in that it:-

accepts any number of periods to indicate higher directory level(s) (Windows 98 CHDIR does. Windows NT/2000/XP CHDIR doesn't).
accepts both forward slashes (Unix like) and back slashes as directory separators,
accepts directories with - and without - trailing slashes,
shows the effect of the action (e.g., CHDDir => [NewDrive:\NewDir]) and - if there is room on the line - the system time and date,
allows command line redirection of output and error messages, and
correctly sets the ERRORLEVEL when parameters are invalid.

CHDDIR.EXE is a 16-bit program that will work in:-

MS-DOS,
Windows 9x "DOS Boxes",
Windows 2000/XP/NT Console modes,
4NT and 4DOS shells, and
with command line enhancers like DOSKEY, PCED, etc.

SYNTAX

CHDDIR [Drive:][Directory Path]
CHDDIR [Drive:] [Directory1] [SubPath2] etc.

CHDDIR /?
CHDDIR /H
CHDDIR /HELP - Displays a Help Screen

EXAMPLES

CHDDIR       - Parent Directory (Default)
CHDDIR .     - Current Directory
                                   Shows current directory and system time and date.
                                   A useful log command in batch files and scripts.
CHDDIR ..    - Parent Directory
CHDDIR ...   - GrandParent
CHDDIR ....  - Great GrandParent, etc.

CHDDIR \              - Root Directory
CHDDIR MSDEV98\BIN    - Relative Path
CHDDIR MSDEV98/BIN/   - Same as above
CHDDIR MSDEV98 BIN    - Same as above
CHDDIR M B            - Probably the same
CHDDIR M\B            - Probably the same
                                   No Local directory 'M' so match 'MSDEV98'.
                                   No Subdirectory 'MSDEV98\B' so match 'MSDEV98\BIN'

CHDDIR H:\WINNT\SYSTEM32    - Full Path with Drive
CHDDIR H: \WINNT SYSTEM32   - Same as above
CHDDIR H:/ WI SYSTEM3       - Probably same as above

CHDDIR d      - D or D:\ or \D or perhaps DATA
                                    Local subdirectory 'D',
                                    if not found, Drive 'D:',
                                    if not found, Root Directory '\D',
                                    if not found, match local Directory 'D*',

CHDDIR K UTIL        - K\UTIL or K:\UTIL or \K\UTIL
CHDDIR d /u          - D\U or D:\U or perhaps D:\UTIL

CHDDIR c \w sys      - Probably C:\WINNT\SYSTEM
CHDDIR c \w fo         - Windows FONTS Directory?
CHDDIR c /w/fo         - Windows FONTS Directory?

CHDDIR "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users"
                                               - Pathnames with spaces must be quoted

CHDDIR %windir%      - Probably C:\WINNT
CHDDIR %windir% f    - Probably Windows Favourites

INSTALLATION AND USAGE

As CHDDIR is designed to save time and typing, you should make it accessible with a single letter keystroke (e.g., 'Z' or 'C').

You can do this by establishing a DOSKEY or 4NT alias for the executable.
For example, the line:-
Z=D:\UTIL\CHDDIR.EXE $*
in a DOSKEY alias definition file would allow you to invoke the command by just typing the single letter Z.

Alternatively, you can just copy (and rename) the file CHDDIR.EXE into a directory included in the PATH command.
For example:-
COPY CHDDIR.EXE D:\UTIL\Z.EXE
would achieve the same result.

RESOLVING AMBIGUITIES

When you provide Directory names, e.g., "CHDIR C:\PR SYS" then CHDIR will first look for an exact match (Directory \PR on drive C:).

If this does not exist it will look for the first directory starting with those characters. Hence it might find
C:\PROBID or
C:\PROBILL or
C:\PROCOST.

The search order is based on the way names are stored in the directory. This is not necessarily alphabetical or by name length, etc., unless you have used a utility to explicitly sort the directories in this way.

LONG PATHNAME SUPPORT

How can CHDDIR - a 16-bit program - support Long Pathnames?

No 16-bit program can provide true "Long Filename" support without low level access to the directory structure (not possible on an Operating System with a reasonable modicum of security) or the use of some form of 32-bit extender technology to access 32-bit Operating System file services (limiting the program to operating under a supported OS).

CHDDIR "fudges" this dilemma by translating Long Pathnames into a "wildcarded" form of their equivalent 8.3 format paths. It then attempts to progressively traverse the supplied path matching each component with existing directories. In practice, this kludge works extremely well on most directory structures. However, it cannot overcome the fundamental ambiguity that one Short pathname can map to more than one Long pathname.

If you find that entering a correctly quoted Long pathname still takes you to the wrong directory, it might be because of this ambiguity. You may have to use the correct Short pathname directly.

DEPENDENCIES

The are no DLL or overlay dependencies. The executable can be renamed.

DOWNLOAD

You can download the latest version of CHDDIR from Procon's Website.

DISCLAIMER

Use this utility at your own risk! If you do not understand

Console and Command Line modes,
Command Line parameters,
Absolute vs. Relative Pathnames,
Long vs. Short Pathnames, etc.,

you can only cause yourself grief!