Microsoft KB Archive/309019

= HOW TO: Set the Command Processor Appearance in Windows XP =

Article ID: 309019

Article Last Modified on 10/26/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition

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This article was previously published under Q309019



IN THIS TASK
SUMMARY
 * Starting the Command Processor
 * Changing Colors
 * Changing Fonts
 * Changing the Screen Layout
 * Troubleshooting



SUMMARY
This article describes how to set the appearance of the command processor in Windows XP. You can change the colors, fonts, and layout for the command prompt window to make it easier to work with command-line tools. Many of the robust command-line tools that are included in the Resource Kits for earlier versions of Microsoft Windows are included in Windows XP. Therefore, administrators and power may spend more time using the command processor.

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Starting the Command Processor
To start the command processor, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.

To change the appearance of the command prompt window, right-click the window's title bar, and then use one of the following steps:
 * To change settings for all command prompt windows, click Defaults.
 * To change settings for the current command prompt window only, click Properties.

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Changing Colors

 * 1) On the Colors tab, choose colors for the screen text, screen background, pop-up text, or pop-up background by clicking the element you want to change.
 * 2) Click the color you want. The Selected Screen Colors box shows how the text and background colors you selected will appear on the screen. The Selected Popup Colors box shows how the text and background colors you selected will appear in a pop-up window.

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Changing Fonts

 * 1) Click the Font tab.
 * 2) In the Font box, click a font.
 * 3) * If you click a TrueType font, the Size menu displays a list of point sizes to choose from, or you can enter a size by typing the number in the Size box. To use bold with TrueType fonts, select the Bold Fonts check box.
 * 4) * If you click Raster Fonts, the sizes that are listed in the Size box are the window size choices.
 * 5) * The Window Preview box displays how the current window's size will change based on the font and font size you selected.
 * 6) * The Selected Font box shows how characters will appear with the specified font settings. Bold is not available with Raster fonts.

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Changing the Screen Layout

 * Click the Layout tab.
 * Under Screen Buffer Size, specify settings for the width and height of the screen, based on the number of characters that are entered in the buffer.
 * Under Window Size, specify settings for the width and height of the window.
 * Under Window Position, specify settings for the initial left and top position of the window.

NOTE: you can resize the window up to the maximum size listed on the Layout tab. It is a good idea to select a size from one-fourth to no more than half the desktop size for reading and usability.

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Troubleshooting

 * To have Windows position the window, select the Let system position window check box.
 * Scroll bars are displayed if the current size of the window is smaller than the screen buffer size settings. You cannot resize a window to be larger than the area set by the screen buffer settings.
 * If you switch to full-screen display, Windows displays the number of lines (25, 43, or 50) that are supported by your hardware that is closest to your window-mode configuration.

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Keywords: kbhowto kbhowtomaster KB309019

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