Microsoft KB Archive/60719

COMP Doesn’t Work with Files of Differing Sizes in MS-DOS 4.01 PSS ID Number: Q60719 Article last modified on 01-21-1993 PSS database name: O_MSDOS

4.01

MS-DOS

Summary:

Page 50 of the “Microsoft MS-DOS User’s Guide and User’s Reference” states that the COMP command can be used to compare files of different sizes. On comparing files of different sizes, COMP displays the following prompt:

Files are different sizes, do you wish to continue (Y/N)?

If you enter “Y”, the files should be compared until COMP comes to the end of the shorter file. This works correctly in versions of MS-DOS earlier than Version 4.01.

However, MS-DOS Version 4.01 has changed this feature so that if COMP sees that the files are of different sizes, it displays a message telling you so and then asks if you want to compare more files. It does not allow you the option of continuing to compare the files.

You can still compare files of varying sizes by padding the size of the smaller file with extraneous lines so that it becomes the same size as the larger file. Or, you can use the FC utility with the /b switch to compare binary files of different lengths.

Additional reference words: 4.01 noupd

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.