Article ID: 72015
Article Last Modified on 5/12/2003
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.2 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.21 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q72015
SUMMARY
When the MS-DOS PRINT command is issued and redirected to a file, error messages (if any) are not always directed to the specified file.
MORE INFORMATION
The distinction between which errors are and are not redirected in MS-DOS might be between an error message as opposed to a status message. An error message is considered important and, therefore, is always directed to the screen, whereas a status message can be read later with no harm done.
To re-create this behavior, do the following:
- Set up the print queue by typing PRINT at the MS-DOS prompt.
- Specify the printer port you are using. The following message will appear on the screen:
- Type the following at the MS-DOS prompt
print testfile.txt > savefile.txt
- Press ENTER. The following is displayed on the screen:
- List the contents of SAVEFILE.TXT by typing the following at the MS-DOS prompt:
type savefile.txt
The following message appears:
Earlier versions of MS-DOS printed nothing to the screen. However, the following error message would appear in the SAVEFILE.TXT file:
The "File not found-C:\DOS\TESTFILE.TXT" error message is directed to different places in the different versions. This is only one example.
This also occurs with the COPY command. For more information, query on the following words here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
redirection and copy and command
Additional query words: 6.22 4.00 4.01 4.01a 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 6.21
Keywords: KB72015