Windows Command Line Syntax Formatting Explained

 

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Format Meaning

Italic

Information that the user must supply

Bold

Elements that the user must type exactly as shown

Ellipsis (...)

Parameter that can be repeated several times in a command line

Between brackets ([])

Optional items

Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (|). Example: {even|odd}

Set of choices from which the user must choose only one

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Code or program output

 

Example using the net send command:

Sends messages to other users, computers, or messaging names on the network.

Syntax

net send {name | * | /domain[:name] | /users} message

Parameters

name : Specifies the user name, computer name, or messaging name to which you want to send the message. If the information that you supply contains spaces, use quotation marks around the text (for example, "Computer Name"). Long user names might cause problems when you use them as NetBIOS names. NetBIOS names are limited to 16 characters, and the sixteenth character is reserved.

* : Sends the message to all the names in your domain or workgroup.

/domain:name : Sends the message to all the names in the computer's domain. You can specify name to send the message to all the names in the specified domain or workgroup.

/users : Sends the message to all users connected to the server.

message : Required. Specifies the text of the message.

net help command : Displays help for the specified net command.

 

Examples

To send the message "Meeting changed to 3 P.M. Same place." to the user robertf, type:

net send robertf Meeting changed to 3 P.M. Same place.

To send a message to all users connected to the server, type:

net send /users This server will shut down in 5 minutes.

To send a message that includes a slash mark (/), type:

net send robertf "Format your disk with FORMAT /4"

 

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