Command Prompt Tweaks - Enable Command Completion

Command completion allows you to type a portion of a file name, and then have the system complete the rest by pressing the specified key. This is similar to the UNIX shell command completion feature.

To do this follow the next steps:

  1. Open the Registry Editor click on the Start button on your taskbar, then click on Run and type "regedit" and click on OK to start the regedit utility.
     
  2. Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor (see picture 1).
     
    Picture 1
  3. Create a new DWORD value, or modify the existing value, called "CompletionChar" and set it to equal the hex value of the required control character. For example to use the TAB key set the value to "9", to use BackSpace set the value to "8", to use Ctrl-D set the value to "4" and for Ctrl-F set the value to "6".
     
  4. Now when you type the first part of a filename then press the specified key, Windows will complete the filename for you. Pressing the key multiple times will scroll through all the options.
     
  5. The modifications you made will be in effect after you logout or reboot your PC.

Author:

Lex van der Horst

Date Added:

16-03-2004

Last Reviewed:

29-09-2004