Doskey command

Updated: 11/12/2023 by Computer Hope

Doskey is an MS-DOS utility that allows the user to keep a history of all commands used on a computer. Doskey allows frequently used commands to be executed without having to type them each time they are needed.

Availability

Doskey is an external command and is available for the following Microsoft operating systems as doskey.exe.

Windows Vista and later syntax

DOSKEY [/REINSTALL] [/LISTSIZE=size] [/MACROS[:ALL | :exename]] [/HISTORY] [/INSERT | /OVERSTRIKE] [/EXENAME=exename] [/MACROFILE=filename] [macroname=[text]]

/REINSTALL	Installs a new copy of Doskey.
/LISTSIZE=size	Sets the size of command history buffer.
/MACROS	Displays all Doskey macros.
/MACROS:ALL	Displays all Doskey macros for all executables which have Doskey macros.
/MACROS:exename	Displays all Doskey macros for the given executable.
/HISTORY	Displays all commands stored in memory.
/INSERT	Specifies that new text you type is inserted in the old text.
/OVERSTRIKE	Specifies that new text overwrites old text.
/EXENAME=exename	Specifies the executable.
/MACROFILE=filename	Specifies a file of macros to install.
macroname	Specifies a name for a macro you create.
text	Specifies commands you want to record.

Option keys

UP, DOWN	The up and down arrows recall commands.
Esc	Clears current command.
F7	Displays command history.
Alt+F7	Clears command history.
[chars]F8	Searches for command beginning with [chars].
F9	Selects a command by number.
Alt+F10	Clears macro definitions.

The following are some special codes in Doskey macro definitions:

$T	Command separator. Allows multiple commands in a macro.
$1-$9	Batch parameters. Equivalent to %1-%9 in batch programs.
$*	Symbol replaced by everything following macro name on the command line.

Windows XP and earlier syntax

DOSKEY [/switch ...] [macroname=[text]]

/BUFSIZE:size	Sets the size of macro and command buffer.	(default:512)
/ECHO:on\|off	Enables/disables echo of macro expansions.	(default:on)
/FILE:file	Specifies file containing a list of macros.
/HISTORY	Displays all commands stored in memory.
/INSERT	Inserts new characters into line when typing.
/KEYSIZE:size	Sets the size of keyboard type-ahead buffer.	(default:15)
/LINE:size	Sets the maximum size of line edit buffer.	(default:128)
/MACROS	Displays all Doskey macros.
/OVERSTRIKE	Overwrites new characters onto the line when typing.	(default)
/REINSTALL	Installs a new copy of Doskey.
macroname	Specifies a name for a macro you create.
text	Specifies commands you want to assign to the macro.

Option keys

UP, DOWN	Arrows recall commands.
Esc	Clears current command.
F7	Displays command history.
Alt+F7	Clears command history.
[chars]F8	Searches for command beginning with [chars].
F9	Selects a command by number.
Alt+F10	Clears macro definitions.

Below are special codes to use in Doskey macro definitions.

$T	Command separator: allows multiple commands in a macro.
$1-$9	Batch parameters: equivalent to %1-%9 in batch programs.
$*	Symbol replaced by everything following macro name on the command line.

Doskey examples

Tip

All recent versions of Windows already have doskey loaded and don't require it to be loaded again by typing the following command. This command is shown for users with older versions of MS-DOS who want to know how to load the command to memory.

doskey

Starts doskey and lets you press the up or down arrow keys to see history, or right or left to retype the previous command.

doskey /history

Show the history of commands run at the command prompt. Since doskey is loaded by default with recent versions of Windows, it's an easy way to determine what commands were run on any open Windows command line window.

Technical support

Specifying a buffer size larger than 61900 for doskey causes the computer to freeze.

Doskey only supports approximately 61900 bytes due to an error in the doskey program.