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Q32225: Using the SHORTNAMES Switch

Article: Q32225
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00   | 1.00
Operating System(s): MS-DOS | OS/2
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | tar78150 | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 31-MAR-1989

SHORTNAMES is a boolean switch. When it is set (the default), if you
type <arg> "foo" <setfile>, you will be sent to the first file in your
history list with the base name "foo". You do not have to specify the
full pathname for a file in another directory. If there is no
d:\path\foo.xxx anywhere in your file history, you only get foo.

If you have a file "foo" in your current directory, SHORTNAMES still
tries to find a file in your history list first. The history of files
is stored in M.TMP. The number of files saved is determined by the
TMPSAV switch.

To disable this feature, set noshortnames: in your TOOLS.INI file.

To avoid this behavior without changing the switch value, include a
period in the path specification. For example, enter <arg> "foo."
<setfile>, which will look only in the current directory. The presence
of any path character (".", etc.) disables the SHORTNAMES feature for
the file being referenced.

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