View source for DOS Shell

{{Short description|File manager}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Use list-defined references|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox software
| name             = DOS Shell
| screenshot       = DOS Shell Screen.png
| screenshot_size  = 300px
| developer        = [[Microsoft]]
| released         = {{Start date and age|1988|06}}
| replaced_by      = [[File Manager (Windows)|File Manager]], [[Windows Explorer]]
| operating system = [[MS-DOS]] and [[PC&nbsp;DOS]]
| platform         = [[x86]]
| genre            = [[File manager]]
| license          = [[Commercial software]]
}}
'''DOS Shell''' is a [[file manager]] that debuted in [[MS-DOS]] and [[PC&nbsp;DOS]] version 4.0, released in June 1988. It was no longer included in MS-DOS version 6, but remained part of the Supplemental Disk. The Supplemental Disk could be ordered or could be downloaded through Microsoft's [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]] server. DOS Shell was retained in PC&nbsp;DOS until [[PC&nbsp;DOS 2000]].

==Overview==
DOS Shell was one of the first successful attempts to create a basic [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) type file manager in DOS, although it is properly referred to as a [[text user interface]] (TUI) or Character-Oriented Windows (COW) even though graphical modes were available on supported hardware ([[Video Graphics Array|VGA]]-equipped PCs). The shell is very much like a DOS version of [[File Manager (Windows)|File Manager]] found in Windows up to versions [[Windows 3.11|3.11]] and [[Windows NT 3.51|NT 3.51]], and [[File Explorer]] on later versions.

An early incarnation of DOS Shell, titled [[MS-DOS Manager]], was bundled exclusively with the [[Zenith Eazy PC|Eazy PC]], an IBM PC clone manufactured by [[Zenith Data Systems]] in 1987.<ref name="Mace_1987"/>

In MS-DOS 4.x and 5.x, the program was implemented as [[COM file]] (<code>DOSSHELL.COM</code>). In MS-DOS 6 the executable had an [[.EXE]] [[filename extension]] (<code>DOSSHELL.EXE</code>).<ref name="Hope_2018"/>

==Features==
The shell includes common features seen in other file managers such as copying, moving and renaming files as well as the ability to launch applications with a [[double-click (computing)|double-click]]. The shell could be run by the [[command (computing)|command]] "<code>DOSSHELL</code>". It had the ability to set simple colours and styles.

The shell also has a help system, a program list, and a task swapper. Like many modern file managers, it had the ability to display dual [[hierarchy]] directory and file lists, i.e. left and right [[paned window (computing)|panes]], displaying both a list of directory contents and the hierarchical file path to the current working directory. A [[computer mouse|mouse]] was supported, however, like any other DOS application, it required an appropriate [[device driver]].

One feature was the ability to list all files on a hard drive in a single alphabetized list along with the path and other attributes. This permitted the user to compare versions of a file in different directories by their attributes and easily spot duplicates.

==Shortcomings==
DOS Shell was incapable of full [[computer multitasking|multitasking]]. It supported rudimentary task switching; it could switch between programs running in [[random-access memory|memory]], at the cost of performance hit. However, all the running programs had to fit into [[conventional memory]] area, as there was no support for [[swapping (computing)|swapping]] to disk.

In time, [[Windows 3.1x]], with its own graphical user interface, became much more popular among computer users. Windows was capable of multitasking. System performance was much higher, with complete access to [[extended memory]].

==See also==
* [[ViewMAX]] – the equivalent component in DR&nbsp;DOS
* [[XTree]]
* [[Comparison of file managers]]
* [[COMMAND.COM]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Mace_1987">{{cite journal |author-last=Mace |author-first=Scott |title=Zenith Eazy PC Includes DOS Shell by Microsoft |date=1987-06-08 |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |publisher=[[IDG Communications]] |volume=9 |issue=23 |issn=0199-6649 |page=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0TAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA7 |access-date=2022-01-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128185544/https://books.google.de/books?id=0TAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA7&redir_esc=y |archive-date=2022-01-28}}</ref>
<ref name="Hope_2018">{{cite web |title=MS-DOS and Windows command line dosshell command |work=Computer Hope |date=2018-11-13 |url=https://www.computerhope.com/dosshell.htm |access-date=2022-01-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126013544/https://www.computerhope.com/dosshell.htm |archive-date=2021-01-26}}</ref>
}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Using MS-DOS 6.22 |author-last=Cooper |author-first=Jim |edition=Special third |date=2001 |publisher=[[Que Publishing]] |isbn=978-0789725738}}
* {{cite book |author-last=Wolverton |author-first=Van |title=MS-DOS Commands: Microsoft Quick Reference |edition=4th revised |date=1990 |publisher=[[Microsoft Press]] |isbn=978-1-55615289-4}}

{{File managers}}

[[Category:DOS software]]
[[Category:File managers]]