4DOS for versions of DOS, esp. FreeDOS, 4OS2 for use on OS/2, and TCC/LE for
use on Windows XP (and later) are now free command processors from JP
Software, Inc. 4DOS and 4OS2 had been commercial products when DOS and OS/2
were more popular. TCC/LE (Take Command Console / Limited Edition) is
primarily a free replacement for CMD.EXE with only a portion of the
enhancements found in the commercial product TCC. All of these command
processors include the DESCRIBE command to manipulate the contents of a
hidden file named DESCRIPT.ION which can contain one line of arbitrary text
for each file in a directory, describing its contents. All file manipulation
commands in the JPsoft command processors also manipulate the associated
file description, if any, so that the description of a file, when the file
itself is deleted, moved, renamed or copied, will be subject to the same
action. Many other file manipulation programs from other vendors also
process JPsoft-style file descriptions, e.g., make it a file comment in an
archive.
TCC is currently bundles with a program named Take Command (TCMD), which
allows multiple console (i.e., text) programs to use individual "tabs" of a
single window, in the same manner Firefox and Internet Explorer allow you to
view different websites in different "tabs".
As all JPsoft commerical products, TCMD can be downloaded from
jpsoft.com
for a free 30-day evaluation period.
--
HTH, Steve