DIR Command

Generates XML data about files and folders.

XML and Screenshot

The XML data contains information about each file and folder.  A filtered snippet is shown below.  This is the most important schema to solidify because it represents the heart of the XML command-line system: a way of transmitting file information from program to program in a structured manner.

<folder>
    <name>bin</name>
    <folder>
        <name>alpha</name>
        <file>
            <name>set.exe</name>
        </file>
        <file>
            <name>tree.exe</name>
        </file>
    </folder>
</folder>

The shell renders the list as a table.

Thoughts

• The results can be minimalist (just names) or populated with a rich set of information (e.g. size, status, modification date, etc).
• A future command will accept a minimalist listing and populate it with extended information; an alternate command will strip the extended information.
• The results can be piped to any command that works with multiple files, such as a deletion or archiving commands.
• The results should be accepted by the PATH command to add folders to the operating system path.

See Also

• PATH
• PWD
• SET
• TASK
• TIME
• VOL

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Copyright © 2007 David Pinch except where designated otherwise.