The Windows Command Line Prompt, also known as CMD, is a powerful tool used to perform a variety of tasks. It is a text-based interface that allows users to enter commands and execute them on their computer. The start command is one of the most commonly used commands in CMD, as it is used to launch applications, open files, and perform other tasks.
What is the Start Command?
The start command is a Windows CMD command used to open a program, folder, document, or internet resource. It can also be used to launch a program with specific options and parameters. The syntax for the start command is:
- start [option] program [parameters]
The option parameter is optional and can be used to specify how the program should be opened. The program parameter is required and specifies the program to be opened. The parameters parameter is optional and can be used to specify additional parameters for the program.
Options for the Start Command
The start command has several options that can be used to specify how the program should be opened. These options include:
- /min – Opens the program in a minimized window.
- /max – Opens the program in a maximized window.
- /wait – Waits for the program to finish before continuing.
- /b – Opens the program in a new window.
- /d – Opens the program in the current directory.
Examples of the Start Command
The start command can be used to open a variety of programs, files, and internet resources. Here are some examples of how to use the start command:
- start notepad – Opens Notepad in a new window.
- start /min notepad – Opens Notepad in a minimized window.
- start /max notepad – Opens Notepad in a maximized window.
- start /wait notepad – Waits for Notepad to finish before continuing.
- start /b notepad – Opens Notepad in a new window.
- start /d c:\windows\system32\ notepad – Opens Notepad in the c:\windows\system32\ directory.
- start http://www.example.com – Opens the website http://www.example.com in the default web browser.
- start /max “c:\my documents\myfile.txt” – Opens the file c:\my documents\myfile.txt in a maximized window.
Conclusion
The start command is a powerful tool for launching programs, opening files, and accessing internet resources. It can be used with a variety of options and parameters to customize how the program is opened. With the start command, users can quickly and easily open the programs and files they need.