Mtools - a collection of tools for manipulating MSDOS
files
SYNOPSIS
mattrib - change MSDOS file attribute flags
mcd - change MSDOS directory
mcopy - copy MSDOS files to/from Unix
mdel - delete an MSDOS file
mdir - display an MSDOS directory
mformat - add an MSDOS filesystem to a low-level formatted diskette
mlabel - make an MSDOS volume label
mmd - make an MSDOS subdirectory
mrd - remove an MSDOS subdirectory
mread - low level read (copy) an MSDOS file to Unix
mren - rename an existing MSDOS file
mtype - display contents of an MSDOS file
mwrite - low level write (copy) a Unix file to MSDOS
DESCRIPTION
Mtools is a public domain collection of programs to allow
Unix systems to read, write, and manipulate files on an
MSDOS filesystem (typically a diskette). Each program
attempts to emulate the MSDOS equivalent command as
closely as practical.
MSDOS filenames are optionally composed of a drive letter
followed by a colon, a subdirectory, and a filename. Sub-
directory names can use either the '/' or '\' separator.
The use of the '\' separator or wildcards will require the
names to be enclosed in quotes to protect them from the
shell.
The regular expression "pattern matching" routines follow
the Unix-style rules. For example, '*' matches all MSDOS
files in lieu of '*.*'. The archive, hidden, read-only
and system attribute bits are ignored during pattern
matching.
Not all Unix filenames are appropriate in the MSDOS world.
The Mtools commands may have to alter Unix names to fit
the MSDOS filename restrictions. Most commands have a -v
(verbose) option that will display the new names if they
have been changed. The following table shows some exam-
ples of filename conversions:
l l l. Unix name MSDOS name Reason for the
change _ _ _ thisisatest THISISAT filename
too long emmet.gray EMMET.GRA extension too long
prn.txt XRN.TXT PRN is a device name
hot+cold HOTXCOLD illegal character
All options use the '-' (minus) flag, not '/' as you'd
current working directory (relative to the MSDOS filesys-
tem), otherwise the default is assumed to be A:/.
All the Mtools commands return 0 on success, 1 on utter
failure, or 2 on partial failure.
SEE ALSO
mattrib(1), mcd(1), mdel(1), mformat(1), mrd(1), mren(1),
mtype(1), mcopy(1), mdir(1), mlabel(1), mmd(1), mread(1),
mwrite(1)
BUGS
An unfortunate side effect of not guessing the proper
device (when multiple disk capacities are supported) is an
occasional error message from the device driver. These
can be safely ignored.
Release 1.1d7 of the Be OS
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