CMD path completion Registry Edit not effective

[Jim]

According to micorsoft.com techinfo I should be able to
permanently enable Path Completion in the command window
by editing the CompletionChar / PathCompletionChar in the
Registry Editor. Well, I've changed that variable
everywhere it appears in the Registry Editor (HKCU, HKLM,
and HK_USERS) and it has no effect. I still have to turn
on the feature using "cmd /fn", and even then, it uses
CTRL-F and CTRL-D, not the value I enter (0x1b for ESC). I
am invoking the Command Prompt by selecting Start -> Run
and typing "cmd". I have Windows 2000 5.00.2195 SP2. Where
am I messing up?
-Jim

 

[Michael Bednarek]

According to micorsoft.com techinfo I should be able to
permanently enable Path Completion in the command window
by editing the CompletionChar / PathCompletionChar in the
Registry Editor. Well, I've changed that variable
everywhere it appears in the Registry Editor (HKCU, HKLM,
and HK_USERS) and it has no effect. I still have to turn
on the feature using "cmd /fn", and even then, it uses
CTRL-F and CTRL-D, not the value I enter (0x1b for ESC). I
am invoking the Command Prompt by selecting Start -> Run
and typing "cmd". I have Windows 2000 5.00.2195 SP2. Where
am I messing up?
-Jim

ESC seems a particularly unfortunate choice for a completion character
and I'm not surprised that CMD doesn't want a bar of it. Use a
different value. 0x1b hower does work: not through the keystroke ESC
but through Ctrl+[.

I suspect only the following are acceptable:
CTRL+ A B D E F G K L N O P Q R T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _ and TAB, which
seems the most sensible option to me.

 

[Bill Stewart]

ESC seems a particularly unfortunate choice for a completion character
and I'm not surprised that CMD doesn't want a bar of it. Use a different
value. 0x1b hower does work: not through the keystroke ESC but through
Ctrl+[.

I suspect only the following are acceptable: CTRL+ A B D E F G K L N O P
Q R T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _ and TAB, which seems the most sensible option
to me.

Hi Michael,

It helps if I actually read the post! You're right -- ESC means "empty the
command line" and, as far as I know, cannot be assigned to a completion
command.

Thanks!

Bill

 

[Jim]

Michael,
That was my mistake - assuming 0x1b literally meant the
ESC key, when it is actually CTRL+[. (I got used to using
the ESC key for filename completion in a Solaris UNIX
shell. Now, due to force of habit, I routinely clear the
command line by accident!)
Thanks,
Jim

-----Original Message-----

According to micorsoft.com techinfo I should be able to
permanently enable Path Completion in the command window
by editing the CompletionChar / PathCompletionChar in the
Registry Editor. Well, I've changed that variable
everywhere it appears in the Registry Editor (HKCU, HKLM,
and HK_USERS) and it has no effect. I still have to turn
on the feature using "cmd /fn", and even then, it uses
CTRL-F and CTRL-D, not the value I enter (0x1b for ESC). I
am invoking the Command Prompt by selecting Start -> Run
and typing "cmd". I have Windows 2000 5.00.2195 SP2. Where
am I messing up?
-Jim

ESC seems a particularly unfortunate choice for a completion character
and I'm not surprised that CMD doesn't want a bar of it. Use a
different value. 0x1b hower does work: not through the keystroke ESC
but through Ctrl+[.

I suspect only the following are acceptable:
CTRL+ A B D E F G K L N O P Q R T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _ and TAB, which
seems the most sensible option to me.

--
Michael Bednarek, IT Manager, Tactical Global Management
Waterfront Pl, Brisbane 4000, Australia. "POST NO BILLS"
http://mcmbednarek.tripod.com/
.