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What order were files/directories output in dir?
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In the version of command.com included with MS-DOS, DIR seems to print files in a random order, but if one runs multiple DIR commands, they all print the files in the same order. This order does not appear to be based on date, size, or alphabetization. So what is the order? Does it simply print whatever files it finds first?
ms-dos
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
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asked yesterday
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add a comment |
In the version of command.com included with MS-DOS, DIR seems to print files in a random order, but if one runs multiple DIR commands, they all print the files in the same order. This order does not appear to be based on date, size, or alphabetization. So what is the order? Does it simply print whatever files it finds first?
ms-dos
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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related: Default file order of "dir" command in Windows console, What order does the DIR command arrange files if no sort order is specified?
– phuclv
7 hours ago
add a comment |
In the version of command.com included with MS-DOS, DIR seems to print files in a random order, but if one runs multiple DIR commands, they all print the files in the same order. This order does not appear to be based on date, size, or alphabetization. So what is the order? Does it simply print whatever files it finds first?
ms-dos
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In the version of command.com included with MS-DOS, DIR seems to print files in a random order, but if one runs multiple DIR commands, they all print the files in the same order. This order does not appear to be based on date, size, or alphabetization. So what is the order? Does it simply print whatever files it finds first?
ms-dos
ms-dos
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
edited 6 hours ago
Stephen Kitt
41k8168176
41k8168176
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
asked yesterday
TSJNachos117TSJNachos117
1462
1462
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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related: Default file order of "dir" command in Windows console, What order does the DIR command arrange files if no sort order is specified?
– phuclv
7 hours ago
add a comment |
related: Default file order of "dir" command in Windows console, What order does the DIR command arrange files if no sort order is specified?
– phuclv
7 hours ago
related: Default file order of "dir" command in Windows console, What order does the DIR command arrange files if no sort order is specified?
– phuclv
7 hours ago
related: Default file order of "dir" command in Windows console, What order does the DIR command arrange files if no sort order is specified?
– phuclv
7 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
When a new file is created in a FAT-based file system, its entry will be placed in the first vacant directory slot, if there is one, or else the directory will be extended to add another cluster worth of vacant slots (and the new entry will be placed in the first of those). If no files are ever deleted, files will be assigned directory entries in the order of creation.
Before the advent of long file names, each file that was deleted would result in an empty directory slot, which would get filled by the next file to be created. Long file names complicate this process because they are stored using multiple consecutive directory slots (though I don't know the exact process).
The "dir" command in MS-DOS defaults to reporting files in the same order as their directory entries, but command-line arguments in later versions allow sorting by various criteria.
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
add a comment |
DIR lists files in the order they’re returned by the find first and find next calls.
On FAT file systems, RAM drives, CD-ROMs etc. this is the order of the directory entries on disk, which on FAT file systems is file creation order as long as no files are deleted. On network file systems, it’s whatever order the server and redirector choose. Other file system drivers can exhibit different behaviour; thus on HPFS and NTFS, which sort directories’ contents on disk, files are returned in the file systems sort order (as can be seen in OS/2 or Windows virtual DOS boxes on HPFS or NTFS volumes).
There are tools which will re-order entries on disk, to provide a permanent sort order for DIR. Defragmenting could also re-order files (commonly, directories first, then files).
DOS 5 added various sorting options to DIR itself; the order then depends only on those, when present.
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Whatever it finds first. DIR in MS-DOS command.com starts at the beginning of the directory table and reads it through to the end. The files will be in the order they were added to the directory table.
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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3 Answers
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When a new file is created in a FAT-based file system, its entry will be placed in the first vacant directory slot, if there is one, or else the directory will be extended to add another cluster worth of vacant slots (and the new entry will be placed in the first of those). If no files are ever deleted, files will be assigned directory entries in the order of creation.
Before the advent of long file names, each file that was deleted would result in an empty directory slot, which would get filled by the next file to be created. Long file names complicate this process because they are stored using multiple consecutive directory slots (though I don't know the exact process).
The "dir" command in MS-DOS defaults to reporting files in the same order as their directory entries, but command-line arguments in later versions allow sorting by various criteria.
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
add a comment |
When a new file is created in a FAT-based file system, its entry will be placed in the first vacant directory slot, if there is one, or else the directory will be extended to add another cluster worth of vacant slots (and the new entry will be placed in the first of those). If no files are ever deleted, files will be assigned directory entries in the order of creation.
Before the advent of long file names, each file that was deleted would result in an empty directory slot, which would get filled by the next file to be created. Long file names complicate this process because they are stored using multiple consecutive directory slots (though I don't know the exact process).
The "dir" command in MS-DOS defaults to reporting files in the same order as their directory entries, but command-line arguments in later versions allow sorting by various criteria.
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
add a comment |
When a new file is created in a FAT-based file system, its entry will be placed in the first vacant directory slot, if there is one, or else the directory will be extended to add another cluster worth of vacant slots (and the new entry will be placed in the first of those). If no files are ever deleted, files will be assigned directory entries in the order of creation.
Before the advent of long file names, each file that was deleted would result in an empty directory slot, which would get filled by the next file to be created. Long file names complicate this process because they are stored using multiple consecutive directory slots (though I don't know the exact process).
The "dir" command in MS-DOS defaults to reporting files in the same order as their directory entries, but command-line arguments in later versions allow sorting by various criteria.
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
When a new file is created in a FAT-based file system, its entry will be placed in the first vacant directory slot, if there is one, or else the directory will be extended to add another cluster worth of vacant slots (and the new entry will be placed in the first of those). If no files are ever deleted, files will be assigned directory entries in the order of creation.
Before the advent of long file names, each file that was deleted would result in an empty directory slot, which would get filled by the next file to be created. Long file names complicate this process because they are stored using multiple consecutive directory slots (though I don't know the exact process).
The "dir" command in MS-DOS defaults to reporting files in the same order as their directory entries, but command-line arguments in later versions allow sorting by various criteria.
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
answered 21 hours ago
supercatsupercat
8,030842
8,030842
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
add a comment |
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
Some details about long file names, by Raymond Chen: devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20110826-00/?p=9793
– fernando.reyes
5 hours ago
add a comment |
DIR lists files in the order they’re returned by the find first and find next calls.
On FAT file systems, RAM drives, CD-ROMs etc. this is the order of the directory entries on disk, which on FAT file systems is file creation order as long as no files are deleted. On network file systems, it’s whatever order the server and redirector choose. Other file system drivers can exhibit different behaviour; thus on HPFS and NTFS, which sort directories’ contents on disk, files are returned in the file systems sort order (as can be seen in OS/2 or Windows virtual DOS boxes on HPFS or NTFS volumes).
There are tools which will re-order entries on disk, to provide a permanent sort order for DIR. Defragmenting could also re-order files (commonly, directories first, then files).
DOS 5 added various sorting options to DIR itself; the order then depends only on those, when present.
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
add a comment |
DIR lists files in the order they’re returned by the find first and find next calls.
On FAT file systems, RAM drives, CD-ROMs etc. this is the order of the directory entries on disk, which on FAT file systems is file creation order as long as no files are deleted. On network file systems, it’s whatever order the server and redirector choose. Other file system drivers can exhibit different behaviour; thus on HPFS and NTFS, which sort directories’ contents on disk, files are returned in the file systems sort order (as can be seen in OS/2 or Windows virtual DOS boxes on HPFS or NTFS volumes).
There are tools which will re-order entries on disk, to provide a permanent sort order for DIR. Defragmenting could also re-order files (commonly, directories first, then files).
DOS 5 added various sorting options to DIR itself; the order then depends only on those, when present.
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
add a comment |
DIR lists files in the order they’re returned by the find first and find next calls.
On FAT file systems, RAM drives, CD-ROMs etc. this is the order of the directory entries on disk, which on FAT file systems is file creation order as long as no files are deleted. On network file systems, it’s whatever order the server and redirector choose. Other file system drivers can exhibit different behaviour; thus on HPFS and NTFS, which sort directories’ contents on disk, files are returned in the file systems sort order (as can be seen in OS/2 or Windows virtual DOS boxes on HPFS or NTFS volumes).
There are tools which will re-order entries on disk, to provide a permanent sort order for DIR. Defragmenting could also re-order files (commonly, directories first, then files).
DOS 5 added various sorting options to DIR itself; the order then depends only on those, when present.
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
DIR lists files in the order they’re returned by the find first and find next calls.
On FAT file systems, RAM drives, CD-ROMs etc. this is the order of the directory entries on disk, which on FAT file systems is file creation order as long as no files are deleted. On network file systems, it’s whatever order the server and redirector choose. Other file system drivers can exhibit different behaviour; thus on HPFS and NTFS, which sort directories’ contents on disk, files are returned in the file systems sort order (as can be seen in OS/2 or Windows virtual DOS boxes on HPFS or NTFS volumes).
There are tools which will re-order entries on disk, to provide a permanent sort order for DIR. Defragmenting could also re-order files (commonly, directories first, then files).
DOS 5 added various sorting options to DIR itself; the order then depends only on those, when present.
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
edited 5 hours ago
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
answered 18 hours ago
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
41k8168176
41k8168176
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
add a comment |
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
A VDM in OS/2 or Windows NT was a third case, halfway between. Local disc volumes weren't presented as network redirected, but neither were the underlying filesystems unsorted. They were often HPFS or NTFS where directories are sorted by their nature.
– JdeBP
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Whatever it finds first. DIR in MS-DOS command.com starts at the beginning of the directory table and reads it through to the end. The files will be in the order they were added to the directory table.
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
add a comment |
Whatever it finds first. DIR in MS-DOS command.com starts at the beginning of the directory table and reads it through to the end. The files will be in the order they were added to the directory table.
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
add a comment |
Whatever it finds first. DIR in MS-DOS command.com starts at the beginning of the directory table and reads it through to the end. The files will be in the order they were added to the directory table.
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
Whatever it finds first. DIR in MS-DOS command.com starts at the beginning of the directory table and reads it through to the end. The files will be in the order they were added to the directory table.
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
answered 23 hours ago
RETRACRETRAC
915311
915311
add a comment |
add a comment |
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related: Default file order of "dir" command in Windows console, What order does the DIR command arrange files if no sort order is specified?
– phuclv
7 hours ago