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Windows 95 and DOS

Using Subst to Map Folders to a Psuedo-Drive

SUMMARY: Access directories faster using the SUBST command with Windows 95 and DOS.


 

If you frequently access files in a particular directory that has a long name, it may grow tiresome re-entering the name over and over again. To solve this, you can create 'pseudo' drives mapped to a particular drive folder. This way, at the Windows 95 DOS prompt, instead of typing

cd reallylongpathname

You can map a drive, z:, to this directory, so you just have to type in:

z:

To do this requires use of the SUBST command. The syntax is as follows:

SUBST pseudo_drive_name directory_to_map

For example, to map the directory C:\DOWNLOADS to the pseudo-drive Y:, enter in the following command at a DOS prompt:

SUBST Y: C:\DOWNLOADS

As you'll see in Windows Explorer, a new "Y" drive will appear. Double-clicking it will enter the C:\DOWNLOADS folder.

Two notes:

1. For this to be effective and useful, you should enter in your desired SUBST commands in your autoexec.bat file. If you currently do not have such a file in your boot drive's root directory, make one.

2. Some disk utilities may not like SUBSTituted drives. Use this tip with caution if you plan to use disk utilities on the SUBSTituted drives.



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