Using the .INI File

Some settings in the .INI file are initialized when you install CMD.EXE, 
so you will probably have a CMD.INI file even if you didn't create one 
yourself. 

CMD.EXE primary shells search for the .INI file in three places: 

        *   If there is an "@d:\path\inifile" option on the startup 
            command line, the command processor will use the path and file 
            name specified there, and will not look elsewhere.  See 
            Starting CMD.EXE for details. 
        *   If there is no .INI file name on the startup command line, the 
            search proceeds to the same directory where the command 
            processor program file (CMD.EXE.EXE) is stored.  This is the 
            "normal" location for the .INI file.  CMD.EXE determines this 
            directory automatically. 
        *   If the .INI file is not found in the directory where the 
            program file is stored, a final check is made in the root 
            directory of the boot drive. 
 
 When CMD.EXE is loaded as a secondary shell, it does not search for the 
 .INI file.  Instead, it retrieves the primary shell's .INI file data, 
 processes the [Secondary] section of the original .INI file if necessary 
 (see .INI File Sections), and then processes any "@d:\path\inifile" 
 option on the secondary shell command line (see Starting CMD.EXE).  You 
 can override this behavior with the NextINIFile directive. 

 Secondary shells automatically inherit the configuration settings 
 currently in effect in the previous shell.  If values have been changed 
 by SETDOS since the primary shell started, the current values will be 
 passed to the secondary shell.  If the previous shell's .INI file had a 
 [Secondary] section, it will then be read and processed (see .INI File 
 Sections.  If not, the previous shell's settings will remain in effect. 

 For example, you might set BatchEcho to Yes in the .INI file, to enable 
 batch file echo.  If you then use SETDOS /V0 to turn off batch file 
 echoing in the primary shell, then any secondary shells will inherit the 
 SETDOS setting, rather than the original value from the .INI file; i.e., 
 batch files in the secondary shell will default to no echo. 

 If you want to force secondary shells to start with a specific value for 
 a particular directive, regardless of any changes made with SETDOS in a 
 previous shell, repeat the directive in the [Secondary] section of the 
 .INI file. 

 The SETDOS command can override several of the .INI file directives.  For 
 example, the cursor shape used by CMD.EXE can be adjusted either with the 
 CursorIns and CursorOver directives or the SETDOS /S command.  The 
 correspondence between SETDOS options and .INI directives is noted with 
 each directive, and under each option of the SETDOS command. 

 When the command processor detects an error while processing the .INI 
 file, it displays an error message and prompts you to press a key to 
 continue processing the file.  This allows you to note any errors before 
 the startup process continues.  The directive in error will retain its 
 previous or default value.  Only the most catastrophic errors (like a 
 disk read failure) will terminate processing of the remainder of the .INI 
 file.  If you don't want a pause after each error, use a "PauseOnError = 
 No" directive at the beginning of the .INI file. 

 If you need to test different values for an .INI directive without 
 repeatedly editing the .INI file, use the OPTION command or see the 
 INIQuery directive.