The Start Command
Normally when you start a program from the command line the program runs in the current command line window. If the program uses a graphical interface then the command line window will be replaced by the programs graphical interface and will only return when you shut down the program. Even if the program runs in the command line window itself or doesn't require a window to run you will not be able to continue using the current command line window until the program finishes.
The start command changes all this by having the program that you are starting run in its own new session window allowing you to continue using the current window at the same time.
There are a number of parameters that you can use with the start command to further define how the program is to run.
- /k run through the OS/2 command processor and leave the new command line open when the program finishes
- /c run through the OS/2 command processor and close the new window when the program finishes (default)
- /n run the program directly instead of through the command processor
- /f run the program in the foreground
- /b run the program in the background
- /fs run full screen in the foreground
- /pm run a presentation manager session in the foreground
- /win run a windows session in the foreground
- /dos run the program in a DOS session
- /max start in a maximized window
- /min start minimized
- /pgm use the following name in quotes as the name of the program
- /i use the environment variables set in config.sys
