How to Modify the Command Prompt within MS-DOS Shell (75127)

SUMMARY

To modify the prompt when using the Command Prompt program item in MS-DOS version 5.0 or later Shell, do the following:

1. Highlight the Command Prompt program item and choose Properties from the File menu. Modify the Commands option to the following

   <name>.BAT

   where <name> is any filename you want to specify. The default is COMMAND. <name>.BAT should replace COMMAND.
2. Create the batch file <name>.BAT. It should include the following:

         echo off
         set pr=%prompt%           ; Saves the current prompt
         prompt <message>%prompt%  ; Makes a new prompt
         command                   ; Spawns a new COMMAND.COM file
         prompt %pr%               ; Resets the prompt
   						

   <message> can be any characters or escape sequences you want to include in the prompt. The prompt cannot be more than 127 characters in length.
3. Type EXIT to reset the prompt and return to Shell.

The above procedure will not modify the prompt when you use the SHIFT+F9=Command Prompt option. This method will return you to the current COMMAND.COM, leaving Shell resident.