What order were files/directories outputted in dir?












1















In the version of command.com included 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?










share|improve this question







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.

























    1















    In the version of command.com included 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?










    share|improve this question







    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.























      1












      1








      1








      In the version of command.com included 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?










      share|improve this question







      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 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






      share|improve this question







      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.











      share|improve this question







      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.









      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question






      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 4 hours ago









      TSJNachos117TSJNachos117

      1062




      1062




      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.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






      TSJNachos117 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          3














          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.






          share|improve this answer































            1














            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.






            share|improve this answer
























              Your Answer








              StackExchange.ready(function() {
              var channelOptions = {
              tags: "".split(" "),
              id: "648"
              };
              initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

              StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
              // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
              if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
              StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
              createEditor();
              });
              }
              else {
              createEditor();
              }
              });

              function createEditor() {
              StackExchange.prepareEditor({
              heartbeatType: 'answer',
              autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
              convertImagesToLinks: false,
              noModals: true,
              showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
              reputationToPostImages: null,
              bindNavPrevention: true,
              postfix: "",
              imageUploader: {
              brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
              contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
              allowUrls: true
              },
              noCode: true, onDemand: true,
              discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
              ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
              });


              }
              });






              TSJNachos117 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










              draft saved

              draft discarded


















              StackExchange.ready(
              function () {
              StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fretrocomputing.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f9748%2fwhat-order-were-files-directories-outputted-in-dir%23new-answer', 'question_page');
              }
              );

              Post as a guest















              Required, but never shown

























              2 Answers
              2






              active

              oldest

              votes








              2 Answers
              2






              active

              oldest

              votes









              active

              oldest

              votes






              active

              oldest

              votes









              3














              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.






              share|improve this answer




























                3














                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.






                share|improve this answer


























                  3












                  3








                  3







                  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.






                  share|improve this answer













                  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.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 3 hours ago









                  RETRACRETRAC

                  905311




                  905311























                      1














                      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.






                      share|improve this answer




























                        1














                        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.






                        share|improve this answer


























                          1












                          1








                          1







                          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.






                          share|improve this answer













                          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.







                          share|improve this answer












                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer










                          answered 1 hour ago









                          supercatsupercat

                          7,840841




                          7,840841






















                              TSJNachos117 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










                              draft saved

                              draft discarded


















                              TSJNachos117 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.













                              TSJNachos117 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.












                              TSJNachos117 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
















                              Thanks for contributing an answer to Retrocomputing Stack Exchange!


                              • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                              But avoid



                              • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                              • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                              To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                              draft saved


                              draft discarded














                              StackExchange.ready(
                              function () {
                              StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fretrocomputing.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f9748%2fwhat-order-were-files-directories-outputted-in-dir%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                              }
                              );

                              Post as a guest















                              Required, but never shown





















































                              Required, but never shown














                              Required, but never shown












                              Required, but never shown







                              Required, but never shown

































                              Required, but never shown














                              Required, but never shown












                              Required, but never shown







                              Required, but never shown







                              Popular posts from this blog

                              What other Star Trek series did the main TNG cast show up in?

                              Berlina muro

                              Berlina aerponto