EDLIN Saves a Backup File when editing; EDIT Does Not (74296)



The information in this article applies to:
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.1
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.2
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.21
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3a
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.01
    Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0

This article was previously published under Q74296

SUMMARY

The MS-DOS EDIT command does not save a backup file the way the MS-DOS EDLIN command does.

Information about EDIT applies to Microsoft MS-DOS version 5.0.

Information about EDLIN applies to Microsoft MS-DOS versions 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.22, 3.3, 3.30a, 4.0, 4.01, and 5.0.

MORE INFORMATION

EDIT is an external DOS command that can start the MS-DOS Editor (a full-screen text editor), but EDIT does not create a backup file with a .BAK extension the way EDLIN does, even if changes are made.

EDLIN is an external DOS command as well. However, EDLIN is a line- oriented text editor; when you end your editing session with the "E" command, EDLIN will give the changed file the same name as the original and rename the original file with a .BAK extension. If you end the editing session with the "Q" command, however, your original file will remain unchanged.

Modification Type: Major Last Reviewed: 11/26/2003
Keywords: KB74296