Command Prompt Tab Completion

Keyboard:  TAB
Versions:  2008,2010
Published:  7/20/2010
Code:  vstipTool0056

 

When using the Visual Studio Command Prompt (or any command prompt) you can use tab completion!  There are several ways it can work. 

 

Simple Search

For example you can type the first letter of a file:

 

Then press TAB to see all the files that begin with that letter:

 

 

 

Not as well known is the ability to use wildcards to match something.  You can use an asterisk (*) to represent any number of characters and a question mark (?) to represent a single character.  So if you want to find a file that has the letter "a" anywhere in it you would use *a* like this:

TAB

 

 

 

Just press TAB several times and each file listed will have the letter "a" somewhere in it.  What about a two-letter file that begins with a "c" but can have any other character and any extension?  Use c?.* and press TAB:

TAB

 

 

This feature extends to any commands you want to use as well:

TAB