Wildcard Character In File Names

Q

What are wildcard characters in file names?

✍: FYIcenter.com

A

wildcard characters in file names are special characters that Windows will them as match patterns to search for files. If any matches found, the given file name will be replaced with matched file names.

Many Windows commands support two wildcard characters in file names:

1. ? (question mark) - Used to match for any single character at the given position in the file name.

For example, if you type "gloss?.doc", you will locate the file "Glossy.doc" or "Gloss1.doc" but not "Glossary.doc":

C:\fyicenter>dir /b gloss?.doc
Gloss1.doc
Glossy.doc

2. * (asterisk) - Used to match for any number of any characters at the given position in the file name.

If you are looking for a file that you know starts with "gloss" but you cannot remember the rest of the file name, type "gloss*". This locates all files of any file type that begin with "gloss" including Glossary.txt, Glossary.doc, and Glossy.doc:

C:\fyicenter>dir /b gloss*
Gloss1.doc
Glossary.doc
Glossary.txt
Glossy.doc

⇒ Special File Names Used by Windows

⇐ File Name with or without File Extension

⇑ File Name and File Path

⇑⇑ Windows Batch File Tutorials

2021-04-15, 1231👍, 0💬

File Name with Relative Path or Absolute Path
Should I provide file name with Relative Path or Absolute Path? When provide a file name, you have choice of using relative path or absolute path: 1. If you provide a file name with an absolute path, the system will go to the directory of the given path to locate the file. Providing an absolute path... 2022-08-30, 1887👍, 1💬

💬 2022-08-30 Jimmy: All this info, all in one place has been perfect, accurate, jargon free and it's enjoyable! Cheers - just wish I found you soone...

Using Batch Commands
Where to find introduction information on Using Commands Designed for Batch Files? Here is a collection of tutorials compiled by FYIcenter.com team to provide introduction information on Using Commands Designed for Batch Files. List Batch Commands "call" - Run Another Batch File "call command" vs. "... 2021-03-21, 1855👍, 0💬

Use CON to Display Data on Screen
How to use CON file name to display data on the screen? Since CON is a special file name referring to the console including screen, you can use it display data on the screen. You can use the "copy * con" to act like the "type *" command: C:\fyicenter>copy random.bat con @echo %random% 1 file(... 2021-04-02, 1549👍, 0💬

Use NUL to Sink Program Output
How to use the NUL file name to sink program output? If a program is writing too much out on your screen, you sink all output to the NUL file name. For example, if you run JMeter program, it will write some output on your screen: C:\>\fyicenter\jmeter\b in\jmeter> nul =================... 2021-04-15, 1444👍, 0💬

File Name and File Path
Where to find introduction information on File Name and File Path? Here is a collection of tutorials compiled by FYIcenter.com team to provide introduction information on File Name and File Path. What Is File Name File Name with or without Drive Letter File Name with Relative Path or Absolute Path F... 2022-08-26, 1417👍, 0💬

File Name with or without Drive Letter
Should I provide file name with or without drive letter? When provide a file name, you have choice of providing or not providing the drive letter: 1. If you provide a file name with the drive letter, the system will go to the given disk drive to locate the file. Providing the drive letter is a good ... 2022-08-26, 1405👍, 0💬

What Is File Name
What is a file name on Windows system? A file name, also becoming one word now: filename, on a Windows system is a string that identifies a storage resource that you can retrieve data from it or store data in in. On Windows system, a file name contains multiple components listed below: Drive letter ... 2022-08-26, 1389👍, 0💬

Special File Names Used by Windows
What are special file names used by Windows? Windows used a number of special file names referring to special resources in the system: CON - Referring to the console: keyboard and screen. Reading from CON is reading from the keyboard. Writing to CON is writing to the screen. PRN - Referring to the p... 2021-04-15, 1364👍, 0💬

File Name with or without File Extension
Should I provide file name with or without File Extension? To provide file name with or without file extension is really depending on the program that you are providing the file to. Here are some examples on different programs behaving differently on file names with and without file extension. 1. Wi... 2021-04-15, 1346👍, 0💬

All rights in the contents of this web site are reserved by the individual author. fyicenter.com does not guarantee the truthfulness, accuracy, or reliability of any contents.