Special File Names Used by Windows

Q

What are special file names used by Windows?

✍: FYIcenter.com

A

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 printer for writing output only.
  • AUX - Referring to the auxiliary device for reading and writing.
  • NUL - Referring to null device. Reading from NUL gets nothing, like an empty file. Writing to NUL goes nowhere, data will be lost.
  • COM1, COM2, ..., COM9 - Referring to serial port 1, 2, ..., 9 for reading and writing.
  • LPT1, LPT2, ..., LPT9 - Referring to serial parallel 1, 2, ..., 9 for reading and writing.

Note that you should never use these special file names to name your own files.

 

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2021-04-15, 1747🔥, 0💬