Using command prompt with NVDA

In this tutorial, we will learn how to use command prompt with NVDA screen reader.
Warning:
We are not responsible of any damages occured to your PC by using wrong commands. Please be careful while executing any commands.

Introduction to command prompt

Command prompt is a program that will be present in every windows machines, that enables the user to perform various tasks in computer using some pre-asigned english words or symbols.
Those english words or symbols we will call it as commands. In command prompt, The output of any results is given in the form of plain text instead of graphical presentation. The rules for providing any command to the computer is called as syntax.
The interface of the command prompt is known as command line interface and other applications that you operate in computer is made up of graphics/drawings so, those are known as graphical user interface.

Why we want to learn operating in command prompt

Nearly, you can perform all the management part of your computer in that from creating files and folders, changing computer settings, troubleshoot various computer related issues etc. If you can operate eficiently in command prompt, You are good to operate one of the operating system called lynix that is made for the programmers. Also, its easy to head towards coding after you learnt to operate in command prompt.

Opening command prompt

In windows 10, opening command prompt is very simple. We are going to explain various ways of opening the command prompt and its benefits.

Opening through start menu

You can open command prompt by start menu by following below steps:

  1. Press windows key and after search box appeared, navigate to windows system folder using down arrow key.
  2. Open that folder by enter key and navigate to command prompt and activate it.

Opening command prompt through run dialog box

You can open command prompt through run dialog box by following below steps:

  1. Press windows+r key to open run dialog box,
  2. Type cmd and press enter to open command prompt.

Opening command prompt through address bar in file explorer

To open the command prompt from file explorer, follow the steps given below

  1. In file explorer, navigate to address bar by pressing key combination alt+d
  2. Erase all the text that’s there in the address bar and type cmd and press enter.

Benefits of opening the command prompt in different ways

Firstly, if you turn onn and login to your computer, the directory of the desktop will be shown to the user. Same like that, If you open the command prompt, you will be taken to your user directory that is c:\users\<Loginned user> to here the present directory, press the command “cd” without quotation mark and press enter and you will get heard your present directory.
The advantage of first technique that is, opening from start menu is you can also launch command prompt in administrator mode.
Instead of activating command prompt directly in the windows system folder, press applications or shift+f10 on it and choose more>run as administrator. This is required if you only want to change some computer settings that requires administrator permission
There is no such benefit in second technique that is opening command prompt through run. If you want to open just command prompt without administrator action or to navigate to default directory mentioned above, you can open command prompt through run.
The benefit of 3rd technique is that, you can navigate to your present directory when you open command prompt through file explorer. Example, if you are there in your d drive and if you navigate to address bar and after opening command prompt from that, you will be placed in the present directory that is d:. This is benefitial when you want to perform some file related operation with the files present in that directory.

Using command prompt with nvda screen reader

As we mentioned above, command prompt is a textual interface, there are no pictures/graphics in it. In NVDA screen reader, you can use command prompt with the review text key shortcuts. for all the keystrokes used within text review, refer nvda commands quick reference by navigating to nvda menu>;help>;commands quick reference>;Reviewing Text heading.
After you read some key shortcuts, navigate back to command prompt, type the command “help” without quotation mark and press enter. Notice that your screen reader starts to read some of the popular commands available in command prompt. To read those commands again, use your reviewing text read line key shortcuts such as numpad 7, 8, 9 to read previous/present/next line accordingly.

Performing file/folder operation using command prompt

Before performing these operations

  1. navigate to your favourite directory in file explorer,
  2. Create a new directory especially for this experiment, from the present directory
  3. Navigate to address bar and open command prompt as mentioned in the 3rd technique of opening command prompt.
  4. After opening command prompt, type the command “dir” without quotation mark.
Notice that, it will display all the files and folders within the present directory. To know the directory you are in, type the command “cd” and press enter.

Creating folder in command prompt

To create any folder, type the command “mkdir <folder name>” without any symbols mentioned in the syntax where “mkdir” means, make directory.
to navigate inside the created folder, type the command “cd <folder name>” without any symbols mentioned in the syntax where “cd” means, Change directory. After you pressed enter, the screen reader reads the name of the present directory.

Creating, renaming and deleting file in command prompt

  • To create any file in command prompt, we use the notepad application. To Create any file, type “notepad.exe” followed by file name. example: notepad.exe” Hello.txt”. If named file already exists, notepad opens and displays the file’s contents otherwise,you will be presented with a prompt by notepad that the file not exist, do you want to create? activate yes on that.
  • To rename the file or folder, type “rename” followed by file name. If you performing this command for the folder, the format name is not required.
  • To delete the file or folder, type “erase” followed by file name. If you performing this command for the folder, the format name is not required.

Published by Harsha HD

Myself Harsha, I'm a person from Bangalore, Karnataka with 100% visually challenged. I completed my PG in masters of computer application at Bangalore university in the year 2022. With my coding interest along with interest of sharing those knowledge to our visually challenged community, I founded this website, trying to provide accessible coding materials and training specially for visually challenged people with affordable cost. So, that the VI people will able to perceive their education in technical/electronics stream in an accessible way.

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