Display the contents of one or more text files, convert Unicode to ANSI.
Syntax
TYPE [drive:]pathname(s)
If more than one file is specified the filenames are included
in the output.
If a wildcard is used the filenames are not displayed.
Output can be redirected into a new file:
TYPE file.txt > Newfile.txt
Output can be appended to an existing file:
TYPE file.txt >> ExistingFile.txt
To do the same with user console input :
TYPE CON > Newfile.txt
This will require typing a CTRL-Z to indicate the end of file.
When using redirection to SORT a file the TYPE command is used implicitly
For example:
SORT < MyFile.txt
Create an empty (zero byte) file:
TYPE nul >filename.log
If you TYPE a Unicode text file, the output will be Ascii (Windows1252). This behaviour is more a limitation of the CMD shell than a designed feature, any extended characters will be discarded. To work with Unicode files use PowerShell.
eg:
TYPE UnicodeFile.txt > Ascii.txt
“Writing is easy; all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead” - Gene Fowler
Related:
FOR /F
SORT
Powershell:
Get-Content - Get content from item (cat / type / gc)
Equivalent bash command (Linux): cat - Display the contents of a file
