Classic Computer Magazine Archive COMPUTE! ISSUE 162 / MARCH 1994 / PAGE 64

Basic NetWare commands. (commands for Novell NetWare operating system) (Compute's Getting Started With: Personal Networking)
by Anne Fischer Lent

In many corporations, the network administrator will create menus of commands for the staff to use daily to perform their network tasks. After the administrator has created menus for you to use, you can access a particular application or tool by simply clicking on the appropriate menu item. Your job may not require you to access anything but menu utilities, but it's important that you know that you can enter commands at the DOS comnmand line. Many powerful options await you there.

Listed below are five essential NetWare commands. if you're not already activating them through menu shortcuts, it's important that you know what they ae and how to use them.

Capture syntax: capture option

Use the computer command to print screen dumps or to save data to a network file. End teh capture byt typing endcapt.

To save data to a network file, type capture cr=path and press the Enter key. Replace the word path with the directory pathy including the filename where you want to save a file. The rest of the procedure is the same as printing screen dumps.

Help syntax: help command name

As its name implies, this command gives you information about NetWare utilities, messages, and concepts.

Login and Logout xyntax: login/option file server/name syntax: logout

This is what you do when you turn on your PC and log in to the network. Generally, your network administrator has automated this task for you. using Login gives you access to a file server's resources. If your name is Steven, for example, and your file server is named pirate, you type login pirate steven. You'll then be prompted for your password. Simply type logout to sign off the network.

Send syntax: send "message" to username

This is the command that lets you send short messages or bulletins to your users on the network. You can send messages to individual users by their user names, or you can address them to everyone on the network by typing the word everybody after the word to.

Setpass syntax: setpass fileserver/username

It's a good idea to change your password periodically, and to do so, you use the Setpass command. This command will not, however, work for those who have forgotten their passwords. If there's already one assigned to your user name, you'll need to know it before you can change it.

You also use the Setpass command to create a new password To create or change your password, if your file server is named pirate and your name is steven, you type setpass pirate steven. If you're changing your password, you have to enter the old one. If you're creating a new password, just press the Enter key.