Command: mode
MODE configures and sets the state for various hardware devices
and more.
Syntax:
mode [device][options] or:
mode [screen mode]
Devices:
CON[:] Console. This controls the display driver, which must
be installed first. MODE CON allows you to set your
screen's "codepage". This is useful because each
codepage lets you display different characters. For
more information on codepage see the CODEPAGE
INFORMATION PACK.
LPT[:] Parallel Ports
COM[:] Serial Ports
PARK Not implemented in FreeDOS mode.
Options:
MODE [device] [/STA[TUS]] Shows the status of one or all devices.
MODE LPTn[:] cols[,[lines][,retry]]
MODE LPTn[:] [COLS=...] [LINES=...] [RETRY=...]
Cols or cpi, 6/8 lpi, retry p or n
Retry: p infinite / n none
MODE LPTn[:]=[COMn[:]|NUL] Redirect printer data to serial port or NUL
MODE COMn[:] baud,parity,data,stop,retry
MODE COMn[:] [BAUD[HARD]=...] [PARITY=...] [DATA=...] [STOP=...]
[RETRY=...] Empty values allowed
Baud can be abbreviated to unique prefix,
parity can be o/e/n/s/m, the latter 2 mean
space/mark, data can be 5..8, stop 1..2.
Retry is IGNORED!
PLANNED: Retry b/e/r -> busy/error/ready
if busy, p/n infinite/no retry.
MODE CON[:] [CP|CODEPAGE] [/STA[TUS]]
Shows the status of CON (console).
FreeDOS DISPLAY must be loaded before.
MODE CON[:] [CP|CODEPAGE] REF[RESH]
Refreshes the active codepage to hardware.
FreeDOS DISPLAY must be loaded.
MODE CON[:] [CP|CODEPAGE] PREP[ARE]=((codepage) filename)
FreeDOS DISPLAY must be loaded before.
Use PREP=((,cp2,cp3,,cp5)...) to prepare
codepages in other buffers.
MODE CON[:] [CP|CODEPAGE] SEL[ECT]=number
FreeDOS DISPLAY must be loaded before.
MODE CON[:] [NUMLOCK|CAPSLOCK|SCROLLLOCK|SWITCHAR]=value
Value can be: + or - for the locks or a
character for switchar.
MODE CON[:] [COLS=...] [LINES=...]
Possible values depend on your hardware.
MODE CON[:] [RATE=...] [DELAY=...]
Default rate 20, default delay 1. Rate can
be 1..32 for 2..30 char/sec, delay can be
1..4 for 1/4..4/4 sec.
MODE [40|80|BW40|BW80|CO40|CO80|MONO][,rows]
These are the fix screen modes.
Rows can be 25, 28, 43 or 50. Use 8, 14 or
16 as 'rows' value if you only want to
change the font.
MODE [CO40|CO80|...],[R|L][,T]
These are the flexible screen modes.
Values for columns are 40, 80, 132, rows
can be 25, 28, 30, 34, 43, 50, 60. Use 8,
14 or 16 as 'rows' value if you only want
to change the font.
Shift CGA left/right, T is interactive
mode.
/? Shows the help.
Comments:
CON (Console):
This controls the display driver, which must be installed first.
MODE CON allows you to set your screen's "codepage". This is useful
because each codepage lets you display different characters. For mode
information on codepage see the CODEPAGE INFORMATION PACK.
Usage:
MODE CON[:] CODEPAGE /STATUS
Shows the active codepage and other information about the current
status of DISPLAY and the codepage buffers.
MODE CON[:] CODEPAGE REFRESH
Refreshes the active codepage to hardware (in case it has been
accidentaly destroyed)
MODE CON[:] CODEPAGE PREPARE ((nnn) filename)
Prepare codepage nnn from the specified file.
The format of the files are .cpx and they are usually stored
in C:\FREEDOS\CPI.
For instance, codepage 860 is in EGA9.CPX. So you might use:
MODE CON: CODEPAGE PREPARE ((860) c:\FREEDOS\CPI\ega9.cpx).
See the CODEPAGE INFORMATION PACK for information
about the available codepages and cpi files.
MODE CON[:] CODEPAGE SELECT=nnn
Activate codepage nnn, which must have been previously prepared
with PREPARE.
MODE CON[:] NUMLOCK=value
Switches the numlock to ON or OFF. Value can be "+" or "-".
MODE CON [:] CAPSLOCK=value
Switches the capslock to ON or OFF. Value can be "+" or "-".
MODE CON [:] SCROLLOCK=value
Switches the scrollock to ON or OFF. Value can be "+" or "-".
MODE CON [:] SWITCHAR=character
Changes the DOS command line option switch character (usually
"/") to another character. Does not work with all commands.
MODE CON [:] COLS=value
Changes the columns. Value can be 40, 80 or 132.
MODE CON [:] LINES=value
Changes the lines. Value can be 25, 28, 43 or 50, or font size
8, 14 or 16.
If you have VESA, 30, 34 or 60 lines can be available too.
MODE CON [:] RATE=value
Changes the repeat rate. Value can be 1 ... 32 (2.0 chars/sec ...
30.0 chars/sec after 0.50 sec delay).
MODE CON [:] DELAY=value
Changes the repeat delay. Value can be 1,2,3 or 4 (unit is 0.25
seconds).
The word CODEPAGE can be abbreviated to CP, STATUS to STA, REFRESH to
REF, SELECT to SEL and PREPARE to PREP.
MODE has ERRORLEVEL / EXITCODES that seem to be outdated (documentation
is from 1995!); for this reason they are not published here. But the
following seem to work:
100: INTERNAL ERROR: size for prepared table too small
101: No compatible FreeDOS DISPLAY driver loaded.
Syntax example: ... DISPLAY CON=(VGA,437,1)
102: File not found
103: Error specifying codepage / buffer
104: Error: selected buffer not present
105: Syntax error
check codepage:
26: Active codepage was never set
27: Device read codepage error
prepare codepage:
27: Codepage was not found in CPI file
29: Could not get codepage info from file (or XMS troubles)
31: specified CPI file is damaged (or XMS troubles)
end prepare codepage:
31: INTERNAL ERROR: End prepare without Begin prepare
select codepage:
26: Specified codepage was not found in file
27: KEYB failed to change codepage
29: Device select codepage failed (or XMS troubles)
31: Device select codepage error
For more information about MODE see:
https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/dos/
mode/2015/ OR:
https://gitlab.com/FreeDOS/base/mode/-/blob/master/DOC/MODE/
MODE.TXT
Examples:
mode /status Shows the status
mode lpt1 /status Shows the status of lpt1
mode com1 /status Shows the status of COM1
mode con /status Shows the status of the con devices
mode con codepage Shows the active codepage and other information
about the current status of DISPLAY and the
codepage buffers.
mode con codepage refresh or:
mode con: codepage refresh
Refreshes the active codepage to hardware (in case
it has been accidentaly destroyed)
mode con codepage prepare ((860) C:\FREEDOS\CPI\ega9.cpx) or:
mode con: codepage prepare ((860) C:\FREEDOS\CPI\ega9.cpx)
Prepares codepage 860 (Portuguese) from the
specified file.
The format of the files are .cpx.
See the CODEPAGE INFORMATION PACK for information
about the available codepages and cpi files.
mode con codepage select=860 or:
mode con: codepage select=860
Activates codepage 860 (Portuguese) which must have
been previously prepared with PREPARE.
mode 40,25 You can write 40 characters per line and have 25
rows (go back with 'mode 80').
Example for AUTOEXEC.BAT/FDAUTO.BAT:
MODE CON CP PREP=((858) C:\FREEDOS\CPI\EGA.CPX)
MODE CON CP SEL=858
REM Codepage 858 was activated
See also:
chcp
cpidos
cpied
display
errorlevel/exitcode
graftabl
kc
keyb
keycode
keyman
klib
kpdos
listxdef
mkeyb
nlsfunc
xkeyb
Copyright © 2003 - 2004 Aitor SANTAMARIA MERINO,
Henrique PERON, Robert Platt, updated 2023 by W. Spiegl.
This file is derived from the FreeDOS Spec Command HOWTO.
See the file H2Cpying for copying conditions.