About the Command Tables

Each command table has a Command column and an Arguments column. The Command column contains the MCI commands available for a device type. The Arguments column contains the options available for each MCI command. For example, the following table contains the MCI commands all devices support:

Command Arguments

capability device_name {can eject | can play | can record | can save | compound device | device type | has audio | has video | uses files}
close device_name,  
info device_name [product]
open device_name [alias device_alias] [shareable] [type device_type]
status device_name [mode | ready]

Each command also has a notify and wait flag that does not appear in the tables. These flags can be added to any command.

The following conventions are used in the previous example and for the other MCI command tables:

Type Style Used For

Bold A specific term intended to be used literally. When used in the command column, it represents the MCI string command. When used in the arguments column, it represents a flag. For example, the capability command and the can play flag must be typed as shown.
Italics Placeholders for information you must provide. The MCI command or flag associated with the information must precede it. For example, to use the alias words for the device_name with the capability command, type “capability words can play.”
| Divider for mutually exclusive arguments. When multiple arguments are separated by this symbol, only one of them can be used for each command. For example, the items in the list can eject, can play, can record, can save, compound device, device type, has audio, has video, uses files are mutually exclusive and you must select only one to use with the capability command. (Do not type the | with the argument.)
{} Required argument. You must include an argument enclosed by braces. For example, you must use one of the arguments can eject, can play, can record, can save, compound device, device type, has audio, has video, uses files with the capability command. (Do not type the braces with the argument.)
[] Optional argument. For example, the alias, type and shareable flags are optional for the open command. You can use any combination of these flags. You can also use optional argruments with a required argument. (Do not type the brackets with the argument.)