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In the Windows Command shell, type is a built in command which displays the contents of a text file. Use the type command to view a text file without modifying it.

In PowerShell, type is a built-in alias to the Get-Content cmdlet, which also displays the contents of a file, but using a different syntax.

Syntax

type [<drive>:][<path>]<filename>

Parameters

Parameter Description
[<drive>:][<path>]<filename> Specifies the location and name of the file or files that you want to view. If your <filename> contains spaces, you must enclose it in quotation marks (for example, "Filename Containing Spaces.txt"). You can also add multiple filenames by adding spaces between them.
/? Displays help at the command prompt.

Remarks

  • If you display a binary file or a file that is created by a program, you may see strange characters on the screen, including formfeed characters and escape-sequence symbols. These characters represent control codes that are used in the binary file. In general, avoid using the type command to display binary files.

Examples

To display the contents of a file named holiday.mar, type:

type holiday.mar

To display the contents of a lengthy file named holiday.mar one screen at a time, type:

type holiday.mar | more