Enter Multi-line Command on Windows

Entering multi-line commands on Windows allow creating well-structured sequences of commands or scripts. This capability is important for handling complex tasks that require a logical division of operations, improved readability, and efficient troubleshooting. By breaking down a command or script into multiple lines, we can enhance its manageability and comprehensibility, making it easier to navigate and modify. This tutorial demonstrates how to enter a multi-line command on Windows.

CMD

A long CMD command can be separated onto multiple lines by inserting a space followed by the caret character (^).

For instance, let's consider breaking down the subsequent command into multiple lines:

tasklist /fi "IMAGENAME eq System*" /fo table

In CMD, this command can be divided in the following way:

tasklist ^
  /fi "IMAGENAME eq System*" ^
  /fo table

PowerShell

A long PowerShell command can be divided across multiple lines by inserting a space followed by the backtick character (`).

As an example, suppose we aim to break down the following command into multiple lines:

Get-Process -Name "*System*" | Format-Table

In PowerShell, this command can be divided in the following manner:

Get-Process `
  -Name "*System*" `
  | Format-Table