how to allow files starting with period and no extension in windows 2003 server?

Question

How can I create this file in a directory in windows 2003 SP2:

.hgignore

I get error: You must type a file name.

This is not related to software development? How to make an ignore file on windows server for mercurial? What is it related to, then, masonry and plumbing? — Christopher Mahan, Mar 21 '11 at 18:54
Relevant: http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2013/06/the-war-of-the-closes/ I mean, a more helpful way to deal with this issue would have been to migrate the question to Super User. Anyway, I found the question and answer useful, so I gave them upvotes. — Excrubulent, Jun 26 '13 at 13:51
Related post on the desired forum - [Create/rename a file/folder that begins with a dot in Windows?](https://superuser.com/q/64471/374397) — RBT, Mar 22 '19 at 05:50

score 27 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 21 '08 at 07:28

27

That's a "feature" of Windows Explorer. Try to create your files from a command line (or from a batch/program you wrote) and it should work fine. Try this from a dos prompt:

echo Hello there! > .hgignore

answered Aug 21 '08 at 07:28

Ishmaeel

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You CAN. Just type another dot at the end. Type the name as `.hgignore.` – Петър Петров Mar 20 '13 at 10:01
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That works, but only on Vista or later. – Ishmaeel Mar 20 '13 at 13:57
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The MSWindows command line interface is not a "DOS prompt" in NT-based OS versions. – ecm Mar 19 '22 at 08:46
@ecm I will never not ridicule the tacked-on, inferior and clunky DOS prompt of Windows by not calling it a DOS prompt. (:-P) – Ishmaeel Mar 19 '22 at 09:24

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 06 '21 at 17:35

5

By the way Raymond Chen had a blog post about this topic a while back:

Why doesn't Explorer let you create a file whose name begins with a dot? (archive.org link with comments: https://web.archive.org/web/20100305064616/http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2008/04/14/8389268.aspx)

In which he mentions

You can do it from the command line or use your favorite file management tool.

edited Dec 06 '21 at 17:35

Joshua

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answered Aug 21 '08 at 08:18

Pat

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'or use your favorite file management tool' # Useful, I thought Explorer was a 'file management tool' – Kent Fredric Oct 10 '12 at 15:49

how to allow files starting with period and no extension in windows 2003 server?

2 Answers2

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