DOS command line characters limit

[Sri Addanki]

Hi,
I have Microsoft Windows 2000, DOS [Version 5.00.2195]
Now my problem is:
Like for example to run some java program, i have to type this at c:\
java -cp %classpath%;C:\LAX\DEVELOPER -Djava.rmi.server.codebase=file:///c:\LAX\DEVELOPER
suncertify.db.RMIServer MyServer c:\LAX\DEVELOPER\suncertify\db\db.db
But my DOS window doesn't allow me to type the whole thing.
It starts yelling even before i get to type the entire command. Why?
Earlier, till 2 months back, i could type the entire command and run my program.
Thanks for the help.
sri

[Randall Twede]

i dont have a clue. if i had to type all that i would make it a batch file anyway. which might(or might not) solve your problem.

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

DOS used to only allow 127 characters per line. But that limitation went away with Win9x.

[Sri Addanki]

Thanks guys, i think i figured out.
I have windows 2000 OS.
If i open DOS window from WINDOWS
START-RUN- and type "Command",and press enter
then a different version of DOS runs.
And if i open DOS window from
START-RUN-and type "cmd" and press enter,
then the actual version of DOS runs.
By actual version , i mean the version with
NO problems, wherein i can type any number of command line characters, runs.
Thanks to "cmd"
But can someone please explain how come 2 versions exists.
thanks guys,
sri

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

I believe they kept the old version for "backward compatibility".