Visual Fortran provides a command window with the appropriate environment variables already set for Visual Fortran program development. To start the Visual Fortran command window:
The console window provides a similar working environment to that provided by running a version of MS-DOS® instead of the Windows operating system. You can use any command recognized by MS-DOS in the Windows NT 4 or Windows 2000 console, plus some additional commands.
Because the command console runs within the context of Windows, you get the additional benefit that you can easily switch between the command console and other applications for Windows. If you want, you can even have multiple instances of the command console open at once.
When you are finished working in a command console window, use the EXIT command to close the window and end the session.
To start the command console window provided by your operating system, open the Start menu and select MS-DOS Prompt from the Programs submenu.
For more information: