Command dialog versus Command line version
Commands which start with a dash are "non-dialog" versions of commands, and they allow the same or slightly extended functionality as the dialog command version. What this means is that one presents the command options via a command window, and the other via command line dialog/input. Usually these are used in LISP customizations.
An example are the HATCH and -HATCH command, with the first being the dialog version, and the second the command line version.
Command dialog not showing
On occasion, users may find that the dialog version of the command may not open the command dialog / window, and run the command line version instead. This may mean that the value set for the System Variable FILEDIA has changed.
The value of the FILEDIA System Variable determines if for certain commands a dialog box or a command window request sequence is used:
0 - Dialog box version of the command is used
1- Command line window prompts are used
As for any System Variable to check/change the System Variable, Type the System Variable in the command line, and Press Enter.