TPAUSE
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Note: You cannot run these utilities from the ODM presentation
system.  They are batch file commands and must be used within
batch files.  Please read on for information on running the demo
batch files.

This month the Happy Hacker provides a batch file
command to enhance your use of these interpreted little wonders.
TPAUSE is the first of our COMMANDS THAT DOS FORGOT series.

Currently DOS supports the batch file command PAUSE.  It allows
you to pause the execution of the batch file and display a
user message until a key is pressed.  PAUSE is so vigilant that
it will sit there and wait for a keypress until time itself
ceases to tick or the power is shut off.  What if you only
wanted to hold for a few moments and then continue?  With the
standard DOS commands, you were out of luck.  Enter the Happy
Hacker with TPAUSE!

TPAUSE comes in three flavors to meet your batch pausing needs.
Here's a list of the TPAUSE variants and how they work.

(Note: [] = optional parameter)

TPAUSE [message //] [additional messages //] , wait_time

The first of the TPAUSE programs allows you to display multiple
message lines.  When TPAUSE encounters the "//" parameter it
will insert a new line character and place the cursor at the
beginning of a new line.

Wait_time is expressed in seconds but is calibrated for a
12mhz 286 processor.  You'll have to experiment to see
how long the correct wait_time is for your batch file.

This version of TPAUSE shuts the cursor off.

TPAUSE1 [message] , wait_time

TPAUSE1, the second flavor of TPAUSE commands, is the same as
its brother except that it does not support the new line command
and leaves the cursor on.

TPAUSE2 [message] , wait_time

TPAUSE2 is like TPAUSE1 except that it turns the cursor off when
waiting for a keypress.

If you should ever forget these commands and (say it isn't so)
lose this documentation, use the command TPAUSE /? to see how it
works.  Of course TPAUSE1 /? and TPAUSE2 /? will give you help
for these commands as well.

We have included a demo batch file on the disk for you to
experiment with.  The Happy Hacker always says, "Learn by doing."
So go do!

The file is named TPDEMO.BAT.  You must have the TPAUSE programs
in your path (if you have no idea what that means you need to
look at a DOS manual) or in the same directory.  If you run the
demo programs from the ODM disk you won't have a problem.

The demo file can be loaded into any text editor or word
processor for viewing or editing.  If you do edit and resave
it, make sure:

1: You do not save it on the ODM disk.  As always it's full, and
you will get a DISK FULL error.

2: Your word processor saves the files as regular TEXT or ASCII
files, not as some weird file type that belongs to your word
processor.

3: You use the file extension .BAT.  If you don't the file will
not run!

Notes:

1: Remember to leave a space between each of the TPAUSE
parameters.

2: Because of the time difference on different PC's TPAUSE may
not accurately calculate seconds.  You'll have to experiment with
the time delays to get it right on your machine.

^C^BOutside On Disk Monthly^B

These utilities can only be run outside of On Disk Monthly, so,
first copy them to a directory on your hard drive that is in
your path.

^C^BDisk files this program uses:^B
^FTPAUSE.EXE
^FTPAUSE1.EXE
^FTPAUSE2.EXE
^FTPDEMO.BAT

^C^SBe happy and hack--learn by doing!^S