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1993-01-14
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DOC 1.1 documentation file
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note - this is a plain ASCII text file but it contains multiple
documents each separated by a title line beginning with two @ signs.
You may find it most convenient to view or print this file using the
DOC.EXE program supplied.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Title1:PC MAGAZINE
Title2:Power Pack Volume 3
Copyright:(C)1993 Ziff-Davis UK Ltd
@@Introduction
Introduction
PC Magazine Power Pack Volume 3
-------------------------------------------------------
Welcome! This disk is one of three making up the
PC Magazine Power Pack, a collection of the top
utilities from the PC Magazine utility library.
Volume 3 contains mouse and keyboard, video display and
printer utilities along with a some useful additional
programs.
Program Summary
---------------
Video utilities
---------------
ANSI Fast replacement for ANSI.SYS
BROWSE Text file viewer
CTYPE Set cursor size and shape
DIMMER VGA brightness control
FONTEDIT EGA/VGA font editor/loader
MONO Force monochrome display
SMOOTH VGA smooth scrolling file viewer
VIDMODE Set video mode
VIDPAGE Set video page
Printer utilities
-----------------
ASPRN Substitute characters for printing
ENVELOPE LaserJet envelope address printer
LANDSCAP/PORTRAIT Set LaserJet paper orientation
LASERLST Print two-up on a LaserJet
LPTPORT Swap LPT1 and LPT2 over
PCBOOK Print booklets on a LaserJet
PCSPOOL Print spooler
PP Print text files neatly
PRN2FILE Capture printer output in a file
PRSWAP Convert PC characters to ASCII
SETUP2 Pop-up printer configuration
Mouse and keyboard utilities
----------------------------
KBX Easy access to unusual characters
KEY-FAKE Simulate keystrokes
MOUSECTL Adjust mouse sensitivity
MOUSEKEY Emulate cursor keys with mouse
NOPRTSC Disable PrintScreen key
SPRINTER Neat keyboard accelerator
STAYDOWN 'Sticky' shift keys
STICK Lock cursor shape and size
TOGGLE Control lock keys
TYPEFAST/TPFST-AT Keyboard repeat accelerators
VISITYPE Extended keyboard buffer
Plus...
-------
386STEP Report 386 chip stepping level
LITES Simulated RS232 breakout box
LOG Record programs run on PC
MEMMAP Display DOS memory map
RECORDER Track file usage
TYPEA TYPE any format of file
UMBFILES Use upper memory for FILES= (DOS5)
The PC Magazine Utility library
-------------------------------
These programs are taken from the library of utility
programs originally written for the US edition
of PC Magazine. More information on these and the other
programs in the library is available on-line in the
ZiffNet forum on the CompuServe Information Service.
Where do I go from here?
------------------------
For more information about installing and running these
programs, see the 'Tech Notes' document. If you're
reading this in the DOC documentation viewer provided,
press the Left arrow key to go back to the document list
on the left and then the down arrow key to highlight
'Tech Notes'.
It is a good idea too to make sure that you read the
instructions for each program fully before trying
to use it.
@@Tech Notes
Technical Notes
PC Magazine Power Pack
-------------------------------------------------------
This document provides additional information on
setting up and using these utilities and on using the
documentation viewer program.
Installing the programs
-----------------------
To install these programs to a hard disk, use the
install program provided (started by typing GO).
Note that you can try out or use the programs directly
from the floppy if you don't want to install them onto
your hard disk straightaway. For example, to try the
PRUNE program out, follow steps like these:
* Insert the disk containing PRUNE (volume 2)
* Enter A: (or B:) at the DOS prompt to log
onto the disk
* Enter PRUNE to run the PRUNE program
Installing the programs from DOS
--------------------------------
You can install all of the programs or just selected
ones using the DOS COPY command in the normal way.
For example, to install the FSIZE program, you might:
* Insert volume 2, the disk with FSIZE on it
* Enter A: (or B: if appropriate) to log onto the
disk.
* Enter COPY FSIZE.COM C:\UTILS to copy the FSIZE
program to an existing UTILS directory on your
hard disk drive C.
Most of the programs use their own name for a filename
(for example, the CHKFRAG program is in the file
CHKFRAG.EXE). The programs will be either .COM or .EXE
type files. Use the DOS DIR command to find out the
filenames you need for your COPY command.
Installing volumes 1, 2 and 3 together
--------------------------------------
You can opt to install all three volumes in the Power
Pack into a single directory on your hard disk so that
all the programs are together. This is a convenient
arrangement and saves disk space. To do this using the
GO program, install each disk in turn but select the
same directory, for example C:\PCMAG, each time.
Some files, such as PACKING.LST and DOC.EXE, are
installed by each volume. When you come to install
volumes 2 and 3, GO will warn you that these files
already exist as they will have been copied to your
disk when you installed volume 1. You should choose
the 'Skip this file' menu option to continue the
installation.
If you do install all three volumes to one directory,
the DOC documentation program will present a menu of
files when you start it with the command DOC. You can
also switch between the manuals for the three disks
by choosing 'Select document file' from the DOC menu.
If you want the instructions for a particular program,
you can still enter DOC followed by a space and the
program name when you start it (for example, DOC ANSI).
DOC will search all three manuals for the right
document and open the correct file. If you know which
file the document is in, you can reduce the search
time by giving its name on the command line too, for
example DOC MANUALS3 ANSI.
Running the utilities
---------------------
These utilities are all individual programs which
should be started or loaded from the DOS prompt as
needed by entering the relevant command (usually the
program name followed by a space and any parameters
that particular program needs). Read the
documentation for a particular program before trying
to use it. This will give a guide to the command
format needed to use the program and in some cases a
few examples to show you how it works.
Please note that there is no overall menu or front-
end for the utilities as this isn't really an
appropriate way to use them.
In general, the way to run a particular program is to
change to the drive and directory where it is stored
and then enter the relevant command.
For example, if you want to run the DIRMATCH program,
and you install these programs to a C:\HOTUTILS
directory, you might enter:
C: change to drive C
CD \PCMAG2 change to the volume 2 directory
DIRMATCH start DIRMATCH
Putting the programs in your DOS command PATH
---------------------------------------------
You can start DOS programs by either changing to the
drive and directory they are in and then entering
the relevant command or, if you have DOS 3.0 or
later, giving the relevant drive and directory
before the command name (e.g. enter C:\PCMAG2\PRUNE
to start PRUNE from a PCMAG2 directory on drive C).
However, it is most convenient if you place the
programs in your DOS command search path... a directory
that is mentioned in your current PATH command. You
can do this by either:
* Adding the directory the program is in to your
normal PATH command in AUTOEXEC.BAT. For example,
if the PATH command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file reads
C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS
and you have installed all the programs to a C:\PCMAG
directory, you might change it to read
C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\PCMAG
You should be careful when making changes to
AUTOEXEC.BAT not to disturb other commands already
in it. See your DOS manual for full instructions.
or
* Copying those programs you use often to a directory
already in your PATH command. Many PCs already have
a directory called \BIN or \UTILS for small utility
programs like these. For example, if you have a
\BIN directory on drive C and use the HC program
often, copy it across with a command like this:
COPY C:\PCMAG1\HC.EXE C:\BIN
Loading programs from AUTOEXEC.BAT
----------------------------------
Some of these utilities are designed to be loaded or
run whenever your PC is working by placing the
relevant command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT startup file.
Please bear in mind:
* The program file must be available for AUTOEXEC.BAT
to load it. If it is not in a directory already
named in a PATH command earlier in AUTOEXEC.BAT,
you must give the drive and directory where it is
stored (e.g. C:\PCMAG1\ADDIT) or copy the file
to the root directory of the hard disk.
* The order in which resident programs are loaded can
be significant. If there appears to be a conflict,
try re-ordering the lines in AUTOEXEC.BAT.
* Always keep a startup floppy to hand and a back-up
copy of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that if problems
arise you can restore things to normal.
Using TSR (memory-resident) programs
------------------------------------
Some of these utilities are 'TSRs' or memory-resident
programs. These load into memory when first started
and remain there, either operating invisibly or
waiting to be called up.
TSR programs are very popular and those on this disk
are carefully written and fully tested. However, the
design of DOS means that there is always a chance of
conflict between different TSR programs or between a
TSR and your main software.
To avoid problems, please note:
1. You should carefully test any new TSR program
on your system before using it while doing
your normal work.
2. Each TSR uses up memory. If you load too many
at once, your normal software may not be
able to run.
3. If you discover a conflict, loading the TSRs
in a different order may resolve it.
4. You can sometimes change the 'hotkey' used to
call up a TSR to avoid a conflict with keys used
by your other programs.
PACKING.LST file
----------------
A complete index of all the files on all three
volumes is provided in a text file called
PACKING.LST. This is arranged with details of one
file per line so that it easy to search using a
program such as the DOS FIND command. Use this
file to help you locate particular programs or
to identify the contents of various files.
Viewing and printing the documentation
--------------------------------------
A simple on-disk documentation viewer and printer
is provided in the program file DOC.EXE. The
documents for this are stored in the files
MANUALS1.TXT, MANUALS2.TXT and MANUALS3.TXT, one
for each volume.
You can start DOC by changing to the disk and
directory containing it and entering DOC.
DOC command line
----------------
The easiest way to start DOC is just with the command
DOC. However, you can add either the name of a
particular documentation file or of a particular
document to the command. For example,
DOC MANUALS3 Starts DOC with MANUALS3.TXT
loaded. This form is only
needed if you have more than
one document file in the
current directory and want
to load a particular one
straightaway.
DOC CALC Starts DOC with the
instructions for CALC
selected. It may take a
moment or two for DOC to
locate the relevant document.
DOC MANUALS3 BROWSE Stars DOC with the MANUALS3
file, open at the instructions
for BROWSE.
Running DOC
-----------
DOC displays a list of available documents down the
left side of the screen and shows the text of the
currently selected document on the right.
To select documents, use the up and down arrow keys to
move through the list on the left. Typing the initial
letters of a document name will jump directly to the
next matching document. Once you've found the document
you want, press TAB or the right arrow key to move
to the text of the document on the right. The cursor
keys (Home, End, Up, Down, PgUp, PgDn) will now move
through the text. Press the left arrow or TAB key
again to go back to select other documents.
The DOC menu
------------
To call up DOC's menu, press the ESC key. DOC
presents various options which you can select with
the cursor and Return keys or by pressing one of
the highlighted letters. The options will vary
depending on your PC's configuration and the
document files available.
Pressing ESC a second time cancels the menu.
Quitting DOC
------------
Choose the Quit option from the menu to leave
the DOC program and return to DOS.
Colour display off
------------------
Choose Colour display off from the menu to ask
DOC to work in black-and-white. You may wish to
do this if you're using a laptop with an LCD screen
that doesn't show colours well or with some greyscale
or CGA composite video monitors.
This menu option does not appear on PCs that do not
have a colour capability.
Extended screen on
------------------
Choosing this menu option switches the display to
43 or 50 lines so that you can see more text without
scrolling. You can go back to the normal display by
choosing Extended screen off subsequently.
This menu option is only available on EGA or VGA
equipped PCs.
If you have a Super VGA display card and a program
to set extended text modes, such as 60 lines deep,
you might like to try setting an appropriate mode
before starting DOC... the program will operate
correctly with many non-standard Super VGA formats.
Fast screen on
--------------
This menu option only appears on PCs fitted with CGA
or equivalent displays. Normally the DOC program
deliberately slows down on this type of display to
prevent the screen flicker or 'snow' that some CGA
displays can suffer from. If your system does not
suffer from snow, choose 'Fast screen on' for a
faster screen display. There's no harm in trying
this option either way on your PC... snow does no
harm and you might prefer to have a fast display
that flickers to a slow one that doesn't.
Print Document
--------------
Choose this menu option to print the currently selected
document. A menu appears from where you can make four
print settings, choose Go to start printing or Cancel
to return to viewing documents. You may need to alter
the settings to suit your system before choosing Go
as follows:
1. Output port
This is the printer interface that DOC should print
the document to. By pressing O you can step through
the ports fitted to your computer. The default LPT1,
the first parallel printer port, is correct for
most PCs. DOC can work with a serial printer (COM1
or COM2) if you have one but you must make sure that
the port is correctly set up (e.g. with a command
such as MODE COM1:9600,n,8,1,p) BEFORE running DOC.
X-On/X-Off handshaking is automatically provided
for serial printers.
You can set the output port to "FILE". In this case,
DOC will ask for the name of a disk file when you
start printing and will then print to disk rather
than to a printer. If the file you name already
exists, DOC will append pages to it.
DOC does not support PostScript printers. If you
have one of these, you might like to use the print
to FILE option and then use a PostScript conversion
program or word processor to print the resulting
file.
2. Lines per page
This is the number of printable lines on each page
on your printer. DOC will print with this set
incorrectly but will not be able to put page breaks
and headers in the right place. The default is 70
lines for A4 fan-fold paper at 6 lines per inch,
typical of many dot-matrix printers. Other common
values are 64, 66 and 72.
If you have difficulty with this setting, a
workaround is to set the form-length correctly on
your printer, enter a small number of lines per
page (e.g. 60) and then select the "Use form-feeds"
option.
3. Use form-feeds
Set this option to Yes if you're using a LaserJet-
style printer or any printer with the form-length
set correctly. DOC will work with this option set
to No by counting output lines but this is slower.
4. Pause between pages
Set this option to Yes if you're feeding single-
sheets to the printer... DOC will pause for you
to get the next sheet ready between each page.
Select document file
--------------------
This menu option only appears if you have more than
one DOC documentation file in the current directory
when you start DOC, for example if you install all
three volumes to the same directory on your hard
disk. Using this option, you can switch from one
file to another without leaving DOC.
Using document files without DOC
--------------------------------
The DOC document files can be accessed by
programs other than DOC though this may not be as
convenient. They are plain ASCII text files, with a
line-feed/carriage return pair at the end of every
line so they can be viewed with normal DOS commands
such as TYPE MANUALS1.TXT | MORE or
COPY MANUALS1.TXT PRN, text editor programs or
other file viewers and browsers.
The only unusual aspect is that the file contains
multiple documents separated by lines beginning with
two @ signs and a title for that particular document.
DOC uses these to provide its list of available
documents. If you're using the files outside of DOC,
you may wish to break them up at these lines.
Customising the utilities
-------------------------
Some of these utilities are compact assembly language
.COM programs to make them small, fast and efficient.
This means that some of the programs do not include
built-in configuration options.
However, if you're experienced with DEBUG, you can
'patch' the programs to customise their operation.
The manual for each program will describe the ways
in which it can be customised but typically you
can do so to:
* Customise the screen colours the program uses
(if the display is hard to read on your screen).
* Change the 'Hotkey' used by one of the TSR
programs to avoid a conflict with your other
software.
* Change defaults such as sorting order, size of
records and so on.
To customise a utility, follow this general procedure
in conjunction with the manual for the program. (You
SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT this if you are not confident about
using DEBUG as a mistake may stop the program from
working or even crash your PC.)
1. Always MAKE A COPY of the .COM file for the program
in question as a back-up. For example, assuming you
were patching a program called POP-CAL.COM, you
might enter:
COPY POP-CAL.COM ORIGCAL.COM
2. Start DEBUG with the name of the program to modify.
You must have the DOS DEBUG program available for
this to work. For example, enter
DEBUG POP-CAL.COM
DEBUG loads the file and presents a - prompt.
3. Use the DEBUG E command to modify the areas of
the program as described in its documentation.
For example, assume the hotkey for POP-CAL can be
changed by entering a new keyboard scan code at
location 174. If we wanted to use Alt-P rather
than Alt-C we can see from the scan code (SS) table
below that we need to change this to code 19.
This can then be entered in DEBUG with:
E174 19
4. After making all the necessary changes, save the
file back onto disk with the W command. Enter
W
5. Now leave DEBUG. Enter
Q
6. Now load and test out the new program. If it no
longer works, delete it, restore your back-up
copy (e.g. COPY ORIGCAL.COM POP-CAL.COM)
and then try again.
The tables below list the values necessary for
customising colours and hotkeys.
Keyboard scan codes
for alternative hotkeys
(Values for SS)
-----------------------
Scan Scan
Key Code (hex) Key Code (hex)
-------- ---------- --------- ----------
Esc 01 Z 2C
1 ! 02 X 2D
@ 2 03 C 2E
# 3 04 V 2F
$ 4 05 B 30
% 5 06 N 31
^ 6 07 M 32
& 7 08 < , 33
* 8 09 > . 34
( 9 0A ? / 35
) 0 0B R Shift 36
_ - 0C PrtSc * 37
+ = 0D Alt 38
Bkspace 0E Spacebar 39
Tab 0F CapsLk 3A
Q 10 F1 3B
W 11 F2 3C
E 12 F3 3D
R 13 F4 3E
T 14 F5 3F
Y 15 F6 40
U 16 F7 41
I 17 F8 42
O 18 F9 43
P 19 F10 44
{ [ 1A NumLock 45
} ] 1B ScrlLk 46
Enter 1C 7 Home 47
Ctrl 1D 8 UpArr 48
A 1E 9 PgUp 49
S 1F - 4A
D 20 4 LArrow 4B
F 21 5 4C
G 22 6 RArrow 4D
H 23 + 4E
J 24 1 End 4F
K 25 2 DnArr 50
L 26 3 PgDn 51
: ; 27 0 Ins 52
" ' 28 . Del 53
` 29 SysReq 54
L Shift 2A F11 57
| \ 2B F12 58
Shift Mask codes
for alternative hotkeys
(Values for MM)
-----------------------
Value Alt Ctrl L-Shift R-Shift
----- --- ---- ------- -------
0
1 X
2 X
3 X X
4 X
5 X X
6 X X
7 X X X
8 X
9 X X
A X X
B X X X
C X X
D X X X
E X X X
F X X X X
X signifies that this key must pressed. For example,
to use Left Shift and Right Shift for the hotkey,
the value to use for MM would be 3.
Colour values
---------------
Black 0
Blue 1
Green 2
Cyan 3
Red 4
Magenta 5
Brown 6
Lt Gray 7
Dark Gray 8
Lt Blue 9
Lt Green A
Lt Cyan B
Orange C
Violet D
Yellow E
White F
A full colour value is two hex digits, the first
for the background colour and the second for the
foreground. For example, bright white on a dark
blue background is 1F. Do not choose light colours
(values larger than 7) for the background as it
will produce a blinking display in most of the
programs.
@@386STEP
386STEP Jeff Prosise
386 chip stepping level identification Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Displays the "stepping level" of the 386 chip in use.
Format
------
386STEP
Remarks
-------
Not all 386 chips are alike. Earlier ones came with a
few bugs that were fixed in later chip versions or
"steps."
You can find out which version you have by running
386STEP, which identifies the stepping level of a 386
chip as:
B0 or earlier
B1
or
D0 or higher
This information may be useful if you are having
problems with 386-specific software though do not
assume that an older 386 chip is necessarily
the cause of difficulties. The author thanks Bob
Moote and Richard Smith of Phar Lap Software for
their advice and assistance in preparing the code
for this program.
Copyright (c) 1992 Jeff Prosise
@@ANSI
ANSI Michael J. Mefford
Fast, convenient replacement for ANSI.SYS version 1.3
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
A memory-resident utility that enables selectable use
of the extended screen and keyboard control sequences
that normally require loading the ANSI.SYS device
driver.
Unlike ANSI.SYS, ANSI.COM supports all video modes,
permits sizing and clearing the key-assignment buffer,
and provides high-speed screen updating.
Format
------
ANSI [FAST | SLOW][ON | OFF][/B nnn][/C][/U]
Loads ANSI resident program.
Remarks
-------
ANSI.COM may be installed either at the DOS prompt or
through an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. It will not load itself
if ANSI.SYS has already been loaded as part of a
CONFIG.SYS file. ANSI.COM will not load multiple copies
of itself, so its command name may be invoked
repeatedly in the same session to change
user-selectable parameters.
Upon loading, ANSI defaults to the FAST and ON status
parameters. For use with IBM CGA video cards (where
direct screen writes produce "snow") or with some
screen capture software, the SLOW (screen writing via
the BIOS, as with ANSI.SYS) status option may be
selected. Entering ANSI OFF disables recognition of the
ANSI control codes.
The ANSI.COM key assignment buffer defaults to a size
of 200 bytes. The buffer may be increased to as much as
60K or decreased to 0 bytes by entering ANSI with the
/B switch and the desired number of bytes as nnn.
Resizing the buffer after initial installation requires
deinstallation, which may be accomplished using the /U
switch. Current key assignments are lost if the buffer
is resized. The buffer can be cleared without resizing
by invoking ANSI with the /C switch.
The full set of IBM-ANSI control sequences is printed
in the DOS Technical Reference manual.
@@ASPRN
ASPRN Robert L. Hummel
Printer character substitution Version 1.2
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Defines up to 26 2-character text macros that will be
replaced in the output to the printer by
user-designated control strings.
Format
------
ASPRN [ /U | [/S] [/Mx | /Cnnn] ]
Remarks
-------
ASPRN is a memory-resident (TSR) macro processor and
editor that intercepts characters on their way to the
printer. When it detects a user-designated macro key
combination--the default is a tilde (~) followed by a
letter--it substitutes the user-designated printer
control codes.
Example
-------
The HP LaserJet series II uses the Escape sequence
Esc&l0O to cause it to print in portrait mode. Many
word processors cannot send the actual ASCII ESC
character (027d, or 1Bh), or could not send a needed
Escape sequence in the middle of a line of text. They
could, however, send ~A, to which the user could
assign the sequence, and ASPRN would make the
substitution.
To make or change macro assignments, enter ASPRN /S.
Both an optional descriptive name and the codes that
constitute the macro itself can be entered and edited
on screen, in any video mode with a screen width
greater than ten characters. The bottom line of the
screen indicates the use of the various editing keys.
The ASCII ESC character is entered by hitting the Esc
key; it appears on screen as a left-pointing arrow.
Pressing F7 saves all macros and descriptive names
entered under the name ASPRNNEW.COM, which may either
be loaded as such or renamed.
The default macro identifier (the tilde) may be
changed by invoking ASPRN with either the /Mx or the
/Cnnn switch. The x is any printable ASCII character,
e.g. the # or & symbol. The /Cnnn switch is used if a
non- printing character is to be used for the macro
identifier. To use the backspace character (ASCII
008) instead of the tilde, for example, you would
enter ASPRN /C008. To make the macro identifier
change permanent, use both the /S and the /M (or /C)
options.
Subject to the usual TSR deinstallation limitations,
ASPRN may be uninstalled from memory by invoking it
with the /U switch on the command line. It should be
loaded after any print spoolers or any redirection
made using the MODE command.
@@BROWSE
BROWSE Charles Petzold
Browse text files on-screen Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
BROWSE displays any plain text file on-screen and lets
you scroll forward and backward without having to start
a word processing program.
Format
------
BROWSE [d:][path]filename[.ext] [/W]
Remarks
-------
The DOS TYPE command does not permit you to scroll
ahead or go back to previously displayed material in a
file. It also exits at the first instance of Ctrl-Z
(ASCII 26, conventionally used as an End-of-File
marker), making it impossible to scan binary (e.g.
.COM) files for error messages, copyright notices, and
the like.
BROWSE overcomes these shortcomings, giving you the
chance to go immediately to the top or to the end of a
file (the Home and End keys, respectively), to the
succeeding or previous screen (PgUp and PgDn), or to
move up or down a line at a time (Up Arrow or Down
Arrow). To return to DOS, simply press the Escape key
or Ctrl-Break.
Wide displays, e.g. a spreadsheet file, are not broken
at 80 columns, as with TYPE. BROWSE ignores carriage
returns (ASCII 13), breaking lines only on line feeds
(ASCII 10). The Right Arrow key scrolls the display to
the right in eight-character increments (see Note 3
below) to view wide displays; the Left Arrow key
returns you immediately to column zero.
BROWSE expands tab characters (ASCII 9) to the next
eight-character boundary, but does no other character
processing unless the /W parameter is specified. Use of
the /W option permits using BROWSE with WordStar files.
Notes
-----
1. BROWSE can run under TopView or Windows; specify
"writes directly to screen" in the .PIF and use the
default 52K memory requirement. (The program
actually requires only approximately 33K to run.)
2. BROWSE is compatible with the IBM Monochrome, CGA,
EGA and VGA displays, and will run in the 43- or
50-line mode. Files prepared with word-processors
that employ a one-line-per-paragraph format (such
as Microsoft Word and XyWrite) may require
excessive right scrolling, however.
3. BROWSE can be patched with DEBUG so that its
right-scroll jumps by more than the default eight
characters. The address to patch is 10F in the .COM
file. After entering DEBUG BROWSE.COM type:
E 10F
and the default value (08h) will appear. Type the
desired hexadecimal number (28 for a 40-column
increment; 50 for an 80-column increment) and press
<Enter>. Then type W<Enter> to write to the disk and
Q<Enter> to quit DEBUG.
4. Requires DOS 2.0 or later.
@@CTYPE
CTYPE Jeff Prosise
Cursor set program Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Recovers the cursor when it disappears upon leaving an
application and permits setting cursor shape.
Format
------
CTYPE [/xy]
Remarks
-------
The optional /xy command line parameter consists of
two letters ranging from A to the letter that
represents the maximum number of scan lines in the
current video mode character box. This is N for a
Hercules or an EGA in 25-line mode (14 scan lines),
and H for an EGA in 43-line mode or a CGA in text
mode (8 scan lines).
Entered without the /xy parameter, CTYPE brings up a
selection frame in which, as the cursor is moved by
the arrow keys, the cursor size/shape changes.
Pressing the Spacebar at this point alternately shows
the cursor against a sample line of text and returns
to the selector frame. Pressing Enter selects the
cursor shape shown and returns to the command line
prompt.
When the cursor is temporarily lost, as when exiting
from SideKick (or other TSR utility) while in a
43-line EGA mode, entering CTYPE will restore the
cursor.
Note
----
Many applications programs reset the cursor internally
for their own purposes. These settings will supersede
those of CTYPE. One way to restore the CTYPE cursor
on exit is to run such programs from a batch file
whose last line resets the desired CTYPE parameters. A
handier alternative is to use the STICK.COM utility
contained on this disk.
@@DIMMER
DIMMER Douglas Boling and Jeff Prosise
Software VGA brightness control Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
To provide software control of VGA monitor brightness
interactively from the keyboard, through parameters
entered on the command line, or at a specified
interval after the last keystroke.
Format
------
DIMMER [[+|-]adj] [/D time [+|-]adj] [/V[+|-]] [/U]
Remarks
-------
Entered without any of its optional parameters, DIMMER
uses the Alt-Up-Arrow and Alt-Down-Arrow keys to
increase or decrease screen brightness. The original
intensity level can be restored at any time by
pressing Alt-Home. DIMMER is a memory-resident program
and can be uninstalled by being run with the /U switch.
The adj parameter accepts integer values from +63 to
-63. Although relative to the intensity level in
effect when the program loads, a value of -63 will
completely blank the screen and +63 will wash out
almost all colours. The time parameter sets the number
of minutes (up to 65,534) to allow after the last
keystroke. Used in conjunction with the optional /D
switch and an adj value (usually -63), the time
parameter is normally used when it is desired to blank
the screen after a specified period of keyboard
inactivity. Any subsequent keypress will restore the
screen to its original level, but as this keystroke
will be fed to the application, it is safest to hit an
unaccompanied Ctrl, Alt, or Shift key. Once active,
the screen-saver option can be cancelled by entering
DIMMER /D 0.
With applications that do not write directly to the
video BIOS, a blanked screen can be automatically
restored when the program attempts to update the
display. This is accomplished by using the optional
/V (or V+) switch. By default, DIMMER restores the
intensity level only when a keystroke is entered,
which is equivalent to running the program with a /V-
command-line switch.
@@ENVELOPE
ENVELOPE Ron Saidikowski
Pop-up laser envelope printer Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
A memory-resident utility that captures a name and
address field from the screen and prints it, with an
optional return address, on an envelope fed into a
laser printer.
Format
------
ENVELOPE [/U] /Pxx /Ln [/R]
Remarks
-------
Entered without command line parameters, ENVELOPE
defaults to /PL1 (printer port LPT1:) and /L2 (LaserJet
II or compatible printer with centre-feed envelope
slot. Other values for xx are L2, L3, C1, C2, C3, or
C4 (for LPT2: or 3, or COM1: to COM4:). The /L switch
with a value of 1 for n is used for the older LaserJet
or LaserJet+ (or compatibles), whose envelopes feed at
the bottom of a landscape page.
The default Alt-E hotkey initiates the
defining/printing process. The cursor keys are used
to position the cursor on the upper-left corner of the
name/address to be printed, and pressing Enter anchors
it. The cursor keys are then used to define
(highlight) the recipient's address field, which may
be up to six lines deep and any displayable number of
characters in length. Pressing Enter then presents a
choice between envelope sizes (F1 for small envelopes,
F2 for large, No. 10 size). F3 toggles a selection
highlight for printing or not printing a return
address. Pressing Enter then prints the envelope
inserted in the laser printer's manual feed slot. At
any point short of printing, Esc can be used to exit.
The optional /R command line switch permits storing a
return address of up to three lines of 40 characters.
This address may be stored (and updated) as a
permanent part of ENVELOPE.COM, if desired, or it may
be used only during a single session. ENVELOPE.COM is
normally installed via the user's AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
If it is the last terminate-stay-resident utility
loaded, it can be uninstalled at the DOS prompt by
being invoked with the optional /U switch.
@@FONTEDIT
FONTEDIT Michael J. Mefford
EGA/VGA font editor and loader Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Permits modifying/creating EGA or VGA character fonts
with keyboard or mouse and saving the new fonts as
.COM files which can later be loaded from the DOS
prompt.
Format
------
FONTEDIT
Remarks
-------
If no font filename and path are supplied as the
FONTEDIT uses the currently-displayed font, beginning
with the letter A. Pixels in the Edit window are
toggled on or off with the spacebar or with left and
right mouse buttons. The highlighted cursor may be
moved within the Edit window by mouse or with the
cursor Arrow keys, and it can be "dragged" to adjacent
pixels by holding down a Shift key or mouse button.
Editing changes are saved by pressing F4, and
opportunity is provided to supply a missing filename.
FONTEDIT will supply the requisite .COM extension
automatically. Esc quits the program.
Pressing F5 copies the original character template to
Edit window.
New characters to edit can be loaded by pressing the
appropriate key on the keyboard, by pressing the PgUp
and PgDn keys (which move in ASCII sequence), or by
holding down the Alt key while typing the ASCII code
on the numeric keypad, then releasing Alt. The Tab
key toggles the cursor between the Edit window and the
full Character Set window. Highlighted characters in
the latter can be loaded for editing by pressing Enter
or one of the mouse buttons.
The F1, F2, and F3 keys affect all characters within
the entire font.
F1 (or the Del key) deletes a whole row of pixels, and
is used to shorten the height of the character box.
The default (and maximum) character box size is 8
pixels wide (this cannot be changed) by 14 pixels high
(EGA) or 16 pixels high (VGA). A 43-line EGA font
uses a character box of 8 by 8 pixels, for example.
When using F1 (or Del) confirmation of the deletion is
required. F2 inserts a blank row of pixels throughout
the entire font (maximum height permitting), and F3
copies each character's current pixel map, as, for
example, to thicken a serif.
Modified or created fonts are loaded simply by
entering their names at the DOS prompt. Normal
operation is restored by entering any video mode
command, for example MODE CO80, on a colour system or
MODE MONO in monochrome.
Applications that reset the video mode on entry or
when returning from DOS also restore the default ROM
font and cannot be used successfully with FONTEDIT.
@@KBX
KBX Jeff Prosise
Provides access to PC extended characters Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Allows entering extended-ASCII line-drawing, foreign
language, math, and science symbols in word processing
programs and editors that would not otherwise support
them.
Format
------
KBX
Remarks
-------
KBX is a memory-resident utility that is normally
loaded as one of the command lines in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Once loaded, pressing Alt-Space
pops up a window that displays the normal PC keyboard
layout. While this window is on-screen, pressing
NumLock shows the key locations for one of the two
extended-ASCII sets; pressing ScrollLock displays the
other extended-ASCII set. Esc closes the display and
returns to any active applications program.
To enter the extended-ASCII characters, hold down the
NumLock (or ScrollLock) key and press the key at the
appropriate position. Note that the single-line
(NumLock) and double-line (ScrollLock) box-drawing
characters are arranged around the outside of the
numeric keypad.
Using the NumLock and ScrollLock keys as additional
"shift" keys avoids conflicts with applications
programs that normally use Alt- key and Ctrl-key
combinations. The normal Ctrl-NumLock (pause) and
Ctrl-ScrollLock (break) combinations continue to work
without change. When KBX is loaded, however, Shift-
NumLock and Shift-ScrollLock are used to toggle the
NumLock and ScrollLock states.
KBX is not compatible with word processors that
normally make use of the 8th ("high") bit for their
own purposes (e.g., WordStar) or that utilise their
own keyboard handlers (e.g., XyWrite). Only
experimentation will show whether the program will
work with a given editor.
Notes
-----
Since different printers vary in the characters they
output when presented with extended-ASCII codes, you
must determine either from your manual or by
experiment whether your printer's character set is
compatible with that of the PC.
@@KEY-FAKE
KEY-FAKE Charles Petzold
Simulates keystrokes Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Supplies the series of keystrokes needed to initialise
an application program on boot-up.
Format
------
KEY-FAKE ["xyz"] [nn] [0] [@F]
PROGNAME
Characters typed within a pair of single or double
quotes ("xyz") are normal ASCII-character keystrokes.
Numbers (nn) not in quote marks are ASCII decimal
codes, e.g., 13 (Enter), 26 (Ctrl-Z), or 27 (Esc).
Numbers preceded by @ are the extended ASCII decimal
codes (128 through 255) generated by the Alt keys,
cursor keys, Ins and Del keys, and the Function keys
(e.g. @61 is the F3 keystroke). The 0 is used with
programs that check the keyboard buffer (it tells such
programs the buffer is clear, so the programs will
treat the succeeding keystroke separately).
Remarks
-------
KEY-FAKE is of greatest use in batch files used to call
up application programs. For example, to enter Lotus's
1-2-3 and set it for File Retrieve, the following .BAT
file would be appropriate:
CD \LOTUS
KEY-FAKE 0 13 0 13 0 13 0 13 0 13 "/FR"
LOTUS
This takes you past the necessary initial carriage
returns and /FR command without having to type them in
each time.
Similarly, if each time you enter BASICA you want to
have a blue border, blue background, and yellow
letters, you would create a batch file, B.BAT,
containing the lines
KEY-FAKE "COLOUR 14,1,1" 13 "CLS" 13
BASICA
Notes
-----
1. The keystroke sequence stored by KEYFAKE is limited
to 124 characters and must be on one continuous
command line. Keystrokes not supported by PC BIOS
(e.g., Alt-Home) cannot be stored.
2. Programs such as XyWrite II that get keyboard
information directly from the hardware keyboard
interrupt will bypass KEY-FAKE. KEY-FAKE will also
not work well when you are on-line using a
communications program.
3. KEY-FAKE is memory resident, but can be executed
multiple times in the same session without
reloading. However, if nested batch files cause
it to be re-invoked before its initially stored
keystroke sequence has been exhausted, the
remaining initial keystrokes will be lost.
@@LANDSCAP & PORTRAIT
LANDSCAP & PORTRAIT Paul Somerson
Select landscape or portrait printing on
an HP Laserjet Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
These two tiny programs switch an HP LaserJet between
portrait format printing and landscape format.
portrait mode. Use this to restore normal printing
after using the LANDSCAP program on this disk.
Format
------
LANDSCAP (selects landscape printing)
then
PORTRAIT (returns to portrait printing)
Remarks
-------
Make sure your LaserJet is ready before entering
these commands.
@@LASERLST
LASERLST Michael Holmes and Bob Flanders
Two-up printer on HP LaserJet printers Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Formats text files so that two standard-sized pages
will print side-by-side on a single landscape mode
page when using an HP LaserJet (or compatible) laser
printer.
Format
------
LASERLST infile [outfile] [/Tn]
Remarks
-------
The infile parameter designates the text file(s) to be
printed. DOS "wildcards" (* and ?) can be used to
designate multiple files, and a drive and path may
also be included as part of infile.
By default, LASERLST sends its output to the standard
DOS printing device, which is normally LPT1:. The
optional outfile parameter can be used to direct the
output either to another DOS device (e.g., LPT2:), or
to a disk file instead. The optional /Tn switch
causes each tab character (ASCII 9) in the infile to
be replaced in the outfile with n spaces. The default
value of n is 8; other values up to 16 may be used.
The outfile produced by LASERLST contains the
requisite formatting and printing Escape sequences
used by the HP LaserJet series printers. The infile
is printed in landscape mode with two 66-line x
81-character pages on each physical page. Files
suitable for processing by LASERLST should be ASCII
files that do not contain Escape sequences of their
own and that do not require any specific word
processor's formatting codes. Underlining produced by
a backspace and character overstrike is supported,
however. LASERLST may be used with files whose line
lengths exceed 81 characters if it is understood that
lines will be wrapped automatically at their 82nd
character and that no provision is made for word
wrap. LASERLST is especially suitable for printing
program listings, readme files, and rough drafts of
text to be edited.
Updated
-------
8/24/90 To fix problem with IID, IIP and other
series II near compatibles
@@LITES
LITES Jeff Prosise
Display RS232 status Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Replaces an RS232 breakout box by displaying the
status of the DTR, DSR, RTS, CTS, DCD, and RI pins;
also indicates the data rate, parity, number of
data bits, and number of stop bits of the serial
port being monitored.
Format
------
LITES [comport] [U]
Remarks
-------
LITES is a memory-resident utility and may be loaded
either at the DOS prompt or as part of an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If no communications port is
specified, the default comport monitored is COM1.
After loading, alternately pressing Alt-L (the
default hotkey) pops up and cancels the on-screen
display, which is located (by default) in the upper
right corner of the screen. LITES can be deinstalled
by entering it with the optional u (or U) parameter,
which simplifies changing the comport to be
monitored. (Do not precede the U with a slash.)
@@LOG
LOG Jeff Prosise
Keeps a log of computer activity Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
A memory-resident utility that automatically maintains
a record of computer activity suitable for tax records,
client billing, and usage analysis.
Format
------
LOG [filespec] [/U]
Remarks
-------
Entered without the optional filespec parameter, LOG
opens a file named USAGE.LOG in the root directory of
the current drive. The user may over-ride any or all of
the drive, path, and filename defaults by supplying his
desired parameters as the filespec option when LOG is
initially run. Although it can be executed from the DOS
prompt, LOG is normally loaded by being included as a
line in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Provided it is either the
only or the last memory-resident program loaded, LOG
can be uninstalled by executing the command with the /U
parameter.
After listing the date, LOG files provide a single-line
column display of start, end, and elapsed times for
each program run. The program name and any parameters
entered with it are also logged, as is the "level" of
DOS activity. The original DOS level is 0; a program
running under DOS is level 1; invoking a secondary copy
of COMMAND.COM by shelling out from the program to DOS,
represents level 2, etc. LOG can track up to 10 levels
of DOS activity. Time spent at the DOS prompt is
identified as <idle>. LOG does not record the use of
internal DOS commands (DIR, CD, REN, for example), nor
command calls that fail ("Bad command or filename").
LOG produces pure ASCII files that can be TYPE'd to the
screen or to a printer and that can be used with a
browse utility or text editor.
@@LPTPORT
LPTPORT John Dickinson
Swaps LPT1 and LPT2 over Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Permits alternate use of two parallel printers (e.g.
letter- and draft-quality units) with software that is
normally limited to using LPT1:.
Format
------
LPTPORT
Remarks
-------
DOS and many programs print, by default, to the first
parallel printer on the PC, known as 'LPT1'. The DOS
MODE command will let you redirect LPT1 to a serial
printer but it will not switch to another parallel
printer.
To use a second parallel printer in this case, LPTPORT
provides a software toggle that interchanges the
internal DOS I/O addresses of LPT1 and LPT2. After
entering the LPTPORT command, a second printer,
connected to LPT2 will receive program output
nominally directed to LPT1. Entering the LPTPORT
command a second time restores the original port
assignments.
Notes
-----
1. Certain internal print-spooling programs, such as
those supplied with add-on memory board cards,
read the port address assignments at boot-up time
and do not thereafter look at the low-memory area
of DOS to find them. With such programs you will
have to run LPTPORT before the print spoolers are
loaded in order to change the effective port
assignments.
@@MEMMAP
MEMMAP Earl F. Glynn
Display DOS memory map Version 2
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
To display all allocated memory blocks, including
memory-resident (TSR) programs and their associated
environment memory blocks. Optionally, also displays
the variables in each environment block.
Format
------
MEMMAP [/V]
Remarks
-------
Entered at the DOS prompt without its optional /V
parameter, MEMMAP produces a display similar to that
shown below:
Memory MemMap (Version 2, May 89)
Control Block Size
Block [Bytes] Owner
Segment Hex Decimal Segment Type Name
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------ -------------
09CF 14A30 84528 0008 System <DOS 3.30 kernel>
1E73 00D30 3376 1E74 Program <shell>
1F47 00030 48 0000 Free Space <unallocated>
1F4B 000A0 160 1E74 Environment <shell>
1F56 00030 48 D001 Environment C:\CHSTACK.COM
1F5A 000B0 176 1F67 Environment C:\EDITOR.EXE
1F66 354C0 218304 1F67 Program C:\EDITOR.EXE
54B3 000B0 176 54C0 Data <shell>
54BF 00D30 3376 54C0 Program <shell>
5593 000A0 160 54C0 Environment <shell>
559E 000B0 176 55AB Environment D:\911\MEMMAP.EXE
55AA 02920 10528 55AB Program D:\911\MEMMAP.EXE
583D 47C20 293920 0000 Free Space <unallocated>
Note that under DOS 2.10, 3.3, and the DOS Command
subset of OS/2 Extended Edition 1.1 some program names
will be designated <unknown> that are reported fully
under DOS 4.0. When used under OS/2 EE, DOS
identifies itself as DOS 10.10 <kernel>.
Entered with the /V switch, MEMMAP also reports the
environmental variables that are loaded with each TSR.
These variables initially loaded by DOS are contained
in the first environment block with the name <shell>,
as shown above. The default size of this block is 160
bytes.
@@MONO
MONO Michael J. Mefford
Force screen display to mono on laptop
screens Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Makes the display of colour applications legible on
laptop computers and other monochrome screens that
have limited intensity range capabilities, by
translating the colour attributes into black-and-
white.
Format
------
MONO [U]
Remarks
-------
MONO is a memory-resident utility that is normally
loaded as part of an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If no other
TSR programs are installed after it, MONO can be
deinstalled by reentering the command with the U
parameter added.
Once installed, MONO automatically converts colour
attributes into black-and-white, updating the screen
approximately five times each second. Since a typical
80 by 25 display contains 2,000 attribute bytes, some
loss in speed must be anticipated, though the amount
of degradation will vary with the type and clock speed
of the system microprocessor. For applications that
do not require MONO, its active state can be toggled
off and on with alternate presses of Alt-M, the
default hotkey.
The default hotkey values, screen update speed and
display algorithm, and CGA snow-eliminating routine
can all be changed with DEBUG.COM. The addresses,
bytes allocated, and default values are shown below:
Function Address Bytes Default
------------------------ ------- ----- -------
Hotkey ID String 0299h 5 "Alt M"
Hotkey Scan Code (SS) 0194h 1 32h
MONO Update Frequency 016Ah 1 40h
MONO Screen Display Alg. 0211h 2 07 70h
CGA Snow check (off) 0213h 2 90 90h
Hotkey Shift Mask 018Eh 1 8
The Hotkey Scan Code (SS) and Shift Mask (MM) values
you can substitute for the defaults are listed in the
Tech Notes document on this disk. Decreasing the
Update Frequency value (default 40h) lowers the load
MONO puts on your system, and increasing its value
speeds up screen updating. If the default screen
display algorithm produces inverse video on your
machine, change the 07 70 to 70 07 at address 0211h to
reverse the algorithm. Changing the two bytes at 0213h
to EB 14 will add snow checking, but will slow down your
machine considerably.
Note
----
MONO is not intended to work with graphics programs.
@@MOUSECTL
MOUSECTL Michael J. Mefford
Adjusts mouse sensitivity Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Provides multiple sensitivity settings for achieving
more precise and smooth control of IBM and MicroSoft
mice.
Format
------
MOUSECTL [n ... n | filename | /U]
Remarks
-------
MOUSECTL is a memory-resident utility that can be
loaded either at the DOS prompt or as part of an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. It can be used only with IBM or
Microsoft mouse drivers and must be loaded after
either MOUSE.SYS or MOUSE.COM. MOUSECTL can be
deinstalled by entering the command with the /U
switch.
The optional n parameters consist of up to eight
"multiplier" values between 0 and 32767, which are
used to modify the mouse sensitivity. The default
values are 5,6,10,15,22,30,50,70. Other values for n
may be entered using either a space or a comma
delimiter. The n values are entered into a look-up
table from left to right; if less than 8 numbers are
entered those already in the table remain in force.
The range values represent the number of mickeys
(1/200th-inch increments) the mouse actually moves
during its 25-millisecond reporting period. The
multiplier values (n) are divided by 10 and then
multiplied by the range value to determine the
adjusted number of mickeys reported to the application
program. For example, an actual motion of 5 mickeys,
multiplied by 0.6 results in 3 mickeys being reported,
slowing the mouse movement to obtain more precise
control for drawing. A movement of 30 mickeys in one
25-ms period will be multiplied by 5.0, so that 150
mickeys will be reported, moving the cursor very
rapidly for page scanning.
Note
----
Because Microsoft Windows loads its own mouse driver,
MOUSECTL cannot be used with Windows utilities or with
programs (such as Pagemaker) that must, rather than
may, be run under Windows.
@@MOUSEKEY
MOUSEKEY Jeff Prosise
Allows a mouse to be used
with non-mouse programs Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Programs a mouse to emulate the cursor keys, PgUp key,
and PgDn key within applications that do not normally
support a mouse.
Format
------
MOUSEKEY
Remarks
-------
MOUSEKEY requires that a mouse driver program
(MOUSE.SYS in a CONFIG.SYS file or MOUSE.COM in an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file) be loaded first. The driver and
mouse must be Microsoft-compatible.
After running MOUSEKEY, the left mouse button emulates
the PgUp key and the right button mimics PgDn. Moving
the mouse in any direction simulates repeatedly
pressing the corresponding cursor keys. MOUSEKEY works
in conjunction with the BIOS keyboard driver and does
not impede normal keyboard operation of the keys it
emulates.
MOUSEKEY is compatible with either the bus or serial
version of the Microsoft mouse and with any mouse that
emulates them.
@@NOPRTSC
NOPRTSC
Disable PrintScreen key Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Disables the normal PrintScreen key (Shift-PrtSc on
older keyboards). This is useful if you're travelling
with a laptop as some PCs will hang up if you
accidentally press PrintScreen with no printer
attached.
Format
------
NOPRTSC
Remarks
-------
This is a small memory-resident program. To uninstall
it after use, reboot your system.
@@PCBOOK
PCBOOK Jay Munro
Prints booklets on a LaserJet type printer Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Prints README and similar ASCII files in booklet format
on an HP LaserJet II, IIp, or III printer. Uses
two-sided printing in landscape mode, with Line Printer
font so that four standard pages of 80 characters/line,
66 lines/page are printed on each sheet without
formatting changes.
Format
------
PCBOOK [path] filename [/F] [/P] [/D][/C] [/2]
[/A] [/W] [/S] [/H]
Remarks
-------
The filename can designate any ASCII text file in which
each line is terminated with a Carriage Return/Line
Feed combination. Page Feed characters can be added to
force breaks in addition to those implicit in the
60-line (68-line if a header is used) page length.
Any or all of the /F, /P, and /D command-line switches
can be used to create a one-line header that prints the
filename, page number, and date, respectively, on all
but blank pages. The /W switch causes lines exceeding
80 characters to wrap; by default such lines are
truncated. Adding the /2 switch causes PCBOOK to print
to LPT2 rather than the default LPT1. (Use the DOS MODE
command to implement serial connection, if desired.)
The /A switch can be used to direct output to a file.
PCBOOK sequences the page printing so that all side-one
pages are printed in one pass. The sheets are then put
back in the LaserJet paper tray and all side-two pages
are printed. The finished booklet can then be created
with a single fold. When using the normal (top)
LaserJet output bin the pass-one sheets should be
reinserted in the paper tray without any relative
change in orientation. If rear output from the printer
is used, the sheets must be turned over as a group
before reinsertion. To determine how many sheets will
be required without automatically starting the print
operation, use the /C switch.
The /H switch provides on-screen help for the program,
and the /S switch sounds a beep as each printing pass
is successfully completed.
@@PCSPOOL
PCSPOOL Michael Holmes and Bob Flanders
Print spooler Version 1.5
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
A TSR utility that spools files to be printed into
memory or onto disk, freeing the PC and application
for immediate use while printing takes place in
background. Controls and displays status of up to
three printers through command line and window
commands. Queued files can be skipped, cancelled,
and separated by formfeeds and/or pauses with prompt
messages.
Format
------
PCSPOOL /I [/1] [/2] [/3] [/Cnn|/D[d:\path]]
PCSPOOL /P [/1] [/2] [/3] [Comment]
PCSPOOL /F [/1|/2|/3]
PCSPOOL /U
Remarks
-------
The /I (Install), /P (Pause), /F (FormFeed) and /U
(Uninstall) commands cannot be combined, but must be
executed separately from the DOS prompt. LPT1: is
assumed if no entry is made for /1, /2, or /3, but
printer(s) to be controlled can be changed from the
pop-up window, whose default hotkey is Ctrl-Alt-P. The
/C switch reserves nnK of conventional memory for the
queue; default is 16K. Alternatively, a drive and
path, including EMS RAM disks, can be specified with
/Dd:\path.
(Note: No space between /D and d:. The filename
PCSPOOL.QUE will be used.) A comment entered with the
/P command (to change paper, for example) will be
displayed when the pop-up window is activated.
PCSPOOL's TSR code requires 7K of memory.
Printers not specifically controlled by PCSPOOL
receive data normally; serial printers, even if set up
with MODE LPTx:=COMx:, cannot be controlled by PCSPOOL.
Pauses and formfeeds should not be issued while data is
being sent to the queue for their placement will be
uncertain.
Single-letter commands to disable control (D),
pause (P), send formfeed (F), reset printer (R), skip
to next file (J), and to flush the queue (C) are
applied from the window to LPT1:. The same letters
with Ctrl- apply the function to LPT2:, and, with Alt-,
to LPT3:.
The window Go (G) command takes control of a printer or
ends a printer pause. (Two G commands will be required
if both command line and window pauses have been
issued.)
Printer status, amount of the queue being used by the
printer (Gauge), printing rate (CPS), characters
printed (CP), characters remaining in queue (CIQ) and
time required to print the present queue contents are
shown in the pop-up window.
@@PP
PP Based on a program by John Dickinson
Prints text files Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Prints the standard ASCII files of program listings
or other text files in a standard formatted style
with page breaks.
Format
------
PP file(s) [/Ln][/Wn][/On][/Tn][/F][/H][/A][/D:dev]
Remarks
-------
PP neatly prints files with page breaks and,
optionally, a header including the filename, the date
and time it was created or last changed and the page
number. Various options can be used to set the page
size and other parameters to suit the file or your
printer and paper. By default, PP prints 80 column
wide lines and 70 lines to the page to LPT1... this
works for fan-fold A4 on a standard dot-matrix printer
attached to LPT1.
You may print several files in one go by giving
multiple filenames or using wildcards.
Ctrl-Break will stop the program if necessary during
printing.
Options
-------
/Ln Sets the number of lines per page. 66 and 70 are
common values.
/Wn Sets the width of pages, normally 80.
/On Adds an offset of n spaces to every line to ensure
the printhead is past the sprockets on a tractor
fed printer or to leave space for binding.
/Tn Sets tab stops every n positions, normally 8. Use
this if the file has been formatted with a
different value such as 4.
/F Uses form-feed characters to end pages. PP
normally sends the relevant number of blank lines
so that it will work even if the form length is
not set correctly on the printer. Use /F if it is
set or if you are using a LaserJet or similar
printer. PP takes note of any form-feed
characters already in the file regardless of this
setting... provided you set a page length the
same or larger than that used to format the file,
you can print a pre-formatted file.
/H Disables the header. Use this if the file being
printed already has its own page headers.
/A Outputs only ASCII characters, converting PC
extended characters to near ASCII equivalents.
Use this if your printer cannot handle the
full PC character set.
/D:dev Prints to the named device, usually LPT1,
LPT2, COM1 and so on. You can give a filename
here to print to disk or even use CON to print
to the screen display. If you print to an
existing file, PP appends the new output to it
rather than replacing the old file.
Notes
-----
1. If you're printing to a serial port, make the
correct settings first with the DOS MODE command.
Like DOS, PP does not provide X-on/X-off handshaking
so your printer must be setup for a hardware
handshake.
2. PP always expands tabs to spaces on output so tab
settings on the printer are ignored.
3. PP is based on John Dickinson's original PR program.
@@PRN2FILE
PRN2FILE Tom Kihlken
Capture printer output to a file Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Captures any output nominally directed to a printer to
a file that can then be edited by a word processor or
printed later.
Format
------
PRN2FILE [d:][path]filename [/Pn] [/Bn] [/U]
Remarks
-------
PRN2FILE is a memory resident program that is normally
loaded as part of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. It should be
installed before other print utilities, such as a print
spooler or the DOS MODE command. Once installed, the
program may be run multiple times to change the
filename (the drive and path default to the current
directory unless specified) designated to receive the
printer output.
Unless the filename is changed, successive print
operations are appended to (rather than overwrite) the
created file. To disable the printer output
redirection, simply omit to specify a filename.
The optional /Pn parameter designates the printer
number (the default is LPT1) to be redirected. Note
that output to a non-existent printer (/P2 in a
one-printer system) is supported. This is another way
to permit normal printing while PRN2FILE remains
resident. Legal values for Pn range from 1 through 3.
The optional /Bn parameter sets the buffer size. The
default value is 4096 bytes, and values up to 64K may
be specified. The buffer repeatedly empties when
partially full in order to minimise the chance of
buffer overflow even when DOS may be called on for
other activities than writing the buffer to disk.
Should buffer overflow occur an error message is
produced, but some data will be lost, so the file
should be re-written using a larger buffer.
The optional /U parameter is used to unload PRN2FILE
from memory. If other memory-resident utilities have
been loaded after PRN2FILE and have chained onto the
same interrupts, it will not be possible to unload the
program, and a message to this effect will be
displayed.
All optional parameters may be entered in any order,
but must each be separated by a single space character
that acts as a delimiter.
@@PRSWAP
PRSWAP John Dickinson
ASCII-only filter for printer output Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Replaces IBM text-graphics characters in printer output
with plain ASCII characters when using a printer that
cannot print the full IBM PC character set.
Format
------
PRSWAP
Remarks
-------
The IBM text-graphics characters (non-standard ASCII
176-223 and 254) programmers often use to make their
screen displays look more attractive cannot be handled
by many printers. PRSWAP.COM is a memory-resident
program that translates these characters into
presentable-looking ASCII substitutes.
PRSWAP should be loaded only once until you power down
or hit Ctrl-Alt-Del. If you intend to use it
regularly, the best place to put it is in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
@@RECORDER
RECORDER Tom Kihlken
File usage tracking for Ram disk users Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Keeps a log of the number of times each file is
accessed over a period of time to show which files
would benefit from being stored on a RAM disk.
Format
------
RECORDER [n] [/R]
Remarks
-------
RECORDER is a memory-resident utility that should
normally be loaded by being included as a line in an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. By default it keeps track of disk
I/O activity (reads, writes, EXECs) for 200 filenames.
The optional n parameter can be entered when the
utility is loaded to increase the number of filenames
to 2,000. Each additional filename requires 20 bytes
of RAM.
The current log can be seen by entering RECORDER at
the DOS prompt. Entering RECORDER with the /R switch
resets the table. This may be done at any time, and
certainly should be done if the error message "Table
is saturated" is displayed.
Redirection is supported, so the results can be stored
to a file.
Example
-------
To store the results and reset the table
simultaneously at the end of a morning's use, for
example, enter
RECORDER /R > FILES.LOG
By default, RECORDER sorts by the numbers in the
totals column. The DOS SORT program can be used to
sort by the values in other columns. The read column
begins with character 20, the write column with 27,
and the EXEC column with 34.
Example
-------
To sort the table by the number of entries in the EXEC
category, enter
RECORDER | SORT /+34
@@SETUP2
SETUP2 Jeff Prosise
Pop-up printer configuration program Version 2.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Sends menu-selected or typed control codes to a printer
from within an application or from the DOS prompt. The
codes can be used to configure the printer, select type
faces or styles, paper trays and so forth.
Format
------
SETUP2 [d:][path][filename] | [/C codes] | [/U]
Remarks
-------
Entered without the /C option, SETUP2 becomes a RAM
resident utility with a pop-up menu of user configured
printer control sequences specified in the file given
by filename. The default hotkey is Ctrl-Right Shift.
Esc closes the menu window and returns to any already
running application. Entering SETUP2 with the /U
option uninstalls the utility if no subsequent TSR
program has been loaded.
Any ASCII text editor or word processor can be used to
create the configuration file, which contains the
desired printer commands. This file may be up to 64K
in size and may contain any number of lines, each of
which must be ended by pressing Enter. The first line
identifies the printer or company (hit Enter alone to
leave it blank), and may be up to 26 characters long.
Subsequent lines consist of up to 20 characters of
identifying ASCII text, followed by a semicolon,
followed by up to 255 bytes containing the printer
control sequence. For example, the first four lines of
a file for an H-P LaserJet might be:
H-P LASERJET
Spreadsheet; 27,"&l1o2e5.647c66F",27,"&k2S"
Reset Printer; 27,"E"
Form Feed; 12
ASCII 27 is the (decimal) escape character; it could
alternatively be entered in hexadecimal notation as x1B
or 0x1B, following the C-language style. Numeric
entries may be separated by commas (as shown), or by
spaces or tabs. Literal ASCII text must be enclosed
either within double quotes (as shown) or single
quotes. White space to the right of the semicolon is
ignored, and any line in filename beginning with a
pound sign (#) is treated as a comment line and will
not appear in the SETUP2 window.
In the example above, when the SETUP2 menu is popped
up with Ctrl-Right Shift, the words "Spreadsheet,"
"Reset Printer," and "Form Feed" will appear next to
lines identified as F1, F2, and F3. The associated
printer control codes do not appear in the on-screen
menu, but are sent to the printer either by pressing
the indicated function key or by moving the menu
highlight bar to the appropriate line with the Up-
and Down-Arrow keys and pressing Enter. The PgDn and
PgUp keys bring lines beyond the first "page" (ten
lines) into the menu window.
Below F10 in the SETUP2 menu is a blank line that may
be used to send printer control sequences not contained
in filename. This line is accessed by pressing the
Slash key (/), typing in the actual control codes
(using the format conventions previously discussed),
and pressing Enter. In this case, the actual printer
codes are shown on the screen; the entry line scrolls
horizontally to accommodate sequences of more than 100
characters.
Entering SETUP2 with the /C option enables sending
printer control codes from the DOS command line without
making the utility RAM-resident. This is useful both
for testing and for batch file operations. The codes
are again entered with the numeric and quotemark
conventions previously indicated. Note that each line
must end with an ASCII 13,10 (carriage return/line
feed) sequence.
By default, SETUP2 uses LPT1. Users familiar with
DEBUG can change the entry at offset 018A (normally
0) to 1 (for LPT2) or to 2 (for LPT3). Similarly, the
default Ctrl-Right Shift hotkey can be changed to
another shifting key combination by changing the entry
at offset 01B3 (normally 5). A hex value of C in this
location would change the hotkey to Ctrl-Alt, for
example.
A sample file with the menu entries and codes for many
Epson compatible dot-matrix printers is shown below:
#============================================
# Epson RX/FX-80 Printer Make File
# Copyright (c) 1989 Ziff Communications Co.
#============================================
EPSON RX/FX-80 PRINTER
Compressed Mode On; 15
Compressed Mode Off; 18
Expanded Mode On; 27,"W1"
Expanded Mode Off; 27,"W0"
Emphasised Mode On; 27,"E"
Emphasised Mode Off; 27,"F"
Double-Strike On; 27,"G"
Double-Strike Off; 27,"H"
Miniature Mode On; 15,27,83,0,27,65,6
Miniature Mode Off; 18,27,84,27,50
#--------------------------------------------
Elite Mode On; 27,"M"
Elite Mode Off; 27,"P"
Skip Perforation On; 27,78,8
Skip Perforation Off; 27,79
1/8" Line Spacing; 27,"0"
7/72" Line Spacing; 27,"1"
1/6" Line Spacing; 27,"2"
Line Feed; 10
Form Feed; 12
Reset Printer; 27,"@"
A similar sample for LaserJet printers is:
#============================================
# HP LaserJet Printer Make File
# Copyright (c) 1989 Ziff Communications Co.
#============================================
HEWLETT-PACKARD LASERJET
Portrait Mode; 27,"&l0O"
Landscape Mode; 27,"&l1O"
10 Pitch; 27,"&k0S"
12 Pitch; 27,"&k4S"
16.66 Pitch; 27,"&k2S"
Light; 27,"(s-3B"
Medium; 27,"(s0B"
Bold; 27,"(s3B"
Form Feed; 12
Reset Printer; 27,"E"
#--------------------------------------------
Line Printer; 27,"(s0T"
Pica; 27,"(s1T"
Elite; 27,"(s2T"
Courier; 27,"(s3T"
Helvetica; 27,"(s4T"
Times Roman; 27,"(s5T"
Gothic; 27,"(s6T"
Spreadsheet; 27,"&l1o2e5.647c66F",27,"&k2S"
These two sample files are included with SETUP2.COM,
called HP and EPSON. If you have an Epson-compatible
dot-matrix printer, you can try SETUP2 with the
command:
SETUP2 EPSON
followed by pressing Ctrl and Right-shift to pop-up
the program. If you have an HP Laserjet or compatible
printer, enter
SETUP2 HP
@@SMOOTH
SMOOTH Michael J. Mefford
Smooth scrolling text file viewer Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
An EGA or VGA text-browsing utility that makes reading
from the screen easier by providing smooth scrolling in
either direction at user-selectable speeds. SMOOTH
uses the hardware smooth scrolling ability of an EGA
or VGA type display and will not work with other types.
Format
------
SMOOTH filespec [/W][/Snn][Cmmm]
Remarks
-------
The filespec entered with SMOOTH is a filename plus any
required drive and path information. The optional /W
switch strips the "high bit" from WordStar document
files. The optional /Snn switch sets the scrolling
speed, where nn is a decimal number that represents
twice the number of pixel rows to be scanned on each
screen refresh cycle. The default value for nn is 3.
For comparative purposes, the DOS TYPE command used
with an EGA (14 pixel rows per character) would have an
nn of 28. The optional /Cmmm sets the foreground and
background colours according to:
mmm = Foreground colour + (Background colour * 16)
The foreground and background colour numbers are given
in the BASIC manual under the heading, Colour
statement. The default is 23 (white letters on a blue
background).
The up-arrow and down-arrows set the scrolling
direction, and PgUp and PgDn flip a screen page. The
Home and End keys go directly to the top and bottom of
the file. Pressing the space bar (or the numeral 0)
freezes the screen, which can be restarted by pressing
any key. Hitting Esc cancels SMOOTH and returns to DOS.
Pressing the plus and minus keys speeds up or slows
down the scroll rate, as does pressing the number keys.
Note
-----
As SMOOTH manipulates the EGA/VGA controller registers
directly, it is incompatible with operation of the
Print Screen (PrtSc) key and with many pop-up programs,
such as SideKick.
@@SPRINTER
SPRINTER Douglas Boling
Keyboard cursor accelerator Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
SPRINTER speeds-up the cursor keys and PgUp/PgDn keys
when a user-selected accelerator key is pressed at the
same time. SPRINTER works with AT systems and will
boost the cursor repeat rate beyond the fastest that
can normally be set.
Format
------
SPRINTER [/K xx] [/S n] [/U] [/D] [/E] [/?]
Remarks
-------
SPRINTER is a small (1K) TSR program that can be
installed by running it from the DOS prompt or by
including it as a line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The
program defaults to using the Alt key as the accelerator
key but this can be changed by using the /K option as
follows:
/K S Either Shift key
/K LS Left Shift key
/K RS Right Shift key
/K A Either Alt key
/K LA Left Alt key
/K RA Right Alt key
/K C Either Control key
/K LC Left Control key
/K RC Right Control key
On extended keyboards (101 keys), SPRINTER /K RC can be
a good choice as this key is often rarely used but is
conveniently near to the arrow keys.
The amount by which SPRINTER accelerates cursor and
paging speed can be set by using the /S x switch,
using x values from 1 through 9, with 1 the slowest
and 9 the fastest. The default value is 2.
The ideal setting for /S may have to be found by
experimentation... SPRINTER's effectiveness depends a
lot on the programs you use it with. Some programs may
not be able to keep up with SPRINTER or at least won't
scroll any faster with it operating. Too fast a
setting can lead to over-run where the cursor continues
to move long after you've released the cursor key
because the program has stored, and is now processing,
all the extra key repeats that SPRINTER has generated.
With other programs, the SPRINTER key will allow you
to move through tables, lists, spreadsheets or text at
amazing speeds... scrolling in many programs is limited
by keyboard rate not by the program itself.
Note that you can change both the /K and /S settings
at any time after loading SPRINTER with another
SPRINTER command.
SPRINTER cannot be compatible with all programs and in
particular does not work with those that take over the
BIOS keyboard interrupt (Int 9). This includes Windows
and some DOS applications. To prevent any possible
problems when changing applications while SPRINTER is
loaded, the /D (Disable) and /E (Enable) switches can
be invoked at any time.
Subject to the usual TSR limitations (last in, first
out), SPRINTER can be uninstalled with the /U switch.
Entering SPRINTER /? brings up a help screen.
@@STAYDOWN
STAYDOWN Jeff Prosise
'Sticky' shift keys Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Permits entering two-key Ctrl-, Alt-, and Shift-key
combinations as separate keystrokes.
Format
------
STAYDOWN [/D] [/U]
Remarks
-------
The relocation of the function keys on IBM's
"enhanced" 101-key keyboard makes it impossible to
hold down a shifting key (Ctrl, Alt, Shift) and press
a key simultaneously with one hand. Even with the
83-key (PC and XT) and 84-key (original AT) keyboards,
many shifting key combinations have been awkward for
many users and sometimes impossible for the physically
handicapped. STAYDOWN is a
terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) utility that permits
(but does not require) the shifting key to be
physically released while remaining logically
depressed until the key it is to affect is struck. If
a shifting key is mistakenly hit (and so held down by
STAYDOWN), just hit the key again to disengage it.
The optional /D switch deactivates STAYDOWN
until the command is entered again without
the switch. The optional /U switch
uninstalls the program and frees the memory
it previously occupied. If another TSR
program that uses the same interrupt vector
has been loaded after STAYDOWN, a "Cannot
Uninstall" message will be displayed. If the
message "Uninstall Error" appears, users
should immediately save their work and
reboot.
STAYDOWN should be loaded before SideKick.
SideKick users can then choose to pop up the
SideKick utility either by holding down the
Ctrl key and pressing/releasing the Alt key
(as before) or by pressing/releasing the Ctrl
key and then pressing/releasing the Alt key.
Note, however, that as STAYDOWN's action is
confined to the next keystroke, three-key
combinations such as Ctrl-Alt-Del must be
entered conventionally.
STAYDOWN can be entered either at the DOS
command line or, preferably, as a line in an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. While compatible with
most applications, full compatibility with
all applications cannot be guaranteed by any
TSR program.
@@STICK
STICK Jeff Prosise
Locks cursor size and shape Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Locks/unlocks a cursor size and shape set with
CTYPE.COM (also contained on this disk); similarly
locks/unlocks a choice of VGA/EGA foreground and
background colours and permits selective replacement
of the EGA/VGA BIOS code for CGA emulation.
Format
------
STICK [/L+|/L-] [/E+|/E-] [/B+|/B-][/C-|/C fg bg]
Remarks
-------
STICK is a memory-resident (560 bytes) program that
eliminates several recurring problems connected with
the Enhanced Graphics Adaptor (EGA) and display. A
non-resident utility such as CTYPE.COM can set a
cursor size and shape in DOS, and it can also prevent
the cursor loss frequently encountered when exiting
from utilities such as SideKick while using a 43-line
EGA display. CTYPE alone can do nothing to preserve
its customised cursor when applications reset the
cursor, however, as they normally do.
The STICK /L+ option locks in the cursor shape for all
but applications (such as 1-2- 3) that bypass the PC
BIOS cursor routines altogether. To permit some
applications (such as word processors) to manipulate
the cursor shape themselves, the STICK /L- option
disables cursor locking.
The STICK /C fg bg option sets EGA foreground and
background colours respectively, using the hex digits
shown below:
0 Black 8 Gray
1 Blue 9 Bright Blue
2 Green A Bright Green
3 Cyan B Bright Cyan
4 Red C Bright Red
5 Magenta D Bright Magenta
6 Brown E Yellow
7 White F Bright White
The foreground colour (fg) may range from 0 through F;
background (bg) values are limited to 0 through 7. A
single space must separate each parameter. The /C-
option disables the colour selection locking.
@@TOGGLE
TOGGLE Jeff Prosise
Software control of lock keys Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Provides a software toggle and an on-screen report of
the states of the CapsLock, NumLock, and ScrollLock
keys.
Format
------
TOGGLE [+c|-c] [+n|-n] [+s|-s]
Remarks
-------
Entered without any parameters, TOGGLE simply reports
the current status of the three toggle keys. The c
(CapsLock), n (NumLock), and s (ScrollLock) parameters
may be added on the TOGGLE command line to change the
state of the specified key(s). A + (plus) sign
preceding a parameter toggles that key on; a - (minus)
sign forces that key off. The optional parameters may
be entered singly or in any combination and order, and
in upper or lower case. Requested parameter changes
are processed before TOGGLE issues its on-screen
report. Entering TOGGLE with any unrecognised
parameter (/H or ?, for example) produces an error
message that displays the correct syntax.
With 83-key PC and XT keyboards, which lack status
LEDs, TOGGLE eliminates the need to determine the
states of the CapsLock, NumLock, and ScrollLock keys
by trial and error.
Owners of "compatible" 84-key keyboards often find that
their status LEDs get out-of-sync with the true states
of the toggle keys. This condition arises when an
LED-equipped keyboard is matched with an XT BIOS
design, which lacks provisions for updating the
indicators when a program rather than a keystroke
changes the toggle-key state. TOGGLE can be used to
restore the synchronization, which will be retained as
long as only keystrokes are used to change the toggle
keys' status.
The BIOS interface for the current 101-key (Enhanced)
keyboard causes the machine to boot up with the
NumLock state on. All previous keyboards have
provided the opposite default condition. Including
the line
TOGGLE -n
in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file will cause the NumLock key to
boot up in the off state when using the Enhanced
keyboard.
@@TYPEA
TYPEA
Displays both text and binary files Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Lets you browse through the ASCII the contents of any
file, including executable and other binary files.
TYPEA displays just the ASCII letter and number
characters in any file, and shows everything else as
dots.
Format
------
TYPEA [d:][path]FILENAME [ > FILENAME.TXT]
Example
-------
If you want to see the messages or commands inside
COMMAND.COM, type:
TYPEA \COMMAND.COM
Use the Ctrl-S key to pause the display.
If you want to create a file called COMMAND.TXT that
contains this information, type:
TYPEA \COMMAND.COM > COMMAND.TXT
@@TYPEFAST & TPFST-AT
TYPEFAST & TPFST-AT Michael J. Mefford
Keyboard speed-up Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
To change the default keyboard typematic rate and
initial delay. TYPEFAST.COM is a memory-resident (TSR)
utility that works with all XT and later PCs and
clones; TPFST-AT.COM is non-resident, but works only
with late-model ATs (BIOS date 11/15/85 or later) and
with XT 286, PS/2, and 386-based AT compatibles.
Format
------
TYPEFAST [m][,n] | [/U] | [N]
or
TPFST-AT [m][,n] | [N]
Remarks
-------
Entered without any optional parameters, both TYPEFAST
and TPFST-AT default to a repetition rate of
approximately 17 characters per second (11 cps is the
normal keyboard typematic rate) with a standard initial
delay of 1/2 second. The optional m parameter sets the
repeat rate and n sets the delay.
For TYPEFAST, the m values may range from 0 through 31
(the default is 2) and n values may range from 0
through 3 (default 3). For TPFST-AT m values also range
from 0 through 31, but in this case the default value
of 27 corresponds to the 17 cps repeat rate. TPFST-AT n
values range from 0 through 3 (default 1). The same
numeric values for the optional m and n parameters do
not produce the same results in the two programs, though
in both cases the larger the number the greater will be
the repetition rate and the initial delay. When
executed, both programs show the appropriate syntax
parameters on the screen. A single parameter may be
entered (preceded by a delimiting comma if the first
parameter is omitted) if the default value is
satisfactory for the missing value.
When installed, normally by being made part of an
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, TYPEFAST occupies approximately 300
bytes of RAM. The program can subsequently be run again
with new parameters without further memory penalty.
Subject to the usual TSR limitations, TYPEFAST can be
uninstalled by running it with the /U switch. The N
option restores the normal typematic rates.
Since TPFST-AT is not memory resident it cannot be
uninstalled. To revert to the normal typematic speeds
simply use the N switch. TPFST-AT provides slightly
smoother response and permits the keyboard to use
slower or faster than normal rates. TYPEFAST, on the
other hand, provides better insurance against
overshooting the desired stopping point.
@@UMBFILES
UMBFILES Jeff Prosise
Upper memory alternative to FILES= Version 1.1
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Created especially for MS-DOS 5, UMBFILES creates
space for DOS file handles in the upper memory area,
acting as a substitute for the normal FILES=
instruction in CONFIG.SYS. Using UMBFILES can free up
as much as 15K of DOS memory.
Format
------
UMBFILES[=]nn
This is where nn is the number of files you want to
allocate space for in upper memory. Valid values range
from 1 to 247. An additional restriction is that the
sum of UMBFILES and files already allocated may not
exceed 255, because DOS doesn't support more than 255
files open in the system at any one time. For example,
if you boot with the statement FILES=20 in CONFIG.SYS
and then run UMBFILES, the maximum value UMBFILES will
accept for nn is 235. If you allocate space for 20
more files with the statement UMBFILES=20 and then run
UMBFILES again, the most it will accept is 215.
You can run UMBFILES as many times as you like. Each
time, the number of file handles available is extended
by the number of entries indicated.
The most efficient way to use UMBFILES is to place the
statement FILES=8 in CONFIG.SYS and place a UMBFILES
command allocating additional space for files in
AUTOEXEC.BAT. (Remember UMBFILES is a normal program
and so must be called from AUTOEXEC.BAT unlike FILES=
which is a special instruction that can only be used
in CONFIG.SYS.) For example, if you currently boot
with the statement FILES=60, change it to FILES=8 and
add the command
UMBFILES=52
to AUTOEXEC.BAT. Doing so will save you 3,072 bytes
(3K) of memory. The 8 SFT entries created by the
FILES command will be located in conventional memory;
the 52 set up by UMBFILES will be in upper memory. Why
not place all 60 in upper memory? The minimum value
DOS will accept for FILES is 8, so the first 8 SFT
entries must always be in conventional memory. Any
entries beyond that may be placed in upper memory with
UMBFILES.
To use UMBFILES, you must be running DOS 5.0 and have
a 386 or 486 configured for loading programs and
device drivers in upper memory. At a minimum, this
means that:
- You must load HIMEM.SYS in CONFIG.SYS;
- You must also load EMM386.EXE with a
RAM or NOEMS parameter;
- CONFIG.SYS must contain the statement
DOS=UMB (or DOS=HIGH,UMB);
- Your PC must contain at least 384K
of extended memory.
If UMBFILES reports that the upper memory area is not
available, then it was unable to allocate a block of
upper memory probably because your system isn't set up
properly for UMBs. If this happens, check your
CONFIG.SYS file to make sure it contains the required
statements and that EMM386.EXE is indeed being loaded
with a RAM or NOEMS parameter. Without one of these two
parameters, EMM386.EXE will not create the upper
memory blocks that UMBFILES needs.
If UMBFILES reports "Insufficient memory," it means
that the upper memory area is available but there
isn't a UMB large enough to hold the number of SFT
entries you requested. To determine the size of the
largest free UMB, just type MEM /C. If there is some
unallocated upper memory remaining, you may be able to
use it by decreasing the requested number of SFT
entries. You should note that each entry requires
approximately 59 bytes of upper memory.
Other error messages from UMBFILES include "Sum of
FILES and UMBFILES cannot exceed 255," indicating that
the number of additional SFT entries that you
requested would push the total to more than 255, and
"Invalid parameter (cannot be 0)," which you get if
you type UMBFILES=0. UMBFILES will also respond with
an error message if the number you enter for nn is
invalid (for example, if the entry contains any
nonnumeric characters), if you attempt to run it with
any version of DOS other than 5.x, or if there is a
syntax error. If UMBFILES succeeds in extending the
SFT, it will display the message "System File Table
extended," indicating that the entries you requested
were added to the SFT.
A final note concerning the use of UMBFILES relates to
its on-line help feature. You can get help with any
DOS 5.0 command by running it with a /? switch.
Similarly, you can get help with UMBFILES by typing:
UMBFILES /?
In response, UMBFILES displays a one-line description
of itself followed by a description of its syntax and
other helpful information.
@@VIDMODE
VIDMODE Charles Petzold
Sets/displays the current video mode Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Reports/changes the current video mode.
Format
------
VIDMODE m
Remarks
-------
Entered without the optional m parameter, VIDMODE
displays the current video mode. In text modes, the
commands VIDMODE 03 and VIDMODE 07 have the same
practical effect as the DOS commands MODE CO80 and
MODE MONO respectively. The table below lists the m
(mode) parameters to which VIDMODE can be switched.
Mode Type Disp. Resol. Chars Box Colours Pgs
---- ---- ----- ------- ----- --- ------- ---
0&1 Text CGA 200x320 25x40 8x8 16 8
EGA 350x320 25x40 14x8 16 8
VGA 400x360 25x80 16x9 16 8
2&3 Text CGA 200x640 25x80 8x8 16 8
EGA 350x640 25x80 14x8 16 8
VGA 400x720 25x80 16x9 16 8
4&5 Graph CGA+ 200x320 25x40 8x8 4 1
6 Graph CGA+ 200x640 25x80 14x8 2 1
7 Text MDA 350x720 25x80 14x9 4 8
8-12 ------------ Reserved/PCjr modes ------------
13 Graph EGA+ 200x320 25x40 8x8 16 8
14 Graph EGA+ 200x640 25x80 8x8 16 4
15 Graph EGA 350x640 25x80 14x8 4 1
16 Graph EGA+ 350x640 25x80 14x8 16 2
17 Graph MCGA+ 480x640 25x80 14x8 2 1
18 Graph VGA 480x640 25x80 14x8 16 1
19 Graph MCGA+ 200x320 25x40 14x8 256 1
Notes
-----
1. Users of a Hercules graphics card can
activate "page 1" graphics if an EGA/VGA
is installed with the command sequence:
MODE CO80
VIDMODE 16
...
MODE MONO
Use VIDMODE 14 if your EGA is connected
to a conventional colour monitor.
2. Should you switch to a mode not supported
by your monitor, you can recover by blindly
entering VIDMODE 3 (colour) or VIDMODE 7
(monochrome).
3. By adding 128 to the mode number desired you
can change modes without clearing the screen
(though the cursor is reset to the upper
left). These high numbered modes may confuse
some applications programs, however.
4. VIDMODE will switch to 'super VGA' modes if
your display has them provided that you know
the correct mode number to use. Your display
card manual should list these. WARNING: You
should be careful not to select Super VGA modes
that your monitor is not designed to handle.
Some Super VGA cards do not provide protection
against this and it can cause damage to your
monitor.
5. VIDMODE was formerly called EGAMODE.
@@VIDPAGE
VIDPAGE Charles Petzold
Sets/displays the current video page Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Reports/changes the current video page.
Format
------
VIDPAGE p
Remarks
-------
Entered without the optional p parameter, VIDPAGE
reports which video page is currently active. The
chart presented in this manual for VIDMODE shows
which video pages (p parameters, beginning with 0) can
be used in each mode.
VIDPAGE can be useful when you have material on your
screen to which you want to return later. Entering
VIDPAGE 1 activates a new screen while retaining the
contents of the default VIDPAGE 0 in memory. The
previous display can subsequently be recalled by
issuing the VIDPAGE 0 command.
Notes
-----
1. When using an alternate video page do not change
video modes (e.g. with MODE CO80) or the previous
display contents will be lost.
2. ANSI.SYS cannot be used with other than video
page 0.
3. VIDPAGE was formerly called EGAPAGE
@@VISITYPE
VISITYPE Steven Holzner
Expanded keyboard typeahead buffer Version 1.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
Expands the PC's normal 15-character typeahead buffer
to 80 characters.
Format
------
VISITYPE
Remarks
-------
If you enter a series of commands without waiting
until each has finished executing (as during a long
directory scroll or disk-searching operation, for
example), the PC will beep and discard subsequent
keystrokes when you exceed its built-in 15-character
keyboard buffer.
VISITYPE enlarges the keyboard buffer to 80 characters
and temporarily displays any overflow on the top line
of the display before they are used. Keystrokes so
displayed can be edited, if necessary, by using the
Backspace key and then entering the correct keystroke.
Notes
-----
1. VISITYPE is a memory-resident utility that is
normally loaded through your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
While it will work with most applications programs,
it will not work with those that completely take
over the keyboard interrupts for their own purposes.