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UTILS.DOC
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1995-07-21
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┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ >>>>>>>> Documentation for the Utility Programs <<<<<<<< │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
ANSIB.EXE -This program will perform a variety of ANSI screen control
commands from inside batch files. For more information, type ANSIB
on the command line with no arguments.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
CVT.EXE -This program will convert several files from one type to another.
The file types include:
.ANS - ANSI Screen Files (typically used in BBS systems)
.ASC - Plain ASCII text files (25 lines maximum)
.BSV - BLOAD/BSAVE files (file length=4OO7 bytes)
.COM - Self-displaying COM files. If a file named TEMP.COM is
created, it can be displayed by typing TEMP or by using
the command TEMP in a batch file. Note that the cursor
position is not changed. The most common use of these
self-displaying COM files is in batch files with ECHO OFF.
.SCN - Binary screen image (file length=4OOO bytes)
.STF - ShowText File format (file size <= 4OOO bytes)
The command syntax is: CVT filename.ext type /V
where (filename.ext) is the file specification of the files to be
converted. The (type) is one of the 6 file types listed above.
Wildcards are acceptable and a path may be specified with either
command line argument, although specific filenames may not be
included with the (type) argument. For example, CVT *.BSV STF will
convert/copy all BSV files to STF files. The original files aren't
deleted. Note: The file CVT2COM.FIL must reside in the ShowText
directory. It was purposely kept separate from the CVT.EXE file
so that it could be used to convert an .STF file (or .SCN file)
directly into a .COM file by issuing the following DOS command,
COPY/B CVT2COM.FIL+TEMP.STF TEMP.COM
The /V optional command line argument will allow you to (V)iew the
files as they are converted. The default is No View.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
GETAKEY.COM -This program pauses a batch file until a key is pressed. The
ASCII value of that key is returned as the DOS ERRORLEVEL.
Extended keys such as F1 etc. are returned as 128+scan_code.
These values are the same as the values in the keycode table in
SHOWTEXT.DOC (except that F11 and F12 are not supported). This
program was meant to be used in batch files using self-displaying
.COM files (with ECHO OFF) or with the SHOW.COM program..
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
RAT.EXE -This program allows the mouse to be used inside batch files. For
more information, type RAT on the command line with no arguments.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
SHOW.COM -This program will display an .STF file on the screen. It may be
used in a batch file. The syntax is SHOW filename or SHOW/P
filename. Note that an extension must NOT be specified on the
command line. The first syntax form (SHOW filename) will display
the filename.STF on the screen and will continue. The second form
(SHOW/P filename) will display the filename.STF on the screen and
will then pause until the user presses a key. The ASCII value of
that keystroke (or 128+scan_code_value for extended function keys)
will be placed in the DOS ERRORLEVEL variable which can then be
tested inside a batch file. This can be used in a simple batch
file menu system.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
STCAP.COM -This program is a TSR (memory-resident) program which takes only
13.3k bytes of conventional memory to run. Its purpose is to
capture color ASCII text screens to BSV, SCN or STF file types.
The program is made memory resident by simply typing STCAP on the
DOS command line. To invoke the program, in order to capture a
text screen to a file, type Ctrl-Alt-S. Be sure that the program
you were running is in text mode (not graphics mode). The default
file extension is STF. If you type an incorrect filename, such as
one whose extension is not BSV, SCN or STF, the program will not
save the screen to disk. To (R)emove the TSR from memory, type
STCAP/R on the DOS command line.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
VIEWSCN.COM -This program will display a 4OOO-byte text screen image file on a
color monitor. The syntax is: VIEWSCN filename.ext, where the
extension MUST be specified. The STD drawing program is capable
of storing screen images in this format (as .SCN files).
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Special Notes about using ANSIB and RAT :
1. The batch file should be in the ECHO OFF mode when using the RAT or ANSIB
programs. This prevents screen scrolling.
2. It is generally a good idea to execute the RAT RESET at the beginning of
the batch file. If the mouse driver is subsequently loaded/unloaded,
then execute the RAT RESET again. It takes a second or two to reset the
mouse driver, so your batch file should do this only once (if at all).
3. RAT uses the intra-application communication area at OOOO:O4FO, therefore
any application program that utilizes this area will cause RAT to reset
itself each time. This is a very minor consideration since very few
programs use this area.
4. Each application program should leave the mouse pointer in the hidden
state. This is the assumption made by the RAT program.
5. Each application program should exit to DOS in the 8O-column, 25-row
TEXT mode. If it doesn't, then be sure to execute MODE CO80 before
running the RAT program.
6. The RAT program can be used to retrieve KEYcodes even if the mouse is
not available. Of course, there will not be a mouse cursor.