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The CDPD Public Domain Collection for CDTV 4
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fish
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911-930
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ff924
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s-omni
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s-omni.doc
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1994-05-04
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S - OMNI V1.1
A number of the S- series of programs to produce self-executing files have
now been released:
o
Texts S-Text
o
ILBM pictures S-Pic
o
Anim5 animations S-Anim5
o
Command files S-Exec
It would be possible to carry on in this vein to S-Anim6, S-Gif and so on,
but a totally omniverous programme to wrap up the series is offered instead
-
S-OMNI
. S-Omni has three modes of operation:
Mode 1:
S-Omni will take any normal command-line - as it might be typed
at a CLI - and bundle it together with any supporting files needed
into a single compressed self-executing file.
Mode 2:
S-Omni will take a Script(batch) file and bundle it together with
any supporting files needed into a single compressed self-executing
file.
Mode 3:
S-Omni will take a series of files and bundle them into a
single compressed self-decompressing archive.
In each case all the files used are recoverable in their original
uncompressed state.
Use
mode 1
to fill all the gaps in the current S-series, producing
executable files out of virtually any combination of tool and data file.
Mode 2
has a vast range of applications. For example
Instead of mode 1 where conditions must be preset - stack increased -
font changed - private libraries copied to LIBS: (the libraries can be
inluded in the S-Omni file).
Installation scripts.
Demonstrations, tutorials, sales pitches. The normal degree of
interaction through the `IFWARN' command is available, and this can
be extended by the use of ARexx or programs such as "AskReq" by Hans
-Peter Guenther.
Eliminating the need for IconX or Xicon texts.
Mode 3
will produce simple self-decompressing archive files.
One point to bear in mind is that after running an S-Omni file the user
will find in ram: uncompressed copies of all the files used. Think twice
before including any commercial programmes which are not freely
distributable.
INSTRUCTIONS
FILE CREATION
In all modes the S-Omni can be called from a cli or from WorkBench.
CLI: call S-Omni or Run S-Omni.
WorkBench: click the S-Omni icon.
In both cases a requester will appear; at the top are three buttons for
the three possible modes:
SCRIPT = Mode 2, COMMAND = Mode 1, FILES = Mode 3.
Below the three mode buttons are four string gadgets. When a mode button
is clicked any string gadgets not required in that mode will be ghosted.
MODE 1
In mode 1 you will need to enter data on the "Command Line", "Output File"
and "Include Files" lines:
Command Line:
Enter your Command exactly as it would be entered at a CLI,
EXCEPT that any files that you are going to provide (as
"Include Files") must show only the file-NAME, and no paths.
Press `RETURN' at the end of the line.
Output File:
Click the button to get a FileRequester (ASL or ARP) or
enter file name directly (and press `RETURN'). Include any
necessary path.
Include Files:
Enter here any files which you want to provide to the user
so that the command line can be executed. In the Command
Line only the filename for these was shown; here the full
path must be given so that S-Omni can find them. The file
requester button can be used to enter files sequentially, or
files can be entered by hand, leaving at least one space
between each - do not neglect to press `RETURN' at the end
of the line. The buffer is 512 characters long.
MODE 2
In mode 2 (scripts) data is entered on lines "Script", "Output File", and
"Include Files" lines.
Script:
Enter the full path and name of your Script file. You can get a
requester or enter the file directly. See the paragraph on the
preparation of scripts below.
Output File:
As for mode 1.
Include Files:
As for mode 1.
MODE 3
In mode 3 (files) only the "Output File" and "Include Files" lines are
used:
Output File:
As for mode 1.
Include Files:
As for mode 1.
When all necessary lines have been completed press OK to create the Omni
file (or cancel to clear all entries).
When the programme exits you will find a file "filelist" in RAM,
containing a list of all the files included in the omni .se file. This is
provided so that you can check that the omni-file is complete.
SCRIPTS
Any normal script file should be acceptable to S-Omni (there are so many
variations that it has not been possible to test them all!). The file
"script" in this drawer is a straightforward example and uses a total of
nine commands and files:
echo,if,endif,wait
and
ask
are standard DOS commands; they will normally be
available in the user's Shell, and hence there should be no need to
provide "include files" for them.
P-Reader, Readme and Chinchilla
- include files must be provided.
The script itself must quote ONLY the file-NAMES, no paths. Paths should be
included on the "IncludeFiles" line.
So for this script the following entries might be made:
Script: S-Omni:script
Command Line: Blank
Output File: Ram:script.se
Include Files: Dh0:Reader/P-Reader Dh0:Text/Readme Dh1:Pics/Chinchilla
There is no provision in V1.1 for passing arguments to scripts with the
.KEY keyword. It is hoped to deal with this in a future version.
REXX
Rexx `scripts' can be used but must be called as Rexx commands.
Rexx scripts can be an extremely useful way of getting numeric or string
responses, however there is a difficulty in getting AREXX to look at the
right cli when getting the response (similar to the difficulty met if
you try to call "RUN RX <script>.rexx" at a cli). One way of dealing
with this is shown in the file shell.rexx which ultimately will call
the rexx script "age.rexx" (which is the file that gets a user response)
directly from a con: window. There may be simpler ways - I am sadly
lacking in experience with REXX. The Omni entries for this would have a
command line "RX shell.rexx" and shell.rexx, age.rexx and REXXMAST (to be
safe) are "Include files".
If the resulting .se file will not run properly from a WorkBench icon,
try copying the command RX from the rexxc drawer to the C drawer.
USE
To run the file treat it like any other executable:
At a CLI type the name, use RUN if you wish.
From Workbench double-click the icon.
Files included in the Omni-file are decompressed and copied to a new
drawer "Omni" which is opened in ram. Ram:omni is made the Current
Directory; any Command Line included is then run or script file executed.
When the programme finally exits the script file (if any) and the `include'
files will be found in ram:omni.
Type the command "EndCLI" in any cli window remaining open to close it.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
S-Omni is Freeware. It may be copied and distributed freely and used
without charge for non-commercial purposes. Authority for commercial
use should be obtained from the author below.
No responsibility can be accepted for any loss occasioned by use of the
programme.
It would be over-optimistic to imagine that this initial version of
S-Omni will cope with all the possible variations of command lines and
scripts. If you find something it will not handle correctly please let
me know so that the next version can be improved.
Chas A. Wyndham,
1265 Canning Mills Road,
Roleystone,
WA 6111.
Australia