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JP Software
Take Command for Windows -- Shareware README
Version 1.0 -- November 21, 1994
Copyright 1988 - 1994, JP Software Inc., All Rights Reserved. Published
by JP Software Inc., P.O. Box 1470, E. Arlington, MA 02174 USA, (617)
646-3975.
Greetings, and thanks for trying Take Command!
This file contains a variety of information you should read before using
Take Command, including:
* Introduction to Take Command * Important usage notes
* Take Command for 4DOS users * Technical support
* Take Command files * Bulletin board support
* Installation instructions * Shareware and ASP policies
If you have tried a shareware copy of Take Command and want to place an
order, see the product and ordering information in the file
ORDERINF.DOC, or call us at (800) 368-8777 (USA only, orders only
please!) or (617) 646-3975. An order form is included separately in the
file ORDER.FRM. JP Software also offers a complete 32-bit version of
Take Command for Windows NT users; 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS for Windows
NT -- our award-winning character mode command processors for DOS, OS/2,
and Windows NT; and other complementary products such as the DOS-based
QEdit editor for ASCII files; the multiple configuration utility
BOOT.SYS; and the Personal REXX language for DOS, OS/2, Windows, and
Windows NT.
For complete installation instructions, see page 4.
The license agreement which governs your use of Take Command is included
separately in the file LICENSE.DOC. Please read it before ordering.
The text is written in plain English, and clearly explains your rights
and responsibilities as a user of Take Command. For more information on
the shareware system under which you obtained Take Command see page 7.
This file, like all our ASCII documentation files, is formatted at 58
lines per page, and contains form feeds and page footers. It can be
viewed with a file viewer such as the Take Command LIST command, or
printed on most PC printers using the command:
copy readme.doc prn
Printing it with a program that formats the pages is not likely to work
due to the formatting included in the file.
(11/94-1.0A)
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 1
Introduction to Take Command
This section and the next are excerpted from the Take Command
Introduction and Installation Guide (in the file TCMD.DOC). See that
file for additional details on how Take Command works and how to
install and use it (brief installation instructions are also included
on page 4 of this file).
We developed Take Command to bring the power and convenience of our
popular 4DOS and 4OS2 programs to Windows users. Whether you are a
computer novice or an experienced user, Take Command will help you
get the most out of your Windows system.
You're probably already familiar with graphical applications running
under Windows, and with the command line, but you may not be used to
seeing them combined in one product. We designed Take Command to
give you the best of both worlds. You'll probably find it most
useful when you need to perform tasks like managing your hard disk,
scripting a series of steps with an alias or batch file, or starting
applications under Windows. There are graphical utilities that
perform some of these tasks, but often you may find it more
convenient or productive to perform them from the command line. Take
Command itself uses fewer resources than starting a DOS session to
run 4DOS or COMMAND.COM for these tasks, and unlike a DOS session, it
looks and feels like the other Windows programs you use.
Take Command also offers a host of features that couldn't exist at
all in a DOS command-line utility. For example you can pop up simple
dialogs from a batch file, pass keystrokes to Windows applications,
use a Windows-based dialog to find files or text on any of your
disks, or configure Take Command with dialogs instead of editing an
.INI file.
If you want full command-line control of Windows you can also use
Take Command as your Windows shell, replacing Program Manager. When
you use Take Command this way you can turn Windows into a completely
command-based environment, and eliminate the use of graphical tools
to start applications and manage files. This approach isn't for
everyone, but if it's the way you like to work you'll find that Take
Command is up to the task.
Take Command for 4DOS Users
If you're an experienced user of 4DOS, JP Software's replacement
command processor for DOS, you'll find plenty of familiar features in
Take Command. You'll also find a lot that s new and different.
Because the underlying command processing in Take Command is based on
4DOS, you'll find the features of 4DOS are readily accessible. All
the commands and switches you've used in 4DOS work the same way and
have the same meaning in Take Command; the only exceptions are those
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 2
that don't make sense in the Windows environment. Other 4DOS
features are included as well -- Take Command supports command line
editing, command and directory histories, aliases, .BTM files, and
virtually all the other 4DOS features you already know.
New in Take Command are Windows-related features, including:
* A built-in scrollback buffer that lets you look back through
the output from past commands.
* A standard Windows menu bar for access to many commonly-used
Take Command features.
* A status bar showing memory and resource usage.
* A customizable tool bar that gives you quick access to
commands and applications.
* Windows dialogs, accessible from the Configuration and
Utilities menus, for editing environment variables, aliases,
file descriptions, and startup parameters (the TCMD.INI file).
* Direct access to Program Manager groups through the
Applications menu.
* High-speed, dialog-based file and text search.
* Commands like ACTIVATE, MSGBOX, and QUERYBOX that allow you
to use Windows features and control Windows applications from
your batch files.
* A new technology, called "Caveman," which you can use to run
many DOS utilities in the Take Command window.
For more details on all of these features, see the Take Command for
4DOS Users topic in the online help.
Files Included with Take Command 1.0
The following files are included with this version of Take Command:
TCMD.EXE Take Command program file
TCMD.DOC ASCII copy of the Take Command Introduction
and Installation Guide
TCMD.HLP Take Command help file
TCMD.INI Skeleton Take Command initialization file
TC16DLL.DLL DLL used to support the KEYSTACK command
TCMDOS2.ICO Take Command icon for use under OS/2 2.x and
above
BATCOMP.EXE DOS-based batch file compression utility for
use with Take Command
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 3
CAVEMAN.386 "Caveman" virtual device to support DOS
programs inside the Take Command window
CTL3DV2.DLL Windows 3D controls DLL for use with Take
Command
LICENSE.DOC The Take Command shareware license agreement
ORDER.FRM JP Software shareware and upgrade order forms
ORDERINF.DOC Ordering and product information
README.DOC This file
SUPPORT.BBS Information on Channel 1, the independent BBS
used for Take Command support
SYSOP.DOC Take Command information for BBS sysops
VENDOR.DOC Take Command information for shareware disk
vendors
Installation Instructions
(These instructions do not cover diskette installation, because when
Take Command is installed from diskette this file is not visible
until after installation is complete.)
(1) To install Take Command on your system, first create a new
directory for Take Command 1.0 (do not install it in the same
directory as any other JP Software product). The directory can be on
any hard disk drive, and you can use any valid directory name.
(2) Decompress your downloaded Take Command files into this
directory. You can print any Take Command documentation file by
copying it to the printer with the COPY command.
(3) Install CTL3DV2.DLL as follows. [CTL3DV2 is a Microsoft library
which gives a 3-dimensional appearance to some elements of the
Windows display, for programs that use it.]
(a) Check the date and time on the copy of CTL3DV2.DLL that came
with Take Command. Then check your \WINDOWS directory for the
same file.
(b) If the version that came with Take Command is newer than the
version in \WINDOWS, or if the file does not exist at all in
\WINDOWS, then copy the newer version from the Take Command
directory to the \WINDOWS directory.
(c) DELETE the CTL3DV2.DLL file from the Take Command directory.
This ensures that you do not have multiple copies of CTL3DV2 on
your system. CTL3DV2 only works properly if there is a single
copy in the \WINDOWS directory; if you have more than one copy
you will receive an error when Take Command starts.
(4) From the Windows Program Manager, create a new object as follows
(use the appropriate procedure for your desktop shell if you are not
running Program Manager):
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 4
* Open or select the "Main" group, or the group in which you want
to install Take Command.
* Select the Program Manager "File" menu, then select "New."
* Select "Program item" and click on "OK".
* Enter "Take Command," or any other title you desire, in the
Description field.
* Enter the full path and name for TCMD.EXE in the Command Line
field (for example, "C:\TCMD10\TCMD.EXE").
* Enter the directory in which you want the Take Command window
to start (if any) in the Working Directory field.
* Click on "OK" to accept the entry.
This creates a basic desktop object which starts Take Command. For
more details on configuration and tuning, see Chapter 2 of the
Introduction and Installation Guide.
(5) Select the new object and press Enter, or double-click on it, to
start Take Command. You'll see a Windows screen with some startup
messages, and a C:\> or similar prompt. You can now use Take Command
for all your command processing tasks. Press F1 any time for
complete online help.
See the following section for important additional notes, including
instructions on installing Caveman to run DOS programs right inside
your Take Command window.
Additional Important Installation and Usage Notes
If you see unusual characters in the prompt when Take Command starts,
it's probably because you have special ANSI characters in your DOS
prompt, and Take Command inherits this information in the environment
when it starts. Take Command does not support ANSI characters in the
prompt. To correct the problem, use Notepad or another editor to
create a file called TCSTART.BTM in the Take Command directory. Add
the following line to this file:
prompt $p$g
You can add other commands to this file if you want them run when
Take Command starts. See Chapter 3 of the Introduction and
Installation Guide for more details on TCSTART.
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 5
If you want to run DOS programs inside your Take Command window (as
opposed to in a separate window), you must install the "Caveman"
virtual device which comes with Take Command. To do so use SysEdit,
Notepad, or any other editor to edit the SYSTEM.INI file in your
\WINDOWS directory. Find the section which begins with a line
reading [386Enh]. Add the following line somewhere within that
section:
device=d:\path\caveman.386
where "d:\path" is the drive and directory where you stored Take
Command, for example:
[386Enh]
....
device=c:\tcmd10\caveman.386
Restart Windows so that your changes to SYSTEM.INI will take effect.
The TCMD.INI file which comes with Take Command does not enable
Caveman as the default method for running DOS applications. You can
enable it easily with the checkbox labeled "Run DOS apps in Caveman
VM," in the VM Setup dialog on the Options menu. However before you
enable Caveman you should read the "Take Command and DOS
Applications" topic in Chapter 3 of the Introduction and Installation
Guide (see TCMD.DOC), or in the online help, so that you understand
how DOS programs are started in Take Command.
If you are running Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus product you must
"inoculate" CAVEMAN.386 manually before you install it in SYSTEM.INI
as described above. If you do not, you will receive NAV errors when
Take Command attempts to start Caveman. To do so, install Take
Command but do not include CAVEMAN.386 in your SYSTEM.INI file. Use
NAV to inoculate Take Command. Then exit Take Command, exit Windows,
and go back to the DOS prompt. Use NAV for DOS to re-scan and
inoculate the system. Then modify SYSTEM.INI as described above, and
restart Windows and Take Command.
After you've used Take Command for a while you may decide you'd like
to use it as your Windows shell (rather than Program Manager or
another shell). To do so, see the topic "Take Command and Windows
Shells" in the online help.
Technical Support
We support Take Command in the JP Software CompuServe area, section
10 of the PC Vendor B forum (GO PCVENB). If you are not currently a
CompuServe subscriber, consider a special offer CompuServe has made
to Take Command users: call 1-800-848-8199 (outside the US and
Canada call 614-457-0802) and ask for operator 178 to receive a free
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 6
CompuServe introductory membership, including user ID, password, and
a $15 connect time credit.
For technical support on the Internet send mail to
75300.1215@compuserve.com.
Support is also available by phone (617-646-3975), fax (617-646-
0904), and mail (JP Software, PO Box 1470, E. Arlington, MA 02174).
Telephone support hours and availability may vary depending on our
current staffing pattern and workload; there may not always be a
support representative available when you call, in which case we will
take a message and call you back. We return calls as soon as
possible, and our normal policy is to return all calls within at most
24 hours (weekends and holidays excluded).
Bulletin Board Support for Take Command
Take Command product support is always available on our support BBS,
Channel 1 in Boston. Channel 1 is an independent BBS (not operated
by JP Software) which has generously offered to provide a home for
Take Command BBS support. Phone 617-354-3230 to access Channel 1 at
2400 - 14,400 baud (no parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit).
If you have access to a local bulletin board which is a member of any
of the major BBS networks (RIME / PC Relay, ILink, SmartNet, or
FidoNet), you can discuss Take Command with other users, and obtain
limited support from JP Software, by leaving messages in the
network's "4DOS" conference (the same conference used for JP
Software's character-mode command processors).
Downloading Take Command Files
You can download Take Command upgrades and other files from
CompuServe or the Channel 1 BBS (see above), or from our Internet ftp
site. To download files from CompuServe, go to the PC Vendor B forum
(GO JPSOFT or GO PCVENB) and look for the files you want in Library
10. On Channel 1, join conference 5 and then download the files you
need (as long as you join conference 5 before downloading you will be
able to download Take Command files even if they appear to be too
large for your remaining time on the system). On the Internet,
download the files you need via ftp from ftp.std.com, directory
/vendors/jpsoft (for general JP Software files) or directory
/vendors/jpsoft/tcmd (for Take Command-specific files).
Shareware Copies of Take Command
If you obtained Take Command from a shareware disk vendor, an on-line
computer service or bulletin board, a friend or colleague, or another
similar source, you have an unregistered (trial) copy. As the
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 7
copyright holder for this software, JP Software allows and encourages
you to use this trial copy without charge for a limited period of
time, under the terms of our license agreement (see LICENSE.DOC).
After this time is up, you must purchase (register and pay for) the
product to continue using it.
This method of distribution is known as shareware. It allows you to
determine whether the product meets your needs before you pay for it.
Payment of the shareware registration fee for Take Command entitles
you to a complete copy of the product with typeset-quality printed
and bound manuals; the ability to download an upgrade to the first
major release of the product after your initial purchase; continued
technical support via electronic mail or telephone; and a
subscription to "The Prompt Solution", JP Software's customer
newsletter.
Association of Shareware Professionals
The authors and publisher of Take Command are members of the
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP), an organization formed
to strengthen the future of shareware. Its members, all of whom are
programmers who subscribe to a code of ethics, are committed to the
concept of shareware as a method of marketing.
The ASP sets standards for its members and their shareware products
which provide that programs produced by ASP members must be fully
documented, non-crippled, and offered with at least a minimum level
of support. It also sets standards for shareware disk vendors and
provides information to the public about shareware.
ASP Ombudsman Statement
JP Software is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals
(ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for
you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an
ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem
with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover
Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe
Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
TCMD 1.0 [11-21-94] README.DOC page 8