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ANSIKEYS.DOC
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1985-12-15
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ANSI&2K.SYS and Function Key Assignments
Bob Ketcham
About ANSI.SYS
One of the more powerful features of DOS 2.0 is the Extended Screen and
Keyboard Control provided by the ANSI.SYS device driver. Using ANSI.SYS you
can reassign the meaning of any key on the keyboard.
A Bigger ANSI.SYS
The power of ANSI.SYS is limited by the size of the buffer used to store
keyboard reassignments. The original buffer size is approximately 200 bytes.
ANSI&2K.SYS is a revised version of ANSI.SYS. The keyboard reassignment
buffer has been enlarged by 2K (2048 BYTES).
Installing ANSI&2K.SYS: The CONFIG.SYS File
As stated above, ANSI&2K.SYS is an installable device driver.
Installation of a device driver requires the use of a file called CONFIG.SYS.
The CONFIG.SYS file's function is similar to that of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Like AUTOEXEC.BAT, the system looks for the CONFIG.SYS file on the disk with
which the system is booted (started). In a manner similar to the way the
system looks for and runs programs listed in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, the
system looks for and loads device drivers listed in the CONFIG.SYS file. A
sample CONFIG.SYS file is provided with ANSI&2K.SYS. It should be copied
(along with ANSI&2K.SYS) to the disk you use to start your system. When the
machine is reset, ANSI&2K.SYS will be loaded as a device driver. Note if the
file CONFIG.SYS is not found with this documentation, use an editor to create
a file called CONFIG.SYS containing the line "DEVICE = ANSI&2K.SYS"
Keyboard Reassignment Using The TYPE Command
The documentation for this feature of DOS 2.0 is found in Chapter 13 of
the DOS manual. It states "The control sequences defined below are valid
only when issued through DOS function calls 1, 2, 6, and 9, ...". Simple,
any novice knows what a DOS function call is. Well, its simpler than that.
Any file which is displayed on the screen using the TYPE command is passed
through one of the required function calls. A sample file, KEYS is provided
along with this documentation file. After ANSI&2K.SYS is installed, the DOS
command TYPE KEYS will assign a set of frequently used DOS commands to the
forty combinations of function keys F1-F10, Shift, Ctrl, and Alt.
Assigning and Displaying Function Key Assignments with KEYS
The file KEYS consists of two primary sections. The first section
contains the escape control sequences which are used by ANSI&2K.SYS to do the
keyboard reassignments. When the TYPE command is used to display the file,
this section will be invisible. (The screen will clear and the flicker of the
cursor may be seen, but nothing more.)
The second section displays the key assignment information to the user.
Note that while cryptic commands may be assigned to the function keys, an
english language translation may be displayed here.
Modifying KEYS - Your Own Custom Keyboard
An editor is required to modify KEYS. Three which can be used are
EDLIN, FRED, or VEdit. Each has its advantages and disadvantages in this
application.
EDLIN is the DOS line editor provided with your copy of DOS. That is
its advantage. If you use it, you will know its disadvantages.
FRED is the FRee EDitor distributed using the Freeware concept. In
addition to the advantage of being free, it is friendly, easy to use, and
fast. It shares two disadvantages with EDLIN; it cannot be used to place the
escape character (BASIC CHR$(27)) in a file, and it always places a carriage
return and line feed at the end of the file. (KEYS will scroll the top line
off the screen if there is a CR-LF at its end.) Note: although the Escape
character cannot be inserted into a file with EDLIN or FRED; if it is already
there (as it is in KEYS), the editors's copy functions may be used to move
and duplicate it.
VEdit is a powerful commercial editor, which can insert the Escape
character into text. It will allow you to leave the CR-LF sequence off the
end of the last line if desired. Additionally it is smaller than FRED, so it
is convenient to place on most disks. However, many of its command syntaxes
are cryptic. I would not recommend it to the novice.
What's in KEYS - the ESCape Control Sequences
KEYS contains ESCape control sequences similar to the examples on page
13-11 of the DOS manual. Sequences are provided for the forty combinations
of function keys F1-F10, Shift, Ctrl, and Alt.
Each sequence begins with the escape character. In the DOS manual this
is shown as "ESC". Other representaions are:
- BASIC - CHR$(27)
- FRED - an arrow pointing left
- VEdit - ^[ (one character)
- Hexidecimal - 1B
- Decimal - 27
- Keyboard - Esc.
Following the ESCape character is the left square bracket ([). Each
control sequence for keyboard reassignment ends with a lower case p. Between
[ and p are characters which identify the key to be reassigned and the
reassignment to be made. For example the F1 key is assigned the string "Dir
/p" followed by a carriage return. The control sequence to do this is:
ESC[0;59;"Dir /p";13p
where: represents:
0;59; the F1 key. It sends the system two characters when struck;
A NUL (0) followed by decimal 59.
"Dir /p"; obviously the string "Dir /p".
13 carriage return (decimal 13)
Notice the use of the semicolon as a delimiter.
Getting Back to Normal - NULLKEYS
Another file of keyboard reassignment control sequences is provided. The
command TYPE NULLKEYS will return the forty function combinations to their
normal state.
Suggested Use
When used with a set of batch files, KEYS, ANSI&2K.SYS, and CONFIG.SYS
can provide an excellent Main Menu on a hard disk system.
Additional References:
DOS 2.0 Manual, Chapter 13
PC, Volume 2 Number 1, June 1983, page 423
Softalk, August 1983, page 6
PC, Volume 2 Number 6, November 1983, page 559