ShareWare OnLine 2/ShareWare OnLine Volume 2 (CMS Software)(1993).iso/os2/pc2_140.zip/PC2.FAQ

Text File | 1993-04-14 | 10KB | 193 lines

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                            Frequently asked questions

                   PC/2 - Programm Commander/2 Version 1.40 for
                         IBM OS/2 2.x Presentation Manager
                      Copyright (C) by Stangl Roman 04, 1993

                               Version 1.40 Draft
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 1.) How can I configure PC/2 to popup the menu after a single-click instead
     of the default double-click with mouse button 1 on the desktop?

     By adding the commandline option -SingleClick or /SingleClick to
     parameters field in the setting of the PC/2 object. If you run PC/2
     as a WPS replacement, you can't use any commandline option, because
     OS/2 seems to dislike commandline options on programs run as the WPS.

 2.) PC/2 assumes that OS/2 is installed on drive C:, but I use drive H:!

     Either start with a blank menu and add your programs, or use an editor
     f.e. EPM.EXE to replace all C: to H: in the profile.

 3.) How do I add DOS Settings correctly?

     First you should use the same spelling as in the settings of a DOS
     program. They have usually ON/OFF or numbers as possible selections.
     For ON/OFF you add =1 or =0 to the setting, f.e. HW_TIMER=1. For
     numbers add =xxxx, f.e. EMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=1024.

 4.) How can I add batch files?

     Batch files aren't executable files, they need a command processor to
     interprete them. Therefore you have to select a command processor and
     add /C filename.bat or /C filename.cmd to the parameters entryfield.
     You may whish to look at the command reference of CMD.EXE and COMMAND.COM
     for more details. If you use the standard file dialog to find the batch
     file you want to add, PC/2 automatically add this batch file as an
     argument of an command processor.

 5.) Is HPFS supported?

     Yes, PC/2 fully supports HPFS. However, if a filename contains spaces
     you have to place it in double-quotes, f.e. at a command prompt you
     whould type DIR "D:\OS!2 2.0 Desktop\*" /s to list all files of the
     Desktop directory. The same is true for PC/2, f.e. you want to start
     a batchfile that conforms HPFS-filename convention, you may create
     an entry:
        Program Title:      HPFS-Test
        Path and Filename:  C:\OS!2 2.0 Desktop\Prompts\Command Processor.exe
        Working Directory:  C:\OS!2 User Applications
        Parameters:         /C ""C:\OS!2 2.0 Desktop\Run Me.cmd""
     Note: Passing HPFS-filenames to command processors may required two
     double-quotes (f.e. CMD.EXE does). Also take a look at the help pages
     for CMD.EXE to get more details.

 6.) How do I start a full-screen WIN-OS2 session?

     Create an entry that of a full-screen DOS command prompt that starts
     WINOS2.COM (f.e. C:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\WINOS2.COM). Then add the required
     DOS Settings (f.e. the following settings greatly improve performance
     on a 8514/A adapter: VIDEO_8514_XGA_IOTRAP=0, VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION=0,
     VIDEO_SWITCH_NOTIFICATION=1, XMS=64, EMS=0, DPMI=4, IDLE_SECONDS=2,
     IDLE_SENSITIVITY=100, HW_ROM_TO_RAM=1. Thanks to Timothy Sipples for
     them!).

 7.) How do I start a windowed WIN-OS2 session?

     Sorry, I don't know it myself. For a WIN-OS2 session you can usually
     specifying in the settings: WIN-OS2 full screen, WIN-OS2 window and
     seperate session. If someone knows which OS/2 APIs are used to start
     sessions with these settings, please mail me!
     You can use MAKEOBJ.CMD to create a WPS Object with a known Object ID.
     Such an object can then be started with PC/2, so if you want to start
     a seamless WIN-OS2 session first create an object that corresponds to
     a seamless WIN-OS2 session and then use the defined object ID as the
     filename of that object to start is via PC/2.

 8.) How do I start a VDM from an image?

     First create the image, then create an entry of a full-screen or windowed
     DOS session. Then add to the DOS settings:
        DOS_STARTUP_DRIVE=[path]DISK.IMG
     where [path]DISK.IMG is the path and filename of the image you wand to
     start. Caution! On my system (2.0 GA) it doesn't work, I don't know why.

 9.) How do I start a VDM that boots from drive A:?

     Same a item 8.) says, only adjust the DOS settings to:
        DOS_STARTUP_DRIVE=A:
     Caution! On my system (2.0 GA) the system traps, I don't know why.

10.) Why has PC/2 an option to shut down OS/2?

     Some people use PC/2 as a replacement for the WPS (that sames memory)
     and they can't click with button 2 to get the popup menu, from where
     shutdown can be selected.
     PC/2 requests OS/2 to clear all filebuffers. After all disk activity
     has been stopped it is safe to power off your system. PC/2 don't closes
     the programs, but after the disk activity has stopped, all processes are
     frozen (you can switch to or select programs anymore).

11.) How do I add commandline parameters a run-time?

     F.e. assume you created an Menuentry that start the editor EPM.EXE.
     After you selected EPM, just before it is started, you can request
     a dialog box from PC/2, where you can enter any commandline parameter
     by adding a [...] construct in the parameters entryfield of the Program
     Installation dialog. This work similar to the same WPS feature.

12.) How do I install PC/2 as a replacement of the WPS?

     First, install PC/2 in the normal way. Second, edit your CONFIG.SYS to
     replace the statement (you may have to use another drive name instead
     of C:):
        SET RUNWORKPLACE=C:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE
     by
        REM * SET RUNWORKPLACE=C:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE
        SET RUNWORKPLACE=h:\path\PC2.EXE
     where h:\path is the path where you installed PC/2 into, f.e.
     C:\PMAPPS\PC2.
     The next time you boot, the WPS will not be loaded (you can verify this
     by a blank screen displayed instead of the normal Desktop with objects.
     Not using the WPS saves memory and reduces boot time lightly.
     Of course you may start the WPS later, either by starting PMSHELL.EXE
     from a command prompt or from an PMSHELL Menuitem of PC/2. You can
     follow the WPS initialization by heavy disk access and buildup of your
     Desktop with objects.
     PC/2 requires to know the Desktop (in technical terms the window handle
     of the Desktop) to be able to catch mouse button 1 clicks. If you start
     the WPS the Desktop changes too. Therefor you must restart PC/2 by
     selecting PC/2 and close it from the task list. PC/2 will automatically
     restarted by OS/2 (because it is the WORKPLACE that runs) and then
     work as before.

13.) How do I add WPS Objects to start then via PC/2?

     The important thing is, that you have to know the WPS Object ID
     (Identifier) to be able to add them to PC/2. For preinstalled Objects,
     you can find the ID in the file C:\OS2\OS2_20.RC (sorry I don't know
     any other method to get them). For user-installed Objects, you have
     to use MAKEOBJ.CMD, a small REXX-utility supplied with PC/2, to create
     an Object with a known ID. You can't use Objects created by the
     Program Template, because I don't know how to get the ID of such
     Objects, if you know how to get the ID of such Objects, p l e a s e
     mail me.
     The ID of Objects, created as outlined above, may than be added in the
     entryfield Path and Filename in the Program Installation dialog, with
     the Program Type WPS Object.
     If such an Object is a seamless WIN-OS2 session, PC/2 can also start
     such a seamless WIN-OS2 session - but remember, without an Object
     created with a known ID no seamless WIN-OS2 support with PC/2!

14.) How do I use Drag & Drop?

     Additional to the standard file dialog, you may use Drag & Drop to add
     applications in the Program Installation dialog. F.e. you may use a drive
     object, select one (1 !) application drag it into the dialog and drop it
     onto any area that accepts it (any area that isn't coverd by text,
     buttons, entryfields,...).
     PC/2 will try to determine the type of the application you added
     automatically, but you may overwrite it.

15.} How can I add WPS Objects?

     If you drag WPS Objects onto the dialog, you must ensure, that the entry-
     field Path and Filename contains the correct Object ID, and the Program
     Type is WPS Object.
     For preinstalled Objects, you may need to look into OS2_20.RC to the the
     Object ID, f.e. <WP_DRIVES> or <WP_INST>.
     For user-installed Objects, use MAKEOBJ.CMD to create an Object with a
     known Object ID, f.e. <WP_WIN_PBRUSH> or <WP_WIN_WORD4WIN>.
     Then select the Object, and drag a copy over the Program Installation
     dialog and drop it on an area that accepts it.
     For preinstalled Object you have to verify that the entryfield Path and
     Filename contains the Object ID of this object.
     For user-installed Object (with MAKEOBJ.CMD) the entryfield Path and
     Filename should contain the Object ID, as long as you didn't rename the
     created Object.

16.) Does PC/2 change to the root of all drives except for the working dir?

     Yes, PC/2 changes to the root of all non-removable drives before the
     selected application is started.

17.) Which versions of OS/2 are supported?

     PC/2 was developed under OS/2 2.0 GA, but I know it work on the December
     2.1 beta and people reported it to work under the March 2.1 beta too.

Please read also the help panels and enjoy! Roman Stangl