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ABORT
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ABORT.ENG
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1993-09-26
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ABORT for DOS computers ABORT.ENG 26-9-1993
-----------------------
Overview of this document:
1. Introduction
2. Installation
3. Aborting programs
4. Intercepting errormessages
5. Technical details
6. Registration
7. Remarks
8. In conclusion
1. Introduction
---------------
The program ABORT improves on a few points the DOS operating system.
The program stays resident in memory.
If you want to continue to use this shareware program read the
registration conditions later on in this document.
Abort has the folowing powerful functions:
- Where CTRL+C or CTRL+BREAK fails, it is now posible to abort
the running program with CTRL-ALT-DEL. Without a lasting
computerrestart, you can directly continue working. In
contridiction with the old CTRL-ALT-DEL, the memory will not
be cleared. If you start a program from a menu, you return to
this normaly.
- Errormessages from DOS, like "Abort,Retry,Ignore?", now are in
a clear window. This message has an attracting red color. After
completion the screen from the running program is not disturbed.
Batchfiles have an userfrendly errorhandling at once.
2. Installation
---------------
The installation is very simple: copy the program to the desired
directory. For example by typing the command:
COPY A:ABORT.COM C:\DOS.
With ABORT /? you get a brief explanation of the options.
ABORT can be included in AUTOEXEC.BAT, in preference as the last
line, before a possible menuprogram. The resident program takes
up only 3 Kb of memory. It can be loaded in high memory. From
DOS 5.0 this can with LH ABORT, and in DR-DOS with HILOAD ABORT.
The program can be loaded in conventional memory with ABORT.
If by accident you try to install abort once more, nothing will
happen. With ABORT OFF it can be removed from memory.
When you include abort in a batchfile it is sensible to use the
option /Q. With this option there are no messages by starting and
stoping abort.
If you want to use abort selective add ABORT /Q as the first line
and ABORT OFF /Q as the last line of the batchfile. All commands in
this batchfile now have an userfrendly errorhandling.
3. Aborting programs
--------------------
It can happen that you can not end a program on a normal way.
Somtimes it can be aborted by simultaneous pressing CTRL+C or
CTRL+BREAK. If this does not work, you can resart you computer by
pressing simultaneously the CTRL+ALT+DEL keys. The memory will be
cleared and after about half a minute you can start all over again.
All ramdisks, caches, buffers and started programs are lost.
With abort this is history. If you can not end a program on the
normal way, with the well known CTRL+ALT+DEL keycombination only
the last started program is abortded. Where CTRL+C or CTRL+BREAK
fails, CTRL+ALT+DEL aborts the program. All ramdisks, caches,
buffers and previous started programs are not lost.
When abort is active, the following red windows appears by
pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL:
┌──────────────[ ABORT ]───────────────┐
│ │
│ Press any key to ABORT program │
│ or ESC to continue program. │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
If you pressed CTRL+ALT+DEL by mistake, it will be ignored by
pressing the ESC key, and the program will continue normaly.
By pressing the keycombination CTRL+ALT+DEL again the computer
will do a complete resart.
With any other key, the last active program will be aborted. The
massage "Program aborted by CTRL-ALT-DEL." appears on the screen.
You automaticly return to the previous program.
If the aborted program was started from a batchfile, DOS asks
the question "Terminate batch job (J/N)?". With the Y key the
batchfile stops. With the N key the next line in the batchfile
will be executed.
4. Intercepting errormessages
-----------------------------
When abort is active, errormessages from DOS always appear in a
red window. They attract the immediate attention. For instance the
following well known message now appears in a window:
┌──────────────[ ABORT ]───────────────┐
│Not ready reading drive A │
│Abort,Retry,Fail? │
│ │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
By typing R for Retry, if there is a good disk in drive A,
this massage will disappear. Then on screen there is nothing
that remembers this annoying error.
When you have problems with your printer the next window may
appear:
┌──────────────[ ABORT ]───────────────┐
│Not ready writing device LPT1 │
│Abort,Retry,Ignore,Fail? │
│ │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
When the printer is switched on and there is paper in it, the
window will disappear by typing the R key for Retry.
You better not use A for Abort. The running program wil be aborted,
with possible loss of data.
5. Technical details
--------------------
This program runs on a IBM Personal Computer, or compatible
XT, AT, 386 or 486 with operating system PC-DOS, DR-DOS or MS-DOS,
from version 3.0. It takes up 8 Kb of diskspace. Resident in memory
it takes 3 Kb of the high or conventional memory.
The language of the program is Enlisch or Dutch depending the DOS
country definition. To have the text in Dutch make in config.sys
a line like this: COUNTRY=031,,c:\DOS\COUNTRY.SYS. Also the option
ABORT /N can be used to have all text in Dutch. To have the text in
English change COUNTRY=031 to any other number.
6. Registration
---------------
Abort V1.00 with this documentation may be freely used for hobby.
By hobby I mean usage of the program mostly outside working hours.
You may give a complete copy of this nonregisterd version to anyone
for free.
For other use (commercial) you may test his program for maximum 30
days. For use afterwards you must pay for a program licence. This
can be done by registering as user.
Registering can be done by starting the program with ABORT /R.
Follow the explanation on the screen. Your personal registration
number is on the screen also, wich is important for your license
payment. A license costs $15.- for each PC that runs this program.
A new registration number wil be made if this program starts on a
different computer. Registration is not posible if the program
runs from a ramdisk.
For commercial use you may use his program freely for a limited
time. If you do not register after 30 days of use, you are in
offence. You are also in offence when you use this program on
more personal computers then you paid for. As licensee you are
responsable for license payments for any personal computer that
has a copy of your registered program.
All rights reserved. This program, or parts of it, may not be sold
on a commercial basis without written permission of the author.
7. Remarks
----------
Try to avoid to abort a program that uses extended memory, with
CTRL+ALT+DEL. Abort does not always free this memory.
If the program DOSSHELL of MS-DOS 6.0 is aborted with CTRL+ALT+DEL,
a message will appear that COMMAND.COM or DOSSWAP.EXE is not found.
The program finaly aborts by typing CTRL+ALT+DEL once more.
After a program is aborted with CTRL+ALT+DEL, it rarely happens
that de commandprompt is incorrect. If this happpens the right
prompt appears by typing RETURN once.
On MS-DOS the program COMMAND.COM wil not be aborted with
CTRL+ALT+DEL. This is only possible with te command EXIT.
It is not wise to use this program with a graphical shell like
Windows or GEM.
8. In conclusion
----------------
Personal Computer and IBM are trademarks of International
Business Machines Coporation. MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft
Corporation. DR-DOS is a trademark of Digital research.
This software is made with great care. There is however no
guarantee this program cooperates correctly with all other
programs. The author will not take responsibility for
consequences of possible errors in this program.
I hope you enjoy using the program abort.