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VIDTYPE Ver 1.91 Copyright 1991 by SERVITEK SOFTWARE. _________________ All rights reserved. If you find this useful, a $5 contribution would be appreciated. Please send it to: CHANGE OF ADDRESS! NEW ADDRESS: (OLD ADDRESS: ) SERVITEK SOFTWARE (Vince Deegan ) PO BOX 280581 (PO BOX 180114 ) Dallas, TX 75228-9181 (Dallas, TX 75218) Thank you For local area networks, a licensing fee is $100 per file server. Please refer to ORDER.FRM for a description of the license and for ordering. VIDTYPE is a utility that detects the type of video-adapter, row and column mode, system type (IBM PC/XT/AT/PS2), CPU type, DOS- version, keyboard type, disk types/sizes, and environmet space that you are using and automatically sets up DOS environment variables or an errorlevel that represents the description of those equipment types. This should work with %100 clones, also. In a DOS batch file, a DOS environment variable can be examined when using the IF statement with the % symbol at each end of the variable. An errorlevel can be checked when using the IF and ERRLORLEVEL statements. NOTE: Any DOS variable can be deleted from the DOS environment by using DOS's SET command. By typing SET, the variable name, and the = sign, that variable will be deleted. I.e. SET <variable>= One good use of VIDTYPE is when you want to run applications that give you a selection of video-driver-files or set-files and you want to have the necessary video-driver-file or set-file chosen automatically before calling the application. In other words, you can write a batch file that uses the DOS-batch-language IF statement and either the % symbol or ERRORLEVEL statement to examine the DOS environment variable and/or errorlevel created by VIDTYPE. Then, depending on which IF statement is true, the batch file can copy the needed video-driver-file or set-file to the default driver-file or set-file used by the application. In some cases, using a DOS variable can interfere with some DOS operations that depend on the use of the DOS environment space. If this ever occurs with you, you can choose to refrain from using DOS variables and, instead, use an errorlevel to detect the type of equipment being used. Make this choice carefully, though, since the advantage to using a DOS variable as opposed to an errorlevel is that it only needs to be set once and VIDTYPE only needs to be called once at the start-up of your system, within the autoexec.bat file. The errorlevel, on the other hand, needs to be checked immediately after VIDTYPE is executed requiring VIDTYPE to be called in each batch file that determines a video-driver-file or set-file for an application. That's not all that bad, but remember also, when using an errorlevel, your batch files can become pretty lengthy if you are going to test for all of the possible choices of equipment. The use of DOS variables allows you ways of writing smaller and more clever batch files. So my suggestion would be always to choose the use of a DOS variable unless you have problems with your DOS environment space, such as when using very large batch files whose pointers are kept in the DOS environment space or when using hardware that isn't hardware-compatible with IBM. NOTE: THIS VERSION HAS A DIFFERENT NUMBERING SEQUENCE THAN THAT OF VERSION 1.6 OR EARLIER VERSIONS, FOR ERRORLEVELS. IF YOU HAVE USED THESE PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF VIDTYPE, YOU MUST MAKE THE NECCESSARY CHANGES TO ANY OF YOUR PREVIOUS BATCH FILES THAT DEPEND ON THESE ERRORLEVELS. ALSO, THE SYSTEM-TYPE DOS VARIABLE CALLED "SYSTEM" (IN THESE PREVIOUS VERSIONS) HAS BEEN CHANGED TO "SYS". YOU MAY GET A PRINTOUT OF THE NEEDED CHART BY TYPING VIDTYPE NP > PRN. Format: (Using DOS variables) VIDTYPE [Variable name] [-V] [-RC] [+RC] [+S] [+P] [+SYS] [+CPU] [+VER] [+SV] [+KBD] [+ENV] [+TENV] [+DRVA] [+DRVB] [+DRVC] [+DRVD] [DEBUG] Format: (Using errorlevels) VIDTYPE [+E] [-V] [-RC] [+RC] [+P] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+SYS] [+CPU] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+VER] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+KBD] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+ENV] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+TENV] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+DRVA] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+DRVB] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+DRVC] [DEBUG] OR VIDTYPE [+E] [+DRVD] [DEBUG] Format: (For printout of on-line help and chart) VIDTYPE NP > PRN (Prints with no pause) Variable name : This is the user-defined name that will be used for the video-adapter DOS variable, provided the -V option isn't used. When a video-adapter DOS variable is used, row and column DOS variables will automatically be created in addition to the video-adapter variable, provided the -RC option is not used. -V : This option tells the program not to use video-adapter detection at all. (The default setting is for video-adapter detection to be used.) -RC : This option tells the program not to use row & column detection. Can use when video-adapter detection is used. +RC : This option tells the program to use row & column detection. Can use when video-adapter detection not used. +E : This option tells the program to set an errorlevel instead of setting DOS variables. +S : This option will cause VIDTYPE to assign a shorter description to the video-adapter DOS variable (shown in the chart displayed in the on-line help). +P : This option tells the program to prompt the user when a CGA adapter is detected in order to find out whether a multi-color monitor or single-color monitor is hooked up. +SYS : This option tells the program to include system detection. If the +E isn't used, a variable called SYS will be created with its system description. +CPU : This option tells the program to include CPU detection. If the +E option isn't used, a variable called CPU will be created with its CPU description. +VER : This option tells the program to include the DOS-version detection. If the +E option isn't used, a variable called _DOSVER will be created with its DOS-version description. +SV : This option will cause VIDTYPE to create a shorter DOS variable for the DOS-version, called VER. +KBD : This option tells the program to include detection for the type keyboard used (83/84-key style, AT style, Enhanced style). If the +E option isn't used, a variable called KBD will be created with its keyboard-style description. +ENV : This option tells the program to include the DOS environment free-space detection. If the +E option isn't used, a variable called ENV will be created with its free-bytes-of-environment-space description. +TENV : This option tells the program to include the DOS total-environment space detection. If the +E option isn't used, a variable called TENV will be created with its total-bytes-of-environment-space description. +DRVA, +DRVB, +DRVC, +DRVD : Either of these options tells the program to include disk drive detection for drives A, B, C, and/or D. If the +E option isn''t used, then, depending on the option(s) used, a combination of variables called A, B, C, and/or D are created with the drive type/size description for each. ========== DETECTION PRIORITY WHEN USING ERRORLEVELS ============ Priority, here, means the ability of an option to overide or over-power other options. An option of higher priority will cut off the use of options in lower priorities when using errorlevels (the +E option). (+S and +SV are ignored with errorlevels.) 1st(highest) priority option(s) : DRVA 2nd priority option(s) : DRVB 3rd priority option(s) : DRVC 4th priority option(s) : DRVD 5th priority option(s) : TENV 6th priority option(s) : ENV 7th priority option(s) : KBD 8th priority option(s) : VER 9th priority option(s) : SYS, CPU 10th(lowest) priority option(s) : Variable name, -V, -RC, +RC, +P ========== DETECTION PRECEDENCE WHEN USING VARIABLES ============ Precedence, here, means which options will be done first. A variable of higher precedence will be set before a variable of lower precedence. Therefore, if there's not enough environment space left for all of the variables desired, those of the lowest precedence will usually be the ones to lose their chance of being used. 1st(highest) precedence option(s) : Variable name, -V, +S, +P 2nd precedence option(s) : -RC, +RC 3th precedence option(s) : +SYS, +CPU 4th precedence option(s) : +VER, +SV 5th precedence option(s) : +KBD 6th precedence option(s) : +ENV 7th precedence option(s) : +TENV 8th precedence option(s) : +DRVA 9th precedence option(s) : +DRVB 10th precedence option(s) : +DRVC 11th(lowest) precedence option(s) : +DRVD ==================== SOME DETECTION EXAMPLES ==================== ----------------------- VIDEO-ADAPTER DETECTION: ----------------------- Say you want to call Lotus 123 where the default set-file is called 123.SET and your set-file for using a CGA video-adapter is called CGACOLOR.SET . . . -------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for video-adapter: -------------------------------------------------- - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the video-adapter type: VIDTYPE VIDEO VIDTYPE will create a DOS environment variable called VIDEO and give it a string value that describes the type of video-adapter your system is using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) It will also create two other DOS variables called ROW and COL that give the current number of rows and columns being used, respectively. - Now you can write another batch file to use for calling Lotus 123. Example: IF %VIDEO% == CGACOLOR COPY CGACOLOR.SET 123.SET IF %VIDEO% . . . . . . . IF %VIDEO% . . . . . . . 123 This calls Lotus 123 after copying the needed set-file to the default set-file. OR if your application can be called along with the name of the desired set-file (or driver-file) you can be more clever in your batch file. Example: 123 %VIDEO% This calls Lotus 123 and tells it to use the string value in the VIDEO variable as the actual set-file name to be used. I.e. If VIDEO has the string value CGACOLOR, Lotus, which assumes that the file name has .SET as its extension, will use CGACOLOR.SET as its set-file. NOTE: If the +S option was used, the string would have been CGA instead of CGACOLOR. This could let the variable serve as a prefix to a file-name. I.e. If you had a set-file called CGA123.SET, you could type 123 %VIDEO%123 which would be translated as 123 CGA123.SET. NOTE: If you need to know the current row and column mode that the system is using, just access the ROW and COL variables in the same way you accessed the VIDEO variable; i.e. IF %ROW% == . . . . IF %COL% == . . . . NOTE: I have found that if you are using one of the many DOS shell programs available, you may encounter a problem when running a batch file that tries to access the DOS variables, while in the DOS shell program. It may not recognize these variables as part of the "current" DOS environment since the variables are in the "master" environment. This problem can be solved by not running the batch file while in the DOS shell program. Just run it out in plain ole DOS (the "master" environment). Also, I am currently working on a way to overcome that problem and, if successful, will include the remedy in one of the future versions. NOTE: The % symbol or the ERRORLEVEL statement, when used with the IF statement, will not work right when used directly at the DOS prompt. You must use them in a batch file. ------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for video-adapter: ------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file to use for calling Lotus 123 where VIDTYPE is called earlier in the same batch file instead of in your autoexec.bat file: VIDTYPE +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using variables for the video-adapter/row/col detection and will instead create an errlorlevel value that describes the type of video-adapter and row/col mode your system is using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) - Then, the remaining lines in your batch file could look like this: IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO 2 COPY CGACOLOR.SET 123.SET GOTO GO :2 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO 1 COPY . . . . . GOTO GO :1 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO GO COPY . . . . . :GO 123 - This calls Lotus 123 after copying the needed set-file to the default set-file. - OR if your application can be called along with the name of the desired set-file (or driver-file) your batch file could look like this: IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO 2 123 CGACOLOR GOTO END :2 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO 1 123 . . . . GOTO END :1 IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO END 123 . . . . :END - This calls Lotus 123 after testing the errorlevel and tells it to use the actual set-file name to be used. So, if ERRORLEVEL is 3, then, according to the VIDTYPE chart, the video equipment being used is CGA color. Lotus, which assumes that the file name has .SET as its extension, will use CGACOLOR.SET as its set-file. NOTE: If the row/col mode is anything other than the standard 25 by 80 mode, the errorlevels will be different for each of the above video-adapter types. Please refer to the VIDTYPE chart. NOTE: On testing errorlevels in a batch file, test in descending order from highest to lowest and when one is found, avoid testing the rest of the IF ERRORLEVEL statements because they, too, will be found to be true. The reason for this is that when an errorlevel is set in DOS, what is actually being reported, is that the errorlevel value is the highest errorlevel to be found. So all ERRORLEVEL values lower than that will be true, also. Therefore, be prepared to use the GOTO statement a lot when testing a series of errorlevels. ------------------------------------------- PROMPTED MONITOR DETECTION FOR CGA ADAPTERS: ------------------------------------------- Since there is no known way of detecting the actual type of monitor hooked up to your adapter, multi-color monitors and single-color monitors are not automatically distinguished. So the need for user prompting is evident when the monitor type needs to be known. Currently, the program only has the option to prompt at CGA adapter detection. One use is when you have a CGA adapter that fails to produce legible text on a single-color monitor and you need to call MODE BW80 for black and white mode. In that situation, do the following: 1. When you are prompted, respond with an "S", showing that you have a single-color monitor. 2. Any time later, when accessing the video-adapter variable, it will reveal that you have a single-color monitor. 3. With this information, your batch file can call MODE BW80 and set the system to black and white mode. ------------------------------------------------------------ EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for video-adapter type with prompting: ------------------------------------------------------------ - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the video-adapter type and to prompt the user whenever a CGA adapter is detected: VIDTYPE VIDEO +P VIDTYPE will create a DOS environment variable called VIDEO and give it a string value that describes the type of video-adapter your system is using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. If a CGA adapter is detected, it will prompt the user to give the monitor type that is hooked up to the adapter: i.e. (M)ULTI COLOR MONITOR (S)INGLE COLOR MONITOR WHICH TYPE OF MONITOR DO YOU HAVE? > and will set the video-adapter variable accordingly. Refer to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) VIDTYPE will also create two other DOS variables called ROW and COL that give the current number of rows and columns being used, respectively. --------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel with prompting and no DOS variables: --------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file to use for calling Lotus 123 where VIDTYPE is called earlier in the same batch file instead of in your autoexec.bat file: VIDTYPE +P +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using variables for the video-adapter/row/col detection and will instead create an errlorlevel value that describes the type of video-adapter and row/col mode your system is using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) If a CGA adapter is detected, it will prompt the user to give the monitor type that is hooked up to the adapter: i.e. (M)ULTI COLOR MONITOR (S)INGLE COLOR MONITOR WHICH TYPE OF MONITOR DO YOU HAVE? > and will alter the errorlevel accordingly. Refer to the VIDTYPE chart. ---------------- SYSTEM DETECTION: ---------------- ------------------------------------------------ EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for system type: ------------------------------------------------ - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the system type: VIDTYPE +SYS VIDTYPE will create a pre-designated DOS environment variable called SYS and give it a string value that describes the type of system you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. If no known system type is detected, the actual number(s) found in the memory address of the machine is given to the variable. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ---------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for system type and no DOS variables: ---------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the system type. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, system detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +SYS +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using video-adapter/row/col detection at all and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the type of system you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. If no known system type is detected, the number 17 is given as the errorlevel value. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ------------- CPU DETECTION: ------------- --------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for CPU type: --------------------------------------------- - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the CPU type: VIDTYPE +CPU VIDTYPE will create a pre-designated DOS environment variable called CPU and give it a string value that describes the type of CPU you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. If no known CPU type is detected, the actual number found in the memory address of the machine is given to the variable. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for CPU type and no DOS variables: ------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the CPU type. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, CPU detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +CPU +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using video-adapter/row/col detection at all and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the type of CPU you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. If no known CPU type is detected, the number 120 is added to the errorlevel value. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) --------------------- DOS-VERSION DETECTION: --------------------- ------------------------------------------------ EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for DOS-version: ------------------------------------------------ - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the DOS-version: VIDTYPE +VER VIDTYPE will create a pre-designated DOS environment variable called _DOSVER and give it a string value that describes the DOS-version you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) OR VIDTYPE +VER +SV VIDTYPE will create a shorter pre-designated DOS environment variable called VER and give it a string value that describes the DOS-version you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for DOS-version and no DOS variables: ------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the DOS version. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, DOS-version detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +VER +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using any other detection and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the DOS version being used according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ----------------------- KEYBOARD TYPE DETECTION: ----------------------- -------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for keyboard type: -------------------------------------------------- - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the keyboard type: VIDTYPE +KBD VIDTYPE will create a pre-designated DOS environment variable called KBD and give it a string value that describes the keyboard type you are using, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ----------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for keyboard type and no DOS variables: ----------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the keyboard type used. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, keyboard type detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +KBD +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using any other detection and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the keyboard type being used according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) -------------------------------- ENVIRONMENT FREE-SPACE DETECTION: -------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for free environment space: ----------------------------------------------------------- - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the free environment space: VIDTYPE +ENV VIDTYPE will create a pre-designated DOS environment variable called ENV and give it a string value that describes the free bytes of environment space, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ---------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for free environment space and no DOS variables: ---------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the free environment space. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, environment space detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +ENV +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using any other detection and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the free bytes of environment space according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) --------------------------------- ENVIRONMENT TOTAL-SPACE DETECTION: --------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ EXAMPLE for using a DOS variable for total environment space: ------------------------------------------------------------ - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up a DOS environment variable that holds a description of the total environment space: VIDTYPE +TENV VIDTYPE will create a pre-designated DOS environment variable called TENV and give it a string value that describes the total bytes of environment space, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ----------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for total environment space and no DOS variables: ----------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the total environment space. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, total environment space detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +TENV +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using any other detection and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the total bytes of environment space according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ------------------------------ DISK DRIVE TYPE/SIZE DETECTION: ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using DOS variables for disk types/sizes: ---------------------------------------------------- - Insert a line in your autoexec.bat file which calls VIDTYPE in order to set up DOS environment variables that hold descriptions of the disk drive types and sizes: VIDTYPE +DRVA [+DRVB] [+DRVC] [+DRVD] VIDTYPE will create pre-designated DOS environment variable(s) called A, B, C, and/or D and give it/them string values that describe the disk drive types and sizes, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) --------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE for using an errorlevel for the disk drive types/ sizes and no DOS variables: --------------------------------------------------------- - You can write a batch file where VIDTYPE is called just before calling your application in order to detect the disk drive types/sizes. NOTE: When using the errorlevel option, disk drive type/size detection will not allow for other detections of lower priority, simultaneously. In order to get the other detections, you must call VIDTYPE separately for them. Suggested examples for this are in the example section later in this document. VIDTYPE +DRVA +E OR VIDTYPE +DRVB +E OR VIDTYPE +DRVC +E OR VIDTYPE +DRVD +E - VIDTYPE will abstain from using any other detection and will create an errlorlevel value that describes the disk drive type & size for one, only, of drive A, B, C, or D, according to the VIDTYPE chart. (Get a printout of the chart by typing VIDTYPE NP > PRN.) ----------------------------------------- COMBINATIONS OF SOME OF THE ABOVE OPTIONS: ----------------------------------------- -------- EXAMPLES: -------- VIDTYPE VID +S +P Creates a video-adapter DOS variable, called VID, and gives a shortened description string to it. And if it detects a CGA adapter, it will prompt the user for the monitor type and alter the vide-adapter string accordingly. Two other variables, ROW and COL, will be created, too, with their row and column values. VIDTYPE VIDEO -RC Creates a video-adapter DOS variable, called VIDEO, giving the standard long description string to it. The two variables, ROW and COL, will not be created. VIDTYPE +SYS Refrains from using video-adapter/row/col variables and only creates the DOS variable, SYS, with a description of the type system being used. VIDTYPE +E Refrains from using variables for the video-adapter/row/col detection and sets an errorlevel instead, for the video-adapter type and row & col mode. VIDTYPE +E +P Refrains from using variables for the video-adapter/row/col detection, sets an errorlevel instead, for video-adapter type and row/col mode, and if a CGA adapter is detected, it prompts the user for the monitor type used and alters the errorlevel accordingly. VIDTYPE -V +RC +E Only creates an errorlevel for the row & col mode. No video-adapter detection is used since the -V option was given. VIDTYPE +SYS +CPU Refrains from using video-adapter/row/col detection and creates the variable, SYS, with a description of the type system being used and the variable CPU, with a description of the type CPU being used. VIDTYPE VID +S -RC +CPU Creates a video-adapter DOS variable, called VID, giving a shortened description string to it. It refrains from creating the two other variables, ROW and COL variables, since the -RC turns that capability off (useful for saving environment space). It also creates the variable, CPU, with a description of the type CPU being used. VIDTYPE +RC Only creates the DOS variables, ROW & COL, with a description of the row & column mode being used. No video-adapter variable is created since no variable name was given. VIDTYPE VID +S +CPU +VER Creates a video-adapter DOS variable, called VID, giving a shortened description string to it. Two other variables, ROW and COL, will be created, too, with their row and column values. It also creates the variable, CPU, with a description of the type CPU being used. Finally, it creates the variable, _DOSVER, with a description of the DOS version being used. VIDTYPE +VER +SV +TENV Creates a shortened DOS- version DOS variable, called VER, with a description of the DOS-version being used. It also creates the variable, TENV, with a description of the total bytes for the master DOS environment. VIDTYPE +DRVA +DRVB +DRVC Creates the DOS variables, A, B, & C with the descriptions of the disk drive type & size for each of those drives. No video-adapter variable is created since no variable name was given. VIDTYPE +ENV +E Refrains from using any other type of detection and sets an errorlevel for the free bytes of environment space. VIDTYPE +KBD +E Refrains from using any other type of detection and sets an errorlevel for the type of keyboard used. VIDTYPE +DRVA +E Refrains from using any other type of detection and sets an errorlevel for the drive type & size for drive A:. ---------------------------------------------------------- WHEN USING ERRORLEVELS, THE FOLLOWING COMBINATIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED : ---------------------------------------------------------- VIDTYPE +E +SYS (and/or) Attempted errorlevel for system +CPU (with any detection and/or CPU detection other option) while using other detections. VIDTYPE +E +VER (with Attempted errorlevel for DOS any other version detection while using option) other detections. VIDTYPE +E +KBD (with Attempted errorlevel for keyboard any other detection while using other option) detections. VIDTYPE +E +ENV (with Attempted errorlevel for DOS any other environment free-space detection option) while using other detections. VIDTYPE +E +TENV (with Attempted errorlevel for DOS any other total environment space detection option) while using other detections. VIDTYPE +E +DRVA (with Attempted errorlevel for disk any other A-drive type/size detection while option) using other detections. VIDTYPE +E +DRVB (with Attempted errorlevel for disk any other B-drive type/size detection while option) using other detections. VIDTYPE +E +DRVC (with Attempted errorlevel for disk any other C-drive type/size detection while option) using other detections. VIDTYPE +E +DRVD (with Attempted errorlevel for disk any other D-drive type/size detection while option) using other detections. REASON: Because of the range limitations for DOS errorlevels (255 max), VIDTYPE will refrain from setting errorlevels higher than 255. If VIDTYPE allowed a large variety of detection options for errorlevel use, their would be so many possible permutations that the resulting errorlevel could be a value of several thousand and DOS "IF ERRORLEVEL" statements do not work correctly with errorlevel values higher than 255. ULTIMATE REMEDY: When using errorlevels, the suggested way to get the desired detection combinations above, since you can't do them all simultaneously, is to do the following: Say you want to get video-adapter, row/col, system, and CPU detection. Write this in your batch file: 1. Call VIDTYPE, using the errorlevel option, alone, for video-adapter/row/col detection, only. I.e. VIDTYPE +E 2. Test the errorlevels for the different video-adapter/row/col combinations. I.e. IF ERRORLEVEL 3 ... IF ERRORLEVEL 2 ... 3. At the successful test, call another batch file, with a parameter, to test for the other desired detections. I.e. IF ERRORLEVEL 3 CALL OTHER.BAT 3 IF ERRORLEVEL 2 CALL OTHER.BAT 2 4. The other batch file could look like this: rem ** OTHER.BAT ** VIDTYPE +E +SYS +CPU IF ERRORLEVEL 95 IF %1 == 3 ECHO AT(8+ MHZ) 386 CGA 80x25 IF ERRORLEVEL 95 IF %1 == 2 ECHO AT(8+ MHZ) 386 MONO 80x25 IF ERRORLEVEL 64 IF %1 == 3 ECHO AT(6 MHZ)85 286 CGA 80x25 IF ERRORLEVEL 64 IF %1 == 2 ECHO AT(6 MHZ)85 286 MONO 80x25 (and so on) The same concept applies for the +VER, +KBD, +ENV, +TENV, and +DRV options. You may possibly need a total of up to five batch files, depending on how large a variety of errorlevel detections are desired. =================================================================== There are some applications that contain automatic video-adapter and system detection for their own use, but since this is not the case for many applications, VIDTYPE becomes a very desirable utility, especially in a network environment that has different types of video equipment, system types, CPUs, DOS-versions, keyboards, and drives among its PC workstations. To get an on-screen chart of type descriptions and more how-to details, VIDTYPE will display some information of its own. Just type VIDTYPE (without any parameters). Thanks for using VIDTYPE, Vince Deegan, SERVITEK SOFTWARE ========================= VERSION HISTORY ========================= Version 1.0 - Had the ability to set the DOS variable and the option of displaying debugging information with the optional DEBUG parameter. Version 1.1 - Added the ability to set a DOS errorlevel and two more parameter options: +E and -V for turning on the errorlevel mechanism and for turning off the video-adapter detection mechanism, respectively. This addition was derived from the suggestion of Cris Moore. Version 1.2 - Added the ability to opt for a shorter string length to the description assigned to the DOS variable; the +S option. Corrected a bug in detection of Hercules cards. Version 1.3 - Correction on use with autoexec.bat files, where error messages occured, displaying that batch file information was lost. Version 1.4 - Added options for detecting the current row/col mode, the system type, and user-prompt for monitor type with CGA adapters. Version 1.5 - Added option for detecting the CPU type and changed numbering sequence for errorlevels. Also added option for enabling or disabling row and column variables when more evnironment space is needed. Version 1.6 - Attempted to correct an errorlevel bug without success. Made some miscellaneous changes. Version 1.7 - Next attempt to correct the errorlevel bug. Added options for detecting DOS-version, free environment space, and keyboard type. Version 1.8 - Changed default DOS-version variable to _DOSVER and added option for shortening the variable to VER. Also added detection for total environment space. Version 1.81 - Small aesthetic change and slight cutting of stack overhead. Version 1.9 - Added detection for disk drive types and sizes. Version 1.91 - Corrected error in detection of high density 5.25" floppies.