Aminet 10/aminetcdnumber101996.iso/Aminet/util/wb/DosMan121.lha/man/Assign

Text File | 1995-05-19 | 6KB | 176 lines

                 Assign(V1.3, 2.x, 3.x in C:)



     NAME
            Assign - Binds a device name to a directory or file.

     SYNOPSIS
        1.3
          Assign Name Dir Etc/... LIST EXISTS REMOVE

        2.x/3.x
          Assign Name Dir Etc/... LIST EXISTS DISMOUNT
            DEFER PATH ADD REMOVE VOLS DIRS DEVICES

     DESCRIPTION
            Assign causes NAME: to be a synonym for a directory
        or a pathname.  This is referred to as a "logical"
        device, since it appears to the Amiga and the user as a
        device, but is in fact a directory. You can use this as a
        convenient shorthand to refer to lengthy pathnames, or to
        refer to a variety of different directories by the same
        name (just change the assignment when you want the
        program to change directories).

            You can remove assignments by giving only NAME:, or
        by giving a single minus ('-') as the directory or device
        name.  There are also specifice keywords to remove
        assigns which will be covered later. In any case, all
        assigns are lost when the system is shut off or rebooted.

            In 2.x/3.x you can assign a single device name to
        many directories by simply listing all of the directories
        after the device name.

            S:, L:, C:, FONTS:, DEVS:, LIBS:, T:, and SYS: are
        all made during normal startups. All these assigns
        directly relate with system operation. Therefor, they
        should not be tampered with unless you are prepared to
        crash your system! So, don't mess with system assigns
        unless you know absolutly what you are doing...

            If there is already a directory with an assignment,
        any new assignment will replace it. You cannot, however,
        assign the same name to a device that already exists. So
        an assign to device Work: if a disk whose name Work: is
        already mounted.



     OPTIONS
          LIST
            Lists the current assignments. Under 1.3, if you
        specify a single already assigned name on the command
        line with LIST, it will be removed from the device list.
        Under 2.x/ 3.x you can either make or remove assignments
        along with listing them.

          EXISTS
            Takes a logical device name as an argument.  If the
        name exists, the device name and its assignment are
        displayed.  If the name does not exist, then the
        condition flag is set to WARN (return flag 5).  This will
        cause an IF WARN batch file statement to succeed.

          REMOVE
            For 1.3: Takes a logical device name as an argument,
        and removes it from the device list.  This is useful
        largely to individuals writing handlers, careless use of
        this option can easily crash the Amiga. It will not,
        however free up the memory that was taken up with the
        assign.

            For 2.x/3.x: It can be used to delete one directory
        from a list of assigns. Opposite of ADD (see below).

          DISMOUNT
            2.X/3.X ONLY: Used exactly like the REMOVE keyword
        for 1.3 to remove a device from a list of mounted
        devices.

          DEFER
            2.x/3.x Only: Postpones the assign until a command
        tries to access that device. Defer will not throw out an
        error if it searches for a directory and it does not
        exist.


          PATH
            2.x/3.x Only: This expands on the DEFER keyword.
        Whereas DEFER eventually binds the assign, PATH keeps the
        assign non-binding.  Not only will it wait for a command
        to access that device, but it will reevaluate the assign
        every other time that device is requested for. (NB: This
        is very convenient if you are a floppy only user. You
        will not have to replace the Workbench each time FONTS:
        is requested. Instead, you can insert different floppy
        named fonts: each time that device is scanned for.)

            PATH will not accept multi directory assigns.

          ADD
            2.x/3.x Only: Let's you add new directories to an
        existing assign.  For instance, if you assign a device
        that is alread assigned you will lose your old assign. If
        you use the ADD keyword, you will add the new assign to
        the old assign.

          VOLS
          DIRS
          DEVICES
            2.x/3.x Only: Limits the information that is
        displayed when you list your assigns. VOLS shows you only
        which volumes are assigned, DIRS shows you only which
        directories are assigned. DEVICES shows you only which
        devices are assigned. If none of these keywords are used
        then all three kind of information are displayed.

     CAUTIONS
            Random or careless assignments of the Amiga's
        pre-assigned devices can cause mass confusion.

            Random or careless use of the REMOVE option can cause
        a GURU (and crash your sytem).

     SEE ALSO
          Execute

     EXAMPLES

        1.
             ASSIGN DICTIONARY: df1:usr/lib/dictionary

            DICTIONARY: may now be used as a synonym for the
        complete path df1:usr/lib/dictionary. If a program uses
        the logical device DICTIONARY: rather than a hardcoded
        directory name, then changing the DICTIONARY: assignment
        will change the dictionary that the program will use.

            Assign allows a practically infinite number of
        assignments or deletions to be made on one command line.
        You may remove an assignment by using a minus '-' sign
        instead of a logical directory or filename to subtract
        this assignment from the device list.

        2. To return all the assignments made to your system
        just enter:

            Assign

        3. 1.3 Only:

            To assign POOF: to the disk in DF0:, remove the
        assignments for PUF: and DUF: and assigns CRUFT: to HD0:.

            ASSIGN POOF: DF0: PUF: - DUF: - CRUFT: HD0:


        4.2.x/3.x Only:

          To assign multiple paths to one device:

            Assign Music: Work:DeliTracker/Mods Work:OctaMed/Meds


          To assign Fonts: to df0:Fonts only when a program tries to
          access Fonts:

            Assign Fonts: Df0:Fonts DEFER