The Business Master (4th Edition)

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ The Business Master (4th Edition) / The Business Master - 4th Edition.iso / files / utilstem / ubelt / belt.doc < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1992-02-09 | 84.2 KB | 2,238 lines

========= =============================== U t i l i t y = ====o o o o =============================== B e l t v1.1a ========= Shareware Utility Collection Copyright 1990, 1991, 1992 Herne Data Systems Ltd. PO Box 250 Tiverton, ON N0G 2T0 CANADA voice or FAX (519) 366-2732 CompuServe 72060,1153 Software worth hunting for! TABLE OF CONTENTS SHAREWARE REGISTRATION FORM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii THE FINE PRINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii REGISTRATION BENEFITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv REGISTRATION AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ADDRESS . . . . . . . iv ASP OMBUDSMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 TERMINOLOGY AND CONVENTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 DOS ERRORLEVEL and Batch Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 INTERACTIVE UTILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 SELECT.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CONFIRM.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 WAIT.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 GETKEY.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 SLEEP.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 BLEEP.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 VIDEO UTILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 VPSET.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 VPCOPY.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 VPFLIP.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 VPCLS.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Table 1: Screen Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 VPSTRIPE.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 VPTNT.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 VPBH.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 VPAT.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 VPBOX.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Table 2: Border Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 SECURITY AND DIAGNOSTIC UTILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 HANG.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 REBOOT.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 WHATIS.COM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 i SHAREWARE REGISTRATION FORM Fill out this form and mail with your cheque, money order or VISA card number to: Herne Data Systems Ltd., PO Box 250, Tiverton, ON, CANADA N0G 2T0 Please register my copy of Utility_Belt Collection for $25 (US), [ ] $29 (CDN), plus $2 p & h. Please register my copy of _______________ from the Utility_Belt [ ] collection for $10 (US) or $12 (CDN), plus $2 p & h Disk size required 720 k - 3.5" [ ] 360 k - 5.25" [ ] Please send me the Herne Data Systems Shareware Evaluation Pak for [ ] $5 plus $2 p & h (Evaluation copies of all Herne Data Systems shareware products including MAXI-Form, Utility_Belt, Over_LAZ and NPS Nominal Pipe Size) (3.5" disk only) Please send me more information on LAN and Site Licenses [ ] Cheque or money order enclosed [ ] or charge my VISA card* [ ] VISA # _____/_____/_____/_____ Expiry __/__ Total Amount* __________ Phone # (_____) _____-________ Signature _____________________________ NOTE: * All VISA orders will be charged in CANADIAN DOLLARS. VISA orders can be FAXed to (519) 366-2732 for faster service. Name __________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City ____________________________ Prov/State_____________ Zip ____________________________ Country _____________ Canadian orders include GST. PST must be added to total charge for ONTARIO residents. Please add $4.00 postage and handling for shipments outside CANADA and the USA. Payment for international orders can be made by VISA card, international money order (in US$ or CDN$), or Eurochecks in the currency of the issuing country (e.g. Sterling, Francs and most other other major currencies). All orders are shipped by first class air mail. Please allow two weeks for delivery. Sorry, we cannot accept COD orders. ii Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- THE FINE PRINT DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT Users of the Utility_Belt shareware collection must accept this disclaimer of warranty: "The software programs comprising the Utility_Belt collection are supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of any of the Utility_Belt software programs. Herne Data Systems reserves the right to make changes, additions and deletions to the Utility_Belt Collection at any time without prior notice." This evaluation version of the Utility_Belt collection is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find any of the programs useful and find that you continue to use any of the Utility_Belt programs after a 30 day trial period, you must make a registration payment of $10 (US), $12 (CDN) (plus $2 postage and handling) for any single program in the Utility_Belt collection, or $25 (US), $29 (CDN) (plus $2 postage and handling) for the entire collection to Herne Data Systems Ltd. Cheque, money order, VISA credit card and corporate/institutional purchase orders are accepted. The single user registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time. Commercial, corporate and institutional users of Utility_Belt must register and pay for their copies of Utility_Belt within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. Site Licenses are available for $50 (US) or $55 (CDN) for any individual program, or $125 (US) or $135 (CDN) for the entire collection directly from Herne Data Systems Ltd. Any individual, corporation or institution distributing iii Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- Utility_Belt for any kind of remuneration must first contact Herne Data Systems Ltd. at the address below for authorization. This authorization will be granted automatically to distributors recognized by the ASP as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering Utility_Belt immediately (However Herne Data Systems Ltd. must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of Utility_Belt.). You are encouraged to pass a copy of Utility_Belt along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it. REGISTRATION BENEFITS All registered users will receive a copy of the latest version of the Utility_Belt system, along with free technical support and upgrades for 60 days. Registered users can also upgrade to later versions (beyond the initial 60 day free support period) for a nominal update fee of $5 plus $2 postage and handling. (US or CDN funds). REGISTRATION AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ADDRESS Please address all registration requests and customer support inquiries to: Herne Data Systems Ltd., PO Box 250, Tiverton, ON N0G 2T0 CANADA voice or FAX (519)366-2732 You may also leave comments (we welcome all feedback - either positive or negative) addressed to CompuServe ID 72060,1153. ASP OMBUDSMAN This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at: 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 USA or send a Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536 iv Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it after a reasonable evaluation period, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. v Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION Add some pizzazz to your batch files! Utility_Belt is a collection of batch file, security and diagnostic utilities designed to give an advanced, professional look to even the simplest of batch files. Each program was designed for a specific purpose. To see a demonstration of the programs in action, run the batch file BELTDEMO.BAT. The various programs outlined below are used extensively in this demonstration. Feel free to copy and modify parts of the demo batch file for your own batch files. * * * * THIS DOCUMENTATION ASSUMES THAT THE READER IS REASONABLY FAMILIAR WITH MS-DOS AND BATCH FILE CONCEPTS. HOWEVER, BY FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLES GIVEN IN THE TEXT, EVEN A RELATIVELY IN-EXPERIENCED USER CAN CREATE PROFESSIONAL LOOKING BATCH FILES WITH EASE! * * * * The following programs are included in the Utility_Belt collection: Interactive Utilities: SELECT Allows a user to choose from a list of options and can be used to direct the flow of the batch file accordingly. SELECT is typically used for a menu type system. CONFIRM Prompts the user for a Yes/No response and can be used to direct the flow of the batch file accordingly. CONFIRM is typically used prior to executing any action which may be destructive, such as erasing a file. WAIT Prompts the user to procede or quit and can be used to direct the flow of the batch file accordingly. WAIT is typically used to prompt a user to do something (like swap disks) before proceding. GETKEY Waits for a key press from the keyboard and returns a value based on the ASCII code of the key pressed. GETKEY is typically used for custom menu type programs. SLEEP Pauses the computer for the specified length of time. SLEEP is typically used to pause momentarily while a message is displayed on the screen. 1 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- BLEEP Sounds a user defined tone (or series of tones) on the speaker. BLEEP is typically used prior to any special alert or warning messages which are displayed by the batch file. Video Utilities: VPSET Set the current video display page for text modes. VPSET is typically used to build a screen with the other video utilities (e.g. VPCOPY, VPCLS, VPBOX, etc.) then switch to it instantly. VPCOPY Copy one video text page to another. This allows a text page to be saved then recalled later. VPFLIP Let the user flip instantly between alternate display pages that have been created with the other video programs. VPCLS Clear the screen of the specified video page to a specified color. VPTNT Clear the current screen to the specified colors in an explosive effect. VPBH Clear the current screen to the specified colors in a 'black hole' effect. VPSTRIPE Similar to VPCLS, but will produce a striped or rainbow pattern on the screen. Stripes can be horizontal or vertical. VPAT Print a text string at a specified location on the screen. VPBOX Draws a box of a given size at a given location on the screen. Typically used with VPAT to create message windows on a screen. Security and Diagnostic Utilities: HANG Will lock up a computer and require a power-off/power- on reset sequence. HANG is typically used to lock up a computer if, for example, a user fails on several attempts to log into a network. REBOOT Software controlled rebooting of the computer. REBOOT is typically used after changing or creating a 2 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- customized CONFIG.SYS file. It can also be used to automatically reset a computer if a user fails to log into a network correctly. WHATIS A diagnostic program which reports the BIOS and DOS physical and logical parameters associated with disk drives. All of the programs in the Utility_Belt collection were written in assembler to ensure compact, fast code. (The average size of the programs is less than 2k bytes long!) Each of the programs is self documenting to a certain extent. If you run the programs without any command line options, you will get a summary of the syntax and available options. In addition to the main programs, the Utility_Belt collection disk will contain other related files: ASP.COM Displays the Association of Shareware Professionals ombudsman message. BELTDEMO.BAT A demonstration batch file which incorporates the various programs of the Utility_Belt collection. Run this file for a good overview. BELT.DOC This documentation file. BELT1xx.ZIP A ZIP file which contains all of the other files on the disk. You can upload this file to all of your favorite BBS's, or pass it around to your friends. UPDATE.DOC A summary of new features added since the last release. This file may not be present, depending on the version. CATALOG.DOC This file contains a listing of other exciting Herne Data Systems Ltd. shareware and commercial software products. TERMINOLOGY AND CONVENTIONS All of the programs in the Utility_Belt collection are 'command line driven' (i.e. they rely on options specified on the command line to determine what they should do). In this documentation, curly braces { } are used to denote the names of parameters that must be supplied for each program, e.g. {list_name}. Parameters which are also enclosed in square brackets [ ] are optional (e.g. [{item_10}]). If optional parameters are not specified, default 3 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- values are assumed. Numeric values are entered in normal ASCII decimal fashion (i.e. 10 is the number ten). Text string entries can be any combination of normally printable characters. Case sense (uppercase and lowercase) are preserved for text strings. Embedded spaces (i.e. the space left between words) are generally allowed, but leading spaces (i.e. any blanks at the beginning of the text) are automatically removed. ("This ==> <== is an embedded space". " <== This is a leading space.") Any of the numeric values or strings can include or be substituted by the DOS batch file variables (%1, %2, etc.) to provide more flexibility. The required parameters and default values for any optional parameters are listed below in the description for each program. Examples of usage for each program are also given. In all cases, neither the curly braces, nor the square brackets are actually typed on the command line. With the exception of SELECT, all programs requiring multiple parameters must have these parameters separated on the command line by at least one space character. In order to allow embedded spaces in the parameter strings, SELECT uses a semi-colon ; as a parameter separator character. For programs which take a can take a long list of optional parameters (such as SELECT and VPFLIP), three dots ... indicates that you can continue on with similar parameters, up to the maximum number specified by the program. Angle brackets < > (a.k.a. less than and greater than signs) are used to denote special keys on the keyboard. For example, <Esc> refers to the single key marked ESC or ESCAPE; while <Enter> refers to the ENTER or RETURN key. 4 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- DOS ERRORLEVEL and Batch Files This documentation is not intended to be a comprehensive course. I know this is obvious, but it is worth saying anyway: One of the most often overlooked sources of information is the manuals and user guides which come with MS-DOS! If you want a different perspective on batch files, there are many excellent books and magazine articles about MS-DOS batch file programming at all levels from introductory to advanced. However, before describing each program, a brief description of how DOS responds to the interactive utilities is in order. The user response utilities in the collection (SELECT, WAIT and CONFIRM, and GETKEY) rely on the DOS ERRORLEVEL variable to direct batch file flow. In order for the batch files to function correctly, a basic understanding of ERRORLEVEL is required. When any program terminates and returns control to DOS (or the batch file which initiated it), it can set a DOS variable called ERRORLEVEL. Normally, this would have a value of 0 which indicates that the program successfully completed its task. Other values can be set and may indicate either an error in the program, or some other data that the program wishes to pass on to subsequent programs in a batch file. This value can be detected and used to control the flow in batch files. The general procedure in a batch file is: program_or_command_name IF ERRORLEVEL x GOTO {label} where program_or_command_name is the name of a DOS command, .EXE, .BAT or .COM program file (e.g. FORMAT), x is the value (from 0 to 255) and [label] is a statement in the batch file to go to. For example: IF ERRORLEVEL 5 GOTO ITEM5 IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO ITEM4 IF ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO ITEM3 IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO ITEM2 IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO ITEM1 :ITEM5 (some commands here) :ITEM4 (some more commands here) :ITEM3 (etc) :ITEM2 (etc) :ITEM1 (etc) 5 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- Notice that the IF ERRORLEVEL x statements are arranged from highest value to lowest value. This is required due to a quirk in DOS. The IF ERRORLEVEL command actually does a 'greater than or equal' type of comparison. If ERRORLEVEL was 5 and the first statement was IF ERRORLEVEL 1, then since 5 is greater than or equal to 1, the statement would be executed, which is not what we would normally want. All this may seem a bit confusing at first, but if you remember that all IF ERRORLEVEL statements must be arranged in descending order (i.e. from high to low as shown in the example above), then you can't go wrong. 6 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- INTERACTIVE UTILITIES One of the most frequent complaints about DOS batch file programming is the inability to get meaningful input from the user. Sure, DOS batch files have the 'PAUSE' command, but all that does is ask you to press a key. The batch file programmer has no easy way to tell which key was pressed. The five interactive utilities (SELECT, WAIT, CONFIRM, GETKEY and SLEEP) in the Utility_Belt allow the programmer to check which key was pressed and direct the flow of batch file accordingly. Each utility that reads a key press will clear the keyboard buffer before getting the key. This prevents extraneous key presses from disrupting the batch file (e.g. if an over-anxious user presses a key before they should). SELECT.COM SELECT allows a user to choose an option from a list of items and direct the flow of the batch file accordingly. It can be used for anything from simple user queries to a sophisticated menuing system. SELECT will set the DOS ERRORLEVEL value corresponding to the selected choice. Two syntaxes are supported. The first is: SELECT {list_name};{item_1};[{item_2}; ... ;{item_10}] where: {list_name} A title that is printed in the menu title block. The title can be up to 20 characters long. Longer titles will be truncated to 20 characters. {item_1} (etc) The items in the menu list. Up to 10 items can be listed, each up to 15 characters long. Longer items will be truncated to 15 characters. The total length of the text string must be less than 120 characters. Each item in the list must be separated by a semi- colon (;). All printable characters (except ; which is used as the separator, or /N at the beginning of {list_name} which is used as a switch to denote the second form of the command), including embedded spaces, are allowed. Uppercase and lowercase letters are preserved. SELECT will print a header message which includes the {list_name}, followed by the item list and a footer message which prompts the user to press the key 'A' to x, where x depends on the number of items in the list. SELECT will accept either uppercase or lowercase key press responses. If the <Esc> 7 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- key is pressed, SELECT will return an error code corresponding to 'no selection made'. If any other key is pressed, SELECT will beep and wait for the next key press. For example: SELECT Main Menu;WordProcessor;SpreadSheet;Graphics;Utilties will display the following menu on the screen: Main Menu A: WordProcessor B: SpreadSheet C: Graphics D: Utilities PRESS: 'A' to 'D' letter key to select an item; or <Esc> to QUIT without selecting any. When one of the available choices is made, SELECT will return the following ERRORLEVEL values: --------------+----------------- Key Pressed ERRORLEVEL value --------------+----------------- <Esc> 0 A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 etc J 10 --------------+----------------- The second syntax supported by SELECT is: SELECT /N{nn} where {nn} is the number of choices, from 1 to 10. With this form, no header, menu list or footer messages are displayed. SELECT will just wait for a key to be pressed (within the range of 'A' to x, or <Esc>, as above), then return the corresponding ERRORLEVEL value. For example: SELECT /N5 will wait for a key press in the range of A to E, or <Esc> and then return an ERRORLEVEL value of 1 to 5 or 0. 8 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- Continuing with the first example listed above, a sample batch file (MENU1.BAT) using SELECT might consist of: REM === MENU1.BAT @ECHO OFF :MAIN REM === clear screen and display menu options CLS SELECT Main Menu;WordProcessor;SpreadSheet;Graphics;Utilties REM === interpret ERRORLEVEL codes and branch to selection IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO UTIL IF ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO GRAPH IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO SPREAD IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO WORDPRO REM === ERRORLEVEL = 0 if <Esc> key pressed ECHO NO SELECTION MADE GOTO END REM === execute main menu selections :UTIL REM === present a sub-menu CLS SELECT Utility Menu;Norton;MAXI Disk IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO NOR IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO MAX REM === return to main menu if <Esc> pressed on sub-menu GOTO MAIN :NOR CD\UTILITY NU GOTO MAIN :MAX CD\MAXIDISK MAX3 GOTO MAIN :GRAPH CD\GRAPH HG GOTO MAIN :SPREAD CD\SPREAD 123 GOTO MAIN :WORDPRO 9 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- CD\WORDPRO WP GOTO MAIN :END As shown with item 4 in the main menu list (:UTIL), several levels of SELECT can be 'nested' or used in a batch file menu system to create multiple menu levels. In the above example, as each program ends, the user will be returned to the start of the main menu. Also, if the <Esc> key is pressed on the main menu, the user will exit to DOS. If the <Esc> key is pressed while in the Utilities sub-menu, the user will be returned to the top of the main menu. If no parameters are specified on the command line, SELECT will display a summary of the program options. CONFIRM.COM CONFIRM will display a prompt and accept a Y (for yes) or N (for no) key input. All other key presses will produce an error beep and will be ignored. CONFIRM is used to present a YES/NO question and will return an ERRORLEVEL of 0 for a yes response, or 1 for a no response. It is typically used prior to executing any action which may be destructive, such as erasing a file. The syntax is: CONFIRM {text_string} {text_string} can be up to 120 characters long, and can contain any printable character. Uppercase and lowercase characters are preserved. CONFIRM will display a header message, the {text_string} followed by a question mark (?), then a footer message prompting the user to press either the Y or N key. For example, the command line: CONFIRM Delete all the files will produce the display: Do you wish to: Delete all the files? Press 'Y' for YES or 'N' for NO 10 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- Typical usage in a batch file (WIPEDISK.BAT) might be: REM === WIPEDISK.BAT @ECHO OFF REM === ask user to confirm action before doing it CONFIRM Delete all the files on %1 IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO END DELETE %1*.* :END In this example with the command line WIPEDISK A:, if the user pressed the N key for no, the batch file would branch to the :END statement and nothing would happen. If the Y for yes key was pressed, the DOS command DELETE A:*.* would be performed to erase everything on drive A:. If no parameters are specified on the command line, CONFIRM will display a summary of its syntax. WAIT.COM WAIT will display a prompt and accept a key press. If the <Esc> is pressed, an ERRORLEVEL of 1 will be returned. All other key presses will produce an ERRORLEVEL of 0. WAIT is used to pause a batch file until a specific action is performed by the user, then branch to one of two outcomes. It is typically used prior to executing any action which may require user intervention, such as inserting a disk. The syntax is: WAIT {text_string} {text_string} can be up to 120 characters long, and can contain any printable character. Uppercase and lowercase characters are preserved. WAIT will display a header message, the {text_string}, then a footer message prompting the user to press either the <Esc> key to quit or any other key to continue. For example, the command line: WAIT Insert disk in drive A: will produce the display: Please: Insert disk in drive A: Then press: <Esc> to ABORT or 11 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- any other key to CONTINUE Typical usage in a batch file (ALLCOPY.BAT) might be: REM === ALLCOPY.BAT @ECHO OFF WAIT Insert disk with files to copy in drive %1 IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO END COPY %1*.* %2 :END To copy all the files from drive A: to drive C:, you would use the command: ALLCOPY A: C:. In this example, if the user pressed the <Esc> key to ABORT, the batch file would branch to the :END statement and nothing would happen. If any other key was pressed, the DOS command COPY A:*.* C: would be performed to copy the file from the drive A: to drive C:. If no parameters are specified on the command line, WAIT will display a summary of its syntax. GETKEY.COM GETKEY waits for a key press from the keyboard and returns an ERRORLEVEL equal to the ASCII code of the key pressed. GETKEY does not display any prompt. The syntax is: GETKEY {key_mode} where {key_mode} can be any of: A will accept all regular keys (numbers, symbols, letters, <Enter>, <Esc>) that have an ASCII code associated with them. GETKEY will return an ERRORLEVEL value of 1 to 255 corresponding to the ASCII code of the key pressed. The 'special' keys, such as the function keys, <PgUp>, <Home>, <End>, etc., will all return an ERRORLEVEL value of 0. # will accept numeric keys only (numbers 0 to 9), either from the main keyboard or from the numeric keypad. GETKEY will return an ERRORLEVEL value of 48 to 57, corresponding to the ASCII code for numerals 0 to 9. N as with the # option, but will return an ERRORLEVEL value of 0 to 9, corresponding to the numeric value of the key pressed. 12 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- The ERRORLEVEL returned by GETKEY can be used by the batchfile to branch to an appropriate routine, or it can be ignored if just any key press is required to continue, like the DOS PAUSE command. Unlike the DOS PAUSE command, however, GETKEY will not display a prompt. Typical usage in a batch file called DIRBC.BAT might be: REM === DIRBC.BAT @ECHO OFF REM === display directory of all batch files DIR %1*.BAT/w REM === wait until user presses a key to display .COM files ECHO Press any key to display .COM files GETKEY A REM === display directory of all .COM files DIR %1*.COM/W This example ignores the ERRORLEVEL return code. To view all the .BAT and .COM files on drive A: with this example, you would use: DIRBC A: If no parameters are specified on the command line, GETKEY will display a summary of its syntax. SLEEP.COM SLEEP is used to pause the execution of a batch file for a given length of time. Optionally, a message may be displayed on the screen and/or a key press can be used to cancel the 'sleep' period. Four separate forms of the command are available: SLEEP /N{nn} SLEEP /C{nn} SLEEP /T{nn};{message} SLEEP /K{nn};{message} In each case, {nn} is the sleep period in seconds (approximate). {nn} must be an integer in the range of 1 to 65535. With the /N{nn} option, SLEEP will wait for the specified length of time, then return control to the batch file. The /C{nn} option is similar, but any key press will cancel the sleep and return to the batch file immediately. The /T and /K options will display a message on the screen during the sleep period. /T will wait the specified time, while /K can be cancelled with a key press. {message} can be up to 120 characters long, and can contain any 13 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- printable character. Uppercase and lowercase characters are preserved. The /T{nn} (or /K{nn}) and {message} must be separated by a semi-colon (;). For example: SLEEP /N10 will pause the computer for about 10 seconds, then resume. SLEEP /C60 will pause the computer for 60 seconds. If at any time during this period, the user presses a key, the sleep period is immediately cancelled. SLEEP /T30;Waiting for 30 seconds . . . will display a header message, then "Waiting for 30 seconds . . ." and pause the computer for 30 seconds. SLEEP /K30;Waiting for 30 seconds . . . is similar to the previous example, except a key press can be used to cancel the sleep period. A typical usage in a batch file might be to display a greeting message on the screen just long enough to inform the user, then continue on with the batch file GOODMORN.BAT: REM === GOODMORN.BAT @ECHO OFF VPSTRIPE 0 V VPBOX 0 1 9 1 8 20 16 60 VPAT 0 1 14 12 30 Good Morning !! SLEEP /C10 (Note: the VPSTRIPE, VPBOX and VPAT commands are explained below in the video utilities section.) If no parameters are specified on the command line, SLEEP will display a summary of its syntax and options. BLEEP.COM Sounds a user defined tone (or series of tones) on the speaker. BLEEP is typically used prior to any special alert or warning messages which are displayed by the batch file. The syntax is: 14 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- BLEEP {repeats} {freq} {length} {pause} [;{repeats} {freq} {length} {pause}; ....] where: {repeats} is the number of times the note is to be repeated; {freq} is the frequency of the note in Hertz (cycles per second). If no frequency is specified, a value of 1200 is assumed; {length} is the duration of the note in 'system timer ticks'. There are approximately 18 timer ticks per second. If no length is specified, a value of 2 is assumed; {pause} is the duration of the rest period between notes, in system timer ticks. If no pause is specified, a value of 2 is assumed. For example, BLEEP 2 1000 3 2 will sound a 1000 Hz note for 3 timer ticks (~ 1/6 second) then wait for 2 timer ticks. Default values are provided for most of the parameters. If the defaults are used, the only required parameter is the {count} value. If all of the parameters are not specified, the command line must be terminated with a semi-colon (;). For example: BLEEP 2; will sound a sequence of two default (1200 Hz) notes, each for a default time of 2 timer ticks followed by a default pause of 2 timer ticks. BLEEP 2 800 3; will sound a sequence of 2 800 Hz notes for three ticks followed by a two tick pause. More than one tone can be sounded in a given sequence. In this case each group of parameters must be separated by a semi-colon (;). For example: BLEEP 1 400 2 1;2 600 3 2;1 800;2; will sound the following sequence of 6 notes: - one note at 400 Hz for 2 ticks with a 1 tick pause; 15 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- - 2 notes at 600 Hz for 3 ticks each with a 2 tick pause; - 1 note at 800 Hz for 3 ticks with a 2 tick pause; - 2 notes at 800 Hz for 3 ticks each with a 2 tick pause. Note that for a multiple tone sequence, if parameters are not specified, those used for the previous tone are assumed as the new default values. If no parameters are specified on the command line, BLEEP will display a summary of its syntax and options. 16 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- VIDEO UTILITIES All video display adaptors, except for the original IBM Monochrome Display Adaptor (MDA) have the capability to access more than one video 'page'. The Color Graphics Adaptor (CGA) has 4 video pages in 80 column text mode, while the Enhanced Graphics Adaptor (EGA) and the Video Graphics Array (VGA) displays each have 8 video text pages. Having more than one video page lets a user switch display screens instantly. This can be used as an easy method to save output screens, create overlapping screen windows, etc. Each page can have its own text, colors, cursor location, etc. and can be written to or erased without affecting the other pages. Only one display page is visible at a time, but any page can be made visible, not just the default page (0). Why don't many software programs take advantage of the multiple text pages that are available? Probably the main reason is compatibility with older equipment. In order to sell the most software, you design it to work on the 'lowest common denominator'. In the case of video displays, this is the good old MDA, with its single display page. The video utilities in the Utility_Belt package provide a comprehensive set of tools to access all of the text mode video pages available on CGA, EGA and VGA displays. With the exception of the instruction prompt printed by VPFLIP, none of the video utilities will display a header message of any kind when they are used. This ensures that such messages do not encroach upon your video displays. VPSET.COM VPSET is used to set the current video display page for text modes. VPSET is typically used to instantly switch to a a screen which was built in the background with the other video utilities (such as VPCOPY, VPBOX, VPAT, etc). The syntax is: VPSET {video_page} [{cursor_line}] where: {video_page} is the number of the video page to switch to; and {cursor_line} is the screen line on the new page to place the cursor. {video_page} can have a value of 0 to 3 for the CGA display and 0 17 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- to 7 for the EGA or VGA. {cursor_line} normally has a value of 0 to 24, with 0 being the top of the screen and 24 being the bottom. On some EGA and VGA modes, {cursor_line} can be up to 49 or more. If {cursor_line} is omitted, line 0 (i.e. the top of the page) is assumed. For example: VPSET 2 15 will set the currently displayed video page to 2 and set the cursor on line 15. VPSET can be used to switch to a screen which has been built using other video commands. When the VPSET command is issued, it will look as though the new screen appears instantly. VPSET can also be used with normal DOS commands to change the screen where program output is displayed. For example, the batch file SAVEDIR.BAT will keep a copy of the disk directory on video page 3: REM === SAVEDIR.BAT @ECHO OFF VPSET 3 DIR %1*.*/W VPSET 0 By using the command SAVEDIR A:, you can keep a copy of the directory of A: drive for future reference. To see the directory again, use the command: VPSET 3 22 The directory will be instantly displayed and you do not even have to have the disk still in your drive! To switch back to the normal screen, use the command: VPSET 0 (In the above example, you could also use the command VPFLIP (see below) to flip through several video pages and display their contents in sequence.) If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPSET will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPCOPY.COM VPCOPY will copy the contents of one video text page to another, 18 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- complete with all screen attributes (colors). This allows a text page to be saved then recalled later. It also allows multiple copies of a page to be created, each of which can then be modified without affecting the others (e.g. for creating a series of seemingly overlapping pop-up windows). The syntax is: VPCOPY {from_page} {to_page} where: {from_page} is the video page being copied from; and {to_page} is the page being copied to. Note that any existing contents of the {to_page} will be destroyed. Both {from_page} and {to_page} have a range of 0 to 3 for the CGA display and 0 to 7 for the EGA and VGA displays. For example: VPCOPY 0 2 will copy the contents of video page 0 to page 2. Try the following short command sequence, either in a batch file or by typing it in directly on the command line: CLS DIR/W VPSET 2 CLS VPCOPY 0 2 What you will see after the VPCOPY step is the directory that was originally displayed on the other page suddenly appearing. (Don't forget to go back to the default page with a VPSET 0 when you are done.) If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPCOPY will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPFLIP.COM VPFLIP will let the user flip instantly between alternate display pages that have been created with the other video commands. Up to eight video pages can be displayed in any sequence. When exiting VPFLIP, you are returned to the original video page (i.e. 19 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- the display page which was showing when the VPFLIP command was issued), which need not be in the sequence that was flipped through. The syntax is: VPFLIP {first_page} [{second_page} {third_page} ... {eighth_page}] where {first_page}, {second_page}, etc. are the video pages to be flipped through. These pages can be in any order, and will be displayed in the sequence that they are entered on the command line. For example, the command line: VPFLIP 1 4 7 2 6 will display page 1, followed by 4, then 7, 2, 6 and back to 1 again. The <PgDn> key is used to go to the next page in the sequence and <PgUp> is used to go to the previous page. <Esc> is used to quit VPFLIP and return to the original video page. A prompt message is displayed in black on white text on line 24 of each page. Note: when using VPFLIP, line 24 of the pages being flipped through is erased by the prompt message. Line 24 of the original page, if it was erased as part of the flip sequence, is restored when exiting VPFLIP. VPFLIP is typically used to create a mini 'slide show' to display a number of screens, or to view output screens that were redirected with the VPSET command. If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPCOPY will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPCLS.COM The DOS CLS (CLear Screen) command is designed to clear the screen (i.e. erase the contents of the screen and put the cursor on the top line) of the currently active video page to the default colors (usually white on black, unless this has been changed by a special utility or driver such as ANSI.SYS). It has no effect on any page other than the currently active page. VPCLS will clear any specified video page, to any specified combination of colors that is supported by your display adpator. The syntax is: VPCLS {video_page} [{background_color} {foreground_color}] where: {video_page} is the display page to be cleared (0 only for the 20 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- MDA, 0 to 3 for the CGA, 0 to 7 for the EGA or VGA); and {background_color} and {foreground_color} are the screen colors to set. The colors are optional. For the MDA, they must be either 0 (black) or 7 (white). (Even with the MDA, it is still possible to get black on white rather than the normal white on black.) For the CGA, EGA and VGA adaptors, color values of 0 to 7 are available for {background_color} and 0 to 15 for {foreground_color}. If they are not specified, white text on a black background is assumed. If only the {background_color} is specified, white is assumed for the {foreground_color}. The acceptable color values are listed in the following table: Table 1: Screen Colors --------------------+-------------------- Color Value Color --------------------+-------------------- 0 Black 1 Blue 2 Green 3 Cyan 4 Red 5 Magenta 6 Brown 7 White Note: the 'bright' colors 8 Gray (Bright Black) (8 to 15) can be 9 Bright Blue used for foreground 10 Bright Green choices only. 11 Bright Cyan 12 Bright Red 13 Bright Magenta 14 Yellow (Bright Brown) 15 Bright White --------------------+-------------------- (Note: This color table is used by all of the video commands which require colors to be specified.) For example: VPCLS 1 will clear video page 1 to white on black. VPCLS 3 5 14 will clear video page 3 to yellow on magenta. VPCLS 2 3 21 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- will clear video page 2 to white on cyan. If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPCLS will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPSTRIPE.COM Similar to the DOS CLS command, VPCLS will clear a screen to a single pair of background and foreground colors. For visual effect, VPSTRIPE will produce a striped or rainbow pattern on the screen. Stripes can be horizontal or vertical in any combination of colors. The striped screen can then be used as a background for text windows produced with the VPBOX and VPAT commands. The syntax is: VPSTRIPE {video_page} {stripe_mode} [{color_1} {color_2}] where: {video_page} is the display page to be cleared with stripes (0 only for the MDA, 0 to 3 for the CGA, 0 to 7 for the EGA or VGA); {stripe_mode} is H for horizontal stripes or V for vertical stripes. {color_1} and {color_2} are the screen colors to set for a two color stripe pattern. Color values of 0 to 15 can be specified for each color. The color values are listed above under the VPCLS command and are optional. If they are not specified, a 16 color rainbow pattern is used with colors shown in the order of the above color table. VPSTRIPE creates stripes by printing a line of 'block' characters (ASCII code 219) in the specified color, using black as the 'background' color. Using this method allows 16 color stripes to be displayed, not just the 8 normal background colors. When text is subsequently printed directly on the striped background, the text will be shown as the stripe color on a black background. However, in the case of rainbow screens, text will not show up on the black stripes (i.e. they will be printed black on black). If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPSTRIPE will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPTNT.COM The standard method to clear the video display (i.e. CLS or VPCLS) produces a rather boring video effect for anyone who may 22 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- be watching it. Sometimes, you may want to have the screen clearing process as part of the overall visual impact of the batch file. Utility_Belt offers two programs to produce a visually more interesting screen clearing effect: VPTNT and VPBH. Since each of these programs is designed for a visual effect, they work only with the currently active screen page. However, they work with any active screen page set by the VPSET command, not just the default page 0. VPTNT will clear the current screen to the specified colors in an explosive effect (i.e. any existing text on the screen appears to be flung out from the center of the screen to the edges). The syntax is: VPTNT {background_color} {foreground_color} [S] where {background_color} and {foreground_color} are chosen from the list given above for the VPCLS command. With fast computers and video display cards, you may wish to slow down the screen clearing process to make it more visible. If the optional S parameter is included, the screen is cleared in 'slow' mode. With slow mode, the screen is cleared over a time span of about 2 seconds, compared to the fractions of a second required for fast mode. For example: VPTNT 1 14 will quickly 'explode' the screen to yellow on blue. VPTNT 2 7 S will slowly 'explode' the screen to white on green. For maximum explosive effect with VPTNT, we recommend that you use fast mode. If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPTNT will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPBH.COM The second visual effect is VPBH, which will clear the screen with a 'black hole' implosion effect (i.e. any existing text on the screen seems to be sucked in to the center of the screen). The syntax is: VPBH {background_color} {foreground_color} [S] 23 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- where {background_color} and {foreground_color} are chosen from the list given above for the VPCLS command. With fast computers and video display cards, you may wish to slow down the screen clearing process to make it more visible. If the optional S parameter is included, the screen is cleared in 'slow' mode. With slow mode, the screen is cleared over a time span of about 2 seconds, compared to the fractions of a second required for fast mode. For example: VPBH 1 14 will quickly 'implode' the screen to yellow on blue. VPBH 2 7 S will slowly 'implode' the screen to white on green. If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPBH will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPAT.COM Without using a special device driver like ANSI.SYS, DOS cannot print a message at a user selected spot on the screen. This makes it very difficult to build windowed menus and other types of display screens which require text to be printed at a specific location on the screen. Even with ANSI.SYS installed, you are limited to printing on the currently displayed screen page. VPAT wil print a text string at a specified location on any video page. The syntax is: VPAT {video_page} {background_color} {foreground_color} {row} {column} {text} where: {video_page} is the display page to be printed on (0 only for the MDA, 0 to 3 for the CGA, 0 to 7 for the EGA or VGA); {background_color} and {foreground_color} are the screen colors to use. The values are given above for the description of VPCLS; {row} is the screen row (line) to print on. Rows 0 to 24 are supported on all display adpators. Special video modes (like 50 line VGA mode) have other maximum values. 24 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- {column} is the screen column to start printing at. Columns 0 to 79 are supported on all display adpators. Special video modes (like 130 colum VGA mode) have other maximum values. {text} is the text string to be printed. It can be up to about 100 characters long (although with the screen width limitation of most video modes, i.e. 80 columns, it will normally be much less) and can contain any printable character. Embedded spaces are allowed, but leading spaces are automatically removed. Uppercase and lowercase characters are preserved. Note: If {text} is longer than the amount of space remaining on the chosen screen line, it will 'wrap' around to the next screen line starting at the column specified by the {column} parameter. For example: VPAT 1 2 15 10 20 Hello !! will print the text "Hello !!" on video page 1, starting at line 10, column 20 in bright white letters on green. VPAT 0 1 14 10 70 This is a long line will print the text "This is a" on line 10 starting at column 70, followed by "long line" on line 11, starting at column 70. If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPAT will display a summary of its syntax and options. VPBOX.COM It is often desirable to 'frame' messages and text in a box on the screen to make it stand out (or to produce a series of 'windows'). VPBOX draws a box of a given size at a given location on the screen. It is typically used prior to VPAT to create message windows on a screen. The syntax is: VPBOX {video_page} {background_color} {foreground_color} {style} {top_line} {bot_line} {left_col} {right_col} where: {video_page} is the display page to create the box on (0 only for the MDA, 0 to 3 for the CGA, 0 to 7 for the EGA or VGA); 25 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- {background_color} and {foreground_color} are the screen colors to use. The values are given above for the description of VPCLS; {style} is the type of line to draw around the box, as given in the table below. A total of 26 line styles are supported. Styles 0 to 8 are lines in the normal sense, while styles 9 to 25 are borders composed of various specialty characters. {top_line} is the screen line (row) for the top of the box. Lines 0 to 24 are supported on all display adpators. Special video modes (like 50 line VGA mode) have other maximum values. {bot_line} is the screen line for the bottom of the box. Lines 0 to 24 are supported on all display adpators. Special video modes (like 50 line VGA mode) have other maximum values. {bot_line} must be greater than {top_line}. {left_col} is the screen column for the left side of the box. Columns 0 to 79 are supported on all display adpators. Special video modes (like 130 colum VGA mode) have other maximum values. {right_col} is the screen column for the right side of the box. Columns 0 to 79 are supported on all display adpators. Special video modes (like 130 colum VGA mode) have other maximum values. {right_col} must be greater than {left_col}. Note: Unpredictable results (i.e. scrambled screen images) will occur if the line and column parameters are beyond the rage normally supported by your video adaptor. 26 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- Table 2: Border Styles ----------------+--------------------------------- Box Style Line Type ----------------+--------------------------------- 0 no lines 1 thin single lines 2 thin double lines 3 single horizontal, double vertical 4 double horizontal, single vertical 5 thick solid lines 6 light checkered thick lines 7 medium checkered thick lines 8 dark checkered thick lines 9 smiling face 10 reverse smiling face 11 heart 12 diamond 13 club 14 spade 15 dot 16 reverse dot 17 circle 18 reverse circle 19 sinlge musical note 20 double musical note 21 sun 22 square 23 small circle 24 medium dot 25 small dot ----------------+--------------------------------- For example: VPBOX 0 4 7 1 7 20 4 54 will draw a single lined box on video page 0, white on red, with the top left at row 7, column 4 and the bottom right at row 20, column 54. Overlapping boxes can be created by using multiple VPBOX commands. The most recently issued VPBOX command will be the top layer. For example, the following sequence will create a blue on white window with a black 'shadow' from 2 VPBOX commands: VPBOX 0 0 0 0 5 20 20 40 VPBOX 0 1 7 1 6 21 21 41 If no parameters are specified on the command line, VPBOX will display a summary of its syntax and options. 27 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITY AND DIAGNOSTIC UTILITIES An increasing number of computers in business and educational environments are being interconnected through Local Area Networks (LAN's) and Wide Area Networks (WAN's). Although this interconnection offers many advantages, it also offers some disadvantages, namely: data security concerns and access to system level resources. Many area network administrators prefer to keep users totally isolated from the DOS command line. All programs and data are accessed through established network menu systems, which are controlled by the network administrator. However, one of the main security concerns occurs before a user is connected or logged in to the network. Each workstation usually contains a hard disk and perhaps even one or more floppy drives. If the user chooses not to log into the network, they usually have full access to whatever is stored on these devices. The two security programs included in the Utility_Belt collection can be used to keep casual observers away from the DOS command line in these types of situtations. Note that, as with any security system, it is far from being unbreakable, but it is usually sufficient to keep out all casual snoop and scare off a good many determined hackers as well. HANG.COM As its name implies, HANG will simply lockup the computer, and require a cold reset (i.e. power off, then power on) to restart the system. The syntax is: HANG [/Q;] {message} where: {message} is a text message to be displayed on the screen while it is locked up. It can be up to about 120 characters long (although with the screen width limitation of most video modes, i.e. 80 columns, it will normally be much less) and can contain any printable character. Embedded spaces are allowed, but leading spaces are automatically removed. Uppercase and lowercase characters are preserved. /Q; specifies the optional 'quiet' mode. If /Q is NOT used, an alarm tone will also be sounded during the lockup. 28 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- For example: HANG /Q; Security Violation will lockup the computer while displaying the message "Security Violation" on the screen. HANG Security Violation will lockup the computer while displaying the message "Security Violation" on the screen and sounding an audio alarm tone. HANG may be used as part of a network login procedure such as: @ECHO OFF REM === Use your own standard login procedure or command LOGIN REM === Check for Login Error IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO HANG REM === Exit normally if successful GOTO END REM === Otherwise, lockup :HANG HANG Security Violation - Network Access Denied :END If no parameters are specified on the command line, HANG will display a summary of its syntax and options. REBOOT.COM REBOOT will perform a software controlled re-booting of the computer. The syntax is: REBOOT {message} or REBOOT /N where: {message} is a text message to be displayed on the screen before rebooting. It can be up to about 120 characters long (although with the screen width limitation of most video modes, i.e. 80 columns, it will normally be much less) and can contain any printable character. Embedded spaces are allowed, but leading spaces are automatically removed. Uppercase and lowercase characters are preserved. 29 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- /N specifies the optional 'no wait' mode. If /N is used, reboot is immediate without displaying any message. For example: REBOOT Resetting the computer ... Please Wait will display the message "Resetting the computer ... Please Wait", then re-boot the computer after a short delay. REBOOT may be used as part of a network login procedure such as: @ECHO OFF REM === Use your own standard login procedure or command LOGIN REM === Check for Login Error IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO REBOOT REM === Exit normally if successful GOTO END REM === Otherwise, lockup :REBOOT REBOOT Security Violation - Network Access Denied :END REBOOT can also be used to change the system configuration by keeping multiple copies of the AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files. For example, if you had several different AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files with different drivers, or memory configurations, etc., you could use a short batch file menu to select which one you wanted. For example: REM === SELAUTO.BAT @ECHO OFF REM === SELECT startup mode SELECT Startup Options; WINDOWS; DOS; NETWORK IF ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO NETWORK IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO DOS IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO WINDOWS GOTO END REM === COPY correct files to AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS :WINDOWS COPY AUTOEXEC.WIN AUTOEXEC.BAT COPY CONFIG.WIN CONFIG.SYS GOTO BOOT :DOS COPY AUTOEXEC.DOS AUTOEXEC.BAT COPY CONFIG.DOS CONFIG.SYS GOTO BOOT :NETWORK 30 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- COPY AUTOEXEC.NET AUTOEXEC.BAT COPY CONFIG.NET CONFIG.SYS REM === Reboot the using new AUTOEXEC and CONFIG files :BOOT REBOOT Setting up system configuration ... Please wait :END If no parameters are specified on the command line, REBOOT will display a summary of its syntax and options. WHATIS.COM Many different device drivers and configuration programs exist that can modify the way the operating system interfaces with the hardware. Usually, things work OK, but when problems occur on a system, it is often difficult to figure out who is saying what to whom. When it comes to disk drives (floppy disks, hard disks, etc) both local, and shared network resources, WHATIS will tell you what the various components of the operating system are reporting to each other. The syntax is: WHATIS {logical_drive} where {logical_drive} is the drive letter assigned to the logical device. For example: WHATIS A will report the physical and logical parameters associated with drive A:, as reported by the various DOS and BIOS routines. A number of parameters are checked and reported, such as: - total number of floppy drives on system as reported by the BIOS equipment list word at 0040:0010 - physical device number used by the BIOS disk interrupt 13 to address the device - type of device (i.e. 360k, 1.2 meg, hard disk, etc) as reported by the BIOS (usually from the CMOS RAM) and DOS (usually from device drivers). Normally these are the same, but may be different if a device driver is being used. - whether the device is local or remote (i.e. a network drive) - whether the media is removable 31 Utility_Belt v1.1a Users' Guide -------------------------------------------------------------- - whether the device is 'shared' with another logical drive - if a hard disk or network drive, the size of the drive and amount of free space available. If no parameters are specified on the command line, WHATIS will display a summary of its syntax and options. 32