DOS Utility Pack #1 includes 3 utilities for changing directories and setting your DOS screen colors. They include {CCD!}, {Colors!}, and {Border Patrol!}. As with most DOS utilities, they are not meant to run from a graphical shell such as Softdisk PC, but rather from the DOS command line instead. After you read about the individual programs below, you can use the "Copy" button located at the and bottom of this text window to copy these programs to your favorite utility directory on your hard drive.
Note: Most computer users have a catchall utility directory to store commonly used utilities such as these on their hard drive. These catchall directories are usually included in the and PATH statement with other directories such as "C:\DOS". When a program is located in a directory included in the and PATH statement, it can be used at any prompt and your system will find it. If you don't have a utility directory, you can copy these programs to any of the and other directories located in your PATH.
^C{_CCD!_}
File to run: {CCD.EXE} (located in the and {UTILPAK1} directory)
CCD! is a utility designed to get you to any directory on any drive quickly. CCD! accomplishes this feat by creating a data file of your hard disk's directory structure. The data file ("{CCD3.FIL}") will be located on the and root of your hard drive C.
The syntax for using CCD! is as follows:
{CCD [optional drive:][directory]}
You only have to specify the first few letters of the directory name. For example:
{CCD B:D} can take you to the and directory B:\DATABASE, if
DATABASE is the only directory on the and B drive
starting with "D"
{CCD PAY} can take you to the and directory C:\ACCOUNT\PAYROLL
If more than one sub-directory matches your search specifications, CCD! will present you with a list of directories to choose from.
{Note:} From time to time, you will have to use the and "RESCAN" option to update the CCD data file with new directories.
^P
^C{_Colors!_}
File to run: {COLORS.EXE} (located in the and {UTILPAK1} directory)
Colors! is a utility for changing the text colors you see on the and DOS command line. You can select from 8 different foreground colors and 8 different background colors. The foreground colors include Grey, Blue, Green, Cyan, Red, Magenta, Yellow, and White. The background colors include Black, Blue, Green, Cyan, Red, Magenta, Yellow, and Grey. Colors! will also take these color names as command line parameters. The syntax for using parameters is as follows:
{COLORS <foreground color> <background color>}
For example, to set green text with a black background type "{COLORS GREEN BLACK}" and press Enter. If you copy Colors! to a directory that is included in your PATH, you can add the above syntax to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and have your DOS colors set every time your computer boots up.
{Note:} Some programs may reset the screen colors to grey on black when they exit to DOS. If you add Colors! to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, make it one of the last items to avoid this conflict. Also, if this occurs when you run another program on the and command line (such as DOS's CLS command), simply rerun Colors! to reset the screen colors. Colors! will not work properly if ANSI.SYS is loaded on your system. If the screen colors are not set right when you exit Colors!, check your CONFIG.SYS file to see if ANSI.SYS is loaded.
^C{_Border Patrol!_}
File to run: {BORDER.EXE} (located in the and {UTILPAK1} directory)
Border Patrol! is a neat utility for changing the color of the and border area around your viewing screen. The screen border is about an 1/8" wide strip of area around your text display that is not normally used. You can use Border Patrol! to highlight this area in 1 of 8 colors which include Black, Blue, Green, Cyan, Red, Magenta, Yellow, and Grey. Border Patrol will also take these color names as command line parameters. So, you can type "{BORDER BLUE}" on the command line and press Enter to automatically set your border to blue. If you copy Border Patrol! to a directory that is included in your PATH, you can add the above syntax to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and have your border color set every time your computer boots up.
{Note:} Some programs may reset the screen border color to black when they exit to DOS. If you add Border Patrol! to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, make it one of the last items to avoid this conflict. Also, if this occurs when you run another program on the and command line, simply rerun Border Patrol! to reset the border color.
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