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OS/2 Help File | 1996-04-17 | 373KB | 11,725 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. About 4OS2 Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                              4OS2 2.52 Help System

                Text by Hardin Brothers, Tom Rawson, and Rex Conn

Program and Text Copyright 1988 - 1996, JP Software Inc., All Rights Reserved.

4OS2 is a trademark and 4DOS is a registered trademark of JP Software Inc.
OS/2 is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation.  Other product and company
names are trademarks of their respective owners.

[04/96 - 2.52]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Using the 4OS2 Help System ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This online help system for 4OS2 covers all 4OS2 features and internal
commands.  It includes reference information to assist you in using 4OS2 and
developing batch files; however it does not include all of the details which
are included in the printed 4OS2 manuals.

If you type part or all of a command on the line and then press F1, the help
system will provide "context-sensitive" help by using the first word on the
line as a help topic.  If it's a valid topic, you will see help for that topic
automatically; if not, you will see the list of all help topics and you can
pick the one you want.

You can use this feature to obtain help on any topic -- not just on commands.
For example, if you enter the command HELP _DISK you will see help for the
_DISK internal variable.

If you type the name of any internal command at the prompt, followed by a slash
and a question mark [/?] like this:

        copy /?

then you will see help for the command in a "quick-reference" style.  Output
from a /? display may be redirected with > or >>.

The /? option may not work correctly if you have used an alias to redefine how
an internal command operates.  To view the /? help for such a command you must
add an asterisk to the beginning of the command to disable alias processing.
For example, if you have defined this alias:

        alias copy *copy /r

then the command COPY /? will be translated to COPY /R /?, which will not work
properly.  However, if you use *COPY /?, the alias will be ignored and the /?
will work as you intended.

The 4OS2 help system uses OS/2's VIEW.EXE to display this help text. Once
you've started the help system with HELP or F1, you can use VIEW's standard
keystrokes to navigate.  For more information, click on the Help menu at the
top of the VIEW window.

Configuring the Help System

You can select which help "books" are displayed when you press the F1 key or
enter the HELP command.  A help book is a single .INF file.  This help text is
in the file 4OS2.INF.

By default, 4OS2 opens this book and the OS/2 command reference file,
CMDREF.INF.  You can change the default books opened for the 4OS2 help system
with the HelpBook directive in 4OS2.INI.  The default setting is 4OS2+CMDREF.
For example, to load only the 4OS2 help when you press F1 or enter the HELP
command:

        HelpBook = 4OS2


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Conventions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section contains information about conventions that are used throughout
4OS2:

            Colors and color names
            Color-coded directories
            Keys and key names

 These topics are combined here in a central reference spot so that they will
 be easy to find when you need to refer to them.  You will find cross
 references to this section throughout the help system.


═══ 3.1.  Colors and Color Names ═══

You can use color names in several of the directives in the .INI file and in
many commands.  The general form of a color name is:

    [BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg [BORder bc ]

where fg is the foreground or text color, bg is the background color, and bc is
the border color.

The available colors are:

        Black           Blue            Green           Red
        Magenta         Cyan            Yellow          White

Color names and the words BRIght, BLInk, and BORder may be shortened to the
first 3 letters.

You can also specify colors by number instead of by name.  The numbers are most
useful in potentially long INI file directives like ColorDir. The following
numbers are recognized:

  0 - Black     8 - Gray (bright black)
  1 - Blue      9 - Bright blue
  2 - Green    10 - Bright green
  3 - Cyan     11 - Bright cyan
  4 - Red      12 - Bright red
  5 - Magenta  13 - Bright magenta
  6 - Yellow   14 - Bright yellow
  7 - White    15 - Bright white

Use one number to substitute for the [BRIght] fg portion of the color name, and
a second to substitute for the [BRIght] bg portion.  For example, instead of
bright cyan on blue you could use 11 on 1 to save space in a ColorDir
specification.

There are several subtleties that complicate the use of colors and color names.
In order to understand them, you will need to read through the restrictions
described below.  These restrictions are due to the design of your PC video
hardware and video drivers, and are not inherent in 4OS2.  Some of the
restrictions are complex, so feel free to skip over those that do not apply to
color combinations you use.

Some restrictions depend on the display "mode."  4OS2 can run in either normal
display mode, where it uses the full screen and has more direct control over
the video hardware; or in windowed display mode, where it appears in a window
on the OS/2 desktop.

Monochrome Video Adapters

If you have a monochrome video adapter, you cannot display any colors except
white and black in either normal or bright intensity. If you have a color video
adapter, you can use any of the standard colors listed above (provided you meet
the other restrictions below).

Color Errors

A standard color specification allows sixteen foreground and eight background
colors (sixteen if bright backgrounds are enabled, see below).  However, most
video adapters and monitors do not provide true renditions of certain colors.
For example, most users see normal "yellow" as brown, and bright yellow as
yellow; many also see normal red as red, and "bright red" as pink.  Color
errors are often much worse when running in windowed mode (see above), because
the graphical environment that created the window may not map the text-mode
colors the way you expect.  These problems are inherent in the monitor, video
adapter, and driver software.  They cannot be corrected using 4OS2 color
specifications.

Border Colors

In order to use border colors, you must have a color video adapter (monochrome
adapters do not support border colors).

4OS2 can only accept border colors in the CLS and COLOR commands, and in the
StdColors directive in the .INI file.  Border colors will be ignored, or will
cause an error, if they are used elsewhere.

Border colors do not work in windowed mode, and will be ignored if used in a
windowed session under OS/2.

Blinking Text and Bright Background Colors

The interactions between blinking characters, bright backgrounds, and your
display mode can be complex.  You will need to understand them if you use
either attribute in your color specifications.

Bright background colors are only available if you have an EGA- or
VGA-compatible display adapter.  If you have a monochrome or CGA adapter, you
can use blinking displays and ignore the interactions described below.

The effects of blinking and bright background color specifications depend
partly on whether you are in normal or windowed display mode.

Full-Screen Display Mode

In full-screen display mode your video hardware can be configured via software
commands to display either blinking text, or text with a bright background, but
not both.  This is due to the design of PC video hardware, and is not a
software restriction.

The memory on your video adapter includes a "flag" for each character on the
screen.  The flag controls blinking text and bright background colors.  If the
flag is off, the character is displayed with a normal background and does not
blink.  If the flag is "on," the character either blinks or is displayed with a
bright background, depending on which way your video adapter is currently
configured.

In full-screen display mode, the configuration of your video adapter can be
controlled by 4OS2 with the BrightBG directive in the 4OS2.INI file or the
SETDOS /B command.  If you set BrightBG = No or use the SETDOS /B0 command,
4OS2 will configure the video adapter for blinking text, and characters with
the blink / bright background flag set will blink.  If you set BrightBG = Yes
or use SETDOS /B1, 4OS2 will configure the video adapter for bright background
colors, and the characters will be displayed with a bright background instead.

Because there is only one flag for each character to specify both blinking text
and bright background color, it doesn't matter which attribute you use when you
specify the color.  Whether you specify blinking text or a bright background,
you will see the same thing on your screen.  For example, these two COLOR
commands will always produce the same results:

        color blink white on blue
        color white on bright blue

If bright backgrounds are enabled, both commands will produce white text on a
bright blue background.  If blinking text is enabled, both commands will
produce blinking white text on a blue background.

If you don't use BrightBG or SETDOS /B, or if you use SETDOS /B2, 4OS2 will not
attempt to configure your video hardware.  Most video adapters default to
blinking text in normal mode, but this can be changed by application programs.
If you use BrightBG or SETDOS /B, 4OS2 will configure the hardware each time it
displays the prompt.

The method used to adjust the video hardware may not be compatible with all
video cards.  If you see screen "flashes" at each prompt when you use BrightBG
or SETDOS /B, discontinue using both commands.  This problem is very rare and
is not likely to occur on standard EGA and VGA systems.

Windowed Mode

In windowed mode, 4OS2 cannot control your hardware to select blinking or
bright backgrounds.  Instead, OS/2 displays bright background colors,
regardless of the BrightBG or SETDOS /B setting.  It does not provide a way to
display blinking characters in windowed mode.  As an example, the two commands
given above would both display white text on a bright blue background when run
in windowed mode.

Switching Modes

OS/2 allows you to switch any DOS session between full- screen and windowed
mode.  You cannot switch modes for OS/2 sessions, so 4OS2 is not directly
affected by mode switching. However, if you write batch files or aliases which
run in both modes, you may need to take into account that OS/2 defaults to
displaying blinking text in full-screen mode and bright backgrounds in windowed
mode.


═══ 3.2.  Color-Coded Directories ═══

The DIR and SELECT commands can display each file name in a different color,
depending on the file's extension.

To choose the DIR and SELECT display colors, you must either use the SET
command to create an environment variable called COLORDIR, or use the ColorDir
directive in your .INI file.

If you do not use the COLORDIR variable or the ColorDir directive, DIR will use
the default screen colors and SELECT will use the default screen colors or
those set with the SelectColors directive.

If you use both the COLORDIR variable and the ColorDir directive, the
environment variable will override the settings in your .INI file.  You may
find it useful to use the COLORDIR variable for experimenting, then to set
permanent directory colors with the ColorDir directive.

The format for both the COLORDIR environment variable and the ColorDir
directive in the .INI file is:

        ext ... :ColorName; ...

where "ext" is a file extension (which may include wildcards) or one of the
following file types:

        DIRS      Directories
        RDONLY    Read-only files
        HIDDEN    Hidden files
        SYSTEM    System files
        ARCHIVE   Files modified since the last backup

and "ColorName" is any valid color name (see Colors).

Unlike most color specifications, the background portion of the color name may
be left out for directory colors.  If you don't specify a background color, DIR
and SELECT will use the current screen background color.

For example, to display the .COM and .EXE files in red on the current
background, the .C and .ASM files in bright cyan on the current background, and
the read-only files in blinking green on white (this should be entered on one
line):

        [c:\] set colordir=com exe:red; c asm:bright cyan; rdonly:blink green on white

Extended wildcards (for example "BA[KXC]" for .BAK, .BAX, and .BAC files) can
be used in directory color specifications.

You can specify files with any extension using the * wildcard, and files with
no extension using a space.  For example, the following specification displays
files with no extension in red, .TXT files in blue, and all other files in
green:

     [c:\] set colordir= :red;txt:blu;*:gre

If the extension or type of a file matches an extension or type listed in your
color specification, the remainder of the colors are ignored for that file.
You may need to take this into account in determining the order of extensions
and file types in your COLORDIR setting.  For example, you might try this
setting to display all .COM and .EXE files in red, and all other files whose
extension starts with a "C" in green:

     c:\> set colordir=c*:green;com exe:red

However in this case the .COM files will be displayed in green, because they
match the "c*", and the ".com" later on the line is ignored.  To correct this
problem, change the line to read:

     c:\> set colordir=com exe:red;c*:green


═══ 3.3.  Keys and Key Names ═══

Key names are used to define keystroke aliases, and in several 4OS2.INI
directives.  The format of a key name is the same in both uses:

        [Prefix-]Keyname

The key prefix can be left out, or it can be any one of the following:

        Alt         followed by A - Z, 0 - 9, F1 - F12, or Bksp
        Ctrl        followed by A - Z, F1 - F12, Tab, Bksp, Enter,
                      Left, Right, Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Ins, or Del
        Shift       followed by F1 - F12 or Tab.

The possible key names are:

        A - Z           Enter           PgDn
        0 - 9           Up              Home
        F1 - F          Down            End
        Esc             Left            Ins
        Bksp            Right           Del
        Tab             PgUp

All key names must be spelled as shown.  Alphabetic keys can be specified in
upper-case or lower-case.  You cannot specify a punctuation key.

The prefix and key name must be separated by a dash [-].  For example:

        Alt-F10        This is okay
        Alt F10        The space will cause an error

If you prefer, you can use a numeric value instead of a key name. Use the ASCII
code for an ASCII, extended ASCII, or control character.  Use the scan code
preceded by an at sign [@] for extended key codes like F1 or the cursor keys.
For example, use 13 for Enter, or @59 for F1.  In general, you will find it
easier to use the names described above rather than key numbers. See the
Reference Tables for an explanation and list of ASCII and key codes.

Some keys are intercepted by OS/2 and are not passed on to 4OS2.  For example,
Ctrl-S pauses screen output temporarily, and Ctrl-Esc pops up the OS/2 window
list.  Keys which are intercepted by OS/2 generally cannot be assigned to
aliases or with key mapping directives, because 4OS2 never receives these
keystrokes and therefore cannot act on them.

You also may not be able to use certain keys if your keyboard is not 100%
IBM-compatible or your keyboard driver does not support them.  For example, on
some systems the F11 and F12 keys are not recognized; others may not support
unusual combinations like Ctrl-Tab.  These problems are rare; when they do
occur, they are usually due to OS/2 and not to any problem with 4OS2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. 16-Bit and 32-Bit Versions of 4OS2 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4OS2 comes in two versions:  32-bit (4OS2/32) and 16-bit (4OS2/16).  If you use
OS/2 version 2.1 or above, you will find that 4OS2/32 offers a few improvements
and runs a bit faster than 4OS2/16.  Normally, the correct version is selected
for you automatically by the 4OS2 INSTALL program.  If you are using a
downloaded copy of 4OS2, see the README.DOC file which came with your copy for
details on selecting the appropriate files for your system.

Once the proper version is selected during installation, you generally don't
need to be concerned with which version you are using, as the two versions are
almost identical.  A few features are available only in the 32-bit version;
these are marked as such in this help text and in the manuals.

If necessary, you can install the 16-bit or 32-bit version explicitly rather
than letting the installation program choose for you.  To do so, start the
installation program (see page 4) and select the Install 16-bit Version or
Install 32-bit Version option.  These options install only the files which
differ between the two versions:  4OS2.EXE, SHRALIAS.EXE, 4OS2A.ICO, and
4OS2B.ICO.

4OS2/16 runs under OS/2 1.21, 1.3, 2.0, 2.1, 2.11, and 3.0 (including "OS/2 for
Windows").  4OS2/32 normally runs only under OS/2 2.1, 2.11, and 3.0 (also
including "OS/2 for Windows").  You can install it manually for OS/2 2.0 if you
wish, but some features may not work properly due to problems with 32-bit
support in some versions of OS/2 2.0.


═══ 5.  Startup ═══

Each 4OS2 object on your OS/2 desktop represents a different 4OS2 session.  You
can configure any of these sessions to run in windowed or full-screen mode, and
you can set any necessary command line parameters for 4OS2, by adjusting the
properties of the desktop objects.

To adjust the properties of an object you need to be familiar with how object
properties are set in your version of OS/2.  For details see your OS/2
documentation, or the 4OS2 Introduction and Installation Guide.

When you configure a 4OS2 object, place an asterisk [*] in the Program Name
field, and put any startup options that you want passed to 4OS2 (e.g.,
@inifile) in the Parameters field.  For example:

     Path and file name:  *
     Parameters:          @D:\START\4OS2.INI
     Working directory:   C:\

(If 4OS2 is not set up as your default OS/2 shell in CONFIG.SYS, use the full
path and name for 4OS2.EXE as the program name, rather than the asterisk.)

The 4OS2 command line does not need to contain any information.  When invoked
with an empty command line, 4OS2 will configure itself from the 4OS2.INI file,
run 4START, and then display a prompt and wait for you to type a command.
However, you may add options on the 4OS2 command line to change the way 4OS2
operates.

4OS2 recognizes several optional fields on the command line. All of the options
go on one line.  If you use more than one of these fields, their order is
important.  The syntax for the command line is:

        [d:\path] [@d:\path\inifile] [//iniline]... [/L] [/LA] [/LD] [/LH] [/S]
        [/C | /K] [command]

 The options are:

        d:\path:  4OS2 will use this directory and path to set the COMSPEC
        environment variable for this session.  If this option is not used,
        COMSPEC is set from the location of 4OS2.EXE.  4OS2 always knows what
        drive and directory it was started from and can set COMSPEC
        accordingly.  This option is included only for compatibility with
        CMD.EXE.

        @d:\path\inifile:  This option sets the path and name of the 4OS2.INI
        file.  You do not need this option if you aren't using a 4OS2.INI file,
        or if the file is named 4OS2.INI and is stored in the same subdirectory
        as 4OS2.EXE or in the root directory of the boot drive.

        //iniline:  This option tells 4OS2 to treat the text appearing between
        the // and the next space or tab as a 4OS2.INI directive.  The
        directive should be in the same format as a line in 4OS2.INI, but it
        may not contain spaces, tabs, or comments.  This option overrides any
        corresponding directive in your 4OS2.INI file.

        /L, /LA, /LD, and /LH:  These options force 4OS2 to to use a local
        alias, directory history, and / or command history list.  They can be
        used to override any LocalAlias=No, LocalDirHistory=No, or
        LocalHistory=No settings in 4OS2.INI.  This allows you to use global
        lists as the default, but start a specific 4OS2 session with local
        lists. See Command History for details on local and global history,
        Directory History Window for details on local and global directory
        history, and ALIAS for details on local and global aliases.  /LA forces
        local aliases, /LD forces local directory history, /LH forces local
        history, and /L forces all three.

        /S:  This option tells 4OS2 that you do not want it to set up a Ctrl-C
        / Ctrl-Break handler.  It is included for compatibility with CMD.EXE,
        but it may cause the system to operate incorrectly if you use this
        option without other software to handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break.

        [/C | /K] command:  This option tells 4OS2 to run a command when it
        starts.  The command will be run after 4START has been executed and
        before any command prompt is displayed.  It can be any valid internal
        or external command, batch file, or alias; you may include multiple
        commands by using the command separator.  All other startup options
        must be placed before the command, because 4OS2 will treat characters
        after the command as part of the command and not as additional startup
        options.

        When the command is preceded by a /C, 4OS2 will execute the command and
        then exit and return to the parent program or the OS/2 desktop without
        displaying a prompt.

        The /K switch has no effect; using it is the same as placing the
        command (without a /C or /K) at the end of the startup command line.
        It is included only for compatibility with CMD.EXE.

 To run a startup batch file for a particular 4OS2 session, include its name
 (with a path, if the batch file is not in the session's startup directory) as
 the last item in the Parameters field when you configure the desktop object.
 That batch file will be executed after any 4START file, but before the first
 prompt is displayed.  You can use the batch file to set environment variables
 and execute any other 4OS2 commands.

 You can also execute any internal 4OS2 command, external command, or alias by
 placing its name in the Parameters field.  For example:

       Path and file name:  *
       Parameters:          D:\STARTOS2.CMD
       Working directory:   C:\

 To execute an internal or external command, an alias, or a batch file and then
 exit (return to the desktop) when it is done, place /C command (rather than
 just command) as the last item in the Parameters field.  For example:

       Path and file name:  *
       Parameters:          /C COMFILES.BTM
       Working directory:   C:\


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. The Command Line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4OS2 displays a [c:\] prompt when it is waiting for you to enter a command.
(The actual text depends on the current drive and directory as well as your
PROMPT settings.)  This is called the command line and the prompt is asking you
to enter a command, an alias or batch file name, or the instructions necessary
to begin an application program.

This section explains the features that will help you while you are typing in
commands, and how keystrokes are interpreted when you enter them at the command
line.  The keystrokes discussed here are the ones normally used by 4OS2.  If
you prefer using different keystrokes to perform these functions, you can
assign new ones with key mapping directives in 4OS2.INI.

The command line features documented in this section are:

            Command-Line Editing
            Command History and Recall
            Command History Window
            Filename Completion
            Directory History Window
            Automatic Directory Changes
            Multiple Commands
            Command-Line Length Limits
            Page and File Prompts
            Conditional Commands
            Command Grouping
            Escape Character
            Critical Errors

 Additional command-line features are documented under Redirection and Piping
 and File Selection.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.1. Command-Line Editing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The command line works like a single-line word processor, allowing you to edit
any part of the command at any time before you press Enter to execute it, or
Esc to erase it.  The command line extends to a maximum of 1023 characters.

You can use the following editing keys when you are typing a command (the words
Ctrl and Shift mean to press the Ctrl or Shift key together with the other key
named):

Cursor Movement Keys:

                       Move the cursor left one character.
                       Move the cursor right one character.
        Ctrl           Move the cursor left one word.
        Ctrl           Move the cursor right one word.
        Home            Move the cursor to the beginning of the line.
        End             Move the cursor to the end of the line.

 Insert and Delete:

        Ins             Toggle between insert and overtype mode.
        Del             Delete the character at the cursor.
        Backspace       Delete the character to the left of the cursor.
        Ctrl-L          Delete the word or partial word to the left of the
                        cursor.
        Ctrl-R          or Ctrl-Bksp  Delete the word or partial word to the
                        right of the cursor.
        Ctrl-Home       Delete from the beginning of the line to the cursor.
        Ctrl-End        Delete from the cursor to the end of the line.
        Esc             Delete the entire line.
        Ctrl-C          or Ctrl-Break  Cancel the command.
        Enter           Execute the command line.

 4OS2 will prompt for additional command-line text when you include the escape
 character as the very last character of a typed command line.  The default
 escape character is the caret [^].  For example:

          [c:\] echo The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy^
          More? sleeping dog. > alphabet

 Sometimes you may want to enter one of the above keystrokes on the command
 line instead of performing the key's usual action.  For example, suppose you
 have a program that requires a Ctrl-R character on its command line.  Normally
 you couldn't type this keystroke at the prompt, because it would be
 interpreted as a "Delete word right" command.

 To get around this problem, use the special keystroke Alt-255. You enter
 Alt-255 by holding down the Alt key while you type 255 on the numeric keypad,
 then releasing the Alt key (you must use the number keys on the numeric pad;
 the row of keys at the top of your keyboard won't work).  This forces 4OS2 to
 interpret the next keystroke literally and places it on the command line,
 ignoring any special meaning it would normally have as a command- line editing
 or history keystroke.  You can use Alt-255 to suppress the normal meaning of
 command-line editing keystrokes even if they have been reassigned with key
 mapping directives in the .INI file, and Alt-255 itself can be reassigned with
 the CommandEscape directive.

 If you want your input at the command line to be in a different color from
 4OS2's prompts or output, you can use the InputColors directive in your .INI
 file.

 Most of the command-line editing capabilities are also available when a 4OS2
 command prompts you for a line of input.  For example, you can use the
 command-line editing keys when DESCRIBE prompts for a file description, when
 INPUT prompts for input from an alias or batch file, or when LIST prompts you
 for a search string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.2. Command History and Recall ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Command History Keys:

                       Recall the previous (or most recent) command, or the
                        most recent command that matches a partial command
                        line.
                       Recall the next (or oldest) command, or the oldest
                        command that matches a partial command line.
        F3              Fill in the rest of the command line from the previous
                        command, beginning at the current cursor position.
        Ctrl-D          Delete the currently displayed history list entry,
                        erase the command line, and display the previous
                        matching history list entry.
        Ctrl-E          Display the last entry in the history list.
        Ctrl-K          Save the current command line in the history list
                        without executing it, and then clear the command line.
        Ctrl-Enter      Copy the current command line to the end of the history
                        list even it has not been altered.
        @               As the first character in a line:  Do not save the
                        current line in the history list when it is executed,
                        and do not store it in the CMDLINE environment
                        variable.

 Use the  key repeatedly to scan back through the history list.  When the
 desired command appears, press Enter to execute it again.  After you have
 found a command, you can edit it before pressing Enter.

 The history list is "circular".  If you move to the last command in the list
 and then press the down arrow one more time, you'll see the first command in
 the list.  Similarly, if you move to the first command in the list and then
 press the up arrow one more time, you'll see the last command in the list.

 You can search the command history list to find a previous command quickly
 using command completion.  Just enter the first few characters of the command
 you want to find and press . You only need to enter enough characters to
 identify the command that you want to find.  If you press the  key a second
 time, you will see the previous command that matches.  The system will beep if
 there are no matching commands.  The search process stops as soon as you type
 one of the editing keys, whether or not the line is changed.  At that point,
 the line you're viewing becomes the new line to match if you press  again.

 You can specify the size of the command history list with the History
 directive in the .INI file.  When the list is full, the oldest commands are
 discarded to make room for new ones.  You can also use the HistMin directive
 in the .INI file to enable or disable history saves and to specify the
 shortest command line that will be saved.

 You can prevent any command line from being saved in the history by beginning
 it with an at sign [@].

 Use Ctrl-Enter to organize the history list for repetitive tasks.  Instead of
 searching through the command history for the next command in a sequence, you
 can place all of the necessary commands next to each other and make them
 easier to repeat.

 When you execute a command from the history, that command remains in the
 history list in its original position.  The command is not copied to the end
 of the list (unless you modify it).  If you want each command to be copied to
 the end of the list when it is re- executed, set HistCopy to Yes in your .INI
 file.

 Local and Global Command History

 The command history can be stored in either a "local" or "global" list.

 With a local history list, any changes made to the history will only affect
 the current copy of 4OS2.  They will not be visible in other shells, or other
 sessions.

 With a global history list, all copies of 4OS2 will share the same command
 history, and any changes made to the history in one copy will affect all other
 copies.  Global lists are the default for 4OS2.

 You can control the type of history list with the LocalHistory directive in
 the .INI file, and with the /L and /LH options of the START command.

 If you select a global history list for 4OS2 you can share the history among
 all copies of 4OS2 running in any session.  When you close all 4OS2 sessions,
 the memory for the global history list is released, and a new, empty history
 list is created the next time you start 4OS2.

 If you want the history list to be retained in memory even when no command
 processor session is running, see the SHRALIAS command, which retains the
 global alias, command history, and directory history lists.

 SHRALIAS retains the history list in memory, but cannot preserve it when OS/2
 itself is shut down.  To save the history list when restarting OS/2, you must
 store it in a file and reload it after the system restarts.  For details on
 how to do so, see the HISTORY command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.3. Command History Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Command History Window Keys:

        PgUp            (from the command line) Open the command history
                        window.
         or PgDn
                       Scroll the display up one line.
                       Scroll the display down one line.
                       Scroll the display left 4 columns.
                       Scroll the display right 4 columns.
        PgUp            (inside the window) Scroll the display up one page.
        PgDn            (inside the window) Scroll the display down one page.
        Ctrl-PgUp       Go to the beginning of the history list.
         or Home
        Ctrl-PgDn       Go to the end of the history list.
         or End
        Ctrl-D          Delete the selected line from the history list.
        Enter           Execute the selected line.
        Ctrl-Enter      Move the selected line to the command line for editing.

 You can view the command history in a scrollable command history window, and
 select the command to modify or re-execute from those displayed in the window.
 To activate the command history window press PgUp or PgDn at the command line.
 A window will appear in the upper right corner of the screen, with the command
 you most recently executed marked with a highlight. (If you just finished
 re-executing a command from the history, then the next command in sequence
 will be highlighted.)

 Once you have selected a command in the history window, press Enter to execute
 it immediately, or Ctrl-Enter to move the line to the prompt for editing (you
 cannot edit the line directly in the history window).

 You can bring up a "filtered" history window by typing some characters on the
 command line, then pressing PgUp or PgDn. Only those commands matching the
 typed characters will be displayed in the window.

 You can control the position and size of the history window with configuration
 directives in 4OS2.INI.  You can also change the keys used in the window with
 key mapping directives in the .INI file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.4. Filename Completion ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Filename Completion Keys:

        F8                  Get the previous matching filename.
         or Shift-Tab
        F9                  Get the next matching filename.
         or Tab
        F10                 Keep the current matching filename and display the
                            next matching name immediately after the current
                            one.

 Filename completion can help you by filling in a complete file name on the
 command line when you only remember part of the name.  For example, if you
 know the name of a file begins AU but you can't remember the rest of the name,
 type:

          [c:\] copy au

 and then press the Tab key or F9 key.  4OS2 will search the current directory
 for filenames that begin AU and insert the first one onto the command line in
 place of the AU that you typed.

 If this is the file that you want, simply complete the command.  If 4OS2
 didn't find the file that you were looking for, press Tab or F9 again to
 substitute the next filename that begins with AU.  When there are no more
 filenames that match your pattern, the system will beep each time you press
 Tab or F9.

 If you go past the filename that you want, press Shift-Tab or F8 to back up
 and return to the previous matching filename. After you back up to the first
 filename, the system will beep each time you press Shift-Tab or F8.

 If you want to enter more than one matching filename on the same command line,
 press F10 when each desired name appears.  This will keep that name and place
 the next matching filename after it on the command line.  You can then use Tab
 (or F9) and Shift-Tab (or F8) to move through the remaining matching files.

 The pattern you use for matching may contain any valid filename characters, as
 well as wildcard characters and extended wildcards.  For example, you can copy
 the first matching .TXT file by typing

          [c:\] copy *.txt

 and then pressing Tab.

 If you don't specify part of a filename before pressing Tab, the matching
 pattern will be *.*.  If you type a filename without an extension, 4OS2 will
 add *.* to the name.  It will also place a "*" after a partial extension.  If
 you are typing a group of file names in an include list, the part of the
 include list at the cursor will be used as the pattern to match.

 When filename completion is used at the start of the command line, it will
 only match directories, executable files, and files with executable
 extensions, since these are the only file names that it makes sense to use at
 the start of a command.  If a directory is found, a "\" will be appended to it
 to enable an automatic directory change.

 When using filename completion after typing a command, a "\" will be appended
 to the end of each directory name if AppendToDir is set to "Yes" in 4OS2.INI.

 Filename Completion Window

 You can also view filenames in a scrollable filename completion window and
 select the file you want to work with.  To activate the window, press F7 or
 Ctrl-Tab at the command line.  You will see a window in the upper-right corner
 of the screen, with the names of files that match any partial filename you
 have entered on the command line.  If you haven't yet entered a file name, the
 window will contain the name of all files in the current directory. (Ctrl-Tab
 will work only if your keyboard and keyboard driver support it.  If it does
 not work on your system, use F7 instead.)

 Filename Completion Window Keys:

        F7                  (from the command line)  Open the filename
                            completion window.
         or Ctrl-Tab
                           Scroll the display up one line.
                           Scroll the display down one line.
                           Scroll the display left 4 columns.
                           Scroll the display right 4 columns.
        PgUp                Scroll the display up one page.
        PgDn                Scroll the display down one page.
        Ctrl-PgUp           Go to the beginning of the filename list.
         or Home
        Ctrl-PgDn           Go to the end of the filename list.
         or End
        Enter               Insert the selected filename into the command line.


═══ 6.5.  Directory History Window ═══

Directory History Window Keys:

        Ctrl-PgUp       (from the command line) Open the directory history
                        window.
         or Ctrl-PgDn
                       Scroll the display up one line.
                       Scroll the display down one line.
                       Scroll the display left 4 columns.
                       Scroll the display right 4 columns.
        PgUp            Scroll the display up one page.
        PgDn            Scroll the display down one page.
        Ctrl-PgUp       Go to the beginning of the directory list.
         or Home
        Ctrl-PgDn       Go to the end of the directory list.
         or End
        Ctrl-D          Delete the selected line from the directory list.
        Enter           Change to the selected drive and directory.
        Ctrl-Enter      Move the selected line to the command line for editing.

 Every time you change to a new directory or drive, the current directory
 directory is recorded in an internal directory history list. You can set the
 size of the list with the DirHistory directive in 4OS2.INI.  As new entries
 are added, old entries are deleted from the list.  Directory changes are
 recorded whether you make them from the command line with the CD, CDD, PUSHD,
 or POPD commands, with an automatic directory change, or by typing a new drive
 letter followed by a colon. Directories are recorded whether you change from
 one to another at the command line, from within a batch file, or from within
 an alias.  In order to conserve space, each directory name is recorded just
 once in the directory history, even if you move into and out of that directory
 several times.

 You can view the directory history from the scrollable directory history
 window and change to any drive and directory on the list. To activate the
 directory history window, press Ctrl-PgUp or Ctrl-PgDn at the command line.
 You can then select a new directory with the Enter key.

 See also Local and Global Directory History.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.5.1. Local and Global Directory History ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The directory history can be stored in either a "local" or "global" list.

With a local directory history list, any changes made to the list will only
affect the current copy of the command processor.  They will not be visible in
other shells, or other sessions.

With a global list, all copies of the command processor will share the same
directory history, and any changes made to the list in one copy will affect all
other copies.

You can control the type of directory history list with the LocalDirHistory
directive in 4OS2.INI, and with the /L and /LD options of the START command.

There is no fixed rule for deciding whether to use a local or global directory
history list.  Depending on your work style, you may find it most convenient to
use one type, or a mixture of types in different sessions or shells.  We
recommend that you start with the default, then modify it if you find a
situation where the default is not convenient.

If you select a global directory list, you can share the list among all copies
of the command processor running in any session.  When you close all 4OS2
sessions, the memory for the global directory history list is released, and a
new, empty list is created the next time you start 4OS2.

If you want the list to be retained in memory even when no command processor
session is running, see the SHRALIAS command, which retains the global alias,
command history, and directory history lists.  SHRALIAS retains the directory
history list in memory, but cannot preserve it when OS/2 itself is shut down.
Take Command always starts with an empty directory history after the system is
restarted.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.6. Automatic Directory Changes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The automatic directory change feature gives you a quick method for changing
directories.  You can use an automatic directory change in place of the CD or
CDD command.  To do so, simply type the name of the directory you want to
change to at the prompt, with a backslash [\] at the end.  For example:

        [c:\] 4os2\
        [c:\4os2]

This feature can make directory changes very simple when it's combined with
CDPATH, a list of directories for the CD and CDD commands to search if the
directory you name does not exist below the current directory.  For example,
suppose CDPATH is set to C:\;D:\;E:\, and the directory WIN exists on drive E:.
You can change to this directory with a single word on the command line:

        [c:\4os2] win\
        [e:\win]

In executing the command shown above, 4OS2 first looks for a WIN subdirectory
of the current directory, i.e., C:\4OS2\WIN.  If no such directory exists it
looks for a WIN subdirectory in every directory in the CDPATH list, and changes
to the first one it finds.

Internally, automatic directory changes use the CDD command, so the text before
the backslash can include a drive letter, a full path, or a partial path.
Commands like "....\" can be used to move up the directory tree quickly (see
Extended Parent Directory Names). Automatic directory changes save the current
directory, so it can be recalled with a "CDD -" or "CD -" command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.7. Multiple Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can type several commands on the same command line, separated by an
ampersand [&].  For example, if you know you want to copy all of your .TXT
files to drive A: and then run CHKDSK to be sure that drive A's file structure
is in good shape, you could enter the following command:

        [c:\] copy *.txt a: & chkdsk a:

You may put as many commands on the command line as you wish, as long as the
total length of the command line does not exceed 1023 characters.

You can use multiple commands in batch files and alias definitions as well as
from the command line.

If you don't like using the default command separator, you can pick another
character using the SETDOS /C command or the CommandSep directive in the .INI
file.  If you plan to share aliases or batch files between 4DOS, 4OS2, and
4DOS/NT, see 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for details about choosing
compatible command separators for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.8. Command-Line Length Limits ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you first enter a command at the prompt or in an alias or batch file, it
can be up to 1,023 characters long.

As 4OS2 scans the command line and substitutes the contents of aliases and
environment variables for their names, the line usually gets longer.  This
expanded line is stored in an internal buffer which allows each individual
command to grow to 1,023 characters during the expansion process.  In addition,
if you have multiple commands on a single line, during expansion the entire
line can grow to as much as 2,047 characters.  If your use of aliases or
environment variables causes the command line to exceed either of these limits
as it is expanded, you will see an error message and the remainder of the line
will not be executed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.9. Page and File Prompts ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Several 4OS2 commands can generate prompts, which wait for you to press a key
to view a new page or to perform a file activity.

When 4OS2 is displaying information in page mode, for example with a DIR /P or
SET /P command, it displays the message

        Press Esc to Quit or any other key to continue...

At this prompt, you can press Esc, Ctrl-C, or Ctrl- Break if you want to quit
the command.  You can press almost any other key to continue with the command
and see the next page of information.

During file processing, if you have activated prompting with a command like DEL
/P, you will see this prompt before processing every file:

        Y/N/R ?

You can answer this prompt by pressing "Y" for "Yes, process this file;"  "N"
for "No, do not process this file;" "R" for "process the Remainder of the files
without further prompting; or "Esc" for "cancel further processing for this
argument."  You can also press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break at this prompt to cancel
the remainder of the command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.10. Conditional Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Conditional commands allow you to perform tasks based upon the previous
command's exit code.  Many programs return a 0 if they are successful and a
non-zero value if they encounter an error.

If you separate two commands by && (AND), the second command will be executed
only if the first returns an exit code of 0.  For example, the following
command will only erase files if the BACKUP operation succeeds:

        [c:\] backup c:\ a: && del c:\*.bak;*.lst

If you separate two commands by || (OR), the second command will be executed
only if the first returns a non-zero exit code. For example, if the following
BACKUP operation fails, then ECHO will display a message:

        [c:\] backup c:\ a: || echo Error in the backup!

All internal commands return an exit code, but not all external programs do.
Conditional commands will behave unpredictably if you use them with external
programs which do not return an explicit exit code.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11. Command Grouping ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Command grouping allows you to logically group a set of commands together by
enclosing them in parentheses.  The parentheses are similar in function to the
BEGIN and END block statements in some programming languages.

There are two primary uses for command grouping.  One is to execute multiple
commands in a place where normally only a single command is allowed.  For
example, suppose you want to copy then rename all the .WKQ files on drives A:
and B: using the FOR command.  You could do it like this:

        [c:\] for %drv in (A B) do copy %drv:*.wkq d:\wksave\
        [c:\] for %drv in (A B) do ren %drv:*.wkq *.old

But with command grouping you can do the same thing in one command (enter this
on one line):

        [c:\] for %drv in (A B) do (copy %drv:*.wkq
             d:\wksave\ & ren %drv:*.wkq *.sav)

The COPY and REN commands enclosed in the parentheses appear to FOR as if they
were a single command, so both commands are executed for every element of the
FOR list.

You can also use command grouping to redirect input or output for several
commands without repeatedly using the redirection symbols.  For example,
consider the following batch file fragment which uses the ECHO command to
create a file (with >), and to append to the file (with >>):

        echo Data files %_date > filelist
        dir *.dat >> filelist
        echo. >> filelist
        echo Text files %_date >> filelist
        dir *.txt >> filelist

Using command grouping, these commands can be written much more simply.  Enter
this example on one line:

        (echo Data files %_date & dir *.dat & echo. & echo Text files
        %_date & dir *.txt) > filelist

The redirection, which appears outside the parentheses, applies to all the
commands within the parentheses.  Because the redirection is performed only
once, the commands will run slightly faster than if each command was entered
separately.  The same approach can be used for input redirection and for
piping.

You can also use command grouping in a batch file or at the prompt to split
commands over several lines.  This last example is like the redirection example
above, but is entered at the prompt.  4OS2 displays a "More?" prompt after each
incomplete line:

        [c:\] (echo Data files %_date
        More? dir *.dat
        More? echo.
        More? echo Text files %_date
        More? dir *.txt) > filelist
        [c:\]

You cannot use the DO command inside a command group.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12. Escape Character ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4OS2 recognizes a user-definable escape character.  This character gives the
following character a special meaning; it is not the same as the ASCII ESC that
is often used in ANSI and printer control sequences.

The default escape character is a caret [^].

If you don't like using the default escape character, you can pick another
character using the SETDOS /E command or the EscapeChar directive in your .INI
file.  If you plan to share aliases or batch files between 4DOS, 4OS2, and
4DOS/NT, see 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for details about choosing
compatible escape characters for two or more products.

Eight special characters are recognized when they are preceded by the escape
character.  The combination of the escape character and one of these characters
is translated to a single character, as shown below.  These are useful for
redirecting codes to the printer; ^e is also useful to generate ANSI "escape
sequences" in your PROMPT, ECHO, or other output commands; and ^r can be used
in keystroke aliases.  The special characters which can follow the escape
character are:

        b   backspace
        c   comma
        e   the ASCII ESC character (ASCII 27)
        f   form feed
        n   line feed
        r   carriage return
        s   space
        t   tab character

 If you follow the escape character with any other character, the escape
 character is removed and the second character is copied directly to the
 command line.  This allows you to suppress the normal meaning of special
 characters (such as ? * / \ | " ` > < and &).

 For example, to send a form feed followed by the sequence ESC Y to the
 printer, you can use this command:

          [c:\] echos ^f^eY > prn


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.13. Critical Errors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

OS/2 watches for physical errors during input and output operations.  Physical
errors are those due to hardware problems, such as trying to read a floppy disk
while the drive door is open.

These errors are called critical errors because OS/2, 4OS2, or your application
program cannot proceed until the error is resolved.

When a critical error occurs, you will see a popup window asking you to choose
an error handling option.  The message comes from OS/2, and will typically
offer you four choices:

        Return error code to program.  Tell the program that the operation
        failed.  This option returns an error code to 4OS2 or to the
        application program that was running when the error occurred.  4OS2
        generally stops the current command when an operation fails.

        End program/command/operation.  Choose this option to stop the program
        that was running when the error occurred.  Choosing this option after
        an error in the 16-bit version of 4OS2 will abort the command, but not
        4OS2 itself.  Choosing it after an error in the 32-bit version of 4OS2
        will abort both the command and 4OS2.

        Retry command or operation.  Choose this option if you have corrected
        the problem.

        Display help.  Display further information on the error.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Redirection and Piping ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section covers redirection and piping.  You can use these features to
change how 4OS2 and some application programs handle input and output.

Internal commands and many external programs get their input from the
computer's standard input device and send their output to the standard output
device.  Some programs also send special messages to the standard error device.
Normally, the keyboard is used for standard input and the video screen for both
standard output and standard error.  Redirection and piping allow you to change
these assignments temporarily.

Redirection

Redirection assigns standard input, standard output, and standard error to a
device like the printer or serial port, or to a file.

Redirection always applies to a specific command, and lasts only for the
duration of that command.  When the command is finished, the assignments for
standard input, standard output, and standard error revert to whatever they
were before the command.

Here are the standard redirection options supported by 4OS2 (see below for
additional redirection options using numeric file handles):

        < filename          To get input from a file or device instead of from
                            the keyboard
        > filename          Redirect standard output to a file or device
        >& filename         Redirect standard output and standard error to a
                            file or device
        >&> filename        Redirect standard error only to a file or device

 To use redirection, place the redirection symbol and filename at the end of
 the command line, after the command name and any parameters.  For example, to
 redirect the output of the DIR command to a file called DIRLIST, you could use
 a command line like this:

          [c:\] dir /b *.dat > dirlist

 You can use both input and output redirection for the same command, if both
 are appropriate:

          [c:\] sort < dirlist > dirlist.srt

 If you redirect the output of a single internal command like DIR, the
 redirection ends automatically when that command is done.  If you start a
 batch file with redirection, all of the batch file's output is redirected, and
 redirection ends when the batch file is done.  Similarly, if you use
 redirection at the end of a command group, all of the output from the command
 group is redirected, and redirection ends when the command group is done.

 If you want to append output to the end of an existing file, rather than
 creating a new file, replace the first ">" in the output redirection symbol
 with ">>" (use >>, >>&, and >>&>).

 When output is directed to a file with >, >&, or >&>, if the file already
 exists, it will be overwritten.  You can protect existing files by using the
 SETDOS /N1 command or the NoClobber directive in the .INI file.

 When output is appended to a file with >>, >>&, or >>&>, the file will be
 created if it doesn't already exist. Setting NoClobber will also prevent the
 creation of a new file.

 You can temporarily override the current setting of NoClobber by using an
 exclamation mark [!] after the redirection symbol. For example, to redirect
 the output of DIR to the file DIROUT, and allow overwriting of any existing
 file despite the NoClobber setting:

          [c:\] dir >! dirout

 Redirection is fully nestable.  For example, you can invoke a batch file and
 redirect all of its output to a file or device.  Output redirection on a
 command within the batch file will take effect for that command only; when the
 command is completed, output will revert to the redirected output file or
 device in use for the batch file as a whole.

 You can use redirection if you need to create a zero-byte file.  To do so,
 enter  >filename as a command, with no actual command before the > character.

 In addition to the standard redirection options, 4OS2 also supports the OS/2
 CMD.EXE syntax:

        n>file      Redirect handle n to the named file
        n>&m        Redirect handle n to the same place as handle m

 [n] and [m] are one-digit file handles between 0 and 9.  You may not put any
 spaces between the n and the >, or between the >, &, and m in the second form.
 OS/2 interprets "0" as standard input, "1" as standard output, and "2" as
 standard error.  Handles 3 to 9 will probably not be useful unless you have an
 application which uses those handles for a specific, documented purpose, or
 have opened a file with the %@FILEOPEN variable function and the file handle
 is between 3 and 9.

 Piping

 You can create a "pipe" to send the standard output of one command to the
 standard input of another command:

        command1 | command2             Send the standard output of command1 to
                                        the standard input of command2
        command1 |& command2            Send the standard output and standard
                                        error of command1 to the standard input
                                        of command2

 For example, to take the output of the SET command (which displays a list of
 your environment variables and their values) and pipe it to the SORT utility
 to generate a sorted list, you would use the command:

          [c:\] set | sort

 To do the same thing and then pipe the sorted list to the internal LIST
 command for full-screen viewing:

          [c:\] set | sort | list /s

 The TEE and Y commands are "pipe fittings" which add more flexibility to
 pipes.

 Like redirection, pipes are fully nestable.  For example, you can invoke a
 batch file and send all of its output to another command with a pipe.  A pipe
 on a command within the batch file will take effect for that command only;
 when the command is completed, output will revert to the pipe in use for the
 batch file as a whole.

 4OS2 implements pipes by starting a new process for the receiving program
 instead of using temporary files.  The sending and receiving programs run
 simultaneously; the sending program writes to the pipe and the receiving
 program reads from the pipe.  When the receiving program finishes reading and
 processing the piped data, it is ended automatically.

 When you use pipes with 4OS2 make sure you think about any possible
 consequences that can occur from using a separate process to run the receiving
 program.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. File Selection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most internal commands (like COPY, DIR, etc.) work on a file or a group of
files.  Besides typing the exact name of the file you want to work with, you
can use several shorthand forms for naming or selecting files.

The features explained in this section apply to 4OS2 commands only, and
generally can not be used to pass file names to external programs unless those
programs were specifically written to support these features.

The file selection features are:

            Extended Parent Directory Names
            Wildcards
            Date, Time, and Size Ranges
            Multiple Filenames
            Include Lists
            Executable Extensions


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1. Extended Parent Directory Names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4OS2 allows you to extend the traditional syntax for naming the parent
directory, by adding additional [.] characters.  Each additional [.] represents
an additional directory level above the current directory.  For example,
.\FILE.DAT refers to a file in the current directory, ..\FILE.DAT refers to a
file one level up (in the parent directory), and ...\FILE.DAT refers to a file
two levels up (in the parent of the parent directory).  If you are in the
C:\DATA\FINANCE\JANUARY directory and want to copy the file LETTERS.DAT from
the directory C:\DATA to drive A:

        [C:\DATA\FINANCE\JANUARY] copy ...\LETTERS.DAT A:


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2. Wildcards ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Wildcards let you specify a file or group of files by typing a partial
filename.  The appropriate directory is scanned to find all of the files that
match the partial name you have specified.

There are two wildcard characters, the asterisk [*] and the question mark [?],
plus a special method of specifying a range of permissible characters.

An asterisk [*] in a filename means "any zero or more characters in this
position."  For example, this command will display a list of all files in the
current directory:

        [c:\] dir *.*

If you want to see all of the files with a .TXT extension, you could type this:

        [c:\] dir *.txt

If you know that the file you are looking for has a base name that begins with
ST and an extension that begins with .D, you can find it this way.  Filenames
such as STATE.DAT, STEVEN.DOC, and ST.D will all be displayed:

        [c:\] dir st*.d*

With 4OS2, you can also use the asterisk to match filenames with specific
letters somewhere inside the name.  The following example will display any file
with a .TXT extension that has the letters AM together anywhere inside its base
name.  It will, for example, display AMPLE.TXT, STAMP.TXT, CLAM.TXT, and AM.TXT
:

        [c:\] dir *am*.txt

A question mark [?] matches any single filename character.  You can put the
question mark anywhere in a filename and use as many question marks as you
need.  The following example will display files with names like LETTER.DOC and
LATTER.DAT, and LITTER.DU :

        [c:\] dir l?tter.d??

The use of an asterisk wildcard before other characters, and of the character
ranges discussed below, are enhancements to the standard wildcard syntax, and
are not likely to work properly with software other than 4OS2.

"Extra" question marks in your wildcard specification are ignored if the file
name is shorter than the wildcard specification.  For example, if you have
files called LETTER.DOC, LETTER1.DOC, and LETTERA.DOC, this command will
display all three names:

        [c:\] dir letter?.doc

The file LETTER.DOC is included in the display because the "extra" question
mark at the end of "LETTER? " is ignored when matching the shorter name LETTER.

In some cases, the question mark wildcard may be too general.  You can also
specify what characters you want to accept (or exclude) in a particular
position in the filename by using square brackets. Inside the brackets, you can
put the individual acceptable characters or ranges of characters.  For example,
if you wanted to match LETTER0.DOC through LETTER9.DOC, you could use this
command:

        [c:\] dir letter[0-9].doc

You could find all files that have a vowel as the second letter in their name
this way.  This example also demonstrates how to mix the wildcard characters:

        [c:\] dir ?[aeiouy]*.*

You can exclude a group of characters or a range of characters by using an
exclamation mark [!] as the first character inside the brackets.  This example
displays all filenames that are at least 2 characters long except those which
have a vowel as the second letter in their names:

        [c:\] dir ?[!aeiouy]*.*

The next example, which selects files such as AIP, BIP, and TIP but not NIP,
demonstrates how you can use multiple ranges inside the brackets.  It will
accept a file that begins with an A, B, C, D, T, U, or V:

        [c:\] dir [a-dt-v]ip

You may use a question mark character inside the brackets, but its meaning is
slightly different than a normal (unbracketed) question mark wildcard.  A
normal question mark wildcard matches any character, but will be ignored when
matching a name shorter than the wildcard specification, as described above.  A
question mark inside brackets will match any character, but will not be
discarded when matching shorter filenames.  For example:

        [c:\] dir letter[?].doc

will display LETTER1.DOC and LETTERA.DOC, but not LETTER.DOC.

A pair of brackets with no characters between them [], or an exclamation point
and question mark together [!?], will match only if there is no character in
that position.  For example,

        [c:\] dir letter[].doc

will not display LETTER1.DOC or LETTERA.DOC, but will display LETTER.DOC.  This
is most useful for commands like

        [c:\] dir /I"[]" *.btm

which will display a list of all .BTM files which don't have a description.

You can repeat any of the wildcard characters in any combination you desire
within a single file name.  For example, the following command lists all files
which have an A, B, or C as the third character, followed by zero or more
additional characters, followed by a D, E, or F, followed optionally by some
additional characters, and with an extension beginning with P or Q.  You
probably won't need to do anything this complex, but we've included it to show
you the flexibility of extended wildcards:

        [c:\] dir ??[abc]*[def]*.[pq]*

You can also use the square bracket wildcard syntax to work around a conflict
between HPFS filenames containing semicolons [;], and the use of a semicolon to
indicate an include list. For example, if you have a file on an HPFS drive
named C:\DATA\LETTER1;V2 and you enter this command:

        [c:\] del \data\letter1;v2

you will not get the results you expect.  Instead of deleting the named file,
4OS2 will attempt to delete LETTER1 and then V2, because the semicolon
indicates an include list.  However if you use square brackets around the
semicolon it will be interpreted as a filename character, and not as an include
list separator.  For example, this command would delete C:\DATA\LETTER1;V2 :

        [c:\] del \data\letter1[;]v2


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3. Date, Time, and Size Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most internal commands which accept wild cards also allow date, time, and size
ranges to further define the files that you wish to work with.  4OS2 will
examine the files' timestamps (which record when the file was last modified),
and the files' sizes, to determine which files meet the range criteria that you
specify.

A range begins with the switch character (/), followed by a left square bracket
("[") and a character that specifies the range type:  "s" for a size range, "d"
for a date range, or "t" for a time range.  The "s", "d", or "t" is followed by
a start value, and an optional comma and end value.  The range ends with a
right square bracket ("]").

See the individual range types for details on specifying ranges:

            Size Ranges
            Date Ranges
            Time Ranges

 Using Ranges

 If you combine two types of ranges, a file must satisfy both ranges to be
 included.  For example, /[d2-8-95,2-9-95] /[s1024,2048] means files last
 modified between February 8 and February 9, 1995, which are also between 1,024
 and 2,048 bytes long.

 When you use a date, time, or size range in a command, it should immediately
 follow the command name.  Unlike some command switches which apply to only
 part of the command line, the range usually applies to all file names
 specified for the command.  Any exceptions are noted in the descriptions of
 individual commands.

 For example, to get a directory of all the *.C files dated October 1, 1994,
 you could use this command:

          [c:\] dir /[d10-1-94,+0] *.c

 To delete all of the 0-byte files on your hard disk, you could use this
 command:

          [c:\] del /[s0,0] *.* /s

 And to copy all of the non-zero byte files that you changed yesterday or today
 to your floppy disk, you can use this command:

          [c:\] copy /[d-1] /[s1] *.* a:

 The HPFS file system maintains 3 sets of dates and times for each file:
 creation, last access, and last modification.  By default, date and time
 ranges work with the last modification time stamp. You can use the "last
 access" (a) or "created" (c) time stamp in a date or time range with the
 syntax:

          /[da...]  or  /[dc...]  or  /[ta...]  or  /[tc...]

 For example, to select files that were last accessed yesterday or today:

          /[da-1]

 Date, time, and size ranges can be used with the ATTRIB, COPY, DEL, DESCRIBE,
 DIR, EXCEPT, FFIND, FOR, LIST, MOVE, RD, REN, SELECT, and TYPE commands.  They
 cannot be used with filename completion or in filename arguments for variable
 functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3.1. Size Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Size ranges simply select files whose size is between the limits given.  For
example, /[s10000,20000] selects files between 10,000 and 20,000 bytes long.

Either or both values in a size range can end with "k" to indicate thousands of
bytes, "K" to indicate kilobytes (1,024 bytes), "m" to indicate millions of
bytes, or "M" to indicate megabytes (1,048,576 bytes).  For example, the range
above could be rewritten as /[s10k,20k].

All ranges are inclusive.  Both examples above will match files that are
exactly 10,000 bytes and 20,000 bytes long, as well as all sizes in between.

The second argument of a size range is optional.  If you use a single argument,
like /[s10k], you will select files of that size or larger.  You can also
precede the second argument with a plus sign [+]; when you do, it is added to
the first value to determine the largest file size to include in the search.
For example,  /[s10k,+1k] select files from 10,000 through 11,000 bytes in
size.

Some further examples of size ranges:

        Specification       Selects Files

        /[s0,0]             of length zero (empty)
        /[s1M]              1 megabyte or more in length
        /[s10k,+200]        between 10,000 and 10,200 bytes


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3.2. Date Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Date ranges select files that were created or last modified at any time between
the two dates.  For example, /[d12-1-94,12-5-94] selects files that were last
modified between December 1, 1994, and December 5, 1994.

The time for the starting date defaults to 00:00:00 and the time for the ending
date defaults to 23:59:59.  You can alter these defaults, if you wish, by
including a start and stop time inside the date range.  The time is separated
from the date with an at sign [@].  For example, the range
/[d7-1-95@8:00a,7-3-95@6:00p] selects files that were modified at any time
between 8:00 am on July 1, 1995 and 6:00 pm on July 3, 1995.  If you prefer,
you can specify the times in 24-hour format (e.g., @18:00 for the end time in
the previous example).

If you omit the second argument in a date range, 4OS2 substitutes the current
date and time.  For example, /[d10-1-94] selects files dated between October 1,
1994 and today.

You can use an offset value for either the beginning or ending date, or both.
An offset begins with a plus sign [+] or a minus sign [-] followed by an
integer.  If you use an offset for the second value, it is calculated relative
to the first.  If you use an offset for the first (or only) value, the current
date is used as the basis for calculation.  For example:

        Specification       Selects Files

        /[d10-27-94,+3]     modified between 10-27-94 and 10-30-94
        /[d10-27-94,-3]     modified between 10-24-94 and 10-27-94
        /[d-0]              modified today (from today minus zero days, to today)
        /[d-1]              modified yesterday or today (from today minus one day,
                            to today)
        /[d-1,+0]           modified yesterday (from today minus one day, to zero
                            days after that)

You cannot use offsets in the time portion of a date range (the part after an
at sign), but you can combine a time with a date offset.  For example,
/[d12-8-94@12:00,+2@12:00] selects files that were last modified between noon
on December 8 and noon on December 10, 1994.  Similarly, /[d-2@15:00,+1]
selects files last modified between 3:00 pm the day before yesterday and the
end of the day one day after that, i.e., yesterday.  The second time defaults
to the end of the day because no time is given.

The HPFS file system maintains 3 sets of dates and times for each file:
creation, last access, and last modification.  By default, date ranges work
with the last modification date/time stamp.  You can use the "last access" (a)
or "created" (c) date/time stamp in a date range with the syntax:

        /[da...]  or  /[dc...]

For example, to select files that were last accessed yesterday or today:

        /[da-1]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3.3. Time Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A time range specifies a file modification time without reference to the date.
For example, to select files modified between noon and 2:00 pm on any date, use
/[t12:00p,2:00p].  The times in a time range can either be in 12-hour format,
with a trailing "a" for AM or "p" for PM, or in 24-hour format.

If you omit the second argument in a time range, you will select files that
were modified between the first time and the current time, on any date.  You
can also use offsets, beginning with a plus sign [+] or a minus sign [-] for
either or both of the arguments in a time range.  The offset values are
interpreted as minutes.  Some examples:

        Specification       Selects Files

        /[t12:00p,+120]     modified between noon and 2:00 PM on any date
        /[t-120,+120]       modified between two hours ago and the
                            current time on any date
        /[t0:00,11:59]      modified in the morning on any date
The HPFS file system maintains 3 sets of date and time for each file: creation,
last access, and last modification.  By default, time ranges work with the last
modification time stamp.  You can use the "last access" (a) or "created" (c)
time stamp in a time range with the syntax:

        /[ta...]  or  /[tc...]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4. Multiple Filenames ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most file processing commands can work with multiple files at one time.  To use
multiple file names, you simply list the files one after another on the command
line, separated by spaces.  You can use wildcards in any or all of the
filenames.  For example, to copy all .TXT and .DOC files from the current
directory to drive A, you could use this command:

        [c:\] copy *.txt *.doc a:

If the files you want to work with are not in the default directory, you must
include the full path with each filename:

        [c:\] copy a:\details\file1.txt a:\details\file1.doc c:

Multiple filenames are handy when you want to match a group of files which
cannot be defined with a single filename and wildcards.  They let you be very
specific about which files you want to work with in a command.

When you use multiple filenames with a command that expects both a source and a
destination, like COPY or MOVE, be sure that you always include a specific
destination on the command line.  If you don't, the command will assume that
the last filename is the destination and may overwrite important files.

Like extended wildcards and include lists, the multiple filename feature will
work with internal commands but not with external programs, unless those
programs have been written to handle multiple file names on the command line.

If you have a list of files to process that's too long to put on the command
line or too time-consuming to type, see the SELECT command for another way of
passing multiple file names to a command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.5. Include Lists ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Any internal command that accepts multiple filenames will also accept one or
more include lists.  An include list is simply a group of filenames, with or
without wildcards, separated by semicolons [;].  All files in the include list
must be in the same directory.  You may not add a space on either side of the
semicolon.

For example, you can shorten this command which uses multiple file names:

        c:\> copy a:\details\file1.txt a:\details\file1.doc c:

to this using an include list:

        c:\> copy a:\details\file1.txt;file1.doc c:

Multiple filenames and include lists are processed differently by the DIR and
SELECT commands. If you use multiple filenames, all of the files matching the
first filename are processed, then all of the files matching the second name,
and so on.  When you use an include list, all files that match any entry in the
include list are processed together, and will appear together in the directory
display or SELECT list.  You can see this difference clearly if you experiment
with both techniques and the DIR command.  For example,

        [c:\] dir *.txt *.doc

will list all the .TXT files with a directory header, the file list, and a
summary of the total number of files and bytes used.  Then it will do the same
for the .DOC files.  However,

        [c:\] dir *.txt;*.doc

will display all the files in one list.

Like extended wildcards and multiple filenames, the include list feature will
work with internal commands, but not with external programs (unless they have
been programmed especially to support it).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6. Executable Extensions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 The syntax for creating an executable extension is:

        set .ext=command [options]

This tells 4OS2 to run the specified command whenever you name a file with the
extension .ext at the prompt.

.EXT is the executable file extension; command is the name of the internal
command, external program, alias, or batch file to run; and [options] are any
command-line startup options you want to specify for the program, batch file,
or alias.

Normally, when you type a filename (as opposed to an alias or internal command
name) as the first word on the command line, 4OS2 looks for a file with that
name to execute.  The file's extension may be .EXE or .COM to indicate that it
contains a program, it may have a batch file extension like .BTM, or the file's
contents may indicate that it is executable.

You can add to this default list of extensions, and have 4OS2 take the action
you want with files that are not executable programs or batch files.  The
action taken is always based on the file's extension.  For example, you could
start your text editor whenever you type the name of a .DOC file, or start your
database manager whenever you type the name of a .DAT file.

Environment variables define the internal command, external program, batch
file, or alias to run for each defined file extension.  To create an executable
extension, use the SET command to create a new environment variable.  An
environment variable is recognized as an executable extension if its name
begins with a period.

For example, if you want to run a word processor called EDITOR whenever you
type the name of a file that has an extension of .EDT, you could use this
command:

        [c:\] set .edt=c:\edit\editor.exe

If the command specified in an executable extension is a batch file or external
program, 4OS2 will search the PATH for it if necessary.  However, you can make
sure that the correct program or batch file is used, and speed up the
executable extension, by specifying the full name including drive, path,
filename, and extension.

Once an executable extension is defined, any time you name a file with that
extension the corresponding program, batch file, or alias is started, with the
name of your file passed to it as a parameter.

The following example defines QBASIC.EXE as the processor for .BAS files:

        [c:\] set .bas=c:\dos\qbasic.exe /run

With this definition, if you have a file named PUSHCART.BAS in the current
directory and enter the command:

        [c:\] pushcart

4OS2 will execute the command:

        c:\dos\qbasic.exe /run pushcart.bas

The next example defines B.EXE (the Brief text editor) as the processor for .C
files:

        [c:\] set .c=c:\brief\b.exe -Mxyz

Now, if you have a file called HELLO.C and enter the command

        [c:\] hello -i30

This will be expanded to:

        c:\brief\b.exe -Mxyz hello.c -i30

Notice that the text from the .C environment variable is inserted at the
beginning of the line, including any options, followed by the original file
name plus its extension, and then the remainder of the original command line.

In order for executable extensions to work, the command, program, batch file,
or alias must be able to interpret the command line properly.  For example, if
a program you want to run doesn't accept a file name on its command line as
shown in these examples, then executable extensions won't work with that
program.

Executable extensions may include wildcards, so you could, for example, run
your text editor for any file with an extension beginning with T by defining an
executable extension called .T*.  Extended wildcards (e.g., DO[CT] for .DOC and
.DOT files) may also be used.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A batch file is a file that contains a list of commands to execute.  4OS2 reads
and interprets each line as if it had been typed at the keyboard.  Like
aliases, batch files are handy for automating computing tasks.  Unlike aliases,
batch files can be as long as you wish.  Batch files take up separate disk
space for each file, and can't usually execute quite as quickly as aliases,
since they must be read from the disk.

The topics included in this section are:

            .BAT, .CMD, and .BTM Files
            Echoing in Batch Files
            Batch File Line Continuation
            Batch File Parameters
            Automatic Batch Files
            Detecting 4OS2
            Batch File Compression
            Argument Quoting
            4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility
            REXX Support
            EXTPROC Support


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.1. .BAT, .CMD, and .BTM Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A batch file can run in two different modes.  In the first, traditional mode,
each line of the batch file is read and executed individually.  In the second
mode, the entire batch file is read into memory at once.  The second mode can
be 5 to 10 times faster, especially if most of the commands in the batch file
are internal commands.  However, only the first mode can be used for
self-modifying batch files (which are rare), and for batch files larger than
64K bytes.

The batch file's extension determines its mode.  Files with a .CMD extension
are run in the slower, traditional mode.  Files with a .BTM extension are run
in the faster, more efficient mode.  You can change the execution mode inside a
batch file with the LOADBTM command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.2. Echoing in Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

By default, each line in a batch file is displayed or "echoed" as it is
executed.  You can change this behavior, if you want, in several different
ways:

        Any batch file line that begins with an [@] symbol will not be
        displayed.

        The display can be turned off and on within a batch file with the ECHO
        OFF and ECHO ON commands.

        The default setting can be changed with the SETDOS /V command or the
        BatchEcho directive in the .INI file.

 For example, the following line turns off echoing inside a batch file.  The
 [@] symbol keeps the batch file from displaying the ECHO OFF command:

          @echo off

 4OS2 also has a command line echo that is unrelated to the batch file echo
 setting.  See ECHO for details about both settings.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.3. Batch File Line Continuation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4OS2 will combine multiple lines in the batch file into a single line for
processing when you include the escape character as the very last character of
each line to be combined (except the last). The default escape character is the
caret [^].  For example:

        echo The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy^
        sleeping^
        dog. > alphabet

You cannot use this technique to extend a batch file line beyond the normal
line length limit of 1,023 characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.4. Batch File Parameters ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Like aliases and application programs, batch files can examine the command line
that is used to invoke them.  The command tail (everything on the command line
after the batch file name) is separated into individual parameters (also called
arguments or batch variables) by scanning for the spaces, tabs, and commas that
separate the parameters.  A batch file can work with the individual parameters
or with the command tail as a whole.

These parameters are numbered from %1 to %127.  %1 refers to the first
parameter on the command line, %2 to the second, and so on.  It is up to the
batch file to determine the meaning of each parameter.  You can use quotation
marks to pass spaces, tabs, commas, and other special characters in a batch
file parameter; see Argument Quoting for details.

Parameters that are referred to in a batch file, but which are missing on the
command line, appear as empty strings inside the batch file.  For example, if
you start a batch file and put two parameters on the command line, any
reference in the batch file to %3, or any higher-numbered parameter, will be
interpreted as an empty string.

A batch file can also work with three special parameters:  %0 contains the name
of the batch file as it was entered on the command line, %# contains the number
of command line arguments, and %n$ contains the complete command-line tail
starting with argument number "n" (for example, %3$ means the third parameter
and all those after it).  The default value of "n" is 1, so %$ contains the
entire command tail.  The values of these special parameters will change if you
use the SHIFT command.

By default, 4DOS uses an ampersand [&] instead of a dollar sign [$] to indicate
the remainder of the command tail.  For example, %& means all the parameters,
and %2& means the second parameter and all those after it.  If you want to
share batch files or aliases between 4DOS and 4OS2, you can select a new
character for any product with the SETDOS /P command or the ParameterChar
directive in your .INI file.

For example, if your batch file interprets the first argument as a subdirectory
name then the following line would move to the specified directory:

        cd %1

Batch files can also use environment variables, internal variables, and
variable functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.5. Automatic Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each time 4OS2 starts as either a primary or a secondary shell, it looks for an
automatic batch file called 4START.BTM or 4START.CMD.  If the 4START batch file
is not in the same directory as 4OS2 itself, you should use the 4StartPath
directive in your .INI file to specify its location.  4START is optional, so
4OS2 will not display an error message if it cannot find the file.

Whenever a 4OS2 shell ends, it runs a third automatic batch file called
4EXIT.BTM, 4EXIT.CMD.  This file, if you use it, should be in the same
directory as your 4START batch file.  Like 4START, 4EXIT is optional.  It is
not necessary in most circumstances, but it is a convenient place to put
commands to save information such as a history list before a shell ends, or LOG
the end of the shell.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.6. Detecting 4OS2 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

From a batch file, you can determine if 4OS2 is loaded by testing for the
variable function @EVAL, with a test like this:

        if "%@eval[2+2]" == "4" echo 4OS2 is loaded!

This test can never succeed in CMD.EXE. Other variable functions could be used
for the same purpose.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.7. Batch File Compression ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can compress your .BTM files with a program called BATCOMP.EXE, which is
distributed with 4OS2.  This program condenses batch files by about a third and
makes them unreadable with the LIST command and similar utilities.  Compressed
batch files run at approximately the same speed as regular .BTM files.

You may want to consider compressing batch files if you need to distribute them
to others and keep your original code secret or prevent your users from
altering them.  You may also want to consider compressing batch files to save
some disk space on the systems where the compressed files are used.

The full syntax for the batch compression program is

        BATCOMP [/O] input file [output file ]

You must specify the full name of the input file, including its extension, on
the BATCOMP command line.  If you do not specify the output file, BATCOMP will
use the same base name as the input file and add a .BTM extension.  BATCOMP
will also add a .BTM extension if you specify a base name for the output file
without an extension.  For example, to compress MYBATCH.CMD and save the result
as MYBATCH.BTM, you can use any of these three commands:

        [c:\] batcomp mybatch.cmd
        [c:\] batcomp mybatch.cmd mybatch
        [c:\] batcomp mybatch.cmd mybatch.btm

If the output file (MYBATCH.BTM in the examples above) already exists, BATCOMP
will prompt you before overwriting the file.  You can disable the prompt by
including /O on the BATCOMP command line immediately before the input file
name.  Even if you use the /O option, BATCOMP will not compress a file into
itself.

JP Software does not provide a decompression utility to decompress batch files.
If you use BATCOMP.EXE, make sure that you also keep a copy of the original
batch file for future inspection or modification.

Each of our command processors includes its own version of BATCOMP.EXE, set up
to run under the corresponding operating system. However, the output produced
by each program is the same, so a batch file compressed with any version of
BATCOMP can be used with any JP Software command processor.

If you plan to distribute batch files to users of different platforms, see
4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.8. Argument Quoting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

As it parses the command line, 4OS2 looks for the ampersand [&] command
separator, conditional commands (|| or &&), white space (spaces, tabs, and
commas), percent signs [%] which indicate variables to be expanded, and
redirection and piping characters (>, <, or |).

Normally, these special characters cannot be passed to a command as part of an
argument.  However, you can include any of the special characters in an
argument by enclosing the entire argument in single back quotes [`] or double
quotes ["].  Although both back quotes and double quotes will let you build
arguments that include special characters, they do not work the same way.

No alias or variable expansion is performed on an argument enclosed in back
quotes.  Redirection symbols inside the back quotes are ignored.  The back
quotes are removed from the command line before the command is executed.

No alias expansion is performed on expressions enclosed in double quotes.
Redirection symbols inside double quotes are ignored. However, variable
expansion is performed on expressions inside double quotes.  The double quotes
themselves will be passed to the command as part of the argument.

For example, suppose you have a batch file CHKNAME.BTM which expects a name as
its first parameter (%1).  Normally the name is a single word.  If you need to
pass a two-word name with a space in it to this batch file you could use the
command:

        [c:\] chkname `MY NAME`

Inside the batch file, %1 will have the value MY NAME, including the space.
The back quotes caused 4OS2 to pass the string to the batch file as a single
argument.  The quotes keep characters together and reduce the number of
arguments in the line.

When an alias is defined in a batch file or from the command line, its argument
can be enclosed in back quotes to prevent the expansion of replaceable
parameters, variables, and multiple commands until the alias is invoked.  See
ALIAS for details.

You can disable and re-enable back quotes and double quotes with the SETDOS /X
command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.9. 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If you use two or more of our products, or if you want to share aliases and
batch files with users of different products, you need to be aware of the
differences in three important characters:  the Command Separator (see Multiple
Commands), the Escape Character (see Escape Character), and the Parameter
Character (see Batch File Parameters).

The default values of each of these characters in each product is shown in the
following chart (in this section, <Ctrl-X> stands for the ASCII Ctrl-X
character, numeric value 24.  This character appears on your screen as an
up-arrow [].):

        Character           4DOS Default   4OS2 and 4NT Default

        Command Separator        ^              &
        Escape Character         <Ctrl-X>       ^
        Parameter Character      &              $

[JP Software's graphical command processors (Take Command/16 for Windows 3.x,
Take Command/32 for Windows NT and Windows 95, and Take Command for OS/2) use
the same default characters.  Take Command/16 uses the 4DOS characters, and
Take Command/32 and Take Command for OS/2 use the 4OS2 and 4DOS/NT characters.]

In your batch files and aliases, and even at the command line, you can smooth
over these differences in two ways:

        *   Select a consistent set of characters with .INI file configuration
            directives or the SETDOS command.  For example, to set the 4OS2
            characters to match 4DOS, use:

                                CommandSep = ^
                                EscapeChar = <Ctrl-X>
                                ParameterChar = &

            in 4OS2.INI.

        *   Use internal variables that contain the current special character,
            rather than using the character itself (see + and =).  For example,
            this command:

                                if "%1" == "" (echo Argument missing! ^ quit)

            will only work if the command separator is a caret. However, this
            version works regardless of the current command separator:

                                if "%1" == "" (echo Argument missing! %+ quit)


 The following chart shows the correspondence between the appropriate SETDOS
 command options, .INI file directives, and internal variables:

          Special                 SETDOS   INI File     Internal
          Character               Switch   Directive    Variable

          Command Separator        /C      CommandSep     %+
          Escape Character         /E      EscapeChar     %=
          Parameter Character      /P      ParameterChar  (none)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.10. REXX Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

REXX is a a powerful file and text processing language developed by IBM, and
available on many PC and other platforms.  REXX is an ideal extension to the
4OS2 batch language, especially if you need advanced string processing
capabilities.

The REXX language is not built into 4OS2.  Under IBM OS/2 1.3 and above you can
use the built-in REXX language provided by IBM, or use Personal REXX for OS/2,
developed by Quercus Systems of Saratoga, CA.  (Personal REXX is available from
JP Software or directly from Quercus Systems.)

REXX programs are stored in .CMD files.  4OS2 checks to see if the first two
characters on the first line of a .CMD file are [/*], the beginning of a REXX
comment.  If so, it passes the file to OS/2's built-in REXX facility for
processing.  If Personal REXX for OS/2 is installed, it automatically replaces
OS/2's built-in REXX, and handles all REXX commands passed by 4OS2.

Both Personal REXX and OS/2's built-in REXX extend the interface between REXX
and 4OS2 by allowing you to invoke 4OS2 commands from within a REXX program.
For details, or for more information on any aspect of REXX, see your Personal
REXX or OS/2 REXX documentation.

You can run additional batch files from within your REXX program. .CMD files
can be run by placing the name of the file on a line by itself in single
quotes, for example:

        `mybatch.cmd`

.BTM files cannot be run with this method, because the REXX processor does not
recognize the .BTM extension (this is not a limitation of 4OS2).  To start a
.BTM file from a REXX file, use the CALL command, for example:

        `call mybatch.btm`


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.11. EXTPROC Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4OS2 offers an external processor (EXTPROC) option for batch files that lets
you define an external program to process a particular .CMD file.  To identify
a .CMD file to be used with an external processor, place the string "EXTPROC"
as the first word on the first line of the file, followed by the name of the
external program that should be called.  4OS2 will start the program and pass
it the name of the .CMD file and any command-line arguments that were entered.

For example, suppose GETDATA.CMD contains the following lines:

        EXTPROC D:\DATAACQ\DATALOAD.EXE
        OPEN PORT1
        READ 4000
        DISKWRITE D:\DATAACQ\PORT1\RAW

Then if you entered the command:

        [d:\dataacq] getdata /p17

4OS2 would read the GETDATA.CMD file, determine that it began with an EXTPROC
command, read the name of the processor program, and then execute the command:

        D:\DATAACQ\DATALOAD.EXE D:\DATAACQ\GETDATA.CMD /p17

The hypothetical DATALOAD.EXE program would then be responsible for reopening
the GETDATA.CMD file, ignoring the EXTPROC line at the start, and interpreting
the other instructions in the file. It would also have to respond appropriately
to the command-line parameter entered (/p17).

Do not try to use 4OS2 as the external processor named on the EXTPROC line in
the .CMD file.  It will interpret the EXTPROC line as a command to re-open
themselves.  The result will be an infinite loop that will continue until the
computer runs out of resources and locks up.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. The Environment ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The environment is a collection of information about your computer that every
program receives.  Each entry in the environment consists of a variable name,
followed by an equal sign and a string of text.  You can automatically
substitute the text for the variable name in any command.  To create the
substitution, include a percent sign [%] and a variable name on the command
line or in an alias or batch file.

The following environment variables have special meanings in 4OS2:

            CDPATH
            CMDLINE
            COLORDIR
            COMSPEC
            PATH
            PROMPT

 4OS2 also supports two special types of variables.  Internal variables are
 similar to environment variables, but are stored internally within 4OS2, and
 are not visible in the environment.  They provide information about your
 system for use in batch files and aliases.  Variable functions are referenced
 like environment variables, but perform additional functions like file
 handling, string manipulation and arithmetic calculations.

 The SET command is used to create environment variables. For example, you can
 create a variable named BACKUP like this:

          [c:\] set BACKUP=*.bak;*.bk!;*.bk

 If you then type

          [c:\] del %BACKUP

 it is equivalent to the following command:

          del *.bak;*.bk!;*.bk

 The variable names you use this way may contain any alphabetic or numeric
 characters, the underscore character [_], and the dollar sign [$].  You can
 force acceptance of other characters by including the full variable name in
 square brackets, like this: %[AB##2].  You can also "nest" environment
 variables using square brackets.  For example %[%var1] means "the contents of
 the variable whose name is stored in VAR1".  A variable referenced with this
 technique cannot contain more than 255 characters of information.  Nested
 variable expansion can be disabled with the SETDOS /X command.

 In 4OS2 the size of the environment is set automatically, and increased as
 needed when you add variables.

 The trailing percent sign that was traditionally required for environment
 variable names is not usually required in 4OS2, which accept any character
 that cannot be part of a variable name as the terminator.  However, the
 trailing percent can be used to maintain compatibility.

 The trailing percent sign is needed if you want to join two variable values.
 The following examples show the possible interactions between variables and
 literal strings.  First, create two environment variables called ONE and TWO
 this way:

          [c:\] set ONE=abcd
          [c:\] set TWO=efgh

 Now the following combinations produce the output text shown:

          %ONE%TWO            abcdTWO   ("%ONE%" + "TWO")
          %ONE%TWO%           abcdTWO   ("%ONE%" + "TWO%")
          %ONE%%TWO           abcdefgh  ("%ONE%" + "%TWO")
          %ONE%%TWO%          abcdefgh  ("%ONE%" + "%TWO%")
          %ONE%[TWO]          abcd[TWO] ("%ONE%" + "[TWO]")
          %ONE%[TWO]%         abcd[TWO] ("%ONE%" + "[TWO]%")
          %[ONE]%TWO          abcdefgh  ("%[ONE]" + "%TWO")
          %[ONE]%TWO%         abcdefgh  ("%[ONE]" + "%TWO%")

 If you want to pass a percent sign to a command, or a string which includes a
 percent sign, you must use two percent signs in a row. Otherwise, the single
 percent sign will be seen as the beginning of a variable name and will not be
 passed on to the command.  For example, to display the string "We're with you
 100%" you would use the command:

          echo We're with you 100%%

 You can also use back quotes around the text, rather than a double percent
 sign.  See Argument Quoting for details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.1. CDPATH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CDPATH tells 4OS2 where to search for directories specified by the CD, CDD, and
PUSHD commands and in automatic directory changes.  (_CDPATH can be used as an
alternative to CDPATH if you are using Microsoft Bookshelf, which uses a CDPATH
variable for its own purposes.)

CDPATH is composed of a list of directories, separated by semicolons [;].  If
CD, CDD, PUSHD, or an automatic directory change can't locate the specified
directory to change to, they will append the specified directory name to each
directory in CDPATH and attempt to change to that drive and directory, until
the first match or the end of the CDPATH argument.  This allows you to use
CDPATH as a quick way to find commonly used subdirectories which have unique
names.  For example, if you are currently in the directory
C:\WP\LETTERS\JANUARY and you'd like to change to D:\SOFTWARE\UTIL, you could
enter the command:

        [c:\wp\letters\january] cdd d:\software\util

However, if the D:\SOFTWARE directory is listed in your CDPATH variable, and is
the first directory in the list with a UTIL subdirectory, you can simply enter
the command

        [c:\wp\letters\january] cdd util

to change to D:\SOFTWARE\UTIL.

You can create CDPATH with the SET command.  For example, if you want the
directory change commands to search the C:\DATA directory, the D:\SOFTWARE
directory, and the root directory of drive E:\ for the subdirectories that you
name, you should create CDPATH with this command:

        [c:\] set cdpath=c:\data;d:\software;e:\


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2. CMDLINE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CMDLINE is the fully expanded text of the currently executing command line.
CMDLINE is set just before invoking any .COM, .EXE, .BTM, .BAT, or .CMD file.
If a command line is prefaced with an "@" to prevent echoing, it will not be
put in CMDLINE, and any previous CMDLINE variable will be removed from the
environment.


═══ 10.3.  COLORDIR ═══

COLORDIR controls directory display colors used by DIR and SELECT.  See
Color-Coded Directories for a complete description of the format of this
variable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.4. COMSPEC ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

COMSPEC contains the full path and name of 4OS2.  For example, if 4OS2 is
stored in the directory C:\4OS2, the COMSPEC variable should be set to
C:\4OS2\4OS2.EXE.  COMSPEC is used by applications which need to find 4OS2 to
implement a "shell to the command prompt" feature.

You can set the COMSPEC variable by specifying the COMSPEC path with a SET
COMSPEC command in CONFIG.SYS, or including the COMSPEC path on the 4OS2
startup command line.


═══ 10.5.  PATH ═══

PATH is a list of directories that 4OS2 will search for executable files that
aren't in the current directory.  PATH may also be used by some application
programs to find their own files. See the PATH command for a full description
of this variable.


═══ 10.6.  PROMPT ═══

PROMPT defines the command-line prompt.  It can be set or changed with the
PROMPT command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Internal Variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Internal variables are special variables built into 4OS2 to provide information
about your system.  They are not actually stored in the environment, but can be
used in commands, aliases, and batch files just like any environment variable.
The values of these variables are stored internally in 4OS2, and cannot be
changed with the SET, UNSET, or ESET command.  However, you can override any of
these variables by defining a new variable with the same name.

The list below gives a one-line description of each variable, and a
cross-reference which selects a full screen help topic on that variable. Most
of the variables are simple enough that the one-line description is sufficient.
However, for those variables marked with an asterisk [*], the cross-reference
topic contains some additional information you may wish to review.  You can
also obtain help on any variable with a HELP variablename command at the prompt
(this is why each variable has its own topic, in addition to its appearance in
the list below).

See the discussion after the variable list for some additional information, and
examples of how these variables can be used.

The variables are:

Hardware status

        _CPU            CPU type (86, 186, 200, 386, 486, 586)
        _MONITOR        Monitor type (mono or color)
        _NDP            Coprocessor type (0, 87, 287, 387)
        _VIDEO          Video board type (mono, cga, ega, vga, xga, 8514, or
                        IA/A)

 Operating system and software status

        _ANSI           ANSI status (always 1 in 4OS2)
        _BOOT           Boot drive letter, without a colon
        _CI             Current cursor shape in insert mode
        _CO             Current cursor shape in overstrike mode
        _CODEPAGE       Current code page number
        _COUNTRY        Current country code
        _DOS            * Operating system (DOS, OS2, etc.)
        _DOSVER         * Operating system version (2.1, 3.0, etc.)
        _KBHIT          Keystroke waiting in buffer (0 or 1)
        _MOUSE          Mouse driver flag (always 1 in 4OS2)

 Command processor status

        _4VER           4OS2 version (2.5, 2.51, etc.)
        _BATCH          Batch nesting level
        _BATCHLINE      Current line number in current batch file
        _BATCHNAME      Name of current batch file
        _DNAME          Name of file used to store file descriptions
        _HLOGFILE       Current history log file name
        _LOGFILE        Current log file name
        _PID            4OS2 process ID (numeric)
        _PIPE           Whether running in a pipe
        _PPID           Parent process ID (numeric)
        _PTYPE          OS/2 session type (AVIO, DT, FS, PM)
        _SHELL          Shell level (0, 1, 2, ...)
        _SID            Current OS/2 session ID
        _TRANSIENT      * Transient shell flag (0 or 1)
        _WINTITLE       Current window title

 Screen and color

        _BG             Background color at cursor position
        _COLUMN         Current cursor column
        _COLUMNS        Screen width
        _FG             Foreground color at cursor position
        _ ROW           Current cursor row
        _ROWS           Screen height

 Drives and directories

        _CWD            Current drive and directory (d:\path)
        _CWDS           Current drive and directory with trailing \ (d:\path\)
        _CWP            Current directory (\path)
        _CWPS           Current directory with trailing \ (\path\)
        _DISK           Current drive (C, D, etc.)
        _LASTDISK       Last possible drive (E, F, etc.)

 Dates and times

        _DATE           * Current date (mm-dd-yy)
        _DAY            Day of the month (1 - 31)
        _DOW            Day of the week (Mon, Tue, Wed, etc.)
        _DOY            Day of the year (1 - 366)
        _HOUR           Hour (0 - 23)
        _MINUTE         Minute (0 - 59)
        _MONTH          Month of the year (1 - 12)
        _SECOND         Second (0 - 59)
        _TIME           * Current time (hh:mm:ss)
        _YEAR           Year (1980 - 2099)

 Error codes

        ?               * Exit code, last external program
        _?              * Exit code, last internal command
        _SYSERR         * Last OS/2 error code

 Compatibility

        =               * Substitutes escape character
        +               * Substitutes command separator

 Examples

 You can use these variables in a wide variety of ways depending on your needs.
 Here are just a few examples.  Some of these examples rely on the IF and IFF
 commands to test the value of a variable and perform different actions based
 on that value.

 In a batch file, set the color based on the video card type:

          iff "%_video"=="mono" then
            color bright white on black
          else
            color bright white on blue
          endiff

 Store the current date and time in a file, then save the output of a DIR
 command in the same file:

          echo Directory as of %_date %_time > dirsave
          dir >> dirsave

 Set up a prompt for the primary shell which displays the time and current
 directory, and a different one for secondary shells which includes the shell
 level rather than the time (see PROMPT for details about setting the prompt).
 Also set different background colors for the two shells, without changing the
 foreground color.  You might use a sequence like this in your 4START file (see
 Automatic Batch Files):

          iff %_shell==0 then
            prompt $t $p$g
            color %_fg on blue
          else
            prompt [$z] $p$g
            color %_fg on cyan
          endiff


═══ 11.1.  ? ═══

? contains the exit code of the last external command.  Many programs return a
"0" to indicate success and a non-zero value to signal an error.  However, not
all programs return an exit code.  If no explicit exit code is returned, the
value of %? is undefined.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.2. _? ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_? contains the exit code of the last internal command.  It is set to "0" if
the command was successful, "1" if a usage error occurred, "2" if another
command processor error or an operating system error occurred, or "3" if the
command was interrupted by Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.  You must use or save this
value immediately, because it is set by every internal command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.3. = ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

= returns the current escape character.  Use this variable, instead of the
actual escape character, if you want your batch files and aliases to work
regardless of how the escape character is defined.  For example, if the escape
character is a caret [^] (the default in 4OS2) both of the commands below will
send a form feed to the printer.  However, if the escape character has been
changed,  the first command will send the string "^f" to the printer, while the
second command will continue to work as intended.

        echos ^f > prn
        echos %=f > prn


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.4. + ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

+ returns the current command separator.  Use this variable, instead of the
actual command separator, if you want your batch files and aliases to work
regardless of how the command separator is defined.  For example, if the
command separator is an ampersand [&] (the default in 4OS2) both of the
commands below will display "Hello" on one line and "world" on the next.
However, if the command separator has been changed the first command will
display "Hello & echo world", while the second command will continue to work as
intended.

        echo Hello & echo world
        echo Hello %+ echo world


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.5. _4VER ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_4VER is the current 4OS2 version (for example, "2.5"). The version number is
in decimal and uses the appropriate decimal separator for your country (to
allow numeric comparisons with the IF and IFF commands.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.6. _ANSI ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_ANSI is always "1" in 4OS2.  (4OS2 enables OS/2's ANSI support, and assumes
that it remains enabled.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.7. _BATCH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BATCH is the current batch nesting level.  It is "0" if no batch file is
currently being processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.8. _BATCHLINE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BATCHLINE is the current line number in the current batch file.  It is "-1" if
no batch file is currently being processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.9. _BATCHNAME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BATCHNAME is the full pathname of the current batch file.  It is an empty
string if no batch file is currently being processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.10. _BG ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BG is a string containing the first three characters of the screen background
color at the current cursor location (for example, "Bla").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.11. _BOOT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BOOT is the boot drive letter, without a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.12. _CI ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CI is the current shape of the cursor in insert mode, as a percentage.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.13. _CO ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CO is the current shape of the cursor in overstrike mode, as a percentage.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.14. _CODEPAGE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CODEPAGE is the current code page number (see CHCP).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.15. _COLUMN ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_COLUMN is the current cursor column (for example, "0" for the left side of the
screen).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.16. _COLUMNS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_COLUMNS is the current number of screen columns (for example, "80").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.17. _COUNTRY ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_COUNTRY is the current country code.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.18. _CPU ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CPU is the CPU type:

        86      8086 and 8088
        186     80186 and 80188
        200     NEC V20 and V30
        286     80286
        386     i386
        486     i486
        586     Pentium


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.19. _CWD ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWD is the current working directory in the format d:\pathname.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.20. _CWDS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWDS has the same value as CWD, except it ends the pathname with a backslash
[\].


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.21. _CWP ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWP is the current working directory in the format \pathname.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.22. _CWPS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWPS has the same value as CWP, except it ends the pathname with a backslash
[\].


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.23. _DATE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DATE contains the current system date, in the format mm-dd-yy (U.S.), dd-mm-yy
(Europe), or yy-mm-dd (Japan).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.24. _DAY ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DAY is the day of the month (1 to 31).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.25. _DISK ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DISK is the current disk drive, without a colon (for example, "C").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.26. _DOS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOS is the operating system type which may be useful if you have batch files
running under more than one operating system.

        Command Processor               _DOS return value

        4DOS                            "DOS"
        4DOS/NT                         "NT"
        4OS2                            "OS2"
        Take Command/16                 "WIN"
        Take Command/32 (Win 95)        "WIN95"
        Take Command/32 (Win NT)        "WIN32
        Take Command for OS/2           "PM"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.27. _DNAME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DNAME is the name of the file used to store file descriptions.  It can be
changed with the DescriptionName directive in 4OS2.INI or the SETDOS /D
command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.28. _DOSVER ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOSVER is the current operating system version (for example, "3.0").  The
version number is in decimal and uses the appropriate decimal separator for
your country (to allow numeric comparisons with the IF and IFF commands.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.29. _DOW ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOW is the first three characters of the current day of the week ("Mon",
"Tue", "Wed", etc.).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.30. _DOY ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOY is the day of the year (1 to 366).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.31. _FG ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_FG is a string containing the first three letters of the screen foreground
color at the current cursor position (for example, "Whi").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.32. _HLOGFILE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_HLOGFILE  returns the name of the current history log file (or an empty string
if LOG /H is OFF).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.33. _HOUR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_HOUR is the current hour (0 - 23).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.34. _KBHIT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_KBHIT returns 1 if one or more keystrokes are waiting in the keyboard buffer,
or 0 if the keyboard buffer is empty.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.35. _LASTDISK ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_LASTDISK is the last valid drive letter, without a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.36. _LOGFILE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_LOGFILE  returns the name of the current log file (or an empty string if LOG
is OFF).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.37. _MINUTE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MINUTE is the current minute (0 - 59).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.38. _MONITOR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MONITOR is the monitor type ("mono" or "color").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.39. _MONTH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MONTH is the month of the year (1 to 12).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.40. _MOUSE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MOUSE always returns "1" in 4OS2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.41. _NDP ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_NDP is the coprocessor type:

        0       no coprocessor is installed
        87      8087
        287     80287
        387     80387, 80486DX, or Pentium


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.42. _PID ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PID is the current process ID number.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.43. _PIPE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PIPE returns 1 if the current process is running inside a pipe or 0 otherwise.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.44. _PPID ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PPID is the process ID number of the parent process.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.45. _PTYPE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PTYPE is the current OS/2 process type:

        AVIO    Character mode, windowed
        DT      Detached (no screen in use)
        FS      Character mode, full-screen
        PM      Presentation Manager


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.46. _ROW ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_ROW is the current cursor row (for example, "0" for the top of the screen).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.47. _ROWS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_ROWS is the current number of screen rows (for example, "25").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.48. _SECOND ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SECOND is the current second (0 - 59).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.49. _SHELL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SHELL is the current shell nesting level.  The primary shell is level "0", and
each subsequent secondary shell increments the level by 1.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.50. _SID ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SID is the session ID number.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.51. _SYSERR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SYSERR is the error code of the last operating system error. You will need a
technical or programmer's manual to understand these error values.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.52. _TIME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_TIME contains the current system time in the format hh:mm:ss. The separator
character may vary depending upon your country information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.53. _TRANSIENT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_TRANSIENT is "1" if the current shell is transient (started with a /C, see
Startup Options for details), or "0" otherwise.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.54. _VIDEO ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_VIDEO is the video card type ("mono", "cga", "ega", "vga", "xga", "8514", or
"IA/A").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.55. _WINTITLE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_WINTITLE returns the title of the current window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11.56. _YEAR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_YEAR is the current year (1980 to 2099).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Variable Functions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Variable functions are like internal variables, but they take one or more
arguments (which can be environment variables or even other variable functions)
and they return a value.

The list below gives a one-line description of each function, and a
cross-reference which selects a full screen help topic on that function.  A few
of the variables are simple enough that the one-line description is sufficient,
but in most cases you should check for any additional information in the
cross-reference topic if you are not already familiar with a function.  You can
also obtain help on any function with a HELP @functionname command at the
prompt.

See the discussion after the function list for additional information and
examples.

The variable functions are:

System status

        @DOSMEM[b|k|m]                      Size of largest free memory block
        @READSCR[row,col,len]               Read characters from the screen

 Drives and devices

        @CDROM[d:]                          CD-ROM drive detection (0 or 1)
        @DEVICE[name]                       Character device detection
        @DISKFREE[d:,b|k|m]                 Free disk space
        @DISKTOTAL[d:,b|k|m]                Total disk space
        @DISKUSED[d:,b|k|m]                 Used disk space
        @FSTYPE[d:]                         File system type (FAT, HPFS, CDFS,
                                            etc.)
        @LABEL[d:]                          Volume label
        @READY[d:]                          Drive ready status (0 or 1)
        @REMOTE[d:]                         Remote (network) drive detection (0
                                            or 1)
        @REMOVABLE[d:]                      Removable drive detection (0 or 1)

 Files

        @ATTRIB[filename,[nrhsda]]          File attribute test (0 or 1)
        @DESCRIPT[filename]                 File description
        @EXETYPE[filename]                  Executable file type (DOS, PM, WIN,
                                            etc.)
        @FILEAGE[filename]                  File age (date and time)
        @FILECLOSE[n]                       Close a file
        @FILEDATE[filename]                 File date
        @FILEOPEN[filename,mode]            Open a file
        @FILEREAD[n [,length]]              Read next line from a file
        @FILES[filename [, -nrhsda]]        Count files matching a wildcard
        @FILESEEK[n,offset,start]           Move a file pointer to an offset
        @FILESEEKL[n,offset,start]          Move a file pointer to a line
                                            number
        @FILESIZE[filename,b|k|m]           Size of files matching a wildcard
        @FILETIME[filename]                 File time
        @FILEWRITE[n,text]                  Write next line to a file
        @FILEWRITEB[n,length,string]        Write bytes from a string to a file
        @FINDFIRST[filename,nrhsda]         Find first matching file
        @FINDNEXT[filename,nrhsda]          Find next matching file
        @LINE[filename,n]                   Read a random line from a file
        @LINES[filename]                    Count lines in a file
        @SEARCH[filename]                   Path search
        @UNIQUE[d:\path]                    Create file with unique name

 File names

        @EXT[filename]                      File extension
        @FILENAME[filename]                 File name and extension
        @FULL[filename]                     Full file name with path
        @NAME[filename]                     File name without path or extension
        @PATH[filename]                     File path without name

 Strings and characters

        @ASCII[c]                           Numeric ASCII value for a character
        @CHAR[n]                            Character value for numeric ASCII
        @FORMAT[[-][x][.y],string]          Formats (justifies) a string
        @INDEX[string1,string2]             Position of one string in another
        @INSTR[start,length,string]         Extract a substring
        @LEN[string]                        Length of a string
        @LOWER[string]                      Convert string to lower case
        @ REPEAT[c,n]                       Repeat a character
        @SUBSTR[string,start,length]        Extract a substring
        @TRIM[string]                       Remove blanks from a string
        @UPPER[string]                      Convert string to upper case
        @WORD[["sep",]n,string]             Extract a word from a string
        @WORDS[["sep",]string]              Counts number of words in a string

 Numbers and arithmetic

        @COMMA[n]                           Inserts commas in a number
        @DEC[%var]                          Decremented value of a variable
        @EVAL[expression]                   Arithmetic calculations
        @INC[%var]                          Incremented value of a variable
        @INT[n]                             Integer part of a number
        @NUMERIC[string]                    Test if a string is numeric
        @RANDOM[min,max]                    Generate a random integer

 Dates and times

        @DATE[mm-dd-yy]                     Convert date to number of days
        @MAKEAGE[n]                         Convert date/time to file date/time
        @MAKEDATE[n]                        Convert number of days to date
        @MAKETIME[n]                        Convert number of seconds to time
        @TIME[hh:mm:ss]                     Convert time to number of seconds
        @TIMER[n]                           Elapsed time of specified timer

 Utility

        @ALIAS[name]                        Value of an alias
        @IF[condition,true,false]           Evaluates a test condition
        @EXEC[command]                      Execute a command
        @REXX[expr]                         Execute a REXX expression
        @SELECT[file,t,l,b,r,title]         Menu selection

 Like all environment variables, these variable functions must be preceded by a
 percent sign (%@EVAL, %@LEN, etc.).  All variable functions must have square
 brackets enclosing their argument(s).  The argument(s) to a variable function
 cannot exceed 255 characters in length for all arguments taken as a group.

 Some variable functions, like @DISKFREE, are shown with "b|k|m" as one of
 their arguments.  Those functions return a number of bytes, kilobytes, or
 megabytes based on the "b|k|m" argument:

        b   return the number of bytes
        K   return the number of kilobytes (bytes / 1,024)
        k   return the number of thousands of bytes (bytes / 1,000)
        M   return the number of megabytes (bytes / 1,048,576)
        m   return the number of millions of bytes (bytes / 1,000,000)

 You can include commas in the results from a "b|k|m" function by appending a
 "c" to the argument.  For example, to add commas to a "b" or number of bytes
 result, enter "bc" as the argument.

 In variable functions which take a drive letter as an argument, like @DISKFREE
 or @READY, the drive letter must be followed by a colon.  The function will
 not work properly if you use the drive letter without the colon.

 The @FILEREAD, @FILEWRITE, @FILESEEK, and @FILECLOSE functions allow you to
 access files based on their file handle.  These functions should only be used
 with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If you use them with any other file
 handle you may damage other files opened by 4OS2 (or, in a secondary shell,
 the program which started 4OS2), or hang your system.

 Examples

 You can use variable functions in a wide variety of ways depending on your
 needs.  We've included a few examples below to give you an idea of what's
 possible.

 To set the prompt to show the amount of free memory (see PROMPT for details on
 including variable functions in your prompt):

          [c:\] prompt (%%@dosmem[K]K) $p$g

 Set up a simple command-line calculator.  The calculator is used with a
 command like CALC 3 * (4 + 5):

          [c:\] alias calc `echo The answer is:  %@eval[%&]`

 The following batch file uses variable functions to implement "once a day"
 execution of a group of commands.  It works by constructing a 6-digit number
 "yymmdd" from today's date, and comparing that to a number of the same type
 stored in the file C:\ONCEADAY.DAT. If today's date is numerically larger than
 the saved date, and the time is after 6:00 AM, then the "once a day" commands
 are run, and today's date is saved in the file as the new date for comparison.
 Otherwise, no action is taken.  You can make this file simpler using the
 %@DATE and %@TIME functions instead of using %@SUBSTR to extract substrings of
 the %_DATE and %_TIME variables; we used the approach shown to demonstrate the
 use of %@SUBSTR.

          rem  Temporary variables used to shorten example lines:
          rem    DD is _date, DY is yymmdd date, TM is _time
          set dd=%_date
          set dy=%@substr[%dd,6,2]%@substr[%dd,0,2]%@substr[%dd,3,2]
          set lastdate=0
          iff exist c:\onceaday.dat then
             set lastdate=%@line[onceaday.dat,0]
          endiff
          iff %dy gt %lastdate then
             set tm=%_time
             iff "%@substr[%tm,0,2]%@substr[%tm,3,2]" gt "0600" then
                rem Commands to be executed once a day go here
                echo %dy > c:\onceaday.dat
             endiff
          endiff


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.1. @ALIAS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@ALIAS[name]:  Returns the contents of the specified alias as a string, or a
null string if the alias doesn't exist.  When manipulating strings returned by
@ALIAS you may need to disable certain special characters with the SETDOS /X
command. Otherwise, command separators, redirection characters, and other
similar "punctuation" in the alias may be interpreted as part of the current
command, rather than part of a simple text string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.2. @ASCII ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@ASCII[c]:  Returns the numeric value of the specified ASCII character as a
string.  For example %@ASCII[A] returns 65.  You can put an escape character
[^] before the actual character to process.  This allows quotes and other
special characters as the argument (e.g., %@ASCII[^`]).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.3. @ATTRIB ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@ATTRIB[filename,[nrhsda]]:  Returns a "1" if the specified file has the
matching attribute(s); otherwise returns a "0".  The attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined (for example
 %@ATTRIB[MYFILE,HS]).  Normally ATTRIB will only return a "1" if all of the
 attributes match.  However, if a final ,p is included (for partial match),
 then @ATTRIB will return a "1" if any of the attributes match.  For example,
 %@ATTRIB[MYFILE,HS,p] will return a "1" if MYFILE has the hidden, system, or
 both attributes.  Without ,p the function will return a "1" only if MYFILE has
 both attributes.

 If you do not specify any attributes, @ATTRIB will return the attributes of
 the specified file in the format RHSAD, rather than a "0" or "1".  Attributes
 which are not set will be replaced with an underscore.  For example, if
 SECURE.DAT has the read-only, hidden, and archive attributes set,
 %@ATTRIB[SECURE.DAT] would return RH_A_.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.4. @CDROM ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@CDROM[d:]:  Returns "1" if the drive is a CD-ROM or "0" otherwise.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.5. @CHAR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@CHAR[n]:  Returns the character corresponding to an ASCII numeric value.  For
example %@CHAR[65] returns A.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.6. @DATE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DATE[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the number of days since January 1, 1980 for the
specified date.  DATE uses the date format and separators mandated by your
country code (for example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or  yy-mm-dd in Japan).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.7. @COMMA ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@COMMA[n]:  Inserts commas, or the "thousands separator" character for your
country ID, into a numeric string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.8. @DEC ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DEC[%var]:  Returns the same value as @EVAL[%var - 1].  That is, it retrieves
and decrements the value of a variable.  The variable itself is not changed; to
do so, use a command like this:

        set var=%@dec[%var]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.9. @DESCRIPT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DESCRIPT[filename]:  Returns the file description for the specified filename
(see DESCRIBE).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.10. @DEVICE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DEVICE[name]:  Returns "1" if the specified name is a character device (such
as a printer or serial port), or "0" if not.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.11. @DISKFREE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DISKFREE[d:,b|k|m]: Returns the amount of free disk space on the specified
drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.12. @DISKTOTAL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DISKTOTAL[d:,b|k|m]:  Returns the total disk space on the specified drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.13. @DISKUSED ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DISKUSED[d:,b|k|m]:  Returns the amount of disk space in use by files and
directories on the specified drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.14. @DOSMEM ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DOSMEM[b|k|m]:  Returns the size of the largest free memory block (either in
physical or virtual memory).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.15. @EVAL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EVAL[expression]:  Evaluates an arithmetic expression.  @EVAL supports
addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), integer
division (\, returns the integer part of the quotient), modulo (%%), and
integer exponentiation (**).  The expression can contain environment variables
and other variable functions.  @EVAL also supports parentheses, commas, and
decimals.  Parentheses can be nested.  @EVAL will strip leading and trailing
zeros from the result. When evaluating expressions, **, *, /, and %% take
precedence over + and -.  For example, 3 + 4 * 2 will be interpreted as 3 + 8,
not as 7 * 2.  To change this order of evaluation, use parentheses to specify
the order you want. Also see @DEC and @INC.

To ensure that your @EVAL expressions are interpreted correctly, spaces should
be placed on both sides of an operator.  For example:

        @eval[20 %% 3 + 4]

The maximum precision is 16 digits to the left of the decimal point and 8
digits to the right of the decimal point.  You can alter the default precision
to the right of the decimal point with the EvalMax and EvalMin directives in
4OS2.INI and with the SETDOS /F command.

You can alter the precision for a single evaluation with the construct
@EVAL[expression=x.y].  The x value specifies the minimum decimal precision
(i.e., the minimum number of decimal places displayed); the y value sets the
maximum decimal precision.  If x is greater than y, it is ignored.  You can
specify either or both arguments, for example%colon.

        @eval[3/7=2]            returns 0.42857143
        @eval[3/7=.4]           returns 0.4286
        @eval[3/6=2.4]          returns 0.50


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.16. @EXEC ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXEC[command]:  Execute the command and return the numeric exit code.  The
command can be an alias, internal command, external command, .BTM file, or .BAT
file.  @EXEC is primarily intended for running a program from within the
PROMPT.  It is a "back door" entry into command processing and should be used
with extreme caution.  Incorrect or recursive use of @EXEC may hang your
system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.17. @EXETYPE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXETYPE[filename]:  Returns the application type as a string:

        DOS         DOS .COM, .EXE, or .BAT file (OS/2 2.x and above only)
        AVIO        OS/2 Character mode, windowed
        FS          OS/2 Character mode, full-screen
        PM          OS/2 Presentation Manager
        WIN         Windows 3 (OS/2 2.x and above only)
        UNKNOWN     Any other file


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.18. @EXT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXT[filename]:  Returns the extension (up to 64 characters) from a file name,
without a leading period.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.19. @FILEAGE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEAGE[filename]:  Returns the date and time of the file as a single numeric
value.  The number can be used to compare the relative ages of two or more
files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.20. @FILECLOSE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILECLOSE[n]:  Closes the file whose handle is "n."  You cannot close handles
0, 1 or 2.  Returns "0" if the file closed OK or "-1" if an error occurred.  Be
sure to read the cautionary note about file functions under Variable Functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.21. @FILEDATE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEDATE[filename]:  Returns the date a file was last modified, in the default
country format (mm-dd-yy for the US).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.22. @FILENAME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILENAME[filename]:  Returns the name and extension of a file, without a path.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.23. @FILEOPEN ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEOPEN[filename, read | write | append, [b | t]]:  Opens the file in the
specified mode and returns the file handle as an integer.  Returns "-1" if the
file cannot be opened.

The optional third parameter controls whether the file is opened in binary mode
("b") or text mode ("t").  Text mode (the default) should be used to read text
using @FILEREAD without a "length" parameter, and to write text using
@FILEWRITE.  Binary mode should be used to read binary data with @FILEREAD with
a "length" parameter, and to write binary data with @FILEWRITEB.

Be sure to read the cautionary note about file functions under Variable
Functions.

@FILEOPEN can also open named pipes.  The pipe name must begin with \\.\pipe\.
@FILEOPEN first tries to open an existing pipe; if that fails it tries to
create a new pipe.  Pipes are opened in blocking mode, duplex access, byte-read
mode, and inheritable.  For more information on named pipes see your OS/2
documentation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.24. @FILEREAD ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEREAD[n [,length]]: Reads data from the file whose handle is "n."  Returns
"**EOF**" if you attempt to read past the end of the file.  If "length" is not
specified @FILEREAD will read until the next CR or LF (end of line) character.
If "length" is specified, @FILEREAD will read "length" bytes regardless of any
end of line characters.

If you plan to read text a line at a time, without using "length", you should
open the file in text mode.  If you plan to read binary data using "length",
you should open the file in binary mode.  See @FILEOPEN for details on opening
the file in the proper mode.

Be sure to read the cautionary note about file functions under Variable
Functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.25. @FILES ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILES[filename [, -nrhsda]]:  Returns the number of files that match the
filename specification, which may contain wildcards and include lists.  Returns
an empty string if no files match.  The filename must refer to a single
directory; to check several directories, use @FILES once for each directory,
and add the results together with @EVAL.

The second argument is a list of file attributes.  If it is included, only
those files matching all the specified attributes are counted.  The attributes
are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

  You can prefix an attribute with - to mean "everything except files with this
 attribute."


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.26. @FILESEEK ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILESEEK[n,offset,start]:  Moves the file pointer "offset" bytes in the file
whose handle is "n".  Returns the new position of the pointer, in bytes from
the start of the file.  Set "start" to 0 to seek relative to the beginning of
the file, 1 to seek relative to the current file pointer, or 2 to seek relative
to the end of the file.  The offset value may be negative (seek backward),
positive (seek forward), or zero (return current position, but do not change
it).  Be sure to read the cautionary note about file functions under Variable
Functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.27. @FILESEEKL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILESEEKL[n,line]:  Moves the file pointer to the specified line in the file
whose handle is "n". Returns the new position of the pointer, in bytes from the
start of the file. Be sure to read the cautionary note about file functions
under Variable Functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.28. @FILESIZE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILESIZE[filename,b|k|m]:  Returns the size of a file, or "-1" if the file
does not exist.  If the filename includes wildcards or an include list, returns
the combined size of all matching files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.29. @FILETIME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILETIME[filename]:  Returns the time a file was last modified, in hh:mm
format.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.30. @FILEWRITE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEWRITE[n,text]:  Writes a line to the file whose handle is "n".  Returns
the number of bytes written, or "-1" if an error occurred.

If you plan to write text a line at a time with @FILEWRITE, you should open the
file in text mode (see @FILEOPEN).  If you want to write binary data you should
use @FILEWRITEB instead, and open the file in binary mode.

Be sure to read the cautionary note about file functions under Variable
Functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.31. @FILEWRITEB ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEWRITEB[n,length,string]:  Writes the specified number of bytes from the
string to the file whose handle is "n".  Returns the number of bytes written,
or "-1" if an error occurred.

If you plan to write binary data with @FILEWRITEB, you should open the file in
binary mode (see @FILEOPEN).  If you want to write text a line at a time you
should use @FILEWRITE instead, and open the file in text mode.

Be sure to read the cautionary note about file functions under Variable
Functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.32. @FINDFIRST ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FINDFIRST[filename [,nrhsda]]:  Returns the name of the first file that
matches the filename, which may contain wildcards and "include lists."  The
second argument, if included, defines the attributes of the files that will be
included in the search.  Returns an empty string if no files match.  The
attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 @FINDFIRST always skips the "." and ".." entries when processing directory
 names.

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined (for example
 %@FINDFIRST[MYFILE,HS]).  @FINDFIRST will only find a file if all of the
 attributes match.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.33. @FINDNEXT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FINDNEXT[filename [,nrhsda]]:  Returns the name of the next file that matches
the filename passed to @FINDFIRST. @FINDNEXT should only be used after a
successful call to @FINDFIRST.  The first argument is included for
compatibility with previous versions, but is ignored; it can be omitted if the
second argument is not used (e.g. %@FINDNEXT[]).  The second argument, if
included, defines the attributes of the files that will be included in the
search (see @FINDFIRST for details).  Returns an empty string when no more
files match

@FINDNEXT always skips the "." and ".." entries when processing directory
names.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.34. @FORMAT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FORMAT[[-][x][.y],string]:  Reformats a string, truncating it or padding it
with spaces as necessary.  If you use the minus [-], the string is
left-justified; otherwise, it is right-justified.  The "x" value is the minimum
number of characters in the result.  The "y" value is the maximum number of
characters in the result.  You can combine the options as necessary.  For
example:

        %@format[12,JPSoftware]         returns "  JPSoftware"
        %@format[.3,JPSoftware]         returns "JPS"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.35. @FSTYPE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FSTYPE[d:]:  Returns the file system type for the specified drive.  @FSTYPE
will return "FAT" for a DOS-compatible drive with a file allocation table,
"HPFS" for a drive that uses OS/2's high performance file system, or "CDFS" for
a CD-ROM drive.  It may return other values if additional file systems have
been installed with the IFS= directive in CONFIG.SYS.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.36. @FULL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FULL[filename]:  Returns the fully qualified path name of a file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.37. @IF ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@IF[condition,true,false]:  Evaluates the condition and returns a string based
on the result.  The condition can include any of the tests allowed in the IF
command.  If the condition is true, @IF returns the first result string; if it
is false, @IF returns the second string.  For example, "%@IF
[2==2,Correct!,Oops!]" returns "Correct!"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.38. @INC ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INC[%var]:  Returns the same value as %@EVAL[%var + 1].  That is, it retrieves
and increments the value of a variable.  The variable itself is not changed; to
do so, use a command like this:

        set var=%@inc[%var]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.39. @INDEX ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INDEX[string1,string2]:  Returns the position of string2 within string1, or
"-1" if string2 is not found.  The first position in string1 is numbered 0.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.40. @INSTR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INSTR[start, length, string]:  The same as @SUBSTR.  However, the string is at
the end of the @INSTR argument list, so that commas in the string will not be
confused with commas separating the arguments.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.41. @INT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INT[n]:  Returns the integer part of the number n.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.42. @LABEL ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LABEL[d:]:  Returns the volume label of the specified disk drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.43. @LEN ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LEN[string]:  Returns the length of a string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.44. @LINE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LINE[filename,n]:  Returns line "n" from the specified file. The first line in
the file is numbered 0.  "**EOF**" is returned for all line numbers beyond the
end of the file.  If you need to scan through the lines of a file in sequence,
the @FILEREAD function (above) and the "@filename" construct available in the
FOR command are much faster than calling the @LINE function repeatedly.  @LINE
will retrieve input from standard input if you specify CON as the filename.  If
you are redirecting input to @LINE using this feature, you must use command
grouping or the redirection will not work properly.  For example:

        (echo %@line[con,0]) < myfile.dat


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.45. @LINES ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LINES[filename]:  Returns the line number of the last line in the file, or
"-1" if the file is empty.  The first line in the file is numbered 0, so (for
example) @LINES will return 0 for a file containing one line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.46. @LOWER ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LOWER[string]:  Returns the string converted to lower case.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.47. @MAKEAGE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MAKEAGE[date[,time]]:  Returns the date and time (if included) as a single
value in the same format as @FILEAGE. @MAKEAGE can be used to compare the time
stamp of a file with a specific date and time, for example:

        if %@fileage[myfile] lt %@makeage[1/1/85] echo OLD!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.48. @MAKEDATE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MAKEDATE[n]:  Returns a date (formatted according to the current country
settings).  "n" is the number of days since 1/1/80. This is the inverse of
@DATE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.49. @MAKETIME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MAKETIME[n]:  Returns a time (formatted according to the current country
settings).  "n" is the number of seconds since midnight.  This is the inverse
of @TIME.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.50. @NAME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@NAME[filename]:  Returns the base name of a file, without the path or
extension.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.51. @NUMERIC ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@NUMERIC[string]:  Returns "1" if the argument is composed entirely of digits
(0 to 9), signs (+ or -), and the thousands and decimal separators.  Otherwise,
returns "0".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.52. @PATH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@PATH[filename]:  Returns the path from a file name, including the drive letter
and a trailing backslash but not including the base name or extension.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.53. @RANDOM ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@RANDOM[min, max]:  Returns a random value between min and max, inclusive.
Min, max, and the returned value are all integers.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.54. @READSCR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@READSCR[row,col,length]:  Returns the text displayed on the screen at the
specified location.  The upper left corner of the screen is location 0,0.  You
can also specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor
position.  Begin the value with a plus sign [+] to read the screen the
specified number of rows below (or columns to the right of) the current
position, or with a minus sign [-] to read the screen above (or to the left of)
the current position.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.55. @READY ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@READY[d:]:  Returns "1" if the specified drive is ready; otherwise returns
"0".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.56. @REMOTE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REMOTE[d:]:  Returns "1" if the specified drive is a remote (network) drive;
otherwise returns "0".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.57. @REMOVABLE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REMOVABLE[d:]:  Returns "1" if the specified drive is removable (i.e., a
floppy disk or removable hard disk); otherwise returns "0".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.58. @REPEAT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REPEAT[c,n]:  Returns the character "c" repeated "n" times.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.59. @REXX ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REXX[expr]:  Calls the REXX interpreter to execute the expression. Returns the
result string from REXX; if the REXX expression does not return a string, @REXX
returns the REXX numeric result code.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.60. @SEARCH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@SEARCH[filename]:  Searches for the filename using the PATH environment
variable, appending an extension if one isn't specified.  Returns the
fully-expanded name of the file including drive, path, base name, and
extension, or an empty string if a matching file is not found.  If wildcards
are used in the filename, @SEARCH will search for the first file that matches
the wildcard specification, and return the drive and path for that file plus
the wildcard filename (e.g., E:\UTIL\*.COM ).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.61. @SELECT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@SELECT[filename,top,left,bottom,right,title]:  Pops up a selection window with
the lines from the specified file. Returns the text of the line the scrollbar
is on if you press Enter, or an empty string if you press Esc.  @SELECT can be
used to display menus or other selection lists from a batch file.  To select
from lines passed through input redirection or a pipe, use CON as the filename.
You can move through the selection window with standard navigation keystrokes.
To change the navigation keys, see the Key Mapping directives in the .INI file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.62. @SUBSTR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@SUBSTR[string,start,length]:  Returns a substring, starting at the position
"start" and continuing for "length" characters.  If the length is omitted, it
will default to the remainder of the string.  If the length is negative, the
start is relative to the right side of the string.  The first character in the
string is numbered 0; if the length is negative, the last character is numbered
0.  For example, %@SUBSTR[%_TIME,0,2] gets the current time and extracts the
hour.  If the string includes commas, it must be quoted with double quotes ["]
or back quotes [`].  The quotes do count in calculating the position of the
substring. @INSTR performs the same function, and allows commas in the string
without quoting.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.63. @TIME ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@TIME[hh:mm:ss]:  Returns the number of seconds since midnight for the
specified time.  The time must be in 24-hour format; "am" and "pm" cannot be
used.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.64. @TIMER ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@TIMER[n]:  Returns the current split time for a stopwatch started with the
TIMER command.  The value of "n" specifies the timer to read and can be 1, 2,
or 3.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.65. @TRIM ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@TRIM[string]:  Returns the string with the leading and trailing white space
(space and tab characters) removed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.66. @UNIQUE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@UNIQUE[d:\path]:  Creates a zero-length file with a unique name in the
specified directory, and returns the full name and path.  If no path is
specified, the file will be created in the current directory.  The file name
will be FAT-compatible (8 character name and 3-character extension) regardless
of whether the file is created on a FAT or HPFS drive.  This function allows
you to create a  temporary file without overwriting an existing file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.67. @UPPER ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@UPPER[string]:  Returns the string converted to upper case.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.68. @WORD ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@WORD[["xxx",]n,string]:  Returns the "nth" word in a string.  The first word
is numbered 0.  If "n" is negative, words are returned from the end of the
string.  The first argument is a list of word separators you want to use; if
you don't specify it, only spaces, tabs, and commas are considered to be word
separators.  For example:

        %@WORD[2,NOW IS THE TIME]     returns "THE"
        %@WORD[-0,NOW IS THE TIME]    returns "TIME"
        %@WORD[-2,NOW IS THE TIME]    returns "IS"
        %@WORD["=",1,2 + 2=4]         returns "4"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12.69. @WORDS ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@WORDS[["xxx",]string]:  Returns the number of words in the string.  The
optional list of separators follows the same format as @WORD.  If the "string"
argument is enclosed in quotation marks, you must enter a list of separators as
well.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13. 4OS2.INI ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The configuration of 4OS2 is controlled through an optional file of
initialization information called 4OS2.INI.

This section contains general information on 4OS2.INI, and an example. For
information on specific directives see the separate topic for each type of
directive:

            Initialization Directives
            Configuration Directives
            Color Directives
            Key Mapping Directives
            Advanced Directives

 These topics list the directives, with a one-line description of each, and a
 cross-reference which selects a full screen help topic on that directive. A
 few of the directives are simple enough that the one-line description is
 sufficient, but in most cases you should check for any additional information
 in the cross-reference topic if you are not already familiar with the
 directive.

 You can also obtain help on most directives with a HELP directive command at
 the prompt.

 You can create, add to, and edit 4OS2.INI with any ASCII text editor.  4OS2
 reads 4OS2.INI when it starts, and configures itself accordingly.  4OS2.INI is
 not re-read when you change it.  For changes to take effect, you must restart
 the session or window in which 4OS2 is running.

 Each item that you can include in 4OS2.INI has a default value.  You only need
 to include entries in the file for settings that you want to change from their
 default values.  If you are happy with all of the default values, you don't
 need an .INI file at all.

 4OS2 primary shells search for the .INI file in three places:

        *   If there is an "@d:\path\inifile" option on the 4OS2 startup
            command liine 4OS2 will use the path and file name specified there,
            and will not look elsewhere.
        *   If there is no .INI file name on the startup command line, the
            search proceeds to the same directory where the 4OS2 program file
            (4OS2.EXE ) is stored.  This is the "normal" location for the .INI
            file.  4OS2 determines this directory automatically.  You can also
            set it yourself by placing a COMSPEC directory name on the startup
            command line.
        *   If the .INI file is not found in the directory where the program
            file is stored, a final check is made in the root directory of the
            boot drive.

 When 4OS2 is loaded as a secondary shell, it does not search for the .INI
 file.  Instead, it retrieves the primary shell's .INI file data, processes the
 [Secondary] section of the original .INI file if necessary, and then processes
 any "@d:\path\inifile" option on the secondary shell command line.  You can
 override this behavior with the NextINIFile directive.

 Most lines in the .INI file consist of a one-word directive, an equal sign
 [=], and a value.  For example, in the following line, the word "History" is
 the directive and "2048" is the value:

          History = 2048

 Any spaces before or after the equal sign are ignored.

 If you have a long string to enter in the .INI file (for example, for the
 ColorDir directive), you must enter it all on one line.  Strings cannot be
 "continued" to a second line.  Each line may be up to 1023 characters long.

 The format of the value part of a directive line depends on the individual
 directive.  It may be a numeric value, a single character, a choice (like
 "Yes" or "No"), a color setting, a key name, a path, a filename, or a text
 string.  The value begins with the first non-blank character after the equal
 sign and ends at the end of the line or the beginning of a comment.

 Blank lines are ignored in the .INI file and can be used to separate groups of
 directives.  You can place comments in the file by beginning a line with a
 semicolon [;].  You can also place comments at the end of any line except one
 containing a text string value.  To do so, enter at least one space or tab
 after the value, a semicolon, and your comment, like this:

          History = 2048       ;set history list size

 If you try to place a comment at the end of a string value, the comment will
 become part of the string and will probably cause an error.

 When 4OS2 detects an error while processing the .INI file, it displays an
 error message and prompts you to press a key to continue processing the file.
 This allows you to note any errors before the startup process continues.  The
 directive in error will retain its previous or default value.  Only the most
 catastrophic errors (like a disk read failure) will terminate processing of
 the remainder of the .INI file.  If you don't want a pause after each error,
 use a PauseOnError = No directive at the beginning of the .INI file.

 If you need to test different values for an .INI directive without repeatedly
 editing the .INI file, see INIQuery.

 The .INI file has three sections:  the first or global section, the [Primary]
 section, and the [Secondary] section.  The global section consists of
 directives at the beginning of the file, with no section name before them.
 These directives are effective in all shells.  In most cases, this is the only
 section you will need.

 The [Primary] and [Secondary] sections include directives that are used in
 primary and secondary shells respectively. Each section is identified by the
 section name in square brackets on a line by itself.  You don't need to set up
 these sections unless you want different directives for primary and secondary
 shells.

 Directives in the [Primary] section are used for the first or primary shell.
 The values are passed automatically to all secondary shells, unless overridden
 by a directive with the same name in the [Secondary] section.

 Directives in the [Secondary] section are used in secondary shells only, and
 override any corresponding primary shell settings.

 Sections that begin with any name other than [Primary] or [Secondary] are
 ignored.

 The SETDOS command can override several of the .INI file directives.  For
 example, the cursor shape used by 4OS2 can be adjusted either with the
 CursorIns and CursorOver directives or the SETDOS /S command.  The
 correspondence between SETDOS options and .INI directives is noted under each
 directive below, and under each option of the SETDOS command.

 This example configures certain special characters to match 4DOS, and changes
 other default settings to suit the user's preferences.  All of these settings
 except HelpBook would also work in 4DOS or 4DOS/NT. Note that the comments for
 the HelpBook and ColorDir directives are on separate lines before the
 directives themselves, as no comments are allowed in string directives:

          PauseOnError = No             ;don't stop on INI errors
          CommandSep = ^                ;4DOS command separator
          ParameterChar = &             ;4DOS parameter character
          BatchEcho = No                ;default to ECHO OFF
                                        ;show only 4OS2 help for F1 / HELP
          HelpBook = 4OS2
          History = 2048                ;expand history to 2K bytes
          BeepFreq = 880                ;make beep higher pitch
          EditMode = Insert             ;insert mode for cmd edit
          CursorOver = 100              ;overstrike cursor 100%
          CursorIns = 10                ;insert cursor 10%
          ListFind = F5                 ;F5 does a find in LIST
          ListNext = F6                 ;and F6 does a find next
          StdColors = bri cya on blu    ;default colors
          ListColors = bri whi on blu   ;colors for LIST
          SelectColors = bri whi on blu ;same colors for SELECT
                                        ;set directory display colors
          colordir = DIRS:bri yel;com exe bat btm cmd:bri whi


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1. Initialization Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The directives in this section control how 4OS2 starts and where it looks for
its files.  The initialization directives are:

        4StartPath          Path for 4START and 4EXIT
        DirHistory          Size of directory history list
        HelpBook            Books to load in help system
        History             Size of history list
        INIQuery            Query for each line in 4OS2.INI
        LocalAliases        Local vs. global aliases
        LocalHistory        Local vs. global directory history
        LocalHistory        Local vs. global history
        PauseOnError        Pause on errors in 4OS2.INI
        WindowState         Initial state for the 4OS2 window
        WindowX, WindowY, WindowWidth, WindowHeightInitial size and position of
                            the 4OS2 window


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.1. 4StartPath ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

4StartPath = Path:  Sets the drive and directory where the 4START and 4EXIT
batch files (if any) are located.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.2. DirHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DirHistory = nnnn (256):  Sets the amount of memory allocated to the directory
history in bytes.  The allowable range of values is 128 to 2048 bytes.  If you
use a global directory history list the DirHistory value will be ignored in all
shells except the shell which first establishes the global list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.3. HelpBook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HelpBook = String:  Sets the names of the "books" to be loaded when 4OS2 help
is invoked with the HELP command or the F1 key.  The default is 4OS2+CMDREF
which loads the 4OS2 help and the OS/2 command reference.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.4. History ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

History = nnnn (1024):  Sets the amount of memory allocated to the command
history list in bytes.  The allowable range of values is 256 to 32767 bytes.
If you use a global history list (see Command History and Recall), the History
value is ignored in all shells except the shell which first establishes the
global list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.5. INIQuery ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

INIQuery = Yes | NO:  If set to Yes, a prompt will be displayed before
execution of each subsequent line in the current .INI file.  This allows you to
modify certain directives when you start 4OS2 in order to test different
configurations.  INIQuery can be reset to No at any point in the file.
Normally INIQuery = Yes is only used during testing of other .INI file
directives.

The prompt generated by INIQuery = Yes is:

        [contents of the line]  (Y/N/Q/R/E)  ?

At this prompt, you may enter:

        Y = Yes:    Process this line and go on to the next.
        N = No:     Skip this line and go on to the next.
        Q = Quit:   Skip this line and all subsequent lines.
        R = Rest:   Execute this and all subsequent lines.
        E = Edit:   Edit the value for this entry.

 If you choose E for Edit, you can enter a new value for the directive, but not
 a new directive name.

 For example, if you have found a compatibility problem you think may be
 related to 4OS2's character (as opposed to line) input mode, you might change
 your 4OS2.INI file so a part of it read as follows:

          INIQuery = Yes
          LineInput = Yes
          INIQuery = No

 You could then choose to process, ignore, or edit the LineInput directive each
 time 4OS2 started.  This would allow you to check whether changing the line
 input mode would resolve the compatibility problem.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.6. LocalAliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LocalAliases = Yes | NO:  No forces all copies of 4OS2 to share the same alias
list.  Yes keeps the lists for each shell separate.  See ALIAS for more details
on local and global alias lists.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.7. LocalDirHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LocalDirHistory = Yes | NO:  No forces all copies of command processor to share
the same directory history.  Yes keeps the directory histories for each shell
separate.  See Local and Global Directory History for more details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.8. LocalHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LocalHistory = Yes | NO:  No forces all copies of 4OS2 to share the same
history list.  Yes keeps the lists for each shell separate.  See Command
History and Recall for more details on local and global history lists.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.9. PauseOnError ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PauseOnError = YES | No:  Yes forces a pause with the message "Error in
filename, press any key to continue processing" after displaying any error
message related to a specific line in the .INI file.  No continues processing
with no pause after an error message is displayed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.10. WindowState ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WindowState = STANDARD | Maximize | Minimize:  Sets the initial state of the
4OS2 window.  Standard puts the window in the default position on the OS/2
desktop, and is the default setting. Maximize maximizes the window; Minimize
minimizes it.  If you use Maximize or Minimize, you may see the 4OS2 window
appear briefly in the Standard position as it is created by OS/2, then switch
to the new state.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.1.11. WindowX, WindowY, WindowWidth, WindowHeight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WindowX = nnnn, WindowY = nnnn, WindowWidth = nnnn, WindowHeight = nnnn:  These
4 directives set the initial size and position of the 4OS2 window.  The
measurements are in pixels or pels.  WindowX and WindowY refer to the position
of the bottom left corner of the window relative to the bottom left corner of
the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2. Configuration Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives control the way that 4OS2 operate.  Some can be changed with
the SETDOS command while 4OS2 is running. Any corresponding SETDOS command is
listed in the description of each directive.  The configuration directives are:

        AmPm                Time display format
        AppendToDir         "\" on directory names in filename completion
        BatchEcho           Default batch file echo state
        BeepFreq            Default beep frequency
        BeepLength          Default beep length
        CommandSep          Multiple command separator character
        CursorIns           Cursor shape in insert mode
        CursorOver          Cursor shape in overstrike mode
        DescriptionMax      Maximum length of file descriptions
        DescriptionName     Name of file to hold file descriptions
        Descriptions        Enable / disable description processing
        EditMode            Editing mode (insert / overstrike)
        EscapeChar          4OS2 escape character
        EvalMax             Max digits after decimal point in @EVAL
        EvalMin             Min digits after decimal point in @EVAL
        ExecWait            Wait for external programs at command line
        HistCopy            History copy mode
        HistLogName         History log file name
        HistMin             Minimum command length to save
        HistWinColors       History window colors
        HistWinHeight       History window height
        HistWinLeft         History window left side position
        HistWinTop          History window top position
        HistWinWidth        History window width
        LineInput           Enable / disable line input mode
        LogName             Log file name
        NoClobber           Overwrite protection for output redirection
        ParameterChar       Alias / batch file parameter character
        Printer             LIST print device
        ScreenRows          Screen height
        SwapFilePath        Path to OS/2 swap file
        UpperCase           Force file names to upper case


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.1. AmPm ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AmPm = Yes | NO | Auto:  Yes displays times in 12-hour format with a trailing
"a" for AM or "p" for PM.  The default of No forces a display in 24-hour time
format.  Auto formats the time according to the country code set for your
system.  AmPm controls the time displays used by DIR and SELECT, in LOG files,
and the output of the TIMER, DATE, and TIME commands.  It has no effect on
%_TIME, %@MAKETIME, the $t and $T options of PROMPT, or date and time ranges.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.2. AppendToDir ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AppendToDir = Yes | NO:  Yes appends a trailing "\" to directory names when
doing filename completion.  The default is No.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.3. BatchEcho ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BatchEcho = YES | No:  Sets the default batch echo mode. Yes enables echoing of
all batch file commands unless ECHO is explicitly set off in the batch file.
No disables batch file echoing unless ECHO is explicitly set on.  Also see
SETDOS /V.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.4. BeepFreq ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BeepFreq = nnnn (440):  Sets the default BEEP command frequency in Hz.  This is
also the frequency for "error" beeps (for example, if you press an illegal
key).  To disable all error beeps set this or BeepLength to 0.  If you do, the
BEEP command will still be operable, but will not produce sound unless you
explicitly specify the frequency and duration.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.5. BeepLength ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BeepLength = nnnn (2):  Sets the default BEEP length in system clock ticks
(approximately 1/18 of a second per tick). BeepLength is also the default
length for "error" beeps (for example, if you press an illegal key).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.6. CommandSep ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CommandSep = c:  This is the character used to separate multiple commands on
the same line.  The default is the ampersand [&]. You cannot use any of the
redirection characters (| > < ) or any of the whitespace characters (space,
tab, comma, or equal sign).  Also see SETDOS /C, the %+ internal variable, and
4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for information on using compatible
command separators for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.7. CursorIns ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CursorIns = nnnn (100):  This is the shape of the cursor for insert mode during
command-line editing and all commands which accept line input (DESCRIBE, ESET,
etc.).  The size is a percentage of the total character cell size, between 0%
and 100%.  Because of the way video drivers map the cursor shape, you may not
get a smooth progression in cursor shapes as CursorIns and CursorOver change.
If CursorIns or CursorOver is set to -1, 4OS2 will not attempt to modify the
cursor shape at all; you can use this feature to give another program full
control of the cursor shape. Also see CursorOver and SETDOS /S.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.8. CursorOver ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CursorOver = nnnn (15):  This is the shape of the cursor for overtype mode
during command-line editing and all commands which accept line input.  The size
is a percentage of the total character cell size, between 0% and 100%.  For
details see CursorIns; also see SETDOS /S.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.9. DescriptionMax ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DescriptionMax = nnnn (40):  Controls the description length limit for
DESCRIBE.  The allowable range is 20 to 511 characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.10. DescriptionName ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DescriptionName = File:  Sets the file name in which to store file
descriptions.  The default file name is DESCRIPT.ION.  Use this directive with
caution because changing the name from the default will make it difficult to
transfer file descriptions to another system.  Also see SETDOS /D.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.11. Descriptions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Descriptions = YES | No:  Turns description handling on or off during the file
processing commands COPY, DEL, MOVE, and REN.  If set to No, 4OS2 will not
update the description file when files are moved, copied, deleted or renamed.
Also see SETDOS /D.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.12. EditMode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EditMode = Insert | OVERSTRIKE:  This directive lets you start the command-line
editor in either insert or overstrike mode.  Also see SETDOS /M.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.13. EscapeChar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EscapeChar = c :  Sets the character used to suppress the normal meaning of the
following character.  The default is a caret [^]. See Escape Character for a
description of special escape sequences.  You cannot use any of the redirection
characters (|, >, or < ) or the whitespace characters (space, tab, comma, or
equal sign) as the escape character.  Also see SETDOS /E, the %= internal
variable, and 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for information on using
compatible escape characters for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.14. EvalMax ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EvalMax = nnnn (8):  Controls the maximum number of digits after the decimal
point in values returned by @EVAL. This setting can be overridden with the
construct @EVAL[expression=n.n].  The allowable range is 0 to 8.  Also see
EvalMin and SETDOS /F.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.15. EvalMin ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EvalMin = nnnn (8):  Controls the minimum number of digits after the decimal
point in values returned by @EVAL.  This setting can be overridden with the
construct @EVAL[expression=n.n].  The allowable range is 0 to 8.  The EvalMin
value will be ignored if it is larger than EvalMax.  Also see SETDOS /F.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.16. ExecWait ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ExecWait = Yes | NO:  Controls whether 4OS2 waits for an external program to
complete before redisplaying the prompt. This setting applies only to
applications started from the 4OS2 prompt. 4OS2 will always wait for
applications run from batch files.  ExecWait also has no effect on applications
started with the START command, which has its own separate /WAIT switch.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.17. HistCopy ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistCopy = Yes | NO:  Controls what happens when you re-execute a line from the
command history.  If this option is set to Yes, the line is appended to the end
of the history list.  By default, or if this option is set to No, no copy of
the command is made.  The original copy of the command is always retained at
its original position in the list, regardless of the setting of HistCopy.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.18. HistLogName ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistLogName = File:  Sets the history log file name and path.  Using
HistLogName does not turn history logging on; you must use a LOG /H ON command
to do so.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.19. HistMin ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistMin = nnnn (0):  Sets the minimum command-line size to save in the command
history list.  Any command line whose length is less than this value will not
be saved.  Legal values range from 0, which saves everything, to 1024, which
disables all command history saves.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.20. HistWinColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinColors = Color:  Sets the default colors for the command- line and
directory history windows.  If this directive is not used the colors will be
reversed from the current colors on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.21. HistWinHeight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinHeight = nn (12):  Sets the height of the command-line and directory
history windows in lines, including the border.  Legal values range from 5 to
the height of your screen.  Any value which would cause the bottom of the
window to be off the screen will be adjusted so that the entire window remains
on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.22. HistWinLeft ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinLeft = nn (40):  Sets the horizontal position of the left side of the
command-line and directory history windows.  Legal values range from 0 (the
left edge of the screen) to the number of columns on your screen minus 10.  Any
value which would cause the right side of a minimum-width window to be off the
screen will be adjusted so that the entire window remains on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.23. HistWinTop ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinTop = nn (1):  Sets the vertical position of the top of the command-line
and directory history windows.  Legal values range from 0 (the top of the
screen) to the number of rows on your screen minus 5.  Any value which would
cause the bottom of a minimum- height window to be off the screen will be
adjusted so that the entire window remains on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.24. HistWinWidth ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinWidth = nn (36):  Sets the width of the command-line and directory
history windows in characters, including the border. Legal values range from 10
to the width of your screen.  Any value which would cause the right side of the
window to be off the screen will be adjusted so that the entire window remains
on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.25. LineInput ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LineInput = Yes | NO:  This directive controls how 4OS2 gets its input from the
command line.  Yes forces 4OS2 to perform line-by-line input, just as CMD.EXE
does, instead of character-by-character input.  This will disable command-line
editing, history recall, the directory history window, and filename completion,
and will reduce the 4OS2 input length limit from 1023 characters to 299
characters.  It is normally used only for applications which do not work
properly unless 4OS2 uses line input.  If you have a particular program that
requires line input, you can use SETDOS /L to temporarily change modes.  See
README.DOC for information on programs which require this option.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.26. LogName ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LogName = File:  Sets the log file name and path.  Using LogName does not turn
logging on; you must use a LOG ON command to do so.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.27. NoClobber ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NoClobber = Yes | NO:  If set to Yes, will prevent standard output redirection
from overwriting an existing file, and will require that the output file
already exist for append redirection.  Also see SETDOS /N.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.28. ParameterChar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ParameterChar = c:  Sets the character used after a percent sign to specify all
or all remaining command-line arguments in a batch file or alias (e.g., %& or
%n&; see Batch Files and ALIAS).  The default is the ampersand [&].  Also see
SETDOS /P.  See 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for information on using
compatible parameter characters for two or more products..


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.29. Printer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Printer = devicename:  Sets the output device that the LIST command will print
to.  By default, LPT1 is used. The device can be PRN, LPT1 to 3, COM1 to 4, NUL
(which will disable printed output) or any other installed character device.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.30. ScreenRows ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScreenRows = nnnn:  Sets the number of screen rows used by the video display.
Normally the screen size is determined automatically, but if you have a
non-standard display you may need to set it explicitly.  This value does not
affect screen scrolling, which is controlled by OS/2 and your video driver.
ScreenRows is used only by the LIST and SELECT commands, the paged output
options of other commands (e.g., TYPE /P), and error checking in the screen
output commands.  Also see SETDOS /R.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.31. SwapFilePath ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SwapFilePath = Path:  Specifies the path to the OS/2 swap file so the MEMORY
command can find it and display its size.  You may specify a fully qualified
file name or just the path (the name will default to SWAPPER.DAT).  This
directive is only required if the swap file is not stored in the \OS2\SYSTEM
directory of the boot drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.2.32. UpperCase ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

UpperCase = Yes | NO:  Yes specifies that file and directory names should be
displayed in the traditional upper-case by internal commands like COPY and DIR.
No allows the normal 4OS2 lower-case style. This directive does not affect the
display of filenames on HPFS drives.  Also see SETDOS /U.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3. Color Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives control the colors that 4OS2 use for its displays. Screen
border colors can only be set in StdColors.  "BORder" color specifications
included in other directives will be ignored.  For complete details on color
names see Colors and Color Names.  The color directives are:

        BrightBG                Bright background colors
        ColorDir                Directory colors
        InputColors             Input colors
        ListColors              LIST display colors
        ListStatBarColors       LIST status bar colors
        SelectColors            SELECT display colors
        SelectStatBarColors     SELECT status bar colors
        StdColors               Standard display colors


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.1. BrightBG ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BrightBG = Yes | No.  If set to Yes, 4OS2 will enable bright background colors
in full-screen sessions.  If set to No, bright backgrounds will be disabled but
blinking foreground characters will be enabled.  If BrightBG is not used, 4OS2
will not adjust the bright background / blinking foreground switch at all.
Most color video boards default to a blinking foreground with bright background
colors disabled.  See also SETDOS /B.

Using BrightBG requires careful attention to interactions of display type,
mode, and color.  For a detailed explanation, see Colors and Color Names.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.2. ColorDir ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ColorDir = ext1 ext2 ...:colora;ext3 ext4 ... :colorb; ...: Sets the directory
colors used by DIR and SELECT.  The format is the same as that used for the
COLORDIR environment variable.  See Color-Coded Directories for a detailed
explanation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.3. InputColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

InputColors = Color:  Sets the colors used for command-line input.  This
setting is useful for making your input stand out from the normal output.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.4. ListColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListColors = Color:  Sets the colors used by the LIST command.  If this
directive is not used, LIST will use the current default colors set by the CLS
or COLOR command or by the StdColors directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.5. ListStatBarColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListStatBarColors = Color:  Sets the colors used on the LIST status bar.  If
this directive is not used, LIST will set the status bar to the reverse of the
screen color (the screen color is controlled by ListColors).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.6. SelectColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SelectColors = Color:  Sets the color used by the SELECT command.  If this
directive is not used, SELECT will use the current default colors set by the
CLS or COLOR command or by the StdColors directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.7. SelectStatBarColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SelectStatBarColors = Color:  Sets the color used on the SELECT status bar.  If
this directive is not used, SELECT will set the status bar to the reverse of
the screen color (the screen color is controlled by SelectColors).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.3.8. StdColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

StdColors = Color:  Sets the standard colors to be used when CLS is used
without a color specification, and for LIST and SELECT if ListColors and
SelectColors are not used.  Using this directive is similar to placing a COLOR
command in AUTOEXEC.BAT.  StdColors takes effect the first time CLS, LIST, or
SELECT is used after 4OS2 starts, but will not affect the color of error or
other messages displayed during the loading and initialization process.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4. Key Mapping Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives allow you to change the keys used for command-line editing and
other internal functions.  They are divided into four types, depending on the
context in which the keys are used.  For a discussion and list of directives
for each type see:

            General Input Keys
            Command-Line Editing Keys
            History and @SELECT Window Keys
            LIST Keys

 Using a key mapping directive allows you to assign a different or additional
 key to perform the function described.  For example, to use function key F3 to
 invoke the HELP facility (normally invoked with F1):

          Help = F3

 Any directive can be used multiple times to assign multiple keys to the same
 function.  For example:

          ListFind = F            ;F does a find in LIST
          ListFind = F5           ;F5 also does a find in LIST

 Use some care when you reassign keystrokes.  If you assign a default key to a
 different function, it will no longer be available for its original use.  For
 example, if you assign F1 to the AddFile directive (a part of filename
 completion), the F1 key will no longer invoke the help system, so you will
 probably want to assign a different key to Help.

 See Keys and Key Names before using the key mapping directives.

 Key assignments are processed before looking for keystroke aliases.  For
 example, if you assign Shift-F1 to HELP and also assign Shift-F1 to a key
 alias, the key alias will be ignored.

 Assigning a new keystroke for a function does not deassign the default
 keystroke for the same function.  If you want to deassign one of the default
 keys, use the NormalKey directive described below or the corresponding
 directive for keys in the other key groups (NormalEditKey, NormalHWinKey, or
 NormalListKey).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1. General Input Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives apply to all input.  They are in effect whenever 4OS2 requests
input from the keyboard, including during command-line editing and the
DESCRIBE, ESET, INPUT, LIST, and SELECT commands.  The general input keys are:

        Backspace           Deletes the character to the left of the cursor
        BeginLine           Moves the cursor to the start of the line
        Del                 Deletes the character at the cursor
        DelToBeginning      Deletes from the cursor to the start of the line
        DelToEnd            Deletes from the cursor to the end of the line
        DelWordLeft         Deletes the word to the left of the cursor
        DelWordRight        Deletes the word to the right of the cursor
        Down                * Moves the cursor or scrolls the display down
        EndLine             Moves the cursor to the end of the line
        EraseLine           Deletes the entire line
        ExecLine            Executes or accepts a line
        Ins                 Toggles insert / overstrike mode
        Left                * Moves the cursor or scrolls the display left
        NormalKey           * Deassigns a key
        Right               * Moves the cursor or scrolls the display right
        Up                  * Moves the cursor or scrolls the display up
        WordLeft            Moves the cursor left one word
        WordRight           Moves the cursor right one word


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.1. Backspace ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Backspace = Key (Bksp):  Deletes the character to the left of the cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.2. BeginLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BeginLine = Key (Home):  Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line.


═══ 13.4.1.3.  Del ═══

Del = Key (Del):  Deletes the character at the cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.4. DelToBeginning ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelToBeginning = Key (Ctrl-Home):  Deletes from the cursor to the start of the
line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.5. DelToEnd ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelToEnd = Key (Ctrl-End):  Deletes from the cursor to the end of the line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.6. DelWordLeft ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelWordLeft = Key (Ctrl-L):  Deletes the word to the left of the cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.7. DelWordRight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelWordRight = Key (Ctrl-R, Ctrl-Bksp):  Deletes the word to the right of the
cursor.  See ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping of Ctrl-Bksp
to this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.8. Down ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Down = Key (Down):  Scrolls the display down one line in LIST; moves the cursor
down one line in SELECT and in the command-line history, directory history, or
%@SELECT window.  (Scrolling down through the command history at the prompt is
controlled by NextHistory, not by this directive.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.9. EndLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EndLine = Key (End):  Moves the cursor to the end of the line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.10. EraseLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EraseLine = Key (Esc):  Deletes the entire line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.11. ExecLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ExecLine = Key (Enter):  Executes or accepts a line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.12. Ins ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Ins = Key (Ins):  Toggles insert / overstrike mode during line editing.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.13. Left ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Left = Key (Left):  Moves the cursor left one character; scrolls the display
left 8 columns in LIST; scrolls the display left 4 columns in the command-line,
directory history, or %@SELECT window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.14. NormalKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalKey = Key:  Deassigns a general input key in order to disable the usual
meaning of the key within 4OS2 and/or make it available for keystroke aliases.
This will make the keystroke operate as a "normal" key with no special
function.  For example:

        NormalKey = Ctrl-End

will disable Ctrl-End, which is the standard "delete to end of line" key.
Ctrl-End could then be assigned to a keystroke alias. Another key could be
assigned the "delete to end of line" function with the DelToEnd directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.15. Right ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Right = Key (Right):  Moves the cursor right one character; scrolls the display
right 8 columns in LIST; scrolls the display right 4 columns in the
command-line history, directory history, or %@SELECT window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.16. Up ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Up = Key (Up):  Scrolls the display up one line in LIST; moves the cursor up
one line in SELECT and in the command-line history, directory history, or
%@SELECT window.  (Scrolling up through the command history at the prompt is
controlled by PrevHistory, not by this directive.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.17. WordLeft ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WordLeft = Key (Ctrl-Left):  Moves the cursor left one word; scrolls the
display left 40 columns in LIST.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.1.18. WordRight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WordRight = Key (Ctrl-Right):  Moves the cursor right one word; scrolls the
display right 40 columns in LIST.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2. Command-Line Editing Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives apply only to command-line editing.  They are only effective
at the 4OS2 prompt.  The command-line editing keys are:

        AddFile             Keeps filename completion entry and adds another
        CommandEscape       Allows direct entry of a keystroke
        DelHistory          Deletes a history list entry
        EndHistory          Displays the last entry in the history list
        Help                Invokes this help system
        LineToEnd           Copies the current line to the end of the history
        NextFile            Gets the next matching filename
        NextHistory         Recalls the next command from the history
        NormalEditKey       Deassigns a command-line editing key
        PopFile             Opens the filename completion window
        PrevFile            Gets the previous matching filename
        PrevHistory         Recalls the previous command from the history
        SaveHistory         Saves the command line without executing it


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.1. AddFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AddFile = Key (F10):  Keeps the current filename completion entry and inserts
the next matching name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.2. CommandEscape ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CommandEscape = Key (Alt-255):  Allows direct entry of a keystroke that would
normally be interpreted as an editor command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.3. DelHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelHistory = Key (Ctrl-D):  Deletes the displayed history list entry and
displays the previous entry.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.4. EndHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EndHistory = Key (Ctrl-E):  Displays the last entry in the history list.


═══ 13.4.2.5.  Help ═══

Help = Key (F1):  Invokes the HELP facility.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.6. LineToEnd ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LineToEnd = Key (Ctrl-Enter):  Copies the current command line to the end of
the history list even if it has not been altered.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.7. NextFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NextFile = Key (F9, Tab):  Gets the next matching filename. See ClearKeyMap if
you need to remove the default mapping of Tab to this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.8. NextHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NextHistory = Key (Down):  Recalls the next command from the command history.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.9. NormalEditKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalEditKey = Key:  Deassigns a command-line editing key in order to disable
the usual meaning of the key while editing a command line, and/or make it
available for keystroke aliases.  For additional details see NormalKey.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.10. PopFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopFile = Key (F7, Ctrl-Tab):  Opens the filename completion window.  You may
not be able to use Ctrl-Tab, because not all systems recognize it as a
keystroke.  See ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping of
Ctrl-Tab to this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.11. PrevFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PrevFile = Key (F8, Shift-Tab):  Gets the previous matching filename.  See
ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping of Shift-Tab to this
function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.12. PrevHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PrevHistory = Key (Up):  Recalls the previous command from the command history.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.2.13. SaveHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SaveHistory = Key (Ctrl-K):  Saves the command line in the command history list
without executing it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3. History and @SELECT Window Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives apply only to the command history window, the directory
history window, and %@SELECT windows.  The History and @SELECT window keys are:

        DirWinOpen          Opens the directory history window
        HistWinBegin        Moves to the first line of the history window
        HistWinDel          Deletes a line from within the history window
        HistWinEdit         Moves a line from the history window to the prompt
        HistWinEnd          Moves to the last line of the history window
        HistWinExec         Executes the selected line in the history window
        HistWinOpen         Opens the command history window
        NormalHWinKey       Deassigns a history window key


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.1. DirWinOpen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DirWinOpen = Key (Ctrl-PgUp):  Opens the directory history window while at the
command line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.2. HistWinBegin ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinBegin = Key (Ctrl-PgUp):  Moves to the first line of the history when in
the history window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.3. HistWinDel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinDel = Key (Ctrl-D):  Deletes a line from within the history window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.4. HistWinEdit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinEdit = Key (Ctrl-Enter):  Moves a line from the history window to the
prompt for editing.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.5. HistWinEnd ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinEnd = Key (Ctrl-PgDn):  Moves to the last line of the history when in
the history window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.6. HistWinExec ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinExec = Key (Enter):  Executes the selected line in the history window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.7. HistWinOpen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinOpen = Key (PgUp):  Brings up the history window while at the command
line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.3.8. NormalHWinKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalHWinKey = Key:  Deassigns a history window key in order to disable the
usual meaning of the key within the history window. For additional details see
NormalKey.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4. LIST Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives are effective only inside the LIST command.  The LIST keys
are:

        ListExit            Exits the current file.
        ListFind            Prompts and searches for a string
        ListHex             Toggles hexadecimal display mode
        ListHighBit         Toggles LIST's "strip high bit" option
        ListInfo            Displays information about the current file
        ListNext            Finds the next matching string
        ListPrint           Prints the file on LPT1
        ListWrap            Toggles LIST's wrap option
        NormalListKey       Deassigns a LIST key


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.1. ListExit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListExit = Key (Esc):  Exits the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.2. ListFind ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListFind = Key (F):  Prompts and searches for a string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.3. ListHex ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListHex = Key (X):  Toggles hexadecimal display mode.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.4. ListHighBit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListHighBit = Key (H):  Toggles LIST's "strip high bit" option, which can aid
in displaying files from certain word processors.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.5. ListInfo ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListInfo = Key (I):  Displays information about the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.6. ListNext ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListNext = Key (N):  Finds the next matching string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.7. ListPrint ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListPrint = Key (P):  Prints the file on LPT1.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.8. ListWrap ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListWrap = Key (W):  Toggles LIST's wrap option on and off. The wrap option
wraps text at the right margin.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.4.4.9. NormalListKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalListKey = Key:  Deassigns a LIST key in order to disable the usual
meaning of the key within LIST.  For additional details see NormalKey.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.5. Advanced Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives are generally used for unusual circumstances, or for
diagnosing problems.  Most often they are not needed in normal use.  The
advanced directives are:

        ClearKeyMap         Clear default key mappings
        NextINIFile         Set secondary shell .INI file name


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.5.1. ClearKeyMap ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ClearKeyMap:  Clears all current key mappings. ClearKeyMap is a special
directive which has no value or "=" after it.  Use ClearKeyMap to make one of
the keys in the default map (Tab, Shift-Tab, Ctrl-Tab, or Ctrl-Bksp) available
for a keystroke alias, or in the [Secondary] section of the .INI file to clear
key mappings inherited from the primary shell.  ClearKeyMap should appear
before any key mapping directives.  If you want to clear some but not all of
the default mappings, use ClearKeyMap, then recreate the mappings you want to
retain (e.g., with "NextFile=Tab", etc.).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 13.5.2. NextINIFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NextINIFile = File.  The full path and name of the file must be specified.  All
subsequent shells will read the specified .INI file, and ignore any [Secondary]
section in the original .INI file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14. 4OS2 Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The best way to learn the 4OS2 commands is to experiment with them.  The lists
below categorize the available commands by topic and will help you find the
ones that you need.

System configuration:

        CHCP          CLS           COLOR         DATE
        FREE          HISTORY       KEYS          KEYBD
        LOG           MEMORY        PROMPT        REBOOT
        SETDOS        TIME          VER           VERIFY
        VOL

File and directory management:

        ATTRIB        COPY          DEL           DESCRIBE
        LIST          MOVE          REN           SELECT
        TYPE

Subdirectory management:

        CD            CDD           DIR           DIRS
        MD            POPD          PUSHD         RD

Input and output:

        DRAWBOX       DRAWHLINE     DRAWVLINE     ECHO
        ECHOS         INKEY         INPUT         SCREEN
        SCRPUT        TEXT          VSCRPUT

Commands primarily for use in or with batch files and aliases (some work only
in batch files; see the individual commands for details):

        ALIAS         BEEP          CALL          CANCEL
        DELAY         DO            ENDLOCAL      FOR
        GLOBAL        GOSUB         GOTO          IF
        IFF           LOADBTM       ON            PAUSE
        QUIT          REM           RETURN        SETLOCAL
        SHIFT         UNALIAS

Environment and path commands:

        DPATH         ESET          PATH          SET
        UNSET

Other commands:

        ?             DETACH        EXCEPT        EXIT
        FFIND         HELP          SHRALIAS      START
        TEE           TIMER         WINDOW        Y


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.1. ? - List the internal commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a list of internal commands or prompt for a command.

 Format:     ? ["prompt text" command]

 Usage

 ? by itself displays a list of internal commands.

 If you have disabled a command with SETDOS /I, it will not appear in the list.

 If you add prompt text and a command, ? will display the prompt followed by
 "(Y/N)?" and wait for the user's response.  If the user presses "Y" or "y",
 the command will be executed.  If the user presses "N" or "n", the command
 will be ignored.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.2. ALIAS - Create or display aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create new command names that execute one or more commands or
             redefine default options for existing commands; assign commands to
             keystrokes; load or display the list of defined alias names.

 Format:     ALIAS [/P /R file...] [name [=][value ]]

             file :  One or more files to read for alias definitions.
             name :  Name for an alias, or for the key to execute the alias.
             value :  Text to be substituted for the alias name.

             /P(ause)                        /R(ead file)

 See also:  UNALIAS.

 Usage

 The ALIAS command lets you create new command names or redefine internal
 commands.  It also lets you assign one or more commands to a single keystroke.
 An alias is often used to execute a complex series of commands with a few
 keystrokes or to create "in memory batch files" that run much faster than
 disk-based batch files.

 For example, if you would rather type D instead of DIR /W, you would use the
 command:

          [c:\] alias d = dir /w

 Now when you type a single d as a command, it will be translated into a DIR /W
 command.

 If you define aliases for commonly used application programs, you can often
 remove the directories they're stored in from the PATH. For example, if you
 use Quattro Pro and had the C:\QPRO directory in your path, you could define
 the following alias:

          [c:\] alias qpro = c:\qpro\q.exe

 With this alias defined, you can probably remove C:\QPRO from your path.
 Quattro Pro will now load much faster than it would if 4OS2 had to search the
 PATH for it.  In addition, the PATH can be shorter, which will speed up
 searches for other programs.

 If you apply this technique for each application program, you can often reduce
 your PATH to just two or three directories containing utility programs, and
 significantly reduce the time it takes to load most software on your system.
 Before removing a directory from the PATH, you will need to define aliases for
 all the executable programs you commonly use which are stored in that
 directory.

 Aliases are stored in memory, and are not saved automatically when you turn
 off your computer or end your current session.  See below for information on
 saving and reloading your aliases.

 Multiple Commands and Special Characters in Aliases

 An alias can represent more than one command.  For example:

          [c:\] alias letters = `cd \letters & text`

 creates a new command called LETTERS.  The command first uses CD to change to
 a subdirectory called \LETTERS and then runs a program called TEXT.  The
 ampersand [&] is the command separator and indicates that the two commands are
 distinct and should be executed sequentially.

 Aliases make extensive use of the command separator, and the parameter
 character, and may also use the escape character.  These characters differ
 between 4DOS and 4OS2 or 4DOS/NT.  In the text and examples below, we use the
 4OS2 characters.  If you want to use the same aliases under different command
 processors, see 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility.

 When you type alias commands at the command line or in a batch file, you must
 use back quotes [`] around the definition if it contains multiple commands,
 parameters (discussed below), environment variables, redirection, or piping.
 The back quotes prevent premature expansion of these arguments.  You may use
 back quotes around other definitions, but they are not required. (You do not
 need back quotes when your aliases are loaded from an ALIAS /R file; see below
 for details.)  The examples above and below include back quotes only when they
 are required.

 Nested Aliases

 Aliases may invoke internal commands, external commands, or other aliases.
 (However, an alias may not invoke itself, except in special cases where an IF
 or IFF command is used to prevent an infinite loop.)  The two aliases below
 demonstrate alias nesting (one alias invoking another).  The first line
 defines an alias which runs a program called WP.EXE that is in the E:\WP60\
 subdirectory.  The second alias changes directories with the PUSHD command,
 runs the WP alias, and then returns to the original directory with the POPD
 command:

          [c:\] alias wp = e:\wp60\wp.exe
          [c:\] alias w = `pushd c:\wp & wp & popd`

 The second alias above could have included the full path and name of the
 WP.EXE program instead of calling the WP alias. However, writing two aliases
 makes the second one easier to read and understand, and makes the first alias
 available for independent use.  If you rename the WP.EXE program or move it to
 a new directory, only the first alias needs to be changed.

 Temporarily Disabling Aliases

 If you put an asterisk [*] immediately before a command in the value of an
 alias definition (the part after the equal sign), it tells 4OS2 not to attempt
 to interpret that command as another (nested) alias.  An asterisk used this
 way must be preceded by a space or the command separator and followed
 immediately by an internal or external command name.

 By using an asterisk, you can redefine the default options for any internal
 command.  For example, suppose that you always want to use the DIR command
 with the /2 (two column) and /P (pause at the end of each page) options:

          [c:\] alias dir = *dir /2/p

 If you didn't include the asterisk, the second DIR on the line would be the
 name of the alias itself, and 4OS2 would repeatedly re- invoke the DIR alias,
 rather than running the DIR command.  This would cause an "Alias loop" or
 "Command line too long" error.

 An asterisk also helps you keep the names of internal commands from
 conflicting with the names of external programs.  For example, suppose you
 have a program called LIST.COM.  Normally, the internal LIST command will run
 anytime you type LIST.  But two simple aliases will give you access to both
 the LIST.COM program and the LIST command:

          [c:\] alias list = c:\util\list.com
          [c:\] alias display = *list

 The first line above defines LIST as an alias for the LIST.COM program.  If
 you stopped there, the external program would run every time you typed LIST
 and you would not have easy access to the internal LIST command.  The second
 line renames the internal LIST command as DISPLAY.  The asterisk is needed in
 the second command to indicate that the following word means the internal
 command LIST, not the LIST alias which runs your external program.

 You can also use an asterisk before a command that you enter at the command
 line or in a batch file.  If you do, that command won't be interpreted as an
 alias.  This can be useful when you want to be sure you are running the true,
 original command and not an alias with the same name, or temporarily defeat
 the purpose of an alias which changes the meaning or behavior of a command.

 Partial Alias Names

 You can also use an asterisk in the name of an alias.  When you do, the
 characters following the asterisk are optional when you invoke the alias
 command.  (Use of an asterisk in the alias name is unrelated to the use of an
 asterisk in the alias value discussed above.)  For example, with this alias:

          [c:\] alias wher*eis = dir /sp

 the new command, WHEREIS, can be invoked as WHER, WHERE, WHEREI, or WHEREIS.
 Now if you type:

          [c:\] where myfile.txt

 The WHEREIS alias will be expanded to the command:

          dir /sp myfile.txt

 Keystroke Aliases

 If you want to assign an alias to a keystroke, use the keyname on the left
 side of the equal sign, preceded by an at sign [@]. For example, to assign the
 command DIR /W to the F5 key, type

          [c:\] alias @F5 = dir /w

 See Keys and Key Names for a complete listing of key names and a description
 of the key name format.

 When you define keystroke aliases, the assignments will only be in effect at
 the command line, not inside application programs.  Be careful not to assign
 aliases to keys that are already used at the command line (like F1 for Help).
 The command-line meanings take precedence and the keystroke alias will never
 be invoked.  If you want to use one of the command-line keys for an alias
 instead of its normal meaning, you must first disable its regular use with the
 NormalKey or NormalEditKey directive in your .INI file.

 If you define a keystroke alias with a single at sign as shown above, then,
 when you press the F5 key, the value of the alias (DIR /W above) will be
 placed on the command line for you.  You can type additional parameters if you
 wish and then press Enter to execute the command.  With this particular alias,
 you can define the files that you want to display after pressing F5 and before
 pressing Enter to execute the command.

 If you want the keystroke alias to take action automatically without waiting
 for you to edit the command line or press Enter, you can begin the definition
 with two at signs [@@]. 4OS2 will execute the alias "silently," without
 displaying its text on the command line.  For example, this command will
 assign an alias to the F6 key that uses the CDD command to take you back to
 the previous default directory:

          [c:\] alias @@f6 = cdd -

 You can also define a keystroke alias by using "@" or "@@" plus a scan code
 for one of the permissible keys (see the Reference Tables for a list of scan
 codes).  In most cases it will be easier to use key names.  Scan codes should
 only be used with unusual keyboards where a key name is not available for the
 key you are using.

 Displaying Aliases

 If you want to see a list of all current ALIAS commands, type:

          [c:\] alias

 You can also view the definition of a single alias.  If you want to see the
 definition of the alias LIST, you can type:

          [c:\] alias list

 Saving and Reloading Your Aliases

 You can save your aliases to a file called ALIAS.LST this way:

          [c:\] alias > alias.lst

 You can then reload all the alias definitions in the file the next time you
 boot up with the command:

          [c:\] alias /r alias.lst

 This is much faster than defining each alias individually in a batch file.  If
 you keep your alias definitions in a separate file which you load when your
 system starts, you can edit them with a text editor, reload the edited file
 with ALIAS /R, and know that the same alias list will be loaded the next time
 you boot your computer.

 When you define aliases in a file that will be read with the ALIAS /R command,
 you do not need back quotes around the value, even if back quotes would
 normally be required when defining the same alias at the command line or in a
 batch file.

 To remove an alias, use the UNALIAS command.

 Alias Parameters

 Aliases can use command-line arguments or parameters like those in batch
 files.  The command-line arguments are numbered from %0 to %127.  %0 contains
 the alias name.  It is up to the alias to determine the meaning of the other
 parameters.  You can use quotation marks to pass spaces, tabs, commas, and
 other special characters in an alias parameter; see Argument Quoting for
 details.

 Parameters that are referred to in an alias, but which are missing on the
 command line, appear as empty strings inside the alias.  For example, if you
 put two parameters on the command line, any reference in the alias to %3 or
 any higher-numbered parameter will be interpreted as an empty string.

 The parameter %n$ has a special meaning.  4OS2 interprets it to mean "the
 entire command line, from argument n to the end."  If n is not specified, it
 has a default value of 1, so %$ means "the entire command line after the alias
 name."  The special parameter %# contains the number of command-line
 arguments.

 For example, the following alias will change directories, perform a command,
 and return to the original directory:

          [c:\] alias in `pushd %1 & %2$ & popd`

 When this alias is invoked as:

          [c:\] in c:\comm mycomm /xmodem /2400

 the first parameter, %1, has the value c:\comm.  %2 is mycomm,  %3 is /xmodem,
 and %4 is /2400. The command line expands into these three separate commands:

          pushd c:\comm
          mycomm /xmodem /2400
          popd

 This next example uses the IFF command to redefine the defaults for SET.  It
 should be entered on one line:

          [c:\] alias set = `iff %# == 0 then & *set /p
               & else & *set %& & endiff`

 This modifies the SET command so that if SET is entered with no arguments, it
 is replaced by SET /P (pause after displaying each page), but if SET is
 followed by an argument, it behaves normally. Note the use of asterisks (*set)
 to prevent alias loops.

 If an alias uses parameters, command-line arguments will be deleted up to and
 including the highest referenced argument.  For example, if an alias refers
 only to %1 and %4, then the first and fourth arguments will be used, the
 second and third arguments will be discarded, and any additional arguments
 beyond the fourth will be appended to the expanded command (after the value
 portion of the alias).  If an alias uses no parameters, all of the command-
 line arguments will be appended to the expanded command.

 Aliases also have full access to all variables in the environment, internal
 variables, and variable functions.  For example, you can create a simple
 command-line calculator this way (enter this on one line):

          [c:\] alias calc = `echo The answer is: %@eval[%&]`

 Now, if you enter:

          [c:\] calc 5 * 6

 the alias will display:

          The answer is: 30

 Local and Global Aliases

 The aliases can be stored in either a "local" or "global" list.

 With a local alias list, any changes made to the aliases will only affect the
 current copy of 4OS2.  They will not be visible in other shells or other
 sessions.

 With a global alias list, all copies of 4OS2 will share the same alias list,
 and any changes made to the aliases in one copy will affect all other copies.
 This is the default.

 You can control the type of alias list with the LocalAliases directive in the
 .INI file, and with the /L and /LA options of the START command.

 Whenever you start a secondary shell which uses a local alias list, it
 inherits a copy of the aliases from the previous shell. However, any changes
 to the alias made in the secondary shell will affect only that shell.  If you
 want changes made in a secondary shell to affect the previous shell, use a
 global alias list in both shells.

 Retaining Global Aliases with SHRALIAS

 If you select a global alias list for 4OS2 you can share the aliases among all
 copies of 4OS2 running in any session.  When you close all 4OS2 sessions, the
 memory for the global alias list is released, and a new, empty alias list is
 created the next time you start 4OS2.

 If you want the alias list to be retained in memory even when no command
 processor session is running, see the SHRALIAS command, which retains the
 global alias, command history, and directory history lists.

 SHRALIAS retains the alias list in memory, but cannot preserve it when OS/2
 itself is shut down.  To save your aliases when restarting OS/2, you must
 store them in a file and reload them after the system restarts.  For details
 on how to do so, see Saving and Reloading Your Aliases (above).

 The UNKNOWN_CMD Alias

 If you create an alias with the name UNKNOWN_CMD, it will be executed any time
 4OS2 would normally issue an "Unknown command" error message.  This allows you
 to define your own handler for unknown commands.  When the UNKNOWN_CMD alias
 is executed, the command line which generated the error is passed to the alias
 for possible processing.

 Use caution when you create the UNKNOWN_CMD alias.  If it contains an unknown
 command, it will be called repeatedly and 4OS2 will lock up in an infinite
 loop.

 Options

    /P:     (Pause) This option is only effective when ALIAS is used to display
            existing definitions.  It pauses the display after each page and
            waits for a keystroke before continuing (see Page and File
            Prompts).

    /R:     (Read file) This option loads an alias list from a file. The format
            of the file is the same as that of the ALIAS display:

                                name=value

            where name is the name of the alias and value is its value.  You
            can use an equal sign [=] or space to separate the name and value.
            Back quotes are not required around the value.  You can add
            comments to the file by starting each comment line with a colon
            [:].  You can load multiple files with one ALIAS /R command by
            placing the names on the command line, separated by spaces:

                                [c:\] alias /r alias1.lst alias2.lst

            Each definition in an ALIAS /R file can be up to 2047 characters
            long. The definitions can span multiple lines in the file if each
            line, except the last, is terminated with an escape character.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.3. ATTRIB - Change or view file attributes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change or view file and subdirectory attributes.

 Format:     ATTRIB [/A:[[-]rhsda] /D /P /Q /S] [+|-[AHRS]] files ...

             files :  A file, directory, or list of files or directories on
             which to operate.

             /A(ttribute select)             /Q(uiet)
             /D(irectories)                  /S(ubdirectories)
             /P(ause)

             Attribute flags:

             +A      Set the archive attribute
             -A      Clear the archive attribute
             +H      Set the hidden attribute
             -H      Clear the hidden attribute
             +R      Set the read-only attribute
             -R      Clear the read-only attribute
             +S      Set the system attribute
             -S      Clear the system attribute

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 Every file and subdirectory has 4 attributes that can be turned on (set) or
 turned off (cleared):  Archive, Hidden, Read- only, and System.

 The ATTRIB command lets you set or clear attributes for any file, group of
 files, or subdirectory.  You can view file attributes by entering ATTRIB
 without specifying new attributes (i.e., without the [+|-[AHRS]] part of the
 format), or with the DIR /T command.

 For example, you can set the read-only and hidden attributes for the file MEMO
 :

          [c:\] attrib +rh memo

 Attribute options apply to the file(s) that follow the options on the ATTRIB
 command line.  The example below shows how to set different attributes on
 different files with a single command.  It sets the archive attribute for all
 .TXT files, then sets the system attribute and clears the archive attribute
 for TEST.COM :

          [c:\] attrib +a *.txt +s -a test.com

 Your operating system also supports "D" (subdirectory) and "V" (volume label)
 attributes.  These attributes cannot be altered with ATTRIB; they are designed
 to be controlled only by the operating system itself.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., ATTRIB /A: ...), ATTRIB
            will select all files and subdirectories including hidden and
            system files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified
            attributes must match for a file to be selected. For example,
            /A:RHS will select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /D:     (Directories) If you use the /D option, ATTRIB will modify the
            attributes of subdirectories in addition to files (yes, you can
            have a hidden subdirectory):

                                [c:\] attrib /d +h c:\mydir

            In addition, the /D option will keep ATTRIB from appending "\*.*"
            to the end of a directory name and modifying the attributes of all
            the files in the subdirectory.

            If you use a directory name instead of a file name, and omit /D,
            ATTRIB will append "\*.*" to the end of the name and act on all
            files in that directory, rather than acting on the directory
            itself.

    /P:     (Pause) Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q:     (Quiet) This option turns off ATTRIB's normal screen output. It is
            most useful in batch files.

    /S:     (Subdirectories) If you use the /S option, the ATTRIB command will
            be applied to all matching files in the current or named directory
            and all of its subdirectories.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.4. BEEP - Beep the speaker ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Beep the speaker or play simple music.

 Format:     BEEP [frequency duration ...]

             frequency :  The beep frequency in Hertz (cycles per second).
             duration :  The beep length in 1/18th second intervals.

 Usage

 BEEP generates a sound through your computer's speaker.  It is normally used
 in batch files to signal that an operation has been completed, or that the
 computer needs attention.

 Because BEEP allows you to specify the frequency and duration of the sound,
 you can also use it to play simple music or to create different kinds of
 signals for the user.

 You can include as many frequency and duration pairs as you wish. No sound
 will be generated for frequencies less than 20 Hz, allowing you to insert
 short delays.  The default value for frequency is 440 Hz; the default value
 for duration is 2.

 This batch file fragment runs a program called DEMO, then plays a few notes
 and waits for you to press a key:

          demo & beep 440 4  600 2  1040 6
          pause Finished with the demo - hit a key...

 The following table gives the frequency values for a five octave range (middle
 C is 262 Hz):

          ΓòöΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòù
          Γòæ C      Γöé  131  Γöé  262  Γöé  523  Γöé  1046  Γöé  2093 Γòæ
          Γòæ C#/Db  Γöé  139  Γöé  277  Γöé  554  Γöé  1108  Γöé  2217 Γòæ
          Γòæ D      Γöé  147  Γöé  294  Γöé  587  Γöé  1175  Γöé  2349 Γòæ
          Γòæ D#/Eb  Γöé  156  Γöé  311  Γöé  622  Γöé  1244  Γöé  2489 Γòæ
          Γòæ E      Γöé  165  Γöé  330  Γöé  659  Γöé  1318  Γöé  2637 Γòæ
          Γòæ F      Γöé  175  Γöé  349  Γöé  698  Γöé  1397  Γöé  2794 Γòæ
          Γòæ F#/Gb  Γöé  185  Γöé  370  Γöé  740  Γöé  1480  Γöé  2960 Γòæ
          Γòæ G      Γöé  196  Γöé  392  Γöé  784  Γöé  1568  Γöé  3136 Γòæ
          Γòæ G#/Ab  Γöé  208  Γöé  415  Γöé  831  Γöé  1662  Γöé  3322 Γòæ
          Γòæ A      Γöé  220  Γöé  440  Γöé  880  Γöé  1760  Γöé  3520 Γòæ
          Γòæ A#/Bb  Γöé  233  Γöé  466  Γöé  932  Γöé  1866  Γöé  3729 Γòæ
          Γòæ B      Γöé  248  Γöé  494  Γöé  988  Γöé  1973  Γöé  3951 Γòæ
          ΓòÜΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓò¥


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.5. CALL - Execute one batch file from another ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute one batch file from within another.

 Format:     CALL file

             file :  The batch file to execute.

 See also:  CANCEL and QUIT.

 Usage

 CALL allows batch files to call other batch files (batch file nesting).  The
 calling batch file is suspended while the called (second) batch file runs.
 When the second batch file finishes, the original batch file resumes execution
 at the next command.  If you execute a batch file from inside another batch
 file without using CALL, the first batch file is terminated before the second
 one starts.

 4OS2 supports batch file nesting up to ten levels deep.

 The current ECHO state is inherited by a called batch file.

 A called batch file will return to the calling file after processing the last
 line in the called file, or when a QUIT command is executed.  A called batch
 file should always return in this way, or terminate all batch files with
 CANCEL.  Restarting (or CALLing) the original batch file from within a called
 file will prevent 4OS2 from detecting that you've left the second file, and it
 may cause an infinite loop or a stack overflow.

 CALL returns an exit code which matches the batch file return code. You can
 test this exit code with the %_? or %? environment variable, and use it with
 conditional commands(&& and ||).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.6. CANCEL - Terminate batch file processing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Terminate batch file processing.

 Format:     CANCEL [value ]

             value :  The exit code from 0 to 255 to return to 4OS2.

 See also:  CALL and QUIT.

 Usage

 The CANCEL command ends all batch file processing, regardless of the batch
 file nesting level.  Use QUIT to end a nested batch file and return to the
 previous batch file.

 You can CANCEL at any point in a batch file.  If CANCEL is used from within an
 alias it will end execution of both the alias and any batch file(s) which are
 running at the time.

 The following batch file fragment compares an input line to "end" and
 terminates all batch file processing if it matches:

          input Enter your choice:  %%option
          if "%option" == "end" cancel

 If you specify a value, CANCEL will set the ERRORLEVEL or exit code to
 thatvalue (see the IF command, and the %? variable).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.7. CD - Change the current directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or change the current directory.

 Format:     CD [ path | - ]
                or
             CHDIR [ path | - ]

             path :  The directory to change to, including an optional drive
             name.

 See also:  CDD, MD, PUSHD, RD, and CDPATH.

 Usage

 CD and CHDIR are synonyms.  You can use either one.

 CD lets you navigate through the disk subdirectory structure by changing the
 current working directory.  If you enter CD and a directory name, the named
 directory becomes the new current directory.  For example, to change to the
 subdirectory C:\FINANCE\MYFILES :

          [c:\] cd \finance\myfiles
          [c:\finance\myfiles]

 Every disk drive on the system has its own current directory. Specifying both
 a drive and a directory in the CD command will change the current directory on
 the specified drive, but will not change the default drive.  For example, to
 change the default directory on drive A:

          [c:\] cd a:\utility
          [c:\]

 Notice that this command does not change to drive A:.  Use the CDD command to
 change the current drive and directory at the same time.

 You can change to the parent directory with CD ..; you can also go up one
 additional directory level with each additional [.]. For example, CD .... will
 go up three levels in the directory tree (see Extended Parent Directory
 Names).  You can move to a sibling directory -- one that branches from the
 same parent directory as the current subdirectory -- with a command like CD
 ..\newdir.

 If you enter CD with no argument or with only a disk drive name, it will
 display the current directory on the default or named drive.

 CD saves the current directory before changing to a new directory. You can
 switch back to the previous directory by entering CD -. (There must be a space
 between the CD command and the hyphen.)  You can switch back and forth between
 two directories by repeatedly entering CD -.  The saved directory is the same
 for both the CD and CDD commands.  Drive changes and automatic directory
 changes also modify the saved directory, so you can use CD - to return to a
 directory that you exited with an automatic directory change.

 Directory changes made with CD are recorded for display in the directory
 history window.

 CD never changes the default drive.  If you change directories on one drive,
 switch to another drive, and then enter CD -, the directory will be restored
 on the first drive but the current drive will not be changed.

 If CD can't change directly to the specified directory, it will look for the
 CDPATH variable; see CDPATH for details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.8. CDD - Change the current drive and directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the current disk drive and directory.

 Format:     CDD [ path | - ]

             path :  The name of the directory (or drive and directory) to
             change to.

 See also:  CD, MD, PUSHD, RD, and CDPATH.

 Usage

 CDD is similar to the CD command, except that it also changes the default disk
 drive if one is specified.  CDD will change to the directory and drive you
 name.  To change from the root directory on drive A to the subdirectory C:\WP:

          [a:\] cdd c:\wp
          [c:\wp]

 You can change to the parent directory with CDD ..; you can also go up one
 additional directory level with each additional [.].  For example, CDD ....
 will go up three levels in the directory tree.

 CDD saves the current drive and directory before changing to a new directory.
 You can switch back to the previous drive and directory by entering CDD -.
 (There must be a space between the CDD command and the hyphen.)  You can
 switch back and forth between two drives and directories by repeatedly
 entering CDD -.  The saved directory is the same for both the CD and CDD
 commands.  Drive changes and automatic directory changes also modify the saved
 directory, so you can use CDD - to return to a directory that you exited with
 a drive change or an automatic directory change.

 Directory changes made with CDD are recorded for display in the directory
 history window.

 If CDD can't change directly to the specified directory, it will look for the
 CDPATH variable; see CDPATH for details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.9. CHCP - Change the current code page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or change the current system code page.

 Format:     CHCP [n ]

             n :  A system code page number.

 Usage

 Code page switching allows you to select different character sets for language
 support.

 If you enter CHCP without a number, the current code page is displayed.

          [c:\] chcp
          Active code page: 437

 If you enter CHCP plus a code page number, the system code page is changed.
 For example, to set the code page to multilingual:

          [c:\] chcp 850

 CHCP accepts one of the prepared system code pages.  An error message is
 displayed if a code page is selected that has not been prepared for the
 system.

 See your OS/2 documentation for more information on CHCP.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.10. CLS - Clear the screen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Clear the video display and move the cursor to the upper left
             corner; optionally change the default display and border colors.

 Format:     CLS [[BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg ] [BORder bc ]

             fg :  The new foreground color
             bg :  The new background color
             bc :  The new border color

 Usage

 CLS can be used to clear the screen without changing colors, or to clear the
 screen and change the screen colors simultaneously. These three examples show
 how to clear the screen to the default colors, to bright white letters on a
 blue background, and to bright yellow letters on a magenta background with a
 blue border:

          [c:\] cls
          [c:\] cls bright white on blue
          [c:\] cls bri yel on mag bor blu

 CLS is often used in batch files to clear the screen before displaying text.

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors and notes on the use of
 bright background colors.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.11. COLOR - Change the display colors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the default display colors.

 Format:     COLOR [BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg [BORder bc ]

             fg :  The new foreground color
             bg :  The new background color
             bc :  The new border color

 See also:  CLS, and Colors and Color Names for details about using colors.

 Usage

 COLOR is normally used in batch files before displaying text. For example, to
 set screen colors to bright white on blue, you can use this command:

          [c:\] color bright white on blue


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.12. COPY - Copy files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Copy data between disks, directories, files, or physical hardware
             devices (such as your printer or serial port).

 Format:     COPY [/A:[[-]rhsda] /C /H /M /N /P /Q /R /S /T /U /V] source [+]
             ... [/A /B] destination [/A /B]

             source :  A file or list of files or a device to copy from.
             destination :  A file, directory, or device to copy to.

             /A(SCII)                        /P(rompt)
             /A:(ttribute select)            /Q(uiet)
             /B(inary)                       /R(eplace)
             /C(hanged)                      /S(ubdirectories)
             /H(idden)                       /T(otals)
             /M(odified)                     /U(pdate)
             /N(othing)                      /V(erify)

 See also:  ATTRIB, MOVE, and REN.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Date, time, or size ranges anywhere on the line apply to all source files.

 Usage

 The COPY command accepts all traditional syntax and options and adds several
 new features.

 The simplest use of COPY is to make a copy of a file, like this example which
 makes a copy of a file called FILE1.ABC :

          [c:\] copy file1.abc file2.def

 You can also copy a file to another drive and/or directory.  The following
 command copies FILE1 to the \MYDIR directory on drive E:

          [c:\] copy file1 e:\mydir

 You can copy several files at once by using wildcards:

          [c:\] copy *.txt e:\mydir

 You can also list several source files in one command.  The following command
 copies 3 files from the current directory to the \MYDIR directory on drive E:

          [c:\] copy file1 file2 file3 e:\mydir

 The way COPY interprets your command line depends on how many arguments (file,
 directory, or device names) are on the line, and whether the arguments are
 separated with [+] signs or spaces.

 If there is only one argument on the line, COPY assumes it is the source, and
 uses the current drive and directory as the destination.  For example, the
 following command copies all the .DAT files on drive A to the current
 directory on drive C:

          [c:\] copy a:*.dat

 If there are two or more arguments on the line and [+] signs are not used,
 then COPY assumes that the last argument is the destination and copies all
 source files to this new location.  If the destination is a drive, directory,
 or device name then the source files are copied individually to the new
 location.  If the destination is a file name, the first source file is copied
 to the destination, and any additional source files are then appended to the
 new destination file.

 For example, the first of these commands copies the .DAT files from the
 current directory on drive A individually to C:\MYDIR (which must already
 exist as a directory); the second appends all the .DAT files together into one
 large file called C:\DATA (assuming C:\DATA is not a directory):

          [c:\] copy a:*.dat c:\mydir\
          [c:\] copy a:*.dat c:\data

 When you copy to a directory, if you add a backslash [\] to the end of the
 name as shown in the first example above, COPY will display an error message
 if the name does not refer to an existing directory.  You can use this feature
 to keep COPY from treating a mistyped destination directory name as a file
 name and attempting to append all your source files to a destination file,
 when you really meant to copy them individually to a destination directory.

 A plus [+] tells COPY to append two or more files to a single destination
 file.  If you list several source files separated with [+] and don't specify a
 destination, COPY will use the name of the first source file as the
 destination, and append each subsequent file to the first file.  In this case
 the destination file will always be created in the current directory, even if
 the first source file is in another directory or on another drive.

 For example, the following command will append the contents of C:\MEMO2 and
 C:\MEMO3 to C:\MEMO1 and leave the combined contents in the file named
 C:\MEMO1 :

          [c:\] copy memo1+memo2+memo3

 To append the same three files but store the result in BIGMEMO:

          [c:\] copy memo1+memo2+memo3 bigmemo

 To append C:\MEM\MEMO2 and C:\MEM\MEMO3 to D:\DATA\MEMO1, and leave the result
 in C:\MEM\MEMO1 :

          [c:\mem] copy d:\data\memo1+memo2+memo3

 You cannot append files to a device (such as a printer); if you try to do so,
 COPY will ignore the [+] signs and copy the files individually.  If you
 attempt to append several source files to a destination directory or disk,
 COPY will append the files and place the copy in the new location with the
 same name as the first source file.

 If your destination has wildcards in it, COPY will attempt to match them with
 the source names.  For example, this command copies the .DAT files from drive
 A to C:\MYDIR and gives the new copies the extension .DX :

          [c:\] copy a:*.dat c:\mydir\*.dx

 This feature can give you unexpected results if you use it with multiple
 source file names.  For example, suppose that drive A contains XYZ.DAT and
 XYZ.TXT.  The command

          [c:\] copy a:\*.dat a:\*.txt c:\mydir\*.dx

 will copy A:XYZ.DAT to C:\MYDIR\XYZ.DX.  Then it will copy A:XYZ.TXT to
 C:\MYDIR\XYZ.DX, overwriting the first file it copied.

 COPY also understands include lists, so you can specify several different
 kinds of files in the same command.  This command copies the .TXT, .DOC, and
 .BAT files from the E:\MYDIR directory to the root directory of drive A:

          [c:\] copy e:\mydir\*.txt;*.doc;*.bat a:\

 You can use date, time, and size ranges to further define the files that you
 want to copy.  This example copies every file in the E:\MYDIR directory, which
 was created or modified yesterday, and which is also 10,000 bytes or smaller
 in size, to the root directory of drive A:

          [c:\] copy /[d-1] /[s0,10000] e:\mydir\*.* a:\

 COPY maintains the hidden and system attributes of files, but not the
 read-only attribute.  The destination file will always have the archive
 attribute set.

 Options

 The /A(SCII) and /B(inary) options apply to the preceding filename and to all
 subsequent filenames on the command line until the file name preceding the
 next /A or /B, if any.  The other options (/A:, /C, /H, /M, /N, /P, /Q, /R,
 /S, /T, /U, /V) apply to all filenames on the command line, no matter where
 you put them.  For example, either of the following commands could be used to
 copy a font file to the printer in binary mode:

          [c:\] copy /b myfont.dat prn
          [c:\] copy myfont.dat /b prn

 Some options do not make sense in certain contexts, in which case COPY will
 ignore them.  For example, you cannot prompt before replacing an existing file
 when the destination is a device such as the printer -- there's no such thing
 as an "existing file" on the printer.  If you use conflicting output options,
 like /Q and /P, COPY will take a "conservative" approach and give priority to
 the option which generates more prompts or more information.

    /A:     (ASCII) If you use /A with a source filename, the file will be
            copied up to, but not including, the first Ctrl-Z (Control-Z or
            ASCII 26) character in the file.  If you use /A with a destination
            filename, a Ctrl-Z will be added to the end of the file (some
            application programs use the Ctrl-Z to mark the end of a file).  /A
            is the default when appending files, or when the destination is a
            device like NUL or PRN, rather than a disk file.

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., COPY /A: ...), COPY will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected. For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.  You must
            include the colon with this option to distinguish it from the
            /A(SCII) switch, above.

    /B:     (Binary) If you use /B with a source filename, the entire file is
            copied; Ctrl-Z characters in the file do not affect the copy
            operation.  Using /B with a destination filename prevents addition
            of a Ctrl-Z to the end of the destination file. /B is the default
            for normal file copies.

    /C:     (Changed files) Copy files only if the destination file exists and
            is older than the source (see also /U).  This option is useful for
            updating the files in one directory from those in another without
            copying any newly created files.

    /H:     (Hidden) Copy all matching files including those with the hidden
            and/or system attribute set.

    /M:     (Modified) Copy only those files with the archive attribute set,
            i.e., those which have been modified since the last backup.  The
            archive attribute will not be cleared after copying; to clear it
            use ATTRIB.

    /N:     (Nothing) Do everything except actually perform the copy. This
            option is useful for testing what the result of a complex COPY
            command will be.

    /P:     (Prompt) Ask the user to confirm each source file.  Your options at
            the prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q:     (Quiet) Don't display filenames or the total number of files
            copied.  This option is most often used in batch files.  See also
            /T.

    /R:     (Replace) Prompt the user before overwriting an existing file.
            Your options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and
            File Prompts.

    /S:     (Subdirectories) Copy the subdirectory tree starting with the files
            in the source directory plus each subdirectory below that.  The
            destination must be a directory; if it doesn't exist, COPY will
            attempt to create it.  COPY will also attempt to create needed
            subdirectories on the tree below the destination, including empty
            source directories.  If you attempt to use COPY /S to copy a
            subdirectory tree into part of itself, COPY will display an error
            message and exit.

    /T:     (Totals) Turns off  the display of filenames, like /Q, but does
            display the total number of files copied.

    /U:     (Update) Copy each source file only if it is newer than a matching
            destination file or if a matching destination file does not exist
            (see also /C).  This option is useful for keeping one directory
            matched with another with a minimum of copying.

    /V:     (Verify) Verify each disk write.  This is the same as executing the
            VERIFY ON command, but is only active during the COPY.  /V does not
            read back the file and compare its contents with what was written;
            it only verifies that the data written to disk is physically
            readable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.13. DATE - Change the system date ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display and optionally change the system date.

 Format:     DATE [mm -dd -yy ]

             mm :  The month (1 - 12).
             dd :  The day (1 - 31).
             yy :  The year (80 - 99 = 1980 - 1999, or a 4- digit year).

 See also:  TIME.

 Usage

 If you simply type DATE without any parameters, you will see the current
 system date and time, and be prompted for a new date. Press ENTER if you don't
 wish to change the date.  If you type a new date, it will become the current
 system date, which is included in the directory entry for each file as it is
 created or altered:

          [c:\] date
          Thu  Dec 22, 1994  9:30:06
          Enter new date (mm-dd-yy):

 You can also enter a new system date by typing the DATE command plus the new
 date on the command line:

          [c:\] date 3-16-95

 You can use hyphens, slashes, or periods to separate the month, day, and year
 entries.  A full 4-digit year can be entered if you wish.

 DATE adjusts the format it expects depending on your country settings.  When
 entering the date, use the correct format for the country setting currently in
 effect on your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.14. DEL - Delete one or more files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Erase one file, a group of files, or entire subdirectories.

 Format:     DEL [/A:[[-]rhsda] /F /N /P /Q /S /T /X /Y /Z] file...
                or
             ERASE [/A:[[-]rhsda] /F /N /P /Q /S /T /X /Y /Z] file...

             file :  The file, subdirectory, or list of files or subdirectories
             to erase.

             /A:(ttribute select)            /S(ubdirectories)
             /F(orce delete)                 /T(otal)
             /N(othing)                      /X (remove empty subdirectories)
             /P(rompt)                       /Y(es to all prompts)
             /Q(uiet)                        /Z(ap hidden and read-only files)

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 DEL and ERASE are synonyms, you can use either one.

 Use the DEL and ERASE commands with caution; the files and subdirectories that
 you erase may be impossible to recover without specialized utilities and a lot
 of work.

 To erase a single file, simply enter the file name:

          [c:\] del letters.txt

 You can also erase multiple files in a single command.  For example, to erase
 all the files in the current directory with a .BAK or .PRN extension:

          [c:\] del *.bak *.prn

 If you enter a subdirectory name, or a filename composed only of wildcards (*
 and/or ?), DEL asks for confirmation (Y or N) unless you specified the /Y
 option.  If you respond with a Y, DEL will delete all the files in that
 subdirectory (hidden, system, and read-only files are only deleted if you use
 the /Z option).

 DEL displays the amount of disk space recovered, unless the /Q option is used
 (see below).  It does so by comparing the amount of free disk space before and
 after the DEL command is executed.  This amount may be incorrect if you are
 using a deletion tracking system which stores deleted files in a hidden
 directory, or if, under a multitasking system, another program performs a file
 operation while the DEL command is executing.

 Remember that DEL removes file descriptions along with files.  Most deletion
 tracking systems will not be able to save or recover a file's description,
 even if they can save or recover the data in a file.

 DEL returns a non-zero exit code if no files are deleted, or if another error
 occurs.  You can test this exit code with the %_? environment variable, and
 use it with conditional commands)(&& and ||).

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., DEL /A: ...), DEL will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected. For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /F:     (Force delete) This option is only available in the 32-bit version
            of 4OS2.  It forces deletion of the file without saving it to the
            DELDIR directory (if DELDIR is not in use, /F has no effect).

    /N:     (Nothing) Do everything except actually delete the file(s).  This
            is useful for testing what the result of a DEL would be.

    /P:     (Prompt) Prompt the user to confirm each erasure.  Your options at
            the prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q:     (Quiet) Don't display filenames as they are deleted, or the number
            of files deleted or bytes freed.  See also /T.

    /S:     (Subdirectories) Delete the specified files in this directory and
            all of its subdirectories.  This is like a GLOBAL DEL, and can be
            used to delete all the files in a subdirectory tree or even a whole
            disk.  It should be used with caution!

    /T:     (Total) Don't display filenames as they are deleted, but display
            the total number of files deleted plus the amount of free disk
            space recovered.  Unlike /Q, the /T option will not speed up
            deletions under DOS.

    /X:     (Remove empty subdirectories) Remove empty subdirectories after
            deleting (only useful when used with /S).

    /Y:     (Yes) The reverse of /P -- it assumes a Y response to everything,
            including deleting an entire subdirectory tree.  4OS2 normally
            prompts before deleting files when the name consists only of
            wildcards or a subdirectory name (see above); /Y overrides this
            protection, and should be used with extreme caution!

    /Z:     (Zap) Delete read-only, hidden, and system files as well as normal
            files.  Files with the read-only, hidden, or system attribute set
            are normally protected from deletion; /Z overrides this protection,
            and should be used with caution.  Because EXCEPT works by hiding
            files, /Z will override an EXCEPT command.

            For example, to delete the entire subdirectory tree starting with
            C:\UTIL, including hidden and read- only files, without prompting
            (use this command with CAUTION!):

                                [c:\] del /sxyz c:\util\


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.15. DELAY - Pause for a specified length of time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Pause for a specified length of time.

 Format:     DELAY [seconds ]

             seconds :  The number of seconds to delay.

 Usage

 DELAY is useful in batch file loops while waiting for something to occur.  To
 wait for 10 seconds:

          delay 10

 A simple loop could make a tone with the BEEP command to get the operator's
 attention and then DELAY for a few seconds while waiting for the user to
 respond.

 For delays shorter than one second, use the BEEP command with an inaudible
 frequency (below 20 Hz).

 You can cancel a delay by pressing Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.16. DESCRIBE - Create or modify file descriptions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create, modify, or delete file and subdirectory descriptions.

 Format:     DESCRIBE [/A:[[-]rhsda]] file ["description" ] ...

 /A:(ttribute select)

             file :  The file or files to operate on.
             "description" :  The description to attach to the file.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 DESCRIBE adds descriptions to files and subdirectories.  The descriptions are
 displayed by DIR in single-column mode and by SELECT.  Descriptions let you
 identify your files in much more meaningful ways than you can in an
 eight-character filename.

 You enter a description on the command line by typing the DESCRIBE command,
 the filename, and the description in quotation marks, like this:

          [c:\] describe memo.txt "Memo to Bob about party"

 If you don't put a description on the command line, DESCRIBE will prompt you
 for it:

          [c:\] describe memo.txt
          Describe "memo.txt" : Memo to Bob about party

 If you use wildcards or multiple filenames with the DESCRIBE command and don't
 include the description text, you will be prompted to enter a description for
 each file.  If you do include the description on the command line, all
 matching files will be given the same description.

 Each description can be up to 40 characters long.  You can change this limit
 with the DescriptionMax directive in 4OS2.INI.  DESCRIBE can edit descriptions
 longer than DescriptionMax (up to a limit of 511 characters), but will not
 allow you to lengthen the existing text.

 The descriptions are stored in each directory in a hidden file called
 DESCRIPT.ION.  Use the ATTRIB command to remove the hidden attribute from this
 file if you need to copy or delete it.  DESCRIPT.ION is always created as a
 hidden file, but will not be re-hidden by 4OS2 if you remove the hidden
 attribute.  You can change the description file name with the DescriptionName
 directive in 4OS2.INI or the SETDOS /D command, and retrieve it with the
 _DName internal variable.

 The description file is modified appropriately whenever you perform an
 internal command which affects it (such as COPY, MOVE, DEL, or RENAME), but
 not if you use an external program (such as XCOPY or a visual shell).

 On HPFS drives, you will not see file descriptions in a normal DIR display,
 because DIR must leave space for the long filenames used on these drives.  To
 view the descriptions, use DIR /Z to display the directory in FAT format.  See
 the DIR command for more details.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., DESCRIBE /A: ...),
            DESCRIBE will select all files and subdirectories including hidden
            and system files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified
            attributes must match for a file to be selected. For example,
            /A:RHS will select only those files with all three attributes set.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.17. DETACH - Start a program in detached mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Start an OS/2 program in detached mode.

 Format:     DETACH command

             command :  The name of a command to execute, including an optional
             drive and path specification.

 See also:  START.

 Usage

 When you start a program with DETACH, that program cannot use the keyboard,
 mouse, or video display.  It is "detached" from the normal means of user input
 and output.  However, you can redirect the program's standard I/O to other
 devices if necessary, using redirection symbols.

 The command can be an internal command, external command, alias, or batch
 file.  If it is not an external command, 4OS2 will detach a copy of itself to
 execute the command.

 For example, the following command will detach a copy of 4OS2 to run the batch
 file XYZ.BTM :

          [c:\] detach xyz.btm

 Once the program has started, 4OS2 returns to the prompt immediately.  It does
 not wait for a detached program to finish.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.18. DIR - Display directories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display information about files and subdirectories.

 Format:     DIR [/1 /2 /4 /A[[:][-]rhsda] /B /D /E /F /H /I"text" /J /K /L /M
             /N /O[[:][-]adeginrsu] /P /R /S /T[:acw] /U /V /W /Z] [file...]

             file :  The file, directory, or list of files or directories to
             display.

             /1 (one column)                 /L(ower case)
             /2 (two columns)                /M (suppress footer)
             /4 (four columns)               /N(ew format)
             /A(ttribute select)             /O(rder)
             /B(are)                         /P(ause)
             /D(isable color coding)         /R (disable wRap)
             /E (use upper case)             /S(ubdirectories)
             /F(ull path)                    /T (aTtribute) or (Time)
             /H(ide dots)                    /U (sUmmary information)
             /I (match descriptions)         /V(ertical sort)
             /J(ustify names)                /W(ide)
             /K (suppress header)            /Z (use FAT format)

 See also:  ATTRIB, DESCRIBE, SELECT, and SETDOS.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 DIR can be used to display information about files from one or more of your
 disk directories, in a wide range of formats.  Depending on the options
 chosen, you can display the file name, attributes, and size; the time and date
 of the last change to the file; the file description; and the file's
 compression ratio.  You can also display information in 1, 2, 4, or 5 columns,
 sort the files several different ways, use color to distinguish file types,
 and pause after each full screen.

 The various DIR displays are controlled through options or switches.  The best
 way to learn how to use the many options available with the DIR command is to
 experiment.  You will soon know which options you want to use regularly.  You
 can select those options permanently by using the ALIAS command.

 On HPFS drives, DIR will use the standard long name display format with the
 filename at the right-hand side of the display.  File descriptions are not
 displayed in this format.  To switch to the more traditional FAT (short name)
 format, and display the file descriptions, use the /Z switch.

 You may want to mix several options.  For example, to display all the files in
 the current directory, in 2 columns, sorted vertically (down one column then
 down the next), and with a pause at the end of each page:

          [c:\] dir /2/p/v

 To set up this format as the default, using an alias:

          [c:\] alias dir=*dir /2/p/v

 This example displays all the files on all directories of drive C, including
 hidden and system files, pausing after each page:

          [c:\] dir /s/a/p c:\

 DIR allows wildcard characters (* and ?) in the filename.  If you don't
 specify a filename, DIR defaults to *.* (display all non- hidden files and
 subdirectories in the current directory).  To display all of the .WKS files in
 the current directory:

          [c:\] dir *.wks

 With the /I option, DIR can select files to display based on their
 descriptions.  DIR will display a file if its description matches the text
 after the /I switch.  The search is not case sensitive.  You can use wildcards
 and extended wildcards as part of the text.  For example, to display any file
 described as a "Test File" you can use this command:

          [c:\] dir /i"test file"

 If you want to display files that include the words "test file" anywhere in
 their descriptions, use extended wild cards like this:

          [c:\] dir /i"*test file*"

 If you link two or more filenames together with spaces, DIR will display all
 of the files that match the first name and then all of the files that match
 the second name.  You may use a different drive and path for each filename.
 This example lists all of the .WKS and then all of the .WK1 files in the
 current directory:

          [c:\] dir *.wks *.wk1

 If you use an include list to link multiple filenames, DIR will display the
 matching filenames in a single listing.  Only the first filename in an include
 list can have a path; the other files must be in the same path.  This example
 displays the same files as the previous example, but the .WKS and .WK1 files
 are intermixed:

          [c:\] dir *.wks;*.wk1

 You can display the file and subdirectory names in color by setting the
 COLORDIR environment variable or using the ColorDir directive in your .INI
 file.  See Color-Coded Directories for details.

 If you are using color-coded directories and attempt to redirect the output of
 DIR to a character device, such as a serial port or the printer,
 non-color-coded file names will be displayed on the device but color-coded
 names may still be displayed on the screen. This will not occur if the output
 of DIR is redirected to a disk file.  To prevent this problem, use the /D
 switch to disable color coding when redirecting the output of DIR to a
 character device.

 By default, 4OS2 will display filenames in lower case on FAT drives, and in
 the case in which the filenames are stored on HPFS drives (HPFS drives support
 upper-case, lower-case, and mixed-case filenames).  You can override these
 defaults and force filenames to display in upper case with /E, or in lower
 case with /L.

 When displaying file descriptions, DIR will wrap long lines to fit on the
 screen.  DIR displays a maximum of 40 characters of text in each line of a
 description, unless your screen width allows a wider display.  If you disable
 description wrapping with the /R switch, the description is truncated at the
 right edge of the screen, and a right arrow is added at the end of the line to
 alert you to the existence of additional description text.

 If you attempt to redirect the output of DIR to a character device, such as a
 serial port or the printer, long descriptions will be wrapped at the screen
 width in the redirected output.  If this is not what you want, use /R to
 disable wrapping.

 When sorting file names and extensions, 4OS2 normally assumes that sequences
 of digits should be sorted numerically (for example, the file DRAW2 would come
 before DRAW03 because 2 is numerically smaller than 03), rather than strictly
 alphabetically (where DRAW2 would come second because "2" is after "0" in
 alphanumeric order). You can defeat this behavior and force a strict
 alphabetic sort with the /O:a option.

 If you have selected a specific country code for your system, DIR will display
 the date in the format for that country.  The default date format is U.S.
 (mm-dd-yy).  The separator character in the file time will also be affected by
 the country code.

 DIR can handle directories of any size, limited only by available memory.
 Memory requirements for DIR are generally not a concern under 4OS2, because of
 the virtual memory available under these operating systems.

 Options on the command line apply only to the filenames which follow the
 option, and options at the end of the line apply to the preceding filename
 only.  This allows you to specify different options for different groups of
 files, yet retains compatibility with the traditional DIR command when a
 single filename is specified.

 Options

    /1:     Single column display -- display the filename, size, date, time,
            and description.  This is the default. If /T is used the attributes
            are displayed instead of the description; if /C or /O:c is used the
            compression ratio is displayed instead of the description.

    /2:     Two column display -- display the filename, size, date, and time.
            If you use /2 (or /4) on an HPFS drive, DIR will only display the
            file names.  Also, the number of columns may be reduced to one for
            names too long to fit on half the screen.  Due to these
            restrictions, /2 is normally most useful on HPFS drives when used
            with /Z to force the display to FAT format.

    /4:     Four column display -- display the filename and size, in K
            (kilobytes) or M (megabytes).  The note under /2 above regarding
            HPFS drives applies to /4 as well.

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is optional.  The attributes are: attributes
            are:

              R  Read-only
              H  Hidden
              S  System
              D  Subdirectory
              A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., DIR /A ...), DIR will
            display all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be included in the listing.  For example,
            /A:RHS will display only those files with all three attributes set.

    /B:     (Bare)  Suppress the header and summary lines, and display file or
            subdirectory names only, in a single column. This option is most
            useful when you want to redirect a list of names to a file or
            another program.  If you use /B with /S, DIR will show the full
            path of each file instead of simply its name and extension.

    /D:     (Disable color coding)  Temporarily disable directory color coding.
            May be required when color-coded directories are used and DIR
            output is redirected to a character device like the printer (e.g.,
            PRN or LPT1) or serial port (e.g., COM1 or COM2).  /D is not
            required when DIR output is redirected to a file.

    /E:     Display filenames in the traditional upper case; also see SETDOS /U
            and the UpperCase directive in 4OS2.INI.

    /F:     (Full path)  Display each filename with its drive letter and path
            in a single column, without other information.

    /H:     (Hide dots)  Suppress the display of the "." and ".." directories.

    /I:     Display filenames by matching text in their descriptions.  The text
            can include wild cards and extended wildcards.  The search text
            must be enclosed in quotation marks.  /I may be used to select
            files even if descriptions are not displayed (for example, if /2 is
            used).  However, /I will be ignored if /C or /O:c is used.

    /J:     (Justify names)  Justify (align) filename extensions and display
            them in the traditional format.

    /K:     Suppress the header (disk and directory name) display.

    /L:     (Lower case)  Display file and directory names in lower case; also
            see SETDOS /U and the UpperCase directive in 4OS2.INI.

    /M:     Suppress the footer (file and byte count totals) display.

    /N:     Use the HPFS display format, even if the files are stored on a FAT
            file system volume.

    /O:     (Order) Set the sorting order.  You may use any combination of the
            following sorting options; if multiple options are used, the
            listing will be sorted with the first sort option as the primary
            key, the next as the secondary key, and so on:

              -  Reverse the sort order for the next option
              a  Sort in ASCII order, not numerically, when there are digits in
            the name
              d  Sort by date and time (oldest first); for HPFS drives also see
            /T
              e  Sort by extension
              g  Group subdirectories first, then files
              i  Sort by file description (ignored if /C or /O:c is used)
              n  Sort by filename (this is the default)
              r  Reverse the sort order for all options
              s  Sort by size
              u  Unsorted

    /P:     (Pause)  Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /R      (disable wRap)  Forces long descriptions to be displayed on a
            single line, rather than wrapped onto two or more lines.  Use /R
            when output is redirected to a character device, such as a serial
            port or the printer; or when you want descriptions truncated,
            rather than wrapped, in the on-screen display.

    /S:     (Subdirectories)  Display file information from the current
            directory and all of its subdirectories.  DIR will only display
            headers and summaries for those directories which contain files
            that match the filename(s) and attributes (if /A is used) that you
            specify on the command line.

    /T      (aTtribute display)  Display the filenames, attributes, and
            descriptions.  The descriptions will be wrapped onto the next line,
            if necessary, unless you also use the /R (truncate) option.  If you
            use both /T and /R, descriptions are truncated after 34 characters
            on an 80-column display.  The attributes are displayed in the
            format RHSA, with the following meanings:

              R  Read-only
              H  Hidden
              S  System
              A  Archive
            If you wish to add another option after /T, you must start the next
            option with a forward slash.  If you don't, 4OS2 will interpret the
            /T as the time display switch and the following character as a
            valid or invalid time selector  For example:

                                        [c:\] dir /tz             incorrect, will display error
                                        [c:\] dir /t/z            correct


    /T:acw  (Time display)  Specify which of the date and time fields on an
            HPFS drive should be displayed and used for sorting:

              a  Last access time
              c  Creation time
              w  Last write time (default)

    /U      (sUmmary information)  Only display the number of files, the total
            file size, and the total amount of disk space used.

    /V:     (Vertical sort)  Display the filenames sorted vertically rather
            than horizontally (use with the /2, /4 or /W options).

    /W:     (Wide)  Display filenames only, horizontally across the screen (5
            columns on an 80-character wide display).

    /Z:     Display an HPFS directory in FAT format.  Long names will be
            truncated to 12 characters.  If the name is longer than 12
            characters, it will be followed by a right arrow to show that one
            or more characters have been truncated.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.19. DIRS - Display the directory stack ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the current directory stack.

 Format:     DIRS

 See also:  PUSHD and POPD.

 Usage

 The PUSHD command adds the current default drive and directory to the
 directory stack, a list that 4OS2 maintains in memory.  The POPD command
 removes the top entry of the directory stack and makes that drive and
 directory the new default.  The DIRS command displays the contents of the
 directory stack, with the most recent entries on top (i.e., the next POPD will
 retrieve the first entry that DIRS displays).

 The directory stack holds 255 characters, enough for 10 to 20 typical drive
 and directory entries.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.20. DO - Create loops in batch files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create loops in batch files.

 Format:     DO [n | FOREVER]
                or
             DO varname = start TO end [BY n ]
                or
             DO [WHILE | UNTIL] condition
                ...
             [ITERATE]
             [LEAVE]
                ...
             ENDDO

             n, start, end :  An integer between 0 and 2,147,483,647 inclusive,
             or an internal variable or variable function that evaluates to
             such a value.
             varname :  The environment variable that will hold the loop
             counter.
             condition :  A test to determine if the loop should be executed.

 Usage

 DO can only be used in batch files.  It cannot be used in aliases.

 DO can be used to create 3 different kinds of loops.  The first, introduced by
 DO n, is a counted loop.  The batch file lines between DO and ENDDO are
 repeated n times.  You can also specify "forever" for n if you wish to create
 an endless loop. For example:

          do 5
             beep
          enddo

 The second type of loop is similar to a "for loop" in programming languages
 like BASIC.  DO creates an environment variable, varname, and sets it equal to
 the value start (if varname already exists in the environment, it will be
 overwritten).  DO then begins the loop process by comparing the value of
 varname with the value of end.  If varname is less than or equal to end, DO
 executes the batch file lines up to the ENDDO.  Next, DO adds 1 to the value
 of varname, or adds the value n if BY n is specified, and repeats the compare
 and execute process until varname is greater than end. This example displays
 the even numbers from 2 through 20:

          do i = 2 to 20 by 2
             echo %i
          enddo

 DO can also count down, rather than up.  If n is negative, varname will
 decrease by n with each loop, and the loop will stop when varname is less than
 end.  For example, to display the even numbers from 2 through 20 in reverse
 order, replace the first line of the example above with:

          do i = 20 to 2 by -2

 The third type of loop is called a "while loop" or "until loop." DO evaluates
 the condition, which can be any of the tests supported by the IF command, and
 executes the lines between DO and ENDDO as long as the condition is true.  The
 loop ends when the condition becomes false.

 WHILE tests the condition at the start of the loop; UNTIL tests it at the end.
 If you use WHILE, the loop may never be executed (if the condition is false at
 the start of the loop); if you use UNTIL, the loop will always be executed at
 least once.

 Two special commands, ITERATE and LEAVE, can only be used inside a DO / ENDDO
 loop.  ITERATE ignores the remaining lines inside the loop and returns to the
 beginning of loop for another iteration (unless DO determines that the loop is
 finished).  LEAVE exits from the current DO loop and continues with the line
 following ENDDO. Both ITERATE and LEAVE are most often used in an IF or IFF
 command:

          do while "%var" != "%val1"
             ...
             if "%var" == "%val2" leave
          enddo

 You can nest DO loops up to 15 levels deep.

 The DO and ENDDO commands must be on separate lines, and cannot be placed
 within a command group, or on the same line as other commands (this is the
 reason DO cannot be used in aliases).  However, commands within the DO loop
 can use command groups or the command separator in the normal way.

 For example, the following command will not work properly, because the DO and
 ENDDO are inside a command group and are not on separate lines:

       if "%a" == "%b" (do i = 1 to 10 & echo %i & enddo)

 However this batch file fragment uses multiple commands and command grouping
 within the DO, and will work properly:

       do i = 1 to 10
          ...
          if "%x1" == "%x2" (echo Done! & leave)
       enddo

 You can exit from all DO / ENDDO loops by using GOTO to a line past the last
 ENDDO.  However, be sure to read the cautionary notes about GOTO and DO under
 the GOTO command before using a GOTO inside any DO loop.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.21. DPATH - Set the data search path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Specify the subdirectories which applications will search to find
             files that are not in the current directory.

 Format:     DPATH [directory [;directory... ]]

             directory :  The full name of a directory to include in the DPATH
             (data path) setting.

 See also:  PATH, SET, and ESET.

 Usage

 When most OS/2 applications try to open a data file, they look for the file in
 the current directory first.  If they fail to find the file there, they search
 each of the directories in the DPATH setting in the order that they are
 included.  Internal commands like TYPE do not search the DPATH directories for
 files.

 For example, the following DPATH command directs applications to look for
 files in this order:  the current directory, the INIT directory on C, and the
 CONFIG directory on D:

          [c:\] dpath c:\init;d:\config

 The listing of directories to be searched can be set or viewed with DPATH.
 The list is stored as an environment string with the variable name DPATH, and
 can also be set or viewed with the SET command and edited with the ESET
 command.

 Directory names in the DPATH must be separated with semicolons [;].  4OS2 will
 not shift directory names in the DPATH to upper case as it does with those in
 the PATH setting.  If you want the names in the DPATH to be in upper case you
 must enter them that way.

 If you enter DPATH with no parameters, 4OS2 displays the current DPATH search
 list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.22. DRAWBOX - Draw a box ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Draw a box on the screen.

 Format:     DRAWBOX ulrow ulcol lrrow lrcol style [BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON
             [BRIght] bg [FILl [BRIght] bgfill ] [ZOOm] [SHAdow]

             ulrow :  Row for upper left corner
             ulcol :  Column for upper left corner
             lrrow :  Row for lower right corner
             lrcol :  Column for lower right corner
             style :  Box drawing style:
             0   No lines (box is drawn with blanks)
             1   Single line
             2   Double line
             3   Single line on top and bottom, double on sides
             4   Double line on top and bottom, single on sides
             fg :  Foreground character color
             bg :  Background character color
             bgfill :  Background fill color (for the inside of the box)

 See also:  DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE.

 Usage

 DRAWBOX is useful for creating attractive screen displays in batch files.

 For example, to draw a box around the entire screen with bright white lines on
 a blue background:

          drawbox 0 0 24 79 1 bri whi on blu fill blu

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors and notes on the use of
 bright background colors.

 If you use ZOOM, the box appears to grow in steps to its final size.  The
 speed of the zoom operation depends on the speed of your video system.

 If you use SHADOW, a drop shadow is created by changing the characters in the
 row under the box and the 2 columns to the right of the box to normal
 intensity text with a black background (this will make characters displayed in
 black disappear entirely).

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.

 DRAWBOX checks for valid row and column values, and displays a "Usage" error
 message if any values are out of range.

 Unlike DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE, DRAWBOX does not automatically connect boxes
 to existing lines on the screen with the proper connector characters.  If you
 want to draw lines inside a box and have the proper connectors drawn
 automatically, draw the box first, then use DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE to draw
 the lines.

 DRAWBOX uses the standard line and box drawing characters in the U.S. English
 extended ASCII character set.  If your system is configured for a different
 country or language, the box may not appear on your screen as you expect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.23. DRAWHLINE - Draw a horizontal line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Draw a horizontal line on the screen.

 Format:     DRAWHLINE row column len style [BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg

             row :  Starting row
             column :  Starting column
             len :  Length of line
             style :  Line drawing style:
             1   Single line
             2   Double line
             fg :  Foreground character color
             bg :  Background character color

 See also:  DRAWBOX and DRAWVLINE.

 Usage

 DRAWHLINE is useful for creating attractive screen displays in batch files.
 It detects other lines and boxes on the display, and creates the appropriate
 connector characters when possible (not all types of lines can be connected
 with the available characters).

 For example, the following command draws a double line along the top row of
 the display with green characters on a blue background:

          drawhline 0 0 80 2 green on blue

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  DRAWHLINE
 checks for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage" error message if
 either value is out of range.

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors and notes on the use of
 bright background colors.

 DRAWHLINE uses the standard line and box drawing characters in the U.S.
 English extended ASCII character set.  If your system is configured for a
 different country or language, the line may not appear on your screen as you
 expect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.24. DRAWVLINE - Draw a vertical line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Draw a vertical line on the screen.

 Format:     DRAWVLINE row column len style [BRIght][BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg

             row :  Starting row
             column :  Starting column
             len :  Length of line
             style :  Line drawing style:
             1   Single line
             2   Double line
             fg :  Foreground character color
             bg :  Background character color

 See also:  DRAWBOX and DRAWHLINE.

 Usage

 DRAWVLINE is useful for creating attractive screen displays in batch files.
 It detects other lines and boxes on the display, and creates the appropriate
 connector characters when possible (not all types of lines can be connected
 with the available characters).

 For example, to draw a double width line along the left margin of the display
 with bright red characters on a black background:

          drawvline 0 0 25 2 bright red on black

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  DRAWVLINE
 checks for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage" error message if
 either value is out of range.

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors and notes on the use of
 bright background colors.

 DRAWVLINE uses the standard line and box drawing characters in the U.S.
 English extended ASCII character set.  If your system is configured for a
 different country or language, the line may not appear on your screen as you
 expect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.25. ECHO - Display a message / set echo state ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a message, enable or disable batch file or command-line
             echoing, or display the echo status.

 Format:     ECHO [ON | OFF | message ]

             message :  Text to display.

 See also:  ECHOS, SCREEN, SCRPUT, SETDOS and TEXT.

 Usage

 4OS2 has a separate echo capability for batch files and for the command line.
 The command-line ECHO state is independent of the batch file ECHO state;
 changing ECHO in a batch file has no effect on the display at the command
 prompt, and vice versa.

 To see the current echo state, use the ECHO command with no arguments.  This
 displays either the batch file or command-line echo state, depending on where
 the ECHO command is performed.

 In a batch file, if you turn ECHO on, each line of the file is displayed
 before it is executed.  If you turn ECHO off, each line is executed without
 being displayed.  ECHO can also be used in a batch file to display a message
 on the screen.  Regardless of the ECHO state, a batch file line that begins
 with the [@] character will not be displayed.  To turn off batch file echoing,
 without displaying the ECHO command, use this line:

          @echo off

 ECHO commands in a batch file will send messages to the screen while the batch
 file executes, even if ECHO is set OFF.  For example, this line will display a
 message in a batch file:

          echo Processing your print files...

 If you want to echo a blank line from within a batch file, enter:

          echo.

 You cannot use the command separator character [&], or the redirection symbols
 [| > <] in an ECHO message, unless you enclose them in quotes (see Argument
 Quoting) or precede them with the escape character.

 ECHO defaults to ON in batch files.  The current ECHO state is inherited by
 called batch files.  You can change the default setting to ECHO OFF with the
 SETDOS /V0 command or the BatchEcho directive in the .INI file.

 If you turn the command-line ECHO on, each command will be displayed before it
 is executed.  This will let you see the command line after expansion of all
 aliases and variables.  The command- line ECHO is most useful when you are
 learning how to use advanced features.  This example will turn command-line
 echoing on:

          [c:\] echo on

 ECHO defaults to OFF at the command line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.26. ECHOS - Display a message without CR/LF ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a message without a trailing carriage return and line
             feed.

 Format:     ECHOS message

 See also:  ECHO, SCREEN, SCRPUT, TEXT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage

 ECHOS is useful for text output when you don't want to add a carriage return /
 linefeed pair at the end of the line.  For example, you can use ECHOS when you
 need to redirect control sequences to your printer; this example sends the
 sequence Esc P to the printer on LPT1:

          [c:\] echos ^eP > lpt1:

 You cannot use the command separator character [&] or the redirection symbols
 [| > <] in an ECHOS message, unless you enclose them in quotes (see Argument
 Quoting) or precede them with the escape character.

 ECHOS does not translate or modify the message text.  For example, carriage
 return characters are not translated to CR/LF pairs. ECHOS sends only the
 characters you enter (after escape character and back quote processing).  The
 only character you cannot put into an ECHOS message is the NUL character
 (ASCII 0).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.27. ENDLOCAL - Restore the saved environment ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Restore the saved disk drive, directory, environment, and alias
             list.

 Format:     ENDLOCAL

 See also:  SETLOCAL.

 Usage

 The SETLOCAL command in a batch file saves the current disk drive, default
 directory, all environment variables, and the alias list. ENDLOCAL restores
 everything that was saved by the previous SETLOCAL command.

 SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL can only be used in batch files, not in aliases or from
 the command line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.28. ESET - Edit environment variables and aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Edit environment variables and aliases.

 Format:     ESET [/A] variable name...

             variable name :  The name of an environment variable or alias to
             edit.

             /A(lias)

 See also:  ALIAS, UNALIAS, SET, and UNSET.

 Usage

 ESET allows you to edit environment variables and aliases using line editing
 commands (see Command-Line Editing).

 For example, to edit the executable file search path:

          [c:\] eset path
          path=c:\;c:\dos;c:\util

 To create and then edit an alias:

          [c:\] alias d = dir /d/j/p
          [c:\] eset d
          d=dir /d/j/p

 ESET will search for environment variables first and then aliases. If you have
 an environment variable and an alias with the same name, ESET will edit the
 environment variable and ignore the alias unless you use the /A option.

 Environment variable and alias names are normally limited to 80 characters,
 and their contents to 1,023 characters.  However, if you use special
 techniques to create a longer environment variable, ESET will edit it provided
 the variable contains no more than 2,047 characters of text.

 If you have enabled global aliases (see ALIAS), any changes made to an alias
 with ESET will immediately affect all other copies of 4OS2 which are using the
 same alias list.

 Option

    /A:     (Alias) Edit the named alias even if an environment variable of the
            same name exists.  If you have an alias and an environment variable
            with the same name, you must use this switch to be able to edit the
            alias.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.29. EXCEPT - Exclude files from a command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Perform a command on all available files except those specified.

 Format:     EXCEPT (file ) command

             file :  The file or files to exclude from the command.
             command :  The command to execute, including all appropriate
             arguments and switches.

 See also:  ATTRIB.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Date, time, or size ranges must appear immediately after the EXCEPT keyword.

 Usage

 EXCEPT provides a means of executing a command on a group of files and/or
 subdirectories, and excluding a subgroup from the operation. The command can
 be an internal command or alias, an external command, or a batch file.

 You may use wildcards to specify the files to exclude from the command.  The
 first example erases all the files in the current directory except those
 beginning with MEMO, and those whose extension is .WKS.  The second example
 copies all the files and subdirectories on drive C to drive D except those in
 C:\MSC and C:\DOS, using the COPY command:

          [c:\] except (memo*.* *.wks) erase *.*
          [c:\] except (c:\msc c:\dos) copy c:\*.* d:\ /s

 Date, time, and size ranges can be used immediately after the word EXCEPT to
 further qualify which files should be excluded from the command.  If the
 command is an internal command that supports ranges, an independent range can
 also be used in the command itself.

 EXCEPT prevents operations on the specified file(s) by setting the hidden
 attribute, performing the command, and then clearing the hidden attribute.  If
 the command is aborted in an unusual way, you may need to use the ATTRIB
 command to remove the hidden attribute from the file(s).

 Caution:  EXCEPT will not work with programs or commands that ignore the
 hidden attribute or which work explicitly with hidden files, including DEL /Z,
 and the /H (process hidden files) switch available in some 4OS2 file
 processing commands.

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands with a single
 EXCEPT.  For example, the following command copies all files in the current
 directory whose extensions begin with .DA, except the .DAT files, to the
 D:\SAVE directory, then changes the first two characters of the extension of
 the copied files to .SA:

          [c:\data] except (*.dat) (copy *.da* d:\save & ren *.da* *.sa*)

 If you use filename completion (see Filename Completion) to enter the
 filenames inside the parentheses, type a space after the open parenthesis
 before entering a partial filename or pressing Tab.  Otherwise, the
 command-line editor will treat the open parenthesis as the first character of
 the filename to be completed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.30. EXIT - Exit 4OS2 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Return from 4OS2.

 Format:     EXIT [value ]

             value :  The exit code to return (0 - 255).

 Usage

 EXIT terminates the current copy of 4OS2.  Use it to return to an application
 when you have "shelled out" to work at the prompt, or to end an OS/2
 command-line session.

 To close the session, or to return to the application that started 4OS2, type:

          [c:\] exit

 If you specify a value, EXIT will return that value to the program that
 started 4OS2.  For example:

          [c:\] exit 255

 The value is a number you can use to inform the program of some result, such
 as the success or failure of a batch file.  This feature is most useful for
 systems which use batch files to automate their operation, such as bulletin
 boards, or custom application programs like databases that shell to 4OS2 to
 perform certain tasks.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.31. FFIND - Search for files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Search for files by name or contents.

 Format:     FFIND [/A:[[-]rhsda] /B /C /D[list] /E /K /L /M
             /O[[:][-]acdeginrsu] /P /S /T"xx" /V /X["xx xx ..."] file...

             list :  A list of disk drive letters (without colons).
             file :  The file, directory, or list of files or directories to
             display.

             /A(ttribute select)             /M (no footers)
             /B(are)                         /O(rder)
             /C(ase sensitive)               /P(ause)
             /D(rive)                        /S(ubdirectories)
             /E (upper case display)         /T(ext search string)
             /K (no headers)                 /V(erbose)
             /L(ine numbers)                 /X (hex display/search string)

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 FFIND is a flexible search command that looks for files based on their names
 and their contents. Depending on the options you choose, FFIND can display
 filenames, matching text, or a combination of both in a variety of formats.

 If you want to search for files by name, FFIND works much like the DIR
 command.  For example, to generate a list of all the .BTM files in the current
 directory, you could use the command:

          [c:\] ffind *.btm

 The output from this command is a list of full pathnames, followed by the
 number of files found.

 If you want to limit the output to a list of *.BTM files which contain the
 string color, you could use this command instead:

          [c:\] ffind /t"color" *.btm

 The output from this version of FFIND is a list of files that contain the
 string color along with the first line in each file that contains that string.
 By default, FFIND uses a case-insensitve search, so the command above will
 include files that contain COLOR, Color, color, or any other combination of
 upper-case and lower-case letters.

 You can use extended wildcards in the search string to increase the
 flexibility of FFIND's search.  For example, the following command will find
 .TXT files which contain either the string June or July.  It will also find
 Juny and Jule.  The /C option makes the search case-sensitive:

          [c:\] ffind /c/t"Ju[nl][ey]" *.txt

 At times, you may need to search for data that cannot be represented by ASCII
 characters.  You can use FFIND's /X option to represent the search string in
 hexadecimal format.  With /X, the search must be represented by pairs of
 hexadecimal digits separated by spaces; a search of this type is always
 case-sensitive (41 63 65 is the hex code for "Ace"):

          [c:\] ffind /x"41 63 65" *.txt

 You can use FFIND's other options to further specify the files for which you
 are searching and to modify the way in which the output is displayed.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., FFIND /A: ...), FFIND
            will select all files and subdirectories including hidden and
            system files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified
            attributes must match for a file to be selected. For example,
            /A:RHS will select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /B:     (Bare) Display file names only and omit the text that matches the
            search.  This option is only useful in combination with /T or /X,
            which normally force FFIND to display file names and matching text.

    /C:     (Case sensitive) Perform a case-sensitive search.  This option is
            only valid with /T, which defaults to a case-insensitive search.
            It is not needed with a /X hexadecimal search, which is always
            case-sensitive.

    /D:     (Drive)  Search all files on one or more drives.  If you use /D
            without a list of drives, FFIND will search the drives specified in
            the list of files.  If no drive letters are listed, FFIND will
            search the default drive.  You can include a list of drives or a
            range of drives to search as part of the /D option.  For example,
            to search drives C:, D:, E:, and G:, you can use either of these
            commands:

                                [c:\] ffind /dcdeg ...
                                [c:\] ffind /dc-eg ...

    /E:     Display filenames in the traditional upper case; also see SETDOS /U
            and the UpperCase directive in 4OS2.INI.

    /K:     (No headers) Suppress the display of the header or filename for
            each matching text line.

    /L:     (Line numbers) Include the line number for each text line
            displayed.

    /M:     (No footers) Suppress the footer (the number of files and number of
            matches) at the end of FFIND's display.

    /O:     (Order) Set the sorting order.  You may use any combination of the
            following sorting options; if multiple options are used, the
            listing will be sorted with the first sort option as the primary
            key, the next as the secondary key, and so on:

              -  Reverse the sort order for the next option

              a  Sort in ASCII order, not numerically, when there are digits in
            the name

              d  Sort by date and time (oldest first); for HPFS drives also see
            /T

              e  Sort by extension

              g  Group subdirectories first, then files

              i  Sort by file description (ignored if /C or /O:c is used)

              n  Sort by filename (this is the default)

              r  Reverse the sort order for all options

              s  Sort by size

              u  Unsorted

    /P:     (Pause) Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /S:     (Subdirectories) Display matches from the current directory and all
            of its subdirectories.

    /T:     (Text search) Specify the text search string.  /T must be followed
            by a text string in double quotes (e.g., /t"color").  FFIND will
            perform a case-insensitive search unless you also use the /C
            option.  For a hexadecimal search and/or hexadecimal display of the
            location where the search string is found, see /X.   You can
            specify a search string with either /T or /X, but not both.

    /V:     (Verbose) Show every matching line.  FFIND's default behavior is to
            show only the first matching line then and then go on to the next
            file.  This option is only valid with /T or /X.

    /X:     (Hexadecimal display / search) Specify hexadecimal display and an
            optional hexadecimal search string.

            If /X is followed by one or more pairs of hexadecimal digits in
            quotes (e.g., /x"44 63 65"), FFIND will search for that exact
            sequence of characters or data bytes without regard to the meaning
            of those bytes as text.  If those bytes are found, the offset is
            displayed (also in hexadecimal).  A search of this type will always
            be case-sensitive.

            If /X is not followed by a hexadecimal search string it must be
            used in conjunction with /T, and will change the output format to
            display hexadecimal offsets rather than actual text lines when the
            search string is found.  For example, this command uses /T to
            display the first line in each BTM file containing the word hello:

                                [c:\] ffind /t"hello" *.btm
                                ---- c:\test.btm:
                                echo hello

                                1 line in 1 file

            If you use the same command with /X, the hexadecimal offset is
            displayed instead of the text:

                                [c:\] ffind /t"hello" /x *.btm
                                ---- c:\test.btm:
                                Offset: 1A

                                1 line in 1 file

            You can specify a search string with either /T or /X, but not both.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.32. FOR - Repeat a command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Repeat a command for several values of a variable.

 Format:     FOR [/A:[[-]rhsda] /H] %var IN ([@]set ) [DO] command ...

             %var :  The variable to be used in the command ("FOR variable").
             set :  A set of values for the variable.
             command :  A command or group of commands to be executed for each
             value of the variable.

             /A(ttribute select)             /H(ide dots)

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Date, time, or size ranges must appear immediately after the FOR keyword.

 Usage

 FOR begins by creating a set.  It then executes a command for every member of
 the set.  The command can be an internal command, an alias, an external
 command, or a batch file.

 Normally, the set is a list of files specified with wildcards.  For example,
 if you use this line in a batch file:

          for %x in (*.txt) do list %x

 then LIST will be executed once for each file in the current directory with
 the extension .TXT.  The FOR variable %x is set equal to each of the file
 names in turn, then the LIST command is executed for each file.  (You could do
 the same thing more easily with a simple LIST *.TXT.  We used FOR here so you
 could get a feel for how it operates, using a simple example.)

 The set can include multiple files or an include list, like this:

          for %x in (d:\*.txt;*.doc;*.asc) do type %x

 If the set includes filenames, the file list can be further refined by using
 date, time, and size ranges.  The range must be placed immediately after the
 word FOR.  The range will be ignored if no wildcards are used inside the
 parentheses.  For example, this set is made up of all of the *.TXT files that
 were created or updated on October 4, 1994:

          for /[d10-4-94,+0] %x in (*.txt) do ...

 If the command is an internal command that supports ranges, an independent
 range can also be used in the command itself.

 The set can also be made up of text instead of file names.  For example, to
 display the free space on drives C:, D:, and E:, you could use:

          for %drive in (c d e) do free %drive:

 When the set is made up of text or several separate file names (not an include
 list), the elements must be separated by spaces, tabs, commas, or the switch
 character (normally a slash [/]).

 You can also set the FOR variable equal to each line in a file by placing an
 [@] in front of the file name.  If you have a file called DRIVES.TXT that
 contains a list of drives on your computer, one drive name per line (with a
 ":" after each drive letter), you can print the free space on each drive this
 way:

          for %d in (@drives.txt) do free %d > prn

 Because the [@] is also a valid filename character, FOR first checks to see if
 the file exists with the [@] in its name (i.e., a file named @DRIVES.TXT ).
 If so, the filename is treated as a normal argument.  If it doesn't exist, FOR
 uses the filename (without the [@]) as the file from which to retrieve text.

 You can use FOR to process the output of a command by using a Redirection and
 Piping. To do so, use @CON as the file name.  For example, this command
 creates a list of the names of all .MSG files in date/time order, then calls
 the MSGPROC batch file for each file:

          dir /b /od *.msg | for %fn in (@con) do call msgproc %fn

 You can use either % or %% in front of the variable name. Either form will
 work, whether the FOR command is typed from the command line or is part of an
 alias or batch file (some of the traditional command processors require a
 single % if FOR is used at the command line, but use %% if it is used in a
 batch file).  The variable name can be up to 80 characters long.  The word DO
 is optional.

 If you use a single-character FOR variable name, that name is given priority
 over any environment variable which starts with the same letter, in order to
 maintain compatibility with the traditional FOR command.  For example, the
 following command tries to add a: and b: to the end of the PATH, but will not
 work as intended:

          [c:\] for %p in (a: b:) do path %path;%p

 The "%p" in "%path" will be interpreted as the FOR variable %p followed by the
 text "ath", which is not what was intended.  To get around this, use a
 different letter or a longer name for the FOR variable, or use square brackets
 around the variable name (see Environment).

 The following example uses FOR with variable functions to delete the .BAK
 files for which a corresponding .TXT file exists in the current directory:

          [c:\docs] for %file in (*.txt) do del %@name[%file].bak

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands for each element in
 the list.  For example, the following command copies each .WKQ file in the
 current directory to the D:\WKSAVE directory, then changes the extension of
 each file in the current directory to .SAV.  This should be entered on one
 line:

          [c:\text] for %file in (*.wkq) do (copy %file d:\wksave\ &
                    ren %file *.sav)

 In a batch file you can use GOSUB to execute a subroutine for every element in
 the set.  Within the subroutine, the FOR variable can be used just like any
 environment variable.  This is a convenient way to execute a complex sequence
 of commands for every element in the set without CALLing another batch file.

 One unusual use of FOR is to execute a collection of batch files or other
 commands with the same parameter.  For example, you might want to have three
 batch files all operate on the same data file. The FOR command could look like
 this:

          [c:\] for %cmd in (filetest fileform fileprnt) do %cmd datafile

 This line will expand to three separate commands:

          filetest datafile
          fileform datafile
          fileprnt datafile

 The variable that FOR uses (the %CMD in the example above) is created in the
 environment and then erased when the FOR command is done.  However, for
 compatibility with CMD.EXE, single-character FOR variables do not overwrite
 existing environment variables with the same name.  As a result, when using a
 multi-character variable name you must be careful not to use the name of one
 of your environment variables as a FOR variable.  For example, a command that
 begins

          [c:\] for %path in ...

 will write over your current path setting and then erase the path variable
 completely.

 FOR statements can be nested.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  /A will be used only when processing wildcard
            file names in the set.  It will be ignored for filenames without
            wildcards or other items in the set.  Preceding the attribute
            character with a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that
            attribute set.  The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes
            are:

              R  Read-only
              H  Hidden
              S  System
              D  Subdirectory
              A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed (e.g., FOR /A: ...), FOR will process
            all files including hidden and system files.  If attributes are
            combined, all the specified attributes must match for a file to be
            included.  For example, /A:RHS will include only those files with
            all three attributes set.

            For example, to process only those files with the archive attribute
            set:

                                for /a:a %f in (*.*) echo %f needs a backup!

    /H:     (Hide dots) Suppress the assignment of the "." and ".." directories
            to "var".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.33. FREE - Display total and free disk space ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the total disk space, total bytes used, and total bytes
             free on the specified (or default) drive(s).

 Format:     FREE [drive: ... ]

             drive :  One or more drives to include in the report.

 See also:  MEMORY.

 Usage

 FREE provides the same disk information as the external command CHKDSK, but
 without the wait, since it does not check the integrity of the file and
 directory structure of the disk.

 A colon [:] is required after each drive letter.  This example displays the
 status of drives A and C:

          [c:\] free a: c:


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.34. GLOBAL - Execute a command all subdirectories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a command in the current directory and its subdirectories.

 Format:     GLOBAL [/H /I /P /Q] command

             command :  The command to execute, including arguments and
             switches.

             /H(idden directories)           /P(rompt)
             /I(gnore exit codes)            /Q(uiet)

 Usage

 GLOBAL performs the command first in the current directory and then in every
 subdirectory under the current directory.  The command can be an internal
 command, an alias, an external command, or a batch file.

 This example copies the files in every directory on drive A to the directory
 C:\TEMP :

          [a:\] global copy *.* c:\temp

 If you use the /P option, GLOBAL will prompt for each subdirectory before
 performing the command.  You can use this option if you want to perform the
 command in most, but not all subdirectories of the current directory.

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands in each
 subdirectory.  For example, the following command copies each .TXT file in the
 current directory and all of its subdirectories to drive A.  It then changes
 the extension of each of the copied files to .SAV :

          [c:\] global (copy *.txt a: & ren *.txt *.sav)

 Options

    /H:     (Hidden directories) Forces GLOBAL to look for hidden directories.
            If you don't use this switch, hidden directories are ignored.

    /I:     (Ignore exit codes) If this option is not specified, GLOBAL will
            terminate if the command returns a non- zero exit code.  Use /I if
            you want command to continue in additional subdirectories even if
            it returns an error in a previous subdirectory.  Even if you use
            /I, GLOBAL will halt execution in response to Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.

    /P:     (Prompt) Forces GLOBAL to prompt with each directory name before it
            performs the command.  Your options at the prompt are explained in
            detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q:     (Quiet) Do not display the directory names as each directory is
            processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.35. GOSUB - Execute a subroutine in a batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a subroutine in the current batch file.

 Format:     GOSUB label

             label :  The batch file label at the beginning of the subroutine.

 See also:  CALL, GOTO and RETURN.

 Usage

 GOSUB can only be used in batch files.

 4OS2 allows subroutines in batch files.  A subroutine must start with a label
 (a colon [:] followed by a one-word label name) which appears on a line by
 itself.  Case differences are ignored when matching labels.  The subroutine
 must end with a RETURN statement.

 The subroutine is invoked with a GOSUB command from another part of the batch
 file.  After the RETURN, processing will continue with the command following
 the GOSUB command.  For example, the following batch file fragment calls a
 subroutine which displays the directory and returns:

          echo Calling a subroutine
          gosub subr1
          echo Returned from the subroutine
          quit
          :subr1
          dir /a/w
          return

 GOSUB begins its search for the label on the next line of the batch file
 (after the GOSUB command).  If the label is not found between the current
 position and the end of the file, GOSUB will restart the search at the
 beginning of the file.  If the label still is not found, the batch file is
 terminated with the error message "Label not found."

 GOSUB saves the IFF state, so IFF statements inside a subroutine won't
 interfere with IFF statements in the part of the batch file from which the
 subroutine was called.

 Subroutines can be nested.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.36. GOTO - Branch within a batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Branch to a specified line inside the current batch file.

 Format:     GOTO [/I] label

             label :  The batch file label to branch to.

             /I(FF and DO continue)

 See also:  GOSUB.

 Usage

 GOTO can only be used in batch files.

 After a GOTO command in a batch file, the next line to be executed will be the
 one immediately after the label.  The label must begin with a colon [:] and
 appear on a line by itself. The colon is required on the line where the label
 is defined, but is not required in the GOTO command itself.  Case differences
 are ignored when matching labels.

 This batch file fragment checks for the existence of the file CONFIG.SYS.  If
 the file exists, the batch file jumps to C_EXISTS and copies all the files
 from the current directory to the root directory on A:.  Otherwise, it prints
 an error message and exits.

          if exist config.sys goto C_EXISTS
          echo CONFIG.SYS doesn't exist - exiting.
          quit
          :C_EXISTS
          copy *.* a:\

 GOTO begins its search for the label on the next line of the batch file (after
 the GOTO command).  If the label is not found between the current position and
 the end of the file, GOTO will restart the search at the beginning of the
 file.  If the label still is not found, the batch file is terminated with the
 error message "Label not found."

 To avoid errors in the processing of nested statements and loops, GOTO cancels
 all active IFF statements and DO / ENDDO loops unless you use /I.  This means
 that a normal GOTO (without /I) may not branch to any label that is between an
 IFF and the corresponding ENDIFF or between a DO and the corresponding ENDDO.

 Options

    /I:     (IFF and DO continue) Prevents GOTO from canceling IFF statements
            and DO loops.  Use this option only if you are absolutely certain
            that your GOTO command is branching entirely within any current IFF
            statement and any active DO / ENDDO block.  Using /I under any
            other conditions will cause an error later in your batch file.

            You cannot branch into another IFF statement, another DO loop, or a
            different IFF or DO nesting level, whether you use the /I option or
            not.  If you do, you will eventually receive an "unknown command"
            error (or execution of the UNKNOWN_CMD alias) on a subsequent
            ENDDO, ELSE, ELSEIFF, or ENDIFF statement.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.37. HELP - Display help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display help for internal commands, and optionally for external
             commands.

 Format:     HELP [topic ]

             topic :  A help topic, internal command, or external command.

 Usage

 Online help is available for 4OS2.  The 4OS2 help system uses the OS/2 help
 facility.

 If you type the command HELP by itself (or press F1 when the command line is
 empty), the table of contents is displayed.  If you type HELP plus a topic
 name, that topic is displayed.  For example,

          help copy

 displays information about the COPY command and its options.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.38. HISTORY - Manage the history list ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display, add to, clear, or read the history list.

 Format:     HISTORY [/A command /F /P /R filename ]

             /A(dd)                          /P(ause)
             /F(ree)                         /R(ead)

 See also:  LOG.

 Usage

 4OS2 keeps a list of the commands you have entered on the command line.  See
 Command History and Recall for additional details.

 The HISTORY command lets you view and manipulate the command history list
 directly.  If no parameters are entered, HISTORY will display the current
 command history list:

          [c:\] history

 With the options explained below, you can clear the list, add new commands to
 the list without executing them, save the list in a file, or read a new list
 from a file.

 The number of commands saved in the history list depends on the length of each
 command line.  The history list size can be specified at startup from 256 to
 32767 characters (see the History directive).  The default size is 1024
 characters.

 Your history list can be stored either locally (a separate history list for
 each copy of 4OS2) or globally (all copies of 4OS2 share the same list).  For
 full details see the discussion of local and global history lists under
 Command History and Recall.

 You can use the HISTORY command as an aid in writing batch files by
 redirecting the HISTORY output to a file and then editing the file
 appropriately.  However, it is easier to use the LOG /H command for this
 purpose.

 You can disable the history list or specify a minimum command-line length to
 save with the HistMin directive in the .INI file.

 Options

    /A:     (Add) Add a command to the history list.  This performs the same
            function as the Ctrl-K key at the command line (see Command History
            and Recall).

    /F:     (Free) Erase all entries in the command history list.

    /P:     (Prompt) Wait for a key after displaying each page of the list.
            Your options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and
            File Prompts.

    /R:     (Read) Read the command history from the specified file and append
            it to the history list currently held in memory.  Each line in the
            file must fit within the command-line length limit).

            You can save the history list by redirecting the output of HISTORY
            to a file.  This example saves the command history to a file called
            HISTFILE and reads it back again immediately.  If you leave out the
            HISTORY /F command on the second line, the contents of the file
            will be appended to the current history list instead of replacing
            it:

                                [c:\] history > histfile
                                [c:\] history /f
                                [c:\] history /r histfile

            If you need to save your history at the end of each day's work, you
            might use commands like this in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or other startup
            file:

                                if exist c:\histfile history /r c:\histfile
                                alias shut*down `history > c:\histfile`

            This restores the previous history list if it exists, then defines
            an alias which will save the history before shutting off the
            system.

            If you are creating a HISTORY /R file by hand, and need to create
            an entry that spans multiple lines in the file, you can do so by
            terminating each line, except the last, with an escape character.
            However, you cannot use this method to exceed the command-line
            length limit.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.39. IF - Execute a command if a condition is true ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a command if a condition or set of conditions is true.

 Format:     IF [NOT] condition [.AND. | .OR. | .XOR. [NOT] condition ...]
             command

             condition :  A test to determine if the command should be
             executed.
             command :  The command to execute if the condition is true.

 See also:  IFF, @IF.

 Usage

 IF is normally used only in aliases and batch files.  It is always followed by
 one or more conditions and then a command. First, the conditions are
 evaluated.  If they are true, the command is executed.  Otherwise, the command
 is ignored. If you add a NOT before a condition, the command is executed only
 when the condition is false.

 You can link conditions with .AND., .OR., or .XOR., and you can nest IF
 statements.  The conditions can test strings, numbers, the existence of a file
 or subdirectory, the exit code returned by the preceding external command, and
 the existence of alias names and internal commands.

 The command can be an alias, an internal command, an external command, or a
 batch file.  The entire IF statement, including all conditions and the
 command, must fit on one line.

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands if the condition is
 true.  For example, the following command tests if any .TXT files exist.  If
 they do, they are copied to drive A: and their extensions are changed to .TXO
 :

          if exist *.txt (copy *.txt a: & ren *.txt *.txo)

 (Note that the IFF command provides a more structured method of executing
 multiple commands if a condition or set of conditions is true.)

 Conditions

 The following conditional tests are available in both the IF and IFF commands.
 They fit into two categories:  string and numeric tests, and status tests.
 The tests can use environment variables, internal variables and variable
 functions, file names, literal text, and numeric values as their arguments.

 Spaces are required on either side of the test condition in all cases, except
 == which will work with or without spaces around it.

 String and Numeric Tests

 Six test conditions can be used to test character strings.  The same
 conditions are available for both numeric and normal text strings (see below
 for details).  In each case you enter the test as:

          string1 operator string2

 The operator defines the type of test (equal, greater than or equal, and so
 on).  The operators are:

        EQ or ==    string1 equal to string2
        NE or !=    string1 not equal to string2
        LT          string1 less than string2
        LE          string1 less than or equal to string2
        GE          string1 greater than or equal to string2
        GT          string1 greater than string2

 Status Tests

 These conditions test the system or command processor status.  You can use
 internal variables and variable functions to test many other parts of the
 system status.

    ERRORLEVEL [operator] n
        This test retrieves the exit code of the preceding external program.
        By convention, programs return an exit code of 0 when they are
        successful and a number between 1 and 255 to indicate an error.  The
        condition can be any of the operators listed above (EQ, !=, GT, etc.).
        If no operator is specified, the default is GE.  The comparison is done
        numerically.

        Not all programs return an explicit exit code.  For programs which do
        not, the behavior of ERRORLEVEL is undefined.

    EXIST filename
        If the file exists, the condition is true.  You can use wildcards in
        the filename, in which case the condition is true if any file matching
        the wildcard name exists.

    ISALIAS aliasname
        If the name is defined as an alias, the condition is true.

    ISDIR path
        If the subdirectory exists, the condition is true.

    ISINTERNAL command
        If the specified command is an active internal command, the condition
        is true.  Commands can be activated and deactivated with the SETDOS /I
        command.

 Combining Tests

 You can negate the result of any test with NOT, and combine tests of any type
 with .AND., .OR., and .XOR.  Test conditions are always scanned from left to
 right -- there is no implied order of precedence, as there is in some
 programming languages.

 When two tests are combined with .AND., the result is true if both individual
 tests are true.  When two tests are combined with .OR., the result is true if
 either (or both) individual tests are true.  When two tests are combined with
 .XOR., the result is true only if one of the tests is true and the other is
 false.

 This example runs a program called HIGHRES if either an EGA or VGA video
 adapter is in use:

          if "%_video" == "EGA" .or. "%_video" == "VGA" highres

 Using the IF Tests

 When IF compares two character strings, it will use either a numeric
 comparison or a string comparison.  A numeric comparison treats the strings as
 numeric values and tests them arithmetically.  A string comparison treats the
 strings as text.

 The difference between numeric and string comparisons is best explained by
 looking at the way two values are tested.  For example, consider comparing the
 values 2 and 19.  Numerically, 2 is smaller, but as a string it is "larger"
 because its first digit is larger than the first digit of 19.  So the first of
 these condition s will be true, and the second will be false:

          if 2 lt 19 ...
          if "2" lt "19" ...

 IF determines which kind of test to do by examining the first character of
 each string.  If both strings begin with a numeric character (a digit, sign,
 or decimal point), a numeric comparison is used.  If either value does not
 begin with a numeric character, a string comparison is used.  To force a
 string comparison when both values are or may be numeric, use double quotes
 around the values you are testing, as shown above.  Because the double quote
 is not a numeric character, it forces IF to do a string comparison.

 Case differences are ignored in string comparisons.  If two strings begin with
 the same text but one is shorter, the shorter string is considered to be "less
 than" the longer one.  For example, "a" is less than "abc", and "hello_there"
 is greater than "hello".

 When you compare text strings, you should always enclose the arguments in
 double quotes in order to avoid syntax errors which may occur if one of the
 argument values is empty.

 Numeric comparisons work with both integer and decimal values.  The values to
 be compared must contain only numeric digits, decimal points, and an optional
 sign (+ or -). The number of digits to the left of the decimal point may not
 exceed 16; if it does, an error message will be displayed.  The number of
 digits to the right of the decimal point may not exceed 8; if it does,
 additional digits beyond 8 will be ignored.

 Internal variables and variable functions are very powerful when combined with
 string and numeric comparisons.  They allow you to test the state of your
 system, the characteristics of a file, date and time information, or the
 result of a calculation.  You may want to review the variables and variable
 functions when determining the best way to set up an IF test.

 This first example is a batch file fragment which runs a program called
 MONOPROG if a monochrome monitor is attached to the system:

          if "%_monitor" == "mono" monoprog

 The second batch file fragment tests for a string value:

          input "Enter your selection : " %%cmd
          if "%cmd" == "WP" goto wordproc
          if "%cmd" NE "GRAPHICS" goto badentry

 This example calls GO.BTM if the first two characters in the file MYFILE are
 "GO":

          if "%@instr[0,2,%@line[myfile,0]]"=="GO" call go.btm

 This batch file fragment tests for the existence of A:\JAN.DOC before copying
 it to drive C.

          if exist a:\jan.doc copy a:\jan.doc c:\

 This example tests the exit code of the previous program and stops all batch
 file processing if an error occurred:

          if errorlevel==0 goto success
          echo "External Error -- Batch File Ends!"
          cancel


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.40. IFF - IF / THEN / ELSE conditional command execution ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Perform IF / THEN / ELSE conditional execution of commands.

 Format:     IFF [NOT] condition [.AND. | .OR. | .XOR. [NOT] condition ...]
             THEN & commands
             [ELSEIFF condition  THEN & commands ] ...
             [ELSE & commands ]
             & ENDIFF

             condition :  A test to determine if the command(s) should be
             executed.
             commands :  One or more commands to execute if the condition(s) is
             true.  If you use multiple commands, they must be separated by
             command separators or be placed on separate lines of a batch file.

 See also:  IF.

 Usage

 IFF is similar to the IF command, except that it can perform one set of
 commands when a condition or set of conditions is true and different commands
 when the conditions are false.

 IFF can execute multiple commands when the conditions are true or false; IF
 normally executes only one command.  IFF imposes no limit on the number of
 commands and is generally a "cleaner" and more structured command than IF.

 IFF is always followed by one or more conditions.  If they are true, the
 commands that follow the word THEN are executed. Additional conditions can be
 tested with ELSEIFF.  If none of these conditions are true, the commands that
 follow the word ELSE are executed.  In both cases, after the selected commands
 are executed, processing continues after the word ENDIFF.

 If you add a NOT before the condition, the THEN commands are executed only
 when the condition is false and the ELSE commands are executed only when the
 condition is true.

 The commands may be separated by command separators, or may be on separate
 lines of a batch file.  You should include a command separator or a line break
 after a THEN, before an ELSEIFF, and before and after an ELSE.

 You can link conditions with .AND., .OR., or .XOR., and you can nest IFF
 statements up to 15 levels deep.  The conditions can test strings or numbers,
 the existence of a file or subdirectory, the errorlevel returned from the
 preceding external command, and the existence of alias names and internal
 commands.

 See the IF command for a list of the possible conditions.

 The commands can include any internal command, alias, external command, or
 batch file.

 The following batch file fragment tests the monitor type (monochrome or
 color), and sets the appropriate colors and prompt (enter the "prompt" lines
 on one line of the batch file):

          iff "%_monitor" == "color" then
             color bright white on blue & cls
             prompt=$e[s$e[1;1f$e[41;1;37m$e[K  Path: $p$e[u$e[44;37m$n$g
          else
             prompt=$e[s$e[1;1f$e[0;7m$e[K  Path: $p$e[u$e[0m$n$g
          endiff

 The alias in this second example checks to see if the argument is a
 subdirectory.  If so, the alias deletes the subdirectory's files and removes
 it (enter this on one line):

          [c:\] alias prune `iff isdir %1 then & del /sxz %1
                & else & echo Not a directory! & endiff`

 Be sure to read the cautionary notes about GOTO and IFF under the GOTO command
 before using a GOTO inside an IFF statement.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.41. INKEY - Get a character from the keyboard ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Get a single keystroke from the user and store it in an
             environment variable.

 Format:     INKEY [/C /D /K"keys" /P /Wn /X] [prompt ] %%varname

             prompt :  Optional text that is displayed as a prompt.
             varname :  The variable that will hold the user's keystroke.

             /C(lear buffer)                 /P(assword)
             /D(igits only)                  /W(ait)
             /K(valid keystrokes)            /X (no carriage return)

 See also:  INPUT.

 Usage

 INKEY optionally displays a prompt.  Then it waits for a specified time or
 indefinitely for a keystroke, and places the keystroke into an environment
 variable.  It is normally used in batch files and aliases to get a menu choice
 or other single-key input.  Along with the INPUT command, INKEY allows great
 flexibility in reading input from within a batch file or alias.

 If prompt text is included in an INKEY command, it is displayed while INKEY
 waits for input.

 The following batch file fragment prompts for a character and stores it in the
 variable NUM :

          inkey Enter a number from 1 to 9:  %%num

 INKEY reads standard input for the keystroke, so it will accept keystrokes
 from a redirected file.  You can supply a list of valid keystrokes with the /K
 option.

 Standard keystrokes with ASCII values between 1 and 255 are stored directly in
 the environment variable.  Extended keystrokes (for example, function keys and
 cursor keys) are stored as a string in decimal format, with a leading @ (for
 example, the F1 key is @59).  The Enter key is stored as an extended
 keystroke, with the code @28.  See the Reference Tables for a list of the
 ASCII and extended key codes.

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while INKEY is waiting for a key, execution
 of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will be
 suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch jobIn a batch file
 you can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break yourself with the ON BREAK command.

 Options

    /C:     (Clear buffer) Clears the keyboard buffer before INKEY accepts
            keystrokes.  If you use this option, INKEY will ignore any
            keystrokes which you type, either accidentally or intentionally,
            before INKEY is ready to accept input.

    /D:     (Digits only) Prevents INKEY from accepting any keystroke except a
            digit from 0 to 9.

    /K["keys"]:Specify the permissible keystrokes.  The list of valid
            keystrokes should be enclosed in double quotes.  For alphabetic
            keys the validity test is not case sensitive.  You can specify
            extended keys by enclosing their names in square brackets (within
            the quotes), for example:

                                inkey /k"ab[Alt-F10]" Enter A, B, Alt-F10 %%var

            See Keys and Key Names for a complete listing of the key names you
            can use within the square brackets, and a description of the key
            name format.

            If an invalid keystroke is entered, 4OS2 will echo the keystroke if
            possible, beep, move the cursor back one character, and wait for
            another keystroke.

    /P:     (Password) Prevents INKEY from echoing the character.

    /W:     (Wait) Timeout period, in seconds, to wait for a response. If no
            keystroke is entered by the end of the timeout period, INKEY
            returns with the variable unchanged. You can specify /W0 to return
            immediately if there are no keys waiting in the keyboard buffer.

    /X:     (No carriage return) Prevents INKEY from displaying a carriage
            return and line feed after the user's entry.

            For example, the following batch file fragment waits up to 10
            seconds for a character, then tests to see if a "Y" was entered:

                                set net=N
                                inkey /K"YN" /w10 Load network (Y/N)?  %%net
                                iff "%net" == "Y" then
                                rem Commands to load the network go here
                                endiff


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.42. INPUT - Get a string from the keyboard ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Get a string from the keyboard and save it in an environment
             variable.

 Format:     INPUT [/C /D /E /Ln /N /P /Wn /X] [prompt ] %%varname

             prompt :  Optional text that is displayed as a prompt.
             varname :  The variable that will hold the user's input.

             /C(lear buffer)                 /N(o colors)
             /D(igits only)                  /P(assword)
             /E(dit)                         /W(ait)
             /L(ength)                       /X (no carriage return)

 See also:  INKEY.

 Usage

 INPUT optionally displays a prompt.  Then it waits for a specified time or
 indefinitely for your entry.  It places any characters you type into an
 environment variable.  INPUT is normally used in batch files and aliases to
 get multi-key input.  Along with the INKEY command, INPUT allows great
 flexibility in reading user input from within a batch file or alias.

 If prompt text is included in an INPUT command, it is displayed while INPUT
 waits for input.  Standard command-line editing keys may be used to edit the
 input string as it is entered.  If you use the /P password option, INPUT will
 echo asterisks instead of the keys you type.

 All characters entered up to, but not including, the carriage return are
 stored in the variable.

 The following batch file fragment prompts for a string and stores it in the
 variable FNAME:

          input Enter the file name:  %%fname

 INPUT reads standard input, so it will accept text from a re- directed file.

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while INPUT is waiting for input, execution
 of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will be
 suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch job.  In a batch
 file you can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break yourself with the ON BREAK command.

 Options

    /C:     (Clear buffer) Clears the keyboard buffer before INPUT accepts
            keystrokes.  If you use this option, INPUT will ignore any
            keystrokes which you type, either accidentally or intentionally,
            before INPUT is ready.

    /D:     (Digits only) Prevents INKEY from accepting any keystroke except a
            digit from 0 to 9.

    /E:     (Edit) Allows you to edit an existing value.  If there is no
            existing value for varname, INPUT proceeds as if /E had not been
            used, and allows you to enter a new value.

    /Ln:    (Length) Sets the maximum number of characters which INPUT will
            accept to "n".  If you attempt to enter more than this number of
            characters, INPUT will beep and prevent further input (you will
            still be able to edit the characters typed before the limit was
            reached).

    /N:     (No colors) Disables the use of input colors defined in the
            InputColors directive in 4OS2.INI, and forces INPUT to use the
            default display colors.

    /P:     (Password) Tells INPUT to echo asterisks, instead of the characters
            you type.

    /W:     (Wait) Timeout period, in seconds, to wait for a response. If no
            keystroke is entered by the end of the timeout period, INPUT
            returns with the variable unchanged. If you enter a key before the
            timeout period, INPUT will wait indefinitely for the remainder of
            the line.  You can specify /W0 to return immediately if there are
            no keys waiting in the keyboard buffer.

    /X:     (No carriage return) Prevents INPUT from displaying a carriage
            return and line feed after the user's entry.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.43. KEYBD - Set the keyboard toggles ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Set the state of the keyboard toggles:  Caps Lock, Num Lock, and
             Scroll Lock.

 Format:     KEYBD [/Cn /Nn /Sn]

             n :  0 to turn off the toggle, or 1 to turn on the toggle.

             /C(aps lock)                    /S(croll lock)
             /N(um lock)

 Usage

 Most keyboards have 3 toggle keys, the Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock.
 The toggle key status is usually displayed by three lights at the top right
 corner of the keyboard.

 This command lets you turn any toggle key on or off.  It is most useful in
 batch files and aliases if you want the keys set a particular way before
 collecting input from the user.

 For example, to turn off the Num Lock and Caps Lock keys, you can use this
 command:

          [c:\] keybd /c0 /n0

 If you use the KEYBD command with no switches, it will display the present
 state of the toggle keys.

 In OS/2, the toggle key state is different for each session. Changes made with
 KEYBD will affect the session in which the command is executed, but will not
 affect other sessions.

 Options

    /C:     (Caps lock) Turn the Caps Lock key on or off.

    /N:     (Num lock) Turn the Num Lock key on or off.

    /S:     (Scroll lock) Turn the Scroll Lock key on or off.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.44. KEYS - Enable or disable the history list ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Enable, disable, or display the history list.

 Format:     KEYS [ON | OFF | LIST]

 See also:  HISTORY.

 Usage

 This command is provided for compatibility with KEYS command in CMD.EXE, which
 controls the history list in OS/2. The same functions are available by setting
 the HistMin directive in the .INI file, and by using the HISTORY command.

 The history list collects the commands you type for later recall, editing, and
 viewing.  You can view the contents of the list through the history list
 window or by typing any of the following commands:

          [c:\] history
          [c:\] history /p
          [c:\] keys list

 The first command displays the entire history list.  The second displays the
 entire list and pauses at the end of each full screen. The third command
 produces the same output as the first, except that each line is numbered.

 You can disable the collection and storage of commands in the history list by
 typing:

          [c:\] keys off

 You can turn the history back on with the command:

          [c:\] keys on

 If you issue the KEYS command without any parameters, 4OS2 will show you the
 current status of the history list.

 KEYS also affects the way 4OS2 reads input from the keyboard.  KEYS OFF will
 force 4OS2 into line input mode; KEYS ON will return input to the usual
 character by character method.  See the LineInput directive, or the /L option
 of the SETDOS command, for details on line input mode.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.45. LIST - Display a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a file, with forward and backward paging and scrolling.

 Format:     LIST [/A:[[-]rhsda] /H /S /W /X] file...

             file :  A file or list of files to display.

             /A:(ttribute select)            /W(rap)
             /H(igh bit off)                 /X (heX display mode)
             /S(tandard input)

 See also:  TYPE.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 LIST provides a much faster and more flexible way to view a file than TYPE,
 without the overhead of loading and using a text editor.

 LIST is most often used for displaying ASCII text files.  Most other files
 contain non-alphabetic characters and may be unreadable, except in hex mode.

 For example, to display a file called MEMO.DOC :

          [c:\] list memo.doc

 If the file argument is a directory name, LIST will display all files in the
 directory.

 LIST uses the cursor pad to scroll through the file.  The following keys have
 special meanings:

        Space       Display the next page of the file (same as PgDn).
        Home        Display the first page of the file.
        End         Display the last page of the file.
        Esc         Exit the current file.
        Ctrl-C      Quit LIST.
                   Scroll up one line.
                   Scroll down one line.
                   Scroll left 8 columns.
                   Scroll right 8 columns.
        Ctrl       Scroll left 40 columns.
        Ctrl       Scroll right 40 columns.
        F1          Display online help
        B           Go back one file to the previous file in the current group
                    of files.
        F           Prompt and search for a string.
        G           Go to a specific line, or, in hex mode, to a specific
                    hexadecimal offset.
        H           Toggle the "strip high bit" (/H) option.
        I           Display information on the current file (the full name,
                    size, date, and time).
        N           Find next matching string.
        P           Print the current page or the entire file.
        W           Toggle the "line wrap" (/W) option.
        X           Toggle the hex-mode display (/X) option.

 Text searches performed with F and N are not case sensitive.  However, if the
 display is currently in hexadecimal mode and you press F, you will be prompted
 for whether you want to search in hexadecimal as well.  If you answer Y, you
 should then enter the search string as a sequence of 2-digit hexadecimal
 numbers separated by spaces, for example 41 63 65 (these are the ASCII values
 for the string "Ace"; see ASCII for a complete list of ASCII codes).
 Hexadecimal searches are case sensitive, and search for exactly the string you
 enter.

 You can use wildcards in the search string.  For example, you can search for
 the string "to*day" to find the next line which contains the word "to"
 followed by the word "day" later on the same line, or search for the numbers
 "101" or "401" with the search string "[14]01".

 LIST saves the search string used by F and N, so you can LIST multiple files
 and search for the same string simply by pressing N in each file, or repeat
 your search the next time you use LIST.

 LIST normally allows long lines in the file to extend past the right edge of
 the screen.  You can use the horizontal scrolling keys (see above) to view
 text that extends beyond the screen width.  If you use the W command or /W
 switch to wrap the display, each line is wrapped when it reaches the right
 edge of the screen, and the horizontal scrolling keys are disabled.

 You can use G to go to a specific line or hexadecimal offset. When prompted
 for a line number you can enter a negative number to go backward a specified
 number of lines from the current position (there is no corresponding option to
 go forward a certain number of lines).  When you use this option the number of
 lines moved will only correspond to the line count in the status bar if the
 display is not wrapped.

 If you print the file which LIST is displaying, the print format will match
 the display format.  If you have switched to hexadecimal or wrapped mode, that
 mode will be used for the printed output as well.  If you print in wrapped
 mode, long lines will be wrapped at the width of the display.  If you print in
 normal display mode without line wrap, long lines will be wrapped or truncated
 by the printer, not by LIST.

 Printed output normally goes to device LPT1.  If you wish to send the printed
 output to another device, use the Printer directive in the .INI file.

 Most of the LIST keystrokes can be reassigned with key mapping directives in
 the .INI file .

 You can set the colors used by LIST with the ListColors and ListStatBarColors
 directives in the .INI file.  If ListColors is not used, the LIST display will
 use the current default colors.  If ListStatBarColors is not used, the status
 bar will use the reverse of the LIST display colors.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:
                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., LIST /A: ...), LIST will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected. For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.
    /H:     (High bit off) Strip the high bit from each character before
            displaying.  This is useful when displaying files created by some
            word processors that turn on the high bit for formatting purposes.
            You can toggle this option on and off from within LIST with the H
            key.

    /S:     (Standard input) Read from standard input rather than a file.  This
            allows you to redirect command output and view it with LIST.  For
            example, to use LIST to display the output of DIR:

                                [c:\] dir | list /s

    /W:     (Wrap) Wrap the text at the right edge of the screen.  This option
            is useful when displaying files that don't have a carriage return
            at the end of each line.  The horizontal scrolling keys do not work
            when the display is wrapped.  You can toggle this option on and off
            from within LIST with the W key.

    /X      (heX mode):  Display the file in hexadecimal (hex) mode. This
            option is useful when displaying executable files and other files
            that contain non-text characters.  Each byte of the file is shown
            as a pair of hex characters.  The corresponding text is displayed
            to the right of each line of hexadecimal data.  You can toggle this
            mode on and off from within LIST with the X key.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.46. LOADBTM - Switch a batch file's mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Switch a batch file to or from BTM mode.

 Format:     LOADBTM [ON | OFF]

 Usage

 4OS2 recognizes two kinds of batch files: .BAT or .CMD, and .BTM.  Batch files
 executing in BTM mode run two to five times faster than in BAT or CMD mode.
 Batch files automatically start in the mode indicated by their extension.

 The LOADBTM command turns BTM mode on and off.  It can be used to switch modes
 in either a .BAT / .CMD or .BTM file.  If you use LOADBTM with no argument, it
 will display the current batch mode:  LOADBTM ON or LOADBTM OFF.

 LOADBTM can only be used within a batch file.  It is most often used to switch
 a .BAT file into BTM mode after memory-resident programs are loaded, or to
 convert a .BAT or .CMD file to BTM mode without changing its extension.

 Using LOADBTM to repeatedly switch modes within a batch file is not efficient.
 In most cases the speed gained by running some parts of the file in BTM mode
 will be more than offset by the speed lost through repeated loading of the
 file each time BTM mode is invoked.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.47. LOG - Save a log of commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Save a log of commands to a disk file.

 Format:     LOG [/H /W file ] [ON | OFF | text ]

             file :  The name of the file to hold the log.
             text :  An optional message that will be added to the log.

             /H(istory log)                  /W(rite to).

 See also:  HISTORY.

 Usage

 LOG keeps a record of all internal and external commands you use. Each entry
 includes the current system date and time, along with the actual command after
 any alias or variable expansion.  You can use the log file as a record of your
 daily activities.

 LOG with the /H option keeps a similar record, but it does not record the date
 and time for each command.  In addition, it records commands before aliases
 and variables are expanded.

 By default, LOG writes to the file 4OS2LOG in the root directory of the boot
 drive.  The default file name for LOG /H is 4OS2HLOG.

 Entering LOG or LOG /H with no parameters displays the name of the log file
 and the log status (ON or OFF):

          [c:\] log
          LOG (C:\4OS2LOG) is OFF

 To enable or disable logging, add the word "ON" or "OFF" after the LOG
 command:

          [c:\] log on

 or

          [c:\] log /h on

 Entering LOG or LOG /H with text writes a message to the log file, even if
 logging  is set OFF.  This allows you to enter headers in the log file:

          [c:\] log "Started work on the database system"

 The LOG file format looks like this:

          [date  time]  command

 where the date and time are formatted according to the country code set for
 your system.

 The LOG /H output can be used as the basis for writing batch files. Start LOG
 /H, then execute the commands that you want the batch file to execute.  When
 you are finished, turn LOG /H off.  The resulting file can be turned into a
 batch file that performs the same commands with little or no editing.

 You can have both a regular log (with time and date stamping) and a history
 log (without the time stamps) enabled simultaneously.

 Options

    /H:     (History log) This option turns on (or off) the history log, which
            saves commands without the time and date stamp.  For example, to
            turn on history logging and write to the file C:\LOG\HLOG:

                                [c:\]  log /h /w c:\log\hlog

    /W:     (Write) This switch specifies a different filename for the LOG or
            LOG /H output.  It also automatically performs a LOG ON command.
            For example, to turn logging on and write the log to C:\LOG\LOGFILE
            :

                                [c:\] log /w c:\log\logfile

            Once you select a new file name with the LOG /W or LOG /H/W
            command, LOG will use that file until you issue another LOG /W or
            LOG /H/W command, or until you reboot your computer.  Turning LOG
            or LOG /H off or on does not change the file name.  You can set the
            default log file names when 4OS2 starts with the LogName and
            HistLogName directives in the .INI file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.48. MD - Create a subdirectory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create a subdirectory.

 Format:     MD [/S] pathname...
                or
             MKDIR [/S] pathname...

             pathname :  The name of one or more directories to create.

             /S(ubdirectories)

 See also:  RD.

 Usage

 MD and MKDIR are synonyms.  You can use either one.

 MD creates a subdirectory anywhere in the directory tree.  To create a
 subdirectory from the root, start the pathname with a backslash [\].  For
 example, this command creates a subdirectory called MYDIR in the root
 directory:

          [c:\] md \mydir

 If no path is given, the new subdirectory is created in the current directory.
 This example creates a subdirectory called DIRTWO in the current directory:

          [c:\mydir] md dirtwo

 To create a directory from the parent of the current directory (that is, to
 create a sibling of the current directory), start the pathname with two
 periods and a backslash [..\].

 Option

    /S:     (Subdirectories) MD creates one directory at a time unless you use
            the /S option.  If you need to create the directory
            C:\ONE\TWO\THREE and none of the named directories exist, you can
            use /S to have MD create all of the necessary subdirectories for
            you in a single command:

                                [c:\] md /s \one\two\three


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.49. MEMORY - Display memory statistics ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the amount and status of system RAM.

 Format:     MEMORY

 Usage

 MEMORY lists the total physical and resident RAM in your system, the largest
 free block of RAM, the total size of your swap file, the total and free
 environment and alias space, and the total history space.  (The first two RAM
 size values are displayed by 4OS2/32, but not by 4OS2/16.)

 If the OS/2 swap file is not stored in the \OS2\SYSTEM directory of the boot
 drive, you must use the SwapFilePath directive in 4OS2.INI or MEMORY will not
 be able to display the swap file size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.50. MOVE - Move files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Move files to a new directory and drive.

 Format:     MOVE  [/A:[[-]rhsda] /C /D /F /H /M /N /P /Q /R /S /T /U /V]
             source...  destination

             source :  A file or list of files to move.
             destination :  The new location for the files.

             /A:(ttribute select)            /P(rompt)
             /C(hanged)                      /Q(uiet)
             /D(irectory)                    /R(eplace)
             /F(orce delete)                 /S(ubdirectory tree)
             /H(idden and system)            /T(otal)
             /M(odified files)               /U(pdate)
             /N(othing)                      /V(erify)

 See also:  COPY and RENAME.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Date, time, or size ranges anywhere on the line apply to all source files.

 Usage

 The MOVE command moves one or more files from one directory to another,
 whether the directories are on the same drive or not.  It has the same effect
 as copying the files to a new location and then deleting the originals.  Like
 COPY and RENAME, MOVE works with single files, multiple files, and sets of
 files specified with an include list.

 The simplest MOVE command moves a single source file to a new location and,
 optionally, gives it a new name.  These two examples both move one file from
 drive C: to the root directory on drive A:

          [c:\] move myfile.dat a:\
          [c:\] move myfile.dat a:\savefile.dat

 In both cases, MYFILE.DAT is removed from drive C: after it has been copied to
 drive A:.  If a file called MYFILE.DAT in the first example, or SAVEFILE.DAT
 in the second example, already existed on drive A:, it would be overwritten.
 (This demonstrates the difference between MOVE and RENAME.  MOVE will move
 files between drives and will overwrite the destination file if it exists;
 RENAME will not.)

 If you MOVE multiple files, the destination must be a directory name.  MOVE
 will move each file into the destination directory with its original name (if
 the target is not a directory, MOVE will display an error message and exit):

          [c:\] move *.wks *.txt c:\finance\myfiles

 You cannot move a file to a character device like the printer, or to itself.

 When you move files to another directory, if you add a backslash [\] to the
 end of the destination name MOVE will display an error message if the name
 does not refer to an existing directory. You can use this feature to keep MOVE
 from treating a mistyped destination directory name as a file name, and
 attempting to move all source files to that name.  The /D option performs the
 same function but will also prompt to see if you want to create the
 destination directory if it doesn't exist.

 Be careful when you use MOVE with the SELECT command.  If you SELECT multiple
 files and the target is not a directory (for example, because of a
 misspelling), MOVE will assume it is a file name.  In this case each file will
 be moved in turn to the target file, overwriting the previous file, and then
 the original will be erased before the next file is moved.  At the end of the
 command, all of the original files will have been erased and only the last
 file will exist as the target file.  You can avoid this problem by using
 square brackets with SELECT instead of parentheses (be sure that you don't
 allow the command line to get too long -- watch the character count in the
 upper left corner while you're selecting files).  MOVE will then receive one
 list of files to move instead of a series of individual filenames, and it will
 detect the error and halt.  You can also add a backslash [\] to the end of the
 destination name to ensure that it is the name of a subdirectory (see above).

 MOVE first attempts to rename the file(s), which is the fastest way to move
 files between subdirectories on the same drive.  If that fails (the
 destination is on a different drive or already exists), MOVE will copy the
 file(s) and then delete the originals.

 If MOVE must physically copy the files and delete the originals, rather than
 renaming them (see above), then some disk space may be freed on the source
 drive.  The free space may be the result of moving the files to another drive,
 or of overwriting a larger destination file with a smaller source file.  MOVE
 displays the amount of disk space recovered unless the /Q option is used (see
 below).  It does so by comparing the amount of free disk space before and
 after the MOVE command is executed.  However, this amount may be incorrect if
 you are using a deletion tracking system which stores deleted files in a
 hidden directory, or if, under a multitasking system, another program performs
 a file operation while the MOVE command is executed.

 When physically copying files, MOVE preserves the hidden, system, and
 read-only attributes of the source files, and sets the archive attribute of
 the destination files.  However, if the files can be renamed, and no copying
 is required, then the source file attributes are not changed.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., MOVE /A: ...), MOVE will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected. For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /C:     (Changed files) Move files only if the destination file exists and
            is older than the source (see also /U).  This option is useful for
            updating the files in one directory from those in another without
            moving any newly-created files.

    /D:     (Directory) Requires that the destination be a directory.  If the
            destination does not exist, MOVE will prompt to see if you want to
            create it. If the destination exists as a file, MOVE will fail with
            an "Access denied" error.  Use this option to avoid having MOVE
            accidentally interpret your destination name as a file name when
            it's really a mistyped directory name.

    /F:     (Force delete) This option only works in the 32-bit version of
            4OS2.  It forces deletion of the source file without saving it to
            the DELDIR directory (if DELDIR is not in use, /F has no effect).

    /H:     (Hidden) Move all files, including hidden and system files.

    /M:     (Modified files) Move only files that have the archive bit set. The
            archive bit will remain set after the MOVE; to clear it use ATTRIB.

    /N:     (Nothing) Do everything except actually move the file(s). This
            option is most useful for testing what a complex MOVE command will
            do.

    /P:     (Prompt) Prompt the user to confirm each move.  Your options at the
            prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q:     (Quiet) Don't display filenames, the total number of files moved,
            or the amount of disk space recovered, if any.  This option is most
            often used in batch files. See also /T.

    /R:     (Replace) Prompt for a Y or N response before overwriting an
            existing destination file.

    /S:     (Subdirectories) Move an entire subdirectory tree to another
            location.  MOVE will attempt to create the destination directories
            if they don't exist, and will remove empty subdirectories after the
            move. When /D is used with /S, you will be prompted if the first
            destination directory does not exist, but subdirectories below that
            will be created automatically by MOVE.  If you attempt to use /S to
            move a subdirectory tree into part of itself, MOVE will display an
            error message and halt.

    /T:     (Total) Don't display filenames as they are moved, but display the
            total number of files deleted and the amount of free disk space
            recovered, if any.

    /U:     (Update) Move each source file only if it is newer than a matching
            destination file or if a matching destination file does not exist
            (also see /C).  This option is useful for moving new or changed
            files from one directory to another.

    /V:     (Verify) Verify each disk write.  This is the same as executing the
            VERIFY ON command, but is only active during the MOVE.  /V does not
            read back the file and compare its contents with what was written;
            it only verifies that the data written to disk is physically
            readable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.51. ON - Handle Ctrl-Break and errors in batch files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a command in a batch file when a specific condition
             occurs.

 Format:     ON BREAK [command ]
                or
             ON ERROR [command ]
                or
             ON ERRORMSG [command ]

 Usage

 ON can only by used in batch files.

 ON sets a "watchdog" that remains in effect for the duration of the current
 batch file.  Whenever a BREAK or ERROR condition occurs after ON has been
 executed, the command is automatically executed.

 ON BREAK will execute its command if the user presses Ctrl- C or Ctrl-Break.

 ON ERROR will execute its command after any command processor or operating
 system error (including critical errors). That is, ON ERROR will detect errors
 such as a disk write error, and 4OS2 errors such as a COPY command that fails
 to copy any files, or the use of an unacceptable command option.  The normal
 error message is not displayed when ON ERROR is used.

 ON ERRORMSG is the same as ON ERROR, but displays the usual error message
 before executing the command.  The additional information about ON ERROR below
 also applies to ON ERRORMSG.

 ON BREAK and ON ERROR are independent of each other.  You can use either one,
 or both, in any batch file.

 Each time ON BREAK or ON ERROR is used, it defines a new command to be
 executed for a break or error, and any old command is discarded.  If you use
 ON BREAK or ON ERROR with no following command, that type of error handling is
 disabled. Error handling is also automatically disabled when the batch file
 exits.

 ON BREAK and ON ERROR only affect the current batch file.  If you CALL another
 batch file, the first batch file's error handling is suspended, and the CALLed
 file must define its own error handling. When control returns to the first
 batch file, its error handling is reactivated.

 The command can be any command that can be used on a batch file line by
 itself.  Frequently, it is a GOTO or GOSUB command.  For example, the
 following fragment traps any user attempt to end the batch file by pressing
 Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.  It scolds the user for trying to end the batch file and
 then continues displaying the numbers from 1 to 1000:

          on break gosub gotabreak
          do i = 1 to 1000
             echo %i
          enddo
          quit
          :gotabreak
          echo Hey!  Stop that!!
          return

 You can use a command group as the command if you want to execute multiple
 commands, for example:

          on break (echo Oops, got a break! & quit)

 ON BREAK and ON ERROR always assume that you want to continue executing the
 batch file.  After the command is executed, control automatically returns to
 the next command in the batch file (the command after the one that was
 interrupted by the break or error).  The only way to avoid continuing the
 batch file after a break or error is for the command to transfer control to
 another point with GOTO, end the batch file with QUIT or CANCEL, or start
 another batch file (without CALLing it).

 When handling an error condition with ON ERROR, you may find it useful to use
 internal variables, particularly %_? and %_SYSERR, to help determine the cause
 of the error.

 Caution:  If a break or error occurs while the command specified in ON BREAK
 or ON ERROR is executing, the command will be restarted. This means you must
 use caution to avoid or handle any possible errors in the commands invoked by
 ON ERROR, since such errors can cause an infinite loop.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.52. PATH - Set the executable file search path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or alter the list of directories that 4OS2 will search for
             executable files, batch files, and files with executable
             extensions that are not in the current directory.

 Format:     PATH [directory [;directory...]]

             directory :  The full name of a directory to include in the path
             setting.

 See also:  ESET and SET.

 Usage

 When 4OS2 is asked to execute an external command (a .COM, .EXE, .BTM, .BAT,
 or .CMD file or executable extension), it first looks for the file in the
 current directory. If it fails to find an executable file there, it then
 searches each of the directories specified in the PATH setting.

 For example, after the following PATH command, 4OS2 will search for an
 executable file in four directories:  the current directory, then the root
 directory on drive C, then the DOS subdirectory on C, and then the UTIL
 subdirectory on C:

          [c:\] path c:\;c:\dos;c:\util

 The list of directories to search can be set or viewed with the PATH command.
 The list is stored as an environment string, and can also be set or viewed
 with SET, and edited with ESET.

 Directory names in the path must be separated by semicolons [;].  Each
 directory name is shifted to upper case to maintain compatibility with
 programs which can only recognize upper case directory names in the path.  If
 you modify your path with the SET or ESET command, you may include directory
 names in lower case.  These may cause trouble with some programs, which assume
 that all path entries have been shifted to upper case.

 If you enter PATH with no parameters, the current path is displayed:

          [c:\] path
          PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\UTIL

 Entering PATH and a semicolon clears the search path so that only the current
 directory is searched for executable files (this is the default at system
 startup).

 Some applications also use the PATH to search for their data files.

 If you include an explicit file extension on a command name (for example,
 WP.EXE ), the search will find files with that name and extension in the
 current directory and every directory in the path. It will not locate other
 executable files with the same base name.

 If you have an entry in the path which consists of a single period [.], the
 current directory will not be searched first, but instead will be searched
 when 4OS2 reaches the "." in the path. This allows you to delay the search of
 the current directory for executable files and files with executable
 extensions.  In rare cases, this feature may not be compatible with
 applications which use the path to find their files; if you experience a
 problem, you will have to remove the "." from the path while using any such
 application.

 To create a path longer than the command-line length limit, use PATH
 repeatedly to append additional directories to the path:

          path [first list of directories]
          path %path;[second list of directories]
          ...

 You cannot use this method to extend the path beyond 2042 characters (the
 internal buffer limit, with room for "PATH ").  It is usually more efficient
 to use aliases to load application programs than to create a long PATH.  See
 ALIAS for details.

 If you specify an invalid directory in the path, it will be skipped and the
 search will continue with the next directory in the path.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.53. PAUSE - Suspend batch file or alias execution ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Suspend batch file or alias execution.

 Format:     PAUSE [text ]

             text :  The message to be displayed as a user prompt.

 Usage

 A PAUSE command will suspend execution of a batch file or alias, giving you
 the opportunity to change disks, turn on the printer, etc.

 PAUSE waits for any key to be pressed and then continues execution. You can
 specify the text that PAUSE displays while it waits for a keystroke, or let
 4OS2 use the default message:

          Press any key when ready...

 For example, the following batch file fragment prompts the user before erasing
 files:

          pause Press Ctrl-C to abort, any other key to erase all .LST files
          erase *.lst

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while PAUSE is waiting for a key, execution
 of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will be
 suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch job.  In a batch
 file you can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break yourself with the ON BREAK command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.54. POPD - Restore the disk drive and directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Return to the disk drive and directory at the top of the directory
             stack..

 Format:     POPD [*]

 See also:  DIRS and PUSHD.

 Usage

 Each time you use the PUSHD command, it saves the current disk drive and
 directory on the internal directory stack.  POPD restores the last drive and
 directory that was saved with PUSHD and removes that entry from the stack.
 You can use these commands together to change directories, perform some work,
 and return to the starting drive and directory.

 Directory changes made with POPD are recorded for display in the directory
 history window.

 This example saves and changes the current disk drive and directory with
 PUSHD, and then restores it.  The current directory is shown in the prompt:

          [c:\] pushd d:\database\test
          [d:\database\test] popd
          [c:\]

 You can use the DIRS command to see the complete list of saved drives and
 directories (the directory stack).

 The POPD command followed by an asterisk [*] clears the directory stack
 without changing the current drive and directory.

 If the directory on the top of the stack is not on the current drive, POPD
 will switch to the drive and directory on the top of the stack without
 changing the default directory on the current drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.55. PROMPT - Change the command-line prompt ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the command-line prompt.

 Format:     PROMPT [text ]

             text :  Text to be used as the new command-line prompt.

 Usage

 You can change and customize the command-line prompt at any time. The prompt
 can include normal text, and system information such as the current drive and
 directory, the time and date, and the amount of memory available.  You can
 create an informal "Hello, Bob!" prompt or an official-looking prompt full of
 impressive information. The prompt text can contain special commands in the
 form $?, where ? is one of the characters listed below:

        b     The vertical bar character [|].
        c     The open parenthesis [(].
        d     Current date, in the format:  Fri  1-06-95 (the month, day, and
              year are formatted according to your current country settings).
        D     Current date, in the format:  Fri  Jan 6, 1995.
        e     The ASCII ESC character (decimal 27).
        f     The close parenthesis [)].
        g     The > character.
        h     Backspace over the previous character.
        i     Display the OS/2 prompt header line, which reminds you of how to
              return to the OS/2 desktop, or get help.
        l     The < character.
        m     Time in hours and minutes using 24-hour format:  16:07
        M     Time in hours and minutes using the default country format and
              retaining "a" or "p", e.g. 4:07p.
        n     Current drive letter.
        p     Current directory on drive d: (including drive letter), in lower
              case.
        P     Current directory on drive d: (including drive letter), in upper
              case.
        q     The = character.
        r     The numeric exit code of the last external command.
        s     The space character.
        t     Current 24-hour time, in the format hh:mm:ss.
        T     Current 12-hour time, in the format hh:mm:ss[a|p].
        v     Operating system version number, in the format 3.10.
        xd:   Current directory on drive d:, in lower case (uses the actual
              case of the directory name as stored on the disk for HPFS
              drives).
        Xd:   Current directory on drive d:, in upper case.
        z     Current shell nesting level; the primary command processor is
              shell 0.
        $     The $ character.
        _     CR/LF (go to beginning of a new line).

 For example, to set the prompt to the current date and time, with a ">" at the
 end:

          [c:\] prompt $d $t $g
          Fri  Dec 2, 1994 10:29:19 >

 To set the prompt to the current date and time, followed by the current drive
 and directory in upper case on the next line, with a ">" at the end:

          [c:\] prompt $d $t$_$P$g
          Fri  Dec 2, 1994 10:29:19
          [c:\]

 The 4OS2 prompt can be set in CONFIG.SYS (see below), and the prompt for any
 command processor can be set in 4START, or in any batch file that runs when
 4OS2 starts.

 The 4OS2 default prompt is [$n] (drive name in square brackets) on floppy
 drives, and [$p] (current drive and directory in square brackets) on all other
 drives.  When OS/2 is installed, it inserts a SET PROMPT statement in
 CONFIG.SYS to set the prompt to $i[$p].  This prompt will override the 4OS2
 defaults.  The $i adds a header line to the default prompt to remind you of
 certain OS/2 keystrokes.  You must delete this statement if you want to use
 the default prompt.

 If you enter PROMPT with no arguments, the prompt will be reset to its default
 value.  The PROMPT command sets the environment variable PROMPT, so to view
 the current prompt setting use the command:

          [c:\] set prompt

 (If the prompt is not set at all, the PROMPT environment variable will not be
 used, in which case the SET command above will give a "Not in environment"
 error.)

 Along with literal text, special characters, and ANSI sequences you can
 include the text of any environment variable, internal variable, or variable
 function in a prompt.  For example, if you want to include the size of the
 largest free memory block in the command prompt, plus the current drive and
 directory, you could use this command:

          [c:\] prompt (%%@dosmem[K]K) $p$g
          (601K) [c:\data]

 Notice that the @DOSMEM function is shown with two leading percent signs [%].
 If you used only one percent sign, the @DOSMEM function would be expanded once
 when the PROMPT command was executed, instead of every time the prompt is
 displayed.  As a result, the amount of memory would never change from the
 value it had when you entered the PROMPT command.  You can also use back
 quotes to delay expanding the variable function until the prompt is displayed:

          [c:\] prompt `(%@dosmem[K]K) $p$g`

 You can include ANSI escape sequences in the PROMPT text.  See ANSI for
 complete details on ANSI commands.  This example uses ANSI sequences to set a
 prompt that displays the shell level, date, time and path in color on the top
 line of the screen (enter the command as one line):

          [c:\] prompt $e[s$e[1;1f$e[41;1;37m$e[K[$z] $d
                Time: $t$h$h$h  Path: $p$e[u$e[0;32m$n$g

 You may find it helpful to define a different prompt in secondary shells,
 perhaps including $z in the prompt to display the shell level.  To do so,
 place a PROMPT command in your 4START file and use IF or IFF statements to set
 the appropriate prompt for different shells.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.56. PUSHD - Save the disk drive and directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Save the current disk drive and directory, optionally changing to
             a new drive and directory.

 Format:     PUSHD [pathname ]

             pathname :  The name of the new default drive and directory.

 See also:  DIRS, POPD and the CDPATH environment variable.

 Usage

 PUSHD saves the current drive and directory on a "last in, first out"
 directory stack.  The POPD command returns to the last drive and directory
 that was saved by PUSHD.  You can use these commands together to change
 directories, perform some work, and return to the starting drive and
 directory.  The DIRS command displays the contents of the directory stack.

 To save the current drive and directory, without changing directories, use the
 PUSHD command by itself, with no pathname.

 If a pathname is specified as part of the PUSHD command, the current drive and
 directory are saved and PUSHD changes to the specified drive and directory.
 If the pathname includes a drive letter, PUSHD changes to the specified
 directory on the new drive without changing the current directory on the
 original drive.

 This example saves the current directory and changes to C:\WORDP\MEMOS, then
 returns to the original directory:

          [c:\] pushd \wordp\memos
          [c:\wordp\memos] popd
          [c:\]

 Directory changes made with PUSHD are recorded for display in the directory
 history window.

 The directory stack can hold up to 255 characters, or about 10 to 20 entries
 (depending on the length of the names).  If you exceed this limit, the oldest
 entry is removed before adding a new entry.

 If PUSHD can't change directly to the specified directory, it will look for
 the CDPATH variable; see CDPATH for details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.57. QUIT - Terminate a batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Terminate the current batch file.

 Format:     QUIT [value ]

             value :  The exit code from 0 to 255 to return to 4OS2 or to the
             previous batch file.

 See also:  CANCEL.

 Usage

 QUIT provides a simple way to exit a batch file before reaching the end of the
 file.  If you QUIT a batch file called from another batch file, you will be
 returned to the previous file at the line following the original CALL.

 QUIT only ends the current batch file.  To end all batch file processing, use
 the CANCEL command.

 If you specify a value, QUIT will set the ERRORLEVEL or exit code (see the IF
 command, and the %? variable) to that value.

 You can also use QUIT to terminate an alias.  If you QUIT an alias while
 inside a batch file, QUIT will end both the alias and the batch file and
 return you to the command prompt or to the calling batch file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.58. RD - Remove subdirectories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Remove one or more subdirectories.

 Format:     RD pathname...
                or
             RMDIR pathname...

             pathname :  The name of one or more subdirectories to remove.

 See also:  MD.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 RD and RMDIR are synonyms.  You can use either one.

 RD removes directories from the directory tree.  For example, to remove the
 subdirectory MEMOS from the subdirectory WP, you can use this command:

          [c:\] rd \wp\memos

 Before using RD, you must delete all files and subdirectories (and their
 files) in the pathname you want to remove.  Remember to remove hidden and
 read-only files as well as normal files (you can use DEL /Z to delete hidden
 and read-only files).

 You can use wildcards in the pathname.

 You cannot remove the root directory, the current directory (.), any directory
 above the current directory in the directory tree, or any directory in use by
 another process in a multitasking system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.59. REBOOT - Reboot the system ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Do a system reboot.

 Format:     REBOOT [/S /V]

             /S(hutdown)                     /V(erify)

 Usage

 REBOOT will completely restart your computer.  It normally performs a warm
 reboot, which is comparable to pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete. A reboot is necessary
 to activate any changes to your CONFIG.SYS file.

 The following example prompts you to verify the reboot, then does a warm boot:

          [c:\] reboot /v

 REBOOT defaults to performing a warm boot, with no prompting.

 REBOOT flushes the disk buffers, resets the drives, and waits one second
 before rebooting, to allow disk caching programs to finish writing any cached
 data.  4OS2 issues the proper commands to shut down OS/2 before rebooting.

 REBOOT uses the DOS.SYS device driver to reboot your system.  DOS.SYS is
 loaded via a DEVICE= statement in your CONFIG.SYS file.  If DOS.SYS is not
 loaded, REBOOT will not work.

 Options

    /S:     (Shutdown) Shut down the system, but do not reboot.  This option is
            equivalent to clicking the "Shutdown" choice on the OS/2 2.x and
            above Workplace Shell popup menu.

    /V:     (Verify) Prompt for confirmation (Y or N) before rebooting or
            taking the action specified by other REBOOT options.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.60. REM - Put a comment in a batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Put a comment in a batch file.

 Format:     REM [comment ]

             comment :  The text to include in the batch file.

 Usage

 The REM command lets you place a remark or comment in a batch file. Batch file
 comments are useful for documenting the purpose of a batch file and the
 procedures you have used.

 REM must be followed by a space or tab character and then your comment.
 Comments can be up to 1023 characters long.  4OS2 will normally ignore
 everything on the line after the REM command, including quote characters,
 redirection symbols, and other commands (see below for the exception to this
 rule).

 If ECHO is ON, the comment is displayed.  Otherwise, it is ignored. If ECHO is
 ON and you don't want to display the line, preface the REM command with an at
 sign [@].

 You can use REM to create a zero-byte file if you use a redirection symbol
 after the REM command.  No text is permitted between the REM command and the
 redirection symbol.  For example, to create the zero-byte file C:\FOO :

          [c:\] rem > foo

 (This capability is included for compatibility with CMD.EXE.  A simpler method
 for creating a zero-byte file with 4OS2 is to enter  >filename as a command,
 with no actual command before the [>] redirection character.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.61. REN - Rename files or subdirectories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Rename files or subdirectories.

 Format:     REN [/A:[[-]rhsda] /N /P /Q /S /T] old_name... new_name
                or
             RENAME [/A:[[-]rhsda] /N /P /Q /S /T] old_name... new_name

             old_name :  Original name of the file(s) or subdirectory.
             new_name :  New name to use, or new path on the same drive.

             /A:(ttribute select)            /Q(uiet)
             /N(othing)                      /S(ubdirectory)
             /P(rompt)                       /T(otal)

 See also:  COPY and MOVE.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 REN and RENAME are synonyms.  You may use either one.

 REN lets you change the name of a file or a subdirectory, or move one or more
 files to a new subdirectory on the same drive.  (If you want to move files to
 a different drive, use MOVE.)

 In its simplest form, you simply give REN the old_name of an existing file or
 subdirectory and then a new_name.  The new_name must not already exist -- you
 can't give two files the same name (unless they are in different directories).
 The first example renames the file MEMO.TXT to MEM.TXT.  The second example
 changes the name of the \WORD directory to \WP :

          [c:\] rename memo.txt mem.txt
          [c:\] rename \word \wp

 You can also use REN to rename a group of files that you specify with
 wildcards, as multiple files, or in an include list.  When you do, the
 new_name must use one or more wildcards to show what part of each filename to
 change.  Both of the next two examples change the extensions of multiple files
 to .SAV :

          [c:\] ren config.sys autoexec.bat 4start.btm *.sav
          [c:\] ren *.txt *.sav

 REN can move files to a different subdirectory on the same drive. When it is
 used for this purpose, REN requires one or more filenames for the old_name and
 a directory name for the new_name :

          [c:\] ren memo.txt \wp\memos\
          [c:\] ren oct.dat nov.dat \data\save\

 The final backslash in the last two examples is optional.  If you use it, you
 force REN to recognize the last argument as the name of a directory, not a
 file.  The advantage of this approach is that if you accidentally mistype the
 directory name, REN will report an error instead of renaming your files in a
 way that you didn't intend.

 Finally, REN can move files to a new directory and change their name at the
 same time if you specify both a path and file name for new_name.  In this
 example, the files are renamed with an extension of .SAV as they are moved to
 a new directory:

          [c:\] ren *.dat \data\save\*.sav

 When new_name refers to a file or files (rather than a directory), the file(s)
 must not already exist.  Also, you cannot rename a subdirectory to a new
 location on the directory tree.

 REN does not change a file's attributes.  The new_name file(s) will have the
 same attributes as old_name.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., REN /A: ...), REN will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected. For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /N:     (Nothing) Do everything except actually rename the file(s). This
            option is useful for testing what a REN command will actually do.

    /P:     (Prompt) Prompt the user to confirm each rename operation. Your
            options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and File
            Prompts.

    /Q:     (Quiet) Don't display filenames  or the number of files renamed.
            This option is most often used in batch files.  See also /T.

    /S:     (Subdirectory) Normally, you can rename a subdirectory only if you
            do not use any wildcards in the new_name.  This prevents
            subdirectories from being renamed inadvertently when a group of
            files is being renamed with wildcards.  /S will let you rename a
            subdirectory even when you use wildcards.

    /T:     (Total) Don't display filenames as they are renamed, but report the
            number of files renamed.  See also /Q.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.62. RETURN - Return from a subroutine in a batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Return from a GOSUB (subroutine) in a batch file.

 Format:     RETURN

 See also:  GOSUB.

 Usage

 4OS2 allows subroutines in batch files.

 A subroutine begins with a label (a colon followed by a word) and ends with a
 RETURN command.

 The subroutine is invoked with a GOSUB command from another part of the batch
 file.  When a RETURN command is encountered the subroutine terminates, and
 execution of the batch file continues on the line following the original
 GOSUB.

 The following batch file fragment calls a subroutine which displays the files
 in the current directory:

          echo Calling a subroutine
          gosub subr1
          echo Returned from the subroutine
          quit

          :subr1
          dir /a/w
          return


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.63. SCREEN - Position the cursor and display text ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Position the cursor on the screen and optionally display a
             message.

 Format:     SCREEN row column [text ]

             row :  The new row location for the cursor.
             column :  The new column location for the cursor.
             text :  Optional text to display at the new cursor location.

 See also:  ECHO, SCRPUT, TEXT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage

 SCREEN allows you to create attractive screen displays in batch files.  You
 use it to specify where a message will appear on the screen.  You can use
 SCREEN to create menu displays, logos, etc. The following batch file fragment
 displays a menu:

          @echo off
          cls
          screen 3 10  Select a number from 1 to 4:
          screen 6 20  1 - Word Processing
          ...

 SCREEN does not change the screen colors.  To display text in specific colors,
 use SCRPUT or VSCRPUT.  SCREEN always leaves the cursor at the end of the
 displayed text.

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  You can
 also specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor position.
 Begin the value with a plus sign [+] to move the cursor down the specified
 number of rows or to the right the specified number of columns, or with a
 minus sign [-] to move the cursor up or to the left.  This example prints a
 string 3 lines above the current position, in absolute column 10:

          screen -3 10 Hello, World!

 SCREEN checks for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage" error message
 if either value is out of range.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.64. SCRPUT - Display text in color ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Position text on the screen and display it in color.

 Format:     SCRPUT row col [BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg text

             row :  Starting row
             col :  Starting column
             fg :  Foreground character color
             bg :  Background character color
             text :  The text to display

 See also:  CLS, ECHO, SCREEN, TEXT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage

 SCRPUT allows you to create attractive screen displays in batch files.  You
 use it to specify where a message will appear on the screen and what colors
 will be used to display the message text. You can use SCRPUT to create menu
 displays, logos, etc.

 SCRPUT works like SCREEN, but allows you to specify the display colors.  It
 writes directly to the screen and does not require ANSI support.  It always
 leaves the cursor in its current position.  See Colors and Color Names for
 details about colors and notes on the use of bright background colors.

 The row and column are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80 column
 display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  You can also
 specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor position.  Begin
 the value with a plus sign [+] to move down the specified number of rows or to
 the right the specified number of columns, or with a minus sign [-] to move up
 or to the left.

 The following batch file fragment displays part of a menu, in color:

          cls white on blue
          scrput 6 20 bri red on blu 1 - Word Processing
          scrput 7 20 bri yel on blu 2 - Spreadsheet
          ...


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.65. SELECT - Select files for a command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Interactively select files for a command.

 Format:     SELECT [/A[:][-][rhsda] /D /E /H /I"text" /O[:][-]adeginrsu /Z]
             [command ] ... (files...)...

             command :  The command to execute with the selected files.
             files :  The files from which to select.  File names may be
             enclosed in either parentheses or square brackets.  The difference
             is explained below.

             /A(ttribute select)             /I (match descriptions)
             /D(isable color coding)         /O(rder)
             /E (use upper case)             /Z (use FAT format)
             /H(ide dots)

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Date, time, or size ranges must appear immediately after the SELECT keyword.

 Usage

 SELECT allows you to select files for internal and external commands by using
 a full-screen "point and shoot" display.  You can have SELECT execute a
 command once for each file you select, or have it create a list of files for a
 command to work with.  The command can be an internal command, an alias, an
 external command, or a batch file.

 If you use parentheses around the files, SELECT executes the command once for
 each file you have selected.  During each execution, one of the selected files
 is passed to the command as an argument.  If you use square brackets around
 files, the SELECTed files are combined into a single list, separated by
 spaces.  The command is then executed once with the entire list presented as
 its command-line arguments.

 SELECT uses the cursor up, cursor down, PgUp, and PgDn keys to scroll through
 the file list.  Use the + key or the spacebar to select a file (or deselect a
 marked file), and the - key to deselect a file.  The * key will reverse all of
 the current marks (excluding subdirectories), and the / key will unmark
 everything.  After marking the files, press Enter to execute the command.

 Press the L key to view the current highlighted file with LIST.  When you exit
 from LIST, the SELECT screen will be restored.

 You can select a single file by moving the scroll bar to the filename and
 pressing Enter without marking any other files.

 To skip the files listed in the current display and go on to the next file
 specification inside the parentheses or brackets (if any), press the Esc key.
 To cancel the current SELECT command entirely, press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.

 On HPFS drives, SELECT will use the standard long name display format with the
 filename at the right-hand side of the display.  File descriptions are not
 displayed in this format.  To switch to the more traditional FAT (short name)
 format, and display the file descriptions, use the /Z switch.

 In the simplest form of SELECT, you merely specify the command and then the
 list of files from which you will make your selection(s). For example:

          [c:\] select copy (*.com *.exe) a:\

 will let you select from among the .COM and .EXE files on the current drive.
 It will then invoke the COPY command to copy each file you select to drive A:.
 You will be able to select first from a list of all .COM files in the current
 directory, and then from a list of all .EXE files.

 If you want to select from a list of all the .COM and .EXE files mixed
 together, create an include list inside the parentheses by inserting a
 semicolon:

          [c:\] select copy (*.com;*.exe) a:\

 Finally, if you want the SELECT command to send a single list of files to
 COPY, instead of invoking COPY once for each file you select, put the file
 names in square brackets instead of parentheses:

          [c:\] select copy [*.com;*.exe] a:\

 If you use brackets, you have to be sure that the resulting command (the word
 COPY, the list of files, and the destination drive in this example) is no more
 than 1,023 characters long.  The current line length is displayed by SELECT
 while you are marking files to help you to conform to this limit.

 The parentheses or brackets enclosing the file name(s) can appear anywhere
 within the command; SELECT assumes that the first set of parentheses or
 brackets it finds is the one containing the list of files from which you wish
 to make your selection.

 The list of files from which you wish to select can be further refined by
 using date, time, and size ranges.  The range must be placed immediately after
 the word SELECT.  If the command is an internal command that supports ranges,
 an independent range can also be used in the command itself.

 If you don't specify a command, the selected filename(s) will become the
 command.  For example, this command defines an alias called UTILS that selects
 from the executable files in the directory C:\UTIL, and then executes them in
 the order marked:

          [c:\] alias utils select (c:\util\*.com;*.exe;*.btm;*.bat)

 If you want to use filename completion to enter the filenames inside the
 parentheses, type a space after the opening parenthesis.  Otherwise the
 command-line editor will treat the open parenthesis as the first character of
 the filename.

 You can set the default colors used by SELECT with the SelectColors and
 SelectStatBarColors directives in the .INI file.  If SelectColors is not used,
 the SELECT display will use the current default colors.  If
 SelectStatBarColors is not used, the status bar will use the reverse of the
 SELECT display colors.

 You can display the filenames in color by setting the COLORDIR environment
 variable or using the ColorDir directive in your .INI file.  See Color-Coded
 Directories for details.  To disable directory color coding within SELECT, use
 the /D option.

 When displaying descriptions, SELECT adds a right arrow at the end of the line
 if the description is too long to fit on the screen.  This symbol will alert
 you to the existence of additional description text.  You can use the left and
 right arrow keys to scroll the screen horizontally and view the additional
 text.

 With the /I option, you can select files based on their descriptions.  SELECT
 will display files if their description matches the text after the /I switch.
 The search is not case sensitive.  You can use wildcards and extended wild
 cards as part of the text.

 When sorting file names and extensions for the SELECT display, 4OS2 normally
 assumes that sequences of digits should be sorted numerically (for example,
 the file DRAW2 would come before DRAW03 because 2 is numerically smaller than
 03), rather than strictly alphabetically (where DRAW2 would come second
 because "2" comes after "0").  You can defeat this behavior and force a strict
 alphabetic sort with the /O:a option.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is optional.  The attributes are:

              R  Read-only
              H  Hidden
              S  System
              D  Subdirectory
              A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., SELECT /A ...), SELECT
            will display all files and subdirectories including hidden and
            system files. If attributes are combined, all the specified
            attributes must match for a file to be included in the listing.
            For example, /A:RHS will display only those files with all three
            attributes set.

    /D:     (Disable color coding)  Temporarily turn off directory color coding
            within SELECT.

    /E      (use upper case)  Display filenames in the traditional upper case
            format; also see SETDOS /U and the UpperCase  directive in the .INI
            file.

    /H      (Hide dots)  Suppress the display of the "." and ".." directories

    /I      (match descriptions)  Display filenames by matching text in their
            descriptions.  The text can include wild cards and extended
            wildcards.  The search text must be enclosed in quotation marks.

    /O:     (Order)  Set the sort order for the files.  The order can be any
            combination of the following options:

              -  Reverse the sort order for the next option
              a  Sort in ASCII order, not numerically, when there are digits in
            the name
              d  Sort by date and time (oldest first); for HPFS drives also see
            /T
              e  Sort by extension
              g  Group subdirectories first, then files
              i  Sort by file description
              n  Sort by filename (this is the default)
              r  Reverse the sort order for all options
              s  Sort by size
              u  Unsorted

    /Z      Display HPFS filenames in FAT format.  Long names will be truncated
            to 12 characters.  If the name is longer than 12 characters, it
            will be followed by a right arrow to show that one or more
            characters have been truncated.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.66. SET - Create or modify environment variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display, create, modify, or delete environment variables.

 Format:     SET [/P /R filename...] [name [=][value ]]

             filename :  The name of a file containing variable definitions.
             name :  The name of the environment variable to define or modify.
             value :  The new value for the variable.

             /P(ause)                        /R(ead from file)

 See also:  ESET and UNSET.

 Usage

 Every program and command inherits an environment, which is a list of variable
 names, each of which is followed by an equal sign and some text.  Many
 programs use entries in the environment to modify their own actions.

 If you simply type the SET command with no options or arguments, it will
 display all the names and values currently stored in the environment.
 Typically, you will see an entry called COMSPEC, an entry called PATH, an
 entry called CMDLINE, and whatever other environment variables you and your
 programs have established:

          [c:\] set
          COMSPEC=C:\4OS2\$OS2.EXE
          PATH=C:\;C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\UTIL
          CMDLINE=C:\4OS2\4START.CMD

 To add a variable to the environment, type SET, a space, the variable name, an
 equal sign, and the text:

          [c:\] set mine=c:\finance\myfiles

 The variable name is converted to upper case by 4OS2.  The text after the
 equal sign will be left just as you entered it.  If the variable already
 exists, its value will be replaced with the new text that you entered.

 Normally you should not put a space on either side of the equal sign.  A space
 before the equal sign will become part of the name ; a space after the equal
 sign will become part of the value.

 If you use SET to create a variable with the same name as one of the 4OS2
 internal variables, you will disable the internal variable.  If you later
 execute a batch file or alias that depends on that internal variable, it may
 not operate correctly.

 To display the contents of a single variable, type SET plus the variable name:

          [c:\] set mine

 You can edit environment variables with the ESET command.  To remove variables
 from the environment, use UNSET, or type SET plus a variable name and an equal
 sign:

          [c:\] set mine=

 The variable name is limited to a maximum of 80 characters. The name and value
 together cannot be longer than 1,023 characters.

 In 4OS2 the size of the environment is set automatically, and increased as
 necessary as you add variables.

 4OS2 automatically supports the special O/2 BeginLibPath and EndLibPath
 variables.  See your OS/2 documentation for details on these variables.

 Options

    /P:     (Pause) Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /R:     (Read) Read environment variables from a file.  This is much faster
            than loading variables from a batch file with multiple SET
            commands.  Each entry in the file must fit within the 1,023-byte
            command-line length limit for 4OS2:  The file is in the same format
            as the SET display, so SET /R can accept as input a file generated
            by redirecting SET output.  For example, the following commands
            will save the environment variables to a file, and then reload them
            from that file:

                                set > varlist
                                set /r varlist

            You can load variables from multiple files by listing the filenames
            individually after the /R. You can add comments to a variable file
            by starting the comment line with a colon [:].

            If you are creating a SET /R file by hand, and need to create an
            entry that spans multiple lines in the file, you can do so by
            terminating each line, except the last, with an escape character.
            However, you cannot use this method to exceed the command-line
            length limit.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.67. SETDOS - Set the 4OS2 configuration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or set the 4OS2 configuration.

 Format:     SETDOS [/B? /C? /D /E? /Fn.n /I+|- command /L? /M? /N? /P? /R?
             /S?:? /U? /V? /X[+|-]n /Y?]

             /B(right background)            /N(o clobber)
             /C(ompound)                     /P(arameter character)
             /D(escriptions)                 /R(ows)
             /E(scape character)             /S(hape of cursor)
             /F(ormat for @EVAL)             /U(pper case)
             /I(nternal commands)            /V(erbose)
             /L(ine)                         /X (expansion, special characters)
             /M(ode for editing)             /Y (single step)

 Usage

 SETDOS allows you to customize certain aspects of 4OS2 to suit your personal
 tastes or the configuration of your system.  Each of these options is
 described below.

 You can display the value of all SETDOS options by entering the SETDOS command
 with no parameters.

 Most of the SETDOS options can be initialized when 4OS2 executes the
 configuration directives in the .INI file. The name of the corresponding
 directive is listed with each option below; if none is listed, that option
 cannot be set from the .INI file.  You can also define the SETDOS options in
 your AUTOEXEC.BAT, 4START, or other startup file (see Automatic Batch Files),
 in aliases, or at the command line.

 Secondary shells automatically inherit most configuration settings currently
 in effect in the previous shell.  If values have been changed by SETDOS since
 4OS2 started, the new values will be passed to the secondary shell.

 SETDOS /I settings are not inherited by secondary shells.  If you want to use
 SETDOS /I- to disable commands in all shells, place the SETDOS command(s) in
 your 4START file, which is executed when any shell starts.

 Options

    /B:     (Bright background) The BRIGHTBG option determines whether 4OS2
            configures your video adapter for blinking text (/B0, the default)
            or bright background colors (/B1). /B2 will prevent 4OS2 from
            adjusting the bright / blink status. See Colors and Color Names for
            a detailed discussion of this option.  Also see the BrightBG
            directive.

    /C:     (Compound character) The COMPOUND option sets the character used
            for separating multiple commands on the same line.  The default is
            the ampersand [&]. You cannot use any of the redirection characters
            (| > <), or the blank, tab, comma, or equal sign as the command
            separator.  This example changes the COMPOUND character to a tilde
            [~]:

                                [c:\] setdos /c~

            If you want to share batch files or aliases between 4DOS and 4OS2
            or 4DOS/NT, see the %+ variable, which retrieves the current
            command separator, and 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for
            details on using compatible command separators for all the products
            you use.  Also see the CommandSep directive.

    /D:     (Descriptions) The DESCRIPTIONS option controls whether file
            processing commands like COPY, DEL, MOVE, and REN process file
            descriptions along with the files they belong to.  /D1 turns
            description processing on, which is the default.  /D0 turns
            description processing off.  Also see the Descriptions directive.
            You can also use /D to change the description file name, by placing
            the new name (rather than a "0" or "1"), in double quotes,
            immediately after the /D.  Use this option with caution, because
            changing the name from the default will make it difficult to
            transfer file descriptions to another system.  Also see the
            DescriptionName directive.


    /E:     (Escape character) The ESCAPE option sets the character used to
            suppress the normal meaning of the following character.  Any
            character following the escape character will be passed unmodified
            to the command.  The default escape character is a caret [^]. You
            cannot use any of the redirection characters (| > <) or the blank,
            tab, comma, or equal sign as the escape character. Certain
            characters (b, c, e, f, n, r, s, and t) have special meanings when
            immediately preceded by the escape character.

            If you want to share batch files or aliases between 4DOS and 4OS2
            or 4DOS/NT, see the %= variable, which retrieves the current escape
            character, and 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for details on
            using compatible escape characters for all the products you use.
            Also see the EscapeChar directive.

    /F:     (Format for @EVAL) The FORMAT option lets you set default decimal
            precision for the @EVAL variable function. The maximum precision is
            16 digits to the left of the decimal point and 8 digits to the
            right of the decimal point.  By default, the minimum precision to
            the right of the decimal point is 0.  The general form of this
            option is /Fx.y, where x sets the minimum number of digits to the
            right of the decimal place and y sets the maximum number of digits.
            Both values can range from 0 to 8; if x is greater than x, it is
            ignored.  You can specify either or both values, for example /F2.5,
            /F2, and /F.5 are all valid entries.

            See @EVAL if you want to set the precision for a single
            computation.

            Also see the EvalMax and EvalMin directives.
    /I:     (Internal) The INTERNAL option allows you to disable or enable
            internal commands.  To disable a command, precede the command name
            with a minus [-].  To re-enable a command, precede it with a plus
            [+]. For example, to disable the internal LIST command to force
            4OS2 to use an external command:

                                [c:\] setdos /i-list

    /L:     (Line) The LINE option controls how 4OS2 gets its input from the
            command line.  /L0 tells 4OS2 to use character input (the default).
            /L1 tells it to use line input (like CMD.EXE ).  /L1 will disable
            command-line editing, history recall, filename completion, and the
            directory history window, and will reduce the 4OS2 input length
            limit from 1023 characters to 255 characters.  It should only be
            used if it is needed for compatibility with a specific program.  If
            you have a program that requires line input, you can use the
            following line in an alias or batch file to change the line input
            option just for that single program (change the command separator
            to an ampersand [&] for 4OS2):

                                setdos /L1 & program %& & setdos /L0

            See README.DOC for information on programs which require this
            option.  Also see the LineInput directive.

    /M:     (Mode) The MODE option controls the initial line editing mode.  To
            start in overstrike mode at the beginning of each command line, use
            /M0 (the default).  To start in insert mode, use /M1.  Also see the
            EditMode directive.

    /N:     (No clobber) The NOCLOBBER option controls output redirection).
            /N0 means existing files will be overwritten by output redirection
            (with >) and that appending (with >>) does not require the file to
            exist already.  This is the default.  /N1 means existing files may
            not be overwritten by output redirection, and that when appending
            the output file must exist.  A /N1 setting can be overridden with
            the [!] character.  If you use /N1, you may have problems with a
            few unusual programs that shell out to run a command with
            redirection, and expect to be able to overwrite an existing file.
            Also see the NoClobber directive.

    /P:     (Parameter character) This option sets the character used after a
            percent sign to specify all or all remaining command-line arguments
            in a batch file or alias (e.g., %& or %n&; . The default is the
            dollar sign [$].

            If you want to share batch files or aliases between 4DOS and 4OS2
            or 4DOS/NT, see 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4DOS/NT Compatibility for details
            on selecting compatible parameter characters for all the products
            you use.  Also see the ParameterChar directive.

    /R:     (Rows) The ROWS option sets the number of screen rows used by the
            video display.  Normally 4OS2 detects the screen size, but if you
            have a non-standard display you may need to set it explicitly.
            This option does not affect screen scrolling (which is controlled
            by your video driver).  It is used only for LIST, SELECT, the paged
            output options (i.e., TYPE /P), and error checking in the screen
            output commands.  Also see the ScreenRows directive.

    /S:     (Shape) The SHAPE option sets the cursor shape.  The format is
            /So:i where o is the cursor size for overstrike mode, i the cursor
            size for insert mode.  The size is entered as a percentage of the
            total character height.  The default values are 10:100 (an
            underscore cursor for overstrike mode, and a block cursor for
            insert mode).  Because of the way video drivers remap the cursor
            shape, you may not get a smooth progression in the cursor size from
            0% - 100%.  To disable the cursor, enter /S0:0.  If either value is
            -1, 4OS2 will not attempt to modify the cursor shape at all.  You
            can use this feature to give another program full control of the
            cursor shape. Also see the CursorOver and CursorIns directives.

    /U:     (Upper) The UPPER option controls the default case ( upper or
            lower) for file and directory names displayed by internal commands
            like COPY and DIR.  /U0 displays file names in lower case (the
            default).  /U1 displays file names in the traditional upper case.
            The /U setting is ignored for HPFS filenames.  HPFS names are
            always displayed in the case in which they are stored. Also see the
            UpperCase directive.

    /V:     (Verbose) The VERBOSE option controls the default for command
            echoing in batch files.  /V0 disables echoing of batch file
            commands unless ECHO is explicitly set ON.  /V1, the default
            setting, enables echoing of batch file commands unless ECHO is
            explicitly set OFF.  Also see the BatchEcho directive.

            /V2 forces echoing of all batch file commands, even if ECHO is set
            OFF or the line begins with an "@".  This allows you to turn
            echoing on for a batch file without editing the batch file and
            removing the ECHO OFF command(s) within it.  /V2 is intended for
            debugging, and can be set with SETDOS, but not with the BatchEcho
            directive in 4OS2.INI.

    /X[+|-]n(eXpansion and special characters): This option enables and
            disables alias and environment variable expansion, and controls
            whether special characters have their usual meaning or are treated
            as text.  It is most often used in batch files to process text
            strings which may contain special characters.

            The features enabled or disabled by /X are numbered.  All features
            are enabled when 4OS2 starts, and you can re-enable all features at
            any time by using /X0.  To disable a particular feature, use /X-n,
            where n is the feature number from the list below.  To re-enable
            the feature, use /X+n.  To enable or disable multiple individual
            features, list their numbers in sequence after the + or - (e.g. /X-
            345 to disable features 3, 4, and 5).

            The features are:

              1  All alias expansion.
              2  Nested alias expansion only.
              3  All variable expansion (environment variables and batch and
            alias parameters)
              4  Nested variable expansion only.
              5  Multiple commands, conditional commands, and piping
              6  Redirection
              7  Quoting (double quotes and back quotes) and square brackets
              8  Escape character.

            If nested alias expansion is disabled, the first alias of a command
            is expanded but any aliases it invokes are not expanded.  If nested
            variable expansion is disabled, each variable is expanded once, but
            variables containing the names of other variables are not expanded
            further.

            For example, to disable all features except alias expansion while
            you are processing a text file containing special characters:

                                setdos /x-35678
                                ... [perform text processing here]
                                setdos /x0

    /Y:     (Single step) /Y1 enables single-stepping through a batch file.
            Each command is displayed on the screen along with a Y/N/R (yes /
            no / remainder) prompt.  Press Y to execute the command, N to omit
            the command and go on to the next, or R or Esc to execute the
            remainder of the batch file (up to the next SETDOS /Y1 command).
            You may also press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break to terminate the batch
            file.

            Batch file single stepping is disabled each time 4OS2 returns to
            the command prompt. This means you cannot enter the SETDOS /Y1
            command at the prompt, press Enter, and start a batch file in
            single step mode at the next prompt.  However you can enable single
            step operation and run a batch file from the prompt if you enter
            both commands on one line. For example, this command runs
            FILECOMP.CMD with single step enabled:

                                [c:\] setdos /y1 & filecomp.cmd


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.68. SETLOCAL - Save the environment ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Save a copy of the current disk drive, directory, environment, and
             alias list.

 Format:     SETLOCAL

 See also:  ENDLOCAL.

 Usage

 SETLOCAL is used in batch files to save the default disk drive and directory,
 the environment, and the alias list to a reserved block of memory.  You can
 then change their values and later restore the original values with the
 ENDLOCAL command.

 For example, this batch file fragment saves everything, removes all aliases so
 that user aliases will not affect batch file commands, changes the disk and
 directory, modifies a variable, runs a program, and then restores the original
 values:

          setlocal
          unalias *
          cdd d:\test
          set path=c:\;c:\dos;c:\util
          rem run some program here
          endlocal

 SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL are not nestable within a batch file. However, you can
 have multiple SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL pairs within a batch file, and nested batch
 files can each have their own SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL.  You cannot use SETLOCAL in
 an alias or at the command line.

 An ENDLOCAL is performed automatically at the end of a batch file if you
 forget to do so.  If you invoke one batch file from another without using
 CALL, the first batch file is terminated, and an automatic ENDLOCAL is
 performed.  The second batch file inherits the drive, directory, aliases, and
 environment variables as they were prior to any unterminated SETLOCAL.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.69. SHIFT - Shift batch file parameters ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Allows the use of more than 127 parameters in a batch file.

 Format:     SHIFT [n ]

             n :  Number of positions to shift.

 Usage

 SHIFT is provided for compatibility with older batch files, where it was used
 to access more than 10 parameters.  4OS2 supports 128 parameters (%0 to %127),
 so you may not need to use SHIFT for batch files running exclusively under JP
 Software command processors.

 SHIFT moves each of the batch file parameters n positions to the left.  The
 default value for n is 1.  SHIFT 1 moves the parameter in %1 to position %0,
 the parameter in %2 becomes %1, etc.  You can reverse a SHIFT by giving a
 negative value for n (i.e., after SHIFT -1, the former %0 is restored, %0
 becomes %1, %1 becomes %2, etc.).

 SHIFT also affects the parameters %n$. (command-line tail) and %# (number of
 command arguments).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.70. START - Start a program in another session ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Start a program in another session or window.

 Format:     START ["program title "] [/B[G] /C /DOS[=optfile ] /F[G] /FS /I
             /ICON=iconfile /INV /K /L /LA /LH /MAX /MIN /N /PGM progname /PM
             /POS=col,row,width,height /WAIT /WIN /WIN3[=optfile ]
             /WIN3S[=optfile ]] [command ]

             program title :  Title to appear on title bar.
             optfile :  Option settings file.
             iconfile :  Name of icon (.ICO ) file.
             progname :  Program name (not the session name).
             path :  Startup directory.
             command :  Command to be executed.

             /B[G] (background session)      /LH (local history list)
             /C(lose when done)              /MAX(imized)
             /DOS (DOS session)              /MIN(imized)
             /F[G] (foreground session)      /N(o 4OS2.EXE )
             /FS (full screen)               /PGM (program name)
             /I(nherit environment)          /PM (PM application)
             /ICON (.ICO file)               /POS(ition of window)
             /INV(isible)                    /WAIT (for session to finish)
             /K(eep when done)               /WIN(dowed session)
             /L(ocal lists)                  /WIN3 (Windows enhanced mode)
             /LA (local aliases)             /WIN3S (Windows standard mode)
             /LD (local dir history)

 See also:  DETACH.

 Usage

 START is used to begin a new OS/2 session, and optionally run a program in
 that session.  If you use START with no parameters, it will begin a new
 command-line session.  If you add a command, START will begin a new session or
 window and execute that command.

 The program title, if it is included, will appear on the title bar, and on the
 Presentation Manager task list (OS/2 version 1.x) or window list (OS/2 version
 2.x and above).  The program title must be enclosed in quotation marks and
 cannot exceed 60 characters.  If the program title is omitted, the program
 name will be used as the title.

 START offers a large number of switches to control the session you start.  In
 most cases you need only a few switches to accomplish what you want.  The list
 below summarizes the most commonly used START options, and how you can use
 them to control the way a session is started:

        /MAX, /MIN, and /POS allow you to start a character-mode windowed
        session in a maximized window, a minimized window, or a window with a
        specified position and size.  The default is to let the operating
        environment choose the position and size of the window.

        /C allows you to close the session when the command is finished (the
        default for DOS and OS/2 Presentation Manager sessions); /K allows you
        to keep the session open and go to a prompt (the default for OS/2
        character mode sessions).

        /BG and /FG allow you to start the session in the background(does not
        respond to keystrokes until selected) or foreground (responds to
        keystrokes until deselected).  /FG is the default if /DOS, /FS, /WIN,
        or /PM is used; otherwise, /BG is the default.

        /FS and /WIN control whether a character-mode session is started in
        full-screen or windowed mode.  The default is to start a session of the
        same type as the current session, if the application can be run in such
        a session.

 START determines the application type automatically and starts the session in
 the appropriate mode:  OS/2, Windows, DOS, full-screen, windowed, or
 Presentation Manager.

 START gives you some flexibility in determining the session mode. For example,
 if the command is the name of a batch file (either a .BTM or .CMD file), you
 can use the /FS or /WIN options to run the batch file as part of a new 4OS2
 session in either full-screen or windowed mode.

 However, you cannot start a session in a mode that is inappropriate for the
 application type.  A DOS application cannot be run as part of a Presentation
 Manager session, for example, even if you use the /PM switch.  Invalid or
 conflicting options will be ignored. 4OS2 will always attempt to run the
 command in the appropriate type of session.

 If the program is a DOS application or .BAT file, 4OS2 will return an error
 message in OS/2 version 1.x.  In OS/2 version 2.x and above, 4OS2 will start a
 new DOS session to run the program or batch file. The DOS session will close
 itself automatically as soon as the program or batch file ends, unless /K is
 used.  If you want the session to wait for a keystroke before it closes
 itself, you can use the syntax:

          [c:\] start /DOS command ^^ pause

 (Because the caret [^] is the default 4OS2 escape character, two carets must
 be used in order to pass one on to 4DOS as a command separator.)

 If you want to start a DOS command-line session in OS/2 version 2.x, you can
 use the command:

          [c:\] start /DOS

 You can specify settings for DOS and Windows sessions by using a settings
 options file, and loading it with the /DOS=, /WIN3=, or /WIN3S= option.  This
 allows you to start DOS and Windows sessions with specific settings without
 creating a desktop object and modifying the settings manually.  Before using
 this capability you should read the description of it under /DOS= (below) very
 carefully, since errors in the settings file can occasionally hang your
 system.

 Options

    /BG:        (BackGround session) The session is started as a background
                session.  /BG may be abbreviated to /B.

    /C:         (Close) The session or window is closed when the application
                ends.

    /DOS[=filename]:(DOS session) Start a DOS session under OS/2 version 2.x
                and above.  This option is not available in OS/2 version 1.x,
                which doesn't allow multiple DOS sessions.

                If you include the =filename, OS/2 will load DOS settings from
                the specified file.  This option is available only in the
                32-bit version of 4OS2.

                Starting a session with specific DOS settings is an
                undocumented feature which was implemented within OS/2 with
                little error checking.  It is included in START because it
                substantially eases a complex task, but you must experiment
                carefully to ensure that the settings you select will work
                properly on the systems on which you plan to use them.
                Incorrect settings may be ignored, but they may also hang your
                session or stop the entire system.  Be sure your experiments
                are not conducted while critical tasks are in process.

                Each line in the file must have a name, an equal sign [=], and
                a value.  The names are those shown in OS/2's DOS Settings
                dialog box.  Do not use spaces on either side of the equal
                sign.

                The names in the DOS Settings dialog box will vary depending on
                the device drivers and other settings in your CONFIG.SYS file,
                though many are available on all systems.  You must ensure that
                the names you use are valid for the systems on which you use
                them.  For example, if you replace IBM's COM.SYS and VCOM.SYS
                with different communications drivers, the COM_ settings will
                probably not be valid for the new drivers.  If you have a
                settings file which contains settings defined by a particular
                driver, and use it on a system where the corresponding driver
                is not loaded, the results are undefined.

                The values in your settings file must be numeric for settings
                which show a numeric value under DOS Settings (e.g.,
                DOS_FILES=30), and must be text strings for settings shown with
                a string (e.g., DOS_SHELL=C:\4DOS.COM C:\4DOS /P).  Strings
                should be entered without trailing blanks.  For values shown as
                multiple choice on the DOS Settings page you must specify a
                numeric value, typically "0" for Off and 1 for On (e.g.,
                DOS_HIGH=1).  Items with choices other than Off and On may use
                different values, or may not work at all; experimentation is
                usually required to find out what works.  Attempting to use
                strings for choice items (e.g., DOS_HIGH=ON) will not work, and
                can hang your system.  This is due to the internal operation of
                OS/2, and is not a problem in 4OS2.

                A typical DOS settings file might look like this:

                                        DOS_FILES=30
                                        DOS_HIGH=1
                                        DOS_SHELL=C:\4DOS\4DOS.COM C:\4DOS /P
                                        MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS=0
                                        VIDEO_FASTPASTE=1

                You can include comments in a settings file by beginning any
                line with a colon [:].

    /FG:        (ForeGround session) Start the session as the foreground
                session.  /FG may be abbreviated to /F.

    /FS:        (Full Screen) Start the session as a full-screen session.

    /I:         (Inherit environment) Inherit the default environment specified
                in CONFIG.SYS, if any, rather than the current environment.

    /ICON=filename:Use the specified icon file.  If you don't use /ICON, 4OS2
                will look for an .ICO file with the same file name and in the
                same directory as the program file.  Some versions of OS/2 may
                ignore this option and use the default icon for the session.
                If you encounter this problem, check whether an update to OS/2
                has been released which addresses it.

    /INV:       (Invisible) Start the session or window as invisible.  No icon
                will appear and the session will only be accessible through the
                Task Manager or Window List.

    /K:         (Keep session or window at end) The session or window continues
                after the application program ends.  Use the EXIT command to
                end the session.

    /L:         (Local lists) Start 4OS2 with local alias, history, and
                directory history lists.  This option combines the effects of
                /LA, /LD, and /LH (below).

    /LA:        (Local Alias list) Start 4OS2 with a local alias list.See ALIAS
                for information on local and global aliases.

    /LD:        (Local Directory history) Start 4OS2 with a local directory
                history list.  See Local and Global Directory History for more
                information.

    /LH:        (Local History list) Start 4OS2 with a local history list. See
                Command History and Recall for information on local and global
                history lists.

    /MAX:       (Maximized) Start the session or window maximized.

    /MIN:       (Minimized) Start the session or window minimized.

    /N:         Under 4OS2, start an OS/2 program directly, without a command
                processor.  The command cannot be an internal command or batch
                file. This is the default for PM applications.

    /PGM:       (Program name) The string following this option is the program
                name.  The first quoted string on the line will be used as the
                session and task list title, and not as the program name.

    /PM:        (Presentation Manager) Start a program in the PM session.

    /POS:       (Position) Start the window at the specified screen position.
                The syntax is /POS=col, row, width, height where the values are
                specified in pixels or pels.  Row and col refer to the position
                of the top left corner of the window relative to the bottom
                left corner of the screen.

    /WAIT:      Wait for the new session or window to finish before continuing.
                Cannot be used with /WIN3 or /WIN3S.

    /WIN:       (Windowed) Start the session in a window.

    /WIN3[=filename]:(Windows enhanced mode) Run the program in an
                enhanced-mode Windows 3.x session.  The session will run
                seamless (on the OS/2 desktop).  To start a Windows application
                in full-screen mode, use /FS rather than /WIN3.  You can
                include an equal sign and the name of an options file to set
                options for the specific session and application (see /DOS=
                above for details).  The setting names in the file should be
                taken from those shown in OS/2's WIN-OS/2 Settings dialog box.
                Available only in the 32-bit version of 4OS2.

    /WIN3S[=filename]:(Windows standard mode) Equivalent to /WIN3, but runs the
                program in standard mode rather than enhanced mode. Available
                only in 4OS2/32.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.71. SHRALIAS - Load or unload SHRALIAS.EXE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Load or unload SHRALIAS.EXE, which saves shared aliases, history,
             and directory history between 4OS2 sessions.

 Format:     SHRALIAS [/U]

             /U(nload)

 See also:  ALIAS, Command History and Recall, and the Directory History
 Window.

 Usage:

 If you select a global alias, history, or directory history list for 4OS2 you
 can share the list(s) among all copies of 4OS2 running in any session.
 However, when you close all 4OS2 sessions the memory for these global lists is
 released, and new, empty lists are created the next time you start 4OS2.

 SHRALIAS retains one or more of these lists in memory even when no 4OS2
 session is running, and makes the information in the retained list(s)
 available to the next 4OS2 session that is started. This allows you to keep
 your aliases, command history, and directory history between 4OS2 sessions (as
 long as OS/2 is not restarted).

 Actual retention of the shared lists is handled by the SHRALIAS.EXE program.
 The internal SHRALIAS command is used to load and unload SHRALIAS.EXE.
 (SHRALIAS.EXE is distributed as part of 4OS2, and must be located in your 4OS2
 directory, or a directory on your PATH.)

 To load SHRALIAS.EXE, enter the SHRALIAS command with no parameters:

          [c:\] shralias

 SHRALIAS.EXE runs as a "detached" process, which means it does not have a
 screen display, accept keyboard input, or appear on the OS/2 window list.  It
 is shut down automatically when OS/2 shuts down.  You can also unload
 SHRALIAS.EXE manually, with SHRALIAS /U:

          [c:\] shralias /u

 Once SHRALIAS.EXE is unloaded any shared alias, history, and directory history
 lists will be released when the last copy of 4OS2 terminates.

 Do not attempt to load or unload the SHRALIAS.EXE program directly -- it must
 be managed with the SHRALIAS command.

 You may find it convenient to invoke SHRALIAS from your 4START file.  If you
 do, once SHRALIAS.EXE is loaded additional attempts to reload it (for example,
 when a second or subsequent 4OS2 session runs TCSTART) will be ignored, and
 will display the informational message "SHRALIAS already loaded".  Similarly,
 if you attempt to unload SHARLIAS.EXE with the SHRALIAS /U command and it has
 not been loaded, 4OS2 will display the message "SHRALIAS not loaded".

 SHRALIAS must be invoked from a 4OS2 session which uses at least one global
 list.  If you invoke it from a session where the alias list, history list, and
 directory history list are all local, it will not be able to find any shared
 memory to retain, and will display an error.

 Option:

    /U      (Unload) Unload SHRALIAS.EXE from memory.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.72. TEE - "Tee" pipe fitting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Copy standard input to both standard output and a file.

 Format:     TEE [/A] file...

             file :  One or more files that will receive the "tee-d" output.

             /A(ppend)

 See also:  Y and the redirection options.

 Usage

 TEE is normally used to "split" the output of a program so that you can see it
 on the display and also save it in a file.  It can also be used to capture
 intermediate output before the data is altered by another program or command.

 TEE gets its input from standard input (usually the piped output of another
 command or program), and sends out two copies:  one goes to standard output,
 the other to the file or files that you specify.  TEE is not likely to be
 useful with programs which do not use standard output, because these programs
 cannot send output through a pipe.

 For example, to search the file DOC for any lines containing the string
 "4OS2", make a copy of the matching lines in 4.DAT, sort the lines, and write
 them to the output file 4O.DAT :

          [c:\] find "4OS2" doc | tee 4.dat | sort > 4o.dat

 If you are typing at the keyboard to produce the input for TEE, you must enter
 a Ctrl-Z to terminate the input.

 When using TEE with a pipe under 4OS2, the programs on the two ends of the
 pipe run simultaneously, not sequentially as in 4DOS.

 See Piping for more information on pipes.

 Option

    /A:     (Append) Append the output to the file(s) rather than overwriting
            them.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.73. TEXT - Display text in a batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a block of text in a batch file.

 Format:     TEXT
                .
                .
                .
             ENDTEXT

 See also:  ECHO, SCREEN, SCRPUT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage

 TEXT can only be used in batch files.

 The TEXT command is useful for displaying menus or multi-line messages.  TEXT
 will display all subsequent lines in the batch file until terminated by
 ENDTEXT.  Both TEXT and ENDTEXT must be entered as the only command on the
 line.

 To redirect the entire block of text, use redirection on the TEXT command
 itself, but not on the actual text lines or the ENDTEXT line.  No environment
 variable expansion or other processing is performed on the lines between TEXT
 and ENDTEXT; they are displayed exactly as they are stored in the batch file.

 You can change screen colors by inserting ANSI escape sequences anywhere in
 the text block.  You can also use a CLS or COLOR command to set the screen
 color before executing the TEXT command.

 The following batch file fragment displays a simple menu:

          @echo off & cls
          screen 2 0
          text
          Enter one of the following:
             1 - Spreadsheet
             2 - Word Processing
             3 - Utilities
          endtext


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.74. TIME - Set the system time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or set the current system time.

 Format:     TIME [hh [:mm [:ss ]]] [AM | PM]

             hh :  The hour (0 - 23).
             mm :  The minute (0 - 59).
             ss :  The second (0 - 59).

 See also:  CHCP and DATE.

 Usage

 If you don't enter any parameters, TIME will display the current system time
 and prompt you for a new time.  Press Enter if you don't wish to change the
 time; otherwise, enter the new time:

          [c:\] time
          Thu  Dec 22, 1994  9:30:10
          New time (hh:mm:ss):

 TIME defaults to 24-hour format, but you can optionally enter the time in
 12-hour format by appending "a", "am", "p", or "pm" to the time you enter.

 For example, to enter the time as 9:30 am:

          [c:\] time 9:30 am

 OS/2 adds the system time and date to the directory entry for every file you
 create or modify.  If you keep both the time and date accurate, you will have
 a record of when you last updated each file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.75. TIMER - Start or stop a stopwatch ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    TIMER is a system stopwatch.

 Format:     TIMER [ON] [/1 /2 /3 /S]

             ON:  Force the stopwatch to restart

             /1 (stopwatch #1)               /3 (stopwatch #3)
             /2 (stopwatch #2)               /S(plit)

 Usage

 The TIMER command turns a system stopwatch on and off.  When you first run
 TIMER, the stopwatch starts:

          [c:\] timer
          Timer 1 on:  12:21:46

 When you run TIMER again, the stopwatch stops and the elapsed time is
 displayed:

          [c:\] timer
          Timer 1 off:  12:21:58   Elapsed time: 0:00:12.06

 There are three stopwatches available (1, 2, and 3) so you can time multiple
 overlapping events.  By default, TIMER uses stopwatch #1.

 The smallest interval TIMER can measure depends on the operating system you
 are using, your hardware, and the interaction between the two.  However, it
 should never be greater than .06 second.  The largest interval is 23 hours, 59
 minutes, 59.99 seconds.

 Options

    /1:     Use timer #1 (the default).

    /2:     Use timer #2.

    /3:     Use timer #3.

    /S:     (Split) Display a split time without stopping the timer.  To
            display the current elapsed time but leave the timer running:

                                [c:\] timer /s
                                Timer 1 elapsed: 0:06:40.63

    ON:     Start the timer regardless of its previous state (on or off).
            Otherwise the TIMER command toggles the timer state (unless /S is
            used).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.76. TYPE - Display file(s) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the contents of the specified file(s).

 Format:     TYPE [/A:[[-]rhsda] /L /P] file...

             file :  The file or list of files that you want to display.

             /A:(ttribute select)            /P(ause)
             /L(ine numbers)

 See also:  LIST.

 File Selection

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage

 The TYPE command displays a file.  It is normally only useful for displaying
 ASCII text files.  Executable files (.COM and .EXE ) and many data files may
 be unreadable when displayed with TYPE because they include non-alphanumeric
 characters.

 To display the files MEMO1 and MEMO2 :

          [c:\] type /p memo1 memo2

 You can press Ctrl-S to pause TYPE's display and then any key to continue.

 You will probably find LIST to be more useful for displaying files. However,
 the TYPE /L command used with redirection is useful if you want to add line
 numbers to a file.

 Options

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., TYPE /A: ...), TYPE will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected. For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /L:     (Line numbers) Display a line number preceding each line of text.

    /P:     (Pause) Prompt after displaying each page.  Your options at the
            prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.77. UNALIAS - Remove aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Remove aliases from the alias list.

 Format:     UNALIAS [/Q] alias...
                or
             UNALIAS *

             alias :  One or more aliases to remove from memory.

             /Q(uiet)

 See also:  ALIAS and ESET.

 Usage

 4OS2 maintains a list of the aliases that you have defined.  The UNALIAS
 command will remove aliases from that list.  You can remove one or more
 aliases by name, or you can delete the entire alias list by using the command
 UNALIAS *.

 For example, to remove the alias DDIR:

          [c:\] unalias ddir

 To remove all the aliases:

          [c:\] unalias *

 Options

    /Q:     (Quiet) Prevents UNALIAS from displaying an error message if one or
            more of the aliases does not exist.  This option is most useful in
            batch files, for removing a group of aliases when some of the
            aliases may not have been defined.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.78. UNSET - Remove environment variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Remove variables from the environment.

 Format:     UNSET  [/Q] name...
                or
             UNSET *

             name :  One or more variables to remove from the environment.

             /Q(uiet)

 See also:  ESET and SET.

 Usage

 UNSET removes one or more variables from the environment.  For example, to
 remove the variable CMDLINE:

          [c:\] unset cmdline

 If you use the command UNSET *, all of the environment variables will be
 deleted:

          [c:\] unset *

 UNSET is often used in conjunction with the SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL commands in
 order to clear the environment of variables that may cause problems for some
 applications.

 For more information on environment variables, see the SET command and the
 general discussion of the environment.

 Use caution when removing environment variables, and especially when using
 UNSET *.  Many programs will not work properly without certain environment
 variables; for example, 4OS2 uses PATH and DPATH.

 Options

    /Q:     (Quiet) Prevents UNSET from displaying an error message if one or
            more of the variables does not exist.  This option is most useful
            in batch files, for removing a group of variables when some of the
            variables may not have been defined.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.79. VER - Display the 4OS2 and OS/2 version ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the current command processor and operating system
             versions.

 Format:     VER [/R]

             /R(evision level)

 Usage

 Version numbers consist of a one-digit major version number, a period, and a
 one- or two-digit minor version number.  The VER command displays both version
 numbers:

          [c:\] ver

          4OS2/32 2.5   OS/2 Version is 2.1

 Option

    /R:     (Revision level) Display the 4OS2 and OS/2 internal revision levels
            (if any), plus your 4OS2 serial number and registered name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.80. VERIFY - Enable or disable disk write verification ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Enable or disable disk write verification or display the
             verification state.

 Format:     VERIFY [ON | OFF]

 Usage

 OS/2 maintains an internal verify flag.  When the flag is on, OS/2 attempts to
 verify each disk write by making sure that the data written to the disk can be
 read back successfully into the computer.  It does not compare the data
 written with the data actually placed on disk.

 If used without any parameters, VERIFY will display the state of the verify
 flag:

          [c:\] verify
          VERIFY is OFF

 VERIFY is off when the system boots up.  Once it is turned on with the VERIFY
 ON command, it stays on until you use the VERIFY OFF command or until you
 reboot.

 Verification will slow your disk write operations slightly (the effect is not
 usually noticeable).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.81. VOL - Display disk volume labels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display disk volume label(s).

 Format:     VOL [d :] ...

             d:  The drive or drives to search for labels.

 Usage

 Each disk may have a volume label, created when the disk is formatted or with
 the external LABEL command.  Also, every floppy disk formatted with DOS
 version 4.0 or above, OS/2, or Windows NT has a volume serial number.

 The VOL command will display the volume label and, if available, the volume
 serial number of a disk volume.  If the disk doesn't have a volume label, VOL
 will report that it is "unlabeled."  If you don't specify a drive, VOL
 displays information about the current drive:

          [c:\] vol
          Volume in drive C: is MYHARDDISK

 If available, the volume serial number will appear after the drive label or
 name.

 To display the disk labels for drives A and B:

          [c:\] vol a: b:
          Volume in drive A: is unlabeled
          Volume in drive B: is BACKUP_2


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.82. VSCRPUT - Display text vertically and in color ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display text vertically in the specified color.

 Format:     VSCRPUT  row col [BRIght] [BLInk] fg ON [BRIght] bg text

             row :  Starting row number.
             col :  Starting column number.
             fg :  Foreground text color.
             bg :  Background text color.
             text :  The text to display.

 See also:  SCRPUT.

 Usage

 VSCRPUT writes text vertically on the screen rather than horizontally.  Like
 the SCRPUT command, it uses the colors you specify to write the text.  VSCRPUT
 can be used for simple graphs and charts generated by batch files.  It always
 leaves the cursor in its current position.  See Colors and Color Names for
 details about colors and notes on the use of bright background colors.

 The row and column are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80 column
 display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  You can also
 specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor position.  Begin
 the value with a plus sign [+] to move down the specified number of rows or to
 the right the specified number of columns before displaying text, or with a
 minus sign [-] to move up or to the left.

 VSCRPUT checks for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage" error
 message if either value is out of range.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.83. WINDOW - Change the window state or title ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Minimize or maximize the current window, restore the default
             window size, or change the window title.

 Format:     WINDOW [MIN | MAX | RESTORE | /POS=col,row,width,height | "title
             "]

             title :  A new title for the window.

             /POS(ition)

 Usage

 WINDOW is used to control the appearance and title of the current window.
 WINDOW MIN reduces the window to an icon, WINDOW MAX enlarges it to its
 maximum size, and WINDOW RESTORE returns the window to its default size and
 location on the desktop.

 Only one WINDOW option can be used at a time.  To make multiple changes in the
 window state (for example, to maximize the window and change its title) you
 must issue the WINDOW command once for each change.

 You can use the /POS option to set the location and size of the window on the
 desktop.  The row and column values of the /POS option select the window's
 origin while the width and height values determine its size.

 If you specify a new title, the title text must be enclosed in double quotes.
 The quotes will not appear as part of the actual title.

 Only one WINDOW option can be used at a time.  To make multiple changes in the
 window state (for example, to maximize the window and change its title) you
 must issue the WINDOW command once for each change.

 Option

    /POS:   (Position) Set the window position and size on the screen.  The
            syntax is /POS=col, row, width, height where the values are
            specified in pixels or pels.  Row and col refer to the position of
            the top left corner of the window relative to the bottom left
            corner of the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 14.84. Y - "Y" pipe fitting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Copy standard input to standard output, and then copy the
             specified file(s) to standard output.

 Format:     Y file ...

             file :  The file or list of files to send to standard output.

 See also:  TEE.

 Usage

 The Y command copies input from standard input (usually the keyboard) to
 standard output (usually the screen).  Once the input ends, the named files
 are appended to standard output.

 For example, to get text from standard input, append the files MEMO1 and MEMO2
 to it, and send the output to MEMOS :

          [c:\] y memo1 memo2 > memos

 The Y command is most useful if you want to add redirected data to the
 beginning of a file instead of appending it to the end.  For example, this
 command copies the output of DIR, followed by the contents of  the file
 DIREND, to the file DIRALL:

          [c:\] dir | y dirend > dirall

 If you are typing at the keyboard to produce input text for Y, you must enter
 a Ctrl-Z to terminate the input.

 When using Y with a pipe you must take into account that the programs on the
 two ends of the pipe run simultaneously, not sequentially.

 See Piping for more information on pipes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 15. Error Messages ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section lists error messages generated by 4OS2, and includes a recommended
course of action for most errors.  If you are unable to resolve the problem,
look through your Introduction and Installation Guide for any additional
troubleshooting recommendations, then contact JP Software for technical
support.

Error messages relating to files are generally reports of errors returned by
OS/2.  You may find some of these messages (for example, "Access denied") vague
enough that they are not always helpful.  4OS2 includes the file name in file
error messages, but is often unable to determine a more accurate explanation of
these errors.  The message shown is the best information available based on the
error codes returned by OS/2.

The following list includes all error messages, in alphabetical order:

Access denied:  You tried to write to or erase a read-only file, rename a file
or directory to an existing name, create a directory that already exists,
remove a read-only directory or a directory with files or subdirectories still
in it, or access a file in use by another program in a multitasking system.

Alias loop:  An alias refers back to itself either directly or indirectly
(i.e., a = b = a), or aliases are nested more than 16 deep.  Correct your alias
list.

Bad disk unit:  Generally caused by a disk drive hardware failure.

Batch file missing:  4OS2 can't find the batch (.BTM or .CMD ) file it was
running.  It was either deleted, renamed, moved, or the disk was changed.
Correct the problem and rerun the file.

Can't copy file to itself:  You cannot COPY or MOVE a file to itself.  4OS2
performs full path and filename expansion before copying to ensure that files
aren't inadvertently destroyed.

Can't create:  4OS2 can't create the specified file.  The disk may be full or
write protected, or the file already exists and is read-only, or the root
directory is full.

Can't delete:  4OS2 can't delete the specified file or directory.  The disk is
probably write protected.

Can't get directory:  4OS2 can't read the directory.  The disk drive is
probably not ready.

Can't make directory entry:  4OS2 can't create the filename in the directory.
This is usually caused by a full root directory. Create a subdirectory and move
some of the files to it.

Can't open:  4OS2 can't open the specified file.  Either the file doesn't exist
or the disk directory or File Allocation Table is damaged.

Can't remove current directory:  You attempted to remove the current directory,
which OS/2 does not allow.  Change to the parent directory and try again.

Command line too long:  A single command exceeded 1023 characters, or the
entire command line exceeded 2047 characters, during alias and variable
expansion.  Reduce the complexity of the command or use a batch file.  Also
check for an alias which refers back to itself either directly or indirectly.

Command only valid in batch file:  You have tried to use a batch file command,
like DO or GOSUB, from the command line or in an alias.  A few commands can
only be used in batch files (see the individual commands for details).

Contents lost before copy:  COPY was appending files, and found one of the
source files is the same as the target.  That source file is skipped, and
appending continues with the next file.

Data error:  OS/2 can't read or write properly to the device. On a floppy
drive, this error is usually caused by a defective floppy disk, dirty disk
drive heads, or a misalignment between the heads on your drive and the drive on
which the disk was created. On a hard drive, this error may indicate a drive
that is too hot or too cold, or a hardware problem.  Retry the operation; if it
fails again, correct the hardware or diskette problem.

Directory stack empty:  POPD or DIRS can't find any entries in the directory
stack.

Disk is write protected:  The disk cannot be written to.  Check the disk and
remove the write-protect tab or close the write- protect window if necessary.

Drive not ready -- close door:  The floppy disk drive door is open.  Close the
door and try again.

Environment already saved:  You have already saved the environment with a
previous SETLOCAL command.  You cannot nest SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL pairs.

Error in command-line directive:  You used the //iniline option to place an
4OS2.INI directive on the startup command line, but the directive is in error.
A more specific error message follows.

Error on line [nnnn] of [filename]:  There is an error in your 4OS2.INI file.
The following message explains the error in more detail.  Correct the line in
error and restart 4OS2 for your change to take effect.

Error reading:  OS/2 experienced an I/O error when reading from a device.  This
is usually caused by a bad disk, a device not ready, or a hardware error.

Error writing:  OS/2 experienced an I/O error when writing to a device.  This
is usually caused by a full disk, a bad disk, a device not ready, or a hardware
error.

Exceeded batch nesting limit:  You have attempted to nest batch files more than
10 levels deep.

File Allocation Table bad:  OS/2  can't access the FAT on the specified disk.
This can be caused by a bad disk, a hardware error, or an unusual software
interaction.

File exists:  The requested output file already exists, and 4OS2 won't
overwrite it.

File is empty:  You attempted to use an empty file in @SELECT.  Correct the
file name or contents and try again.

File not found:  4OS2 couldn't find the specified file.  Check the spelling and
path name.

General failure:  This is usually a hardware problem, particularly a disk drive
failure or a device not properly connected to a serial or parallel port.  Try
to correct the problem, or reboot and try again.  Also see Data error above;
the problems described there can sometimes cause a general failure rather than
a data error.

Infinite COPY or MOVE loop:  You tried to COPY or MOVE a directory to one of
its own subdirectories and used the /S switch, so the command would run
forever.  Correct the command and try again.

Insufficient disk space:  COPY or MOVE ran out of room on the destination
drive.  Remove some files and retry the operation.

Invalid character value:  You gave an invalid value for a character directive
in the 4OS2.INI file.

Invalid choice value:  You gave an invalid value for a "choice" directive (one
that accepts a choice from a list, like "Yes" or "No") in the 4OS2.INI file.

Invalid color:  You gave an invalid value for a color directive in the 4OS2.INI
file.

Invalid date:  An invalid date was entered.  Check the syntax and reenter.

Invalid directive name:  4OS2 can't recognize the name of a directive in your
4OS2.INI file.

Invalid drive:  A bad or non-existent disk drive was specified.

Invalid key name:  You tried to make an invalid key substitution in the
4OS2.INI file, or you used an invalid key name in a keystroke alias or command.
Correct the error and retry the operation.

Invalid numeric value:  You gave an invalid value for a numeric directive in
the 4OS2.INI file.

Invalid parameter:  4OS2 didn't recognize a parameter.  Check the syntax and
spelling of the command you entered.

Invalid path:  The specified path does not exist.  Check the disk specification
and/or spelling.

Invalid path or file name:  You used an invalid path or filename in a directive
in the 4OS2.INI file.

Invalid time:  An invalid time was entered.  Check the syntax and reenter.

Keystroke substitution table full:  4OS2 ran out of room to store keystroke
substitutions entered in the 4OS2.INI file.  Reduce the number of key
substitutions or contact JP Software for assistance.

Label not found:  A GOTO or GOSUB referred to a non-existent label. Check your
batch file.

Missing ENDTEXT:  A TEXT command is missing a matching ENDTEXT.  Check the
batch file.

Missing GOSUB:  4OS2 cannot perform the RETURN command in a batch file.  You
tried to do a RETURN without a GOSUB, or your batch file has been corrupted.

Missing SETLOCAL:  An ENDLOCAL was used without a matching SETLOCAL.

No aliases defined:  You tried to display aliases but no aliases have been
defined.

No closing quote:  4OS2 couldn't find a second matching back quote [`] or
double-quote ["] on the command line.

No expression:  The expression passed to the %@EVAL variable function is empty.
Correct the expression and retry the operation.

No room for INI file name:  4OS2 does not have enough space to pass the name of
your 4OS2.INI file to secondary shells; see String area overflow for more
details.  Any [Secondary] section in 4OS2.INI will be ignored in secondary
shells until the problem is corrected and the system or session is restarted.

No shared memory found:  The SHRALIAS command could not find any global alias
list, history list, or directory history list to retain, because you executed
the command from a session with local lists.  Start 4OS2 with at least one
global list, then invoke SHRALIAS.

Not a windowed session:  You tried to use the WINDOW command in a full-screen
session.  WINDOW is valid only in windowed sessions.

Not an alias:  The specified alias is not in the alias list.

Not in environment:  The specified variable is not in the environment.

Not ready:  The specified device can't be accessed.

Not same device:  This error usually appears in RENAME.  You cannot rename a
file to a different disk drive.

Out of memory:  4OS2 or OS/2 had insufficient memory to execute the last
command.  Try to free some memory by closing other sessions.  If the error
persists, contact JP Software for assistance.

Out of paper:  OS/2 detected an out-of-paper condition on one of the printers
(LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3).  Check your printer and add paper if necessary.

Overflow:  An arithmetic overflow occurred in the %@EVAL variable function.
Check the values being passed to %@EVAL. %@EVAL can handle 16 digits to the
left of the decimal point and 8 to the right.

Read error:  OS/2 encountered a disk read error; usually caused by a bad or
unformatted disk.

Sector not found:  Disk error, usually caused by a bad or unformatted disk.

Seek error:  OS/2 can't seek to the proper location on the disk.  This is
generally caused by a bad disk or drive.

Sharing violation:  You tried to access a file in use by another program in a
multitasking system or on a network.  Wait for the file to become available, or
change your method of operation so that another program does not have the file
open while you are trying to use it.

SHRALIAS already loaded:  You used the SHRALIAS command to load SHRALIAS.EXE,
but it was already loaded.  This message is informational and generally does
not indicate an error condition.

SHRALIAS not loaded:  You used the SHRALIAS /U command to unload SHRALIAS.EXE,
but it was never loaded.  This message is informational and may not indicate an
error condition.

String area overflow:  4OS2 ran out of room to store the text from string
directives in the 4OS2.INI file.  Reduce the complexity of the 4OS2.INI file or
contact JP Software for assistance.

Syntax error:  A command or variable function was entered in an improper
format.  Check the syntax and correct the error.

Too many open files:  OS/2 has run out of file handles. Try increasing the
FILES setting in CONFIG.SYS.

Unbalanced parentheses:  The number of left and right parentheses did not match
in an expression passed to the %@EVAL variable function.  Correct the
expression and retry the operation.

Unknown command:  A command was entered that 4OS2 didn't recognize and couldn't
find in the current search path.  Check the spelling or PATH specification.
You can handle unknown commands with the UNKNOWN_CMD alias (see ALIAS).

Variable loop:  A nested environment variable refers to itself, or variables
are nested more than 16 deep.  Correct the error and retry the command.

Warning:  Can't load 4OS2DLL:  4OS2 cannot find 4OS2DLL.DLL, a library used to
support the BEGINLIBPATH and ENDLIBPATH "environment variables" under OS/2
Warp.  4OS2DLL.DLL must be in the 4OS2 directory, or on a directory listed in
the LIBPATH setting in CONFIG.SYS.  If it is not, BEGINLIBPATH and ENDLIBPATH
will not be available, but all other 4OS2 functions will operate normally.

Write error:  OS/2 encountered a disk write error; usually caused by a bad or
unformatted disk.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16. Reference Tables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The reference tables in this section are based on U.S. English conventions.
Your system may differ if it is configured for a different country or language.
See your operating system documentation for more information about country and
language support.

To represent the text you type, computers must translate each letter to and
from a number.  The code used by all PC-compatible computers for this
translation is called ASCII.  Function keys, cursor keys, and Alt keys generate
scan codes indicating which key was pressed, but not ASCII codes. The tables in
this section cover both kinds of codes.

For more information, see:

            ASCII Table
            Key Codes and Scan Codes Table
            Key Codes and Scan Codes Explanation
            ANSI Commands


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16.1. ASCII Table ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                      Control Characters

    Dec  Hex  Chr  Nam  Ctl   Γöé   Dec  Hex  Chr  Nam  Ctl
    ---  ---  ---  ---  ---   Γöé   ---  ---  ---  ---  ---
    000   00       NUL   ^@   Γöé   016   10      DLE   ^P
    001   01   
   SOH   ^A   Γöé   017   11      DC1   ^Q
    002   02      STX   ^B   Γöé   018   12      DC2   ^R
    003   03      ETX   ^C   Γöé   019   13      DC3   ^S
    004   04      EOT   ^D   Γöé   020   14      DC4   ^T
    005   05      ENQ   ^E   Γöé   021   15      NAK   ^U
    006   06      ACK   ^F   Γöé   022   16      SYN   ^V
    007   07       BEL   ^G   Γöé   023   17      ETB   ^W
    008   08      BS    ^H   Γöé   024   18      CAN   ^X
    009   09       HT    ^I   Γöé   025   19      EM    ^Y
    010   0A       LF    ^J   Γöé   026   1A      SUB   ^Z
    011   0B      VT    ^K   Γöé   027   1B      ESC   ^[
    012   0C      FF    ^L   Γöé   028   1C      FS    ^\
    013   0D       CR    ^M   Γöé   029   1D      GS    ^]
    014   0E      SO    ^N   Γöé   030   1E      RS    ^^
    015   0F      SI    ^O   Γöé   031   1F      US    ^_

                  Punctuation, Digits, Upper Case

  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
  032   20      Γöé  048   30   0  Γöé  064   40   @  Γöé  080   50   P
  033   21   !  Γöé  049   31   1  Γöé  065   41   A  Γöé  081   51   Q
  034   22   "  Γöé  050   32   2  Γöé  066   42   B  Γöé  082   52   R
  035   23   #  Γöé  051   33   3  Γöé  067   43   C  Γöé  083   53   S
  036   24   $  Γöé  052   34   4  Γöé  068   44   D  Γöé  084   54   T
  037   25   %  Γöé  053   35   5  Γöé  069   45   E  Γöé  085   55   U
  038   26   &  Γöé  054   36   6  Γöé  070   46   F  Γöé  086   56   V
  039   27   '  Γöé  055   37   7  Γöé  071   47   G  Γöé  087   57   W
  040   28   (  Γöé  056   38   8  Γöé  072   48   H  Γöé  088   58   X
  041   29   )  Γöé  057   39   9  Γöé  073   49   I  Γöé  089   59   Y
  042   2A   *  Γöé  058   3A   :  Γöé  074   4A   J  Γöé  090   5A   Z
  043   2B   +  Γöé  059   3B   ;  Γöé  075   4B   K  Γöé  091   5B   [
  044   2C   ,  Γöé  060   3C   <  Γöé  076   4C   L  Γöé  092   5C   \
  045   2D   -  Γöé  061   3D   =  Γöé  077   4D   M  Γöé  093   5D   ]
  046   2E   .  Γöé  062   3E   >  Γöé  078   4E   N  Γöé  094   5E   ^
  047   2F   /  Γöé  063   3F   ?  Γöé  079   4F   O  Γöé  095   5F   _

                   Lower Case, Miscellaneous

                 Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
                 ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
                 096   60   `  Γöé  112   70   p
                 097   61   a  Γöé  113   71   q
                 098   62   b  Γöé  114   72   r
                 099   63   c  Γöé  115   73   s
                 100   64   d  Γöé  116   74   t
                 101   65   e  Γöé  117   75   u
                 102   66   f  Γöé  118   76   v
                 103   67   g  Γöé  119   77   w
                 104   68   h  Γöé  120   78   x
                 105   69   i  Γöé  121   79   y
                 106   6A   j  Γöé  122   7A   z
                 107   6B   k  Γöé  123   7B   {
                 108   6C   l  Γöé  124   7C   |
                 109   6D   m  Γöé  125   7D   }
                 110   6E   n  Γöé  126   7E   ~
                 111   6F   o  Γöé  127   7F   

                International; Graphics Characters 1

  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
  128   80   А  │  144   90   Р  │  160   A0   а  │  176   B0   ░
  129   81   Б  │  145   91   С  │  161   A1   б  │  177   B1   ▒
  130   82   В  │  146   92   Т  │  162   A2   в  │  178   B2   ▓
  131   83   Г  │  147   93   У  │  163   A3   г  │  179   B3   │
  132   84   Д  │  148   94   Ф  │  164   A4   д  │  180   B4   ┤
  133   85   Е  │  149   95   Х  │  165   A5   е  │  181   B5   ╡
  134   86   Ж  │  150   96   Ц  │  166   A6   ж  │  182   B6   ╢
  135   87   З  │  151   97   Ч  │  167   A7   з  │  183   B7   ╖
  136   88   И  │  152   98   Ш  │  168   A8   и  │  184   B8   ╕
  137   89   Й  │  153   99   Щ  │  169   A9   й  │  185   B9   ╣
  138   8A   К  │  154   9A   Ъ  │  170   AA   к  │  186   BA   ║
  139   8B   Л  │  155   9B   Ы  │  171   AB   л  │  187   BB   ╗
  140   8C   М  │  156   9C   Ь  │  172   AC   м  │  188   BC   ╝
  141   8D   Н  │  157   9D   Э  │  173   AD   н  │  189   BD   ╜
  142   8E   О  │  158   9E   Ю  │  174   AE   о  │  190   BE   ╛
  143   8F   П  │  159   9F   Я  │  175   AF   п  │  191   BF   ┐

                  Graphics Characters 2; Symbols

  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
  192   C0   └  │  208   D0   ╨  │  224   E0   р  │  240   F0   Ё
  193   C1   ┴  │  209   D1   ╤  │  225   E1   с  │  241   F1   ё
  194   C2   ┬  │  210   D2   ╥  │  226   E2   т  │  242   F2   Є
  195   C3   ├  │  211   D3   ╙  │  227   E3   у  │  243   F3   є
  196   C4   ─  │  212   D4   ╘  │  228   E4   ф  │  244   F4   Ї
  197   C5   ┼  │  213   D5   ╒  │  229   E5   х  │  245   F5   ї
  198   C6   ╞  │  214   D6   ╓  │  230   E6   ц  │  246   F6   Ў
  199   C7   ╟  │  215   D7   ╫  │  231   E7   ч  │  247   F7   ў
  200   C8   ╚  │  216   D8   ╪  │  232   E8   ш  │  248   F8   °
  201   C9   ╔  │  217   D9   ┘  │  233   E9   щ  │  249   F9   ∙
  202   CA   ╩  │  218   DA   ┌  │  234   EA   ъ  │  250   FA   ·
  203   CB   ╦  │  219   DB   █  │  235   EB   ы  │  251   FB   √
  204   CC   ╠  │  220   DC   ▄  │  236   EC   ь  │  252   FC   №
  205   CD   ═  │  221   DD   ▌  │  237   ED   э  │  253   FD   ¤
  206   CE   ╬  │  222   DE   ▐  │  238   EE   ю  │  254   FE   ■
  207   CF   ╧  │  223   DF   ▀  │  239   EF   я  │  255   FF


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16.2. Key Codes and Scan Codes Table ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

(For more details on key codes and scan codes, see the Key Codes and Scan Codes
Explanation.)

Key names prefaced by np are on the numeric keypad.  Those prefaced by cp are
on the cursor keypad between the main typing keys and the number keypad.  The
numeric keypad values are valid if Num Lock is turned off.  If you need to
specify a number key from the numeric keypad, use the scan code shown for the
keypad and the ASCII code shown for the corresponding typewriter key.  For
example, the keypad "7" has a scan code of 71 (the np Home scan code) and an
ASCII code of 54 (the ASCII code for "7").

The chart is blank for key combinations that do not have scan codes or ASCII
codes, like Ctrl-1 or Alt-PgUp.


                        Top Two Keyboard Rows

                             Shift  Shift  Ctrl   Ctrl   Alt
               Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan
     Key       Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code

     Esc       1      27     1      27     1      27     1
     1  !      2      49     2      33                   120
     2  @      3      50     3      64     3      0      121
     3  #      4      51     4      35                   122
     4  $      5      52     5      36                   123
     5  %      6      53     6      37                   124
     6  ^      7      54     7      94     7      30     125
     7  &      8      55     8      38                   126
     8  *      9      56     9      42                   127
     9  (      10     57     10     40                   128
     0  )      11     48     11     41                   129
     -  _      12     45     12     95     12     31     130
     =  +      13     61     13     43                   131
     Backspace 14     8      14     8      14     127    14
     Tab       15     9      15     0      148    0      165
     Q         16     113    16     81     16     17     16
     W         17     119    17     87     17     23     17
     E         18     101    18     69     18     5      18
     R         19     114    19     82     19     18     19
     T         20     116    20     84     20     20     20
     Y         21     121    21     89     21     25     21
     U         22     117    22     85     22     21     22
     I         23     105    23     73     23     9      23
     O         24     111    24     79     24     15     24
     P         25     112    25     80     25     16     25
     [  {      26     91     26     123    26     27     26
     ]  }      27     93     27     125    27     29     27
     Enter     28     13     28     13     28     10     28


                       Bottom Two Keyboard Rows

                             Shift  Shift  Ctrl   Ctrl   Alt
               Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan
     Key       Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code

    A          30     97     30     65     30     1      30
    S          31     115    31     83     31     19     31
    D          32     100    32     68     32     4      32
    F          33     102    33     70     33     6      33
    G          34     103    34     71     34     7      34
    H          35     104    35     72     35     8      35
    J          36     106    36     74     36     10     36
    K          37     107    37     75     37     11     37
    L          38     108    38     76     38     12     38
    ; :        39     59     39     58                   39
    '  "       40     39     40     34                   40
    `  ~       41     96     41     126                  41
    \  |       43     92     43     124    43     28     43
    Z          44     122    44     90     44     26     44
    X          45     120    45     88     45     24     45
    C          46     99     46     67     46     3      46
    V          47     118    47     86     47     22     47
    B          48     98     48     66     48     2      48
    N          49     110    49     78     49     14     49
    M          50     109    50     77     50     13     50
    ,  <       51     44     51     60                   51
    .  >       52     46     52     62                   52
    /  ?       53     47     53     63                   53
    Space      57     32     57     32     57     32     57


                      Key Pads and Function Keys

                             Shift  Shift  Ctrl   Ctrl   Alt
               Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan
     Key       Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code


     F1        59     0      84     0      94     0      104
     F2        60     0      85     0      95     0      105
     F3        61     0      86     0      96     0      106
     F4        62     0      87     0      97     0      107
     F5        63     0      88     0      98     0      108
     F6        64     0      89     0      99     0      109
     F7        65     0      90     0      100    0      110
     F8        66     0      91     0      101    0      111
     F9        67     0      92     0      102    0      112
     F10       68     0      93     0      103    0      113
     F11       133    0      135    0      137    0      139
     F12       134    0      136    0      138    0      140
     np *      55     42     55     42     150    0      55
     np Home   71     0      71     55     119    0
     cp Home   71     224    71     224    119    224    151
     np Up     72     0      72     56     141    0
     cp Up     72     224    72     224    141    224    152
     np PgUp   73     0      73     57     132    0
     cp PgUp   73     224    73     224    132    224    153
     np Minus  74     45     74     45     142    0      74
     np Left   75     0      75     52     115    0
     cp Left   75     224    75     224    115    224    155
     np 5      76     0      76     53     143    0
     np Right  77     0      77     54     116    0
     cp Right  77     224    77     224    116    224    157
     np Plus   78     43     78     43     144    0      78
     np End    79     0      79     49     117    0
     cp End    79     224    79     224    117    224    159
     np Down   80     0      80     50     145    0
     cp Down   80     224    80     224    145    224    160
     np PgDn   81     0      81     51     118    0
     cp PgDn   81     224    81     224    118    224    161
     np Ins    82     0      82     48     146    0
     cp Ins    82     224    82     224    146    224    162
     np Del    83     0      83     46     147    0
     cp Del    83     224    83     224    147    224    163
     np /      224    47     224    47     149    0      164
     np Enter  224    13     224    13     224    10     166


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16.3. Key Codes and Scan Codes Explanation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

(This section explains how key codes and scan codes work.  For a reference
chart, see the Key Codes and Scan Codes Table.)

When you press a single key or a key combination, OS/2 translates your
keystroke into two numbers: a scan code, representing the actual key that was
pressed, and an ASCII code, representing the ASCII value for that key.  OS/2
returns these numbers the next time a program requests keyboard input.  This
section explains how key codes work; for information on using them with 4OS2
see the 4OS2.INI file key mapping directives, keystroke aliases, and INKEY.

Most 4OS2 commands that use the numeric key codes listed here also use key
names, which are usually more convenient to use than the numeric codes.  See
Keys and Key Names for more information on key names.

As PCs have evolved, the structure of keyboard codes has evolved somewhat
haphazardly with them, resulting in a bewildering array of possible key codes.
We'll give you a basic explanation of how key codes work.  For a more in-depth
discussion, refer to a BIOS or PC hardware reference manual.

The nuances of how your keyboard behaves depends on the keyboard manufacturer,
the computer manufacturer who provides the built-in BIOS, and your operating
system.  As a result, we can't guarantee the accuracy of the information in the
tables for every system, but the discussion and reference table should be
accurate for most systems.  Our discussion is based on the 101-key "enhanced"
keyboard commonly used on 286, 386, 486, and Pentium computers, but virtually
all of it is applicable to the 84-key keyboards on older systems.  The primary
difference is that older keyboards lack a separate cursor pad and only have 10
function keys.

All keys have a scan code, but not all have an ASCII code.  For example,
function keys and cursor keys are not part of the ASCII character set and have
no ASCII value, but they do have a scan code.  Some keys have more than one
ASCII code.  The A, for example, has ASCII code 97 (lower case "a") if you
press it by itself.  If you press it along with Shift, the ASCII code changes
to 65 (upper case "A").  If you press Ctrl and A the ASCII code changes to 1.
In all these cases, the scan code (30) is unchanged because you are pressing
the same physical key.

Things are different if you press Alt-A.  Alt keystrokes have no ASCII code, so
OS/2 returns an ASCII code of 0, along with the A key's scan code of 30.  This
allows a program to detect all the possible variations of A, based on the
combination of ASCII code and scan code.

Some keys generate more than one scan code depending on whether Shift, Ctrl, or
Alt is pressed.  This allows a program to differentiate between two different
keystrokes on the same key, neither of which has a corresponding ASCII value.
For example, F1 has no ASCII value so it returns an ASCII code of 0, and the F1
scan code of 59.  Shift-F1 also returns an ASCII code 0; if it also returned a
scan code of 59, a program couldn't distinguish it from F1.  The operating
system translates scan codes for keys like Shift-F1 (and Ctrl-F1 and Alt-F1) so
that each variation returns a different scan code along with an ASCII code of
0.

On the 101-key keyboard there's one more variation:  non-ASCII keys on the
cursor keypad (such as up-arrow) return the same scan code as the corresponding
key on the numeric keypad, for compatibility reasons.  If they also returned an
ASCII code of 0, a program couldn't tell which key was pressed.  Therefore,
these keys return an ASCII code of 224 rather than 0.  This means that older
programs, which only look for an ASCII 0 to indicate a non-ASCII keystroke like
up-arrow, may not detect these cursor pad keys properly.

The number of different codes returned by any given key varies from one (for
the spacebar) to four, depending on the key, the design of your keyboard, and
the operating system.  Some keys, like Alt, Ctrl, and Shift by themselves or in
combination with each other, plus Print Screen, SysReq, Scroll Lock, Pause,
Break, Num Lock, and Caps Lock keys, do not have any code representations at
all.  The same is true of keystrokes with more than one modifying key, like
Ctrl-Shift-A. The operating system may perform special actions automatically
when you press these keys (for example, it switches into Caps Lock mode when
you press Caps Lock), but it does not report the keystrokes to whatever program
is running.  Programs which detect such keystrokes access the keyboard hardware
directly, a subject which is beyond the scope of this manual.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 16.4. ANSI ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section is a quick-reference to commonly-used ANSI commands.

An ANSI command string consists of three parts:

        ESC[                The ASCII character ESC, followed by a left
                            bracket.  These two characters must be present in
                            all ANSI strings.
        parameters          Optional parameters for the command.  If there are
                            multiple parameters they are separated by
                            semicolons.
        cmd                 A single-letter command.  The case of the letter IS
                            meaningful.

 For example, to position the cursor to row 7, column 12 the ANSI command is:

          ESC[7;12H

 To transmit ANSI commands to the screen with 4OS2, you should use the ECHO
 command.  The ESC character can be generated by inserting it into the string
 directly (if you are putting the string in a batch file and your editor will
 insert such a character), or by using 4OS2's internal "escape" character
 (caret, [^]) followed by a lower-case "e".  For example, the sequence shown
 above could be transmitted from a batch file with either of these commands
 (the first uses an ESC character directly; the second uses ^e):

          echo 2H
          echo ^e[7;12H

 You can also include ANSI commands in your prompt, using $e to transmit the
 ESC character.  You can NOT use PROMPT to transmit ANSI commands to the screen
 from a batch file (see PROMPT).

 Commands

        ESC[rowsA               Cursor up
        ESC[rowsB               Cursor down
        ESC[colsC               Cursor right
        ESC[colsD               Cursor left
        ESC[row;colH            Set cursor position (top left is row 1, column
                                1)
        ESC[2J                  Clear screen
        ESC[K                   Clear from cursor to end of line
        ESC[row;colf            Set cursor position, same as "H" command
        ESC[attr;attr;...m      Set display attributes; see table of attribute
                                values below
        ESC[s                   Save cursor position (may not be nested)
        ESC[u                   Restore cursor position after a save

 Display Attributes

        0           All attributes off (normal white on black)
        1           High intensity (bold)
        2           Normal intensity
        4           Underline (usually effective only on monochrome displays)
        5           Blinking
        7           Reverse Video
        8           Invisible
        30-37       Set the foreground color:
                      30=Black  31=Red    32=Green  33=Yellow
                      34=Blue   35=Magenta  36=Cyan   37=White
        40-47       Set the background color, same values as above but
                    substitute 40 for 30 etc.

 Settings are cumulative, so (for example) to set bright red foreground set all
 attributes off, then set red, then bold, use:

          echo ^e[0;31;1m

 Examples

 Clear the display attributes, then set the display to bright cyan on blue, and
 clear the screen:

          echo ^e[0;44;36;1m^e[2J

 Set up a prompt which saves the cursor position, displays the 4DOS shell
 level, date, and time on the top line in bright white on magenta, and then
 restores the cursor position and sets the color to bright cyan on blue, and
 displays the standard prompt:

          prompt $e[s$e[1;1f$e[0;45;37;1m$e[K($z) $d $t$e[u$e[0;44;36;1m$p$g


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 17. Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can contact JP Software at any of the following addresses.  Our normal
business hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays, eastern US time.

By mail:

        JP Software Inc.
        P.O. Box 1470
        East Arlington, MA 02174
        USA

 By telephone / fax:

        Voice           [phone]
        Fax             [phone]
        Order Line      [phone] (orders only, USA only)

 Electronically:

        CompuServe          Sales / Customer Service, 75020,244
                            Technical Support, GO JPSOFT or GO PCVENB (section
                            10), User ID 75300,1215

        Internet Mail       Sales / Customer Service, [e-mail]
                            Technical Support, [e-mail]

        World Wide Web      To download software and read information about new
                            products and upgrades, visit our web site at
                            http://www.jpsoft.com/.

        BBS Support         Via Channel 1 BBS, Boston, 617-354-3230 (2,400 -
                            14,400 baud) or 617-349-1300 (28,800 baud), no
                            parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit.

 Technical support is available via public electronic support conferences,
 private electronic mail, telephone, fax, and mail.

 Often the best way to contact us for support is in one of the following public
 electronic support conferences.  The numbers in parentheses indicate the usual
 delay, in business days, to receive a reply to a message.

 CompuServe / ZiffNet:  Primary support is via the JP Software section of the
 CompuServe PCVENB forum (GO JPSOFT or GO PCVENB, section 10, "JP Software") (1
 day).

 Bulletin Boards:  Primary support is via the Channel 1 BBS, Boston, MA (1 - 3
 days; see above for access details).  Messages may be left in any of the
 "4DOS" conferences; check the online list for exact conference numbers.
 Support is also available from many local BBSes via the "4DOS" conferences on
 the RIME, ILink, SmartNet, and FidoNet BBS Networks (3-5 days).

 Before contacting us for support, please check the manuals and other
 documentation for answers to your question.  If you can't find what you need,
 try the Index.  If you're having trouble getting 4OS2 to run properly, either
 alone or with your particular hardware or software, see the Introduction and
 Installation Guide, and the APPNOTES.DOC file.  Also look through the
 README.DOC and UPDATxxx.DOC files, as they may contain updates to the manual
 or other important information ("xxx" is the version number).

 If you do need to contact us for support, it helps if you can give us some
 basic information:

    *   What exactly did you do?  A concise description of what steps you must
        take to make the problem appear is much more useful than a long
        analysis of what might be happening.

    *   What went wrong?  At what point did the failure occur?  If you saw an
        error message or other important or unusual information on the screen,
        what exactly did it say?

    *   Briefly, what techniques did you use to try to resolve the problem?
        What results did you get?

    *   What computer and operating system version are you using?

    *   Are you running a network?  If so, which one, and which version?

    *   What are the contents of any startup files you use (such as CONFIG.SYS,
        4START, 4EXIT, and 4OS2.INI ), any batch files they call, and any alias
        or environment variable files they load?

    *   Can you repeat the problem or does it occur randomly?  If it's random,
        does it seem related to the programs you're using when the problem
        occurs?