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HDOS14.ARJ
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1992-08-10
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The 'HandyDOS' Utilities - (C) 1992
All Rights Reserved.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Abri Technologies, Inc., HCR62 Box 100K, Cacapon, WV 25422 USA
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
┌───────┐
┌────┴──┐ │ (Tm)
──┤ │o ├───────────────────
│ ┌────┴──┐ │ Association of
│ │ ├─┘ Shareware
└──┤ o │ Professionals
─────┤ ╥ ├────────────────────-
└───╨───┘ MEMBER
SHAREWARE INFORMATION:
This is Shareware and not Public Domain Software. Examine this free for
30 days and if you find it useful please send $25 registration fee to the
above address. When you register you will receive all updates, additions
and latest corrections and software support for a minimum of three months.
We strive to continually improve the current utilities and to add handy
new ones, so it will be worth your while to register. Suggestions for
"HandyDOS" additions are welcome.
** Please read the shareware agreement near end of this file and the
Registration/Ordering form in file REGISTER which also contains
information on other software available from ATI.
INTRODUCTION: (Version 1.4)
HandyDOS resulted from a need for several handy utilities which are
absent in DOS. The purpose was to improve users' time efficiency and
disk use without nonessential frills frequenting multipurpose menu
programs - which often require several steps for a simple task.
The objects in mind when designing the software were in order of
importance: effectiveness, minimum keystrokes for the job,
ease-of-use/intuitiveness and small program size. Most software should
not try to be impressive but just do the job efficiently and get out
of the way.
Version 1.4 adds ATTRB.EXE a very intuitive and easy-to-use full
screen file attribute utility.
COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS:
The software uses little memory and should run on any DOS 2.1 and up.
FILES INCLUDED:
INSTALL.BAT README.DOC (this file) REGISTER
BAK.EXE 0.EXE MV.EXE DELTREE.EXE D.EXE
VMODE.EXE ATTRB.EXE INPUT.EXE ECH.EXE
INSTALLATION:
The software should be installed in a DOS path - usually C:\DOS.
You can use the INSTALL.BAT which creates a directory on a hard disc
and copies the software to the directory.
Alternatively, at any time you can copy the software files from
diskette to a directory:
Example: COPY A:*.* C:\DOS
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS:
NOTE: All programs will give USAGE summary information with the
/? switch, as is common for DOS 5.0.
a. BAK.EXE and 0.EXE
These programs can delete all .BAK extension and zero length files
in a directory and all subdirectories. They are about as fast as the DOS5
"DIR *.BAK /S" is in finding the files.
BAK USAGE: bak [directory] [/S]
0 USAGE: 0 [directory] [/S]
If /S is used, all subdirectories are searched.
[directory] can be omitted for current directory.
NOTE: BAK and 0 do not delete files with system or hidden attributes.
b. MV.EXE
This program can rename or move any file or directory to anywhere
else on the disc.
USAGE: MV OldPath NewPath [/O]
OldPath can have wild card '*' chars for file transfer only.
Switch /O will overwrite existing NewPath files/directories.
NOTES: (I) A directory cannot be moved into its subdirectory. (II)
MV does not transfer directories from one drive to another - for that
use XCOPY /S and DELTREE (included here).
c. DELTREE.EXE
This program deletes any directory with its subdirectories and all
files.
USAGE: DELTREE directory
Any valid directory can be specified. If the current directory is
specified it will be deleted and the next upper directory will become
the current directory.
NOTE: Before deleting directories on floppies, it will save time if the
DOS verify is OFF, since each deletion has to be read verified if
verify is ON. On hard drives the delay is less noticeable.
Some uses of Deltree:
* handy for cleaning up the drive of stale software or moving
it to another drive in conjunction with the XCOPY /S command.
* an alternative to formatting a floppy to erase all the files/directories.
* deleting old backup files on floppies.
* defragmenting a hard drive without reformatting. After backing up all
your disk files use deltree (example: deltree c:\) to delete all files
and then RESTORE the files back on the drive.
d. D.EXE
You will find this utility a real time saver. With a simple number
reference (0-99) you can find your way around DOS drives/directories
and execute programs without complicated menu software.
USAGE: ACTION:
D +# [program] Sets jump point # to current drive and directory with
optional [program] execution.
D # [program] Jumps to directory # and optionally executes [program]
D -# Deletes jump point # from list
D Lists jump points
D /? Lists this info
# is any number 0 to 99
EXAMPLES:
d +9 adds the current directory as #9 on the jump list.
D +12 GWBASIC MENU (adds current directory as #12 to jump list with
GWBASIC to execute MENU.BAS program.)
D 12 (will jump to directory associated with #12 on list
and execute GWBASIC MENU combination)
d 9 (will jump to directory associated with #9 on list)
D -12 (will remove directory/program reference from list)
Some Uses of D:
* It can be used by different users to "logon" their directories and/or
start programs.
* Frequently, PC users will add the command "CD directory" to the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file to go to a particular directory at bootup. This can
be now changed to "D #", the # representing a directory (and optional
program execution) on the jump list. Subsequent changes can be simply
done using D +# [program] without editing the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
* The program execution feature can be a substitute for DOS menu
programs. When the optional program is specified for execution, the D
program releases all DOS memory to that program (except about 3k for
batch programs).
Notes:
The first time D is executed it establishes an ascii jump list
file "D.DDD" in the same directory as D.EXE".
Some packed programs (Example: QBASIC) may not execute when called
directly by D.EXE. If you find this to be true you can get around
this by prefixing the program name with the command.com pathname
and the /C switch. Example: "D +23 C:\COMMAND /C QBASIC" instead of
"D +23 QBASIC".
e. VMODE.EXE
This program can set or find the current video mode and graphics
capabilities of the video card. It also indicates the corresponding
GW/QBASIC SCREEN numbers used by BASIC programmers.
The program is handy for laptop users to get the large █ block cursor
and find the best video text mode for greatest contrast. For example,
The Leading Edge DLT/386SX default is 3, but the best contrast is with
video mode number 7. Thus an AUTOEXEC.BAT command "VMODE 107" will set
the block cursor and best contrast at bootup.
USAGE: COMMENTS:
VMODE to display current video mode
VMODE # [add 100] to set video mode # [and get █ cursor]
VMODE /A to display all video mode #'s
VMODE /I to invert video text mode
Notes: The █ is available only for text modes. Some software will
change to default "_" DOS cursor when exiting.
VMODE returns DOS errorlevel 1 with an error message and 0
otherwise.
f. ATTRB.EXE
This program is meant to replace the awkward dos ATTRIB utility.
It is an easy-to-use WYSIWYG full-screen utility for changing file
attributes - to/from ReadOnly, Hidden, System and Archive modes (RHSA).
USAGE: ATTRB [FileSpec]
FileSpec can be general like *.* or a specific filename. If not given
the default FileSpec is *.*. To change FileSpec on screen press the
key when appears beside "Files spec:" and then type in new file
spec.
The R, H, S or A attributes for a highlighted file are changed simply
by pressing one of the RHSA keys. Pressing the Alt key and one of the
RHSA at same time changes attributes for all files specified - except
directories, which can only be changed individually.
g. INPUT.EXE & ECH.EXE
These are simple programs but can be very useful in writing batch files.
Even DOS5 still does not facilitate direct batch menu selection. This
program pair fixes this need.
INPUT USAGE:
INPUT [/F] string1 string2 string3 .....
The program gets keyboard input and returns to DOS the number (#) of
the character string matching the input (i.e. returns 1 if string1 is
same as the keyboard input, 2 if string2, etc.). A zero is returned if
no match is found. The number returned is called the errorlevel - but
is really not an error here. Upper/lower case character differences
are ignored. If switch /F is used, only one character is accepted from
the keyboard which is then compared to only the first character of
each string. INPUT /F is a good substitute for the dos PAUSE command
since it doesn't interrupt with 'Press any key to continue ...' or
add an extra <CR><LF>.
ECH USAGE: ECH string
This command is similar to the DOS echo but does not add a <CR><LF>
pair - i.e. it does not move the cursor to next line. This is
useful in batch menu programs when you want the cursor to stay beside
the "question".
If the string has spaces ECH will reduce all spaces to a single
space. If you wish an exact string echo use quotation marks around
the whole string. Example:
ECH "Do you wish to make a selection? (y/n) "
A sample batch file program is listed below. Note the sequence of
the errorlevel tests. Make sure you understand how DOS responds
to errorlevels of programs - see DOS manual.
----------------------------------------
@echo off
echo .
ech Do you wish to select programs? .
input yes y oui
if errorlevel 1 goto programs
goto end
:programs
cls
echo A Word Processing
echo B Invoicing
echo C Modem
echo .
ech " " Press a selection letter (A/B/C)
input /f a b c
if errorlevel 3 C:\USR\COM\MODEM
if errorlevel 2 C:\BUS\INVCX5
if errorlevel 1 C:\WS5\WS
:end
----------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER and SHAREWARE - AGREEMENT:
Users of HandyDOS must accept this disclaimer of warranty: HandyDOS is
supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or
implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of
merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no
liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result
from the use of HandyDOS."
HandyDOS is a "shareware software" and is provided at no charge to the
user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but
please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The
essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer
users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide
incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you
find this program useful and find that you are using HandyDOS and
continue to use HandyDOS after a reasonable trial period, you must
make a registration payment of $25 to Abri Technologies. The $25
registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at
any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An
example is that this software may be used by any number of people and
may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as
there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's
being used at another. Just as a book is not read by two different
persons at the same time.
Commercial users of HandyDOS must register and pay for their copies of
HandyDOS within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn.
Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting Abri Technologies.
You are encouraged to pass a copy of HandyDOS along to your friends
for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they
find that they can use it. All registered users will receive a copy
of the latest version of HandyDOS and software support for a minimum
of three months after registration.
For registration and software ordering view the 'REGISTER' file.
"This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware
principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a
shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member
directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you
resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide
technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP
Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe
message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536."