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PACO.DOC
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1995-12-18
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
PACO .COM files shell Ver 1.0 (c) 1995 Horst Schaeffer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small utilities always occupy a full cluster on your hard disk, which
is a block of 2 to 8 kilobytes or more, depending on partition size.
With PACO several COM files can be stored in a library file - up to
a total size of 60 KB. To execute one of these programs just use the
name of the library as prefix.
Example: If the program ESPACE.COM has been included in the library
DO.COM, it is executed by: do ESPACE
---------
Command arguments, redirections... everything remains as usual.
Just prepend the prefix (with drive and directory path if necessary).
The program to execute is specified with its name only (extension .COM
optional). No drive or path.
The program PACO.COM is used to create and maintain library files.
These have a "header" of only about 300 bytes to locate and start the
specified program (for each program additional 14 bytes are used to
keep the name, date/time tag, and size).
To list the programs included in a lib file, run it without arguments.
For a more detailed listing see "L" function of PACO command.
Important:
----------
PACO should not be used for programs that extract their own name from
the environment or modify their own program file or time/date tag.
(like EVERY.COM does).
PACO was made for small batch utilities. TSR's may cause problems, if
they use the name in MCB's to identify a resident copy. Also "load high"
may fail if the library is too large.
Before a program in a library is started, the correct command tail at
location $80 is supplied. Also the FCB's (according to DOS 1.0 standard)
are constructed, however COMMAND.COM's handling of special characters
("+", "/") is not exactly duplicated. But there are probably no programs
that rely on these refinements (if FCB's are used at all).
PACO handling
-------------
The library files are created and maintained with PACO.
General Syntax: PACO function lib_file program_file
Files must be specified with drive/path if not in the current directory.
The extension .COM may be omitted, but files other than COM files will
be rejected (including COM files that were renamed from .EXE).
Functions are specified by a letter (upper or lower case):
ADD: PACO a lib_file program_file
=
The program file is added to the library. If the library
does not exist it will be created. The program (or a program
with the same name) must not already exist in the library.
Examples: PACO a DO.COM ESPACE.COM
PACO a DO ESPACE
PACO a DO D:\UTIL\ESPACE
DELETE: PACO d lib_file program_name
=
The program file is removed from the library.
Drive and path of the program file (if specified) will be
ignored, because only the name is kept in the library.
Example: PACO d C:\UTIL\DO ESPACE
UPDATE PACO u lib_file program_file
=
The program file is replaced with a new version.
Same as functions D + A. If the program file cannot be found
in the library it will just be added.
Example: PACO u \UTIL\DO \TEMP\ESPACE
EXTRACT: PACO e lib_file program_file
=
The programm is extracted from the library and stored
according to drive and path specified for the program file.
Date and file tags are restored from the original program
file. The program is not removed from the library.
Example: PACO e DO A:\ESPACE.COM
LIST: PACO l lib_file
=
All programs contained in the library are listed with name,
size and date. Use MORE filter if more than 24.
Example: PACO l \UTIL\BAT.COM | more
PACO is freeware. No warranties of any kind.
By:
Horst Schaeffer, FIDO: 2:2480/13.75
Internet (thru FIDO-Gate): horst_schaeffer@confusion.muc.nacamar.de
= 04 FEB 1995