Frostbyte's 1980s DOS Shareware Collection/floppyshareware.zip/floppyshareware/DPSX/DVSCRIP1.ZIP/DVSCRIP.DOC

Text File | 1990-10-15 | 11KB | 217 lines

                     DV Scrip{t}!  by Michael D. Weaver


What is this?

  DV Scrip{t}! is a small system of DESQview scripts designed to simplify
the use of DESQview's CONVSCR program and the unique requirements of
producing script statements within a DOS text editor.


Why use scripts?

  Aside from its multitasking prowess, DESQview's most powerful feature is
probably its keystroke recording and playback capability.  Through the use
of scripts, sequences of keystrokes may be 'remembered' to allow repititious
tasks to be performed quickly and easily, but in addition to keystroke
recording, DESQview scripts may also be programmed with delays, to pause for
user input, and to learn and remember other scripts.
  For complete information on DESQview scripts, refer to the appropriate
sections of your DESQview manual.


Why edit or create scripts manually?

  For one thing, some scripts can't be created any other way.  Let's assume
you want to create a script to quit DESQview.  The needed keys are:  {DESQ}QY.
DESQview will let you try to 'Learn' these keys, but they'll never be saved
because by the time you're done, DV will have ended execution!  Another
simple example would be a script that closes the current window, then opens
another in it's place:  {DESQ}CY{DESQ}Oxx (where 'xx' are the open keys of
the window to open).  These examples, and many other possibilities like them
can only be created manually.
  Without manual editing capabilities, modifying existing scripts can pose
annoying problems.  It's possible to create long, complicated, but very useful
scripts using the LEARN feature; the problem comes when they need to be
changed, for example:  Assume you've created a long script with a timed delay
that just isn't long enough when the system is churning away on some monstrous
spreadsheet in the background.  The goal is to increase the time of the delay,
but if you have to use LEARN to do it, every keystroke and other feature of
the script must be duplicated exactly, and all over again.  Needless to say,
if you've got a hundred or more keystrokes to enter in perfect order, you're
in for frustration.  DESQview's solution to this problem is called CONVSCR.



What exactly is CONVSCR?

  CONVSCR is a program supplied with DESQview whose purpose is to translate
DESQview scripts from their native form (?.DVS) to text that may be
understood and vice versa.  The program performs these tasks quite well, but
is a general pain in the *.* to use; it takes no command line input, thus
resisting batch file execution, and it demands that the user key complete
input/output filenames, even though 99% of the time the names are identical
with the exception of the standard file extensions .DVS and .TXT.  Hence,
regardless of its useful functions, it's the sort of program people tend to
avoid using.  The first purpose of DV Scrip{t}! is to ease access to the
functions of CONVSCR.


So what's the second purpose of DV Scrip{t}!?

  Well, I'm glad you asked!  The fact is that CONVSCR is a script converter,
and not at all an editor.  Let's say you convert DESQVIEW.DVS to a text
file called DESQVIEW.TXT.  Now you must use an editor to change the latter
file before again using CONVSCR to turn it back into a useful script file.
After loading DESQVIEW.TXT into an editor, you'll see a lot of key names
and other stuff squished between curly-brackets - these are the actual
commands of DESQview's script language, documented (mostly accurately)
somewhere near the end of your DESQview manual.  If you're like me, you
rarely have your manuals close at hand, and even if you do, you'd rather
not have to pick them up....  So the second purpose of DV Scrip{t}! is to
provide a quick and convenient way of entering script commands into your
text editor.


Okay, so how do I get started?

  Simple (ahem!).  The other files in this distribution archive (excluding
this one), need to be copied to your \DV directory (or wherever you start
DESQview from).  There should be a PIF file included called SX-PIF.DVP -
Use DESQview's ADD A PROGRAM to add this PIF to your system.  It's really
nothing more than a DOS window for you to run your text editor in; it's
main purpose is to give you a window that loads SX-SCRIP.DVS by default.
If ADD A PROGRAM says you've already got SX defined, then pick any set of
keys that suit you, but remember to change the SX in SX-SCRIP.DVS to the
same set of keys--->*** You will also have to edit SX-SCRIP.DVS in the
SCRIPTED.DVS file (many times) later on - if this sounds daunting to you
the easiest solution is to assign your current SX program to a different
set of Open Keys.
  Note:  The most important parameter in the PIF for SX is the large
script buffer (almost 12K).  All other parameters may be modified to suit
your taste and/or that of your text editor.
  Once you have the SX window or suitable substitute installed in your
DESQview system, open the window and press Alt-1.  If all has gone well,
you should see the Display Scripts menu with 8 entries.  Now we'll get
some useful practice....  Select the third script down (Edit XX-scrip);
the script should execute CONVSCR and pause, waiting for you to key in
two keys representing a set of open keys, then press enter.  Key in SX,
and press enter.


  The script we are running here is setup to go straight into my text
editor, which is my DOS PATH and called simply Q.  If your editor has the
same name, you're lucky, but otherwise you should see something like:

C:\DV>q sx-scrip.txt
Bad command or filename

  If this happened, load sx-scrip.txt into the editor of your choosing, and
look for lines in the file like:

q {255}.......{Enter}

  These lines are where my editor is being executed (there should be three
of them).  Replace the Q's with the name of your editor, and update the
file.  Now it's time to save your changes:  Exit your editor and get back
to the DOS prompt.  Hit Alt-1 to get the menu, and select the script titled
XX-scrip.txt-DVS.  Again we go through CONVSCR....  Key SX and enter at the
prompt, and CONVSCR will scroll your txt file across the screen until it's
munched it or gotten an error (the bugger will pause at the line(s) in
question in the latter case).  Now reload the scripts (Shift-DESQ,L,enter -
or you can try the lazy man's way of closing and reopening the window...)
Try starting one of the edit scripts again - if all has gone well you should
end up with the .TXT file in your editor.  To summarize thus far:

In the SX window, Alt-1 reveals the Display Scripts menu on which there are
scripts designed to run CONVSCR, three in each direction.  One pair lets
you convert/edit XX-SCRIP.DVS files (standard names, each associated with
Open Window keys), another pair lets you edit/convert DESQVIEW.DVS (the
scripts that are active when the DESQ menu is up), and the third pair
is for something called SCRIPTED.DVS (you probably won't need this pair unless
you'd like to change something I've done.)  These scripts need not be executed
from the menu.  They are assigned to various keypad keys, and you may
freely reassign them - the most important thing is that they don't conflict
with keys you need to use inside your editor.  They should only be run when
you're at a clear DOS prompt.

  The last (and nastiest) script to discuss is Load SCRIPTED.DVS, located
on Alt-`, conveniently next to the Alt-1 key.  This script is designed for
use within your editor:  When you need to enter a script command of any
kind, hit Alt-`.  The next key you hit will cause the associated script
command to be written into your editor, i.e., if you hit Shift-F10, you will
see {Shift-F10}.  To enter other script commands such as delays and variable
pauses, hit Alt-` followed by Alt-1 (again you get a menu....)  Among the
first scripts listed are all the various 'special' script commands - to
put these into your script, select with the cursor bar and hit enter.



  With SCRIPTED.DVS active, all possible script keys, with the exceptions
of Alt-` and Alt-1, should write their script command counterparts.  For
obvious reasons (I hope), the two exceptions are needed for this system
to work.

  A final but important comment:  SCRIPTED.DVS is dependent on the
` character (top left corner of keyboard) being DESQview's 'quoting
charater for LEARN'.  This is part of the DV Advanced Setup - if you've
changed this character, then you must also change all occurences of it in
SCRIPTED.DVS.  Better yet, put it back the way it was (to `) unless you're
positive you have another program that really needs it.



So now what?

  Haven't I simple-Simon'd you to tears already?  That's all the basics,
the best thing I can tell you now is practive with it and get comfortable
with the Alt-1, Alt-` combos.  However, please read on:


>>>>>>> DESQview is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems.  I am not
associated with Quarterdeck Office Systems in any way.  But:

        The contents of this archive are (c)1990 Michael D. Weaver.  If you
find the scripts useful, a contribution in any amount would be appreciated,
but is in no way required for continuing use.  You may freely modify and
enhance these scripts however you see fit, and this archive (in unmodified
form) may be distributed freely through bulletin board systems and other
means as long as no fee greater than $5 is charged the recipient.  In any
case, I can accept no personal responsibility for the correct functioning of
these scripts on any system but my own.
        I am also the author of various shareware programs designed to work
specifically (and only with) Quarterdeck Office Systems' DESQview. At the
time of this writing, these programs include DV Tree, a file manager/shell
with several unique DV-specific functions, and DV Task Manager, an event
automation program to allow the unattended operation of 'on-line' DESQview
systems.  These programs are distributed as DVTREEnn.ZIP and DVTMANnn.ZIP,
where nn indicated the version/release numbers, and both programs (at the
time of this writing) carry a $25 registration fee.
        For a $10 'hassle' fee mailed to the below address, you will
receive a 3.5" 720k diskette containing the latest release of this archive
(which will probably still be DVSCRIP1), accompanied by the latest
shareware (unregistered) versions of the programs mentioned above and any
others I may have since written.  Alternately, you should be able to locate
the latest versions of all my programming efforts on the following BBS's:

  *******                                                          *********
  *******  JFF (Just For Fun)      Danville, VA   [phone]    *********
  *******  VOR (Home of LIST)      Petaluma, CA   [phone]    *********
  *******  Quarterdeck BBS     Santa Monica, CA   [phone]    *********
  *******                                                          *********

That, finally, is ALL!  Happy Scrip{t}ing!

    Michael D. Weaver
    Box 4323
        Danville, VA   24540-0106

    Electronic contact addresses:

        MCI Mail        (MWEAVER)
    FidoNET        (Mike Weaver - 1:264/610)
        CIS             (72210,2035)