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FOREVER Z, for Morrow Owners Review by Rick Charnes 1165 Shotwell St. San Francisco, CA 94110 826-9448 approx. 2800 words Copyright (c) 1987 by Rick Charnes. All rights reserved. SUBMISSION DATE: 8/17/87 [This column appeared in two segments: in the October/Novemberáì 1987 issue, and then in the final MOR issue before its (*sob*)áì demise, December 1987/January 1988.] áì First things first. WordStar 4.0, which will be released by theáì áì time you read this, has a number of excellent featuresáì áì specifically tailored for us ZCPR3 users. This reflects theáì áì superb hand of Dave McCord, Echelon's chief technician andáì áì creator of the Morrow bootable disk. Dave has been working witháì áì MicroPro on this and the resulting product is now the most ZCPR3-áì áì enhanced major CP/M-compatible application program that we have.áì áì Files can now be referenced either from the command line witháì áì their named directory reference; i.e., "A0:COMMAND>WSáì áì LETTER:SYLVIA.LTR". Both the "D" (edit a document) and L)og a newáì áì directory commands will accept a named directory. The currentlyáì áì logged named directory is also displayed at the opening menuáì áì along with the DU: designation, adding a very nice touch.áì WordStar's R)un a program command has had its power greatlyáì áì increased under ZCPR3. It fixes a major problem that previouslyáì áì existed for us, viz. it could not previously run a non-COM-fileáì áì alias. This of course means ARUNZ/ALIAS.CMD entries, which is theáì áì main way we are making aliases. Since such a large part of ouráì áì work from the command line consists of referencing ALIAS.CMDáì áì aliases, WordStar can now be used very much like a one-time ZCPR3áì áì shell. Additionally, we can now run any resident commands such asáì áì REN, SAVE, ERA, etc. from the R) command. Note that this onlyáì áì works for ZCPR3 users; CP/M users (poor souls) cannot runáì áì resident commands and are still limited to executing .COM files.áì Finally, if you never got the hang of ZRDOS' public directoryáì áì feature (shame on you!), WordStar will now search along ZCPR3áì áì path for its overlay files, a very nice touch that rounds off theáì áì superb work MicroPro has done towards "Z-ifying" this excellentáì áì product.áì I'd like now to describe two of the most innovative of the newáì áì programs hot off the ZCPR3 presses and available from Z-Nodeáì áì BBSes everywhere.áì The brilliantly unorthodox nature of the programming work done byáì áì Mr. Dreas Nielsen of Corvallis, Oregon has always impressed meáì áì profoundly. He works in a realm more or less neglected by otheráì áì programmers, dealing with what might be called [START BOLD]non-áì áì menu[END BOLD] shells and shell variables. Some of you may haveáì áì experimented with his exotic and brilliant QUEUE.LBR which heáì áì wrote in the very earliest days of ZCPR3 when even [STARTáì áì UNDERLINE]ZCPR3: The Manual[END UNDERLINE] was unavailable. Itáì áì was an extraordinarily sophisticated technique that would placeáì áì filenames in a "queue" to be executed one by one by a user-áì áì specified command or series of commands. The utilities he usedáì áì when he wrote this 2 1/2 years ago -- SH, SHSET, SHVAR, SHDEFINEáì áì -- remain even today unappreciated and unused by the vastáì áì majority of ZCPR3 computerists.áì Following these chronologically in Mr. Nielsen's pantheon was theáì áì release of his superb GETVAR/RESOLVE duo, with which one is ableáì áì to store (GETVAR) and then reference (RESOLVE) a named variableáì áì based on user input given in response to program query. I hope toáì áì be able to go into these important programs in a future column.áì áì More recently he has done superb work in enhancing SH.COM andáì áì SHVAR.COM, two of the early ZCPR3 non-menu shells. And finally,áì áì as his crowning glory, Mr. Nielsen has now graced us with hisáì áì elegant FOR/NEXT/PERFORM series, contained within the libraryáì áì FORNXT2.LBR. These programs give the 8-bit world something whicháì áì we have never previously had, "FOR/NEXT" looping [START BOLD]fromáì áì the command line[END BOLD]. Those programmers among you willáì áì understand the significance of this particular form of syntax. Itáì áì is actually a refinement and culmination of the basic conceptáì áì Dreas started in 1985 with QUEUE.LBR. As the ZCPR3 world hasáì áì progressed and more sophisticated tools have become available,áì áì programmers such as Mr. Nielsen have been able to use these toolsáì áì as building blocks from which they may go on and create even moreáì áì elegant concepts, and FORNXT2.LBR is his gift to us.áì The purpose of these programs is to generate a list ofáì áì "arguments" upon which any number of possibly unrelated commandsáì áì are then executed (PERFORMed). In one of its simplestáì áì applications, the arguments would be a list of filenames.áì áì Suppose, for example, you're writing a book and today is the dayáì áì to put the finishing touches on your last four chapters, each ofáì áì which exists as a separate file on your disk. For each (usingáì áì FOR.COM, get it?) of these files, you want to edit it witháì áì NewWord and then run it through both CORRECT-IT and GMK.COMáì áì ("Grammatik", checks for grammar, style, punctuation, etc.).áì áì Since your editor is one of those unlucky persons with one ofáì áì those obsolete IBM PC's, you have to run them through FILTW.COMáì áì to strip out all non-ASCII codes. Then finally before you turnáì áì your computer off for the night you want to archive each file toáì áì your backup floppy. This is all a fairly ordinary flow ofáì áì procedures for many writers.áì áì But it sounds like a great deal of repetitive keyboard work, aáì áì lot of the same commands to remember for each file, right? OK,áì áì let's put our ZCPR3 thinking caps on. We're smart and we know weáì áì could write an alias including all of the above commands. Butáì áì that would still entail running the alias four times, once foráì áì each file. We are really enraptured by the Muse today and don'táì áì want to be bothered by all that computer-izing. Well, if all theáì áì files have a similar name, such as CHAPTER.016, CHAPTER.017, etc.áì áì we'd know what program would take care of this: Steve Cohen'sáì áì W.COM. Standing for W)ildcard, W.COM gives programs acceptingáì áì only unambiguous parameters the ability to accept themáì áì wildcarded. We'd simply write our alias, called say, WRITE, enteráì áì "W WRITE CHAPTER.*", and off we'd go.áì But suppose the chapters of our autobiography are named, foráì áì instance, after the various cities in which we've lived, and theáì áì filenames are therefore unrelated? Try this on for size, and getáì áì a sample of FOR/PERFORM:áì FOR CHERHIL BOSTON GLOCSTER FRISCOáì PERFORM ECHO PROCESSING $X...$|NW $X$|CORRECT $X$|GMK $X$| <<áì FILTW $X$|AC $X BACKUP: /Aáì Quite a mouthful, but this command line could easily take usáì áì through the entire day's computing. We're all running HSH, ofáì áì course, the command line editor, so any mistakes in entering areáì áì easy to correct. Let's go through it slowly.áì The initial 'FOR' line creates the list of "arguments," in thisáì áì case filenames (could be entire command lines!), and places themáì áì into a file called FORFILES.SYS that is automatically created byáì áì FOR.COM. This is a "system" file (has its $SYS attribute turnedáì áì on) so a directory display will not ordinarily show it, butáì áì that's fine with us. We could if we wished look into FORFILES.SYSáì áì with an editor and we would see a text file consisting simply ofáì áì the four files we entered as parameters.áì Now for PERFORM. PERFORM.COM reads the list contained withináì áì FORFILES.SYS and in our case substitutes each file, one by one,áì áì into the parameter symbol'$X' in its own command line. It's veryáì áì similar to the usual parameter symbols '$1', '$2', etc. usedáì áì elsewhere. If you look closely, however, you'll see an odd-áì áì looking symbol, '$|'. The symbol is a "substitute multiple-áì áì command separator." It is PERFORM.COM's substitute for theáì áì normal ZCPR3 semicolon (';') used for separating commands in theáì áì ZCPR3 multiple command line buffer. Remember: we're not at the ì áì system level; we're still working inside an application andáì áì applications have their own rules and symbols. It may look likeáì áì we are stringing together a series of separate commands for theáì áì regular ZCPR3 command line buffer, but appearances are deceiving.áì áì Everything on that command line is really simply parameters foráì áì PERFORM.COM.áì We therefore need some way of telling PERFORM that it shouldáì áì consider all our seemingly separate commands as input for it toáì áì process. We do this with the '$|' symbol. In the above line whenáì áì you see a '$|' flush right against a '$x', keep in mind that theyáì áì are really not together; the former symbol is simply acting toáì áì separate what precedes it from what follows it. When PERFORM doesáì áì its marvelous work of substituting each of the files ináì áì FORFILES.SYS one at a time wherever it sees the '$x' symbol, itáì áì also will translate each '$|' into a semicolon. Each time itáì áì loops through our entire sequence of commands, it does the twoáì áì substitutions -- a filename for '$x' and a ';' for '$|'. It THENáì áì sends this "resolved" command line over to the command processoráì áì proper and runs it.áì All this activity is said to take place on the "shell stack" andáì áì '$x' is then called a "shell variable." PERFORM.COM placesáì áì itself on this shell stack, just as do our more familiar "menu"-áì áì based shell utilities, VFILER, VMENU, and MENU. One easy way toáì áì see this visually is by simply adding the command 'SHOW' anywhereáì áì in the above line. When SHOW.COM loads choose the "S" option andáì áì you will be given a "real-time" view of what the shell stackáì áì looks like.áì So now we're beginning to see what will happen. On the first loopáì áì through, our command line will have resolved to:áì ECHO PROCESSING CHERHIL...;NW CHERHIL;CORRECT CHERHIL; <<áì GMK CHERHIL;FILTW CHERHIL;AC CHERHIL BACKUP: /Aáì This command line in itself will keep us busy for quite a while,áì áì but of course when it finishes it will move us automatically onáì áì to BOSTON and the rest, repeating the entire series. We may spendáì áì two or three hours inside of NewWord working on each file. Alláì áì the while the above command sequence is sitting patiently in theáì áì command line buffer, waiting for us to exit. When we do, it isáì áì immediately ready and available to go to work for us with theáì áì next command.áì This is really a very simple use of these tools, nor does it evenáì áì require NEXT.COM. FOR can create a list not just of files but ofáì áì all user areas, named directories, command lines, or simplyáì áì integers up to a user-specified limit, all capable of being actedáì áì upon by PERFORM. This combination provides a very powerfuláì áì command structure with which we can greatly automate many of ouráì áì operations, and I am very grateful to Mr. Nielsen for hisáì áì bountiful work.áì While we're exploring the command line buffer this is a good timeáì áì to make a quick digression into explaining it as one of theáì áì fundamental differences between ZCPR3 and CP/M. When a warm bootáì áì occurs in either CP/M or ZCPR3 a fresh and virgin copy of theáì áì command processor is loaded from disk. The significance of thisáì áì is as follows: in CP/M the command line resides directly in theáì áì command processor. When a warm boot takes place, such as when aáì áì program exits, this therefore flushes (wipes out) the commandáì áì line. This is why CP/M 2.2 cannot support multiple commands. Witháì áì ZCPR2 and ZCPR3 the command line was [START BOLD]removed[ENDáì áì BOLD] from its location in the command processor and placed in aáì áì specially protected area of memory known as a buffer. This wayáì áì the command line can maintain its integrity across warm boots andáì áì return as we like to do our bidding.áì I'd also like here to pass on a tip that I have found veryáì áì helpful in a number of circumstances in which I need to debug aáì áì command script I have written. It's ideal for aliases insideáì áì ALIAS.CMD, macro scripts in VFILER.CMD, MENU.VMN, etc. and asáì áì well with our PERFORM command line in case something had goneáì áì wrong. What we do is load the ZCPR3 program MU3 (Memory Utility)áì áì prior to anything else on the line. Once MU3 loads, we can thenáì áì scan to the aforementioned special area in memory (the commandáì áì line buffer) where our command line is kept, and simply view it.áì áì The beauty of this technique is that even though MU3 is the firstáì áì command in the line, the command line will have already beenáì áì built/generated by the time MU3 loads, and all the rest ofáì áì commands have already been placed in the buffer and we are ableáì áì to see the finished product. We see exactly what the commandáì áì processor sees and therefore our job of debugging is made mostáì áì easy.áì In our customized Morrow Z-System configurations the MCLBáì áì (multiple command line buffer) is precisely at location FF04 ináì áì memory. So we precede our line with 'MU3 FF04' where 'FF04' is aáì áì parameter to MU3, and this takes us directly to where we wish toáì áì go. In aliases it should be placed as the very first item. In theáì áì above example and any example with shell variables, however, weáì áì want to see the buffer [START BOLD]after[END BOLD] PERFORM oráì áì whatever shell processor we are using has substituted itsáì áì variables and transformed '$|' into ';', so we put it as the veryáì áì first item in PERFORM's command line:áì PERFORM MU3 FF04$|ECHO PROCESSING $X....áì Note that positioned thusly PERFORM processes MU3 as one of itsáì áì parameters, even though it's not a variable. The use of theáì áì command line separator '$|' ensures that it resolves all commandáì áì line parameters in one pass, so MU3 is "resolved" along with theáì áì variables and we are allowed to peek into the fully expandedáì áì command line. The use of MU3 as a debugging tool has tremendousáì áì general applicability; in most circumstances we needn't concernáì áì ourselves with the above matters.áì áì More new programs: Jay Sage, the author of ZCPR33, has developedáì áì ZFILER v.10f, a Z33-enhanced version of VFILER, our general dailyáì áì interface with the command processor, that allows for "groupáì áì macros." Until now we were limited to running our scripts on aáì áì single pointer file. With ZFILER10F we have the capacity to run aáì áì macro script on all tagged files. This is a tremendousáì áì enhancement and opens up all sorts of possibilities. ZFILERáì áì scripts are 95% compatible with your VFILER.CMD scripts with oneáì áì major change: the '$' is used instead of '%' for the pointer fileáì áì parameters.áì Just to whet your appetite: suppose, for instance, you want toáì áì insert 6 different files on your disk into a single, alreadyáì áì existing library. You write an easy macro in your VFILER.CMD;áì áì let's call it "I" for "Insert":áì I nulu -O $"Name of library file ([DIR:]LIBNAME): " <<áì -a $f -x;era $fáì For those who haven't yet discovered V/ZFILER's [STARTáì áì BOLD]$"[END BOLD] symbol, it requests user input before anythingáì áì else runs in the script. It then inserts the user's response intoáì áì the final, expanded command line precisely at the locationáì áì between the $" and the terminating " (double-quote mark). Whenáì áì this script runs the very first thing that happens is that we areáì áì queried for the name of the LBR. We respond, hit <CR> and theáì áì pointer file, represented by '$f', is inserted into the LBR.áì As an example let's say we are pointing to LETTER.TXT and we wantáì áì to insert it inside CORRESPO.LBR. We hit our macro lead-in keyáì áì (default is <ESC>) and then "I." The stringáì Name of library ([DIR:]LIBNAME):áì appears on the screen. We answer "CORRESPO" and the followingáì áì command line is generated:áì áì NULU -O CORRESPO -A LETTER.TXT -X;ERA LETTER.TXTáì NULU can accept all this on its command line, so it worksáì áì beautifully.áì But, you ask, do you have to repeat the process six times foráì áì each of your files? With VFILER you do; with ZFILER you don't.áì áì Simply tag all your files, run the new "group macro" command, hitáì áì "I" again, and stand back and watch while one by one six commandáì áì lines are generated and each file is inserted into CORRESPO.LBR.áì There's more: Jay, in his usual brilliance, has thought ofáì áì everything. The above technique is slowed considerably by timeáì áì spent loading and re-loading NULU six times from disk. For thoseáì áì wanting to experiment with the resident GO command here is youráì áì opportunity. By preceding a command script with the symbol '$!'áì áì GO is substituted for the command verb (here 'NULU') on every runáì áì but the first. GO of course runs whatever is in TPA memoryáì áì without having to pull it off the disk, so its speed isáì áì astonishing. The technique works flawlessly and is breathtakingáì áì to watch.áì The latest on the Z280 front: I've had considerable contact witháì áì Zedux, Inc., the southern California manufacturer of the genericáì áì Z280 add-on board that I mentioned last time. They do in factáì áì have a ready-to-run multi-tasking operating system called RPáì áì (Remote Partition) for their Accel 280, and I have arranged foráì áì them to come to San Francisco in mid-September to demonstrateáì áì their wares. They are urging attendees to bring whatever Z80áì áì computers they use, and they promise to walk around the room andáì áì plug a board into the different machines so as many folks asáì áì possible can get the experience of a multi-tasking operatingáì áì system running on their own computer. Promises to be quite aáì áì night.áì Hope y'all are having fun. Z you next time...áì