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- XU - (c) 1989 eXcellent Utilities by Noonan, Partain and Brown
-
- Files contained in the package are:
-
- XU.DOC You are reading it
- FL.EXE File Locate (Bound)
- FLP.EXE File Locate (Protected-mode only)
- SC.EXE Set Color (Bound)
- SCP.EXE Set Colors (Protected-mode only)
- DIS.EXE Display Screen Image (Bound)
- DISP.EXE Display Screen Image (Protected-mode only)
- KEYRATEP.EXE Set keyboard rate (Protected-mode only)
- KEYRATER.EXE Set keyboard rate (DOS-mode only)
- ASK.EXE ASK (Bound)
- ASKP.EXE ASK (Protected-mode only)
- GETVER.EXE Get version (DOS-mode only)
- X.BAT Used with XCD for DOS
- X.CMD Used with XCD for OS/2
- XCD.EXE eXcellent Change Directory (Bound)
- XCDP.EXE eXcellent Change Directory (Protected-mode only)
-
-
- ***************************************************************************
-
- FL.EXE or FLP.EXE - File Locate utility.
-
- Usage is FL [drivespec:] filespec [/a]
-
- Finds a file(s) designated by the given drive and filespec. Yes, you
- can use the normal DOS-OS/2 wild cards. Oh, it will even find directory
- names that match your search criteria too.
-
- The /a switch means search all drives except A: and B:. Of course if
- /a is given and a drive is specified it overrides the drivespec and
- searches all disks anyhow.
-
- Hit any key to pause the display.
-
- Type Esc to terminate the program.
-
- NOTE:
- FLP is the protected mode only version.
- ***************************************************************************
-
- SC.EXE or SCP.EXE - Set Colors using ANSI driver.
-
- Usage is SC <options> <foreground> ON <background> /C
-
- Choices for options:
- BRIGHT BLINKING
-
- Choices for foreground and background:
- BLACK RED GREEN YELLOW
- BLUE MAGENTA CYAN WHITE
-
- /C clears the screen
-
- NOTE:
- SCP is protected mode only version.
-
- The only real difference between SC and SCP is the protected mode version
- detects ANSI and turns it on, if it isn't already. SC won't but you'll
- be able to tell soon enough.
-
- ************************************************************************
-
- DIS.EXE or DISP.EXE - DISplay screen image.
-
- Usage is DIS filename.
-
- A filename can be any valid filename. Full paths are supported,
- however, no wild cards are allowed.
-
- Note:
- DIS is not very picky - it will read any file into it's buffer
- and display it. If the file isn't 4000 bytes (screen size) than
- whatever happens to be in memory gets displayed (what a treat).
- It's mainly used for displaying files that are created with packages
- like THEDRAW in BIN or other similiar type formats.
-
- DISP is (you guessed it) the protected mode only version.
-
- ************************************************************************
-
- KEYRATER.EXE or KEYRATEP.EXE - sets the KEYboard repeat RATE.
-
- Usage is KEYRATE Time Rate
-
- Time is the amount of delay before the first repeat key is generated.
- 1 is the shortest delay (250 msec)
- 4 is the longest delay (1000 msec)
-
- Rate is the number of characters per second.
- 1 is the least repeats (2)
- 32 is the most repeats (30)
-
- Note:
- These programs are not identical!!! KEYRATER is a DOS only program
- using BIOS calls. This means some computers will not be affected by
- this program because not all clone's BIOS will support this.
-
- KEYRATEP is a protected mode only program and cannot be bound
- because the calls are not BIND supported. KEYRATEP will
- have no effect when run in a window, but once it's run in full screen
- it will effect everything. This is because the keyboard has it's own
- little BIOS and once it's changed, well you'll figure out the rest.
-
- ************************************************************************
-
- ASK.EXE or ASKP.EXE (need I ask? I know bad joke but it's getting late).
-
- Usage is: ASK "string" <selections>
-
- "string" - a string of text to display
- <selections> - input selections
-
- How can anyone begin to describe a program as complex as this? Sorry,
- but what can you expect from a programmer who's been up half the night.
- This is just the traditional ASK program. There are no thrills or
- frills.
-
- Anyway, "string" is the text prompt to display telling the user what key
- to press. <selections> is the letters or numbers the computer's waiting
- for. Here's an example .BAT or .CMD file.
-
- ASK "Press Y or N ==> " yn
- if errorlevel 2
- echo yep, you pressed N !!!
- goto end
- if errorlevel 1
- echo yep, you pressed Y !!!
- :end
-
- Note:
- ASKP is (once again) the protected mode only version of the
- program
-
- ************************************************************************
-
- GETVER.EXE return a DOS ERRORLEVEL depending on the version.
-
- The whole purpose of this is to make sure you set the right
- environment variables in batch files. For instance, you don't
- necessarily want your COMSPEC pointing to the wrong version of
- COMMAND.COM or your path to pointing to the OS/2 penalty box
- version of DOS when you are running regular DOS.
-
- This program returns an ERRORLEVEL of 1 if the version reported is
- greater than or equal to ten (OS/2) otherwise it returns 0 meaning your
- running normal DOS. If you forget the ERRORLEVELs returned just
- type in GETVER and some command line parameters, like GETVER uh!, and
- it'll remind you.
-
- Example:
-
- @echo off
- GETVER
- if errorlevel 1
- set comspec=c:\os2\command.com
- if errorlevel 0
- set comspec=c:\dos\command.com
-
-
- Notes:
- This program is a DOS mode only version.
-
- ************************************************************************
-
- XCD.EXE or XCDP.EXE - Excellant Change Directory utility.
-
-
- Usage is: X [drive:] dirname or partial dirname [/R]
-
- This program is similar to the one found in other DOS
- enhancement packages but it is written for OS2. Actually the
- program will run under both DOS and OS2, so that both
- environments can share the same directory file.
-
- If you haven't noticed, you run this program with a .BAT or
- .CMD file called X. Sample files are included for both OS/2
- and DOS. Actually, you don't need one for DOS but it's there
- for consistency. The reason for this is OS/2 restores the
- original enviroment after the program ends. There might be a
- better way for this to work but this is fine for now.
-
- Anyhow, XCD requires at least one parameter and can take up to
- two (incredible)! The first parameter usually is the name
- (or partial name) of a directory and can include a drive
- specification. XCD will then attempt to locate a directory
- on the specified drive and change to it. If more than one
- directory is found that matches, it will pop up a menu and
- allow you to pick the desired directory (beats that other
- old program, huh?). The second parameter, if used, must be
- '/R' and specifies that XCD is to rebuild it's directory
- list file. This directory file is automatically created
- when XCD cannot find it's file. The next time you
- run XCD, it will use that file for finding directories,
- making the search process much faster! Unlike the other
- guys program, XCD does not check if the current directory is
- in the file and rebuilds it's file. A future enhancement will
- include this but we're tired of writing code for now so this
- is it. '/R' can also be entered as the only parameter, in
- which case XCD will only rebuild it's directory file.
-
- XCD creates and executes a temporary batch file to
- change directories. This file is by default, created in the
- root directory of the C: drive. If using C:\ is not to your
- liking, it is a simple matter to edit the X.CMD file and
- change it. It's a good idea to edit this file anyway and make
- sure everything is pointing to the right places.
-
- ************************************************************************
-
- Have fun, enjoy and most of all send money...
-
- $20 would be appreciated and help us feed our 350
- pound large Australian kangaroo which does most of the code
- testing and debugging for us.
-
- Actually, everyone who registers will receive upgrades as
- they are available. For instance, XCD.EXE will only pop-up
- a selection window for 23 possible choices of directories,
- this limit will be eliminated in the next release, which is
- coming soon to a theater near you. Also, if you haven't heard,
- OS/2 1.2 should be out later this year with it's new file
- system. We'll have to make some changes to support this and
- I'm sure if your still using these utilities then you'll want
- the upgrade too.
-
- Send Cash, check or money order (first born not
- accepted) to:
-
- Noonan, Partain and Brown
- 6501 Oakwood Drive
- Falls Church, Va 22041
-
- Oh yeah, please distribute these programs (even if you
- don't pay for them, maybe the next guy will). Usually, we
- don't ask for money but this is OS/2, the compilers and hardware
- to run it on ain't cheap.
-
- Also, let us know what utilities or programs you think would
- usefull. Most of all, if you have any problems with any of
- our programs let us know. We don't have our own BBS for support
- yet, but we can be easily contacted on two BBS's and on
- the OS/2 conference on FIDO-NET. The two BBS's are:
-
- MEDLANTIC (301) 680-7792
- Life's Like That (703) 560-5616
-
- Leave a message for Tim Noonan or Joel Brown.
-
- ************************************************************************
-