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- Night Owl Computing's
- Command Line for Windows
- Version 1.0
- Copyright 1993. All rights reserved
-
- Table of Contents
-
- What is Command Line for Windows?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
-
- Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
-
- Invoking Command Line for Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
-
- Additional Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- WKILL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- WREBOOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
- WEXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- WRESTART. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
-
- Command Line internal command listing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- @ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- @@. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- @nn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- ?:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- -program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- cd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- cls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- copy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
- dat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- del . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- dir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- dirp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- edit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- erase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- exit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- md/mkdir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- more. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
- open. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- path. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- rd/rmdir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- set editor to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- set pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- tasklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- ver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
-
- Special Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
- F3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
-
- Foreground and Background processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
-
- Accessing Windows Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
- Editing Autoexec.bat, Config.sys, Win.ini, System.ini . . . . . . . . 7
- Editing Your Desktop Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
-
- Running DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
-
- The Future of Command Line for Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
-
- PRODUCT REGISTRATION FORM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
-
- . . .
-
-
- What is Command Line for Windows?
-
- Quite simply, Command Line for Windows is the natural replacement
- for the DOS command window so often used within a Windows session.
- This replacement accomplishes a couple of things that a DOS window
- cannot perform and Windows does not necessarily consider standard.
-
- Command Line will allow the user to run/execute any DOS or
- Windows application. Traditionally, a DOS window will only execute a
- DOS application. In order to start another DOS program, the user has
- to go through the whole process of opening the Program Manager and
- launch a new DOS window with either the RUN command (somewhat ironic)
- or the DOS icon. Command Line eliminates this awkward restriction by
- executing each DOS program in a separate DOS window, similar to
- running a Windows application by selecting the icon. (The use of a
- PIF file is highly recommended for any DOS application run from within
- Windows.) This means that once a DOS application is launched, the
- user can immediately launch another through the Command Line window.
- There are some third party utilities that will allow a Windows program
- to be called from the DOS window, but these have the annoying problem
- of locking the DOS window until the Windows program stops executing.
- Command Line eliminates this problem because it is fully Windows
- compatible and can run any Windows application separately as a window
- or an icon. These unique features gives Command Line a great
- advantage over a standard DOS window on the Windows platform.
-
- Command Line is the evolution of the familiar DOS interface that
- Windows has left behind. Moving from DOS to Windows is a big jump for
- some users, and learning the new interface and the mouse can be very
- uncomfortable. Command Line allows DOS users to comfortably
- manipulate the Windows desktop in a fashion that is very familiar and
- easily understood (i.e. intuitive), while still taking advantage of
- the Windows graphics and cooperative multi-tasking because most of the
- commands used in Command Line are similar to DOS's Command.com.
- Furthermore, as most users find out while working in Windows, there
- are some functions that are best served by the mouse and some best
- served by the keyboard. This utility allows the users to choose which
- means for manipulating the desktop they feel most comfortable using
- without sacrificing the control they are accustomed to having.
-
-
- Registration
-
- Night Owl Computing strongly urges you to register this product
- in order for you to be using a legal version. With your support we
- will continue to improve this product, and produce more products so
- that you may work better and faster.
- Registration cost are $19.95 for the first copy and $9.95 for
- each additional copy registered. You will find a registration form at
- the end of this document. Please make your checks payable to:
-
- Timothy J. Gallagher
-
- and send them to:
-
- Night Owl Computing
- P.O. Box 6424
- Columbia, MD 21045
-
- We do not accept credit cards at this time; it helps to keep
- costs down. (credit card transations add 3-5% to the cost of
- software.)
- You will receive confirmation of your registration in the mail.
-
-
- Invoking Command Line for Windows
-
- To invoke Command Line for Windows, copy it into the Windows
- directory and use the RUN command from Program manager. You may also
- place an icon of Command Line for Windows in the Startup program group
- to allow Command Line for Windows to start when you start Windows.
-
-
- Additional Utilities
-
- WKILL This utility takes a window id as its only parameter and
- will ask if you wish to kill the window. If you answer
- 'Yes' then the window will be destroyed without effecting
- any other window. Refer to 'TASKLIST' below to get the
- window id. (WARNING: This utility will allow you to kill
- any application, including applications that allow Windows
- to operate. Be careful.)
-
- WREBOOT This utility will reboot your computer. It has its own icon
- that can be used within the Program Manager just by clicking
- on it. It will ask for confirmation before proceeding. If
- you answer YES, then all the currently open windows will be
- closed gracefully, Windows will shut down and the computer
- will reboot.
-
- WEXIT This utility will exit windows. It has its own icon that
- can be used within the Program Manager just by clicking on
- it. It will ask for confirmation before proceeding.
-
- WRESTART This utility will shut down Windows and then restart it just
- as if you were starting Windows for the first time. It has
- its own icon that can be used within the Program Manager
- just by clicking on it. It will ask for confirmation before
- proceeding.
-
-
- Command Line internal command listing
-
-
- @ Executes the last command entered.
-
- @@ Displays a history of the last 24 commands executed.
-
- @nn Executes the command within the history buffer associated
- with line number nn in the buffer. The line number, nn,
- must be in the range of 1 to 24. If no command is at that
- buffer location, nothing will happen.
-
- ?: Displays all available drives and the source of the drives.
- When connected to a network, it will display whether the
- drive is local or remote. If the drive is remote, the
- redirected path name for the drive is displayed.
-
- > This is the redirection symbol found in most operating
- systems' command line facility and, at this time, it works
- only with the internal commands that display text to the
- Command Line window.
-
- -program Placing a minus, '-', before a call to an external routine
- will automatically minimized (iconify) the Command Line
- window after successfully invoking the external routine.
- The external routine is maximized.
-
- cd Change the current directory. Syntax: cd <directory path>
-
- cls Clears the screen.
-
- copy Copies one file to another. Wild card characters are
- allowed in both the source name or the destination name.
- (Coping a file to a directory by just using the directory
- name will require an ending '\'). Syntax: copy <source>
- <destination>
-
- date Allows editing of the system time and date. Same as
- invoking the Windows Control Panel by typing CONTROL
- DATE/TIME. Syntax: date
-
- del Deletes a file or a group of files based on wild card
- characters.
-
- dir Displays a listing of the files in a directory plus the
- file's size, last update date, last update time, attributes,
- and an editing program associated with the file.
- (Associations are set through File Manager ASSOCIATE
- option.) The attributes are as follows:
-
- D Directory
- A Archive
- H Hidden
- S System
- R Read only
-
- Options for 'dir' are:
- /p display a page at a time
- /b display only the file name
- /w display file names only and 4 wide across the
- screen
-
- dirp Same as dir /p.
-
- edit Edits a file using the current editor for the system. The
- default editor is 'Notepad.exe'. Refer to 'Set Editor To'
- for changing the default editor. Syntax: edit <filename>
-
- erase See 'del'.
-
- exit Exits Command Line for Windows.
-
- history Same as '@@'.
-
- md/mkdir Make a new directory. Syntax: md <dir. name>
- or mkdir <dir. name>
-
- more Displays a screen full of text and then pauses to allow the
- user to view the data. This function will optionally start
- at a specific line number (lines are 80 characters or less
- with a Carriage return) and/or display only a specific
- number of lines by using the /s and /c options,
- respectively. For example, "more junk.txt /s27 /c12" will
- display the file "junk.txt" after skipping the first 27
- lines and then will only display 12 lines from the file.
- Syntax: more <filename> [/s999] [/c999].
-
- open Accesses a data file using the data file's associated
- editing program. File associations can be set through the
- File Manager. Syntax: open <filename>
-
- path Displays the current search path.
-
- print Prints a file using the associated editing application when
- appropriate. Syntax: print <filename>
-
- rd/rmdir Remove a directory. Syntax: rd <dir. name>
- or rmdir <dir. name>
-
- set To set an environment variable. Currently, all environment
- variables set within this window will effect only this
- window. Syntax: set <include = c:\include>
-
- set editor to
- Allows the user to change the default editor to any text
- editor that can take a file name as a parameter. There is
- no check for the ability of the new editor to take a command
- line option. If the editor cannot take a file name as a
- parameter, the editor will start but the data file will not
- be loaded. Syntax: set editor to <editor name>
-
- set path Sets the search path when an executable file is not found
- within the current directory. Syntax: set path to <path>
-
- tasklist This command will list all the tasks currently running in
- Windows. The listing will include the window id and a
- window class name (used internally by Windows). These
- window task ids can be used with the utility WKILL.
-
- time Allows editing of the system time and date. Same as typing
- 'CONTROL DATE/TIME'
-
- type Same as 'more'.
-
- ver Displays the Command Line for Windows version banner.
-
-
-
- Special Key
-
- F3 Displays the last command processed.
-
-
- Foreground and Background processing
-
- & By placing an ampersand, '&', before the executable file
- name, you can cause the application to start up as an icon
- on the desktop. The Command Line window remains maximized
- and the currently active window.
-
-
- Accessing Windows Configuration
-
- Editing Autoexec.bat, Config.sys, Win.ini, System.ini
-
- Windows comes with an editor for these files. Command Line allow
- you to access this editor by typing:
- sysedit <ENTER>
-
- Editing Your Desktop Configuration
-
- Command Line also lets you may access the capabilities of the
- Control Panel to edit your Windows desktop by typing:
-
- control <ENTER>
-
- To edit a specific part of the control use
-
- for Fonts: control fonts <ENTER>
- for Color: control color <ENTER>
- for Date and Time: control date/time <ENTER>
- for Mouse: control mouse <ENTER>
- for Desktop: control desktop <ENTER>
- for International: control international <ENTER>
- for Keyboard: control keyboard <ENTER>
- for Printers: control printers <ENTER>
- for Drivers: control drivers <ENTER>
- for Sound: control sound <ENTER>
- for 386 Enhanced: control 386 enhanced <ENTER>
-
- Command Line allows you to access the current list tasks by typing:
-
- taskman <ENTER>
-
- You can then select to switch to another application.
-
- Command Line allows you to easily edit a PIF file by typing:
-
- pifedit <filename>
-
- PIF files are important to running DOS applications correctly within
- Windows.
-
-
- Running DOS programs
-
- You may run a DOS program as you would normally run it from the
- DOS command line. It may be useful to edit the default PIF file so
- that the program's window does not close immediately when the program
- is done. This can also allow the DOS program to run in a window
- automatically for machines that can run 386 Enhance Mode Windows.
-
- Running Windows programs
-
- You may run a Windows program just as easily as you can run a DOS
- program from Command Line. If the program is on the Windows search
- path, then you will not need to type the full path when running the
- Windows application. Remember that most Windows applications accept
- command line parameters. You can use this capability to open a data
- file when you run the application.
-
- The Future of Command Line for Windows
-
- We feel that the success of Command Line is eminent, thus we will
- continue to enhance it. The second quarter off 1994 will mark the
- first upgrade for Command Line for Windows and will include:
-
- An API library available for 3rd party programmers allowing
- easy access to the Command Line capabilities as standard
- input and output.
-
- Full redirection and filtering (piping) capability for DOS
- and Command Line compatible Windows applications.
-
- Command aliasing to allow users to rename the commands or
- produce other commands as a combination of commands.
-
- 'History' will be manipulated with the arrow keys as well as
- the '@' command.
-
- A larger scrolling window will be available.
-
- Cut, Copy, and Paste will be implemented for the window.
-
-
- Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
- Command Line for Windows
- PRODUCT REGISTRATION FORM
-
- Date: Month ________ Day _____ Year ______
-
- Your Name: _________________________________ (required)
-
- Company/Address: _________________________________
-
- _________________________________
-
- _________________________________
-
- Telephone Number: ____________________ (include area/country code)
-
- If you wish to receive the latest version on diskette please check the
- disk type you require and allow 4 weeks for shipping.
-
- Disk Media, check one: [ ] 5.25" [ ] 3.5"
-
- Price Calculation Registration Fee: $19.95 + $9.95 for each
- additional registration. Please list additional registrants below.
-
- Number of copies registering: ___________
- Registration Fee Total: ___________
-
- Make payable by check in U.S. currency drawn on a U.S. bank.
-
- Timothy J. Gallagher
- Night Owl Computing
- P.O. Box 6424
- Columbia, MD 21045
- U.S.A.
-
- Additional registrants
-
-
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-
- How did you receive your original copy of Command Line for Windows?
- [ ] CompuServe [ ] Friend [ ] Other _______________________________
-
- Comments (Please Be Honest)
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- Thank you!