OS/2 Shareware BBS: 11 Util/11-Util.zip/tcv203.zip/TCMDOS2.INF

OS/2 Help File | 2001-12-20 | 635KB | 20,244 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. About Take Command for OS/2 Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                              Take Command for OS/2

                            Version 2.03 Help System

                Text by Hardin Brothers, Tom Rawson, and Rex Conn

Program and Help Text Copyright 1988 - 2001, JP Software Inc., All Rights
Reserved.

Take Command and 4DOS are registered trademarks of JP Software Inc.  4DOS,
4OS2, and 4NT are JP Software Inc.'s trademarks for its family of
character-mode command processors.  JP Software, jpsoft.com, and all JP
Software designs and logos are also trademarks of JP Software Inc.  Other
product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners.

[12/01 - 2.03A]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Using Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

We developed Take Command to bring the power and convenience of our popular
4DOS, 4NT, and 4OS2 programs to the Windows and OS/2 desktops.  Whether you are
a computer novice or an experienced user, Take Command will help you get the
most out of your computer system.

You're probably already familiar with graphical applications running under
Windows or OS/2, and with the command line, but you may not be used to seeing
them combined in one product.  Most graphical applications offer limited
command-line capability at best, and most command-line utilities aren't
designed for a graphical environment like Windows or the OS/2 desktop.

We designed Take Command to give you the best of both worlds.  You'll probably
find it most useful when you need to perform tasks like managing your hard
disk, scripting a series of steps with an alias or batch file, or starting
applications.  There are graphical utilities that perform some of these tasks,
but often you may find it more convenient or productive to perform them from
the command line.

Take Command can use fewer resources than starting a traditional character-mode
command-line session, and, unlike a traditional command line session, it looks
and feels like the other graphical programs you use.

Take Command also offers a host of features that couldn't exist at all in a
command-line utility.  For example, you can pop up simple dialogs from a batch
file, pass keystrokes to other graphical applications, and use a dialog to find
files or text on any of your disks.

In this section, you'll find a wealth of information about using Take Command,
including:

             Using the Take Command Interface

             Using the Command Line

             File Selection

             Directory Navigation

             Other Features


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Using the Take Command Interface ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

In this section, you'll find general information about using the Take Command
interface, including:

         Using an OS/2 "Graphical" Command Line

         Starting Applications

         The Take Command Screen

         Take Command for 4DOS and 4OS2 Users


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.1. Using an OS/2 "Graphical" Command Line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command for OS/2 is a new environment that lets you perform tasks easily
under OS/2. You can use it to execute commands, start applications, and perform
other work at the command line.

In the past you may have accomplished some of these tasks by starting an OS/2
character-mode session or running 4OS2, JP Software's replacement character-
mode command processor.

In either case -- and especially if you are an experienced user of 4OS2 --
you'll find plenty of familiar features in Take Command.  You'll also find a
lot that's new and different.

While Take Command includes most of the command-line, batch file, and other
capabilities provided by 4OS2, and goes well beyond those provided by CMD.EXE,
the OS/2 environment places a few limitations on how Take Command operates.

These limitations are minor -- for example, some keystrokes are interpreted
differently to conform more closely to OS/2 conventions, and there are some
considerations when running batch files or OS/2 aliases designed to work in
character mode under a graphical program like Take Command.  All of these
differences are covered in more detail under Take Command for 4DOS and 4OS2
Users.

Take Command also offers a wide range of new OS/2 PM-related features which are
not available in 4OS2 or CMD.EXE, including:

        *   A built-in scrollback buffer that lets you look back through the
            output from past commands.

        *   A standard OS/2 menu bar for access to many commonly-used Take
            Command features.

        *   A status bar showing memory and resource usage.

        *   A customizable tool bar that gives you quick access to commands and
            applications.

        *   Dialogs (accessible from the Options and Utilities menus) for
            editing environment variables, aliases, file descriptions, and
            startup parameters.

        *   High-speed, dialog-based file and text search (see "Search
            Files/Text" on the Utilities menu). The new FFIND command gives you
            the same capabilities at the Take Command prompt.

        *   Commands like ACTIVATE, MSGBOX, and QUERYBOX that allow you to use
            OS/2 features and control OS/2 applications from your batch files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.2. Starting Applications ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command offers several ways to start applications.  (For special
considerations related to starting character-mode applications, see the next
topic).

First, you can simply type the name of any OS/2, DOS, or Windows application at
the Take Command prompt.  As long as the application's executable file is in
one of the standard search directories (see below), Take Command will find it
and start it.  If you type the full path name of the executable file at the
prompt the application will be started even if it is not in one of the standard
search directories.

Take Command offers two methods to simplify and speed up access to
yourapplications.  One is to create an alias, for example:

        [c:\] alias myapp d:\apps\myapp.exe

You can also use the Tool Bar To start frequently-used applications.  For
example, a tool bar button named MyApp which invokes the command
d:\apps\myapp.exe would accomplish the same thing as the alias shown above.

You can use these methods together.  For example, if you define the alias shown
above you can set up a tool bar button called MyApp and simply use the command
myapp, which would then invoke the previously-defined alias.

You can also start an application by typing the name of a data file associated
with the application.  Take Command will examine the file's extension and run
the appropriate application, based on Take Command's executable extensions.

For additional flexibility, you can also start applications with the START
command.  START provides a number of switches to customize the way an
application is started.

Searching for Applications

When you start an application without specifying a path, Take Command searches
for the application in the current directory and then all directories on the
PATH.  (If you do enter an explicit path, Take Command will only look in the
directory you specified.)

If you enter a file name with no extension, Take Command will search each
directory for a matching .COM, .EXE, .BTM, or .CMD file, then for a file
matching a Take Command executable extension.  If no such file is found Take
Command will move on to the next directory in the search sequence.

Waiting for Applications to Finish

When you start an application from the prompt, normally Take Command does not
wait for the application to finish before returning to the prompt.  This allows
you to continue your work in Take Command while the application is running.
You can change this default behavior for applications started from the prompt,
using the ExecWait directive in TCMDOS2.INI, or the Wait for Completion option
on the Options 2 page of the configuration notebook.  These options do not
affect batch files; Take Command always waits for applications started from
batch files.

Character-mode applications which run inside the Take Command window are an
exception to this rule.  Take Command always waits for such applications to
finish before displaying a new prompt, regardless of the ExecWait setting. For
more information see the next section, on starting character-mode applications.

You can also force Take Command to wait for an application to finish with the
START command with the /WAIT switch.  START can also control many other aspects
of how your applications are started.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.3. Starting Character-Mode Applications ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command for OS/2 starts OS/2 "graphical" applications in their own
windows, just as if you had started them from the desktop.  By default, it also
creates a separate character-mode window to run each DOS or OS/2 character mode
application you start.

If you prefer, you can run some DOS and OS/2 character-mode applications within
the Take Command window, using an OS/2 facility called "named pipes." When you
use this option, output from the application is displayed in the Take Command
window, and no separate window is created.

Because not all applications work properly with named pipes, you must specify
which TTY applications should be run within the Take Command window.  To do so,
use the TTY Applications Dialog (accessible from the Setup menu). The dialog
lets you specify the application name, whether the application is a DOS or OS/2
character-mode program, and whether or not the application is currently enabled
to run within the Take Command window.  See the section on the TTY Applications
dialog for details of the dialog fields and their meanings.  Information
entered in this dialog is stored in the [TTYApps] section of TCMDOS2.INI.

Your copy of Take Command comes with a list of applications which can be run
within the Take Command window.  The list is visible when you open the dialog.
However, all applications in the list are initially disabled to ensure maximum
compatibility.  This prevents problems if you have a program with the same name
as one we tested, but which is not the same program.  To enable any
application, select it and check the Enable box.  Us the Add button to add your
own applications to the list.

When you include an application name in the dialog, you can use an executable
file name (e.g., CHKDSK.COM), or a full path name (e.g., C:\OS2\CHKDSK.COM).
If you use the full path name, the entry will apply only to that specific file.
If you use just the file name, the entry will apply to any file of that name,
regardless of its location.  If you use both, the full path name entry will be
used when you execute that specific file, and the file name entry will be used
for other files of the same name.

As an advanced option, you can also enter a path without a filename into the
dialog (e.g. C:\OS2UTILS).  This will tell Take Command to treat all DOS or
OS/2 character-mode programs in the specified directory as TTY applications.
This approach is useful if you have many applications of the same type in a
single directory, but before you use it you should review the contents of the
directory carefully to be sure all the character-mode programs stored there are
compatible with Take Command's TTY application support.

If you do choose to configure an entire directory for TTY application support,
you can create exceptions by entering specific filenames from that directory
into the dialog as well.  For example, if you enable the directory C:\OS2UTILS
for TTY support, you could also add a listing for C:\OS2UTILS\MYAPP.EXE (or
simply for MYAPP.EXE, with no path), and make sure the Enable box in the dialog
is not checked for the MYAPP entry.  This would prevent MYAPP.EXE from being
treated as a TTY application despite the entry for the directory as a whole.
If you use this approach, the two listings can appear in any order.

Once an application is listed in the dialog and enabled, it will run within the
Take Command window whenever you start it from the command line.  However, if
you start the application with the START command (without the /TTY switch, see
below), the program will start in its own window.

You can explicitly start any character-mode application within the Take Command
window by using the START command's /TTY switch.  For example:

     start /tty c:\os2\chkdsk.com

Using this switch is the same as entering the application in the TTY
Applications dialog and enabling it.  Using START /TTY is a convenient way to
experiment with your DOS and OS/2 character-mode applications to see if they
are compatible with Take Command's TTY application support.  See the START
command or Reference Manual for additional details.

The only character-mode programs which will run properly within the Take
Command window are those which can handle input and output delivered through
pipes.  In technical terms, these are programs which read all input from the
DOS or OS/2 "standard input" device, and write output to the "standard output"
or "standard error" device.  Applications which use command-line parameters
(rather than user input or "question and answer" dialogs), and which use simple
scrolling (TTY-style) output, are the ones most likely to work well. Common
applications which run successfully in the Take Command window include program
development software like compilers and linkers, and some command-line
utilities.  Programs which use "direct video" output to write complex screen
displays, require dialog with the user, or display graphics, must be run in
their own window.

Many OS/2 character-mode programs meet this test, as do some DOS programs.
However, some programs -- especially DOS programs which appear to work this way
may in fact use internal tricks or contain internal restrictions which are not
compatible with piped input and output.

For this reason, you will need to experiment to determine which of your DOS and
OS/2 character-mode applications can run successfully within the Take Command
window.  If you try an application and it does not work, first try using Ctrl-C
or Ctrl-Break to interrupt the application.  If this does not work you can
close the Take Command window with the mouse to clean up the offending
application, then restart Take Command from your desktop. Applications which do
not run properly within the Take Command window can still be run from Take
Command, but will have to use their own window.

TTY application support for DOS programs depends on the TCNPDOS.COM file
distributed with Take Command.  This file must be available in the same
directory as TCMDOS2.EXE.  If it is not, Take Command will display an error
message if you try to run a DOS application within the Take Command window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4. The Take Command Screen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Take Command screen has five parts: the title bar, menu bar, toolbar,
command window, and status bar.

The Title Bar is the same as the one used in most OS/2 applications, with a
control menu button on the left and the maximize and minimize buttons on the
right.  You can change the text that appears on the Title Bar, and adjust the
size of the Take Command window, with the WINDOW command.

The command window accepts your input at the prompt, and displays Take
Command's output.  You can use the scroll bars or the up arrow and down arrow
keys to view text that has scrolled off the window.  You can also save the
contents of the command window and scrollback buffer to a file, copy text from
the command window to the clipboard, and copy text from the clipboard or the
command window to the command line.

If you use a laptop or LCD screen and find the "I-Beam" cursor in the Take
Command window difficult to see, use an IBeamCursor = No directive in the
[TakeCommand] section of the TCMDOS2.INI file to force the use of an arrow
cursor in all parts of the window.

The next few sections discuss the menu bar, tool bar, and status bar portions
of the Take Command screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1. Take Command Menus ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Like all OS/2 PM applications, Take Command displays a menu bar along the top
of the Take Command window.  To select a particular menu item, click once on
the menu heading, or use Alt+x where x is the underlined letter on the menu bar
(for example, Alt+F displays the File menu).

The items on the menu bar allow you to select a variety of Take Command
features:

            File Menu
            Edit Menu
            Apps Menu
            Options or Setup Menu
            Utilities Menu
            Help Menu


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1.1. File Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The File menu allows you to save or print the screen buffer, or exit Take
Command.

 Save to File...
     Saves the contents of the screen buffer to a file.  A Save As dialog box
     appears in which you can enter the name of the file that you wish to use.

 Print...
     Sends the contents of the screen buffer to the printer.  A Print dialog
     box appears in which you can select print options.

 Refresh
     Redraws everything on the Take Command window (use this selection if the
     display appears incorrect, for example if it is not repainted properly
     after another application exits).  You can also press F5 at the Take
     Command prompt to refresh the screen.

 Shutdown
     Shuts down OS/2.

 Exit
     Ends the current Take Command session.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1.2. Edit Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Edit menu allows you to copy text between the Take Command window and the
OS/2 clipboard.

To use the the Copy command you must first select a block of text with the
mouse or with the Select All command, below.  If you hold down the mouse button
2 while you select a block of text, that block will be copied to the clipboard
automatically when you release the button.

Note that you can also access the clipboard with redirection to or from the
CLIP: device, or with the @CLIP variable function.

For more information on copying text see Highlighting and Copying Text.

 Cut
     Removes selected text from the command line and copies it to the OS/2
     clipboard.  This option is only available when you have selected text on
     the command line; it does not apply to selections anywhere else on the
     screen, or in the scrollback buffer.

 Copy
     Copies selected text from the Take Command screen buffer to the OS/2
     clipboard.

 Paste
     Copies text from the OS/2 clipboard to the Take Command command line.  If
     the text you insert contains a line feed or carriage return, the command
     line will be executed just as if you had pressed Enter.  If you insert
     multiple lines, each line will be treated like a command typed at the
     prompt.

 Delete
     Removes selected text from the command line.  Like Cut, this option is
     only available when you have selected text on the command line.

 Copy + Paste
     Copies the selected text directly to the command line.

 Select All
     Marks the entire contents of the Take Command scrollback buffer as
     selected text.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1.3. Apps Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Apps menu allows you to start applications or switch to the desktop.

 Run
     Displays the run dialog from which you can run an application or batch
     file.  Take Command remembers the commands you have run from this dialog
     in the current session.  To select from this list click on the drop-down
     arrow to the right of the "Command Line" field, or press Alt-down arrow
     [Alt-].  To scroll through the list line by line press the down arrow
     [].

 Goto Desktop
     Minimizes the Take Command window and switches the input focus to the OS/2
     desktop.

 OS/2 window
     Starts an OS/2 text-mode window (using the command processor defined in
     the SET OS2_SHELL statement in CONFIG.SYS).

 DOS window
     Starts a windowed DOS text-mode window (using the command processor
     defined in the SHELL statement in CONFIG.SYS).

 Win 3.x Window
     Starts a seamless WinOS2 window in 386 enhanced mode, running your Windows
     shell (e.g., Program manager or Take Commad/16).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1.4. Options or Setup Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Setup menu lets you control the configuration of Take Command.

 Configure Take Command
     Opens the configuration notebook which you can use to change the
     configuration of Take Command.

 Configure Tool Bar
     Opens the toolbar dialog, to allow you to create or modify buttons for the
     Take Command tool bar.

 Configure TTY Apps
     Opens the TTY applications dialog in which you can specify character-mode
     DOS and OS/2 applications to run under Take Command's TTY application
     support.

 Font
     Displays a font selection submenu which allows you to choose the font for
     the command window, tool bar, or status bar.  The command window is
     restricted to monospaced fonts (having the same fixed width for all
     characters, rather than varying the width based on each character's
     shape), but the tool bar and status bar can use any installed font.

          Command window:          Selects the font for the main Take Command
                                   window.  You can choose any monospaced font
                                   that has been properly installed in OS/2.
                                   (A monospaced font is one which uses the
                                   same fixed width for all characters, rather
                                   than varying the width based on each
                                   character's shape.)  When you change the
                                   font, everything in the command window is
                                   displayed in the new font.  You cannot mix
                                   fonts in the Take Command command window.

                                   Note:  Some fonts will not display all of
                                   the characters used by Take Command.  In
                                   particular, the DRAWBOX, DRAWHLINE, and
                                   DRAWVLINE commands use line-drawing
                                   characters which are not included in many
                                   standard fonts.  The standard OS/2
                                   monospaced fonts (Courier, System
                                   Monospaced, and System VIO) do include these
                                   characters when an English language
                                   character set is used.

                                   You can experiment with different fonts by
                                   using DRAWBOX or a similar command to
                                   display line drawing characters in the
                                   command window.  Then use Select Font to
                                   choose a different font.  When you leave the
                                   dialog, the new font will be used to display
                                   the entire command window, including the
                                   line drawing characters.  You can select
                                   different fonts until you find one that
                                   satisfies you.

          Tool bar:                Selects the font for the tool bar.

          Status bar:              Selects the font for the status bar.

 Logging
     Controls logging via a submenu with two choices (see the LOG command for
     more details on logging):

          Command:         Enables or disables command logging using the
                           default OS2LOG file or the file you have chosen with
                           the LOG command or the LogName directive in the
                           TCMDOS2.INI file.

          History:         Enables or disables command history logging using
                           the default OS2HLOG file or the file you have
                           specified with the LOG /H command or the HistLogName
                           directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 Show Tool Bar
     Select this item to enable or disable the Take Command tool bar, which
     appears near the top of the Take Command window.  The tool bar will not
     appear unless at least one item has been defined for it with the Configure
     Tool Bar command, above.

 Show Status Bar
     Select this item to enable or disable the Take Command status bar, which
     appears near the bottom of the Take Command window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1.5. Utilities Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Utilities menu invokes dialogs to search for files and text or to set up
Take Command aliases, environment variables, or file descriptions.  It can also
start your editor.

 Search Files/Text
     Opens the search files dialog which lets you search for files or text
     interactively (see FFIND to search from the command line).

     Once Take Command has created a list of files based on your
     specifications, you can double-click on a file name and Take Command will
     display an information box about the file. From the information box, you
     can choose to list, edit, or run the file.

 Descriptions
     Opens the descriptions dialog in which you can view and change the
     descriptions of files in any directory available on your system.  See
     DESCRIBE for details on file descriptions.

 Aliases
     Opens the aliases dialog in which you can view and change the list of
     current aliases.  You can also use this window to import aliases from a
     file or save all current aliases in a file.  Any changes you make will
     take effect as soon as you close the Aliases window. For more information
     on aliases see the ALIAS command.

 Environment
     Opens the environment dialog in which you can view and change the current
     environment.  Any changes you make will be immediately recorded in Take
     Command's environment.

 Editor
     Starts the OS/2 E editor or any other editor you have specified with the
     Editor directive in TCMDOS2.INI or on the Commands page of the
     Configuration Notebook.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.1.6. Help Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Help Index
     Displays the index for the Take Command help.

 General Help
     Displays the table of contents for the Take Command help.

 Keys Help
     Displays help for the Take Command command line.  From this help page you
     can select a subtopic which covers the keystroke information you need
     (e.g. command line editing, command history window, etc.).

 Product Information
     Displays Take Command version, copyright, and license information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.2. Tool Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Take Command screen has an optional Tool Bar that you can use to execute
internal or external commands, aliases, batch files, and applications with the
click of a mouse.

To create buttons for the Tool Bar, select Configure Tool Bar from the Setup
menu.  This selection displays the tool bar dialog.

You can define up to 24 Tool Bar buttons.

When you first install Take Command a sample tool bar is included.  Use the
tool bar dialog to remove or modify any of the sample buttons, or add buttons
of your own.

To enable or disable the Tool Bar, use the ToolBarOn directive in TCMDOS2.INI,
the Tool Bar Enable setting on the Display page in the configuration notebook,
or the Show Tool Bar command in the Setup menu .

The configuration dialog and TCMDOS2.INI settings are modified when you enable
and disable the tool bar from the Setup menu.  This preserves the tool bar
state when you close Take Command, and restores it the next time you start a
Take Command session.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.3. Status Bar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Take Command screen has an optional Status Bar that shows information about
your system.  To enable or disable the Status Bar, use the StatusBarOn
directive in TCMDOS2 .INI, the Status Bar Enable setting on the Display page in
the configuration notebook, or the Show Status Bar command in the Setup menu.

The configuration dialog and TCMDOS2.INI settings are modified when you enable
and disable the status bar from the Setup menu.  This preserves the tool bar
state when you close Take Command, and restores it the next time you start a
Take Command session.

The Status Bar shows 5 pieces of information:

    The Date, based on the OS/2 clock.
    The Time, based on the OS/2 clock.
    The size of the OS/2 swap file.
    The state of the Caps Lock key on the keyboard.
    The state of the Num Lock key on the keyboard.

If the OS/2 swap file is not stored in the \OS2\SYSTEM directory of the boot
drive, you must use the SwapFilePath directive in TCMDOS2.INI or Take Command
will not be able to display the swap file size in the status bar.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4. Dialogs ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Take Command menus invoke several dialog boxes:

    Save To File Dialog
    Print Dialog
    Run Dialog
    Configuration Notebook
    Toolbar Dialog
    TTY Apps Dialog
    Search Files Dialog
    Descriptions Dialog
    Aliases Dialog
    Environment Dialog


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.1. Save To File Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This standard "Save As" dialog box allows you to select the file to use to save
the contents of the screen buffer.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.2. Print Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog allows you to print the contents of the screen buffer.  You can
select the printer to use, the print priority, and the number of copies.  The
Properties button will take you to the properties dialog for the printer you
have selected.

If you have selected some text in the buffer, the Selection checkbox is
automatically marked.  If you leave it marked, Take Command prints only the
selected text.  If you remove the check mark, the entire buffer is printed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.3. Run Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Apps/Run menu leads to the Run Program dialog.  In the Command Line edit
box, you can enter the name of any executable program plus command-line
parameters.  If you click on the arrow to the right of the edit box, the dialog
displays a list of previous commands you have entered during the current Take
Command session.

The Normal, Minimized, and Maximized radio buttons determine the type of window
that will be used for the program.  If you select Minimized, the program will
start as an icon on the desktop or in the Minimized Window Viewer (depending on
your system default location for minimized window icons).  Maximized starts the
program in a full-screen window.  Normal lets the operating system select the
size and position of the program's window.

The Browse button leads to a standard file browser, from which you can select
any executable program.  Your choice will be placed in the Command Line edit
box, and you can add parameters before pressing Enter or selecting OK to run
the program.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.4. Toolbar Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog allows you to define or modify buttons on the tool bar .

Select the button you want to define or modify in the box on the left.

Enter the button's label and the command to be executed when you select the
button in the fields at the bottom of the dialog box.  You can enter multiple
commands in the Command field by separating them with the command separator
character [&].

You can use the Browse button to find a path and filename to be entered at the
beginning of the Command field.

Before entering a command to start an application program, be sure to check
whether the application must be started in a particular directory.  If so, you
should use a CDD command in the Command field before the application name, for
example:

        cdd d:\source & d:\os2\apps\epm.exe

If the command line begins with an at-sign [@] the command will not be added to
the command history. Otherwise, all commands executed from the tool bar are
stored in the history.

Use the radio buttons to select how you want the command to be executed:

        *   Echo means display the tool bar command on the command line, but do
            not execute it.  You can add additional text to the line if you
            wish, then press Enter to execute the command.  This is the default
            setting.

        *   Echo & Execute means display the tool bar command on the command
            line, then execute it immediately, without waiting for you to press
            Enter.

        *   Execute w/o Echo means execute the tool bar command immediately,
            without waiting for you to press Enter, and without displaying the
            command.

 The Font Size setting applies to all of the buttons on the tool bar.  If you
 make the font size too large (or make the Take Command window too small),
 buttons on the right hand end of the toolbar may not be visible even if the
 Take Command window is expanded to fill the screen.

 If you exit by choosing the OK button, any changes you have made will be saved
 in the TCMDOS2.INI file, and reloaded automatically the next time you start
 Take Command.  If you use the Cancel button, your changes will be discarded.

 If you don't specify a label for a button, a small space is created on the
 tool bar.  For example, if you define buttons 5 and 7 but leave button 6
 blank, Take Command will leave a space between buttons 5 and 7 when the tool
 bar is displayed.  You can use this feature to separate groups of buttons on
 the tool bar; however, the total number of buttons, including empty buttons,
 cannot exceed 24.

 If you want to rearrange the order of the buttons on the tool bar, use an
 editor (e.g. OS/2's E editor) to edit the [Buttons] section of the .INI file.
 Simply rearrange the lines into the order you wish, and renumber the buttons
 accordingly.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.5. TTY Apps Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog allows you to specify which character-mode applications can be run
within the Take Command window.  If you are not familiar with the issues
involved in running character-mode applications inside the Take Command window,
read the separate section on Starting Character-Mode Applications before using
this dialog.

The list box on the left shows currently defined TTY applications.

The Command field shows the command line for the currently selected
application.  You can specify an executable file name (e.g. CHKDSK.COM), or a
full path name (e.g. C:\OS2\CHKDSK.COM). If you use a full path name, the entry
will apply only to that specific file. If you use just the file name, the entry
will apply to any file of that name, regardless of its location.  (For advanced
use of this field to name an entire directory of TTY applications, see the end
of this section.)

The OS/2 and DOS radio buttons control whether Take Command treats the
application as a DOS or OS/2 program.

The Enable checkbox enables or disables an application.  If the box is checked,
the application will be run within the Take Command window.  If the box is not
checked, the entry will be ignored.  This allows you to temporarily disable an
application (without removing it from the list) in order to test its
compatibility with Take Command's TTY application support.

Your copy of Take Command comes with a list of applications which can be run
within the Take Command window.  The list is visible when you open the dialog,
and is also included in the README.DOC file.  However, all applications in the
list are initially disabled to ensure maximum compatibility.  This prevents
problems if you have a program with the same name as one we tested, but which
is not the same program or the same version.  To enable any application, select
it and check the Enable box.

To modify an entry which is already in the TTY applications list, select the
application in the box on the left and press Enter (or double-click).  Modify
the Command field, the application type (DOS or OS/2), and the Enable checkbox
as desired.

To add a new entry, select the Add button.  Fill in the Command field, set the
application type, and check the Enable button if desired.  You can use the
Browse button to find a path and filename to be entered at the beginning of the
Command field.  After creating a new entry you must press Enter to copy the new
entry to the listbox.  If you do not, the information about the new application
will be discarded.

To delete an entry, select it in the list box, then select the Delete button.

If you exit by choosing the OK button, any changes you have made will be saved
in the [TTYApps] of TCMDOS2.INI, and reloaded automatically the next time you
start Take Command.  If you use the Cancel button, your changes will be
discarded.

In addition to the options described above, you can also enter a path without a
filename in the Command field (e.g., C:\OS2UTILS).  This will tell Take Command
to treat all DOS or OS/2 character-mode programs in the specified directory as
TTY applications.  If you use this option the OS2, DOS, and Enable buttons
apply to all applications in the specified directory.  This approach is useful
if you have many applications of the same type in a single directory, but
before you use it you should review the content of the directory carefully to
be sure all the character-mode programs stored there are compatible with Take
Command's TTY application support.

If you do choose to configure an entire directory for TTY application support,
you can create exceptions by entering specific filenames from that directory
into the dialog as well.  For example, if you enable the directory C:\OS2UTILS
for TTY support, you could also add a listing for C:\OS2UTILS\MYAPP.EXE (or
simply for MYAPP.EXE, with no path), and make sure the Enable box is not
checked for the MYAPP entry.  This would prevent MYAPP.EXE from being treated
as a TTY application despite the entry for the directory as a whole.  If you
use this approach, the two listings can appear in any order.

TTY application support for DOS programs depends on the TCNPDOS.COM file
distributed with Take Command.  This file must be available in the same
directory as TCMDOS2.EXE.  If it is not, Take Command will display an error
message if you try to run a DOS application within the Take Command window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.6. Search Files Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Search Files/Text dialog box gives you the same features as the FFIND
command, in dialog form.

Enter the file name or names you wish search in the Files field. You can use
wildcards and include lists as part of the file name.  To select files from
previous searches in the same Take Command session, click on the down arrow
beside the Files field, or press the up arrow [] or down arrow [] while the
input cursor is in the Files field.  You can also use the Browse button to find
files to include in the search.

Enter the text (or hexadecimal values) you are searching for in the Text field.
You can use extended wildards in the search string to increase the flexibility
of the search.  Use back-quotes [`] around the text if you want to search for
characters which would otherwise be interpreted as wildcards, such as the
asterisk [*], question mark [?], or square brackets.  For example, to search
for an A, followed by some number of other characters, followed by a B, enter
the A*B as your search string.  To search for the literal string A*B (A,
followed by an asterisk, followed by B), enter `A*B` as your search string
search string (the closing back-quote is optional).

Enter the drive(s) you want to search in the Disks field. This field is ignored
unless Entire Disk is selected in the Search portion of the dialog.  If you
select All Hard Disks, this field is set automatically to include all hard disk
drive letters Take Command finds on your system.

The Match Case box, when it is selected, makes the search case- sensitive.  To
search for specific hexadecimal values (for example, to look for non-printing
characters), check Hex Search and enter the string in the Text field as a
series of one- or two-digit hexadecimal characters, separated by spaces (e.g.,
42 6F 70).  See the ASCII Table for hexadecimal values of ASCII and extended
ASCII characters.

If you enable All Lines, every line from every file that contains the search
text will be displayed.  If this option is not enabled, only the first line
from such a file will be displayed.

Unless you enable the Hidden Files option, files with the hidden attribute will
not be included in the search.

The radio buttons in the Search area let you specify where you want Take
Command to look for files.  If you select Dir Only or Dir & Subdirs, the search
will begin in the current default directory, shown above the Files box.  If you
select Entire Disk, Take Command will use the drives that you specified in the
Disks field.  If you select All Hard Disks, Take Command will search all the
hard disk drives it finds on your system.

To start the search, press the Find button.  Once the search has started the
Find button changes to a Stop button, which can use to interrupt the search
before it is finished.

Once Take Command has finished searching, you can save the list of matching
files with the Export button.

As you move the cursor over the list of matching files, information about each
file appears below the file list.  If you select one of the matching files in
the list (by double-clicking on it, or selecting it with the cursor and
pressing Enter), Take Command will display another dialog with complete
directory information about the file.

From this second dialog you can Run the file (if it is an executable file, a
batch file, or has an executable extension), display the file with the LIST
command, or Edit the file.  If you choose List, the cursor will be placed on
the first matching text within the file.  When you exit from LIST or the
editor, the original list of matching files will still be available.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.7. Descriptions Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This dialog allows you to create, modify, or delete file descriptions (if you
are not familiar with Take Command file descriptions, see the DESCRIBE command
for details).

A list of files in the current directory is shown in the pane on the left side
of the dialog.  As you move the cursor in the pane, the description for the
file (if any) is shown in the Description field.  You can use this field to
edit or create the selected file's description.

After changing a description you must press Enter (or select the OK button and
close the dialog) to record your changes on the disk. If you do not (for
example, if you change a description, then select another file without first
pressing Enter), your changes will be discarded.

If you click Cancel any changes to the current description are discarded, and
the dialog is closed.  Cancel does not undo previous changes which were saved
by pressing the Enter key as described above.

To delete a description, select the file, move to the description field and
delete all of the description text, then press Enter or click OK.

To work in a different drive or directory, use the Drive and/or Directory
fields on the right side of the dialog to select the desired location.

The dialog automatically includes all files in the list.  To select a specific
group of files of your own choosing, type a new filename in the Filename box.

File descriptions can also be entered or changed with the DESCRIBE command, and
are visible when you use the DIR and SELECT commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.8. Aliases Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The current list of aliases is shown in the pane on the left of this dialog
box.  As you move the cursor in the pane, the name of the alias under the
cursor is shown in the Name field and its definition is shown in the Value
field.  You can use these fields to edit the alias name or value.

To add a new alias to the list, use the Add button.  The Name and Value fields
will be cleared so you can enter new values in each.  To save the new entry,
switch to a different entry or press Enter.

The Delete button deletes the highlighted alias.

The Import button reads a list of aliases from a file (similar to the ALIAS /R
command).  The Export button writes the current list to a file.

Changes you make in this dialog are not saved in the alias list until you click
the OK button.  If you click Cancel the changes are discarded.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.4.4.9. Environment Dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The current environment variables are shown in the pane on the left of this
dialog box.  As you move the cursor in the pane, the name of each entry appears
in the Name field and its value appears in the Value field.  You can use these
fields to edit the environment entry.

To add a entry to the list, use the Add button.  The Name and Value fields will
be cleared so you can enter new values in each. To save the new entry, switch
to a different entry or press Enter.

The Delete button deletes the highlighted environment variable.

The Import button reads a list of environment variables from a file (similar to
the SET /R command).  The Export button writes the current list to a file.

Changes you make in this dialog are not saved in the environment until you
click the OK button.  If you click Cancel the changes are discarded.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.5. Scrollback Buffer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command retains the text displayed on its screen in a "scrollback buffer".

You can scroll through this buffer using the mouse and the vertical scroll bar
at the right side of the Take Command window, just as you can in any OS/2 GUI
application.

You can also use the up-arrow [] and down-arrow [] keys to scroll the display
one line at a time from the keyboard, and the PgUp and PgDn keys to scroll one
page at a time.

If you scroll back through the buffer to view previous output, and then enter
text on the command line, Take Command will automatically return to the bottom
of the buffer to display the text.

If you prefer to use the arrow and PgUp keys to access the command history (as
in 4DOS and 4OS2), see the SwapScrollKeys directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file, or
the corresponding option on the Command Line page of the configuration dialogs.
SwapScrollKeys switches the keystroke mapping so that the , , and PgUp Keys
manipulate the command history, and Ctrl-, Ctrl-, Ctrl-PgUp, and Ctrl-PgDn
are used to control the scrollback buffer.  For more details see Scrolling and
History Keystrokes.

You can set the size of the scrollback buffer on the Display page of the
configuration notebook (available from the Setup menu), or with the
ScreenBufSize directive in TCMDOS2.INI.

To clear the entire scrollback buffer, use the CLS /C command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.6. Resizing the Take Command Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can resize the Take Command window at any time with standard OS/2
techniques (e.g., by dragging a corner with the mouse).  Resizing the window
changes the number of rows and columns of text which will fit in the command
window (the actual number of rows and columns for any given window size depends
on the font you are using).  Take Command reacts to these changes using two
sets of rules:  one for the height and one for the width.

When the height of the command window changes, future commands simply use the
new height as you see it on the screen.  For example, if you reduce the window
to three rows high and do a DIR /P (display a directory of files and pause at
the bottom of each visual "page"), DIR will display two lines of output, a
prompt ("Press any key to continue..."), and then pause.  If you expand the
window to 40 lines high and repeat the same command, DIR will display 39 lines,
a prompt, and then pause.

However, when the width of the window changes, Take Command must check the
current "virtual screen width".  The virtual width is the maximum number of
characters on each line in Take Command's internal screen buffer.  You can
think of it as the width of the data which can be displayed in the Take Command
window, including an invisible portion to the right of the window's right-hand
edge.  When the virtual width is larger than the actual width, a standard
horizontal scroll bar is displayed to allow you to see any hidden output.

The screen height normally starts at 25 lines; you can alter this default with
the ScreenRows directive in the .INI file, or the Height setting on the Display
page of the configuration dialogs.  The _ROWS internal variable can be used to
determine the current screen height.

The virtual screen width starts at 80 columns or the number of columns which
fit into the startup Take Command window, whichever is larger.  You can alter
the default minimum width of 80 columns with the ScreenColumns directive in the
.INI file, or the Width setting on the Display page of the configuration
dialogs.  The _COLUMNS internal variable can be used to determine the current
virtual screen width.

If you use keyboard commands or the mouse to expand the Take Command window
beyond its previous virtual width, the virtual width is automatically
increased.  This ensures that the internal buffer can hold lines which will
fill the newly enlarged window.  If you contract the window, the virtual width
is not reduced because this might require removing output already on the screen
or in the scrollback buffer.

As a result, widening the window will make future commands use the new enlarged
size (for example, as the window is widened DIR /W, which displays a "wide"
directory listing, will display additional columns of file names). However, if
the window is narrowed future commands will still remember the enlarged virtual
width, and display data to the right of the window edge.  The horizontal scroll
bar will make this data visible.

When the font is changed, Take Command will recalculate the virtual screen
width.  The new virtual width will be the width set by the Screen Columns
directive or on the Display page of the configuration dialogs, or the current
width of the window in the new font, whichever is larger.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.7. Highlighting and Copying Text ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

While you are working at the Take Command prompt you can use common keystrokes
to edit commands, and use the OS/2 clipboard to copy text between Take Command
and other applications.  You can also select all of the text in the Take
Command screen buffer by using the Select All command on the Edit menu.

To copy text from the Take Command window to the clipboard, first use the mouse
to highlight the text, then press Ctrl-Ins, or use the Copy command on the Edit
menu.

If you double-click on a word in the Take Command window, the entire word is
highlighted or selected.  You can also mark the text using mouse button 2
(normally, the right mouse button); in this case the text will be copied to the
clipboard immediately when you release the mouse button.

To highlight text on the command line use the Shift key in conjunction with the
Left, Right, Ctrl-Left, Ctrl-Right, Home, and End cursor movement keys.  The
Del key will delete any highlighted text on the command line, or you can type
new text to replace the highlighted text.

While the Take Command window contains text, it is not a document window like
those used by word processors and other similar software, and you cannot move
the cursor throughout the window as you can in text processing programs.  As a
result, you cannot use the OS/2 shortcut keys like Shift-Left or Shift-Right to
highlight text in the window.  These keys work only at the command line; to
highlight text elsewhere in the window you must use the mouse.

To copy text from the clipboard to the command line use Shift-Ins, or the Paste
command on the Edit menu.

To paste text from elsewhere in the Take Command window directly onto the
command line, highlight the text with the mouse and press Ctrl-Shift- Ins, or
use the Copy+Paste command on the Edit menu.  This is equivalent to
highlighting the text and pressing Ctrl-Ins followed by Shift-Ins.  It's a
convenient way to copy a filename from a previous DIR or other command directly
to the command line.

You should use caution when pasting text containing carriage return or line
feed characters onto the command line.  If the text you insert contains one of
these characters the command line will be executed just as if you had pressed
Enter.  If you insert multiple lines, the text will be treated just like
multiple lines of commands typed at the prompt.

You can also use OS/2's Drag and Drop facility to paste a filename from another
application onto the command line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.8. Using Drag and Drop ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command is compatible with the OS/2 Drag-and-Drop facility.

To add a filename to the command line using drag and drop, simply drag the file
from another application using the mouse and release the mouse button with the
file icon anywhere inside the Take Command window.  The full name of the file
will be pasted onto the command line at the current cursor position.

Take Command is a drag and drop "client," which means it can accept files
dragged in from other applications and paste their names onto the command line
as described above.  It is not a drag and drop "server," so you cannot drag
filenames from the Take Command window into other applications.  However, you
can copy filenames and other text from the Take Command screen to other
applications using the clipboard; see Highlighting and Copying Text for
details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.9. Cursor Display on LCD Screens ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If you use a laptop or LCD screen and find the "I-Beam" cursor in the Take
Command window difficult to see, use an IBeamCursor = No directive in the
[TakeCommand] section of TCMDOS2.INI to force the use of an arrow cursor in all
parts of the window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1.10. Take Command for 4DOS and 4OS2 Users ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If you're a 4DOS or 4OS2 user, many of the features in Take Command will seem
very familiar.  Because the underlying command processing in Take Command is
based on 4DOS and 4OS2, you'll find the features of those products are readily
accessible.  All the commands and switches you're familiar with work the same
way and have the same meaning in Take Command; the only exceptions are those
that don't make sense in the OS/2 GUI environment.

Other 4DOS and 4OS2 features are included in Take Command as well -- you'll
find support for command line editing, command and directory histories,
aliases, .BTM files, and virtually all the other features you already know.

Even if you've never used 4DOS or 4OS2, you'll notice plenty of familiar items
in Take Command.  Like these products, Take Command is compatible with the
default OS/2 command processor (CMD.EXE), which you've probably used from the
objects in the OS/2 Command Prompts folder.

There are also a few differences between running under 4DOS and 4OS2 (or
CMD.EXE) and running under Take Command.

In order to support the Take Command screen scrollback buffer, some Take
Command keystrokes are different from what you may be used to in 4DOS or 4OS2.
See Scrolling and History Keystrokes for more details.

Some command-line editing defaults have also been changed to conform more
closely to OS/2 GUI conventions.  In Take Command the default editing mode is
insert, not overstrike, and the default insert-mode cursor is a line, not a
block.  You can change these defaults with statements in TCMDOS2.INI or via the
Command Line page of the configuration notebook, accessible from the Setup
menu.

Before using your 4DOS or 4OS2 batch files and aliases under Take Command, see
Using 4OS2 Batch Files and Aliases.

What's new in Take Command are OS/2 GUI-related features, including:

        *   A built-in scrollback buffer that lets you look back through the
            output from past commands.

        *   A standard menu bar for access to many commonly-used Take Command
            features.

        *   A status bar showing memory and resource usage.

        *   A customizable tool bar that gives you quick access to commands and
            applications.

        *   Dialogs, accessible from the Options and Utilities menus, for
            editing environment variables, aliases, file descriptions, and
            startup parameters (the TCMDOS2.INI file).

        *   High-speed, dialog-based file and text search (see "Search
            Files/Text" on the Utilities menu). The new FFIND command gives you
            the same capabilities at the Take Command prompt.

        *   Commands like ACTIVATE, MSGBOX, and QUERYBOX that allow you to use
            OS/2 features and control OS/2 applications from your batch files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Using the Command Line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command displays a [c:\] prompt when it is waiting for you to enter a
command.  (The actual text depends on the current drive and directory as well
as your PROMPT settings.)  This is called the command line and the prompt is
asking you to enter a command, an alias or batch file name, or the instructions
necessary to begin an application program.

This section explains the features that will help you while you are typing in
commands and how keystrokes are interpreted when you enter them at the command
line.  The keystrokes discussed here are the ones normally used by Take
Command.  If you prefer using different keystrokes to perform these functions,
you can assign new ones with key mapping directives in the .INI file.

The command line features documented in this section are:

            Command-Line Editing
            Command History and Recall
            Command History Window
            Command Names and Parameters
            Filename Completion
            Automatic Directory Changes
            Directory History Window (includes details about local and global
            directory histories)
            Multiple Commands
            Expanding and Disabling Aliases
            Command-Line Length Limits

 Additional command-line features are documented under File Selection,
 Directory Navigation, and Other Features.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.1. Command-Line Editing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The command line works like a single-line word processor, allowing you to edit
any part of the command at any time before you press Enter to execute it, or
Esc to erase it.  The command line extends to a maximum of 1023 characters.

You can use the following editing keys when you are typing a command (the words
Ctrl and Shift mean to press the Ctrl Or Shift key together with the other key
named):

Cursor Movement Keys:

                       Move the cursor left one character.
                       Move the cursor right one character.
        Ctrl-          Move the cursor left one word.
        Ctrl-          Move the cursor right one word.
        Home            Move the cursor to the beginning of the line.
        End             Move the cursor to the end of the line.

 Insert and Delete:

        Ins             Toggle between insert and overtype mode.
        Del             Delete the character at the cursor.
        Backspace       Delete the character to the left of the cursor.
        Ctrl-          Delete the word or partial word to the left of the
                        cursor.
        Ctrl-          or Ctrl-Bksp  Delete the word or partial word to the
                        right of the cursor.
        Ctrl-Home       Delete from the beginning of the line to the cursor.
        Ctrl-End        Delete from the cursor to the end of the line.
        Esc             Delete the entire line.
        Shift-Ins       Insert the text from the clipboard at the current
                        cursor postion on the command line.
        Ctrl-Shift-Ins  Insert the highlighed text (from anywhere in the
                        window) at the current cursor postion on the command
                        line.

 Execution:

        Ctrl-C          or Ctrl-Break  Cancel the command line.
        Enter           Execute the command line.

 To highlight text on the command line use the mouse, or hold down the Shift
 key and use any of the cursor movement keys listed above.  You can select a
 complete word by placing the cursor anywhere in the word and double-clicking
 with the mouse.

 Once you have selected or highlighted text on the command line, any new text
 you type will replace the highlighted text.  If you press Bksp or Del while
 there is text highlighted on the command line, the highlighted text will be
 deleted.

 While you are working at the Take Command prompt, you can use the OS/2
 clipboard to copy text between Take Command and other applications (see
 Highlighting and Copying Text.  You can also use Drag and Drop to paste a
 filename from another application onto the command line.

 Most of the command-line editing capabilities are also available when Take
 Command prompts you for a line of input.  For example, you can use the
 command-line editing keys when DESCRIBE prompts for a file description, when
 INPUT prompts for input from an alias or batch file, or when LIST prompts you
 for a search string.

 If you want your input at the command line to be in a different color from the
 command processor's prompts or output, you can use the Display page of the
 configuration notebook, or the InputColors directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 Take Command will prompt for additional command-line text when you include the
 escape character as the very last character of a typed command line.  The
 default escape character is the caret [^].  For example:

          [c:\] echo The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy^
          More? sleeping dog. > alphabet

 Sometimes you may want to enter one of the command line editing  keystrokes on
 the command line instead of performing the key's usual action.  For example,
 suppose you have a program that requires a Ctrl-R character on its command
 line.  Normally you couldn't type this keystroke at the prompt, because it
 would be interpreted as a "Delete word right" command.

 To get around this problem, use the special keystroke Alt-255.  You enter
 Alt-255 by holding down the Alt key while you type 255 on the numeric keypad,
 then releasing the Alt key (you must use the number keys on the numeric pad;
 the row of keys at the top of your keyboard won't work).  This forces Take
 Command to interpret the next keystroke literally and places it on the command
 line, ignoring any special meaning it would normally have as a command-line
 editing or history keystroke. You can use Alt-255 to suppress the normal
 meaning of command-line editing keystrokes even if they have been reassigned
 with key mapping directives in the TCMDOS2.INI file, and Alt-255 itself can be
 reassigned with the CommandEscape directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.2. Command History and Recall ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each time you execute a command, the entire command line is saved in a command
history list.  You can display the saved commands, search the list, modify
commands, and rerun commands.  The command history is available at the command
prompt and in a special command history window.

Command History Keys:

        Ctrl-          Recall the previous (or most recent) command, or the
                        most recent command that matches a partial command
                        line.
        Ctrl-          Recall the next (or oldest) command, or the oldest
                        command that matches a partial command line.
        F3              Fill in the rest of the command line from the previous
                        command, beginning at the current cursor position.
        Ctrl-D          Delete the currently displayed history list entry,
                        erase the command line, and display the previous
                        (matching) history list entry.
        Ctrl-E          Display the last entry in the history list.
        Ctrl-K          Save the current command line in the history list
                        without executing it, and then clear the command line.
        Ctrl-Enter      Copy the current command line to the end of the history
                        list even it has not been altered, then execute it.
        @               As the first character in a line: Do not save the
                        current line in the history list when it is executed,
                        and do not store it in the CMDLINE environment
                        variable.

 Use the Ctrl- key repeatedly to scan back through the history list.  When the
 desired command appears, press Enter to execute it again.  After you have
 found a command, you can edit it before pressing Enter.

 The history list is normally "circular".  If you move to the last command in
 the list and then press the Ctrl- one more time, you'll see the first command
 in the list.  Similarly, if you move to the first command in the list and then
 press the Ctrl- one more time, you'll see the last command in the list.  You
 can disable this feature and make command history recall stop at the beginning
 or end of the list by turning off History Wrap on the Command Line 1 page of
 the configuration notebook, or setting HistWrap to No in TCMDOS2.INI.

 If you prefer to use the arrow keys to access the command history with having
 to press Ctrl (as in 4OS2 and 4DOS), see the SwapScrollKeys directive in
 TCMDOS2.INI, or the corresponding option on the Command Line 1 page of the
 configuration notebook.  SwapScrollKeys switches the keystroke mapping so that
 the , , and PgUp keys manipulate the command history, and Ctrl-, Ctrl-,
 Ctrl-PgUp, and Ctrl-PgDn are used to control the scrollback buffer.  For more
 details see Scrolling and History Keystrokes.

 You can search the command history list to find a previous command quickly
 using command completion.

 Just enter the first few characters of the command you want to find and press
 Ctrl-.  You only need to enter enough characters to identify the command that
 you want to find.  If you press the Ctrl-  key a second time, you will see
 the previous command that matches.  The system will beep if there are no
 matching commands.  The search process stops as soon as you type one of the
 editing keys, whether or not the line is changed.  At that point, the line
 you're viewing becomes the new line to match if you press Ctrl- again.

 You can specify the size of the command history list on the Startup page of
 the Configuration notebook, or with the History directive in TCMDOS2.INI.
 When the list is full, the oldest commands are discarded to make room for new
 ones.  You can also use the Command Line 1 page of the configuration notebook
 HistMin directive in the .INI file to enable or disable history saves and to
 specify the shortest command line that will be saved.

 When you execute a command from the history, that command remains in the
 history list in its original position.  The command is not copied to the end
 of the list (unless you modify it).  If you want each command to be copied or
 moved to the end of the list when it is re-executed, set HistCopy or HistMove
 to Yes in TCMDOS2.INI or select Copy to End or Move to End on the Command Line
 1 page of the configuration notebook.  If you select either of these options,
 the list entry identified as "current" (the entry from which commands are
 retrieved when you press Ctrl-Up Arrow) is also adjusted to refer to the end
 of the history list after each recalled command is executed.

 Local and Global Command History

 The command history can be stored in either a "local" or "global" list.

 With a local history list, any changes made to the history will only affect
 the current copy of Take Command.  They will not be visible in other shells,
 or other sessions.

 With a global history list, all copies of Take Command will share the same
 command history, and any changes made to the history in one copy will affect
 all other copies.  Global lists are the default for Take Command.  You can
 control the type of history list with the LocalHistory directive in
 TCMDOS2.INI, and with the /L and /LH options of the START command.

 If you select a global history list for Take Command you can share the history
 among all copies of Take Command running in any session.  When you close all
 Take Command sessions, the memory for the global history list is released, and
 a new, empty history list is created the next time you start Take Command.

 If you want the command history to be retained in memory even when no Take
 Command session is running, see the SHRALIAS command, which retains the global
 alias, command history, and directory history lists.

 SHRALIAS retains the command history in memory, but cannot preserve it when
 OS/2 itself is shut down.  To save history list when restarting OS/2, you must
 store it in a file and reload it after the system restarts.  For details on
 how to do so, see the HISTORY command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2.3. Command History Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can view the command history in a scrollable command history window, and
select the command to re-execute or modify from those displayed in the window.

Command History Window Keys:

        Ctrl-PgUp       (from the command line)  Open the command history
                        window.
         or Ctrl-PgDn
                       Scroll the display up one line.
                       Scroll the display down one line.
                       Scroll the display left 4 columns.
                       Scroll the display right 4 columns.
        PgUp            Scroll the display up one page.
        PgDn            Scroll the display down one page.
        Ctrl-PgUp       Go to the beginning of the history list.
         or Home
        Ctrl-PgDn       Go to the end of the history list.
         or End
        Ctrl-D          Delete the selected line from the history list.
        Enter           Execute the selected line.
        Ctrl-Enter      Move the selected line to the command line for editing.
         or Ctrl-Double Click

 To activate the command history window press Ctrl-PgUp or Ctrl-PgDn at the
 command line.  A window will appear in the upper right corner of the screen,
 with the command you most recently executed marked with a highlight. (If you
 just finished re-executing a command from the history, then the next command
 in sequence will be highlighted.)

 Once you have selected a command in the history window, press Enter or
 double-click with the mouse to execute it immediately.  Press Ctrl- Enter or
 hold down the Ctrl key while you double-click with the mouse to move the line
 to the prompt for editing (you cannot edit the line directly in the history
 window).

 You can view a "filtered" history window by typing some characters on the
 command line, then pressing Ctrl-PgUp or Ctrl-PgDn. Only those commands
 matching the typed characters will be displayed in the window.

 See Popup Windows for information on customizing window position and size.

 If you prefer to use the PgUp key to access the command history without having
 to press Ctrl (as in 4OS2 and 4DOS), see the SwapScrollKeys directive in
 TCMDOS2.INI, or the corresponding option on the Command Line page of the
 configuration notebook. SwapScrollKeys switches the keystroke mapping so that
 the  and PgUp keys manipulate the command history, and Ctrl-, Ctrl-,
 Ctrl-PgUp, and Ctrl-PgDn are used to control the scrollback buffer.  For more
 details see Scrolling and History Keystrokes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. Command Names and Parameters ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you enter a command you type its name at the prompt, followed by a space
and any parameters for the command.  For example, all of these could be valid
commands:

      [c:\] dir
      [c:\] copy file1 file2 d:\
      [c:\] f:\util\mapmem /v
      [c:\] "c:\my programs\jp software\take command\tcmdos2.exe" /l

The last three commands above include both a command name, and one or more
parameters.  There are no spaces within the command name (except in quoted file
names), but there is a space between the command name and any parameeters, and
there are spaces between the parameters.

Some commands may work when parameters are entered directly after the command
(without an intervening space, e.g. dir/p), or when several parameters are
entered without spaces between them (e.g. dir /2/p). A very few older programs
may even require this approach.  However leaving out spaces in this way is
usually technically incorrect, and is not recommended as a general practice, as
it may not work for all commands.

If the command name includes a path, the elements must be separated with
backslashes (e.g. f:\util\mapmem).  If you are accustomed to Unix syntax where
forward slashes are used in command paths, and want Take Command to recognize
this approach, you can set UnixPaths to Yes in TCMDOS2.INI.

For more information on command entry see Multiple Commands and Command-Line
Length Limits.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.1. Filename Completion ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Filename completion can help you by filling in a complete file name on the
command line when you only remember or woant to type part of the name. Filename
completion can be used at the command line, which is explained here, and in a
filename completion window.

Filename Completion Keys:

        F8                  Get the previous matching filename.
         or Shift-Tab
        F9                  Get the next matching filename.
         or Tab
        Ctrl-Shift-Tab      Keep the current matching filename and display the
                            next matching name immediately after the current
                            one.
         or F11

 For example, if you know the name of a file begins AU but you can't remember
 the rest of the name, type:

          [c:\] copy au

 and then press the Tab key or F9 key.  Take Command will search the current
 directory for filenames that begin AU and insert the first one onto the
 command line in place of the AU that you typed.

 If this is the file that you want, simply complete the command.  If Take
 Command didn't find the file that you were looking for, press Tab or F9 again
 to substitute the next filename that begins with AU.  When there are no more
 filenames that match your pattern, the system will beep each time you press
 Tab or F9.

 If you go past the filename that you want, press Shift-Tab or F8 to back up
 and return to the previous matching filename.  After you back up to the first
 filename, the system will beep each time you press Shift-Tab or F8.

 If you want to enter more than one matching filename on the same command line,
 press Ctrl-Shift-Tab or F11 when each desired name appears.  This will keep
 that name and place the next matching filename after it on the command line.
 You can then use Tab (or F9) and Shift-Tab (or F8) and Ctrl-Shift-Tab (or F11)
 to move through the remaining matching files.

 The pattern you use for matching may contain any valid filename characters, as
 well as wildcard characters and extended wildcards.  For example, you can copy
 the first matching .TXT file by typing

          [c:\] copy *.txt

 and then pressing Tab.

 If you don't specify part of a filename before pressing Tab, the matching
 pattern will be *.*.  If you type a filename without an extension, Take
 Command will add "*.*" to the name.  It will also place a "*" after a partial
 extension.  If you are typing a group of file names in an Include Lists, the
 part of the include list at the cursor will be used as the pattern to match.

 When filename completion is used at the start of the command line, it will
 only match directories, executable files, and files with executable extensions
 , since these are the only file names that it makes sense to use at the start
 of a command.  If a directory is found, a "\" will be appended to it to enable
 an automatic directory change.

 Several topics are related to filename completion.  See

             Appending Backslashes to Directory Names
             Customizing Filename Completion
             Filename Completion Window


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.1.1. Appending Backslashes to Directory Names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If you set the AppendToDir directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file, or the
corresponding option on the Command Line 1 page of the configuration dialogs,
Take Command will add a trailing backslash [\] to all directory names.  This
feature can be especially handy if you use filename completion to specify files
that are not in the current directory -- a succession of Tab (or F9) and
Ctrl-Shift-Tab keystrokes can build a complete path to the file you want to
work with.

The following example shows the use of this technique to edit the file
C:\DATA\FINANCE\MAPS.DAT.  The lines which include "<F9>" show where F9 (or
Tab) is pressed; the other lines show how the command line appears after the
previous F9 or Tab (the example is displayed on several lines here, but all
appears at a single command prompt when you actually perform the steps):

        1  [c:\] edit \da <F9>
        2  [c:\] edit \data\
        3  [c:\] edit \data\f <F9>
        4  [c:\] edit \data\frank.doc <F9>
        5  [c:\] edit \data\finance\
        6  [c:\] edit \data\finance\map <F9>
        7  [c:\] edit \data\finance\maps.dat

Note that F9 was pressed twice in succession on lines 3 and 4, because the file
name displayed on line 3 was not what was needed Ч we were looking for the
FINANCE directory, which came up the second time F9 was pressed.  In this
example, filename completion saves about half the keystrokes that would be
required to type the name in full.  If you are using long file or directory
names, the savings can be much greater.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.1.2. Customizing Filename Completion ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can customize filename completion for any internal or external command or
alias.  This allows the command processor to display filenames intelligently
based on the command you are entering.  For example, you might want to see only
.TXT files when you use filename completion in the EDIT command.

To customize filename completion you can use the Command Line 1 page of the
configuration dialogs, or set the FileCompletion directive manually in the
TCMDOS2.INI file.  You can also use the FILECOMPLETION environment variable.
If you use both, the environment variable will override the settings in your
.INI file.  You may find it useful to use the environment variable for
experimenting, then create permanent settings with the configuration dialogs or
the FileCompletion directive.

The format for both the environment variable and the TCMDOS2.INI file is:

        cmd1:ext1 ext2 ...; cmd2: ...

where "cmd" is a command name and "ext" is a file extension (which may include
wildcards) or one of the following file types:

        DIRS        Directories
        RDONLY      Read-only files
        HIDDEN      Hidden files
        SYSTEM      System files
        ARCHIVE     Files modified since the last backup

 The command name is the internal command, alias command, or executable file
 name (without a path).  For example, to have file completion return only
 directories for the CD command and only .C and .ASM files for a Windows editor
 called WinEdit, you would use this setting for filename completion in the
 configuration dialogs:

          FileCompletion=cd:dirs; winedit:c asm

 To set the same values using the environment variable, you would use this
 line:

          [c:\] set filecompletion=cd:dirs; winedit:c asm

 With this setting in effect, if you type "CD " and then pressed Tab, Take
 Command will return only directories, not files.  If you type "B " and press
 Tab, you will see only names of .C and .ASM files.

 Take Command does not check your command line for aliases before matching the
 commands for customized file completion.  Instead, it ignores any path or file
 extension information in the first word of the command, and then searches the
 FILECOMPLETION environment variable and the FileCompletion directive the
 TCMDOS2.INI file to find a match that will limit the files selected for
 filename completion


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.1.3. Filename Completion Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can view filenames in a scrollable filename completion window and select
the file you want to work with.  To activate the window, press F7 or Ctrl-Tab
at the command line. You will see a window in the upper-right corner of the
screen, with a sorted list of files that match any partial filename you have
entered on the command line.  If you haven't yet entered a file name, the
window will contain the name of all files in the current directory.  You can
search for a name by typing the first few characters; see Popup Windows for
details. (Ctrl-Tab will work only if your keyboard and keyboard driver support
it.  If it does not work on your system, use F7 instead.)

See Popup Windows for information on customizing window position and size.

Filename Completion Window Keys:

        F7                  (from the command line)  Open the filename
                            completion window.
         or Ctrl-Tab
                           Scroll the display up one line.
                           Scroll the display down one line.
                            Scroll the display left 4 columns.
                            Scroll the display right 4 columns.
        PgUp                Scroll the display up one page.
        PgDn                Scroll the display down one page.
        Ctrl-PgUp           Go to the beginning of the filename list.
         or Home
        Ctrl-PgDn           Go to the end of the filename list.
         or End
        Enter               Insert the selected filename into the command line.
         or Double click


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.2. Automatic Directory Changes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

[Automatic directory changes are part of a set of comprehensive directory
navigation features built into Take Command.  For a summary of these features,
and more information on the Extended Directory Searches and CDPATH features
mentioned below, see the Directory Navigation section.]

The automatic directory change feature lets you change directories quickly from
the command prompt, without entering an explicit CD or CDD command.  To do so,
simply type the name of the directory you want to change to at the prompt, with
a backslash [\] at the end.  For example:

        [c:\] tcmd\
        [c:\tcmd]

This feature can make directory changes very simple when it's combined with
Extended Directory Searches or CDPATH.  If you have enabled either of those
features, Take Command will use them in searching for any directory you change
to with an automatic directory change (see Directory Navigation for more
information on CDPATH and Extended Directory Searches).

For example, suppose Extended Directory Searches are enabled, and the directory
WIN exists on drive E:.  You can change to this directory with a single word on
the command line:

        [c:\tcmd] win\
        [e:\win]

(Depending on the way Extended Directory Changes are configured, and the number
of subdirectories on your disk whose names contain the string WIN, when you
execute such a command you may see an immediate change as shown above, or a
popup window which contains a list of subdirectories named WIN to choose from.)

The text before the backslash can include a drive letter, a full path, a
partial path, or a UNC name. Commands like "....\" can be used to move up the
directory tree quickly (see Extended Parent Directory Names). Automatic
directory changes save the current directory, so it can be recalled with a "CDD
-" or "CD -" command.  For example, any of the following are valid automatic
directory change entries:

        [c:\] d:\data\finance\
        [c:\] archives\
        [c:\] ...\util\os2\
        [c:\] \\server\vol1\george\

The first and last examples change to the named directory.  The second changes
to the ARCHIVES subdirectory of the current directory, and the third changes to
the UTIL\OS2 subdirectory of the directory which is two levels "up" from the
current directory in the tree.


═══ 2.3.3.  Directory History Window ═══

[The directory history window is part of a set of compreshensive directory
navigation features built into Take Command.  For a summary of thse features,
and more information on enhanced directory navigation features, see Directory
Navigation.]

Directory History Window Keys:

        F6              Open the directory history window.
                       Scroll the display up one line.
                       Scroll the display down one line.
                        Scroll the display left 4 columns.
                        Scroll the display right 4 columns.
        PgUp            Scroll the display up one page.
        PgDn            Scroll the display down one page.
        Ctrl-PgUp       Go to the beginning of the directory list.
         or Home
        Ctrl-PgDn       Go to the end of the directory list.
         or End
        Ctrl-D          Delete the selected line from the directory list.
        Enter           Change to the selected drive and directory.
        Ctrl-Enter      Move the selected line to the command line for editing.

 See Popup Windows for information on customizing window position and size.

 The current directory is recorded automatically in the directory history list
 just before each change to a new directory or drive.

 You can view the directory history from a directory history window and change
 to any drive and directory on the list.  To activate the directory history
 window, press F6 at the command line.  You can then select a new directory
 with the Enter key or by double-clicking with the mouse.

 If the directory history list becomes full, old entries are deleted to make
 room for new ones.  You can set the size of the list from the Startup page of
 the configuration dialogs, or with the DirHistory directive in the TCMDOS2.INI
 file or with the corresponding itmes on the Startup and Command Line pages of
 the configuration notebook.  You can change the keys used in the window with
 key mapping directives in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 In order to conserve space, each directory name is recorded just once in the
 directory history, even if you move into and out of that directory several
 times.  The directory history can be stored in either a "local" or "global"
 list; see below for details.

 When you switch directories the original directory is saved in the directory
 history list, regardless of whether you change directories at the command
 line, from within a batch file, or from within an alias.  However, directory
 changes made by external directory navigation utilities or other external
 programs are not recorded by Take Command.

 Local and Global Directory History

 The directory history can be stored in either a local or global list.

 With a local directory history list, any changes made to the list will only
 affect the current Take Command session.  They will not be visible in other
 sessions.

 With a global list, all Take Command sessions will share the same directory
 history, and any changes made to the list in one copy will affect all other
 copies.  Global lists are the default.

 You can control the type of directory history list with the LocalDirHistory
 directive in TCMDOS2.INI and with the /L and /LD options of the START command.

 When you close all Take Command sessions, the memory for the global directory
 history list is released, and a new, empty directory history list is created
 the next time you start Take Command.  If you want the directory histy list to
 be retained in memory even when no copy Take Command is running, you need to
 execute the SHRALIAS command, which performs this service for the global
 command history, directory history, and alias lists.

 There is no fixed rule for deciding whether to use a local or global directory
 history list.  Depending on your work style, you may find it most convenient
 to use one type, or a mixture of types in different sessions.  We recommend
 that you start with a global directory history, then modify it if you find a
 situation where the default is not convenient.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.4. Multiple Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can type several commands on the same command line, separated by an
ampersand [&].  For example, if you know you want to copy all of your .TXT
files to drive A: and then run CHKDSK to be sure that drive A's file structure
is in good shape, you could enter the following command:

        [c:\] copy *.txt a: & chkdsk a:

You may put as many commands on the command line as you wish, as long as the
total length of the command line does not exceed 1023 characters.

You can use multiple commands in alias definitions and batch files and as well
as from the command line.

If you don't like using the default command separator, you can pick another
character using the SETDOS /C command or the CommandSep directive in the
TCMDOS2.INI file.  If you plan to share aliases or batch files between Take
Command and 4DOS, 4OS2, or 4NT, see Special Character Compatibility for details
about choosing compatible command separators for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.5. Expanding and Disabling Aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A few command line options are specifically related aliases, and are documened
briefly here for completeness.  If you are not familiar with alises, see
Aliases and the ALIAS command for complete details.

You can expand an alias on the command line and view or edit the results by
pressing Ctrl-F before the command is executed.  Doing so is especially useful
when you are developing and debugging a complex alias or if you want to make
sure that an alias that you may have forgotten won't change the intent of your
command.

At times, you may want to temporarily disable an alias that you have defined.
To do so, precede the command with an asterisk [*].  For example, if you have
an alias for DIR which changes the display format, you can use the following
command to bypass the alias and display the directory in the standard format:

        [c:\] *dir


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.6. Command-Line Length Limits ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you first enter a command at the prompt or in an alias or batch file, it
can be up to 1,023 characters long.

As Take Command scans the command line and substitutes the contents of aliases
and environment variables for their names, the line usually gets longer.  This
expanded line is stored in an internal buffer which allows each individual
command to grow to 1,023 characters during the expansion process.

In addition, if you have multiple commands on a single line, during expansion
the entire line can grow to as much as 2,047 characters.  If your use of
aliases or environment variables causes the command line to exceed either of
these limits as it is expanded, you will see a "Command line too long" error
message and the remainder of the line will not be executed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4. File Selection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most internal commands (like COPY, DIR, etc.) work on a file or a group of
files.  Besides typing the exact name of the file you want to work with, you
can use several shorthand forms for naming or selecting files and the
applications associated with them.

Most of these features apply to Take Command commands only, and can not be used
to pass file names to external programs unless those programs were specifically
written to support these features.

The file selection features are:

    Extended Parent Directory Names
    Wildcards
    Date, Time, and Size Ranges
    File Exclusion Ranges
    Multiple Filenames
    Include Lists
    Executable Extensions


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.1. Extended Parent Directory Names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command allows you to extend the traditional syntax for naming the parent
directory, by adding additional [.] characters.  Each additional [.] represents
an additional directory level above the current directory.  For example,
.\FILE.DAT refers to a file in the current directory, ..\FILE.DAT refers to a
file one level up (in the parent directory), and ...\FILE.DAT refers to a file
two levels up (in the parent of the parent directory). If you are in the
C:\DATA\FINANCE\JANUARY directory and want to copy the file LETTERS.DAT from
the directory C:\DATA to drive A:

        [C:\DATA\FINANCE\JANUARY] copy ...\LETTERS.DAT A:


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.2. Wildcards ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Wildcards let you specify a file or group of files by typing a partial
filename.  The appropriate directory is scanned to find all of the files that
match the partial name you have specified.

Wildcards are usually used to specify which files should be processed by a
command.  If you need to specify which files should not be processed see File
Exclusion Ranges (for internal commands), or EXCEPT (for external commands).

Most internal commands accept filenames with wildcards anywhere that a full
filename can be used.  There are two wildcard characters, the asterisk [*] and
the question mark [?], plus a special method of specifying a range of
permissible characters.

An asterisk [*] in a filename means "any zero or more characters in this
position."  For example, this command will display a list of all files in the
current directory:

        [c:\] dir *.*

If you want to see all of the files with a .TXT extension, you could type this:

        [c:\] dir *.txt

If you know that the file you are looking for has a base name that begins with
ST and an extension that begins with .D, you can find it this way. Filenames
such as STATE.DAT, STEVEN.DOC, and ST.D will all be displayed:

        [c:\] dir st*.d*

Take Command also lets you use the asterisk to match filenames with specific
letters somewhere inside the name.  The following example will display any file
with a .TXT extension that has the letters AM together anywhere inside its base
name.  It will, for example, display AMPLE.TXT, STAMP.TXT, CLAM.TXT, and
AM.TXT:

        [c:\] dir *am*.txt

A question mark [?] matches any single filename character.  You can put the
question mark anywhere in a filename and use as many question marks as you
need.  The following example will display files with names like LETTER.DOC,
LATTER.DAT, and LITTER.DU:

        [c:\] dir l?tter.d??

The use of an asterisk wildcard before other characters, and of the character
ranges discussed below, are enhancements to the standard wildcard syntax, and
are not likely to work properly with software other than Take Command, 4DOS,
4OS2, and 4NT.

Advanced Wildcards

"Extra" question marks in your wildcard specification are ignored if the file
name is shorter than the wildcard specification.  For example, if you have
files called LETTER.DOC, LETTER1.DOC, and LETTERA.DOC, this command will
display all three names:

        [c:\] dir letter?.doc

The file LETTER.DOC is included in the display because the "extra" question
mark at the end of "LETTER?" is ignored when matching the shorter name LETTER.

In some cases, the question mark wildcard may be too general.  You can also
specify what characters you want to accept (or exclude) in a particular
position in the filename by using square brackets. Inside the brackets, you can
put the individual acceptable characters or ranges of characters.  For example,
if you wanted to match LETTER0.DOC through LETTER9.DOC, you could use this
command:

        [c:\] dir letter[0-9].doc

You could find all files that have a vowel as the second letter in their name
this way.  This example also demonstrates how to mix the wildcard characters:

        [c:\] dir ?[aeiouy]*.*

You can exclude a group of characters or a range of characters by using an
exclamation mark [!] as the first character inside the brackets. This example
displays all filenames that are at least 2 characters long except those which
have a vowel as the second letter in their names:

        [c:\] dir ?[!aeiouy]*.*

The next example, which selects files such as AIP, BIP, and TIP but not NIP,
demonstrates how you can use multiple ranges inside the brackets.  It will
accept a file that begins with an A, B, C, D, T, U, or V:

        [c:\] dir [a-dt-v]ip

You may use a question mark character inside the brackets, but its meaning is
slightly different than a normal (unbracketed) question mark wildcard.  A
normal question mark wildcard matches any character, but will be ignored when
matching a name shorter than the wildcard specification, as described above. A
question mark inside brackets will match any character, but will not be
discarded when matching shorter filenames.  For example:

        [c:\] dir letter[?].doc

will display LETTER1.DOC and LETTERA.DOC, but not LETTER.DOC.

A pair of brackets with no characters between them [], or an exclamation point
and question mark together [!?], will match only if there is no character in
that position.  For example,

        [c:\] dir letter[].doc

will not display LETTER1.DOC or LETTERA.DOC, but will display LETTER.DOC.  This
is most useful for commands like

        [c:\] dir /I"[]" *.btm

which will display a list of all .BTM files which don't have a description,
because the empty brackets match only an empty description string (DIR /I
selects files to display based on their descriptions).

You can repeat any of the wildcard characters in any combination you desire
within a single file name.  For example, the following command lists all files
which have an A, B, or C as the third character, followed by zero or more
additional characters, followed by a D, E, or F, followed optionally by some
additional characters, and with an extension beginning with P or Q.  You
probably won't need to do anything this complex, but we've included it to show
you the flexibility of extended wildcards:

        [c:\] dir ??[abc]*[def]*.[pq]*

You can also use the square bracket wildcard syntax to work around a conflict
between HPFS filenames containing semicolons [;], and the use of a semicolon to
indicate an include list . For example, if you have a file on an HPFS drive
named C:\DATA\LETTER1;V2 and you enter this command:

        [c:\] del \data\letter1;v2

you will not get the results you expect.  Instead of deleting the named file,
Take Command will attempt to delete LETTER1 and then V2, because the semicolon
indicates an include list.  However, if you use square brackets around the
semicolon it will be interpreted as a filename character, and not as an include
list separator.  For example, this command would delete the file named above:

        [c:\] del \data\letter1[;]v2


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.3. Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

            Date, Time, and Size Ranges
            File Exclusion Ranges


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.3.1. Date, Time, and Size Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most internal commands which accept wildcards also allow date, time, and size
ranges to further define the files that you wish to work with.  Take Command
will examine each file's size and timestamps (a record of when the file was
created, last modified, or last accessed) to determine which files meet the
range criteria that you have specified.

(Take Command for OS/2 also supports File Exclusion Ranges to exclude files
from a command.  These are similar to date, time, and size ranges, but have a
slightly different purpose and therefore are documented separately.)

A range begins with the switch character (/), followed by a left square bracket
("[") and a character that specifies the range type:  "s" for a size range, "d"
for a date range, or "t" for a time range.  The "s", "d", or "t" is followed by
a start value, and an optional comma and end value.  The range ends with a
right square bracket ("]").  For example, to select files between 100 and 200
bytes long you could use the range /[s100,200].

See the individual range types for details on specifying ranges:

    Date Ranges
    Time Ranges
    Size Ranges

Using Ranges

All ranges are inclusive.  For example, a size range which selects files from
10,000 to 20,000 bytes long will match files that are exactly 10,000 bytes and
20,000 bytes long, as well as all sizes in between; a date range that selects
files last modified between 10-27-97 and 10-30-97 will include files modified
on each of those dates, and on the two days in between.

If you reverse range start and end values, Take Command will recognize the
reversal, and will use the second (lower) value as the start point of the range
and the first (higher) value as its end point.  For example, the range above
for files between 10 and 200 bytes long could also be entered as /[s200,100].

If you combine two types of ranges, a file must satisfy both ranges to be
included.  For example, /[d2-8-97,2-9-97] /[s1024,2048] means files last
modified between February 8 and February 9, 1997, which are also between 1,024
and 2,048 bytes long.

When you use a date, time, or size range in a command, it should immediately
follow the command name.  Unlike some command switches which apply to only part
of the command line, the range usually applies to all file names specified for
the command.  Any exceptions are noted in the descriptions of individual
commands.

For example, to get a directory of all the *.C files dated October 1, 1997, you
could use this command:

        [c:\] dir /[d10-1-97,+0] *.c

To delete all of the 0-byte files on your hard disk, you could use this
command:

        [c:\] del /[s0,0] *.* /s

And to copy all of the non-zero byte files that you changed yesterday or today
to your floppy disk, you can use this command:

        [c:\] copy /[d-1] /[s1] *.* a:

File systems which support long filenames maintain 3 sets of dates and times
for each file: creation, last access, and last modification.  By default, date
and time ranges work with the last modification time stamp.  You can use the
"last access" (a) or "created" (c) time stamp in a date or time range with the
syntax:

        /[da...]
    or  /[dc...]
    or  /[ta...]
    or  /[tc...]

For example, to select files that were last accessed yesterday or today:

        /[da-1]

Date, time, and size ranges can be used with the ATTRIB, COPY, DEL, DESCRIBE,
DIR, EXCEPT, FFIND, FOR, LIST, MOVE, RD, REN, SELECT, and TYPE commands. They
cannot be used with filename completion or in filename arguments for variable
functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.3.1.1. Date Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Date ranges select files that were created or last modified at any time between
the two dates.  For example, /[d12-1-97,12-5-97] selects files that were last
modified between December 1, 1997, and December 5, 1997.

The time for the starting date defaults to 00:00:00 and the time for the ending
date defaults to 23:59:59.  You can alter these defaults, if you wish, by
including a start and stop time inside the date range.  The time is separated
from the date with an at sign [@]. For example, the range
/[d7-1-97@8:00a,7-3-97@6:00p] selects files that were modified at any time
between 8:00 am on July 1, 1997 and 6:00 PM on July 3, 1997.  If you prefer,
you can specify the times in 24-hour format (e.g., @18:00 for the end time in
the previous example).  The date format and the separator character used in the
time may vary depending upon your country information.

If you omit the second argument in a date range, Take Command substitutes the
current date and time.  For example, /[d10-1-97] selects files dated between
October 1, 1997 and today.

You can use an offset value for either the beginning or ending date, or both.
An offset begins with a plus sign [+] or a minus sign [- ] followed by an
integer.  If you use an offset for the second value, it is calculated relative
to the first.  If you use an offset for the first (or only) value, the current
date is used as the basis for calculation.  For example:

        Specification     Selects Files
        /[d10-27-97,+3]   modified between 10-27-97 and 10-30-97
        /[d10-27-97,-3]   modified between 10-24-97 and 10-27-97
        /[d-0]            modified today (from today minus zero days,
                          to today)
        /[d-1]            modified yesterday or today (from today
                          minus one day, to today)
        /[d-1,+0]         modified yesterday (from today minus one
                          day, to zero days after that)

As a shorthand way of specifying files modified today, you can also use /[d];
this has the same effect as the /[d-0] example shown above.

To select files last modified n days ago or earlier, use /[d- n,1/1/80].  For
example, to get a directory of all files last modified 3 days or more before
today (i.e., those files not modified within the last 3 days), you could use
this command:

        [c:\] dir /[d-3,1/1/80]

This reversed date range (with the later date given first) will be handled
correctly by Take Command.  It takes advantage of the facts that an offset in
the start date is relative to today, and that the base or "zero" point for PC
file dates is January 1, 1980, or earlier.

You cannot use offsets in the time portion of a date range (the part after an
at sign), but you can combine a time with a date offset.  For example,
/[d12-8-97@12:00,+2@12:00] selects files that were last modified between noon
on December 8 and noon on December 10, 1997.  Similarly, /[d-2@15:00,+1]
selects files last modified between 3:00 PM the day before yesterday and the
end of the day one day after that, i.e., yesterday.  The second time defaults
to the end of the day because no time is given.

OS/2 HPFS partitions keep track of the date a file was created, the date it was
last modified (written), and the date it was last accessed.  You can specify
which date and time is used in a date range by adding a (access), c (creation),
or w (write) after the d in the range.  For example, to select all files
created between February 1, 1997 and February 7, 1997 you would use
/[dc2-1-97,2-7- 97].  If you don't specify which date and time to use, Take
Command will use the date the file was last modified (written).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.3.1.2. Time Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A time range specifies a file modification time without reference to the date.
For example, to select files modified between noon and 2:00 PM on any date, use
/[t12:00p,2:00p].  The times in a time range can either be in 12-hour format,
with a trailing "a" for AM or "p" for PM, or in 24-hour format.

If you omit the second argument in a time range, you will select files that
were modified between the first time and the current time, on any date.  You
can also use offsets, beginning with a plus sign [+] or a minus sign [-] for
either or both of the arguments in a time range.  The offset values are
interpreted as minutes.  Some examples:

        Specification      Selects Files
        /[t12:00p,+120]    modified between noon and 2:00
                           PM on any date
        /[t-120,+120]      modified between two hours ago and the
                           current time on any date
        /[t0:00,11:59]     modified in the morning on any date

The separator character used in the time may vary depending upon your country
information.

OS/2 HPFS partitions keep track of the time a file was created, the time it was
last modified (written), and the time it was last accessed.  You can specify
which time is used in a time range by adding a (access), c (creation), or w
(write) after the d in the range.  For example, to select all files created
between noon and 2 pm,  you would use /[tc12:00p,2:00p].  If you don't specify
which time to use, Take Command will use the time the file was last modified
(written).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.3.1.3. Size Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Size ranges simply select files whose size is between the limits given.  For
example, /[s10000,20000] selects files between 10,000 and 20,000 bytes long.

Either or both values in a size range can end with "k" to indicate thousands of
bytes, "K" to indicate kilobytes (1,024 bytes), "m" to indicate millions of
bytes, or "M" to indicate megabytes (1,048,576 bytes).  For example, the range
above could be rewritten as /[s10k,20k].

All ranges are inclusive.  Both examples above will match files that are
exactly 10,000 bytes and 20,000 bytes long, as well as all sizes in between.

The second argument of a size range is optional.  If you use a single argument,
like /[s10k], you will select files of that size or larger.  You can also
precede the second argument with a plus sign [+]; when you do, it is added to
the first value to determine the largest file size to include in the search.
For example, /[s10k,+1k] selects files from 10,000 through 11,000 bytes in
size.

Some further examples of size ranges:

        Specification    Selects Files
        /[s0,0]          of length zero(empty)
        /[s1M]           1 megabyte or more in length
        /[s10k,+200]     between 10,000 and 10,200 bytes


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.3.2. File Exclusion Ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most internal commands which accept wildcards also accept file exclusion ranges
to further define the files that you wish to work with.  Take Command examines
each file name and excludes files that match the names you have specified in a
file exclusion range.

A file exclusion range begins with the switch character (usually a slash),
followed by a left square bracket and an exclamation mark ("[!") The range ends
with a right square bracket ("]").

Inside the brackets, you can list one or more filenames to be excluded from the
command.  The filenames can include wildcards and extended wildcards, but
cannot include path names or drive letters.

The following example will display all files in the current directory except
backup files (files with the extension .BAK or .BK!):

        [c:\] dir /[!*.bak *.bk!] *.*

You can combine file exclusion ranges with date, time, and size ranges.  This
example displays all files that are 10K bytes or larger in size and that were
created in the last 7 days, except .C and .H files:

        [c:\] dir /[s10k] /[d-7] /[!*.c *.h] *.*
File exclusion ranges will only work for internal commands.  The EXCEPT command
can be used to exclude files from processing by many external commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.4. Multiple Filenames ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Most file processing commands can work with multiple files at one time.  To use
multiple file names, you simply list the files one after another on the command
line, separated by spaces.  You can use wildcards in any or all of the
filenames.  For example, to copy all .TXT and .DOC files from the current
directory to drive A, you could use this command:

        [c:\] copy *.txt *.doc a:

If the files you want to work with are not in the default directory, you must
include the full path with each filename:

        [c:\] copy a:\details\file1.txt a:\details\file1.doc
c:

Multiple filenames are handy when you want to match a group of files which
cannot be defined with a single filename and wildcards.  They let you be very
specific about which files you want to work with in a command.

When you use multiple filenames with a command that expects both a source and a
destination, like COPY or MOVE, be sure that you always include a specific
destination on the command line.  If you don't, the command will assume that
the last filename is the destination and may overwrite important files.

Like extended wildcards and include lists, the multiple filename feature will
work with internal commands but not with external programs, unless those
programs have been written to handle multiple file names on the command line.

If you have a list of files to process that's too long to put on the command
line or too time-consuming to type, see the FOR and SELECT commands for other
ways of passing multiple file names to a command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.5. Include Lists ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Any internal command that accepts multiple filenames will also accept one or
more include lists.  An include list is simply a group of filenames, with or
without wildcards, separated by semicolons [;].  All files in the include list
must be in the same directory.  You may not add a space on either side of the
semicolon.

For example, you can shorten this command which uses multiple file names:

        [c:\] copy a:\details\file1.txt a:\details\file1.doc
c:

to this using an include list:

        [c:\] copy a:\details\file1.txt;file1.doc c:

Include lists are similar to multiple filenames, but have three important
differences.  First, you don't have to repeat the path to your files if you use
an include list, because all of the included files must be in the same
directory.

Second, if you use include lists, you aren't as likely to accidentally
overwrite files if you forget a destination path for commands like COPY,
because the last name in the list will be part of the include list, and won't
be seen as the destination file name. (Include lists can only be used as the
source parameter -- the location files are coming from -- for COPY and other
similar commands.  They cannot be used to specify a destination for files.)

Third, multiple filenames and include lists are processed differently by the
DIR and SELECT commands. If you use multiple filenames, all of the files
matching the first filename are processed, then all of the files matching the
second name, and so on.  When you use an include list, all files that match any
entry in the include list are processed together, and will appear together in
the directory display or SELECT list.  You can see this difference clearly if
you experiment with both techniques and the DIR command. For example,

        [c:\] dir *.txt *.doc

will list all the .TXT files with a directory header, the file list, and a
summary of the total number of files and bytes used.  Then it will do the same
for the .DOC files.  However,

        [c:\] dir *.txt;*.doc

will display all the files in one list.

Like extended wildcards and multiple filenames, the include list feature will
work with internal commands, but not with external programs (unless they have
been programmed especially to support it).

The maximum length of an include list is 260 characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4.6. Executable Extensions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Normally, when you type a filename (as opposed to an alias or internal command
name) as the first word on the command line, Take Command looks for a file with
that name to execute.

The file's extension may be .EXE or .COM to indicate that it contains a
program, it may have a batch file extension like .BTM, or the file's contents
may indicate that it is executable.  (To change the default list of extensions
see the PATHEXT environment variable and the PathExt setting in TCMDOS2.INI.)

You can add to this default list of extensions, and have Take Command take the
action you want with files that are not executable programs or batch files. The
action taken is always based on the file's extension.  For example, you could
start your text editor whenever you type the name of a .DOC file, or start your
database manager whenever you type the name of a .DAT file.

You can use environment variables to define the internal command, external
program, batch file, or alias to run for each defined file extension.  To
create an executable extension use the SET command to create a new environment
variable.  An environment variable is recognized as an executable extension if
its name begins with a period.

The syntax for creating an executable extension is:

        set .ext=command [options]

This tells Take Command to run the specified command whenever you name a file
with the extension .ext at the prompt.  .EXT is the executable file extension;
command is the name of the internal command, external program, alias, or batch
file to run; and [options] are any command-line startup options you want to
specify for the program, batch file, or alias.

For example, if you want to run a word processor called EDITOR whenever you
type the name of a file that has an extension of .EDT, you could use this
command:

        [c:\] set .edt=c:\edit\editor.exe

If the command specified in an executable extension is a batch file or external
program, Take Command will search the PATH for it if necessary. However, you
can make sure that the correct program or batch file is used, and speed up the
executable extension, by specifying the full name including drive, path,
filename, and extension.

To remove an executable extension, use the UNSET command to remove the
corresponding variable.

Once an executable extension is defined, any time you name a file with that
extension the corresponding program, batch file, or alias is started, with the
name of your file passed to it as a parameter.

This example defines B.EXE (the Boxer text editor) as the processor for .C
files:

        [c:\] set .c=c:\boxer\b.exe -Mxyz

Now, if you have a file called HELLO.C and enter the command

        [c:\] hello -i30

This will be expanded to:

        c:\brief\b.exe -Mxyz hello.c -i30

Notice that the text from the .C environment variable is inserted at the
beginning of the line, including any options, followed by the original file
name plus its extension, and then the remainder of the original command line.

In order for executable extensions to work, the command, program, batch file,
or alias must be able to interpret the command line properly.  For example, if
a program you want to run doesn't accept a file name on its command line as
shown in these examples, then executable extensions won't work with that
program.

Executable extensions may include wildcards, so you could, for example, run
your text editor for any file with an extension beginning with T by defining an
executable extension called .T*.  Extended wildcards (e.g., DO[CT] for .DOC and
.DOT files) may also be used.

To remove an executable extension, use the UNSET command to remove the
corresponding variable.


═══ 2.5.  Directory Navigation ═══

Take Command and OS/2 remember both a current or default drive for your system
as a whole, and a current or default directory for every drive in your system.
The current directory on the current drive is sometimes called the current
working directory.

With traditional command processors, you change the current drive by typing the
new drive letter plus a colon at the prompt, and you change the current working
directory with the CD command.  Take Command supports those standard features,
and offers a number of enhancements to make directory navigation much simpler
and faster.

This section begins with a summary of all Take Command directory navigation
features.  It also provides detailed documentation on the enhanced directory
search features: Extended Directory Searches and the CDPATH.

The Take Command directory navigation features are in three groups: features
which help Take Command find the directory you want, methods for initiating a
directory change with a minimal amount of typing, and methods for returning
easily to directories you've recently used.  Each group is summarized below.

Finding Directories

Traditional command processors require you to explicitly type the name of the
directory you want to change to.  Take Command supports this method, and also
offer two significant enhancements:

             Extended Directory Searchesallow Take Command to search a
             "database" of all the directories on your system to find the one
             you want.

             The CDPATH allows you to enter a specific list of directories to
             be searched, rather than searching a database.  Use CDPATH instead
             of Extended Directory Searches if you find the extended searches
             too broad, or your hard drive has too many directories for an
             efficient search.

 Initiating a Directory Change

 Take Command supports the traditional methods of changing directories, and
 also offer several more flexible approaches:

             Automatic directory changes allow you to type a directory name at
             the prompt and switch to it automatically, without typing an
             explicit CD or similar command.

             The CD command can change directories on a single drive, and can
             return to the most recently used directory.

             The CDD command changes drive and directory at the same time, and
             can return to the most recently used drive and directory.

             The PUSHD command changes the drive and directory like CDD, and
             records the previous directory in a directory "stack."  You can
             view the stack with DIRS and return to the directory on the top of
             the stack with POPD.

 CDD, PUSHD, and automatic directory changes can also change to a network drive
 and directory mapped to a drive letter or specified with a UNC name.

 Returning to a Previous Directory

 Traditional command processors do not remember previously-used directories,
 and can only "return" to a directory by changing back to it with a standard
 drive change or CD command.  Take Command supports three additional methods
 for returning to a previous directory:

             The CD - and CDD - commands can be used to return to the previous
             working directory (the one you used immediately before the current
             directory). Use these commands if you are working in two
             directories and alternating between them.

             The directory history window allows you to select one of several
             recently-used directories from a popup list and return to it
             immediately.  The window displays the contents of the directory
             history list.

             The POPD command will return to the last directory saved by PUSHD.
             The directory stack holds 511 characters, enough for 20 to 40
             typical drive and directory entries.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.5.1. Extended Directory Searches ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you change directories with an automatic directory change, CD, CDD, or
PUSHD command, Take Command must find the directory you want to change to.  To
do so, it first uses the traditional method to find a new directory:  it checks
to see whether you have specified either the name of an existing subdirectory
below the current directory, or the name of an existing directory with a full
path or a drive letter.  If you have, Take Command changes to that directory,
and does no further searching.

This traditional search method requires that you navigate manually through the
directory tree, and type the entire name of each directory you want to change
to.  Extended Directory Searches speed up the navigation process dramatically
by allowing Take Command to find the directory you want, even if you only enter
a small part of its name.

When the traditional search method fails, Take Command tries to find the
directory you requested via the CDPATH, then via an Extended Directory Search.
This section covers only Extended Directory Searches, which are more flexible
and more commonly used than CDPATH.

Extended Directory Searches use a database of directory names to facilitate
changing to the correct directory.  The database is used only if Extended
Directory Searches are enabled, and if the explicit directory search and CDPATH
search fail to find the directory you requested.

An extended directory search automatically finds the correct path to the
requested directory and changes to it if that directory exists in your
directory database.  If more than one directory in the database matches the
name you have typed, a popup window appears and you can choose the directory
you want.

You can control the position and size of the popup directory search window from
the Command Line 2 page of the configuration dialogs, or with the CDDWinLeft,
CDDWinTop, CDDWinWidth, and CDDWinHeight directives in the .INI file.  You can
also change the keys used in the popup window with key mapping directives in
the .INI file.

To use extended directory searches, you must explicitly enable them (see below)
and also create the directory database.

The Extended Search Database

To create or update the database of directory names, use the CDD /S command.
When you create the database with CDD /S, you can specify which drives should
be included.  If you enable Extended Directory Searches and do not create the
database, it will be created automatically the first time it is required, and
will include all local hard drives.

The database is stored in the file JPSTREE.IDX, which is placed in the root
directory of drive C: by default.  The same tree file is used by all JP
Software command processors.  You can specify a different location for this
file on the Command Line 2 page of the configuration notebook or the TreePath
directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.  If you are using two or more of our
products on your computer and want to have different drives stored in the
database for each, use the dialogs or the TreePath directive to place their
database directories in different locations.

If you use an internal command to create or delete a directory, the directory
database is automatically updated to reflect the change to your directory
structure.  The updates occur if Take Command can find the JPSTREE.IDX file in
the root directory of drive C: or in the location specified by the TreePath
directive.

The internal commands which can modify the directory structure and cause
automatic updates of the file are MD, RD, COPY /S, DEL /X, MOVE /S, and REN.
The MD /N command can be used to create a directory without updating the
directory database.  This is useful when creating a temporary directory which
you do not want to appear in the database.

Enabling Extended Searches

To enable extended directory searches and control their operation, you must set
the FuzzyCD directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.  You can set FuzzyCD either from
the Command Line 2 page of the configuration notebook, or by editing the .INI
file manually.

        If FuzzyCD = 0, extended searches are disabled, the JPSTREE database is
                        ignored, and CD, CDD, PUSHD, and automatic directory
                        changes search for directories using only explicit
                        names and CDPATH.  This is the default.

        If FuzzyCD = 1  and an extended search is required, then Take Command
                        will search the JPSTREE database for directory names
                        which exactly match the name you specified.

        If FuzzyCD = 2  and an extended search is required, Take Command will
                        search the database for exact matches first, just as
                        when FuzzyCD = 1.  If the requested directory is not
                        found, it will search the database a second time
                        looking for directory names that begin with the name
                        you specified.

        If FuzzyCD = 3  and an extended search is required, the command
                        processor will search the database for exact matches
                        first, just as when FuzzyCD = 1.  If the requested
                        directory is not found, it will search the database a
                        second time looking for directory names that contain
                        the name you specified anywhere within them.

 For example, suppose that you have a directory called C:\DATA\MYDIR, CDPATH is
 not set, and C:\DATA is not the current directory on drive C:.  The following
 chart shows what CDD command you might use to change to this directory.

          FuzzyCD
          Setting     CDD Command
             0        cdd c:\data\mydir
             1        cdd mydir
             2        cdd myd
             3        cdd yd

 An extended directory search is not used if you specify a full directory path
 (one beginning with a backslash [\], or a drive letter and a backslash).  If
 you use a name which begins with a drive letter (e.g. C:MYDIR), the extended
 search will examine only directories on that drive.

 Forcing an Extended Search with Wildcards

 Normally you type a specific directory name for Take Command to locate, and
 the search proceeds as described in the preceding sections.  However, you can
 also force the command processor to perform an extended directory search by
 using wildcard characters in the directory name.  If you use a wildcard, an
 extended search will occur whether or not extended searches have been enabled.

 When Take Command is changing directories and it finds wildcards in the
 directory name, it skips the explicit search and CDPATH steps and goes
 directly to the extended search.

 If a single match is found, the change is made immediately.  If more than one
 match is found, a popup window is displayed with all matching directories.

 Wildcards can only be used in the final directory name in the path (after the
 last backslash in the path name).  For example you can find COMM\*A*.* (all
 directories whose parent directory is COMM and which have an A somewhere in
 their names), but you cannot find CO?M\*A*.* because it uses a wildcard before
 the last backslash.

 If you use wildcards in the directory name as described here, and the extended
 directory search database does not exist, it will be built automatically the
 first time a wildcard is used.  You can update the database at any time with
 CDD /S.

 Internally, extended directory searches use wildcards to scan the directory
 database.  If FuzzyCD is set to 2, an extended search looks for the name you
 typed followed by an asterisk (i.e., DIRNAME*).  If FuzzyCD is set to 3, it
 looks for the name preceded and followed by an asterisk (i.e., *DIRNAME*).

 These internal wildcards will be used in addition to any wildcards you use in
 the name.  For example if you search for ABC?DEF (ABC followed by any
 character followed by DEF) and FuzzyCD is set to 3, Take Command will actually
 search the directory database for *ABC?DEF*.

 Disabling Extended Searches in Batch Files

 When writing batch files you may want to use the CD or CDD command to switch
 directories without triggering an extended search.  For example, you may need
 the search to fail (rather than search the extended search database) if a
 directory does not exist, or you may want to ensure that the extended search
 popup window does not appear in a batch file designed to run in unattended
 mode.

 To disable extended searches, use the /N option of CD or CDD.  When this
 option is used and a directory does not exist below the current directory or
 on the CDPATH, the command will fail with an error message, and will not
 search the extended search database.  For example this command might trigger
 an extended search:

       cdd testdir

 but this one will not:

       cdd /n testdir

 Note that this option is not available for PUSHD.  To perform the same
 function when using PUSHD, save the current directory with PUSHD (without
 parameters) and then use CDD /N to change directories, for example:

       pushd
       cdd /n testdir


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.5.2. CDPATH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you change directories with an automatic directory change or the CD, CDD,
or PUSHD command, Take Command must find the directory you want to change to.
To do so, it first uses the traditional method to find a new directory.

When the traditional search method fails, Take Command tries to find the
directory you requested via the CDPATH, then via an Extended Directory Search.
This section covers only the CDPATH.

Enabling both CDPATH and Extended Directory Searches can yield confusing
results, so we recommend that you do not use both features at the same time. If
you prefer to explicitly list where Take Command should look for directories,
use CDPATH.  If you prefer to have Take Command look at all of the directory
names on your disk, use Extended Directory Searches.

CDPATH is an environment variable, and is similar to the PATH variable used to
search for executable files:  it contains an explicit list of directories to
search when attempting to find a new directory.  Take Command appends the
specified directory name to each directory in CDPATH and attempts to change to
that drive and directory.  It stops when it finds a match or when it reaches
the end of the CDPATH list.

CDPATH is ignored if a complete directory name (one beginning with a backslash
[\]) is specified, or if a drive letter is included in the name. It is only
used when a name is given with no drive letter or leading backslash.

CDPATH provides a quick way to find commonly used subdirectories in an explicit
list of locations.  You can create CDPATH with the SET command.  The format of
CDPATH is similar to that of PATH:  a list of directories separated by
semicolons [;]. For example, if you want the directory change commands to
search the C:\DATA directory, the D:\SOFTWARE directory, and the root directory
of drive E:\ for the subdirectories that you name, you should create CDPATH
with this command:

        [c:\] set cdpath=c:\data;d:\software;e:\

Suppose you are currently in the directory C:\WP\LETTERS\JANUARY, and you'd
like to change to D:\SOFTWARE\UTIL.  You could change directories explicitly
with the command:

        [c:\wp\letters\january] cdd d:\software\util

However, because the D:\SOFTWARE directory is listed in your CDPATH variable as
shown in the previous example (we'll assume it is the first directory in the
list with a UTIL subdirectory), you can simply enter the command

        [c:\wp\letters\january] cdd util
or, using an automatic directory change:

        [c:\wp\letters\january] util\

to change to D:\SOFTWARE\UTIL.

As it handles this request, Take Command looks first in the current directory,
and attempts to find the C:\WP\LETTERS\JANUARY\UTIL subdirectory.  Then it
looks at CDPATH, and appends the name you entered, UTIL, to each entry in the
CDPATH variable Ч in other words, it tries to change to C:\DATA\UTIL, then to
D:\SOFTWARE\UTIL.  Because this change succeeds, the search stops and the
directory change is complete.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6. Other Features ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section includes details these Take Command features:

             Page and File Prompts

             Redirection and Piping

             Using the Keystack

             ANSI Support

             Critical Errors

             Conditional Commands

             Command Grouping

             The Escape Character


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.1. Page and File Prompts ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Several Take Command commands can generate prompts, which wait for you to press
a key to view a new page or to perform a file activity.

When Take Command is displaying information in page mode, for example with a
DIR /P or SET /P command, it displays the message

        Press Esc to Quit or any other key to continue...

At this prompt, you can press Esc, Ctrl-C, or Ctrl- Break if you want to quit
the command.  You can press almost any other key to continue with the command
and see the next page of information.

During file processing, if you have activated prompting with a command like DEL
/P, you will see this prompt before processing every file:

        Y/N/R ?

You can answer this prompt by pressing Y for "Yes, process this file;"  N for
"No, do not process this file;" R for "process the Remainder of the files
without further prompting; or Esc for "cancel further processing for this
argument."  You can also press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break at this prompt to cancel
the remainder of the command.

If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while a batch file is running, you will see a
"Cancel batch job" prompt.  For information on responses to this prompt see
Interrupting a Batch File.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.2. Redirection and Piping ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section covers redirection and piping.  You can use these features to
change how Take Command and some application programs handle input and output.

Internal commands and many external programs get their input from the
computer's standard input device and send their output to the standard output
device.  Some programs also send special messages to the standard error device.
Normally, the keyboard is used for standard input and the video screen for both
standard output and standard error.

Redirection and piping allow you to change these assignments temporarily.

Redirection changes the standard input, standard output, or standard error
device for a program or command from the default device (the keyboard or
screen), to another device or to a file.

Piping changes the standard output and / or standard error device so that the
output of one command becomes the standard input for another program or
command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.2.1. Redirection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Redirection can be used to reassign the standard input, standard output, and
standard error to a device like the printer or serial port, to a file or to the
OS/2 clipboard.  You must use some discretion when you use redirection with a
device; there is no way to get input from the printer, for example.

Redirection always applies to a specific command, and lasts only for the
duration of that command.  When the command is finished, the assignments for
standard input, standard output, and standard error revert to whatever they
were before the command.

In the descritpions below, filename means either the name of a file or of an
appropriate device (PRN, LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3 for printers; COM1 to COM4 for
serial ports; CON for the keyboard and screen; CLIP for the clipboard, NUL for
the "null" device, etc.).

Here are the standard redirection options supported by Take Command (see below
for additional redirection options using numeric file handles):

        < filename          To get input from a file or device instead of from
                            the keyboard
        > filename          Redirect standard output to a file or device
        >& filename         Redirect standard output and standard error to a
                            file or device
        >&> filename        Redirect standard error only to a file or device

 If you want to append output to the end of an existing file, rather than
 creating a new file, replace the first ">" in the output redirection symbol
 with ">>" (use >>, >>&, and >>&>).

 To use redirection, place the redirection symbol and filename at the end of
 the command line, after the command name and any parameters.  For example, to
 redirect the output of the DIR command to a file called DIRLIST, you could use
 a command line like this:

          [c:\] dir /b *.dat > dirlist

 You can use both input and output redirection for the same command, if both
 are appropriate.  For example, this command sends input to SORT from the file
 DIRLIST, and sends output from SORT to the file DIRLIST.SRT:

          [c:\] sort < dirlist > dirlist.srt

 You can redirect text to or from the OS/2 clipboard by using the pseudo-device
 name CLIP: (the colon is required).

 If you redirect the output of a single internal command like DIR, the
 redirection ends automatically when that command is done.  If you start a
 batch file with redirection, all of the batch file's output is redirected, and
 redirection ends when the batch file is done.  Similarly, if you use
 redirection at the end of a command group, all of the output from the command
 group is redirected, and redirection ends when the command group is done.

 Advanced Redirection Options

 When output is directed to a file with >, >&, or >&>, if the file already
 exists, it will be overwritten.  You can protect existing files by using the
 SETDOS /N1 command, the "Protect redirected output files" setting on the
 Options 1 page of the configuration notebook, or the NoClobber directive in
 the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 When output is appended to a file with >>, >>&, or >>&>, the file will be
 created if it doesn't already exist.  However, if NoClobber is set as
 described above, append redirection will not create a new file; instead, if
 the output file does not exist a "File not found" or similar error will be
 displayed.

 You can temporarily override the current setting of NoClobber by using an
 exclamation mark [!] after the redirection symbol.  For example, to redirect
 the output of DIR to the file DIROUT, and allow overwriting of any existing
 file despite the NoClobber setting:

          [c:\] dir >! dirout

 Redirection is fully nestable.  For example, you can invoke a batch file and
 redirect all of its output to a file or device.  Output redirection on a
 command within the batch file will take effect for that command only; when the
 command is completed, output will revert to the redirected output file or
 device in use for the batch file as a whole.

 You can use redirection if you need to create a zero-byte file.  To do so,
 enter  >filename as a command, with no actual command before the > character.

 In addition to the redirection options above, Take Command also supports the
 OS/2 CMD.EXE syntax:

        n>file      Redirect handle n to the named file
        n>&m        Redirect handle n to the same place as handle m

 [n] and [m] are one-digit file handles between 0 and 9. You may not put any
 spaces between the n and the >, or between the >, &, and m in the second form.
 Take Command defines "0" as standard input, "1" as standard output, and "2" as
 standard error.  Handles 3 to 9 will probably not be useful unless you have an
 application which uses those handles for a specific, documented purpose, or
 have opened a file with the %@FILEOPEN variable function and the file handle
 is between 3 and 9.

 The n>file syntax redirects output from handle n to a file.  You can use this
 form to redirect two handles to different places.  For example:

          [c:\] dir > outfile 2> errfile
 sends normal output to a file called OUTFILE and any error messages to a file
 called ERRFILE.

 The n>&m syntax redirects handle n to the same location as the previously
 assigned handle m.  For example, to send standard error to the same file as
 standard output, you could use this command:

          [c:\] dir > outfile 2>&1

 Notice that you can perform the same operations by using standard Take Command
 redirection features.  The two examples above could be written as

          [c:\] dir > outfile >&> errfile
 and

          [c:\] dir >&outfile


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.2.2. Piping ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can create a "pipe" to send the standard output of one command to the
standard input of another command:

        command1 | command2             Send the standard output of command1 to
                                        the standard input of command2
        command1 |& command2            Send the standard output and standard
                                        error of command1 to the standard input
                                        of command2

 For example, to take the output of the SET command (which displays a list of
 your environment variables and their values) and pipe it to the SORT utility
 to generate a sorted list, you would use the command:

          [c:\] set | sort

 To do the same thing and then pipe the sorted list to the internal LIST
 command for full-screen viewing:

          [c:\] set | sort | list /s

 The TEE and Y commands are "pipe fittings" which add more flexibility to
 pipes.

 Like redirection, pipes are fully nestable.  For example, you can invoke a
 batch file and send all of its output to another command with a pipe.  A pipe
 on a command within the batch file will take effect for that command only;
 when the command is completed, output will revert to the pipe in use for the
 batch file as a whole.  You may also have 2 or more pipes operating
 simultanesoulsy if, for example, you have the pipes running in different
 sessions.

 Take Command implements pipes by starting a new process for the receiving
 program instead of using temporary files.  The sending and receiving programs
 run simultaneously; the sending program writes to the pipe and the receiving
 program reads from the pipe.  When the receiving program finishes reading and
 processing the piped data, it ends automatically.

 When you use pipes with Take Command make sure you think about any possible
 consequences that can occur from using a separate process to run the receiving
 program.

 If you want to pipe information to a command inside an IFF, use command
 grouping around the IFF command.  If you do not, piping will affect on the
 first command after the IFF.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.3. Using the Keystack ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Keystack overcomes two weaknesses of input redirection:  some programs
ignore standard input and read the keyboard through the operating system, and
input redirection doesn't end until the program or command terminates.  You
can't, for example, use redirection to send the opening commands to a program
and then type the rest of the commands yourself.  But the Keystack lets you do
exactly that.

The Keystack sends keystrokes to an application program.  Once the Keystack is
empty, the program will receive the rest of its input from the keyboard.  The
Keystack is useful when you want a program to take certain actions
automatically when it starts.  It is most often used in batch files and
aliases.

The Keystack is invoked with the KEYSTACK command.  To place the letters,
digits, and punctuation marks you would normally type for your program into the
keystack, enclose them in double quotes:

        [c:\] keystack "myfile"

Many other keys can be entered into the Keystack using their names.  This
example puts the F1 key followed by the Enter key in the keystack:

        [c:\] keystack F1 Enter

See Keys and Keynames for details on how key names are entered.  See the
KEYSTACK command for information on using numeric key values along with or
instead of key names, and other details about using the Keystack.

You must start or activate the window for the program that will receive the
characters before you place them into the Keystack.  See KEYSTACK for
additional details; see ACTIVATE for information on activating a specific
window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.4. ANSI Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ANSI control sequences are standardized sequences of text characters which
allow you to control colors on the screen, manipulate the cursor, and redefine
keys.  You may have used ANSI sequences to display text or control the color
and appearance of your prompt in DOS or OS/2 character mode.

Take Command includes built-in support for most standard ANSI color and cursor
control sequences (key substitutions are not supported).  To use Take Command's
ANSI support you must enable it on the Display page of the configuration
notebook, with the ANSI directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file, or with the SETDOS
/A command.  You can determine whether ANSI support is enabled with the _ANSI
internal variable.

Several Take Command features provide simpler ways to accomplish the tasks
usually performed with ANSI control sequences. For example, there are commands
to set the screen colors, display text in specific colors, and position the
cursor.  These commands are generally easier to understand and use than the
corresponding ANSI control sequences.  However, we have included ANSI support
in Take Command for situations where it is useful, such as when using the ECHO
command, or in the PROMPT.

See the ANSI Reference for more details on ANSI strings, and a reference list
of ANSI sequences supported by Take Command for OS/2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.5. Critical Errors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

OS/2 watches for physical errors during input and output operations.  Physical
errors are those due to hardware problems, such as trying to read a floppy disk
while the drive door is open.

These errors are called critical errors because OS/2, Take Command, or your
application program may not be able to proceed until the error is resolved.

When a critical error occurs, you will see a popup window asking you to choose
an error handling option.  The message comes from OS/2, and will typically
offer you three choices:

        Return error code to program

            Tell the program that the operation failed.  This option returns an
            error code to Take Command or to the application program that was
            running when the error occurred.  Take Command generally stops the
            current command when an operation fails.

        End program/command/operation

            Terminate the program which generated the error.  Use this option
            with caution as it is likely to close Take Command or any other
            program which caused an error.

        Retry command or operation

            Choose this option if you have corrected the problem.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.6. Conditional Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When an internal command or external program finishes, it returns a result
called the exit code.  Conditional commands allow you to perform tasks based
upon the previous command's exit code.  Many programs return a 0 if they are
successful and a non-zero value if they encounter an error.

If you separate two commands by && (AND), the second command will be executed
only if the first returns an exit code of 0. For example, the following command
will only erase files if the BACKUP operation succeeds:

        [c:\] backup c:\ a: && del c:\*.bak;*.lst

If you separate two commands by || (OR), the second command will be executed
only if the first returns a non-zero exit code. For example, if the following
BACKUP operation fails, then ECHO will display a message:

        [c:\] backup c:\ a: || echo Error in the backup!

All internal commands return an exit code, but not all external programs do.
Conditional commands will behave unpredictably if you use them with external
programs which do not return an explicit exit code.  To determine whether a
particular external program returns a meaningful exit code use an ECHO %?
command immediately after the program is finished.  If the program's
documentation does not discuss exit codes you may need to experiment with a
variety of conditions to see how the exit code changes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.7. Command Grouping ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Command grouping allows you to logically group a set of commands together by
enclosing them in parentheses.  The parentheses are similar in function to the
BEGIN and END block statements in some programming languages.

There are two primary uses for command grouping.  One is to execute multiple
commands in a place where normally only a single command is allowed.  For
example, suppose you wanted to execute two different REN commands in all
subdirectories of your hard disk.  You could do it like this:

        [c:\] global ren *.wx1 *.wx0
        [c:\] global ren *.tx1 *.tx0

But with command grouping you can do the same thing in one command:

        [c:\] global (ren *.wx1 *.wx0 & ren *.tx1 *.tx0)

The two REN commands enclosed in the parentheses appear to GLOBAL as if they
were a single command, so both commands are executed for every directory, but
the directories are scanned only once, not twice.  This kind of command
grouping is most useful with the EXCEPT, FOR, GLOBAL, and IF commands.  When
you use this approach in a batch file you must either place all of the commands
in the group on one line, or place the opening parenthesis at the end of a line
and place the commands on subsequent lines.  For example, the first two of
these sequences will work properly, but the third will not:

        for %f in (1 2 3) (echo hello %f & echo goodbye %f)

        for %f in (1 2 3) (
            echo hello %f
            echo goodbye %f
        )

        for %f in (1 2 3) (echo hello %f
        echo goodbye %f)

You can also use command grouping to redirect input or output for several
commands without repeatedly using the redirection symbols.  For example,
consider the following batch file fragment which places some header lines
(including today's date) and directory displays in an output file using
redirection.  The first ECHO command creates the file using >, and the other
commands append to the file using >>:

        echo Data files %_date > filelist
        dir *.dat >> filelist
        echo. >> filelist
        echo Text files %_date >> filelist
        dir *.txt >> filelist

Using command grouping, these commands can be written much more simply:

        (echo Data files %_date & dir *.dat & echo. & echo Text files %_date & dir *.txt) > filelist

The redirection, which appears outside the parentheses, applies to all the
commands within the parentheses.  Because the redirection is performed only
once, the commands will run slightly faster than if each command was entered
separately.  The same approach can be used for input redirection and for
piping.

You can also use command grouping in a batch file or at the prompt to split
commands over several lines.  This last example is like the redirection example
above, but is entered at the prompt.  Note the "More?" prompt after each
incomplete line.  None of the commands are executed until the command group is
completed with the closing parenthesis.  This example does not have to be
entered on one line:

        [c:\] (echo Data files %_date
        More? dir *.dat
        More? echo.
        More? echo Text files %_date
        More? dir *.txt) > filelist
        [c:\]

A group of commands in parentheses is like a long command line.  The total
length of the group may not exceed 2,047 characters, whether the commands are
entered from the prompt, an alias, or a batch file.  The limit includes the
space required to expand aliases and environment variables used within the
group.  In addition, each line you type at the normal prompt or the More?
prompt, and each individual command within the line, must meet the usual
1,023-character line length limit.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.6.8. Escape Character ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command recognizes a user-definable escape character.  This character
gives the following character a special meaning; it is not the same as the
ASCII ESC that is often used in ANSI and printer control sequences.

The default escape character is a caret [^].

If you don't like using the default escape character, you can pick another
character using the SETDOS /E command, the Options 1 page of the configuration
dialogs, or the EscapeChar directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.  If you plan to
share aliases or batch files between 4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT and Take Command, see
Special Character Compatibility for details about choosing compatible escape
characters for two or more products.

Ten special characters are recognized when they are preceded by the escape
character.  The combination of the escape character and one of these characters
is translated to a single character, as shown below.  These are primarily
useful for redirecting codes to the printer.  The special characters which can
follow the escape character are:

        b   backspace
        c   comma
        e   the ASCII ESC character (ASCII 27)
        f   form feed
        k   back quote
        n   line feed
        q   double quote
        r   carriage return
        s   space
        t   tab character

 If you follow the escape character with any other character, the escape
 character is removed and the second character is copied directly to the
 command line.  This allows you to suppress the normal meaning of special
 characters (such as ? * / \ | " ` > < and &).

 For example, to display a message containing a > symbol, which normally
 indicates redirection:

          [c:\] echo 2 is ^> 4

 To send a form feed followed by the sequence ESC Y to the printer, you can use
 this command:

          [c:\] echos ^f^eY > prn

 The escape character has an additional use when it is the last character on
 any line of a .BAT or .BTM  batch file.  Take Command recognizes this use of
 the escape character to signal line continuation:  it removes the escape
 character and appends the next line to the current line before executing it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following topics are a complete guide and reference to the commands that
are available from the command line, in aliases, and in batch files.  Most of
these commands are internal, which means that Take Command performs the
activity you have requested without running another program.  (See internal and
external commands.)

Take Command offers over 90 internal commands.  These neither replace nor
interfere with external commands like BACKUP, DISKCOPY, SCANDISK, or XCOPY. You
can continue to use those utilities like you always have.  Take Command has
been designed to be compatible with virtually all traditional internal
commands, and to enhance most of those commands with additional options and
capabilities.  Once you have installed Take Command, you can continue using the
commands that you already know and get the same results.

Most of these commands are either enhanced traditional commands or are entirely
new (a few are the same as traditional commands).  If you are comfortable using
traditional commands, you can switch to Take Command without making any changes
in your habits.  But you will be missing a lot of the power of these
enhancements and new commands unless you take a few minutes to see what's
available here.  Make sure you don't skip a section of this reference just
because you already know how to use a traditional command with the same name.

If you come across terms or concepts in this section that you are unsure about,
please refer to the Reference Information topic and its subtopics.

The subtopics included in this topic are:

    How to Use the Command Descriptions
            includes an explanation of the command descriptions, the formating
            conventions we use, and how to use the options available with each
            command.

    Command Categories
            is a list of the available commands, organized so you can find the
            command you are looking for most easily.

    Commands by Name
            is an alphabetic list of the available commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. How to Use the Command Descriptions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each of the internal commands is described in detail in the following topics.
The descriptions are arranged alphabetically, and each includes examples that
will help you learn to use the commands.

The name of each command is followed by a sentence or two that briefly
describes the command's purpose or major function.  That sentence should help
you determine quickly whether you have found the command you are seeking.

The next part of each description shows the command's format or syntax.  The
format line uses certain conventions to describe how the command should be
entered and to create reference points for the text describing the command:

        Words in UPPER CASE must be spelled exactly as they are shown
         (although you can type them in either upper or lower case, or a
         combination).  If a word is shown partly in upper case (for example
         BRIght), only the upper case portion is required, the rest is
         optional.

        Words shown in italics (for example source or filename) are meant to
         be replaced by other words or values.  Each of these words is
         explained directly beneath the format line and discussed in more
         detail in the text description of the command.  When the word stands
         for a file name, you can use a simple name like MYFILE.TXT, or include
         a drive letter and/or a full path, like C:\MYDIR\MYFILE.TXT.

        Items followed by an ellipsis (three periods [...]) may be repeated.
         For example, filename... means you may enter one or more file names at
         this point in the command.

        Text shown in [square brackets] is optional.  Text outside of square
         brackets must be entered literally (if it is capitalized) or replaced
         by other words or values (if it is in italics).  For example, in this
         hypothetical command:

                          DOIT [/A /W] filename [NOW]

         the switches /A and /W and the keyword NOW are optional.  The filename
         should be replaced by the appropriate name for the operation you want
         to perform.  The switches and the keyword NOW at the end must be
         entered as shown, if they are used.  For example, you could use "NOW",
         "Now", or "now", but you could not abbreviate NOW to NO.

        Vertical bars [|] represent a choice; you can pick one option or
         another but not both.  For example, the following format shows that
         the command may be followed by the word ON or the word OFF, but not
         both:

                          COMMAND [ ON | OFF ]

        A slash followed by a letter, like [/X], is an "option" or "switch"
         which controls the effect of a command.  Many commands have several
         switches, and you are usually free to use none, one, or several to
         make a command behave as you wish.  If you use a single switch, you
         must precede it with a slash.  If you use several switches, in most
         cases you can put them together with one slash or use separate
         slashes.  For example, if you wanted to use switches X, Y, and Z for a
         command, you could type them three different ways:

                          command /x /y /z
                          command /x/y/z
                          command /xyz

        A few switches, particularly in the DIR, SELECT, and START commands,
         use two or more characters.  If you need to follow a multi-letter
         switch with another switch, the second switch must have its own slash
         to avoid ambiguity.  For example, you could use DIR /oa /d to force an
         alphanumeric sort (/oa) and suppress directory colors (/d).  However,
         if you try to put all the switches together (DIR /oad) Take Command
         will not do what you want because the "d" will be interpreted as part
         of the /o switch, where it would mean sort by date and time.  The
         second slash eliminates this ambiguity.

 Included in the format section is an explanation of each replaceable argument
 and a one or two word explanation of each switch.  Many descriptions also list
 related commands to help you find the exact command you want.

 For file handling commands, a section called File Selection appears
 immediately after the format section.  This section lists the file-handling
 features that the command supports.  The list may include mention of extended
 wildcards; multiple file names; include lists; and date, time, and size ranges
 and file exclusion ranges.

 Next, you'll find a description of the command's usage.  This description
 normally starts with the basic functions of a command and gradually adds more
 details.  We've also included many examples to help you see the command in
 action.

 The last part of each description is a detailed explanation of the options or
 switches available for each command, in alphabetical order.  Occasionally,
 we've included more examples in this section to demonstrate how a switch is
 used or how multiple switches interact.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. Commands by Category ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The best way to learn about commands is to experiment with them.  The lists
below categorize the available commands by topic and will help you find the
ones that you need.

System configuration:


                 CHCP         CLS          COLOR        DATE

                 DIRHISTORY   FREE         HISTORY      KEYBD

                 KEYS         LOG          MEMORY       OPTION

                 PROMPT       REBOOT       SETDOS       TIME

                 VER          VERIFY       VOL

        File and directory management:


                 ATTRIB       COPY         DEL          DESCRIBE

                 FFIND        LIST         MOVE         REN

                 SELECT       TOUCH        TREE         TYPE

        Subdirectory management:


                 CD           CDD          DIR          DIRS

                 MD           POPD         PUSHD        RD

        Input and output:


                 DRAWBOX      DRAWHLINE    DRAWVLINE    ECHO

                 ECHOERR      ECHOS        ECHOSERR     INKEY

                 INPUT        KEYSTACK     MSGBOX       QUERYBOX

                 SCREEN       SCRPUT       VSCRPUT

        Commands primarily for use in or with batch files and aliases (some
        work only in batch files; see the individual commands for details):


                 ALIAS        BEEP         CALL         CANCEL

                 DELAY        DO           ENDLOCAL     FOR

                 GLOBAL       GOSUB        GOTO         IF

                 IFF          LOADBTM      ON           PAUSE

                 QUIT         REM          RETURN       SETLOCAL

                 SHIFT        SWITCH       TEXT         UNALIAS

        Environment and path commands:


                 DPATH        ESET         PATH         SET

                 UNSET

        Window Management


                 ACTIVATE     TITLE        WINDOW

        Other commands:


                 ?            DETACH       EXCEPT       EXIT

                 HELP         SHRALIAS     START        TEE

                 TIMER        Y


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3. Commands by Name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following topics contain an explanation of each of Take Command's internal
commands, arranged alphabetically by name.  You can browse through the list or
jump directly to one of the following commands:

         ? - List internal commands
         ACTIVATE - Activate or change window state
         ALIAS - Create or display aliases
         ATTRIB - Change file attributes
         BEEP - Beep the speaker
         CALL - Execute one batch file from another
         CANCEL - End all batch files
         CD - Change directory
         CDD - Change drive and directory
         CHCP - Change the current code page
         CLS - Clear the screen
         COLOR - Change display colors
         COPY - Copy files
         DATE - Set the date
         DEL - Delete files
         DELAY - Pause for a specified time
         DESCRIBE - Create file description
         DETACH - Start a program in "detached" mode
         DIR - Display directories
         DIRHISTORY - Display the directory history
         DIRS - Display the directory stack
         DO - Loop in batch files
         DPATH - Set data search path
         DRAWBOX - Draw a box
         DRAWHLINE - Draw horizontal line
         DRAWVLINE - Draw a vertical line
         ECHO - Display a message
         ECHOS - Display a message with no CR/LF
         ENDLOCAL - Restore saved environment
         ESET - Edit variable or alias
         EXCEPT - Exclude files from command
         EXIT - Exit Take Command
         FFIND - Search for files or text
         FOR - Repeat a command
         FREE - Display total and free disk space
         GLOBAL - Execute command in all subdirectories
         GOSUB - Call subroutine
         GOTO - Branch within batch file
         HELP - Call online help
         HISTORY - Manage command history list
         IF - Test condition
         IFF - IFF / THEN / ELSE conditional test
         INKEY - Input a character
         INPUT - Input a string
         KEYBD - Set keyboard toggles
         KEYS - Enable/disable history list
         KEYSTACK - Feed keystrokes to programs
         LIST - Display file
         LOADBTM - Switch batch file mode
         LOG - Log commands to file
         MD - Create a subdirectory
         MEMORY - Display memory status
         MOVE - Move files to another directory
         MSGBOX - Display a message box prompt
         ON - Trap errors in batch files
         OPTION - Configure Take Command
         PATH - Set the executable search path
         PAUSE - Suspend batch file execution
         POPD - Restore previous directory
         PROMPT - Change command-line prompt
         PUSHD - Save current directory
         QUERYBOX - Popup dialog for input
         QUIT - Exit batch file
         RD - Remove subdirectory
         REBOOT - Reboot or shutdown the computer
         REM - Add comment to batch file
         REN - Rename files
         RETURN - Return from GOSUB
         SCREEN - Position cursor
         SCRPUT - Display text in color
         SELECT - Select files for a command
         SET - Set environment variables
         SETDOS - Set the Take Command configuration
         SETLOCAL - Save the environment
         SHIFT - Shift batch parameters
         SHRALIAS - Retain global lists
         START - Start application in new session
         SWITCH - Select commands to execute
         TEE - "Tee" pipe fitting
         TEXT - Display text in batch file
         TIME - Set the system time
         TIMER - Start or stop a stopwatch
         TITLE - Set window title
         TOUCH - Change date and time stamps
         TREE - Display directory tree
         TYPE - Display a file
         UNALIAS - Remove aliases
         UNSET - Remove environment variables
         VER - Display version levels
         VERIFY - Disk write verification
         VOL - Display drive label
         VSCRPUT - Display text in color vertically
         WINDOW - Change the window state or title
         Y - "Y" pipe fitting


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.1. ? - List internal commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a list of internal commands or prompt for a command.

 Format:     ? ["prompt" command]
             prompt :  Prompt text about whether to execute the command.
             command : Command to be executed if the user answers Y.

 Usage:

 ? has two functions

 When you use the ? command by itself, it displays a list of internal commands.
 For help with any individual command, see the HELP command.

 If you have disabled a command with SETDOS /I, it will not appear in the list.

 The second function of ? is to prompt the user before executing a specific
 line in a batch file.  If you add a prompt and a command, ? will display the
 prompt followed by "(Y/N)?" and wait for the user's response.  If the user
 presses "Y" or "y", the line will be executed. If the user presses "N" or "n",
 the line will be ignored.

 For example, the following command might be used in a batch file:

          ? *Load the network* call netstart.btm

 When this command is executed, you will see the following prompt; if you
 answer "Y", the CALL command will be executed:

          Load the network (Y/N)?


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.2. ACTIVATE - Activate or change window state ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Activate a window, change its state, or change its title.

 Format:     ACTIVATE "window" [MAX | MIN | RESTORE | CLOSE ]

             window :  Current title of window to work with.

 See also:  START, TITLE, and WINDOW.

 Usage:

 Both the current name of the window and the new name, if any, must be enclosed
 in double quotes.  The quotes will not appear as part of the title bar text.

 If no options are used, the window named in the command will become the active
 window and be able to receive keystrokes and mouse commands.

 The MAX option expands the window to its maximum size, the MIN option reduces
 the window to an icon, and the RESTORE option returns the window to its
 default size and location on the desktop.  The CLOSE option closes the window
 and ends the session running in the window.

 This example maximizes and then renames the window called "Take Command":

          [c:\] activate "Take Command" max
          [c:\] activate "Take Command" "TCMD"

 You can use wildcards,  in the window parameter.  This is useful with
 applications that change their window title to reflect the file currently in
 use.

 ACTIVATE is often used before KEYSTACK to make sure the proper window receives
 the keystrokes.  ACTIVATE works by sending the appropriate messages to the
 named window.  If the window ignores or misinterprets the messages, ACTIVATE
 may not have the effect you want.  -


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.3. ALIAS - Create or display aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create new command names that execute one or more commands or
             redefine default options for existing commands; assign commands to
             keystrokes; load or display the list of defined alias names.

 Format:     ALIAS [/P /R file...] [name [=][value ]]

             file :  One or more files to read for alias definitions.
             name :  Name for an alias, or for the key to execute the alias.
             value :  Text to be substituted for the alias name.

             /P(ause)                 /R(ead alias file)

 See also:  UNALIAS and Aliases.

 Usage:

 The ALIAS command lets you create new command names or redefine internal
 commands.  It also lets you assign one or more commands to a single keystroke.
 An alias is often used to execute a complex series of commands with a few
 keystrokes or to create "in memory batch files" that run much faster than
 disk-based batch files.

 For example, to create a single-letter command D to display a wide directory,
 instead of using the longer DIR /W, you could use the command:

          [c:\] alias d = dir /w

 Now when you type a single d as a command, it will be translated into a DIR /W
 command.

 You can also define or modify aliases with the Alias dialog.  The dialog
 allows you to enter the alias name and value into separate fields in a dialog
 box, rather than using the ALIAS command.  All of the information in this
 section also applies to aliases defined via the dialog, unless otherwise
 noted.

 If you define aliases for commonly used application programs, you can often
 remove the directories they're stored in from the PATH. For example, if you
 use Microsoft Word for Windows and had the C:\WINWORD directory in your path,
 you could define the following alias:

          [c:\] alias ww = c:\winword\winword.exe

 With this alias defined, you can probably remove C:\WINWORD from your path.
 Word for Windows will now load much faster than it would if Take Command had
 to search the PATH for it.  In addition, the PATH can be shorter, which will
 speed up searches for other programs.

 If you apply this technique for each application program, you can often reduce
 your PATH to just two or three directories containing utility programs, and
 significantly reduce the time it takes to load most software on your system.
 Before removing a directory from the PATH, you will need to define aliases for
 all the executable programs you commonly use which are stored in that
 directory.

 Aliases are stored in memory, and are not saved automatically when you turn
 off your computer or end your current session.  See below for information on
 saving and reloading your aliases.

 Multiple Commands and Special Characters in Aliases

 An alias can represent more than one command.  For example:

          [c:\] alias letters = `cd \letters & tedit`

 creates a new command called LETTERS.  The command first uses CD to change to
 a subdirectory called \LETTERS and then runs a program called TEDIT.  The
 ampersand [&] is the command separator and indicates that the two commands are
 distinct and should be executed sequentially.

 Aliases make extensive use of the command separator, and the parameter
 character, and may also use the escape character.  These characters differ
 between 4OS2, 4DOS, and Take Command.  In the text and examples below, we use
 the Take Command characters. If you want to use the same aliases under
 different command processors, see Special Character Compatibility.

 When an alias contains multiple commands, the commands are executed one after
 the other.  However, if any of the commands run an external Windows or OS/2
 application, you must be sure the alias will wait for the application to
 finish before continuing with the other commands.  This behavior is controlled
 by the Wait for completion setting on the Options 2 page of the configuration
 notebook  or the ExecWait directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 When you type alias commands at the command line or in a batch file, you must
 use back quotes [`] around the definition if it contains multiple commands,
 parameters (discussed below), environment variables, redirection, or piping.
 The back quotes prevent premature expansion of these arguments.  You may use
 back quotes around other definitions, but they are not required. (You do not
 need back quotes when your aliases are loaded from an ALIAS /R file; see below
 for details.)  You also do not need back-quotes when entering an alias in the
 Aliases dialog box.)  The examples in this section include back-quotes only
 when they are required.

 Nested Aliases

 Aliases may invoke internal commands, external commands, or other aliases.
 (However, an alias may not invoke itself, except in special cases where an IF
 or IFF command is used to prevent an infinite loop.)  The two aliases below
 demonstrate alias nesting (one alias invoking another).  The first line
 defines an alias which runs Word for Windows in the E:\WINWORD subdirectory.
 The second alias changes directories with the PUSHD command, runs the WP
 alias, and then returns to the original directory with the POPD command:

          [c:\] alias wp = e:\wp60\wpinword\winword.exe
          [c:\] alias w = `pushd c:\wp & wp & popd`

 The second alias above could have included the full path and name of the
 WINWORD.EXE program instead of calling the WP alias.  However, writing two
 aliases makes the second one easier to read and understand, and makes the
 first alias available for independent use.  If you rename the WINWORD.EXE
 program or move it to a new directory, only the first alias needs to be
 changed.

 Temporarily Disabling Aliases

 If you put an asterisk [*] immediately before a command in the value of an
 alias definition (the part after the equal sign), it tells Take Command not to
 attempt to interpret that command as another (nested) alias.  An asterisk used
 this way must be preceded by a space or the command separator and followed
 immediately by an internal or external command name.

 By using an asterisk, you can redefine the default options for any internal or
 external command.  For example, suppose that you always want to use the DIR
 command with the /2 (two column) and /P (pause at the end of each page)
 options.  The following line will do just that:

          [c:\] alias dir = *dir /2/p

 If you didn't include the asterisk, the second DIR on the line would be the
 name of the alias itself, and Take Command would repeatedly re- invoke the DIR
 alias, rather than running the DIR command.  This would cause an "Alias loop"
 or "Command line too long" error.

 An asterisk also helps you keep the names of internal commands from
 conflicting with the names of external programs.  For example, suppose you
 have a program called DESCRIBE.EXE.  Normally, the internal DESCRIBE command
 will run anytime you type DESCRIBE.  But two simple aliases will give you
 access to both the DESCRIBE.EXE program and the DESCRIBE command:

          [c:\] alias describe = c:\winutil\describe.exe
          [c:\] alias filedesc = *describe

 The first line above defines DESCRIBE as an alias for the DESCRIBE.EXEprogram.
 If you stopped there, the external program would run every time you typed
 DESCRIBE and you would not have easy access to the internal DESCRIBE command.
 The second line renames the internal DESCRIBE command as FILEDESC.  The
 asterisk is needed in the second command to indicate that the following word
 means the internal command DESCRIBE, not the DESCRIBE alias which runs your
 external program.

 Another way to understand the asterisk is to remember that a command is always
 checked for an alias first, then for an internal or external command, or a
 batch file (see Internal and External Commands).  The asterisk at the
 beginning of a command name simply skips over the usual check for aliases when
 processing that command, and allows Take Command to go straight to checking
 for an internal command, external command, or batch file.

 You can also use an asterisk before a command that you enter at the command
 line or in a batch file.  If you do, that command won't be interpreted as an
 alias.  This can be useful when you want to be sure you are running the true,
 original command and not an alias with the same name, or temporarily defeat
 the purpose of an alias which changes the meaning or behavior of a command.
 For example, above we defined an alias for DIR which made directories display
 in 2-column paged mode by default.  If you wanted to see a directory display
 in the normal single-column, non-paged mode, you could enter the command *DIR
 and the alias would be ignored during that one command.

 You can also disable aliases temporarily with the SETDOS /X command.

 Partial Alias Names

 You can also use an asterisk in the name of an alias.  When you do, the
 characters following the asterisk are optional when you invoke the alias
 command.  (Use of an asterisk in the alias name is unrelated to the use of an
 asterisk in the alias value discussed above.)  For example, with this alias:

          [c:\] alias wher*eis = dir /sp

 the new command, WHEREIS, can be invoked as WHER, WHERE, WHEREI, or WHEREIS.
 Now if you type:

          [c:\] where myfile.txt

 The WHEREIS alias will be expanded to the command:

          dir /sp myfile.txt

 Keystroke Aliases

 If you want to assign an alias to a keystroke, use the key name on the left
 side of the equal sign, preceded by an at sign [@]. For example, to assign the
 command DIR /W to the F4 key, type

          [c:\] alias @F4 = dir /w

 See Keys and Key Names for a complete listing of key names and a description
 of the key name format.

 You can not use Alt key names (e.g., Alt-D) for keystroke aliases because
 these names are used by OS/2 for "accelerator" (shortcut) keys for menu items.

 If you define a keystroke alias with a single at sign as shown above, then,
 when you press the F4 key, the value of the alias (DIR /W above) will be
 placed on the command line for you.  You can type additional parameters if you
 wish and then press Enter to execute the command. With this particular alias,
 you can define the files that you want to display after pressing F4 and before
 pressing Enter to execute the command.

 If you want the keystroke alias to take action automatically without waiting
 for you to edit the command line or press Enter, you can begin the definition
 with two at signs [@@].  Take Command will execute the alias "silently,"
 without displaying its text on the command line.  For example, this command
 will assign an alias to the F11 key that uses the CDD command to take you back
 to the previous default directory:

          [c:\] alias @@f11 = cdd -

 When you define keystroke aliases, the assignments will only be in effect at
 the command line, not inside application programs.  Be careful not to assign
 aliases to keys that are already used at the command line (like F1for Help).
 The command-line meanings take precedence and the keystroke alias will never
 be invoked.  If you want to use one of the command- line keys for an alias
 instead of its normal meaning, you must first disable its regular use with the
 NormalKey or NormalEditKey directives in your .INI file.

 You can also define a keystroke alias by using "@" or "@@" plus a scan code
 for one of the permissible keys (see the Key Code Tables for a list of scan
 codes).  In most cases it will be easier to use key names.  Scan codes should
 only be used with unusual keyboards where a key name is not available for the
 key you are using.

 Displaying Aliases

 If you want to see a list of all current ALIAS commands, type:

          [c:\] alias

 You can also view the definition of a single alias.  For example, if you want
 to see the definition of the alias LIST, you can type:

          [c:\] alias list

 Saving and Reloading Your Aliases

 You can save your aliases to a file called ALIAS.LST this way:

          [c:\] alias > alias.lst

 You can then reload all the alias definitions in the file the next time you
 boot up with the command:

          [c:\] alias /r alias.lst

 This is much faster than defining each alias individually in a batch file.  If
 you keep your alias definitions in a separate file which you load when your
 system starts, you can edit them with a text editor, reload the edited file
 with ALIAS /R, and know that the same alias list will be loaded the next time
 you boot your computer.

 When you define aliases in a file that will be read with the ALIAS /R command,
 you do not need back quotes around the value, even if back quotes would
 normally be required when defining the same alias at the command line or in a
 batch file.

 You can also save and reload your aliases using the Aliases dialog.  The
 Export button in the dialog box is equivalent to the ALIAS > filename command
 shown above, and the Import button is equivalent to the ALIAS /R command.

 To remove an alias, use the UNALIAScommand.

 Alias Parameters

 Aliases can use command-line arguments or parameters like those in batch
 files.  The command-line arguments are numbered from %0 to % 127.  %0 contains
 the alias name.  It is up to the alias to determine the meaning of the other
 parameters. You can use quotation marks to pass spaces, tabs, commas, and
 other special characters in an alias parameter; see Argument Quotingfor
 details.

 Parameters that are referred to in an alias, but which are missing on the
 command line, appear as empty strings inside the alias.  For example, if you
 put two parameters on the command line, any reference in the alias to %3 or
 any higher-numbered parameter will be interpreted as an empty string.

 The parameter %n$ has a special meaning.  Take Command interprets it to mean
 "the entire command line, from argument n to the end." If n is not specified,
 it has a default value of 1, so %$means "the entire command line after the
 alias name."  The special parameter %# contains the number of command-line
 arguments.

 For example, the following alias will change directories, perform a command,
 and return to the original directory:

          [c:\] alias in = `pushd %1 & %2$ & popd`

 When this alias is invoked as:

          [c:\] in c:\comm mycomm zmodem /56K

 the first parameter, %1, has the value c:\comm. %2 is mycomm,  %3is zmodem,
 and %4 is /56K. The command line expands into these three separate commands:

          pushd c:\comm
          mycomm zmodem /56K
          popd

 This next example uses the IFF command to redefine the defaults for SET.  It
 should be entered on one line:

          [c:\] alias set = `iff %# == 0 then & *set /p & else
  & *set %$ & endiff`

 This modifies the SET command so that if SET is entered with no arguments, it
 is replaced by SET /P (pause after displaying each page), but if SET is
 followed by an argument, it behaves normally. Note the use of asterisks (*set)
 to prevent alias loops.

 If an alias uses parameters, command-line arguments will be deleted up to and
 including the highest referenced argument.  For example, if an alias refers
 only to %1 and %4, then the first and fourth arguments will be used, the
 second and third arguments will be discarded, and any additional arguments
 beyond the fourth will be appended to the expanded command (after the value
 portion of the alias).  If an alias uses no parameters, all of the command-
 line arguments will be appended to the expanded command.

 Aliases also have full access to all variables in the environment, internal
 variables, and variable functions.  For example, you can create a simple
 command-line calculator this way:

          [c:\] alias calc = `echo The answer is: %@eval[%$]`

 Now, if you enter:

          [c:\] calc 5 * 6

 the alias will display:

          The answer is: 30

 Expanding Aliases at the Prompt

 You can expand an alias on the command line and view or edit the results by
 pressing Ctrl-F after typing the alias name, but before the command is
 executed.  This replaces the alias with its contents, and substitutes values
 for each alias paramter, just as if you had pressed the Enter key.  However,
 the command is not executed; it is simply redisplayed on the command line for
 additional editing.

 Ctrl-F is especially useful when you are developing and debugging a complex
 alias, or if you want to make sure that an alias that you may have forgotten
 won't change the effect of your command.

 Local and Global Aliases

 The aliases can be stored in either a "local" or "global" list.

 With a local alias list, any changes made to the aliases will only affect the
 current copy of Take Command.  They will not be visible in other sessions.

 With a global alias list, all copies of Take Command will share the same alias
 list, and any changes made to the aliases in one copy will affect all other
 copies.  This is the default.

 You can control the type of alias list from the Startup page of the
 configuration dialogs, with the LocalAliases directive in the TCMDOS2.INI
 file, with the /L and /LA options of the START commandand with the /L and /LA
 startup options.

 There is no fixed rule for determining whether to use a local or global alias
 list.  Depending on your work style, you may find it most convenient to use
 one type, or a mixture of types in different sessions or shells.  We recommend
 that you start with the default approach, then modify it if you find a
 situation where the default is not convenient.

 Whenever you start a second copy of Take Command which uses a local alias
 list, it inherits a copy of the aliases from the previous copy.. However, any
 changes to the alias made in the second copy will affect only that copy.  If
 you want changes made in a second copy of Take Command to affect the previous
 copy, use a global alias list in both.

 Retaining Global Aliases with SHRALIAS

 If you select a global alias list you can share the aliases among all copies
 of Take Command running in any session.  When you close all Take Command
 sessions, the memory for the global alias list is released, and a new, empty
 alias list is created the next time you start Take Command.

 If you want the aliases to be retained in memory even when no Take Command
 session is running, you need to execute the SHRALIAS command, which loads a
 program to perform this service for the global alias list, the global command
 history list, and the global directory history list.  You may find it
 convenient to execute SHRALIAS from your TCSTART file

 SHRALIAS retains the alias list in memory, but cannot preserve it when OS/2
 itself is shut down.  To save your aliases when restarting OS/2, you must
 store them in a file and reload them after the system restarts.  For details
 on how to do so, see Saving and Reloading Your Aliases (above).

 The UNKNOWN_CMD Alias

 If you create an alias with the name UNKNOWN_CMD, it will be executed any time
 Take Command would normally issue an "Unknown command" error message.  This
 allows you to define your own "handler" for unknown commands.  When the
 UNKNOWN_CMD alias is executed, the command line which generated the error is
 passed to the alias for possible processing.  For example, to display the
 command that caused the error:

          alias unknown_cmd `echo Error in command "%&"`

 Use caution when you create the UNKNOWN_CMD alias.  If the alias contains an
 unknown command, it will be called repeatedly and Take Command will loop up to
 10 times, then display an "UNKNOWN_CMD loop" error.

 Options:

    /P      (Pause) This option is only effective when ALIAS is used to display
            existing definitions.  It pauses the display after each page and
            waits for a keystroke before continuing (see Page and File
            Prompts).

    /R      (Read file) This option loads an alias list from a file. The format
            of the file is the same as that of the ALIAS display:

                                name=value

            where name is the name of the alias and value is its value.  You
            can use an equal sign [=] or space to separate the name and value.
            Back quotes are not required around the value. You can add comments
            to the file by starting each comment line with a colon [:].  You
            can load multiple files with one ALIAS /R command by placing the
            names on the command line, separated by spaces:

                                [c:\] alias /r alias1.lst alias2.lst

            Each definition in an ALIAS /R file can be up to 2,047 characters
            long.  The definitions can span multiple lines in the file if each
            line, except the last, is terminated with an escape character.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.4. ATTRIB - Change file attributes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change or view file and subdirectory attributes.

 Format:     ATTRIB [/A:[[-]rhsda] /D /E /P /Q /S] [+|-[AHRS]] files ...

             files :  A file, directory, or list of files or directories on
             which to operate.

             /A: (Attribute select)      /P(ause)
             /D(irectories)              /Q(uiet)
             /E (No error messages)      /S(ubdirectories)

             Attribute flags:

              +A     Set the archive attribute
              -A     Clear the archive attribute
              +H     Set the hidden attribute
              -H     Clear the hidden attribute
              +R     Set the read-only attribute
              -R     Clear the read-only attribute
              +S     Set the system attribute
              -S     Clear the system attribute

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 Every file and subdirectory has 4 attributes that can be turned on (set) or
 turned off (cleared):  Archive, Hidden, Read- only, and System.

 The ATTRIB command lets you view, set, or clear attributes for any file, group
 of files, or subdirectory.

 You can view file attributes by entering ATTRIB without specifying new
 attributes (i.e., without the [+|-[AHRS]] part of the format).  (You can also
 view file attributes with the DIR /T command.

 The primary use of ATTRIB is to set attributes.  For example, you can set the
 read-only and hidden attributes for the file MEMO:

          [c:\] attrib +rh memo

 Attribute options apply to the file(s) that follow the options on the ATTRIB
 command line.  The example below shows how to set different attributes on
 different files with a single command.  It sets the archive attribute for all
 .TXT files, then sets the system attribute and clears the archive attribute
 for TEST.COM:

          [c:\] attrib +a *.txt +s -a test.com

 When you use ATTRIB on an HPFS drive, you must quote any file names which
 contain whitespace or special characters.

 To change directory attributes, use the /D switch.  If you give ATTRIB a
 directory name instead of a file name, and omit /D, it will append "\*.*" to
 the end of the name and act on all files in that directory, rather than acting
 on the directory itself.

 OS/2 also supports "D" (subdirectory) and "V" (volume label) attributes. These
 attributes cannot be altered with ATTRIB; they are designed to be controlled
 only by the operating system itself.

 ATTRIB will ignore underlines in the new attribute (the [+|- [AHRS]] part of
 the command).  For example, ATTRIB sees these 2 commands as identical:

          [c:\] attrib +a filename
          [c:\] attrib +__A_ filename

 This allows you to use a string of attributes from either the @ATTRIB variable
 function or from ATTRIB itself (both of which use underscores to represent
 attributes that are not set) and send that string back to ATTRIB to set
 attributes for other files.  For example, to clear the attributes of FILE2 and
 then set its attributes to match those of FILE1 (enter this on one line):

          [c:\] attrib -arhs file2 & attrib +%@attrib[file1] file2

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select):  Select only those files that have the
            specified attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with
            a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.
            The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., /A:), ATTRIB will select
            all files and subdirectories including hidden and system files.  If
            attributes are combined, all the specified attributes must match
            for a file to be selected.  For example, /A:RHS will select only
            those files with all three attributes set.

            This switch specifies which files to select, not which attributes
            to set.  For example, to remove the archive attribute from all
            hidden files, you could use this command:

                                [c:\] attrib /a:h -a *.*

    /D      (Directories) If you use the /D option, ATTRIB will modify the
            attributes of subdirectories in addition to files (yes, you can
            have a hidden subdirectory):

                                [c:\] attrib /d +h c:\mydir

    /E      (No error messages) Suppress all non-fatal error messages, such as
            "File Not Found."  Fatal error messages, such as "Drive not ready,"
            will still be displayed.  This option is most useful in batch files
            and aliases.

    /P      (Pause) Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q      (Quiet) This option turns off ATTRIB's normal screen output. It is
            most useful in batch files.

    /S      (Subdirectories) If you use the /S option, the ATTRIB command will
            be applied to all matching files in the current or named directory
            and all of its subdirectories.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.5. BEEP - Beep the speaker ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Beep the speaker or play simple music.

 Format:     BEEP [frequency duration ...]

             frequency :  The beep frequency in Hertz (cycles per second).
             duration :  The beep length in 1/18th second intervals.

 Usage:

 BEEP generates a sound through your computer's speaker.  It is normally used
 in batch files to signal that an operation has been completed, or that the
 computer needs attention.

 Because BEEP allows you to specify the frequency and duration of the sound,
 you can also use it to play simple music or to create different kinds of
 signals for the user.

 You can include as many frequency and duration pairs as you wish. No sound
 will be generated for frequencies less than 20 Hz, allowing you to insert
 short delays.  The default value for frequency is 440 Hz; the default value
 for duration is 2.

 This batch file fragment runs a program called DEMO, then plays a few notes
 and waits for you to press a key:

          demo
          beep 440 4  600 2  1040 6
          pause Finished with the demo - hit a key

  The following table gives the frequency values for a five octave range
 (middle C is 262 Hz):

          ΓòöΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòñΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòù
          Γòæ C      Γöé  131  Γöé  262  Γöé  523  Γöé  1046  Γöé  2093 Γòæ
          Γòæ C#/Db  Γöé  139  Γöé  277  Γöé  554  Γöé  1108  Γöé  2217 Γòæ
          Γòæ D      Γöé  147  Γöé  294  Γöé  587  Γöé  1175  Γöé  2349 Γòæ
          Γòæ D#/Eb  Γöé  156  Γöé  311  Γöé  622  Γöé  1244  Γöé  2489 Γòæ
          Γòæ E      Γöé  165  Γöé  330  Γöé  659  Γöé  1318  Γöé  2637 Γòæ
          Γòæ F      Γöé  175  Γöé  349  Γöé  698  Γöé  1397  Γöé  2794 Γòæ
          Γòæ F#/Gb  Γöé  185  Γöé  370  Γöé  740  Γöé  1480  Γöé  2960 Γòæ
          Γòæ G      Γöé  196  Γöé  392  Γöé  784  Γöé  1568  Γöé  3136 Γòæ
          Γòæ G#/Ab  Γöé  208  Γöé  415  Γöé  831  Γöé  1662  Γöé  3322 Γòæ
          Γòæ A      Γöé  220  Γöé  440  Γöé  880  Γöé  1760  Γöé  3520 Γòæ
          Γòæ A#/Bb  Γöé  233  Γöé  466  Γöé  932  Γöé  1866  Γöé  3729 Γòæ
          Γòæ B      Γöé  248  Γöé  494  Γöé  988  Γöé  1973  Γöé  3951 Γòæ
          ΓòÜΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòºΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉΓò¥


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.6. CALL - Execute one batch file from another ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute one batch file from within another.

 Format:     CALL [/Q]  file

             file :  The batch file to execute.

             /Q(uiet)

 See also:  CANCEL and QUIT.

 Usage:

 CALL allows batch files to call other batch files (batch file nesting).  The
 calling batch file is suspended while the called (second) batch file runs.
 When the second batch file finishes, the original batch file resumes execution
 at the next command.  If you execute a batch file from inside another batch
 file without using CALL, the first batch file is terminated before the second
 one starts.

 The following batch file fragment compares an input line to "wp" and calls
 another batch file if it matches:

          input  Enter your choice:  %%option
          if "%option" == "wp" call wp.bat

 Take Command supports batch file nesting up to ten levels deep.

 The current ECHO state is inherited by a called batch file, except when the /Q
 switch is used.

 The called batch file should always either return (by executing its last line,
 or using the QUIT command), or terminate batch file processing with CANCEL. Do
 not restart or CALL the original batch file from within the called file as
 this may cause an infinite loop or a stack overflow.

 CALL returns an exit code which matches the batch file return code.  You can
 test this exit code with the %_? or %? environment variable, and use it with
 conditional commands (&& and ||).

 Option:

    /Q      (Quite):  Starts the new batch file with echo off, regardless of
            the current batch file's echo state.  This switch is provided for
            compatibility with CMD.EXE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.7. CANCEL - End all batch files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Terminate batch file processing.

 Format:     CANCEL [value]

             value :  The numeric exit code to return to Take Command.

 See also:  CALL and QUIT.

 Usage:

 The CANCEL command ends all batch file processing, regardless of the batch
 file nesting level.  Use QUIT to end a nested batch file and return to the
 previous batch file.

 You can CANCEL at any point in a batch file.  If CANCEL is used from within an
 alias it will end execution of both the alias and any batch files which are
 running at the time.

 The following batch file fragment compares an input line to "end" and
 terminates all batch file processing if it matches:

          input Enter your choice:  %%option
          if "%option" == "end" cancel

 If you specify a value, CANCEL will set the ERRORLEVEL or exit code to that
 value (see the IF command, and the %? variable).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.8. CD - Change directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or change the current directory.

 Format:     CD [/N] [ path | - ]
                or
             CHDIR [/N] [ path | - ]

             path :  The directory to change to, including an optional drive
             name.

             /N(o extended search)

 See also:  CDD, MD, PUSHD, RD, and Directory Navigation.

 Usage:

 CD and CHDIR are synonyms.  You can use either one.

 CD lets you navigate through a drive's subdirectory structure by changing the
 current working directory.  If you enter CD and a directory name, the named
 directory becomes the new current directory.  For example, to change to the
 subdirectory C:\FINANCE\MYFILES:

          [c:\] cd \finance\myfiles
          [c:\finance\myfiles]

 Every disk drive on the system has its own current directory. Specifying both
 a drive and a directory in the CD command will change the current directory on
 the specified drive, but will not change the default drive.  For example, to
 change the default directory on drive A:

          [c:\] cd a:\utility
          [c:\]

 Notice that this command does not change to drive A:.  Use the CDD command to
 change the current drive and directory at the same time.

 When you use CD to change to a directory on an HPFS drive, you must quote the
 path name if it contains whitespace or special characters.

 You can change to the parent directory with CD ..; you can also go up one
 additional directory level with each additional [.]. For example, CD .... will
 go up three levels in the directory tree (see Extended Parent Directory
 Names).  You can move to a sibling directory -- one that branches from the
 same parent directory as the current subdirectory -- with a command like CD
 ..\newdir.

 If you enter CD with no argument or with only a disk drive name, it will
 display the current directory on the default or named drive.

 If CD cannot change to the directory you have specified it will attempt to
 search the CDPATH and the extended directory search database in order to find
 a matching directory and switch to it.  You can use wildcards in the path to
 force an extended directory search.  Read the section on Directory Navigation
 for complete details on these and other directory navigation features.  To
 disable extended directory searches for the current command (e.g. in a batch
 file) see the /N option below.

 CD saves the current directory before changing to a new directory. You can
 switch back to the previous directory by entering CD -.  (There must be a
 space between the CD command and the hyphen.)  You can switch back and forth
 between two directories by repeatedly entering CD -.  The saved directory is
 the same for both the CD and CDD commands.  Drive changes and automatic
 directory changes also modify the saved directory, so you can use CD - to
 return to a directory that you exited with an automatic directory change.

 Directory changes made with CD are also recorded in the directory history list
 and can be displayed in the directory history window, which allows you to
 return quickly to a recently-used directory.

 CD never changes the default drive.  If you change directories on one drive,
 switch to another drive, and then enter CD -, the directory will be restored
 on the first drive but the current drive will not be changed.

 Option

    /N:     (No extended search) This option prevents CD from searching the
            extended directory search database or displaying the related popup
            window.  If /N is used and the specified directory is not found via
            other methods (i.e. without an extended search), CD will display an
            error. This option is primarily intended for use in batch files
            where you do not want CD to use "fuzzy" directory searching or
            display an extended search popup window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.9. CDD - Change drive and directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the current disk drive and directory.

 Format:     CDD [/A /N /S[drive ...]] [path | - ]

             path :  The name of the directory (or drive and directory) to
             change to.
             drive :  A drive or list of drives to include in the extended
             directory search database.

             /A(ll drives)            /N(o extended search)
             /S(earch tree)

 See also:  CD, MD, PUSHD, RD, and Directory Navigation.

 Usage:

 CDD is similar to the CD command, except that it also changes the default disk
 drive if one is specified.  CDD will change to the directory and drive you
 name.  To change from the root directory on drive A to the subdirectory C:\WP:

          [a:\] cdd c:\wp
          [c:\wp]

 You can change to the parent directory with CDD ..; you can also go up one
 additional directory level with each additional [.]. For example, CDD ....
 will go up three levels in the directory tree (see Extended Parent Directory
 Names for details).

 CDD can also change to a network drive and directory specified with a UNC
 name.

 When you use CDD to change to a directory on an NTFS drive, you must quote the
 path name if it contains whitespace or special characters.

 If CDD cannot change to the directory you have specified it will attempt to
 search the CDPATH and the extended directory search database in order to find
 a matching directory and switch to it.  You can also use wildcards in the path
 to force an extended directory search.  Read the section on Directory
 Navigation for complete details on these and other directory navigation
 features.  To disable extended directory searches for the current command
 (e.g. in a batch file) see the /N option below.

 CDD saves the current drive and directory before changing to a new directory.
 You can switch back to the previous drive and directory by entering CDD -
 (there must be a space between the CDD command and the hyphen).  You can
 switch back and forth between two drives and directories by repeatedly
 entering CDD -.  The saved directory is the same for both the CD and CDD
 commands.  Drive changes and automatic directory changes also modify the saved
 directory, so you can use CDD - to return to a directory that you exited with
 a drive change or an automatic directory change.

 Directory changes made with CDD are also recorded in the directory history
 list and can be displayed in the directory history window, which allows you to
 return quickly to a recently-used directory.

 Options:

    /A      (All drives) When CDD is used with this option, it displays the
            current directory on all drives from C: to the last drive in the
            system.  You cannot move to a new drive and directory and use /A in
            the same command.

    /N:     (No extended search) This option prevents CD from searching the
            extended directory search database or displaying the related popup
            window.  If /N is used and the specified directory is not found via
            other methods (i.e. without an extended search), CD will display an
            error. This option is primarily intended for use in batch files
            where you do not want CD to use "fuzzy" directory searching or
            display an extended search popup window.

    /S      (Search tree) Builds or rebuilds the Extended Directory Search
            database, JPSTREE.IDX.  You cannot move to a new drive and
            directory and use /S in the same command.

            To include all local hard drives in the database, use the command:

                                cdd /s

            To limit or add to the list of drives included in the database,
            list the drives and network volume names after the /S switch.  For
            example, to include drives C, D, E, and the network volume
            \\server\dir1 in the database, use this command:

                                cdd /s cde \\server\dir1

            All non-hidden directories on the listed drives will be indexed;
            you cannot restrict the database to certain directories within a
            drive.  Each time you use /S, everything in the previous directory
            database is replaced by the new database that is created.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.10. CHCP - Change the current code page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or change the current system code page.

 Format:     CHCP [n ]

             n :  A system code page number.

 Usage:

 Code page switching allows you to select different character sets for language
 support.

 If you enter CHCP without a number, the current active code page is displayed,
 along with a list of all active code pages :

          [c:\] chcp
          Active code page: 437
          Prepared code pages:  273 274 277 278 280 282 284 285 297 437 500
          850 860 863 865 932 942 852 857 861 870 871 1026 1004

 If you enter CHCP plus a code page number, the system code page is changed.
 For example, to set the code page to multilingual:

          [c:\] chcp 850

 CHCP only affects the current Take Command for OS/2 session, and any new
 programs started from within that session; the active code page in other
 sessions remains unchanged.

 CHCP accepts one of the prepared system code pages.  An error message is
 displayed if a code page is selected that has not been prepared for the
 system.

 See your OS/2 documentation for more information on CHCP.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.11. CLS - Clear the screen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Clear the window and move the cursor to the upper left corner;
             optionally change the default display colors.

 Format:     CLS [/C] [[BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg]

             fg :  The new foreground color
             bg :  The new background color

 /C  Clear scrollback buffer

 Usage:

 CLS can be used to clear the screen without changing colors, or to clear the
 screen and change the screen colors simultaneously. These two examples show
 how to clear the screen to the default colors, and to bright white letters on
 a blue background:

          [c:\] cls
          [c:\] cls bright white on blue

 CLS is often used in batch files to clear the screen before displaying text.

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors.

 Option:

    /C      (Clear buffer)  Clears the entire scrollback buffer.  If /C is not
            used, only the visible portion of the Take Command screen is
            cleared.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.12. COLOR - Change display colors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the default display colors.

 Format:     COLOR [BRIght] fg ON [ BRIght] bg

             fg :  The new foreground color
             bg :  The new background color

 See also:  CLS, and Colors and Color Names for details about using colors.

 Usage:

 COLOR is normally used in batch files before displaying text. For example, to
 set screen colors to bright white on blue, you can use this command:

          [c:\] color bright white on blue


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.13. COPY - Copy files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Copy data between disks, directories, files, or physical hardware
             devices (such as your printer or serial port).

 Format:     COPY [/A:[[-]rhsda] /C /E /F /H /K /M /N /P /Q /R /S /T /U /V /X
             /Z] source [+] ... [/A /B] destination [/A /B]

             source :  A file or list of files or a device to copy from.
             destination :  A file, directory, or device to copy to.

             /A(SCII)                    /P(rompt)
             /A:(ttribute select)        /Q(uiet)
             /B(inary)                   /R(eplace)
             /C(hanged)                  /S(ubdirectories)
             /E (No error messages)      /T(otals)
             /F(ail on EA error)         /U(update)
             /H(idden)                   /V(erify)
             /K(eep attributes)          /X (clear archive)
             /M(odified)                 /Z (overwrite)
             /N(othing)

 See also:  ATTRIB, MOVE, and REN.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists,
 and the clipboard device (CLIP:).  Date, time, size, or exclude ranges
 anywhere on the line apply to all source files.

 Usage:

 The COPY command accepts all traditional syntax and options and adds several
 new features.

 The simplest use of COPY is to make a copy of a file, like this example which
 makes a copy of a file called FILE1.ABC:

          [c:\] copy file1.abc file2.def

 You can also copy a file to another drive and/or directory.  The following
 command copies FILE1 to the \MYDIR directory on drive E:

          [c:\] copy file1 e:\mydir

 When you COPY files to or from an HPFS drive, you must quote any file names
 which contain whitespace or special characters.

 Copying Files

 You can copy several files at once by using wildcards:

          [c:\] copy *.txt e:\mydir

 You can also list several source files in one command.  The following command
 copies 3 files from the current directory to the \MYDIR directory on drive E:

          [c:\] copy file1 file2 file3 e:\mydir

 COPY also understands include lists, so you can specify several different
 kinds of files in the same command.  This command copies the .TXT, .DOC, and
 .BAT files from the E:\MYDIR directory to the root directory of drive A:

          [c:\] copy e:\mydir\*.txt;*.doc;*.bat a:\

 If there is only one argument on the line, COPY assumes it is the source, and
 uses the current drive and directory as the destination.  For example, the
 following command copies all the .DAT files on drive A to the current
 directory on drive C:

          [c:\data] copy a:*.dat

 If there are two or more arguments on the line, separated by spaces, then COPY
 assumes that the last argument is the destination and copies all source files
 to this new location.  If the destination is a drive, directory, or device
 name then the source files are copied individually to the new location.  If
 the destination is a file name, the first source file is copied to the
 destination, and any additional source files are then appended to the new
 destination file.

 For example, the first of these commands copies the .DAT files from the
 current directory on drive A individually to C:\MYDIR (which must already
 exist as a directory); the second appends all the .DAT files together into one
 large file called C:\DATA (assuming C:\DATA is not a directory):

          [c:\] copy a:*.dat c:\mydir\
          [c:\] copy a:*.dat c:\data

 When you copy to a directory, if you add a backslash [\] to the end of the
 name as shown in the first example above, COPY will display an error message
 if the name does not refer to an existing directory.  You can use this feature
 to keep COPY from treating a mistyped destination directory name as a file
 name and attempting to append all your source files to a destination file,
 when you really meant to copy them individually to a destination directory.

 To copy a file to a device such as the printer, use the device name as the
 destination, for example:

          [c:\] copy schedule.txt prn

 To copy to or from the clipboard use CLIP: as the device name.  Using CLIP:
 with non-text data will produce unpredictable results.

 Appending Files

 A plus [+] tells COPY to append two or more files to a single destination
 file.  If you list several source files separated with [+] and don't specify a
 destination, COPY will use the name of the first source file as the
 destination, and append each subsequent file to the first file.

 For example, the following command will append the contents of C:\MEMO2 and
 C:\MEMO3 to C:\MEMO1 and leave the combined contents in the file named
 C:\MEMO1:

          [c:\] copy memo1+memo2+memo3

 To append the same three files but store the result in BIGMEMO:

          [c:\] copy memo1+memo2+memo3 bigmemo

 If no destination is specified, the destination file will always be created in
 the current directory even if the first source file is in another directory or
 on another drive.  For example, this command will append C:\MEM\MEMO2 and
 C:\MEM\MEMO3 to D:\DATA\MEMO1, and leave the result in C:\MEM\MEMO1:

          [c:\mem] copy d:\data\memo1+memo2+memo3

 You cannot append files to a device (such as a printer); if you try to do so,
 COPY will ignore the [+] signs and copy the files individually.  If you
 attempt to append several source files to a destination directory or disk,
 COPY will append the files and place the copy in the new location with the
 same name as the first source file.

 Advanced Features

 If your destination has wildcards in it, COPY will attempt to match them with
 the source names.  For example, this command copies the .DAT files from drive
 A to C:\MYDIR and gives the new copies the extension .DX:

          [c:\] copy a:*.dat c:\mydir\*.dx

 This feature can give you unexpected results if you use it with multiple
 source file names.  For example, suppose that drive A contains XYZ.DAT and
 XYZ.TXT.  The command:

          [c:\] copy a:\*.dat a:\*.txt c:\mydir\*.dx

 will copy A:XYZ.DAT to C:\MYDIR\XYZ.DX. Then it will copy A:XYZ.TXT to
 C:\MYDIR\XYZ.DX, overwriting the first file it copied.

 You can use date, time, and size ranges to further define the files that you
 want to copy.  This example copies every file in the E:\MYDIR directory, which
 was created or modified yesterday, and which is also 10,000 bytes or smaller
 in size, to the root directory of drive A:

          [c:\] copy /[d-1] /[s0,10000] e:\mydir\*.* a:\

 You can also use file exclusion ranges to restrict the list of files that
 would normally be selected with wildcards.  This example copies every file in
 the E:\MYDIR directory except backup (.BAK or .BK!) files:

          [c:\] copy /[!*.bak;*.bk!] e:\mydir\*.* a:\

 COPY will normally process source files which do not have the hidden or system
 attribute, and will ignore the read-only and archive attributes.  It will
 always set the archive attribute and clear the read-only attribute of
 destination files.  In addition, if the destination is an existing file with
 the read-only attribute, COPY will generate an "Access Denied" error and
 refuse to overwrite the file.  You can alter some of these behaviors with
 switches (see the individual switch descriptions below for complete details):

        /A: Forces COPY to process source files with the attributes you
            specify.

        /H  Forces COPY to process hidden and system source files, and
            preserves the hidden and system attributes when creating
            destination files.

        /K  Retains the read-only attribute from each source file when creating
            the destination file.

        /Z  Forces COPY to overwrite an existing read-only destination file.

 Use caution with /A:, /H, or /K when both the source and destination
 directories contain file descriptions.  If the source specification matches
 the description file name (normally DESCRIPT.ION), and you use a switch which
 tells COPY to process hidden files, the DESCRIPT.ION file itself will be
 copied, overwriting any existing descriptions in the destination directory.
 For example, if the \DATA directory contains file descriptions this command
 would overwrite any existing descriptions in the \SAVE directory:

         [c:\data] copy /h d*.* \save\

 If you copy a file from a FAT volume to an HPFS volume, and you do not give an
 explicit destination name (i.e., you are moving the file to the current
 directory, or your destination name is made up entirely of wildcards), COPY
 will look for a .LONGNAME extended attribute for the source file.  If it finds
 that attribute, it will use the long filename for the destination file;
 otherwise, it will use the short name.

 Similarly, if you COPY files with long filenames from an HPFS volume to a FAT
 volume, Take Command will create the destination files with short,
 FAT-compatible names and save the long filenames in the .LONGNAME extended
 attribute.  The short name is created by replacing special characters with
 underscores, adding numeric digits to the filename (if necessary) to make the
 new name unique, and truncating the name to fit with in the "8.3" FAT name
 structure.

 Options:

    The /A(SCII) and /B(inary) options apply to the preceding filename and to
    all subsequent filenames on the command line until the file name preceding
    the next /A or /B, if any. The other options (/A:, /C, /E, /H, /K, /M, /N,
    /P, /Q, /R, /S, /T, /U, /V, /X, /Z) apply to all filenames on the command
    line, no matter where you put them.  For example, either of the following
    commands could be used to copy a font file to the printer in binary mode:

                [c:\] copy /b myfont.dat prn
                [c:\] copy myfont.dat /b prn

    Some options do not make sense in certain contexts, in which case COPY will
    ignore them.  For example, you cannot prompt before replacing an existing
    file when the destination is a device such as the printer -- there's no
    such thing as an "existing file" on the printer.  If you use conflicting
    output options, like /Q and /P, COPY will generally take a "conservative"
    approach and give priority to the option which generates more prompts or
    more information.

    /A      (ASCII) If you use /A with a source filename, the file will be
            copied up to, but not including, the first Ctrl-Z (Control-Z or
            ASCII 26) character in the file (some application programs use the
            Ctrl-Z to mark the end of a file).  If you use /A with a
            destination filename, a Ctrl-Z will be added to the end of the
            file.  /A is the default when appending files, or when the
            destination is a device like NUL or PRN, rather than a disk file.

    /A:     (Attribute select):  Select only those files that have the
            specified attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with
            a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.
            The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., COPY /A:), COPY will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files (this is equivalent to COPY /H).  If attributes are combined,
            all the specified attributes must match for a file to be selected.
            For example, /A:RHS will select only those files with all three
            attributes set.

            See the cautionary note under Advanced Features above before using
            /A: when both source and destination directories contain file
            descriptions.

    /B      (Binary) If you use /B with a source filename, the entire file is
            copied; Ctrl-Z characters in the file do not affect the copy
            operation.  Using /B with a destination filename prevents addition
            of a Ctrl-Z to the end of the destination file. /B is the default
            for normal file copies.

    /C      (Changed files) Copy files only if the destination file exists and
            is older than the source (see also /U).  This option is useful for
            updating the files in one directory from those in another without
            copying any newly created files.

    /E      (No error messages)  Suppress all non-fatal error messages, such as
            "File not found."  Fatal error messages, such as "Drive not ready,"
            will still be displayed.  This option is most useful in batch files
            and aliases.

    /F      (Fail on EA error) Fail if the source file has extended attributes
            and the destination file system doesn't support extended
            attributes.

    /H      (Hidden) Copy all matching files including those with the hidden
            and/or system attribute set.

            See the cautionary note under Advanced Features above before using
            /H when both source and destination directories contain file
            descriptions.

    /K      (Keep attribute) To maintain compatibility with COMMAND.COM,
            CMD.EXE, and Netware, COPY normally maintains the hidden and system
            attributes, sets the archive attribute, and removes the read-only
            attribute on the target file.  /K tells COPY to also maintain the
            read-only attribute on the destination file. However, if the
            destination is on a Novell Netware volume, this option will fail to
            maintain the read-only attribute.  This is due to the way Netware
            handles file attributes, and is not a problem in COPY.

    /M      (Modified) Copy only those files with the archive attribute set,
            i.e., those which have been modified since the last backup.  The
            archive attribute of the source file will not be cleared after
            copying; to clear it use the /X switch, or use ATTRIB.

    /N      (Nothing) Do everything except actually perform the copy. This
            option is useful for testing what the result of a complex COPY
            command will be.  /N does not prevent creation of destination
            subdirectories when it is used with /S.

    /P      (Prompt) Ask the user to confirm each source file.  Your options at
            the prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q      (Quiet) Don't display filenames or the total number of files
            copied.  This option is most often used in batch files.

    /R      (Replace) Prompt the user before overwriting an existing file.
            Your options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and
            File Prompts.

    /S      (Subdirectories) Copy the subdirectory tree starting with the files
            in the source directory plus each subdirectory below that.  The
            destination must be a directory; if it doesn't exist, COPY will
            attempt to create it.  COPY will also attempt to create needed
            subdirectories on the tree below the destination, including empty
            source directories.  If COPY /S creates one or more destination
            directories, they will be added automatically to the extended
            directory search database.

            If you attempt to use COPY /S to copy a subdirectory tree into part
            of itself, COPY will detect the resulting infinite loop, display an
            error message. and exit.

    /T      (Totals) Turns off the display of filenames, like /Q, but does
            display the total number of files copied.

    /U      (Update) Copy each source file only if it is newer than a matching
            destination file or if a matching destination file does not exist
            (see also /C). This option is useful for keeping one directory
            matched with another with a minimum of copying.

    /V      (Verify) Verify each disk write.  This is the same as executing the
            VERIFY ON command, but is only active during the COPY.  /V does not
            read back the file and compare its contents with what was written;
            it only verifies that the data written to disk is physically
            readable.

    /X      (Clear archive) Clears the archive attribute from the source file
            after a successful copy.  This option is most useful if you are
            using COPY to maintain a set of backup files.

    /Z      (Overwrite)  Overwrites read-only destination files. Without this
            option, COPY will fail with an "Access denied" error if the
            destination file has its read-only attribute set.  This option
            allows COPY to overwrite read-only files without generating any
            errors.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.14. DATE - Set the date ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display and optionally change the system date.

 Format:     DATE [mm-dd- yy]

             mm :  The month (1 - 12).
             dd :  The day (1 - 31).
             yy :  The year (80 - 99 = 1980 - 1999, or a 4-digit year).

 See also:  TIME.

 Usage:

 If you simply type DATE without any parameters, you will see the current
 system date and time, and be prompted for a new date. Press Enter if you don't
 wish to change the date.  If you type a new date, it will become the current
 system date, which is included in the directory entry for each file as it is
 created or altered:

          [c:\] date
          Mon Dec 22, 1997  9:30:06
          Enter new date (mm-dd-yy):

 You can also enter a new system date by typing the DATE command plus the new
 date on the command line:

          [c:\] date 10-16-97

 You can use hyphens, slashes, or periods to separate the month, day, and year
 entries.  The year can be entered as a 2-digit or 4-digit value.  Two-digit
 years between 80 and 99 are interpreted as 1980 - 1999; values between 00 and
 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.

 DATE adjusts the format it expects depending on your country settings.  When
 entering the date, use the correct format for the country setting currently in
 effect on your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.15. DEL - Delete files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Erase one file, a group of files, or entire subdirectories.

 Format:     DEL [/A:[[-]rhsda] /E /F /N /P /Q /S /T /W /X /Y /Z] file...
                or
             ERASE [/A:[[-]rhsda] /E /F /N /P /Q /S /T /W /X /Y /Z] file...

             file :  The file, subdirectory, or list of files or subdirectories
             to erase.

             /A: (Attribute select)          /S(ubdirectories)
             /E (No error messages)          /T(otal)
             /F(orce delete)                 /W(ipe)
             /N(othing)                      /X (remove empty subdirectories)
             /P(rompt)                       /Y(es to all prompts)
             /Q(uiet)                        /Z(ap hidden and read-only files)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 DEL and ERASE are synonyms; you can use either one.

 Use the DEL and ERASE commands with caution; the files and subdirectories that
 you erase may be impossible to recover without specialized utilities and a lot
 of work.

 To erase a single file, simply enter the file name:

          [c:\] del letters.txt

 You can also erase multiple files in a single command.  For example, to erase
 all the files in the current directory with a .BAK or .PRN extension:

          [c:\] del *.bak *.prn

 When you use DEL on an NTFS drive, you must quote any file names which contain
 whitespace or special characters.

 To exclude files from a DEL command, use a file exclusion range.  For example,
 to delete all files in the current directory except those whose extension is
 .TXT, use a command like this:

          [c:\] del /[!*.TXT] *.*

 When using exclusion ranges or other more complex options you may want to use
 the /N switch first, to preview the effects of the DEL without actually
 deleting any files.

 If you enter a subdirectory name, or a filename composed only of wildcards (*
 and/or ?), DEL asks for confirmation (Y or N) unless you specified the /Y
 option.  If you respond with a Y, DEL will delete all the files in that
 subdirectory (hidden, system, and read-only files are only deleted if you use
 the /Z option).

 DEL displays the amount of disk space recovered, unless the /Q option is used
 (see below).  It does so by comparing the amount of free disk space before and
 after the DEL command is executed.  This amount may be incorrect if you are
 using a deletion tracking system which stores deleted files in a hidden
 directory, or if another program performs a file operation while the DEL
 command is executing.

 Remember that DEL removes file descriptions along with files.  Most deletion
 tracking systems will not be able to save or recover a file's description,
 even if they can save or recover the data in a file.

 When a file is deleted, its disk space is returned to the operating system for
 use by other files.  However, the contents of the file remain on the disk
 until they are overwritten by another file.  If you wish to obliterate a file
 or wipe its contents clean, use DEL /W, which overwrites the file with zeros
 before deleting it.  Use this option with caution.  Once a file is
 obliterated, it is impossible to recover.

 DEL returns a non-zero exit code if no files are deleted, or if another error
 occurs.  You can test this exit code with the %_? environment variable, and
 use it with conditional commands (&& and ||).

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select):  Select only those files that have the
            specified attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with
            a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.
            The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., DEL /A:), DEL will delete
            all files and subdirectories including hidden and system files.  If
            attributes are combined, all the specified attributes must match
            for a file to be selected for deletion.  For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /E      (No error messages)  Suppress all non-fatal error messages, such as
            "File Not Found."  Fatal error messages, such as "Drive not ready,"
            will still be displayed.  This option is most useful in batch files
            and aliases.

    /F      (Force delete) This option forces deletion of the file without
            saving it to the DELDIR directory (if DELDIR is not in use, /F has
            no effect).

    /N      (Nothing) Do everything except actually delete the file(s).  This
            is useful for testing what the result of a DEL would be.

    /P      (Prompt) Prompt the user to confirm each erasure.  Your options at
            the prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q      (Quiet) Don't display filenames as they are deleted, or the number
            of files deleted or bytes freed.  See also /T.

    /S      (Subdirectories) Delete the specified files in this directory and
            all of its subdirectories.  This can be used to delete all the
            files in a subdirectory tree or even a whole disk.  It should be
            used with caution!

    /T      (Total) Don't display filenames as they are deleted, but display
            the total number of files deleted plus the amount of free disk
            space recovered.

    /W      (Wipe) Clear the file to zeros before deleting it.  Use this option
            to completely obliterate a file's contents from your disk.  Once
            you have used this option it is impossible to recover the file even
            if you are using an undelete utility, because the contents of the
            file are destroyed before it is deleted.  /W overwrites the file
            only once; it does not adhere to security standards which require
            multiple overwrites with varying data when destroying sensitive
            information.

    /X      (Remove empty subdirectories) Remove empty subdirectories after
            deleting (only useful when used with /S).  If DEL deletes one or
            more directories, they will be removed automatically from the
            extended directory search database.

    /Y      (Yes) The reverse of /P -- it assumes a Y response to everything,
            including deleting an entire subdirectory tree. Take Command
            normally prompts before deleting files when the name consists only
            of wildcards or a subdirectory name ( see above); /Y overrides this
            protection, and should be used with extreme caution!

    /Z      (Zap) Delete read-only, hidden, and system files as well as normal
            files.  Files with the read-only, hidden, or system attribute set
            are normally protected from deletion; /Z overrides this protection,
            and should be used with caution.  Because EXCEPT works by hiding
            files, /Z will override an EXCEPT command.  However, files
            specified in a file exclusion range will not be deleted by DEL /Z.

            For example, to delete the entire subdirectory tree starting with
            C:\UTIL, including hidden and read-only files, without prompting
            (use this command with CAUTION!):

                                [c:\] del /sxyz c:\util\


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.16. DELAY - Pause for a specified time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Pause for a specified length of time.

 Format:     DELAY [seconds ]

             seconds :  The number of seconds to delay.

 Usage:

 DELAY is useful in batch file loops while waiting for something to occur.  To
 wait for 10 seconds:

          delay 10

 DELAY is most useful when you need to wait a specific amount of time for an
 external event, or check a system condition periodically.  For example, this
 batch file checks the battery status (as reported by your Advanced Power
 Management drivers) every 15 seconds, and gives a warning when battery life
 falls below 30%:

          do forever
             iff %_apmlife lt 30 then
                beep 440 4 880 4 440 4 880 4
                echo Low Battery!!
             endiff
             delay 15
          enddo

 The seconds value can be as large as about 268 thousand seconds (8.5 years!).

 For delays shorter than one second, use the BEEP command with an inaudible
 frequency (below 20 Hz).

 Take Command uses the minimum possible processor time during a DELAY, in order
 to allow other applications full use of system resources.

 You can cancel a delay by pressing Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.17. DESCRIBE - Create file description ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create, modify, or delete file and subdirectory descriptions.

 Format:     DESCRIBE [/A:[[-]rhsda]] file [[/D]"description "] ...

             file :  The file, directory, or list of files and directories to
             operate on.
             "description" :  The description to attach to the file.

 /A: (Attribute select)/D(escription follows)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 DESCRIBE adds descriptions to files and subdirectories. The descriptions are
 displayed by DIR in single-column mode and by SELECT.  Descriptions let you
 identify your files in much more meaningful ways than you can in an eight-
 character filename.

 You can also enter or modify descriptions with the Descriptions dialog.  The
 dialog allows you to select a single file and modify its description using a
 dialog box, rather than using the DESCRIBE command.  The information in this
 section also applies to descriptions created via the dialog, unless otherwise
 noted.

 You enter a description on the command line by typing the DESCRIBE command,
 the filename, and the description in quotation marks, like this:

          [c:\] describe memo.txt "Memo to Bob about party"

 If you don't put a description on the command line, DESCRIBE will prompt you
 for it:

          [c:\] describe memo.txt
          Describe "memo.txt" : Memo to Bob about party

 If you use wildcards or multiple filenames with the DESCRIBE command and don't
 include the description text, you will be prompted to enter a description for
 each file.  If you do include the description on the command line, all
 matching files will be given the same description.

 If you use DESCRIBE on an HPFS drive, you must quote the file name if it
 contains whitespace or special characters.  See File Names for additional
 details.

 If you enter a quoted description on the command line, and the text matches
 the name of a file in the current directory, the command processor will treat
 the string as a quoted file name, not as description text as you intended.  To
 resolve this problem use the /D switch immediately prior to the quoted
 description (with no intervening spaces).  For example, if the current
 directory contains the files DATA.TST and "Test File", the first of these
 commands will work as intended, but the second will not (in the second example
 the string "test file" will be treated as a second file name, when it is
 intended to be description text):

          [c:\] describe data.tst /D"test file"
          [c:\] describe data.tst "test file"

 On HPFS drives you will not see file descriptions in a normal DIR display,
 because DIR must leave space for the long filenames.  To view the
 descriptions, use DIR /Z to display the directory in FAT format.  See the DIR
 command for more details.

 Each description can be up to 511 characters long.  You can change this limit
 on the Options 1 page of the configuration notebook, or with the
 DescriptionMax directive in TCMDOS2.INI.  In order to fit your descriptions on
 a single line in a standard DIR display, keep them to 40 characters or less
 (longer descriptions are wrapped in the DIR output).  DESCRIBE can edit
 descriptions longer than DescriptionMax, but will not allow you to lengthen
 the existing text.

 The descriptions are stored in each directory in a hidden file called
 DESCRIPT.ION.  Use the ATTRIB command to remove the hidden attribute from this
 file if you need to copy or delete it.  (DESCRIPT.ION is always created as a
 hidden file, but will not be re-hidden by Take Command if you remove the
 hidden attribute.)

 You can change the description file name with the INI_DescriptionName
 directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file or the SETDOS command, and retrieve it with
 the _DNAME internal variable.  Use caution when changing the description file
 name, as changing the name from the default will make it difficult to transfer
 file descriptions to another system.

 The description file is modified appropriately whenever you perform an
 internal command which affects it (such as COPY, MOVE, DEL, or RENAME), but
 not if you use an external program (such as XCOPY or a visual shell).  You can
 disable description processing on the Options 1 page of the configuration
 notebook, with the Descriptions directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file, or with
 SETDOS/D.

 When you COPY or MOVE files between two directories, both of which have
 descriptions, and you use switches which enable processing of hidden files (or
 you have removed the hidden attribute from DESCRIPT.ION), you must use caution
 to avoid overwriting existing file descriptions in the destination directory
 with the DESCRIPT.ION file from the source directory.  See the notes under the
 Advanced Features sections of COPY and MOVE for additional details.

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select):  Select only those files that have the
            specified attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with
            a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.
            The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., /A:), DESCRIBE will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected.  For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /D:     (Description follows) The quoted string immediately following this
            switch is a description, not a file name. Use /D to avoid any
            ambiguity in the meaning of quoted strings.  See the Usage section
            above for details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.18. DETACH - Start a program in "detached" mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Start a DOS application or an OS/2 text-mode program in "detached"
             mode.

 Format:     DETACH command

             command :  The name of a command to execute, including an optional
             drive and path specification.  The name must be enclosed in
             quotation marks if it contains whitespace or special characters.

 See also:  START.

 Usage:

 When you start a program with DETACH, that program cannot use the keyboard,
 mouse, or video display.  It is "detached" from the normal means of user input
 and output.  However, you can redirect the program's standard I/O to other
 devices if necessary, using redirection symbols.  In most cases, you should
 only DETACH text-mode programs, since most graphical applications cannot run
 without a screen or keyboard, or have their input and output redirected.

 The command can be an internal command, external command, alias, or batch
 file.  If it is not an external command, Take Command will detach a copy of
 itself to execute the command.

 For example, the following command will detach a copy of Take Command to run
 the batch file XYZ.BTM:

          [c:\] detach xyz.btm

 Once the program has started, Take Command returns to the prompt immediately.
 It does not wait for a detached program to finish.

 There is no standard way to stop a detached program.  If the program does not
 terminate on its own you must reboot the system or use an appropriate task
 manager or external utility to stop it.

 Due to limitations in the way OS/2 starts detached processes, Take Command
 cannot perform a true detach operation like that available from a
 character-mode command processor such as 4OS2 or CMD.EXE.  Instead, it starts
 the program in an invisible window.  If you require a true detached process
 you must use a character-mode command processor to start it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.19. DIR - Display directories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display information about files and subdirectories.

 Format:     DIR [/1 /2 /4 /A[[:][-]rhsda] /B /C /D /E /F /G /H /I"text" /J /K
             /L /M /N /O[[:][-]adeginrsu] /P /R /S /T[:acw] /U /V /W /Z]
             [file...]

             file :  The file, directory, or list of files or directories to
             display.

             /1 (one column)                 /L(ower case)
             /2 (two columns)                /M (suppress footer)
             /4 (four columns)               /N(ew format)
             /A(ttribute select)             /O(rder)
             /B(are)                         /P(ause)
             /D(isable color coding)         /R (disable wRap)
             /E (use upper case)             /S(ubdirectories)
             /F(ull path)                    /T (aTtribute) or (Time)
             /G (allocated size)             /U (sUmmary information)
             /H(ide dots)                    /V(ertical sort)
             /I (match descriptions)         /W(ide)
             /J(ustify names)                /Z (use FAT format)
             /K (suppress header)

 See also:  ATTRIB, DESCRIBE, SELECT, and SETDOS.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 DIR can be used to display information about files from one or more of your
 disk directories, in a wide range of formats.  Depending on the options
 chosen, you can display the file name, attributes, and size; the time and date
 of the last change to the file; and the file description. You can also display
 information in 1, 2, 4, or 5 columns, sort the files several different ways,
 use color to distinguish file types, and pause after each full screen.

 The various DIR displays are controlled through options or switches.  The best
 way to learn how to use the many options available with the DIR command is to
 experiment.  You will soon know which options you want to use regularly.  You
 can select those options permanently by using the ALIAS command.

 For example, to display all the files in the current directory, in 2 columns,
 sorted vertically (down one column then down the next), and with a pause at
 the end of each page:

          [c:\] dir /2/p/v

 To set up this format as the default, using an alias:

          [c:\] alias dir=*dir /2/p/v

 When you use DIR on an NTFS drive, you must quote any file names which contain
 whitespace or special characters.

 The following sections group DIR's features together in several categories.
 Many of the sections move from a general discussion to more technical
 material.  If you find some of the information in a category too detailed for
 your needs, feel free to skip to the beginning of the next section.  The
 sections are:

             Selecting Files
             Default DIR Output Format
             Switching Formats
             Multiple Column Displays
             Color-Coded Directories
             Redirected Output
             Other Notes
             Options

 Selecting Files

 DIR can display information about a single file or about several, dozens,
 hundreds, or thousands of files at once.  To display information about a
 single file, just add the name of the file to the DIR command line:

          [c:\] dir january.wks

 The simplest way to view information about several files at once is to use
 wildcards.  DIR can work with traditional wildcard caracters (* and ?) and the
 extended wildcards.  For example to display all of the .WKS files in the
 current directory:

          [c:\] dir *.wks

 To display all .TXT files whose names begin with A, B, or C:

          [c:\] dir [abc]*.txt

 If you don't specify a filename, DIR defaults to *.* on traditional FAT
 drives, and * NTFS drives.  This default displays all non-hidden files and
 subdirectories in the current directory.

 If you link two or more filenames together with spaces, DIR will display all
 of the files that match the first name and then all of the files that match
 the second name.  You may use a different drive and path for each filename.
 This example lists all of the .WKS and then all of the .WK1 files in the
 current directory:

          [c:\] dir *.wks *.wk1

 If you use an include list to link multiple filenames, DIR will display the
 matching filenames in a single listing.  Only the first filename in an include
 list can have a path; the other files must be in the same path.  This example
 displays the same files as the previous example, but the .WKS and .WK1 files
 are intermixed:

          [c:\] dir *.wks;*.wk1

 You can include files in the current or named directory plus all of its
 subdirectories by using the /S option.  This example displays all of the .WKS
 and .WK1 files in the D:\DATA directory and each of its subdirectories:

          [c:\] dir /s d:\data\*.wks;*.wk1

 You can also select files by their attributes by using the /A option.  For
 example, this command displays the names of all of the subdirectories of the
 current directory:

          [c:\] dir /a:d

 Finally, with the /I option, DIR can select files to display based on their
 descriptions (see the DESCRIBE command for more information on file
 descriptions).  DIR will display a file if its description matches the text
 after the /I switch.  The search is not case sensitive.  You can use wildcards
 and extended wildcards as part of the text.  For example, to display any file
 described as a "Test File" you can use this command:

          [c:\] dir /i"test file"

 If you want to display files that include the words "test file" anywhere in
 their descriptions, use extended wildcards like this:

          [c:\] dir /i"*test file*"

 To display only those files which do not have descriptions, use:

          [c:\] dir /I"[]"

 In addition, you can use ranges to select or exclude specific sets of files.
 For example, to display all files modified in the last week, all files except
 those with a .BAK extension, and all files over 500 KB in size:

          [c:\] dir /[d-7]
          [c:\] dir /[!*.bak]
          [c:\] dir /[s500K]

 You can, of course, mix any of these file selection techniques in whatever
 ways suit your needs.

 Default DIR Output Format

 DIR's output varies based on the the type of volume or drive on which the
 files are stored.  If the volume supports long file names (HPFS volumes), the
 default DIR format contains 4 columns: the date of the last file modification
 or write, the time of last write, the file size in bytes, and the file name.
 The name is displayed as it is stored on the disk, in upper, lower, or mixed
 case.  DIR will wrap filenames from one line to the next if they are too long
 to fit the width of the display.  The standard output format is:

     Volume in drive C is C - BOOTUP    Serial ...
     Directory of  C:\TCOS2201\*.*

     10-24-96  12:17         <DIR>    .
     10-24-96  12:17         <DIR>    ..
     10-28-96   7:57             967  tcmd 3.txt
     10-21-96  18:08         212,854  TCMDOS2.EXE
     11-02-96  10:08              45  TCMDOS2.INI

 (See Switching Formats below for information on changing the standard long
 filename format to allow room for file descriptions.)

 On FAT volumes which do not support long file names, the default DIR format
 contains 5 columns: the file name, the file size in bytes, the date of the
 last write, the time of the last write, and the file's description.  File
 names are listed in lower-case; directory names in upper case:

     Volume in drive C is C - BOOTUP    Serial ...
     Directory of  C:\4DOS60\*.*

     .            <DIR>     10-24-96  12:17
     ..           <DIR>     10-24-96  12:17
     TEST         <DIR>     11-01-96  16:21
     4dos6.pif         967  10-28-96   7:57 4DOS PIF file
     4dos.com       212854  10-21-96  18:08 4DOS exe ...
     4dos.ini           45  11-02-96  10:08 4DOS conf ...

 DIR's output is normally sorted by name, with directories listed first.  You
 can change the sort order with the /O option.  For example, these two commands
 sort the output by date Ч the first command lists the oldest file first; the
 second command lists the oldest file last:

          [c:\] dir /o:d
          [c:\] dir /o:-d

 When displaying file descriptions, DIR wraps long lines to fit on the screen.
 DIR displays a maximum of 40 characters of text in each line of a description,
 unless your screen width allows a wider display.  If you disable description
 wrapping with the /R option, the description is truncated at the right edge of
 the screen, and a right arrow [] is added at the end of the line to alert you
 to the existence of additional description text.

 Regardless of the volume type, DIR's default output is sorted.  It displays
 directory names first, with "<DIR>" inserted instead of a file size, and then
 filenames.  DIR assumes that sequences of digits should be sorted numerically
 (for example, the file DRAW2 is listed before DRAW03 because 2 is numerically
 smaller than 03), rather than strictly alphabetically (where DRAW2 would come
 second because "2" is after "0" in alphanumeric order).

  You can change the sort order with the /O option.  When DIR displays file
 names in a multi-column format, it sorts file names horizontally unless you
 use the /V option to display vertically sorted output.

 DIR's display can be modified in many ways to meet different needs.  Most of
 the following sections describes the various ways you can change DIR's output
 format.

 Switching Formats

 On HPFS volumes, which support long file names, you can force DIR to use a
 FAT-like format (file name first, followed by file information) with the /Z
 option.  With this option, DIR  truncates long file names, if necessary, and
 adds a right arrow [] to show that the name contains additional characters.

 The standard long file name output format does not provide enough space to
 show descriptions along with file names.  Therefore, if you wish to view file
 descriptions as part of the DIR listing on a volume which supports long file
 names, you must use the /Z option.

 If you use the /B option, DIR displays just file names and omits the file
 size, time stamp, and description for each file, for example:

          [c:\] dir w* /b
          WINDOWS
          WINNT
          win311
          WINALIAS
          WINENV.BTM
          .....

 There are several ways to modify the display produced by /B.  The /F option is
 similar to /B, but displays the full path and name of each file, instead of
 just its name.  To view the same information for a directory and its
 subdirectories use /B /S or /F /S.

 Multiple Column Displays

 DIR has three options, /2, /4, and /W, that create multi-column displays.

 The /2 option creates a 2-column display.  On HPFS drives, only the name of
 each file is displayed, with directory names placed in square brackets to
 distinguish them from file names.  On drives which do not support long
 filenames, or when /Z or /X is used (see below), the display includes the
 short name, file size, and time stamp for each file.

 The /4 option is similar to /2, but displays directory information in 4
 columns.  On drives which do not support long filenames, or when /Z or /X is
 used (see below), the display shows the file name and the file size in
 kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB), with "<D>" in the size column for
 directories.

 The /W option displays directory information in 5 or more columns, depending
 on your screen width.  Each entry in a DIR /W display contains either the name
 of a file or the name of a directory.  Directory names are placed in square
 brackets to distinguish them from file names.

 If you use one of these options on an HPFS drive, and do not select an
 alternate display format with /Z or /X, the actual number of columns will be
 based on the longest name to be displayed and your screen width, and may be
 less than the number you requested (for example, you might see only three
 columns even though you used /4).  If the longest name is too long to fit in
 on a single line the display will be reduced to one column, and each name will
 be wrapped, with "extra" blank lines added so that each name takes the same
 number of lines.

 Color-Coded Directories

 The DIR command can display each file name and the associated file information
 in a different color, depending on the file's extension.

 To choose the display colors, you must either use the SET command to create an
 environment variable called COLORDIR, use the Commands page of the
 configuration notebook, or use the ColorDir directive in your TCMDOS2.INI
 file.  If you do not use the COLORDIR variable or the ColorDir directive, DIR
 will use the default screen colors for all files.

 If you use both the COLORDIR variable and the ColorDir directive, the
 environment variable will override the settings in your TCMDOS2.INI file.  You
 may find it useful to use the COLORDIR variable for experimenting, then to set
 permanent directory colors with the ColorDir directive.

 The format for both the COLORDIR environment variable and the ColorDir
 directive in the .INI file is:

          ext ... :ColorName; ...

 where "ext" is a file extension (which may include wildcards) or one of the
 following file types:

        DIRS        Directories
        RDONLY      Read-only files
        HIDDEN      Hidden files
        SYSTEM      System files
        ARCHIVE     Files modified since the last backup

 and "ColorName" is any valid color name (see Colors and Color Names).

 Unlike most color specifications, the background portion of the color name may
 be omitted for directory colors.  If you don't specify a background color, DIR
 will use the current screen background color.

 For example, to display the .COM and .EXE files in red on the current
 background, the .C and .ASM files in bright cyan on the current background,
 and the read-only files in green on white (this should be entered on one
 line):

          [c:\] set colordir=com exe:red; c asm:bright cyan;
               rdonly:green on white

 Extended wildcards can be used in directory color specifications.  For
 example, to display .BAK, .BAX, and .BAC files in red:

          [c:\] set colordir=BA[KXC]:red

 Redirected Output

 The output of the DIR command, like that of most other internal commands, can
 be redirected to a file, printer, serial port, or other device.  However, you
 may need to take certain DIR options into account when you redirect DIR's
 output.

 DIR wraps both long file names and file descriptions at the width of your
 display.  Its redirected output will also wrap at the screen width.  Use the
 /R option if you wish to disable wrapping of long descriptions.

 If you redirect a color-coded directory to a file, DIR will remove the color
 data as it sends the directory information to a file.  It will usually do the
 same if you redirect output to a character device such as a printer or serial
 port.  However, it is not always possible for DIR to tell whether or not a
 device is a character device.  If you notice that non-colored lines are being
 sent to the output device and colored lines are appearing on your screen, you
 can use the /D option to temporarily disable color-coding when you redirect
 DIR's output.

 To redirect DIR output to the clipboard, use CLIP: as the output device name,
 for example:

          [c:\] dir *.exe > clip:

 Other Notes

 If you have selected a specific country code for your system, DIR will display
 the date in the format for that country.  The default date format is U.S. (mm-
 dd-yy).  The separator character in the file time will also be affected by the
 country code.  Thousands and decimal separators in numeric displays are
 affected by the country code, and by the ThousandsChar and DecimalChar
 settings selected on the Options 1 page of the configuration notebook, or in
 the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 DOS networks with large server volumes (over 2 GB) may report incorrect free
 disk space values at the end of the DIR display.  If this occurs, it is
 because the network software does not report the proper values to Take
 Command.

 Options:

 Options on the command line apply only to the filenames which follow the
 option, and options at the end of the line apply to the preceding filename
 only.  This allows you to specify different options for different groups of
 files, yet retains compatibility with the traditional DIR command when a
 single filename is specified.

    /1      Single column display - display the filename, size, date, time;
            also displays the description on drives which do not support long
            filenames.  This is the default.  If /T is used the attributes are
            displayed instead of the description.  This option is most useful
            if you wish to override a default /2, /4, or /W setting stored in
            an alias.

    /2      Two column display - display just the name on HPFS drives, or
            display the filename, size, date, and time on other drives.  See
            Multiple Column Displays above for more details.

    /4      Four column display - display just the name on HPFS drives the
            filename and size, in K (kilobytes) or M (megabytes) on other
            drives, with files between 1 and 9.9 megabytes in size displayed in
            tenths (i.e., "2.4M").  See Multiple Column Displays above for more
            details.

    /A      (Attribute select):  Display only those files that have the
            specified attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with
            a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.
            The colon [:] after /A is optional.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., DIR /A), DIR will display
            all files and subdirectories including hidden and system files. If
            attributes are combined, all the specified attributes must match
            for a file to be included in the listing.  For example, /A:RHS will
            display only those files with all three attributes set.

    /B      (Bare)  Suppress the header and summary lines, and display file or
            subdirectory names only, in a single column. This option is most
            useful when you want to redirect a list of names to a file or
            another program.  If you use /B with /S, DIR will show the full
            path of each file (the same display as /F) instead of simply its
            name and extension.

    /D      (Disable color coding)  Temporarily disable directory color coding.
            May be required when color-coded directories are used and DIR
            output is redirected to a character device like the printer (e.g.,
            PRN or LPT1) or serial port (e.g., COM1 or COM2).  /D is not
            required when DIR output is redirected to a file.

    /E      Display filenames in upper case; also see SETDOS /U and the
            UpperCase directive in TCMDOS2.INI.

    /F      (Full path)  Display each filename with its drive letter and path
            in a single column, without other information.

    /G      (Allocation size) Display the allocated disk space instead of the
            actual size of each file.

    /H      (Hide dots)  Suppress the display of the "." and ".." directories.

    /I      Display filenames by matching text in their descriptions. The text
            can include wildcards and extended wildcards.  The search text must
            be enclosed in quotation marks.  You can select all filenames that
            have a description with /I"[?]*" or all filenames that do not have
            a description with /I"[]". The /I option may be used to select
            files even if descriptions are not displayed (for example, if /2 is
            used).

    /J      (Justify names)  Justify (align) filename extensions and display
            them in the traditional format.

    /K      Suppress the header (disk and directory name) display.

    /L      (Lower case)  Display file and directory names in lower case; also
            see SETDOS /U and the UpperCase directive in TCMDOS2.INI.

    /M      Suppress the footer (file and byte count totals) display.

    /N      (New format) Use the long filename display format, even if the
            files are stored on a volume which does not support long filenames.
            See also /Z.

    /O      (Order) Set the sorting order.  You may use any combination of the
            following sorting options; if multiple options are used, the
            listing will be sorted with the first sort option as the primary
            key, the next as the secondary key, and so on:

                     -  Reverse the sort order for the next option
                     a  Sort in ASCII order, not numerically, when there are
                     digits in the name
                     d  Sort by date and time (oldest first); for HPFS drives
                     also see /T
                     e  Sort by extension
                     g  Group subdirectories first, then files
                     i  Sort by file description
                     n  Sort by filename (this is the default)
                     r  Reverse the sort order for all options
                     s  Sort by size
                     u  Unsorted

    /P      (Pause)  Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /R      (disable wRap)  Forces long descriptions to be displayed on a
            single line, rather than wrapped onto two or more lines.  Use /R
            when output is redirected to a character device, such as a serial
            port or the printer; or when you want descriptions truncated,
            rather than wrapped, in the on-screen display.

    /S      (Subdirectories)  Display file information from the current
            directory and all of its subdirectories.  DIR will only display
            headers and summaries for those directories which contain files
            that match the filename(s), ranges, and attributes that you specify
            on the command line.

    /T      (aTtribute display)  Display the filenames, attributes, and
            descriptions.  The descriptions will be wrapped onto the next line,
            if necessary, unless you also use the /R (truncate) option.  If you
            use both /T and /R, descriptions are truncated after 34 characters
            on an 80-column display.  The attributes are displayed in the
            format RHSDA, with the following meanings:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Directory
                         A  Archive

            If you wish to add another option after /T, you must start the next
            option with a forward slash.  If you don't, Take Command will
            interpret the /T as the /T:acw time display switch (see below) and
            the following character as a valid or invalid time selector.  For
            example:

                                [c:\] dir /tz       incorrect, will display error
                                [c:\] dir /t/z      correct

    /T:acw  (Time display)  Specify which of the date and time fields on an
            HPFS drive should be displayed and used for sorting:

                         a  Last access time
                         c  Creation time
                         w  Last write time (default)

    /U      (sUmmary information)  Only display the number of files, the total
            file size, and the total amount of disk space used.

    /V      (Vertical sort)  Display the filenames sorted vertically rather
            than horizontally (use with the /2, /4 or /W options).

    /W      (Wide)  Display filenames only, horizontally across the screen.  On
            drives which do not support long filenames, /W displays as many
            columns as it can fit into the Take Command window, using 16
            characters in each column.  Otherwise (i.e., when long filenames
            are displayed) the number of columns depends on the width of the
            longest name in the listing.  See Multiple Column Displays above
            for more details.

    /Z      Display a directory on an HPFS drive in the tradtional FAT format,
            with the filename at the left and the description at the right.
            Long names will be truncated to 12 characters unless /X is also
            used; if the name is longer than 12 characters, it will be followed
            by a right arrow [] to show that one or more characters have been
            truncated.


═══ 3.3.20.  DIRHISTORY - Display the directory history list ═══

 Purpose:    Display, add to, clear, or read the directory history list.

 Format:     DIRHISTORY [ /A directory /F /P /R filename ]

             directory :  The name of a directory to add to the directory
             history.
             filename :  The name of a file containing entries to be added to
             the directory history.

             /A(dd): pd./P(ause)
             /F(ree)                  /R(ead file)

 Usage:

 Every time you change to a new directory or drive, Take Command records the
 current directory in an internal directory history list.  The directory
 history window allows you to use the list to return to a previous directory.
 For general information, also see Directory Navigation.

 The DIRHISTORY command lets you view and manipulate the directory history list
 directly.  If no parameters are entered, DIRHISTORY will display the current
 directory history list:

          [c:\] dirhistory

 With the options explained below, you can clear the list, add new directories
 to the list without changing to them, save the list in a file, or read a new
 list from a file.

 The number of directories saved in the directory history list depends on the
 length of each directory name.  The list size can be specified at startup from
 256 to 32767 characters by using the DirHistory directive in the .INI file.
 The default size is 256 characters.

 Your directory history list can be stored either locally (a separate history
 list for each copy of Take Command) or globally (all copies of Take Command
 share the same list).  For full details see the discussion of local and global
 directory history lists in Directory History Window.

 You can save the directory history list by redirecting the output of
 DIRHISTORY to a file.  This example saves the history to a file called DIRHIST
 and reads it back again.

          [c:\] dirhistory > dirhist
          .....
          [c:\] dirhistory /r dirhist

 Because the directory history stores each name only once, you don't have to
 delete its contents before reading back the file unless you want to delete the
 directories that were visited by the intervening commands.

 If you need to save your directory history at the end of each day's work, you
 might use the first of these commands in your TCSTART.BTM or other startup
 file, and the second in TCEXIT.BTM:

          if exist c:\dirhist dirhistory /r c:\dirhist
          dirhistory > c:\dirhist

 This restores the previous history list if it exists, and saves the history
 when Take Command exits. Options:

    /A      (Add) Add a directory to the directory history list.

    /F      (Free):  Erase all entries in the directory history list.

    /P      (Prompt):  Wait for a key after displaying each page of the list.
            Your options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and
            File Prompts.

    /R      (Read):  Read the directory history from the specified file and
            append it to the list currently held in memory.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.21. DIRS - Display the directory stack ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the current directory stack.

 Format:     DIRS

 See also:  PUSHD, POPD, and Directory Navigation.

 Usage:

 The PUSHD command adds the current default drive and directory to the
 directory stack, a list that Take Command maintains in memory.  The POPD
 command removes the top entry of the directory stack and makes that drive and
 directory the new default.  The DIRS command displays the contents of the
 directory stack, with the most recent entries on top (i.e., the next POPD will
 retrieve the first entry that DIRS displays).

 For example, to change directories and then display the directory stack:

          [c:\] pushd c:\database
          [c:\database] pushd d:\wordp\memos
          [d:\wordp\memos] dirs
          c:\database
          c:\

 The directory stack holds 511 characters, enough for 20 to 40 typical drive
 and directory entries.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.22. DO - Loop in batch files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DO

 Purpose:    Create loops in batch files.

 Format:     DO [n | FOREVER]
                or
             DO varname = start TO end [BY n ]
                or
             DO [WHILE | UNTIL] condition
                or
             DO varname IN [ @ ] set
                commands
             [ITERATE]
             [LEAVE]
                commands
             ENDDO

             varname : The environment variable that will hold the loop
             counter, filename, or line from a file.
             n, start, end :  Integers between 0 and 2,147,483,647 inclusive,
             or an internal variable or variable function that evaluates to
             such a value.
             condition :  A test to determine if the loop should be executed.
             set : A set of values for the variable.
             commands : One or more commands to execute each time through the
             loop.  If you use multiple commands, they must be separated by
             command separators or be placed on separate lines.
 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, and include lists for the set.

 Usage:

 DO can only be used in batch files.

 DO can be used to create 4 different kinds of loops.  The first, introduced by
 DO n, is a counted loop.  The batch file lines between DO and ENDDO are
 repeated n times.  For example:

          do 5
            beep
          enddo

 You can also specify "forever" for n if you wish to create an endless loop
 (you can use LEAVE or GOTO to exit such a loop; see below for details).

 The second type of loop is similar to a "for loop" in programming languages
 like BASIC.  DO creates an environment variable, varname, and sets it equal to
 the value start (if varname already exists in the environment, it will be
 overwritten).  DO then begins the loop process by comparing the value of
 varname with the value of end. If varname is less than or equal to end, DO
 executes the batch file lines up to the ENDDO.  Next, DO adds 1 to the value
 of varname, or adds the value n if BY n is specified, and repeats the compare
 and execute process until varname is greater than end. This example displays
 the even numbers from 2 through 20:

          do i = 2 to 20 by 2
            echo %i
          enddo

 DO can also count down, rather than up.  If n is negative, varname will
 decrease by n with each loop, and the loop will stop when varname is less than
 end.  For example, to display the even numbers from 2 through 20 in reverse
 order, replace the first line of the example above with:

          do i = 20 to 2 by -2

 The third type of loop is called a "while loop" or "until loop." DO evaluates
 the condition, which can be any of the tests supported by the IF command, and
 executes the lines between DO and ENDDO as long as the condition is true.  The
 loop ends when the condition becomes false.

 WHILE tests the condition at the start of the loop.  Therefore, if the
 condition is false when the loop starts, the statements within the loop will
 never be executed, and the batch file will continue with the statement after
 the ENDDO.

 UNTIL tests the condition at the end of the loop.  Therefore, if the condition
 is false when the loop starts, the statements within the loop will still be
 executed at least once.

 The fourth type of loop executes the lines between DO and ENDDO once for every
 member of a set (this is similar to the set used in the FOR command).
 Normally, the set is a list of files specified with wildcards.  For example:

          do x in *.txt

 will execute the loop once for every .TXT file in the current directory; each
 time through the loop the variable x will be set to the name of the next file
 that matches the file specification.

 If, between DO and ENDDO, you create a new file that could be included in the
 list of files, it may or may not appear in an iteration of the DO loop.
 Whether the new file appears depends on its physical location in the directory
 structure, a condition over which Take Command has no control.

 You can also execute the loop once for each line of text in a file by placing
 an [@] in front of the file name.  If you have a file called DRIVES.TXT that
 contains a list of drives on your computer, one drive name per line, you can
 execute the loop once for each drive this way:

          do x in @drives.txt

 To execute the loop once for each line of text in the clipboard, use CLIP: as
 the file name (e.g. DO X IN @CLIP:).  CLIP: will not return any data unless
 the clipboard contains text.

 Two special commands, ITERATE and LEAVE, can be used inside a DO / ENDDO loop.
 ITERATE ignores the remaining lines inside the loop and returns to the
 beginning of loop for another iteration (unless DO determines that the loop is
 finished).  LEAVE exits from the current DO loop and continues with the line
 following ENDDO. Both ITERATE and LEAVE are most often used in an IF or IFF
 command:

          do while "%var" != "%val1"
            ...
            if "%var" == "%val2" leave
          enddo

 You can nest DO loops up to 15 levels deep.

 The DO and ENDDO commands must be on separate lines, and cannot be placed
 within a command group, or on the same line as other commands (this is the
 reason DO cannot be used in aliases).  However, commands within the DO loop
 can use command groups or the command separator in the normal way.

 You can exit from all DO / ENDDO loops by using GOTO to a line past the last
 ENDDO.  However, be sure to read the cautionary notes about GOTO and DO under
 the GOTO command before using a GOTO inside any DO loop.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.23. DPATH - Set data search path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Specify the subdirectories which applications will search to find
             files that are not in the current directory.

 Format:     DPATH [directory [;directory...]]

             directory :  The full name of a directory to include in the DPATH
             (data path) setting.

 See also:  PATH, SET, and ESET.

 Usage:

 When most OS/2 applications try to open a data file, they look for the file in
 the current directory first.  If they fail to find the file there, they search
 each of the directories in the DPATH setting in the order that they are
 included.  Internal commands like TYPE do not search the DPATH directories for
 files.

 For example, the following DPATH command directs applications to look for
 files in this order:  the current directory, the INIT directory on C, and the
 CONFIG directory on D:

          [c:\] dpath c:\init;d:\config

 The listing of directories to be searched can be set or viewed with DPATH. The
 list is stored as an environment string with the variable name DPATH, and can
 also be set or viewed with the SET command and edited with the ESET command.

 Directory names in the DPATH must be separated with semicolons [;]. Take
 Command will not shift directory names in the DPATH to upper case as it does
 with those in the PATH setting.  If you want the names in the DPATH to be in
 upper case you must enter them that way.

 If you enter DPATH with no parameters, Take Command displays the current DPATH
 search list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.24. DRAWBOX - Draw a box ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Draw a box on the screen.

 Format:     DRAWBOX ulrow ulcol lrrow lrcol style [BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg
             [FILL [BRIght] bgfill] [ZOOm] [SHAdow]

             ulrow:  Row for upper left corner
             ulcol:  Column for upper left corner
             lrrow:  Row for lower right corner
             lrcol:  Column for lower right corner
             style:  Box drawing style:
              0  No lines (box is drawn with blanks)
              1  Single line
              2  Double line
              3  Single line on top and bottom, double on sides
              4  Double line on top and bottom, single on sides
             fg:  Foreground character color
             bg:  Background character color
             bgfill:  Background fill color (for the inside of the box)

 See also:  DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE.

 Usage:

 DRAWBOX is useful for creating attractive screen displays in batch files.

 For example, to draw a box around the edge of an 80x25 window with bright
 white lines on a blue background:

          drawbox 0 0 24 79 1 bri whi on blu fill blu

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors.

 If you use ZOOM, the box appears to grow in steps to its final size.  The
 speed of the zoom operation depends on the speed of your video system.

 If you use SHADOW, a drop shadow is created by changing the characters in the
 row under the box and the 2 columns to the right of the box to normal
 intensity text with a black background (this will make characters displayed in
 black disappear entirely).

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  The
 maximum row value is determined by the current height of the Take Command
 window.  The maximum column value is determined by the current virtual screen
 width.

 DRAWBOX checks for valid row and column values, and displays a "Usage" error
 message if any values are out of range.

 Unlike DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE, DRAWBOX does not automatically connect boxes
 to existing lines on the screen with the proper connector characters.  If you
 want to draw lines inside a box and have the proper connectors drawn
 automatically, draw the box first, then use DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE to draw
 the lines.

 DRAWBOX uses the standard line and box drawing characters in the U.S. English
 extended ASCII character set.  These characters are included in the English
 language versions of standard monospaced fonts typically available under OS/2
 (e.g. Courier, System Monospaced, or System VIO).  However, if your system is
 configured for a different font, character set (code page), or country, or you
 have replaced or modified the OS/2 default fonts, the box may not appear on
 your screen as you expect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.25. DRAWHLINE - Draw horizontal line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Draw a horizontal line on the screen.

 Format:     DRAWHLINE row column len style [BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg

             row:  Starting row
             column:  Starting column
             len:  Length of line
             style:  Line drawing style:
              1  Single line
              2  Double line
             fg:  Foreground character color
             bg:  Background character color

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors.

 See also:  DRAWBOX and DRAWVLINE.

 Usage:

 DRAWHLINE is useful for creating attractive screen displays in batch files. It
 detects other lines and boxes on the display, and creates the appropriate
 connector characters when possible (not all types of lines can be connected
 with the available characters).

 For example, the following command draws a double line along the top row of
 the display with green characters on a blue background:

          drawhline 0 0 80 2 green on blue

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  The
 maximum row value is determined by the current height of the Take Command
 window.  The maximum column value is determined by the current virtual screen
 width.  DRAWHLINE checks for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage"
 error message if either value is out of range.

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors.

 DRAWHLINE uses the standard line and box drawing characters in the U.S.
 English extended ASCII character set.  These characters are included in the
 English language versions of standard monospaced fonts typically available
 under OS/2 (e.g. Courier, System Monospaced, or System VIO).  However, if your
 system is configured for a different font, character set (code page), or
 country, or you have replaced or modified the OS/2 default fonts, the line may
 not appear on your screen as you expect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.26. DRAWVLINE - Draw a vertical line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Draw a vertical line on the screen.

 Format:     DRAWVLINE row column len style [BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg

             row:  Starting row
             column:  Starting column
             len:  Length of line
             style:  Line drawing style:
              1  Single line
              2  Double line
             fg:  Foreground character color
             bg:  Background character color

 See also:  DRAWBOX and DRAWHLINE.

 Usage:

 DRAWVLINE is useful for creating attractive screen displays in batch files. It
 detects other lines and boxes on the display, and creates the appropriate
 connector characters when possible (not all types of lines can be connected
 with the available characters).

 For example, to draw a double width line along the left margin of the display
 with bright red characters on a black background:

          drawvline 0 0 25 2 bright red on black

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a standard 25 line by 80
 column display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  The
 maximum row value is determined by the current height of the Take Command
 window.  The maximum column value is determined by the current virtual screen
 width.

 DRAWVLINE checks for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage" error
 message if either value is out of range.

 See Colors and Color Names for details about colors.

 DRAWVLINE uses the standard line and box drawing characters in the U.S.
 English extended ASCII character set.  These characters are included in the
 English language versions of standard monospaced fonts typically available
 under OS/2 (e.g. Courier, System Monospaced, or System VIO).  However, if your
 system is configured for a different font, character set (code page), or
 country, or you have replaced or modified the OS/2 default fonts, the line may
 not appear on your screen as you expect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.27. ECHO - Display a message ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a message, enable or disable batch file or command-line
             echoing, or display the echo status.

 Format:     ECHO [ON | OFF | message ]
             ECHOERR message
             message :  Text to display.

 See also:  ECHOS, SCREEN, SCRPUT, SETDOS and TEXT.

 Usage:

 Take Command has a separate echo capability for batch files and for the
 command line.  The command-line ECHO state is independent of the batch file
 ECHO state; changing ECHO in a batch file has no effect on the display at the
 command prompt, and vice versa.

 To see the current echo state, use the ECHO command with no arguments.  This
 displays either the batch file or command-line echo state, depending on where
 the ECHO command is performed.

 In a batch file, if you turn ECHO on, each line of the file is displayed
 before it is executed.  If you turn ECHO off, each line is executed without
 being displayed.  ECHO can also be used in a batch file to display a message
 on the screen.  Regardless of the ECHO state, a batch file line that begins
 with the [@] character will not be displayed.  To turn off batch file echoing,
 without displaying the ECHO command, use this line:

          @echo off

 ECHO commands in a batch file will send messages to the screen while the batch
 file executes, even if ECHO is set OFF.  For example, this line will display a
 message in a batch file:

          echo Processing your print files...

 If you want to echo a blank line from within a batch file, enter:

          echo.

 You cannot use the command separator character [&], or the redirection symbols
 [| > <] in an ECHO message, unless you enclose them in quotes (see Argument
 Quoting) or precede them with the escape character.

 ECHO defaults to ON in batch files.  The current ECHO state is inherited by
 called batch files.  You can change the default setting to ECHO OFF with the
 SETDOS /V0 command or with the BatchEcho directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 If you turn the command-line ECHO on, each command will be displayed before it
 is executed.  This will let you see the command line after expansion of all
 aliases and variables.  The command-line ECHO is most useful when you are
 learning how to use advanced features.  This example will turn command-line
 echoing on:

          [c:\] echo on

 ECHO defaults to OFF at the command line.

 ECHOERR acts like ECHO but sends its output to the standard error device
 STDERR (usually the screen) instead of the standard output device.  If the
 standard output of a batch file is redirected to a file or another device with
 >, ECHOERR will still generate a screen message.  See Redirection and Piping
 for more information about the standard output and standard error devices and
 redirection.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.28. ECHOS - Display a message with no CR/LF ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a message without a trailing carriage return and line
             feed.

 Format:     ECHOS message
             ECHOSERR message

 See also:  ECHO, SCREEN, SCRPUT, TEXT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage:

 ECHOS is useful for text output when you don't want to add a carriage return /
 linefeed pair at the end of the line.  For example, you can use ECHOS when you
 need to redirect control sequences to your printer; this example sends the
 sequence Esc P to the printer on LPT1 (%= is translated to the Take Command
 escape character, and %=e to an ASCII Esc; see Escape Character and = for
 additional details):

          [c:\]  echos %=eP > lpt1:

 You cannot use the command separator character [&] or the redirection symbols
 [| > <] in an ECHOS message, unless you enclose them in quotes (see Argument
 Quoting) or precede them with the escape character.

 ECHOS does not translate or modify the message text.  For example, carriage
 return characters are not translated to CR/LF pairs. ECHOS sends only the
 characters you enter (after escape character and back quote processing).  The
 only character you cannot put into an ECHOS message is the NUL character
 (ASCII 0).

 ECHOSERR acts like ECHOS but sends its output to the standard error device
 (usually the screen) instead of the standard output device.  If the standard
 output of a batch file is redirected to a file or another device with >,
 ECHOSERR will still generate a screen message.  See Redirection and Piping for
 more information about the standard output and standard error devices and
 redirection.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.29. ENDLOCAL - Restore saved environment ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Restore the saved disk drive, directory, environment, and alias
             list.

 Format:     ENDLOCAL

 See also: SETLOCAL.

 Usage:

 The SETLOCAL command in a batch file saves the current disk drive, default
 directory, all environment variables, the alias list, and the command
 separator, escape character, parameter character, decimal separator, and
 thousands separator. ENDLOCAL restores everything that was saved by the
 previous SETLOCAL command.

 For example, this batch file fragment saves everything, removes all aliases so
 that user aliases will not affect batch file commands, changes the disk and
 directory, changes the command separator, runs a program, and then restores
 the original values:

          setlocal
          unalias *
          cdd d:\test
          setdos /c~
          program ~ echo Done!
          endlocal

 SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL are not nestable within a batch file.  However, you can
 have multiple, separate SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL pairs within a batch file, and
 nested batch files can each have their own SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL.  You cannot
 use SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL in an alias or at the command line.

 An ENDLOCAL is performed automatically at the end of a batch file if you
 forget to do so.  If you invoke one batch file from another without using
 CALL, the first batch file is terminated, and an automatic ENDLOCAL is
 performed; the second batch file inherits the settings as they were prior to
 any SETLOCAL.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.30. ESET - Edit variable or alias ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Edit environment variables and aliases.

 Format:     ESET [/A] variable name...

             variable name :  The name of an environment variable or alias to
             edit.

             /A(lias)

 See also:  ALIAS, UNALIAS, SET, and UNSET.

 Usage:

 ESET allows you to edit environment variables and aliases using line editing
 commands (see Command-Line Editing).

 For example, to edit the executable file search path:

          [c:\] eset path
          path=c:\;c:\dos;c:\util

 To create and then edit an alias:

          [c:\] alias d = dir /d/j/p
          [c:\] eset d
          d=dir /d/j/p

 ESET will search for environment variables first and then aliases. If you have
 an environment variable and an alias with the same name, ESET will edit the
 environment variable and ignore the alias unless you use the /A option.

 Environment variable and alias names are normally limited to 80 characters,
 and their contents to 1,023 characters.  However, if you use special
 techniques to create a longer environment variable, ESET will edit it provided
 the variable contains no more than 2,047 characters of text.

 If you have enabled global aliases (see ALIAS), any changes made to an alias
 with ESET will immediately affect all other copies of Take Command which are
 using the same alias list.

 Option:

    /A      (Alias) Edit the named alias even if an environment variable of the
            same name exists.  If you have an alias and an environment variable
            with the same name, you must use this switch to be able to edit the
            alias.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.31. EXCEPT - Exclude files from command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Perform a command on all available files except those specified.

 Format:     EXCEPT (file ) command

             file :  The file or files to exclude from the command.
             command :  The command to execute, including all appropriate
             arguments and switches.

 See also:  ATTRIB and File Exclusion Ranges.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Ranges must appear immediately after the EXCEPT keyword.

 Usage:

 EXCEPT provides a means of executing a command on a group of files and/or
 subdirectories, and excluding a subgroup from the operation. The command can
 be an internal command or alias, an external command, or a batch file.

 You may use wildcards to specify the files to exclude from the command.  The
 first example erases all the files in the current directory except those
 beginning with MEMO, and those whose extension is .WKS. The second example
 copies all the files and subdirectories on drive C to drive D except those in
 C:\MSC and C:\DOS, using the COPY command:

          [c:\] except (memo*.* *.wks) erase *.*
          [c:\] except (c:\msc c:\dos) copy c:\*.* d:\ /s

 When you use EXCEPT on a HPFS drive, you must quote any file names inside the
 parentheses which contain whitespace or special characters.

 EXCEPT prevents operations on the specified file(s) by setting the hidden
 attribute, performing the command, and then clearing the hidden attribute.  If
 the command is aborted in an unusual way, you may need to use the ATTRIB
 command to remove the hidden attribute from the file(s).

 Caution:  EXCEPT will not work with programs or commands that ignore the
 hidden attribute or which work explicitly with hidden files, including DEL /Z,
 and the /H (process hidden files) switch available in some Take Command file
 processing commands.

 File exclusion ranges provide a faster and more flexible method of excluding
 files from internal commands, and do not manipulate file attributes, as EXCEPT
 does.  However, exclusion ranges can only be used with internal commands; you
 must use EXCEPT for external commands. Date, time,and size ranges can be used
 immediately after the word EXCEPT to further qualify which files should be
 excluded from the command.  If the command is an internal command that
 supports ranges, an independent range can also be used in the command itself.
 You can also use a file exclusion range within the EXCEPT command; however,
 this will select files to be excluded from EXCEPT, and therefore included in
 execution of the command.  You can use command grouping to execute multiple
 commands with a single EXCEPT.  For example, the following command copies all
 files in the current directory whose extensions begin with .DA, except the
 .DAT files, to the D:\SAVE directory, then changes the first two characters of
 the extension of the copied files to .SA:

          [c:\data] except (*.dat) (copy *.da* d:\save & ren *.da* *.sa*)

 If you use filename completion to enter the filenames inside the parentheses,
 type a space after the open parenthesis before entering a partial filename or
 pressing Tab. Otherwise, the command-line editor will treat the open
 parenthesis as the first character of the filename to be completed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.32. EXIT - Exit Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Exit the current Take Command session.

 Format:     EXIT [value ]

             value :  The exit code to return.

 Usage:

 EXIT terminates the current copy of Take Command.

 To close the session, or to return to the application that started Take
 Command, type:

          [c:\] exit

 If you specify a value, EXIT will return that value to the program that
 started Take Command.  For example:

          [c:\] exit 255

 The value is a number you can use to inform the program of some result, such
 as the success or failure of a batch file.  It can range from 0 -
 4,294,967,295.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.33. FFIND - Search for files or text ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Search for files by name or contents.

 Format:     FFIND [/A:[[-]rhsda] /B /C /D[list] /E /I /K /L /M
             /O[[:][-]adeginrsu] /P /R /S /[ T | X ]"xx" /V file...

             list :  A list of disk drive letters (without colons).
             file :  The file, directory, or list of files or directories to
             display.

             /A(ttribute select)             /M (no footers)
             /B(are)                         /O(rder)
             /C(ase sensitive)               /P(ause)
             /D(rive)                        /R(everse)
             /E (upper case display)         /S(ubdirectories)
             /I(gnore wildcards)             /T(ext search string)
             /K (no headers)                 /V(erbose)
             /L(ine numbers)                 /X["xx"] (hex display/search
                                             string)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 FFIND is a flexible search command that looks for files based on their names
 and their contents. Depending on the options you choose, FFIND can display
 filenames, matching text, or a combination of both in a variety of formats.

 Most of the functions provided by FFIND are also available in the Find Files /
 Text dialog, accessible from the Utilities menu.  You can use the FFIND
 command, the dialog, or both, depending on your needs.

 If you want to search for files by name, FFIND works much like the DIR
 command.  For example, to generate a list of all the .BTM files in the current
 directory, you could use the command

          [c:\] ffind *.btm

 The output from this command is a list of full pathnames, followed by the
 number of files found.

 If you want to limit the output to a list of *.BTM files which contain the
 string color, you could use this command instead:

          [c:\] ffind /t"color" *.btm

 The output from this command is a list of files that contain the string color
 along with the first line in each file that contains that string.  By default,
 FFIND uses a case-insensitive search, so the command above will include files
 that contain COLOR, Color, color, or any other combination of upper-case and
 lower-case letters.

 If you would rather see the last line of each file that contains the search
 string, use the /R option, which forces FFIND to search from the end of each
 file to the beginning.  This option will also speed up searches somewhat if
 you are looking for text that will normally be at the end of a file, such as a
 signature line:

          [c:\] ffind /r /t"Sincerely," *.txt

 You can use Take Command's extended wildcards in the search string to increase
 the flexibility of FFIND's search.  For example, the following command will
 find .TXT files which contain either the string June or July (it will also
 find Juny and Jule).  The /C option makes the search case-sensitive:

          [c:\] ffind /c/t"Ju[nl][ey]" *.txt

 If you want to search for text that contains wildcard characters (*, ?, [, or
 ]), you can use the /I option to force FFIND to interpret these as normal
 characters instead of wildcards.  The following command, for example, finds
 all .TXT files that contain a question mark:

          [c:\] ffind /i/t"?" *.txt

 At times, you may need to search for data that cannot be represented by ASCII
 characters.  You can use FFIND's /X option to represent the search string in
 hexadecimal format (this option also changes the output to show hexadecimal
 offsets rather than text lines).  With /X, the search must be represented by
 pairs of hexadecimal digits separated by spaces; a search of this type is
 always case-sensitive (in the example below, 41 63 65 is the hex code for
 "Ace"):

          [c:\] ffind /b"41 63 65" *.txt

 You can use FFIND's other options to further specify the files for which you
 are searching and to modify the way in which the output is displayed.

 When you use FFIND on an HPFS drive, you must quote any file names which
 contain whitespace or special characters.

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set. The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., FFIND /A: ...), FFIND
            will select all files and subdirectories including hidden and
            system files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified
            attributes must match for a file to be selected. For example,
            /A:RHS will select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /B      (Bare) Display file names only and omit the text that matches the
            search.  This option is only useful in combination with /T or /X,
            which normally force FFIND to display file names and matching text.

    /C      (Case sensitive) Perform a case-sensitive search.  This option is
            only valid with /T, which defaults to a case-insensitive search.
            It is not needed with a /X hexadecimal search, which is always
            case-sensitive.

    /D      (Drive)  Search all files on one or more drives.  If you use /D
            without a list of drives, FFIND will search the drives specified in
            the list of files.  If no drive letters are listed, FFIND will
            search all of the current drive.  You can include a list of drives
            or a range of drives to search as part of the /D option.  For
            example, to search drives C:, D:, E:, and G:, you can use either of
            these commands:

                                [c:\] ffind /dcdeg ...
                                [c:\] ffind /dc-eg ...

            Drive letters listed after /D will be ignored when processing file
            names which also include a drive letter.  For example, this command
            displays all the .BTM files on C: and E:, but only the .BAT files
            on D:

                                [c:\] ffind /s /dce *.btm d:\*.bat

    /E      Display filenames in the traditional upper case; also see SETDOS /U
            and the UpperCase directive in TCMDOS2.INI.

    /I      (Ignore wildcards) Only meaningful when used in conjunction with
            the /T "text" option.  Suppresses the recognition of wildcard
            characters in the search text.  This option is useful if you need
            to search for characters that would normally be interpreted as
            wildcards: *, ?, [, and ].

    /K      (No headers) Suppress the display of the header or filename for
            each matching text line.

    /L:     (Line numbers) Include the line number for each text line
            displayed.  FFIND numbers lines beginning with 1, unless
            ListRowStart is set to 0 in TCMDOS2.INI.  A new line is counted for
            every CR or LF character (FFIND determines automatically which
            character is used for line breaks in each file), or when line
            length reaches 511 characters, whichever comes first.

    /M      (No footers) Suppress the footer (the number of files and number of
            matches) at the end of FFIND's display.

    /O      (Order) Set the sorting order.  You may use any combination of the
            following sorting options; if multiple options are used, the
            listing will be sorted with the first sort option as the primary
            key, the next as the secondary key, and so on:

                         -  Reverse the sort order for the next option
                         a  Sort in ASCII order, not numerically, when there
                         are digits in the name
                         d  Sort by date and time (oldest first); for HPFS
                         drives also see /T
                         e  Sort by extension
                         g  Group subdirectories first, then files
                         i  Sort by file description (ignored if /C or /O:c is
                         used)
                         n  Sort by filename (this is the default)
                         r  Reverse the sort order for all options
                         s  Sort by size
                         u  Unsorted

    /P      (Pause) Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /R      (Reverse search) Only meaningful when used in conjunction with the
            /T "text" or /X options.  Searches each file from the end backwards
            to the beginning.  This option is useful if you want to display the
            last occurrence of the search string in each file instead of the
            first (the default).  It may also speed up searches for information
            that is normally at the end of a file, such as a signature.

    /S      (Subdirectories) Display matches from the current directory and all
            of its subdirectories.

    /T"text"(Text search) Specify the text search string. /T must be followed
            by a text string in double quotes (e.g., /t"color").  FFIND will
            perform a case- insensitive search unless you also use the /C
            option.  For a hexadecimal search and/or hexadecimal display of the
            location where the search string is found, see /X.  You can specify
            a search string with either /T or /X, but not both.

    /V      (Verbose) Show every matching line.  FFIND's default behavior is to
            show only the first matching line then and then go on to the next
            file.  This option is only valid with /T or /X.

    /X["xx"](Hexadecimal display / search) Specify hexadecimal display and an
            optional hexadecimal search string.

            If /X is followed by one or more pairs of hexadecimal digits in
            quotes (e.g., /x"44 63 65"), FFIND will search for that exact
            sequence of characters or data bytes without regard to the meaning
            of those bytes as text.  If those bytes are found, the offset is
            displayed (in both decimal and hexadecimal).  A search of this type
            will always be case-sensitive.

            If /X is not followed by a hexadecimal search string it must be
            used in conjunction with /T, and will change the output format to
            display offsets (in both decimal and hexadecimal) rather than
            actual text lines when the search string is found.  For example,
            this command uses /T to display the first line in each .BTM file
            containing the word hello:

                                [c:\] ffind /t"hello" *.btm
                                ---- c:\test.btm:
                                echo hello

                                1 line in 1 file

            If you use the same command with /X, the offset is displayed
            instead of the text:

                                [c:\] ffind /t"hello" /x *.btm
                                ---- c:\test.btm:
                                Offset: 26 (1Ah)

                                1 line in 1 file

            You can specify a search string with either /T or /X, but not both.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.34. FOR - Repeat a command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Repeat a command for several values of a variable.

 Format:     FOR [/A:[[-]rhsda] /F["options"] /H /L /R [path]] %var IN ([@] set
             | start, step, end) [DO] command ...

             options :  Parsing options for a "file parsing" FOR.
             path :  The starting directory for a "recursive" FOR.
             %var :  The variable to be used in the command ("FOR variable").
             set :  A set of values for the variable.
             start :  The starting value for a "counted" FOR.
             step :  The increment value for a "counted" FOR.
             end :  The limit value for a "counted" FOR.
             command :  A command or group of commands to be executed for each
             value of the variable.

             /A: (Attribute select)      /L  (counted loop)
             /F(ile parsing)             /R(ecursive)
             /H(ide dots)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Ranges must appear immediately after the FOR keyword.

 Usage:

 FOR begins by creating a set.  It then executes a command for every member of
 the set.  The command can be an internal command, an alias, an external
 command, or a batch file.  The members of the set can be a list of file names,
 text strings, a group of numeric values, or text read from a list of files.

 When the set is made up of text or several separate file names (not an include
 list), the elements must be separated by spaces, tabs, commas, or the switch
 character (normally a slash [/]).

 FOR includes a large number of options, some of which duplicate functions
 available in other commands, and / or do not follow conventions you may find
 in our other commands.  Most of these extra options are included for
 compatibility with Windows NT 4.0's CMD.EXE.  However, we make them available
 in all three of our products so that aliases and batch files which use them
 can work under all products.

 The first three sections below (Working with Files, Working with Text, and
 Retrieving Text from Files) describe the traditional FOR command and the
 enhancements to it which are part of Take Command.  The sections on Parsing
 Text from Files and Counted FOR Loops describe features added for
 compatibility with Windows NT 4.0. The section entitled Other Notes contains
 information you may need if you use any aspect of the FOR command extensively.

 Working with Files

 Normally, the set is a list of files specified with wildcards.  For example,
 if you use this line in a batch file:

          for %x in (*.txt) do list %x

 then LIST will be executed once for each file in the current directory with
 the extension .TXT.  The FOR variable %x is set equal to each of the file
 names in turn, then the LIST command is executed for each file. (You could do
 the same thing more easily with a simple LIST *.TXT.  We used FOR here so you
 could get a feel for how it operates, using a simple example. Many of the
 examples in this section are constructed in the same way.)

 The set can include multiple files or an include list, like this:

          for %x in (d:\*.txt;*.doc;*.asc) do type %x

 FOR supports wildcards and extended wildcards, as well as extended parent
 directory names (e.g., ...\*.txt to process all of the .TXT files that are
 contained in the directory 2 levels above the current directory).

 When you use FOR on a HPFS drive, you must quote any file names within the set
 which contain whitespace or special characters.  The same restriction applies
 to names returned in the FOR variable, if you pass them to internal commands,
 or other commands which require quoting filenames with whitespace.  FOR does
 not quote returned names automatically, even if you included quotes in the
 set.

 If the set includes filenames, the file list can be further refined by using
 date, time,  size and file exclusion ranges.  The range or ranges must be
 placed immediately after the word FOR.  Ranges will be ignored if no wildcards
 are used inside the parentheses. For example, this set is made up of all of
 the *.TXT files that were created or updated on October 4, 1997:

          for /[d10-4-97,+0] %x in (*.txt) do ...

 If the command is an internal command that supports ranges, an independent
 range can also be used in the command itself.

 You can also refine the list by limiting it with the /A: option to select only
 files that have specific attributes.

 By default, FOR works only with files in the current directory or a specified
 directory.  With the /R option, FOR will also search for files in
 subdirectories.  For example, to work with all of the .TXT files in the
 current directory and its subdirectories:

          for /r %x in (*.txt) do ...

 If you specify a directory name immediately after /R, FOR will start in that
 directory and then search each of its subdirectories.  This example works with
 all of the .BAK files on drive D:

          for /r d:\ %x in (*.bak) do ...

 When you use wildcards to specify the set, FOR scans the directory and finds
 each file which matches the wildcard name(s) you specified.  If, during the
 processing of the FOR command, you create a file that could be included in the
 set, it may or may not appear in a future iteration of the same FOR command.
 Whether the new file appears depends on its physical location in the directory
 structure.  For example, if you use FOR to execute a command for all .TXT
 files, and the command also creates one or more new .TXT files, those new
 files may or may not be processed during the current FOR command, depending on
 where they are placed in the physical structure of the directory.  This is an
 operating system constraint over which Take Command has no control. Therefore,
 in order to achieve consistent results you should construct FOR commands which
 do not create files that could become part of the set for the current command.

 Working with Text

 The set can also be made up of text instead of file names.  For example, to
 create three files named file1, file2, and file3, each containing a blank
 line:

          for %suffix in (1 2 3) do echo. > file%suffix

 You could also use the names of environment variables as the text.  This
 example displays the name and content of several variables from the
 environment (see Environment Variables and Functions for details on the use of
 square brackets when expanding environment variables).  Enter this on one
 line:

          for %var in (path prompt comspec) do echo %var=%[%var]

 Retrieving Text from Files

 FOR can extract text from files in two different ways.  The first method
 extracts each line from each file in the set and places it in the variable. To
 use this method, place an [@] at the beginning of the set, in front of the
 file name or names.

 For example, if you have a file called DRIVES.TXT that contains a list of
 drives on your computer, one drive name per line (with a ":" after each drive
 letter), you can print the free space on each drive this way:

          for %d in (@drives.txt) do free %d > prn

 Because the [@] is also a valid filename character, FOR first checks to see if
 the file exists with the [@] in its name (i.e., a file named @DRIVES.TXT).  If
 so, the filename is treated as a normal argument.  If it doesn't exist, FOR
 uses the filename (without the [@]) as the file from which to retrieve text.

 If you use @CON as the filename, FOR will read from standard input (a
 redirected input file) or from a pipe (see Redirection and Piping for more
 information).  IF you use @CLIP: as the filename, FOR will read any text
 available from the OS/2 clipboard.

 Parsing Text from Files

 The second method of working with text from files is to have FOR parse each
 line of each file for you.  To begin a "file-parsing" FOR, you must use the /F
 option and then include one or more file names in the set.  When you use this
 form of FOR, the variable must be a single letter, for example, %a.

 This method of parsing, included for compatibility with Windows NT 4.0's
 CMD.EXE, can be cumbersome and inflexible.  For a more powerful method, use
 FOR with @filename as the set to retrieve each line from the file, as
 described in the previous section.  Then use variable functions like @INSTR,
 @LEFT, @RIGHT, and @WORD to parse the line.

 By default, FOR will extract the first word or token from each line and return
 it in the variable.  For example, to display the first word on each line in
 the file FLIST.TXT:

          for /f %a in (flist.txt) do echo %a

 You can control the way FOR /F parses each line by specifying one or more
 parsing options in a quoted string immediately after the /F.  The available
 options are:

        skip=n: FOR /F will skip "n" lines at the beginning of each file before
                parsing the remainder of the file.

        tokens=n, m, ...:By default, FOR /F returns just the first word or
                "token" from each parsed line in the variable you named.  You
                can have it return more than one token in the variable, or
                return tokens in several variables, with this option. This
                option is followed by a list of numbers separated by commas.
                The first number tells FOR /F which token to return in the
                first variable, the second number tells it which to return in
                the second variable, etc.  The variables follow each other
                alphabetically starting with the variable you name on the FOR
                command line.  This example returns the first word of each line
                in each text file in %d, the second in %e, and the third in %f:

                                        for /f "tokens=1,2,3" %d in (*.txt) do ...

                You can also indicate a range of tokens by separating the
                numbers with a hyphen [-].  This example returns the first word
                of each line in %p, the second through fifth words in %q, and
                the eighth word in %r:

                                        for /f "tokens=1,2-5,8" %p in (*.txt) do ...

                To return the rest of the line in a variable, use a range that
                ends with a number higher than the last token in any line, such
                as 999.  This final example returns the first word of each line
                in %a and the remainder of each line (assuming that no line has
                more than 999 words!) in %b:

                                        for /f "tokens=1,2-999" %a in (*.txt) do ...

        eol=c:  If FOR /F finds the character "c" in the line, it will assume
                that the character and any text following it are part of a
                comment and ignore the rest of the line.

        delims=xxx..:By default, FOR /F sees spaces and tabs as word or token
                delimiters.  This option replaces those delimiters with all of
                the characters following the equal sign to the end of the
                string.  This option must therefore be the last one used in the
                quoted options string.

 You can also use FOR /F to parse a single string instead of each line of a
 file by using the string, in quotes, as the set.  For example, this command
 will assign variable A to the string "this", B to "is", etc., then display
 "this" (enter the command on one line):

          for /f "tokens=1,2,3,4" %a in ("this is a test") do echo %a

 "Counted" FOR Loop

 The "counted FOR" loop is included only for compatibility with Windows NT
 4.0's CMD.EXE.  In most cases, you will find the DO command more useful for
 performing counted loops.

 In a counted FOR command, the set is made up of numeric values instead of text
 or file names.  To begin a counted FOR command, you must use the /L option and
 then include three values, separated by commas, in the set.  These are the
 start, step, and end values.  During the first iteration of the FOR loop, the
 variable is set equal to the start value.  Before each iteration, the variable
 is increased by the step value.  The loop ends when the variable exceeds the
 end value.  This example will print the numbers from 1 to 10:

          for /l %val in (1,1,10) do echo %val

 This example will print the odd numbers from 1 to 10 (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9):

          for /l %val in (1,2,10) do echo %val

 The step value can be negative.  If it is, the loop will end when the variable
 is less than the end value.

 Other Notes

 You can use either % or %% in front of the variable name.  Either form will
 work, whether the FOR command is typed from the command line or is part of an
 alias or batch file (some traditional command processors require a single % if
 FOR is used at the command line, but require %% if FOR is used in a batch
 file).  The variable name can be up to 80 characters long.  The word DO is
 optional.

 If you use a single-character FOR variable name, that name is given priority
 over any environment variable which starts with the same letter, in order to
 maintain compatibility with the traditional FOR command.  For example, the
 following command tries to add a: and b: to the end of the PATH, but will not
 work as intended:

          [c:\] for %p in (a: b:) do path %path;%p

 The "%p" in "%path" will be interpreted as the FOR variable %p followed by the
 text "ath", which is not what was intended.  To get around this, use a
 different letter or a longer name for the FOR variable, or use square brackets
 around the variable name seeThe Environment.

 The following example uses FOR with variable functions to delete the .BAK
 files for which a corresponding .TXT file exists in the current directory:

          [c:\docs] for %file in (*.txt) do del %@name[%file].bak

 The above command would not work properly on a HPFS drive, because the
 returned FILE variable might contain whitespace.  To correct this problem, you
 would need two sets of quotes, one for DEL and one for %@NAME:

          [c:\docs] for %file in (*.txt) do del "%@name["%file"].bak"

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands for each element in
 the set.  For example, the following command copies each .WKQ file in the
 current directory to the D:\WKSAVE directory, then changes the extension of
 each file in the current directory to .SAV:

          [c:\text] for %file in (*.wkq) do (copy %file d:\wksave\
  & ren %file *.sav)

 In a batch file you can use GOSUB to execute a subroutine for every element in
 the set.  Within the subroutine, the FOR variable can be used just like any
 environment variable.  This is a convenient way to execute a complex sequence
 of commands for every element in the set without CALLing another batch file.

 One unusual use of FOR is to execute a collection of batch files or other
 commands with the same parameter.  For example, you might want to have three
 batch files all operate on the same data file.  The FOR command could look
 like this:

          [c:\] for %cmd in (filetest fileform fileprnt) do %cmd datafile

 This line will expand to three separate commands:

          filetest datafile
          fileform datafile
          fileprnt datafile

 The variable that FOR uses (the %CMD in the example above) is created in the
 environment and then erased when the FOR command is done.  For compatibility
 with COMMAND.COM and CMD.EXE, a single- character FOR variable is created in a
 special way that does not overwrite an existing environment variable with the
 same name.  When using a multi- character variable name you must be careful
 not to use the name of one of your environment variables as a FOR variable.
 For example, a command that begins

          [c:\] for %path in ...

 will write over your current path setting, then erase the path variable
 completely when FOR is done.

 FOR statements can be nested.

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  /A: will be used only when processing wildcard
            file names in the set.  It will be ignored for filenames without
            wildcards or other items in the set.  Preceding the attribute
            character with a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that
            attribute set.  The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes
            are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed (e.g., FOR /A:...), FOR will process
            all files including hidden and system files.  If attributes are
            combined, all the specified attributes must match for a file to be
            included.  For example, /A:RHS will include only those files with
            all three attributes set.

            For example, to process only those files with the archive attribute
            set:

                                for /a:a %f in (*.*) echo %f needs a backup!

    /F      (File parsing)  Return one or more words or tokens from each line
            of each file in the set.  The /F option can be followed by one or
            more options in a quoted string which control how the parsing is
            performed. See the details under Parsing Text From Files, above.
    /H      (Hide dots) Suppress the assignment of the "." and ".." directories
            to the FOR variable.
    /L      (counted loop) Interpret the three values in the set as the start,
            step, and end values of a counted loop.  See the details under
            Counted FOR Loop, above.
    /R      (Recursive)  Look in the current directory and all of its
            subdirectories for files in the set.  If the /R is followed by a
            directory name, look for files in that directory and all of its
            subdirectories.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.35. FREE - Display total and free disk space ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the total disk space, total bytes used, and total bytes
             free on the specified (or default) drive(s).

 Format:     FREE [drive: ... ]

             drive :  One or more drives to include in the report.

 See also:  MEMORY.

 Usage:

 FREE provides the same disk information as the external command CHKDSK, but
 without the wait, since it does not check the integrity of the file and
 directory structure of the disk.

 A colon [:] is required after each drive letter. This example displays the
 status of drives A and C:

          [c:\] free a: c:

 If the volume serial number is available, it will appear after the drive label
 or name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.36. GLOBAL - Execute command in all subdirectories ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a command in the current directory and its subdirectories.

 Format:     GLOBAL [/H /I /P /Q] command

             command :  The command to execute, including arguments and
             switches.

             /H(idden directories)
             /P(rompt)
             /I(gnore exit codes)
             /Q(uiet)

 Usage:

 GLOBAL performs the command first in the current directory and then in every
 subdirectory under the current directory.  The command can be an internal
 command, an alias, an external command, or a batch file.

 This example copies the files in every directory on drive A to the directory
 C:\TEMP:

          [a:\] global copy *.* c:\temp

 If you use the /P option, GLOBAL will prompt for each subdirectory before
 performing the command.  You can use this option if you want to perform the
 command in most, but not all subdirectories of the current directory.

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands in each
 subdirectory.  For example, the following command copies each .TXT file in the
 current directory and all of its subdirectories to drive A.  It then changes
 the extension of each of the copied files to .SAV:

          [c:\] global (copy *.txt a: & ren *.txt *.sav)

 Options:

    /H      (Hidden directories) Forces GLOBAL to look for hidden directories.
            If you don't use this switch, hidden directories are ignored.

    /I      (Ignore exit codes) If this option is not specified, GLOBAL will
            terminate if the command returns a non-zero exit code.  Use /I if
            you want command to continue in additional subdirectories even if
            it returns an error in one subdirectory.  Even if you use /I,
            GLOBAL will normally halt execution if Take Command receives a
            Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.

    /P      (Prompt) Forces GLOBAL to prompt with each directory name before it
            performs the command.  Your options at the prompt are explained in
            detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q      (Quiet) Do not display the directory names as each directory is
            processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.37. GOSUB - Call subroutine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a subroutine in the current batch file.

 Format:     GOSUB label

             label :  The batch file label at the beginning of the subroutine.

 See also:  CALL, GOTO and RETURN.

 Usage:

 GOSUB can only be used in batch files.

 Take Command allows subroutines in batch files.  A subroutine must start with
 a label (a colon [:] followed by a label name) which appears on a line by
 itself.  Case differences are ignored when matching labels.  Labels may be one
 or more words long.  The subroutine must end with a RETURN statement.

 The subroutine is invoked with a GOSUB command from another part of the batch
 file.  After the RETURN, processing will continue with the command following
 the GOSUB command.  For example, the following batch file fragment calls a
 subroutine which displays the directory and returns:

          echo Calling a subroutine
          gosub subr1
          echo Returned from the subroutine
          quit
          :subr1
          dir /a/w
          return

 GOSUB begins its search for the label on the next line of the batch file
 (after the GOSUB command).  If the label is not found between the current
 position and the end of the file, GOSUB will restart the search at the
 beginning of the file.  If the label still is not found, the batch file is
 terminated with the error message "Label not found."

 GOSUB saves the IFF and DO states, so IFF and DO statements inside a
 subroutine won't interfere with statements in the part of the batch file from
 which the subroutine was called.

 Subroutines can be nested.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.38. GOTO - Branch within batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Branch to a specified line inside the current batch file.

 Format:     GOTO [/I] label

             label :  The batch file label to branch to.

             /I(FF and DO continue)

 See also:  GOSUB.

 Usage:

 GOTO can only be used in batch files.

 After a GOTO command in a batch file, the next line to be executed will be the
 one immediately after the label.  The label must begin with a colon [:] and
 appear on a line by itself. The colon is required on the line where the label
 is defined, but is not required in the GOTO command itself.  Case differences
 are ignored when matching labels. Labels may be one or more words long.

 This batch file fragment checks for the existence of the file CONFIG.OS2.  If
 the file exists, the batch file jumps to C_EXISTS and copies all the files
 from the current directory to the root directory on A:.  Otherwise, it prints
 an error message and exits.

          if exist config.os2 goto C_EXISTS
          echo CONFIG.OS2 doesn't exist - exiting.
          quit
          :C_EXISTS
          copy *.* a:\

 GOTO begins its search for the label on the next line of the batch file (after
 the GOTO command).  If the label is not found between the current position and
 the end of the file, GOTO will restart the search at the beginning of the
 file.  If the label still is not found, the batch file is terminated with the
 error message "Label not found."

 To avoid errors in the processing of nested statements and loops, GOTO cancels
 all active IFF statements and DO / ENDDO loops unless you use /I. This means
 that a normal GOTO (without /I) may not branch to any label that is between an
 IFF and the corresponding ENDIFF or between a DO and the corresponding ENDDO.

 For compatibility with Windows NT's CMD.EXE, the command

          GOTO :EOF

 will end processing of the current batch file if the label :EOF does not
 exist.  However, this is less efficient than using the QUIT or CANCEL command
 to end a batch file.

 Options:

    /I      (IFF and DO continue) Prevents GOTO from canceling IFF statements
            and DO loops.  Use this option only if you are absolutely certain
            that your GOTO command is branching entirely within any current IFF
            statement and any active DO / ENDDO block.  Using /I under any
            other conditions will cause an error later in your batch file.

            You cannot branch into another IFF statement, another DO loop, or a
            different IFF or DO nesting level, whether you use the /I option or
            not.  If you do, you will eventually receive an "unknown command"
            error (or execution of the UNKNOWN_CMD alias) on a subsequent
            ENDDO, ELSE, ELSEIFF, or ENDIFF statement.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.39. HELP - Call online help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display help for internal commands, and optionally for external
             commands.

 Format:     HELP [topic ]

             topic :  A help topic or internal command.

 Usage:

 Online help is available for Take Command.  The Take Command help system uses
 the OS/2 help facility.

 See The Take Command Help System for detailed information about getting help
 at the command line and customizing Help for your system.

 If you type the command HELP by itself (or press F1 when the command line is
 empty), the table of contents is displayed.  If you type HELP plus a topic
 name, that topic is displayed.  For example:

          help copy

 displays information about the COPY command and its options.

 You can configure the HELP command to display only the Take Command help (the
 default), or to display other help "books" as well.  For details see the
 HelpBook directive and your Introduction and Installation Guide.

 For help on system errors enter the message number in the HELP command, for
 example:

          help 3
          help sys0003

 Take Command will invoke OS/2's HELPMSG program to process these requests, and
 HELPMSG will display any available information on the message number given.
 In order for HELPMSG to work properly with Take Command you must define it as
 a 'TTY' application; see Starting Character-Mode Applications for details.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.40. HISTORY - Manage command history list ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display, add to, clear, or read the history list.

 Format:     HISTORY [/A command /F /P /R filename ]

             command :  A command to be added to the history list.
             filename :  The name of a file containing entries to be added to
             the history list.

             /A(dd)                   /P(ause)
             /F(ree)                  /R(ead)

             See also:  DIRHISTORY and LOG.

             Usage:

             Take Command keeps a list of the commands you have entered on the
             command line.  See Command History and Recall for additional
             details.

             The HISTORY command lets you view and manipulate the command
             history list directly.  If no parameters are entered, HISTORY will
             display the current command history list:

                                  [c:\] history

             With the options explained below, you can clear the list, add new
             commands to the list without executing them, save the list in a
             file, or read a new list from a file.

             The number of commands saved in the history list depends on the
             length of each command line.  The history list size can be
             specified at startup from 256 to 32767 characters (see the History
             directive).  The default size is 1024 characters.

             Your history list can be stored either locally (a separate history
             list for each copy of Take Command) or globally (all copies of
             Take Command share the same list).  For full details see the
             discussion of local and global history lists under Command History
             and Recall.

             You can use the HISTORY command as an aid in writing batch files
             by redirecting the HISTORY output to a file and then editing the
             file appropriately.  However, it is easier to use the LOG /H
             command for this purpose.

             You can disable the history list or specify a minimum command-line
             length to save from the Command Line 1 page of the configuration
             notebook, or with the HistMin directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

             You can save the history list by redirecting the output of HISTORY
             to a file. This example saves the command history to a file called
             HISTFILE and reads it back again immediately.  If you leave out
             the HISTORY /F command on the second line, the contents of the
             file will be appended to the current history list instead of
             replacing it:

                                  [c:\] history > histfile
                                  [c:\] history /f
                                  [c:\] history /r histfile

             If you need to save your command history at the end of each day's
             work, you might use the first of these commands in your
             TCSTART.BTM or other startup file, and the second in TCEXIT.BTM:

                                  if exist c:\histfile history /r c:\histfile
                                  history > c:\histfile

             This restores the previous history list if it exists, and saves
             the history when Take Command exits.

             Options:

    /A      (Add) Add a command to the history list.  This performs the same
            function as the Ctrl-K key at the command line (see Command History
            and Recall ).

    /F      (Free) Erase all entries in the command history list.

    /P      (Prompt) Wait for a key after displaying each page of the list.
            Your options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and
            File Prompts.

    /R      (Read) Read the command history from the specified file and append
            it to the history list currently held in memory.  Each line in the
            file must fit within the command-line length limit).

            If you are creating a HISTORY /R file by hand, and need to create
            an entry that spans multiple lines in the file, you can do so by
            terminating each line, except the last, with an escape character.
            However, you cannot use this method to exceed the command- line
            length limit.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.41. IF - Test condition ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a command if a condition or set of conditions is true.

 Format:     IF [NOT] condition [.AND. | .OR. | .XOR. [NOT] condition ...]
             command

             condition :  A test to determine if the command should be
             executed.
             command :  The command to execute if the condition is true.

 See also:  IFF and @IF.

 Usage:

 IF is normally used only in aliases and batch files.  It is always followed by
 one or more conditions and then a command. First, the conditions are
 evaluated.  If they are true, the command is executed.  Otherwise, the command
 is ignored. If you add a NOT before a condition, the command is executed only
 when the condition is false.

 You can link conditions with .AND., .OR., or .XOR., and you can group
 conditions with parentheses (see Combining Tests below).  You can also nest IF
 statements.

 The conditions can test strings, numbers, the existence of a file or
 subdirectory, the exit code returned by the preceding external command, and
 the existence of aliases and internal commands.

 The command can be an alias, an internal command, an external command, or a
 batch file.  The entire IF statement, including all conditions and the
 command, must fit on one line.

 Some examples of IF conditions and commands are included below; additional
 examples can be found in the EXAMPLES.BTM file which came with Take Command.

 You can use command grouping to execute multiple commands if the condition is
 true.  For example, the following command tests if any .TXT files exist.  If
 they do, they are copied to drive A: and their extensions are changed to .TXO:

          if exist *.txt (copy *.txt a: & ren *.txt *.txo)

 (Note that the IFF command provides a more structured method of executing
 multiple commands if a condition or set of conditions is true.)

 When an IF test fails, the remainder of the command is discarded, and the
 command processor normally continues with the next command on the line, or the
 next line.  This behavior is not compatible with CMD.EXE, which discards all
 remaining commands on the line when an IF test fails, including those after a
 command separator or pipe character.  To change the behavior so that IF
 affects all commands on the line, as in CMD.EXE, set DuplicateBugs to Yes in
 the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 For example, if DuplicateBugs is set to Yes (the default), the following
 command will display nothing, because the second ECHO command is discarded
 along with the first when the condition fails.  If DuplicateBugs is set to No,
 it will display "hello":

          [c:\] if 1 == 2 echo Wrong! & echo hello

 Conditions

 The conditional tests listed in the following sections are available in both
 the IF and IFF commands.  They fit into two categories:  string and numeric
 tests, and status tests.  The tests can use environment variables, internal
 variables and variable functions, file names, literal text, and numeric values
 as their arguments.

 String and Numeric Tests

 Six test conditions can be used to test character strings. The same conditions
 are available for both numeric and normal text strings (see below for
 details).  In each case you enter the test as:

          string1 operator string2

 The operator defines the type of test (equal, greater than or equal, and so
 on).  You should always use spaces on both sides of the operator.  The
 operators are:

        EQ or ==        string1 equal to string2
        NE or !=        string1 not equal to string2
        LT              string1 less than string2
        LE              string1 less than or equal to string2
        GE              string1 greater than or equal to string2
        GT              string1 greater than string2

 When IF compares two character strings, it will use either a numeric
 comparison or a string comparison.  A numeric comparison treats the strings as
 numeric values and tests them arithmetically. A string comparison treats the
 strings as text.

 The difference between numeric and string comparisons is best explained by
 looking at the way two values are tested.  For example, consider comparing the
 values 2 and 19.  Numerically, 2 is smaller, but as a string it is "larger"
 because its first digit is larger than the first digit of 19.  So the first of
 these conditions will be true, and the second will be false:

          if 2 lt 19 ...
          if "2" lt "19" ...

 IF determines which kind of test to do by examining the first character of
 each string.  If both strings begin with a numeric character (a digit, sign,
 or decimal point), a numeric comparison is used.  (If a string begins with a
 decimal separator it is not considered numeric unless the next character is a
 digit, and there are no more decimal separators within the string.  For
 example, ".07" is numeric, but ".a" and ".07.01" are not.)  If either value is
 non-numeric, a string comparison is used. To force a string comparison when
 both values are or may be numeric, use double quotes around the values you are
 testing, as shown above.  Because the double quote is not a numeric character,
 IF performs a string comparison.

 Case differences are ignored in string comparisons.  If two strings begin with
 the same text but one is shorter, the shorter string is considered to be "less
 than" the longer one.  For example, "a" is less than "abc", and "hello_there"
 is greater than "hello".

 When you compare text strings, you should always enclose the arguments in
 double quotes in order to avoid syntax errors which may occur if one of the
 argument values is empty.

 Numeric comparisons work with both integer and decimal values.  The values to
 be compared must contain only numeric digits, decimal points, and an optional
 sign (+ or -).  The number may may contain up to 16 digits to the left of the
 decimal point, and 8 digits to the right.

 Internal variables and variable functions are very powerful when combined with
 string and numeric comparisons.  They allow you to test the state of your
 system, the characteristics of a file, date and time information, or the
 result of a calculation.  You may want to review the variables and variable
 functions when determining the best way to set up an IF test.

 This batch file fragment runs a program called WEEKLY if today is Monday:

          if "%_dow" == "mon" weekly

 This batch file fragment tests for a string value:

          input "Enter your selection : " %%cmd
          if "%cmd" == "WP" goto wordproc
          if "%cmd" NE "GRAPHICS" goto badentry

 This example calls GO.BTM if the first two characters in the file MYFILE are
 "GO":

          if "%@left[2,%@line[myfile,0]]" == "GO" call go.btm


 Status Tests

 These conditions test the system or command processor status. You can use
 internal variables and variable functions to test many other parts of the
 system status.

        ERRORLEVEL [operator] n
            This test retrieves the exit code of the preceding external
            program.  By convention, programs return an exit code of 0 when
            they are successful and a number between 1 and 255 to indicate an
            error (depending on the program you are running, the maximum return
            value may be larger).  The condition can be any of the operators
            listed above (EQ, !=, GT, etc.).  If no operator is specified, the
            default is GE.  The comparison is done numerically.

            Not all programs return an explicit exit code.  For programs which
            do not, the behavior of ERRORLEVEL is undefined.

        EXIST filename
            If the file exists, the condition is true. You can use wildcards in
            the filename, in which case the condition is true if any file
            matching the wildcard name exists.

        ISALIAS aliasname
            If the name is defined as an alias, the condition is true.

        ISDIR | DIREXIST path
            If the subdirectory exists, the condition is true.  For
            compatibility with Novell DOS / OpenDOS, DIREXIST may be used as a
            synonym for ISDIR.

        ISINTERNAL command
            If the specified command is an active internal command, the
            condition is true.  Commands can be activated and deactivated with
            the SETDOS /I command.

        ISLABEL label
            If the specified batch file label exists, the condition is true.
            Labels may be one or more words long.

        ISWINDOW "title"
            If the window with the title exists, the condition is true.  Double
            quotes must be used around the title, which may contain wildcards
            and extended wildcards.

 The first batch file fragment below tests for the existence of A:\JAN.DOC
 before copying it to drive C (this avoids an error message if the file does
 not exist):

          if exist a:\jan.doc copy a:\jan.doc c:\

 This example tests the exit code of the previous program and stops all batch
 file processing if an error occurred:

          if errorlevel == 0 goto success
          echo "External Error -- Batch File Ends!"
          cancel

 Combining Tests

 You can negate the result of any test with NOT, and combine tests of any type
 with .AND., .OR., and .XOR.

 When two tests are combined with .AND., the result is true if both individual
 tests are true.  When two tests are combined with .OR., the result is true if
 either (or both) individual tests are true.  When two tests are combined with
 .XOR., the result is true only if one of the tests is true and the other is
 false.

 This example runs a program called DATALOAD if today is Monday or Tuesday:

          if "%_dow" == "Mon" .or. "%_dow" == "Tue" dataload

 Test conditions are always scanned from left to right; there is no implied
 order of precedence, as there is in some programming languages.  You can,
 however, force a specific order of testing by grouping conditions with
 parentheses, for example:

          if (%a == 1 .or. (%b == 2 .and. %c == 3)) echo something

 Parentheses can only be used when the portion of the condition inside the
 parentheses contains at least one ".and.", ".or.", or ".xor.".  Parentheses on
 a simple condition which does not combine two or more tests will be taken as
 part of the string to be tested, and will probably make the test fail.  For
 example, the first of these IF tests would fail; the second would succeed:

          if (a == a) ...
          if (a == a .and. b == b) ...

 Parentheses can be nested.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.42. IFF - IFF / THEN / ELSE conditional test ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Perform IF / THEN / ELSE conditional execution of commands.

 Format:     IFF [NOT] condition [.AND. | .OR. | .XOR. [NOT] condition ...]
             THEN & commands
             [ELSEIFF condition THEN & commands ] ...
             [ELSE & commands ]
             ENDIFF

             condition :  A test to determine if the command(s) should be
             executed.
             commands :  One or more commands to execute if the condition(s) is
             true.  If you use multiple commands, they must be separated by
             command separators or be placed on separate lines of a batch file.

 See also:  IF and @IF.

 Usage:

 IFF is similar to the IF command, except that it can perform one set of
 commands when a condition or set of conditions is true and a different set of
 commands when the conditions are false.

 IFF can execute multiple commands when the conditions are true or false; IF
 normally executes only one command.  IFF imposes no limit on the number of
 commands and is generally a "cleaner" and more structured command than IF.

 IFF is always followed by one or more conditions.  If they are true, the
 commands that follow the word THEN are executed. Additional conditions can be
 tested with ELSEIFF.  If none of these conditions are true, the commands that
 follow the word ELSE are executed.  After the selected commands (if any) are
 executed, processing continues after the word ENDIFF.

 If you add a NOT before the condition, the THEN commands are executed only
 when the condition is false and the ELSE commands are executed only when the
 condition is true.

 The commands may be separated by command separators, or may be on separate
 lines of a batch file.  You should include a command separator or a line break
 after a THEN, before an ELSEIFF, and before and after an ELSE.

 You can link conditions with .AND., .OR., or .XOR., and you can group
 conditions with parentheses.  You can nest IFF statements up to 15 levels
 deep.  The conditions can test strings or numbers, the existence of a file or
 subdirectory, the errorlevel returned from the preceding external command, and
 the existence of aliases and internal commands.

 See the IF command for a list of the possible conditions and details on using
 .AND, .OR, .XOR, and parentheses.

 The commands can include any internal command, alias, external command, or
 batch file.

 The alias in this example checks to see if the argument is a subdirectory.  If
 so, the alias deletes the subdirectory's files and removes it:

          [c:\] alias prune `iff isdir %1 then & del /sxz %1 &
  else & echo Not a directory! & endiff`

 Be sure to read the cautionary notes about GOTO and IFF under the GOTO command
 before using a GOTO inside an IFF statement.

 If you pipe data to an IFF, the data will be passed to the command(s)
 following the IFF, not to IFF itself.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.43. INKEY - Input a character ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Get a single keystroke from the user and store it in an
             environment variable.

 Format:     INKEY [/C /D /K"keys" /P /Wn /X] [prompt ] %%varname

             prompt :  Optional text that is displayed as a prompt.
             varname :  The variable that will hold the user's keystroke.

             /C(lear buffer)
             /D(igits only)
             /K(valid keystrokes)
             /P(assword)
             /W(ait)
             /X (no carriage return)

 See also:  INPUT, KEYSTACK, MSGBOX, and QUERYBOX.

 Usage:

 INKEY optionally displays a prompt.  Then it waits for a specified time or
 indefinitely for a keystroke, and places the keystroke into an environment
 variable.  It is normally used in batch files and aliases to get a menu choice
 or other single-key input.  Along with the INPUT command, INKEY allows great
 flexibility in reading input from within a batch file or alias.

 If prompt text is included in an INKEY command, it is displayed while INKEY
 waits for input.

 INKEY works within the command line window.  If you prefer to use a dialog for
 user input, see the MSGBOX and QUERYBOX commands.

 The following batch file fragment prompts for a character and stores it in the
 variable NUM:

          inkey Enter a number from 1 to 9:  %%num

 INKEY reads standard input for the keystroke, so it will accept keystrokes
 from a redirected file or from the KEYSTACK. You can supply a list of valid
 keystrokes with the /K option.

 Standard keystrokes with ASCII values between 1 and 255 are stored directly in
 the environment variable.  Extended keystrokes (for example, function keys and
 cursor keys) are stored as a string in decimal format, with a leading @ (for
 example, the F1 key is @59). The Enter key is stored as an extended keystroke,
 with the code @28.  See the Key Code Tables for a list of extended key codes.

 To test for a non-printing ASCII keystroke returned by INKEY use the @ASCII
 function to get the numeric value of the key.  For example, to test for Esc,
 which has an ASCII value of 27:

          inkey Enter a key:  %%key
          if "%@ascii[%key]" == "27" echo Esc pressed

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while INKEY is waiting for a key, execution
 of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will be
 suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch job.  A batch file
 you can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break itself with the ON BREAK command.

 Options:

    /C      (Clear buffer) Clears the keyboard buffer before INKEY accepts
            keystrokes.  If you use this option, INKEY will ignore any
            keystrokes which you type, either accidentally or intentionally,
            before it is ready to accept input.

    /D      (Digits only):  Prevents INKEY from accepting any keystroke except
            a digit from 0 to 9.

    /K"keys"Specify the permissible keystrokes.  The list of valid keystrokes
            should be enclosed in double quotes.  For alphabetic keys the
            validity test is not case sensitive.  You can specify extended keys
            by enclosing their names in square brackets (within the quotes).
            Enter this example on one line:

                                inkey /k"ab[Ctrl-F9]" Enter A, B, or Ctrl-F9 %%var

            See Keys and Key Names for a complete listing of the key names you
            can use within the square brackets, and a description of the key
            name format.

            If an invalid keystroke is entered, Take Command will echo the
            keystroke if possible, beep, move the cursor back one character,
            and wait for another keystroke.

    /P      (Password) Prevents INKEY from echoing the character.

    /W      (Wait) Time-out period, in seconds, to wait for a response. If no
            keystroke is entered by the end of the time-out period, INKEY
            returns with the variable unchanged.  This allows you to continue
            the batch file if the user does not respond in a given period of
            time.  You can specify /W0 to return immediately if there are no
            keys waiting in the keyboard buffer.

            For example, the following batch file fragment waits up to 10
            seconds for a character, then tests to see if a "Y" was entered:

                                set netmon=N
                                inkey /K"YN" /w10 Network monitor (Y/N)?  %%net
                                iff "%netmon" == "Y" then
                                  rem Commands to load the monitor program
                                endiff

    /X      (No carriage return) Prevents INKEY from displaying a carriage
            return and line feed after the user's entry.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.44. INPUT - Input a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Get a string from the keyboard and save it in an environment
             variable.

 Format:     INPUT [/C /D /E /Ln /N /P /Wn /X] [prompt ] %%varname

             prompt :  Optional text that is displayed as a prompt.
             varname :  The variable that will hold the user's input.

             /C(lear buffer)                 /N(o colors)
             /D(igits only)                  /P(assword)
             /E(dit)                         /W(ait)
             /L(ength)                       /X (no carriage return)

 See also:  INKEY, KEYSTACK, MSGBOX, and QUERYBOX.

 Usage:

 INPUT optionally displays a prompt.  Then it waits for a specified time or
 indefinitely for your entry.  It places any characters you type into an
 environment variable.  INPUT is normally used in batch files and aliases to
 get multi-character input (for single-keystroke input, see INKEY).

 INPUT works within the command line window.  If you prefer to use a dialog for
 user input, see the MSGBOX and QUERYBOX commands.

 If prompt text is included in an INPUT command, it is displayed while INPUT
 waits for input.  Standard command-line editing keys may be used to edit the
 input string as it is entered.  If you use the /P password option, INPUT will
 echo asterisks instead of the keys you type.

 All characters entered up to, but not including, the carriage return are
 stored in the variable.

 The following batch file fragment prompts for a string and stores it in the
 variable FNAME:

          input Enter the file name:  %%fname

 INPUT reads standard input, so it will accept text from a re-directed file or
 from the KEYSTACK.

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while INPUT is waiting for input, execution
 of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will be
 suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch job.  A batch file
 you can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break itself with the ON BREAK  command.

 Options:

    /C      (Clear buffer) Discard any keystrokes pending in the keyboard
            buffer before INPUT begins accepting characters.

    /D      (Digits only): Prevents INPUT from accepting any keystrokes except
            digits from 0 to 9.

    /E      (Edit) Allows you to edit an existing value.  If there is no
            existing value for varname, INPUT proceeds as if /E had not been
            used, and allows you to enter a new value.

    /Ln     (Length) Sets the maximum number of characters which INPUT will
            accept to "n".  If you attempt to enter more than this number of
            characters, INPUT will beep and prevent further input (you will
            still be able to edit the characters typed before the limit was
            reached).

    /N      (No color) Disables the display colors set by InputColor in the
            TCMDOS2.INI file.  With this option, INPUT will use the default
            display colors instead.

    /P      (Password) Tells INPUT to echo asterisks, instead of the characters
            you type.

    /W      (Wait) Time-out period, in seconds, to wait for a response. If no
            keystroke is entered by the end of the time-out period, INPUT
            returns with the variable unchanged. This allows you to continue
            the batch file if the user does not respond in a given period of
            time.  If you enter a key before the time-out period, INPUT will
            wait indefinitely for the remainder of the line.  You can specify
            /W0 to return immediately if there are no keys waiting in the
            keyboard buffer.

    /X      (No carriage return) Prevents INPUT from displaying a carriage
            return and line feed after the user's entry.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.45. KEYBD - Set keyboard toggles ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Set the state of the keyboard toggles:  Caps Lock, Num Lock, and
             Scroll Lock.

 Format:     KEYBD [/Cn /Nn /Sn]

             n :  0 to turn off the toggle, or 1 to turn on the toggle.
             /C(aps lock)
             /S(croll lock)
             /N(um lock)

 Usage:

 Most keyboards have 3 toggle keys, the Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock.
 The toggle key status is usually displayed by three lights at the top right
 corner of the keyboard.

 This command lets you turn any toggle key on or off.  It is most useful in
 batch files and aliases if you want the keys set a particular way before
 collecting input from the user.

 For example, to turn off the Num Lock and Caps Lock keys, you can use this
 command:

          [c:\] keybd /c0 /n0

 If you use the KEYBD command with no switches, it will display the present
 state of the toggle keys.

 The toggle key state is typically the same for all sessions and changes made
 with KEYBD in one session will therefore affect all other sessions.

 Options:

    /C      (Caps lock) Turn the Caps Lock key on or off.

    /N      (Num lock) Turn the Num Lock key on or off.

    /S      (Scroll lock) Turn the Scroll Lock key on or off.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.46. KEYS - Enable/disable history list ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Enable, disable, or display the history list.

 Format:     KEYS [ON | OFF | LIST]

 See also:  HISTORY.

 Usage:

 This command is provided for compatibility with KEYS command in CMD.EXE, which
 controls the history list in OS/2. The same functions are available by setting
 the HistMin directive in the .INI file, and by using the HISTORY command.

 The history list collects the commands you type for later recall, editing, and
 viewing.  You can view the contents of the list through the history list
 window or by typing any of the following commands:

          [c:\] history
          [c:\] history /p
          [c:\] keys list

 The first command displays the entire history list.  The second displays the
 entire list and pauses at the end of each full screen. The third command
 produces the same output as the first, except that each line is numbered.

 You can disable the collection and storage of commands in the history list by
 typing:

          [c:\] keys off

 You can turn the history back on with the command:

          [c:\] keys on

 If you issue the KEYS command without any parameters, Take Command will show
 you the current status of the history list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.47. KEYSTACK - Feed keystrokes to programs ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Feed keystrokes to a program or command automatically.


 Format:     KEYSTACK [!] [/Wn] ["abc"] [keyname[n]] ... .br
             !  Signal to clear the Keystack and the keyboard buffer.
             "abc":  Literal characters to be placed in the Keystack.
             keyname:  Name for a key to be placed in the Keystack.
             n:  Number of times to repeat the named key.

             /W(ait)

 See also:  Using the Keystack.

 Usage:

 KEYSTACK takes a series of keystrokes and feeds them to a program or command
 as if they were typed at the keyboard.  When the program has used all of the
 keystrokes sent by KEYSTACK, it will begin to read the keyboard for input, as
 it normally would.

 KEYSTACK will send the keystrokes to the current active window.  If you want
 to send keystrokes to another program (rather than have them function with
 Take Command itself), you must start the program or ACTIVATE its window so it
 can receive the keystrokes. You must do this before executing the KEYSTACK
 command.

 KEYSTACK is most often used for programs started from batch files.  In order
 for KEYSTACK to work in a batch file, you must start the program with the
 START command, then use the KEYSTACK command.  If you start the program
 directly Ч without using START Ч the batch file will wait for the application
 to complete before continuing and running the KEYSTACK command, and the
 keystrokes will be placed in the buffer too late.

 If you use KEYSTACK in an alias executed from the prompt, the considerations
 are essentially the same, but depend on whether ExecWait is set.  If ExecWait
 is not set, you can use KEYSTACK immediately after an application is started.
 However, if ExecWait is set, the KEYSTACK command will not be executed until
 the program has finished, and the keystrokes will be placed in the buffer too
 late.

 You may not be able to use KEYSTACK effectively if you have programs running
 in the background which change the active window (for example, by popping up a
 dialog box).  If a window pops up in the midst of your KEYSTACK sequence,
 keystrokes stored in the KEYSTACK buffer may go to that window, and not to the
 application you intended.

 KEYSTACK will only work if the file KEYSTACK.EXE is in the same directory as
 TCOS2.EXE, or a directory listed in your PATH.  If KEYSTACK.EXE cannot be
 found, the KEYSTACK command will display an error message.  KEYSTACK can send
 keystrokes to Presentation Manager applications and to character-mode
 applications running in a window.  It cannot send keystrokes to DOS
 applications, nor to character-mode applications running in a full-screen
 session.  Characters entered within double quotes ("abc") will be stored "as
 is" in the buffer.  The only items allowed outside double quotes are key
 names, the ! and /W options, and a repeat count.

 See Keys and key names for a complete listing of key names and a description
 of the key name and numeric key code format.  If you want to send the same key
 name or numeric code several times, you can follow it with a repeat count in
 square brackets.  For example, to send the Enter key 4 times, you can use this
 command:

          keystack enter [4]

 The repeat count works only with individual keystrokes, or numeric keystroke
 or character values.  It cannot be used with quoted strings.

 An exclamation mark [!] will clear all pending keystrokes in the KEYSTACK
 buffer.

 For example, to start a word processor called Word and select the second item
 on the second menu n the menu bar, you could use the command:

          [d:\doc] keystack F10 Right Down "1" ^ word

 This places the keystrokes for F10 (change to the menu bar), right arrow (move
 to the File menu), down arrow (display the file menu), and "1" (open the most
 recently used file) into the buffer, then runs Word.  When Word starts it
 receives these keystrokes and performs the appropriate actions.

 You can store a maximum of 1,023 characters in the KEYSTACK buffer.  A delay
 takes two character "slots" in the buffer.  A repeated character takes one
 character slot per repetition.

 Each time the KEYSTACK command is executed, it will clear any remaining
 keystrokes stored by a previous KEYSTACK command.

 You may need to experiment with your programs and insert delays (see the /W
 option) to find the window activation and keystroke sequence that works for a
 particular program.

 Options:

    /W      (Wait):  Delay the next keystroke in the KEYSTACK buffer by a
            specified number of clock "ticks".  A clock tick is approximately
            1/18 second.  The number of clock ticks to delay should be placed
            immediately after the W, and must be between 1 and 65535 (65535
            ticks is about 1 hour).  You can use the /W option as many times as
            desired and at any point in the string of keystrokes except within
            double quotes.  Some programs may need the delays provided by /Win
            order to receive keystrokes properly from KEYSTACK. The only way to
            determine what delay is needed is to experiment.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.48. LIST - Display file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a file, with forward and backward paging and scrolling.

 Format:     LIST [/A:[[-]rhsda] /H /I /R /S /T /W /X] file...

             file :  A file or list of files to display.

             /A: (Attribute select)      /S(tandard input)
             /H(igh bit off)             /T  (search for Text)
             /I(gnore wildcards)         /W(rap)
             /R(everse)                  /X (heX display mode)

 See also:  TYPE.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 LIST provides a fast and flexible way to view a file, without the overhead of
 loading and using a text editor.

 For example, to display a file called MEMO.DOC:

          [c:\] list memo.doc

 LIST is most often used for displaying ASCII text files.  It can be used for
 other files which contain non-alphabetic characters, but you may need to use
 hex mode (see below) to read these files.

 LIST displays files in the Take Command window.  The standard tool bar and
 scroll bars are replaced with the LIST tool bar and scroll bars.  Use the
 scroll bars or cursor pad to scroll through the file.  You can select the LIST
 commands either with the mouse (on the tool bar and scrollbars) or from the
 keyboard.  LIST recognizes the following keys and buttons:

        Home                Display the first page of the file.
        End                 Display the last page of the file.
        Esc (Cont)          Exit the current file.
        Ctrl-C (Quit)       Quit LIST.
        Ctrl-PgUp.          Display previous file.
        Ctrl-PgDn.          Display next file.
                           Scroll up one line.
                           Scroll down one line.
                            Scroll left 8 columns.
                            Scroll right 8 columns.
        Ctrl                Scroll left 40 columns.
        Ctrl                Scroll right 40 columns.
        F1                  Display online help
        B (Back)            Go back one file to the previous file in the
                            current group of files.
        F (Find)            Prompt and search for a string or a sequence of
                            hexadecimal values.
        Ctrl-F              Prompt and search for a string, searching backward
                            from the end of the file.
        G (Goto)            Go to a specific line, or, in hex mode, to a
                            specific hexadecimal offset.
        H (High)            Toggle the "strip high bit" (/H) option.
        I (Info)            Display information on the current file (the full
                            name, size, date, and time).
        N (Next)            Find next matching string.
        Ctrl-N              Find the previous matching string in the file.
        O (Open)            Open a new file
        P (Print)           Print selected text, the current page, or the
                            entire file.
        W (Wrap)            Toggle the "line wrap" (/W) option.
        X (heX)             Toggle the hex-mode display (/X) option.

 Text searches performed with F, N, Ctrl-F, and Ctrl-N, or with the
 corresponding buttons, are not case- sensitive unless you check the "Match
 case" box in the search dialog.  LIST remembers the search strings you have
 used in the current Take Command session; to select a previous string, use the
 drop-down arrow to the right of the string entry field (the N key and the Next
 button search for the top item in this drop-down list).

 When the search string is found LIST displays the line containing the string
 at the top of the window, and highlights the string it found.  Any additional
 occurrences of the string on the same display page are also highlighted.
 Highlighting is intended for use with text files; in binary files the search
 string will be found, but may not be highlighted properly.

 If you want to search for specific hexadecimal values check the "Hex search"
 box, and enter the search string as a sequence of 2-digit hexadecimal numbers
 separated by spaces, for example 41 63 65 (these are the ASCII values for the
 string "Ace"; see the ASCII Table for a complete list of standard ASCII
 codes).  Hexadecimal searches are case-sensitive, and search for exactly the
 string you enter.

 You can use extended wildcards in the search string.  For example, you can
 search for the string "to*day" to find the next line which contains the word
 "to" followed by the word "day" later on the same line, or search for the
 numbers "101" or "401" with the search string "[14]01".  If you begin the
 search string with a back-quote [`], or enclose it in back-quotes, wildcard
 characters in the string will be treated as normal text with no special
 wildcard meaning.

 You can use the /T switch to specify search text for the first file.  When you
 do so, LIST begins a search as soon as the file is loaded.  Use /I to ignore
 wildcards in the initial search string, and /R to make the initial search go
 backwards from the end of the file.  When you LIST multiple files with a
 single LIST command, these switches affect only the first file; they are
 ignored for the second and subsequent files.

 You can use the G key to go to a specific line number in the file (or to a
 specified hexadecimal offset in hex mode).  LIST numbers lines beginning with
 1, unless ListRowStart is set to 0.  A new line is counted for every CR or LF
 character (LIST determines automatically which character is used for line
 breaks in each file), or when line length reaches 511 characters, whichever
 comes first.

 LIST normally allows long lines in the file to extend past the right edge of
 the screen.  You can use the horizontal scrolling keys (see above) to view
 text that extends beyond the screen width.  If you use the W command or /W
 switch to wrap the display, each line is wrapped when it reaches the right
 edge of the screen, and the horizontal scrolling keys are disabled.

 To view text from the clipboard, use CLIP: as the file to be listed.  CLIP:
 will not return any data unless the clipboard contains text.

 If you print the file which LIST is displaying, the print format will match
 the display format.  If you have switched to hexadecimal or wrapped mode, that
 mode will be used for the printed output as well.  If you print in wrapped
 mode, long lines will be wrapped at the width of the display.  If you print in
 normal display mode without line wrap, long lines will be wrapped or truncated
 by the printer, not by LIST.  Regardless of the display mode, LIST will bring
 up a standard print dialog which allows you to print selected text, the
 current page, or the entire file.

 Advanced Features

 If you specify a directory name instead of a filename as an argument, LIST
 will display each of the files in that directory.

 Most of the LIST keystrokes can be reassigned with TCMDOS2.INI file key
 mapping  directives.

 You can set the colors used by LIST with the ListColors directive in the
 TCMDOS2.INI file, or the LIST Colors selection on the Commands page of the
 configuration notebook.  If ListColors is not used, the LIST display will use
 the current default colors.

 By default, LIST sets tab stops every 8 columns.  You can change this behavior
 with the TabStops directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select):  Select only those files that have the
            specified attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with
            a hyphen [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.
            The colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                           R  Read-only
                           H  Hidden
                           S  System
                           D  Subdirectory
                           A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., LIST /A:), LIST will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected.  For example, /A:RHSwill
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /H      (High bit off) Strip the high bit from each character before
            displaying.  This is useful when displaying files created by some
            word processors that turn on the high bit for formatting purposes.
            You can toggle this option on and off from within LIST with the H
            key.

    /I      (Ignore wildcards) Only meaningful when used in conjunction with
            the /T" text" option.  Direct LIST to interpret characters such as
            *, ?, [, and ] as literal characters instead of wildcard
            characters.  /I affects only the initial search started by /T, not
            subsequent searches started from within LIST.

    /R      (Reverse) Only meaningful when used in conjuction with the /T
            "text" option.  Directs LIST to search for text from the end of the
            file instead of from the beginning of the file.  Using this switch
            can speed up searches for text that is normally near the end of the
            file, such as a signature.  /R affects only the initial search
            started by /T, not subsequent searches started from within LIST.

    /S      (Standard input) Read from standard input rather than a file.  This
            allows you to redirect command output and view it with LIST.
            Normally, LIST will detect input from a redirected command and
            adjust automatically.  However, you may find circumstances when /S
            is required.  For example, to use LIST to display the output of DIR
            you could use either of these commands:

                                [c:\] dir | list
                                [c:\] dir | list /s

    /T      (Text) Search for text in the first file. This option is the same
            as pressing F, but it allows you to specify the search text on the
            command line.  The text must be contained in quotation marks if it
            contains spaces, punctuation, or wildcard characters.  For example,
            to search for the string Take Command in the file README.DOC, you
            can use this command:

                                [c:\] list /t"Take Command" readme.doc

            The search text may include wildcards and extended wildcards.  For
            example, to search for the words Hello and John on the same line in
            the file LETTER.DAT:

                                [c:\] list /t"Hello*John" letter.dat

            When you LIST multiple files with a single LIST command, /T only
            initiates a search in the first file.  It is ignored for the second
            and subsequent files.  Also see /I and /R.

    /W      (Wrap) Wrap the text at the right edge of the screen. This option
            is useful when displaying files that don't have a carriage return
            at the end of each line.  The horizontal scrolling keys do not work
            when the display is wrapped.  You can toggle this option on and off
            from within LIST with the W key or the Wrap button on the tool bar.

    /X      (hex mode):  Display the file in hexadecimal (hex) mode. This
            option is useful when displaying executable files and other files
            that contain non-text characters.  Each byte of the file is shown
            as a pair of hex characters.  The corresponding text is displayed
            to the right of each line of hexadecimal data.  You can toggle this
            mode on and off from within LIST with the X key or the heX button
            on the tool bar.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.49. LOADBTM - Switch batch file mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Switch a batch file to or from BTM mode.

 Format:     LOADBTM [ON | OFF]

 Usage:

 Take Command recognizes two kinds of batch files: .CMD and .BTM.  Batch files
 executing in BTM mode run two to ten times faster than in CMD mode.  (However,
 BTM mode should not be used for self-modifying batch files.)  Batch files
 automatically start in the mode indicated by their extension.

 The LOADBTM command turns BTM mode on and off.  It can be used to switch modes
 in either a  .CMD or .BTM file. If you use LOADBTM with no argument, it will
 display the current batch mode:  LOADBTM ON or LOADBTM OFF.

 Using LOADBTM to repeatedly switch modes within a batch file is not efficient.
 In most cases the speed gained by running some parts of the file in BTM mode
 will be more than offset by the speed lost through repeated loading of the
 file each time BTM mode is invoked.

 LOADBTM can only be used within a batch file.  It is most often used to
 convert a .CMD file to BTM mode without changing its extension.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.50. LOG - Log commands to file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Save a log of commands to a disk file.

 Format:     LOG [/H /W file ] [ON | OFF | text ]

             file :  The name of the file to hold the log.
             text :  An optional message that will be added to the log.

             /H(istory log)
             /W(rite to)

 See also:  HISTORY.

 Usage:

 LOG keeps a record of all internal and external commands you use, whether they
 are executed from the prompt or from a batch file.  Each entry includes the
 current system date and time, along with the actual command after any alias or
 variable expansion.  You can use the log file as a record of your daily
 activities.

 LOG with the /H option keeps a similar record called a "history log".  The
 history log records only commands entered at the prompt; it does not record
 batch file commands.  In addition, the history log does not record the date
 and time for each command, and it records commands before aliases and
 variables are expanded.

 The two logging options are independent.  You can have both a regular log and
 a history log enabled simultaneously.

 By default, LOG writes to the file OS2LOG in the root directory of the boot
 drive.  The default file name for LOG /H is OS2HLOG.  You can set the default
 log file names from the Options 2 page of the configuration notebook, or with
 the LogName and HistLogName directives in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 Entering LOG or LOG /H with no parameters displays the name of the log file
 and the log status (ON or OFF):

          [c:\] log
          LOG (C:\COS2LOG) is OFF

 To enable or disable logging, add the word "ON" or "OFF" after the LOG
 command:

          [c:\] log on

 or

          [c:\] log /h on

 Entering LOG or LOG /H with text writes a message to the log file, even if
 logging is set OFF.  This allows you to enter headers in the log file:

          [c:\] log "Started work on the database system"

 The LOG file format looks like this:

          [mm-dd-yy  hh:mm:ss]  command

 The LOG /H output can be used as the basis for writing batch files.  Start LOG
 /H, then execute the commands that you want the batch file to execute.  When
 you are finished, turn LOG /H off.  The resulting file can be turned into a
 batch file that performs the same commands with little or no editing.

 Options:

    /H      (History log) This option makes the other options on the command
            line (after the /H) apply to the history log.  For example, to turn
            on history logging and write to the file C:\LOG\HLOG:

                                [c:\] log /h /w c:\log\hlog

    /W      (Write) This switch specifies a different filename for the LOG or
            LOG /H output.  It also automatically performs a LOG ON command.
            For example, to turn logging on and write the log to
            C:\LOG\LOGFILE:

                                [c:\] log /w c:\log\logfile

            Once you select a new file name with the LOG /W or LOG /H/W
            command, LOG will use that file until you issue another LOG /W or
            LOG /H/W command, or until you reboot your computer.  Turning LOG
            or LOG /H off or on does not change the file name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.51. MD - Create a subdirectory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Create a subdirectory.

 Format:     MD [/N /S] path...
                or
             MKDIR [/N /S] path...

             path :  The name of one or more directories to create.

             /N(o update)
             /S(ubdirectories)

 See also:  RD.

 Usage:

 MD and MKDIR are synonyms.  You can use either one.

 MD creates a subdirectory anywhere in the directory tree.  To create a
 subdirectory from the root, start the path with a backslash [\].  For example,
 this command creates a subdirectory called MYDIR in the root directory:

          [c:\] md \mydir

 If no path is given, the new subdirectory is created in the current directory.
 This example creates a subdirectory called DIRTWO in the current directory:

          [c:\mydir] md dirtwo

 To create a directory from the parent of the current directory (that is, to
 create a sibling of the current directory), start the pathname with two
 periods and a backslash [..\].

 When creating a directory on a HPFS drive, you must quote any path which
 contains whitespace or special characters.

 If MD creates one or more directories, they will be added automatically to the
 extended directory search database unless the /N option is specified.

 Option:
    /N(No update)  Do not update the extended directory search database,
    JPSTREE.IDX.  This is useful when creating a temporary directory which you
    do not want to appear in the extended search database. /S(Subdirectories)
    Allows you to create more than one directory at a time.  For example, if
    you need to create the directory C:\ONE\TWO\THREE and none of the named
    directories exist, you can use /S to have MD create all of the necessary
    subdirectories in a single command (without the /S, this command will fail
    because the parent directory C:\ONE\TWO does not exist):

                [c:\] md /s \one\two\three


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.52. MEMORY - Display memory status ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the amount and status of Take Command and OS/2 memory.

 Format:     MEMORY

 Usage:

 MEMORY lists the total physical and resident RAM, the largest free block in
 RAM, the swap file size, the total and free environment and alias space, and
 the total history space.

 If the OS/2 swap file is not stored in the \OS2\SYSTEM directory of the boot
 drive, you must use the SwapFilePath directive in TCMDOS2.INI or MEMORY will
 not be able to display the swap file size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.53. MOVE - Move files to another directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Move files to a new directory and drive.

 Format:     MOVE  [/A:[[-]rhsda] /C /D /E /F /H /M /N /P /Q /R /S /T /U /V]
             source... destination

             source :  A file or list of files to move.
             destination :  The new location for the files.

             /A:(ttribute select)            /P(rompt)
             /C(hanged)                      /Q(uiet)
             /D(irectory)                    /R(eplace)
             /E (No error messages)          /S(ubdirectory tree)
             /F(orce delete)                 /T(otal)
             /H(idden and system)            /U(pdate)
             /M(odified files)               /V(erify)
             /N(othing)

 See also:  COPY and RENAME.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Ranges anywhere on the line apply to all source files.

 Usage:

 The MOVE command moves one or more files from one directory to another,
 whether the directories are on the same drive or not.  It has the same effect
 as copying the files to a new location and then deleting the originals.  Like
 COPY and RENAME, MOVE works with single files, multiple files, and sets of
 files specified with an include list.

 The simplest MOVE command moves a single source file to a new location and,
 optionally, gives it a new name.  These two examples both move one file from
 drive C: to the root directory on drive A:

          [c:\] move myfile.dat a:\
          [c:\] move myfile.dat a:\savefile.dat

 In both cases, MYFILE.DAT is removed from drive C: after it has been copied to
 drive A:.  If a file called MYFILE.DAT in the first example, or SAVEFILE.DAT
 in the second example, already existed on drive A:, it would be overwritten.
 (This demonstrates the difference between MOVE and RENAME.  MOVE will move
 files between drives and will overwrite the destination file if it exists;
 RENAME will not.)

 When you move a single file, the destination can be a directory name or a file
 name.  If it is a directory name, and you add a backslash [\] to the end of
 the name, MOVE will display an error message if the name does not refer to an
 existing directory.  You can use this feature to keep MOVE from treating a
 mistyped destination directory name as a file name, and attempting to move the
 source file to that name.

 If you MOVE multiple files, the destination must be a directory name.  MOVE
 will move each file into the destination directory with its original name.  If
 the destination is not a directory, MOVE will display an error message and
 exit).  For example, if C:\FINANCE\MYFILES is not a directory, this command
 will display an error; otherwise, the files will be moved to that directory::

          [c:\] move *.wks *.txt c:\finance\myfiles

 The /D option can be used for single or multiple file moves; it checks to see
 whether the destination is a directory, and will prompt to see if you want to
 create the destination directory if it doesn't exist.

 If MOVE creates one or more destination directories, they will be added
 automatically to the extended directory search database.

 Be careful when you use MOVE with the SELECT command.  If you SELECT multiple
 files and the target is not a directory (for example, because of a
 misspelling), MOVE will assume it is a file name.  In this case each file will
 be moved in turn to the target file, overwriting the previous file, and then
 the original will be erased before the next file is moved.  At the end of the
 command, all of the original files will have been erased and only the last
 file will exist as the target file.

 You can avoid this problem by using square brackets with SELECT instead of
 parentheses (be sure that you don't allow the command line to get too long --
 watch the character count in the upper left corner while you're selecting
 files).  MOVE will then receive one list of files to move instead of a series
 of individual filenames, and it will detect the error and halt.  You can also
 add a backslash [\] to the end of the destination name to ensure that it is
 the name of a subdirectory (see above).

 Advanced Features and Options

 MOVE first attempts to rename the file(s), which is the fastest way to move
 files between subdirectories on the same drive.  If that fails (e.g., because
 the destination is on a different drive or already exists), MOVE will copy the
 file(s) and then delete the originals.

 If MOVE must physically copy the files and delete the originals, rather than
 renaming them (see above), then some disk space may be freed on the source
 drive.  The free space may be the result of moving the files to another drive,
 or of overwriting a larger destination file with a smaller source file.  MOVE
 displays the amount of disk space recovered unless the /Q option is used (see
 below).  It does so by comparing the amount of free disk space before and
 after the MOVE command is executed.  However, this amount may be incorrect if
 you are using a deletion tracking system which retains deleted files for later
 recovery, or if another program performs a file operation while the MOVE
 command is executing.

 When physically copying files, MOVE preserves the hidden, system, and read-
 only attributes of the source files, and sets the archive attribute of the
 destination files.  However, if the files can be renamed, and no copying is
 required, then the source file attributes are not changed.

 Use caution with the /A: and /H switches (both of which can allow MOVE to
 process hidden files) when you are physically moving files and both the source
 and destination directories contain file descriptions.  If the source file
 specification matches the description file name (normally DESCRIPT.ION), and
 you tell MOVE to process hidden files, the DESCRIPT.ION file itself will be
 moved, overwriting any existing descriptions in the destination directory.
 For example, if the C:\DATA directory contains file descriptions this command
 would overwrite any existing descriptions in the D:\SAVE directory:

         [c:\data] move /h d*.* d:\save\

 (If you remove the hidden attribute from the DESCRIPT.ION file the same
 caution applies even if you do not use /A: or /H, as DESCRIPT.ION is then
 treated like any other file.)

 If you move a file from a FAT volume to an HPFS volume, and you do not give an
 explicit destination name (i.e., you are moving the file to the current
 directory, or your destination name is made up entirely of wildcards), MOVE
 will look for a .LONGNAME extended attribute for the source file.  If it finds
 that attribute, it will use the long filename for the destination file.  If it
 does not, it will use the short name.

 Similarly, if you MOVE files with long filenames from an HPFS volume to a FAT
 volume, Take Command will create the destination files with short,
 FAT-compatible names and save the long filenames in the .LONGNAME extended
 attribute. The short name is created by replacing special characters with
 underscores, adding numeric digits to the filename (if necessary) to make the
 new name unique, and truncating the name to fit with in the "8.3" FAT name
 structure.

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., MOVE /A: ...), MOVE will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected.  For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

            See the cautionary note under Advanced Features and Options above
            before using /A: when both source and destination directories
            contain file descriptions.

    /C      (Changed files) Move files only if the destination file exists and
            is older than the source (see also /U).  This option is useful for
            updating the files in one directory from those in another without
            moving any newly-created files.

    /D      (Directory) Requires that the destination be a directory.  If the
            destination does not exist, MOVE will prompt to see if you want to
            create it.  If the destination exists as a file, MOVE will fail
            with an "Access denied" error.  Use this option to avoid having
            MOVE accidentally interpret your destination name as a file name
            when it's really a mistyped directory name.

    /E      (No error messages) Suppress all non-fatal error messages, such as
            "File Not Found."  Fatal error messages, such as "Drive not ready,"
            will still be displayed.  This option is most useful in batch files
            and aliases.

    /F      (Force delete) This option forces deletion of the source file
            without saving it to the DELDIR directory (if DELDIR is not in use,
            /F has no effect).  /F is only effective when MOVE must copy the
            source file(s) and delete the originals (i.e., if the destination
            is on a different drive or the destination file already exists).
            If the files are simply renamed, /F has no effect.

    /H      (Hidden) Move all files, including hidden and system files.

            See the cautionary note under Advanced Features and Options above
            before using /H when both source and destination directories
            contain file descriptions.

    /M      (Modified files) Move only files that have the archive bit set.
            The archive bit will remain set after the MOVE; to clear it use
            ATTRIB.

    /N      (Nothing) Do everything except actually move the file(s). This
            option is most useful for testing what a complex MOVE command will
            do. /N does not prevent creation of destination subdirectories when
            it is used with /S.

    /P      (Prompt) Prompt the user to confirm each move.  Your options at the
            prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /Q      (Quiet) Don't display filenames, the total number of files moved,
            or the amount of disk space recovered, if any.  This option is most
            often used in batch files.  See also /T.

    /R      (Replace) Prompt for a Y or N response before overwriting an
            existing destination file.

    /S      (Subdirectories) Move an entire subdirectory tree to another
            location.  MOVE will attempt to create the destination directories
            if they don't exist, and will remove empty subdirectories after the
            move.  When /D is used with /S, you will be prompted if the first
            destination directory does not exist, but subdirectories below that
            will be created automatically by MOVE.  If MOVE /S creates one or
            more destination directories, they will be added automatically to
            the extended directory search database.

            If you attempt to use /S to move a subdirectory tree into part of
            itself, MOVE will detect the resulting infinite loop, display an
            error message and exit.

    /T      (Total) Don't display filenames as they are moved, but display the
            total number of files deleted and the amount of free disk space
            recovered, if any.

    /U      (Update) Move each source file only if it is newer than a matching
            destination file or if a matching destination file does not exist
            (also see /C).  This option is useful for moving new or changed
            files from one directory to another.

    /V      (Verify) Verify each disk write.  This is the same as executing the
            VERIFY ON command, but is only active during the MOVE.  /V does not
            read back the file and compare its contents with what was written;
            it only verifies that the data written to disk is physically
            readable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.54. MSGBOX - Display a message box prompt ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a message box and return the user's response.

 Format:     MSGBOX OK | OKCANCEL | YESNO | YESNOCANCEL ["title"] prompt

             title : Text for the title of the message box.
             prompt : Text that will appear inside the message box.

 See also:  INKEY, INPUT, and QUERYBOX.

 Usage:

 MSGBOX can display one of 4 kinds of message boxes and wait for the user's
 response.  You can use title and prompt to display any text you wish.  If no
 title is specified, the program name ("Take Command for OS/2") is used as the
 title.  Take Command automatically sizes and locates the box on the screen.

 The message box may have 1, 2, or 3 response buttons.  The command MSGBOX OK
 creates a single-button box; the user must simply acknowledge the prompt text.

 The OKCANCEL and YESNO forms have 2 buttons each.  The YESNOCANCEL form has 3
 buttons.  The button the user chooses is returned in the Take Command variable
 %_?.  Be sure to save the return value in another variable or test it
 immediately, because the value of %_? changes with every internal command.

 The following list shows the value returned for each selection:

          Yes:    10
          No:     11
          OK:     10
          Cancel: 12

 If you exit the message box without selecting one of these options, MSGBOX
 will set %_? to 0.  If there is an error in the MSGBOX command itself, %_?
 will be set to 1 for a syntax error or 2 for any other error.

 For example, to display a Yes or No message box and take action depending on
 the result, you could use commands like this:

          msgbox yesno "Copy" Copy all files to A:?
          if %_? == 10 copy *.* a:

 MSGBOX creates a popup dialog box.  If you prefer to retrieve input from
 inside the command line window, see the INKEY and INPUT commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.55. ON - Trap errors in batch files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Execute a command in a batch file when a specific condition
             occurs.

 Format:     ON BREAK [command ]
                or
             ON ERROR [command ]
                or
             ON ERRORMSG [command ]

 Usage:

 ON can only by used in batch files.

 ON sets a "watchdog" that remains in effect for the duration of the current
 batch file.  Whenever a BREAK or ERROR condition occurs after ON has been
 executed, the command is automatically executed.

 ON sets a "watchdog" that remains in effect for the duration of the current
 batch file.  Whenever a BREAK or ERROR condition occurs after ON has been
 executed, the corresponding command is automatically executed.

 ON BREAK will execute the command if the user presses Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.

 ON ERROR and ON ERRORMSG will execute the command after any critical error,
 operating system error (such as a disk write error, or a Take Command error
 (such as a COPY command that fails to copy any files, or the use of an invalid
 command option).

 ON ERROR executes the command immediately after the error occurs, without
 displaying any command processor error message (operating system errors may
 still be displayed).  ON ERRORMSG displays the appropriate error message, then
 executes the command.  If both are specified, ON ERROR will take precedence,
 and ON ERRORMSG will be ignored.  The remainder of this section discusses both
 settings, using the term "ON ERROR[MSG]".

 ON BREAK and ON ERROR[MSG] are independent of each other.  You can use either
 one, or both, in any batch file.

 Each time ON BREAK or ON ERROR[MSG] is used, it defines a new command to be
 executed for a break or error, and any old command is discarded.  If you use
 ON BREAK or ON ERROR[MSG] with no following command, that type of error
 handling is disabled. Error handling is also automatically disabled when the
 batch file exits.

 ON BREAK and ON ERROR[MSG] only affect the current batch file.  If you CALL
 another batch file, the first batch file's error handling is suspended, and
 the CALLed file must define its own error handling. When control returns to
 the first batch file, its error handling is reactivated.

 The command can be any command that can be used on a batch file line by
 itself.  Frequently, it is a GOTO or GOSUB command.  For example, the
 following fragment traps any user attempt to end the batch file by pressing
 Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.  It scolds the user for trying to end the batch file,
 then continues:

          on break gosub gotabreak
          do i = 1 to 1000
            echo %i
          enddo
          quit
          :gotabreak
          echo Hey!  Stop that!!
          return

 You can use a command group as the command if you want to execute multiple
 commands, for example:

          on break (echo Oops, got a break! & quit)

 ON BREAK and ON ERROR[MSG] always assume that you want to continue executing
 the batch file.  After the command is executed, control automatically returns
 to the next command in the batch file (the command after the one that was
 interrupted by the break or error).  To avoid continuing the batch file after
 a break or error is for the command can transfer control with GOTO, end the
 batch file with QUIT or CANCEL, or start another batch file (without CALLing
 it).

 When handling an error condition with ON ERROR[MSG], you may find it useful to
 use internal variables, particularly %_? and %_SYSERR, to help determine the
 cause of the error.

 The ON ERROR[MSG] command will not be invoked if an error occurs while reading
 or writing redirected input, output, or a pipe.

 Caution:  If a break or error occurs while the command specified in ON BREAK
 or ON ERROR[MSG] is executing, the command will be restarted. This means you
 must use caution to avoid or handle any possible errors in the commands
 invoked by ON ERROR[MSG], since such errors can cause an infinite loop.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.56. OPTION - Configure Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Modify Take Command configuration.

 Format:     OPTION [//optname=value ...]

             optname :  An INI file directive to set or modify.
             value :  A new value for that directive.

 See also:  The TCMDOS2.INI file.

 Usage:

 OPTION displays a settings notebook which allows you to modify many of the
 configuration options stored in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 When you exit from the notebook, you can select Save to save your changes in
 the .INI file for use in the current session and all future sessions, select
 OK to use your changes in the current session only, or select Cancel to
 discard the changes.

 OPTION does not preserve comments when saving modified settings in the .INI
 file.  To be sure .INI file comments are preserved, put them on separate lines
 in the file.  See TCMDOS2.INI for additional details.

 Setting Individual Options

 If you follow the OPTION command with one or more sequences of a double slash
 mark [//] followed by an option=value setting, the OPTION notebook will not
 appear.  Instead, the new settings will take effect immediately, and will be
 in effect for the current session only.  This example turns off batch file
 echo and changes the input colors to bright cyan on black:

          [c:\] option //BatchEcho = No //InputColors = bri cya on bla

 Option names and values may contain whitespace.  However, you cannot enter an
 option value which contains the "//" string.

 This feature is most useful for testing settings quickly, and in aliases or
 batch files which depend on certain options being in effect.

 Changes made with // are temporary.  They will not be saved in the .INI file,
 even if you subsequently load the option notebook and select Save.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.57. PATH - Set the executable search path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or alter the list of directories that Take Command will
             search for executable files, batch files, and files with
             executable extensions that are not in the current directory.

 Format:     PATH [directory[;directory ...]]

             directory :  The full name of a directory to include in the path
             setting.

 See also:  ESET and SET.

 Usage:

 When Take Command is asked to execute an external command, it first looks for
 the file in the current directory.  If it fails to find an executable file in
 the current directory, it then searches each of the directories specified in
 the PATH setting.

 For example, after the following PATH command, Take Command will search for an
 executable file in four directories:  the current directory, then the root
 directory on drive C, then the BIN subdirectory on C, and then the UTIL
 subdirectory on C:

          [c:\] path c:\;c:\bin;c:\util

 The list of directories to search is stored as an environment string, and can
 also be set or viewed with SET, and edited with ESET.

 Directory names in the path must be separated by semicolons [;]. Each
 directory name is shifted to upper case to maintain compatibility with
 programs which can only recognize upper case directory names in the path.  If
 you modify your path with the SET or ESET command, you may include directory
 names in lower case.  These may cause trouble with some programs, which assume
 that all path entries have been shifted to upper case.

 On HPFS drives, some directory names may include spaces or other special
 characters.  Unlike other commands where quotes are required, such names
 should not be quoted in the PATH.

 If you enter PATH with no parameters, the current path is displayed:

          [c:\] path
          PATH=C:\;C:\BIN;C:\UTIL

 Entering PATH and a semicolon clears the search path so that only the current
 directory is searched for executable files (this is the default at system
 startup).

 Some applications also use the PATH to search for their data files.

 Take Command normally searches the path for files with the extensions .COM,
 .EXE, .BTM, .CMD, and .BAT  (in that order).  However, if you include an
 explicit file extension on a command name (for example, WP.EXE), the search
 will find files with that name and extension in the current directory and
 every directory in the path.  It will not locate other executable files with
 the same base name (e.g., WP.COM).

 If you have an entry in the path which consists of a single period [.], the
 current directory will not be searched first, but instead will be searched
 when Take Command reaches the "." in the path. This allows you to delay the
 search of the current directory for executable files and files with executable
 extensions.  In rare cases, this feature may not be compatible with
 applications which use the path to find their files; if you experience a
 problem, you will have to remove the "." from the path while using any such
 application.

 To create a path longer than the command-line length limit, use PATH
 repeatedly to append additional directories to the path:

          path [first list of directories]
          path %path;[second list of directories]
          ...

 You cannot use this method to extend the path beyond 2,042 characters (the
 internal buffer limit, with room for "PATH ").  It is usually more efficient
 to use aliases to load application programs than to create a long PATH.  See
 ALIAS for details.

 If you specify an invalid directory in the path, it will be skipped and the
 search will continue with the next directory in the path.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.58. PAUSE - Suspend batch file execution ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Suspend batch file or alias execution.

 Format:     PAUSE [text ]

             text :  The message to be displayed as a user prompt.

 Usage:

 A PAUSE command will suspend execution of a batch file or alias, giving you
 the opportunity to change disks, turn on the printer, etc.

 PAUSE waits for any key to be pressed and then continues execution.  You can
 specify the text that PAUSE displays while it waits for a keystroke, or let it
 use the default message:

          Press any key when ready...

 For example, the following batch file fragment prompts the user before erasing
 files:

          pause Press Ctrl-C to abort, any other key to erase all .LST files
          erase *.lst

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while PAUSE is waiting for a key, execution
 of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will be
 suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch job.  A batch file
 can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break itself with the ON BREAK  command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.59. POPD - Restore previous directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Return to the disk drive and directory at the top of the directory
             stack.

 Format:     POPD [*]

 See also:  DIRS , PUSHD and Directory Navigation.

 Usage:

 Each time you use the PUSHD command, it saves the current disk drive and
 directory on the internal directory stack.  POPD restores the last drive and
 directory that was saved with PUSHD and removes that entry from the stack. You
 can use these commands together to change directories, perform some work, and
 return to the starting drive and directory.

 Directory changes made with POPD are recorded in the directory history list
 and can be displayed in the directory history window.  Read the section on
 Directory Navigation for complete details on this and other directory
 navigation features.

 This example saves and changes the current disk drive and directory with
 PUSHD, and then restores it.  The current directory is shown in the prompt:

          [c:\] pushd d:\database\test
          [d:\database\test] pushd c:\wordp\memos
          [c:\wordp\memos] pushd a:\123
          [a:\123] popd
          [c:\wordp\memos] popd
          [d:\database\test] popd
          [c:\]

 You can use the DIRS command to see the complete list of saved drives and
 directories (the directory stack).

 The POPD command followed by an asterisk [*] clears the directory stack
 without changing the current drive and directory.

 If the directory on the top of the stack is not on the current drive, POPD
 will switch to the drive and directory on the top of the stack without
 changing the default directory on the current drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.60. PROMPT - Change command-line prompt ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the command-line prompt.

 Format:     PROMPT [text ]

             text :  Text to be used as the new command-line prompt.

 Usage:

 You can change and customize the command-line prompt at any time. The prompt
 can include normal text, and system information such as the current drive and
 directory, the time and date, and the amount of memory available. You can
 create an informal "Hello, Bob!" prompt or an official-looking prompt full of
 impressive information.

 The prompt text can contain special commands in the form $?, where ? is one of
 the characters listed below:

        b     The vertical bar character [|].
        c     The open parenthesis [(].
        d     Current date, in the format:  Fri  12-12- 97 (the month, day, and
              year are formatted according to your current country settings).
        D     Current date, in the format:  Fri  Dec 12, 1997.
        e     The ASCII ESC character (decimal 27).
        f     The close parenthesis [)].
        g     The > character.
        h     Backspace over the previous character.
        l     The < character.
        m     Time in hours and minutes using 24-hour format.
        M     Time in hours and minutes using the default country format.
        n     Current drive letter.
        p     Current directory on drive (lower case): (including drive
              letter), in lower case.
        P     Current directory on drive (upper case on drives which do not
              support long file names, directory names shown in mixed case as
              stored on HPFS drives).: (including drive letter), in upper case.
        q     The = character.
        r     The numeric exit code of the last external command.
        s     The space character.
        t     Current 24-hour time, in the format hh:mm:ss.
        T     Current 12-hour time, in the format hh:mm:ss[a|p].
        v     Operating system version number, in the format 3.10.
        xd:   Current directory on drive d:, in lower case, including the drive
              letter. (Uses the actual case of the directory name as stored on
              the disk for HPFS drives).
        Xd:   Current directory on drive d:, in upper case, including the drive
              letter.
        z     Current shell nesting level.  The first copy of Take Command is
              shell 0, and each subsequent copy increments the level by 1.
        +     Display one + character for each directory on the PUSHD directory
              stack.
        $     The $ character.
        _     CR/LF (go to beginning of a new line).

 For example, to set the prompt to the current date and time, with a ">" at the
 end:

          [c:\] prompt $d $t $g
          Fri  Jun 6, 1997 10:29:19 >

 The Take Command prompt can be set in TCSTART, or in any batch file that runs
 when Take Command starts.  The Take Command default prompt is [$n](drive name
 in square brackets) on floppy drives, and [$p] (current drive and directory in
 square brackets) on all other drives.

 If you enter PROMPT with no arguments, the prompt will be reset to its default
 value.  The PROMPT command sets the environment variable PROMPT, so to view
 the current prompt setting use the command:

          [c:\] set prompt

 (If the prompt is not set at all, the PROMPT environment variable will not be
 used, in which case the SET command above will give a "Not in environment"
 error.)

 Along with literal text and special characters, you can include the text of
 any environment variable, internal variable, or variable function in a prompt.
 For example, if you want to include the size of the largest free memory block
 in the command prompt, plus the current drive and directory, you could use
 this command:

          [c:\] prompt (%%@dosmem[K]K) [$p]
          (31043K) [c:\data]

 Notice that the @DOSMEM function is shown with two leading percent signs [%].
 If you used only one percent sign, the @DOSMEM function would be expanded once
 when the PROMPT command was executed, instead of every time the prompt is
 displayed.  As a result, the amount of memory would never change from the
 value it had when you entered the PROMPT command.  You can also use back
 quotes to delay expanding the variable function until the prompt is displayed:

          [c:\] prompt `(%@dosmem[K]K) [$p]`

 You can use this feature along with the @EXEC variable function to create a
 complex prompt which not only displays information but executes commands.  For
 example, to execute an alias which checks battery status each time the prompt
 is displayed (enter the alias on one line):

          [c:\] alias cbatt `if %_apmlife lt 30 beep 440 4 880 4 440 4 880
  4`
          [c:\] prompt `%@exec[@cbatt]$p$g`

 You can include ANSI escape sequences in the PROMPT text using Take Command's
 built-in ANSI support. This example uses ANSI sequences to set a prompt that
 displays the shell level, date, time and path in color on the top line of the
 screen (enter the command as one line):

          [c:\] prompt $e[s$e[1;1f$e[41;1;37m$e[K[$z] $d
                Time: $t$h$h$h  Path: $p$e[u$e[0;32m$n$g


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.61. PUSHD - Save current directory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Save the current disk drive and directory, optionally changing to
             a new drive and directory.

 Format:     PUSHD [path ]

             path :  The name of the new default drive and directory.

 See also:  CD, CDD, DIRS, POPD, and Directory Navigation.

 Usage:

 PUSHD saves the current drive and directory on a "last in, first out"
 directory stack.  The POPD command returns to the last drive and directory
 that was saved by PUSHD.  You can use these commands together to change
 directories, perform some work, and return to the starting drive and
 directory.  The DIRS command displays the contents of the directory stack.

 To save the current drive and directory, without changing directories, use the
 PUSHD command by itself, with no path.

 If a path is specified as part of the PUSHD command, the current drive and
 directory are saved and PUSHD changes to the specified drive and directory.
 If the path includes a drive letter, PUSHD changes to the specified directory
 on the new drive without changing the current directory on the original drive.

 This example saves the current directory and changes to C:\WORDP\MEMOS, then
 returns to the original directory:

          [c:\] pushd \wordp\memos
          [c:\wordp\memos] popd
          [c:\]

 When you use PUSHD to change to a directory on an HPFS drive, you must quote
 the path name if it contains whitespace or special characters.

 PUSHD can also change to a network drive and directory specified with a UNC
 name.

 If PUSHD cannot change to the directory you have specified it will attempt to
 search the CDPATH and the extended directory search database.  You can also
 use wildcards in the path to force an extended directory search.  Read the
 section on Directory Navigation for complete details on these and other
 directory navigation features.

 Directory changes made with PUSHD are also recorded in the directory history
 list and can be displayed in the directory history window.

 The directory stack can hold up to 511 characters, or between 20 and 40
 typical entries (depending on the length of the names).  If you exceed this
 limit, the oldest entry is removed before adding a new entry.

 The /N option available in CD and CDD to disable extended directory searches
 is not available in PUSHD.  To disable extended searches when using PUSHD,
 save the current directory with PUSHD (without parameters) and then use CDD /N
 to change directories, for example:

       pushd
       cdd /n testdir


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.62. QUERYBOX - Popup dialog for input ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Use a dialog box to get an input string from the user and save it
             in an environment variable.

 Format:     QUERYBOX /E /Ln ["title"] prompt %%varname

             title: Text for the title bar of the dialog box.
             prompt: Text that will appear inside the dialog box. box.
             varname : Variable name where the input will be saved.

             /E (dit existing value)
             /L (maximum Length)

 See also:  INKEY, INPUT, and MSGBOX.

 Usage:

 QUERYBOX displays a dialog box with a prompt, an optional title, and a string
 input field.  Then it waits for your entry, and places any characters you type
 into an environment variable.  QUERYBOX is normally used in batch files and
 aliases to get string input.

 QUERYBOX is similar to INPUT, except that it appears as a popup dialog box. If
 you prefer to work within the command line window, see the INKEY and INPUT
 commands.

 Standard command-line editing keys may be used to edit the input string as it
 is entered.  All characters entered up to, but not including, the carriage
 return are stored in the variable.

 This example prompts for a string and store it in the variable NAME:

          querybox "File Name" Enter a name:  %%name

 If you press Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break while QUERYBOX is waiting for input,
 execution of an alias will be terminated, and execution of a batch file will
 be suspended while you are asked whether to cancel the batch job.  A batch
 file can handle Ctrl-C and Ctrl-Break itself with ON BREAK.

 Options:

    /E      (Edit existing value) Allows you to edit an existing value.  If
            there is no existing value for varname, QUERYBOX allows you to
            enter a new value.

    /Ln     (Length) Sets the maximum number of characters which QUERYBOX will
            accept to "n".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.63. QUIT - Exit batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Terminate the current batch file.

 Format:     QUIT [value ]

             value :  The numeric exit code to Take Command or to the previous
             batch file.

 See also:  CANCEL.

 Usage:

 QUIT provides a simple way to exit a batch file before reaching the end of the
 file.  If you QUIT a batch file called from another batch file, you will be
 returned to the previous file at the line following the original CALL.

 This example batch file fragment checks to see if the user entered "quit" and
 exits if true.

          input  Enter your choice :  %%option
          if  "%option" == "quit"  quit

 QUIT only ends the current batch file.  To end all batch file processing, use
 the CANCEL command.

 If you specify a value, QUIT will set the ERRORLEVEL or exit code to that
 value.  For information on exit codes see the IF command, and the %? variable.

 You can also use QUIT to terminate an alias.  If you QUIT an alias while
 inside a batch file, QUIT will end both the alias and the batch file and
 return you to the command prompt or to the calling batch file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.64. RD - Remove subdirectory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Remove one or more subdirectories.

 Format:     RD path...
                or
             RMDIR path...

             path :  The name of one or more subdirectories to remove.

 See also:  MD.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 RD and RMDIR are synonyms.  You can use either one.

 RD removes directories from the directory tree.  For example, to remove the
 subdirectory MEMOS from the subdirectory WP, you can use this command:

          [c:\] rd \wp\memos

 Before using RD, you must delete all files and subdirectories (and their
 files) in the path you want to remove.  Remember to remove hidden and
 read-only files as well as normal files (you can use DEL /Z to delete hidden
 and read-only files).

 You cannot use wildcards in the path.

 When removing a directory on an HPFS drive, you must quote any path which
 contains whitespace or special characters.

 If RD deletes one or more directories, they will be deleted automatically from
 the extended directory search database.

 You cannot remove the root directory, the current directory (.), any directory
 above the current directory in the directory tree, or any directory in use by
 another process.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.65. REBOOT - Reboot or shutdown the computer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Do a system reboot.

 Format:     REBOOT [/S /V]

             /S(hutdown)
             /V(erify)

 Usage:

 REBOOT will restart your computer.  It normally performs a warm reboot, which
 is comparable to pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete.  The following example prompts you
 to verify the reboot, then does a warm boot:

          [c:\] reboot /v

 REBOOT defaults to performing a warm boot, with no prompting.

 REBOOT flushes the disk buffers, resets the drives, and waits one second
 before rebooting, to allow disk caching programs to finish writing any cached
 data.  Take Command issues the proper commands to shut down OS/2 before
 rebooting.

 Options:

    /S      (Shutdown) Shut down the system, but do not reboot.  This option is
            equivalent to clicking the "Shutdown" choice on the OS/2 Workplace
            Shell popup menu.

    /V      (Verify) Prompt for confirmation (Y or N) before rebooting or
            taking the action specified by other REBOOT options.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.66. REM - Add comment to batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Put a comment in a batch file.

 Format:     REM [comment ]

             comment :  The text to include in the batch file.

 Usage:

 The REM command lets you place a remark or comment in a batch file.  Batch
 file comments are useful for documenting the purpose of a batch file and the
 procedures you have used.  For example:

          rem This batch file provides a
          rem menu-based system for accessing
          rem word processing utilities.
          rem
          rem Clear the screen and get selection
          cls

 REM must be followed by a space or tab character and then your comment.
 Comment lines can be up to 1,023 characters long.  Take Command will normally
 ignore everything on the line after the REM command, including quote
 characters, redirection symbols, and other commands (see below for the
 exception to this rule).

 If ECHO is ON, the comment is displayed.  Otherwise, it is ignored. If ECHO is
 ON and you don't want to display the line, preface the REM command with an at
 sign [@].

 You can also place a comment in a batch file by starting the comment line with
 two colons [::].  In essence this creates a batch file "label" without a valid
 label name.  Such comments are processed slightly faster than those entered
 with REM, because they do not require the command processor to handle a
 command.

 When debugging a batch file, you may find it convenient to use REM to
 temporarily disable certain commands.  Simply add "REM " at the start of any
 command to convert it temporarily to a comment.

 You can use REM to create a zero-byte file if you use a redirection symbol
 immediately after the REM command.  For example, to create the zero-byte file
 C:\FOO:

          [c:\] rem>foo

 (This capability is included for compatibility with traditional command
 processors.  A simpler method for creating a zero-byte file with Take Command
 is to use >filename as a command, with no actual command before the [>]
 redirection character.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.67. REN - Rename files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Rename files or subdirectories.

 Format:     REN [/A:[[-]rhsda] /E /N /P /Q /S /T] old_name... new_name
                or
             RENAME [/A:[[-]rhsda] /E /N /P /Q /S /T] old_name... new_name

             old_name :  Original name of the file(s) or subdirectory.
             new_name :  New name to use, or new path on the same drive.

             /A: (Attribute select)          /Q(uiet)
             /E (No error messages)          /S(ubdirectory)
             /N(othing)                      /T(otal)
             /P(rompt)

 See also:  COPY and MOVE.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 REN and RENAME are synonyms.  You may use either one.

 REN lets you change the name of a file or a subdirectory, or move one or more
 files to a new subdirectory on the same drive.  (If you want to move files to
 a different drive, use MOVE.)

 In its simplest form, you simply give REN the old_name of an existing file or
 subdirectory and then a new_name.  The new_name must not already exist -- you
 can't give two files the same name (unless they are in different directories).
 The first example renames the file MEMO.TXT to MEM.TXT.  The second example
 changes the name of the \WORD directory to \WP:

          [c:\] rename memo.txt mem.txt
          [c:\] rename \word \wp

 If you use REN to rename a directory, the extended directory search database
 will be automatically updated to reflect the change.

 When you rename files on an HPFS drive, you must quote any file names which
 contain whitespace or special characters.

 You can also use REN to rename a group of files that you specify with
 wildcards, as multiple files, or in an include list.  When you do, the
 new_name must use one or more wildcards to show what part of each filename to
 change.  Both of the next two examples change the extensions of multiple files
 to .SAV:

          [c:\] ren config.sys autoexec.bat tcstart.btm *.sav
          [c:\] ren *.txt *.sav

 REN can move files to a different subdirectory on the same drive. When it is
 used for this purpose, REN requires one or more filenames for the old_name and
 a directory name for the new_name:

          [c:\] ren memo.txt \wp\memos\
          [c:\] ren oct.dat nov.dat \data\save\

 The final backslash in the last two examples is optional.  If you use it, you
 force REN to recognize the last argument as the name of a directory, not a
 file.  The advantage of this approach is that if you accidentally mistype the
 directory name, REN will report an error instead of renaming your files in a
 way that you didn't intend.

 Finally, REN can move files to a new directory and change their name at the
 same time if you specify both a path and file name for new_name. In this
 example, the files are renamed with an extension of .SAV as they are moved to
 a new directory:

          [c:\] ren *.dat \data\save\*.sav

 Also, you cannot rename a subdirectory to a new location on the directory
 tree.

 REN does not change a file's attributes.  The new_namefile(s) will have the
 same attributes as old_name.

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., REN /A: ...), REN will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected.  For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /E      (No error messages)  Suppress all non-fatal error messages, such as
            "File Not Found."  Fatal error messages, such as "Drive not ready,"
            will still be displayed.  This option is most useful in batch
            files.

    /N      (Nothing) Do everything except actually rename the file(s).  This
            option is useful for testing what a REN command will actually do.

    /P      (Prompt) Prompt the user to confirm each rename operation.  Your
            options at the prompt are explained in detail under Page and File
            Prompts.

    /Q      (Quiet) Don't display filenames  or the number of files renamed.
            This option is most often used in batch files.  See also /T.

    /S      (Subdirectory) Normally, you can rename a subdirectory only if you
            do not use any wildcards in the new_name.  This prevents
            subdirectories from being renamed inadvertently when a group of
            files is being renamed with wildcards.  /S will let you rename a
            subdirectory even when you use wildcards.  /S does not cause REN to
            process files in the current directory and all subdirectories as it
            does in some other file processing commands.  To rename files
            throughout a directory tree, use a GLOBAL REN.

    /T      (Total) Don't display filenames as they are renamed, but report the
            number of files renamed.  See also /Q.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.68. RETURN - Return from GOSUB ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Return from a GOSUB (subroutine) in a batch file.

 Format:     RETURN [value]

             value :  The exit code from 0 to 255 to return to the command
             processor or to the previous batch file.

 See also:  GOSUB.

 Usage:

 Take Command allows subroutines in batch files.

 A subroutine begins with a label (a colon followed by one or more words) and
 ends with a RETURN command.

 The subroutine is invoked with a GOSUB command from another part of the batch
 file.  When a RETURN command is encountered the subroutine terminates, and
 execution of the batch file continues on the line following the original
 GOSUB.  If RETURN is encountered without a GOSUB, Take Command will display a
 "Missing GOSUB" error.

 The following batch file fragment calls a subroutine which displays the files
 in the current directory:

          echo Calling a subroutine
          gosub subr1
          echo Returned from the subroutine
          quit
          :subr1
          dir /a/w
          return

 If you specify a value, RETURN will set the ERRORLEVEL or exit code to that
 value.  For information on exit codes see the IF command, and the %? variable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.69. SCREEN - Position cursor ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Position the cursor on the screen and optionally display a
             message.

 Format:     SCREEN row column [text]

             row :  The new row location for the cursor.
             column :  The new column location for the cursor.
             text :  Optional text to display at the new cursor location.

 See also:  ECHO, SCRPUT, TEXT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage:

 SCREEN allows you to create attractive screen displays in batch files.  You
 use it to specify where a message will appear on the screen.  You can use
 SCREEN to create menu and other similar displays, logos, etc. The following
 batch file fragment displays a menu:

          @echo off
          cls
          screen 3 10 Select a number from 1 to 4:
          screen 6 20  1 - Word Processing
          ...

 SCREEN does not change the screen colors.  To display text in specific colors,
 use SCRPUT or VSCRPUT.  SCREEN always leaves the cursor at the end of the
 displayed text.

 The row and column values are zero-based, so on a 25 line by 80 column
 display, valid rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  The maximum row
 value is determined by the current height of the Take Command window.  The
 maximum column value is determined by the virtual screen width.  SCREEN checks
 for a valid row and column, and displays a "Usage" error message if either
 value is out of range.  You can also specify the row and column as offsets
 from the current cursor position.  Begin the value with a plus sign [+] to
 move the cursor down or to the right, or with a minus sign [-] to move the
 cursor up or to the left. This example prints a string 3 lines above the
 current position, in absolute column 10:

          screen -3 10 Hello, World!

 If you specify 999 for the row, SCREEN will center the text vertically on the
 display.  If you specify 999 for the column, SCREEN will center the text
 horizontally.  This example prints a message at the center of the Take Command
 window:

          screen 999 999 Hello, World


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.70. SCRPUT - Display text in color ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Position text on the screen and display it in color.

 Format:     SCRPUT row col [BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg text

             row:  Starting row
             col:  Starting column
             fg:  Foreground text color
             bg:  Background text color
             text:  The text to display

 See also:  ECHO, SCREEN, TEXT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage:

 SCRPUT allows you to create attractive screen displays in batch files.  You
 use it to specify where a message will appear on the screen and what colors
 will be used to display the message text.  You can use SCRPUT to create menu
 displays, logos, etc.

 SCRPUT works like SCREEN, but allows you to specify the display colors.  See
 Colors and Color Names for details about colors.

 The row and column are zero-based, so on a 25 line by 80 column display, valid
 rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  The maximum row is determined
 by the current height of the Take Command window; the maximum column is
 determined by the current virtual screen width.  SCRPUT displays an error if
 either the row or column is out of range.

 You can also specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor
 position.  Begin the value with a plus sign [+] to move down the specified
 number of rows or to the right the specified number of columns, or with a
 minus sign [-] to move up or to the left.

 If you specify 999 for the row, SCRPUT will center the text vertically in the
 Take Command window.  If you specify 999 for the column, SCRPUT will center
 the text horizontally.

 SCRPUT does not move the cursor when it displays the text.

 The following batch file fragment displays part of a menu, in color:

          cls white on blue
          scrput 6 20 bri red on blu 1 - Word Processing
          scrput 7 20 bri yel on blu 2 - Spreadsheet


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.71. SELECT - Select files for a command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Interactively select files for a command.

 Format:     SELECT [/A[[:][-]rhsda] /E /H /I"text" /J /L /O[:] [-]adeginrsu
             /T:acw /Z] [command ] ... (files ...)...

             command :  The command to execute with the selected files.
             files :  The files from which to select.  File names may be
             enclosed in either parentheses or square brackets.  The difference
             is explained below.

             /A(ttribute select)             /J(ustify names)
             /D(isable color coding)         /L(ower case)
             /E (use upper case)             /O(rder)
             /H(ide dots)                    /T(ime)
             /I (match descriptions)         /Z (use FAT format)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.
 Ranges must appear immediately after the SELECT keyword.

 Usage:

 SELECT allows you to select files for internal and external commands by using
 a full-screen "point and shoot" display.  You can have SELECT execute a
 command once for each file you select, or have it create a list of files for a
 command to work with.  The command can be an internal command, an alias, an
 external command, or a batch file.

 If you use parentheses around the files, SELECT executes the command once for
 each file you have selected.  During each execution, one of the selected files
 is passed to the command as an argument.  If you use square brackets around
 files, the SELECTed files are combined into a single list, separated by
 spaces.  The command is then executed once with the entire list presented as
 part of its command-line arguments.

 Using the SELECT File List

 When you execute the SELECT command, the file list is displayed in a full-
 window format which includes a top-line status bar and shows the command to be
 executed, the number of files marked, and the number of Kbytes in those files.

 SELECT uses the cursor up, cursor down, PgUp, and PgDn keys to scroll through
 the file list.  You can also use character matching to find specific files,
 just as you can in any popup window.  While the file list is displayed you can
 enter any of the following keys to select or unselect files, display files,
 execute the command, or exit:

        + or space      Select a file, or unselect a marked file.
        -               Unselect a marked file.
        *               Reverse all of the current marks (except those on
                        subdirectories).  If no files have been marked you can
                        use * to mark all of the files.
        /               Unselect all files.
        Enter           Execute the command with the marked files, or with the
                        currently highlighted file if no files have been
                        marked.
        Esc             Skip the files in the current display and go on to the
                        next file specification inside the parentheses or
                        brackets (if any).
        Ctrl-C          Cancel the current SELECT command entirely.
         or Ctrl-Break

 On FAT drives the file list is shown in standard FAT directory format, with
 names at the left an descriptions at the right.  On HPFS drives the format is
 similar but more space is allowed for the name, and the description is not
 shown.  In this format long names are truncated if they do not fit in the
 allowable space.  For a short-name format (including descriptions) on HPFS
 drives, use the /Z switch.

 When displaying descriptions in the short filename format, SELECT adds a right
 arrow [] at the end of the line if the description is too long to fit on the
 screen.  This symbol will alert you to the existence of additional description
 text.  You can use the left and right arrow keys to scroll the description
 area of the screen horizontally and view the additional text.

 You can set the default colors used by SELECT on the Commands page of the
 configuration notebook, or with the SelectColors directive in the TCMDOS2.INI
 file.  If SelectColors is not used, the SELECT display will use the current
 default colors.

 Creating SELECT Commands

 In the simplest form of SELECT, you merely specify the command and then the
 list of files from which you will make your selection(s).  For example:

          [c:\] select copy (*.com *.exe) a:\

 will let you select from among the .COM files on the current drive, and will
 then invoke the COPY command to copy each file you select to drive A:.  After
 the .COM files are done, the operations will be repeated for the .EXE files.

 If you want to select from a list of all the .COM and .EXE files mixed
 together, create an include list inside the parentheses by inserting a
 semicolon:

          [c:\] select copy (*.com;*.exe) a:\

 Finally, if you want the SELECT command to send a single list of files to
 COPY, instead of invoking COPY once for each file you select, put the file
 names in square brackets instead of parentheses:

          [c:\] select copy [*.com;*.exe] a:\

 If you use brackets, you have to be sure that the resulting command (the word
 COPY, the list of files, and the destination drive in this example) does not
 exceed the command line length limit of 1,023 characters for all commands. The
 current line length is displayed by SELECT while you are marking files to help
 you to conform to these limits.

 The parentheses or brackets enclosing the file name(s) can appear anywhere
 within the command; SELECT assumes that the first set of parentheses or
 brackets it finds is the one containing the list of files from which you wish
 to make your selection.

 When you use SELECT on an HPFS drive, you must quote any file names inside the
 parentheses which contain whitespace or special characters.  For example, to
 copy selected files from the "Program Files" directory to the E:\SAVE
 directory:

          [c:\] select copy ("Program Files\*.*") e:\save\

 File names passed to the command will be quoted automatically if they contain
 whitespace or special characters.

 The list of files from which you wish to select can be further refined by
 using date, time, size, and file exclusion ranges.  The range(s) must be
 placed immediately after the word SELECT.  If the command is an internal
 command that supports ranges, an independent range can also be used in the
 command itself.

 You cannot use command grouping to make SELECT execute several commands,
 because SELECT will assume that the parentheses are marking the list of files
 from which to select, and will display an error message or give incorrect
 results if you try to use parentheses for command grouping instead.  (You can
 use a SELECT command inside command grouping parentheses, you just can't use
 command grouping to specify a group of commands for SELECT to execute.)

 Advanced Topics

 If you don't specify a command, the selected filename(s) will become the
 command.  For example, this command defines an alias called UTILS that selects
 from the executable files in the directory C:\UTIL, and then executes them in
 the order marked:

          [c:\] alias utils select (c:\util\*.com;*.exe;*.btm;*.bat)

 If you want to use filename completion to enter the filenames inside the
 parentheses, type a space after the opening parenthesis.  Otherwise, the
 command-line editor will treat the open parenthesis as the first character of
 the filename.

 With the /I option, you can select files based on their descriptions.  SELECT
 will display files if their description matches the text after the /I switch.
 The search is not case sensitive.  You can use wildcards and extended
 wildcards as part of the text.

 When sorting file names and extensions for the SELECT display, Take Command
 normally assumes that sequences of digits should be sorted numerically (for
 example, the file DRAW2 would come before DRAW03 because 2 is numerically
 smaller than 03), rather than strictly alphabetically (where DRAW2 would come
 second because "2" comes after "0").  You can defeat this behavior and force a
 strict alphabetic sort with the /O:a option.

 Options:

    /A      (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is optional.  The attributes are:

                         R  Read-only
                         H  Hidden
                         S  System
                         D  Subdirectory
                         A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., SELECT /A ...), SELECT
            will display all files and subdirectories including hidden and
            system files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified
            attributes must match for a file to be included in the listing.
            For example, /A:RHS will display only those files with all three
            attributes set.

    /E      (use upper case)  Display filenames in upper case; also see SETDOS
            /U and the UpperCase  directive in the TCDMOS2.INI file.

    /H      (Hide dots)  Suppress the display of the "." and ".." directories

    /I      (match descriptions)  Display filenames by matching text in their
            descriptions.  The text can include wildcards and extended
            wildcards.  The search text must be enclosed in quotation marks.
            You can select all filenames that have a description with /I"[?]*",
            or all filenames that do not have a description with /I"[]".

    /J      (Justify names) Justify (align) filename extensions and display
            them in the traditional format.

    /L      (Lower case)  Display file and directory names in lower case; also
            see SETDOS /U and the UpperCase directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

    /O      (Order)  Set the sort order for the files.  The order can be any
            combination of the following options:

              -  Reverse the sort order for the next option
              a  Sort in ASCII order, not numerically, when there are digits in
            the name
              d  Sort by date and time (oldest first); for HPFS drives also see
            /T
              e  Sort by extension
              g  Group subdirectories first, then files
              i  Sort by file description
              n  Sort by filename (this is the default)
              r  Reverse the sort order for all options
              s  Sort by size
              u  Unsorted

    /T:acw  (Time display) Specify which of the date and time fields on an HPFS
            drive should be displayed and used for sorting:
              a  last access date and time
              c  creation date and time
              w  last write date and time (default)

    /Z      Display HPFS filenames in the traditional FAT format, with the
            filename at the left and the description at the right.  Long names
            will be truncated to 12 characters; if the name is longer than 12
            characters, it will be followed by a right arrow [].


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.72. SET - Set environment variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display, create, modify, or delete environment variables.

 Format:     SET [/P /R file...] [name [=][value]]

             file :  One or more files containing variable definitions.
             name :  The name of the environment variable to define or modify.
             value :  The new value for the variable.

             /R(ead from file)       /P(ause)

 See also:  ESET and UNSET.

 Usage:

 Every program and command inherits an environment, which is a list of variable
 names, each of which is followed by an equal sign and some text. Many programs
 use entries in the environment to modify their own actions. Take Command
 itself uses several environment variables.

 You can also create or modify environment variables with the Environment
 dialog.  The dialog allows you to enter the variable name and value into
 separate fields in a dialog box, rather than using the SET command.  All of
 the information in this section also applies to variables defined via the
 dialog, unless otherwise noted.

 If you simply type the SET command with no options or arguments, it will
 display all the names and values currently stored in the environment.
 Typically, you will see an entry called PATH, an entry called CMDLINE, and
 whatever other environment variables you and your programs have established:

          [c:\] set
          PATH=C:\;C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\UTIL
          CMDLINE=C:\TCMD201\TCSTART.CMD

 To add a variable to the environment, type SET, a space, the variable name, an
 equal sign, and the value:

          [c:\] set mine=c:\finance\myfiles

 The variable name is converted to upper case by Take Command.  The text after
 the equal sign will be left just as you entered it.  If the variable already
 exists, its value will be replaced with the new text that you entered.

 Normally you should not put a space on either side of the equal sign.  A space
 before the equal sign will become part of the name ; a space after the equal
 sign will become part of the value.

 If you use SET to create a variable with the same name as one of the Take
 Command internal variables, you will disable the internal variable.  If you
 later execute a batch file or alias that depends on that internal variable, it
 may not operate correctly.

 To display the contents of a single variable, type SET plus the variable name:

          [c:\] set mine

 You can edit environment variables with the ESET command.  To remove variables
 from the environment, use UNSET, or type SET plus a variable name and an equal
 sign:

          [c:\] set mine=

 The variable name is limited to a maximum of 80 characters.  The name and
 value together cannot be longer than 1,023 characters.

 The size of the environment is set automatically and increased as necessary as
 you add variables.  You do not need to specify the size as you do under 4DOS
 or some traditional command processors.

 Take Command for OS/2 supports the "pseudo-variables" BeginLIBPath and
 EndLIBPath introduced in OS/2 Warp.  If you use either of these as a variable
 name, Take Command will pass the commands on to the operating system, but the
 variables will not appear in the environment.  See your OS/2 documentation for
 more information about these variables.

 Options:

    /P      (Pause) Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /R      (Read) Read environment variables from a file.  This is much faster
            than loading variables from a batch file with multiple SET
            commands.  Each entry in the file must fit within the 1,023-byte
            command-line length limit for Take Command.  The file is in the
            same format as the SET display (i.e., name=value), so SET /R can
            accept as input a file generated by redirecting SET output.  For
            example, the following commands will save the environment variables
            to a file, and then reload them from that file:

                                set > varlist
                                set /r varlist

            You can load variables from multiple files by listing the filenames
            individually after the /R.  You can add comments to a variable file
            by starting the comment line with a colon [:].

            If you are creating a SET /R file by hand, and need to create an
            entry that spans multiple lines in the file, you can do so by
            terminating each line, except the last, with an escape character.
            However, you cannot use this method to exceed the command- line
            length limit.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.73. SETDOS - Set the Take Command configuration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or set the Take Command configuration.

 Format:     SETDOS [/A? /C? /D? /E? /Fn.n /G?? /I+|- command /M? /N? /P? /R?
             S?:? /U? /V? /X[+|-]n /Y?]

             /A(NSI)                       /N(o clobber)
             /C(ompound)                   /P(arameter character)
             /D(escriptions)               /S(hape of cursor)
             /E(scape character)           /U(pper case)
             /F(@EVAL format)              /V(erbose)
             /G  (numeric separators)      /X (expansion)
             /I(nternal commands)          /Y (debug batch file)
             /M(ode for editing)

 Usage:

 SETDOS allows you to customize certain aspects of Take Command to suit your
 personal tastes or the configuration of your system.  Each of these options is
 described below.

 You can display the value of all SETDOS options by entering the SETDOS command
 with no parameters.

 Most of the SETDOS options can be initialized when Take Command executes the
 TCMDOS2.INI file, and can also be changed from the configuration notebook. The
 name of the corresponding directive and the Configuration Notebook page is
 listed in square brackets [ ] with each option below; if none is listed, that
 option cannot be set from the TCMDOS2.INI file and / or the dialogs.  You can
 also define the SETDOS options in your TCSTART or other startup file (see
 Automatic Batch Files), in aliases, or at the command line.

 Options:

    /A      (ANSI) [ANSI, Display page]  The ANSI option determines whether
            Take Command's ANSI support is enabled.  /A1 enables ANSI string
            processing in the Take Command window; the default of /A0 disables
            ANSI strings.

    /C      (Compound character) [CommandSep, Options 1 page]  This option sets
            the character used for separating multiple commands on the same
            line.  The default is the ampersand [&]. You cannot use any of the
            redirection characters (| > <), or the blank, tab, comma, or equal
            sign as the command separator.  The command separator is saved by
            SETLOCAL and restored by ENDLOCAL.  The following example changes
            the separator to a tilde [~]:

                                [c:\] setdos /c~

            If you want to share batch files or aliases among several 4DOS,
            4OS2, 4NT, and Take Command, see the %+ variable, which retrieves
            the current command separator, and Special Character Compatibility
            for details on using compatible command separators for all the
            products you use.

    /D      (Descriptions)  [Descriptions and DescriptionName, Options 1 page]
            This option controls whether file processing commands like COPY,
            DEL, MOVE, and REN process file descriptions along with the files
            they belong to.  /D1 turns description processing on, which is the
            default.  /D0 turns description processing off.

            You can also use /D to set the name of the hidden file in each
            directory that contains file descriptions.  To do so, follow /D
            with the filename in quotes:

                                [c:\] setdos /d"files.bbs"

            Use this option with caution because changing the name of the
            description file will make it difficult to transfer file
            descriptions to another system.  This option is provided for
            bulletin board system operators and others who have special needs.

    /E      (Escape character) [EscapeChar, Options 1 page]  This option sets
            the character used to suppress the normal meaning of the following
            character.  Any character following the escape character will be
            passed unmodified to the command.  The default escape character is
            a caret [^].  You cannot use any of the redirection characters (| >
            <) or the blank, tab, comma, or equal sign as the escape character.
            The escape character is saved by SETLOCAL and restored by ENDLOCAL.
            Certain characters (b, c, e, f, k, n, r, s, and t) have special
            meanings when immediately preceded by the escape character.

            If you want to share batch files or aliases among 4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT,
            and Take command, see the %= variable, which retrieves the current
            escape character, and Special Character Compatibility for details
            on using compatible escape characters for all the products you use.

    /F      (Format for @EVAL)  [EvalMax, EvalMin, Options 2 page]  This option
            lets you set default decimal precision for the @EVAL variable
            function.  The maximum precision is 16 digits to the left of the
            decimal point and up to 8 digits to the right of the decimal point.

            The general form of this option is /Fx.y, where the x value sets
            the minimum number of digits to the right of the decimal place and
            the y value sets the maximum number of digits.  You can use =x,y
            instead of =x.y if the comma is your decimal separator.  Both
            values can range from 0 to 8; if x is greater than y, it is
            ignored.  You can specify either or both values: /F2.5, /F2, and
            /F.5 are all valid entries.  See the @EVAL function if you want to
            set the precision for a single computation.

    /G      (Numeric separators) [DecimalChar, ThousandsChar, Options 1 page]
            This option sets the decimal and thousands separator characters.
            The format is /Gxy where x is the new decimal separator and y is
            the new thousands separator.  Both characters must be included.
            The only valid settings are /G., (period is the decimal separator,
            comma is the thousands separator); /G,. (the reverse); or /G0 to
            remove any custom setting and use the default separators associated
            with your current country code (this is the default).

            The decimal separator is used for @EVAL, numeric IF and IFF tests,
            version numbers, and other similar uses.  The thousands separator
            is used for numeric output, and is skipped when performing
            calculations in @EVAL.

    /I      (Internal) This option allows you to disable or enable internal
            commands.  To disable a command, precede the command name with a
            minus [-].  To re-enable a command, precede it with a plus [+].
            For example, to disable the internal LIST command to force Take
            Command to use an external command:

                                [c:\] setdos /i-list


    /M      (Mode) [EditMode, Command Line 1 page]  This option controls the
            initial line editing mode.  To start in overstrike mode at the
            beginning of each command line, use /M0 (the default).  To start in
            insert mode, use /M1.

    /N      (No clobber) [NoClobber, Options 1 page] This option controls
            output redirection).  /N0 means existing files will be overwritten
            by output redirection (with >) and that appending (with >>) does
            not require the file to exist already.  This is the default.  /N1
            means existing files may not be overwritten by output redirection,
            and that when appending the output file must exist.  A /N1 setting
            can be overridden with the [!] character.

    /P      (Parameter character) [ParameterChar, Options 1 page]  This option
            sets the character used after a percent sign to specify all or all
            remaining command-line arguments in a batch file or alias (e.g., %$
            or %n$). The default is the dollar sign [$].  If you want to share
            batch files or aliases among 4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT, and Take Command, see
            Special Character Compatibility for details on selecting compatible
            parameter characters for all the products you use.

    /S      (Shape) [CursorOver, CursorIns, Command Line 1 page]  The SHAPE
            option sets the cursor width.  The format is /So:i where o is the
            width for overstrike mode, and i is the width for insert mode.  The
            width is entered as a percentage of the total character width.  The
            default values are 100:15 (a 100% or block cursor for overstrike
            mode, and a 15% or thin line cursor for insert mode).  Because of
            the way video drivers remap the cursor shape, you may not get a
            smooth progression in the cursor size from 0% - 100%.  You can
            retrieve the current cursor shape values with the %_CI and %_CO
            internal variables.

    /U      (Upper) [UpperCase, Options 1 page]  This option controls the
            default case (upper or lower) for filenames displayed by internal
            commands like COPY and DIR.  /U0 displays file names in lower case
            (the default). /U1 displays file names in the traditional upper
            case. The /U setting is ignored for filenames on HPFS drives.
            Names on such drives are always displayed in the case in which they
            are stored.

    /V      (Verbose) [BatchEcho, Options 1 page] The VERBOSE option controls
            the default for command echoing in batch files.  /V0 disables
            echoing of batch file commands unless ECHO is explicitly set ON.
            /V1, the default setting, enables echoing of batch file commands
            unless ECHO is explicitly set OFF.
    /V2     forces echoing of all batch file commands, even if ECHO is set OFF
            or the line begins with an "@".  This allows you to turn echoing on
            for a batch file without editing the batch file and removing the
            ECHO OFF command(s) within it.  /V2 is intended for debugging, and
            can be set with SETDOS, but not with the BatchEcho directive in
            TCMDOS2.INI.  See also Batch File Debugging and the /Y option
            below.

    /X[+|-]n(expansion and special characters)  This option enables and
            disables alias and environment variable expansion, and controls
            whether special characters have their usual meaning or are treated
            as text.  It is most often used in batch files to process text
            strings which may contain special characters.  See Batch File
            String Processing for further details on string processing in batch
            files, and Internal and External Commands for details on alias
            expansion, variable expansion, and special characters.

            The features enabled or disabled by /X are numbered.  All features
            are enabled when Take Command starts, and you can re-enable all
            features at any time by using /X0.  To disable a particular
            feature, use /X-n, where n is the feature number from the list
            below. To re-enable the feature, use /X+n.  To enable or disable
            multiple individual features, list their numbers in sequence after
            the  + or - (e.g., /X-345 to disable features 3, 4, and 5).

            The features are:

              1  All alias expansion.
              2  Nested alias expansion only.
              3  All variable expansion (environment variables and batch and
            alias parameters)
              4  Nested variable expansion only.
              5  Multiple commands, conditional commands, and piping (affects
            the command separator, ||, &&, |, and &).
              6  Redirection (affects <, >, >&, >&>, etc.).
              7  Quoting (double back-quotes [`] and double quotes ["]) and
            square brackets.
              8  Escape character.

            If nested alias expansion is disabled, the first alias of a command
            is expanded but any aliases it invokes are not expanded.  If nested
            variable expansion is disabled, each variable is expanded once, but
            variables containing the names of other variables are not expanded
            further.

            For example, to disable all features except alias expansion while
            you are processing a text file containing special characters:

                                setdos /x-35678
                                ... [perform text processing here]
                                setdos /x0

    /Y      (debug batch file) /Y1 enables the built-in batch file debugger.
            The debuggger allows you to "single-step" through a batch file line
            by line, with the file displayed in a popup window as it executes.
            For complete details on using the debugger see Batch File Debugging
            (this topic also covers additional debugging techniques which do
            not require stepping through each line individually).

            To start the debugger, insert a SETDOS /Y1 command at the beginning
            of the portion of the batch file you want to debug, and a SETDOS
            /Y0 command at the end.

            You cannot use the batch debugger with REXX files or EXTPROC files.
            It can only be used with normal Take Command batch files.

            You can also invoke SETDOS /Y1 from the prompt, but because the
            debugger is automatically turned off whenever the command processor
            returns to the prompt, you must enter the SETDOS command and the
            batch file name on the same line, for example:

                                [c:\] setdos /y1 & mybatch.btm


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.74. SETLOCAL - Save the environment ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Save a copy of the current disk drive, directory, environment,
             alias list, and special characters.

 Format:     SETLOCAL

 See also:  ENDLOCAL.

 Usage:

 SETLOCAL is used in batch files to save the default disk drive and directory,
 the environment, the alias list, and the command separator, escape character,
 parameter character, decimal separator, and thousands separator.  You can then
 change their values and later restore the original values with ENDLOCAL.

 For example, this batch file fragment saves everything, removes all aliases so
 that user aliases will not affect batch file commands, changes the disk,
 changes the command separator, runs a program, and then restores the original
 values:

          setlocal
          unalias *
          cdd d:\test
          setdos /c~
          program ~ echo Done!
          endlocal

 SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL are not nestable within a batch file. However, you can
 have multiple SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL pairs within a batch file, and nested batch
 files can each have their own SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL.  You cannot use SETLOCAL in
 an alias or at the command line.

 An ENDLOCAL is performed automatically at the end of a batch file if you
 forget to do so.  If you invoke one batch file from another without using
 CALL, the first batch file is terminated, and an automatic ENDLOCAL is
 performed; the second batch file inherits the settings as they were prior to
 any SETLOCAL.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.75. SHIFT - Shift batch parameters ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Allows the use of more than 127 parameters in a batch file.

 Format:     SHIFT [n | /n]

             n :  Number of positions to shift.

 Usage:

 SHIFT is provided for compatibility with older batch files, where it was used
 to access more than 10 parameters.  Take Command supports 128 parameters (%0
 to %127), so you may not need to use SHIFT for batch files running exclusively
 under JP Software command processors.

 SHIFT moves each of the batch file parameters n positions to the left.  The
 default value for n is 1.  SHIFT 1 moves the parameter in %1 to position %0,
 the parameter in %2 becomes %1, etc.  You can reverse a SHIFT by giving a
 negative value for n(i.e., after SHIFT -1, the former %0 is restored, %0
 becomes %1, %1 becomes %2, etc.).

 SHIFT also affects the parameters %n$ (command-line tail) and %# (number of
 command arguments).

 For example, create a batch file called TEST.BAT:

          echo %1 %2 %3 %4
          shift
          echo %1 %2 %3 %4
          shift 2
          echo %1 %2 %3 %4
          shift -1
          echo %1 %2 %3 %4

 Executing TEST.BAT produces the following results:

          [c:\] test one two three four five six seven

          one two three four
          two three four five
          four five six seven
          three four five six

 If you add a slash before the value n, the value determines the postion at
 which to begin the shift.  For example:

          shift /2

 leaves parameters %0 and %1 unchanged, and moves the value of %3 to postion
 %2, %4 to %3, etc.  The value after the slash cannot be negative. and shifts
 performed with the slash cannot be undone later in the batch file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.76. SHRALIAS - Retain global lists ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Retains global command history, directory history, and alias lists
             in memory when the command processor is not running.

 Format:     SHRALIAS [/U]

             /U(nload)

 Usage:

 When you close all Take Command sessions, the memory for the global command
 history, global directory history, and global alias list is released.  If you
 want the lists to be retained in memory even when Take Command is not running,
 you need to execute SHRALIAS.

 The SHRALIAS command starts and initializes SHRALIAS.EXE, a small program
 which remains active and retains global lists when Take Command is not
 running.  In order to start the program, SHRALIAS must be able to find
 SHRALIAS.EXE either in the same directory as Take Command, or in a directory
 in your path.  You cannot run SHRALIAS.EXE directly, it must be run by the
 SHRALIAS command.

 Once SHRALIAS has been executed, the global lists will be retained in memory
 until you use SHRALIAS /U to unload the lists, or until you shut down your
 operating system.

 SHRALIAS will not work unless you have at least one copy of Take Command
 running with global alias, command history, and directory history lists
 enabled.  If the required global lists are not found, SHRALIAS will display an
 error.

 If you start SHRALIAS from a temporary Take Command session which exits after
 starting SHRALIAS, the Take Command session may terminate and discard the
 shared lists before SHRALIAS can attach to them.  In this case SHRALIAS.EXE
 will not be loaded.  If you experience this problem, add a short delay with
 the DELAY command after SHRALIAS is loaded and before your session exits.

 For more information about global history and alias lists, see the relevant
 sections in Command History and Recall, Directory History Window, and the
 ALIAS command.

 Option:

    /U      (Unload)  Shuts down SHRALIAS.EXE.  If SHRALIAS is not loaded
            again, the memory used by global command history, directory
            history, and alias lists will be released when the last copy of
            Take Command exits.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.77. START - Start application in new session ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Start a program in another session or window.

 Format:     START ["program title"] [/B[G] /C /DOS[=optfile] /F[G] /FS /I
             /ICON=iconfile /INV /K /L /LA /LD /LH /MAX /MIN /N /PGM progname
             /PM /POS=row,col,width,height /TTY /WAIT /WIN /WIN3[=optfile]
             /WIN3S[=optfile]] [command]

             program title :  Title to appear on title bar.
             optfile :  Option settings file.
             iconfile :  Name of icon (.ICO ) file.
             progname :  Program name (not the session name).
             command :  Command to be executed.

             /B[G] (background session)      /LH (local history list)
             /C(lose when done)              /MAX(imized)
             /DOS (DOS session)              /MIN(imized)
             /F[G] (foreground session)      /N(o command processor)
             /FS (full screen)               /PGM (program name)
             /I(nherit environment)          /PM (PM application)
             /ICON (.ICO file)               /POS(ition of window)
             /INV(isible)                    /TTY (run in TCMD window)
             /K(eep when done)               /WAIT(for session to finish)
             /L(ocal lists)                  /WIN (dowed session)
             /LA (local aliases)             /WIN3 (Windows enhanced mode)
             /LD (local dir history)         /WIN3S (Windows standard mode)

 See also:  DETACH.

 Usage:

 START is used to begin a new OS/2 session, and optionally run a program in
 that session.  If you use START with no parameters, it will begin a new Take
 Command session.  If you add a command, START will begin a new session or
 window and execute that command.

 START will return to the Take Command prompt immediately (or continue a batch
 file), without waiting for the program to complete, unless you use /WAIT.  The
 program title, if it is included, will appear on the title bar, and on the
 OS/2 Window List.  The program title must be enclosed in quotation marks and
 cannot exceed 60 characters.  If the program title is omitted, the program
 name will be used as the title.

 START always assumes that the first quoted string on the command line is the
 program title; if there is a second quoted string it is assumed to be the
 command.  As a result, if the name of the program you are starting is a long
 filename containing whitespace (and must therefore be quoted), you cannot
 simply place it on the command line.  If you do, as the first quoted string it
 will be interpreted as the program title, not the command.  To address this,
 use the /PGM switch to indicate explicitly that the quoted string is the
 program name, or include a title before the program name.  For example, to
 start the program "C:\Program Files\Proc.Exe" you could use either of the
 first two commands below, but the third command would not work:

          [c:\] start /PGM "C:\Program Files\Proc.Exe"
          [c:\] start "test" "C:\Program Files\Proc.Exe"
          [c:\] start "C:\Program Files\Proc.Exe"

 /MAX, /MIN, and /POS allow you to start a character-mode windowed session in a
 maximized window, a minimized window, or a window with a specified position
 and size.  The default is to let the operating environment choose the position
 and size of the window.

 /C allows you to close the session when the command is finished (the default
 for graphical sessions); /K allows you to keep the session open and go to a
 prompt (the default for character mode sessions).

 Options:

    /BG         (BackGround session) The session is started as a background
                session. /BG may be abbreviated to /B.

    /C          (Close) The session or window is closed when the application
                ends.

    /DOS[=filename] (DOS session) Start a DOS session.

                If you include the =filename, OS/2 will load DOS settings from
                the specified file.  You can also alter the DOS settings for a
                session with environment variables of the form
                DosSetting.name=value, without using a settings file.

                Starting a session with specific DOS settings is an
                undocumented feature which was implemented within OS/2 with
                little error checking.  It is included in START because it
                substantially eases a complex task, but you must experiment
                carefully to ensure that the settings you select will work
                properly on the systems on which you plan to use them.
                Incorrect settings may be ignored, but they may also hang your
                session or stop the entire system.  Be sure your experiments
                are not conducted while critical tasks are in process.

                Each line in the file must have a name, an equal sign [=], and
                a value.  The names are those shown in OS/2's DOS Settings
                dialog box.  Do not use spaces on either side of the equal
                sign.

                The names in the DOS Settings dialog box will vary depending on
                the device drivers and other settings in your CONFIG.SYS file,
                though many are available on all systems.  You must ensure that
                the names you use are valid for the systems on which you use
                them.  For example, if you replace IBM's COM.SYS and VCOM.SYS
                with different communications drivers, the COM_ settings will
                probably not be valid for the new drivers.  If you have a
                settings file which contains settings defined by a particular
                driver, and use it on a system where the corresponding driver
                is not loaded, the results are undefined.

                The values in your settings file must be numeric for settings
                which show a numeric value under DOS Settings (e.g.,
                DOS_FILES=30), and must be text strings for settings shown with
                a string (e.g., DOS_SHELL=C:\4DOS.COM C:\4DOS /P).  Strings
                should be entered without trailing blanks.  For values shown as
                multiple choice on the DOS Settings page you must specify a
                numeric value, typically "0" for Off and "1" for On (e.g.,
                DOS_HIGH=1).  Items with choices other than Off and On may use
                different values, or may not work at all; experimentation is
                usually required to find out what works.  Using strings for
                choice items (e.g., DOS_HIGH=ON) will not work, and can hang
                your system.  This is due to the internal operation of OS/2,
                and is not a problem in Take Command.

                A typical DOS settings file might look like this:

                                        DOS_FILES=30
                                        DOS_HIGH=1
                                        DOS_SHELL=C:\4DOS\4DOS.COM C:\4DOS /P
                                        MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS=0
                                        VIDEO_FASTPASTE=1

                You can include comments in a settings file by beginning any
                line with a colon [:].

    /FG         (ForeGround session) Start the session as the foreground
                session. /FG may be abbreviated to /F.

    /FS         (Full Screen) Start the session as a full-screen session.

    /I          (Inherit environment) Inherit the default environment specified
                in CONFIG.SYS, if any, rather than the current environment.

    /ICON=filenameUse the specified icon file.  If you don't use /ICON, the
                displayed icon will be the one found or assigned by OS/2.

    /INV        (Invisible) Start the session or window as invisible.  No icon
                will appear and the session will only be accessible through the
                Window List.

    /K          (Keep session or window at end) Continue the session or window
                after the application program ends.  Use the EXIT command to
                end the session.

    /L          (Local lists) Start Take Command with local alias, history, and
                directory history lists.  This option combines the effects of
                /LA, /LD, and /LH (below).

    /LA         (Local Alias list) Start Take Command with a local alias list.
                See ALIAS for information on local and global aliases.

    /LD         (Local Directory history) Start Take Command with a local
                directory history list.  See Directory History Window for more
                information.

    /LH         (Local History list) Start Take Command with a local history
                list. See Command History and Recall for information on local
                and global history lists.

    /MAX        (Maximized) Start the session or window maximized.

    /MIN        (Minimized) Start the session or window minimized.

    /N          (No command processor) Start an OS/2 program directly, without
                a command processor.  The command cannot be an internal command
                or batch file. This is the default for PM applications.

    /PGM        (Program name) The string following this option is the program
                name.  Use /PGM to allow START to differentiate between a
                quoted long filename and a quoted title for the session.

    /PM         (Presentation Manager) Start a program in the PM session.

    /POS        (Position) Start the window at the specified screen position.
                The syntax is /POS=x, y, width, height where the values are
                specified in pixels or pels.  x and y refer to the position of
                the bottom left corner of the window relative to the bottom
                left corner of the screen.

    /TTY        (TTY Application) Run a DOS or character-mode OS/2 program
                under Take Command's TTY Application support.  Use this option
                to force an application to run under Take Command's TTY
                application support, even if the program has not been
                specifically enabled as a TTY application.  For complete
                details on TTY applications see your Introduction and
                Installation Guide, and Starting Character-Mode Applications.

    /WAIT       Wait for the new session or window to finish before continuing.
                This switch is ignored when starting DOS programs under
                WIN-OS/2, because there is no way for Take Command to determine
                when a DOS program run under WIN-OS/2 has finished.

    /WIN        (Windowed) Start the session in a window.

    /WIN3[=filename] (Windows enhanced mode) Run the program in an
                enhanced-mode Windows 3.x session.  The session will run
                seamless (on the OS/2 desktop).  (To start a Windows
                application in full-screen mode, use /FS rather than /WIN3.)
                You can include an equal sign and the name of an options file
                to set options for the specific session and application (see
                /DOS= above for details).  The setting names in the file should
                be taken from those shown in OS/2's WIN-OS/2 Settings dialog
                box.

    /WIN3S[=filename] (Windows standard mode) Equivalent to /WIN3, but runs the
                program in standard mode rather than enhanced mode.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.78. SWITCH - Select commands to execute ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Select commands to execute based on a value.

 Format:     SWITCH expression
             CASE value1 [.OR. value2] ...
               commands
             CASE value3
               commands
             [DEFAULT
               commands]
             ENDSWITCH

             expression :  An environment variable, internal variable, variable
             function, text string, or a combination of these elements, that is
             used to select a group of commands.
             value1, value2, etc. :  A value to test or multiple values
             connected with .OR.
             commands :  One or more commands to execute if the expression
             matches the value.  If you use multiple commands, they must be
             separated by command separators or placed on separate lines of a
             batch file.

 See also:  IF and IFF

 Usage:

 SWITCH can only be used in batch files.  It allows you to select a command or
 group of commands to execute based on the possible values of a variable or a
 combination of variables and text.

 The SWITCH command is always followed by an expression created from
 environment variables, internal variables, variable functions, and text
 strings, and then by a sequence of CASE statements matching the possible
 values of that expression.  If one of the values in a CASE statement matches
 the expression, the commands following that CASE statement are executed, and
 all subsequent CASE statements and the commands which follow them are ignored.
 If no matches are found, the commands following the optional DEFAULT statement
 are executed.  If there are no matches and there is no DEFAULT statement, no
 commands are executed by SWITCH.

 After all of the commands following the CASE or DEFAULT statement are
 executed, the batch file continues with the commands that follow ENDSWITCH.

 You must include a command separator or new line after the expression, before
 each CASE or DEFAULT statement, before each command, and before ENDSWITCH.
 You can link values in a CASE statement only with .OR. (but not with .AND. or
 .XOR.).

 For example, the following batch file fragment displays one message if the
 user presses A, another if user presses B or C, and a third if the user
 presses any other key:

          inkey Enter a keystroke: %%key
          switch %key
          case A
             echo It's an A
          case B .or. C
             echo It's either B or C
          default
             echo It's not A, B, or C
          endswitch

 In the example above, the value of a single environment variable was used for
 the expression.  You will probably find that this is the best method to use in
 most situations.  However, you can use other kinds of expressions if
 necessary.  The first example below selects a command to execute based on the
 length of a variable, and the second bases the action on a quoted text string
 stored in an environment variable:

          switch %@len[%var1]
          case 0
              echo Missing var1
          case 1
              echo Single character
          ...
          endswitch

          switch "%string1"
          case "This is a test"
              echo Test string
          case "The quick brown fox"
              echo It's the fox
          ...
          endswitch

 The SWITCH and ENDSWITCH commands must be on separate lines, and cannot be
 placed within a command group, or on the same line as other commands (this is
 the reason SWITCH cannot be used in aliases).  However, commands within the
 SWITCH block can use command groups or the command separator in the normal
 way.

 SWITCH commands can be nested.

 You can exit from all SWITCH / ENDSWITCH processing by using GOTO to a line
 past the last ENDSWITCH.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.79. TEE - "Tee" pipe fitting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Copy standard input to both standard output and a file.

 Format:     TEE [/A] file...

             file :  One or more files that will receive the "tee- d" output.

             /A(ppend)

 See also:  Y and the redirection options.

 Usage:

 TEE is normally used to "split" the output of a program so that you can see it
 on the display and also save it in a file.  It can also be used to capture
 intermediate output before the data is altered by another program or command.

 TEE gets its input from standard input (usually the piped output of another
 command or program), and sends out two copies:  one goes to standard output,
 the other to the file or files that you specify. TEE is not likely to be
 useful with programs which do not use standard output, because these programs
 cannot send output through a pipe.

 For example, to search the file DOC for any lines containing the string "Take
 Command", make a copy of the matching lines in TC.DAT, sort the lines, and
 write them to the output file TCS.DAT (enter this on one line):

          [c:\] find "Take Command" doc | tee tc.dat |
  sort > tcs.dat

 If you are typing at the keyboard to produce the input for TEE, you must enter
 a Ctrl-Z to terminate the input.

 When using TEE with a pipe under Take Command, the programs on the two ends of
 the pipe run simultaneously, not sequentially as in 4DOS.

 See Piping for more information on pipes.

 Option:

    /A      (Append) Append the output to the file(s) rather than overwriting
            them.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.80. TEXT - Display text in batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a block of text in a batch file.

 Format:     TEXT
                .
                .
                .
             ENDTEXT

 See also:  ECHO, SCREEN, SCRPUT, and VSCRPUT.

 Usage:

 TEXT can only be used in batch files.

 The TEXT command is useful for displaying menus or multi-line messages.  TEXT
 will display all subsequent lines in the batch file until terminated by
 ENDTEXT.  Both TEXT and ENDTEXT must be entered as the only command on the
 line.

 To redirect the entire block of text, use redirection on the TEXT command
 itself, but not on the actual text lines or the ENDTEXT line.  No environment
 variable expansion or other processing is performed on the lines between TEXT
 and ENDTEXT; they are displayed exactly as they are stored in the batch file.

 You can use a CLS or COLOR command to set the screen color before executing
 the TEXT command.

 The following batch file fragment displays a simple menu:

          @echo off & cls
          screen 2 0
          text
          Enter one of the following:
          1 - Spreadsheet
          2 - Word Processing
          3 - Utilities
          4 - Exit
          endtext
          inkey /k"1234" Enter your selection:  %%key


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.81. TIME - Set the system time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display or set the current system time.

 Format:     TIME [hh [:mm[:ss]]] [AM | PM]

             hh :  The hour (0 - 23).
             mm :  The minute (0 - 59).
             ss :  The second (0 - 59).

 See also:  DATE.

 Usage:

 If you don't enter any parameters, TIME will display the current system time
 and prompt you for a new time.  Press Enter if you don't wish to change the
 time; otherwise, enter the new time:.

          [c:\] time
          Mon  Dec 22, 1997  9:30:10
          New time (hh:mm:ss):

 TIME defaults to 24-hour format, but you can optionally enter the time in 12-
 hour format by appending "a", "am", "p", or "pm" to the time you enter.

 For example, to enter the time as 9:30 am:

          [c:\] time 9:30 am

 OS/2 adds the system time and date to the directory entry for every file you
 create or modify.  If you keep both the time and date accurate, you will have
 a record of when you last updated each file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.82. TIMER - Start or stop a stopwatch ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    TIMER is a system stopwatch.

 Format:     TIMER [ON] [/1 /2 /3 /S]

             ON:  Force the stopwatch to restart

             /1 (stopwatch #1)           /3 (stopwatch #3)
             /2 (stopwatch #2)           /S(plit)

 Usage:

 The TIMER command turns a system stopwatch on and off.  When you first run
 TIMER, the stopwatch starts:

          [c:\] timer
          Timer 1 on:  12:21:46

 When you run TIMER again, the stopwatch stops and the elapsed time is
 displayed:

          [c:\] timer
          Timer 1 off:  12:21:58
          Elapsed time: 0:00:12.06

 There are three stopwatches available (1, 2, and 3) so you can time multiple
 overlapping events.  By default, TIMER uses stopwatch #1.

 TIMER is particularly useful for timing events in batch files.  For example,
 to time both an entire batch file, and an intermediate section of the same
 file, you could use commands like this:

          rem Turn on timer 1
          timer
          rem Do some work here
          rem Turn timer 2 on to time the next section
          timer /2
          rem Do some more work
          echo Intermediate section completed
          rem Display time taken in intermediate section
          timer /2
          rem Do some more work
          rem Now display the total time
          timer

 The smallest interval TIMER can measure depends on the operating system you
 are using, your hardware, and the interaction between the two.  However, it
 should never be greater than .06 second.  The largest interval is 23 hours, 59
 minutes, 59.99 seconds.

 Options:

    /1      Use timer #1 (the default).
    /2      Use timer #2.
    /3      Use timer #3.
    /S      (Split) Display a split time without stopping the timer. To display
            the current elapsed time but leave the timer running:

                                [c:\] timer /s
                                Timer 1 elapsed: 0:06:40.63

    ON:     Start the timer regardless of its previous state (on or off).
            Otherwise the TIMER command toggles the timer state (unless /S is
            used).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.83. TITLE - Set window title ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change the window title.

 Format:     TITLE "title"

             title: The new window title.

 See also:  ACTIVATE and WINDOW.

 Usage:

 TITLE changes the text that appears in the caption bar at the top of the Take
 Command window.  It is included for compatibility with traditional character-
 mode command processors (like CMD.EXE). You can also change the window title
 with the WINDOW command or the ACTIVATE command.

 To change the title of the current window to "Take Command Test":

          [c:\] title "Take Command Test"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.84. TOUCH - Change date and time stamps ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Change a file's date and time stamps.

 Format:     TOUCH [/C /D[acw][mm-dd-yy] /E /F /Q /T[acw][hh:mm]] file...

             file :  One or more files whose date and/or time stamps are to be
             changed.

             /C(reate file)                  /F(orce read-only files)
             /D(ate)                         /Q(uiet)
             /E (No error messages)          /T(ime)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 TOUCH is used to change the date and / or time of a file.  You can use it to
 be sure that particular files are included or excluded from an internal
 command, backup program, compiler MAKE utility , or other program that selects
 files based on their time and date stamps, or to set a group of files to the
 same date and time for consistency.

 TOUCH should be used with caution, and in most cases should only be used on
 files you create.  Many programs depend on file dates and times to perform
 their work properly.  In addition, many software manufacturers use file dates
 and times to signify version numbers.  Indiscriminate changes to date and time
 stamps can lead to confusion or incorrect behavior of other software.

 TOUCH normally works with existing files, and will display an error if the
 file you specify does not exist, or has the read-only attribute set.  To
 create the file if it does not already exist, use the /C switch.  To force a
 date and time change for read-only files, use the /F switch.

 TOUCH displays the date, time, and full name of each file whose timestamp is
 modified.  To disable this output, use /Q.

 If you don't specify a date or a time, TOUCH will default to the current date
 and time.  For example, to set the time stamp of all .C files in the current
 directory to the current date and time:

          [d:\] touch *.c
           6-12-97 11:13:58  D:\SOURCE\MAIN.C
           6-12-97 11:13:58  D:\SOURCE\INIT.C
           ...

 If you specify a date but not a time, the time will default to the current
 time from your system clock.  Similarly, if you specify a time but not a date,
 the date will be obtained from the system clock.

 On HPFS volumes, TOUCH sets the "modified" or "last write" date and time by
 default.  By adding an a, c, or w to the /D or /T switch, you can set the last
 access, creation, or last write date and time stamps that are maintained for
 each file;  see the Options section below for additional details.

 Options:

    /C      (Create file)  Create the file (as a zero-byte file) if it does not
            already exist.  You cannot use wildcards with /C, but you can
            create multiple files by listing them individually on the command
            list.

    /D      (Date)  Specify the date that will be set for the selected files.
            If the date is not specified, TOUCH will use the current date.  For
            HPFS files use /Da, /Dc, or /Dw, followed by the date, to specify
            the last access, creation, or last write date stamp.  The date must
            be entered using the proper format for your current country
            settings.

    /E      (No error messages)  Suppress all non-fatal error messages, such as
            "File not found."  Fatal error messages, such as "Drive not ready,"
            will still be displayed.  This option is most useful in batch
            files.

    /F      (Force read-only files)  Remove the read-only attribute from each
            file before changing the date and time, and restore it afterwards.
            Without /F, attempting to change the date and time on a read-only
            file will usually cause an error.

    /Q      (Quiet)  Do not display the new date and time and the full name for
            each file.

    /T      (Time)  Specify the time that will be set for the selected files in
            hh:mm format.  If the time is not specified, TOUCH will use the
            current time.  For HPFS files, you can use /Ta, /Tc, or /Tw,
            followed by the time, to specify the last access, creation, or last
            write time stamp.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.85. TREE - Display directory tree ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display a graphical directory tree.

 Format:     TREE [/A /B /F /H /P /S /T[:acw]] dir...

             dir :  The directory to use as the start of the tree.  If more
             than one directory is specified, TREE will display a directory
             tree for each.

             /A:(SCII)                       /P(ause)
             /B(are)                         /S (file size)
             /F(iles)                        /T(time and date)
             /H(idden directories)

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple directory names, and include
 lists.

 Usage:

 The TREE command displays a graphical representation of the directory tree
 using standard or extended ASCII characters.  For example, to display the
 directory structure on drive C:

          c:\ tree c:\

 TREE uses the standard line drawing characters in the U.S. English extended
 ASCII character set.  If your system is configured for a different country or
 language, or if you use a font which does not include these line drawing
 characters, the connecting lines in the tree display may not appear correctly
 on your screen.  To correct the problem, use /A, or configure Take Command to
 use a font, such as System VIO, which contains standard extended ASCII
 characters.

 You can print the display, save it in a file, or view it with LIST by using
 standard redirection symbols.  Be sure to review the /A option before
 attempting to print the TREE output.  The options, discussed below, specify
 the amount of information included in the display.

 Options:

    /A      (ASCII)  Display the tree using standard ASCII characters.  You can
            use this option if you want to save the directory tree in a file
            for further processing or print the tree on a printer which does
            not support the graphical symbols that TREE normally uses.

    /B      (Bare)  Display the full pathname of each directory, without any of
            the line-drawing characters.

    /F      (Files)  Display files as well as directories.  If you use this
            option, the name of each file is displayed beneath the name of the
            directory in which it resides.

    /H      (Hidden)  Display hidden as well as normal directories. If you
            combine /H and /F, hidden files are also displayed.

    /P      (Pause)  Wait for a key to be pressed after each screen page before
            continuing the display.  Your options at the prompt are explained
            in detail under Page and File Prompts.

    /S      (Size)  Display the size of each file.  This option is only useful
            when combined with /F.

    /T      (Time and date) Display the time and date for each directory.  If
            you combine /T and /F, the time and date for each file will also be
            displayed.  For HPFS files, the time and date of the last write
            will be shown by default.  You can select a specific time and date
            stamp by using the following variations of /T:

            /T:a         last access date and time (access time is not saved on
                         LFN volumes)
            /T:c         creation date and time
            /T:w         last write date and time (default)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.86. TYPE - Display a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the contents of the specified file(s).

 Format:     TYPE [/A:[[-]rhsda] /L /P] file...

             file :  The file or list of files that you want to display.

             /A: (Attribute select)          /P(ause)
             /L(ine numbers)

 See also:  LIST.

 File Selection:

 Supports extended wildcards, ranges, multiple file names, and include lists.

 Usage:

 The TYPE command displays a file.  It is normally only useful for displaying
 ASCII text files.  Executable files (.COM and .EXE ) and many data files may
 be unreadable when displayed with TYPE because they include non-alphanumeric
 characters.

 To display the files MEMO1 and MEMO2:

          [c:\] type /p memo1 memo2

 You can press Ctrl-S to pause TYPE's display and then any key to continue.

 To display text from the clipboard use CLIP: as the file name.  CLIP: will not
 return any data if the clipboard does not contain text.

 You will probably find LIST to be more useful for displaying files on the
 screen.  However, the TYPE /L command used with redirection is useful if you
 want to add line numbers to a file, for example:

          [c:\] type /l myfile > myfile.num

 Options:

    /A:     (Attribute select) Select only those files that have the specified
            attribute(s) set.  Preceding the attribute character with a hyphen
            [-] will select files that do not have that attribute set.  The
            colon [:] after /A is required.  The attributes are:

                          R  Read-only
                          H  Hidden
                          S  System
                          D  Subdirectory
                          A  Archive

            If no attributes are listed at all (e.g., TYPE /A: ...), TYPE will
            select all files and subdirectories including hidden and system
            files.  If attributes are combined, all the specified attributes
            must match for a file to be selected.  For example, /A:RHS will
            select only those files with all three attributes set.

    /L      (Line numbers) Display a line number preceding each line of text.

    /P      (Pause) Prompt after displaying each page.  Your options at the
            prompt are explained in detail under Page and File Prompts.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.87. UNALIAS - Remove aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Remove aliases from the alias list.

 Format:     UNALIAS [/Q /R file...] alias...
                or
             UNALIAS *

             alias :  One or more aliases to remove from memory.
             file :  One or more files to read for alias definitions.

             /Q(uiet)                        /R(ead file)

 See also:  ALIAS and ESET.

 Usage:

 Take Command maintains a list of the aliases that you have defined.  The
 UNALIAS command will remove aliases from that list.  You can remove one or
 more aliases by name, or you can delete the entire alias list by using the
 command UNALIAS *.  For example, to remove the alias DDIR:

          [c:\] unalias ddir

 To remove all the aliases:

          [c:\] unalias *

 If you keep aliases in a file that can be loaded with the ALIAS /R command,
 you can remove the aliases by using the UNALIAS /R command with the same file
 name:

          [c:\] unalias /r alias.lst

 This is much faster than removing each alias individually in a batch file, and
 can be more selective than using UNALIAS *.

 You can also remove individual aliases with the Alias dialog.  Options:

    /Q      (Quiet) Prevents UNALIAS from displaying an error message if one or
            more of the aliases does not exist.  This option is most useful in
            batch files, for removing a group of aliases when some of the
            aliases may not have been defined.

    /R      (Read)  Read the list of aliases to remove from a file. The file
            format should be the same format as that used by the ALIAS /R
            command.  You can use multiple files with one UNALIAS /R command by
            placing the names on the command line, separated by spaces:

                                [c:\] unalias /r alias1.lst alias2.lst


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.88. UNSET - Remove environment variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Remove variables from the environment.

 Format:     UNSET  [/Q /R file...] name...
                or
             UNSET *

             file :  One or more files containing variable definitions.
             name :  One or more variables to remove from the environment.

             /Q(uiet)                        /R(ead from file)

 See also:  ESET and SET.

 Usage:

 UNSET removes one or more variables from the environment.  For example, to
 remove the environment variable CMDLINE:

          [c:\] unset cmdline

 If you use the command UNSET *, all of the environment variables will be
 deleted:

          [c:\] unset *

 You can also remove individual variables from the environment with the
 Environment dialog.

  UNSET can be used in a batch file, in conjunction with the SETLOCAL and
 ENDLOCAL commands, to clear the environment of variables that may cause
 problems for applications run from that batch file.

 For more information on environment variables, see the SET command and the
 general discussion of the environment.

 Use caution when removing environment variables, and especially when using
 UNSET *.  Many programs will not work properly without certain environment
 variables; for example, Take Command uses PATH and CDPATH.

 Options:

    /Q      (Quiet) Prevents UNSET from displaying an error message if one or
            more of the variables does not exist.  This option is most useful
            in batch files, for removing a group of variables when some of the
            variables may not have been defined.

    /R      (Read)  Read environment variables to UNSET from a file. This much
            faster than using multiple UNSET commands in a batch file, and can
            be more selective than UNSET *.  The file format should be the same
            format as that used by the SET /R command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.89. VER - Display version levels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display the current command processor and operating system
             versions.

 Format:     VER [/R]

             /R(evision level)

 Usage:

 Version numbers consist of a one-digit major version number, a period, and a
 one- or two-digit minor version number.  VER uses the default decimal
 separator defined by the current country information.  The VER command
 displays both version numbers:

          [c:\] ver
          Take Command for OS/2 2.03A   OS/2 Version is 4.00

 Option:

    /R      (Revision level) Display the Take Command and OS/2 internal
            revision levels, plus your Take Command serial number and
            registered name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.90. VERIFY - Disk write verification ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Enable or disable disk write verification or display the
             verification state.

 Format:     VERIFY [ON | OFF]

 Usage:

 OS/2 maintains an internal verify flag.  When the flag is on, OS/2 attempts to
 verify each disk write by making sure that the data written to the disk can be
 read back successfully into the computer.  It does not compare the data in
 memory with the data actually placed on disk to fully verify the disk write
 process.

 If used without any parameters, VERIFY will display the state of the verify
 flag:

          [c:\] verify
          VERIFY is OFF

 VERIFY is off when the system boots up.  Once it is turned on with the VERIFY
 ON command, it stays on until you use the VERIFY OFF command or until you
 reboot.

 Verification will slow your disk write operations slightly (the effect is not
 usually noticeable).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.91. VOL - Display drive label ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display disk volume label(s).

 Format:     VOL [d :] ...

             d:  The drive or drives to search for labels.

 Usage:

 Each disk may have a volume label, created when the disk is formatted or with
 the external LABEL command.  Also, every floppy disk formatted with DOS
 version 4.0 or above or with OS/2 has a volume serial number.

 The VOL command will display the volume label and, if available, the volume
 serial number of a disk volume.  If the disk doesn't have a volume label, VOL
 will report that it is "unlabeled."  If you don't specify a drive, VOL
 displays information about the current drive:

          [c:\] vol
          Volume in drive C: is MYHARDDISK

 If available, the volume serial number will appear after the drive label or
 name.

 To display the disk labels for drives A and B:

          [c:\] vol a: b:
          Volume in drive A: is unlabeled
          Volume in drive B: is BACKUP_2


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.92. VSCRPUT - Display text in color vertically ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Display text vertically in the specified color.

 Format:     VSCRPUT row col [BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg text

             row :  Starting row.
             col :  Starting column.
             fg :  Foreground text color.
             bg :  Background text color.
             text :  The text to display.

 See also:  SCRPUT.

 Usage:

 VSCRPUT writes text vertically on the screen rather than horizontally.  It can
 be used for simple graphs and charts generated by batch files.

 Like the SCRPUT command, VSCRPUT uses the colors you specify to write the
 text.  See Colors and Color Names for details about colors and color names.

 The row and column are zero-based, so on a 25 line by 80 column display, valid
 rows are 0 - 24 and valid columns are 0 - 79.  The maximum row value is
 determined by the current height of the Take Command window; the maximum
 column value is determined by the current virtual screen width.  VSCRPUT
 displays an error if either the the row or the column is out of range.

 You can also specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor
 position.  Begin the value with a plus sign [+] to move down the specified
 number of rows or to the right the specified number of columns before
 displaying text, or with a minus sign [-] to move up or to the left.

 If you specify 999 for the row, VSCRPUT will center the text vertically in the
 Take Command window.  If you specify 999 for the column, VSCRPUT will center
 the text horizontally.

 VSCRPUT does not move the cursor when it displays the text.

 The following batch file fragment displays an X and Y axis and labels them:

          cls bright white on blue
          drawhline 20 10 40 1 bright white on blue
          drawvline 2 10 19 1 bright white on blue
          scrput 21 20 bright red on blue X axis
          vscrput 8 9 bright red on blue Y axis


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.93. WINDOW - Change the window state or title ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Minimize or maximize the current window, restore the default
             window size, or change the window title.

 Format:     WINDOW [MIN | MAX | RESTORE | /POS=row,col,width,height | "title"]

             title :  A new title for the window.

             /POS(ition)

 See also: ACTIVATE and TITLE.

 Usage:

 The WINDOW command is used to control the appearance and title of the current
 window.  WINDOW can only be used to specify one change to the current window
 at a time; to perform more than one operation, you must use multiple WINDOW
 commands (see examples below).

 WINDOW MIN reduces the window to an icon, WINDOW MAX enlarges it to its
 maximum size, and WINDOW RESTORE returns the window to its default size and
 location on the desktop.

 You can use the /POS option to set the location and size of the window on the
 desktop.  The row and column values of the /POS option select the window's
 origin while the width and height values determine its size.

 If you specify a new title, the title text must be enclosed in double quotes.
 The quotes will not appear as part of the actual title.

 For example, to maximize the current window and change it's title, you must
 perform two WINDOW commands:

          [c:\] window max
          [c:\] window "JP Software / Take Command"

 Option:

    /POS    (Position) Set the window screen position and size. The syntax is
            /POS=row, col, width, height, where the values are specified in
            pixels or pels.  row and col refer to the position of the bottom
            left corner of the window relative to the bottom left corner of the
            screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3.94. Y - "Y" pipe fitting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Purpose:    Copy standard input to standard output, and then copy the
             specified file(s) to standard output.

 Format:     Y file ...

             file :  The file or list of files to send to standard output.

 See also:  TEE.

 Usage:

 The Y command copies input from standard input (usually the keyboard) to
 standard output (usually the screen).  Once the input ends, the named files
 are appended to standard output.

 For example, to get text from standard input, append the files MEMO1 and MEMO2
 to it, and send the output to MEMOS:

          [c:\] y memo1 memo2 > memos

 The Y command is most useful if you want to add redirected data to the
 beginning of a file instead of appending it to the end.  For example, this
 command copies the output of DIR, followed by the contents of the file DIREND,
 to the file DIRALL:

          [c:\] dir | y dirend > dirall

 If you are typing at the keyboard to produce input text for Y, you must enter
 a Ctrl-Z to terminate the input.

 When using Y with a pipe you must take into account that the programs on the
 two ends of the pipe run simultaneously, not sequentially as they would under
 4DOS.

 See Piping for more information on pipes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Much of the power of Take Command comes together in aliases, which give you the
ability to create your own commands.  An alias is a name that you select for a
command or group of commands.  Simple aliases substitute a new name for an
existing command.  More complex aliases can redefine the default settings of
internal or external commands, operate as very fast in-memory batch files, and
perform commands based on the results of other commands.

This section shows you some examples of the power of aliases.  See the ALIAS
command for complete details about writing your own aliases.  You can create
aliases either from the command line, as described in this section, or with the
Aliases dialog which is available from the Utilities menu.

The simplest type of alias gives a new name to an existing command.  For
example, you could create a command called R (for Root directory) to switch to
the root directory this way:

        [c:\] alias r = cd \

After the alias has been defined this way, every time you type the command R,
you will actually execute the command CD \.

Aliases can also create customized versions of commands.  For example, the DIR
command can sort a directory in various ways.  You can create an alias called
DE that means "sort the directory by filename extension, and pause after each
page while displaying it" like this:

        [c:\] alias de = dir /oe /p

Aliases can be used to execute sequences of commands as well.  The following
command creates an alias called MUSIC which saves the current drive and
directory, changes to the SOUNDS directory on drive C, runs the program
E:\MUSIC\PLAYER.EXE, and, when the program terminates, returns to the original
drive and directory (enter this on one line):

        [c:\] alias music = `pushd c:\sounds &
e:\music\player.exe & popd`

This alias is enclosed in back-quotes because it contains multiple commands.
You must use the back-quotes whenever an alias contains multiple commands,
environment variables, parameters (see below), redirection, or piping.  See the
ALIAS command for full details.

When an alias contains multiple commands, the commands are executed one after
the other.  However, if any of the commands runs an external OS/2 application
(such as the fictitious PLAYER.EXE shown above), you must be sure the alias
will wait for the application to finish before continuing with the other
commands.  See Waiting for Applications to Finish under Starting Applications
for additional details.

Aliases can be nested; that is, one alias can invoke another.  For example, the
alias above could also be written as:

        [c:\] alias play = e:\music\player.exe
        [c:\] alias music = `pushd c:\sounds & play &
popd`

If you enter MUSIC as a command, Take Command will execute the PUSHD command,
detect that the next command (PLAY) is another alias, and execute the program
E:\MUSIC\PLAYER.EXE, and Ч when the program exits Ч return to the first alias,
execute the POPD command, and return to the prompt.

You can use aliases to change the default options for both internal commands
and external commands.  Suppose that you always want the DEL command to prompt
before it erases a file:

        [c:\] alias del = *del /p

An asterisk [*] is used in front of the second "del" to show that it is the
name of an internal command, not an alias.  See Temporarily Disabling Aliases
for more information about this use of the asterisk.

You may have a program on your system that has the same name as an internal
command.  Normally, if you type the command name, you will start the internal
command rather than the program you desire, unless you explicitly add the
program's full path on the command line.  For example, if you have a program
named DESCRIBE.COM in the C:\UTIL directory, you could run it with the command
C:\UTIL\DESCRIBE.EXE.  However, if you simply type DESCRIBE, the internal
DESCRIBE command will be invoked instead.  Aliases give you two ways to get
around this problem.

First, you could define an alias that runs the program in question, but with a
different name:

        [c:\] alias desc = c:\util\describe.exe

Another approach is to rename the internal command and use the original name
for the external program.  The following example renames the DESCRIBE command
as FILEDESC and then uses a second alias to run DESCRIBE.EXE whenever you type
DESCRIBE:

        [c:\] alias filedesc = *describe
        [c:\] alias describe = c:\winutil\describe.exe

You can also assign an alias to a key, so that every time you press the key,
the command will be invoked.  You do so by naming the alias with an at sign [@]
followed by a key name.  After you enter this next example, you will see a
2-column directory with paging whenever you press Shift-F5, then Enter:

        [c:\] alias @Shift-F5 = *dir /2/p

This alias will put the DIR command on the command line when you press
Shift-F5, then wait for you to enter file names or additional switches.  You
must press Enter when you are ready to execute the command.  To execute the
command immediately, without displaying it on the command line or waiting for
you to press Enter, use two at signs at the start of the alias name:

        [c:\] alias @@Shift-F5 = *dir /2/p

The next example clears the Take Command window whenever you press Ctrl- F1:

        [c:\] alias @@Ctrl-F1 = cls

Aliases have many other capabilities as well.  This example creates a simple
command-line calculator.  Once you have entered the example, you can type CALC
4*19, for example, and you will see the answer:

        [c:\] alias calc = `echo The answer is:  %@eval[%$]`

Our last example in this section creates an alias called IN.  It will
temporarily change directories, run an internal or external command, and then
return to the current directory when the command is finished:

        [c:\] alias in = `pushd %1 & %2& & popd`

Now if you type:

        [c:\] in c:\sounds play furelise.wav

you will change to the C:\SOUNDS subdirectory, execute the command PLAY
FURELISE.WAV, and then return to the current directory.

The above example uses two parameters:  %1 means the first argument on the
command line, and %2& means the second and all subsequent arguments. Parameters
are explained in detail under the ALIAS command.

Your copy of Take Command includes a sample alias file called ALIASES which
contains several useful aliases and demonstrates many alias techniques.  Also,
see the ALIAS and UNALIAS commands for more information and examples.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A batch file is a file that contains a list of commands to execute.  Take
Command reads and interprets each line as if it had been typed at the keyboard.
Like aliases, batch files are handy for automating computing tasks.  Unlike
aliases, batch files can be as long as you wish.  Batch files take up separate
disk space for each file, and can't usually execute quite as quickly as
aliases, since they must be read from the disk.

The topics included in this section are:

    .BAT, .CMD, and .BTM Files
    Echoing in Batch Files
    Batch File Parameters
    Using Environment Variables
    Batch File Commands
    Interrupting a Batch File
    Automatic Batch Files
    Detecting Take Command
    Using Aliases in Batch Files
    Debugging Batch Files
    Batch File String Processing
    Batch File Compression
    Argument Quoting
    Batch File Line Continuation
    REXX Support
    EXTPROC Support

Also see Special Character Compatibility,  Using 4DOS and 4OS2 Batch Files, and
The Environment, Internal Variables, and Variable Functions for related
information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.1. .BAT, .CMD, and .BTM Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Take Command batch file can run in two different modes.  In the first,
traditional mode, each line of the batch file is read and executed
individually, and the file is opened and closed to read each line.  In the
second mode the batch file is opened once, the entire file is read into memory,
and the file is closed.  The second mode can be 5 to 10 times faster,
especially if most of the commands in the batch file are internal commands.
However, only the first mode can be used for self-modifying batch files.

The batch file's extension determines its mode.  Files with a .BAT or .CMD
extension are run in the slower, traditional mode.  Files with a .BTM extension
are run in the faster, more efficient mode. You can change the execution mode
inside a batch file with the LOADBTM command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.2. Echoing in Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

By default, each line in a batch file is displayed or "echoed" as it is
executed.  You can change this behavior, if you want, in several different
ways:

             Any batch file line that begins with an [@] symbol will not be
             displayed.

             The display can be turned off and on within a batch file with the
             ECHO OFF and ECHO ON commands.

             The default setting can be changed with the SETDOS /V command or
             the BatchEcho directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

 For example, the following line turns off echoing inside a batch file.  The
 [@] symbol keeps the batch file from displaying the ECHO OFF command:

          @echo off

 Take Command also has a command line echo that is unrelated to the batch file
 echo setting.  See ECHO for details about both settings.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.3. Batch File Line Continuation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command will combine multiple lines in the batch file into a single line
for processing when you include the escape character as the very last character
of each line to be combined (except the last).  The default escape character is
a caret [^].  For example:

        [c:\] echo The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy^
        sleeping^
        dog. > alphabet

You cannot use this technique to extend a batch file line beyond the normal
line length limit of 1,023 characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.4. Batch File Parameters ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Like aliases and application programs, batch files can examine the command line
that is used to invoke them.  The command tail (everything on the command line
after the batch file name) is separated into individual parameters (also called
arguments or batch variables) by scanning for the spaces, tabs, and commas that
separate the parameters.  A batch file can work with the individual parameters
or with the command tail as a whole.

These parameters are numbered from %1 to %127. %1 refers to the first parameter
on the command line, %2 to the second, and so on.  It is up to the batch file
to determine the meaning of each parameter.  You can use quotation marks to
pass spaces, tabs, commas, and other special characters in a batch file
parameter; see Argument Quoting for details.

Parameters that are referred to in a batch file, but which are missing on the
command line, appear as empty strings inside the batch file.  For example, if
you start a batch file and put two parameters on the command line, any
reference in the batch file to %3, or any higher-numbered parameter, will be
interpreted as an empty string.

A batch file can also work with three special parameters: %0 contains the name
of the batch file as it was entered on the command line, %# contains the number
of command line arguments, and %n$ contains the complete command-line tail
starting with argument number n (for example,%3$ means the third parameter and
all those after it).  The default value of n is 1, so %$ contains the entire
command tail.  The values of these special parameters will change if you use
the SHIFT command.

For example, if your batch file interprets the first argument as a subdirectory
name then the following line would move to the specified directory:

        cd %1

A friendlier batch file would check to make sure the directory exists and take
some special action if it doesn't:

        iff isdir %1 then
           cd %1
        else
           echo Subdirectory %1 does not exist!
           quit
        endiff

(See the IF and IFF commands.)

Batch files can also use environment variables, internal variables, and
variable functions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.5. Using Environment Variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Batch files can also use environment variables, internal variables, and
variable functions.  You can use these variables and functions to determine
system status (e.g., the type of CPU in the system), resource levels (e.g., the
amount of free disk space), file information (e.g., the date and time a file
was last modified), and other information (e.g., the current date and time).
You can also perform arithmetic operations (including date and time
arithmetic), manipulate strings and substrings, extract parts of a filename,
and read and write files.

To create temporary variables for use inside a batch file, just use the SET
command to store the information you want in an environment variable.  Pick a
variable name that isn't likely to be in use by some other program (for
example, PATH would be a bad choice), and use the UNSET command to remove these
variables from the environment at the end of your batch file.  You can use
SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL to create a "local" environment so that the original
environment will be restored when your batch file is finished.

Environment variables used in a batch file may contain either numbers or text.
It is up to you to keep track of what's in each variable and use it
appropriately; if you don't (for example, if you use %@EVAL to add a number to
a text string), you'll get an error message.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.6. Batch File Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Several commands are particularly suited to batch file processing.  Each
command is explained in detail in the Command Reference.  Here is a list of
some of the commands you might find most useful:

            ACTIVATE activates another window.

            BEEP produces a sound of any pitch and duration through the
             computer's speaker.

            CALL executes one batch file from within another.

            CANCEL terminates all batch file processing.

            CLS and COLOR set the Take Command display colors.

            DO starts a loop.  The loop can be based on a counter, or on a
             conditional test like those used in IF and IFF.

            DRAWBOX draws a box on the screen.

            DRAWHLINE and DRAWVLINE draw horizontal and vertical lines on the
             screen.

            ECHO and ECHOS print text on the screen (the text can also be
             redirected to a file or device).  ECHOERR and ECHOSERR print text
             to the standard error device.

            GOSUB executes a subroutine inside a batch file.  The RETURN
             command terminates the subroutine.

            GOTO branches to a different location in the batch file.

            FOR executes commands for each file that matches a set of
             wildcards, or each entry in a list.

            IF and IFF execute commands based on a test of string or numeric
             values, program exit codes, or other conditions.

            INKEY and INPUT collect keyboard input from the user and store it
             in environment variables.

            KEYSTACK sends keystrokes to applications.

            LOADBTM changes the batch file operating mode.

            MSGBOX displays a dialog box with standard buttons like Yes, No,
             OK, and Cancel, and returns the user's selection.

            ON initializes error handling for Ctrl- C / Ctrl-Break, or for
             program and command errors.

            PAUSE displays a message and waits for the user to press a key.

            QUERYBOX displays a dialog box for text input.

            QUIT ends the current batch file and optionally returns an exit
             code.

            REM places a remark in a batch file.

            SCREEN positions the cursor on the screen and optionally prints a
             message at the new location.

            SCRPUT displays a message in color.

            SETLOCAL saves the current disk drive, default directory,
             environment, alias list, and special character settings.  ENDLOCAL
             restores the settings that were saved.

            SHIFT changes the numbering of the batch file parameters.

            START starts another session or window.

            SWITCH selects a group of statements to execute based on the value
             of a variable.

            TEXT displays a block of text.  ENDTEXT ends the block.

            TIMER starts or reads a stopwatch.

            TITLE changes the window title.

            VSCRPUT displays a vertical message in color.

 These commands, along with the internal variables and variable functions, make
 the enhanced batch file language extremely powerful.  Your copy of Take
 Command includes a sample batch file, in the file EXAMPLES.BTM, that
 demonstrates some of the things you can do with batch files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.7. Interrupting a Batch File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can usually interrupt a batch file by pressing Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break.
Whether and when these keystrokes are recognized will depend on whether Take
Command or an application program is running, how the application (if any) was
written, and whether the ON BREAK command is in use.

If Take Command detects a Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break (and ON BREAK is not in use), it
will display a prompt, for example:

        Cancel batch job C:\CHARGE.BTM ? (Y/N/A) :

Enter N to continue, Y to terminate the current batch file and continue with
any batch file which called it, or A to end all batch file processing
regardless of the batch file nesting level. Answering Y is similar to the QUIT
command; answering A is similar to the CANCEL command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.8. Automatic Batch Files (TCSTART & TCEXIT) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command supports two "automatic" batch files, files that run without your
intervention, as long as Take Command can find them.

Each time Take Command starts, it looks for an automatic batch file called
TCSTART.BTM, TCSTART.CMD or TCSTART.BAT.  If the TCSTART batch file is not in
the same directory as Take Command itself, you should use the Startup page of
the configuration notebook, or the TCSTARTPath directive in your TCMDOS2.INI
file to specify its location.  TCSTART is optional, so Take Command will not
display an error message if it cannot find the file.

TCSTART is a convenient place to change the color or content of the prompt for
each session, LOG the start of a session, or execute other special startup or
configuration commands.  It is also one way to set aliases and environment
variables.

With the exception of some initialization switches, the entire startup command
line passed to Take Command is available to TCSTART via batch file parameters
(%1, %2, etc.). This can be useful if you want to see the command line passed
to Take Command. For example, to pause if any parameters are passed you could
include this command in TCSTART:

        if "%1" != "" pause Starting Take Command with parameters [%$]

Whenever a Take Command session ends, it runs a second automatic batch file
called TCEXIT.BTM, TCEXIT.CMD or TCEXIT.BAT. This file, if you use it, should
be in the same directory as your TCSTART batch file.  Like TCSTART, TCEXIT is
optional.  It is not necessary in most circumstances, but it is a convenient
place to put commands to save information such as a history list before Take
Command ends, or LOG the end of the session.

Pipes, Transient Sessions, and TCSTART

When you set up the TCSTART file, remember that it is executed every time Take
Command starts, including when running a pipe, or a transient copy of Take
Command started with the /C startup option.

For example, suppose you enter a command line like this, which uses a pipe:

        [c:\data] myprog | sort > out.txt

Normally this command would create the output file C:\DATA\OUT.TXT.  However,
if you have a TCSTART file which changes to a different directory, the output
file will be written there -- not in C:\DATA.

This is because Take Command starts a second command processor session to run
the commands on the right hand side of the pipe, and that new copy runs 4START
before processing the commands from the pipe.  If 4START changes directories,
the command from the pipe will be executed in the new directory.

The same problem can occur if you use a transient session started with /C to
run an individual command, then exit -- the session will execute in the
directory set by TCSTART, not the directory in which it was originally started.
For example, suppose you set up a desktop object with a command line like this,
which starts a transient session:

        Command:            d:\tcmd\tcmd.exe /c list myfile.txt
        Working Directory:  c:\data

Normally this command would LIST the file C:\DATA\MYFILE.TXT.  However, if
TCSTART changes to a different directory, Take Command will look for MYFILE.TXT
there -- not in C:\DATA.

Similarly, any changes to environment variables or other settings in TCSTART
will affect all copies of Take Command, including those used for pipes and
transient sessions.

You can work around these potential problems with the IF or IFF command and the
internal variables _PIPE and _TRANSIENT.  For example, to skip all TCSTART
processing when running in a pipe or transient session, you could use a command
like this at the beginning of TCSTART:

        if %_pipe != 0 .or. %_transient != 0 quit


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.9. Detecting Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

From a batch file, you can determine if Take Command, 4DOS, 4OS2, or 4NT is
loaded by testing for the variable function @EVAL, with a test like this:

        if "%@eval[2 + 2]%" == "4" echo TCMD is loaded!

This test can never succeed in COMMAND.COM or CMD.EXE. Other variable functions
could also be used for the same purpose.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.10. Using Aliases in Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

One way to simplify batch file programming is to use aliases to hide
unnecessary detail inside a batch file.  For example, suppose you want a batch
file to check for certain errors, and display a message and exit if one is
encountered.  This example shows one way to do so:

        setlocal
        unalias *
        alias error `echo. & echo ERROR: %$ & goto dispmenu`
        alias fatalerror `echo. & echo FATAL ERROR: %$ & quit`
        alias in `pushd %1 & %2$ & popd`
        if not exist setup.btm fatalerror Missing setup file!
        call setup.btm
        cls
        :dispmenu
        text


                  1. Word Processing
                  2. Spreadsheet
                  3. Communications
                  4. Exit
        endtext
        echo.
        inkey Enter your choice:  %%userchoice
        switch %userchoice
        case 1
           input Enter the file name:  %%fname
           if not exist fname error File does not exist
           in d:\letters c:\wp60\wp.exe
        case 2
           in d:\finance c:\quattro\q.exe
        case 3
           in d:\comm c:\comsw\pcplus.exe
        case 4
           goto done
        default
          error Invalid choice, try again
        endswitch
        goto dispmenu
        :done
        endlocal

The first alias, ERROR, simply displays an error message and jumps to the label
DISPMENU to redisplay the menu.  The "%$" in the second ECHO command displays
all the text passed to ERROR as the content of the message.  The similar
FATALERROR alias displays the message, then exits the batch file.

The last alias, IN, expects 2 or more command-line arguments.  It uses the
first as a new working directory and changes to that directory with a PUSHD
command.  The rest of the command line is interpreted as another command plus
possible command line parameters, which the alias executes.  This alias is used
here to switch to a directory, run an application, and switch back.  It could
also be used from the command line.

The following 9 lines print a menu on the screen and then get a keystroke from
the user and store the keystroke in an environment variable called userchoice.
Then the SWITCH command is used to test the user's keystroke and to decide what
action to take.

There's another side to aliases in batch files.  If you're going to distribute
your batch files to others, you need to remember that they may have aliases
defined for the commands you're going to use.  For example, if the user has
aliased CD to CDD and you aren't expecting this, your file may not work as you
intended.  There are two ways to address this problem.

The simplest method is to use SETLOCAL, ENDLOCAL, and UNALIAS to clear out
aliases before your batch file starts, and restore them at the end, as we did
in the previous example. Remember that SETLOCAL and ENDLOCAL will save and
restore not only the aliases but also the environment, the current drive and
directory, and various special characters.

If this method isn't appropriate or necessary for the batch file you're working
on, you can also use an asterisk [*] before the name of any command. The
asterisk means the command that follows it should not be interpreted as an
alias.  For example the following command redirects a list of file names to the
file FILELIST:

        dir /b > filelist

However, if the user has redefined DIR with an alias this command may not do
what you want.  To get around this just use:

        *dir /b > filelist

The same can be done for any command in your batch file.  If you use the
asterisk, it will disable alias processing, and the rest of the command will be
processed normally as an internal command, external command, or batch file.
Using an asterisk before a command will work whether or not there is actually
an alias defined with the same name as the command.  If there is no alias with
that name, the asterisk will be ignored and the command will be processed as if
the asterisk wasn't there.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.11. Debugging Batch Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command includes a built-in batch file debugger, invoked with the SETDOS
/Y1 command.  The debuggger allows you to "single-step" through a batch file
line by line, with the file displayed in a popup window as it executes.  You
can execute or skip the current line, continue execution with the debugger
turned off, view the fully-expanded version of the command line, or exit the
batch file.  The batch debugger can also pop up a separate window to view or
edit current environment variables and aliases, and can pop up the LIST command
to display the contents of any file.

To start the debugger, insert a SETDOS /Y1 command at the beginning of the
portion of the batch file you want to debug, and a SETDOS /Y0 command at the
end.  You can also invoke SETDOS /Y1 from the prompt, but because the debugger
is automatically turned off whenever Take Command returns to the prompt, you
must enter the SETDOS command and the batch file name on the same line, for
example:

        [c:\] setdos /y1 & mybatch.btm

If you use the debugger regularly you may want to define a simple alias to
invoke it, for example:

        [c:\] alias trace `setdos /y1 & %$`

This alias simply enables the debugger, then runs whatever command is passed to
it.  You can use the alias to debug a batch file with a command like this:

        [c:\] trace mybatch.btm

When the debugger is running you can control its behavior with keystrokes.
Debugging continues after each keystroke unless otherwise noted:

        T(race), Enter, or F8 Execute the current command.  If it calls a
            subroutine with GOSUB, or another batch file with CALL, single-step
            into the called subroutine or batch file.

        S(tep) or F10 Execute the current command, but execute any subroutine
            or CALLed batch file without single-stepping.

        J(ump) Skip the current command and proceed to the next command.

        X (Expand) Display the next command to be executed, after expansion of
            aliases and environment variables.

        L(ist) Prompt for a file name and then view the file with the LIST
            command.

        V(ariables) Open a popup window to display the current environment, in
            alphabetical order.

        A(liases) Open a popup window to display the current aliases, in
            alphabetical order.

        O(ff) or Esc Turn off the debugger and continue with the remainder of
            the batch file.

        Q(uit) Quit the debugger and the current batch file, without executing
            the remainder of the file.

 The debugger highlights each line of the batch file as it is executed.  It
 executes the commands on the line one at a time, so when a line contains more
 than one command, the highlight will not move as each command is executed.  To
 see the individual commands, use the X key to expand each command before it is
 executed.

 If you use a "prefix" command like EXCEPT, FOR, GLOBAL, or SELECT, the prefix
 command is considered one command, and each command it invokes is another.
 For example, this command line executes four commands Ч the FOR and three ECHO
 commands:

          for %x in (a b c) do echo %x

 You cannot use the batch debugger with REXX files or EXTPROC files.  It can
 only be used with normal Take Command batch files.

 The debugger gives you a detailed, step-by-step view of batch file execution,
 and will help solve particularly difficult batch file problems.  However, in
 some cases you will find it easier to diagnose these problems with techniques
 that allow you to review what is happening at specific points in the batch
 file without stepping through each line individually.

 There are several tricks you can use for this purpose..  Probably the simplest
 is to turn ECHO on at the beginning of the file while you're testing it, or
 use SETDOS /V2 to force ECHO on even if an ECHO OFF command is used in the
 batch file.  This will give you a picture of what is happening as the file is
 executed, without stopping at each line.  It will make your output look messy
 of course, so just turn it off once things are working.  You can also turn
 ECHO on at the beginning of a group of commands you want to "watch", and off
 at the end, just by adding ECHO commands at the appropriate spots in your
 file.

 If an error occurs in a batch file, the error message will display the name of
 the file, the number of the line that contained the error, and the error
 itself.  For example:

          e:\test.bat [3] Invalid parameter "/d"

 tells you that the file E:\TEST.BAT contains an error on line 3.  The first
 line of the batch file is numbered 1.

 Another trick, especially useful in a fast-moving batch file or one where the
 screen is cleared before you can read messages, is to insert PAUSE commands
 wherever you need them in order to be able to watch what's happening.  You can
 also use an ON ERRORMSG command to pause if an error occurs, then continue
 with the rest of the file (the first command below), or to quit if an error
 occurs (the second command):

          on errormsg pause
          on errormsg quit

 If you can't figure out how your aliases and variables are expanded, try
 turning LOG on at the start of the batch file.  LOG keeps track of all
 commands after alias and variable expansion are completed, and gives you a
 record in a file that you can examine after the batch file is done.  You must
 use a standard LOG command; LOG /H (the history log) does not work in batch
 files.

 You may also want to consider using redirection to capture your batch file
 output.  Simply type the batch file name followed by the redirection symbols,
 for example:

          [c:\] mybatch >& testout

 This records all batch file output, including error messages, in the file
 TESTOUT, so you can go back and examine it.  If you have ECHO ON in the batch
 file you'll get the batch commands intermingled with the output, which can
 provide a very useful trace of what's happening.  Of course, output from
 full-screen commands and programs that don't write to the standard output
 devices can't be recorded, but you can still gain a lot of useful information
 if your batch file produces any output.

 If you're using redirection to see the output, remember that any prompts for
 input will probably go to the output file and not to the screen.  Therefore,
 you will need to know in advance the sequence of keystrokes required to get
 through the entire batch file, and enter them by hand or with KEYSTACK.

 You can also use the TEE command to both view the output while the batch file
 is running and save it in a file for later examination.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.12. Batch File String Processing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

As you gain experience with batch files, you're likely to find that you need to
manipulate text strings.  You may need to prompt a user for a name or password,
process a list of files, or find a name in a phone list.  All of these are
examples of string processing -- the manipulation of lines of readable text.

Take Command includes several features that make string processing easier. For
example, you can use the INKEY, INPUT, MSGBOX, and QUERYBOX commands for user
input; the ECHO, SCREEN, SCRPUT, and VSCRPUT commands for output; and the FOR
command or the @FILEREAD function to scan through the lines of a file.  In
addition, variable functions offer a wide range of string handling
capabilities.

For example, suppose you need a batch file that will prompt a user for a name,
break the name into a first name and a last name, and then run a hypothetical
LOGIN program.  LOGIN expects the syntax /F:first /L:last with both the first
and last names in upper case and neither name longer than 8 characters.  Here
is one way to write such a batch file:

        @echo off
        setlocal
        unalias *
        querybox "Name" Enter your name (no initials):  %%name

        set first=%@word[0,%name]
        set flen=%@len[%first]
        set last=%@word[1,%name]
        set llen=%@len[%last]

        iff %flen gt 8 .or. %llen gt 8 then
           echo First or last name too long
           quit
        endiff

        login /F:%@upper[%first] /L:%@upper[%last]
        endlocal

The SETLOCAL command at the beginning of this batch file saves the environment
and aliases.  Then the UNALIAS * command removes any existing aliases so they
won't interfere with the behavior of the commands in the remainder of the batch
file.  The first block of lines ends with a QUERYBOX command which asks the
user to enter a name.  The user's input is stored in the environment variable
NAME.

The second block of lines extracts the user's first and last names from the
NAME variable and calculates the length of each.  It stores the first and last
name, along with the length of each, in additional environment variables. Note
that the @WORD function numbers the first word as 0, not as 1.

The IFF command in the third block of lines tests the length of both the first
and last names.  If either is longer than 8 characters, the batch file displays
an error message and ends. (QUERYBOX can limit the length of input text more
simply with its /L switch. We used a slightly more cumbersome method above in
order to demonstrate the use of string functions in batch files.)

Finally, in the last block, the batch file executes the LOGIN program with the
appropriate parameters, then uses the ENDLOCAL command to restore the original
environment and alias list.  At the same time, ENDLOCAL discards the temporary
variables that the batch file used (NAME, FIRST, FLEN, etc.).

When you're processing strings, you also need to avoid some common traps.  The
biggest one is handling special characters.

Suppose you have a batch file with these two commands, which simply accept a
string and display it:

        input Enter a string:  %%str
        echo %str

Those lines look safe, but what happens if the user enters the string "some >
none" (without the quotes).  After the string is placed in the variable STR,
the second line becomes

        echo some > none

The ">" is a redirection symbol, so the line echoes the string "some" and
redirects it to a file called NONE -- probably not what you expected.  You
could try using quotation marks to avoid this kind of problem, but that won't
quite work.  If you use back-quotes (ECHO `%STR`), the command will echo the
four-character string %STR. Environment variable names are not expanded when
they are inside back-quotes.

If you use double quotes (ECHO "%STR"), the string entered by the user will be
displayed properly, and so will the quotation marks.  With double quotes, the
output would look like this:

        "some > none"

As you can imagine, this kind of problem becomes much more difficult if you try
to process text from a file.  Special characters in the text can cause all
kinds of confusion in your batch files.  Text containing back-quotes, double
quotes, or redirection symbols can be virtually impossible to handle correctly.

One way to overcome these potential problems is to use the SETDOS /X command to
temporarily disable redirection symbols and other special characters.  The
two-line batch file above would be a lot more likely to produce the expected
results if it were rewritten this way:

        setdos /x-15678
        input Enter a string:  %%str
        echo %str
        setdos /x0

The first line turns off alias processing and disables several special symbols,
including the command separator and all redirection symbols.  Once the string
has been processed, the last line re-enables the features that were turned off
in the first line.

If you need advanced string processing capabilities beyond those provided by
Take Command, you may want to consider using the REXX language.  Our products
support external REXX programs for this purpose.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.13. Batch File Compression ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can compress your .BTM files with a program called BATCOMP.EXE, which is
distributed with Take Command.  This program condenses batch files by about a
third and makes them unreadable with the LIST command and similar utilities.
Compressed batch files run at approximately the same speed as regular .BTM
files.

You may want to consider compressing batch files if you need to distribute them
to others and keep your original code secret or prevent your users from
altering them.  You may also want to consider compressing batch files to save
some disk space on the systems where the compressed files are used.

The full syntax for the batch compression program is

        BATCOMP [/O] input file [output file ]

You must specify the full name of the input file, including its extension, on
the BATCOMP command line.  If you do not specify the output file, BATCOMP will
use the same base name as the input file and add a .BTM extension. BATCOMP will
also add a .BTM extension if you specify a base name for the output file
without an extension.  For example, to compress MYBATCH.CMD and save the result
as MYBATCH.BTM, you can use any of these three commands:

        [c:\] batcomp mybatch.cmd
        [c:\] batcomp mybatch.cmd mybatch
        [c:\] batcomp mybatch.cmd mybatch.btm

If the output file (MYBATCH.BTM in the examples above) already exists, BATCOMP
will prompt you before overwriting the file.  You can disable the prompt by
including /O on the BATCOMP command line immediately before the input file
name.  Even if you use the /O option, BATCOMP will not compress a file into
itself.

JP Software does not provide a utility to decompress batch files.  If you use
BATCOMP.EXE, make sure that you also keep a copy of the original batch file for
future inspection or modification.

BATCOMP is a DOS and OS/2 character-mode application designed to run in any
environment where our command processors run.  Normally it can be run
successfully from within Take Command without manually starting a separate DOS
or OS/2 session.  Each of our command processors includes the same version of
BATCOMP.EXE, and a batch file compressed with any copy of BATCOMP can be used
with any current JP Software command processor.

If you plan to distribute batch files to users of different platforms, see
Special Character Compatibility.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.14. Argument Quoting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

As it parses the command line, Take Command looks for the ampersand [&] command
separator, conditional commands (|| or &&), white space (spaces, tabs, and
commas), percent signs [%] which indicate variables or batch file arguments to
be expanded, and redirection and piping characters (>, <, or |).

Normally, these special characters cannot be passed to a command as part of an
argument.  However, you can include any of the special characters in an
argument by enclosing the entire argument in single back quotes [`] or double
quotes ["].  Although both back quotes and double quotes will let you build
arguments that include special characters, they do not work the same way.

No alias or variable expansion is performed on an argument enclosed in back
quotes.  Redirection symbols inside the back quotes are ignored.  The back
quotes are removed from the command line before the command is executed.

No alias expansion is performed on expressions enclosed in double quotes.
Redirection symbols inside double quotes are ignored.  However, variable
expansion is performed on expressions inside double quotes.  The double quotes
themselves will be passed to the command as part of the argument.

For example, suppose you have a batch file CHKNAME.BTM which expects a name as
its first parameter (%1).  Normally the name is a single word.  If you need to
pass a two-word name with a space in it to this batch file you could use the
command:

        [c:\] chkname `MY NAME`

Inside the batch file, %1 will have the value MY NAME, including the space. The
back quotes caused Take Command to pass the string to the batch file as a
single argument.  The quotes keep characters together and reduce the number of
arguments in the line.

For a more complex example, suppose the batch file QUOTES.BAT contains the
following commands:

        @echo off
        echo Arg1 = %1
        echo Arg2 = %2
        echo Arg3 = %3

and that the environment variable FORVAR has been defined with this command:

        [c:\] set FORVAR=for

Now, if you enter the command

        [c:\] quotes `Now is the time %forvar` all good

the output from QUOTES.BAT will look like this:

        Arg1 = Now is the time %forvar
        Arg2 = all
        Arg3 = good

But if you enter the command

        [c:\] quotes "Now is the time %forvar" all good

the output from QUOTES.BAT will look like this:

        Arg1 = "Now is the time for"
        Arg2 = all
        Arg3 = good

Notice that in both cases, the quotes keep characters together and reduce the
number of arguments in the line.

The following example has 7 command-line arguments, while the examples above
only have 3:

        [c:\] quotes Now is the time %%forvar all good

(The double percent signs are needed in each case because the argument is
parsed twice, once when passed to the batch file and again in the ECHO
command.)

When an alias is defined in a batch file or from the command line, its argument
can be enclosed in back quotes to prevent the expansion of replaceable
parameters, variables, and multiple commands until the alias is invoked.  See
ALIAS for details.

You can disable and re-enable back quotes and double quotes with the SETDOS /X
command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.15. REXX Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

REXX is a a powerful file and text processing language developed by IBM, and
available on many PC and other platforms.  REXX is an ideal extension to the
Take Command batch language, especially if you need advanced string processing
capabilities.

The REXX language is not built into Take Command, and must be obtained
separately.  REXX support is built in to IBM OS/2.  You can also purchase
add-on REXX software such as Enterprise Alternatives' Enterprise REXX,
available for Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT; or Quercus's Personal
REXX, available for OS/2, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT.  (If you
want to learn about or purchase one of these REXX packages, contact JP
Software's sales department for more information.)

Take Command for OS/2 supports REXX programs stored in .CMD files.  Take
Command checks to see if the first two characters on the first line of a .CMD
file are [/*], the beginning of a REXX comment.  If so, it passes the file to
OS/2's built-in REXX facility for processing.  If Personal REXX for OS/2 is
installed, it automatically replaces OS/2's built-in REXX, and handles all REXX
commands passed by Take Command for OS/2.

Take Command's REXX support will also work with other REXX  processors such as
PMREXX and VX-REXX.  It does not work with IBM's VREXX, because the internal
design of VREXX does not permit reliable execution of REXX scripts from
Presentation Manager programs like Take Command.

When working with a REXX processor, Take Command automatically handles all
input and output for the REXX program, and any standard REXX processor window
for input and output is not displayed.  If you need to run a REXX program
inside your REXX processor's window, and not under Take Command, you should
start the REXX processor s executable file explicitly, then load and run the
REXX program from there.

All of the REXX processors described above (Enterprise REXX, Personal REXX, and
OS/2's built-in REXX) extend the interface between REXX and the command
processor by allowing you to invoke Take Command commands from within a REXX
program.

When you send a command from a REXX program back to the command processor to be
executed (for example, if you execute a DIR command within a REXX script), the
REXX software must use the correctaddre for the command processor.  In most
cases it is best to use the default address of CMD, which is set up
automatically by Take Command.  If you choose to use an explicit address via
the REXX ADDRESS command, you can use either CMD or TCMD.

For details on communication between REXX and the command processor, or for
more information on any aspect of REXX, see your REXX documentation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.16. EXTPROC Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

For compatibility with CMD.EXE, Take Command offers an external processor
(EXTPROC) option for batch files that lets you define an external program to
process a particular .CMD file. To identify a .CMD file to be used with an
external processor, place the string "EXTPROC" as the first word on the first
line of the file, followed by the name of the external program that should be
called.  Take Command will start the program and pass it the name of the .CMD
file and any command- line arguments that were entered.

For example, suppose GETDATA.CMD contains the following lines:

        EXTPROC D:\DATAACQ\DATALOAD.EXE
        OPEN PORT1
        READ 4000
        DISKWRITE D:\DATAACQ\PORT1\RAW

Then if you entered the command:

        [d:\dataacq] getdata /p17

Take Command would read the GETDATA.CMD file, determine that it began with an
EXTPROC command, read the name of the processor program, and then execute the
command:

        D:\DATAACQ\DATALOAD.EXE D:\DATAACQ\GETDATA.CMD /p17

The hypothetical DATALOAD.EXE program would then be responsible for reopening
the GETDATA.CMD file, ignoring the EXTPROC line at the start, and interpreting
the other instructions in the file. It would also have to respond appropriately
to the command-line parameter entered (/p17).

Do not try to use Take Command or 4OS2 as the external processor named on the
EXTPROC line in the .CMD file.  It will interpret the EXTPROC line as a command
to re-open itself.  The result will be an infinite loop that will continue
until the computer runs out of resources and locks up.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Environment Variables and Functions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The environment is a collection of information about your computer that every
program receives.  Each entry in the environment consists of a variable name,
followed by an equal sign and a string of text.  You can automatically
substitute the text for the variable name in any command. To create the
substitution, include a percent sign [%] and a variable name on the command
line or in an alias or batch file.

You can create, alter, view, and delete environment variables with the
Environment dialog (available from the Utilities menu) as well as with the SET,
ESET, and UNSET commands.

The following environment variables have special meanings in Take Command:

    CDPATH
    CMDLINE
    COLORDIR
    COMSPEC
    FILECOMPLETION
    PATH
    PATHEXT
    PROMPT

Also see
    COPYCMD
    DIRCMD

Take Command also supports two special types of variables.  Internal variables
are similar to environment variables, but are stored internally within Take
Command, and are not visible in the environment.  They provide information
about your system for use in batch files and aliases.  Variable functions are
referenced like environment variables, but perform additional functions like
file handling, string manipulation and arithmetic calculations.

The SET command is used to create environment variables. For example, you can
create a variable named BACKUP like this:

        [c:\] set BACKUP=*.bak;*.bk!;*.bk

If you then type

        [c:\] del %BACKUP

it is equivalent to the following command:

        del *.bak;*.bk!;*.bk

The variable names you use this way may contain any alphabetic or numeric
characters, the underscore character [_], and the dollar sign [$].  You can
force acceptance of other characters by including the full variable name in
square brackets, like this: %[AB##2]. You can also "nest" environment variables
using square brackets.  For example, %[%var1] means "the contents of the
variable whose name is stored in VAR1".  A variable referenced with this
technique cannot contain more than 255 characters of information.  Nested
variable expansion can be disabled with the SETDOS /X command.

In Take Command the size of the environment is set automatically, and increased
as needed when you add variables.  You do not need to specify the size as you
do under 4DOS or some traditional command processors.

The trailing percent sign that was traditionally required for environment
variable names is not usually required in Take Command, which accepts any
character that cannot be part of a variable name as the terminator.  However,
the trailing percent can be used to maintain compatibility.

The trailing percent sign is needed if you want to join two variable values.
The following examples show the possible interactions between variables and
literal strings.  First, create two environment variables called ONE and TWO
this way:

        [c:\] set ONE=abcd
        [c:\] set TWO=efgh

Now the following combinations produce the output text shown:

        %ONE%TWOabcdTWO      ("%ONE%" + "TWO")
        %ONE%TWO%abcdTWO     ("%ONE%" + "TWO%")
        %ONE%%TWOabcdefgh    ("%ONE%" + "%TWO")
        %ONE%%TWO%abcdefgh   ("%ONE%" + "%TWO%")
        %ONE%[TWO]abcd[TWO]  ("%ONE%" + "[TWO]")
        %ONE%[TWO]%abcd[TWO] ("%ONE%" + "[TWO]%")
        %[ONE]%TWOabcdefgh   ("%[ONE]" + "%TWO")
        %[ONE]%TWO%abcdefgh  ("%[ONE]" + "%TWO%")

If you want to pass a percent sign to a command, or a string which includes a
percent sign, you must use two percent signs in a row. Otherwise, the single
percent sign will be seen as the beginning of a variable name and will not be
passed on to the command.  For example, to display the string "We're with you
100%" you would use the command:

        echo We're with you 100%%

You can also use back quotes around the text, rather than a double percent
sign.  See Argument Quoting for details.

Environment variables may contain alias names.  Take Command will substitute
the variable value for the name, then check for any alias name which may have
been included within the value.  For example, the following commands would
generate a 2-column directory of the .TXT files:

        [c:\] alias d2 dir /2
        [c:\] set cmd=d2
        [c:\] %cmd *.txt


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.1. CDPATH ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CDPATH tells Take Command where to search for directories specified by the CD,
CDD, and PUSHD commands and in automatic directory changes.  (_CDPATH can be
used as an alternative to CDPATH if you are using Microsoft Bookshelf, which
uses a CDPATH variable for its own purposes.)

CDPATH is composed of a list of directories, separated by semicolons [;].  See
CDPATH for more information about using this variable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.2. CMDLINE ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CMDLINE is the fully expanded text of the currently executing command line.
CMDLINE is set just before invoking any .COM, .EXE, .BTM, .BAT, or .CMD file.
If a command line is prefaced with an "@" to prevent echoing, it will not be
put in CMDLINE, and any previous CMDLINE variable will be removed from the
environment.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.3. COLORDIR ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

COLORDIR controls directory display colors used by DIR.  See the Color-Coded
Directories section of the DIR command for a complete description of the format
of this variable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.4. COMSPEC ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

COMSPEC contains the full path and name of the character-mode command
processor.  Take Command uses it to start character-mode OS/2 sessions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.5. COPYCMD ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

COPYCMD is used by some versions of COMMAND.COM and CMD.EXE to hold default
options for the COPY command.  Take Command does not support this variable, but
you can achieve the same effect with an alias.  For example, if you want the
COPY command to default to prompting you before overwriting an existing file,
you could use this alias:

        [c:\] alias copy = `*copy /r`

If you wish to use COPYCMD for compatibility with systems that do not use Take
Command, you can define the alias this way:

        [c:\] alias copy = `*copy %copycmd`


═══ 6.6.  DIRCMD ═══

DIRCMD is used by some versions of COMMAND.COM and CMD.EXE to hold default
options for the DIR command.  Take Command does not support this variable, but
you can achieve the same effect with an alias.  For example, if you want the
DIR command to default to a 2-column display with a vertical sort and a pause
at the end of each page, you could use this alias:

        [c:\] alias dir = `*dir /2/p/v`

If you wish to use DIRCMD for compatibility with systems that do not use Take
Command, you can define the alias this way:

        [c:\] alias dir = `*dir %dircmd`


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.7. FILECOMPLETION (variable) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

FILECOMPLETION sets the files made available during filename completion for
selected commands.  See Customizing Filename Completion for a complete
description of the format of this variable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.8. PATH (variable) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PATH is a list of directories that Take Command will search for executable
files that aren't in the current directory.  PATH may also be used by some
application programs to find their own files.  See the PATH command for a full
description of this variable.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.9. PATHEXT ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PATHEXT can be used to select the extensions to look for when searching the
PATH for an executable file.  It consists of a list of extensions, separated by
semicolons. For example, to replicate the default extension list used by Take
Command:

     set pathext=.com;.exe;.btm;.cmd;.bat

PATHEXT is ignored unless the PathExt setting is set to Yes in TCMDOS2.INI.
Once PATHEXT is enabled the standard path search for .COM, .EXE, .BTM, .CMD,
and .BAT files is replaced by a search for files with the extensions listed in
PATHEXT, in the order listed there.

Enabling PATHEXT affects only the standard path search, it does not affect the
subsequent searches for files with executable extensions.  PATHEXT is supported
for compatibility reasons but should not generally be used as a substitute for
executable extensions, which are much more flexible.  For more details on path
searches, see the PATH command.

CAUTION:  If you set PathExt = Yes in TCMDOS2.INI and then fail to set the
PATHEXT variable, path searches will fail as there will be no extensions for
which to search!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.10. PROMPT (variable) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PROMPT defines the command-line prompt.  It can be set or changed with the
PROMPT command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11. Internal Variables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Internal variables are special environment variables built into Take Command to
provide information about your system.  They are not actually stored in the
environment, but can be used in commands, aliases, and batch files just like
any environment variable.

The values of these variables are stored internally in Take Command, and cannot
be changed with the SET, UNSET, or ESET command.  However, you can override any
of these variables by defining a new variable with the same name.

These internal variables are often used in batch files and aliases to examine
system resources and adjust to the current computer settings.  You can examine
the contents of any internal variable (except %= and %+) from the command line
with a command like this:

        [c:\] echo %variablename

On disk volumes which do not support long filenames, variables which return a
path or file name will return their result in upper or lower case depending on
the value of the SETDOS /U switch or the UpperCase directive in the TCMDOS2.INI
file.  On volumes which do support long filenames, these variables will return
names as they are stored on the disk and no case shifting will be performed.
Returned filename values which include long filenames are not quoted
automatically; you must add quotes yourself if they are required for your use
of the variable value.

Some variables return values based on information provided by your operating
system.  These variables will only return correct information if the operating
system provides it.  For example, _APMBATT will not return accurate results if
OS/2 and your Advanced Power Management drivers do not provide correct
information on battery status to Take Command.

Internal Variable Categories

The list below gives a one-line description of each variable, and a cross-
reference which selects a short help topic on that variable.  Most of the
variables are simple enough that the one-line description is sufficient.
However, for those variables marked with an asterisk [*], the cross-reference
topic contains some additional information you may wish to review.  You can
also obtain help on any variable with a HELP variable name command at the
prompt (this is why each variable has its own topic, in addition to its
appearance in the list below).

See the discussion after the variable list for some additional information, and
examples of how these variables can be used.  For a more comprehensive set of
examples see the EXAMPLES.BTM file which came with your copy of Take Command.

Hardware status

        _APMAC          Advanced Power Management AC Line status (on-line or
                        off-line)
        _APMBATT        APM battery status (high, low, critical, charging,
                        unknown)
        _APMLIFE        APM remaining battery life (0 - 100 or unknown)
        _CPU            CPU type (86, 186, 200, 386, 486, 586)
        _KBHIT          Returns 1 if a keyboard input character is waiting.
        _NDP            Coprocessor type (0, 87, 287, 387)

 Operating system and software status

        _ANSI           ANSI status (1 if enabled, 0 if not)
        _BOOT           Boot drive letter, without a colon
        _CODEPAGE       Current code page number
        _COUNTRY        Current country code
        _DOS            * Operating system (OS2, PM, DOS, etc.)
        _DOSVER         * Operating system version (2.1, 3.0, etc.)
        _MOUSE          Mouse driver flag (always 1)
        _WINTITLE       Current window title

 Command processor status

        _4VER           Take Command for OS/2 version (2.02, 2.03, etc.)
        _BATCH          Batch nesting level
        _BATCHLINE      Current line number in current batch file
        _BATCHNAME      Name of current batch file
        _CMDPROC        Command processor name
        _DNAME          Name of file used to store file descriptions
        _HLOGFILE       Current history log file name
        _LOGFILE        Current log file name
        _PID            Take Command for OS/2 process ID (numeric)
        _PIPE           Whether running in a pipe (0 or 1)
        _PPID           Parent process ID (numeric)
        _PTYPE          OS/2 process type (PM)
        _SHELL          Shell level (0, 1, 2, ...)
        _SID            Current OS/2 session ID
        _TRANSIENT      * Transient shell flag (0 or 1)

 Screen, color, and cursor

        _BG             Background color
        _CI             Current cursor shape in insert mode
        _CO             Current cursor shape in overstrike mode
        _COLUMN         Current cursor column
        _COLUMNS        Screen width
        _FG             Foreground color
        _ROW            Current cursor row
        _ROWS           Screen height
        _SELECTED       First line of highliged text.
        _XPIXELS        Physical screen horizontal size in pixels.
        _YPIXELS        Physical screen vertical size in pixels.

 Drives and directories

        _CWD            Current drive and directory (d:\path)
        _CWDS           Current drive and directory with trailing \ (d:\path\)
        _CWP            Current directory (\path)
        _CWPS           Current directory with trailing \ (\path\)
        _DISK           Current drive (C, D, etc.)
        _LASTDISK       Last possible drive (E, F, etc.)

 Dates and times

        _DATE           * Current date (mm-dd-yy)
        _DAY            Day of the month (1 - 31)
        _DOW            Day of the week (Mon, Tue, Wed, etc.)
        _DOWI           Day of the week as an integer (1=Sunday, 2-Monday,
                        etc.)
        _DOY            Day of the year (1 - 366)
        _HOUR           Hour (0 - 23)
        _MINUTE         Minute (0 - 59)
        _MONTH          Month of the year (1 - 12)
        _SECOND         Second (0 - 59)
        _TIME           * Current time (hh:mm:ss)
        _YEAR           Year (1980 - 2099)

 Error codes

        ?               * Exit code, last external program
        _?              * Exit code, last internal command
        _SYSERR         * Last OS/2 error code

 Compatibility

        =               * Substitutes escape character
        +               * Substitutes command separator

 Examples

 You can use these variables in a wide variety of ways depending on your needs.
 Here are just a couple of examples; for a more comprehensive set see the
 EXAMPLES.BTM file which came with your copy of Take Command.

 Store the current date and time in a file, then save the output of a DIR
 command in the same file:

          echo Directory as of %_date %_time > dirsave
          dir >> dirsave

 Use the IFF command to check whether there are enough resources free before
 running an application:

          iff %_GDIFREE lt 40 then
             echo Not enough GDI resources!
             quit
          else
             d:\mydir\myapp
          endiff

 Call another batch file if today is Monday:

          if "%_DOW" == "Mon" call c:\cleanup\weekly.bat


═══ 6.11.1.  ? - Exit code, last external program ═══

? contains the exit code of the last external command.  Many programs return a
"0" to indicate success and a non-zero value to signal an error.  However, not
all programs return an exit code.  If no explicit exit code is returned, the
value of %? is undefined.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.2. _? - Exit code, last internal command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_? contains the exit code of the last internal command.  It is set to "0" if
the command was successful, "1" if a usage error occurred, "2" if another
command processor error or an operating system error occurred, or "3" if the
command was interrupted by Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break. You must use or save this
value immediately, because it is set by every internal command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.3. = - Substitutes escape character ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

= returns the current escape character.  Use this variable, instead of the
actual escape character, if you want your batch files and aliases to work
regardless of how the escape character is defined.  For example, if the escape
character is a caret [^] (the default in Take Command for OS/2) both of the
commands below will send a form feed to the printer. However, if the escape
character has been changed,  the first command will send the string "^f" to the
printer, while the second command will continue to work as intended.

        echos ^f > prn
        echos %=f > prn


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.4. + - Substitutes command separator ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

+ returns the current command separator.  Use this variable, instead of the
actual command separator, if you want your batch files and aliases to work
regardless of how the command separator is defined.  For example, if the
command separator is an ampersand [&] (the default in Take Command for OS/2)
both of the commands below will display "Hello" on one line and "world" on the
next.  However, if the command separator has been changed the first command
will display "Hello & echo world", while the second command will continue to
work as intended.

        echo Hello & echo world
        echo Hello %+ echo world


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.5. _4VER - Take Command for OS/2 version (for example, 3.0) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_4VER is the current Take Command for OS/2 version (for example, "3.0").  The
version number is in decimal and uses the appropriate decimal separator for
your country (to allow numeric comparisons with IF and IFF)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.6. _ANSI - ANSI status ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_ANSI returns "1" if Take Command's ANSI support is enabled, or "0" if it is
disabled.  For more details on ANSI support see SETDOS /A,  the ANSI directive
in TCMDOS2.INI, or the ANSI Support topic.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.7. _APMAC - AC Line Status ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_APMAC is the Advanced Power Management AC line status ("on-line", "off-line",
or "unknown").  An empty string is returned if APM is not installed on your
system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.8. _APMBATT - Battery Status ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_APMBATT is the Advanced Power Management battery status ("high", "low",
"critical", "charging", or "unknown").  An empty string is returned if APM is
not installed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.9. _APMLIFE - Remaining Battery Life ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_APMLIFE is the Advanced Power Management remaining battery life (0 - 100 or
"unknown").  An empty string is returned if APM is not installed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.10. _BATCH - Batch nesting level ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BATCH is the current batch nesting level.  It is "0" if no batch file is
currently being processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.11. _BATCHLINE - Current line number in current batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BATCHLINE is the current line number in the current batch file. It is "-1" if
no batch file is currently being processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.12. _BATCHNAME - Name of current batch file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BATCHNAME is the full pathname of the current batch file.  It is an empty
string if no batch file is currently being processed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.13. _BG - Background color ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BG is a string containing the first three letters of the current background
screen output color (for example, "Bla").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.14. _BOOT - Boot drive letter, without a colon ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_BOOT is the boot drive letter, without a colon (for example, "C").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.15. _CI - Current cursor shape in insert mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CI is the current shape of the cursor in insert mode, as a percentage (see
SETDOS /S and CursorIns).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.16. _CMDPROC - Command processor name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CMDPROC is the name of the current command processor.  Each JP Software
command processor returns a different value, as follows:

        Product                         Returns

        4DOS                            "4DOS"
        4OS2                            "4OS2"
        4NT                             "4NT"
        Take Command/16                 "TCMD"
        Take Command/32                 "TCMD32"
        Take Command for OS/2           "TCMDOS2"

 This variable is useful if you have batch files running in more than one
 environment, and need to take different actions depending on the underlying
 command processor.  If you also need to determine the operating system, see
 _DOS.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.17. _CO - Current cursor shape in overstrike mode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CO is the current shape of the cursor in overstrike mode, as a percentage (see
SETDOS /S and CursorOver).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.18. _CODEPAGE - Current code page number ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CODEPAGE is the current code page number (see CHCP).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.19. _COLUMN - Current cursor column ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_COLUMN is the current cursor column (for example, "0" for the left side of the
screen).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.20. _COLUMNS - Screen width ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_COLUMNS is the current number of screen columns (for example, "80").  See
Resizing the Take Command Window for additional details on screen size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.21. _COUNTRY - Current country code ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_COUNTRY is the current country code.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.22. _CPU - CPU type (386, 486, 586) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CPU is the CPU type:

        386     i386
        486     i486
        586     Pentium


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.23. _CWD - Current drive and directory (d:\path) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWD is the current working directory in the format d:\pathname.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.24. _CWDS - Current drive and directory with trailing backslash ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

(d:\path\)

_CWDS has the same value as _CWD, except it ends the pathname with a backslash
[\].


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.25. _CWP - Current directory (\path) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWP is the current working directory in the format \pathname.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.26. _CWPS - Current directory with trailing backslash (\path\) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_CWPS has the same value as _CWP, except it ends the pathname with a backslash
[\].


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.27. _DATE - Current date (mm-dd-yy) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DATE contains the current system date, in the format mm-dd-yy (U.S.), dd-mm-yy
(Europe), or yy-mm-dd (Japan).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.28. _DAY - Day of the month (1 - 31) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DAY is the day of the month (1 to 31).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.29. _DISK - Current drive (C, D, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DISK is the current disk drive, without a colon (for example, "C").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.30. _DNAME - Name of file used to store file descriptions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DNAME is the name of the file used to store file descriptions.  It can be
changed with the DescriptionName directive in TCMDOS2.INI or the SETDOS /D
command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.31. _DOS - Operating system (OS2, PM, DOS, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOS is the operating system and command processor type.  Each JP Software
command processor returns a different value depending on the operating system,
as follows:

        ΓöîΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÉ
        Γöé                     ΓöéDOSΓöéOS/2ΓöéWindowsΓöéWindowsΓöéWindowsΓöéWindowsΓöé
        Γöé                     Γöé   Γöé    Γöé3.x    Γöé95     Γöé98     ΓöéNT     Γöé
        Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
        Γöé4DOS                 ΓöéDOSΓöéDOS ΓöéDOS    ΓöéDOS    ΓöéDOS    Γöé       Γöé
        Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
        Γöé4OS2                 Γöé   ΓöéOS2 Γöé       Γöé       Γöé       Γöé       Γöé
        Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
        Γöé4NT                  Γöé   Γöé    Γöé       ΓöéWIN95C ΓöéWIN98C ΓöéNT     Γöé
        Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
        ΓöéTake Command/16      Γöé   ΓöéWIN ΓöéWIN    Γöé       Γöé       Γöé       Γöé
        Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
        ΓöéTake Command/32      Γöé   Γöé    Γöé       ΓöéWIN95  ΓöéWIN98  ΓöéWIN32  Γöé
        Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ
        ΓöéTake Command for OS/2Γöé   ΓöéPM  Γöé       Γöé       Γöé       Γöé       Γöé
        ΓööΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÿ

 This variable is useful if you have batch files running in more than one
 environment, and need to take different actions depending on the underlying
 operating environment or command processor.  If you want the current command
 processor name, use _CMDPROC.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.32. _DOSVER - Operating system version (2.1, 3.0, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOSVER is the current operating system version (for example, "4.0").  The
version number is in decimal and uses the appropriate decimal separator for
your country (to allow numeric comparisons with the IF and IFF commands.)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.33. _DOW - Day of the week (Mon, Tue, Wed, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOW is the first three characters of the current day of the week ("Mon",
"Tue", "Wed", etc.).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.34. _DOWI - Day of the week as an integer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOW is the current day of the week as an integer (1=Sunday, 2=Monday, etc.).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.35. _DOY - Day of the year (1 - 366) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_DOY is the day of the year (1 to 366).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.36. _FG - Foreground color ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_FG is a string containing the first three letters of the current foreground
screen output color (for example, "Whi").


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.37. _HLOGFILE - Current history log file name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_HLOGFILE  returns the name of the current history log file (or an empty string
if LOG /H is OFF).  See LOG for details on logging.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.38. _HOUR - Hour (0 - 23) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_HOUR is the current hour (0 - 23).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.39. _KBHIT - Keystroke waiting in buffer (0 or 1) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_KBHIT returns 1 if one or more keystrokes are waiting in the keyboard buffer,
or 0 if the keyboard buffer is empty.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.40. _LASTDISK - Last possible drive (E, F, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_LASTDISK is the last valid drive letter, without a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.41. _LOGFILE - Current log file name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_LOGFILE  returns the name of the current log file (or an empty string if LOG
is OFF).  See LOG for details on logging.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.42. _MINUTE - Minute (0 - 59) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MINUTE is the current minute (0 - 59).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.43. _MONTH - Month of the year (1 - 12) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MONTH is the month of the year (1 to 12).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.44. _MOUSE - Mouse driver flag (always 1 in Take Command for OS/2) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_MOUSE always returns "1" in Take Command for OS/2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.45. _NDP - Coprocessor type (0, 387) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_NDP is the coprocessor type:

        0       no coprocessor is installed
        387     80387, 80486DX, 80487, Pentium, or Pentium Pro


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.46. _PID - Take Command for OS/2 process ID (numeric) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PID is the current process ID number.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.47. _PIPE - Whether running in a pipe (0 or 1) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PIPE returns 1 if the current process is running inside a pipe or 0 otherwise.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.48. _PPID - Parent process ID (numeric) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PPID is the process ID number of the parent process.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.49. _PTYPE - OS/2 process type (PM) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_PTYPE is the current OS/2 process type.  It is included for compatibility with
4OS2, but will always return PM in Take Command for OS/2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.50. _ROW - Current cursor row ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_ROW is the current cursor row (for example, "0" for the top of the screen).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.51. _ROWS - Screen height ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_ROWS is the current number of screen rows (for example, "25"). See Resizing
the Take Command Window for additional details on screen size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.52. _SECOND - Second (0 - 59) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SECOND is the current second (0 - 59).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.53. _SELECTED - Highlighed Text ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SELECTED returns the first line of text highlighted in the Take Command
window.  If no text has been highlighted, _SELECTED returns an empty string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.54. _SHELL - Shell level (0, 1, 2, ...) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SHELL is the current shell nesting level.  The primary shell is level "0", and
each subsequent secondary shell increments the level by 1.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.55. _SID - Current OS/2 session ID ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SID is the session ID number.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.56. _SYSERR - Last OS/2 error code ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_SYSERR is the error code of the last operating system error.  You will need a
technical or programmer's manual to understand these error values.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.57. _TIME - Current time (hh:mm:ss) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_TIME contains the current system time in the format hh:mm:ss.  The separator
character may vary depending upon your country information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.58. _TRANSIENT - Transient shell flag (0 or 1) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_TRANSIENT is "1" if the current shell is transient (started with a /C, see
Startup Options for details), or "0" otherwise.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.59. _WINTITLE - Current window title ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_WINTITLE returns the title of the current window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.60. _XPIXELS - Horizontal screen size in pixels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_XPIXELS is the physical screen horizontal size in pixels.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.61. _YEAR - Year (1980 - 2099) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_YEAR is the current year (1980 to 2099).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11.62. _YPIXELS - Vertical screen size in pixels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

_YPIXELS is the physical screen vertical size in pixels.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12. Variable Functions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Variable functions are like internal variables, but they take one or more
arguments (which can be environment variables or even other variable functions)
and they return a value.

Like all environment variables, these variable functions must be preceded by a
percent sign in normal use (%@EVAL, %@LEN, etc.).  All variable functions must
have square brackets enclosing their argument(s).  The argument(s) to a
variable function cannot exceed 255 characters in length for all arguments
taken as a group.

The variable functions are useful in aliases and batch files to check on
available system resources, manipulate strings and numbers, and work with files
and filenames.

The list below gives a one-line description of each function, and a cross-
reference which selects a separate help topic on that function.  A few of the
variables are simple enough that the one-line description is sufficient, but in
most cases you should check for any additional information in the cross-
referenced explanation if you are not already familiar with a function.  You
can also obtain help on any function with a HELP @functionname command at the
prompt.

Many functions return values based on information provided by your operating
system.  Such functions will only return correct information if the operating
system provides it.  For example, @READY will not return accurate results if
your operating system does not provide correct disk drive status information to
Take Command.

Several functions return filenames or parts of filenames.  On HPFS drives the
strings returned by these functions may contain whitespace or other special
characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these characters, quote
the returned name before you pass it to other commands, for example (either of
these methods would work):

        set fname="%@findfirst[pro*.*]"
        echo First PRO file contains:
        type %fname
        .....

        set fname=%@findfirst[pro*.*]
        echo First PRO file contains:
        type "%fname"
        .....

If you don't use the quotes in the SET or TYPE command in this example, TYPE
will not interpret any whitespace or special characters in the name properly.

See the discussion after the function list for some additional information, and
examples of how these functions can be used.  For a more comprehensive set of
examples see the EXAMPLES.BTM file which came with your copy of Take Command.

The variable functions are:

System status

        @DOSMEM[b|k|m]                      Size of largest free memory block
        @READSCR[row,col,len]               Read characters from the screen

 Drives and devices

        @CDROM[d:]                          CD-ROM drive detection (0 or 1)
        @DEVICE[name]                       Character device detection
        @DISKFREE[d:, b|k|m]                Free disk space
        @DISKTOTAL[d:,b|k|m]                To tal disk space
        @ DISKUSED[d:,b|k|m]                Used disk space
        @FSTYPE[d:]                         File system type (FAT, HPFS, CDFS,
                                            etc.)
        @LABEL[d:]                          Volume label
        @READY[d:]                          Drive ready status (0 or 1)
        @REMOTE[d:]                         Remote (network) drive detection (0
                                            or 1)
        @REMOVABLE[d:]                      Removable drive detection (0 or 1)

 Files

        @ATTRIB[filename,[nrhsda]]          File attribute test (0 or 1)
        @DESCRIPT[filename]                 File description
        @EAREAD[filename,EAname]            Reads extended attribute
        @EAWRITE[filename,EAname,[value]]   Writes extended attribute
        @EXETYPE[filename]                  Executable file type (DOS, PM, WIN,
                                            etc.)
        @FILEAGE[filename[,acw]]            File age (date and time)
        @FILECLOSE[n]                       Close a file
        @FILEDATE[filename[,acw]]           File date
        @FILEOPEN[filename,mode[,type]]     Open a file
        @FILEREAD[n [,length]]              Read next line from a file
        @FILES[filename[,-nrhsda]]          Count files matching a wildcard
        @FILESEEK[n,offset,start]           Move a file pointer
        @FILESEEKL[n,line]                  Move a file pointer to a specified
                                            line
        @FILESIZE[filename,b|k|m]           Size of files matching a wildcard
        @FILETIME[filename[,acw]]           File time
        @FILEWRITE[n,text]                  Write next line to a file
        @FILEWRITEB[n,length,text]          Write data to a file
        @FINDCLOSE[filename]                Terminate an @FINDFIRST / @FINDNEXT
                                            scan
        @FINDFIRST[filename,nrhsda]         Find first matching file
        @FINDNEXT[filename,nrhsda]          Find next matching file
        @LINE[filename,n]                   Read a random line from a file
        @LINES[filename]                    Count lines in a file
        @SEARCH[filename]                   Path search
        @UNIQUE[d:\path]                    Create file with unique name

 File names

        @EXPAND[filename,nrhsda]            Returns all names that match
                                            filename.
        @EXT[filename]                      File extension
        @FILENAME[filename]                 File name and extension
        @FULL[filename]                     Full file name with path
        @NAME[filename]                     File name without path or extension
        @PATH[filename]                     File path without name

 Strings and characters

        @ASCII[c]                           Numeric ASCII value for a character
        @CHAR[n]                            Character value for numeric ASCII
        @FORMAT[[- ][x][.y],string]         Reformat a string
        @INDEX[string1,string2]             Position of one string in another
        @INSERT[n,string1,string2]          Inserts string1 into string2
        @INSTR[start,length,string]         Extract a substring
        @LEFT[n,string]                     Leftmost n characters of string
        @LEN[string]                        Length of a string
        @LOWER[string]                      Convert string to lower case
        @REPEAT[c,n]                        Repeat a character
        @REPLACE[str1,str2,text]            Replace str1 with str2 in text.
        @RIGHT[n,string]                    Rightmost n characters of substring
        @STRIP[chars,string]                Strips all chars from string.
        @SUBSTR[string,start,length]        Extract a substring
        @TRIM[string]                       Remove blanks from a string
        @UPPER[string]                      Convert string to upper case
        @WILD[str1,str2]                    Compares strings using wildcards.
        @WORD[["sep",]n,string]             Extract a word from a string
        @WORDS[["sep",]string]              Counts words in a string

 Numbers and arithmetic

        @COMMA[n]                           Inserts commas in a number
        @CONVERT[input,output,value]        Convert from input base to output
                                            base.
        @DEC[%var]                          Decremented value of a variable
        @EVAL[expression]                   Arithmetic calculations
        @INC[%var]                          Incremented value of a variable
        @INT[n]                             Integer part of a number
        @NUMERIC[string]                    Test if a string is numeric
        @RANDOM[min,max]                    Generate a random integer

 Dates and times

        @DAY[mm-dd-yy]                      Returns day of the month for date.
        @DATE[mm-dd-yy]                     Convert date to number of days
        @DOW[mm-dd-yy]                      Returns day of the week for date
        @DOWI[mm-dd-yy]                     Returns day of the week as integer
        @DOY[mm-dd-yy]                      Returns day of the year for date
        @MAKEAGE[n]                         Convert date to file timestamp
                                            format
        @MAKEDATE[n]                        Convert number of days to date
        @MAKETIME[n]                        Convert number of seconds to time
        @MONTH[mm-dd-yy]                    Returns month for date
        @TIME[hh:mm:ss]                     Convert time to number of seconds
        @YEAR[mm-dd-yy]                     Returns year for date

 Utility

        @ALIAS[name]                        Value of an alias
        @CLIP[n]                            Returns line n from clipboard
        @EXEC[command]                      Execute a command
        @EXECSTR[command]                   Execute, return string
        @IF[condition,true,false]           Evaluates an expression
        @REXX[expr]                         Execute a REXX expression
        @SELECT[file,t,l,b,r,title]         Menu selection
        @TIMER[n]                           Elapsed time of specified timer

 Examples

 You can use variable functions in a wide variety of ways depending on your
 needs.  We've included a few examples below to give you an idea of what's
 possible.  For a more comprehensive set of examples see the EXAMPLES.BTM file
 which came with your copy of Take Command.

 To set the prompt to show the amount of free memory (see PROMPT for details on
 including variable functions in your prompt):

          [c:\] prompt (%%@dosmem[K]K) $p$g

 Set up a simple command-line calculator.  The calculator is used with a
 command like CALC 3 * (4 + 5):

          [c:\] alias calc `echo The answer is:  %@eval[%&]`

 The following batch file uses variable functions to implement a "once a day"
 execution of a group of commands.    It works by constructing a 6-digit number
 "yymmdd" from today's date, and comparing that to a number of the same type
 stored in the file C:\ONCEADAY.DAT.  If today's date is numerically larger
 than the saved date, and the time is after 6:00 AM, then the "once a day"
 commands are run, and today's date is saved in the file as the new date for
 comparison.  Otherwise, no action is taken.  You can make this file simpler
 using the %@DATE and %@TIME functions instead of using %@INSTR to extract
 substrings of the %_DATE and %_TIME variables; we used the approach shown to
 demonstrate the use of %@INSTR.

          rem  Temporary variables used to shorten example lines:
          rem    DD is _date, DY is yymmdd date, TM is _time
          set dd=%_date
          set dy=%@instr[6,2,%dd]%@instr[0,2,%dd]%@instr[3,2,%dd]
          set lastdate=0
          iff exist c:\onceaday.dat then
            set lastdate=%@line[onceaday.dat,0]
          endiff
          iff %dy gt %lastdate then
            set tm=%_time
            iff "%@instr[0,2,%tm]%@instr[3,2,%tm]" gt "0600" then
              rem Commands to be executed once a day go here
              echo %dy > c:\onceaday.dat
            endiff
          endiff


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.1. @ALIAS - Value of an alias ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@ALIAS[name]  Returns the contents of the specified alias as a string, or a
null string if the alias doesn't exist.  When manipulating strings returned by
@ALIAS you may need to disable certain special characters with the SETDOS /X
command. Otherwise, command separators, redirection characters, and other
similar "punctuation" in the alias may be interpreted as part of the current
command, rather than part of a simple text string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.2. @ASCII - Numeric ASCII value for a character ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@ASCII[c]:  Returns the numeric value of the specified ASCII character as a
string.  For example %@ASCII[A] returns 65.  You can put an escape character
[^] before the actual character to process. This allows quotes and other
special characters as the argument (e.g., %@ASCII[^`]).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.3. @ATTRIB - File attribute test (0 or 1) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@ATTRIB[filename[,-nrhsda[,p]]]:  Returns a "1" if the specified file has the
matching attribute(s); otherwise returns a "0".  The attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined (for example
 %@ATTRIB[MYFILE,HS]).  Normally ATTRIB will only return a "1" if all of the
 attributes match.  However, if a final ,p is included (for partial match),
 then @ATTRIB will return a "1" if any of the attributes match.  For example,
 %@ATTRIB[MYFILE,HS,p] will return a "1" if MYFILE has the hidden, system, or
 both attributes.  Without ,p the function will return a "1" only if MYFILE has
 both attributes.

 You can prefix an attribute with "-" to mean "this attribute must be off". For
 example, %@ATTRIB[MYFILE,H-R] will return a "1" if MYFILE has the hidden
 attribute but not the read-only attribute.

 If you do not specify any attributes, @ATTRIB will return the attributes of
 the specified file in the format RHSAD, rather than a "0" or "1". Attributes
 which are not set will be replaced with an underscore.  For example. if
 SECURE.DAT has the read-only, hidden, and archive attributes set,
 %@ATTRIB[SECURE.DAT] would return "RH_A_" (without the quotes).  If the file
 does not exist, @ATTRIB will return an empty string.

 The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special
 characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.4. @CDROM - CD-ROM drive detection (0 or 1) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@CDROM[d:]:  Returns "1" if the drive is a CD-ROM or "0" otherwise.  The drive
letter must be followed by a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.5. @CHAR - Character value for numeric ASCII ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@CHAR[n]:  Returns the character corresponding to an ASCII numeric value.  For
example %@CHAR[65] returns A.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.6. @CLIP - Returns line from the clipboard ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@CLIP[n]:  Returns line n from the clipboard.  The first line is numbered 0.
"**EOC**" is returned for all line numbers beyond the end of the clipboard.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.7. @COMMA - Inserts commas in a number ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@COMMA[n]:  Returns the number n with commas (or the appropriate thousands
separator for your current country setting) inserted where appropriate.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.8. @CONVERT - Converts between number bases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@CONVERT[input,output,value]:  Converts a numeric string (value) from one
number base (input) to another (output).  Valid bases range from 2 to 36.  The
value must be between 0 and 2**32-1 (2,147,483,647).  No error is returned if
value is outside that range.  For example, to convert "1010101" from binary to
decimal, use this command:

        %@convert[2,10,1010101]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.9. @DATE - Convert date to number of days ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DATE[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the number of days since January 1, 1980 for the
specified date.  DATE uses the date format and separators mandated by your
country code (for example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or yy-mm-dd in Japan).  The year
can be entered as a 4-digit or 2-digit value.  Two-digit years between 80 and
99 are interpreted as 1980-1999; values between 00 and 79 are interpreted as
2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.10. @DAY - Convert date to number of days ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DATE[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the numeric day of the month for the specified date.
DAY uses the date format and separators mandated by your country code (for
example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or yy-mm-dd in Japan).  The year can be entered as
a 4-digit or 2-digit value.  Two-digit years between 80 and 99 are interpreted
as 1980-1999; values between 00 and 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.11. @DEC - Decremented value of a variable ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DEC[%var]:  Returns the same value as @EVAL[%var-1].  That is, it retrieves
and decrements the value of a variable.  The variable itself is not changed; to
do so, use a command like this:

        set var=%@dec[%var]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.12. @DESCRIPT - File description ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DESCRIPT[filename]  Returns the file description for the specified filename
(see DESCRIBE). The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or
special characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.13. @DEVICE - Character device detection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DEVICE[name]:  Returns "1" if the specified name is a character device (such
as a printer or serial port), or "0" if not.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.14. @DISKFREE - Free disk space ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DISKFREE[d:,b|k|m]: Returns the amount of free disk space on the specified
drive.  The drive letter must be followed by a colon.  DOS networks with large
server disk drives (over 2 GB) may report disk space values that are too small
when @DISKFREE is used.  If this occurs, it is because the network software
does not report the propoer value to Take Command.

The "b|k|m" argument specified the format of the returned value:

        b   return the number of bytes
        K   return the number of kilobytes (bytes / 1,024)
        k   return the number of thousands of bytes (bytes / 1,000)
        M   return the number of megabytes (bytes / 1,048,576)
        m   return the number of millions of bytes (bytes / 1,000,000)

 You can include commas in the results from a "b|k|m" function by appending a
 "c" to the argument.  For example, to add commas to a "b" or number of bytes
 result, enter "bc" as the argument.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.15. @DISKTOTAL - Total disk space ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DISKTOTAL[d:,b|k|m]:  Returns the total disk space on the specified drive.
The drive letter must be followed by a colon.

The "b|k|m" argument specified the format of the returned value:

        b   return the number of bytes
        K   return the number of kilobytes (bytes / 1,024)
        k   return the number of thousands of bytes (bytes / 1,000)
        M   return the number of megabytes (bytes / 1,048,576)
        m   return the number of millions of bytes (bytes / 1,000,000)

 You can include commas in the results from a "b|k|m" function by appending a
 "c" to the argument.  For example, to add commas to a "b" or number of bytes
 result, enter "bc" as the argument.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.16. @DISKUSED - Used disk space ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DISKUSED[d:,b|k|m]:  Returns the amount of disk space in use by files and
directories on the specified drive. The drive letter must be followed by a
colon.

The "b|k|m" argument specified the format of the returned value:

        b   return the number of bytes
        K   return the number of kilobytes (bytes / 1,024)
        k   return the number of thousands of bytes (bytes / 1,000)
        M   return the number of megabytes (bytes / 1,048,576)
        m   return the number of millions of bytes (bytes / 1,000,000)

 You can include commas in the results from a "b|k|m" function by appending a
 "c" to the argument.  For example, to add commas to a "b" or number of bytes
 result, enter "bc" as the argument.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.17. @DOSMEM - Size of largest free memory block ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DOSMEM[b|k|m]:  Returns the size of the largest free memory block (either in
physical or virtual memory).

The "b|k|m" argument specified the format of the returned value:

        b   return the number of bytes
        K   return the number of kilobytes (bytes / 1,024)
        k   return the number of thousands of bytes (bytes / 1,000)
        M   return the number of megabytes (bytes / 1,048,576)
        m   return the number of millions of bytes (bytes / 1,000,000)

 You can include commas in the results from a "b|k|m" function by appending a
 "c" to the argument.  For example, to add commas to a "b" or number of bytes
 result, enter "bc" as the argument.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.18. @DOW - Day of the week ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DOW[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the first three characters of the day of the week for
the specified date ("Mon", "Tue", "Wed", etc.).  DOW uses the date format and
separators mandated by your country code (for example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or
yy-mm-dd in Japan).  The year can be entered as a 4- digit or 2-digit value.
Two-digit years between 80 and 99 are interpreted as 1980-1999; values between
00 and 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.19. @DOWI - Day of the week as an integer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DOWI[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the day of the week for the specified date as an
integer (1 = Sunday, 2 = Monday, etc.).  DOWI uses the date format and
separators mandated by your country code (for example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or
yy-mm-dd in Japan).  The year can be entered as a 4-digit or 2- digit value.
Two-digit years between 80 and 99 are interpreted as 1980-1999; values between
00 and 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.20. @DOY - Day of the year ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@DOY[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the day of the year for the specified date (1 - 366).
DOY uses the date format and separators mandated by your country code (for
example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or yy-mm-dd in Japan). The year can be entered as
a 4-digit or 2-digit value.  Two-digit years between 80 and 99 are interpreted
as 1980-1999; values between 00 and 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.21. @EAREAD - Reads Extended Attribute ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EAREAD[filename,EAname]:  Returns the specified extended attribute (EAname)
for a file, or an empty string if the extended attribute does not exist.  This
function can only read EAs stored as text; it cannot read binary EAs.
Wildcards cannot be used in the filename. The filename must be in quotes if it
contains whitespace or special characters.  For example, to read the .SUBJECT
extended attribute for README.TXT:

        set subject=%@earead[readme.txt,.subject]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.22. @EAWRITE - Writes Extended Attribute ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EAWRITE[filename, EAname, [value]]:  Creates or updates the extended attribute
named EAname for the specified file.  If the value is not included, the
extended attribute is deleted.  Returns "0" for success or "-1" for failure.
This function can only write EAs stored as text; it cannot write binary EAs.

Wildcards cannot be used in the file name and the filename must be in quotes if
it contains whitespace or special characters.

For example, to set the .SUBJECT extended attribute for README.TXT (enter this
on one line):

        if %@eawrite[readme.txt,.subject,Installation notes for
        latest version] != 0 echo EAWRITE failed!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.23. @EVAL - Arithmetic calculations ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EVAL[expression]:  Evaluates an arithmetic expression. @EVAL supports addition
(+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), integer division (\,
returns the integer part of the quotient), modulo (%%), and integer
exponentiation (**).  The expression can contain environment variables and
other variable functions.  @EVAL also supports parentheses, commas, and
decimals. Parentheses can be nested. @EVAL will strip leading and trailing
zeros from the result.  When evaluating expressions, **, *, /, and %% take
precedence over + and -.  For example, 3 + 4 * 2 will be interpreted as 3 + 8,
not as 7 * 2.  To change this order of evaluation, use parentheses to specify
the order you want.

To insure that your @EVAL expressions are interpreted correctly, spaces should
be placed on both sides of an operator, for example:

        %@eval[(20 %% 3) + 4]

The maximum precision is 16 digits to the left of the decimal point and 0 to 8
digits to the right of the decimal point.  You can alter the default precision
to the right of the decimal point from the Options 2 page of the configuration
notebook, with the EvalMax and EvalMin directives in TCMDOS2.INI, and with the
SETDOS /F command.  You can alter the decimal character with the configuration
notebook, the DecimalChar directive, or the SETDOS /G command.

You can alter the precision for a single evaluation with the construct
@EVAL[expression=x.y].  The x value specifies the the minimum decimal precision
(the minimum number of decimal places displayed); the y value sets the maximum
decimal (rounding) precision.  If x is greater than y, it is ignored.  You can
specify either or both arguments.  For example:

        @EVAL[3 / 7=.4]   returns 0.4286
        @EVAL[3 / 7=2]    returns 0.42857143
        @EVAL[3 / 7=2.4]  returns 0.50

Also see @DEC and @INC.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.24. @EXEC - Execute a command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXEC[command]:  Execute the command and return the numeric exit code.  The
command can be an alias, internal command, external command, .BTM file, .CMD
file, or .BAT file.  If you preface the command name with an '@' then @EXEC
will return an empty string.

@EXEC is primarily intended for running a program from within the PROMPT.  It
is a "back door" entry into command processing and should be used with extreme
caution.  Incorrect or recursive use of @EXEC may hang your system.

By default, @EXEC returns the result code from the command; if you preface the
command name with an '@' then @EXEC will return an empty string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.25. @EXECSTR - Execute a command and return output ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXECSTR[command]:  Runs the specified command and returns the first line
written to STDOUT by that command.  @EXECSTR is a "back door" entry into
command processing and should be used with extreme caution.  Incorrect or
recursive use of @EXECSTR may hang your system.

@EXECSTR is useful for retrieving a result from an external utility -- for
example, if you have an external utility called NETTIME.EXE which retireves the
time of day from your network server and writes it to standard output, you
could save it in an environment variable using a command like this:

        set server_time=%@execstr[d:\path\nettime.exe]

If the same utility reurned a result properly formatted for the TIME command
you could also use it to set the time on your system:

        [c:\] time %@execstr[d:\path\nettime.exe]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.26. @EXETYPE - Executable file type (DOS, PM, WIN, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXETYPE[filename]:  Returns the application type as a string:

        DOS         DOS .COM, .EXE, or .BAT file
        AVIO        OS/2 Character mode, windowed
        FS          OS/2 Character mode, full-screen
        PM          OS/2 Presentation Manager
        WIN         Windows 3
        UNKNOWN     Any other file


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.27. @EXPAND - All files that match wildcard ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXPAND[filename[-nrhsda]]:  Returns, on a single line, the names of all files
and directories that match the filename, which may contain wildcards and
include lists.  Returns an empty string if no files match.  If the file list is
longer than the allowed command line length, it will be truncated without an
error message.

The second argument, if included, defines the attributes of the files that will
be included in the search.  The attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined.  You can prefix an attribute
 with "-" to mean "this attribute must be off".

 If the attribute argument is not used, hidden files, system files, and
 directories will be excluded from the returned list; all other files which
 match the filename will be included.

 The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special
 characters.  On an HPFS drive, the returned filenames may contain whitespace
 or special characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these
 characters, quote the returned names before you pass them to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.28. @EXT - File extension ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@EXT[filename]:  Returns the extension from a file name, without a leading
period.  On volumes which support long file names, the extension can be up to
64 characters long.  On traditional FAT drives it can be up to 3 characters
long.  The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special
characters.

On an HPFS drive, the returned extension may contain whitespace or special
characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these characters, quote
the returned extension before you pass it to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.29. @FILEAGE - File age (date and time) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEAGE[filename[,acw]]:  Returns the date and time of the file as a single
numeric value.  The number can be used to compare the relative ages of two or
more files, but can not be used for date and time calculations as it is not
returned in identifiable units.  The optional second argument selects which
date field is returned for files on an HPFS drive: a means the last access
date, c means the creation date, and w means the last modification (write)
date, which is the default.  Also see @MAKEAGE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.30. @FILECLOSE - Close a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILECLOSE[n]:  Closes the file whose handle is n. You cannot close handles 0,
1 or 2.  Returns "0" if the file closed OK or "-1" if an error occurred.

This function should only be used with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If
you use it with any other number you may damage other files opened by Take
Command (or by the program which started Take Command), or hang your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.31. @FILEDATE - File date ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEDATE[filename[,acw]]:  Returns the date a file was last modified, in the
default country format (mm-dd-yy for the US).  The filename must be in quotes
if it contains whitespace or special characters.  The optional second argument
selects which date field is returned for files on an HPFS drive:  a means the
last access date, c means the creation date, and w means the last modification
(write) date, which is the default.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.32. @FILENAME - File name and extension ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILENAME[filename]:  Returns the name and extension of a file, without a path.

The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.
On HPFS drives, the returned filename may contain whitespace or other special
characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these characters, quote
the returned name before you pass it to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.33. @FILEOPEN - Open a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEOPEN[filename, read | write | append[,b|t]]:  Opens the file in the
specified mode and returns the file handle as an integer.  The optional third
parameter controls whether the file is opened in binary or text mode.  Text
mode (the default) should be used to read text using @FILEREAD without a
"length", and to write text using @FILEWRITE.  Binary mode should be used to
read binary data with @FILEREAD with a "length", and to write binary data with
@FILEWRITEB.  Returns "-1" if the file cannot be opened.

The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.

@FILEOPEN can also open named pipes.  The pipe name must begin with \\.\pipe\.
@FILEOPEN first tries to open an existing pipe; if that fails it tries to
create a new pipe.  Pipes are opened in blocking mode, duplex access, byte-
read mode, and inheritable.  For more information on named pipes see your OS/2
documentation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.34. @FILEREAD - Read data from a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEREAD[n[,length]]:  Reads data from the file whose handle is n.  Returns
"**EOF**" if you attempt to read past the end of the file.  If length is not
specified, @FILEREAD reads up to the next CR or LF character.  If length is
specified, @FILEREAD reads the specified number of bytes regardless of any end
of line characters.

This function should only be used with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If
you use it with any other number you may damage other files opened by Take
Command (or by the program which started Take Command), or hang your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.35. @FILES - Count files matching a wildcard ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILES[filename[,-nrhsda]]:  Returns the number of files that match the
filename, which may contain wildcards and include lists.  The filename must
refer to a single directory; to check several directories, use @FILES once for
each directory, and add the results together with @EVAL.

The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.

The second argument, if included, defines the attributes of the files that will
be included in the search.  The attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined.  You can prefix an attribute
 with "-" to mean "everything except files with this attribute."


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.36. @FILESEEK - Move a file pointer to an offset ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILESEEK[n,offset,start]:  Moves the file pointer offset bytes in the file
whose handle is n.  Returns the new position of the pointer, in bytes from the
start of the file.  Set start to 0 to seek relative to the beginning of the
file, 1 to seek relative to the current file pointer, or 2 to seek relative to
the end of the file.  The offset value may be negative (seek backward),
positive (seek forward), or zero (return current position, but do not change
it).

This function should only be used with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If
you use it with any other number you may damage other files opened by Take
Command (or by the program which started Take Command), or hang your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.37. @FILESEEKL - Move a file pointer to a line number ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILESEEKL[n,line]:  Moves the file pointer to the specified line in the file
whose handle is n. The first line in the file is numbered 0.  Returns the new
position of the pointer, in bytes from the start of the file.  @FILESEEKL must
read each line of the file up to the target line in order to position the
pointer, and will therefore cause significant delays if used in a long loop or
on a large file.

This function should only be used with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If
you use it with any other number you may damage other files opened by Take
Command (or by the program which started Take Command), or hang your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.38. @FILESIZE - Size of files matching a wildcard ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILESIZE[filename,b|k|m[,a]]:  Returns the size of a file, or "-1" if the file
does not exist.  If the filename includes wildcards or an include list, returns
the combined size of all matching files.  The filename must be in quotes if it
contains whitespace or special characters.

The optional third argument a (allocated), if used, instructs @FILESIZE to
return the amount of space allocated for the file(s) on the disk, rather than
the amount of data in the file.  Network drives and compressed drives may not
always report allocated sizes accurately, depending on the way the network or
disk compression software is implemented.

The "b|k|m" argument specified the format of the returned value:

        b   return the number of bytes
        K   return the number of kilobytes (bytes / 1,024)
        k   return the number of thousands of bytes (bytes / 1,000)
        M   return the number of megabytes (bytes / 1,048,576)
        m   return the number of millions of bytes (bytes / 1,000,000)

 You can include commas in the results from a "b|k|m" function by appending a
 "c" to the argument.  For example, to add commas to a "b" or number of bytes
 result, enter "bc" as the argument.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.39. @FILETIME - File time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILETIME[filename[,acw]]:  Returns the time a file was last modified, in hh:mm
format.  The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special
characters.  The optional second argument selects which time field is returned
for files on HPFS drive: a means the last access time, c means the creation
time, and w means the last modification (write) time, which is the default.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.40. @FILEWRITE - Write next line to a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEWRITE[n,text]:  Writes a line to the file whose handle is n.  Returns the
number of bytes written, or "-1" if an error occurred.  n must be a handle
returned by @FILEOPEN; or 1 (for standard output) or 2 (for standard error).

This function should only be used with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If
you use it with any other number you may damage other files opened by Take
Command (or by the program which started Take Command), or hang your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.41. @FILEWRITEB - Write bytes from a string to a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FILEWRITEB[n,length,string]:  Writes the specified number of bytes from the
string to the file whose handle is n. Returns the number of bytes written, or
"-1" if an error occurred.

This function should only be used with file handles returned by @FILEOPEN!  If
you use it with any other number you may damage other files opened by Take
Command (or by the program which started Take Command), or hang your system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.42. @FINDCLOSE - Terminate a find first / find next scan ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FINDCLOSE[filename]:  Signals the end of a @FINDFIRST / @FINDNEXT sequence.
You must use this function to release the directory search handle.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.43. @FINDFIRST - Find first matching file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FINDFIRST[filename [,[-]nrhsda]]:  Returns the name of the first file that
matches the filename, which may include wildcards and/or an include list.
Returns an empty string if no files match. The second argument, if included,
defines the attributes of the files that will be included in the search.  The
attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined.  @FINDFIRST will only find a
 file if all of the attributes match.  You can prefix an attribute with "-" to
 mean "everything except files with this attribute."

 After @FINDFIRST or the last @FINDNEXT, you must use @FINDCLOSE to avoid
 running out of directory search handles.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.44. @FINDNEXT - Find next matching file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FINDNEXT[[filename [,[-]nrhsda]]]:  Returns the name of the next file that
matches the filename(s) in the previous @FINDFIRST call. Returns an empty
string when no more files match.  @FINDNEXT should only be used after a
successful call to @FINDFIRST.  You do not need to include the filename
parameter, because it must be the same as the previous @FINDFIRST call, unless
you also want to specify file attributes for @FINDNEXT.

The second argument, if included, defines the attributes of the files that will
be included in the search.  The attributes are:

        N   Normal (no attributes set)
        R   Read-only
        H   Hidden
        S   System
        D   Directory
        A   Archive

 The attributes (other than N) can be combined.  @FINDFIRST will only find a
 file if all of the attributes match.  You can prefix an attribute with "-" to
 mean "everything except files with this attribute."

 After the last @FINDNEXT, you must use @FINDCLOSE to avoid running out of
 directory search handles.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.45. @FORMAT - Formats (justifies) a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FORMAT[[-][x][.y],string]:  Reformats a string, truncating it or padding it
with spaces as necessary.  If you use the minus [- ], the string is
left-justified; otherwise, it is right-justified.  The x value is the minimum
number of characters in the result.  The y value is the maximum number of
characters in the result.  You can combine the options as necessary.  For
example, Echo %@format[7,Hello] displays "  Hello" while Echo
%@format[.3,Hello] displays "Hel".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.46. @FSTYPE - File system type (FAT, HPFS, CDFS, etc.) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FSTYPE[d:]:  Returns the file system type for the specified drive.  @FSTYPE
will return "FAT" for a DOS-compatible drive with a file allocation table,
"HPFS" for a drive that uses the OS/2 high performance file system, or "CDFS"
for a CD-ROM drive.  It may return other values if additional file systems have
been installed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.47. @FULL - Full file name with path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@FULL[filename]:  Returns the fully qualified path name of a file.  The
filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.  On
an HPFS drive, the returned filename may contain whitespace or other special
characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these characters, quote
the returned name before you pass it to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.48. @IF - Evaluates a test condition ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@IF[condition,true,false]:  Evaluates the condition and returns a string based
on the result.  The condition can include any of the tests allowed in the IF
command.  If the condition is true, @IF returns the first result string; if it
is false, @IF returns the second string.  For example, %IF[2==2,Correct!,Oops!]
returns "Correct!"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.49. @INC - Incremented value of a variable ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INC[%var]:  Returns the same value as %@EVAL[%var + 1]. That is, it retrieves
and increments the value of a variable.  The variable itself is not changed; to
do so, use a command like this:

        set var=%@inc[%var]


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.50. @INDEX - Position of one string in another ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INDEX[string1,string2]  Returns the position of string2 within string1, or
"-1" if string2 is not found.  The first position in string1 is numbered 0.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.51. @INSERT - Insert one string into another ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INSERT[n, string1, string2]:  Inserts string1 into string2 starting at
position n.  The first position in the string is postion 0.  For example,
%@insert[1,arm,wing] returns the string "warming."


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.52. @INSTR - Extract a substring ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INSTR[start, length, string]:  Returns a substring, starting at the position
start and continuing for length characters.  If the length is omitted, it will
default to the remainder of the string.  If the length is negative, the start
is relative to the right side of the string.  The first character in the string
is numbered 0; if the length is negative, the last character is numbered 0.

For example, %@INSTR[0,2,%_TIME] gets the current time and extracts the hour;
%@INSTR[1,-2,%_TIME] extracts the seconds.  If the string includes commas, it
must be quoted with double quotes ["] or back-quotes [`].  The quotes do count
in calculating the position of the substring.  @SUBSTR is an older version of
the same function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.53. @INT - Integer part of a number ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@INT[n]:  Returns the integer part of the number n.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.54. @LABEL - Volume label ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LABEL[d:]:  Returns the volume label of the specified disk drive.  The drive
letter must be followed by a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.55. @LEFT - Returns leftmost characters of a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LEFT[n,string]:  Returns the leftmost n characters from the string.  If n is
greater than the length of the string, returns the entire string.  For example,
%@LEFT[2,jpsoft] returns the string "jp."


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.56. @LEN - Length of a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LEN[string]:  Returns the length of a string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.57. @LINE - Read a line from a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LINE[filename,n]:  Returns line n from the specified file. The filename must
be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.  The first line
in the file is numbered 0. "**EOF**" is returned for all line numbers beyond
the end of the file.

@LINE works with files having lines of no more than 1023 characters; longer
lines will not be counted accurately.

The @LINE function must read each line of the file to find the line you
request, and will therefore cause significant delays if used in a long loop or
on a large file.  For a more efficient method of processing each line of a file
in sequence use the FOR command, or @FILEOPEN and a sequence of @FILEREADs.

You can retrieve input from standard input if you specify CON as the filename.
If you are redirecting input to @LINE using this feature, you must use command
grouping or the redirection will not work properly (you can pipe to @LINE
without a command group; this restriction applies only to input redirection).
For example:

        (echo %@line[con,0]) < myfile.dat


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.58. @LINES - Count lines in a file ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LINES[filename]  Returns the line number of the last line in the file, or "-1"
if the file is empty.  The first line in the file is numbered 0, so (for
example) @LINES will return 0 for a file containing one line.  To get the
actual number of lines, use %@INC[%@LINES[filename]].  @LINES must read each
line of the file in order to count it, and will therefore cause significant
delays if used in a long loop or on a large file.

@LINES works with files having lines of no more than 1023 characters; longer
lines will not be counted accurately.

The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.59. @LOWER - Convert string to lower case ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@LOWER[string]:  Returns the string converted to lower case.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.60. @MAKEAGE - Convert date/time to file date/time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MAKEAGE[date[,time]]:  Returns the date and time (if included) as a single
value in the same format as @FILEAGE.  @MAKEAGE can be used to compare the time
stamp of a file with a specific date and time, for example:

        if %@fileage[myfile] lt %@makeage[1/1/85] echo OLD!

The value returned by @MAKEAGE can be used for comparisons, but can not be used
for date and time calculations because it is not in identifiable units.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.61. @MAKEDATE - Convert number of days to date ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MAKEDATE[n]:  Returns a date (formatted according to the current country
settings).  n is the number of days since 1/1/80. This is the inverse of @DATE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.62. @MAKETIME - Convert number of seconds to time ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MAKETIME[n]:  Returns a time (formatted according to the current country
settings).  n is the number of seconds since midnight.  This is the inverse of
@TIME.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.63. @MONTH - Month for specified date ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@MONTH[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the month number for the specified date (1-12).
@MONTH uses the date format and separators mandated by your country code (for
example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or yy-mm-dd in Japan).  The year can be entered as
a 4-digit or 2-digit value.  Two-digit years between 80 and 99 are interpeted
as 1980-1999; values between 00 and 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.64. @NAME - File name without path or extension ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@NAME[filename]:  Returns the base name of a file, without the path or
extension.  The filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special
characters.  On HPFS drives, the returned name may contain whitespace or other
special characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these
characters, quote the returned name before you pass it to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.65. @NUMERIC - Test if a string is numeric ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@NUMERIC[string]:  Returns "1" if the string is composed entirely of digits (0
to 9), signs (+ or -), and the thousands and decimal separators.  Otherwise,
returns "0".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.66. @PATH - File path without name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@PATH[filename]:  Returns the path from a filename, including the drive letter
and a trailing backslash but not including the base name or extension.  The
filename must be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.  On
HPFS drives, the returned path may contain whitespace or other special
characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these characters, quote
the returned path before you pass it to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.67. @RANDOM - Generate a random integer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@RANDOM[min, max]:  Returns a random value between min and max, inclusive.
Min, max, and the returned value are all integers.  The random number generator
is initialized from the system clock the first time it is used after the
command processor starts, so it will produce a different sequence of random
numbers each time you use it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.68. @READSCR - Read characters from the screen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@READSCR[row,col,length]:  Returns the text displayed in the Take Command
window at the specified location.  The upper left corner of the screen is
location 0,0.  The row and column can be specified as an offset from the
current cursor location by preceding either value with a [+] or [-].  For
example:

        %@readscr[-2,+2,10]

returns 10 characters from the screen, starting 2 rows above and 2 columns to
the right of the current cursor position.

You can also specify the row and column as offsets from the current cursor
position.  Begin the value with a plus sign [+] to read the screen the
specified number of rows below (or columns to the right of) the current
position, or with a minus sign [-] to read the screen above (or to the left of)
the current position.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.69. @READY - Drive ready status ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@READY[d:]:  Returns "1" if the specified drive is ready; otherwise returns
"0".  The drive letter must be followed by a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.70. @REMOTE - Remote (network) drive detection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REMOTE[d:]:  Returns "1" if the specified drive is a remote (network) drive;
otherwise returns "0".  The drive letter must be followed by a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.71. @REMOVABLE - Removable drive detection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REMOVABLE[d:]:  Returns "1" if the specified drive is removable (i.e., a
floppy disk or removable hard disk); otherwise returns "0".  The drive letter
must be followed by a colon.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.72. @REPEAT - Repeat a character ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REPEAT[c,n]:  Returns the character c repeated n times.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.73. @REPLACE - Replaces parts of a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REPLACE[str1, str2, text]:  Replaces all occurrences of str1 in the text
string with str2.  For example, %@replace[w,ch,warming] returns the string
"charming."  The search is case-sensitive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.74. @REXX - Execute a REXX expression ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@REXX[expr]:  Calls the REXX interpreter to execute the expression.  Returns
the result string from REXX; if the REXX expression does not return a string,
@REXX returns the REXX numeric result code.

See REXX for more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.75. @RIGHT - Returns rightmost characters of a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@RIGHT[n,string]:  Returns the rightmost n characters from the string.  If n is
greater than the length of the string, returns the entire string.  For example,
%@right[4,jpsoft] returns the string "soft."


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.76. @SEARCH - Path search ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@SEARCH[filename[,path]]:  Searches for the filename using the PATH environment
variable or the specified path, appending an extension if one isn't specified.
(See Executable Files and File Searches for details on the default extensions
used when searching the PATH and the order in which the search proceeds.)
Returns the fully-expanded name of the file including drive, path, base name,
and extension, or an empty string if a matching file is not found.  If
wildcards are used in the filename, @SEARCH will search for the first file that
matches the wildcard specification, and return the drive and path for that file
plus the wildcard filename (e.g., E:\UTIL\*.COM).

The filename and path must be in quotes if they contain whitespace or special
characters.  On HPFS drives, the returned path may contain whitespace or other
special characters.  To avoid problems which could be caused by these
characters, quote the returned path before you pass it to other commands.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.77. @SELECT - Menu selection ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@SELECT[filename,top,left,bottom,right,title[,1]]:  Pops up a selection window
with the lines from the specified file, allowing you to display menus or other
selection lists from within a batch file.  You can move through the selection
window with standard popup window navigation keystrokes, including character
matching.

@SELECT returns the text of the line the scrollbar is on if you press Enter, or
an empty string if you press Esc.  The filename must be in quotes if it
contains whitespace or special characters.  The file size is limited only by
available memory.  To select from lines passed through input redirection or a
pipe, use CON as the filename.  If you use the optional 1 argument after the
window title, the list will be sorted alphabetically.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.78. @STRIP - Remove characters from a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@STRIP[chars,string]:  Removes the characters in chars from the string and
returns the result.  For example, %@STRIP[AaEe,All Good Men] returns "ll Good
Mn".  The test is case sensitive.  To include a comma in the chars string,
enclose the entire first argument in quotes.  @STRIP will remove the quotes
before processing the string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.79. @SUBSTR - Extract a substring ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@SUBSTR[string,start,length]:  An older version of @INSTR.  The string
parameter is at the start of the @SUBSTR argument list, and therefore cannot
contain commas (because any commas in the string would be taken as argument
separators). @INSTR, which has the string argument last, does not have this
restriction.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.80. @TIME - Convert time to number of seconds ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@TIME[hh:mm:ss]:  Returns the number of seconds since midnight for the
specified time.  The time must be in 24-hour format; "am" and "pm" cannot be
used.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.81. @TIMER - Elapsed time of specified timer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@TIMER[n]:  Returns the current split time for a stopwatch started with the
TIMER command.  The value of n specifies the timer to read and can be 1, 2, or
3.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.82. @TRIM - Remove blanks from a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@TRIM[string]:  Returns the string with the leading and trailing white space
(space and tab characters) removed.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.83. @UNIQUE - Create file with unique name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@UNIQUE[d:\path]:  Creates a zero-length file with a unique name in the
specified directory, and returns the full name and path. If no path is
specified, the file will be created in the current directory.  The file name
will be FAT-compatible (8 character name and 3- character extension) regardless
of the type of drive on which the file is created.  This function allows you to
create a  temporary file without overwriting an existing file.  The path must
be in quotes if it contains whitespace or special characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.84. @UPPER - Convert string to upper case ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@UPPER[string]:  Returns the string converted to upper case.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.85. @WILD - Compare strings using wildcards ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@WILD[str1,str2]:  Performs a comparison of the two strings, and returns "1" if
they match or "0" if they don't match.  The second argument, str2, may contain
wildcards or extended wildcards; the first argument, str1, may not.  The test
is not case sensitive.  The following example tests whether the \UTIL directory
(or any directory that begins with the characters UTIL) is included in the
PATH:

        if %@wild[%path,*\UTIL*] == 1 command


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.86. @WORD - Extract a word from a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@WORD[["xxx",]n,string]:  Returns the nth word in a string.  The first word is
numbered 0.  If n is negative, words are returned from the end of the string.
You can use the first argument, "xxx" to specify the separators that you wish
to use.  If you want to use a double quote as a separator, prefix it with an
escape character.  If you don't specify a list of separators, @WORD will
consider only spaces, tabs, and commas as word separators.  For example:

        %@WORD[2,NOW IS THE TIME]    returns "THE"
        %@WORD[-0,NOW IS THE TIME]   returns "TIME"
        %@WORD[-2,NOW IS THE TIME]   returns "IS"
        %@WORD["=",1,2 + 2=4]        returns "4"


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.87. @WORDS - Count words in a string ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@WORDS[["xxx"],string]  Returns the number of words in the string. You can use
the first argument, "xxx" to specify the separators that you wish to use.  If
you want to use a double quote as a separator, prefix it with an escape
character.  If you don't specify a list of separators, @WORD will consider only
spaces, tabs, and commas as word separators.  If the string argument is
enclosed in quotation marks, you must enter a list of delimiters as well.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12.88. @YEAR - Return the year for a date. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

@YEAR[mm-dd-yy]:  Returns the year for the specified date.  The year can be
specified as two digits or four digits; @YEAR returns the same number of digits
included in its argument.

@YEAR uses the date format and separators mandated by your country code (for
example dd.mm.yy in Germany, or yy-mm-dd in Japan).  The year can be entered as
a 4-digit or 2-digit value.  Two-digit years between 80 and 99 are interpeted
as 1980-1999; values between 00 and 79 are interpreted as 2000 - 2079.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Configuring Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can alter Take Command to match your style of computing.  Most of the
configuration of Take Command is controlled through a file of initialization
information called TCMDOS2.INI.

The information in this file can be controlled in two ways: with the
configuration notebook and by editing the TCMDOS2.INI file with any ASCII
editor.  Both methods are discussed in this section.

We also discuss many ways of configuring Take Command in other parts of the
online help:

         With aliases you can set default options for internal commands and
         create new commands (see Aliases and the ALIAS command.).

         With executable extensions you can associate data files with the
         applications you use to open them.

         With the FILECOMPLETION environment variable and the FileCompletion
         .INI directive you can customize filename completion to match the
         command you are working with.

         With the COLORDIR environment variable and the ColorDir .INI directive
         you can set the colors used by the DIR command.

         With the SETDOS command you can change some aspects of Take Command's
         operation "on the fly."

         With command-line options you can specify where Take Command looks for
         its startup files and how it operates for a specific session.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1. Configuration Notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The dialogs in the Take Command for OS/2 configuration notebook control the
configuration of Take Command.  Each option on one of the notebook pages a
corresponding directive in TCMDOS2.INI.  You can start the configuration
notebook with the Configure Take Command selection on the Setup menu.

When you exit from the dialogs, you can select the Save button to save your
changes in the .INI file for use in the current session and all future
sessions, select the OK button to use your changes in the current session only,
or discard the changes you have made by selecting the Cancel button.

Note that if you exit the dialogs with OK, changes will not be saved in the
.INI file at that time.  However, if you use the dialogs later, and exit with
Save, any earlier changes will automatically be saved in the .INI file along
with any new changes from your most recent use of the dialogs.

Most changes you make in the configuration notebook will take effect
immediately.  Changes made on the Startup page, if saved, will take effect the
next time you start Take Command, but will not affect the current Take Command
session.

While you are using the dialogs, you can move between sets of configuration
options with the tabs on the right hand side of the notebook.  The sets of
options available in the notebook are:

    Startup Options
    Display Options
    Command Line 1 Options
    Command Line 2 Options
    General Options 1
    General Options 2
    Command Options


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.1. Startup Options Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set startup options in TCMDOS2.INI.  If you return to
Take Command by selecting the OK button, new settings will only stay in effect
until you end the current Take Command session.  If you return to Take Command
by selecting Save, the changes will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and will be in
effect each time you start Take Command.  Changes made on the Startup page, if
saved, will take effect the next time you start Take Command, but will not
affect the current Take Command session.

The TCSTART and TCEXIT Path field lets you set the path to TCSTART and TCEXIT
if they aren't in the same directory as Take Command, and sets the TCStartPath
directive.

In the Buffer Sizes section:

        *   Command History sets the size of the command history list, and the
            value of the History directive.

        *   Directory History sets the size of the  directory history list.

 The Cursor section sets the shape of the cursor and the IBeamCursor directive.
 Use the I-Beam shape for normal systems, and the Arrow shape for laptop or
 other systems where the I-Beam cursor is hard to see.

 The Display section sets the size and location of Take Command's window when
 it starts up:

        *   Standard, Max, Min, and Custom set the WindowState directive.

        *   The window position and size fields set the WindowX, WindowY,
            WindowHeight, and WindowWidth directives.  Use these if you want
            Take Command to start up at a specific location on your desktop.
            These fields are ignored unless the item above is set to Custom.

 The Options section sets the Local History, Local Aliases, and Local Directory
 History flags.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.2. Display Options Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set display-related options in TCMDOS2.INI.  Most
changes you make will take effect immediately.  If you return to Take Command
by selecting the OK button, new settings will only stay in effect until you end
the current Take Command session.  If you return to Take Command by selecting
Save, the changes will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and will be in effect each
time you start Take Command.

The Text Dimensions section configures the way that text appears in Take
Command's main window:

        *   Width sets the number of columns that Take Command uses for its
            displays and sets the ScreenColumns directive.

        *   Tabs selects the location of tab stops and sets the TabStops
            directive.

 The Window Configuration section controls the appearance of the Tool Bar (sets
 the ToolBarOn directive) and the Status Bar (sets the StatusBarOn directive),
 and enables or disables ANSI support (sets the ANSI directive).  The tool bar
 and status bar settings are also modified when you enable and disable the
 corresponding option on the Setup menu.

 The Scrolling section controls Take Command's screen scrollback buffer:

        *   Buffer Size sets the size of the screen buffer, and the value of
            the ScreenBufSize directive. Valid sizes are from 16,000 to 256,000
            bytes.

        *   Scroll Lines controls how much the screen scrolls when Take
            Command's text has reached the bottom of the window, and sets the
            ScrollLines directive.  Lower values produce slower but smoother
            scrolling.

 The Colors section sets default screen colors:

        *   Output establishes the default colors Take Command uses for the
            text it displays, and sets the StdColors directive.

        *   Input establishes the colors for echoing the commands you type, and
            sets the InputColors directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.3. Command Line 1 Options Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set command line options in TCMDOS2.INI.  Most changes
you make will take effect immediately.  If you return to Take Command by
selecting the OK button, new settings will only stay in effect until you end
the current Take Command session.  If you return to Take Command by selecting
Save, the changes will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and will be in effect each
time you start Take Command.

The Editing section controls command-line editing:

        *   Default Mode selects whether you begin editing in Overstrike or
            Insert mode, and sets the EditMode directive.

        *   Cursor sets the width of the cursor for both Overstrike and Insert
            modes, and sets the CursorIns and CursorOver directives. The width
            is expressed as a percentage of the width of a character cell.

 In the Filename Completion section:

        *   Add "\" to directories determines if a backslash should be added to
            directory names when doing filename completion, and sets the
            AppendToDir directive.

        *   The Options field sets the files made available during filename
            completion for selected commands, and sets the FileCompletion
            directive.

 In the Command History section:

        *   The Scroll / History keys setting controls whether Take Command or
            4OS2 defaults are used for scrolling through the scrollback buffer
            and the command history.  The Normal setting uses the arrow and
            PgUp / PgDn keys for the scrollback buffer, and the corresponding
            control keys (Ctrl-Up, Ctrl-Down, etc.) for the command history.
            The Swapped setting reverses these assignments.  For more details
            see Scrolling and History Keystrokes.  This option sets the value
            of the SwapScrollKeys directive.

        *   Minimum saved characters sets the size of the shortest line that
            will be saved in the command history, and sets the value of the
            HistMin directive.

        *   Copy to end, if checked, copies a recalled command to the end of
            the history list each time it is executed, and sets the HistCopy
            directive.

        *   Move to end, if checked, moves a recalled command from it's
            position in the history list the end.

        *   Wrap, if checked, the history will "wrap" when you reach the top or
            bottom of the list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.4. Command Line 2 Options Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set command line options in TCMDOS2.INI.  Most changes
you make will take effect immediately.  If you return to Take Command by
selecting the OK button, new settings will only stay in effect until you end
the current Take Command session.  If you return to Take Command by selecting
Save, the changes will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and will be in effect each
time you start Take Command.

The Popup Windows section sets the position and size of the popup windows for
the command-line, directory history, and filename completion windows, and most
other popup windows by changing the PopupWinLeft, PopupWinTop, PopupWinWidth,
and PopupWinHeight directives.  You can also set the size of the Extended
Directory Search popup window by changing the CDDWinLeft, CDDWinTop,
CDDWinWidth, CDDWinHeight directives.

The Extended Directory Search section controls Extended Directory Searches.

        *   Search Level selects the Extended Directory Search mode and sets
            the FuzzyCD directive.

        *   Tree Path contains the path for the Extended Directory Search
            database, JPSTREE.IDX and sets the TreePath directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.5. Options 1 Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set options in TCMDOS2.INI.  Most changes you make
will take effect immediately.  If you return to Take Command by selecting the
OK button, new settings will only stay in effect until you end the current Take
Command session.  If you return to Take Command by selecting Save, the changes
will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and will be in effect each time you start Take
Command.

The Descriptions section sets the way that Take Command handles file
descriptions entered with the DESCRIBE command:

        *   The Enable checkbox enables or disables the display and processing
            of descriptions, and sets the Descriptions directive.

        *   The Maximum Length field determines the maximum size of file
            descriptions and sets the DescriptionMax directive.  The value can
            range from 20 to 512 characters.  This value sets the size of the
            internal description buffers; the actual description limit is 1
            character less.  For example, if you set the limit to 512, the
            longest description you can use is 511 characters.

 The Special Characters section sets the characters that have special meaning
 for Take Command.  See Special Character Compatibility for information on how
 to change these to make Take Command more compatible with 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4NT.

        *   Separator is the character that separates multiple commands.  It
            can also be set with the CommandSep directive or SETDOS /C.

        *   Escape sets the character used to suppress the normal meaning of
            the following character.  It can also be set with the EscapeChar
            directive or SETDOS /E.

        *   Parameter sets the character used after a percent sign to specify
            all or all remaining command-line arguments in a batch file or
            alias.  It can also be set with the ParameterChar directive or with
            SETDOS /P.

        *   Decimal sets the character used as a decimal separator for @EVAL
            and other operations.  It can be set with the DecimalChar directive
            or with SETDOS /G.

        *   Thousands sets the character used as a thousands separator for
            @EVAL and other operations.  It can be set with the DecimalChar
            directive or with SETDOS /G.

 Default Beep sets defaults for the BEEP command and for "error" beeps.  To
 disable error beeps, set the beep length to 0, and be sure to specify an
 explicit length each time you use the BEEP command.

        *   Length sets the length of the beep in timer ticks that are
            approximately 1/18 of a second each.  It also sets the BeepLength
            directive.

        *   Frequency sets the frequency of the beep in Hz.  It also sets the
            BeepFreq directive.

 The Options section sets miscellaneous options:

        *   Force upper case, when selected, forces Take Command to display
            file names in upper case in internal commands like DIR and COPY.
            You can use the UpperCase directive or the SETDOS /U command
            achieve the same result. Force upper case has no effect on
            filenames from volumes which support long filenames.

        *   Default batch echo, if selected, turns on echoing in batch files by
            default.  You can use the BatchEcho directive or the SETDOS /V
            command to achieve the same result.

        *   Protect redirected output files, if selected, keeps Take Command
            from overwritng an existing file with redirected (>) output or from
            creating a new file with output redirected in append (>>) mode.
            You can achieve the same result with the NoClobber directive or the
            SETDOS /N command.

        *   The Time options determine how Take Command displays times.  If you
            select Country, the time display is based on your country settings
            in OS/2. The am/pm setting forces a 12-hour display with a trailing
            "a" or "p."  The 24-hour setting forces a standard 24-hour display.
            You can also set the time display with the AmPm directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.6. Options 2 Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set options in TCMDOS2.INI.  Most changes you make
will take effect immediately.  If you return to Take Command by selecting the
OK button, new settings will only stay in effect until you end the current Take
Command session.  If you return to Take Command by selecting Save, the changes
will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and will be in effect each time you start Take
Command.

The Logging section enables or disables Command and History logging (see the
LOG command) and sets the file name to use for each.  It also sets the LogName
and HistLogName directives.

The Eval Precision sets the minimum and maximum number of digits after the
decimal point that @EVAL will display.  You can achieve the same results with
the EvalMin and EvalMax directives or with the SETDOS /F command.

The External Programs setting controls whether Take Command waits for
applications to complete before displaying the prompt.  This setting applies
only to applications started from the Take Command prompt, including DOS
applications.  Take Command will always wait for applications run from batch
files.  It also has no effect on "TTY" applications run within the Take Command
window, or on applications started with the START command, which has its own
separate /WAIT switch.  This option sets the ExecWait directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1.7. Command Options Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use this page to set options related to specific commands in
TCMDOS2.INI.  Most changes you make will take effect immediately.  If you
return to Take Command by selecting the OK button, new settings will only stay
in effect until you end the current Take Command session.  If you return to
Take Command by selecting Save, the changes will be recorded in TCMDOS2.INI and
will be in effect each time you start Take Command.

The DIR Colors field sets the colors used by DIR.  You can achieve the same
effect with the ColorDir directive or by setting the COLORDIR environment
variable.  See the Color Coded Directories section of the DIR command for
details.

The LIST section sets the foreground and background colors for the LIST
command.  It also sets the ListColors directive.

The SELECT section sets the foreground and background colors for the SELECT
command.  It also sets the SelectColors directive.

The Editor Filename sets the path and name of the program you want to use when
you use when you select Editor from the Utilities menu.  It also sets the
Editor directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2. TCMDOS2.INI ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Part of the power of Take Command is its flexibility.  You can alter its
configuration to match your style of computing.  Most of the configuration of
Take Command is controlled through a file of initialization information called
TCMDOS2.INI.

This topic contains general information on TCMDOS2.INI. For information on
specific directives see the separate topic for each type of directive:

    Initialization Directives
    Configuration Directives
    Color Directives
    Key Mapping Directives
    Advanced Directives

These topics list the directives, with a one-line description of each, and a
cross-reference which selects a full screen help topic on that directive.  A
few of the directives are simple enough that the one-line description is
sufficient, but in most cases you should check for any additional information
in the cross-reference topic if you are not already familiar with the
directive.

Modifying the TCMDOS2.INI File

You can create, add to, and modify the TCMDOS2.INI file in 3 ways: with the
configuration notebook, via the OPTION command, and by editing the file with
any ASCII editor.

The configuration notebook allow you to modify the settings that are used most
often.  When you exit from the notebook, you can select the Save button to save
your changes in the .INI file for use in the current session and all future
sessions, select the OK button to use your changes in the current session only,
or discard the changes you have made by selecting the Cancel button.

When you exit the configuration notebook, Save saves all changes since the last
Save, or since the last time you started the command processor.  If you open
the notebook and exit with OK, changes will not be saved in the .INI file at
that time.  However, if you use the notebook later, and exit with Save, any
earlier changes will automatically be saved in the .INI file along with any new
changes from your most recent use of the notebook.

Changes you make in the Startup section of the configuration notebook will only
take effect when you restart Take Command.

The notebook handles most standard .INI file settings.  The Advanced
directives, the Key Mapping directives, and a few other individual directives
noted below do not have corresponding fields in the configuration notebook, and
must be entered manually.

Take Command reads its .INI file when it starts, and configures itself
accordingly.  The .INI file is not re-read when you change it manually.  For
manual changes to take effect, you must restart Take Command.  If you edit the
.INI file manually, make sure you save the file in ASCII format.

Each item that you can include in the .INI file has a default value.  You only
need to include entries in the file for settings that you want to change from
their default values.

The .INI file has several sections.  All of the directives described here go
into the [TakeCommand] section, which is usually first in the file.  You can
edit this section manually.  Take Command uses the other sections to record
information you set while you are using it, including its window size and
position, the font you are using, and the buttons you create on the tool bar.
You should use Take Command's menu commands to change the settings in these
other sections of the .INI file instead of editing them directly.

Using the .INI File

Some settings in the .INI file are initialized when you install Take Command
and others (such as window size and position) are modified as you use Take
Command, so you will probably have an TCMDOS2.INI file even if you didn't
create one yourself.  You should not delete this file.

Take Command searches for TCMDOS2.INI in two places:

        *   If there is an "@d:\path\inifile" option on the Take Command
            startup command line Take Command will use the path and file name
            specified there, and will not look elsewhere.

        *   If there is no .INI file name on the startup command line, the
            search proceeds to the same directory where the Take Command
            program file (TCMDOS2.EXE ) is stored.  This is the "normal"
            location for the .INI file.  Take Command determines this directory
            automatically.

 .INI File Directives

 Most lines in the .INI file consist of a one-word directive, an equal sign
 [=], and a value. For example, in the following line, the word "History" is
 the directive and "2048" is the value:

          History = 2048

 Any spaces before or after the equal sign are ignored.

 If you have a long string to enter in the .INI file (for example, for the
 ColorDir directive), you must enter it all on one line.  Strings cannot be
 "continued" to a second line.  Each line may be up to 1,023 characters long.

 The format of the value part of a directive line depends on the individual
 directive.  It may be a numeric value, a single character, a choice (like
 "Yes" or "No"), a color setting, a key name, a path, a filename, or a text
 string.  The value begins with the first non-blank character after the equal
 sign and ends at the end of the line or the beginning of a comment.

 Blank lines are ignored in the .INI file and can be used to separate groups of
 directives.  You can place comments in the file by beginning a line with a
 semicolon [;].  You can also place comments at the end of any line except one
 containing a text string value.  To do so, enter at least one space or tab
 after the value, a semicolon, and your comment, like this:

          History = 2048       ;set history list size

 If you try to place a comment at the end of a string value, the comment will
 become part of the string and will probably cause an error.

 If you use the OPTION dialogs to modify the .INI file, comments on lines
 modified from within the dialogs will not be preserved when the new lines are
 saved.  To be sure .INI file comments are preserved, put them on separate
 lines in the file

 When Take Command detects an error while processing the .INI file, it displays
 an error message and prompts you to press a key to continue processing the
 file.  This allows you to note any errors before the startup process
 continues.  The directive in error will retain its previous or default value.

 If you need to test different values for an .INI directive without repeatedly
 editing the .INI file, use the OPTION command or see INIQuery directive.

 If you want to include the text of one .INI file within another (for example,
 if you have a set of common directives used by several JP Software products),
 see the Include directive.

 The SETDOS command can override several of the .INI file directives.  For
 example, the cursor shape used by Take Command can be adjusted either with the
 CursorIns and CursorOver directives or the SETDOS /S command.  The
 correspondence between SETDOS options and .INI directives is noted under each
 directive below, and under each option of the SETDOS command.

 Types of Directives

 There are 8 types of directives in the .INI file.  The different types of
 directives are shown in the lists below as follows:

             Name = nnnn ( 1234):  This directive takes a numeric value which
             replaces the "nnnn."  The default value is shown in parentheses.

             Name = c (X):  This directive accepts a single character as its
             value.  The default character is shown in parentheses.  You must
             type in the actual character; you cannot use a key name.

             Name = CHOICE1 | Choice2 | ... : This directive takes a choice
             value.  The possible choices are listed, separated by vertical
             bars.  The default value is shown in all upper case letters in the
             directive description, but in your file any of the choices can be
             entered in upper case or lower case.  For example, if the choices
             were shown as "YES | No" then "YES" is the default.

             Name = Color:  This directive takes a color specification.  See
             Colors and Color Names for the format of color names.

             Name = Key (Default):  This directive takes a key specification.
             See Keys and Keynames for the format of key names.

             Name = Path:  This directive takes a path specification, but not a
             filename.  The value should include both a drive and path (e.g.,
             C:\TCMD) to avoid any possible ambiguities. A trailing backslash
             [\] at the end of the path name is acceptable but not required.
             Any default path is described in the text.

             Name = File:  This directive takes a filename.  We recommend that
             you use a full filename including the drive letter and path to
             avoid any possible ambiguities.  Any default filename is described
             in the text.

             Name = String:  This directive takes a string in the format shown.
             The text describes the default value and any additional
             requirements for formatting the string correctly.  No comments are
             allowed.

 Take Command contains a fixed-length area for storing strings entered in the
 .INI file, including file names, paths, and other strings.  This area is large
 and is unlikely to overflow; if it does, you will receive an error message.
 If this occurs, reduce the complexity of your .INI file or contact our
 technical support department for assistance.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1. Initialization Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The directives in this section control how Take Command starts and where it
looks for its files. The initialization directives are:

        DirHistory          Size of directory history list
        DuplicateBugs       Emulate CMD.EXE bugs
        HelpBook            Books to load in help system
        History             Size of history list
        IBeamCursor         Select I- beam or arrow cursor
        INIQuery            Query for each line in TCMDOS2.INI
        LocalAliases        ehp1. Local vs. global aliases
        LocalHistory        Local vs. global history
        LocalDirHistory     Local vs. global directory history
        ScreenBufSize       Size of screen buffer
        TCStartPath         Path for TCSTART and TCEXIT
        TreePath            Path for directory database, JPSTREE.IDX
        WindowState         Initial state for the Take Command window
        WindowX, WindowY, WindowWidth, WindowHeightInitial size and position of
                            the Take Command window


═══ 7.2.1.1.  DirHistory (directive) ═══

DirHistory = nnnn (256):  Sets the amount of memory allocated to the directory
history list in bytes.  The allowable range of values is 256 to 32767.  If you
use a global directory history list (see Directory History Window), the
DirHistory value is ignored in all sessions except that which first establishes
the global list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.2. DuplicateBugs ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DuplicateBugs = Yes | NO:  Tells the Take Command parser to duplicate certain
well-known bugs in CMD.EXE.  The only bug currently replicated is in the IF
command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.3. HelpBook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HelpBook = String:  Sets the names of the "books" to be loaded with the HELP
command or theF1 key.  The default is TCMDOS2 which loads only the Take Command
for OS/2 help.  This directive allows you to load other help "books" at the
same time:  see the Take Command for OS/2 Introduction and Installation Guide
for additional details.


═══ 7.2.1.4.  History (directive) ═══

History = nnnn (1024):  Sets the amount of memory allocated to the command
history list in bytes.  The allowable range of values is 256 to 32767 bytes.
If you use a global history list (see Command History and Recall), the History
value is ignored in all sessions except the session which first establishes the
global list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.5. IBeamCursor ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

IBeamCursor = YES | No:  If set to Yes, Take Command will display the standard
"I-Beam" cursor in text areas of its window. If IBeamCursor is set to No, an
arrow is used in all areas of the window (this can be helpful on laptop systems
where the I-Beam cursor is hard to see).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.6. INIQuery ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

INIQuery = Yes | NO:  If set to Yes, a dialog box will be displayed before
execution of each subsequent line in the current .INI file.  This allows you to
modify certain directives when you start Take Command in order to test
different configurations. INIQuery can be reset to No at any point in the file.
Normally INIQuery = Yes is only used during testing of other .INI file
directives.

The dialog generated by INIQuery = Yes is:

        Yes     Executes the directive

        No      Skips the directive

        Cancel  Executes the directive and all remaining directives the the
                [TakeCommand] section of the .INI file (i.e., cancels the
                INIQuery=Yes setting)


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.7. LocalAliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LocalAliases = Yes | NO:  No forces all copies of Take Command to share the
same alias list.  Yes keeps the lists for each shell separate.  See ALIAS for
more details on local and global alias lists.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.8. LocalDirHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LocalDirHistory = Yes | NO:  No forces all copies of Take Command to share the
same directory history list. Yes keeps the list for each session separate. See
directory history window for more details on local and global directory
history.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.9. LocalHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LocalHistory = Yes | NO:  No forces all copies of Take Command to share the
same history list.  Yes keeps the lists for each shell separate.  See Command
History and Recall for more details on local and global history lists.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.10. ScreenBufSize ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScreenBufSize = nnnn (64000):  Sets the size of the screen scrollback buffer in
bytes.  The allowable range is from 16000 to 512000 bytes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.11. TCStartPath ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

TCStartPath = Path:  Sets the drive and directory where the TCSTART and TCEXIT
batch files (if any) are located.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.12. TreePath ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

TreePath = Path:  Sets the location of JPSTREE.IDX, the file used for the
extended directory search database.  By default, the file is placed in the root
directory of drive C:\.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.13. WindowState ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WindowState = STANDARD | Maximize | Minimize | Custom: Sets the initial state
of the Take Command window. Standard puts the window in the default position on
the OS/2 desktop, and is the default setting. Maximize maximizes the window;
Minimize minimizes it, and Custom sets it to the position specified by the
WindowX, WindowY, WindowWidth, WindowHeight directives.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.1.14. WindowX, WindowY, WindowWidth, WindowHeight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WindowX = nnnn, WindowY = nnnn, WindowWidth = nnnn, WindowHeight = nnnn:  These
4 directives set the initial size and position of the Take Command window.  The
measurements are in pixels or pels.  WindowX and WindowY refer to the position
of the bottom left corner of the window relative to the bottom left corner of
the screen.  These directives will be ignored unless WindowState is set to
Custom.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2. Configuration Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives control the way that Take Command operate.  Some can be
changed with the SETDOS command while Take Command is running. Any
corresponding SETDOS command is listed in the description of each directive.
The configuration directives are:

        AmPm                Time display format
        ANSI                Enables ANSI support
        AppendToDir         "\" on directory names in filename completion
        BatchEcho           Default batch file echo state
        BeepFreq            Default beep frequency
        BeepLength          Default beep length
        CDDWinLeft, CDDWinTop, CDDWinWidth, CDDWinHeightInitial size and
                            position of the extended directory search window
        CommandSep          Multiple command separator character
        CursorIns           Cursor width in insert mode
        CursorOver          Cursor width in overstrike mode
        DecimalChar         Decimal separator for @EVAL, etc.
        DescriptionMax      Maximum length of file descriptions
        DescriptionName     Name of file to hold file descriptions
        Descriptions        Enable / disable description processing
        EditMode            Editing mode (insert / overstrike)
        Editor              Program to run for "Editor" menu choice
        EscapeChar          Take Command escape character
        EvalMax             Maximum precision returned by @EVAL
        EvalMin             Minimum precision returned by @EVAL
        ExecWait            Forces Take Command to wait for external programs
                            to complete
        FileCompletion      Files selected for filename completion
        FuzzyCD             Selects Extended Directory Search mode
        HistCopy            History copy mode
        HistLogName         History log file name
        HistMin             Minimum command length to save
        HistMove            Move recalled commands to end of history
        HistWrap            Behavior of the command history list
        ListRowStart        Starting row number for LIST and FFIND
        LogName             Log file name
        NoClobber           Overwrite protection for output redirection
        ParameterChar       Alias / batch file parameter character
        PathExt             Enable or disable the PATHEXT variable
        PopupWinLeft, PopupWinTop, PopupWinWidth, PopupWinHeightInitial size
                            and position of the popup windows
        ScreenColumns       Virtual screen width
        ScreenColumns       Virtual screen height
        ScrollLines         Number of lines to scroll up when at the bottom of
                            the window
        StatusBarOn         Set status bar mode at startup
        SwapFilePath        Path to OS/2 swap file
        SwapScrollKeys      Use the 4OS2-style keys for history recall
        TabStops            Sets the tab positions for Take Command's output
        ThousandsChar       Thousands separator for @EVAL, etc.
        ToolBarOn           Set toolbar mode at startup
        UnixPaths           Enable or disable slash in command paths
        UpperCase           Force file names to upper case


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.1. AmPm ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AmPm = Yes | NO | Auto:  Yes displays times in 12-hour format with a trailing
"a" for AM or "p" for PM. The default of No forces a display in 24-hour time
format. Auto formats the time according to the country code set for your
system. AmPm controls the time displays used by DIR and SELECT, in LOG files,
and the output of the TIMER, DATE, and TIME commands.  It has no effect on
%_TIME, %@MAKETIME, the $t and $T options of PROMPT, or date and time ranges.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.2. ANSI ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ANSI = YES | No:  Sets the initial state of ANSI support.  Yes enables ANSI
string processing in the Take Command window (for example, ANSI strings can be
displayed in the prompt, or with the ECHO command)  No disables ANSI strings.
Also see SETDOS /A.

You can test whether ANSI support is enabled with the _ANSI internal variable.

See the ANSI Reference for more details on ANSI strings, and a reference list
of ANSI sequences supported by Take Command for OS/2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.3. AppendToDir ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AppendToDir = Yes | NO: Yes appends a trailing "\" to directory names when
doing filename completion.  Regardless of the setting of this directive, a
trailing backslash is always appended to a directory name at the beginning of
the command line to enable automatic directory changes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.4. BatchEcho ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BatchEcho = YES | No:  Sets the default batch echo mode. Yes enables echoing of
all batch file commands unless ECHO is explicitly set off in the batch file. No
disables batch file echoing unless ECHO is explicitly set on. Also see SETDOS
/V.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.5. BeepFreq ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BeepFreq = nnnn (440):  Sets the default BEEP command frequency in Hz.  This is
also the frequency for "error" beeps (for example, if you press an illegal
key).  To disable all error beeps set this or BeepLength to 0.  If you do, the
BEEP command will still be operable, but will not produce sound unless you
explicitly specify the frequency and duration.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.6. BeepLength ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BeepLength = nnnn (2):  Sets the default BEEP length in system clock ticks
(approximately 1/18 of a second per tick). BeepLength is also the default
length for "error" beeps (for example, if you press an illegal key).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.7. CDDWinLeft, CDDWinTop, CDDWinWidth, CDDWinHeight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CDDWinLeft, CDDWinTop, CDDWinWidth, CDDWinHeight = nnnn:  These values set the
position and size of the popup window used by extended directory searches, in
characters, including the border.  The defaults are 3, 3, 72, and 16,
respectively (i.e., a window beginning in column 3, row 3, 72 columns wide and
16 rows high).  The position is relative to the top left corner of the screen.
The width and height values include the space required for the window border.
The window cannot be smaller than than 10 columns wide by 5 rows high
(including the border).  The values you enter will be adjusted if necessary to
keep a minimum-size window visible on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.8. CommandSep ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CommandSep = c:  This is the character used to separate multiple commands on
the same line.  The default for Take Command is the ampersand [&]. You cannot
use any of the redirection characters (| > < ) or any of the whitespace
characters (space, tab, comma, or equal sign).  The command separator is saved
by SETLOCAL and restored by ENDLOCAL.  Also see SETDOS /C, the %+ internal
variable, and Special Character Compatibility for information on using
compatible command separators for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.9. CursorIns ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CursorIns = nnnn (15):  This is the width of the cursor for insert mode during
command-line editing and all commands which accept line input (DESCRIBE, ESET,
etc.).  The size is a percentage of the total character cell size, between 0%
and 100%.  Because of the way video drivers map the cursor shape, you may not
get a smooth progression in cursor shapes as CursorIns and CursorOver change.
If you set CursorIns and CursorOver to -1, the cursor shape won't be modified
at all.  If you set them to 0, the cursor will be invisible. Also see SETDOS
/S.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.10. CursorOver ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CursorOver = nnnn (100):  This is the width of the cursor for overstrike mode
during command-line editing and all commands which accept line input.  The size
is a percentage of the total character cell size, between 0% and 100%.  For
more details see the CursorIns directive; also see SETDOS /S.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.11. DecimalChar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DecimalChar = . | , | AUTO:  Sets the character used as the decimal separator
for @EVAL, numeric IF and IFF tests, version numbers, and other similar uses.
The only valid settings are period [.], comma [,], and Auto (the default).  A
setting of Auto tells the command processor to use the decimal separator
associated with your current country code.  If you change the decimal character
you must also adjust the thousands character (with ThousandsChar, see below) so
that the two characters are different.  Also see SETDOS /G.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.12. DescriptionMax ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DescriptionMax = nnnn (511):  Controls the description length limit for
DESCRIBE.  The allowable range is 20 to 511 characters.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.13. DescriptionName ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DescriptionName = [File | EA]:  Sets the file name in which to store file
descriptions.  The default file name is DESCRIPT.ION.  Use this directive with
caution because changing the name from the default will make it difficult to
transfer file descriptions to another system.  Also see SETDOS /D.

If you set DescriptionName = EA, Take Command will use the ".SUBJECT" extended
attribute (EA) for file descriptions instead of a separate file.  Note that
using EAs will slow the DIR and SELECT commands noticeably.  On a FAT volume,
performance may be substantially slower, depending on whether the system has
cached the extended attributes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.14. Descriptions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Descriptions = YES | No:  Turns description handling on or off during the file
processing commands COPY, DEL, MOVE, and REN.  If set to No, Take Command will
not update the description file when files are moved, copied, deleted or
renamed.  Also see SETDOS /D.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.15. EditMode ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EditMode = INSERT | Overstrike:  This directive lets you start the command-line
editor in either insert or overstrike mode. Also see SETDOS /M.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.16. Editor ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Editor = File:  Specifies the path and filename of the program that Take
Command will execute when you select "Editor" from the Utilities menu.  The
default is the standard OS/2 editor E.EXE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.17. EscapeChar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EscapeChar = c:  Sets the character used to suppress the normal meaning of the
following character.  The default for Take Command is a a caret [^]. See Escape
Character for a description of special escape sequences.  You cannot use any of
the redirection characters (|, >, or < ) or the whitespace characters (space,
tab, comma, or equal sign) as the escape character.  The escape character is
saved by SETLOCAL and restored by ENDLOCAL.  Also see SETDOS /E, the %=
internal variable, and Special Character Compatibility for information on using
compatible escape characters for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.18. EvalMax ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EvalMax = nnnn (8):  Controls the maximum number of digits after the decimal
point in values returned by @EVAL.  You can override this setting with the
construct @EVAL[expression=n,n].  The allowable range is 0 to 8.  Also see
SETDOS /F.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.19. EvalMin ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EvalMin = nnnn (0):  Controls the minimum number of digits after the decimal
point in values returned by @EVALF_EVAL.  The allowable range is 0 to 8.  This
directive will be ignored if EvalMin is larger than EvalMax.  You can override
this setting with the construct @EVAL[expression=n,n].  Also see SETDOS /F.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.20. ExecWait ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ExecWait = Yes | NO:  Controls whether Take Command waits for an external
program to complete before redisplaying the prompt.  See Waiting for
Applications to Finish in Starting Character Mode Applications for details on
the effects of this directive.

This setting applies only to applications started from the Take Command prompt.
Take Command will always wait for applications run from batch files. ExecWait
also has no effect on "TTY" applications run within the Take Command window, or
on applications started with the START command, which has its own separate
/WAIT switch.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.21. FileCompletion ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

FileCompletion = cmd1: ext1 ext2 ...; cmd2: ext3 ext4 ... Sets the files made
available during filename completion for selected commands.  The format is the
same as that used for the FILECOMPLETION environment variable.  See Customizing
Filename Completion for a detailed explanation of selective filename
completion.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.22. FuzzyCD (Extended Directory Search) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

FuzzyCD = 0 | 1 | 2 | 3.  Enables or disables extended directory searches, and
controls their behavior.  A setting of 0 (the default) disables extended
searches.  For complete details on the meaning of the other settings see
Extended Directory Searches.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.23. HistCopy ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistCopy = Yes | NO:  Controls what happens when you re-execute a line from the
command history.  If this option is set to Yes, the line is appended to the end
of the history list.  By default, or if this option is set to No, the command
is not copied. The original copy of the command is always retained at its
original position in the list, regardless of the setting of HistCopy.  Set this
option to No if you want to use HistMove = Yes; otherwise, the HistCopy setting
will override HistMove.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.24. HistLogName ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistLogName = File:  Sets the history log file name and/or path.  If only a
path is given, the default log file name (OS2HLOG) will be used.  Using
HistLogName does not turn history logging on; you must use a LOG /H ON command
to do so.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.25. HistMin ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistMin = nnnn (0):  Sets the minimum command-line size to save in the command
history list.  Any command line whose length is less than this value will not
be saved.  Legal values range from 0, which saves everything, to 1024, which
disables all command history saves.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.26. HistMove ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistMove = Yes | NO:  If set to Yes, a recalled line is moved to the end of the
command history.  The difference between this directive and HistCopy, above, is
that HistCopy = Yes copies each recalled line to the end of the history but
leaves the original in place.  HistMove = Yes places the line at the end of
history and removes the original line.  This directive has no effect if
HistCopy = Yes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.27. HistWrap ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWrap = YES | No:  Controls whether the command history "wraps" when you
reach the top or bottom of the list.  The default setting enables wrapping, so
the list appears "circular".  If HistWrap is set to No, history recall will
stop at the beginning and end of the list rather than wrapping.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.28. ListRowStart ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListRowStart  = 1 |  0:  Specifies whether LIST and FFIND consider the first
line in the file to be line "1" or line "0".  The default is "1".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.29. LogName ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LogName = File:  Sets the log file name and/or path.  If only a path is given,
the default log file name (OS2LOG) will be used. Using LogName does not turn
logging on; you must use a LOG ON command to do so.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.30. NoClobber ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NoClobber = Yes | NO:  If set to Yes, will prevent standard output redirection
from overwriting an existing file, and will require that the output file
already exist for append redirection.  Also see SETDOS /N.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.31. ParameterChar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ParameterChar = c:  Sets the character used after a percent sign to specify all
or all remaining command-line arguments in a batch file or alias (e.g., %$ or
%n$; see Batch Files and ALIAS).  The default in Take Command is the dollar
sign [$].  The parameter character is saved by SETLOCAL and restored by
ENDLOCAL.  Also see SETDOS /P.  See Special Character Compatibility for
information on using compatible parameter characters for two or more products.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.32. PathExt ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PathExt = Yes | NO:  Determines whether Take Command will use the PATHEXT
environment variable.  If set to No (the default), the PATHEXT variable is
ignored.  If set to Yes, the PATHEXT variable will be used to determine
extensions to look for when searching the PATH for an executable file.  For
details, see the PATHEXT variable and the PATH command.

CAUTION:  If you set PathExt = Yes in TCMDOS2.INI and then fail to set the
PATHEXT variable, path searches will fail as there will be no extensions for
which to search!

PATHEXT is supported for compatibility reasons but should not generally be used
as a substitute for the more flexible executable extensions feature.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.33. PopupWinLeft, PopupWinTop, PopupWinWidth, PopupWinHeight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopupWinLeft, PopupWinTop, PopupWinWidth, PopupWinHeight = nnnn:  These values
set the initial position and size of the command-line, directory history, and
filename completion windows, and most other popup windows (see CDDWinLeft etc.
for the extended directory search window).  The values are in characters, and
include the border.  The defaults are 40, 1, 36, and 12, respectively (i.e., a
window beginning in column 40, row 1, 36 columns wide and 12 rows high).  The
position is relative to the top left corner of the Take Command window.  The
width and height values include the space required for the window border.  The
window cannot be smaller than than 10 columns wide by 5 rows high (including
the border).  The values you enter will be adjusted if necessary to keep a
minimum-size window visible on the screen.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.34. ScreenColumns ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScreenColumns = nnnn (80):  Sets the number of virtual screen columns used by
the video display.  If the virtual screen width is greater than the physical
window width, Take Command will display a horizontal scrollbar at the bottom of
the window.  See Resizing the Take Command Window for more information on the
virtual screen size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.35. ScreenRows ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScreenRows = nnnn (25):  Sets the initial height of the Take Command window.
See Resizing the Take Command Window for more information on the virtual screen
size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.36. ScrollLines ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScrollLines = nnnn (2):  Sets the number of lines displayed before the screen
is physically scrolled.  Take Command will scroll up when output reaches the
bottom of the window.  Higher values will speed up the display of scrolled
output but also make it jerky; lower values will make scrolling smoother but
will slow it down.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.37. StatusBarOn ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

StatusBarOn = YES | No:  Yes enables the status bar when Take Command starts.
No disables it.  The status bar can always be enabled or disabled while Take
Command is running by using the Setup menu.  The StatusBarOn setting is
automatically updated to reflect the current state of the status bar each time
Take Command exits; this preserves the status bar state between sessions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.38. SwapFilePath ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SwapFilePath = Path:  Specifies the path of the OS/2 swap file so the MEMORY
command and the status bar  can find it and display its size.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.39. SwapScrollKeys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SwapScrollKeys = Yes | NO:  Yes switches to 4OS2- style keystrokes for
manipulating the scrollback buffer.

If SwapScrollKeys is set to Yes, the Up and Down arrow keys will scroll through
the command history list and the PgUp key will pop up the history window.  The
Ctrl-Up, Ctrl-Down, Ctrl-PgUp, and Ctrl-PgDn keys will scroll the text in the
screen buffer.

If SwapScrollKeys is set to No, these keys will assume their default meanings.
The Up and Down arrow keys and the PgUp and PgDn keys will scroll the text in
the screen buffer.  The Ctrl-Up and Ctrl-Down keys will scroll through the
command history list and the Ctrl-PgUp key will pop up the history window.

For additional details see Scrolling and History Keystrokes.

Do not set SwapScrollKeys to Yes if you use key mapping directives to reassign
the scrolling or history keys individually.  SwapScrollKeys takes effect before
other key mappings, and using both methods at the same time will be confusing
at best. Setting SwapScrollKeys to Yes has essentially the same effect as
including the following key mapping directives in TCMDOS2.INI individually:

        PrevHistory = Up
        NextHistory = Down
        HistWinOpen = PgUp
        HistWinOpen = PgDn
        ScrollUp = Ctrl-Up
        ScrollDown = Ctrl-Down
        ScrollPgUp = Ctrl-PgUp
        ScrollPgDn = Ctrl-PgDn


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.40. TabStops ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

TabStops = nnnn (8):  Sets the tab stops for Take Command's output (including
the output from the LIST and TYPE commands).  The allowable range is 1 to 32.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.41. ThousandsChar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ThousandsChar = . | , | AUTO:  Sets the character used as the thousands
separator for numeric output.  The only valid settings are period [.], comma
[,], and Auto (the default).  A setting of Auto tells the command processor to
use the thousands separator associated with your current country code.  If you
change the thousands character you must also adjust the decimal character (with
DecimalChar) so that the two characters are different.  Also see SETDOS /G.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.42. ToolBarOn ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ToolBarOn = YES | No:  Yes enables the tool bar when Take Command starts.  No
disables it.  The tool bar can be enabled or disabled while Take Command is
running by using the Setup menu.  The ToolBarOn setting is automatically
updated to reflect the current state of the tool bar each time Take Command
exits; this preserves the tool bar state between sessions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.43. UnixPaths ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

UnixPaths = Yes | NO:  Enables the forward slash as a path separator in the
command name (the first item on the command line).  This allows you to enter a
command like:

     [c:\] /bin/programs/foo.exe

without having the forward slashes interpreted as switch characters. Note that
setting UnixPaths to Yes does not change the command processor or operating
system switch character, it's still '/'.  It simply allows you to put forward
slashes in the command name without problems.

When UnixPaths is set to Yes command switches beginning with a forward slash
must be preceded by a space to avoid confusion (this is a good general practice
regardless of the setting of UnixPaths).  For example:

     [c:\] \bin\foo.exe /c        OK
     [c:\] /bin/foo.exe /c        OK
     [c:\] \bin\foo.exe/c         Error
     [c:\] /bin/foo.exe/c         Error


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.2.44. UpperCase ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

UpperCase = Yes | NO:  Yes specifies that filenames should be displayed in the
traditional upper-case by internal commands like COPY and DIR.  No allows the
normal Take Command lower-case style. This directive does not affect the
display of filenames on drives which support long filenames.  Also see SETDOS
/U.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.3. Color Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives control the colors that Take Command use for its displays. For
complete details on color names and numbers, see Colors and Color Names.  The
color directives are:

        ColorDir            Directory colors
        InputColors         Input colors
        ListColors          Colors used in the LIST display
        SelectColors        Colors used in the SELECT display
        StdColors           Standard display colors


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.3.1. ColorDIR (directive) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ColorDir = ext1 ext2 ...:colora;ext3 ext4... :colorb; ...: Sets the directory
colors used by DIR.  The format is the same as that used for the COLORDIR
environment variable.  See the Color-Coded Directories section of the DIR
command for a detailed explanation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.3.2. InputColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

InputColors = Color:  Sets the colors used for command-line input.  This
setting is useful for making your input stand out from the normal output.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.3.3. ListColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListColors = Color:  Sets the colors used by the LIST command.  If this
directive is not used, LIST will use the current default colors set by the CLS
or COLOR command or by the StdColors directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.3.4. SelectColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SelectColors = Color:  Sets the colors used by the SELECT command.  If this
directive is not used, SELECT will use the current default colors set by the
CLS or COLOR command or by the StdColors directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.3.5. StdColors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

StdColors = Color:  Sets the standard colors to be used when CLS is used
without a color specification, and for LIST and SELECT if ListColors and
SelectColors are not used.  Using this directive is similar to placing a COLOR
command in the TCSTART file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4. Key Mapping Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives allow you to change the keys used for command-line editing and
other internal functions.  They cannot be entered via the configuration
notebook; you must enter them manually (see TCMDOS2.INIfor details).

They are divided into five types, depending on the context in which the keys
are used.  For a discussion and list of directives for each type see:

            General Input Keys
            Command-Line Editing Keys
            Popup Window Keys
            LIST Keys
            Scrollback Buffer Keys

 Using a key mapping directive allows you to assign a different or additional
 key to perform the function described.  For example, to use function key F3 to
 invoke the HELP facility (normally invoked with F1):

          Help = F3

 Any directive can be used multiple times to assign multiple keys to the same
 function.  For example:

          ListFind = F         ;F does a find in LIST
          ListFind = F4        ;F4 also does a find in LIST

 Use some care when you reassign keystrokes.  If you assign a default key to a
 different function, it will no longer be available for its original use.  For
 example, if you assign F1 to the AddFile directive (a part of filename
 completion), the F1 key will no longer invoke the help system, so you will
 probably want to assign a different key to Help.

 See Keys and Key Names before using the key mapping directives.

 Key assignments are processed before looking for keystroke aliases.  For
 example, if you assign Shift-F1 to HELP and also assign Shift- F1 to a key
 alias, the key alias will be ignored.

 Assigning a new keystroke for a function does not deassign the default
 keystroke for the same function.  If you want to deassign one of the default
 keys, use the NormalKey, NormalEditKey, NormalPopupKey, or NormalListKey
 directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1. General Input Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives apply to all input.  They are in effect whenever Take Command
requests input from the keyboard, including during command-line editing and the
DESCRIBE, ESET, INPUT, LIST, and SELECT commands.  The general input keys are:

        Backspace           Deletes the character to the left of the cursor
        BeginLine           Moves the cursor to the start of the line
        Del                 Deletes the character at the cursor
        DelToBeginning      Deletes from the cursor to the start of the line
        DelToEnd            Deletes from the cursor to the end of the line
        DelWordLeft         Deletes the word to the left of the cursor
        DelWordRight        Deletes the word to the right of the cursor
        Down                Moves the cursor or scrolls the display down
        EndLine             Moves the cursor to the end of the line
        EraseLine           Deletes the entire line
        ExecLine            Executes or accepts a line
        Ins                 Toggles insert / overstrike mode
        Left                Moves the cursor or scrolls the display left
        NormalKey           Deassigns a key
        Right               Moves the cursor or scrolls the display right
        Up                  Moves the cursor or scrolls the display up
        WordLeft            Moves the cursor left one word
        WordRight           Moves the cursor right one word


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.1. Backspace ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Backspace = Key (Bksp):  Deletes the character to the left of the cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.2. BeginLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

BeginLine = Key (Home):  Moves the cursor to the beginning of the line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.3. Del (directive) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Del = Key (Del):  Deletes the character at the cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.4. DelToBeginning ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelToBeginning = Key (Ctrl-Home):  Deletes from the cursor to the start of the
line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.5. DelToEnd ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelToEnd = Key (Ctrl-End):  Deletes from the cursor to the end of the line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.6. DelWordLeft ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelWordLeft = Key (Ctrl-L):  Deletes the word to the left of the cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.7. DelWordRight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelWordRight = Key (Ctrl-R, Ctrl-Bksp):  Deletes the word to the right of the
cursor.  See ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping of Ctrl-Bksp
to this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.8. Down ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Down = Key (Down):  Scrolls the display down one line in LIST; moves the cursor
down one line in SELECT and in the command-line history, directory history, or
%@SELECT window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.9. EndLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EndLine = Key (End):  Moves the cursor to the end of the line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.10. EraseLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EraseLine = Key (Esc):  Deletes the entire line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.11. ExecLine ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ExecLine = Key (Enter):  Executes or accepts a line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.12. Ins ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Ins = Key (Ins):  Toggles insert / overstrike mode during line editing.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.13. Left ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Left = Key (Left):  Moves the cursor left one character on the input line;
scrolls the display left 8 columns in LIST; scrolls the display left 4 columns
in the command- line, directory history, or %@SELECT window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.14. NormalKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalKey = Key:  Deassigns a general input key in order to disable the usual
meaning of the key within Take Command and/or make it available for keystroke
aliases.  This will make the keystroke operate as a "normal" key with no
special function.  For example:

        NormalKey = Ctrl-End

will disable Ctrl-End, which is the standard "delete to end of line" key.
Ctrl-End could then be assigned to a keystroke alias.  Another key could be
assigned the "delete to end of line" function with the DelToEnd directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.15. Right ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Right = Key (Right):  Moves the cursor right one character on the input line;
scrolls the display right 8 columns in LIST; scrolls the display right 4
columns in the command- line history, directory history, or %@SELECT window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.16. Up ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Up = Key (Up):  Scrolls the display up one line in LIST; moves the cursor up
one line in SELECT and in the command-line history, directory history, or
%@SELECT window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.17. WordLeft ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WordLeft = Key (Ctrl-Left):  Moves the cursor left one word; scrolls the
display left 40 columns in LIST.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.1.18. WordRight ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

WordRight = Key (Ctrl-Right):  Moves the cursor right one word; scrolls the
display right 40 columns in LIST.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2. Command-Line Editing Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives apply only to command-line editing.  They are only effective
at the Take Command prompt.  The command-line editing keys are:

        AddFile             Keeps filename completion entry and adds another
        AliasExpand         Expands aliases on the command line
        CommandEscape       Allows direct entry of a keystroke
        DelHistory          Deletes a history list entry
        EndHistory          Displays the last entry in the history list
        Help                Invokes this help system
        LineToEnd           Copies command to end of history list
        NextFile            Gets the next matching filename
        NextHistory         Recalls the next command from the history
        NormalEditKey       Deassigns a command-line editing key
        PopFile             Opens the filename completion window
        PrevFile            Gets the previous matching filename
        PrevHistory         Recalls the previous command from the history
        SaveHistory         Saves the command line without executing it


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.1. AddFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AddFile = Key (Ctrl-Shift-Tab):  Keeps the current filename completion entry
and inserts the next matching name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.2. AliasExpand ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

AddFile = Key (Ctrl-F):  Expands all aliases in the current command line
without executing them.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.3. CommandEscape ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

CommandEscape = Key (Alt-255):  Allows direct entry of a keystroke that would
normally be handled by the command line editor (e.g., Tab or Ctrl-D).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.4. DelHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

DelHistory = Key (Ctrl-D):  Deletes the displayed history list entry and
displays the previous entry.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.5. EndHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

EndHistory = Key (Ctrl-E):  Displays the last entry in the history list.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.6. Help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help = Key (F1):  Invokes the HELP facility.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.7. LineToEnd ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

LineToEnd = Key (Ctrl-Enter):  Copies the current command line to the end of
the history list, then executes it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.8. NextFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NextFile = Key (F9, Tab):  Gets the next matching filename during filename
completion. See ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping of Tab to
this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.9. NextHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NextHistory = Key (Ctrl-Down):  Recalls the next command from the command
history.  Also see Scrolling and History Keystrokes and the SwapScrollKeys
directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.10. NormalEditKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalEditKey = Key:  Deassigns a command-line editing key in order to disable
the usual meaning of the key while editing a command line, and/or make it
available for keystroke aliases.  For additional details see NormalKey.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.11. PopFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopFile = Key (F7, Ctrl-Tab):  Opens the filename completion window.  You may
not be able to use Ctrl-Tab, because not all systems recognize it as a
keystroke.  See ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping of
Ctrl-Tab to this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.12. PrevFile ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PrevFile = Key (F8, Shift-Tab):  Gets the previous matching filename during
filename completion. See ClearKeyMap if you need to remove the default mapping
of Shift-Tab to this function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.13. PrevHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PrevHistory = Key (Ctrl-Up):  Recalls the previous command from the command
history.  Also see Scrolling and History Keystrokes and the SwapScrollKeys
directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.2.14. SaveHistory ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

SaveHistory = Key (Ctrl-K):  Saves the command line in the command history list
without executing it.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.3. Scrollback Buffer Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following keys are also part of the command line editing group.  They are
used to manipulate the scrollback buffer rather than to edit commands.  For
additional information see Scrolling and History Keystrokes and the
SwapScrollKeys directive.

The scrollback buffer keys are:

        ScrollUp            Scroll the buffer up one line
        ScrollDown          Scroll the buffer down one line
        ScrollPgUp          Scroll the buffer up one page
        ScrollPgDn          Scroll the buffer down one page


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.3.1. ScrollUp ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScrollUp = Key (Up):  Scrolls the Take Command scrollback buffer up one line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.3.2. ScrollDown ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScrollDown = Key (Down):  Scrolls the Take Command scrollback buffer down one
line.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.3.3. ScrollPageUp ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScrollPgUp = Key (PgUp):  Scrolls the Take Command scrollback buffer up one
page.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.3.4. ScrollPageDown ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ScrollPgDn = Key (PgDn):  Scrolls the Take Command scrollback buffer down one
page.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4. Popup Window Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following directives apply to popup windows, including the command history
window, the directory history window, the file completion window, the extended
directory search window, and the @SELECT window.

The Popup window keys are:

        DirWinOpen          Opens the directory history window
        HistWinOpen         Opens the command history window
        NormalPopupKey      Deassigns a popup window key
        PopupWinBegin       Moves to the first line of the popup window
        PopupWinDel         Deletes a line from within a popup window
        PopupWinEdit        Moves a line from a popup window to the prompt
        PopupWinEnd         Moves to the last line of a popup window
        PopupWinExec        Executes the selected line in a popup window


═══ 7.2.4.4.1.  DirWinOpen ═══

DirWinOpen = Key (F6):  Opens the directory history window while at the command
line.  Also see Scrolling and History Keystrokes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.2. HistWinOpen ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

HistWinOpen = Key (Ctrl-PgUp):  Brings up the history window while at the
command line.  Also see Scrolling and History Keystrokes and the SwapScrollKeys
directive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.3. NormalPopupKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalPopupKey = Key:  Deassigns a popup window key in order to disable the
usual meaning of the key within the popup window.  For additional details see
NormalKey.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.4. PopupWinBegin ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopupWinBegin = Key (Ctrl-PgUp):  Moves to the first item in the list when in a
popup window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.5. PopupWinDel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopupWinDel = Key (Ctrl-D):  Deletes a line from within the command history or
directory history window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.6. PopupWinEdit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopupWinEdit = Key (Ctrl-Enter):  Moves a line from the command history or
directory history window to the prompt for editing.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.7. PopupWinEnd ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopupWinEnd = Key (Ctrl-PgDn):  Moves to the last item in the list when in a
popup window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.4.8. PopupWinExec ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

PopupWinExec = Key (Enter):  Selects the current item and closes the window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5. LIST Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives are effective only inside the LIST command.  The LIST keys
are:

        ListExit            Exits the current file
        ListFind            Prompts and searches for a string
        ListFindReverse     Prompts and searches backwards
        ListHex             Toggles hexadecimal display mode
        ListHighBit         Toggles LIST's "strip high bit" option
        ListInfo            Displays information about the current file
        ListNext            Finds the next matching string
        ListPrevious        Finds the previous matching string
        ListPrint           Prints the file on LPT1
        ListWrap            Toggles LIST's wrap option
        NormalListKey       Deassigns a LIST key


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.1. ListExit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListExit = Key (Esc):  Exits the LIST command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.2. ListFind ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListFind = Key (F):  Prompts and searches for a string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.3. ListFindReverse ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListFindReverse = Key (Ctrl-F):  Prompts and searches backward for a string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.4. ListHex ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListHex = Key (X):  Toggles hexadecimal display mode.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.5. ListHighBit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListHighBit = Key (H):  Toggles LIST's "strip high bit" option, which can aid
in displaying files from certain word processors.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.6. ListInfo ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListInfo = Key (I):  Displays information about the current file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.7. ListNext ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListNext = Key (N):  Finds the next matching string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.8. ListPrevious ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListPrevious = Key (Ctrl-N):  Finds the previous matching string.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.9. ListPrint ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListPrint = Key (P):  Prints the file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.10. ListWrap ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ListWrap = Key (W):  Toggles LIST's wrap option on and off. The wrap option
wraps text at the right margin.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.4.5.11. NormalListKey ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NormalListKey = Key:  Deassigns a LIST key in order to disable the usual
meaning of the key within LIST.  For additional details see NormalKey.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.5. Advanced Directives ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

These directives are generally used for unusual circumstances, or for
diagnosing problems.  Most often they are not needed in normal use.  They
cannot be entered via the configuration notebook; you must enter them manually
(see TCMDOS2.INI for details).

        ClearKeyMap         Clear default key mappings
        Debug               Set debugging options
        Include             Include text from a file in the current .INI file


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.5.1. ClearKeyMap ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

ClearKeyMap:  Clears all current key mappings. ClearKeyMap is a special
directive which has no value or "=" after it.  Use ClearKeyMap to make one of
the keys in the default map (Tab, Shift-Tab, Ctrl-Tab, or Ctrl-Bksp) available
for a keystroke alias.  ClearKeyMap should appear before any other key mapping
directives.  If you want to clear some but not all of the default mappings, use
ClearKeyMap, then recreate the mappings you want to retain (e.g., with
"NextFile=Tab", etc.).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.5.2. Debug ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Debug = nnnn (0):  Controls certain debugging options which can assist you in
tracking down unusual problems.  Use the following values for Debug; to select
more than one option, add the values together:

    1   During the startup process, display the complete command tail passed to
        Take Command, then wait for a keystroke.

    2   Include the product name with each error message displayed by Take
        Command.  This may be useful if you are unsure of the origin of a
        particular error message.

 Also see the batch file debugger, a separate and unrelated facility for
 stepping through batch files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2.5.3. Include ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Include = File:  Include the text from the named file at this point in the
processing of the current .INI file.  Use this option to share a file of
directives between several JP Software products.  The text in the named file is
processed just as if it were part of the original .INI file.  When the include
file is finished, processing resumes at the point where it left off in the
original file.  The included file may contain any valid directive for the
current section, but may not contain a section name.  Includes may be nested up
to three levels deep (counting the original file as level 1).  You must
maintain include files manually Ч the configuration dialogs modify the original
.INI file only, and do not update included files.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Setup and Troubleshooting ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

To install Take Command, see the Introduction and Installation Guide.  This
section will help you if you have difficulties with Take Command once you have
finished the initial installation.  The topics included in this section are:

    Starting Take Command
            includes information about creating new desktop objects for Take
            Command, options available during startup and on the command line,
            and where Take Command files should be placed on your hard disk.

    The Take Command Help System
            describes this online help and explains how to configure it.

    Error Messages
            contains a list of the error messages that Take Command may
            display, what each means, and how to correct each possible error.

    Troubleshooting, Service, and Support
            explains how to isolate problems you may encounter in using Take
            Command and how to obtain technical support from JP Software.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1. Starting Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section covers starting Take Command, including:

         Creating Desktop Objects for Take Command

         Startup and Command Line Options


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1.1. Creating Desktop Objects for Take Command ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section assumes you are running OS/2 Warp 4, with the default desktop
shell and a standard OS/2 desktop.  If you are using an earlier version of OS/2
or a different shell, or have altered your OS/2 desktop configuration
substantially, you will need to take those changes into account as you read the
instructions below.

The Take Command for OS/2 installation program normally creates a desktop
folder which contains objects to start Take Command for OS/2 and its online
help.  If you want to create additional objects in other folders, or directly
on the desktop, click mouse button 2 on the installed Take Command for OS/2
object, select Copy on the popup menu, and copy the object to another location
as desired.  You can then alter the properties of the new object if you wish.

If you need to create a new object, switch to the folder where you want the
object to appear and either copy an existing object (use the Copy or Create
Another selection on the object's popup menu) or drag a Program Template in
from the Templates folder.  The new object's Properties notebook should open
automatically.  Use the Program page of the notebook to set the file name to
d:\path\TCMDOS2.EXE (use the appropriate drive and path for your system).  Then
modify the parameters and startup directory as required.

No additional settings are required; the only required item is the drive and
path for TCMDOS2.EXE.  However, you can put command-line switches, a command,
or the name of a batch file in the Parameters field for any object. This allows
you to run specific commands or set configuration options when you start Take
Command for OS/2 from that object.  For details on the command line options
available, see Startup and Command Line Options.

For more information on creating and configuring desktop objects see your OS/2
documentation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1.2. Startup and Command Line Options ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you configure a Take Command object, place the full path and name for the
TCMDOS2.EXE file in the Path and File Name field on the Program page of the
object's Settings notebook, and put any startup options that you want passed to
Take Command (e.g., the name of a startup batch file) in the Parameters field.
(To bring up the Settings notebook click on the object with mouse button 2,
then click on the Settings item on the popup menu.)  For example:

        Path and File Name:    C:\TCMDOS2\TCMDOS2.EXE
        Parameters:            C:\GO.BAT
        Working directory:     C:\

When Take Command starts it automatically runs the optional TCSTART batch file.
You can use this file to load aliases and environment variables and otherwise
initialize Take Command.

You can also place the name of a batch file, internal or external command, or
alias at the end of the Parameters field for any object (as shown in the
example above).  The batch file, command, or alias will be executed after
TCSTART but before the first prompt is displayed.

Each OS/2 program -- including Take Command -- has a command line which can be
used to pass information to the program when it starts.  When Take Command is
started from an object on the OS/2 desktop, the command line is entered in the
Parameters field on the Program page of the Settings notebook for the Take
Command object.

The Take Command startup command line does not need to contain any information.
When invoked with an empty command line, Take Command will configure itself
from the TCMDOS2.INI file, run TCSTART, and then display a prompt and wait for
you to type a command.  However, you may add information to the startup command
line that will affect the way Take Command operates.

Take Command recognizes several optional fields on the command line. If you use
more than one of these fields, you should use them in the order that they are
described below.  If you do not do so, you may find that they do not operate
properly.

The following options can be included are:

@d:\path\inifile:  This option sets the path and name of the TCMDOS2.INI file.
You do not need this option if you aren't using a TCMD.INI file, or if the file
is named TCMDOS2.INI and is stored in the same subdirectory as TCMDOS2.EXE.

//iniline:  This option tells Take Command to treat the text appearing between
the // and the next space or tab as a TCMDOS2.INI directive. The directive
should be in the same format as a line in the [TakeCommand] section of
TCMDOS2.INI, but it may not contain spaces, tabs, or comments. This option
overrides any corresponding directive in your TCMDOS2.INI file.  This option
may be repeated.  It is a convenient way to place a few simple directives on
the startup line without having to modify or create a new .INI file.

/L, /LA, /LD, and /LH:  These options force Take Command to use a local alias,
directory history, and / or command history list. This allows you to use global
aliases as the default, but start a specific Take Command session with local
aliases or history.  See ALIAS for details on local and global aliases,
Directory History Window for details on local and global directory history, and
Command History for details on local and global command history.  /LA forces
local aliases, /LD forces local directory history, /LH forces local command
history, and /L forces all three.

[/C] command:  This option tells Take Command to run a command when it starts.
The command will be run after TCSTART has been executed and before any command
prompt is displayed.  It can be any valid internal or external command, batch
file, or alias; you may include multiple commands by using the command
separator.  All other startup options must be placed before the command,
because Take Command will treat characters after the command as part of the
command and not as additional startup options.

When the command is preceded by a /C, Take Command will execute the command and
then exit and return to the parent program or the OS/2 desktop without
displaying a prompt.

For example, to execute any TCSTART file you have created, execute
C:\STARTUP.BAT, and then display the prompt when the object starts:

        Path and File Name:    C:\TCMDOS2\TCMDOS2.EXE
        Parameters:            C:\STARTUP.BAT
        Working directory:     C:\

To execute an internal or external command, an alias, or a batch file and then
exit (return to the desktop) when it is done, place /Ccommand (rather than just
command) as the last item in the Parameters field.  For example:

        Path and File Name:    C:\TCMDOS2\TCMDOS2.EXE
        Parameters:            /C C:\STARTUP.BAT
        Working directory:     C:\


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2. The Take Command Help System ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This online help system for Take Command covers all Take Command features and
internal commands.  It includes reference information to assist you in using
Take Command and developing batch files, and includes most -- but not all -- of
the details which are included in the printed Take Command manuals.

If you type part or all of a command on the line and then press F1, the help
system will provide "context-sensitive" help by using the first word on the
line as a help topic.  If it's a valid topic, you will see help for that topic
automatically; if not, you will see the list of all help topics and you can
pick the one you want.

You can use this feature to obtain help on any topic -- not just on commands.
For example, if you enter the command HELP _DISK you will see help for the
_DISK internal variable.

If you type the name of any internal command at the prompt, followed by a slash
and a question mark [/?] like this:

        copy /?

then you will see help for the command in a "quick-reference" style.

The /? option may not work correctly if you have used an alias to redefine how
an internal command operates.  To view the /? help for such a command you must
add an asterisk to the beginning of the command to disable alias processing.
For example, if you have defined this alias:

        alias copy *copy /r

then the command COPY /? will be translated to COPY /R /?, which will not work
properly (because the /? does not appear immediately after the command name).
However, if you use *COPY /?, the alias will be ignored and the /? will work as
you intended.

The Take Command help system uses OS/2's VIEW.EXE to display help text.  Once
you've started the help system with HELP or F1, you can use VIEW's standard
keystrokes to navigate.  For more information, click on the Help menu at the
top of the VIEW window.

Configuring the Help System

For the help system to work properly you must place the files TCMDOS2.INF (this
help text) and TCMDOS2H.MSG (the "quick-help" text) in the proper directories.
See your Introduction and Installation Guide for additional details.

OS/2 includes many other help files.  For example, there is a complete
reference to all internal and external commands in the reference book named
CMDREF.INF.  You can specify a different set of help files or "books" to be
opened when HELP or F1 is invoked with the HelpBook directive in TCMDOS2.INI,
or the corresponding entry in the configuration notebook.  For example, to set
up Take Command for OS/2 so that both the CMDREF book and Take Command for OS/2
book are displayed when F1 is pressed, include the following directive in
TCMDOS2.INI, or make the corresponding change in the configuration notebook:

        HelpBook=TCMDOS2+CMDREF

When more than one book is listed in the HelpBook setting, the OS/2 help
program will see the combined group as a single book.  The displayed Table of
Contents will include the tables of contents from all the listed books, joined
together as one group of topics with no divisions to show where one book ends
and the next begins.  If any of the listed books are not available the help
program will not start.

The Take Command installation program sets up a separate object for Take
Command help so that you can load the help file directly.  To create a similar
object manually, use entries like this on the Program page of the object's
Settings notebook:

        Path and File Name:   VIEW.EXE
        Parameters:           TCMDOS2
        Working Directory:    d:\path

where "d:\path" is the directory where you installed Take Command for OS/2.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3. Error Messages ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section lists error messages generated by Take Command, and includes a
recommended course of action for most errors.  If you are unable to resolve the
problem, look through your Introduction and Installation Guide for any
additional troubleshooting recommendations, then contact JP Software for
technical support.

Error messages relating to files are generally reports of errors returned by
OS/2.  You may find some of these messages (for example, "Access denied") vague
enough that they are not always helpful.  Take Command includes the file name
in file error messages, but is often unable to determine a more accurate
explanation of these errors.  The message shown is the best information
available based on the error codes returned by OS/2.

The following list includes all error messages, in alphabetical order:

Access denied:  You tried to write to or erase a read-only file, rename a file
or directory to an existing name, create a directory that already exists,
remove a read-only directory or a directory with files or subdirectories still
in it, or access a file in use by another program.

Alias loop:  An alias refers back to itself either directly or indirectly
(i.e., a = b = a), or aliases are nested more than 16 deep.  Correct your alias
list.

Already excluded files:  You used more than one exclude range in a command.
Combine the exclusions into a single range.

Bad disk unit:  Generally caused by a disk drive hardware failure.

Batch file missing:  Take Command can't find the batch (.BTM or .CMD) file it
was running.  It was either deleted, renamed, moved, or the disk was changed.
Correct the problem and rerun the file.

Can't COPY or MOVE file to itself:  You cannot COPY or MOVE a file to itself.
Take Command attempts to perform full path and filename expansion before
copying to help ensure that files aren't inadvertently destroyed.

Can't create:  Take Command can't create the specified file. The disk may be
full or write protected, or the file already exists and is read-only, or the
root directory is full.

Can't delete:  Take Command can't delete the specified file or directory.  The
disk is probably write protected.

Can't get directory:  Take Command can't read the directory. The disk drive is
probably not ready.

Can't install hook:  Take Command for OS/2 cannot install the operating system
hooks required to support the KEYSTACK command.  The operating system may have
been damaged or improperly installed, or there may be too few resources to
support KEYSTACK.

Can't make directory entry:  Take Command can't create the filename in the
directory.  This is usually caused by a full root directory. Create a
subdirectory and move some of the files to it.

Can't open:  Take Command can't open the specified file. Either the file
doesn't exist or the disk directory or File Allocation Table is damaged.

Can't remove current directory:  You attempted to remove the current directory,
which OS/2 does not allow.  Change to the parent directory and try again.

CD-ROM door open or CD-ROM not ready:  The CD-ROM drive door is open, the power
is off, or the drive is disconnected.  Correct the problem and try again.

CD-ROM not High Sierra or ISO-9660:  The CD-ROM is not recognized as a data CD
(it may be a music CD).  Put the correct CD in the drive and try again.

Clipboard is empty or not text format:  You tried to retrieve some text from
the OS/2 clipboard, but there is no text available.  Correct the contents of
the clipboard and try again.

Clipboard is in use by another program:  Take Command could not access the OS/2
clipboard because another program was using it.  Wait until the clipboard is
available, or complete any pending action in the other program, then try again.

Command line too long:  A single command exceeded 1023 characters, or the
entire command line exceeded 2047 characters, during alias and variable
expansion.  Reduce the complexity of the command or use a batch file.  Also
check for an alias which refers back to itself either directly or indirectly.

Command only valid in batch file:  You have tried to use a batch file command,
like DO or GOSUB, from the command line or in an alias.  A few commands can
only be used in batch files (see the individual commands for details).

Contents lost before copy:  COPY was appending files, and found one of the
source files is the same as the destination.  That source file is skipped, and
appending continues with the next file.

Data error:  OS/2 can't read or write properly to the device. On a floppy
drive, this error is usually caused by a defective floppy disk, dirty disk
drive heads, or a misalignment between the heads on your drive and the drive on
which the disk was created. On a hard drive, this error may indicate a drive
that is too hot or too cold, or a hardware problem.  Retry the operation; if it
fails again, correct the hardware or diskette problem.

Directory stack empty:  POPD or DIRS can't find any entries in the directory
stack.

Disk is write protected:  The disk cannot be written to. Check the disk and
remove the write-protect tab or close the write-protect window if necessary.

Drive not ready -- close door:  The removable disk drive door is open.  Close
the door and try again.

Duplicate redirection:  You tried to redirect standard input, standard output,
or stand error more than once in the same command.

Environment already saved:  You have already saved the environment with a
previous SETLOCAL command.  You cannot nest SETLOCAL / ENDLOCAL pairs.

Error in command-line directive:  You used the //iniline option to place an
.INI directive on the startup command line, but the directive is in error.
Usually a more specific error message follows, and can be looked up in this
list.

Error on line [nnnn] of [filename]:  There is an error in your TCMDOS2.INI
file. The following message explains the error in more detail.  Correct the
line in error and restart Take Command for your change to take effect.

Error reading:  OS/2 experienced an I/O error when reading from a device.  This
is usually caused by a bad disk, a device not ready, or a hardware error.

Error writing:  OS/2 experienced an I/O error when writing to a device.  This
is usually caused by a full disk, a bad disk, a device not ready, or a hardware
error.

Exceeded batch nesting limit:  You have attempted to nest batch files more than
10 levels deep.

File Allocation Table bad:  OS/2 can't access the FAT on the specified disk.
This can be caused by a bad disk, a hardware error, or an unusual software
interaction.

File exists:  The requested output file already exists, and Take Command won't
overwrite it.

File is empty:  You attempted to LIST a file with no data (a zero-byte file).

File not found:  Take Command couldn't find the specified file.  Check the
spelling and path name.

General failure:  This is usually a hardware problem, particularly a disk drive
failure or a device not properly connected to a serial or parallel port.  Try
to correct the problem, or reboot and try again. Also see Data error above.

Include file not found:  You used the Include directive in the TCMDOS2.INI
file, but the file you specified was not found or could not be opened.

Include files nested too deep:  You used the Include directive in the
TCMDOS2.INI file, and attempted to nest include files more than three levels
deep.

Infinite COPY or MOVE loop:  You tried to COPY or MOVE a directory to one of
its own subdirectories and used the /S switch, so the command would run
forever.  Correct the command and try again.

Insufficient disk space:  COPY or MOVE ran out of room on the destination
drive.  Remove some files and retry the operation.

Invalid character value:  You gave an invalid value for a character directive
in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

Invalid choice value:  You gave an invalid value for a "choice" directive (one
that accepts a choice from a list, like "Yes" or "No") in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

Invalid color:  You gave an invalid value for a color directive in the
TCMDOS2.INI file.

Invalid count:  The character repeat count for KEYSTACK is incorrect.

Invalid date:  An invalid date was entered.  Check the syntax and reenter.

Invalid directive name:  Take Command can't recognize the name of a directive
in your TCMDOS2.INI file.

Invalid drive:  A bad or non-existent disk drive was specified.

Invalid key name:  You tried to make an invalid key substitution in the
TCMDOS2.INI file, or you used an invalid key name in a keystroke alias or
command.  Correct the error and retry the operation.

Invalid numeric value:  You gave an invalid value for a numeric directive in
the TCMDOS2.INI file.

Invalid parameter:  Take Command didn't recognize a parameter.  Check the
syntax and spelling of the command you entered.

Invalid path:  The specified path does not exist.  Check the disk specification
and/or spelling.

Invalid path or file name:  You used an invalid path or filename in a directive
in the TCMDOS2.INI file.

Invalid time:  An invalid time was entered.  Check the syntax and reenter.

Keystroke substitution table full:  Take Command ran out of room to store
keystroke substitutions entered in the TCMDOS2.INI file.  Reduce the number of
key substitutions or contact JP Software or your dealer for assistance.

Label not found:  A GOTO or GOSUB referred to a non-existent label. Check your
batch file.

Missing ENDTEXT:  A TEXT command is missing a matching ENDTEXT.  Check the
batch file.

Missing GOSUB:  Take Command cannot perform the RETURN command in a batch file.
You tried to do a RETURN without a GOSUB, or your batch file has been
corrupted.

Missing SETLOCAL:  An ENDLOCAL was used without a matching SETLOCAL.

No aliases defined:  You tried to display aliases but no aliases have been
defined.

No closing quote:  Take Command couldn't find a second matching back quote [`]
or double-quote ["] on the command line.

No expression:  The expression passed to the @EVAL variable function is empty.
Correct the expression and retry the operation.

No shared memory found:  The SHRALIAS command could not find any global alias
list, history list, or directory history list to retain, because you executed
the command from a session with local lists.  Start Take Command with at least
one global list, then invoke SHRALIAS.

Not an alias:  The specified alias is not in the alias list.

Not in environment:  The specified variable is not in the environment.

Not ready:  The specified device can't be accessed.

Not same device:  This error usually appears in RENAME. You cannot rename a
file to a different disk drive.

Out of memory:  Take Command or OS/2 had insufficient memory to execute the
last command.  Try to free some memory by closing other sessions.  If the error
persists, contact JP Software for assistance.

Out of paper:  OS/2 detected an out-of-paper condition on one of the printers.
Check your printer and add paper if necessary.

Overflow:  An arithmetic overflow occurred in the @EVAL variable function.
Check the values being passed to @EVAL.  @EVAL can handle 16 digits to the left
of the decimal point and 8 to the right.

Read error:  OS/2 encountered a disk read error; usually caused by a bad or
unformatted disk.  Also see Data error above.

Sector not found:  Disk error, usually caused by a bad or unformatted disk.
Also see Data error above.

Seek error:  OS/2 can't seek to the proper location on the disk.  This is
generally caused by a bad disk or drive.  Also see Data error above.

Sharing error or Sharing violation:  You tried to access a file in use by
another program.  Wait for the file to become available, or change your method
of operation so that another program does not have the file open while you are
trying to use it.

SHRALIAS already loaded:  You used the SHRALIAS command to load SHRALIAS.EXE,
but it was already loaded.  This message is informational and generally does
not indicate an error condition.

SHRALIAS not loaded:  You used the SHRALIAS /U command to unload SHRALIAS.EXE,
but it was never loaded.  This message is informational and may not indicate an
error condition.

Startup failed, contact JP Software:  Take Command could not initialize and
start operation.  Contact JP Software or your dealer for assistance.

String area overflow:  Take Command ran out of room to store the text from
string directives in the TCMDOS2.INI file.  Reduce the complexity of the
TCMDOS2.INI file or contact JP Software for assistance.

Syntax error:  A command or variable function was entered in an improper
format. Check the syntax and correct the error.

Too many open files:  OS/2 has run out of file handles.

Unbalanced parentheses:  The number of left and right parentheses did not match
in an expression passed to the %@EVAL variable function.  Correct the
expression and retry the operation.

UNKNOWN_CMD loop:  The UNKNOWN_CMD alias, explained under the ALIAS command,
called itself more than ten times.  The alias probably contains an unknown
command itself, and is stuck in an infinite loop.  Correct the alias.

Unknown command:  A command was entered that Take Command didn't recognize and
couldn't find in the current search path.  Check the spelling or PATH
specification.  You can handle unknown commands with the UNKNOWN_CMD alias (see
ALIAS).

Variable loop:  A nested environment variable refers to itself, or variables
are nested more than 16 deep.  Correct the error and retry the command.

Window title not found:  The ACTIVATE command could not find a window with the
specified title.  Correct the command or open the appropriate window and try
again.

Write error:  OS/2 encountered a disk write error; usually caused by a bad or
unformatted disk.  Also see Data error above.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4. Troubleshooting, Service, and Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Before You Contact Us

Before contacting us for support, please check this help file, the Reference
Manual and other documentation for answers to your question.  If you can't find
what you need, try the Index.  If you're having trouble getting Take Command to
run properly, see the Introduction and Installation manual and look through the
README.TXT file for any last-minute information for your product.

(If you need help with sales, ordering, shipments, brand codes, or other
similar non-technical issues please contact our Sales and Customer Service
department.  See Contacting JP Software for our addresses.)

If you do need to contact us for support, it helps if you can give us some
basic information.  The first four items listed below are essential for us to
be able to understand and assist you with your problem:

         What environment are you working in?  This includes the operating
         system version are you using, the version of the JP Software product
         involved, and related information such as network connections and the
         name and version number of any other software which appears to be
         involved in the problem.  Use the VER /R command to determine the Take
         Command version and operating system version.

         What exactly did you do?  A concise description of what steps you must
         take to make the problem appear is much more useful than a long
         analysis of what might be happening.

         What did you expect to happen?  Tell us the result you expected from
         the command or operation in question, so that we understand what you
         are trying to do.

         What actually happened?  At what point did the failure occur? If you
         saw an error message or other important or unusual information on the
         screen, what exactly did it say?

         Briefly, what techniques did you use to try to resolve the problem?
         What results did you get?

         If the problem seems related to startup and configuration issues, what
         are the contents of any startup files you use (such as CONFIG.SYS,
         TCSTART, TCEXIT, and the TCMDOS2.INI file), any batch files they call,
         and any alias or environment variable files they load?

         Can you repeat the problem or does it occur randomly?  If it's random,
         does it seem related to the programs you're using when the problem
         occurs?

 Online Support

 Support for Take Command for OS/2 is offered via our online support forum,
 where our support personnel can read and respond to your messages, and other
 users can respond as well.  The forum is accessible via several methods; for
 complete details and access links see the support area of our web site at
 http://www.jpsoft.com/.

 A number of other support resources are available from our web site, including
 error message listings, documentation files, product histories, technical tips
 and discussions, other technical information, and links to other companies'
 sites.  We update this information regularly, and we encourage you to check
 the Technical Support area of the web site to see if the information there
 will address any questions you have.

 If you are unable to gain access to the forum, or you need to include
 confidential information in your support request, contact us via email at
 [e-mail] and we will assist you in resolving the problem with forum
 access, or assist you with your request privately if appropriate.  Please do
 not use this address for standard support questions which can be posted on the
 forum.

 Technical support messages should be sent as standard ASCII text. Please do
 not transmit attached files, binary files, screen images, or any file over 10K
 bytes in size to any of our electronic technical support addresses unless
 asked to do so by our support staff.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4.1. Contacting JP Software ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can contact JP Software at the following addresses and numbers.  Our normal
business hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays, eastern US time (except
holidays).

    Address:          JP Software Inc.
                      P.O. Box 1470
                      East Arlington, MA 02474
                      USA

    Main number:      [phone]

    Fax:              [phone]

    Order Line:       [phone]  (US / Canada, orders only)

    Email:            Sales / Customer Service:  [e-mail]

                      Technical Support:  Visit our support forum, accessible
                      via the support area of our web site at
                      http://www.jpsoft.com/

                      World Wide Web:  http://www.jpsoft.com/

                      Downloads via FTP:  ftp://ftp.jpsoft.com/


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. What's New ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section provides a comprehensive list of what's changed since our previous
major release, version 1.02.  Maintenance changes made between versions 2.00
and 2.03 are indicated by 2.01, 2.02, or 2.03 in the left margin.

This topic does not explain how to use each new feature.  Instead, where
appropriate we have provided links below to the detailed help topics containing
additional usage information or other documentation.

Some of the descriptions here may be more detailed than you need; if you aren't
using a feature, feel free to skip to the next item.  If you are new to Take
Command for OS/2 with version 2.03, you can skip this topic entirely.

This topic is divided into the following subtopics:

            General Features and Enhancements
            Line Editing and History
            Command Changes
            Variables and Variable Functions
            Startup and Configuration
            Technical and Compatibility Enhancements
            Bugs Fixed

 The major new features in this release include:

    ╨┐   Extended Directory Searches:  allow you to change to a directory
        anywhere on your system by entering only part of its name.  They must
        be explicitly enabled before you can use them.  See Directory
        Navigation for complete details.

    ╨┐   New File Exclusion Ranges: provide a convenient way to exclude files
        from any internal command -- faster and more flexible than using
        EXCEPT.

    ╨┐   The new Batch File Debugger can execute each line step by step, process
        or trace into additional batch files, and display variables, aliases,
        and expanded commands at each step.

    ╨┐   New commands include:

                 OPTION:  Offers complete configuration adjustment, either
                 through interactive dialogs or on the command line.

                 SWITCH:  Provides for "case" statements in batch files.

                 TOUCH:  Adjusts file dates and times.

                 TREE:  Displays the directory tree, with or without file
                 names, in a variety of formats.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.1. General Features and Enhancements ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - General Features and Enhancements

        ╨┐  Added a complete batch file debugger.  The debugger displays the
           batch file in a window and allows you to execute each line step by
           step, process or trace into additional batch files and subroutines,
           and display variables and aliases at each step.  See Batch File
           Debugging for complete details.

        ╨┐  Popup windows (for filename completion, command history recall,
           etc.) now allow you to search for a line within the window contents
           by typing the first few characters of the line.  The search string
           is displayed in the lower right corner of the window.

        ╨┐  You can now redirect to and from the clipboard by using the
           pseudo-device name CLIP:.  For example, to redirect DIR to the
           clipboard:

                              dir *.doc > clip:

        ╨┐  The online help has been reorganized to make it easier to navigate
           through the main topics, and includes additional reference
           information, reference tables, and a glossary.

        ╨┐  The default maximum file description length is now 511 bytes in all
           products.

        ╨┐  Two new characters can now follow the escape character:  An escape
           followed by a 'q' will substitute a double quote; an escape followed
           by a 'k' will substitute a back quote.

        ╨┐  The decimal and thousands characters used in @EVAL and in displayed
           version numbers and other similar locations are now controllable
           with the DecimalChar and ThousandsChar directives in the .INI file,
           the corresponding options in the configuration or OPTION dialogs,
           and the SETDOS /G command.  These characters are saved by SETLOCAL
           and restored by ENDLOCAL.  This is intended as an aid to those
           writing batch files which perform arithmetic operations and which
           may be used in countries with differing separator characters.

        ╨┐  The directory stack size used by PUSHD and POPD has been increased
           from 255 to 511 bytes to leave adequate room for long directory
           names.

        ╨┐  .BTM files can now be longer than 64K bytes, though compressed .BTMs
           still have to be less than 64K.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.2. Command Line Editing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - Command Line Editing

        ╨┐  Extended directory searches can be used directly from the command
           line for quick directory navigation; see Automatic Directory Changes
           or Directory Navigation for details.

        ╨┐  Made several ehancements to filename completion, including:

           *        The Ctrl-A key, which toggles between long and short
                    filenames for filename completion, can now be hit at any
                    point during command line entry -- not just during filename
                    completion.  For example, if you hit Ctrl-A at the
                    beginning of the command line, all filenames subsequently
                    returned for that line will be short names (until you hit
                    Ctrl-A again).

           *        Filename completion can now be customized for individual
                    commands via the new FileCompletion .INI directive (or
                    environment variable).  For example, you can configure Take
                    Command to complete only the names of .TXT files when the
                    command line starts with the name of your text editor, or
                    to display only directory names when you are entering a CD
                    command.

           *        The F7 filename completion popup window now sorts the
                    filename list alphabetically.

        ╨┐  You can now expand aliases immediately while still on the command
           line with the Ctrl-F key.

        ╨┐  Command line history recall will now stop at the beginning and end
           of the history list rather than wrapping around, if you set HistWrap
           to No in the .INI file or through the configuration dialogs.

        ╨┐  Take Command now supports ANSI screen commands.

        ╨┐  In the Find Files dialog, double-clicking on the filename, then
           clicking on LIST in the Info dialog will now start LIST (in a
           separate copy of Take Command) with the pointer at the first
           matching string in the file.

        ╨┐  A double (left) click in the Take Command window now selects the
           word under the mouse pointer.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.3. Command Changes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - Command Changes

        ╨┐  ATTRIB:  Added the /E switch to disable display of non-fatal errors.
           Also, ATTRIB now allows underscores in the attribute string, so that
           you can get a result from the %@ATTRIB variable function and feed it
           directly to the ATTRIB command.

        ╨┐  CD and CDD:  Now support extended directory searches, which allow
           you to change to a directory anywhere on your system by entering
           only part of its name.  The CDD /S switch builds the extended
           directory search database.  Extended directory searches mmust be
           explicitly enabled before you can use them.  See Directory
           Navigation for complete details.

        ╨┐  CDD:  Added the /A switch to display the current directory for all
           existing and ready drives from C: to Z:.

        ╨┐  CHCP:  Changed to only affect the current process and its children,
           as in CMD.EXE.

        ╨┐  COPY:  Added several switches:

             /E         Disable display of non-fatal errors.
             /K         Preserve read-only attributes during a COPY.
             /X         Clear the archive bit from the source file after a
                        successful copy.
             /Z         Overwrite read-only target files.

        ╨┐  COPY:  When copying from a FAT drive to an HPFS drive, COPY will now
           use the .LONGNAME extended attribute of the source file (if
           available) to determine the long name.  When copying from HPFS to
           FAT, COPY sets the .LONGNAME attribute if possible, to preserve the
           long name.

        ╨┐  DEL:  Added two switches:

             /E         Disable display of non-fatal errors.
             /W         Clear the file to 0's before deleting it.

        ╨┐  DIR:  Added or modified several of the DIR switches:

             /2         Now forces the use of truncated names on HPFS drives.
             /4         Now forces the use of truncated names on HPFS drives,
                        and displays files between 1 and 9.9 Mb in tenths
                        (i.e., "2.4M").
             /G         (New) Displays the allocated size instead of the file
                        size.
             /W         Now forces the use of truncated names on HPFS drives.

        ╨┐  DIRHISTORY:  This new command has the same syntax as HISTORY, but it
           modifies the directory history.

        ╨┐  DO:  Added two new DO loop types:

           *        "DO x IN filename" retrieves each matching filename from a
                    wildcard spec and inserts the value into the variable.
           *        "DO x IN @filename" retrieves each line in the file and
                    inserts it into the variable.

        ╨┐  ECHOERR and ECHOSERR:  These new commands are like ECHO and ECHOS,
           but output goes to the standard error device instead of standard
           output.

        ╨┐  ENDLOCAL:  To aid in making batch files portable, SETLOCAL and
           ENDLOCAL now save and restore the command separator, escape
           character, parameter character, and decimal and thousands
           separators.

        ╨┐  FFIND:  Added two new switches:

             /I         Do a literal match even if the text search string
                        contains wildcard characters.
             /R         Start searching for text from the end backwards.

           Also, the /X switch will now display the offset in both hex and
           decimal.

        ╨┐  FOR:  Added several new switches for compatibility with Windows NT
           4.0's CMD.EXE; see the command reference information for complete
           details.

        ╨┐  GOTO:  Added support for Windows NT 4.0's "GOTO :EOF" -- If there is
           no ":EOF" label, GOTO ends the current batch file (equivalent to a
           QUIT).

        ╨┐  IF / IFF:  These commands now support nested conditional tests, with
           parentheses, e.g.:

                              if  (%a == 1 .or. %b == 2) .and. %c == 3 echo something

           See the command reference information for complete syntax rules.

        ╨┐  Added a new "IF DEFINED varname" test, which succeeds if the
           specified variable exists in the environment.  This is included for
           compatibility with Windows NT 4.0's CMD.EXE, and is the same as a
           test like:

                              if  "%varname" ne "" ...

        ╨┐  Changed the comparison tests to accept a leading decimal separator
           as a numeric character, provided the remainder of the string is
           numeric and does not contain additional decimal characters.

        ╨┐  KEYSTACK:  Now supports sending keystrokes to windowed VIO sessions
           (not just PM apps) from Take Command for OS/2.

        ╨┐  LIST:  Added a range of enhancements, including:

           *        Ctrl-PgUp and Ctrl-PgDn will go to the previous and next
                    file in the current group, respectively.

           *        Ctrl-F searches backwards for a text string; Ctrl-N repeats
                    the last search, searching backwards.

           *        Matching strings on the first page are now highlighted
                    after a search.

           *        When piping output to LIST in most cases you no longer need
                    the /S switch; for example, to view DIR's output in LIST
                    you can now use:

                                                dir  | list

                    Also, added three new switches:

                      /I         Ignore case in a /T search.
                      /R         The search initiated by /T goes backwards from
                                 the end of the file.
                      /T         Search for text when LIST starts.

        ╨┐  MD:  Added the /N switch to create a directory without updating the
           extended directory search database (useful for temporary
           directories).

        ╨┐  MOVE:  Added the /E switch to disable display of non-fatal errors.

        ╨┐  MOVE:  When moving files from a FAT drive to an HPFS drive, MOVE
           will now use the .LONGNAME extended attribute of the source file (if
           available) to determine the long name.  When moving files from HPFS
           to FAT, MOVE sets the .LONGNAME attribute if possible, to preserve
           the long name.

        ╨┐  OPTION:  This new command can be used for two purposes.  When
           invoked without parameters, it loads configuration dialogs which
           adjust most commonly-used settings in the .INI file.  The dialogs
           provide a convenient method of adjusting configuration without
           manually editing the .INI file.  OPTION can also be used to change
           specific settings on an individual basis with the OPTION Name=value
           ... syntax; see the command for complete details.

        ╨┐  PROMPT:  Added the $+ metacharacter, which displays one + for each
           PUSHD level.

        ╨┐  REN / RENAME:  Added the /E switch to disable display of non-fatal
           errors.

        ╨┐  RETURN:  Now accepts an optional argument for the errorlevel to
           return.  The errorlevel can be tested with %? or IF ERRORLEVEL.

        ╨┐  SCREEN, SCRPUT, and VSCRPUT:  If you specify 999 for the row, the
           text will be centered vertically; if you specify 999 for the column,
           the text will be centered horizontally.

        ╨┐  SELECT:  You can now type characters from the start of a filename
           and the selection bar will jump to the first matching name.  Due to
           this change, the key to popup LIST on the currently selected file
           has been changed from L to ^L.  Also, added the /T:acw switch to
           select the date and time to use for display and sorting on HPFS
           drives.

        ╨┐  SETLOCAL:  To aid in making batch files portable, SETLOCAL now saves
           the command separator, escape character, parameter character, and
           decimal and thousands separators; ENDLOCAL restores them.

        ╨┐  SHIFT:  The new "/n" argument will start the shift at the specified
           argument -- i.e., "shift /2" moves %3 to %2, %4 to %3, etc.

        ╨┐  START:  Added /LD for a local directory history list.

        ╨┐  START:  Added support for the (undocumented) Warp 4 CMD.EXE
           "DosSetting.xxx=yyy" environment variables to specify settings for
           DOS sessions.

        ╨┐  SWITCH:  This new command provides a C-like switch construct for
           batch files.  SWITCH scans each CASE statement looking for a
           matching value; if it finds one it executes the block of code inside
           that CASE statement, and then jumps to the end of the switch block
           (ENDSWITCH).  If no CASE statement matches, SWITCH will execute the
           code in the (optional) DEFAULT block.

        ╨┐  TOUCH:  This new command changes the date and/or time for a file or
           files.  You can set a specified date and time or use the current
           system clock, and you can optionally change the last access /
           creation date and time fields on HPFS drives.

        ╨┐  TREE:  This new command displays a graphical directory tree using
           either line-drawing or ASCII characters.  It can also optionally
           display file names, dates, times, and sizes.

        ╨┐  UNALIAS:  Added the /R switch to read a file of aliases to remove.

        ╨┐  UNSET:  Added the /R switch to read a file of variables to remove.

 2.01  ╨┐   FFIND:  Added support for piping into FFIND.  You can either specify
           CON for the filename, or if no filename is specified FFIND will
           detect whether STDIN is a pipe and use that.

 2.01  ╨┐   TOUCH:  /T[acw] and /D[acw] now default to the current date and
           time.  Previously when the "a", "c", or " w" was specified the date
           or time had to be specified also.

 2.02  ╨┐   CD and CDD:  Added the /N switch to disable extended directory
           searches and the change directory popup window (intended primarily
           for use in batch files).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.4. Variables and Functions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - Variables and Functions Added or updated the following internal
variables (all variables listed are new unless otherwise noted):

        ╨┐  _APMAC:  Advanced Power Management AC line status.

        ╨┐  _APMBATT:  Advanced Power Management battery status.

        ╨┐  _APMLIFE:  Advanced Power Management remaining battery life.

        ╨┐  _CPU:  Now returns "686" for Pentium Pro.

        ╨┐  _DOWI:  Returns the current day of week as an integer (Sun = 1, Mon
           = 2, etc.).

        ╨┐  _SELECTED:  Returns the selected (highlighted) text.

        ╨┐  _XPIXELS:  Returns the physical screen horizontal size in pixels.

        ╨┐  _YPIXELS:  Returns the physical screen vertical size in pixels.

 2.01  ╨┐   _CMDPROC:  Returns the name of the current command processor.

 Added or updated the following variable functions (all functions listed are
 new unless otherwise noted):

        ╨┐  @CLIP[n]:  Returns line n from the clipboard (base 0).

        ╨┐  @CONVERT[input,output,value]:  Converts a number from one base to
           another.

        ╨┐  @DAY[date]:  Returns the day for the specified date.

        ╨┐  @DOW[date]:  Returns the day of week for the specified date, as a
           string (Sun, Mon, etc.)

        ╨┐  @DOWI[date]:  Returns the day of week for the specified date, as an
           integer (Sun = 1, Mon = 2, etc.).

        ╨┐  @DOY[date]:  Returns the day of year for the specified date (136).

        ╨┐  @EAREAD[filename,EAname]:  Returns the specified text extended
           attribute for the file.

        ╨┐  @EAWRITE[filename,EAname,value]:  Writes the specified text extended
           attribute for the file.

        ╨┐  @EVAL[expression]:  Now supports user-definable decimal and
           thousands characters; see DecimalChar and ThousandsChar, or SETDOS
           /G for details.

        ╨┐  @EXEC[command]:  This function has been modified; if you preface the
           command with an '@', @EXEC will return an empty string rather than
           the result code of the command.

        ╨┐  @EXECSTR[command]:  Returns the first line written to STDOUT by the
           specified command.  (This is intended to provide functionality
           similar to UNIX back-quoting.)

        ╨┐  @EXPAND[filename[,attributes]]:  Expands a wildcard filename and
           returns all of the matching filenames / directories on a single
           line.

        ╨┐  @FILEDATE[filename[,acw]] / @FILETIME[filename[,acw]]:  Added the
           optional second argument determines which date / time field to
           return on HPFS drives.

        ╨┐  @FILESIZE[filename[,bkm[,a]]:  Added the optional third argument
           a(llocated); if specified, the function returns the size actually
           used on disk, not the amount of data in the file.

        ╨┐  @INSERT[n,string1,string2]:  Inserts string1 into string2 starting
           at offset n.

        ╨┐  @LEFT[n,string]:  Returns the leftmost n characters of string.

        ╨┐  @MONTH[date]:  Return the month for the specified date.

        ╨┐  @NUMERIC[string]:  Now considers a leading decimal separator as a
           numeric character, provided the remainder of the string is numeric
           and does not contain additional decimal characters.

        ╨┐  @REPLACE[string1,string2,text]:  Replaces all occurrences of string1
           in text with string2.

        ╨┐  @RIGHT[n,string]:  Returns the rightmost n characters of string.

        ╨┐  @SEARCH[filename[,path]]:  Now accepts an optional second argument
           for the path to search.

        ╨┐  @SELECT[filename,top,left,bottom,right,title[,1]]:  Has a new
           optional argument following the title.  If it's set to 1, @SELECT
           will sort the list alphabetically.

        ╨┐  @STRIP[chars,string]:  Return string with the characters in chars
           removed.

        ╨┐  @WILD[string1,string2]:  Does a wildcard comparison on the two
           strings and returns 1 if they match; 0 if they don't.

        ╨┐  @YEAR[date]:  Return the year for the specified date.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.5. Startup and Configuration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - Startup and Configuration

        Added or modified the following .INI directives (all are new unless
        otherwise noted):

        ╨┐  CDDWinLeft, CDDWinTop, CDDWinWidth, CDDWinHeight.  These directives
           set the position, and size of the popup window used for extended
           directory searches.

        ╨┐  DescriptionName:  This directive has a new capability:  If set to
           "EA", Take Commandfor OS/2 will use extended attributes
           (specifically, the ".SUBJECT" EA) for file descriptions, rather than
           DESCRIPT.ION or another file.  Depending on operating system
           configuration and cache behavior, this setting can cause a
           significant reduction in performance, but may be useful when working
           with other programs that manipulate Extended Attributes.

        ╨┐  DuplicateBugs = Yes | NO:  Tells the parser to duplicate certain
           CMD.EXE errors which may be important in solving rare compatibility
           problems.  The only bug currently replicated by this command is the
           IF command.

        ╨┐  FileCompletion = cmd1:ext1 ext2;cmd2 ...:  Sets up command-specific
           filename completion.

        ╨┐  FuzzyCD =  0 | 1 | 2 | 3:  Enables or disables extended directory
           searches, and controls their behavior.

        ╨┐  HistMove = Yes | NO:  If set to Yes, a recalled line from the
           command history is moved to the end of the history list, and removed
           from its original location.

        ╨┐  Include = filename:  Includes the contents of the named file as if
           they had appeared at the location of the Include= directive in the
           current .INI file.

        ╨┐  TreePath = Path:  Specifies the location of JPSTREE.IDX (the
           extended directory search database; defaults to C:\).

 2.02  ╨┐   ListRowStart  = 1 |  0:  Specifies whether LIST and FFIND consider
           the first line in a file to be line "1" or line "0".  The new
           default is "1".

 2.02  ╨┐   PathExt  = NO |  Yes:  Determines whether Take Command uses standard
           extensions when searching the path, or uses the alternate extensions
           specified in the PATHEXT environment variable.

 2.02  ╨┐   UnixPaths= Yes |  NO:  Enables or disables the forward slash as a
           path separator in the command name (the first item on the command
           line).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.6. Technical and Compatibility Enhancements ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - Technical and Compatibility Enhancements

        ╨┐  Replaced the old 4OS2DLL.DLL / TCOS2DLL.DLL with a single file for
           both 4OS2 and TCOS2, named JPOS2DLL.DLL.  Also, JPOS2DLL is now
           loaded dynamically, so you can start the product without it if
           necessary (e.g. from a floppy boot).

        ╨┐  Added support for inheritance (and shell levels) when invoking one
           copy of Take Command for OS/2 from another.

        ╨┐  Worked around an OS/2 problem that prevented %_CPU from detecting
           anything higher than a 486.

        ╨┐  Improved support for drive and file sizes over 4GB.

        ╨┐  Added support for piping from VIO and DOS programs to secondary Take
           Command shells.

        ╨┐  TYPE NUL now "works" (i.e. it generates no output), for
           compatibility with batch files which use TYPE NUL > file to generate
           a 0-byte file.

        ╨┐  Added debugging options which allow you to view the command "tail"
           passed to Take Command for OS/2, and to "tag" error messages with
           the product name.  See the Debug directive in TCMDOS2.INI for
           additional details.

 2.01  ╨┐   DESCRIBE:  Worked around a Novell Netware bug which caused trouble
           with descriptions with trailing drive specs (i.e., "file from drive
           D:").

 2.02  ╨┐   @UNIQUE:  Worked around an OS/2 bug that caused trouble if @UNIQUE
           was called repeatedly on a fast machine.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9.7. Bugs Fixed ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What's New - Bugs Fixed

        ╨┐  Piping the output of a batch file which also contains a pipe will no
           longer cause problems.

        ╨┐  ACTIVATE:  The CLOSE option now works properly.

        ╨┐  DESCRIBE:  Fixed a problem with quoted long filenames with paths.

        ╨┐  INPUT:  Fixed a problem with /P not displaying *'s.

        ╨┐  RENAME:  Now works properly when renaming quoted long filenames with
           embedded wildcards.

        ╨┐  Fixed a problem with invalid drive change requests -- commands like
           "1:" would crash TCOS2.

        ╨┐  Quoted long filenames can now be used in the .INI file.

        ╨┐  Fixed a problem which locked the STARTUP.CMD file when loading
           SHRALIAS from STARTUP.CMD.

        ╨┐  The file find dialog now adds quotes to long filenames when doing a
           file-only search.  This should allow you to double-click the name
           successfully.

        ╨┐  @FILESEEKL[] now always returns to the start of the file before
           seeking.

 2.01  ╨┐   Enabled the NormalPopupKey directive in the .INI file.  Previously
           this directive was documented but was only available under its old
           name (NormalHWinKey).

 2.01  ╨┐   Modified popup windows to avoid the situation where the bottom half
           of the window is empty when the initially selected line is at the
           end of the list.

 2.01  ╨┐   DIR:  Fixed several problems, including:

           *            /4/Z did not display file sizes ending in ".9M" (1.9M,
                        2.9M, etc.) correctly.

           *            /J did not display the descriptions.

           *            /OGU was ignoring the 'U'; it will now display the
                        files unsorted after the directory names.

           *            "*.*" was incorrectly being appended to file
                        specifications that ended in a question mark.

 2.01  ╨┐   DO:  Fixed a problem with "LEAVE" not closing the file handle on a
           "do var in @filename", and a similar problem with exiting the batch
           file with QUIT or CANCEL from inside a DO loop which had a file
           open.

 2.01  ╨┐   DEL:  Fixed a problem with /W and 0-byte files.

 2.01  ╨┐   DRAWVLINE:  Fixed a problem with connecting to a horizontal line on
           the right side.

 2.01  ╨┐   ECHOS:  Fixed a problem with aborting an ECHOS with a Ctrl-C while
           in a DO or FOR loop.

 2.01  ╨┐   FOR:  Fixed a problem with combining /A:xx and /R, and another
           problem with combining /H and /R.

 2.01  ╨┐   SWITCH:  Fixed occasional problems with nested SWITCHes.

 2.01  ╨┐   @EVAL:  Fixed a bug with maximum-length argument strings.

 2.01  ╨┐   @FILEWRITEB[n,length,string]:  No longer truncates on a write if the
           file was opened in binary mode.

 2.01  ╨┐   @WORDS[["xxx"],string]:  Fixed a problem if the line began with a -.

 2.02  ╨┐   Extended wildcards are now supported inside file exclusion ranges.
           (In previous versions the documentation indicated that this support
           was available, but it was not.)

 2.02  ╨┐   Fixed a problem which prevented filename completion from returning
           hidden and system files when these files were enabled in the
           FILECOMPLETION variable.  Note that the default filename completion
           search does not display hidden and system files, but now if you use
           FILECOMPLETION to enable those files for a specific command, they
           will be shown as you cycle through files with <Tab>.

 2.02  ╨┐   Improved handling of commands using both * (disable alias) and @
           (don't add to command history) at the start.

 2.02  ╨┐   @FILES:  Fixed a problem which caused this function to leave a file
           handle open, which could cause subsequent "access denied" errors.

 2.02  ╨┐   @REPLACE:  Fixed a problem with replacing commas.

 2.02  ╨┐   @SELECT:  Fixed a problem with files over 64K.

 2.02  ╨┐   CDD: Fixed a problem if TREE was disabled (CDD /S uses TREE to build
           the directory index).

 2.02  ╨┐   FFIND: Fixed a problem with /C and bracketed wildcards.

 2.02  ╨┐   LIST: Fixed a problem with highlighting the offsets as well as the
           actual found text when in hex mode.

 2.02  ╨┐   SWITCH: Fixed minor problems with nested SWITCH statements.

 2.02  ╨┐   TEE: Fixed a problem with TEE'ing to CLIP:.

 2.02  ╨┐   TOUCH: Fixed a problem with failing to display a usage message when
           there were no parameters after a /C, and another problem with
           properly detecting invalid times.

 2.02  ╨┐   UNALIAS: Fixed a problem with /R.

 2.02b  ╨┐  Fixed a problem with piping to external applications.

 2.02b  ╨┐  Fixed a problem which occasionally caused spurious "internal error"
           crashes.

 2.02b  ╨┐  @EXEC:  Fixed a problem which prevented the command from being
           executed at all if it was preceded with an @.

 2.02b  ╨┐  @MAKEAGE:  Fixed a problem which caused 2-digit dates to be
           interpreted based on 1980 rather than 2000 (e.g.  01-01-02 was taken
           to mean 1-Jan-1982 rather than the correct value, 1-Jan-2000).

 2.03  ╨┐   Fixed a problem which caused a crash with extremely large extended
           directory search databases.

 2.03  ╨┐   Fixed a problem which caused a crash when multiple Take Command
           windows were running 'TTY' applications simultaneously.

 2.03  ╨┐   CHCP: Fixed a problem which caused a crash when changing the code
           page under Warp FixPak 13 and above.

 2.03  ╨┐   FFIND: Fixed a problem with wildcards.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Reference Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section contains information that you'll need throughout Take Command. It
is divided into six sections:

    Product Compatibility
            discusses compatiblity between our products: 4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT, Take
            Command for OS/2, Take Command/16 for Windows 3.x and Windows for
            Workgroups, and Take Command/32 for Windows 95 and Windows NT.  If
            you use two or more of our products, you'll want to read this
            section.

    File Systems and File Name Conventions
            explains the file systems that are supported by OS/2 and Take
            Command for OS/2, the naming conventions used by each, and related
            issues.

    Miscellaneous Reference Information
            discusses a number of conventions and other topics that are
            necessary to get the most out of Take Command.

    Reference Tables
            includes tables of ASCII codes and of the codes produced when you
            press various keys and key combinations on the keyboard.  Also
            contains a list of ANSI commands.

    The Glossary
            is a list of terms and definitions.  If you come across terms in
            the online help that you don't understand, they are probably
            defined here.

    Copyright and Version
            contains the copyright information and version number for this
            online help file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.1. Product Compatibility ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This topic covers compatiblity between our products: 4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT, Take
Command for OS/2, Take Command/16 for Windows 3.x and Windows for Workgroups,
and Take Command/32 for Windows 95 and Windows NT.  The topic is divided into 3
separate issues:

         Special Character Compatibility

         Scrolling and History Keystrokes

         Using 4OS2 and 4DOS Batch Files and Aliases


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.1.1. Special Character Compatibility ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command is highly compatible with 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4NT.  However, there are
some minor differences between our products. These differences are caused by
the different requirements of each operating system and by our design goal of
maintaining compatibility between each product and the system's default command
processor.

We discuss the differences between our products in the online help as part of
the description of each feature and command.  Most of the differences are
minor:  different command line lengths, a few different options in some
commands, and some commands that only make sense in one or two products.

If you use two or more of our products, or if you want to share aliases and
batch files with users of different products, you need to be aware of the
differences in three important characters:  the Command Separator, the Escape
Character, and the Parameter Character.

The default values of each of these characters in each product is shown in the
following table:


                 Product          Separator    Escape       Parameter

                 Take Command/16,     ^                        &
                 4DOS

                 Take Command/32,     &            ^            $
                 Take Command for
                 OS/2, 4NT, 4OS2

        (In this section, an up-arrow [] is used for the ASCII Ctrl-X
        character, numeric value 24.  The appearance of control characters
        depends on the font you use.  In many fonts Ctrl-X is displayed as a
        "block" or other non-descript character, but the Terminal font used by
        default in Take Command typically displays Ctrl-X as an up-arrow.)

        In your batch files and aliases, and even at the command line, you can
        smooth over these differences in three ways:

        Select a consistent set of characters on the Options 1 page of the
         configuration dialogs, TCMDOS2.INI file directives, or with the SETDOS
         command.  For example, to set the Take Command/16 characters to match
         the defaults in Take Command/32, 4OS2, and 4NT, use these lines in
         TCMD.INI:

                          CommandSep = &
                          EscapeChar = ^
                          ParameterChar = $

        Use internal variables that contain the current special character,
         rather than using the character itself. For example, this command:

                          if "%1" == "" (echo Argument missing! ^ quit)

         will only work if the command separator is a caret.  However, this
         version works regardless of the current command separator:

                          if "%1" == "" (echo Argument missing! %+ quit)

        In a batch file, use the SETLOCAL command to save the command
         separator, escape character, and parameter character when the batch
         file starts.  Then use SETDOS as described below to select the
         characters you want to use within the batch file.  Use an ENDLOCAL
         command at the end of the batch file to restore the previous settings.

         You can also use the SETDOS command to change special characters on
         the command line.  However, when setting new special character values
         on the command line you must take into account the possibility that
         one of your new values will have a current meaning that causes
         problems with the setting.  For example, this command:

                          [c:\] setdos /e^

         would not set the escape character to a caret [^] in Take Command/16
         if the standard Take Command/16 special characters were currently in
         effect.  The ^ would be seen as a command separator, and would
         terminate the SETDOS command before the escape character was set.  To
         work around this, use the escape character variable %= before each
         setting to ensure that the following character is not treated with any
         special meaning.

         For example, the following sequence of commands in a batch file will
         always set the special characters correctly to their standard Take
         Command/32 and Take Command for OS/2 values, no matter what their
         current setting, and will restore them when the batch file is done:

                          setlocal
                          setdos /c%=& /e%=^ /p%=$
                          .....
                          endlocal

         A similar sequence can be used to select the standard Take Command/16
         characters, regardless of the current settings:

                          setlocal
                          setdos /c%=^ /e%=╨╜ /p%=&
                          .....
                          endlocal


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.1.2. Scrolling and History Keystrokes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

In order to support the scrollback buffer, some Take Command keystrokes are
different from what you may be used to in 4DOS, 4OS2, and 4NT.  The differences
are:


                                        4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT  Take Command

                 Command Line:

                   Previous command     Up []           Ctrl-Up

                   Next command         Down []         Ctrl-Down

                   Open history window  PgUp             Ctrl-PgUp

                   Directory history    Ctrl-PgUp        F6

                 Screen Scrollback:

                   Up one line          N/A              Up []

                   Down one line        N/A              Down []

                   Up one page          N/A              PgUp

                   Down one page        N/A              PgDn

        If you prefer to reverse this arrangement and use the arrow and PgUp
        keys to access the command history without having to press Ctrl (as in
        4OS2 and 4DOS), see the SwapScrollKeys .INI file directive, or the
        Command Line 1 page of the configuration notebook. SwapScrollKeys
        switches the keystroke mapping so that the , , and PgUp keys
        manipulate the command history, and Ctrl-, Ctrl-, Ctrl-PgUp, and
        Ctrl-PgDn are used to control the scrollback buffer. (SwapScrollKeys
        does not affect the use of F6 for the directory history).

        You can also change the way any individual key operates with the
        corresponding key mapping directive in the TCMDOS2.INI file.  The
        directives associated with the history and scrolling keys are:


                 NextHistory          ScrollUp

                 PrevHistory          ScrollDown

                 HistWinOpen          ScrollPageUp

                 DirWinOpen           ScrollPageDown


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.1.3. Using 4OS2 and 4DOS Batch Files and Aliases ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command for OS/2, 4OS2, and 4DOS aliases are separate and independent;
Take Command does not automatically "inherit" aliases from a previously loaded
copy of 4OS2 or 4DOS, and it cannot pass aliases on to a copy of 4OS2 or 4DOS
started from the Take Command prompt.  However, you can load aliases from your
Take Command startup batch file.  These can be the same aliases you use in 4OS2
or 4DOS, or a set that is just for Take Command.

While many of your 4OS2 aliases will work well under Take Command, you'll
probably want to create a separate set of Take Command aliases.  This will
allow you to account for the differences in running OS/2 and DOS applications,
and to create new aliases that take advantage of Take Command features that are
unavailable in 4OS2 and 4DOS.

If you want to write aliases or batch files that are used in Take Command,
4OS2, and 4DOS, but that behave differently in each environment, use the _DOS
variable to make the distinction.  For example, this batch file fragment uses
the INPUT command to accept a string if it is run under 4DOS, but uses the
OS/2-style QUERYBOX if it is run under Take Command:

        iff "%_dos" == "OS2PM" then
           querybox "Enter your name:  " %%name
        else
           input "Enter your name:  " %%name
        endiff

Aliases and batch files which simply manipulate files or use other internal
commands should work with little or no change under Take Command.  However, as
a general rule, you should test any batch file developed for 4OS2, 4DOS, or
CMD.EXE before assuming it will do exactly what you want under Take Command.
Pay particular attention to batch files which run complex sequences of external
programs.

If you use aliases or batch files to perform a sequence which mixes internal
commands and DOS applications, the sequence may not work the way you expect
under Take Command.  For example, suppose you have an alias that changes the
screen color, starts a DOS application, and then resets the color again.  If
the DOS application is started in a separate window the color changes will not
affect it -- a contingency you probably didn't have to consider when you wrote
the batch file.

Similarly, if you run a sequence of several DOS applications which depend on
each others' results (for example, through the use of error levels), they may
not run the same way under Take Command that they do under 4DOS, 4OS2, or
CMD.EXE.  For example, if one DOS application runs in its own window and
another runs using Take Command's named pipes, error levels will not be passed
between the applications and your batch file or alias won't run the way you
expect.

You may also find that you want to take advantage of some of the new features
of Take Command to improve your batch files.  For example, the START command
offers additional flexibility in starting applications.  MSGBOX and QUERYBOX
can be used to create OS/2- style input prompts, and KEYSTACK and ACTIVATE will
help control your OS/2 applications.

Once you get used to these enhancements and minor differences you'll find that
you can use Take Command to manage your system using the same techniques and
features you are already familiar with from your experience with 4OS2, 4DOS, or
CMD.EXE.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2. File Systems and File Name Conventions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You may have dozens, hundreds, or thousands of files stored on your computer's
disks.  Your operating system is responsible for managing all of these files.
In order to do so, it uses a unique name to locate each file in much the same
way that the post office assigns a unique address to every residence. The
unique name of any file is composed of a drive letter, a directory path, and a
filename.  Each of these parts of the file's name is case insensitive; you can
mix upper and lower case letters in any way you wish.

OS/2 supports two different files systems: the traditional FAT file system,
used by all versions of DOS prior to Windows 95, and OS/2's High Performance
File System (HPFS), as well as installable file systems such as those used by
CD-ROMs and some networks.  Take Command includes support for all file systems
that are accessible to OS/2.

This section presents an overview of OS/2-compatible file systems, including
naming conventions used by each.  The following sub-topics are included in this
section:

             Drives and Volumes

             File Systems

             Network File Systems including information about using UNC
             (Universal Naming Convention) names over a network.

             Directories and Subdirectories

             File Names

             File Attributes and Time Stamps

             OS/2 Extended Attributes


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2.1. Drives and Volumes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A drive letter designates which drive contains the file.  In a file's full
name, the drive letter is followed by a colon.  Drive letters A: and B: are
normally reserved for the floppy disk drives.  Normally, drive C: is the first
(or only) hard disk drive.  Most current operating systems can divide a large
hard disk into multiple logical drives or volumes that are usually called C:,
D:, E:, etc.  Network systems (LANs) give additional drive letters to sections
of the network file server drives.

Most recent systems also include a CD-ROM drive.  The CD-ROM is also assigned a
drive letter (or several letters, for CD-ROM changers), typically using letters
beyond that used by the last hard disk in the system, but before any network
drives.

Some systems may have "RAM disks" (sometimes called "virtual disks"), which are
areas of memory set aside by software (a "RAM disk driver") for use as fast but
temporary storage.  Like CD-ROM drives, RAM disks are usually assigned drive
letters beyond the last hard disk in the system, but before network drives. For
example, on a system with a large hard disk you might have A: and B: as floppy
drives, C:, D:, and E: as parts of the hard disk, F: as a CD-ROM drive, G: as a
RAM disk, and H: and I: as network drives.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2.2. File Systems ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each disk volume is organized according to a file system.  The file system
determines how files are named and how they are organized on the disk.

As hard disk technology and operating systems have evolved, new file systems
have been invented to support longer file names, larger drives, and higher disk
performance.  Several different and incompatible schemes have evolved. Which
file systems you can use depend on which operating system you are using and how
the operating system and your hard disk are configured.

Take Command for OS/2, and OS/2 itself, supports two standard file systems:
FAT (and VFAT) and HPFS.  See File Names for details on the rules for naming
files under each file system.

The FAT File System is the traditional file system used by all versions of DOS
and by Windows 3.x.  Its name comes from the File Allocation Table DOS uses to
keep track of the space allocated to each file.

The VFAT File System is an extension of the FAT file system available in
Windows 95 and Windows NT.  This system maintains additional information about
files on FAT drives, including long filenames (LFNs). Other operating systems
such as OS/2 and earlier versions of DOS can access files on VFAT drives, but
will not be able to access long filenames or other information which is added
by the VFAT file system.

The FAT32 File System is an additional extension to the VFAT file system.  It
is only available in Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 ("OEMSR2") and later
versions.  It is similar to the VFAT file system, but supports larger disk
drives.  It is incompatible with OS/2 and earlier versions of DOS, and can only
be used under Windows 95 OEMSR2.

The High Performance File System or HPFS is a file system provided with all
versions of OS/2.  It supports long file names, and offers higher performance
and better support for large drives than the FAT or VFAT system.  It also
supports extended attributes to retain additional information about your files.

DOS and Windows sessions running under OS/2 can access files on HPFS drives if
the files have short, FAT-compatible names.  Other operating systems (DOS,
Windows 95, and Windows NT 4.0 and above) can not access files on HPFS drives.

Additional file systems may be installed under some operating systems to
support CD-ROM or network drives.  In particular, OS/2 supports installable
file systems, which are installed with the IFS= directive in the OS/2
CONFIG.SYS file.  This facility is used to add support for HPFS, CD-ROM, and
network drives to the base OS/2 operating system.

The file system type (FAT / VFAT or HPFS) is determined when a hard disk volume
is formatted and applies to the entire volume.  For example, you might have a 2
GB hard disk divided into four 500 MB volumes, with the first three volumes
(C:, D:, and E:) formatted for the FAT or VFAT file system, and the fourth
formatted for HPFS.

Take Command for OS/2 supports any standard file system installed under OS/2.
If your operating system can access files on a particular drive, then your
version of Take Command will be able to access those files as well.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2.3. Network File Systems ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A network file system allows you to access files stored on another computer on
a network, rather than on your own system.  Take Command for OS/2 supports all
network file systems which are compatible with OS/2.

File and directory names for network file systems depend on both the server
software running on the system that has the files on it, and the client
software running on your computer to connect it to the network.  However, they
usually follow the rules described here.

Most network software "maps" unused drive letters on your system to specific
locations on the network, and you can then treat the drive as if it were
physically part of your local computer.

Some networks also support the Universal Naming Convention, which provides a
common method for accessing files on a network drive without using a "mapped"
drive letter.  Names specified this way are called UNC names.  They typically
appear as \\server\volume\path\filename, where server is the name of the
network server where the files reside, volume is the name of a disk volume on
that server, and the path\filename portion is a directory name and file name
which follow the conventions described under Directories and Subdirectories.
Take Command supports UNC filenames, and also allows you to use UNC directory
names when changing directories (see Directory Navigation for more details).

When you use a network file system, remember that the naming conventions for
files on the network may not match those on your local system.  For example,
your local system may support long filenames while the network server or client
software does not, or vice versa.  Take Command will usually handle whatever
naming conventions are supported by your network software, as long as the
network software accurately reports the types of names it can handle.

In some cases, Take Command (particularly Take Command/16) may not be able to
report correct statistics on network drives (such as the number of bytes free
on a drive).  This is usually because the network file system does not provide
complete or accurate information.


═══ 10.2.4.  Directories and Subdirectories ═══

A file system is a method of organizing all of the files on an entire disk or
hard disk volume.  Directories or folders are used to divide the files on a
disk into logical groups that are easy to work with.  Their purpose is similar
to the use of file drawers to contain groups of hanging folders, hanging
folders to contain smaller manila folders, and so on.  (The terms directory and
folder are nearly synoymous -- we use directory throughout this manual.)

Every drive has a root or base directory, and many have one or more
subdirectories.  Subdirectories can also have subdirectories, extending in a
branching tree structure from the root directory.  The collection of all
directories on a drive is often called the directory tree, and a portion of the
tree is sometimes called a subtree.  The terms directory and subdirectory are
typically used interchangeably to mean a single subdirectory within this tree
structure.

Subdirectory names follow the same naming rules as files in each file system.
However, under DOS it is best to use a name of 8 characters or less, without an
extension, when naming subdirectories, because some application programs do not
properly handle subdirectory names that have an extension.

The drive and subdirectory portion of a file's name are collectively called the
file's path.  For example, the file name C:\DIR1\DIR2\MYFILE.DAT says to look
for the file MYFILE.DAT in the subdirectory DIR2 which is part of the
subdirectory DIR1 which is on drive C.  The path for MYFILE.DAT is
C:\DIR1\DIR2.  The backslashes between subdirectory names are required.

The total length of a file's path may not exceed 64 characters  on FAT volumes
under OS/2 (this limit excludes the file name and extension, but includes the
drive letter and colon).  On HPFS  volumes, the path and file name must each be
255 characters or less in length, and in addition the total length of the path
and file name together cannot exceed 260 characters.

The operating system and Take Command remember both a current or default drive
for your system as a whole, and a current or default directory for every drive
in your system.  Whenever a program tries to create or access a file without
specifying the file's path, the operating system uses the current drive (if no
other drive is specified) and the current directory (if no other directory path
is specified).

The root directory is named using the drive letter and a single backslash. For
example, D:\ refers to the root directory of drive D:.  Using a drive letter
with no directory name at all refers to the current directory on the specified
drive.  For example, E:TCMD.DOC refers to the file TCMD.DOC in the current
directory on drive E:, whereas E:\TCMD.DOC refers to the file TCMD.DOC in the
root directory on drive E:.

There are also two special subdirectory names that are useful in many
situations:  a single period by itself [.] means "the current default
directory."  Two periods together [..] means "the directory which contains the
current default directory" (often referred to as the parent directory).  These
special names can be used wherever a full directory name can be used.  Take
Command allows you to use additional periods to specify directories further
"up" the tree (see Extended Parent Directory Names).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2.5. File Names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each file has a filename.  Under the FAT file system, the filename consists of
a base name of 1 to 8 characters plus an optional extension composed of a
period plus 1 to 3 more characters.  Traditional FAT filenames with an 8-
character name and a 3-character extension are sometimes referred to as short
filenames (SFNs) to distinguish them from long filenames (LFNs).

You can use alphabetic and numeric characters plus the punctuation marks ! # $
% & ' ( ) - @ ^ _ ` { } and ~ in both the base name and the extension of a FAT
filename.  Because the exclamation point [!], percent sign [%], caret [^], at
sign [@], parentheses [()], ampersand [&], and back-quote [`] also have other
meanings to Take Command, it is best to avoid using them in filenames.

The HPFS file systems allows file names with a maximum of 255 characters,
including spaces and other characters that are not allowed in a FAT system file
name, but excluding some punctuation characters which are allowed in FAT file
names.  See your OS/2 documentation for details on the characters allowed.  If
you use file names which contain semicolons [;], see page Error! Bookmark not
defined. for details on avoiding problems with interpretation of those file
names under Take Command.

HPFS file names are stored and displayed exactly as you entered them, and are
not automatically shifted to upper or lower case.  For example, you could
create a file called MYFILE, myfile, or MyFile, and each name would be stored
in the directory just as you entered it.  However, case is ignored when looking
for filenames, so you cannot have two files whose names differ only in case
(i.e., the three names given above would all refer to the same file).  This
behavior is sometimes described as "case-retentive but not case-sensitive"
because the case information is retained, but does not affect access to the
files.

Files stored on HPFS volumes often have "FAT-compatible" names:  names which
contain only those characters legal on a FAT volume, and which meet the
8-character name / 3-character extension limits.  Programs which cannot handle
long names (for example, DOS programs running under OS/2) generally can access
files by using FAT-compatible names.

If an HPFS file name includes spaces or other characters that would not be
allowed in a FAT name, you must place double quotes around the name.  For
example, suppose you have a file named LET3 on a FAT volume, and you want to
copy it to the LETTERS directory on drive F:, an HPFS partition, and give it
the name Letter To Sara.  To do so, use either of these commands:

        [c:\wp] copy let3 f:\LETTERS\"Letter To Sara"
        [c:\wp] copy let3 "f:\LETTERS\Letter To Sara"

HPFS does not explicitly define an "extension" for file names which are not
FAT-compatible.  However, by convention, all characters after the last period
in the file name are treated as the extension.  For example, the file name
"Letter to Sara" has no extension, whereas the name "Letter.to.Sara" has the
extension Sara.

You may occasionally encounter filenames which are not displayed the way you
expect if you have used characters from outside the U.S. English character set
in the name.  These are generally due to problems in the way your operating
system translates characters between the OEM and ANSI character sets.
Correcting the problem may require experimentation with fonts, character sets,
and code pages, and occasionally some such problems may not be readily
correctable within Take Command.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2.6. File Attributes and Time Stamps ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each file also has attributes and one or more time stamps.  Attributes define
characteristics of the file which may be useful to the operating system, to
you, or to an application program.  Time stamps can record when the file was
created, last modified, or last accessed.  Most Take Command file processing
commands allow you to select files for processing based on their attributes
and/or time stamp(s).

Each file on your system has four standard attributes.  Every time a program
modifies a file, the operating system sets the Archive attribute, which signals
that the file has been modified since it was last backed up. This attribute can
be used by Take Command to determine which files to COPY or MOVE, and by backup
programs to determine which files to back up.  When the Read-only attribute is
set, the file can't be changed or erased accidentally; this can be used to help
protect important files from damage.  The Hidden and System attributes prevent
the file from appearing in normal directory listings.  (Two additional
attributes, Directory and Volume label, are also available.  These attributes
are controlled by the operating system, and are not modified directly by Take
Command.)

Attributes can be set and viewed with the ATTRIB command.  The DIR command also
has options to select filenames to view based on their attributes, to view the
attributes themselves, and to view information about normally "invisible"
hidden and system files.

When a file is created, and every time it is modified, the operating system
records the system time and date in a time stamp in the file's directory entry.
Several Take Command variable functions and commands, and many backup and
utility programs, use this time stamp to determine the relative ages of files.

Files on HPFS volumes have three sets of time and date stamps.  The operating
system records when each file was created, when it was last written or
modified, and when it was last accessed.  The "last write" time stamp matches
the single time stamp used on traditional FAT volumes.

Several Take Command variable functions and commands let you specify which set
of time and date stamps you want to view or work with on HPFS volumes.  These
commands and functions use the letter "c" to refer to the creation time stamp,
"w" for the last write time stamp, and "a" for the last access time stamp.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.2.7. OS/2 Extended Attributes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The FAT and VFAT file systems allow the limited set of attributes for files
described in the previous section.  OS/2 supports additional information about
files called Extended Attributes or EAs.

The Extended Attributes for a file provide additional information which is not
part of the file's actual contents.  This information might include the icon to
be displayed for the file on the OS/2 desktop, or the type of data contained in
the file.

OS/2 supports Extended Attributes on both FAT and HPFS (High Performance File
System) partitions.  EAs for the files on a FAT partition are stored in the
file "EA DATA. SF" in the partition's root directory.  Like CMD.EXE, Take
Command for OS/2 preserves a file's EAs when copying or moving the file, and
OS/2 makes the appropriate adjustments to EAs when a file is deleted or
renamed.

When copying or moving a file from a FAT to an HPFS volume, Take Command uses
uses the file's .LONGNAME EA, if available, for the HPFS filename. Conversely,
when copying or moving a file from an HPFS volume to a FAT volume, Take Command
will set the .LONGNAME EA to the original HPFS name.  See the COPY and MOVE
commands for additional details.

If you boot DOS or any version of Windows, then delete or otherwise manipulate
files that have Extended Attributes, you can face unexpected problems when you
next boot under OS/2, because the EAs and directories will no longer be
synchronized.  If you must manipulate files with Extended Attributes during a
DOS boot, or when you boot a "specific version of DOS" (not a standard DOS
seesion) from OS/2, make sure you run OS/2's CHKDSK program to clean up any
"orphaned" EAs.

For more information on Extended Attributes, see your OS/2 documentation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.3. Miscellaneous Reference Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section contains miscellaneous information that is useful throughout Take
Command:  at the command line, in internal commands, in aliases, and in batch
files.

Included here is information about

             Colors and Color Names

             Keys and Key Names

             Popup Windows

             Internal and External Commands

             Executable Files and File Searches


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.3.1. Colors and Color Names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can use color names in several of the directives in the TCMDOS2.INI file
and in many commands.

The general form of a color name is:

        [BRIght] fg ON [BRIght] bg

where fg is the foreground or text color, and bg is the background color.

The available colors are:


                 Black      Blue       Green      Red

                 Magenta    Cyan       Yellow     White

        Color names and the word BRIght may be shortened to the first 3
        letters.

        You can also specify colors by number instead of by name.  The numbers
        are most useful in potentially long .INI file directives like ColorDIR.
        Take Command recognizes these color numbers:


                 0 - Black            8 - Gray (bright black)

                 1 - Blue             9 - Bright blue

                 2 - Green            10 - Bright green

                 3 - Cyan             11 - Bright cyan

                 4 - Red              12 - Bright red

                 5 - Magenta          13 - Bright magenta

                 6 - Yellow           14 - Bright yellow

                 7 - White            15 - Bright white

        Use one number to substitute for the [BRIght] fg portion of the color
        name, and a second to substitute for the [BRIght] bg portion.  For
        example, instead of bright cyan on blue you could use 11 on 1 to save
        space in a ColorDir specification.

        The blinking text and border colors that are available with 4DOS can
        not be used with Take Command.  This restriction is due to limitations
        inherent in OS/2 and in graphical displays.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.3.2. Keys and Key Names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Key names are used to define keystroke aliases, in several TCMDOS2.INI
directives, and with the KEYSTACK command.  The format of a key name is the
same in all 3  uses:

        [Prefix-]Keyname

The key prefix can be left out, or it can be one of the following :

        Alt       followed by A - Z, 0 - 9, F1 - F12, or Bksp
        Ctrl      followed by A - Z, F1 - F12, Tab, Bksp, Enter,
                  Left, Right, Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Ins, or Del
        Shift     followed by F1 - F12 or Tab.

The possible key names are:

        A - Z     Enter     PgDn
        0 - 9     Up        Home
        F1 - F    Down      End
        Esc       Left      Ins
        Bksp      Right     Del
        Tab       PgUp

All key names must be spelled as shown.  Alphabetic keys can be specified in
upper-case or lower-case.  You cannot specify a punctuation key.

The prefix and key name must be separated by a dash [-].  For example:

        Ctrl-F10   This is okay
        Ctrl F10   The space will cause an error

If you prefer, you can use a numeric value instead of a key name. Use the ASCII
code for an ASCII, extended ASCII, or control character. Use the scan code
preceded by an at sign [@] for extended key codes like F1 or the cursor keys.
For example, use 13 for Enter, or @59 for F1.  In general, you will find it
easier to use the names described above rather than key numbers.

Some keys are intercepted by OS/2 and are not passed on to Take Command.  For
example, Ctrl-S pauses screen output temporarily, and Alt-Tab switches to
another window.  Keys which are intercepted by OS/2 (including menu
accelerators, i.e. Alt plus another key) generally cannot be assigned to
aliases or with key mapping directives, because Take Command never receives
these keystrokes and therefore cannot act on them.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.3.3. Popup Windows ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Several features of Take Command display popup windows.  A popup window may be
used to display filenames, recently-executed commands, recently-used
directories, the results of an extended directory search, or a list created by
the SELECT command or the @SELECT internal function.

Popup windows always display a list of choices and a cursor bar.  You can move
the cursor bar inside the window until you find the choice that you wish to
make, then press the Enter key to select that item.

Navigation inside any popup window follows the conventions described below.
Additional information on each specific type of popup window is provided when
that window is introduced in the online help.

You can control the color, position and size of most popup windows from the
Command Line 2 page of the configuration dialogs, or with the PopupWinLeft,
PopupWinTop, PopupWinWidth, and PopupWinHeight directives in the .INI file A
few popup windows (e.g., the extended directory search window) have their own
specific .INI directives, and corresponding separate choices in the
configuration dialogs.  You can also change the keys used in most popup windows
with key mapping directives in TCMDOS2.INI.

Once a window is open, you can use these navigation keys to find the selection
you wish to make:

        Up Arrow      Move the selection bar up one line.

        Down Arrow    Move the selection bar one line.

        Left Arrow    Scroll the display left 1 column, if it is a scrolling
                      display (i.e. if it has a horizontal scrollbar).

        Right Arrow   Scroll the display right 1 column, if it is a scrolling
                      display (i.e. if it has a horizontal scrollbar).

        PgUp          Scroll the display up one page.

        PgDn          Scroll the display down one page.

        Ctrl-PgUp     Go to the beginning of the list.

          or Home

        Ctrl-PgDn     Go to the end of the list.

          or End

        Esc           Close the window without making a selection.

        Enter         Select the current item and close the window.

 In addition to scrolling through a popup window, you can search the list using
 character matching.  If you press a character, the cursor bar will move to the
 next entry that begins with that character.  If you type multiple characters,
 the cursor will move to the entry that begins with the character string
 entered to that point (you can enter a search string up to 32 characters
 long).  If no entry matches the character or string that you have typed, Take
 Command beeps and does not move the cursor bar.  To reset the search string,
 press Backspace.

 You can change the keys used in popup windows with key mapping directives in
 the TCMDOS2.INI file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.3.4. Internal and External Commands ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Whenever you type something at the Take Command prompt and press the Enter key,
you have given a command, and Take Command must figure out how to execute it.
If you understand the general process that Take Command uses, you will be able
to make the best use of it and its commands.

Take Command begins by dividing the line you typed into a command name and a
command tail.  The command name is the first word in the command; the tail is
everything that follows the command name.  For example, in this command line:

        dir *.txt /2/p/v

the command name is "dir", and the command tail is " *.txt /2/p/v."

If the command name is not an alias, Take Command tries to find the name in its
list of internal commands.  An internal command is one that Take Command can
perform itself, without running another program.  DIR and COPY are examples of
internal commands.

If the command name is not found in Take Command's list of internal commands,
it assumes that it must find and execute an external command.  This means that
it must load and run a separate program, either an executable program or a
batch file.  OS/2 and DOS are shipped with a number of external utility
programs (such as FORMAT and DISKCOPY), and any program or application you
install on your system becomes a new external command.

The advantage of internal commands is that they run almost instantly.  When you
type an internal command, Take Command interprets the command line and carries
out the necessary activities without having to look for, load, and run another
program.

The advantage of external commands is that they can be large, varied, and
complex without taking space inside Take Command.  External commands can also
be renamed or replaced easily.  If you want to rename the external DOS command
XCOPY to MYCOPY, for example, all you need to do is find the file called
XCOPY.EXE in your DOS directory and change its name to MYCOPY.EXE.  If you want
to replace XCOPY with a more efficient program of the same name, you can do so.
Take Command adds this flexibility to internal commands.  You can rename or
replace any internal command by using an alias, and you can enable or disable
internal commands whenever you wish (see SETDOS /I).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.3.5. Executable Files and File Searches ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When Take Command knows that it is supposed to run an external command, it
tries to find an executable file whose name matches the command name.
(Executable files are typically those with a .COM or .EXE extension, or with a
.PIF extension under Windows.)  It runs the executable file if it finds one.

If Take Command cannot find an executable program to run, it next looks for a
batch file (a file with one or more commands in it) whose name matches the
command name.  Take Command looks first for a .BTM file, then for a .CMD file,
and then for a .BAT file, and finally for a .REX file.  See .BAT, .CMD, and
.BTM Files for more information on these different types of batch files.  If
the command processor finds such a file, it then reads each line in the file as
a new command.

If the search for a batch file fails, Take Command checks to see if the command
name matches the name of a file with an extension that is associated with a
specific application (for example, if you have associated .DOC with your editor
or word processor, and type the name of a .DOC file).  If a match is found,
Take Command runs the program you specified when the association was defined.
(Executable extensions are a Take Command feature used to associate file
extensions with the specific program that processes a particular type of file).

Take Command first searches for an executable program, a batch file, and a file
with an executable extension in the current directory.  If that search fails,
it repeats its search in every directory in your search path.

The search path is a list of directories that Take Command (and some
applications) search for executable files.  For example, if you wanted Take
Command to search the root directory of the C: drive, the \WINUTIL subdirectory
on the C: drive, and the \UTIL directory on the D: drive for executable files,
your search path would look like this:

        PATH=C:\;C:\WINUTIL;D:\UTIL

Notice that the directory names in the search path are separated by semicolons.

You can create or view the search path with the PATH command.  You can use the
ESET command to edit the path.  Many programs also use the search path to find
their own files.  The search path is stored in the environment with the name
PATH.

Remember, Take Command always looks for an executable file or a file with an
executable extension first in the current subdirectory and then in each
directory in the search path.  (You can change the search order so the current
directory is not searched first; see the PATH command for details.)

If you include an extension as part of the command name, Take Command only
searches for a file with that extension.  Similarly, if you include a path as
part of the command name, Take Command will look only in the directory you
specified, and ignore the usual search of the current directory and the PATH.

The following table sums up the possible search options (the term "standard
search" refers to the search of the current directory and each directory in the
search path):

        Command                 Take Command Search Sequence

        WP                      Standard search for any executable file whose
                                base name is WP.

        WP.EXE                  Standard search for WP.EXE; will not find files
                                with other extensions.

        C:\WP7\WP               Looks in the C:\WP7 directory for any
                                executable file whose base name is WP.  Does
                                not check the standard search directories.

        C:\WP7\WP.EXE           Looks only for the file C:\WP7\WP.EXE.

        LAB.DOC                 Standard search for LAB.DOC, if .DOC is defined
                                as a Take Command executable extension.  Runs
                                the associated application if the file is
                                found.

        C:\LI\LAB.DOC           Looks only for the file C:\LI\LAB.DOC, and only
                                if .DOC is defined as a Take Command executable
                                extension.  Runs the associated application if
                                the file is found.

 If Take Command cannot find an executable file, batch program, or a file with
 an executable extension in the current directory or any directory in the
 search path, it looks for an alias called UNKNOWN_CMD (see ALIAS for details).
 If you have defined an alias with that name, it is executed (this allows you
 to control error handling for unknown commands).  Otherwise, Take Command
 displays an "Unknown command" error message and waits for your next
 instruction.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.4. Reference Tables ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The reference tables in this section are based on U.S. English conventions.
Your system may differ if it is configured for a different country or language.
See your operating system documentation for more information about country and
language support.

To represent the text you type, computers must translate each letter to and
from a number.  The code used by all PC-compatible computers for this
translation is called ASCII.  Function keys, cursor keys, and Alt keys generate
scan codes indicating which key was pressed, but not ASCII codes.  The tables
in this section cover both kinds of codes.

For more information, see:

            ASCII Table
            Key Codes and Scan Codes Table
            Key Codes and Scan Codes Explanation
            ANSI Reference


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.4.1. ASCII Table ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                      Control Characters

    Dec  Hex  Chr  Nam  Ctl   Γöé   Dec  Hex  Chr  Nam  Ctl
    ---  ---  ---  ---  ---   Γöé   ---  ---  ---  ---  ---
    000   00       NUL   ^@   Γöé   016   10      DLE   ^P
    001   01   
   SOH   ^A   Γöé   017   11      DC1   ^Q
    002   02      STX   ^B   Γöé   018   12      DC2   ^R
    003   03      ETX   ^C   Γöé   019   13      DC3   ^S
    004   04      EOT   ^D   Γöé   020   14      DC4   ^T
    005   05      ENQ   ^E   Γöé   021   15      NAK   ^U
    006   06      ACK   ^F   Γöé   022   16      SYN   ^V
    007   07       BEL   ^G   Γöé   023   17      ETB   ^W
    008   08      BS    ^H   Γöé   024   18      CAN   ^X
    009   09       HT    ^I   Γöé   025   19      EM    ^Y
    010   0A       LF    ^J   Γöé   026   1A      SUB   ^Z
    011   0B      VT    ^K   Γöé   027   1B      ESC   ^[
    012   0C      FF    ^L   Γöé   028   1C      FS    ^\
    013   0D       CR    ^M   Γöé   029   1D      GS    ^]
    014   0E      SO    ^N   Γöé   030   1E      RS    ^^
    015   0F      SI    ^O   Γöé   031   1F      US    ^_

                  Punctuation, Digits, Upper Case

  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
  032   20      Γöé  048   30   0  Γöé  064   40   @  Γöé  080   50   P
  033   21   !  Γöé  049   31   1  Γöé  065   41   A  Γöé  081   51   Q
  034   22   "  Γöé  050   32   2  Γöé  066   42   B  Γöé  082   52   R
  035   23   #  Γöé  051   33   3  Γöé  067   43   C  Γöé  083   53   S
  036   24   $  Γöé  052   34   4  Γöé  068   44   D  Γöé  084   54   T
  037   25   %  Γöé  053   35   5  Γöé  069   45   E  Γöé  085   55   U
  038   26   &  Γöé  054   36   6  Γöé  070   46   F  Γöé  086   56   V
  039   27   '  Γöé  055   37   7  Γöé  071   47   G  Γöé  087   57   W
  040   28   (  Γöé  056   38   8  Γöé  072   48   H  Γöé  088   58   X
  041   29   )  Γöé  057   39   9  Γöé  073   49   I  Γöé  089   59   Y
  042   2A   *  Γöé  058   3A   :  Γöé  074   4A   J  Γöé  090   5A   Z
  043   2B   +  Γöé  059   3B   ;  Γöé  075   4B   K  Γöé  091   5B   [
  044   2C   ,  Γöé  060   3C   <  Γöé  076   4C   L  Γöé  092   5C   \
  045   2D   -  Γöé  061   3D   =  Γöé  077   4D   M  Γöé  093   5D   ]
  046   2E   .  Γöé  062   3E   >  Γöé  078   4E   N  Γöé  094   5E   ^
  047   2F   /  Γöé  063   3F   ?  Γöé  079   4F   O  Γöé  095   5F   _

                   Lower Case, Miscellaneous

                 Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
                 ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
                 096   60   `  Γöé  112   70   p
                 097   61   a  Γöé  113   71   q
                 098   62   b  Γöé  114   72   r
                 099   63   c  Γöé  115   73   s
                 100   64   d  Γöé  116   74   t
                 101   65   e  Γöé  117   75   u
                 102   66   f  Γöé  118   76   v
                 103   67   g  Γöé  119   77   w
                 104   68   h  Γöé  120   78   x
                 105   69   i  Γöé  121   79   y
                 106   6A   j  Γöé  122   7A   z
                 107   6B   k  Γöé  123   7B   {
                 108   6C   l  Γöé  124   7C   |
                 109   6D   m  Γöé  125   7D   }
                 110   6E   n  Γöé  126   7E   ~
                 111   6F   o  Γöé  127   7F   

                International; Graphics Characters 1

  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
  128   80   А  │  144   90   Р  │  160   A0      │  176   B0
  129   81   Б  │  145   91   С  │  161   A1   б  │  177   B1   ▒
  130   82   В  │  146   92   Т  │  162   A2   в  │  178   B2   ▓
  131   83   Г  │  147   93   У  │  163   A3   г  │  179   B3   │
  132   84   Д  │  148   94   Ф  │  164   A4   д  │  180   B4   ┤
  133   85   Е  │  149   95   Х  │  165   A5   е  │  181   B5   ╡
  134   86   Ж  │  150   96   Ц  │  166   A6   ж  │  182   B6
  135   87   З  │  151   97   Ч  │  167   A7   з  │  183   B7
  136   88   И  │  152   98   Ш  │  168   A8   и  │  184   B8   ╕
  137   89   Й  │  153   99   Щ  │  169   A9   й  │  185   B9   ╣
  138   8A   К  │  154   9A   Ъ  │  170   AA   к  │  186   BA   ║
  139   8B   Л  │  155   9B   Ы  │  171   AB   л  │  187   BB   ╗
  140   8C   М  │  156   9C   Ь  │  172   AC   м  │  188   BC   ╝
  141   8D   Н  │  157   9D   Э  │  173   AD   н  │  189   BD   ╜
  142   8E   О  │  158   9E   Ю  │  174   AE   о  │  190   BE   ╛
  143   8F   П  │  159   9F   Я  │  175   AF   п  │  191   BF   ┐

                  Graphics Characters 2; Symbols

  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr Γöé  Dec  Hex  Chr
  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  --- Γöé  ---  ---  ---
  192   C0   └  │  208   D0   ╨  │  224   E0   р  │  240   F0   Ё
  193   C1   ┴  │  209   D1   ╤  │  225   E1   с  │  241   F1   ё
  194   C2   ┬  │  210   D2   ╥  │  226   E2   т  │  242   F2   Є
  195   C3   ├  │  211   D3   ╙  │  227   E3   у  │  243   F3   є
  196   C4   ─  │  212   D4   ╘  │  228   E4   ф  │  244   F4   Ї
  197   C5   ┼  │  213   D5   ╒  │  229   E5   х  │  245   F5   ї
  198   C6   ╞  │  214   D6   ╓  │  230   E6   ц  │  246   F6   Ў
  199   C7   ╟  │  215   D7   ╫  │  231   E7   ч  │  247   F7   ў
  200   C8   ╚  │  216   D8   ╪  │  232   E8   ш  │  248   F8   °
  201   C9   ╔  │  217   D9   ┘  │  233   E9   щ  │  249   F9   ∙
  202   CA   ╩  │  218   DA   ┌  │  234   EA   ъ  │  250   FA   ·
  203   CB   ╦  │  219   DB   █  │  235   EB   ы  │  251   FB   √
  204   CC   ╠  │  220   DC   ▄  │  236   EC   ь  │  252   FC   №
  205   CD   ═  │  221   DD   ▌  │  237   ED   э  │  253   FD   ¤
  206   CE   ╬  │  222   DE   ▐  │  238   EE   ю  │  254   FE   ■
  207   CF   ╧  │  223   DF   ▀  │  239   EF   я  │  255   FF


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.4.2. Key Codes and Scan Codes Table ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

(For more details on key codes and scan codes, see the Key Codes and Scan Codes
Explanation.)

Key names prefaced by np are on the numeric keypad.  Those prefaced by cp are
on the cursor keypad between the main typing keys and the number keypad.  The
numeric keypad values are valid if Num Lock is turned off. If you need to
specify a number key from the numeric keypad, use the scan code shown for the
keypad and the ASCII code shown for the corresponding typewriter key.  For
example, the keypad "7" has a scan code of 71 (the np Home scan code) and an
ASCII code of 54 (the ASCII code for "7").

The chart is blank for key combinations that do not have scan codes or ASCII
codes, like Ctrl-1 or Alt-PgUp.


                        Top Two Keyboard Rows

                             Shift  Shift  Ctrl   Ctrl   Alt
               Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan
     Key       Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code

     Esc       1      27     1      27     1      27     1
     1  !      2      49     2      33                   120
     2  @      3      50     3      64     3      0      121
     3  #      4      51     4      35                   122
     4  $      5      52     5      36                   123
     5  %      6      53     6      37                   124
     6  ^      7      54     7      94     7      30     125
     7  &      8      55     8      38                   126
     8  *      9      56     9      42                   127
     9  (      10     57     10     40                   128
     0  )      11     48     11     41                   129
     -  _      12     45     12     95     12     31     130
     =  +      13     61     13     43                   131
     Backspace 14     8      14     8      14     127    14
     Tab       15     9      15     0      148    0      165
     Q         16     113    16     81     16     17     16
     W         17     119    17     87     17     23     17
     E         18     101    18     69     18     5      18
     R         19     114    19     82     19     18     19
     T         20     116    20     84     20     20     20
     Y         21     121    21     89     21     25     21
     U         22     117    22     85     22     21     22
     I         23     105    23     73     23     9      23
     O         24     111    24     79     24     15     24
     P         25     112    25     80     25     16     25
     [  {      26     91     26     123    26     27     26
     ]  }      27     93     27     125    27     29     27
     Enter     28     13     28     13     28     10     28


                       Bottom Two Keyboard Rows

                             Shift  Shift  Ctrl   Ctrl   Alt
               Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan
     Key       Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code

     A         30     97     30     65     30     1      30
     S         31     115    31     83     31     19     31
     D         32     100    32     68     32     4      32
     F         33     102    33     70     33     6      33
     G         34     103    34     71     34     7      34
     H         35     104    35     72     35     8      35
     J         36     106    36     74     36     10     36
     K         37     107    37     75     37     11     37
     L         38     108    38     76     38     12     38
     ; :       39     59     39     58                   39
     '  "      40     39     40     34                   40
     `  ~      41     96     41     126                  41
     \  |      43     92     43     124    43     28     43
     Z         44     122    44     90     44     26     44
     X         45     120    45     88     45     24     45
     C         46     99     46     67     46     3      46
     V         47     118    47     86     47     22     47
     B         48     98     48     66     48     2      48
     N         49     110    49     78     49     14     49
     M         50     109    50     77     50     13     50
     ,  <      51     44     51     60                   51
     .  >      52     46     52     62                   52
     /  ?      53     47     53     63                   53
     Space     57     32     57     32     57     32     57


                      Key Pads and Function Keys

                             Shift  Shift  Ctrl   Ctrl   Alt
               Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan   ASCII  Scan
     Key       Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code   Code


     F1        59     0      84     0      94     0      104
     F2        60     0      85     0      95     0      105
     F3        61     0      86     0      96     0      106
     F4        62     0      87     0      97     0      107
     F5        63     0      88     0      98     0      108
     F6        64     0      89     0      99     0      109
     F7        65     0      90     0      100    0      110
     F8        66     0      91     0      101    0      111
     F9        67     0      92     0      102    0      112
     F10       68     0      93     0      103    0      113
     F11       133    0      135    0      137    0      139
     F12       134    0      136    0      138    0      140
     np *      55     42     55     42     150    0      55
     np Home   71     0      71     55     119    0
     cp Home   71     224    71     224    119    224    151
     np Up     72     0      72     56     141    0
     cp Up     72     224    72     224    141    224    152
     np PgUp   73     0      73     57     132    0
     cp PgUp   73     224    73     224    132    224    153
     np Minus  74     45     74     45     142    0      74
     np Left   75     0      75     52     115    0
     cp Left   75     224    75     224    115    224    155
     np 5      76     0      76     53     143    0
     np Right  77     0      77     54     116    0
     cp Right  77     224    77     224    116    224    157
     np Plus   78     43     78     43     144    0      78
     np End    79     0      79     49     117    0
     cp End    79     224    79     224    117    224    159
     np Down   80     0      80     50     145    0
     cp Down   80     224    80     224    145    224    160
     np PgDn   81     0      81     51     118    0
     cp PgDn   81     224    81     224    118    224    161
     np Ins    82     0      82     48     146    0
     cp Ins    82     224    82     224    146    224    162
     np Del    83     0      83     46     147    0
     cp Del    83     224    83     224    147    224    163
     np /      224    47     224    47     149    0      164
     np Enter  224    13     224    13     224    10     166


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.4.3. Key Codes and Scan Codes Explanation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Key Codes and Scan Codes Explanation

(This section explains how key codes and scan codes work.  For a reference
chart, see the Key Codes and Scan Codes Table.)

When you press a single key or a key combination, OS/2 translates your
keystroke into two numbers: a scan code, representing the actual key that was
pressed, and an ASCII code, representing the ASCII value for that key.  OS/2
returns these numbers the next time a program requests keyboard input.  This
section explains how key codes work; for information on using them with Take
Command see the TCMDOS2.INI file key mapping directives, keystroke aliases, and
INKEY.

Most Take Command commands that use the numeric key codes listed here also use
key names, which are usually more convenient to use than the numeric codes. See
Keys and Key Names for more information on key names.

As PCs have evolved, the structure of keyboard codes has evolved somewhat
haphazardly with them, resulting in a bewildering array of possible key codes.
We'll give you a basic explanation of how key codes work.  For a more in-depth
discussion, refer to a BIOS or PC hardware reference manual.

The nuances of how your keyboard behaves depends on the keyboard manufacturer,
the computer manufacturer who provides the built-in BIOS, and your operating
system.  As a result, we can't guarantee the accuracy of the information in the
tables for every system, but the discussion and reference table should be
accurate for most systems.  Our discussion is based on the 101-key "enhanced"
keyboard commonly used on 286, 386, 486, and Pentium computers, but virtually
all of it is applicable to the 84-key keyboards on older systems.  The primary
difference is that older keyboards lack a separate cursor pad and only have 10
function keys.

All keys have a scan code, but not all have an ASCII code.  For example,
function keys and cursor keys are not part of the ASCII character set and have
no ASCII value, but they do have a scan code.  Some keys have more than one
ASCII code.  The A, for example, has ASCII code 97 (lower case "a") if you
press it by itself.  If you press it along with Shift, the ASCII code changes
to 65 (upper case "A"). If you press Ctrl and A the ASCII code changes to 1.
In all these cases, the scan code (30) is unchanged because you are pressing
the same physical key.

Things are different if you press Alt-A.  Alt keystrokes have no ASCII code, so
OS/2 returns an ASCII code of 0, along with the A key's scan code of 30.  This
allows a program to detect all the possible variations of A, based on the
combination of ASCII code and scan code.

Some keys generate more than one scan code depending on whether Shift, Ctrl, or
Alt is pressed.  This allows a program to differentiate between two different
keystrokes on the same key, neither of which has a corresponding ASCII value.
For example, F1 has no ASCII value so it returns an ASCII code of 0, and the F1
scan code of 59.  Shift-F1 also returns an ASCII code 0; if it also returned a
scan code of 59, a program couldn't distinguish it from F1.  The operating
system translates scan codes for keys like Shift-F1 (and Ctrl-F1 and Alt-F1) so
that each variation returns a different scan code along with an ASCII code of
0.

On the 101-key keyboard there's one more variation:  non-ASCII keys on the
cursor keypad (such as up-arrow) return the same scan code as the corresponding
key on the numeric keypad, for compatibility reasons.  If they also returned an
ASCII code of 0, a program couldn't tell which key was pressed.  Therefore,
these keys return an ASCII code of 224 rather than 0. This means that older
programs, which only look for an ASCII 0 to indicate a non-ASCII keystroke like
up-arrow, may not detect these cursor pad keys properly.

The number of different codes returned by any given key varies from one (for
the spacebar) to four, depending on the key, the design of your keyboard, and
the operating system.  Some keys, like Alt, Ctrl, and Shift by themselves or in
combination with each other, plus Print Screen, SysReq, Scroll Lock, Pause,
Break, Num Lock, and Caps Lock keys, do not have any code representations at
all.  The same is true of keystrokes with more than one modifying key, like
Ctrl-Shift- A. The operating system may perform special actions automatically
when you press these keys (for example, it switches into Caps Lock mode when
you press Caps Lock), but it does not report the keystrokes to whatever program
is running.  Programs which detect such keystrokes access the keyboard hardware
directly, a subject which is beyond the scope of this manual.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.4.4. ANSI Reference ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Take Command for OS/2's ANSI support allows you to manipulate the cursor,
screen color, and other display attributes through sequences of special
characters embedded in the text you display on the screen.  These sequences are
called "ANSI commands".

This section is a quick-reference to the ANSI commands supported by Take
Command for OS/2.  These sequences are typically displayed by internal
commands, or by character-mode applications started under Take Command's TTY
application support (see Starting Character- Mode Applications).

ANSI support within Take Command for OS/2 can be enabled or disabled with the
ANSI directive in TCMDOS2.INI, the corresponding option on the Display page of
the configuration notebook, or the SETDOS /A command.  You can test whether
ANSI support is enabled with the _ANSI internal variable.

An ANSI command string consists of three parts:

        ESC[                The ASCII character ESC, followed by a left
                            bracket. These two characters must be present in
                            all ANSI strings.
        parameters          Optional parameters for the command.  If there are
                            multiple parameters they are separated by
                            semicolons.
        cmd                 A single-letter command.  The case of the letter IS
                            meaningful.

 For example, to position the cursor to row 7, column 12 the ANSI command is:

          ESC[7;12H

 To transmit ANSI commands to the screen with Take Command for OS/2, you can
 use the ECHO command.  The ESC character can be generated by inserting it into
 the string directly (if you are putting the string in a batch file and your
 editor will insert such a character), or by using Take command's internal
 "escape" character (caret, [^]) followed by a lower-case "e".  For example,
 the sequence shown above could be transmitted from a batch file with either of
 these commands (the first uses an ESC character directly; the second uses ^e):

          echo  [7;12H
          echo ^e[7;12H

 You can also include ANSI commands in your prompt, using $e to transmit the
 ESC character.

 Commands

        ESC[rowsA               Cursor up
        ESC[rowsB               Cursor down
        ESC[colsC               Cursor right
        ESC[colsD               Cursor left
        ESC[row;colH            Set cursor position (top left is row 1, column
                                1)
        ESC[2J                  Clear screen
        ESC[K                   Clear from cursor to end of line
        ESC[row;colf            Set cursor position, same as "H" command
        ESC[attr;attr;...m      Set display attributes; see table of attribute
                                values below
        ESC[s                   Save cursor position (may not be nested)
        ESC[u                   Restore cursor position after a save

 Display Attributes

        1           High intensity (bright) foreground color
        2           Normal intensity
        30-37       Set the foreground color:
                      30=Black  31=Red    32=Green  33=Yellow
                      34=Blue   35=Magenta  36=Cyan   37=White
        40-47       Set the background color, same values as above but
                    substitute 40 for 30 etc.

 Settings are cumulative, so (for example) to set bright red foreground you
 must first set red, then set high intensity:

          echo ^e[31;1m

 Examples

 Set the display to bright cyan on blue, and clear the screen:

          echo ^e[44;36;1m^e[2J

 Set up a prompt which saves the cursor position, displays the date and time on
 the top line in bright white on magenta, and then restores the cursor position
 and sets the color to bright cyan on blue, and displays the standard prompt:

          prompt $e[s$e[1;1f$e[45;37;1m$e[K$d $t$e[u$e[44;36;1m$p$g


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5. Glossary ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The glossary contains over 200 terms, and is divided into sections by the first
letter of each term.  Select the section you want to review:

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.1. Glossary - A ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

Alias Parameter:  A numbered variable (e.g. %2) included in an alias
definition, allowing a different value to be used in the alias each time it is
executed.

Alias:  A shorthand name for a command or series of commands.

AND:  A logical combination of two true or false conditions.  If both
conditions are true, the result is true; if either condition is false, the
result is false.

ANSI:  Usually a reference to ANSI control sequences, standardized sequences of
text characters which control colors on the screen, manipulate the cursor, and
redefine keys.  OS2 includes support for ANSI screen and cursor control
sequences.  The abbreviation ANSI is for American National Standards Institute,
an organization whch sets standards for computer-related systems, including
"ANSI" screen control sequences.

Append:  Concatenation of one file or string onto the end of another (this use
is not related to the DOS and OS/2 external command named APPEND).

Application:  A program run from the command prompt or a batch file.  Used
broadly to mean any program other than the command processor; and more narrowly
to mean a program with a specific purpose such as a spreadsheet or word
processing program, as opposed to a utility.

Archive:  A file attribute indicating that the file has been modified since the
last backup (most backup programs clear this attribute).  Also sometimes refers
to a single file (such as a .ZIP file) which contains a number of other files
in compressed form.

Argument:  See Parameter.

ASCII File:  A file containing ASCII text, as opposed to a binary file which
may contain numbers, or other information that cannot be sensibly interpreted
as text.

ASCII:  The American Standard Code for Information Interchange, which defines
numeric values for 128 different characters comprising the English alphabet,
numbers, punctuation, and some control characters.

Attribute:  A characteristic of a file which can be set or cleared.  The
standard attributes are Read-Only, Hidden, System, and Archive; other
attributes include Directory and Volume Label.

Automatic Batch Files:  See TCSTART and TCEXIT.

Automatic Directory Change:  A Take Command feature which allows you to change
directories by typing the directory name and a backslash [\] at the prompt.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.2. Glossary - B ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

Base Name:  The file name without a drive, path, or extension.  For example, in
the file name C:\DIR1\LETTER.DAT the base name is LETTER.

BAT File:  See Batch File.

Batch File:  A text file containing a sequence of commands for the command
processor to execute.  Batch files are used to save command sequences so that
they can be re-executed at any time, transferred to another system, etc.  The
extension of a batch file may be .BAT, .CMD, or .BTM, depending on the
operating system and command processor you are using.

Batch File Parameter:  A numbered variable (e.g. %2) used within a batch file,
allowing a different value to be used at that spot in the file each time it is
executed.

Binary File:  A file containing information which does not represent or cannot
sensibly be interpreted as text.  See also ASCII File.

BIOS or Basic Input Output System:  The software (or "firmware") stored on
chips inside PC systems.  The BIOS provides basic low-level control of devices
required to operate the system, such as the keyboard, floppy disk, and screen;
it also handles system self-tests at startup, and intiates loading of the
operating system.

Block Device:  A physical device for input or output which can transmit or
receive large blocks of data while the computer is engaged in other activities.
Examples include disk, tape, and CD-ROM drives.  See also Character Device.

Boot Directory:  The current directory at the time the system is booted,
usually the root directory of the boot drive.

Boot Drive:  The disk drive that the system is booted from, usually A: (the
floppy disk) or C: (the hard disk).

Boot:  The process of starting the computer and loading the operating system
into memory.  See also Reboot, Cold Reboot, and Warm Reboot.

Break:  A signal sent to a program to tell it to halt what it is doing.  The
Ctrl-C key  or Ctrl-Break key is used to send this signal.  Some external
commands abort when they receive a break signal; others return to a previous
screen or menu, or abort the current operation.

BTM File:  A special type of Take Command batch file which is loaded into
memory to speed up execution.

Buffer:  An area of memory set aside for storage.  For example, disk buffers
are used to save information as it is transferred between your program and the
disk, and the keyboard buffer holds keystrokes until a program can use them.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.3. Glossary - C ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

CDFS or CD-ROM File System:  The file system which supports CD-ROM drives.
This is typically implemented as a distinct file system in 32-bit operating
systems like OS/2 and Windows NT.  On other platforms it is implemented as a
component of or addition to the underlying general file system for disk drives.

Character Device:  A physical device for input or output which must communicate
with your computer one character at a time.  Examples include the console,
communications ports, and printers.  See also Block Device.

Character Mode:  A display mode in which output is displayed in a fixed font,
typically with 80 columns in a line and 25 lines on the screen (some systems
allow you to increase the number of rows and columns to other fixed sizes), and
which cannot display graphics or pictures.  See also Graphics Mode.

CMD File:  See Batch File.

CMDLINE:  An environment variable used to extend the command line passed to
another program beyond its normal length limits.

Cold Reboot:  The process of restarting the computer in a way that physically
resets most hardware devices, typically by pressing a reset button, or by
turning the power off and back on.  See also Warm Reboot.

Command Completion:  A Take Command feature which allows you to recall a
previous command by typing the first few letters of the command, then an
up-arrow or down-arrow.

Command Echoing:  A feature which displays commands as they are executed.
Echoing can be turned on and off.

Command Grouping:  A Take Command feature which allows you to group several
commands with parentheses, and have them treated as a single command for most
purposes.

Command History Window:  A pop-up window used by Take Command to display the
command history, allowing you to choose a previous command to modify and/or
execute.

Command History:  A Take Command feature which retains commands you have
executed, so that they can be modified and re-executed later.

Command Processor:  A program which interprets commands and executes other
programs.  Sometimes also called a Command Interpreter.

Command Recall:  See Command History.

Command Separator:  A character used to separate multiple commands on the same
command line.

Command Tail:  The portion of a command consisting of all the arguments, i.e.,
everything but the command name itself.

Compound Command:  See Multiple Commands.

Compression:  An operating system feature which compresses data as it is stored
in a disk file, and decompresses it as it is read back, resulting in more
efficient use of disk space (at a slight cost in processor time to perform the
compression and decompression).  More generally, an approach to data storage
which reduces repeated or redundant information to a smaller number of bytes in
the compressed version than in the original, in order to minimize the space
required to store the information.

COMSPEC:  An environment variable which defines where to find the
character-mode command processor to start a secondary shell.

Conditional Commands:  A Take Command feature allowing commands to be executed
or skipped depending on the results of a previous command.  See also Exit Code.

Console:  The PC keyboard and display.

Console Mode:  See Character Mode.

Control Character:  A character which is part of the ASCII code, but does not
have a normal text representation, and which can usually be generated by
pressing the Ctrl key along with another key.

Coprocessor:  See Numeric Coprocessor.

Country Settings:  The internal settings which tell the operating system how to
interpret keyboard characters which vary from country to country, which
character set to use, and how to retrieve and display date, time, and other
information in the format appropriate to a particular country.  See also Code
Page.

CPU:  The Central Processing Unit which performs all logic and most
calculations in a computer.  In PC-compatible systems, the CPU is on a single
microprocessor chip.

CR or Carriage Return:  The ASCII character "carriage return" (decimal value
13), generated by pressing the Enter key on the keyboard, and stored in most
ASCII files at the end of each line.

Critical Error:  An error, usually related to a physical or hardware problem
with input, output, or network access, which prevents a program from
continuing.

Current Directory:  The directory in which all file operations will take place
unless otherwise specified.  The current directory is typically displayed as
part of the command prompt.  Also called the Current Working Directory.

Current Drive:  The disk drive on which all file operations will take place
unless otherwise specified.  The current drive is typically displayed as part
of the command prompt.

Cursor:  A movable marker on the screen to show where text will be entered when
you type at the keyboard, or which object on the screen will be affected when a
mouse button is clicked.  In character mode only the text cursor is available;
graphical systems typically show both a mouse cursor and, when text can be
entered, a separate text cursor.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.4. Glossary - D ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

Date Range:  A Take Command feature which allows you to select files based on
the date and time they were last modified.

Date Stamp:  Information stored in a file's directory entry to show the dates
on which the file was created, last modified, and last accessed.  Creation and
last access dates are not available in the FAT file system.  See also Time
Stamp.

Default Directory:  See Current Directory

Default Drive:  See Current Drive.

Delete Tracking:  An operating system or utility software feature which is
designed to allow you to "undelete" or recover files which have recently been
deleted.  Delete tracking typically works by temporarily retaining the deleted
files and/or information about the deleted files in a special area of the disk.

Description:  A string of characters assigned to describe a file with the Take
Command DESCRIBE command.

Destination:  In file processing commands (e.g. COPY or MOVE), the name or
directory files should have after any copying or modification has taken place,
generally the last specification on the command line.  See also Source.

Detached Process:  A program which is "detached" from the normal means of user
input and output, and cannot use the keyboard, mouse, or video display.

Device Driver:  A program which allows the operating system to communicate with
a device, and which is loaded into memory when the system boots.  Device
drivers are also used to manage memory or for other similar internal functions.

Device:  A physical device for input or output such as the console, a
communications port, or a printer.  Sometimes "device" is used to refer to
character devices, and excludes block devices.

Directive:  An individual item in the TCMDOS2.INI file, used to control the
configuration of Take Command.

Directory:  A portion of any disk, identified by a name and a relationship to
other directories in a "tree" structure, with the tree starting at the root
directory.  A directory separates files on the disk into logical groups, but
does not represent a physical division of the data on the disk.

Directory History:  A Take Command feature which allows you to recall
recently-used directory names in a popup window, and choose one to switch to.

Directory History Window:  See Directory History.

Directory Stack:  A Take Command feature, implemented through the PUSHD and
POPD commands, which allows you to save the current directory and return to it
later.  See also Stack.

Directory Tree:  The branching structure of directories on a hard disk,
starting at the root directory.  The root of the tree is usually considered as
the "top" of the structure, so the actual structure can be visualized as an
upside-down tree with the root at the top and branches going "down".  A portion
or branch of the directory tree is sometimes called a " subtree".

DOS Memory:  See Base Memory.

DOS Session:  See Session.

DPMI or DOS Protected Mode Interface:  A specification which allows DOS
programs to access memory beyond 1 MB in order to manage larger programs or
larger amounts of information than will fit in base memory.  DPMI support for
DOS programs is provided by some DOS memory managers, and by OS/2, Windows 3.1
and above, Windows 95, and Windows NT.

Drive Letter:  A letter used to designate a specific local disk volume, or part
or all of a network server drive.  In most cases drive letters range from A -
Z, but some network operating systems allow the use of certain punctuation
characters as drive letters in order to support more than 26 volumes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.5. Glossary - E ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

Echo:  See Command Echoing.

Environment:  An area of memory which contains multiple entries in the form
"NAME=value".  See also Master Environment and Passed Environment.

Environment Variable:  The name of a single entry in the environment.

Error Level:  A numeric value between 0 and 255 returned from an external
command to indicate its result (e.g., success, failure, response to a
question).  See also Exit Code.

Escape Character:  In some contexts, the Take Command escape character, which
is used to suppress the normal meaning of or give special meaning to the
following character.  In other cases, the specific ASCII character ESC.  The
meaning must be determined from the context.

Escape Sequence:  A sequence of text characters which has a special meaning and
is not treated as normal text.  For example, the character sequence <ESC>]K
(where <ESC> is the ASCII "escape" character, decimal value 27) will cause an
ANSI driver to clear the screen from the cursor to the end of the current line,
rather than simply displaying the string "ESC]K" on the screen.  Similarly, in
Take Command, the escape sequence ^f on the command line is translated to a
form feed, and is not treated as the literal characters "^f".

Executable Extensions:  A Take Command feature which allows you to specify the
application to be executed when a file with a particular extension is named at
the command prompt.

Executable File:  A file, usually with the extension .COM or .EXE, which can be
loaded into memory and run as a program.

Exit Code:  The result code returned by an external command or an internal
command.  Take Command internal commands return an exit code of 0 if
successful, or non-zero if unsuccessful.  See also Errorlevel.

Expansion:  The process Take Command goes through when it scans a command line
and substitutes the appropriate actual values for aliases, alias parameters,
batch file parameters, and environment variables.  See also Parsing.

Extended ASCII Character:  A character which is not part of the standard set of
128 ASCII characters, but is used on the PC as part of an extended set of 256
characters.  These characters include international language symbols, and box
and line drawing characters.

Extended Attributes:  An OS/2 High Performance File System (HPFS) feature which
allows storage of additional information about a file, separate from the file
itself.  Extended attributes are typically used to store icons for executable
files, property or settings information, and other information added by the
user.

Extended Directory Search:  A Take Command feature which maintains a directory
search " database" or list, typically including all directories in your system,
and allows you to change quickly to any directory in the list.

Extended Key Code:  The code for a key on the PC keyboard which has no
representation in the standard ASCII character set, such as a function key,
cursor key, or Alt plus another key.  The extended key code for a key is often
the same as the scan code for that key.

Extended Memory:  Any memory on a computer system with a 286, 386, 486, or
Pentium processor which is above the first 1 MB (one megabyte, or 1024*1024
bytes) of memory.  See also XMS.

Extended Parent Directory Names:  A Take Command feature which allows you to
use additional periods in a directory name to represent directories which are
successively higher in the directory tree.

Extended Wildcard:  A Take Command feature which extends the traditional
wildcard syntax and allows you to use multiple wildcard characters, and
character ranges (e.g. [a-f] for the letters A through F).  See also Wildcard.

Extension:  The final portion of a file name, preceded by a period.  For
example, in the file name C:\DIR1\LETTER.DAT the extension is .DAT.  In a long
filename which contains multiple periods, the extension is usually considered
to be the portion of the name after the final period.

External Command:  A program which resides in an executable file, as opposed to
an internal command which is part of the command processor.

EXTPROC:  A command processor feature which allows you to designate a specific
external program to run a particular batch file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.6. Glossary - F ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

FAT File System:  The traditional file system used by DOS to store files on
diskettes and hard disks; also supported by OS/2 and Windows NT.  Uses a File
Allocation Table to keep track of allocated and unallocated space on the disk.

FAT-Compatible File Name:  See SFN.

FF or Form Feed:  The ASCII character "form feed" (decimal value 12), which
typically causes a printer to skip to a new page.  The FF character is not
normally entered from the keyboard, but in many cases it can be generated, if
necessary, by holding the Alt key, pressing 0-1-2, and releasing the Alt key.

File Attribute:  See Attribute.

File Description:  See Description.

File Exclusion Range:  A Take Command feature which allows you to exclude files
from processing by internal commands based on their names.

Filename Completion:  A Take Command feature which allows you to type part of a
filename on the command line, and have the command processor fill in the rest
for you.

Free Memory:  Usually, the amount of total memory which is unoccupied and
available for applications.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.7. Glossary - G ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

Global Aliases:  A Take Command option which allows you to store aliases in a
global area accessible to all copies of Take Command, so that any change made
by one copy is immediately available to all other copies.  See also Local
Aliases.

Global Directory History:  An option which allows you to store the directory
history in a global area accessible to all copies of Take Command, so that any
change made by one copy is immediately available to all other copies.  See also
Local Directory History.

Global History:  A Take Command option which allows you to store the command
history in a global area accessible to all copies of Take Command, so that any
change made by one copy is immediately available to all other copies.  See also
Local History.

Graphics Mode:  A display mode in which output is displayed in any one of a
range of fonts, typically in resizable windows with a variable number of text
rows and columns, and which supports the display of graphics and pictures along
with text.  See also Character Mode.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.8. Glossary - H ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F H I K L M N O P R S T U V W X

Hidden:  A file attribute indicating that the file should not be displayed with
a normal DIR command, and should not be made available to programs unless they
specifically request access to hidden files.

History Window:  See Command History Window and Directory History.

History:  See Command History.

HMA or High Memory Area:  The area of PC memory located in the first 64K bytes
above the 1 megabyte that DOS can address directly.  The HMA can be made
addressable from DOS programs using special hardware facilities, or an XMS
driver.

HPFS or High Performance File System:  A file system distributed with OS/2 and
Windows NT 3.51 and below which allows longer file names, supports larger
drives, and provides better performance than the traditional FAT file system.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.9. Glossary - I ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H K L M N O P R S T U V W X

IFS or Installable File System:  A file system which can be loaded when
required to support devices such as CD-ROM or network drives, or non-default
disk formats like HPFS (in OS/2) or NTFS (in Windows NT).  Installable file
systems are primarily supported 32-bit operating systems like OS/2 and Windows
NT.  Depending on operating system design they may be loaded at boot time, or
loaded and unloaded dynamically while the system is running.

Include List:  A concise method of specifying several files or groups of files
in the same directory, for use with all Take Command commands which take file
names as arguments.

Inheritance:  A feature which allows one copy of Take Command to "inherit" the
.INI file data, aliases, command history, and directory history from a previous
copy.  More generally, a system which allows one program to pass information or
settings on to another, often to a second copy of the same program.

.INI File:  The Take Command initialization file containing directives which
set the initial configuration of the command processor.

Insert Mode:  When editing text, a mode in which newly typed characters are
inserted into the line at the cursor position, rather than overwriting existing
characters on the line.  See also Overstrike Mode.

Internal Command:  A command which is part of the command processor, as opposed
to an external command.

Internal Variables:  Environment variables created by Take Command to provide
information about your system.  Internal variables are evaluated each time they
are used, and are not actually stored in the environment.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.10. Glossary - K ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T U V W X

Key Code:  The code passed to a program when a key is pressed on the keyboard.
Depending on the key that is pressed, and the software handling the keyboard,
the code can be an ASCII code, a scan code, or an extended key code.

Key Mapping:  A Take Command feature which allows you to assign new keystrokes
for command line functions such as manipulating the command history or
completing file names.

Keyboard Buffer:  A buffer which holds keystrokes you have typed that have not
yet been used by the currently executing program.

Keystroke Alias:  An alias assigned to a key, so that it can be invoked or
recalled with a single keystroke.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.11. Glossary - L ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K M N O P R S T U V W X

Label:  A marker in a batch file, with the format :name, allowing GOTO and
GOSUB commands to "jump" to that point in the file.  See also Volume Label.

LF or Line Feed:  The ASCII character "line feed" (decimal value 10), stored in
most ASCII files at the end of each line, after the CR character.  The LF
character is not normally entered from the keyboard, but in many cases it can
be generated, if necessary, by pressing Ctrl-Enter.

Local Aliases:  A Take Command option which allows you to store aliases in a
local area only accessible to the current copy of Take Command, so that a
change made in the current copy of Take Command does not affect other copies,
and vice versa.  See also  Global Aliases.

Local Directory History:  A Take Command option which allows you to store the
directory history in a local area only accessible to the current copy of Take
Command, so that a change made in the current copy of Take Command does not
affect other copies, and vice versa.  See also Global Directory History.

Local History:  A Take Command option which allows you to store the command
history in a local area only accessible to the current copy of Take Command, so
that a change made in the current copy of Take Command does not affect other
copies, and vice versa.  See also  Global History.

Logging:  A Take Command feature, implemented via the LOG command, which allows
you to save a record of the commands you execute.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.12. Glossary - M ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L N O P R S T U V W X

Master Environment:  The master copy of the environment maintained by the
command processor.

Modulo:  The remainder after an integer division.  For example 11 modulo 3 is
2, because when 11 is divided by 3 the remainder is 2.

Multiple Commands:  A Take Command feature which allows multiple commands to be
placed on a line, separated by an ampersand [&], or another, user-defined
character.

Multitasking:  A capability of some software (and the related hardware) which
allows two or more programs to run apparently simultaneously on the same
computer.  Multitasking software for PC compatible systems includes operating
environments like Windows 3, and complete operating systems like OS/2, Windows
95, and Windows NT.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.13. Glossary - N ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M O P R S T U V W X

Network:  A system which allows several computers to be connected together to
share files, printers, modems, or other resources, and to pass electronic mail
or other information between the systems on the network.

Network File System:  Software which runs over a network to allow access to
files on the server.  A network file system may support the same options as the
file system used on local drives, or it may be more or less restrictive than
the local file system about file names, disk volume capacity, and other similar
features.

NTFS or New Technology File System:  A file system distributed with Windows NT
which allows longer file names, supports larger drives, and provides better
performance than the traditional FAT file system.

Numeric Coprocessor:  A chip which works in conjunction with an Intel 8086,
80286, 80386, 80486, or Pentium CPU to perform decimal arithmetic ("floating
point") calculations.  Some 80486s and the Pentium CPU have the numeric
coprocessor built in to the CPU chip; in all other cases it is on a physically
separate chip, and is optional (when the coprocessor is not avilable, the CPU
performs decimal arithmetic through other, much slower methods).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.14. Glossary - O ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N P R S T U V W X

Operating System:  A collection of software which loads when the computer is
started, provides services to other software, and ensures that programs don't
interfere with each other while they are running.

Option:  See Switch.

OR:  A logical combination of two true or false conditions.  If both conditions
are false the result is false; if either condition is true the result is true.

Overstrike Mode:  When editing text, a mode in which newly typed characters
overwrite existing characters on the line, rather than being inserted into the
line at the cursor position.  See also Insert Mode.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.15. Glossary - P ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O R S T U V W X

Parameter:  A piece of additional information placed after a command or
function name.  For example, in the command DIR XYZ, XYZ is a parameter.  Also
used to refer to an alias parameter or batch file parameter.

Parent Directory:  The directory in which a particular subdirectory resides,
often seen as the directory "above" a subdirectory.

Parsing:  The process Take Command performs to analyze the command line,
perform alias and environment variable expansion, and find the appropriate
internal command or external command to execute.  More generally, the process
of breaking down a string or message into its individual components in order to
process them properly.

Passed Environment:  A copy of the master environment created before running an
application, so that any changes made by the application will not affect the
master environment.

Path:  A specification of all the directories a file resides in.  For example,
the path for C:\WPFILES\MYDIR\MEMO.TXT is C:\WPFILES\MYDIR\.  Also used to
refer to the environment variable PATH, which contains a series of path
specifications used when searching for external commands and batch files.

Pipe:  A method for collecting the standard output of one program and passing
it on as the standard input of the next program to be executed, signified by a
vertical bar "|" on the command line.  See also Redirection.

Previous Working Directory:  The working directory used most recently, just
prior to the current working directory.  For example, if C:\DATA is the current
working directory and you switch to D:\UTIL, C:\DATA then becomes the previous
working directory.

Primary Shell:  The copy of the character-mode command processor which is
loaded by the operating system when the system boots or a session opens.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.16. Glossary - R ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P S T U V W X

RAM or Random Access Memory:  The physical memory used to store data while a
computer is operating.  The information in most types of RAM is lost when power
is turned off.

RAM Disk:  A pseudo "disk drive", created by software, which appears like a
normal physical disk drive to programs.  Sometimes also called a Virtual Disk.

Range:  See Date Range, Size Range, Time Range, and File Exclusion Range.

Read-Only:  A file attribute indicating that the file can be read, but not
written or deleted by the operating system or the command processor unless
special commands are used.

Reboot:  The process of restarting the computer with software, with the
keyboard (e.g. by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del), by pressing a reset button, or by
turning the power off and back on.  See also Cold Reboot and Warm Reboot.

Redirection:  A method for collecting output from a program in a file, and/or
of providing the input for a program from a file.  See also Pipe.

REXX:  A file and text processing language developed by IBM, and available on
many PC and other platforms.

ROM or Read Only Memory:  A physical memory device used to store information
which cannot be readily modified, such as the BIOS built into each PC system.
The information in ROM is typically retained when power is turned off.

Root Directory:  The first directory on any disk, from which all other
directories are "descended."  The root directory is referenced with a single
backslash [\].


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.17. Glossary - S ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R T U V W X

Scan Code:  The physical code for a key on the PC keyboard.  For the original
U.S. English keyboard layout the scan code represents the physical position of
the key, starting with 1 for the key in the upper left corner (Esc), and
increasing from left to right and top to bottom.  This order will vary for more
recent keyboards or those designed for other countries or languages.

Search Path:  See PATH.

Secondary Shell:  A copy of the command processor which is started by another
program, rather than by the operating system.

Session:  A general term for the individual windows or tasks started by a
multitasking system.  For example, under OS/2 you might run a DOS application
in one session, and Take Command in another.

Shell:  See Command Processor.  Also used to refer to a program which gives
access to operating system functions and commands through a menu- or
mouse-driven system, or which replaces the primary user interface of the
operating system.

Size Range:  A Take Command feature which allows you to select files based on
their size.

Source:  In file processing commands (e.g. COPY or MOVE), the original files
before any copying or modification has taken place, i.e., those specified
earlier on the command line.  See also Destination.

Stack:  An area of memory used by any program to store temporary data while the
program is running; more generally, any such storage area where the last item
stored is normally the first one removed.

Standard Error, Standard Input, and Standard Output:  The file(s) or character
device(s) where a program respectively displays error messages, obtains its
normal input, and displays its normal output.  Standard error, standard input,
and standard output normally refer to the console, unless redirection is used.

Subdirectory:  Any directory other than the root directory.

Subtree:  See Directory Tree.

Swap File:  A disk file created by an operating system or a program to store
unused information on disk, and thereby free up memory for other purposes.

Switch:  A parameter for an internal command or application which specifies a
particular behavior or setting.  For example, the command "DIR /P" might be
referred to as "having the /P switch set".

System:  A file attribute indicating that the file belongs to the operating
system or command processor, and should not be accessed by other programs.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.18. Glossary - T ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S U V W X

Target:  See Destination.

TCEXIT:  A batch file which is executed whenever Take Command exits.

TCSTART:  A batch file which is executed whenever Take Command starts.

Time Range:  A Take Command feature which allows you to select files based on
the time they were last modified.

Time Stamp:  Information stored in a file's directory entry to show the times
at which the file was created, last modified, and last accessed.  Creation time
is not available in the FAT file system; last access time is only available in
the HPFS and NTFS file systems.  See also Date Stamp.

Tree:  See Directory Tree.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.19. Glossary - U ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T V W X

UMB or Upper Memory Block:  An XMS Upper Memory Block, whose address is above
the end of base memory (normally, above 640K), but within the 1 megabyte of
memory that DOS can address directly.

UNC or Universal Naming Convention:  A common method for accessing files on a
network drive without using a "mapped" drive letter.  Names specified this way
are called UNC names, and typically appear as \\server\volume\path\filename,
where server is the name of the network server where the files reside, volume
is the name of a disk volume on that server, and the path\filename portion is a
directory name and file name.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.20. Glossary - V ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U W X

Variable Expansion:  The process of scanning a command line and replacing each
environment variable name, alias parameter, or batch file parameter with its
value.

Variable Functions:  Functions provided by Take Command to manipulate strings,
dates, and filenames; perform arithmetic; read and write files; and perform
other similar functions.  Variable functions are similar to static environment
variables or internal variables, but have parameters and can perform actions
rather than just returning static information.

Variable:  See Alias Parameter, Batch File Parameter, and Environment Variable.

Virtual Disk:  See RAM Disk.

Volume Label:  A special, hidden file placed on any disk, whose name
constitutes a "label" for the entire disk.

Volume:  See Disk Drive.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.21. Glossary - W ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V X

Warm Reboot:  The process of restarting the computer with software, or with the
keyboard (e.g. by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del), typically without physically
resetting any hardware devices.  See also Cold Reboot.

White Space Character:  A character used to separate arguments on the command
line.  The white space characters recognized by Take Command are the space,
tab, and comma.

Wildcard:  A character ("*" or "?") used in a filename to specify the
possibility that any single character ("?") or sequence of characters ("*") can
occur at that point in the actual name.  See also Extended Wildcard.

Windows NT File System:  See NTFS.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10.5.22. Glossary - X ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W

XOR (exclusive OR):  A logical combination of two true or false conditions.  If
both conditions are false or both conditions are true the result is false; if
either condition is true and the other is false the result is true.