OS/2 Shareware BBS: 36 Tips/36-Tips.zip/michael.txt

Text File | 1995-09-11 | 16KB | 359 lines

This is a set of hints for OS/2 Warp, collected as an addendum to
the "Tuning OS/2 Warp" presentation given by Michael Kilby at the
June 1995 meeting(s) of the CPCUG OS/2 SIG.  Revised 9 Sep 95.

> The list of MUST HAVE files (at the end of this document)
> has been updated. Please refer to this list for some of
> the most useful files relating to OS/2 Warp.

NOTE:  Use the "Find" feature in the Editor to jump to the beginning
of each section of this file.  Just search for the ">" character.

First, since the major focus of the SIG presentation was the
OS/2 CONFIG.SYS, here's a quick list of CONFIG.SYS lines that
may need tweaking.

Rather than go into detail about every line, I suggest that you
consult the on-line help, or look at Rick Meigs' OS2CFG11.ZIP
(available from the OS/2 Shareware BBS, listed above).  From an
OS/2 command prompt, typing "HELP [word]" (where [word] is the
first word on each line of the CONFIG.SYS) will usually bring up
the relevant section of the OS/2 command reference.

Note that OS/2 Warp is on my F: drive - don't use these lines without
making *sure* they are set properly for *your* system!  Also, my
system has 16 MB of RAM, which explains the cache sizes I use.

> The following list contains *only* the lines that you
> should *definitely* consider adjusting:

rem * HPFS cache size increased to 1 MB
rem * comment this line out for non-HPFS systems!!!
IFS=F:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:1024 /CRECL:32 /AUTOCHECK:FG
rem * increase CRECL to 16 or 32 for all caches >=512 KB.

REM * add these lines by hand!
SET RESTARTOBJECTS=STARTUPFOLDERSONLY
SET MENUSTYLE=SHORT

rem * ,CONNECTIONS removed from AUTOSTART (no network)
SET AUTOSTART=PROGRAMS,TASKLIST,FOLDERS,LAUNCHPAD

rem * root dir removed from ALL paths, since I don't keep programs there.
rem * this includes LIBPATH, SET PATH=, and SET DPATH=

rem * PROMPT changed from $i[$p] - I don't like the "info" bar.
SET PROMPT=[$T$H$H$H] $P$G

rem * FILES increased for DOS sessions
FILES=60

rem * buffers reduced from 90 - WARPPERF says that 60 should be the lower
rem * limit, but I was using (Rick's) value of 30 before without trouble.
BUFFERS=60

rem * Note that various install progs change this line,
rem * or add another one below (FaxWorks et al.)
IOPL=YES

rem * FAT cache set to specific values (was D,LW),
rem * and added CRECL and autocheck parameters
DISKCACHE=512,LW,16,AC:CDE

rem * MAXWAIT tweaked from 3 to 2
MAXWAIT=2

rem * swapper greatly increased, path changed
SWAPPATH=F:\SWAP 2048 10240
rem * set the initial size (2nd number) to a little bit *larger* than
rem * the typical size of your swapper during normal operation.

rem * threads reduced from 256
THREADS=192

rem * print buffers increased
PRINTMONBUFSIZE=2048,134,2048
rem * LPT3 buffer boosted to help FaxWorks

rem * KEYS=ON retained, despite advice in OS2CFG11.ZIP
rem * (I prefer keeping this feature!)
SET KEYS=ON

REM * added /IRQ to eliminate print polling
BASEDEV=PRINT01.SYS /IRQ
rem * must have a fully pinned cable for this to work.

BASEDEV=IBM1FLPY.ADD
rem * BASEDEV=IBM2FLPY.ADD removed (not a microchannel machine)

rem * added parms to IDE driver
BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD /V /A:0 /U:0 /SMS /LBA /U:1 /SMS /LBA /A:1 /I
rem * this is for *one* adapter, with *two* physical drives attached.
rem * see HELP BASEDEV (and dig into it) to get the details.

rem * FCBS reduced (cannot set to "0,0" in Warp)
FCBS=4,2
rem * FCBS are an addressing method used by DOS 1.x vintage code.

rem LOW,NOUMB changed, since most of my DOS apps can use high memory
DOS=HIGH,UMB

rem * I bought a 16550 UART, so I don't need (or want) SIO
DEVICE=F:\OS2\BOOT\COM.SYS
DEVICE=F:\OS2\MDOS\VCOM.SYS

I recommend NOT to use SIO unless you need to use more than one
modem, or you have a comm port with a strange IRQ, or you cannot
get a comm port (or modem) that has the buffered UART.

The standard OS/2 comm drivers work perfectly fine, especially on
systems that have a buffered UART chip (16550) on the comm port,
such with most fast internal modems (9600 and above).

This goes against the common recommendation, but I believe that
your money is better spent on getting a proper UART chip (or a
modem with one), than on registering SIO (but if you do use SIO,
you should register it!).

rem * VIOTBL.DCP replaced with OS2THIN.DCP
rem * This is available (for free) as WARPFONT.ZIP
DEVINFO=SCR,VGA,F:\OS2\BOOT\OS2THIN.DCP

rem * you can add a line any DOS driver (such as sound) to
rem * make it load by default for all DOS sessions.
rem * I prefer to add sound only to sessions that use it,
rem * so I don't put that line in the CONFIG.SYS


> SECTION TWO - assorted other hints for the WorkPlace Shell (WPS).
> These items are *not* in any particular order!

First, open up the System Setup folder, and review the settings in
each of the setup objects there (Keyboard, Mouse, System, Sound,
etc.) Then open up the Desktop settings and review all the info
there, too!

I prefer to *disable* folder animation (System object in the System
Setup folder).

Using SET MENUSTYLE=SHORT drops a lot of minor items off the
standard popup menus. Here's how you do them with the mouse:

Use Ctrl+Drag to copy objects - [C]trl == [C]opy
Use Ctrl+Shift+Drag to create a shadow of an object
    NOTE: [C]trl+[S]hift == [C]reate [S]hadow
Dragging an object *moves* it, except when working between the
hard drive and a floppy. The default is copy for floppy stuff.
Use Shift+Drag to "shift" (move) a file to or from a floppy.

Click Left mouse button to point (highlight) any object.
Double Click Left mouse button to open an object.
Double Click (left button) on any empty area to bring up the LaunchPad.
Click Right mouse button to open the menu for an object.
Click Right mouse button on an *empty* area of a folder (or the
    desktop) to open the menu for the folder (or the desktop).
Use Alt+Click (left button) to rename (alter) an object's name
Use Alt+Click (right button) to activate the pickup & drop feature.

Drag system objects that clutter your desktop into the OS/2 System
folder. I do this with printers, the Templates, and Information folders.
You can even move the LaunchPad object into the System folder.

If you use FaxWorks, and it slows down the system when printing,
go to the Spooler object in the System Setup folder, and *lower* the
priority setting (to about 60). Processing the fax may take a little
longer, but it won't jam the system quite so badly.

Click the right mouse button on an empty portion of the desktop, open
the settings notebook for the desktop, and adjust three options there:
a) For the VIEW, I prefer "non-Grid", but some folks like it "Flowed".
b) The Background tab allows you to set a color or bitmap background.
c) On the Lockup tab(s), set the Automatic Lockup, "Full-screen", and
"Auto-dim", then click the arrow to go to page two. Set "Normal
Image" (the default is "Tiled") - you can also change the bitmap,
but I like the OS/2 logo for the lockup bitmap - then go to page
three, and change the lockup password to a single space. Type a space
in the first box, press [TAB], type a single space in the second box
(to confirm the change), then click on [OK] (that's important!). You
can now unlock the desktop by pressing [SPACE][ENTER].

Setting the StartUp folder to FLOWED lets you control the order
in which programs are launched.

REMOVE the association from Windows NotePad to *.INI and
*.TXT files, and assign the *.INI association to the OS/2 system
editor. When I want to edit and INI file, I don't want to bring
up a Win-OS/2 session to do it. Also remove the association
for *.BMP files to PaintBrush - I prefer to use the Icon Editor.

For DOS program that have their own print drivers, consider creating a
second printer object, with the NULL driver (just as a pass through).
Set the port to LPT2, redirected to LPT1. Tell your DOS program to
print to the LPT2.OS2 *file*. Since the DOS program has it's own
driver, the printer codes do not need to be rehandled.

Use the volume control object in the MMOS2 folder to control the
speaker volume. This works in *addition* to the volume control
(for system sounds) in the SOUND object from the System Setup folder.

Create a second folder with often used templates. I made a folder
on the desktop called FORMS, and I copied (Ctrl+Drag) only a few
templates (Folder, Program, Color Palettes) to the new folder. This
is a lot easier to use than the multitude of templates in the Templates
folder. (Do NOT delete them, just make a copy elsewhere to use).

Create a second LaunchPad (you can have *two* - or more -
on your desktop!) Here's how to do it:

1) You only want to copy the launchpad itself, not the buttons with it.
So, drag off all of the buttons from the launchpad (and the drawers),
EXCEPT for one!!! If you empty it completely, OS/2 will refill it!
Leave *one* button (perhaps the Shredder) on the launchpad.

2) Click on the launchpad with the right mouse button to get the popup
menu for the LaunchPad (not for the button!), and CLOSE the launchpad.

3) Hold the Ctrl key down, and use the right mouse button to *drag*
off a copy of the launchpad to another spot on the desktop.

4) The title clash dialog will appear, since the copy has the same name.
Change the name of the copy from "LaunchPad" to something else.
You can call it "Pad", or "FolderPad", or "Whatever".

5) Since it is useful to have a spare launchpad, drag a *second* copy
of the launchpad off, and drop it into your Templates folder. You can't
make it a Template, but you can keep a copy of the mini-LaunchPad
there, and use Ctrl+Drag to make a new one whenever you need it.

6) Double-click on both the LaunchPad and the copy to open them.

7) Recustomize *both* Pads (the original and the new copy) to look the
way you like them. I put the original horizontal at the bottom of the
screen, with the second one vertical on the left hand side.

8) After you have added new objects, you must then delete and replace
the *ONE* button that was left on the pad(s) before the copy. Drag one
of them to the *original* Shredder, and delete it. You should find that
the *other* one also disappears. When you copy a launchPad, the button
shadows are linked, which is why you needed to remove (almost)
everything before making the copy.

9) If you still want that button removed in step 8 on the LaunchPad (or
the copy), re-create it by re-dragging the object to the appropriate pad.

10) Last, use Ctrl+Shift+Drag to put a shadow of the *new* Pad into
the StartUp folder, so that it will open when the machine boots. OS/2
only starts up the default launchpad automatically.

Use desktop objects with InfoZIP for archive info.

1) Create a program object for the InfoZip UNZIP program.
Add an association to files named *.ZIP

2) Use Ctrl+Drag to make a copy of the UNZIP object, and
name the copy ZIPINFO. Add the switch -v to the Parameters
field, and (on the session page) *remove* the check mark
from the "close window on exit" box. You can use the ZIPInfo
object to get the contents of a ZIP file.

3) Use Ctrl+Drag to make *another* copy of the UNZIP object,
and name this copy "SELECT". Add the switches
    -C %* [Files to UNZIP]
(exactly as it appears on that line) to the Parameters field.
You can use the Select program to pull out a single file
(using a name or any wildcard combo) out of a ZIP file.
The "-C" is to make it case *insensitive*. The "%*" switch
passes the name of the ZIP file, and the "[Files to UNZIP]"
makes OS/2 bring up a dialog when the program starts, where
you can type the name of the file(s) you want unzipped.


> CREDITS:

Many of the hints in this document originally came from other
sources. In particular, I recommend that *every* OS/2 user should
download and read Rick Meigs OS/2 CONFIG file. Rick also has a
program that assists in reviewing and editing the OS/2 CONFIG.SYS.
The current edition of his program (as of 9 Sep 95) is available
as CFGINFO4.ZIP; Rick's text file of hints is contained within
that ZIP, but is also available separately as OS2CFG11.ZIP

A second "must have" document is a white paper (WARPPERF.ZIP)
written by Ron Cadima of IBM ISV Development Assistance.


> DIFFERENCES FROM CFGINFO4.ZIP -

Other than SIO, the only place where I disagree with Rick's
advice is on cache settings. I prefer to set cache sizes
slightly *smaller* (to leave more memory for OS/2):

16 MB RAM: 1.5 MB *total* cache (HPFS + FAT)
    I Suggest 1 MB for HPFS & 512 KB for FAT.
12 MB RAM: 1 MB total cache, split as needed between FAT/HPFS
8 MB RAM: 256 KB FAT cache, 384 KB HPFS cache
    (For FAT-only, use 384 or 512 KB)
4 MB RAM: 128 KB FAT cache (never use HPFS with less than 6 MB!)

For the cache timing parameters, Rick's are longer than I prefer:

RUN=C:\OS2\CACHE.EXE /MAXAGE:7500 /DISKIDLE:60000 /BUFFERIDLE:60000

I don't like having data sitting in the cache for up to a whole
minute, so I reduce those numbers to 7500, 15000, and 10000,
respectively.  Also, I set this via a CMD object in the startup
folder, not from the CONFIG.SYS


> FILES TO DOWNLOAD - These are files that *every* OS/2 user should
> have (names are as of 9 Sep 95, and may change in the future):

* Documentation:
CFGINFO4.ZIP, OS2CFG11.ZIP - Rick Meigs' tuning files.
EWSCAT.ZIP - Best OS/2 freeware available (from IBM!) -
    Every program in EWSCAT is of the highest quality.
    Download them all!  Updated every month.
FAQ3.ZIP - Tim Sipples Frequently Asked Questions about OS/2
PCMTAB.ZIP - list of all OS/2 compatible hardware (updated monthly)
WARPPERF.ZIP - White Paper on Warp tuning from IBM Boca.

* Useful OS/2 programs:
CLIPCHAR.ZIP - Easy way to hunt for high ASCII codes.
HPCLC095.ZIP - best RPN calculator around.
LW22.ZIP     - LiveWire (communications program for OS/2)
KEYDOS.ZIP   - Sets NumLock on for DOS sessions
NLOCK_ON.ZIP - Set NUMLOCK on during OS/2 boot
WPSFW150.ZIP - WorkPlace Shell interface for Windows
    (this file is also called WPSFWIN.ZIP on some systems).
UNZ512X2.EXE, ZIP201X2.ZIP - free InfoZIP archiver programs, works
    with PKZIP files. You will need the UNZIP program to unpack all
    of the files listed here.

* Files to improve the appearance of OS/2:
ANIMICON.ZIP - Animated icon pairs for OS/2 Warp folders.
COMPASS.ZIP  - Point the mouse in *any* direction (replaces DIAGPTR.ZIP)
WARPFONT.ZIP - Better fonts for full screen sessions (OS/2 and DOS)

* Games (these are shareware, so if you keep them, register them!)
ENTRTN14.ZIP - A large collection of good games
    (updated frequently, so the file name may change).
FMCRDS27.ZIP - 8 versions of Solitaire.
FOURPM.ZIP - Connect four.
ROIDS23.ZIP - Leonard Guy's Asteroids variant. $10, and well worth it.
SEAHAV23.ZIP - A variant of FreeCell (can also set for FreeCell rules)

* A few more random files
FIPS11.ZIP - partition splitter - like Partition Magic, but very raw.
    Documented, and it does work, but there's no guarantee.
GAMES21G.ZIP - Settings for DOS & Win games under OS/2
HPFSA02B.ZIP - HPFS driver for DOS systems
HUMOROS2.ZIP - A collection of funny items related to OS/2, Windows, etc.
JOESTIPS.ZIP - Another collection of hints

If you have suggestions or comments, send them to
Michael Kilby (use the PRIVATE area on Pete Norloff's
OS/2 Shareware BBS, 703-385-4325), or send E-Mail
to [e-mail]

>END of MICHAEL.TXT
.