PC Plus SuperCD (UK) 1997 May

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Sat 10-August-1996 About TSTSR in General (All rights reserved) ====================== This package may be used and distributed freely for NON-COMMERCIAL, NON-INSTITUTIONAL, PRIVATE purposes, provided it is not changed in any way. (Repacking with another method is ok, though.) For ANY other usage, such as use in a business enterprise or a university, contact the author for registration. Uploading to bulletin boards is encouraged. Please do not distribute any part of this package separately. The programs are under development. Comments and contacts are solicited. If you have any comments or bug reports, please do not hesitate to use electronic mail for communication. The author shall not be liable to the user for any direct, indirect or consequential loss arising from the use of, or inability to use, any program or file howsoever caused. No warranty is given that the programs will work under all circumstances. Timo Salmi (email: ts@uwasa.fi WWW: http://uwasa.fi/~ts/) Professor of Accounting and Business Finance Faculty of Accounting & Industrial Management University of Vaasa P.O. BOX 700, FIN-65101 Vaasa, Finland Timo Salmi Terminate and Stay Resident, release 2.1 includes * * * * * * * the following utility-type programs: TSTSR21 Terminate Stay Resident, T.Salmi Filename Comment -------- -------------------------------- ALARM.EXE Resident alarm at hh:mm DISABLE.EXE Disable any single standard key ENOUGH.EXE Shutdown PC in so many minutes FILE_ID.DIZ Brief characterization of TSTSR KEYCOUNT.EXE Keystroke counter LEDS.EXE Caps, NumLock, ScrollLock status NOBOOT.EXE Disable Alt-Ctrl-Del warm boot NOBREAK.EXE Disable ctrl-C and ctrl-Break NOCAPSLC.EXE Disable the CapsLock key NUMLOCK.EXE Force the NumLock key always on PINPOINT.EXE Poinpoint the cursor location RESCLOC2.EXE Resident clock w. select row/col RESCLOCK.EXE Resident clock SHFTCAPS.EXE Shift+CapsLock instead of CapsLc SHFTNUML.EXE Shift+NumLock instead of NumLock SORDINO.EXE Turn sounds off, shorter in fact TIMEDOWN.EXE Resident countdown timer TIMEPEST.EXE Resident elapsed time alarm TIMEUP.EXE Resident countup timer TSPROG.INF List of programs from Timo Salmi TSTSR.INF Documentation (and a readme) TSTSR.NWS News announcements about tstsr VAASA.INF Info: Finland, Vaasa, U of Vaasa ---- ------ ------ ----- 0023 General Information on TSR Programs =================================== The so-called Terminated and Stay Resident programs which, as their name indicates stay resident in the PC's memory, have some very useful applications. You may have heard or used pop-up programs which are advanced TSRs. But there are also simple TSR programs which can be very handy, and here is a collection of them. Remember, however, that the TSRs programs reserve memory to themselves from your other applications. (In MS-DOS 5.0, or later, you can circumvent this problem to a degree because you can load TSRs into the upper memory with the MS-DOS loadhigh command). Note that what I say here and below concerns TSR programs in general. Not just these TSR programs. Another general problem with TSR programs is that once you have installed a TSR you usually have to reboot your PC to remove the TSR from memory. There are ways around this, though, like using the mark/release programs from TurboPower Software. I have no connection to TurboPower Software but I can recommend their utilities. For mark and release get ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/memutil/tsrcom35.zip (or whatever is the current version number). However, you can use my TSR programs quite well without TurboPower Software utilities, but they give added flexibility. Program Descriptions ==================== ALARM.EXE Resident alarm at hh:mm ========= Usage: ALARM [hh:mm] [AlarmCycles (default=150)] Sounds and displays in text mode an alarm at hh:mm. Just like the other tsr programs in this collection the alarm program is allows to install it only once. You can't have multiple copies running. DISABLE.EXE Disable any single standard key =========== Usage: DISABLE keyScanCode ShiftStatus For example to disable Ctrl-X try DISABLE 2D 04 To get the key scancodes of your own keyboard you might have to use "SCANCODE 2" from ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/ts/tsbase12.zip or whichever is the current version number. To get the shift status use "SCANCODE 3" second part. Be prepared that some trial and error experimenting may be needed. Here are some typical, expected key scancode values: Key Scan Key Scan Key Scan Key Scan Key Scan Key Scan Key Scan a 1E b 30 c 2E d 20 e 12 f 21 g 22 h 23 i 17 j 24 k 25 l 26 m 32 n 31 o 18 p 19 q 10 r 13 s 1F t 14 u 16 v 2F w 11 x 2D y 15 z 2C 1 02 2 03 3 04 4 05 5 06 6 07 7 08 8 09 9 0A 0 0B F1 3B F2 3C F3 3D F4 3E F5 3F F6 40 F7 41 F8 42 F9 43 F10 44 right Shift 01 left Shift 02 CTRL 04 left ALT 08 You can, of course, disable a straight ascii key, even if that does not make much sense. For example to disable the key q (and consequently Q, Ctrl-Q, and Alt-Q) use DISABLE 10 00 If you wish to disable more than one key, you have to use a separate program call for each key. Also note that there is no sense in disabling the same key twice. It just consumes precious memory. Loading to upper memory with loadhigh saves conventional memory, which always seems to be in short supply. A tip: Many programs use Alt-X for quick exiting. You might wish to avoid exiting accidentally. You can prevent this by putting your program call into a batch: mark (from TurboPower's TSRCOM*.ZIP) DISABLE 2D 08 (the parameters' case does not matter) YourProgramCall %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 release ENOUGH.EXE Shutdown PC in so many minutes ========== Usage: ENOUGH [MinutesToAllow] A program to limit the time your PC can be used at one go before it locks itself displaying a blinking "enough" message in the center of the screen. For example if you wish to allow only a certain spell for your kids to play games on you PC, install ENOUGH before you let them at it. Or you may wish to get a grip on your own computer addiction with an aid like this :-). Whether tricks like this really work is not basically a programming but a behavioral question which you'll have to sort out yourself. :-). Also be forewarned that ENOUGH is a self-induced computer lock-up with all the same potential ill-effects on the possibly open files as any genuine crash. KEYCOUNT.EXE Keystroke counter ============ Puts a keystroke counter at the upper right corner of the screen. It is a natty measure of your computer addiction. To make the counter as compatible as possible for the various keyboards some compromises have been made. The AltGr key does not count, the PrintScreen does not count, entering ascii codes through alt + the numeric pad counts as one key only, and the foreign keyboards may have some other slight discrepancies. LEDS.EXE Caps, NumLock, ScrollLock status ======== Usage: LEDS c n s │ │ └─ display Scroll lock status │ └─ display Numlock status └─ display Capslock status LEDS.EXE indicates the caps status on laptops without leds or if your desktops PC's leds are broken. For example I have LEDS c in the autoexec.bat file of my old Zenith Z-181 portable to show whether or not I have the CapsLock on. NOBOOT.EXE Disable Alt-Ctrl-Del warm boot ========== As you know you can usually reboot (the so-called warm boot) your PC by pressing the key combination Alt-Ctrl-Del. If you wish to disable this possibility, run NOBOOT.EXE once. Disabling the Alt-Ctrl-Del can be occasionally useful. For example I have a batch for changing my PC configuration by copying alternative autoexec.bat and config.sys files to replace the current ones. After the batch is done with the copying, I just hit Alt-Ctrl-Del. Now, if I would accidentally do that too early while the copying still takes place, that might cause problems. So it is advisable to disable the warmboot for the duration of running the configuration batch. (If you are interested in the configuration batch, you can find it in ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/ts/tsbat49.zip or whichever is the current version number.) NOBREAK.EXE Disable ctrl-C and ctrl-Break =========== Like the description indicates. Disables breaking. NOCAPSLC.EXE Disable the CapsLock key ============ Are you aggravated by accidentally hitting the CapsLock key and the consequent turning on of the CapsLock? I've written a new Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) program NOCAPSLC.EXE which monitors the CapsLock status and forces it off if it is on. This is one of the programs that arises from my own usage needs. I decided that I'd prefer to have the CapsLock key usually disabled because I hit it by accident rather often. It is located between the Shift and the Tab keys. I use both quite frequently. I have installed this program on all the PCs that I use constantly myself. I have loaded it into the upper memory, like all the TSRs I employ, to preserve memory. On MS-DOS 5.0, or later, I naturally use loadhigh for that. I have in my autoexec.bat mark nocapslc loadhigh nocapslc NUMLOCK.EXE Force the NumLock key always on =========== This program keeps the NumLock key in the on position whatever you do. Note that if you wish to just assure that it is on (on off) at boot-time, that is a different task, which dies not require a TSR. You can use CAPS.EXE from ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/ts/tsutld22.zip (or whichever is the current version number) collection for the latter purpose by putting it into your autoexec.bat. PINPOINT.EXE Poinpoint the cursor location ============ Displays a flashing to pinpoint where the cursor currently is when you press alt-G. RESCLOCK.EXE Resident clock ============ Puts a (24-hour) clock ticking in the right-hand upper corner of your screen. RESCLOC2.EXE Resident clock w. select row/col ============ As RESCLOCK.EXE but with row and column given by the user. Usage: RESCLOC2 row column SHFTCAPS.EXE Shift+CapsLock instead of CapsLc ============ You have probably have been sometimes annoyed by accidentally hitting the CapsLock key. SHFTCAPS.EXE substitutes Shift+CapsLock for CapsLock. The idea that the substituting combination is not pressed accidentally as easily as the original key. The program uses the typewriter logic. That is to lock that capital letters on you'll need to press Shft+CapsLock, but to release the caps it will be sufficient to press CapsLock alone. Note that SHFTCAPS.EXE will initially turn CapsLock off, if you happen to have it on when installing the program. The program requires an enhanced keyboard, that is at least an AT PC. SHFTNUML.EXE Shift+NumLock instead of NumLock ============ You have probably have been sometimes annoyed by accidentally hitting the NumLock key. SHFTNUML.EXE substitutes Shift+NumLock for NumLock. The idea that the substituting combination is not pressed accidentally as easily as the original key. The program uses the typewriter logic. That is to turn off the numeric pad you'll have to press Shft+NumLock, but to return it on, it is sufficient to press NumLock alone. Note that SHFTNUML.EXE will initially turn the NumLock on, if you happen to have it off when installing the program. The program requires an enhanced keyboard, that is at least an AT PC. SORDINO.EXE Turn sounds off, shorter in fact =========== This program is my failed attempt at silencing the PC's speaker. It seems that with the modern fast processors the tick frequency (1/18 seconds) is simply not enough for such a TSR. The same affliction besets all the other silencer programs I have come across. Obviously the only solution is using a capacitor by brandishing a soldering iron. TIMEDOWN.EXE Resident countdown timer ============ Usage TIMEDOWN [MinutesToRunDown] The location of TIMEDOWN leaves eight positions to the end of the screen, so that you can have RESCLOCK and TIMEDOWN ticking away at the same time. TIMEPEST.EXE Resident elapsed time alarm ============ Usage TIMEPEST [MinutesBetweenBeeps] [/d] Display ─┘ For example, if you are an inveterate BBS user who wishes to keep one's connect times within some kind of limits, you may find this useful. I have truly seen requests for this kind of utilities for the very problem. TIMEUP.EXE Resident countup timer ========== Puts a time counter ticking in the right-hand upper corner of your screen starting from 00:00:00.