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DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands
by Chet Langin
Langin Software
532 W. 3rd St.
Centralia, IL 62801
CIS: 73770,615
_______
____|__ | (tm)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
<<< Page 2 >>>
DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands
Copyright (c), 1990, 1991
by Chet Langin, all rights reserved
MS-DOS, GW-BASIC, and Microsoft are registered trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business
Machines Corporation.
Compaq is a registered trademark of Compaq Computer
Corporation.
WordPerfect is a registered trademark of WordPerfect
Corporation.
Tandy is a registered trademark of Tandy Corporation.
Users of "DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands" must accept this
disclaimer of warranty:
"DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands" is supplied as is. The
author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied,
including, without limitation, the warranties of
merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The
author assumes no liability for damages, direct or
consequential, which may result from the use of it.
<<< Page 3 >>>
Table of Contents
Welcome 4
What is DosEA? 4
Who is DosEA for? 5
What is DosEA 3? 6
Installation 7
Tutorial 12
Appendix A -- A list of files 12
Appendix B -- The COMMAND.COM Situation 12
Appendix C -- Troubleshooting 13
<<< Page 4 >>>
***************
** Welcome **
***************
Welcome to "DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands."
**********************
** What is DosEA? **
**********************
The series name, "DosEA," is a play on words which means
a dossier on DOS.
But, what is it?
Specifically, DosEA is a series of hypertext programs
which explain DOS. The series, so far, consists of . . .
DosEA 1 -- For Absolute Beginners
DosEA 2 -- What is DOS?
DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands
DosEA 4 -- Find That Command!
More programs are under development.
A key element in the presentation of the DosEA series is
hypertext. Once you get the idea behind hypertext, you
can read and comprehend material extremely fast.
Hypertext lets you select just what you want to read. If
you understand what you are reading, just keep at it.
Otherwise, the hypertext leads you immediately to further
explanations.
Understanding hypertext is so crucial to the DosEA series,
that the first program, "For Absolute Beginners," is all
about how to use hypertext. Even though the DosEA series
is about DOS, the first program isn't about DOS, at all.
Rather, it's about using hypertext.
The second program in the series, "What is DOS?", then
uses hypertext to introduce DOS. This and the succeeding
programs in the series also use hypertext to explain
further details about DOS.
<<< Page 5 >>>
*************************
** Who is DosEA for? **
*************************
DosEA is for people who want an easy way to learn about
DOS. It is for people who need to use personal computers,
but do not have the time to get a degree in Computer
Science.
This includes . . .
> Business people who need to get business done.
> Employees who need to get work done.
> Students wanting to get ahead fast.
> Home computer users trying to get up to speed.
> User groups helping new members.
Experienced computer users may find this program helpful
in another way. When you are asked those endless streams
of questions about . . .
"how does this . . . "
. . . or . . .
"why is it that . . ."
. . . just pass along this program. The recipient will be
grateful and you will save yourself a lot of explanations.
<<< Page 6 >>>
************************
** What is DosEA 3? **
************************
"DosEA 3 -- 10 Easy Commands" is an MS-DOS tutorial that
demonstrates exactly how to enter 10 easy commands.
First, the hypertext explains a command in some detail.
Then, the computer demonstrates it.
Next, the user tries it.
The computer double checks the effort and, if a command
is not entered correctly after three tries, the computer
shows again how it is done.
The commands are:
CLS DATE DIR
EXIT PROMPT TIME
TYPE VER VERIFY
VOL
These commands were selected because they are internal
and are present in every DOS version that is used commonly
in the current marketplace.
The commands are taught in a way which is non-destructive
to the computer. DosEA double-checks each command before
it is sent to DOS, so that nothing on a disk should be
changed.
<<< Page 7 >>>
********************
** Installation **
********************
What this program needs:
> 512K of memory
> Any monitor
> MS-DOS 2.0 or higher
No installation is required if you only want to read the
hypertext.
However, installation may (or may not) be required if you
want to practice the commands.
How do you know?
To find out, start the program. Assuming that DosEA is
located on a disk in the "A" drive:
Enter: A:
Enter: DOSEA3
Go to the Introduction and read about COMMAND.COM.
Press <F2> when instructed to do so. The computer will
advise you if further installation is required.
If further installation is required . . .
The installation instructions are listed as numbered
paragraphs. You will not have to do all of them; just the
ones that apply to your computer. Start with No. 1.
1. If you are an experienced computer user and want to
take a shortcut, go to Paragraph 2. Otherwise, if you
need specific instructions, go to Paragraph 3.
2. If you are an experienced computer user and want to
know what is going on, rather than to follow specific
instructions, this is the situation: During the execution
of DosEA 3, the COMMAND.COM file needs to be located where
it was when the computer was booted.
3. If you have a hard disk, go to Paragraph 4.
Otherwise, go to Paragraph 5. Note: "Hard disk" refers
to an internal disk drive which you cannot see without
taking your computer apart. "Hard disk" does not refer to
the 3.5-inch disk encased in hard plastic.
<<< Page 8 >>>
4. DOS is not properly installed on your hard disk. If
you want to properly install DOS, you have two choices:
A) Consult the manual that came with your DOS.
B) Contact a knowledgeable friend or the person who
sold you the computer and ask him or her to help you
install DOS properly. Tell this person that you
need to be able to boot your computer with the "A"
disk drive empty.
If you do not want to mess with installing DOS correctly
on your hard disk, right now, and want to set up DosEA on
a floppy disk system, go to Paragraph 5.
5. Figure out what is your DOS disk. This disk is one
which contains your DOS files. It may (or may not) be a
disk you put in your "A" disk drive when you turn on your
computer. You may have more than one DOS disk. If you
do, when instructed below to use your DOS disk, try
any one of them. If it does not work, try another one.
Go to Paragraph 6.
6. If you have two floppy disk drives, go to Paragraph 7.
Otherwise, if you have one floppy disk drive, go to
Paragraph 11.
7. If both of your disk drives are the same size, go to
Paragraph 10. Otherwise, if they are different sizes, go
to Paragraph 8.
8. If the DosEA 3 disk fits the "A" disk drive, go to
Paragraph 9. Otherwise, if it fits the "B" disk drive,
go to Paragraph 10.
<<< Page 9 >>>
9. Put the DOS disk in the "A" disk drive. Put a brand
new disk in the "B" disk drive.
Enter: A:
Enter: A:FORMAT B:
If you are asked for a volume label,
Enter: DOSEA3
(If you are not asked for a volume label, do not enter
DOSEA3.)
When you are asked if you want to format another disk,
Enter: n
Take the DOS disk out of the "A" disk drive. Put the
DosEA 3 disk in the "A" disk drive.
Enter: COPY *.* B:
Take the DosEA 3 disk out of the "A" disk drive. Take the
new disk out of the "B" disk drive. With a soft pointed
pen, label the new disk "DosEA 3." Go to Paragraph 10.
10. Turn off your computer. Put your DOS disk in the "A"
disk drive. (If you have a special boot disk, put it into
the "A" disk drive, instead.) Put the DosEA 3 disk in the
"B" disk drive. Turn on your computer.
Enter: B:
Enter: DOSEA3
When you are finished with DosEA 3, exit the program.
Turn off your computer. Repeat this procedure
(Paragraph 10) each time you wish to run DosEA 3.
(Stop here.)
11. If you are an experienced computer user looking for
a shortcut, go to Paragraph 12. Otherwise, go to
Paragraph 13.
12. A 360K disk will barely hold COMMAND.COM and the
files necessary to run DosEA 3. Therefore, FORMAT /S
will not work because there is not enough room on the
disk. Also, COPY *.* will not work for the same reason.
Go to Paragraph 13.
<<< Page 10 >>>
13. Put the DOS disk in the disk drive.
Enter: A:
Enter: FORMAT A:
When asked to do so, put a brand new disk into the
disk drive. If you are asked for a volume label,
Enter: DOSEA3
(If you are not asked for a volume label, do not enter
DOSEA3.)
When you are asked if you wish to format another disk,
Enter: n
With a soft pointed pen, label this new disk "DosEA 3
Working Disk."
Put the DOS disk into the disk drive.
Enter: COPY COMMAND.COM B:
(Even though have only one disk drive, DOS will pretend
that you two. This way, individual files can be copied
from one disk to another. Keep this in mind: As you
follow the directions on the video screen, the (old)
DosEA 3 disk goes in the pretend "A" disk drive and
the DosEA 3 Working Disk goes in the pretend "B" disk
drive.)
When asked to switch disks, put the DosEA 3 Working Disk
into the disk drive and wait for the copying to be
finished.
<<< Page 11 >>>
Put the (old) DosEA 3 disk into the disk drive.
Enter: COPY DOSEA3.EXE B:
When asked to switch disks, put the DosEA 3 Working Disk
into the disk drive and wait for the copying to be
finished.
Put the (old) DosEA 3 disk into the disk drive.
Enter: COPY DOSEA3.OVL B:
When asked to switch disks, put the DosEA 3 Working Disk
into the disk drive and wait for the copying to be
finished.
Put the (old) DosEA 3 disk into the disk drive.
Enter: COPY EXAMPLE.TXT B:
When asked to switch disks, put the DosEA 3 Working Disk
into the disk drive and wait for the copying to be
finished.
Put the (old) DosEA 3 disk into the disk drive.
Enter: COPY ORDERFRM.TXT B:
When asked to switch disks, put the DosEA 3 Working Disk
into the disk drive and wait for the copying to be
finished.
Go to Paragraph 14.
14. Turn off the computer. Put your DOS disk into the
disk drive. (If you have a special "boot" disk, put
it into the disk drive, instead.) Turn on your computer.
Put the DosEA 3 Working Disk into the disk drive.
Enter: DOSEA3
When you are finished with DosEA 3, exit the program.
Turn off the computer. Repeat this procedure
(Paragraph 14) each time you want to run DosEA 3.
<<< Page 12 >>>
****************
** Tutorial **
****************
You should already know about hypertext before you use
DosEA 3. If you need a tutorial, one is provided with
DosEA 1, which you can get with the order form in the
ORDERFRM.TXT file.
******************
** Appendix A **
******************
The files included with DosEA.
DosEA3.EXE The program, itself.
DosEA3.OVL An overlay.
EXAMPLE.TXT An example file used in the TYPE exercises.
MANUAL.TXT This file!
PRINTMAN.BAT A batch file to print the manual.
README.TXT A file with important information about DosEA.
README.BAT A batch file which displays README.TXT.
ORDERFRM.TXT The order form to register.
REGISTER.BAT A batch file which prints the order form.
VENDOR.DOC A text file with information for vendors.
******************
** Appendix B **
******************
The COMMAND.COM situation.
DosEA allows you to use actual MS-DOS commands during
the exercises. This means that the MS-DOS file
COMMAND.COM must be readily available.
If you are using a properly installed hard disk, this
requirement is already met. By "properly installed"
it is meant that you can start your computer with the
"A" disk drive empty -- this indicates that COMMAND.COM
is available on the hard disk.
If you have a hard disk, but must put a DOS disk in the
"A" drive when you start your computer, this means that
your hard disk is not properly installed. You should
contact the person you bought the computer from for help
in getting the hard disk set up correctly.
See "Installation," above, for more help on this matter.
<<< Page 13 >>>
******************
** Appendix C **
******************
Troubleshooting.
>>> You get a "Bad command or filename" message.
You did not do an exercise properly.
The program filters your commands before issuing
them to MS-DOS.
If an exercise says enter "DIR" and you enter "TYPE,"
even though "TYPE" is a legal command, you will get
an error message.
Since this program is written for beginners, this
prevents anyone from mistakenly entering a damaging
command.
>>> You get a "file not found" message.
The default disk drive and directory may not be correct.
Assuming that the program is installed in the "A" disk
drive:
Enter: A:
Enter: CD \
Otherwise, you did not get all of the program files. See
Appendix A for a list of files.
>>> You get a "window failed" message.
Probably the defaults are not set correctly. The program
must be able to access the DOSEA3.OVL file. See the
explanation directly above on how to set the defaults.
Otherwise, you may not have enough memory in your
computer.