home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Collection of Tools & Utilities
/
Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso
/
system
/
mdosp401.zip
/
README
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1991-10-27
|
18KB
|
475 lines
---------------------------------------------
* MultiDos Plus Rel. 4.01 Shareware Version *
* Copyright (c) 1986 - 1991 Nanosoft Inc. *
---------------------------------------------
Welcome to MultiDos Plus, a powerful real-time multitasking shell
for DOS. MultiDos Plus is a copyrighted work of Nanosoft Inc
and is NOT public domain.
If you like this product, register with us for $35, and we will
send you the commercial version of MultiDos Plus ($99 value)
with printed documentation.
You may freely copy and distribute this product as long as you
abide by the following conditions:
a) You may not charge any fee for making copies or sell this product.
b) You may not distribute this as part of any product or
service for which you charge a fee.
c) You must copy the product in its entirety with no changes.
If you would like to do any of the above, you must have our permission
in writing. Contact us for site licensing and royalty arrangements.
------------
* WARRANTY *
------------
This product is distributed with absolutely no warranty of
any kind.
-------------------
* How to Register *
-------------------
Send a check for $35 to:
Nanosoft Inc.
13 Westfield Road
Natick, MA 01760
Attn: Shareware Dept.
To register using Mastercard or Visa call (508) 651-0091.
To register by FAX send name, address, and charge card information
(be sure to include expiration date) and telephone numbers
to (508) 655-8860.
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Differences between the commercial and shareware versions *
-------------------------------------------------------------
The commercial version which you will receive when you
register has the following additional features:
a) It supports 64 tasks instead of the 3 tasks supported
by this version.
b) The commercial version supports programs running in
LIM 4.0 expanded memory. This version supports progams
running in conventional memory only.
The documentation accompanying this product is for the
commercial version. Therefore, disregard all references
to expanded memory and related commands.
-----------------------------
* To install MultiDos Plus: *
-----------------------------
Print the file MDSHARE.PRN and read it before using
Multidos Plus.
For a quick start type MULTIDOS to start the
program. When it is up, type a ? for a brief
list of commands.
The following is a list of new features or information
not found in the manual. Read the manual first before
reading the following sections.
--------------------
Command Line Options
--------------------
A new command line option has been added which tells MultiDos Plus not
to load the MDBIO10.EXE display BIOS. This option may be invoked by
typing /NO10 on the MultiDos Plus command line. For example:
MULTIDOS /NO10
This option is useful for applications which only have one task which
will ever write to the display. It may also be useful if your tasks
cooperate with each other in their use of the display by using a
resource semaphore to control display usage.
Please note that RS-232 output redirection is performed by the MDBIO10
module. If your application uses the COMM command to specify I/O
redirection, the /NO10 option will disable the redirection of the
display output.
*** /NOMAP ***
A new option is available to disable the mapping of LIM memory into
empty spaces above the C000 segment. Use /NOMAP to disable the mapping.
*** /NOCB ***
A new option is available to disable the checking for CTRL-C and
CTRL-BREAK during DOS writes. Use /NOCB to completely disable the
checking for these two key combinations. If this option is not used
and a CTRL-C is pressed during a DOS write to the CRT display, the
application may be aborted, or if if has an INT 23H handler that ignores
CTRL-C or CTRL-BREAK, an ugly unexpected ^C may be displayed.
Using /NOCB makes it possible to use the ANSI.SYS functions to format
and control a display without risking that the operator may enter a
CTRL-C during a DOS display write.
-----------------
Operator Commands
-----------------
* ASG Command *
MultiDos Plus has a feature which will enable certain keys
to bring a task to the foreground immediately without using the
ALT Z sequence. The PC keyboard function keys and ALT keys may be
used for this purpose. For example, the F1 function key may be set to
always bring the COMMAND task to the foreground. Once a key assignment
has been made, the task may be brought to the foreground any time the
key is pressed. The way to make this assignment is to use the ASG command.
The ASG command allows the assignment of up to 10 keys to 10 tasks.
The syntax for the ASG command is:
ASG [<task name> <index> <scan code>]
If the ASG command is entered without any arguments, a list of current
key assignments will be displayed. Each of the 10 entries in the
assignment table is listed in the order: index, scan code, task name.
The arguments specify a mapping between a specified scan code and a
task name. The scan code must be specified as a decimal number. The
ASG command to map the COMMAND task to the F1 function key would be:
ASG COMMAND 0 59
This command would set the first entry in the assignment table to
map the task COMMAND to scan code 59 which is the F1 function key.
The decimal values for the function key scan codes are:
Key Normal Shifted Ctrl Alt
F1 59 84 94 104
F2 60 85 95 105
F3 61 86 96 106
F4 62 87 97 107
F5 63 88 98 108
F6 64 89 99 109
F7 65 90 100 110
F8 66 91 101 111
F9 67 92 102 112
F10 68 93 103 113
The scan codes for other function keys and the Alt keys may also
be used.
If an astrisk is used in the place of a task name, the key assignment
has a different meaning. Whenever that key is pressed, the previous
foreground task is brought back to the foreground. For example:
ASG * 0 61
Whenever the F3 function key is pressed, the previous foreground task
will be brought back to the foreground.
The value after the task name is the assignment table index and can
range from 0 to 9. Entries may be placed in any order in the table.
When a key is pressed, the entry with a matching scan code closest
to the begining of the table is used.
The /NALTZ command line option will not disable the single key task
selection feature.
* BAT Command *
The BAT command will tell MultiDos Plus to execute commands from an
ASCII text file as if they were entered from the keyboard. The format
is:
BAT filename
where filename is any DOS pathname. All commands in the file are executed
by MultiDos Plus before any other commands (i.e. INT 15H, function 15)
are executed. No other task's child process requests are processed
until the BAT command is finished.
A BAT batch file can also contain embeded batch commands.
* FG Command *
A feature of the FG command, missing from the manual, is the ability
to bring the previous foreground task back into the foreground without
having to know the task's name. If an astrisk is used in place of the
task name, the previous foreground task is brought back to the foreground.
This function is most useful when a task is done with the foreground and
wants to switch itself to the background, restoring the task that was
previously in the foreground. The task can submit an FG command, using
INT 15H function code 15, to MultiDos Plus.
* REM Command *
A command has been added to allow the addition of remark statements to
automatic startup files. The REM command may be added to document
the content of the file. Any characters after the REM are completly
ignored. The following are examples of some REM statements:
REM This is a test
REMthisisatest
REMARKABLE application written by Jack Spratt
-----------------------------
Application Program Interface
-----------------------------
Several additional functions have been added to the Appl