home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Shareware Overload Trio 2
/
Shareware Overload Trio Volume 2 (Chestnut CD-ROM).ISO
/
dir35
/
chpm10.zip
/
TNT.DOC
< prev
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-06-20
|
31KB
|
647 lines
/////////////////// /// // //////////////////
// // // // //
// // // // //
// // // // //
// // // // //
// // // // //
// // /// //
// // // //
Tessler's Nifty Tools (tm) (TNT) Release 4.0
<<< SHAREWARE >>>
Copyright (c) 1986-1994
All Rights Reserved.
TNT is a collection of over 30 useful SHAREWARE MS-DOS and Windows programs.
Many TNT programs are featured in COMPUTE, INFOWORLD, and COMPUTER and PC
Computing magazines. The latest versions of TNT programs are posted in
Compuserve's IBMSYS, IBMCOM, IBMHW, and WINSHARE areas under the common
keyword of TNT. Registered users of any program will receive the complete
collection for review.
Most programs are individually priced at $19. Several programs are $29 each.
Bring up each program's help screen for specific pricing information. Special
prices with substantial savings exist for partial and complete collection
purchases. Contact me for more information. Monetary contributions and any
ideas for enhancements may be sent to:
Tessler's Nifty Tools (tm) (TNT) Release 4.0
430 Canyon Woods Place Suite A
San Ramon, Ca. 94583
CompuServe: 71044,542
**************************************
** Summary of programs: **
**************************************
CAPSTAT.EXE Sets DOS ERRORLEVEL to 0 if your local printer is NOT being
captured to a Novell printer. Sets it to 1 if it IS being
captured.
CHEK4DUP.EXE Generates a list of files that exist in both .EXE and .COM
form. This usually occurs when software is upgraded from a COM
format to an EXE format and the old COM version is
accidentally left on the system when the new EXE form is put
onto the system. DOS will always invoke the COM form before
the EXE form program so you should delete the older COM program
if required. Useful to avoid having old versions of software on
your system.
CHKPARM.EXE Analyzes the 'pathname' and determines if it contains a drive
letter and/or file/sub-directory name and if whether it refers
to a local physical disk or a remote file-server based file.
CHKPARM is useful in batch files.
CFGCNTRL.EXE (Config-Controller) is a intelligent text (ascii) file
controller. Just what does this mean? Well a bit of history is
required to explain this new type of software utility...
Experienced PC users may want to skip to the section titled
'CFGCNTRL Syntax' for actual program syntax, etc...
I created CFGCNTRL because my office had MS-DOS laptop PCs
running Windows software and LanManager LAN software that had
to have specific LAN device drivers and video drivers installed
and activated when the laptop was plugged into its desktop
docking station with a LAN card and external video monitor, and
a different set of device drivers installed and activated when
the laptop was out in the field running remote LAN access
software with its internal LCD display which required custom
video drivers. We were managing this mess by keeping two
copies of Window's configuration files -WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI
files and LanManager PROTOCOL.INI files present on each PC -one
set for the docking station mode and one set for remote access
mode. This didn't work well, for every time the user
added/deleted or moved a group on his/her desktop, these
changes were never saved to the other set of configuration
files. Installing software that modified these configuration
files had to manually be added to the other set of
configuration files. Maintenance became a total nightmare.
Similarly having two separate LanManager PROTOCOL.INI files was
just as difficult to maintain.
Out of this need was born CFGCNTRL...
CFGCNTRL does away with multiple configuration file sets. You
only have your single set of standard Window's configuration
files and LanManager files to deal with. As you will see,
together, CFGCNTRL and DOS' batch file capabilities allow you
to control all aspects of your configuration files. Before
describing CFGCNTRL's features further, a little bit on
terminology...
When dealing with Window's INI files and similarly structured
LanManager PROTOCOL.INI/LANMAN.INI and DOS 6.n CONFIG.SYS
files, we can describe these formatted files as a series of
sections that each contain several action entries. For example
a portion of a typical Windows WIN.INI file might contain:
1) [windows] <= section name is '[windows]'
2) spooler=no <= action_entry is 'spooler=no'
3) load= <= action_entry is 'load='
4) run=
5) Beep=No
6)
7) [Desktop] <= section name is '[Desktop]'
8) Pattern=(None)
9) TileWallpaper=0 22 130
10) GridGranularity=3
11) IconSpacing=65 <= action_entry is 'IconSpacing=65'
12) wallpaper=(None)
13)
14) [Extensions] <= section name is '[Extensions]'
15) cal=calendar.exe ^.cal
16) crd=cardfile.exe ^.crd
17) trm=terminal.exe ^.trm
Some structured configuration files (such as an AUTOEXEC.BAT)
have no sections. They consist of one long section that has no
name. For example, below is a typical mini AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
1) path=c:\\;c:\\dos
2) set temp=c:\\
3) prompt $p$g
4) smartdrv a b c
5) rem This is last line of the file....
In this case, there are 5 action_entry lines with no leading
section name. In this case the missing (null) section name is
referenced as [].
Another variation on the above structured configuration file is
one with a leading null section followed by standard sections
(such as a DOS 6.n CONFIG.SYS file. For example, below is a
typical mini CONFIG.SYS file.
1) rem Sample CFGCNTRL CONFIG.SYS file
2) rem version 2.99
3) rem by GST
4)
5) [menu]
6) menuitem=standard, STANDARD Setup
7) menuitem=minimal, MINIMAL Setup
8)
9) [common]
10) shell=c:\\dos\\command.com c:\\dos\\ /e:2000 /p
11) break=on
12) dos=high,umb
13) files=50
14) buffers=5
15)
16) [standard]
17) device=c:\\dos\\himem.sys
18) device=c:\\dos\\emm386.exe
19)
20) [minimal]
21) rem don't load anything here...
In this case, the leading null section reference by '[]'
consists of lines 1-4. The [menu] section consists of lines 5-
8, etc...
Now that we have our terminology and file structures explained,
more on CFGCNTRL. CFGCNTRL can run in three distinct modes...
The first mode is the 'Existence mode (/Me mode)'. In this
mode, you ask CFGCNTRL to check if a file (like WIN.INI)
contains a specific action entry (or several of them). The
result of the search is returned via DOS' ERRORLEVEL
capability. These mode is useful if you (or a batch file)
wants to determine if a specific section and action entry
exists in the file. For example, using the above WIN.INI file,
issuing a CFGCNTRL command of:
CFGCNTRL /Me c:\\windows\\win.ini /A[windows]Beep=No
will return a DOS ERRORLEVEL of 0 since this line of data DOES
exist in the file. You can test for the presence of several
action entries on the same command line too.
Now that you know how to test for presence of lines in files,
the remaining two modes allow you to modify your file. The
remaining two modes are very similar -differing only in the way
actions/commands are presented to CFGCNTRL. Once these
actions/commands are presented to CFGCNTRL, they are handled
identically by the program. The 'Instruction-file mode (/Mi
mode)' receives your desired actions/commands from a text
(ascii) disk file. The 'Command line mode (/Mc mode)' receives
your desired actions/commands from the command line. If you
have a few actions/commands to apply to your file, the 'Command
line mode (/Mc mode)' may be for you. If you have many
actions/commands, you can avoid the DOS command line limit of
127 characters by using the 'Instruction-file mode (/Mi mode)'
and saving your actions/commands in a disk file.
These actions or commands are very similar to the formatted
file structure as explained above. The only difference is the
addition of 'prefix' commands that may preface sections or
action entry lines.
The prefix commands are:
* <= indicates a comment line.
+ <= create or append this line which may be a complete
section or action entry line.
- <= delete this line which may be a complete section
or action entry line.
The characters *,+,- may be replaced with characters of your
own choosing via the '/P' command (see below).
Some examples of configuration file manipulation are in order.
We will experiment with the sample WIN.INI file from above
using the 'Command line mode (/Mc mode)' syntax.
To delete a complete section and all of its action_entry lines,
you enter a command of the form '/A-[section-name]'. For
example, to delete the complete Desktop section you would enter
'/A-[Desktop]'. To delete a complete null section you would
enter '/A-[]'.
To delete a specific action_entry line from your file, you
enter a command of the form '/A[section-name]-action_entry'. If
there are spaces within your action_entry line, enclose the
complete command with double-quotes (this is a DOS standard).
The action_entry data must EXACTLY match the line in your
configuration file that you are modifying n order to be
deleted. For example, to delete the line 'Pattern=(None)' from
section [Desktop], you would enter '/A[Desktop]-
Pattern=(None)'. To delete the line 'TileWallpaper=0 22 130'
from section [Desktop], you would enter \"/A[Desktop]-
TileWallpaper=0 22 130\" including the double quotes. To
delete an action_entry line from a null section, use the form
/A'[]-action_entry'.
To add a specific action_entry line to your file, you enter a
command of the form '/A[section-name]action_entry',
'/A[section-name]+action_entry', '/A+[section-
name]action_entry', or '/A+[section-name]+action_entry'.
Essentially, the '+' is implied and therefore is optional in
front of the section name and action_entry. If there are
spaces within your action_entry line, enclose the complete
command with double-quotes (this is a DOS standard). If the
section doesn't exist, it will be created for you. For
example, to add the line 'Addme=data1' to section [Desktop],
you would enter '/A[Desktop]Addme=data1'. To add the line
'Addme=data1 OK' to section [Desktop], you would enter
\"/A[Desktop]Addme=data1 OK\" including the double quotes. To
add an action_entry line to a null section, use the form
'/A[]action_entry'.
To comment your instruction files (see discussion of
instruction files below), you may want to include comments.
Comment commands are simply lines prefaced by the default
character '*'. Comment commands are ignored by CFGCNTRL.
The 'Instruction-file mode (/Mi mode)' syntax is better
explained with a full blown example that will further
demonstrate the power of CFGCNTRL. The /Mi mode syntax is
similar to the /Mc mode syntax except that section names must
NOT precede every action_entry line. Lets apply the following
instruction action file to the WIN.INI file from above. So
given the commands below:
[windows]
*delete the line below from the WIN.INI file [windows] section.
-Beep=No
*add these next two lines to the WIN.INI file [windows]
section.
device=Addme please 1
+device=Addme please 2
*remove the complete [Extensions] section from the WIN.INI
file.
-[Extensions]
[MyNewSection]
*create this new section [MyNewSection] with the two new lines
below.
device=MyNewLine1
device=MyNewLine2
<eof>
After CFGCNTRL processes this command file, it will result in a
new WIN.INI with the following contents:
1) [windows]
2) spooler=no
3) load=
4) run=
5) device=Addme please 1
6) device=Addme please 2
7)
8) [Desktop]
9) Pattern=(None)
10) TileWallpaper=0 22 130
11) GridGranularity=3
12) IconSpacing=65
13) wallpaper=(None)
14)
15) [MyNewSection]
16) device=MyNewLine1
17) device=MyNewLine2
<eof>
So you can see that within a batch file, you can use CFGCNTRL's
'Existence' mode to check on the configuration of your file and
then apply specific actions to the file.
Remember that the above functionality is applicable to any text
(ascii) file including DOS 6.n CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files, your BATCH files, and LAN protocol files. The
possibilities are endless....
CONTROLP.EXE Allows the user to turn on screen to printer echoing as if the
user had pressed Ctrl-P or Ctrl-PrtSc. DesqView compatible.
Status mode too. Great for use within batch files.
COMSPEED.EXE Returns the actual baud rate that a COM (serial) port is set
to. With today's high speed modems that can adjust their phone
line and data rate (speed) automatically, it is often very
difficult to determine if your line is operating at the proper
rate. Use COMSPEED to check your COM port's data rate after
establishing a data connection.
COPYWA.EXE Copies files while preserving the source file's read-only
attribute. Does it the way XCOPY should have done it.
CRTDUMP.EXE Copies the contents of either a color or monochrome monitor to
a specified file.
DELTREE.BAT A batch file that runs TNT's CHK4ROOT to protect you from
accidentally deleting every file on your hard disk. DON'T try
the following example! I created DELTREE/CHK4ROOT when one day
I thought I was logged to my A: floppy when in actuality I was
logged to my C:\ drive and I typed "DELTREE /Y \" and DOS'
DELTREE proceeded to delete EVERY file including my hidden
operating system files from my hard disk. Now with
DELTREE/CHK4ROOT, you will not be allowed to do what I did. You
will only be allowed to automatically (/Y) delete files from
floppies (or whatever drives you consider valid).
DIR2BAT.EXE Will write a listing of drive_path_file specs matching the
user's entered file specification to the file DIR2.BAT. Each
file specification found may be prefixed and suffixed by
user provided strings. This batch file will then be able to
perform actions to the files.....
For example, if your C: disk contains the following files:
README.DOC TESTME.DOC LIST.DOC PRINTER.DOC
Then the command:
DIR2BAT C:*.DOC /S /A "ATTRIB -R ! /S" "DEL !"
will append the following lines to an existing DIR2.BAT file:
ATTRIB -R C:\README.DOC /S
DEL C:\README.DOC
ATTRIB -R C:\TESTME.DOC /S
DEL C:\TESTME.DOC
ATTRIB -R C:\LIST.DOC /S
DEL C:\LIST.DOC
ATTRIB -R C:\PRINTER.DOC /S
DEL C:\PRINTER.DOC
<eof>
DVCPU.EXE is a DesqView utility program that is meant to be run right
before running a program that requires full usage of the CPU's
computing power. It pops up the DesqView window and sets
'Share CPU when in Foreground' to 'Y' or 'N' depending on the
parameter entered. It useful for programs that insist on
running in a non-multitasking environment such as voice
sampling and digitization programs.
DVPROMPT.EXE Facilitates naming of DOS windows under DesqView. For example,
upon opening and using several DOS windows with command line
programs, the user often finds it difficult to remember
which window he/she was doing what task in. Since each window
has the same DOS prompt, DOS gives him/her no visual clue to
the identification of the current window.
This program will change each DOS window's DOS prompt into the
typical form of:
1 C:\>
2 C:\>
3 C:\> etc.
PROMPT n <user_string>
where n is the counter value of this DesqView window in
DesqView's 'switch' window and the user_string is a PROMPT
string (typically $P$G). If the user_string contains spaces,
enclose it with double quotes.
A useful example is as follows: Assume that DesqView invokes
AUTOEXEC.BAT as "AUTOEXEC X" whenever it opens a DOS
command shell. Let AUTOEXEC.BAT contain:
VERIFY OFF
PATH = C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WPROC
IF %1Y==Y GOTO NOT_UNDER_DV
REM INVOKED BY DESQVIEW
DVPROMPT $P$G
TEMP <- DOS jumps to this batch file to set the prompt
:NOT_UNDER_DV
REM INVOKED BY PC UPON POWER-UP
DEL DVPROMPT.DAT <- reset the counter to 1.
PROMPT $P$G
DVRUN.EXE A DesqView utility program that returns ERRORLEVEL = 0 if
DesqView is running or 1 if it is not.
EXPNDTAB.EXE Copies the file matching the source filespec to the
destination filespec with any source file <tab> characters
expanded into space characters into the destination file.
Great for printers that can't handle tabs but you still want
the formatting/alignment preserved.
FEEFIFO.EXE Enables the FIFO of a 16550A serial UART chip at the COM port
specified by the user. Also sets the FIFO depth to 1,4,8, or
14. Use in status mode to determine what type of serial chip
you have.
GROWP.COM Unique TSR gives visual indication of shelled process via C:>
prompt to avoid turning off PC when a program is suspended and
is shelled to DOS. Any time you have a master program
(including Windows) running in the background, GROWP changes
your prompt. Only program of its kind in industry. Avoids DOS 6
disk corruption. This resident program requires about 1400
bytes of resident RAM to add a default '>' or user
entered growth character to the environment's 'PROMPT'
string each time another copy of COMMAND.COM is shelled
and to remove the growth character when the copy
of COMMAND.COM is terminated. GROWP requires DOS version
3.0 or higher. Each growth character represents a
suspended program in RAM and gives you a visual warning
that you should not turn-off your PC before returning to
the suspended program and gracefully exiting it.
IFONSCRN.EXE IFONSCRN will examine the video screen for the appearance of up
to three case-sensitive trigger (search) character strings.
Great for programs that don't return errorlevel (like
compilers) but you need to know if they terminated with an
error condition. Also runs as TSR with sound/beep/dialog box
alert modes. Can control parallel port devices too. IFONSCRN
may be run as a TSR (RAM-resident) or as a non-TSR program
(CL mode). If IFONSCRN is running in the command line (CL
-non-resident) mode, and it finds one of the trigger strings,
it sets the DOS ERRORLEVEL to 0 (zero) , else if it is not
found, it will be set to 1 (one).
In either TSR or CL mode, after finding the trigger string, an
optional window may pop up with the user's message. Different
types of beeps may be associated with the window, including
the ability to control an external parallel port device.
After pressing any key to clear the window, optional keystrokes
may be automatically sent to the foreground program (TSR mode
only).
IFWAIT.EXE Controls a speaker and/or parallel port device including the
TNT IFBUZZ buzzer device. Makes the speaker and/or device buzz
or beep so that you can add buzzer indications to your batch
files. Great for batch files that need loud buzzing noises to
attract your attention back to the PC.
PARKHEAD.EXE Parks up to 2 hard (fixed) disk's heads over the disk's
shipping area where user data doesn't reside. Runs on IBM
PC/286/386/486/pentium and most compatible clones. One of the
first head parkers ever written.
PDEL.EXE PERMANENTLY deletes with verification, your specified filename.
You will be prompted to press 'Y'<cr> to delete the specific
file. The deleted file can not be recovered.
PLAYER.EXE Plays a WAVE or VOC formatted sound file on a Sound Blaster or
Sound Blaster Pro or Pro or Audio 16 card.
PRTSCRFF.EXE Appends a form-feed (paper eject) command to your printer
whenever you press the PrintScreen key. Very useful to
keep your printer always at its top-of-form position. For
laser printers, this saves you from taking the printer
off-line, and pressing the PageEject button.
RLIST.EXE Prints a range of lines from a file to the console or printer.
Useful to view a portion of a file's contents.
RWDIR.EXE Generates a list of non-read-only files. Useful to keep track
of the few files on your system that are read-writable since
the cautious user will have the majority of his/her files
marked as read-only. Certain applications require their files
to read-writable so not every file may be set to read-only.
SETBEEP.COM Installs itself as a RAM-resident program that will set the
beep character's (ASCII decimal 7 or control-G) duration to a
user specified value. The default beep tone duration is 1
second which is too long and annoying for many people. The
beep can even be disabled to provide for a truly silent PC.
This program intercepts BIOS interrupt 10h WRITE_TTY.
TUNE4DAY.EXE Plays a voice file(s) upon invocation. TUNE4DAY uses
TUNE4DAY.INI to control its operation. It maintains a pointer
in this file to control which file(s) it will act upon
during its next invocation. It runs a command on this
file(s). Even though TUNE4DAY is meant to traverse down a
directory of sound files and play the next sequential
file(s), it can be used to perform any command on a directory
of any type of files. Displays a random saying each time it is
run. User can add his/her own 'sayings' to the data file.
Package includes pseudo-Murphy's computer laws. Uses TNT's
PLAYER program.
VDEL.EXE Will delete with verification, files that match your filename
specification. You will be prompted to press 'Y' to delete the
specific file. 'Read-only' files will prompt you for an
additional 'Y' to be deleted.
VERS.COM Installs itself as a RAM-resident program that will set the DOS
versions to a user specified value. This is useful when running
programs that require a specific DOS version for no useful
reason. (Many DOS supplemental programs require specific
versions for no reason. For example, if you are running DOS 3.1
but like DOS 3.2's ATTRIB.EXE '/S' sub-directory search option,
you could set VERS to 3.2, then run ATTRIB and then reset it
back to 3.1). TSR lets you set DOS' two versions - the TRUE and
FAKE versions that applications may ask for... Works better
then SETVER. Fool programs on what version they're running
under. You read about this in INFOWORLD!
ZDIR.EXE Reports the sizes of files specified in a format appropriate
for managing large disks.
<eof>