PIF Editor Quick Looks


PIF Editor Quick Looks

Standard Mode

386 Enhanced Mode

Advanced Options


Quick Look at PIF Editor Standard Mode


Quick Look at PIF Editor 386 Enhanced Mode


Quick Look at PIF Editor Advanced Options


PIF Editor

Lets you create and change program information files (PIFs). A PIF contains information that determines how a particular non-Windows application runs with Windows.


application Control-menu


title bar

Contains the title of the application running in the window, in this case PIF Editor. The title bar also shows the file that's open.

Drag the title bar to move an application window on the screen.


title bar

Contains the title of the dialog box, in this case Advanced Options.

Drag the title bar to move the window on the screen.


Minimize button

Click the Minimize button to shrink the PIF Editor window to an icon.


Maximize button

Click the Maximize button to enlarge the PIF Editor window to its maximum size.


File menu


Mode menu


Help menu


menu bar

Contains the names of all the PIF Editor menus.

Click a menu name to display the menu commands.


Program Filename

Specifies a path for the program file or the .BAT file that starts the program. For example, you might specify c:\multiplan\mp.com or c:\mp.bat. This pathname indicates to Windows the location of the program file of the non-Windows application You must make an entry in this box. Be sure to include the complete path for the program filename and also include the extension.


Window Title

Specifies the name that will appear in the application's title bar. This entry is optional.

If you leave this text box blank, the title bar will display the name of the PIF without the extension .PIF.


Optional Parameters

Specifies the parameters you would type if you were to start the application from MS-DOS. For example, if you normally type word/c when you start Microsoft Word from MS-DOS, you would type /c in this box. If your application doesn't require parameters or if you are uncertain about what parameters to specify, leave this text box blank.


Start-up Directory

Specifies a pathname if you want the application to start up in a specific directory. For example, you might want to change the start-up directory to the directory that contains the application's data files rather than the directory that contains the application. This entry is optional. If you want Windows to determine the start-up directory, leave this option blank.


Video Mode

Specifies whether Windows should reserve enough memory to run your application in text mode or in graphics/multiple text mode. If your application doesn't run in graphics mode, make sure to choose the text mode option since this mode uses less memory.


Memory Requirements

Tells Windows how much conventional memory the application needs before Windows starts it.

This option refers to the amount of free memory the application needs. Keep in mind that requirements listed in the application's documentation might refer to the total amount of memory your system should have, not to the amount of memory that must be free in order for the application to run.


XMS Memory

Specifies how much extended memory the application will need. Windows is designed to make efficient use of extended memory. However, very few non-Windows applications use extended memory. Therefore, you can usually leave these options at their standard settings.

The KB Required option specifies how much memory must be available at startup. KB Limit restricts the amount of memory the application can have.


Directly Modifies (Communications Ports)

Prevents two applications from trying to access the same communications port at once. It also prevents the application from swapping to disk.

Select the check box for each port that your application accesses. It is particularly important to select the appropriate check boxes if you are running a communications program.


Directly Modifies (Keyboard)

Allows your program exclusive access to the keyboard and prevents switching back to Windows with ALT+TAB, ALT+ESC, and CTRL+ESC.

Select the Keyboard check box if the application accesses the keyboard buffer. If you are uncertain about whether the application accesses the keyboard buffer, do not select this option.


No Screen Exchange

Prevents you from using ALT+PRINT SCREEN and PRINT SCREEN to put "snapshots" of the screen onto the Clipboard.

Selecting this option keeps Windows from allocating memory for the screen exchange function and thus frees memory for running the application. If you are uncertain about whether you should select this option, do not select this check box.


Prevent Program Switch

Prevents you from using ALT+TAB, ALT+ESC, or CTRL+ESC to switch back to Windows from the application.

Select this option if you find that the application does not switch to Windows correctly. Also select this option when the application is a BASIC program that uses a communications port. If you are uncertain about whether you should select this option, do not select this check box.


Close Window on Exit

Causes the window to remain open so that you can look at the information on the screen. Normally, when you quit a non-Windows application, the window (or screen) closes automatically.


Reserve Shortcut Keys

Reserves shortcut keys for use by the non-Windows application instead of by Windows. This option applies only when the application is active. When the application is inactive, the shortcut keys have Windows functions.


Program Filename

Specifies a path for the program file or the .BAT file that starts the program. For example, you might specify c:\multiplan\mp.com or c:\mp.bat. This pathname indicates to Windows the location of the program file of the non-Windows application You must make an entry in this box. Be sure to include the complete path for the program filename and also include the extension.


Window Title

Specifies the name that will appear in the application's title bar. This entry is optional.

If you leave this text box blank, the title bar will display the name of the PIF without the extension .PIF.


Optional Parameters

Specifies the parameters you would type if you were to start the application from MS-DOS. For example, if you normally type word/c when you start Microsoft Word from MS-DOS, you would type /c in this box. If your application doesn't require parameters or if you are uncertain about what parameters to specify, leave this text box blank.


Start-up Directory

Specifies a pathname if you want the application to start up in a specific directory. For example, you might want to change the start-up directory to the directory that contains the application's data files rather than the directory that contains the application. This entry is optional. If you want Windows to determine the start-up directory, leave this option blank.


Memory Requirements

Tells Windows how much conventional memory the application needs before Windows starts it.

This option refers to the amount of free memory the application needs. Keep in mind that requirements listed in the application's documentation might refer to the total amount of memory your system should have, not to the amount of memory that must be free in order for the application to run.


Display Usage

Specifies whether or not to run the application in a window. When considering this option, keep in mind that an application that runs full-screen uses less memory. Also, some applications cannot run in a window due to the way they use the screen display.


Execution Background

Enables the application to run when it is an inactive application. For example, if you want the application to be able to calculate numbers when it is in the background, select this option.


Execution Exclusive

Enables the application to retain exclusive use of the computer's resources. No other applications will be able to run in the background, including applications for which you selected Background. You might select Exclusive so that the application will run more smoothly or won't be interrupted by another application.


Close Window on Exit

Causes the window to remain open so that you can look at the information on the screen. Normally, when you quit a non-Windows application, the window (or screen) closes automatically.


Advanced button

Opens the dialog box in which you can set advanced multitasking, memory, display, and other options.


Control-menu


Background Priority

Determines how an inactive application runs in relation to other inactive applications and the active application.

The number in the box doesn't represent a percentage of CPU resources. Rather, it sets the priority of the application relative to the other applications that are running. The larger the priority you give the application, the more CPU resources are allocated to it.


Foreground Priority

Determines how an active application runs in relation to the applications in the background.

The number in the box doesn't represent a percentage of CPU resources. Rather, it sets the priority of the application relative to the other applications that are running. The larger the priority you give the application, the more CPU resources are allocated to it.


Detect Idle Time

Gives CPU resources to another application when the application is waiting for keyboard input. Generally, you should select this option because it lets the other applications run faster. However, some communications applications don't run well if Detect Idle Time is selected.


OK button

Tells PIF Editor to use the selections you've made in the dialog box and closes the dialog box.


Cancel button

Cancels the selections you've made in the dialog box and closes the dialog box.


EMS Memory

Specifies how much expanded memory the application will need. When you're running in 386 enhanced mode, Windows itself doesn't actually use expanded memory. However, in this mode, Windows can simulate expanded memory for non-Windows applications that need it.

The KB Required option specifies how much memory must be available at startup. KB Limit restricts the amount of memory the application can have.