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- ZZ.TXT Mini Doc for ZZ.COM by Tom Zimmer
-
- ZZ NOTES
-
- ZZ is an integrator program that provides a simple connected
- environment for the TCOM compiler, and the SZ editor. ZZ's purpose is
- to reduce keystrokes while simplifying program development. It sends
- and accepts commands from the SZ editor while directing the operations
- of the TCOM compiler, and the BXDEBUG debugger.
-
- Specifically ZZ gets all of its commands from two places, the file
- ZZ.CFG. and ZZ.CMD. Both are ordinary text files. ZZ.CFG holds command
- lines for ZZ to perform. Here is an example of the contents of ZZ.CFG:
-
- Line 1 SZ %1 %2 %3 /cmd
- Line 2 SZ %F.msg /b||
- Line 3 CLS|%1 %P|PAUSE||
- echo Alt-3 is not defined, edit MS.CFG|pause
- echo Alt-4 is not defined, edit MS.CFG|pause
- Line 6 tcom %1 /opt /sym /Q >%F.msg||
- echo Alt-6 is not defined, edit MS.CFG|pause
- Line 8 bxdebug %F.com||
- echo Alt-8 is not defined, edit MS.CFG|pause
- echo Alt-9 & F9 are not defined, edit MS.CFG|pause
- Line 11 echo Alt-0 is not defined, edit MS.CFG|pause
-
- When ZZ starts execution, it first reads in ZZ.CFG. ZZ then passes
- Line 1 to DOS as a command line. This starts the SZ editor on whatever
- file was specified after ZZ on the DOS commandline. When SZ returns, ZZ
- looks in the file ZZ.CMD for information on what to do next. The ZZ.CMD
- file contains a single line, and looks like this:
-
- 1 0004 0007 C:\FPC\TCOM\SAMPLE.SEQ
-
- The first three items are at fixed locations in the first line. The
- "1" signifies the command line to execute. The command is in the range
- 1 to 9 plus 0 corresponding to Lines 2 through 11 above. A command "Q"
- means we are Quitting ZZ. The second and third items in ZZ.CMD are the
- ROW and COLUMN of where we were editing in SZ. The fourth Item is
- variable length, and specifies the file we were editing. The filename
- is passed as "%1" on the commandline as a parameter to whatever
- commandline gets executed.
-
- You may notice some peculiarities in the above commandlines,
- specifically the use of the "|" character. ZZ recognizes "|" as a
- command seperator, and actually passes each "|" delimited string
- sequence to DOS as a seperate commandline. Sort of a mini or shorthand
- batch file.
-
- The "%F" symbol above in lines 2,6, and 8, inserts the same filename
- as "%1", except the filename extension is removed. This is useful to
- allow making several file with the sname name but different extensions.
-
- The "%P" symbol in line 3 indicates command line parameters are
- needed for this command. ZZ will then prompt for user input of up to
- 40 characters on the last line of the display before executing the
- command.
-
- SZ NOTES
-
- While we are discussing ZZ, I need to mention the changes to the SZ
- editor. SZ will generate the file ZZ.CMD only if it is started with a
- commandline including the "/CMD" option. This tells SZ we are in a
- compile environment, and that commands need to be passed back to ZZ for
- its use. When SZ starts up with this option, it trys to read in a file
- with the same name as the file it is editing, but with a ".MSG"
- extension. If this file is found, then SZ scans it for error messages.
- This file is generated by the TCOM compiler using standard I/O
- redirection as shown in Line 6 above. In addition the "/Q" (Quiet)
- option suppresses exteranious compiler output. Error messages from
- the TCOM compiler are in a format compatible with the Microsoft C
- compiler as following example illustrates:
-
- SAMPLE.SEQ(23) XYZZ Undefined symbol
-
- Here the filename starts the line, and the line where the error
- occured is placed in parenthesis. SZ looks for lines in the format, and
- when an error is detected, SZ switches into "ERRORING" mode, and
- displays the error message on the bottom line of the screen, with the
- faulty line displayed in reverse video. At this point only three
- keyboard keys are active, the up and down arrow keys, for moving
- through the errors, and the ESC key for leaving "ERRORING" mode. You
- can press ESC, to correct an error, then press Alt-F5 to re-enter and
- examine additional errors. When you are satisfied with your changes,
- you can press F5 again, and re-compile the program.
-
- While the actual interconnection process is quite complicated, you
- need only remember a few keys as follows:
-
- F5 Compile current source file.
- F7 Debug current program.
- Ctl-F1 View compiler .MSG file. use F10 to return to editing.
- Ctl-F2 Execute the current program.
- F10 Leave the environment.
-
- Alt-1 through Alt-0 can be used to directly execute lines 2 through
- 11 of the ZZ.CFG file. You can edit ZZ.CFG to add or change the
- commands listed there.
-
- ZZ can be used as an integrator for other compilers, that like TCOM
- or Microsoft C can be directed to build error files with the same
- format.
-
- As you have probably noticed, ZZ is very small, about 6k bytes. That
- along with 3k bytes for the COMMAND shell, is all that is consumed
- from your Transient Programming Area by ZZ's operation. ZZ can then be
- used with compilers that need all of memory to operate.
-
- I hope you find ZZ useful, it is Public Domain, and may be used as
- you wish. If you find ZZ, SZ, TCOM, or F-PC useful, you may want to
- send a check for $60.00 to the following address:
-
- Tom Zimmer
- 292 Falcato Drive
- Milpitas, CA. 95035
- Home (408) 263-8859
- Work (408) 432-4643
-
- You will receive the latest copy of F-PC, TCOM, SZ, and ZZ. Please
- specify the disk format you need.
-
- My prefered format is 1.2Meg 5 1/4. If you need 360k, 720k or 1.4Meg
- disk formats please add $5.00 for additional handling.
-
- Out of US orders please add another $5.00 for additional postage and
- handling.
-
- Also include the version numbers of each program you have, and a day
- and evening phone number for questions.
-
-
-