Chip: Special Tips & Tricks for Windows 95

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Take Command/32 for Windows NT and Windows 95 Version 1.01 Introduction and Installation Guide Developed By Rex Conn and Tom Rawson Documentation By Hardin Brothers, Tom Rawson, and Rex Conn Published By JP Software Inc. P.O. Box 1470 East Arlington, MA 02174 U.S.A. (617) 646-3975 fax (617) 646-0904 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We couldn't produce a product like Take Command without the dedication and quality work of many people. Our thanks to: JP Software Staff: Christine Alves, Mike Bessy, Michael Hart, Ellen Stone, Misty White. Beta Test Support: David Moskowitz and the sysops of CompuServe's CONSULT forum. Online Support: Brian Miller and Tess Heder of Channel 1 BBS; Don Watkins of CompuServe's IBMNET. Beta Testers: We can't list all of our beta testers here. A special thanks to all of you who helped make Take Command elegant, reliable, and friendly! The following tools are used in creating and maintaining Take Command: Compilers: Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Macro Assembler Editors: Edix (Emerging Technology), Brief (Solution Systems) Version Control: PVCS (Intersolv) Documentation: Microsoft Word for Windows with Adobe Type Manager Copyright 1995, JP Software Inc., All Rights Reserved. "Take Command," "4OS2," and "JP Software" are trademarks and "4DOS" is a registered trademark of JP Software Inc. Other product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners. 8-95 Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents Introduction...............................................1 How to Use This Manual.................................3 Customer Service and Technical Support.................4 Chapter 1 / Installation...................................5 Installing Take Command................................5 Changes Made During Installation.......................6 Manual Installation....................................6 Uninstalling Take Command..............................8 Chapter 2 / Configuration.................................10 Creating and Configuring Take Command Items...........10 Take Command Startup Options..........................11 Configuring Take Command..............................12 TCSTART, TCEXIT, and Startup Commands.................13 Chapter 3 / Using Take Command............................16 Using a Windows Command Line..........................16 Take Command and Windows..............................17 Character-Mode Applications...........................18 Take Command, 4DOS, and 4DOS for Windows NT...........19 Using 4DOS Batch Files and Aliases................20 Index.....................................................22 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide i INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION Welcome, and thanks for purchasing Take Command! We developed Take Command/32 to bring the power and convenience of our popular 4DOS and 4OS2 programs to Windows NT and Windows 95 users. Whether you are a computer novice or an experienced user, Take Command/32 will help you get the most out of your Windows system. You're probably already familiar with graphical applications running under Windows NT or Windows 95, and with the command line, but you may not be used to seeing them combined in one product. Most Windows applications offer limited command-line capability at best, and most command-line utilities aren't designed for a graphical environment like Windows. We designed Take Command to give you the best of both worlds. You'll probably find it most useful when you need to perform tasks like managing your hard disk, scripting a series of steps with an alias or batch file, or starting applications under Windows. There are graphical utilities that perform some of these tasks, but often you may find it more convenient or productive to perform them from the command line. Take Command also looks and feels like the other Windows programs you use, unlike a character-mode session. Take Command offers a host of features that couldn't exist at all in a character-mode command-line utility. For example you can pop up simple dialogs from a batch file, pass keystrokes to Windows applications, use a Windows-based dialog to find files or text on any of your disks, or configure Take Command with dialogs instead of editing an .INI file. If you are familiar with the traditional command prompt, or with 4DOS, 4OS2, or 4DOS for Windows NT, you won't have to change your computing habits or unlearn anything to use Take Command. If you know how to use commands to display a directory, copy a file, or start an application program, you already know how to use Take Command. And if you are a 4DOS or 4DOS for Windows NT user, you already know how to use most of the advanced features that we have built into Take Command. You can even use many of your 4DOS/NT batch files with Take Command (see page 20 or the online help for tips about making batch files work properly in both environments). Once you have Take Command installed, you can learn its new features at your own pace. Relax, enjoy Take Command's power, and browse through the manuals occasionally. Press the F1 key whenever ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 1 INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------- you need help. Take Command will soon become an essential part of your computer, and you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. We are constantly working to improve Take Command. If you have suggestions for features or commands that we should include in the next version, or any other way we could improve our product, please let us know. Many of the features in Take Command were suggested by our users. We can't promise to include every suggestion, but we really do appreciate and pay attention to your comments. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 2 INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Use This Manual This manual is only one part of the documentation that you will need for Take Command. It introduces the product and will help you install it correctly on your computer. It will also help you understand some of the terms and concepts that you will need to know to get the most from Take Command. JP Software also offers a version of Take Command for Windows 3.1, and may produce versions for other platforms in the future. Except where we specifically say otherwise, in this manual the terms "Take Command" and "Take Command/32" are used interchangeably to refer to the 32-bit version of Take Command for Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 95. If you are a 4DOS/NT user, or you use the Windows NT or Windows 95 "MS-DOS Prompt" icon to do command-line work, be sure to read Chapter 3 before using Take Command. It will give you a feel for some of the differences between a character-mode command processor and a Windows-based one. Take Command/32 includes complete online help for all of its built-in commands. The online help provides information about the commands and features of Take Command in an electronic form which you can access quickly. See page 14 for more details about using the online help. The final part of our documentation is the separate Reference Manual for Take Command. It contains all of the information in the online help, in printed form. The Reference Manual is sometimes sold separately from Take Command, so you may not find it in your package. If that's the case, use this manual to get started, and use the online help for reference information. You should start with this introductory manual to install Take Command on your system. Once you have successfully installed Take Command, you can move back and forth between this manual and the online help and Reference Manual. For the sake of clarity, we have chosen not to indicate each of the dozens of places in this manual where you can refer to the Reference Manual or online help for additional information. If you see a reference here to a command, the initialization file TCMD32.INI, or any Take Command feature, you can be sure that detailed information on that topic is available in the reference material. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 3 INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------- Files distributed with Take Command/32 cover important additional information beyond what's included in the manuals. README.DOC contains general notes, highlights of the latest release, and brief installation instructions for those installing from a downloaded copy, and UPDATxx.DOC contains detailed information for users with older versions on what has changed in the latest release ("xx" is the version number). You will likely find some parts of the documentation too simple or too technical for your tastes. Unless you are convinced that one of those sections holds just the information you need for a specific task, feel free to skip to the next part of the manual that is more to your liking. You can use almost every feature of Take Command without having to worry about other features or commands. Customer Service and Technical Support Technical support is available via public electronic support conferences, private electronic mail, telephone, fax, and mail. For complete details, including a listing of electronic support conferences, see the Support topic in the online help, or your Reference Manual. Customer service is always available through the telephone and fax numbers listed on the title page of this manual. See your Reference Manual or the online help for electronic mail addresses for our Sales and Customer Service departments. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 4 CHAPTER 1 / INSTALLATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER 1 / INSTALLATION Installing Take Command To install Take Command you must run the INSTALL program on your Take Command distribution disk. INSTALL will copy the files from the diskette to your hard disk, create a Windows icon to run Take Command, and make any other changes necessary for Take Command to run properly on your system. If you're installing a downloaded copy you will not have an INSTALL program. Instead, use the appropriate decompression program (for example, PKUNZIP) to extract the files from your download into a new directory. Then follow the instructions on page 6 to complete your installation. If you are updating from a previous version, check the README.DOC file for update instructions. To begin the installation process, put the Take Command/32 distribution diskette in drive A. (You can use drive B if you prefer, in which case you should substitute "b" for "a" in the instructions below.) Use the Program Manager's File Run option to enter the command: a:install Then press the Enter key. Once the installation program has started, just follow the instructions on the screen to install Take Command on your system. Use Express Installation for a quick and simple installation with default settings, or use Custom Installation for finer control over the installation process. You can exit from the installation program at any time by pressing Esc, then pressing "Y" in response to the next prompt. The Take Command files are contained in a special library file on the distribution diskette. You cannot simply copy the files from the diskette onto your system. You must use INSTALL to extract and decompress the Take Command files even if you want to perform a manual installation (see below), or if you need to replace a damaged Take Command file on your hard disk. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 5 CHAPTER 1 / INSTALLATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you also have our DOS command processor, 4DOS, do not install Take Command in the same directory as 4DOS. Some file names (for example README.DOC) are the same in both products, and the files should be kept separate to avoid confusion. Changes Made During Installation Some Windows installation programs make changes to your system which are difficult to find or modify. While the Take Command installation program makes few such changes, we know you may feel more comfortable knowing exactly what is done to your system and Windows configuration when you install Take Command. Take Command's installation program takes the following steps. Step (1) is always performed once you select a drive and directory. Express Installation selects steps (2) through (4) automatically. Custom Installation asks you to confirm steps (2) through (4) individually. 1)Copy all Take Command files to a hard disk directory of your choice. 2)Brand your copy of Take Command with your name and serial number. 3)Copy the CTL3D32.DLL file to the \WINNT\SYSTEM32 directory, unless a newer version is already present in that directory. 4)Create a Program Manager group for Take Command, and add items to that group for Take Command itself and for the online documentation. Manual Installation There is little difference between manual and automated installation for Take Command. The Custom Installation option will query you before any files are copied or existing files are deleted or modified, so there is no real advantage to performing these steps manually. However if you prefer a manual installation, you can extract the Take Command files using the Custom Installation option, then follow the instructions below. You must use manual installation if you have a downloaded copy of Take Command (for downloaded copies, see the README.DOC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 6 CHAPTER 1 / INSTALLATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- file for any installation or update instructions specific to the version you downloaded). To install Take Command/32 manually, first extract the files to a directory on your hard disk. We recommend that you use a new directory for Take Command/32. It can be on any hard disk drive, and you can use any valid directory name. After the files are extracted, use the Esc key to exit from the installation program. Next, install CTL3D32.DLL. CTL3D32 is a Microsoft library which gives a 3-dimensional appearance to some elements of the Windows display for programs (like Take Command) that use it. Use File Manager or a Windows DOS session to install CTL3D32.DLL as follows: * Check the date and time on the copy of CTL3D32.DLL that came with Take Command. Then check your \WINNT\SYSTEM32 directory for the same file. * If the version that came with Take Command is newer than the version in \WINNT\SYSTEM32, or if the file does not exist at all in \WINNT\SYSTEM32, then copy the newer version from the Take Command directory to the \WINNT\SYSTEM32 directory. If the version in the \WINNT\SYSTEM32 directory is newer, leave it as-is. * Delete the CTL3D32.DLL file from the Take Command directory. This ensures that you do not have multiple copies of CTL3D32 on your system. CTL3D32 only works properly if there is a single copy in the \WINNT\SYSTEM32 directory; if you have more than one copy you will receive an error when Take Command starts. Finally, under Windows NT use the following steps to create a Take Command/32 item in the Program Manager's Main group (you can use a different group or create a new group if you prefer): * Select the "Main" group. * Select the Program Manager "File" menu. * Select "New." * Select "Program item." * Enter "Take Command," or any other title you desire, in the Description field. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 7 CHAPTER 1 / INSTALLATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- * Enter the full path and name for TCMD32.EXE in the Command Line field (for example, C:\TCMD32\TCMD32.EXE). * Enter the directory in which you want the Take Command window to start (if any) in the Working Directory field. * Click on "OK" to accept the entry. Under Windows 95, use these steps to create a new shortcut for Take Command/32 on the desktop: * Click with mouse button 2 in any open area of the desktop * On the popup menu click New, then Shortcut. * Fill in the drive and path for TCMD32.EXE, and any other items you wish to set (no specific settings are required). Once the item or shortcut is created Take Command/32 will start when you double-click the corresponding icon on the desktop. You can place any necessary commands or other directives (e.g. @ininame to name a specific INI file) on the startup command line (see page 11 for details). Take Command reads its configuration information from a file named TCMD32.INI, normally stored in the Take Command directory. You can modify the first section of this file, which begins with [TakeCommand], to configure Take Command to meet your preferences; see page 12 for details. Uninstalling Take Command We don't expect you to have trouble using Take Command, but we know some people feel more comfortable knowing how to uninstall a product as well as install it. Or, you may need to remove Take Command from one system to move it to another system. To remove Take Command, just insert the distribution diskette, start the INSTALL program as described on page 5, and select the Uninstall Take Command option. Uninstall will offer you several options which "undo" the corresponding steps in the installation procedure. Complete Uninstall will take all of the other steps automatically, and remove Take Command entirely from your system. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 8 CHAPTER 1 / INSTALLATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Uninstall option will attempt to reverse the changes made during installation. However if you have removed files, changed group, item, or folder names, or otherwise modified your system configuration, then the program may not be able to complete all of the steps automatically or successfully. In this case you will need to perform some of them manually. To uninstall Take Command manually, first delete CTL3D32.DLL from the \WINNT\SYSTEM32 or \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 directory if you are certain it is not in use by other applications (because CTL3D32 is used fairly widely, in most cases you should not delete it). If you were using Take Command as your Windows shell there will be a copy of TC32DLL.DLL in the same directory; you can delete it as well. Use Program Manager (in Windows NT) or the Explorer (in Windows 95) to remove any Take Command groups and / or items. Finally, check the Take Command directory for any files you placed there that you want to save. Use File Manager, Explorer, or a DOS session to delete the remaining files from the Take Command directory, and remove the directory. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 9 CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION This chapter explains how you can tune Take Command to make it as efficient and as useful as possible in your computing environment. If Take Command works the way you want it to after installation, you can skip this chapter. You may, however, want to skim this material to see what options are available. This chapter explains how to set up Take Command items in your Windows groups, using the Take Command startup command line and startup batch files, and the basics of configuring Take Command. For more details on all of these topics, including complete reference information on the configuration options and TCMD32.INI, see your Reference Manual or online help. Creating and Configuring Take Command Items You will typically start Take Command/32 from an item in one of the Program Manager groups on your Windows NT desktop, or a shortcut or folder on your Windows 95 desktop. Usually a single item is sufficient, but if you prefer you can create multiple items to start Take Command with different startup commands or options, or to run different batch files or other commands. You can use these items to run commonly-used commands and batch files directly from the desktop. Each item or icon represents a different Take Command window. Use the Properties screen for the item to set any necessary command line parameters such as a command to be executed, any desired switches, or the name and path for TCMD32.INI. More information on command line switches and options for Take Command is included later in this section. For general information on creating and configuring desktop items, see your Windows NT or or Windows 95 documentation. When you configure a Take Command item, place the full path and name for TCMD32.EXE in the Command Line field, and put any startup options that you want passed to Take Command (e.g., the name of a startup batch file) after the TCMD32.EXE file name. For example: Command Line: C:\TCMD32\TCMD32.EXE C:\GO.BAT Working directory: C:\ You do not need to use the Change Icon button, because TCMD32.EXE already contains an icon. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 10 CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- When Take Command starts it automatically runs the optional TCSTART batch file (see page 13). You can use this file to load aliases and environment variables and otherwise initialize Take Command. You can also place the name of a batch file, internal or external command, or alias at the end of the Command Line field for any item (as shown in the example above). The batch file, command, or alias will be executed after TCSTART, but before the first prompt is displayed. Take Command Startup Options Each Windows NT or Windows 95 program has a command line which can be used to pass information to the program when it starts. The command line is entered in the Command Line field for each item in a Program Manager group, and consists of the name of the program to execute, followed by any startup options. The Take Command startup command line does not need to contain any information. When invoked with an empty command line, Take Command will configure itself from the TCMD32.INI file (see page 12), run TCSTART (see page 13), and then display a prompt and wait for you to type a command. However, you may add information to the startup command line that will affect the way Take Command operates. Take Command recognizes three optional fields on the command line. If you use more than one of these fields, their order is important. The syntax for the command line is: [@d:\path\inifile] [//iniline]... [[/C] command] In the descriptions below, d: means a drive letter and \path means a subdirectory name. @d:\path\inifile: This option sets the path and name of the TCMD32.INI file. You do not need this option if you aren't using a TCMD32.INI file, or if the file is named TCMD32.INI and is stored either in the same directory as TCMD32.EXE, or in the Windows NT or Windows 95 directory. This option is most useful if you want to start a Take Command window with a specific and unique .INI file. //iniline: This option tells Take Command to treat the text appearing between the // and the next space or tab as a TCMD32.INI directive. The directive should be in the same format as a line in the [TakeCommand] section of TCMD32.INI, but it may not contain spaces, tabs, or ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 11 CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- comments. This option overrides any corresponding directive in your TCMD32.INI file. It is a convenient way to send Take Command one or two simple directives without modifying or creating a new TCMD32.INI file. [/C] command: This option tells Take Command to run a command when it starts. The command will be run after TCSTART has been executed and before any command prompt is displayed. It can be any valid internal or external command, batch file, or alias; you may include multiple commands by using the command separator. All other startup options must be placed before the command, because Take Command will treat characters after the command as part of the command and not as additional startup options. When the command is preceded by a /C, Take Command will execute the command and then exit and return to the parent program or the Windows desktop without displaying a prompt. See page 13 for details on using the command option to run a startup batch file. Configuring Take Command Take Command's configuration is controlled through a file of initialization information called TCMD32.INI. This file is created during installation, and is stored in the same directory as TCMD32.EXE. (You can move TCMD32.INI to the Windows NT or Windows 95 directory if you wish; Take Command will find it in either location.) Take Command reads TCMD32.INI each time it starts, and configures itself accordingly. Many of the TCMD32.INI options can be set directly from within Take Command using the configuration dialogs, which are accessible from the Configure Take Command selection on the Options menu. There are several pages of options, selectable from the list box on the left side of the dialog. When you use the configuration dialogs, be sure to click the Save button to save your changes in TCMD32.INI. The OK button will save the configuration changes for the current session, but will not record them in TCMD32.INI for use in future sessions. The help text available from the Help button explains which specific TCMD32.INI directive is set by each item in the dialog. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 12 CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- TCMD32.INI is divided into sections like other Windows .INI files. Each section begins with a section name in square brackets, for example: [Fonts] The options you can set in TCMD32.INI are all in the [TakeCommand] section, which is normally the first one in the file. This is the section modified by the configuration dialogs. Take Command maintains all other sections of TCMD32.INI itself; you should not modify them unless you are instructed to do so by our support personnel. See the Reference Manual or the TCMD32.INI topic in the online help for complete details on the format and meaning of the directives used in the [TakeCommand] section of TCMD32.INI. Advanced Directives and Key Mapping Directives must be entered manually (see below). Most other directives are accessible from corresponding items in the configuration dialogs. If you prefer manual editing, or you want to enter a directive which cannot be set from the configuration dialogs, you can edit TCMD32.INI with Windows Notepad or any similar ASCII text editor. Be sure to edit only the [TakeCommand] section. Take Command will not automatically re-read TCMD32.INI when you edit it manually. For manual changes to take effect, you must exit Take Command and restart it. TCSTART, TCEXIT, and Startup Commands Take Command executes two batch files automatically: TCSTART is run whenever Take Command starts, and TCEXIT is run whenever Take Command exits. TCSTART and TCEXIT can be .BAT, .CMD, or .BTM files. TCSTART gives you a convenient way to load aliases and environment variables, and otherwise initialize Take Command. If Take Command is started with the [/C] command option (see page 11), TCSTART is executed before the command. See the online help or your Reference Manual for more information on TCSTART and TCEXIT. To run a specific startup batch file or other command when a particular Take Command item is started, include the batch file or command name (with a path, if the file is not in the startup directory) as the last item in the Command Line field. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 13 CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- The batch file or command will be executed after any TCSTART file but before the first prompt is displayed. You can use this capability to run a specific batch file or command for a particular item (as opposed to TCSTART, which is run every time Take Command starts). When you set up a batch file or command to run in this way you are using the command startup option (see page 11). For example, to run C:\STARTUP.BAT when the item starts: Command Line: C:\TCMD\TCMD32.EXE STARTUP.BAT Working directory: C:\ To execute an internal or external command, an alias, or a batch file and then exit (return to the desktop) when it is done, place /C command (rather than just command) as the last item in the Parameters field. For example: Command Line: D:\TCMD\TCMD32.EXE /C TEST.BTM Working directory: C:\ Take Command Help Complete online help for all Take Command commands and features is provided with your copy of Take Command. Help is invoked with the HELP command, the F1 key, or the Help menu on the menu bar. When you start the help system, Take Command opens a new window to run the standard Windows NT or Windows 95 help program. The help program displays the help text and lets you browse through it. You can keep the help window on the screen and return to the Take Command window, switching between the two as needed. This may be useful when you are writing a batch file, working on a complex command, or experimenting with Take Command. In order for the Take Command help system to work properly, the help file, TCMD32.HLP, must be in the same directory as TCMD32.EXE. The Take Command installation program sets up a separate item for Take Command help so that you can load the help file directly. To create a similar item manually, use a command line like this: Command Line: WINHELP C:\TCMD32\TCMD32.HLP ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 14 CHAPTER 2 / CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------------------- (Change the drive and path to reflect the location of Take Command on your system.) Take Command also supports the /? switch to display help for any command. Using /? will display help for the command using the Windows help system. For example, to obtain help on the COPY command you could use either of these commands: c:\> help copy c:\> copy /? ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 15 CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command ------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command Take Command works like any other Windows NT or Windows 95 application or utility, and most of the time you won't need to make any special adjustments for it. However, as you learn to use Take Command you may want to understand in more detail how it interacts with Windows, Windows applications, and DOS applications. The information in this chapter gives you an overview of these topics; most are covered in more detail in the Reference Manual or online help. This chapter also discusses using 4DOS and 4DOS/NT batch files and aliases under Take Command. Using a Windows Command Line Take Command is a new environment that lets you perform tasks easily under Windows. You can use it to execute commands, start applications, and perform other work at the command line. In the past you may have accomplished some of these tasks with 4DOS or 4DOS for Windows NT, JP Software's replacement character-mode command processors for DOS and Windows NT. Or you may have used an "MS-DOS Prompt" session to run the default command processor (CMD.EXE under Windows NT, or COMMAND.COM under Windows 3.x). In either case --- and especially if you are an experienced user of 4DOS or 4DOS for Windows NT --- you'll find plenty of familiar features in Take Command. You'll also find a lot that's new or different. While Take Command includes most of the command-line, batch file, and other capabilities provided by 4DOS for Windows NT, and goes well beyond those provided by CMD.EXE, the Windows environment places some limitations on how Take Command operates. These limitations mostly affect the use of external programs, especially character-mode and DOS programs. This topic is covered in detail beginning on page 18. There are some other minor differences between using Take Command and using a 4DOS/NT (or CMD.EXE) session under Windows (for example, some keystrokes are interpreted differently to conform more closely to Windows conventions). There are also some considerations when running 4DOS or 4DOS for Windows NT ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 16 CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command ------------------------------------------------------------------- batch files or aliases in Take Command/32. All of these differences are covered in more detail beginning on page 19. Take Command also offers a wide range of new Windows-related features which are not available in 4DOS/NT or CMD.EXE sessions, including: * A built-in scrollback buffer that lets you look back through the output from past commands. * A standard Windows menu bar for access to many commonly used Take Command features. * A status bar showing memory load, date, time, and keyboard state. * A customizable tool bar that gives you quick access to commands and applications. * Windows dialogs (accessible from the Take Command Configuration and Utilities menus), for editing environment variables, aliases, file descriptions, and startup parameters. * Direct access to Program Manager groups and items through the Apps menu. * High-speed, dialog-based file and text search (see "Find Files / Text" on the Utilities menu). The FFIND command gives you the same capabilities at the Take Command prompt. * Commands like ACTIVATE, MSGBOX, QUERYBOX, and WINDOW that allow you to use Windows features and control Windows applications from your batch files. Take Command and Windows Take Command/32 supports several Windows NT and Windows 95 features which enhance the way it works with other applications. The information below covers most of these features very briefly; for complete details, see the Reference Manual or the topics under the Take Command and Windows heading in the online help. * You can use the Windows clipboard to copy text onto the command line, or to transfer text from Take Command to another application. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 17 CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command ------------------------------------------------------------------- * Take Command will use Windows' File Associations like Executable Extensions, to associate data files with applications. * Take Command can communicate with Program Manager to determine what groups and applications to list on the Apps menu. * You can use the Windows Drag and Drop feature to insert file names from other applications onto the command line. * Take Command can send messages to other Windows applications using Dynamic Date Exchange (DDE). You can also use DDE to send commands to Take Command from other applications. Take Command offers several methods for starting Windows applications, some of which go beyond what you may be used to when running programs from the character-mode command line. The search sequence for applications is also slightly different from some other platforms. For complete details, see Starting Windows Applications in the online help. Character-Mode Applications When you start a DOS or character-mode program under Windows NT or Windows 95 it runs in a "console session." A console session displays a special type of window without a standard menu bar or other Windows NT features. It typically uses 4DOS for Windows NT or CMD.EXE to perform command line tasks or start such programs. Take Command/32 starts Windows "graphical" applications in their own windows, just as if you had started the application directly from the desktop. It also creates a console session to run DOS and Windows NT character mode applications. The console session connected to Take Command/32 is created when Take Command starts (this may cause a momentary flicker on your screen during the startup process). A separate window is created for this session. You can view this window at any time with the Alt-V key or the View Console selection on the Apps menu. You can use Alt-V to return to the Take Command/32 window, but only when the application in the console window has completed, and the input "focus" has returned to Take Command/32. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 18 CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command ------------------------------------------------------------------- When you start a DOS or character-mode application from Take Command/32 it is automatically run in this console session (to start a separate session for the application, use the START command). The console window is automatically brought to the foreground when the application starts, and returned to the background when it exits. If you run a DOS or character-mode program which does not exit immediately (for example, a DOS word processor or editor) you will be able to work in the console session, and return automatically to Take Command when you exit the application. However if you run a DOS or character-mode application from Take Command and the application exits quickly, without waiting for any input (for example, a utility like PKUNZIP), you may have to use Alt-V to return to the console window and view the output. Take Command, 4DOS, and 4DOS for Windows NT If you're a 4DOS or 4DOS for Windows NT user, many of the features in Take Command will seem very familiar. Because the underlying command processing in Take Command/32 is based on 4DOS and 4DOS for Windows NT, you'll find the features of 4DOS/NT are readily accessible. All the commands and switches you've used in 4DOS/NT work the same way and have the same meaning in Take Command; the only exceptions are those that don't make sense outside a character-mode environment. Other 4DOS and 4DOS/NT features are included in Take Command as well --- you'll find support for command line editing, command and directory histories, aliases, .BTM files, and virtually all the other features you already know. Even if you've never used 4DOS, you'll notice plenty of familiar items in Take Command. Like 4DOS, Take Command is compatible with the default Windows NT command processor (CMD.EXE) and the default Windows 95 command processor (COMMAND.COM), either which you may have used from the "MS-DOS Prompt" icon, or at the DOS prompt when you aren't running Windows NT. There are also a few differences between running under 4DOS (or CMD.EXE) and running under Take Command. The remainder of this section discusses minor differences in the way keystrokes are interpreted by 4DOS/NT and Take Command. It also explains some things to look for when using 4DOS or 4DOS/NT batch files and aliases (and CMD.EXE batch files) under Take Command. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 19 CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command ------------------------------------------------------------------- In order to support the scrollback buffer, some Take Command/32 keystrokes are different from what you may be used to. In particular, Take Command uses Ctrl-Up Arrow and Ctrl- Down Arrow (rather than Up Arrow and Down Arrow) to scroll through the command history at the prompt, Ctrl-PgUp (rather than PgUp) to open the history window, and F6 (rather than Ctrl-PgUp) to open the directory history window. The arrow keys and PgUp and PgDn are then used to access the scrollback buffer. If you prefer to reverse this arrangement and use the arrow and PgUp keys to access the command history (as they are used in 4DOS/NT), and the Ctrl- keys to access the scrollback buffer, use the configuration dialogs (accessible from the Options menu) to set the Swap Scrolling Keys option. See SwapScrollKeys (in the TCMD32.INI Configuration Directives in the online help) for additional details. Some command-line editing defaults have also been changed to conform more closely to Windows conventions. In Take Command the default editing mode is insert, not overtype, and the default insert-mode cursor is a line, not a block. You can change these defaults via the configuration dialogs or with statements in TCMD32.INI. For complete details on all of the features listed above, see the online help or your Reference Manual (Take Command for 4DOS/NT Users in the online help provides links to detailed information on each of these topics). Using Your Batch Files and Aliases As a 4DOS or 4DOS/NT user, you may want to use your 4DOS batch files and aliases with Take Command. Or, you may want to run batch files developed for CMD.EXE under Take Command. In general you can run these batch files under Take Command --- but you need to understand how the batch files and aliases operate first. Take Command and 4DOS/NT aliases are separate and independent; Take Command does not automatically "inherit" aliases from a previously loaded copy of 4DOS/NT, and it cannot pass aliases on to a copy of 4DOS/NT started from the Take Command prompt. However, you can load aliases from your Take Command startup batch file (see page 13). These can be the same aliases you use in 4DOS/NT, or a set that is just for Take Command. While many of your 4DOS/NT aliases will work well under Take Command, you'll probably want to create a separate set of Take ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 20 CHAPTER 3 / Using Take Command ------------------------------------------------------------------- Command aliases. This will allow you to account for the differences in running DOS and character-mode applications, and to create new aliases that take advantage of Take Command features which are unavailable in 4DOS or 4DOS/NT. If you want to write aliases or batch files that are used in both Take Command and 4DOS/NT, but that behave differently in each environment, use the %_DOS variable to make the distinction. For example, this batch file fragment uses the INPUT command to accept a string if it is run under 4DOS/NT, but uses the QUERYBOX dialog box if it is run under Take Command: iff "%_dos" == "WIN32" then querybox "Enter your name: " %%name else input "Enter your name: " %%name endiff Aliases and batch files which simply manipulate files or use other internal commands should work with little or no change under Take Command. However, as a general rule, you should test any batch file developed for 4DOS/NT or CMD.EXE before assuming it will do exactly what you want under Take Command. Pay particular attention to batch files which run complex sequences of external programs. If you use aliases or batch files to perform a sequence which mixes internal commands and DOS or character-mode applications, the sequence may not work the way you expect under Take Command. For example, suppose you have an alias that changes the screen color, starts a DOS application, and then resets the color again. Because the DOS application will be started in the console window (see page 18) the color changes will not affect it --- a contingency you probably didn't have to consider when you wrote the batch file. You may also find that you want to take advantage of some of the new features of Take Command to improve your batch files. For example, the START command offers additional flexibility in starting applications. MSGBOX and QUERYBOX can be used to create dialog-box input prompts, and KEYSTACK and ACTIVATE will help control your Windows applications. Once you get used to these enhancements and minor differences you'll find that you can use Take Command to manage your system using the same techniques and features you already know from your experience with 4DOS, 4DOS/NT, or CMD.EXE. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 21 Index ------------------------------------------------------------------- Index Customer Service, 4 4DOS for Windows NT DDE, 18 aliases, 20 and Take Command, 16, 19 DOS applications, see keystroke differences, Applications 20 batch files, 20 Drag and Drop, 18 Aliases, 20 File associations, 18 enhancing, 21 Applications Help system, 3, 14 character-mode, 16, 18 /? option, 15 DOS, 16, 18 Windows, 18 Icon, for Take Command, 10 Batch files, 20 INI file., see TCMD32.INI and Windows, 17 enhancing, 21 Installation, 5 changes to your system, 6 Batch files, startup, 13 manual, 6 reversing, 8 Clipboard, 17 Keystrokes, in 4DOS and Take CMD.EXE Command, 20 and Take Command, 16, 19 batch files, 20 Menus, 17 Command history keystrokes, 20 MS-DOS Prompt, see CMD.EXE Command-line editing, in 4DOS and Take Command, 20 Options, see Startup Options Commands help on, 14 reference information, 3 Program Manager Take Command startup, 12, and Installation, 6 13 and uninstall, 9 groups and applications, Configuration, 8, 12 17, 18 dialogs, 12, 17 Take Command items, 7, 10 Console session, 18 Quick help, 15 CTL3D, 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copr. 1995 JP Software Inc. Take Command/32 Intro./Inst. Guide 22 Index ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reference information, 3 Windows, and Take Command, 16, 17 Reference Manual, 3 Windows, Take Command, 10 Scrollback buffer, 17 keystrokes for, 20 Starting DOS applications, see Applications Starting Take Command, 7, 10 Startup commands, 10, 12, 13 options, 10, 11 //iniline, 11 /C, 12 @inifile, 11 Status bar, 17 Support, 4 Take Command and Windows, 16, 17 Windows-related features, 17 TCEXIT, 11, 13 TCMD32.INI, 8, 12 directives, on startup command line, 11 location of, 11 TCSTART, 11, 13 and startup command, 12 Technical support, 4 Tool bar, 17 Uninstalling Take Command, 8