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DSHELL Version 4.0 Copyright (C) D. G. Dempsey, 1991, 1992 All Rights Reserved Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 1 DSHELL Version 4.0 Introduction to DSHELL DSHELL consists of a command shell designed to run under DOS and DESQview(TM) and provide multi-tasking process control, an enhanced user interface and expanded script language capabilities. The features provided by DSHELL include the following set. DSHELL provides a command line interface like DOS but with capability of executing commands in automatically created separate DESQview processes. Commands can be internal commands (built-in to DSHELL), DOS internal commands (built-in to DOS command.com), executable files (.COM or .EXE programs), command scripts (DOS .BAT or DSHELL's own .SHL files), or even DESQview OPEN menu programs. Commands can be executed in foreground (the DSHELL command interpreter waits while you interact with the running command) or background (the command interpreter continues with your next command while the old command runs). DSHELL provides default Program Information Files (PIF) to run most .EXE, .COM, and .BAT programs which usually eliminates the need for the creation and maintenance of these descriptions. For specific cases where, either because of program, memory or machine restrictions, the default PIF is not suitable, DSHELL provides an easy mapping of particular programs to user customized PIF files. Commands and programs run by DSHELL execute in a environment like DOS, i.e., all current disk paths, command line, and environment variables are provided to the newly started program (unlike DESQview alone which starts programs in a preset directory with default environment variables). When a command or program completes, its final exit code is available for both foreground (like DOS) and background (via WAIT like UNIX) programs. The piping of standard output from one command/program into the standard input of the next command/program is supported (like DOS or UNIX). Like UNIX, this data transport uses an inter-process pipe (in memory) between two simultaneously running processes. This eliminates the disk performance and space overhead often associated with DOS pipes (which are really disk files). Redirection of standard input and output to disk files and other devices is also supported. Command line editing and management similar to recent versions of the UNIX system is provided. Besides providing extensive intra-command line editing capabilities, previously entered commands can be recalled, edited, and re-executed (commonly referred to as command histories). Aliases can be defined to simplify the entry of complicated or less-than-memorable commands. Multiple commands can be entered on a single line. Multiple command lines can be entered together for multi-line commands such as FOR loops. In addition to the DOS style command line interface, a full Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 2 DSHELL Version 4.0 screen interface is provided with full mouse support. This full screen interface allows visual monitoring and rapid transversal of directories. File types (extensions) can be associated with specific commands, allowing a program (such as a spread sheet or text formatter) to be invoked merely by selecting its working files with the mouse. Direct access to the command line, command history, and task switching are also provided in the full screen interface. User definable menus are supported. Menus can contain simple commands with optional parameters. Such menus are supported by simple setup tools for their definitions. Alternatively, using DSHELL scripts, menus can be nested, have run time definable contents, and vary as various options or activities are run. Menu operations are mouse or keyboard driven. A menu selected command can be any command sequence legal in DSHELL (subject to some length limitations). Default menus are provided for common system functions, including the copying, moving, and deleting of files and subdirectories as well as related disk and file maintenance operations. Files and subdirectories can be tagged and handled as groups for those and other operations such as running a program against a set of files. Several forms for transversing disk directories, including a directory tree, are provided. Default menus are also provided for DSHELL maintenance operations, such as maintenance of the PROFILE.SHL file (the DSHELL equivalent of autoexec.bat). These operations include defining default commands for specific file extensions, simple menu creation, alias definitions, environment variable and DSHELL display and operations options. Available internal commands include an extensive set of internal commands similar to those provided in a UNIX system (such as LS, LF, CAT, CP, RM, PWD, TEST and EXPR). Commands can include references to environment variables and embedded commands (the output of one command can be part of the text of another). Full support for the DOS PATH command searching is provided as well as the ability to invoke external and script commands located in other disk directories. A script language (using files with a .SHL extension) is provided. The language includes the UNIX style conditional commands (IF - THEN - ELSE - FI and SWITCH - CASE - ENDSWITCH) and looping constructs (FOR - BREAK - DONE). Scripts can have parameters and can be nested (can have another DSHELL script as a command). By using the TEST and EXPR commands, scripts can perform extensive conditional testing, string test and manipulation, and arithmetic operations. Using scripts, such functions as printer spoolers, printer formatters and file archivers can be constructed. Scripts can also be used to expand existing commands (such as expand an editor to sequentially edit a list of files instead of one file at a time). DOS .BAT scripts are also supported. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 3 DSHELL Version 4.0 Process control for various DESQview specific operations is provided through additional internal DSHELL commands. Using these commands, a process can control its screen display window, move between foreground and background, send and receive inter-process ASCII mail messages, and schedule activities and commands at specific times or after specific delays. Commands are also provided to acquire and release control of user defined common resources (thus preventing two processes from attempted to simultaneously use an unsharable resource such as a common file or device). A DSHELL process can also move its child processes (those it created) between foreground and background, set their initial screen windows, and send keystrokes to them (as if the keystrokes had been entered from the keyboard). DSHELL commands may be issued from DOS programs, including COMMAND.COM and DOSSHELL, which allow execution of external programs. As an example of DSHELL's scripting capabilities, a printer spooler application is included. The spooler allows three levels of job priority, selection of multiple printers, optional printer format control and queue maintenance. Spooler operations can be invoked from the command line or from menus. The operations supported by DSHELL are in addition to those already supported by DOS and DESQview. All DOS and DESQview operations, including commands and menus, remain available when DSHELL is installed. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +DOS refers to MSDOS, a trademark of Microsoft Corporation, and + +PCDOS, a trademark of International Business Machines + +Corporation, and refers to versions 3.0 and later. + + + +DESQview (Trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems) refers to + +DESQview Versions 2.3 and later. + + + +UNIX (Trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories). + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 4 DSHELL Version 4.0 About This Manual The following sections describe the operation, setup, commands, and files necessary for the operation of the DSHELL programs. Depending on your level of use, DSHELL can vary from relatively user friendly (more friendly than DOS?) to a level of complexity that rivals the UNIX shells after which it is modelled. This file is a shortened form of the actual DSHELL operations manual. In the interest of saving bulletin board resources, some sections of the actual manual have been omitted that are not absolutely essential to an evaluation of DSHELL. Most of the omitted sections involve more detailed descriptions of the numerous DSHELL internal commands and formats and will not generally be needed outside of scripts and more sophisticated operations. Throughout this manual, the following typographical conventions have been observed. Commands and parameters are indicated such as copy file1 file2 to identify commands and their components. Text which is meant for additional information but not necessary essential for the casual user is denoted by +---------------------------------------------------------------+ |This line has limited use or interest. | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ and you can skip it (at your risk of course) if you are doing only normal things. In cases where a particular keystroke is significant, the keystroke is shown in bold like F1. For keystrokes which require holding the CTRL, ALT or SHIFT down while pressing another key, the required action is shown as ALT-A. For operations involving a mouse, DSHELL uses only the left and right mouse buttons. If you have a three button mouse, or press both buttons of a two button mouse, DESQview menus are invoked in the normal way. Within DSHELL, the right mouse button, denoted as SELECT, is used to select an item (copying its name or meaning to the command line) but not execute it. The left mouse button, denoted as EXECUTE, is used to simultaneously select and execute an item. Either button is acceptable for operations which have no command significance, such as changing the display mode or dropping down a menu. If you wish, you can redefine the mapping of these buttons using either the DESQview SETUP program or the DSHELL BUTTON command. If you do not have a mouse, most DSHELL operations are equally accessible from the keyboard. The few exceptions can be accessed using the DESQview keyboard mouse simulator. Some DSHELL features, such as disk format menus, are DOS version or machine specific. The examples given in this manual are generally what you will see on the display but some variation may occur in some situations. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 5 DSHELL Version 4.0 If you are just interested in giving DSHELL a spin (or are real familiar with DOS, DESQview and UNIX and don't mind an occasional miscue in command formats), you can takeoff with the section Installing DSHELL, followed by the Quick Start Tutorial section, and use the remainder of the manual as a reference (especially the section on Command Line Editing). More serious and less experienced users should be prepared to go through the whole manual, perhaps initially skipping the sections on Inter-Process Communications, DSHELL Startup, Tracking Processes, and Controlling the DESQview Process Environment. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 6 DSHELL Version 4.0 Installing DSHELL To install DSHELL, you must insure your system is configured and equipped to support DSHELL. Once this has been done, the actual installation is done by the INSTALL program and is highly automated and pretty simple. System Requirements The following configuration is mandatory for using DSHELL. 1. A PC which is 100% PC-compatible. If it has trouble running DESQview, it will have trouble running DSHELL under DESQview. DSHELL, like DESQview, is best suited to 386 style (or equivalent) machines but, provided other requirements are met, does not require those processors. One area that is sensitive to processor is performance. Operations that take a couple of seconds on faster processors can require a minute (or longer!) on more vintage machines. 2. DOS Version 3.0 or later is required. The package has been used with versions 3.0-3.3 and 5.0. 3. DESQview Version 2.3 or later. The package is not compatible with earlier versions of DESQview. DESQview 386 is recommended. 4. DESQview Common Memory must have at least 10K free bytes of space. Installation will check for this amount and notify you if it is not sufficient. This memory is required to allow sufficient concurrent processes for typical operations and installation to run. You can fine tune this after installation if you desire less but running out of Common Memory is usually fatal in DESQview and DSHELL. If you do not have enough, you can increase it by running the DESQview SETUP program (it can be run from with DESQview but you must restart DESQview for the changes to be effective). DESQview LEARN must also be enabled. 5. A hard disk drive with the DESQview package installed. The package requires about 0.5-0.7M of disk space. It is not necessary the DSHELL and DESQview packages be on the same hard disk although the DSHELL installation will pick that default unless you specify otherwise. 6. DESQview compatible EMS memory (LIM-EMS 4.0) of at least 1.0 megabytes is required. Note that this is the type of expanded memory which allows DESQview to run processes in it (not just swap to it). Quarterdeck Office System's QEMM-386 is suitable. DSHELL installation will test your expanded memory manager for functional compatibility during the installation process. The memory manager should be setup with at least 32 free handles and named handles. The default installation for QEMM-386 is suitable as is the default installation for MicroSoft's DOS 5.0 expanded memory manager. The 64K page frame must also be present and may be located anywhere in high memory (above 640K). Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 7 DSHELL Version 4.0 7. The conventional memory should be 640K with at least 320K available for a DESQview process. Again, more is better. 8. For installation only, you must have a DESQview DOS 128K (or larger) process (typically referred to as D1 on the DESQview OPEN menu) available. If you wish, you can delete this entry from the DESQview OPEN menu after installation. 9. An 80 column by 25 row (or larger) display is required. Color is highly desirable but not essential. 10. A mouse or its equivalent is recommended. A few DSHELL operations (like selecting a file from a screen directory display) require a mouse. If you wish to perform such operations, the DESQview keyboard mouse can be temporarily turned on as a substitute. The best choice is probably a 80386 or similar machine running with QEMM as this will maximize DESQview's ability to perform multitasking. However, other hardware and EMS platforms are acceptable provided the DESQview and EMS 4.0 compatibility is met. From a performance viewpoint, the DSHELL package makes extensive use of multitasking under DESQview. Therefore, the bigger and faster the system the better. Performing the DSHELL Installation To install DSHELL you must run the INSTALL program. The INSTALL program will verify your system is suitably configured to support DSHELL, unpack and load the DSHELL system onto your hard disk, install DSHELL in DESQview, and build the startup script PROFILE.SHL. The INSTALL program offers the option of either having it do all the work (you only answer a few questions and watch) or letting you do more of the work manually. Unless you have problems with the installation (perhaps because your system configuration is very unusual) or like to do things the hard way, letting INSTALL do all the work is strongly recommended. Except for the DSHELL directory and the DESQview OPEN menu selection for DSHELL, most installation user selectable parameters can be changed later by the DSHELL Change Profile menus so your selection of installation parameters is not critical. When in doubt, the default is probably best. If you are installing a updated version of DSHELL, the installation will detect that fact and preserve your old PROFILE.SHL (provided you install in the same disk directory). However, if you have modified any of the standard .SHL scripts supplied with DSHELL, you should back them up before the Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 8 DSHELL Version 4.0 installation as they will be overwritten with the new versions. To install DSHELL, perform the following steps. 1. If you are installing DSHELL from a floppy disk, make a archival copy of the floppy disk. Unlike some packages, DSHELL installation does not attempt to write to the diskette but a backup is always a good idea. 2. Determine the hard disk drive and subdirectory (not a root directory) where you wish DSHELL to be installed. If you do not specify one, the INSTALL program will create and use the directory \DSHELL on the same drive as DESQview (typically drive C:). If you do choose a different directory for DSHELL, it cannot be the same directory as DESQview and its name, including any prefixed path, must be less than 26 characters. 3. Bring up the DESQview package. 4. If necessary, you should terminate any other processes running in DESQview. With the exception of any old DSHELL processes from an earlier DSHELL version, this step is not essential but it avoids the risk of unusual interactions or unusual resource shortages. 5. Open a 128K (or larger) DOS window. Typically this is done by going to the DESQview OPEN menu and selecting the D1 entry. 6. Within the DOS window, change to the drive and directory which contains the DSHELL installation program and files. If you are installing from a floppy disk, this is probably the drive A: root directory. If you are installing the bulletin board download version, this should be the drive and directory that contains the unpacked INSTALL.EXE and DSHELL.LDF files. 7. Within the DOS window enter the command install to begin the installation. 8. At this point the install program will take over, asking for verification and information as required. Assuming no system deficiencies or problems are uncovered, after 2-5 minutes the basic DSHELL files will be installed and a DSHELL process will present a menu of installation activities, offer a recommended selection (probably 1(new installation) or 2(updating a previous installation)), and wait for your selection. Enter your selection (the recommended is best) and answer any resulting questions. 9. Installation will normally ask three basic questions: (1) what screen color format do you wish (use default if you have a color monitor, DESQview option otherwise), (2) what directory do you wish to start in when DSHELL starts up (C:\ is usual choice), and (3) what is your default choice for an editor (edlin or edit Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 9 DSHELL Version 4.0 unless you specify otherwise). All these choices can be changed later so, if you are not sure, leave the default. 10. At the end of the installation, the option of bringing up DSHELL automatically on DESQview startup will normally be offered. If you select this option, DSHELL will automatically be started and be ready for your use whenever you start DESQview. If you decline this option you will have to start DSHELL from the DESQview OPEN menu. If you do decline and wish to add the automatic startup later, you can do so by copying the file STARTUP.DVS from the DSHELL directory to the filename DESQVIEW.DVS in the DESQview directory. At this point, the installation is complete. As you progress with DSHELL, you will probably want to add to the startup script PROFILE.SHL which was built during this installation. While you can do this with any text editor, it is best to use the provided menus and tools as they will help insure the format and allow mapping of your changes should you upgrade DSHELL in the future. If you encountered problems in the installation, first follow the information given by the INSTALL package to see if you can resolve the problem at that point. Then rerun the installation program. See also the sections on Common Questions and License Agreement and Support if necessary. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 10 DSHELL Version 4.0 DSHELL Tutorial This tutorial is intended to provide a quick introduction to the operation of DSHELL. It assumes you are familiar with DOS COMMAND.COM (and/or a UNIX style shell), basic DESQview operations (like task startup and switching), and have gone through the sections About The Manual and Installing DSHELL. Areas covered in the tutorial include using the supplied default menus, executing programs in foreground and background, spooling print jobs, defining default commands for particular file extensions, and defining simple menus. The tutorial does not cover more advanced operations (like creating your own scripts or more sophisticated menus). Aspects of those areas are covered in the other sections of the manual and by example in the supplied default menus and scripts. The tutorial assumes you installed DSHELL with the default options. If you did not, you may have to make suitable adjustments as you go. For the tutorial, it is necessary to have a executable program (besides DSHELL!) to run. The tutorial uses Borland International's Quattro Pro, a popular spreadsheet program, as an example but you can substitute any similar DOS program if you don't have Quattro Pro. The program you select should be interactive (i.e., it does not run to completion in the flash of an eye) and have data files with a particular default extension (like .WQ1 for the Quattro Pro example). The latter is necessary to demonstrate the association of a particular command with a particular data file type. Most any word processor or spreadsheet program that runs under DOS should be okay. To do the tutorial, you must have installed DSHELL (See the INSTALLATION section) and be running DESQview and DSHELL as you go through the tutorial. If you came here from the installation process, you are all set. Otherwise, start DESQview and DSHELL (the latter may be automatic or, if you did not select the autoload option, from the DESQview OPEN menu). The tutorial assumes a color display -- if you have a black & white display, the colors will be mapped by DESQview into varying display formats (light, bright, reverse video, etc.). Managing the DSHELL Screen Display DSHELL has two screen display modes: (1) normal (also called command line) mode which looks much like the normal DOS display (the dreaded C> prompt) and (2) full screen mode (what you are probably looking at when DSHELL first comes up). When you are entering commands, you can switch between the modes by pressing F9 or clicking the mouse (on the 25th line in full screen mode or anywhere in the DSHELL window in normal mode). Normal Mode In normal mode, you type commands and, as they execute, the previous commands (and perhaps their output) appears in the Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 11 DSHELL Version 4.0 window above your current command line. In both modes, the 25th line, if visible, displays the current date/time/directory (the directory is probably C:/ at this time). Pressing F10 displays the DESQview SWITCH menu allowing you to switch quickly to other processes. You can exit the SWITCH menu also by pressing ESC ESC. The F10 key works anytime, even during the execution of a command. Full Screen Mode In full screen mode, the top line displays the menu bar showing your menus (only SYSTEM, the default menu is defined unless you define additional menus of your own) and other options. The next 23 lines display the current directory (normal files in green, directories in yellow, special files in other colors) or command history. F8 or clicking Hist/Dir on the menu bar toggles between the directory/history displays. Pressing F10 or clicking the Tasks field on the menu bar displays the DESQview SWITCH menu to facilitate switching between different processes (the parent DSHELL process is probably the only one running so its a short list at this point). The 24th line is your command line in full screen mode -- you can type a command here just as you would in normal mode. The 25th line displays the current date and default drive/disk directory. We will return to the various screen displays later, but first, let's look at executing programs under DSHELL. For now, type F9 until you see the normal (DOS-like) screen display. Running Under DESQview/DSHELL Versus Running Under DOS Aside from TSRs, when you run a program under DOS only that program runs and is available to you. You cannot start or interact with other programs until the first program completes and the DOS prompt returns. DOS runs one program at a time and that program has the whole machine -- even if the program only uses a small portion of memory or other machine resources. DESQview allows you to run many programs at the same time. It does this by creating a set of virtual machines, each with its own video display (a window), memory and other portions of your computer's resources. It is easiest to think of these different programs as a stack of windows where each window represents the video display (and other resources) for that particular program. Although each of the programs continues to run, you can interact with only the program whose window is topmost on the stack of windows -- only that program is allowed to receive keystrokes from the keyboard or clicks from the mouse. Using the DESQview SWITCH menu, you can change which program window is topmost, allowing you to move among the programs and interact with different ones as necessary. The topmost window and program is called the foreground program (or process or task or window), the others are called background programs (or processes or tasks or windows). The foreground window, unless it is full screen, is enclosed by DESQview with a double frame to make its identification more obvious. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 12 DSHELL Version 4.0 With DESQview, you can create new windows (i.e., run new programs) by launching a program from the DESQview OPEN menu. Each program so started is independent of other programs, that is to say there is normally no interaction between the different windows. For example, you cannot pipe the output from one program window to another (except manually). While you can run programs independently, you are limited to doing such with programs defined on the DESQview OPEN menu. With DSHELL, you can start and run programs just like DOS but these programs will run in separate windows just like the programs you launch from the DESQview OPEN menu. The programs can interact -- for example, the output of one command (window) can be piped to the input of another window, or the actions in a script of commands can depend on the completion (or completion exit code) or other windows (programs). Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 13 DSHELL Version 4.0 Entering and Executing Commands Like DOS, to enter a command in DSHELL, you simply type it on the command line and press ENTER. However, because DSHELL operates in a multitasking system, where each task (process) has its own virtual display (called a window), there are some differences. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |To edit a DSHELL command line: | |HOME and END move your cursor to the beginning or end of the | | command line. | |LEFT and RIGHT ARROW move your cursor along the command line. | |BKSP deletes the character before the current cursor position. | |DEL deletes the character at the current cursor position. | |CNTRL K deletes from the current cursor position to the end of | | the line if you are not at the end of the line. | |CNTRL K deletes the line if your cursor is at the end of the | | line. | |UP ARROW recalls previous command lines (DOWN ARROW is reverse).| +----------------------------------------------------------------+ In DOS, when you enter a command at the DOS prompt, the command (usually a separate program unless it is a DOS internal command like cd or mkdir) runs and you cannot enter another command until the first one completes. In DSHELL, this is the default behavior but you have other choices: 1. You can get the same behavior as DOS - simply type the command as you would in DOS. The command runs as you watch -- DSHELL waits (in a background window if necessary) for the command to complete. You would use this choice when you want to run a series of commands which depend on each completing before the next begins. An example would be formatting a floppy disk (the format command) followed by copying some files to the floppy disk (the copy command). In this case, you might enter format a: copy *.* a: as an example. +-------------------------------------------------------------+ |Note: Sometimes you start a command this way and then decide| |you wish to continue on with DSHELL and let the command go on| |running. You can end DSHELL's wait by going to the DSHELL | |window and pressing CNTRL-C. DSHELL will abort the wait for | |the command to finish, but not the command (unless the | |command was an internal DSHELL command like cp or ffind). | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ 2. You can have the command execute in background while DSHELL returns immediately to you for additional commands. The command you entered will be running in the background (i.e., in a display window behind the DSHELL display window). If you want to interact with the command (program), you must move it to Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 14 DSHELL Version 4.0 foreground using the DESQview SWITCH menu (F10 key). You get this behavior by following the command with the string " &" (a space followed by the ampersand). You would use this choice when you want to run a program but do not want to watch it run, interact with it, or wait for the results. For example, if the diskette was already formatted, and you would like the copy to proceed but don't really want to watch and wait for it. In this case, you would enter copy *.* a: & for this example. While the copy continues in the background, +--------------------------------------------------------------+ |This assumes your program can run in background under DESQview| |-- if it cannot, it will be suspended (stopped) until you move| |it to be the foreground (most visible) window. | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ you can continue to do other things with new commands. Of course, none of the new commands should depend on the copy having completed (like deleting the files you wanted copied!) until you are sure the copy has completed. 3. You can have the command execute in foreground, but have DSHELL wait in background for you to enter another command when you have temporarily finished with the initial command. An example would be using the format command to start formatting a diskette, then going back to the DSHELL window to do some other things while the format completes. While you could do this with the previous background execution option and the DESQview SWITCH menu, you can do it more directly by appending the string " & fore" to the format command: format a: & fore which is really two commands (the first, through the ampersand, starts the format program in background, and the second, fore, tells DSHELL to make the last process started the foreground window). You probably also use this third form for any programs you wish to start and keep around for your computing session (like a spreadsheet, database or perhaps word processor or multifile editor). With any of these forms, you can redirect standard input and output to/from files or other devices. For example, to redirect the output listing of the files in the current directory to file in background, you would type dir >file & (note that the redirection must appear before the ampersand -- the ampersand marks the end of the entire dir command). You can redirect output from one program window to another using Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 15 DSHELL Version 4.0 a pipe much as you would in DOS. For example, to list the current directory, sort it (more or less!), and then display it in a paged format in a background window for future reference, type dir | sort | more & which kicks off three processes and shuffles the data between them as they run. Note the use of the more program -- without it, the output of the sort would be written to the sort program's window which would be closed and disappear as soon as the sort was completed. More, because it waits for +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ |Actually, this is the DSHELL version of more, which offers | |several enhancements over its DOS counterpart -- like moving | |backward as well as forward in the display and handling lines up | |to 500 characters in length. You can terminate it by pressing | |F9 or, like DOS more, simple press ENTER repeatedly. | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ confirmation even on a short list, insures you will have something to look at when you finally want to look. Sometimes, it is convenient to see the output of a command in the DSHELL window. For internal DSHELL commands (like ls, the DSHELL equivalent of the DOS dir command), you just type the command, like ls which runs in the current DSHELL process and produces a list of the files in the current directory. For external (other programs), however, the output would be to that program's DESQview window. For example, typing dir produces the directory listing as desired, but, since dir is a separate program as far as DSHELL is concerned, the output vanishes with the dir window as soon as the command finishes. To make the input appear in the DSHELL window, you must pipe the output into the DSHELL window by entering dir | cat where cat is an internal DSHELL command that takes its standard input (the pipe from dir in this case) and copies it to its standard output (the DSHELL window in this case). You can have as many programs running simultaneously as your computer's memory and related resources allow (and you can keep straight!). You can even kick off additional DSHELLs (the command is sh, no ampersand or fore required). Indeed, because switching between programs (windows) with the DESQview SWITCH menu is usually far faster than starting up larger programs (like spreadsheets, database managers, and word processors), it is usually faster to kick off those programs once and just Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 16 DSHELL Version 4.0 switch between them as necessary. Note that DSHELL will run most anything in separate windows -- other programs, .BAT scripts, .SHL scripts, even internal DSHELL commands (when followed by an ampersand or pipe). About the only commands that you probably should never run in separate windows (i.e., follow with an ampersand or pipe) are those internal DSHELL commands that directly affect the current DSHELL environment, like cd (changes the current default drive and/or directory for the current DSHELL) and fore (moves windows relative to the current DSHELL process). With the exceptions of TSRs (start them from a .BAT file) and special programs requiring a DESQview loader (like Microsoft Windows in protected mode -- execute their DESQview .DVP file), most any program (command) legal in DOS is legal in DSHELL. By default, each program is started in a virtual machine (window) having maximum memory, a full screen display (text and graphics), and two serial ports -- that should be suitable for just about any program. See the section on Controlling the Process Environment for and how to handle problem cases (or non-386 processor systems). Assuming you have done the examples, your screen, in normal mode, displays the commands and some output from those commands. By pressing F9, you can toggle between normal and full screen mode -- note that the normal display and associated output returns. You could have just as easily done this last exercise in full screen mode (the 24th line is the command line) but the output and previous commands would only be visible as the commands execute or when you toggle back to the normal display. Using Full Screen Mode Press F9 until you have the full screen display. In this section, you will see how you can "execute" directories and files with a mouse (in full screen mode) and use the DSHELL predefined menus. Executing Files and Directories with a Mouse In full screen mode, with the directory display (press F8 to alternate between the history and directory displays in full screen mode), you can "execute" any file or directory by pointing to its name with the mouse and clicking the left (called EXECUTE) mouse button. If the name is a executable file (a .COM, .EXE, .BAT or .SHL file), that action is equivalent to typing the filename (with extension) on the command line and pressing ENTER -- the program runs in a foreground window while DSHELL waits for its completion. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 17 DSHELL Version 4.0 If the name is a subdirectory name (or ".." which is the parent directory of the current directory), the action is equivalent to the command cd name which simply means that directory becomes your new current default directory. This provides a fast means of transversing the disk directories and viewing their contents. If the name is neither of the above, and its extension has been associated with a "default" command, that default command, probably using the file name as an argument, is executed. How you associate extensions with commands will be discussed later. If none of the previous three cases apply, DSHELL will invoke your editor via the command edit name (edit is an alias for your editor's actual name) to edit "name". If you do not have a mouse, you can still perform these operations using the DESQview keyboard mouse (see the DESQview manual for details). Note that any previous text on the command line before you pressed the EXECUTE button is cleared and remember that you must click the EXECUTE (left) mouse button -- the right mouse button (called SELECT) merely appends the name to the command line -- no command is formed or executed. Executing/Selecting Command History Entries If you press F8 to display the command history, you can access previously executed commands in a similar fashion -- pointing to the desired command and clicking EXECUTE causes the command to be rerun, clicking SELECT only copies the old command to the command line for editing and subsequent execution. You can also copy a history entry to the command line using the keystrokes ALT A through ALT V. This usage is most convenient when you want a command run several command lines ago -- it is simpler to find the command this way than to search for it sequentially with the UP ARROW keystroke. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 18 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu Operations DSHELL menus are available only in full screen mode. At any one time, a DSHELL process can have up to 7 menus defined with their names shown on the top line of the full screen display. To display a menu, either press the corresponding function key (F1-F7) or click the menu name with the mouse. When you do so, the menu will drop down with the entries for the menu shown in the boxed (normally blue) area below the menu name. Each menu entry is a prompt and stands for a command which can be executed by either clicking that line with the mouse EXECUTE button or by typing the keycode(s) associated with that item. For the default menus included with DSHELL, the keycode(s) associated with a menu entry are given by the capital letter (usually 1 but sometimes 2) or the question mark (?) shown on the menu line. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |The convention for indicating the selection keycodes is | |arbitrary and you can pick your own scheme for menus you create.| +----------------------------------------------------------------+ To exit a menu without making a selection, press ESC or select another menu. Some menu items may require (or allow) parameters such as filenames or other options. In the default menus, these items are indicated by the ellipses (..) in the prompt. Such +---------------------------------------------------------------+ |The convention here is also arbitrary, you can use your own | |convention for your menus. | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ parameters are taken from the contents of the command line (the 24th line) when the menu entry is executed. These fields must be placed on the command line before the menu is dropped. You can either type them in, or, for the frequent case of a filename(s), use the SELECT (right) button on the mouse to copy the names to the command line. A menu entry can be any valid DSHELL command line subject to a length limitation of 80 characters. Menus are created, changed or deleted via the SHMOUSE command in DSHELL scripts. Different invocations of DSHELL can have different menus. The default SYSTEM menu, as well an any default menus you create, are produced by the PROFILE.SHL script run when DSHELL is started from the DESQview OPEN menu. Unless changed, menus are inherited by subsequent DSHELL invocations. The following sections describe the default menus. For best results, go through these sections while displaying those menus on your screen. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 19 DSHELL Version 4.0 Using Menus - The SYSTEM Menu If you drop the SYSTEM menu (F1 or the mouse), you will see a blue display containing the entries shown here (some entries may be different if your hardware or software packages are different). Clicking the line "drive A:" with the mouse EXECUTE button changes your current disk/directory to the A: drive (works best if you put a disk in the drive!). Similarly, pressing "n" or "N" invokes the DESQview MANIFEST program (if you have one). "Select directory" brings up a directory tree for your current drive -- you can then pick the desired directory with the mouse EXECUTE button to have DSHELL change to that directory (F9 aborts the process with no change). Some commands require a parameter(s) and are shown on the menu by the inclusion of the ".." in a menu entry (such as the "ediT .." which would invoke your editor to edit a specified file). In these cases, you should enter the parameters on the command line before you drop the menu either by typing the filename/parameters or, in the frequent case of a file in your current directory, by clicking the filename on the directory display with the right (SELECT) mouse button. Once you have the parameters on the command line, drop the menu and EXECUTE the command as before. If you drop a menu and then decide you need a parameter, click off the menu or press ESC to clear the menu. +--------------------+ NOTE: This online manual may not |SYSTEM | quite correspond with the version | drive A: | of DSHELL you are using and there | drive B: | may be slight differences in the | drive C: | menu entries provided versus those | drive D: | described in this online manual. | drive E: | | maNifest | | Home | | Last directory | | Select directory | | ediT .. | | vieW .. | | Print .. | | Remove .. | | detaIl on files .. | | file Operations | | disK operations | | enVironment | | Memory usage | | eXit | | help? | +--------------------+ The menu commands provided by the SYSTEM menu include the following sets: "drive X:" changes the current default disk to the indicated Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 20 DSHELL Version 4.0 drive -- it is equivalent to the command "cd x:". "maNifest" invokes the DESQview MANIFEST program to monitor machine and memory usage. The parent DSHELL continues to run. If your system does not include the MANIFEST program, this entry will not be present. "Home" changes to your defined home drive and directory (default is C:\). "Last directory" changes to the drive and directory you were previously in. "Select directory" builds a directory tree for your current drive and allows you to change directly to any directory there. "ediT .." invokes your editor for the indicated file (if any). The parent DSHELL continues to run. "vieW .." invokes the view (more) program to display the named (ASCII) file. The parent DSHELL continues to run. "Print .." invokes the DSHELL print spooler and sends the named files to it to be printed. "Remove .." deletes the named files/directories/subdirectories, prompting for confirmation if wildcards or subdirectories are involved. "detaIl on files .." provides a "dir" style listing of the specified files (default is all files in current directory) in a paged window. The parent DSHELL continues to run. "file Operations" creates a child DSHELL with file and DSHELL maintenance menus for performing various file and DSHELL maintenance operations. The parent DSHELL continues to run. This menu set will be discussed in subsequent sections. "disK operations" creates a child DSHELL with diskette formatting and other maintenance menus for performing diskette related maintenance. The parent DSHELL continues to run. This menu set will also be discussed in subsequent sections. "enVironment" displays a paged window with the current environment variables and values. The parent DSHELL continues to run. "Memory" displays the current DESQview and DSHELL memory and resource usages. Pressing F9 will return to the full screen display. "eXit" causes the current DSHELL to terminate. If that DSHELL is the original invoked from the DESQview startup or OPEN menu, the print spooler and multifile editor (if present) will also be terminated. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 21 DSHELL Version 4.0 The remaining 6 menu slots on the top line of the full screen display can be used for your own menus. The definition and creation of such menus is done using the FILE OPERATIONS menus discussed later. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 22 DSHELL Version 4.0 DISK OPERATIONS Menus +--------------------+ |Format | | Format type: | | >>Native | | 360k on 1.2m drv | | 720k on 1.4m drv | | Format options: | | System | | Unconditional | | Quick | | format A: now! | | format B: now! | | help? | +--------------------+ Selecting "disK operations" on the SYSTEM menu invokes a DSHELL script (diskops.shl) which creates and runs a child DSHELL with menus for performing common floppy disk maintenance operations. These operations include diskette formatting, copying and comparing and use the standard DOS format, diskcopy and diskcomp commands with a menu interface. To format a diskette, drop the FORMAT menu, pick (EXECUTE) the format type desired (Native, 360K on a 1.2M drive, etc.) and the desired options (copy System files to the diskette, others depending on your DOS version). Selected format type and options are indicated by the ">>" symbols. When you are ready, pick the "format A: now!" or "format B: now!" entries to begin running the DOS format program. The other DISK OPERATIONS menus, COPY and COMPARE, allow you to copy and compare diskettes of the same type and format. Note that selection of command on those menus requires two keystrokes (typically the drive letters). The last two DISK OPERATIONS menus allow you to display the diskette directories and, when finished, exit the DISK OPERATIONS process. At any time, you can switch back to the original DSHELL (F10 drops the switch menu) to do other things. While it is possible, it is not recommended that you attempt to execute non-menu commands from the DISK OPERATIONS process. Also, because disk format and copying operations are typically limited to one at a time because of your system hardware, only one instance of the DISK OPERATIONS process is permitted. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |CAUTION: When you format a floppy disk (or remove it or | |otherwise tamper with its format), you must insure that no other| |programs running are using that diskette. DSHELL attempts to | |protect against this, but ultimately its up to you. The most | |common problem is having another program (DSHELL or otherwise) | |using that diskette as its current directory. | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 23 DSHELL Version 4.0 FILE OPERATIONS Menus When you select FILE OPERATIONS from the SYSTEM menu, a new DSHELL instance is created with menus tailored toward file/directory maintenance, printer spooler operations and various DSHELL/DESQview maintenance functions. Unlike DISK OPERATIONS, this instance can be used to execute your commands, just like the original (and still available) DSHELL instance, and, if you can keep things straight(!), you can have multiple copies of the FILE OPERATIONS DSHELLs running simultaneously. +--------------------+ |SYSTEM | | drive A: | | drive B: | | drive C: | | drive D: | | drive E: | | Home | | Last directory | | Select directory | | fresheN dirs | | ediT .. | | vieW .. | | Print .. | | Remove .. | | detaIl on files .. | | disK operations | | eXit | | help? | +--------------------+ There are seven menus available on the FILE OPERATIONS instance. The first, titled System, is basically the same as its parent DSHELL counterpart. One new menu entry, fresheN dirs, allows you to force the Select directory entry to rebuild its directory lists (normally this is automatic any time you modify a disk's directory structure within DSHELL -- this entry allows you to force the rebuild if the structure is changed outside of DSHELL). The seventh menu, Exit, simply exits the FILE OPERATIONS package. The remaining five menus provide the general file and DSHELL maintenance operations and are generally designed to operate on groups of files/directories. These groups are referred to as tag lists. To operate on the files, you first define the group (the tag list) then perform the operation. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 24 DSHELL Version 4.0 FILE OPERATIONS - Tag Menu +---------------------+ |Tag | | Tag .. | | All like .. | | incl Sys/hid | | incl Directories | | Remove a tag | | View taglist | | Purge tag list | | Export list as .. | | Import .. as list | | help? | +---------------------+ To define a tag list, place the names of the files/directories on the command line using the mouse SELECT button (or by typing the names on the command line). Then drop the Tag menu and execute the Tag .. command to add the items to the tag list. You can repeat the tagging sequence as many times as necessary (with perhaps directory changes in between) until you have constructed the list you wish to operate on (the tagging operation is additive until you perform an operation with the tag list). Then proceed to the other menus to perform the desired operation. The Tag menu offers several tag list related commands: Tag .. - adds items on the command line to the current tag list. Wild cards (* and ?) are expanded as the items are added. +------------------------------------------------------------+ |Hidden, system and directories are included in wild card | |searches for the Tag .. command. | +------------------------------------------------------------+ All like .. - same as Tag .. except that wild cards are not expanded until your final operation is performed. This command is generally used only when you wish to build a tag list for future use (such as the Import and Export list commands further down the menu). incl Sys/hid - applies only to the All like .. command and lets you specify that system and hidden files should be included in a wild card selection (for file copy/rename/move/remove operations). incl Directories - applies only to the All like .. command and lets you specify that directories matching a wild card specification should be included. Remove a tag - lets you examine the current tag list and, by clicking the mouse EXECUTE button on the appropriate entry (one per line), delete entries you don't want included in the list. View taglist - lets you view the current tag list. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 25 DSHELL Version 4.0 Purge tag list - deletes all entries in the current tag list (insures an empty list). Export list as .. - saves the current tag list as a specified file which you can import later if you wish to use the same list again. Import .. as list - takes the contents of the specified file as the current tag list (this file should be the result of a previous Export command). The tag list can include both files and directories. By default, a directory includes all files and subdirectories within it. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 26 DSHELL Version 4.0 FILE OPERATIONS - Tag Ops Menu +-------------------+ |Tag Ops | | Copy tagged to .. | | Move tagged to .. | | Rename tagged .. | | Delete tagged | | Edit tagged | | View tagged | | eXecute .. tagged | | help? | +-------------------+ Once you have defined the list, drop the appropriate third, fourth, fifth or sixth menu to perform your operation. The third menu, Tag Ops, contains the most common operations: Copy tagged to .. - To copy a list of files/directories to a specified drive/file/directory, enter the target's name on the command line and execute this entry. The name can include wild cards (renaming occurs as the copy is done) and subdirectories as necessary will be created if required. Of course, the target must be compatible with items on the list (you cannot copy a directory to a file or copy many files to one file). If the target does not already exist, it will be created in an intelligent manner. Note that, if you copy a directory to an existing directory, it becomes a subdirectory in the target directory but, if you copy a directory to a non-existent directory, it becomes the directory. Move tagged to .. - Same as Copy except the items are moved and the target must be on the same logical disk -- to move across drives, do a Copy then a Delete. Rename tagged .. - Changes names of files/directories. Move can also do this but Rename resolves the inconsistency that can sometimes occur in a directory rename. Delete tagged - Deletes the tagged entries including subdirectories. Note that a directory will be deleted only if all the files/subdirectories in it can be deleted. Edit tagged - Edit the files in the tag list -- directories are ignored. View tagged - View the contents of the files in the tag list. eXecute .. tagged - For each item in the tag, the command found on the command line is run with the item name as a final parameter. Upon successful completion, the tag list is emptied. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 27 DSHELL Version 4.0 The fourth menu, At(t)ribute, applies only to files (or files in +-------------------+ |Atribute | | Change tagged To: | | Set Readonly | | Clear Readonly | | Set System | | Clear System | | Set Hidden | | Clear Hidden | | Set Archive | | Clear Archive | | help?? | +-------------------+ directories) and allows you to change the DOS attributes of the files. To change the attributes, pick the Set/Clear options for the attributes you wish to change (selecting neither is no change for that particular attribute) then pick Change tagged To: to perform the change. Note that entries on this menu require two keystrokes if you are using the keyboard. You cannot change the attributes of directories or of files in a readonly disk partition (or a write protected floppy disk). As in other operations, the tag list is cleared upon successful completion of the changes. Operations on both these menus can take time if many files and directories are involved. While the operation is running, you can switch to other tasks to perform other operations however. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 28 DSHELL Version 4.0 The fifth menu, Print, provides for printing the tagged files +---------------------+ |Print | | Print tagged | | Device: PRN | | modE: RAW | | formAt:auto | | High priority | | >>Medium priority | | Low priority | | Formfeed after | | View queues | | Remove queue entry | | Kill all queues | | make permaNent | | Stop spooler | | spOol command .. | | prinT/remove | | help? | +---------------------+ via the print spooler and access to the more elaborate printer spooler options. This menu provides the following functions: Print tagged - the files on the tag list are sent to the printer spooler for printing. If the spooler is not running, it is loaded and started. Priority, output device and format are as selected on the menu at the time the files are spooled. Device: dev - Normally the print spooler outputs to PRN device but other devices can be specified by picking this option. modE: xxx - This selection controls the handling of special characters in print files (most commonly, the CNTRL Z end of file flag) -- generally you won't need to change this but picking this option allows you to select other handling options. formAt: xxxx - The print spooler has filters for handling special printers (such as Adobe Postscript and other laser printers). Picking this entry allows you to select from the available printers and specify special printing formats such as font size, portrait or landscape printing. If you do not change this entry from its default (none), no special formatting is performed. If you have multiple printers on different device ports, you can specify different formatting on a by port basis. High/Medium/Low priority - The print spooler maintains three levels of print queues and you can change the level jobs are sent to by picking these items. Jobs in higher priority queues are printed before jobs in lower priority queues but entering a job in a higher priority queue will not pre-empt a running job. New jobs are placed at the end of their respective queues. Formfeed after - If selected, a formfeed will be sent to the printer at the end of each job to insure that each job starts on Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 29 DSHELL Version 4.0 a new sheet of paper. Not recommended for printers which do not understand formfeeds (like Postscript printers). View queues - Displays jobs currently spooled. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |Note that, if you have just queued a job and the spooler is | |still printing a previous job, the new job will not appear in | |the queues until the current print finishes -- the spooler only | |updates the queues between print jobs. | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Remove queue entry - Allows you to remove an entry from the currently selected priority queue. The spooler queue is locked while you perform this removal. You cannot remove the job currently printing. Kill all queues - Deletes are queued spooler jobs. make permaNent - Makes the current device, format, priority and formfeed options the defaults. These defaults are used when you first bring up a FILE OPERATIONS instance or when you print via the Print .. command on the system menus. Stop spooler - Shuts down the print spooler at the end of the current print job. Any jobs remaining in the queues will be preserved and printed the next time the spooler is started. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |If you want to temporarily stop a print job, use the DESQview | |Freeze option. You can kill a job while it is printing by | |switching to the spooler window, typing CNTRL Z, and telling the| |spooler to continue. | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |If you are using a Postscript formAt option, you have to also | |close the postscrip process windows. | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ spOol command .. - The spooler actually spools commands (a file print is really a command to copy the file to the printer device). Picking this entry sends the contents of the command line to the spooler for in turn execution. If the spooler has been shutdown (Stop spooler) and no command is specified, this selection will restart the spooler. print/Remove - Same as the Print tagged selection except that the files are deleted after being printed. By default, the print spooler is started when you start DSHELL if there are jobs queued. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 30 DSHELL Version 4.0 FILE OPERATIONS - DSHELL Menu The sixth menu provides access to various DSHELL setup and +---------------------+ |Dshell | | Edit dshell pif | | Tagged -> spawnpif | | Del spawnpif entry | | View spawnpif | | Change profile | | help? | +---------------------+ maintenance functions. These operations allow you to specify special treatment for specific programs and customize your DSHELL startup script (PROFILE.SHL) to provide your own menus, default commands, screen colors and other options. (See the sections on PROFILE.SHL and Controlling the Process Environment elsewhere in this manual for more detailed discussions of these applications.) The operations include the following: Edit dshell pif - The DSHELL pif files (in the DSHELL directory with filenames like 00-pif.dpf) provide the various DESQview virtual machine environments for running general (the 00-pif.dpf file) and specific (the others) programs. This entry will let you modify existing or create new ones. Add spawn tagged - Executable programs (.EXE, .COM and .BAT files) are associated with the DSHELL pifs by what is called a spawn list (SPAWNPIF.SET in the DSHELL directory). Programs not on that list (the usual case) are run in the default environment (i.e., use pif 00-pif.dpf). If you have a program that requires special treatment, tag that program with the Tag menu and select this entry to setup the treatment. Submenus will allow you to select or create a pif if necessary and assign other special treatments. If you have several programs that you want to get the same treatment (like well-behaved programs requiring no screen virtualization for pre-386 processors), tag them all and then come here. Delete spawn entry - This entry allows you to delete the special handling for a specific program by deleting its line in the SPAWNPIF.SET file. View spawnpif - Lets you view the current entries in the SPAWNPIF.SET list. Change profile - Starts a new DSHELL instance with menus for customizing your PROFILE.SHL startup script as described in the section DSHELL STARTUP - PROFILE.SHL. Here you can customize your screen colors, define command aliases and environment variables, setup default commands for specific file types (extensions), define your own menus and modify various DSHELL setup options. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 31 DSHELL Version 4.0 Example 1: Formatting a Floppy Disk For practice, let us format a floppy diskette which we will use in the next example to make a backup copy of your installed DSHELL files. This disk should have a capacity of at least 720K. You could do this by entering the DOS format command just as you would from DOS but we will use the Disk Operations menus instead. 1. Place a floppy diskette to be formatted in drive A: (or B: if you wish). 2. Drop the SYSTEM menu (F1 or mouse) and select the disK operations entry (K or click line with mouse EXECUTE (left) button). 3. After a few seconds, the Disk Operations menus appear. 4. Drop the Format menu (F1 or mouse) if it is not already displayed. 5. Pick the format type (probably Native) by typing the appropriate letter (probably N) or clicking the desired menu entry with the mouse EXECUTE button. A ">>" will appear on the selected line indicating the selected format type. 6. We don't need to put the DOS system files on the disk (or use any of the other options if you have DOS 5.0), so we can skip setting any of them. +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ |If any are selected (indicated by a ">>"), click or type the | |appropriate keystroke to turn those options off (the options are | |binary). | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ 7. To begin the format, click the "format A: now!" (or "format B: now!" if you are using the B: drive) with the mouse EXECUTE button (or type A or B). 8. Your DOS formatting program will run and prompt you for confirmation of diskette in drive. Provide the appropriate responses to perform the format until the format program terminates. While the copy is running, you could return to the main DSHELL if you wish to do other things while waiting for the format to complete. 9. The Disk Operations window will return. 10. Exit the window by pressing F7 and E to drop the Exit menu and confirm the exit. The main DSHELL window will return and the format is complete. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 32 DSHELL Version 4.0 Example 2: Copying Files and Directories We will now make a backup copy of the installed DSHELL directories and files. We begin on the SYSTEM menu of the main DSHELL (DSHELL Version 4.0 on your DESQview SWITCH menu). 1. Start up the File Operations window by dropping the SYSTEM menu (F1 or mouse) and execute the "file Operations" entry (O or click line with mouse EXECUTE button). 2. You must go to the drive containing the DSHELL directory if you are not already there. To do so, drop the System menu (F1 or click with mouse) and type the letter (probably C) of the desired drive (or click the drive line with the mouse EXECUTE button). 3. Since we want to copy the entire DSHELL directory, including its files and subdirectories, we must go to the directory which contains the DSHELL directory (probably C:\). If you are not already there, you can get there by dropping the System menu (F1 or mouse), typing S to run the "Select directory" entry, and then, when the directory tree is displayed, clicking the appropriate line (probably C:/) with the mouse EXECUTE button. You can also get there by clicking the appropriate directory names (remember .. moves back up the directory tree) until you see the DSHELL directory. 4. To copy the DSHELL directory, we must first tag it. With no menus dropped, click the DSHELL directory name with the mouse SELECT (right) button to place the name on the command line (or just type the name if you wish). 5. Drop the Tag menu (F2 or click with mouse) and execute the "Tag .." entry (T or click line with mouse EXECUTE button). The command line should clear and the Tag menu disappear. You have created a tag list contain one entry, the DSHELL directory. 6. Before going to the "Tag Ops" menu to do the copy, we need to place the target drive on the command line so type a: on the command line but DO NOT press ENTER. 7. Drop the "Tag Ops" menu (press F3 or click with mouse) and execute the "Copy tagged to .." command (press C or click line with mouse EXECUTE button). The copy will begin, listing the files and subdirectories as they are copied. The copy can take several minutes depending on your system. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 33 DSHELL Version 4.0 8. When the copy has completed, select the Exit menu (F7) and exit (E) to return to the main DSHELL. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ |We should note in passing that, while menu driven systems are | |nice for your memory, they are usually not the shortest or | |fastest way. In this case, the operation could have been | |equally replaced by the single command | | | |cp -vesd dshell a: & | | | |which (although a bit cryptic) does the same thing. | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 34 DSHELL Version 4.0 Example 3: Defining a Default Command Let us now create a default command to be run anytime you select a Quattro Pro database file (these files typically end in the extension .WQ1 for example). First, we need to determine what is the command to be run with such a file. In this case, the command might be (assuming the filename is "xxxxx.wq1") q xxxxx.wq1 & fore if the directory to Quattro Pro is in your DOS path or perhaps c:\qpro\q xxxxx.wq1 & fore if the Quattro Pro directory is not in your normal DOS path. We have added the " & fore" to insure that our DSHELL continues to accept commands if we temporarily leave Quattro Pro to do something else. At this point, you should try this command in your system (or its equivalent if you are substituting something similar) to insure that it works. When you are sure, return here and perform the following steps. To define a new default or main DSHELL menu, we must add the information to the DSHELL startup script PROFILE.SHL and restart DSHELL. 1. Create a File Operations DSHELL from the SYSTEM menu (or, if the DSHELL backup has completed, just switch to that File Operations DSHELL). 2. Drop the Dshell menu (F6 or click with mouse) and pick the Change profile entry (C or click with mouse EXECUTE button). 3. After the Change Profile DSHELL comes up, press F4 (or click Defaults) to drop the Defaults menu. 4. We wish to define a new default command so press A (or click the Add default entry with the mouse EXECUTE button). A list of options and prompt appears. 5. We will first define the extension (.wq1) so type 1 and press ENTER. Then type the extension wq1 and press ENTER. The options list reappears showing your extension. 6. We will now define the command so type 2 and press ENTER. 7. The screen now prompts for the command. We will enter the command as we used it with one slight change -- we must indicate where to put the filename (the xxxxx.wq1 in our example). To do so, enter your command substituting a caret (^) for where you want the filename to appear: Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 35 DSHELL Version 4.0 c:\qpro\q ^ & fore and press ENTER. 8. The options list reappears with your command and extension specified. 9. If you want to make a change, you can reselect 1 or 2 to change them. 10. When you are happy with the extension and command, press 3 followed by ENTER to commit the default. 11. You will return to the Change Profile screen display. You have completed the definition of the default command. However, it will not be available until you exited and restarted the current DSHELL session. Let us proceed to the next example before doing so since it will necessitate the same restart. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 36 DSHELL Version 4.0 Example 4: Defining a Menu In this example, we will create a menu containing the command to start the Quattro Pro program. As in the previous example, we assume the command is of the form c:\qpro\q xxxxx & fore where xxxxx is the optional spreadsheet file and the "& fore" has been added to allow the DSHELL to remain available for other commands. Like the default command, a menu entry in the initial DSHELL menus is defined in the startup script PROFILE.SHL. To modify PROFILE.SHL, we will use the File Operations - Dshell - Change Profile menus: 1. Assuming you have just done Example 3 (Defining a Default Command), you are already in the Change Profile menus. If you are not, go there either by switching to it (if the Change Profile DSHELL is running) or bring it up by going through the first two steps in Example 3. 2. In the Change Profile menus, drop the Menus menu (press F5 or click with mouse). You will see a list of the currently defined menus (probably only the first, SYSTEM, is defined). Select the second (or first undefined) menu slot (press 2 or click that line with the mouse EXECUTE button). This selects the particular menu slot we will be working with. 3. As no menu has been defined for slot 2, you will be prompted for a 1-8 character name to be placed on the menu bar (top line of the full screen display) for this menu. Type General and press ENTER to title the new menu "General". 4. You will now be presented with a list for adding/deleting/editing menu entries (commands and prompts) for the entries on your new "General" menu. Execute the "Add menu entry" line (press A or click line with mouse EXECUTE button). 5. You will be presented with a list of options to define the keystroke(s) to select your new entry, define the prompt to appear on the menu for it, and to define the command to be run. 6. Type 1 and press ENTER to setup the keystroke to select this menu. We will use the letter Q so type Q and press ENTER. The list will repaint, showing your keystroke Q as the keycode. 7. We will use the prompt "Quattro pro ..", so type 2 and press ENTER. The screen will ask for the menu prompt to be entered. Type Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 37 DSHELL Version 4.0 Quattro pro .. and press ENTER. The screen repaints with your keycode and menu prompt shown. 8. To enter the command, type 3 and press ENTER. Then type the command c:/qpro/q ^ & fore and press ENTER. Note, as in the case with the default commands, we have substituted the caret (^) where we want the optional parameters (a filename most likely in this case) to be placed. The screen repaints showing your keycode, prompt and command line. 9. If you have made an error, repeat steps 6, 7 and 8 as necessary. 10. When you are happy with the entries, type 4 and press ENTER to commit the menu entry. The Change Profile menus will return. 11. We are now complete with the changes we wish to make to the PROFILE.SHL to define a default command and a new menu (with 1 entry). You could add other defaults or menus or menu entries by repeating the necessary commands. 12. To make the changes effective, we must rebuild the PROFILE.SHL script (the changes so far are kept in temporary files). To do so, drop the Exit menu (F7 or click with mouse) and select the "Exit, new profile" entry (E or click line with mouse EXECUTE button). 13. The PROFILE.SHL script will be rebuilt, you will be reminded that you must restart DSHELL to see the changes, and you will return (probably) to the File Operations DSHELL. 14. To restart DSHELL, first exit the File Operations DSHELL by dropping the Exit menu and executing the Exit line. Then exit the main DSHELL by dropping the SYSTEM menu and executing the "eXit" entry. If you had any other DSHELLs running (like the Disk Operations DSHELL), you will have to exit them also. 15. You should now be back at the DESQview main menu, so restart DSHELL by going to the OPEN menu and selecting the "DSHELL Version 4.0" entry. 16. After your DSHELL restarts, you will see a second menu, General. You can now start Quattro Pro by dropping that menu and executing the command "Quattro pro ..". If you place the name (and path if necessary) of a Quattro Pro spreadsheet on the command line first, that spreadsheet will be displayed by Quattro Pro. 17. To use the default command we created, you must first exit the Quattro Pro window created in the previous step (Quattro Pro Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 38 DSHELL Version 4.0 does not generally like to see two copies of itself running at once!). 18. To execute the default command, go to a directory that has a Quattro Pro .WQ1 spreadsheet file and click that filename with the mouse EXECUTE button. Quattro Pro should come up displaying that file. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 39 DSHELL Version 4.0 Example 5: Running a DSHELL Command From DOS Sometimes it is convenient to issue a DSHELL command from DOS or some other program rather than going back to the DSHELL window. Examples might include a .BAT script in DOS, the DOS 5 DOSSHELL program or a makefile where you wish to run another program in its own process (more memory) or run a command that is only available in DSHELL (like a .SHL script). Provided the program provides a DOS command line capability and access to expanded memory, you can issue such commands by using the DSHELL.EXE +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ |Some programs meet the first requirement but not the second. | |Quattro Pro, for example, normally uses all expanded memory | |allocated to it for its own use. The DSHELL program must have | |access to expanded memory (2 pages) to run. | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ program. For example, you can use the DSHELL REMOVE command +---------------------------------------------------------------+ |Before doing so, you must put DSHELL.EXE someplace where the | |originating program can find it. The \DOS directory is often | |good. | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ to delete files/directories from a DOS window (like D1) by typing dshell remove xxx where xxx is the stuff you want to remove. The command has the same general format as it would in DSHELL except you have prefixed it with the dshell program. Normally, dshell will wait for the command to complete before returning, but you can include an ampersand (&) or (& fore) just as you would in DSHELL to prevent the wait. Sometimes the program from which you issue the dshell command will attempt to process the command line itself (DOS will in this example if you attempt to redirect input/output). To prevent this, try enclosing the command (following the dshell) in double quotes. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 40 DSHELL Version 4.0 How DSHELL Works This section describes how DSHELL works as it processes your commands. While not essential knowledge, it can be useful in understanding how and why things happen the way they do. If you desire, you can skip this section. Initially, the DSHELL program (shell.exe) is started from the DESQview OPEN menu, either by you or by a DESQview startup script, and executes the script PROFILE.SHL before appearing to you as your user interface in either full screen or command line mode. As you enter commands, this parent DSHELL process either executes the command itself (internal commands) or creates other DESQview processes (called child processes) to execute the command (scripts, .DVP, .EXE, and .COM files). If you did not choose background execution for the command, the parent DSHELL process waits until the command completes before accepting further commands (like DOS). If you specified background execution, then the parent DSHELL process returns immediately for further commands while the old command continues running in its own process. If the command was a .SHL script, a backgrounded internal command or a request for an additional interactive DSHELL instance, the child process is a copy of the original parent DSHELL process, inheriting all of its system environment from the parent DSHELL process at the time of the child's creation. If the command was a .BAT, .COM, or .EXE file, the new process first invokes a special loader to get its environment from the parent DSHELL process and then loads and executes the program. In either case, when the child process completes, its final exit status is returned to the parent DSHELL process. Note: If the command is a .DVP file, a child process is created using the .DVP file instructions, but the environment is limited to that provided by DESQview and exit code processing is not available. If the command line specifies that the standard output of one command (a child process) is to be used as the standard input of a second command (another process), the loader (or the child DSHELL process itself) creates and operates the inter-process pipe between the two processes. Any number of child processes and other DESQview processes can coexist limited only by system resources (and operator sanity). If the child process is itself a DSHELL process (that is a process running DSHELL), it can itself have other child processes with the same scope and capabilities as the original parent DSHELL process. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 41 DSHELL Version 4.0 DSHELL Startup - PROFILE.SHL The DSHELL script PROFILE.SHL is executed on initial DSHELL creation. It must be located in the DSHELL directory, normally C:\DSHELL. This script provides the base environment for the DSHELL and any environment variables, aliases, command defaults, and menus defined in the profile will be available at all DSHELL levels unless subsequently changed or deleted. As the PROFILE.SHL script provides the environment and setup for DSHELL, it is almost certain that you will want to modify it for your particular system (such as create your own menus to always be available or start special jobs automatically when you start up DSHELL). Two methods are available to perform this customization. The recommended method is to use the FILE Operations - DSHELL - Change Profile (really a .SHL script itself) to maintain and modify your PROFILE.SHL. This script provides considerable support for making the modifications (such as menus of changes and directions on likely command formats), eliminates much of the hassle of trying to figure out what command parameters do you need to set for a particular function, and maintains an orderly structure to your PROFILE.SHL. Maintaining this structure is particularly important when you upgrade to future versions of DSHELL as it greatly enhances the INSTALL program's ability to make any necessary modifications for the new DSHELL version without losing any changes you may have made. As the PROFILE.SHL is a .SHL script, you can modify it as you desire with your text editor. While this is the most expeditious method, it does require considerable understanding of the operation and commands in DSHELL. It can also provide problems when you upgrade DSHELL since the new version could need to make changes in the PROFILE.SHL and, if you have edited your own PROFILE.SHL, these changes would have to be manually mapped into the new PROFILE.SHL. Unless you really feel the need to edit PROFILE.SHL directly, this method is best avoided. The following sections describe the different components normally found in the PROFILE.SHL script. The discussion and explanations assume you use the Change Profile to maintain your PROFILE.SHL. The script creates a safe copy of the PROFILE.SHL information for subsequent modification and presents a set of menus for modifying these components. After you have completed your modifications, you select the ExitHelp menu and chose either to implement the new PROFILE.SHL or discard your changes. Remember than any changes you make to PROFILE.SHL will not be effective until you leave and re-start DSHELL. Besides the ExitHelp menu, Change Profile presents 6 additional menus for modifying the six sections of the PROFILE.SHL script. The contents of these sections and the associated menus are discussed in the next six sections. When making the actual changes, there is no need to follow the order of this section -- you can jump around from menu to menu as you desire. You can Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 42 DSHELL Version 4.0 even go back to the main DSHELL process but do not try to run two Change Profile sessions at the same time! Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 43 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu Colors - Setting the Screen Colors DSHELL is a DESQview specific process and its screen colors can either be defined by the DESQview SETUP program or by the ATTRIBUTE command within DSHELL. There are eight different fields that can be displayed in different colors and intensities within DSHELL (see the ATTRIBUTE command for the eight fields) to differentiate between files, directories, and menus for instance. The menu Colors offers three choices for the color set: (1) use +----------------+ |Colors | | use Desqview | | use Standard | | use Current | | Modify current | | View current | | Help | +----------------+ the DESQview Default colors (no ATTRIBUTE commands in PROFILE.SHL), (2) use the Standard DSHELL color set (picks a "nice" set of ATTRIBUTE commands for PROFILE.SHL), and (3) use the Current color set (create ATTRIBUTE commands to match whatever colors are currently in use). Assuming you select either of the last two options, you can select the View or Modify entries to allow you to examine and further change (with Modify) the color set. When you select View or Modify, a window +------------------------------------------------+ | Field Text Background| |>1 Normal A Normal Q Normal| | 2 Directories B Normal R Normal| | 3 Volume C Normal S Normal| | 4 Options D Normal T Normal| | 5 Special Files E Normal U Normal| | 6 Selected Fields F Normal V Normal| | 7 Menus G Normal W Normal| | 8 Help & Misc H Normal X Normal| | I Normal | | J Normal | | K Normal | | L Normal | | M Normal | | N Normal | | O Normal | |(END to exit) P Normal | +------------------------------------------------+ will appear showing the eight fields and the possible color selections. You can then select the field and appropriate foreground and background colors as you desire. Selections can be by keystroke or mouse. Select or press the END to exit the color selection program. Remember that none of the changes you make will become effective until you have selected Exit and restarted DSHELL. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 44 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu EnvVars - Setting Environment Variables Several special shell variables are normally defined in the PROFILE.SHL. These variables are in addition to any DSHELL may have inherited from DOS which will not explicitly appear in your PROFILE.SHL. They include: ECHO if defined, causes DSHELL script lines to be listed on stderr (/dev/con) as encountered. Otherwise, no echoing of DSHELL script lines occurs (the opposite of the DOS COMMAND.COM default). This can be useful for debugging a .SHL script but does clutter up the screens and slow things down. PATH defines command search path, see DOS COMMAND.COM description. Note that, in the DSHELL, this is set as a shell variable, not a special PATH command. Normally, this variable will be set by DOS in the environment and it will not be necessary to include it in your PROFILE.SHL file explicitly. COMSPEC defines location of COMMAND.COM for .BAT files ala DOS. Normally, this variable is inherited from DOS and you need not define it explicitly. If you do not have it defined in DOS, you may need to define it to get .BAT and other internal DOS commands to work correctly. HOME defines the home directory for cd commands. If omitted, the cd command with no argument will not cause a directory change. ESCSPC defines the character used to escape codes in ECHO and EXPR functions. If omitted, the backslash (\) is used. ESCCMD defines the character used to escape codes in command line processing. If omitted, the tilde (~) is used. RUN_KEY if defined, full screen menu and history selects by keystroke are executed rather than only copied to the command line. If you maintain your PROFILE.SHL through the Change Profile program on the SYSTEM menu, this variable is controlled through the OTHER menu and will not explicitly appear in the ENVARS lists. SH_DIR defines the drive and directory which contains the DSHELL files. You should not change this variable or delete it unless you are VERY confident about what you are doing. If you maintain your PROFILE.SHL through the Change Profile program on the SYSTEM menu, this variable will not explicitly appear in the EnVars lists. DV_DIR defines the drive and directory which contains the DESQview files. You should not change this variable or delete it unless you are VERY confident about what you are doing. If you maintain your PROFILE.SHL through the Change Profile program on the SYSTEM menu, this variable will not explicitly appear in the EnVars lists. SH_TMP defines the drive and directory containing the DSHELL Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 45 DSHELL Version 4.0 scratch directory. This is normally the C:\DSHELL\TMP subdirectory. You can move this to another location by redefining this variable but it is not recommended. UNIQUE set to an eight character name that is unique to that DSHELL task. This can be used to construct unique filenames for scratch files. This variable is created by the DSHELL process automatically. BACKGROUND if defined, processes created by DSHELL will be bottom most in the DESQview window stack. This is most useful for scripts that themselves run as background jobs and do not want to disturb the user with an onslaught of task windows. In addition to these variables, you can define any you desire for your own use subject the limitation of 2K of environment space. Any environment variables you define in the PROFILE.SHL will be passed to programs and scripts during your session just as they would be in DOS. To view the current variable definitions in your profile, select +-----------------+ |EnvVars | | Edit variables | | View variables | | Add variable | | Delete variable | | Help | +-----------------+ the View entry on the EnvVars menu. You can select the Add and Delete options to add and delete environment variable definitions or, to edit the definitions select the Edit entry. The current definitions, with a preamble describing the format of environment variables, will appear in your editor for editing. Remember that any entries you add should be on a line by themselves (one per line is best) and each line should be followed by a newline (blank lines are okay too). The last menu selection, Help, simply describes the others. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 46 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu Aliases - Defining Command Aliases In addition, the profile should also define any aliases desired by the user, such as LF, emulation of COMMAND.COM commands (dir, for instance, is really an alias for command /c dir), and other commands. One alias in particular, EDIT, must be defined to be the actual command to be used to invoke your text editor. Many aliases are defined in the default PROFILE.SHL built during installation. These may be changed or added to as desired. As with the EnvVars menu, you can select View, Add, Delete, +--------------+ |Aliases | | Edit aliases | | View aliases | | Add alias | | Delete alias | | Help | +--------------+ Edit, or Help on the Aliases menu. The behavior is identical with the exception that you will be defining aliases with the ALIAS command instead of environment variables with the = command. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 47 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu Defaults - Defining Default Commands If you use a mouse and operate DSHELL in full screen mode, you may select files with the EXECUTE mouse button, and, depending on the file's extension, specify a default command to be executed when a file of that type is selected. See the internal command SHMOUSE for information on setting up default commands. Remember that any file extension types which are not covered in the default list will be processed by prefixing the file name with the command EDIT which (normally invoke your editor to edit that file). It is not possible to change the DSHELL preset defaults for executable files and directories. Like the EnvVars and Aliases menus, you can select View, Edit, +---------------+ |Defaults | | Edit defaults | | View defaults | | Add default | | Delete default| | Help | +---------------+ Add, Delete and Help on the Defaults menu. You are limited to approximately twenty default definitions (too many results in a complaint from SHMOUSE during PROFILE.SHL execution). Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 48 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu Menus - Creating/Changing Your Own Menus If you run DSHELL in full screen mode, your drop down menus will normally be defined in the PROFILE.SHL script so that they will be available for your later use. The SHMOUSE command is used to define first the menu header and then the menu entries for each menu. The initial SYSTEM menu defined in your initial PROFILE.SHL can be modified or enhanced by editing them just as new menus can be added. +-------------------------------------------------------------+ |Modifying the SYSTEM menu should be avoided if possible, | |however, because a future upgrade to DSHELL might change this| |menu, leading to conflicts and manual editing by you to fully| |install the upgrade. | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ If you select your menus and menu entries by keystrokes, you should have some common method of indicating what keystroke(s) select which entries. For the menus built by the installation program in your initial PROFILE.SHL, the capitalized letter(s) is generally that keystroke but you can choose any memory jogger you prefer. When you first drop the Menus menu, it offers the selection of +-------------------+ |Menus | | select 1 SYSTEM | | select 2 General | | select 3 (Unknown)| | select 4 (Unknown)| | select 5 (Unknown)| | select 6 (Unknown)| | select 7 (Unknown)| | Help | +-------------------+ which of the seven menus you wish to work on (the selections labeled "unknown" correspond to menus you have not yet defined). Select which of the seven you wish to work on by number or mouse, and, if that menu has not yet been defined, you will be prompted for a suitable 8 character title for that menu. Once you have selected a particular menu (1 for SYSTEM in this example), the Menus menu (we got too many "menus" here!) offers +------------------+ |Menus | | Unselect 1 SYSTEM| | Change menu title| | Remove menu | | Edit menu | | View menu | | Add menu entry | | Delete menu entry| | Help on menus | +------------------+ the options of Unselecting the chosen menu (so you can work on other menus), Changing the menu's title, Deleting the menu entirely, Editing the menu's selections, Adding menu entries, Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 49 DSHELL Version 4.0 Deleting menu entries and Viewing the menu's selections are the options offered on this menu. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 50 DSHELL Version 4.0 The Menu Other - General and User Custom Operations The PROFILE.SHL script is the ideal place for creating any other processes that you normally wish to have running whenever DSHELL is running. The optional provided SPOOLER program is an example but, depending on your needs, you can start others. CAUTION: Unless you want the process(es) to run to completion before getting a command prompt (or do not wish to ever get a DSHELL command prompt!), start these processes in background (i.e., with a & after the command). The Other menu offers options for Enabling/Disabling the spooler +-------------------+ |Other | | >>Autoload spooler| | >>Run on keyselect| | >>start Fullscreen| | >>left eXecute | | edit User section | | Help on other | +-------------------+ (usually the spooler is used for queuing printer operations but you can use for any commands you want done one at a time sequentially), selecting the option of Running keyboard selected menus entries on keystroke selection (or requiring an additional eNter keystroke to begin their execution), and starting DSHELL in Full screen or Command line mode. The final selection, EDIT User section, allows you to setup and edit a section with your custom commands (such as automatic process startups discussed earlier in this section). Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 51 DSHELL Version 4.0 Menu ExitHelp - Completing/Aborting the Changes After you have completed making your changes using the first six menus, you must select the seventh menu, ExitHelp, to complete +-------------------+ |ExitHelp | | Exit, new profile | | Drop changes, exit| | Help | +-------------------+ the process. Select Exit to make your changes official or Drop to forget them and just quit. If you do not do this, the changes will not become effective and will be lost the next time you invoke Change Profile. Again, remember that you must exit DSHELL and re-invoke it to see the effect of any changes in PROFILE.SHL. +----------------------------------------------------------------+ |Warning: DO NOT attempt to re-execute PROFILE.SHL from your | |command line - some operations usually defined there do not like| |to be done twice and may misbehave if you attempt the | |re-execution. | +----------------------------------------------------------------+ Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 52 DSHELL Version 4.0 Common Questions/Problems Any program like this is bound to have a few "unfixable" bugs. Among the most noticed are the following "features". Program Startup Problems Some programs are very particular about their invocation and, if invoked by the DSHELL, will act strangely about identifying their arguments or report insufficient memory. These programs generally do not load successfully when using the EXEC function in DOS (which is used by DSHELL loaders to load other programs). DOS external commands, such as format, diskcopy and sort, are particularly fussy in some DOS implementations. If you encounter this problem, the most frequent solution is to invoke the command through an alias such as command /c format or, better yet, an appropriate SPAWNPIF.SET entry. This forces the program to be loaded by command.com which usually satisfies these programs. How do I determine if a program needs special treatment (like a special .DPF or SPAWNPIF entry)? -- The easiest solution is try it and see if it misbehaves (does not run, blows up, writes all over the screen in a small window (not likely on 80386 or later processors), etc.). If it does misbehave (and assuming the program can be run under DESQview), then you have two options: (1) create a special .DPF with an associated SPAWNPIF entry (see the section Controlling the Process Environment) for that program, or (2) if you already have a DESQview menu entry to run that program, just start the program by typing the DESQview PIF filename (XX-PIF.DVP) where XX selects the program from the DESQview menu. In the second case, you may have to prefix the PIF filename with the DESQview directory path if your PATH does not include the DESQview directory. Generally, if option 2 works, you can do option 1 by creating the appropriate .DPF using the ADD SPAWN menu in the FILE OPERATIONS menus. Exceptions are usually programs requiring special DESQview provided loaders which are probably best left to the second option. My graphics mode programs don't run in background -- Many combinations of video adaptors, DESQview version, and particular graphics mode programs seem to work reliably only when restricted to foreground execution. For that reason, the default 00-PIF.DPF environment prohibits virtual operation when a program is in a graphic video mode. Assuming your system does not have that problem (trying is the only way to tell!), you can get background execution by changing the "Virtualize Graphics" option in the default .DPF (go to FILE OPERATIONS - DSHELL - EDITPIF menu and select the 00-pif.dpf file to change). One word of caution -- sometimes everything is fine when only one graphics mode program is running but problems ensue (lockups!) when two are running. My programs don't run in background -- If you have a 8088, 8086, 80286 or other pre-80386 processor, or if you are not using an Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 53 DSHELL Version 4.0 EMS capable of supporting DESQview screen virtualization, the default PIF (00-pif.dpf) setup by DSHELL will not run in background because DESQview is unable to virtualize the screen. Only programs which do not write directly to the screen can be safely run in background in your situation. The best solution would be to acquire a 80386 or later system (or change to one of Quarterdeck's QEMM EMS products that supports screen virtualization if that's the problem). If you cannot do that, you can still get your well-behaved programs (see your DESQview manual for that definition) to run in background by telling DSHELL to use a PIF for those programs that does not ask for screen virtualization. To do, go to the File Operations menus, Tag all programs that satisfy the well-behaved criteria (if they are in various directories, tag the ones in each directory before going to the next directory), then drop the DSHELL menu and execute the "Tagged -> spawnpif" entry. A new menu will appear to handle the options for adding programs (what you have tagged) to the special treatment spawn list. Execute the line "Current dpf 00" to change the PIF. A list of the current PIFs available and "New" will appear. Click the "New" line with the mouse EXECUTE button. When the DESQview Edit Pif screen appears, change the lines "Writes text directly to screen", "Displays graphics information" and "Virtualize text/graphics" (the latter only if it appears in your system) to N for no. Press ENTER to complete the PIF edit. When the "Tagged->spawnpif" menu reappears (it will show the number of your new PIF), execute the line "Save changes, exit" to complete the operation. Those programs should now run in background. You can add additional programs latter, just re-use the same PIF. QEMM errors while running DSHELL with STEALTH -- If you have upgraded to QuarterDeck's QEMM 6.0 and activated the STEALTH feature, you may get a QEMM fault when DSHELL performs some disk I/O operations. Follow the QEMM suggested fix of adding the parameter "DBF=2" (the suggestion) to the QEMM startup line in your CONFIG.SYS file. QEMM in STEALTH mode does not support direct I/O to the EMS page frame without that parameter. Microsoft Windows does not start from commad line (typing "win") -- Under DESQview, Windows requires special treatment and sometimes a special loader to run properly. It is easiest to start Windows using the DESQveiw OPEN menu or by invoking its DESQview provided PIF (usually c:/dv/w3-pif or c:/dv/wr-pif) at the DSHELL command line. Program aborts when used with an inter-process pipe -- When a process is started with piped input or piped output, it must for the other process to startup (the process at the other end of the pipe). If the other process does not successfully start, or if your machine is delayed by some very slow activity, the waiting process will eventually timeout and report the failure. Check the other process to see why it failed or was so slow to start up. Slow operations can sometimes be due to other jobs tying up the disks, preventing new processes from loading. This is especially noticeable on some machines when doing heavy floppy disk I/O. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 54 DSHELL Version 4.0 Some Command Parameters/Filenames Don't Work Programs don't work on filenames containing certain characters (like $ , ~ and ') -- The DSHELL command interpreter is seeing the special characters, which have special meaning to it, and changing the filename in the process. To prevent this, enclose the filename with CNTRL X and CNTRL Y as you type it (the control characters appear as up and down arrows on the screen respectively). That will prevent the command interpreter from seeing the special characters and clobbering the filename (the two CNTRL characters are not passed to your program). Note that this is generally not needed when invoking from the predefined menus -- their scripts or menu commands have included the delimiters already. The command "dir/w" does not work -- DSHELL does not consider the "/" to be a field separator. It will inteprete the command as look for "w" in the "dir" directory. Type "dir /w" (with the space) instead. Also, beware of passing DOS programs pathnames with "/" instead of "\" as the path separators. DSHELL is happy with either as are many DOS programs but some are not. Screen Display Problems When program "xxx" runs, I get text in other windows or that stays on the screen after the program ends -- Programs which write directly to the screen (bypassing the DOS or BIOS routines) can not be run cleanly in DESQview with TEXT VIRTUALIZATION turned off (or on pre-80386 processors without a special DESQview loader). If you are using a special .DPF (or have modified the supplied default 00-PIF.DPF), you must have TEXT VIRTUALIZATION marked YES to run those programs cleanly on a 386 style processors. For 286 or early processor types, contact DESQview about the availability of a loader for your program. After I finish running a graphics display program, my DSHELL display is half off the screen -- Sometimes, when changing video modes to accommodate graphics display programs, DESQview changes the size and position of other processes' windows. When that happens, you can ZOOM the window (DESQ key followed by Z) to recover the window or do a window move and resize. Printer Problems/Questions I have changed my printer, how do I redefine the formAt options? -- To define a new printer type on a port (such as PRN) that you have previously defined a printer for, you must go to the DSHELL temp directory (normally C:\DSHELL\TMP) and remove the "DEVdir" directory (like prndir) for that port. Then go to the File Operations-Print menu and define your new printer. My printer is not on the formAt list (or does not work with the type picked on that list) -- If your printer is not listed, use the closest that works (Generic is the same as DOS's print). Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 55 DSHELL Version 4.0 While the printer types shown are believed to work, the options are based on formats received from other users and cannot be guaranteed. You can add new printers (and options for existing printers) by modifying the file PRINTERS.LST in the INSTALL directory (the format is printer name (no spaces), the word "prtcat", the driver name (generally "prtcat" again except for postscript printers) followed by pairs of the format filename and format setup string (as an argument to the ECHO command)). If you do navigate through adding a new printer type and send me the modified PRINTERS.LST file, I'll add it to our list and, provided you are a registered DSHELL owner, send you a free update of DSHELL. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 56 DSHELL Version 4.0 License Agreement and Support The version of DSHELL uploaded herein is a shareware version intended for evaluation purposes. This version has all the functionality described in this manual. The user assumes all responsibility for the use and results of using this evaluation software. You may use this evaluation software for your personal evaluation and unsupported use but not for commercial purposes (i.e., sale). If you desire a supported version, see the next paragraph. You may pass this evaluation version on to others for their personal evaluation provided it is passed unchanged and its in entirety and no significant charge is associated with the passing. If you find DSHELL useful, a single user license is available for a license fee of $50.00 which includes both the latest version of the software and a printed manual. The license also entitles the registered user to upgrades to new versions of the DSHELL program and reasonable support on DSHELL related problems. The DSHELL software (Copyright (C) 1991, 1992 D. G. Dempsey, All Rights Reserved) remains the property of the author. The license grants the registered user the right to (1) make archival copies as necessary, and (2) use the software on one machine (or multiple machines provided only one machine with the software is active at any one time). The registered user, by the act of acquiring the license, assumes all responsibility for the use and results of using the DSHELL software, and agrees that the author's responsibility for any liability related to this software shall be limited solely to the refund of the license fee upon return of said software. A registered user can obtain an upgrade to the latest version of DSHELL software by either (1) by sending $15.00 to the author, or (2) by sending the original disk and a suitable self-addressed prepaid disk mailer to the author. To become a registered user and obtain a fully functional current copy of the DSHELL software and manual, print and complete the LICENSE.FRM form in the accompanying file. Send the completed form, indicating the format of disk desired (1.2M 5.25 inch or 720K 3.5 inch), accompanied by a U.S. bank check or money order for the appropriate amount to the author: D. G. Dempsey P. O. Box 873 Bedford, TX 76095 Please allow four weeks for delivery. Texas residents should include appropriate sales tax (currently 7.75%). If you have questions or problems, you can get assistance by sending mail on the COMPUSERVE system to the author at Compuserve address 70701,1726. Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 57 DSHELL Version 4.0 Table of Contents The following lists the table of contents for the full DSHELL manual. Sections included in the uploaded abbreviated version are marked with an asterisk (*). Introduction to DSHELL * About This Manual * Installing DSHELL * System Requirements * Performing the DSHELL Installation * DSHELL Tutorial * Managing the DSHELL Screen Display * Normal Mode * Full Screen Mode * Running Under DESQview/DSHELL Versus Running Under DOS * Entering and Executing Commands * Using Full Screen Mode * Executing Files and Directories with a Mouse * Executing/Selecting Command History Entries * Menu Operations * Using Menus - The SYSTEM Menu * DISK OPERATIONS Menus * FILE OPERATIONS Menus * FILE OPERATIONS - Tag Menu * FILE OPERATIONS - Tag Ops Menu * FILE OPERATIONS - DSHELL Menu * Example 1: Formatting a Floppy Disk * Example 2: Copying Files and Directories * Example 3: Defining a Default Command * Example 4: Defining a Menu * Example 5: Running a DSHELL Command From DOS * How DSHELL Works * Command Lines, Screens and Menus Normal Mode - Memories of DOS Full Screen Mode The Current Directory Display - Default Commands The Command History Display Using Menus DSHELL Scripts and DOS Batch Files DSHELL Scripts - .SHL Files DOS Batch Scripts - .BAT Files DSHELL Operations Command Line Entry and Editing Environment Variables and Substitutions Flow Control - FOR, IF and SWITCH Commands Embedded Commands Command Line Parsing and Aliases Selecting Foreground or Background Execution Inter-Process Pipes Internal Commands External Commands - Running Programs and Scripts Search Path Executing *.DVP Files Executing *.SHL Scripts Executing *.BAT Scripts Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 58 DSHELL Version 4.0 Executing *.COM and *.EXE Files Post Command/Command Line Processing Controlling the Process Environment Controlling the Virtual Machine The Process Description - DSHELL .DPF Files Mapping Programs to .DPF Files - SPAWNPIF.SET File Setting a Program's Environment Variables Disk Paths Hard Disks Floppy Disks Setting the DESQview Window and Title Tracking Processes Process IDs - Parents and Children Getting the Program's Return Code Inter-Process Communications Sending Keystrokes to a Process To a Child Process To the Current Foreground Process Sending/Receiving Inter-Process Messages With DSHELL Scripts - .SHL Files With DESQview Specific Programs Inter-Process Pipes Redirection of STDIN and STDOUT Named Pipes Controlling Resources - Semaphores DSHELL Startup - PROFILE.SHL * Menu Colors - Setting the Screen Colors * Menu EnvVars - Setting Environment Variables * Menu Aliases - Defining Command Aliases * Menu Defaults - Defining Default Commands * Menu Menus - Creating/Changing Your Own Menus * The Menu Other - General and User Custom Operations * Menu ExitHelp - Completing/Aborting the Changes * Common Questions/Problems * Program Startup Problems * Some Command Parameters/Filenames Don't Work * Screen Display Problems * License Agreement and Support * DSHELL COMMANDS ACQUIRE - Acquire semaphore ownership ALIAS - Define an alias for a command ATTRIBUTE - Set screen colors BACK - Move process to background BUTTON - Define mouse button usage CAT - Type/concatenate files CD - Change disk and/or directory CHMOD - Change file attributes CLS - Clear window CP - Copy files/directories DATE - Display/set date DOT (.) - Run .SHL script in current process DSHELL - Issue DSHELL command from DOS/program DUMP - Show file in hex DVJOB - Set DESQview window parameters ECHO, ECHON - Display text EDITOR - Support multifile editors Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 59 DSHELL Version 4.0 EXIT - Exit a .SHL script EXPR - Evaluate arithmetic/string compare FFIND - Find files/directories FILENAME - Add path to filename FOR, BREAK, DONE - Loop over values/forever FORE - Make a process foreground IF, AND, ELSE, FI - Conditional commands IGNORE - Ignore error exits LINE - Read line from keyboard/file LS, LF - List directories MAILBOX - Name a mailbox MEMORY - Report memory usage MKDIR - Make directories MV - Move/Rename files/directories PAUSE - Wait operator permission PIDNAME - Get DESQview taskhandle PRINT - Spool files to printer PUSHKEY - Send keys to foreground process PUTKEY - Send keys to specified process PWD - Show current directory PWDS - Show current directory without slash QUERY - Get current window parameters READMAIL - Read inter-process mail RELEASE - Release a semaphore REMOVE - Friendly file/directory removal RM - Remove files/directories RMDIR, RD - Remove directories SENDMAIL - Send inter-process mail SET - Redefine .SHL parameters SETSCREEN - Set window for next process SETTITLE - Set title for next process SH - Start another DSHELL process SHELL VARIABLE - Environment variables SHIFT - Shift .SHL arguments SHMOUSE - Define menus/command defaults SHUSER - Convert .SHL script to user mode SLEEP - Sleep/Wait for specified time SOUND - Make a sound SPOOLER - Start print/command spooler SWITCH, CASE, EXITSWITCH, ENDSWITCH - Conditionals TEST - Test argument/file properties TIME - Get/set time of day TOUCH - Change file timestamp TRUE - Always true UNFLOPPY - Forget/unmount floppies VIEW - File viewer WAIT - Wait process complete/exit code WC - Count words, lines, characters in files Appendix A: PUSHKEY/PUTKEY SPECIAL CODES Appendix B: Video Attribute Mapping Copyright 1991 (C) D. G. Dempsey Page 60