Magnum One

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Magnum One / Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso / d2 / onboot.arc / ONBOOT.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1988-08-12 | 9.3 KB | 218 lines

ONBOOT 1.00 ----------- Purpose ------- ONBOOT is a simple utility designed for your AUTOEXEC.BAT. It allows you to have AUTOEXEC run selected programs only during a warm boot (Ctl-Alt-Del), a cold boot (power on), or the first boot of the day. For example, placing the command "ONBOOT DAILY CHKDSK" into AUTOEXEC will cause AUTOEXEC to run CHKDSK only once a day, the first time the PC is turned on. ONBOOT requires DOS 3.0 or later in DAILY mode, 2.0 or later in WARM/COLD modes. Use --- Using ONBOOT is quite simple. The full command is: onboot WARM|COLD|DAILY command [parameters] The first parameter must be one of the three boot selectors, "WARM", "COLD", or "DAILY": WARM Execute the command only if this is a warm boot. A warm boot is a "reboot", caused by pressing Ctl-Alt-Del or, on some machines, a reset switch. COLD Execute the command only if this is a cold boot. A cold boot is a power-up boot, resulting from turning the machine on. DAILY Execute the command only if the system date has changed since the last time ONBOOT DAILY was run. "Command" can be any command that you would normally put into AUTOEXEC.BAT (with minor restrictions as explained below), or it can be another batch file. It is specified exactly as you would specify it if you were running it directly. For example, a path is required if the command to be executed is not in the current directory or anywhere in the current PATH. File extensions (COM, EXE, BAT) are not required. Parameters to the command are also specified normally. Examples: onboot daily chkdsk onboot cold ramtest full /count=3 onboot warm ramtest quick Restrictions on commands ------------------------ ONBOOT executes the requested command by giving it to a secondary copy of the command shell (normally COMMAND.COM) for processing. Thus, anything you could normally execute at the DOS prompt can be run by ONBOOT: an internal DOS command, a program or external DOS command (COM and EXE files), or a batch file. There are only two restrictions: 1. Because the new copy of the command shell will drag along a new copy of the environment, commands that set or modify environment strings will not work as you expect. Therefore, don't use ONBOOT to execute SET, PATH, or PROMPT commands. 2. Don't use ONBOOT to execute commands or batches that will load resident programs (TSRs). These include the obvious ones like Sidekick, et al, as well as some DOS programs such as PRINT, certain variants of MODE, etc. It is difficult to imagine why you would want to load TSRs or set strings in the environment only on certain kinds of boots, so these restrictions should not present any real problems. Running multiple commands DAILY ------------------------------- You can use as many ONBOOT WARM and ONBOOT COLD commands in AUTOEXEC as you wish. However, ONBOOT DAILY will only run once a day, so having more than one ONBOOT DAILY command in AUTOEXEC doesn't make sense; only the first one will ever get run. If you want to execute more than one command DAILY, put them in a separate batch file and execute it DAILY from AUTOEXEC. For example: AUTOEXEC.BAT: ... onboot daily onceaday ... ONCEADAY.BAT: chkdsk ramtest massive otherstuff Each day, ONBOOT will run ONCEADAY.BAT, which will then run the three commands shown. When ONCEADAY.BAT is done, AUTOEXEC will pick up again with the first command. ONBOOT.EXE date stamp --------------------- ONBOOT determines how recently it was run by the simple expedient of looking at its own date stamp. Each time ONBOOT DAILY is run successfully, ONBOOT updates the date stamp of the program file, ONBOOT.EXE (this eliminates the need for a separate data file to track dates). If the date of ONBOOT.EXE is different from the current system date, the DAILY stuff will get executed. If they are the same, DAILY has already run today, and the command will not be executed. You don't really need to know this; it's just in case you ever wondered why ONBOOT.EXE always appears to be brand new in your directory displays. Memory use ---------- ONBOOT uses a bit under 2K of memory for itself. The command procesoor uses a bit more, typically under 4K for COMMAND.COM. Thus, the commands run by ONBOOT will have about 6K less memory to work with than normal. ONBOOT is not resident, so it uses no memory except when it is actually executed. Error messages -------------- Incorrect version of DOS ONBOOT requires DOS 2.0 or later for WARM/COLD, and DOS 3.0 or later for DAILY. You must supply a command to be run You didn't give ONBOOT a command to be executed. Can't find COMSPEC= in environment Your environment must contain a COMSPEC statement to help ONBOOT find the command processor. DOS does this automatically, so it will only be missing if you have taken specific action to eliminate it, i.e., by executing a SET COMSPEC= in AUTOEXEC before running ONBOOT. Problem executing command shell ONBOOT wasn't able to give your command to the command processor (COMMAND.COM) for execution. Either the command processor is missing (isn't where COMSPEC says it is) or there isn't enough memory available. Error opening ONBOOT.EXE for date check ONBOOT wasn't able to locate and open the program file ONBOOT.EXE so that it could check its date. Unable to update timestamp on ONBOOT.EXE ONBOOT wasn't able to change the date of ONBOOT.EXE to today's date. DAILY commands will continue to run with every boot until you locate the source of the problem. Version history --------------- 1.00 08/03/88 Initial release. Copyright/License/Warranty -------------------------- This document and the program file ONBOOT.EXE ("the software") are copyrighted by the author. The copyright owner hereby licenses you to: use the software; make as many copies of the program and documentation as you wish; give such copies to anyone; and distribute the software and documentation via electronic means. There is no charge for any of the above. However, you are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such copies, however made; and from distributing the software and/or documentation with commercial products without prior permission. An exception is granted to not-for-profit user's groups, which are authorized to charge a small fee (not to exceed $7) for materials, handling, postage, and general overhead. NO FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IS AUTHORIZED TO CHARGE ANY AMOUNT FOR DISTRIBUTION OF COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION, OR TO INCLUDE COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION WITH SALES OF THEIR OWN PRODUCTS. THIS INCLUDES A SPECIFIC PROHIBITION AGAINST FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS DISTRIBUTING THE SOFTWARE, EITHER ALONE OR WITH OTHER SOFTWARE, AND CHARGING A "HANDLING" OR "MATERIALS" FEE OR ANY OTHER SUCH FEE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION. NO FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IS AUTHORIZED TO INCLUDE THE SOFTWARE ON ANY MEDIA FOR WHICH MONEY IS CHARGED. The software may not be included with distribution of commercial or "shareware" software without a license from The Cove Software Group. No copy of the software may be distributed or given away without this document; and this notice must not be removed. There is no warranty of any kind, and the copyright owner is not liable for damages of any kind. By using this free software, you agree to this. The software and documentation are: Copyright (C) 1988 by The Cove Software Group Christopher J. Dunford P.O. Box 1072 Columbia, Maryland 21044 (301) 992-9371 CompuServe 76703,2002 [IBMNET]