DOS shortcut
Elaine Jackson
IBM DOS 5.0 operating system; when I first turn it on, the screen says
"Kathy's Main Menu <newline> (1) WordPerfect 6.0", and the "1" key is a
shortcut (or whatever the correct name is) to that program. So my question
is, How can I make my own shortcut to another program?
E.S.Fabian
Neither this question, nor the discussions in the previous thread you started belong in the comp.os.msdos.4dos newsgroup, which
discusses the family of command processors from JP Software, Inc. (4DOS.COM, 4NT.EXE, etc). Please remove from your address list.
Regardless, the answer to your problem is apparently in the file C:\CONFIG.SYS, which appears to have a startup menu. Look for
commands like "mennuitem" and "menudefault", and mmodify it to your liking.
--
E. S. "Steve" Fabian ESFa...@BellAtlantic.net
Telephone: 856-354-1752 POB 1540, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dosius
> "Elaine Jackson" <elaineja...@home.com> wrote in message news:Xq2Z9.128003$sV3.4...@news3.calgary.shaw.ca...
> > Simple newbie question: I just started using a secondhand computer with an
> > IBM DOS 5.0 operating system; when I first turn it on, the screen says
> > "Kathy's Main Menu <newline> (1) WordPerfect 6.0", and the "1" key is a
> > shortcut (or whatever the correct name is) to that program. So my question
> > is, How can I make my own shortcut to another program?
> >
> >
>
> Neither this question, nor the discussions in the previous thread you started belong in the comp.os.msdos.4dos newsgroup, which
> discusses the family of command processors from JP Software, Inc. (4DOS.COM, 4NT.EXE, etc). Please remove from your address list.
>
> Regardless, the answer to your problem is apparently in the file C:\CONFIG.SYS, which appears to have a startup menu. Look for
> commands like "mennuitem" and "menudefault", and mmodify it to your liking.
DOS 5 didn't have that...that was a 6.0 feature.
The program may be a hard-wired binary. In that case, it can't be
tweaked. I don't know exactly what you want, but maybe you could have
the Autoexec.bat file run DOSSHELL instead, and edit its menu. (If
it's still there)
-uso.
Joe Fischer
Elaine Jackson <elaineja...@home.com> wrote:
: Simple newbie question: I just started using a secondhand computer with an
Is it the "1" key or "Function Key-1"? Do you have
a good text file editor? Have you looked at the config.sys
and autoexec.bat files, they are both text files?
The Function Keys can be assigned to type strings
on the command line, which can be filenames, and if a
13p is added to the string, the keystroke will act like
a "hot key" and the command will execute.
It is not a good idea to assign any keys except the
Function Keys, but the autoexec.bat file may contain a
menu, look at it to see.
A DOS user that wants to use the functionality
provided in DOS should learn about the way keystrokes
are seen by the compiler, and by the DOS console.
The key codes can be looked up on a chart if
the manual is handy, but not all keyboards are alike,
so it is good to have a program that will tell you
what key code is returned when a key is pressed.
Then the function key can be assigned with
a prompt statement, or within autoexec.bat or other
batch file, or with a small .COM file that does the
same thing as a prompt statement.
The following Turbo Pascal 6.0 program will
provide an insight into how the returned key code
is two bytes, and what those bytes are, for the
assigning of function keys, both bytes are needed
because the function keys return two bytes.
The program can be compiled and run in
Turbo Pascal 4.0 and up, I think.
Program ShoXXkey;
uses Crt;
LABEL TOP,BYE;
VAR First_Byte,Second_Byte :CHAR;
N :INTEGER;
BEGIN (* Main - Some Early Compilers use #27 instead of #0 For First Byte *)
ClrScr;
TOP:
First_Byte:= ReadKey; (* Read First Byte of Two Byte Key Code *)
if First_Byte = #0 then (* It is an Extended Key Code *)
begin
Second_Byte:= ReadKey; (* Read Second Byte *)
if Second_Byte <> #0 then (* it is not ESCape Key *)
BEGIN
N:= ord(Second_Byte);
Writeln(' Extended Key Code is 0 + Decimal ',N);
Writeln; GOTO TOP;
END;
end;
IF First_Byte <> #0 THEN
begin
N:= ord(First_Byte);
Writeln('Regular KEY CODE IS Decimal ',N); Writeln;
if N = 1 then GOTO BYE; (* Exit Program on Control-A *)
end;
GOTO TOP;
BYE:
END. (* Tested in Turbo Pascal 6.0 *)
The manual section on prompt and function key
assignment tells how to use the key codes, and maybe
the section on ANSI.SYS also does.
If anybody wants the compiled program, I can
make it available on my web site or email it.
And if anybody can't find a good text editor
that will type character 27, I can help.
Joe Fischer
--
3
Todd Vargo
"Dosius" <st...@dosius.zzn.com> wrote:
> "E.S.Fabian" <ESFa...@BellAtlantic.net> wrote:
> > "Elaine Jackson" <elaineja...@home.com> wrote:
> > > Simple newbie question: I just started using a secondhand computer
with an
> > > IBM DOS 5.0 operating system; when I first turn it on, the screen says
> > > "Kathy's Main Menu <newline> (1) WordPerfect 6.0", and the "1" key is
a
> > > shortcut (or whatever the correct name is) to that program. So my
question
> > > is, How can I make my own shortcut to another program?
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Neither this question, nor the discussions in the previous thread you
started belong in the comp.os.msdos.4dos newsgroup, which
> > discusses the family of command processors from JP Software, Inc.
(4DOS.COM, 4NT.EXE, etc). Please remove from your address list.
> >
> > Regardless, the answer to your problem is apparently in the file
C:\CONFIG.SYS, which appears to have a startup menu. Look for
> > commands like "mennuitem" and "menudefault", and mmodify it to your
liking.
>
> DOS 5 didn't have that...that was a 6.0 feature.
>
> The program may be a hard-wired binary. In that case, it can't be
> tweaked. I don't know exactly what you want, but maybe you could have
> the Autoexec.bat file run DOSSHELL instead, and edit its menu. (If
> it's still there)
>
> -uso.
Back in the day, I seem to recall using a little com program named
input.com. But before that, we just use plain old batch files to either TYPE
or ECHO a menu to screen, and having batch files with corresponding single
character names to carry out the selection.
::Menu.bat
echo off
cls
echo Kathy's Main Menu
echo (1) WordPerfect 6.0
Then 1.bat would be placed somewhere along PATH.
::1.bat
cd \wp6
wp6
cd\
menu
BTW, depending on what is going on in a batch, it's never a good idea to use
a batch file to load a text editor that will in turn to modify the same
batch file that loaded the editor. Unpredictable results can occur when
exiting the editor.
Too bad the 4dos group was removed. Steve might have learned something.
--
Todd Vargo (body of message must contain my name to reply by email)
Bill Leary
news:b14cm4$u3bmo$2...@ID-25025.news.dfncis.de...
> But before that, we just use plain old batch files to either TYPE
> or ECHO a menu to screen, and having batch files with corresponding
> single character names to carry out the selection.
That's a "ping from the past" for me.
I recall maintaining a HUGE setup someone like that did for a customer of
mine. Must have been thirty or fourty .BATs to implement a main menu, a
half dozen sub-menus, and even a couple of sub-sub-menus. The customer
never noticed that the selections never repeated. Main was 1-9, one of the
subs A-G, another H to L and so on. He thought I was nuts when I told him
he didn't have to work down through the menus if he remembered what the
final key was going to be.
- Bill
CBFalconer
> > computer with an IBM DOS 5.0 operating system; when I first
> > turn it on, the screen says "Kathy's Main Menu <newline> (1)
> > WordPerfect 6.0", and the "1" key is a shortcut (or whatever
> > the correct name is) to that program. So my question is, How
> > can I make my own shortcut to another program?
>
> Neither this question, nor the discussions in the previous thread
> you started belong in the comp.os.msdos.4dos newsgroup, which
> discusses the family of command processors from JP Software, Inc.
> (4DOS.COM, 4NT.EXE, etc). Please remove from your address list.
>
> Regardless, the answer to your problem is apparently in the file
> C:\CONFIG.SYS, which appears to have a startup menu. Look for
> commands like "mennuitem" and "menudefault", and mmodify it to
> your liking.
ITYM autoexec.bat, not config.sys. Please also fix your line
length, you are generating lines well over the maximum 80 chars
allowed.
--
Chuck F (cbfal...@yahoo.com) (cbfal...@worldnet.att.net)
Available for consulting/temporary embedded and systems.
<http://cbfalconer.home.att.net> USE worldnet address!
Joe Fischer
Todd Vargo <todd...@nccw.net> wrote:
: Back in the day, I seem to recall using a little com program named
: input.com. But before that, we just use plain old batch files to either TYPE
: or ECHO a menu to screen, and having batch files with corresponding single
: character names to carry out the selection.
:
: ::Menu.bat
: echo off
: cls
: echo Kathy's Main Menu
: echo (1) WordPerfect 6.0
:
:
: Then 1.bat would be placed somewhere along PATH.
:
: ::1.bat
: cd \wp6
: wp6
: cd\
: menu
Your batch file should have a drive change,
if the floppy was the current drive, wouldn't the
above file cause an error?
: BTW, depending on what is going on in a batch, it's never a good idea to use
: a batch file to load a text editor that will in turn to modify the same
: batch file that loaded the editor. Unpredictable results can occur when
: exiting the editor.
Thanks for that info, this thread is very much
in line with what I have been working on, and I have
offered PATHTYPER for sale on ebay for about half
what I think it is worth, but nobody bid. :-)
Using a static menu is the old way, PATHTYPER
has many features that have been available in a GUI,
but not in DOS, AFAIK.
When used with win98, it uses some of the
features of windows, like running the browser to
view html or image files, invoking the file the
menu bar is on.
But it has a lot of other features, like
single key actions, function key assignments that
either just run an assigned program, or run a
program and invoke the filename the menu bar is on.
A wide directory is on screen in idle mode
if a child process is not running, and just pressing
the "e" key clears the screen and displays only
filenames with an Exx filer extension.
I use this a lot to search for exe files in
my Temporary Internet Files directory.
I feel the program is worth quite a bit
just for the path typing features, at least for
somebody who works in DOS a lot, especially on
a large system, or on a strange computer.
The function key assignment feature uses
a unique way for a user to assign the function
keys, and with a cheat sheet to show which key
is assigned to what program, about 30 or 40
function keys can be assigned to run programs,
with or without invoking the file the menu bar
is on.
I am still working on the web site info,
and the web site is redirected at present, from
to
Maybe it would have helped give DOS a boost
and save a lot of work for DOS users, if only somebody
would have bid. :-)
Joe Fischer
--
3
Todd Vargo
> : Back in the day, I seem to recall using a little com program named
> : input.com. But before that, we just use plain old batch files to either
TYPE
> : or ECHO a menu to screen, and having batch files with corresponding
single
> : character names to carry out the selection.
> :
> : ::Menu.bat
> : echo off
> : cls
> : echo Kathy's Main Menu
> : echo (1) WordPerfect 6.0
> :
> :
> : Then 1.bat would be placed somewhere along PATH.
> :
> : ::1.bat
> : cd \wp6
> : wp6
> : cd\
> : menu
>
> Your batch file should have a drive change,
> if the floppy was the current drive, wouldn't the
> above file cause an error?
Yes, that would be a very nice addition to include for any users that can't
seem to remember where they are. ;-)
Since a HD was typically available, I would only use a floppy for saving
backups of files, so I rarely ever made a floppy drive the current drive. If
I touch a floppy now days, it's because someone is giving me a file.
Joe Fischer
Todd Vargo <todd...@nccw.net> wrote:
: "Joe Fischer" <grav...@shell1.iglou.com> wrote:
:> Your batch file should have a drive change,
:> if the floppy was the current drive, wouldn't the
:> above file cause an error?
:
: Yes, that would be a very nice addition to include for any users that can't
: seem to remember where they are. ;-)
Or to save them three keystrokes even if they
know exactly where they are, with a CDROM as a current
drive, or a second hard disk, or multiple partitions
which have logical drive letters.
: Since a HD was typically available, I would only use a floppy for saving
: backups of files, so I rarely ever made a floppy drive the current drive. If
: I touch a floppy now days, it's because someone is giving me a file.
I was under the impression that you had
multiple partitions though, sorry. The last
20 gig I formatted has drive letters c through W,
which leaves X for the CDROM, Y and Z for a USB
smart drive or Firewire.
I suppose maybe most computers only have
one hard drive installed though.
But the DOS Prompt isn't used much on
most computers.
Joe Fischer
--
3
Todd Vargo
> : Since a HD was typically available, I would only use a floppy for saving
> : backups of files, so I rarely ever made a floppy drive the current
drive. If
> : I touch a floppy now days, it's because someone is giving me a file.
>
> I was under the impression that you had
> multiple partitions though, sorry.
I always know what drive/directory is current, so I fail to see relevance
between my floppy usage, and the number of partitions I have.
Or are you just being a bit overly helpful for the OP's sake?
Joe Fischer
:> multiple partitions though, sorry.
:
: I always know what drive/directory is current, so I fail to see relevance
: between my floppy usage, and the number of partitions I have.
It is my opinion, based on years of usage,
that a drive change be done before a command line.
For instance, if I want to see a directory in
my C:\incoming directory, the batch file is
C:
cd\incoming
dir
The drive change should do nothing if C is
the current drive.
A batch file I use is Q.BAT when I want to
exit the DOS prompt back to windows desktop.
I want it to make C:\windows the current
directory before I hold ALT and press SPACE,
just because the current directory is C:\windows
whenever I go to the DOS Prompt.
So, Q.BAT is
C:
cd\windows
and it will work no matter which drive
I am on, and whether or not I am aware what
directory is current.
If I was on a drive other than C, then
a drive change is needed to accomplish what
I want, which is make c:\windows the current
drive.
Joe Fischer
--
3
Todd Vargo
"Joe Fischer" <grav...@shell1.iglou.com> wrote:
> It is my opinion, based on years of usage,
> that a drive change be done before a command line.
>
> For instance, if I want to see a directory in
> my C:\incoming directory, the batch file is
>
> C:
> cd\incoming
> dir
>
> The drive change should do nothing if C is
> the current drive.
>
I would just type "DIR C:\INCOMING", but you can use whatever commands you
prefer to "see a directory" on another drive.
> A batch file I use is Q.BAT when I want to
> exit the DOS prompt back to windows desktop.
> I want it to make C:\windows the current
> directory before I hold ALT and press SPACE,
> just because the current directory is C:\windows
> whenever I go to the DOS Prompt.
>
> So, Q.BAT is
>
> C:
> cd\windows
>
> and it will work no matter which drive
> I am on, and whether or not I am aware what
> directory is current.
> If I was on a drive other than C, then
> a drive change is needed to accomplish what
> I want, which is make c:\windows the current
> drive.
I don't understand why it would be necessary to make C:\WINDOWS current just
to "exit the DOS prompt back to windows desktop". I would just type EXIT at
said full screen DOS prompt, but that's just me.
Jodie Senkyrik
batch files and one is called 1.bat. To find out, at the C prompt, type:
dir/s 1.bat
(A batch file is also being used to type "Kathy's Main Menu (1) Wordperfect
6." Find the name of this one in the autoexec.bat. To find all batch files
on your system, type: DIR/s/p *.bat The /s looks throughout the system
and the /p pauses the screen when it fills up, allowing you to see whats there
before you move on, and the * is a wildcard.)
DIR/s 1.* will show if and where your 1.bat file is. If it exists in
the root directory, (probably), then what I would suggest is this...
At the C prompt, type: COPY 1.bat 2.bat
(or you can call 2.bat any name you like.... kathy2.bat, or 1b.bat, or
anything.bat, remembering to only use up to 8 characters before the dot.)
hit ENTER key
type: EDIT 2.bat
(or whatever name you gave it)
hit ENTER key
(These steps create a batch file called 2.bat in the same directory the 1.bat
file is in, and then opens the 2.bat file for editing it.)
The editor program will open with the 2.bat batch file. This batch file will
show you how the Wordperfect batch file was designed since what you'll see is
a duplicate of the 1.bat file. Most likely you can replace the Wordperfect
command line/code for the new program's command line/code you want to insert.
Save the file and exit, then try it. Some tweaking of the new program's
command line can sometimes be necessary. It may need the full path also.
Simply type: edit 2.bat
and hit ENTER to return to edit it again.
If you expect to do this with many programs, you will want to use the EDIT
command to change the original batch file that is called forth from within the
autoexec.bat on bootup. Otherwise you won't see which batch files you have
set up on your system to start the programs.
Jodie