To: 999 (all members)
From: K5B (David J.MacGraw.)
Subject: 512 and DOS+ (Part 4)
Copying COMMAND.COM to a ramdisc (M:)
and amending the COMSPEC environment
and PATH variables accordingly greatly
speeds re-loading when necessary and
ends Unable to load COMMAND.COM errors.
The COMMAND/C <program name> construct
for those programs requiring a second
COMMAND.COM becomes almost transparent.
Similarly, the COMMAND <2nd.batch file>
substitute for DOS3.3's CALL 'sub-batch
routine' command is equally effective.
Many DOS programs permit 'shelling-out'
whereby the current application is left
in abeyance and control returned to the
user usually by re-loading COMMAND.COM.
Again, using a ramdisc copy makes this
process virtually immediate. Return to
the original program is normally done
by entering the EXIT command.
TIP: Try Ctrl/C or Ctrl/Break instead
of typing EXIT. Many programs (eg. LIST
v7.6b, QEdit v2.1, FED v1.51) respond
correctly to this. NB: DOS's Ctrl/Break
means Ctrl and the numeric keypad Break
key (ie. the 'hash' symbol below '*'),
NOT the Beeb's hard break combination!
One minor annoyance when 'shelling-out'
is the over-writing of the Type EXIT to
return to ----- line by DR's copyright
message. One solution is to edit the
string to include a CR+LF at the start.
Using a hex file editor ON A COPY FIRST
amend the bytes at offset 0654E onwards
from "DOS Plus" to 0D,0A,"DRDOS+".
Another tweak to COMMAND.COM (06.01.87)
which may be of use is to change the
byte at offset 0168F from 07C to 07F.
This permits the '|' character to be
used in, for example, batch files. One
need for this is to prepare the Beeb's
soft keys for use when using STAR or
ES's OSCLI/SuprStar commands to include
control characters.
The ramdisc is also useful for keeping
oft' used utilities. One which I use a
lot is Colour.EXE. This presets my CGA
palette correctly for doing PCB layouts
etc. and needs to be called four times
before and after running the program, a
long-winded task even with a hard disc!
A 're-entrant' batch file (called AUTO
so I can just press f1 - see Pt.3) does
all the preparation needed, as follows:
echo off suppresses some screen output
cls clears the screen
if %1 == RAM goto INM re-entrant call?
if exist m:auto.bat goto RAM 1st call?
mouse install 512 mouse driver
ps3 install Problem Solver
MemoPad 5 install ES MemoPad
PadLoad load specific pad data
copy ½system½colour.exe m: copy utility
copy auto.bat m: copy self
:RAM
m:auto RAM repeat from ramdisc
:INM
m:
thin change font
colour 0 6 change colour palette
colour 1 4
colour 5 1
colour 6 4
c: return to PCB directory
EasyPC run PCB program session
cls
m: return to ramdisc
colour 6 1 restore colour palette
colour 5 6
colour 1 7
colour 0 0
normal restore font
c: return to PCB directory
Having installed the required programs
the file recalls itself from ramdisc to
execute the 4 colour changes needed;
after the session it then restores the
palette, again at lightening speed!
Next time, ES's 'essential' collection
of utilities and their hotkeys.
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