Mail Archives: djgpp/1997/01/27/19:08:37
On Sat, 25 Jan 1997, Shawn Hargreaves wrote:
> Eli Zaretskii writes:
> >> How ANY DOS programmer could get by without 4DOS is totally BEYOND me!
> >
> >You don't need 600k compressed package to get file completion. For an
> >example of such a tool check out CMDEDIT from SimTel.NET: it does file
> >completion and command-line editing in just 10k. I think most of the
> >size 4DOS takes at runtime is due to its advanced command-line syntax
> >(like >& and ||) and richer set of built-in commands, not to the
> >completion. So the real issue with 4DOS (IMHO) is: do you really need
> >all the additional features, beyond filename completion?
>
> I do - I can't use a PC for more than five or ten minutes if it doesn't
> have 4DOS on it :-)
Me neither! When I'm forced to use another machine, if only for a
short while, I'll bear it, however if it is going to be for a day or
so, I'll convince the owner to try out 4DOS. EVERYONE who I have
shown 4DOS to that is a regular DOS command line user has switched to
4DOS!!!!!!
> > Nifty features I particularly like: >
> Type 'foobar.c<cr>' to get the file loaded into your editor, regardless
> of the current directory (it searches the path as for executable files).
Yeah, I like that for *.txt files, *.wav, *.gif, etc... Just type
whatever.wav at the command line and it plays!!!!!!! Gotta love
4DOS
> Type 'cd mydir' and it will find the directory even if it isn't a child
> of the current dir.
Yeah, I love the CDPATH thing too. Just realized that bash has it
too! Don't like CDPATH as much in Linux though cause there is a lot
of similarly named directories.
> 'global' can be used to run any command (even non-4DOS ones) recursively
> through a directory tree.
Yip, VERY useful for grepping!
> 'except (files) command' to remove some files from processing. Works
> with non-4DOS internals too, as it just hides the files while the
> command executes.
I love this one however it has some problems related to hidden files
(due to the fact that it makes the files temporarily hidden).
> Plus all the neat little things like filename completion, command
> history, color ls, and a decent batch language.
I hear ya! Don't forget those powerful aliases, and keyboard
redefinition, online help on the F1 key, etc...
> Yesterday at work I had a directory containing about 300 files, and
> wanted to copy a new one over everything less than 4k in size. A simple
> one-line command in 4DOS...
Date, time and size ranges! Gotta love them for selectively cleaning
out your netscape cache directory! Works great when combined with the
DEL commands /S switch, or the GLOBAL command.
> And it's not that huge. When I replaced my command.com with 4dos, I
> actually ended up with _more_ conventional memory (although it did use a
> chunk of XMS).
Yeah, me too, however if one were to actually NEED that XMS, 4DOS can
be easily configured to NOT use any XMS or EMS, instead it will swap
to disk (140k file). I have a couple of configs where this is
necessary for a game or two that need maximum memory and I don't want
to be stuck in command.com.
> Hmm. Maybe I should get a job with JP Software's marketing dept! :-)
Maybe we both could? Hmmm... Hey Rexx... here's my resume. 4DOS
rules!
> * Ghoti: 'gh' as in 'enough', 'o' as in 'women', and 'ti' as in 'nation'.
I like this line. Pretty funny, and illustrative of the intricacies
of our deranged language.
TTYL
Mike A. Harris - Computer Consultant http://www3.sympatico.ca/mharris
My dynamic address: http://www3.sympatico.ca/mharris/ip-address.html
mailto:mharris AT sympatico DOT ca mailto:mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca
RHIDE: Current version 1.10
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