DOSTIPS.TXT Topics Contents:

I.  My F1-F12 Remapping Tips (DOS mode, using ANSI.SYS)
II. MS DOSSHELL Files Tips



I.  My F1-F12 Remapping Tips (DOS mode, using ANSI.SYS)


NOTE: The tips in this topic are valid for all MS-DOS versions starting with
      5.00 and up to 7.00 (MS-DOS 7.00 is included with Windows 95).

The included KEY.TXT and X.TXT files are simple "ANSI" batch files designed
to reassign the "extended" keys on 101 keyboards: from F1 to F12 on extended
(101 to 104 keys) keyboards through the ANSI device driver capabilities.

NOTE: If you don't know what these abreviations mean (i.e ANSI, ASCII, etc),
      please look them up in GLOSSARY.TXT, also included.

First, you need to load MS-DOS's ANSI.SYS device driver in your CONFIG.SYS
with the "/X" switch to allow for DOS mode key remapping, after the lines
that load HIMEM.SYS AND EMM386.EXE (MS-DOS 5.00 and up users):

DEVICEHIGH C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS /X

You can use any other compatible ANSI device that has the ability to remap
the extended keys: F1-F12 (or/and any other keys, if you like) to replace
MS-DOS's ANSI.SYS.
A good example is NANSI.SYS version 3.3 11/91 (a freely distributed utility
written by Daniel Kegel and found in the DOS "Top Picks" area on AOL).
Load NANSI.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS with this command line:

DEVICEHIGH=C:\your_path\NANSI.SYS /K /X

NANSI.SYS is a very good MS-DOS ANSI.SYS replacement (which is actually
more flexible and faster as a text console accelerator, and also has the
extended 101 keyboard remapping feature built-in). NANSI33.ZIP is available
on AOL from the "DOS Top Picks" software area.
NANSI.SYS's author is Daniel Kegel (version 3.3, 11/91).
You can contact the author at:
dank@blacks.jpl.nasa.gov
or
dank@cco.caltech.edu
for more details.

To get back to F1-F12 remapping:
You can add this line at the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT:

TYPE C:\your_path\KEY.TXT

After AUTOEXEC.BAT is processed, press one of the function keys (F1 through
F12) at the DOS prompt, to start whatever DOS program you want, including
starting Windows (any version).
To assign your own DOS commands to F1-F12 in KEY.TXT, open it with a DOS
text editor, (MS-DOS's EDIT.COM ACSII text editor does just fine) and
type in the commands you want inside the 'quote-unquote': "PROGRAM".
Leave NO spaces!
Example:

"WIN"

Make sure that the files (commands) mentioned in key.txt are in your PATH=
statement, set in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, otherwise you need to add their actual
paths to the command lines in KEY.TXT. Example:

"drive:\your_path\your_program"

NOTE: Try to keep the command lines short (you don't have to mention the
      paths to your programs if you placed your most used programs into
      directories listed into your PATH= statement).
      Too long command lines in KEY.TXT may result in an "Out of environment
      space" message.

If you get an "Out of environment space" message, you'll need to increase
the size of DOS environment, by editting your CONFIG.SYS, and adding or
changing the SHELL= line. Example:
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:832 /L:160 /U:160 /P /F

You can assign DOS commands to ANY key on your keyboard as long as it
doesn't interfere with any other functions that particular key might
have (example: some of the function keys are remapped by the MS-DOS
DOSKEY.COM TSR driver).
To remap any key, you need to get that specific key's ASCII code. Run this
command from a DOS prompt:
HELP ANSI.SYS
and look for the ASCI codes, scrolling down through ANSI.SYS command
parameters (MS-DOS 6.xx).

NOTE: Windows 95 users can get the ASCI codes by opening MSDOSDRV.TXT with
      Notepad, and read the ANSI.SYS topic (it's a text file found in your
      Windows 95 folder).

Then open KEY.TXT (with EDIT.COM in DOS, or Notepad in Windows) and change
a key's ASCII code to the one you want, to have that particular key start
your favorite DOS program (or start Windows).
Example: change "WIN" to "MSD". MSD.EXE is Microsoft's Diagnostics utility.
To run certain DOS programs that rely on their own key remapping, you need
to temporarily disable extended key F1-F12 remapping and go back to DOS's
own original configuration. For this purpose, I created the file X.TXT and
you need to enter the following at the DOS prompt to use it:

TYPE C:\your_path\X.TXT

You can rename X.TXT to whatever you want (the same for KEY.TXT).
If you start a program that needs its own key remapping enabled, use these
two commands in a DOS batch file:

@echo off
type c:\your_path\x.txt
drive:\path\your_program_executable
type c:\your_path\key.txt

to disable the custom remapped keys, enabled by KEY.TXT, and start your
program from the above batch file, after you included:

type c:\your_path\key.txt

as the last command line to your autoexec.bat (to allow the keys to be
remapped according to the commands listed in KEY.TXT).
It is neat to assign your most used DOS commands to KEY.TXT, for running
them just by pressing the designed function key, from F1 to F12.
REMINDER: This works only on 101/105 extended keyboards with ANSI.SYS
          (or similar) loaded (MS-DOS 5.00 and up to MS-DOS 7.00)!



II. MS DOSSHELL Files Tips



For MS DOSSHELL (MS-DOS 5.00 and up) users, I included a neat DOSSHELL.INI
file, with some fun(k)y color schemes. To use it, first BACKUP your own
dosshell.ini file, and copy this one to your \DOS directory (where your
DOSShell files should be).
Hope you'll like it (especially the new color schemes).

NOTE: You can further edit this DOSSHELL.INI file (with EDIT.COM in DOS mode)
      and modify any of the color settings for any of the color schemes as
      you like.

It may be useful to add this line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT:

SET DOSSHELL=C:\SHELL

If you moved your Dosshell files to another directory (C:\SHELL in this
example). If your Dosshell files are located in your \DOS directory
(default), or if your Dosshell files have been moved to a directory in your
path (specified by the PATH= line in your autoexec.bat), you don't need the
SET DOSSHELL= line in autoexec.bat.
List of MS DOSShell files (as included with MS-DOS 6.00):

DOSSHELL.COM => you can safely delete it, if you use MS-DOS 6.20 or above
DOSSHELL.EXE
DOSSHELL.GRB
DOSSHELL.HLP
DOSSHELL.INI
DOSSHELL.VID

TIP: I find DOSShell very useful, strictly as a DOS "File Manager"
     counterpart (and it's free for MS-DOS users).

NOTE: Even Microsoft recomends: do NOT use DOSShell as a DOS menu to start
      other applications (especially Windows!).

I erased the entire MENU section from my dosshell.ini.

WARNING: If you decide to use my DOSSHELL.INI file, you should be WARNED
         that I eliminated the confirmation screen prompt on commands like:
         Copy, Move, Delete.
         Example: when you highlight a single file and press the Del key,
         the file WILL BE DELETED right away with no prompting from
         DOSShell!

Also, if you'll try to run a batch (.BAT) file by double-clicking on it,
that file will open in EDIT.COM for editting, instead !
Other types of files associated with EDIT.COM in my dosshell.ini:
 - .DOC
 - .INF
 - .INI
 - .SYS
 - .TXT
 - .WRI

The MS-DOS .HLP files (in your \DOS directory) are associated with HELP.COM
(also located in your \DOS directory, which should be on your PATH line,
mentioned in your autoexec.bat).
The .BAS files are associated with QBASIC.COM, also found in your \DOS
directory by default.
If you have PKZIP.EXE and PKUNZIP.EXE (part of the PKWare zipping/unzipping
package, version 2.04g) installed on your machine, you can unzip a .ZIP file
(restore the original files on the hard drive), by double-clicking on it, in
the current directory, where the ZIP file is located.
To change any of the above settings, open this dosshell.ini with EDIT.COM
(outside DOSShell), or with Notepad in Windows, and change the file
associations at the end of the file (file association can be edited, or new
ones created from DOSShell, by clicking "Associate...", from the File menu).
You can also change the following lines in the [savestate] section:

[savestate]
replaceconfirm = disabled
deleteconfirm = disabled
mouseconfirm = disabled

back to their original state, to read:

[savestate]
replaceconfirm = enabled
deleteconfirm = enabled
mouseconfirm = enabled

to get back the confirmation screens (the safe way).

NOTE: 1. Users of MS-DOS/Windows, have to access Microsoft's Software Web/FTP
         sites to DL the Dosshell files, as they are not included on the
         MS-DOS 6.22 install floppy diskettes anymore (they are freely
         distributed for all MS-DOS users).
      2. The DOSSHELL files are also available on AOL, in the "DOS Top
         Picks" area. DL the file SUP622.EXE (781,256 bytes), which contains
         MS-DOS 6.22 supplemental disk and utilities, includind the Dosshell
         files.

UPDATE: This concerned MS Dosshell user, sent me his own tips sharing his
        personal experience trying to have the Dosshell files properly
        installed on his MS-DOS 6.22 system (screen name: crw@aber.ac.uk):

The Dosshell files are not included with the MS-DOS 6.22 installation files
anymore. To obtain ALL the Dosshell files, and be able to run Dosshell in
graphics modes, you need to DL the file SUP622.EXE from this Microsoft
Software Libraries FTP site:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFiles/SUP622.EXE
DL the self-extractive archive, and then run the executable to extract the
Dosshell files.
The SUP622.EXE archive doesn't contain ANY text references on how to install
the video files for Dosshell.
You will need to run SETUP.BAT, a batch file that installs the DOSSHELL.VID
and DOSSHELL.GRB files on your system (MS-DOS 6.20 and up).
Only after that, you'll be able to choose running Dosshell in graphics mode.
What SETUP.BAT does, it basically copies the Dosshell files to your DOS
directory, and renames the appropriate *.VID and *.GRB files to DOSSHELL.VID
and DOSSHELL.GRB respectively (depending on your system video capabilities).

WARNING: Microsoft doesn't provide clear instructions on how to do all
         these operations, necessary to run Dosshell in graphics modes, so
         you'll need to do this as described above!

Thanks a lot Chris for your valuable input on this issue!



...And trademarks:

- DOSShell,
- MS Diagnostics,
- MS DOS 5.00,
- MS-DOS 6.00,
- MS-DOS 6.20,
- MS-DOS 6.21,
- MS-DOS 6.22,
- MS-DOS 7.00,
- MS Windows 3.00,
- MS Windows 3.10,
- MS Windows for WorkGroups 3.10,
- MS Windows for WorkGroups 3.11 and
- MS Windows 95
  are trademarks of Microsoft (COMERCIAL programs);
- NANSI.SYS v3.3 is trademark of Daniel Kegel (FREELY DISTRIBUTED).


Hope you'll find something useful in here. Enjoy!
If you have any comments/ideas/questions/sugestions etc... send me a
"wire" at:
AXCEL216@aol.com

Regards and best of luck!