Subject: Re: [TI-99/4A] Re: NEW MANUAL RE-CREATION: 4A DOS / COMMAND DOS - 2 Parts (PDF)

From: Dan <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 21:50:06 -0400

ever look at tshell?
by the late Travis Watford
available here
http://ftp.whtech.com/9640news/CAT37/TSHELL.ARK
pc99 format here
http://ftp.whtech.com/emulators/pc99/utils/t-shell.dsk

T-SHELL allows you to type disk commands at the Extended BASIC command
line as though they were built in.

Loading T-SHELL:
T-SHELL is provided here as a program image file. You simply enter
RUN "DSK1.T-SHELL" to load and make the package active.

Once loaded, T-SHELL is turned off/on by:

CALL LINK("UNSET")
CALL LINK("SET")

Commands may be typed in any mixture of upper and lower case.
Arguments in brackets are optional.

VERSION:
This command lists the program name, version number, date, my name and
my CompuServe number if you would like to leave me any complaints or
suggestions.

DRIVE [drivename]:
Typed by itself, this command displays the current default drive name.
The name can be up to 49 characters long and is initially set to
"DSK1.". It could be changed to read something like "DSK.RAMDISK.", in
which case it would address the disk named "RAMDISK".

Hopefully (although I could not test it) it could be changed to
"HDS1.SUBDIR1.SUBDIR2." The drive name must end with a period
character. If the command is followed by text, that text becomes the
default drive name. The default drive name can be abbreviated by "."
when it is the first character of a string. This will be explained
more fully in the descriptions of other commands.

PRINTER [printername]:
Typed alone, this command will display the current default printer.
Again the name can be up to 49 characters long. It is initially set
to "PIO" but can be any valid file name or a disk name(e.g. "DSK1.").
If the command is followed by text, that text becomes the default
printer name. The default printer name can be abbreviated by "," when
it is the first character of a string. This will be explained more
fully in the descriptions of other commands.

CATALOG [drivename] [printername]:
This command catalogs a drive. Alone it displays the default drive's
catalog to the screen. If it is followed by text, that text is
assumed to be the name of the drive to catalog, for example, "CATALOG
DSK2.", or maybe "CATALOG ." (though the latter just catalogs the
default drive, so the "." is unneccessary), or maybe "CATALOG ," (if
you had set the default printer name to something like "DSK1."). If
the command is followed by two text strings, it will assume the first
is a drive name and the second is a printer name. Thus the command
"CATALOG DSK.RAMDISK. RS232" will print the catalog of the disk named
"RAMDISK" to the RS232 and the command "CATALOG .," will print the
catalog of the default drive to the default printer.

TYPE filename [printername]:
"TYPE .file" will type a DV80 file named "file" from the default drive
onto the screen. If there is a second text string, it is assumed to
be the printer name. So, the command "TYPE .file PIO" will print the
file named "file" from the default drive to the parallel printer.

RENAME name [filename]:
RENAME will change the name of a file or a disk. For example, the
command "RENAME DSK1.RAMDISK" will change the name of the disk in
drive one to "RAMDISK". When there is a second string, the command
will rename a file. "RENAME .TEMP perm" will rename the file "TEMP" on
the default drive to "perm". Only the first file name is preceded by
the drive name.

This command requires a drive name of the form "DSKx.", where "x" is a
single digit. While some T-SHELL commands can use names such as
"DSK.RAMDISK.", others require the disk number to access DSR
subroutines to perform their function.

PROTECT filename:
This command protects a file. "PROTECT DSK2.FILE" will mark the file
named "FILE" on DSK2 as protected. This command requires a drive name
of the form "DSKx."

UNPROTECT filename:
This command unprotects a file. "UNPROTECT DSK2.FILE" will clear the
protection flag on the file named "FILE" on DSK2. This command
requires a drive name of the form "DSKx."

COPY source destination:
This command will copy a file or a disk. If the names are of the form
"DSKx.", T-SHELL will attempt to copy the named disk. Otherwise, it
will copy the named file. This command requires a drive name of the
form "DSKx."

SWEEP diskname:
This command will delete all files from a disk. The target disk disk
must be explicitly identified. This command can be quite destructive
if used carelessly. It will not give you a chance to back out, so
don't type it unless you mean it. This command requires a drive name
of the form "DSKx."

Modifying T-SHELL Defaults
The commands, default drive and default printer names have initial
values that suit me. If they don't suit you, they can be changed with
a sector editor. For instance, you may want to change "CATALOG" to
"CAT" or "DIR". Commands must be uppercase and must be exactly ten
characters long. Shorter commands are to be filled out with spaces.
The default drive name and default printer name can be up to 49
characters long, and must be followed by a null character.

I hope you get some use out of these utilities, and you may feel free
to use them however you wish, but please don't change any of the
VERSION information including my name. I do not want any money for
this product, but I do want the credit. --Travis Watford

On 7/15/2013 2:59 AM, kevan064 wrote:
> There seems to be a little interest in 4A DOS at the moment, understandable since it's a good program.  I also know a few of you have it and have used it in the past.  Since it seems to be "in" at the moment, I'd like to ask those that have used it, to send me either on or off list your favorite BATCH files.  I'd like to make an 'addition' to the manual of useful hints, techniques, etc.
>
> Thanks!
>
>