C70:info-cpm (05/15/82)
>From W8SDZ@Mit-Mc Fri May 14 23:39:28 1982 The following .DOC file is forwarded from my RCPM system: Microshell is a package that simulates the Unix shell on a CP/M system, with such features as redirected input (BDOS calls 1, 6, 10, and 11), redirected output (BDOS calls 2, 6, and 9), shell scripts and pipes. Microshell completely replaces the CCP of the CP/M, so it also does all those commands, plus a few extensions, like 32 user areas, automatic search of 3 disks for .COM files, and an integrated SUBMIT and XSUB facility. The user can also define his/her own prompts, upper/lower case filenames, echoing commands during the scripts (.SUB files), any control characters within the scripts, and logging in disks without rebooting. Pipes, in case you dont know, are nifty things. You can redirect the output of the DIR command to a file, like DIR *.* >FILES and get a file called FILES that has all your disk files on it. Do this twice a few days apart and use SSED on the two files and you get a list of the files that are new or missing between the two times. More elaborate are programs that inten- tionally massage the data, like sort the names into alphabetic sequence, or eliminate duplicates, and you get very fancy things. For example, to print your directory, just enter DIR | PIP LST:=CON: It does have disadvantages, such as wiping out an extra 9K from your system, and there are no UNIX-like filters, such as CAT or SRT. I am not a real UNIX expert, but Microshell sure makes CP/M a lot more user friendly like all those UNIX freaks keep com- plaining about. Microshell does work with all Digital Research programs except MOVCPM, and with all other programs I have been able to test, including BYE, MODEM, SD, XD, Wordstar, Microsoft Basic, CBASIC, EBASIC, and dozens of the Public Domain CP/M pro- grams. The principle exceptions are those programs that overlay the CCP and BDOS. In that case, Microshell just goes away and you are back to regular CP/M. If you need that extra 9K that Microshell gobbles up, there is a script given that will run a program under regular CP/M and then re-instate Microshell when done. The script files cannot be nested, but Microshell itself can be to simulate the same thing. The only thing lacking is lots of freebee filters for the users, and some of the filters available on UNIX should be written for us CP/M folks anyway, like a good general sort. Microshell is sold by New Generation Systems for $150 and I think it is worth the price for anyone but the confirmed hacker that has completely dis-assembled his CCP anyway and re-wrote MAC in 1978. Contact New Generation Systems at 2153 Golf Course Dr, Reston VA 22091 or see recent ads in Microsystems or BYTE. Chuck Weingart