FFDDO@ALASKA.BITNET (12/08/87)
The following is a description of a PRODOS command shell
that I use all the time. It is
shareware, and well worth the $25 fee.
I think this command shell is one of the most flexible, powerful products around
,
performing most if not all of the functions a regular computer user
would need.
Please give this file a close look.
Thank you, David Oberhart
<FFDDO@Alaska>
Davex--a command shell and program launcher for ProDOS
Version 1.1 31-Jul-87
======================================================
Davex is ShareWare. Please give copies to everyone you
know. If you decide to use it after a ten-day evaluation
period, you must send $25 to DAL Systems at the address
below. [IA residents add 4% sales tax.] You will receive
the latest version of Davex and a registration number. This
number will entitle you to technical support (on CompuServe or
by mail), and you will be notified when updates are available.
(It will be helpful if you include a brief description of your
hardware when you send in your registration fee. Also, specify
whether you need a 3.5" disk or 5.25" disks.)
The registration fee includes one free update; future updates
cost $3 when ordered directly from DAL Systems, but registered
users may use future versions at no extra charge if they get a
copy somewhere else.
DAL Systems
P.O. Box 287
North Liberty, IA 52317
[CompuServe 72177,3233]
WHAT DOES IT DO?
Davex runs on the //e, //c, and IIgs (and on a 64K II+,
although few II+ 80-column cards are currently supported)
and provides a command line environment from which you can
launch other programs and also use about 50 built-in
commands (most of them are mentioned in this document).
To run a program (a SYS file) from Davex, just type its
name. When you quit the other program, you'll be back in
Davex automatically. (ProDOS 16 users can run S16
applications the same way.)
External commands are also available--these aren't
exactly part of Davex, but you can use them without leaving
Davex. External commands are stored in BIN files, and
assembly language programmers can write their own external
commands to supplement the ones provided by DAL Systems.
WHAT'S MY PREFIX?
The one question ProDOS users ask themselves most
frequently is "Gee...what directory am I in?" Because the
current prefix (followed by a colon) is the Davex prompt,
only users with very low IQs ask themselves this question
while using Davex.
HELP!
Just type "help" followed by a command name, and Davex
will print one or more screens of information about the
command. The help gives you full details on a command--many
command have features that aren't mentioned in this
document.
IT CAN COPY WHOLE DIRECTORIES?
Yes! "copy" does all the work for you. Want to erase
the original file after a successful copy? No
problem--Davex can do it automatically.
WELL, *MOST* OF THE FILES ARE CURRENT
Tired of recopying whole directories just because a few
of the files are out of date? Let "update" help you.
"update" will dive into sdirectories, check the
last-modification date/time on corresponding files, and
replacing outdated ones.
NEAT! ONE SCREEN AT A TIME
Want to view a file one screen at a time? No problem.
"pg" or "more" will do the trick. And they will show you
ANY file type. They even recognize AWP files and display
them in a legible form. At the end of each screen, Davex
shows you what percentage of the file you've read so far and
asks if you want to see more.
PUT IT IN A FILE
Screen output can always be redirected to a printer or
a file.
LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN
Previously entered command lines--up to 512 characters
of them--are available for editing and re-executing. Each
tap of the "up" arrow retrieves an older command. Gobs of
control characters are available for editing or re-editing
input lines.
DIRECTORY DISPLAY OPTIONS
cat/catalog/dir/ld/ls: These are all the same. There
are options for sorting by name, file type, size, and
last-modified date (in any combination, both forward and
backward). Also, the contents of directories can be listed
under the directory name, indented 2 spaces. The listing
can be restricted to a certain file type.
In addition to the traditional "blocks free, blocks
used, total blocks," Davex tells you what percentage of the
volume is used.
HEY! WILD!
When you want to work with groups of files, wildcards
are indispensible. "=" matches for any number of characters
in a filename. For example, "unlock abc=" unlocks all files
whose name begin with "abc". "?" is like "=", except Davex
asks you whether or not to act on each matching file.
(Wildcards can be restricted to a particular filetype.
Example: delete ?:txt deletes selected "txt" files.)
DID YOU HEAR THAT?
The Echo and Slotbuster II voice synthesizers are
supported. Davex already has a number of visually-impaired
users.
FILETYPES
The list of file types Davex knows about can be viewed
and modified with the "ftype" command.
WHERE TO FIND IT
The "scan" command lets you view and change the list of
directories Davex looks in for SYS, S16, and BIN files.
IIgs USERS
Does /RAM5 annoy you? Tired of powering down to change
its size? "boot -i" is an "ice cold" boot. It forces /RAM5
to get rebuilt just like on power-up.
ProDOS 16 is fun! Try running the Launcher from
Davex--just types its name! (Usually /xxx/SYSTEM/START)
"Quit" from the Launcher and you're back in Davex, even if
you ran other applications from the Launcher in the
meantime.
BEING LAZY
"ej" ejects 3.5" disks. Sure, there's an "eject"
button on the drive, but this command is more fun.
PLENTY MORE WHERE THOSE CAME FROM
prefix/pfx/cd/down
set prefix
up
change prefix to directory above
top
go "up" all the way to the volume directory
origin
set prefix to the volume Davex is on
over
move to another subdirectory
online/o
print names of online volumes
cname/rename/mv
change name of file/directory/volume
delete/del/rm/kill
destroy file/directory (computes size of all files
and directories within directory, and verifies that
you want to delete it)
create/mkdir/md
create a directory or other file
filetype/ctype
change file's type (and auxiliary type)
exec / <
get keyboard input from a TXT file
como / >
redirect output to file or printer
size
show size of file or directory
dev
list, add, or remove ProDOS devices
info
print info on file, directory, or volume
lock
disallow write, rename, delete
unlock
allow read, write, rename, delete
prot
protect file--allow read, write, rename, delete
individually
spool
spool files for printing
config
set default printer slot
boot
boot the system (can specify slot number)
mon
enter the Monitor
Apple-H
print hardcopy of text screen to printer
External commands currently supplied by DAL Systems (more
will be written, and assembly language programmers can
write their own):
init initialize (& format) ProDOS volumes
pset set up print options for NEC8023 / ProWriter /
Imagewriter
conp (IIgs only) Control Panel--set or display most
control panel options; also save/restore battery
RAM (including all options) to/from disk
mx80 set up print options for Epson MX80
blist list a BAS file in ASCII
alias create an alias for a SYS file
du summarize disk usage
what determine what a file is
hdr print lines from the beginning of a file
chkmod compare modification dates on pairs of files
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End of Davex 1.1 description
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