curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) (05/28/87)
I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things:
(1) I'd like to be able to have a longer PATH than the 128 or so
characters now allowed -- this limitation might be a function
of my editor?
(2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer.
If anyone knows about these, please mail or post responses.
Thanks,
Jim Curl
(I *hate* DOS!)markg@amd.UUCP (05/30/87)
In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP> curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes: >I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things: > > (2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer. > I'm only going to respond to item # 2. Sorry. The type-ahead buffer is a function of the BIOS. You will have to create a TSR program to trap on INT 9 or find a friend-of-a-friend who knows of a PD one. -- Mark Gorlinsky - AMD Processor Products Division/APPS SQA UUCP: {decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amd!markg AT&T: (408) 982-7811 DISCLAIMER: My opinions are mine, not my employers.
boykin@custom.UUCP (Joseph Boykin) (05/30/87)
In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP>, curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes: > I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things: > (1) I'd like to be able to have a longer PATH than the 128 or so > characters now allowed -- this limitation might be a function > of my editor? > (2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer. 1) DOS has an internal limit of 64 characters for any single directory name (see documentation on System call # 3bH). The limit on the PATH environment variable is due to both the size of your environment (default is 160 bytes, part of which is taken up with the COMSPEC variable, part with the characters PATH= plus NULLS, plus any other environment variables you have. It's easy to change the size of the environment using the /E option for command.com in your CONFIG.SYS file (see DOS Tech Ref or email for details -- most of the net has seen these enough that if its posted again I'll get flamed!). One note on long paths, their DOS is VERY inefficient! It's generally better to keep only a couple of directories which have your executables and keep your search path short than to split everything up, but that's your choice. RE: Expanding your type-ahead buffer... Theres a bunch of programs out there which do this, my choice is FANSI-CONSOLE, it does ALOT more than increase your type ahead buffer though. It will increase screen output performance by 1.2 to 6X, give you key click, change your repeat rate, change lenght of bell, auto screen dim, and gives a scroll recall buffer. Oh yes, and a 255 character type-ahead buffer. All for $25 without manual, $75 with (you might be able to find discounts though, I know Programmers Connection has it for less, we sell it for $60 with PC/VI, etc.) In my opinion, the program is a bargain at $75. Joe Boykin Custom Software Systems ...necntc!custom!boykin
mrk@gvgspd.UUCP (Michael R. Kesti) (05/31/87)
In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP> curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes: >I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things: > > (1) I'd like to be able to have a longer PATH than the 128 or so > characters now allowed -- this limitation might be a function > of my editor? > > (2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer. > >If anyone knows about these, please mail or post responses. > >Thanks, > >Jim Curl >(I *hate* DOS!) Jim: The 128 byte limit is, I believe, the maximum command line length. You can extend the path up to the limit of the environment size with: SET PATH=%PATH%;new_directories Note that this works only from within a batch file; from the command line, DOS doesn't expand the %PATH% properly. I like to keep a batch file called ADDPATH.BAT that contains the single line: SET PATH=%PATH%;%1 To call this from AUTOEXEC.BAT (or any other batch file), use: COMMAND /C ADDPATH new_directory To expand the keyboard buffer, try VISITYPE from the 28 OCT 86 (vol 5 no 18) issue of PC Magazine. It provides an 80 character buffer and displays the yet-to-be-used characters on the first line of the display, so that you can actually SEE what you've entered. Get it from their BBS at (216)696-0360. MK P.S. I *love* DOS. It gives one so many opertunities to say "Now why in hell didn't that work (:-)?"! =================================================================== Michael Kesti Grass Valley Group, Inc. P.O. Box 1114 Grass Valley, CA 95945 UUCP: ...!tektronix!gvgp Awhichrd S@wj
psfales@ihlpe.ATT.COM (Peter Fales) (06/01/87)
In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP>, curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes: > I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things: > > (1) I'd like to be able to have a longer PATH than the 128 or so > characters now allowed -- this limitation might be a function > of my editor? Once again, the problem is not with DOS, but the brain damaged COMMAND.COM. COMMAND.COM has a 128 byte limit on the number of character on a command line, DOS has no problem with longer environment variables. I have heard references to PD programs which manipulate the environment to create paths longer than 128 characters. The info-ibmpc newsletter Vol 6 #32 mentioned a program call CHGPATH.C to perform this function. > (2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer. > I have seen PD programs to do this, however I second the suggestion of another poster to use FANSI-CONSOLE. I provides this function plus MANY other useful features. -- Peter Fales UUCP: ...ihnp4!ihlpe!psfales work: (312) 979-7784 AT&T Information Systems, IW 1Z-243 1100 E. Warrenville Rd., IL 60566
gbs@voder.UUCP (George Smith) (06/01/87)
In article <656@custom.UUCP>, boykin@custom.UUCP (Joseph Boykin) writes: > In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP>, curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes: > > I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things: > > (1) I'd like to be able to have a longer PATH than the 128 or so > > characters now allowed -- this limitation might be a function > > of my editor? > > 1) DOS has an internal limit of 64 characters for any single > directory name (see documentation on System call # 3bH). > ... > Joe Boykin > Custom Software Systems > ...necntc!custom!boykin It's interesting - there seems to be some looseness on the part of IBM with regard to their definition of the size of a path name passed to a DOS function. As pointed out by Joe Boykin, chdir (int 21h, function 3bh) makes mention of the 64 character limit on the size of the ASCIIZ string which is to contain the path name. However, the following functions which also expect an ASCIIZ string with the path name DON'T mention the 64 character limit: mkdir (39h) chmod (43h) rmdir (3ah) exec (4bh) creat (3ch) find first (4eh) open (3dh) find next (4fh) unlink (41h) rename (56h) Also, the definition of an ASCIIZ string (page 6-46, DOS Tech Ref, v3.20) says "The maximum size of an ASCIIZ string is 128 bytes, including the drive, colon, and null terminator). Finally, function get current directory (47h), specifies DS:SI must point to a 64-byte user memory area. It will place the full path name of the current directory for the specified drive there. This seems to back Joe's statement. Why do the two directory functions (CHDIR and Get Current Directory) specifically mention a 64 char limit vs the ASCIIZ definition and the lack of specifiying any size for the other functions? -- George B. Smith National Semiconductor ...!{ihnp4!nsc | decvax!decwrl!nsc | ucbvax}!voder!gbs
brown@nicmad.UUCP (06/02/87)
In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP> curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes:
<I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things:
< (2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer.
Call your nearest BBS system and download the latest KeyBoarDFiX program,
version 2.3. I have seen it as KBFIX23.ARC and KBFIX3.ARC. It expands the
keyboard buffer and a couple of other nice things as well.
--
harvard-\ ihnp4--\
Mr. Video seismo!uwvax.......!nicmad!brown
rutgers-/ decvax--/
terminus-/davidsen@steinmetz.UUCP (06/03/87)
In article <4046@amd.UUCP> markg@amd.UUCP (Mark Gorlinsky) writes: >In article <923@wjvax.wjvax.UUCP> curl@wjvax.UUCP (Jim Curl) writes: >>I'm looking for ways to patch DOS in order to do two things: >> >> (2) I'd like to be able to expand the type-ahead keyboard buffer. >> >I'm only going to respond to item # 2. Sorry. The type-ahead buffer >is a function of the BIOS. You will have to create a TSR program to trap on >INT 9 or find a friend-of-a-friend who knows of a PD one. Here's one. I got it off a BBS back about the time DOS2.0 came out. I don't use it much anymore, but it works fine. > >-- > Mark Gorlinsky - AMD Processor Products Division/APPS SQA > UUCP: {decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amd!markg > AT&T: (408) 982-7811 > DISCLAIMER: My opinions are mine, not my employers. begin 644 buf128.exe M35H ( @ __\@ ( M M M M M M M M M M M #ILP$ M M M M M M P # /J<FH?I /!3!KM ([#)HL>&@ F.QX< '0X)HD>' FBQ]6 M+HLV!0%6@\8"@?X# 7(#O@, +CLV P%>=!0NB1R#Q@*!_@,!<@.^ P NB38% M 5X'6\_[#0KD= G^S'0Q_LQT0<_[D/HNH0,!+CL&!0%T\E.+V"Z+!X/# H'[ M P%R [L# "X['@4!+HD> P%;S_I3+HL> P$N.QX% 2Z+!UO[R@( !KA ([ M)J 7 ?/^K@ ([ )L<&) ' 2:,#B8 )L<&6 !< 2:,#EH +L<& P$# "[' C!@4! P#[Q@8! "<>N@ 4KJV LL end -- bill davidsen (wedu@ge-crd.arpa) {chinet | philabs | sesimo}!steinmetz!crdos1!davidsen "Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me