wb8foz@ncoast.UUCP (02/17/87)
Hello netlanders:
I do not seem to be able to expand the size of my
enviroment. This is under Zenith MS-DOS 3.1, but I
have the same problem under PC-DOS 3.1 on a 6300.
I have a batch file called 'pathos.bat {flames>dev/null}
that is run as the last step in autoexec.bat. Despite
the shell command in config.sys, my path is truncated at/near
the 127th character. But! "set"s after it in the pathos are
installed ok. I am guessing my problem has to do with
maximum length of the buffer, etc. But if so, how can
I break up the "path=........" into many lines, as I have lots
more subdirs that are not making it into the path area now
here is my CONFIG.SYS
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /P/E:50
device=\xmm.sys 512 0 e0 512 218
device=\vdisk.sys 512 /E
DEVICE=ANSI.SYS
DEVICE='RAMDRV.SYS
files=20
buffers=20
LASTDRIVE=ee
and my pathos.bat
path d:\;c:\;c:\cpsw\bi;c:\cpsw\isi;c:\exe\util;c:\exe\dos;c:\exe\tasm;c:\mwc;c:\exe\comm;c:\rb5;c:\exe\ws;c:\cpsw\rfs;c:\backmstr;C:\GEMSYS;C:\GEMBOOT;C:\gem\bridge
set PROCOMM=c:\EXE\COMM\
set ARCTEMP=d:\
set CCHEAD=-v -vcsd -xcc:\cpsw\mwc\ -xtd:\ -xod:\
Please EMAIL any suggestions, if enough interest exists, I
will post the solutions offered.
Thanks
--
decvax!cwruecmp!ncoast!wb8foz
ncoast!wb8foz@case.csnet
(ncoast!wb8foz%case.csnet@csnet-relay.ARPA)
"SERIOUS?
Bones, it could upset the entire percentage!"
NRO Mossad intercept igniters plutonium Ollie North Tehran tim@j.cc.purdue.edu.UUCP (02/18/87)
Here is some info about setting DOS environment variables what to do about more environment space. First, how do you change the amount of space? If you have DOS prior to 3.xx then you must modify COMMAND.COM to change the space allocation, if you have DOS 3.[01] then you can use the SHELL variable in your CONFIG.SYS and set the space in units of PARAGRAPHS (16 bytes). If you have DOS 3.2 then the units are in bytes. I don't remember how much is set initially, but you can enter variables and definitions for them as long as you do not run any programs, including BAT files. If you do, then the environment space is fixed at 127 more bytes than what you are currently using. That is why an AUTOEXEC.BAT file setting en vars will run out of space, but if you do it from the keyboard you will not. This is somewhat described in the DOS manual. By the way, as far as I can tell, the 127 extra bytes talked about in the previous sentences is not true if you expand the space using the SHELL variable in the CONFIG.SYS. -- Timothy Lange PC Learning Resource Center Purdue University Computing Center West Lafayette, IN 47907 317-494-1787 tim@j.cc.purdue.edu
brian@prism.UUCP (02/23/87)
There is a problem with typing *any* command to dos which is larger than
128 bytes in length -- that is why you may have 16K of environment space,
but your path is only 124 bytes long (if you use SET PATH =), or 128
bytes long (if you use PATH =).
I wrote a program that lets you "set" your path in two pieces, and then
joins them together to make one large path. It does some real no-no's
as far as poking around in dos goes, but runs ok on Compaq 286's and
Ibm-pc's under 3.x.
If you want a copy, mail me...the source code is in turbo pascal...
----
Brian K. Moran brian@mirror.TMC.COM
{mit-eddie, ihnp4!inmet, wjh12, cca, datacube}!mirror!brian
Mirror Systems 2067 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA, 02140
Telephone: 617-661-0777 extension 141
"Won't somebody tell me, just who and what I did...
Why's this ring on my finger, and who's that screaming kid? "
From "Lost Weekend" by the Beat Farmers
---bobmon@iuvax.UUCP (02/26/87)
brian@prism.UUCP writes: > >I wrote a program that lets you "set" your path in two pieces, and then >joins them together to make one large path. It does some real no-no's >as far as poking around in dos goes, but runs ok on Compaq 286's and >Ibm-pc's under 3.x. > >If you want a copy, mail me...the source code is in turbo pascal... Please -- either post this to the net, or e-mail me a copy (or both :-) There's been some discussion of this, and I've spent much time failing to work around that stupid limit. I'd like to know what/how you did it, as well as having the longer path.
holtz@beowulf.UUCP (02/27/87)
The 'legitimate' way to create long path strings is to use the lastdrive option in config.sys and the subst command. Example: lastdrive=k (say the 'real' last drive is d:) subst e: c:\bin\util subst f: c:\bin\lang subst g: c:\bin\games subst h: c:\bin\filter subst i: c:\bin\editors subst j: c:\bin\etc subst k: c:\bin\etc\etc path=d:\;c:\dos;c:\;e:\;f:\;g:\;h:\;i:\;j:\;k:\ I don't recall off hand just what the limit on lastdrive is, but it can go a very long way in solving large path problems. See the DOS manual (3.0 or beyond...) One word of caution - if you use DOG 1.01 to optimize your disk with substitution active, DOS loses place of any directories which have moved. I find it necessary to reboot after such activity. Fred Holtz holtz@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU
singhal@homxb.UUCP (02/28/87)
In article <2771@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU>, holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: > > > The 'legitimate' way to create long path strings is to use the lastdrive > option in config.sys and the subst command. Example: > lastdrive=k (say the 'real' last drive is d:) > > subst e: c:\bin\util > subst f: c:\bin\lang > ...... > path=d:\;c:\dos;c:\;e:\;f:\;g:\;h:\;i:\;j:\;k:\ > By using the following lines, you can cratea a PATH as long as you like (subject to environment size limitations) : PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all (you get the idea ?) ---Sharad Singhal
holtz@beowulf.UUCP (02/28/87)
In article <119@homxb.UUCP> singhal@homxb.UUCP (S.SINGHAL) writes: >By using the following lines, you can cratea a PATH as long as you like >(subject to environment size limitations) : > >PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all > >(you get the idea ?) > >---Sharad Singhal I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? Fred Holtz holtz@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU
ljz@well.UUCP (03/01/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: >>PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all > >I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what >DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? Unfortunately, the above trick only works in .BAT files. It works with any environment variable, not just PATH.
jkg@gitpyr.UUCP (03/01/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: >>PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all >I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what >DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? Hmmmmm.....I tried this under AT&T DOS 3.1 on my PC 6300 and it worked OK. In fact, I wrote a little batch file "setpath" that looks like this: set path=%PATH%;%1 so I could add any directory to the current path list. It worked perfectly. Jim Greenlee -- The Shadow...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!jkg Jryy, abj lbh'ir tbar naq qbar vg! Whfg unq gb xrrc svqqyvat jvgu vg hagvy lbh oebxr vg, qvqa'g lbh?!
madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (03/01/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: >In article <119@homxb.UUCP> singhal@homxb.UUCP (S.SINGHAL) writes: >>By using the following lines, you can cratea a PATH as long as you like >>(subject to environment size limitations) : >> >>PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all >> >>(you get the idea ?) >> >>---Sharad Singhal > >I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what >DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? He forgot to tell you that this must be done within a batch file. DOS is very stupid. Whomever decided to only do environment substitutions and the like from batch files (and not the keyboard) should have been shot, but we have to live with it. I believe it will work if you throw it into a .BAT file, though I have yet to try it. You might also have length limitations imposed by DOS's COMMAND.COM interpreter on environment substitutions, but I was unable to find information about one in the Tech. Ref. manual. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% - Jim Frost * The Madd Hacker - UUCP: ..!harvard!bu-cs!bucsb!madd | ARPANET: madd@bucsb.bu.edu CSNET: madd%bucsb@bu-cs | BITNET: cscc71c@bostonu -------------------------------+---+------------------------------------ "Oh beer, oh beer." -- Me | [=(BEER) <- Bud the Beer (cheers!)
holtz@beowulf.UUCP (03/02/87)
In article <798@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP> madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (Jim "Jack" Frost) writes: > >He forgot to tell you that this must be done within a batch file. DOS >is very stupid. Whomever decided to only do environment substitutions >and the like from batch files (and not the keyboard) should have been >shot, but we have to live with it. > >I believe it will work if you throw it into a .BAT file, though I have >yet to try it. You might also have length limitations imposed by DOS's >COMMAND.COM interpreter on environment substitutions, but I was unable >to find information about one in the Tech. Ref. manual. > Thanx to all that responded telling me to use a .bat file. Now a question: Why does this only work in a batch file? Also, the SECOND substitution I try fails (about 30% of the time). I use the following addp.bat file: path=%PATH%;%1 Any explanations? Please mail as I do not wish to tie up the net with this any further... Fred Holtz holtz@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU
singhal@homxb.UUCP (03/02/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU>, holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: > >By using the following lines, you can create a PATH as long as you like > >(subject to environment size limitations) : > > > >PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin > >PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres > >PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all > > > >(you get the idea ?) > > > > I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what > DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? > > Fred Holtz > holtz@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU The above connstruct works ONLY in batch files and NOT at the DOS level. As far as I know it works in DOS 3.1 also. ---Sharad Singhal
tr@thumper.UUCP (03/02/87)
In article <2789@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU>, holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: > > [...] > > Thanx to all that responded telling me to use a .bat file. Now a question: > Why does this only work in a batch file? Also, the SECOND substitution > I try fails (about 30% of the time). I use the following addp.bat file: > path=%PATH%;%1 > > [...] > > Fred Holtz > holtz@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU I suppose that you have tried this two different ways and have not noticed. There are two ways to set the path. One is with the PATH command and the other is with the SET command. PATH is used as: PATH=\WHATEVER;... whereas SET is used as: SET PATH=\WHATEVER;... I suspect that batch files can interpret the percent signs around your variables during a SET command but not a PATH command. I have read that the PATH command is provided for compatibility with DOS 2.x since the SET command does the same and more. I have also read that the PATH command is "better" or "safer" than the SET command. Does anyone know why this would be? -- Tom Reingold INTERNET: tr@bellcore.com -------- UUCP: ---- decvax\ ucbvax\ \ lll-lcc\ ihnp4!mhuxt!ulysses!faline!flash!tr seismo!rutgers!mit-eddie!allegra/ / watmath!clyde!bellcore/ -- Tom Reingold INTERNET: tr@bellcore.com UUCP: ..!{decvax,ulysses,bellcore}!faline!flash!tr
bright@dataio.UUCP (03/02/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: >In article <119@homxb.UUCP> singhal@homxb.UUCP (S.SINGHAL) writes: >>By using the following lines, you can cratea a PATH as long as you like: >>PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all >I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what >DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? That won't work from the DOS command line, it has to be in a .BAT file. Environment variable substitution works with 3.1.
perry@omepd.UUCP (03/02/87)
In article <119@homxb.UUCP> singhal@homxb.UUCP (S.SINGHAL) writes: >By using the following lines, you can cratea a PATH as long as you like >(subject to environment size limitations) : > >PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all > >(you get the idea ?) Yes, that's the theory. Unfortunately, COMMAND.COM uses a 128-byte internal line buffer even during batch processing. COMMAND does NOT check for overflow during %argument% expansion. Trying to get a line longer than 128 bytes will overwrite some part of COMMAND and (probably) crash your machine. Sorry, no luck this way. P.S.: Checked and tried on MSDOS 3.1. Chances are it doesn't work on other versions either. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ << Perry The Cynic >> ...!tektronix!ogcvax!omepd!inteloa!perry ...!verdix!omepd!inteloa!perry (Peter Kiehtreiber) -or try- perry@inteloa.intel.com
perry@omepd.UUCP (03/02/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: >In article <119@homxb.UUCP> singhal@homxb.UUCP (S.SINGHAL) writes: >>PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres >>PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all > >I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what >DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? > For some inscrutable reason, environment substitutions (%name%) work only during batch file execution. If you try them on the keyboard, it just ignores you... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ << Perry The Cynic >> ...!tektronix!ogcvax!omepd!inteloa!perry ...!verdix!omepd!inteloa!perry (Peter Kiehtreiber) -or try- perry@inteloa.intel.com
scott@ubvax.UUCP (03/03/87)
In article <119@homxb.UUCP>, singhal@homxb.UUCP (S.SINGHAL) writes: >In article <2771@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU>, holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: >> >> The 'legitimate' way to create long path strings is to use the lastdrive >> option in config.sys and the subst command. Example: >> lastdrive=k (say the 'real' last drive is d:) >> >> subst e: c:\bin\util >> subst f: c:\bin\lang >> ...... >> path=d:\;c:\dos;c:\;e:\;f:\;g:\;h:\;i:\;j:\;k:\ >> > By using the following lines, you can create a PATH as long as you like > (subject to environment size limitations) : > > PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin > PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres > PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all Actually, there's a much more severe restriction than the environment size--a DOS command line is limited to 128 bytes (or so). The %PATH% substitution from the environment is done before the command is parsed, and is subject to that limit. Last I heard, the %environment-name% mechanism (which many today have correctly posted only works within batch files) is undocumented, so like /e:nn in the SHELL command and the various commonly-known DOS patches you should use at your own risk. I can vouch that the %...% substitutions work fine in both DOS 3.2 and 3.1. On the subject of environments and paths, there are all kinds of options. I use a combination of all of these: 1) Expand your environment. I use the /e:nn in the SHELL command, but patching COMMAND.COM will work fine too. This isn't needed for a long path, but you'll probably want it to set all the other environment strings which are so useful. 2) Keep directory names short (this goes a long way!). Also, deep trees waste characters in pathnames. 3) The SUBST method above is very good, but results in a somewhat unreadable PATH. I use it just to shorten my pathnames. What I have done is put all my executable directories just below a single directory named SYS; then I "SUBST S: C:\SYS". My resulting path is pretty short: PATH=d:;s:\BAT\;s:\BIN\;s:\DOS\;s:\LC\;s:\NET\;s:\LW\; 4) Access executables via batch files! My BAT directory has more than 100 files! I get four advantages: a) a much shorter path; b) quick-and-dirty command name aliases; c) easy to provide such useful things as automatically printing help messages, defaulting parameters, and other useful things that command pre-processors provide; d) quick-and-dirty command chaining so I can type a whole string of commands on one line. I do this last by ending my batch files with a line of %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9, plus proper use of SHIFT. Think about it. 5) If worse comes to worse, put all your executables into fewer directories. My BIN directory is such a miscellaneous one. While clunky and lacking in some ways, I've found it's possible to go a long way with DOS. You just need to play with it a while. -- "Ribbit!" Scott (Beam Me Up, Scotty!) Scheiman Industrial Networking Inc. `/\/@\/@\/\ ..decvax!amd!ubvax!scott 3990 Freedom Circle _\ \ - / /_ (408) 562-5572 Santa Clara, CA 95050
madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (03/04/87)
In article <475@omepd> perry@inteloa.intel.com (Perry The Cynic) writes: [deleted stuff on setting DOS path] >For some inscrutable reason, environment substitutions (%name%) work only >during batch file execution. If you try them on the keyboard, it just ignores >you... This is a result of an idiot designing the COMMAND.COM processor. Whomever designed it decided that you would only want to use the expansion when you were exectuing batch files. Of course, we all know that you often would like to do something like: set home=\very\long\path dir %home% erase %home% rmdir %home% But Microsoft, in their ultimate wisdom.... (I've designed several command processors, some very very much more talented than the DOS processor, and it really should have been hard to disable the capability. Therefore I assume it was done deliberately for some unspecified reason.) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% - Jim Frost * The Madd Hacker - UUCP: ..!harvard!bu-cs!bucsb!madd | ARPANET: madd@bucsb.bu.edu CSNET: madd%bucsb@bu-cs | BITNET: cscc71c@bostonu -------------------------------+---+------------------------------------ "Oh beer, oh beer." -- Me | [=(BEER) <- Bud the Beer (cheers!)
madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (03/04/87)
In article <667@ubvax.UUCP> scott@ubvax.UUCP (Scott Scheiman) writes: >Last I heard, the %environment-name% mechanism (which many today have >correctly posted only works within batch files) is undocumented, so like >/e:nn in the SHELL command and the various commonly-known DOS patches >you should use at your own risk. I can vouch that the %...% >substitutions work fine in both DOS 3.2 and 3.1. UNGH! Wrong! We have enough problems with undocumented stuff without someone telling people that other things that ARE documented aren't. Just yank your DOS manual (not even the tech ref) and look up "batch" in the index. Sure is documented! I don't know about dos's before v2.11 (because I never met one) but everything 2.11+ has it. OK, now that that's out of my system, the rest of the suggestions were pretty good. >While clunky and lacking in some ways, I've found it's possible to go a >long way with DOS. You just need to play with it a while. Yup. Happy hacking. >"Ribbit!" Scott (Beam Me Up, Scotty!) Scheiman Industrial Networking Inc. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% - Jim Frost * The Madd Hacker - UUCP: ..!harvard!bu-cs!bucsb!madd | ARPANET: madd@bucsb.bu.edu CSNET: madd%bucsb@bu-cs | BITNET: cscc71c@bostonu -------------------------------+---+------------------------------------ "Oh beer, oh beer." -- Me | [=(BEER) <- Bud the Beer (cheers!)
wwhite@teknowledge-vaxc.UUCP (03/04/87)
> In article <667@ubvax.UUCP> scott@ubvax.UUCP (Scott Scheiman) writes: > >Last I heard, the %environment-name% mechanism (which many today have > >correctly posted only works within batch files) is undocumented > > Just yank your DOS manual (not even the tech ref) and look up "batch" > in the index. Sure is documented! I don't know about dos's before > v2.11 (because I never met one) but everything 2.11+ has it. > Well, I looked up every index reference and didn't find any mention of substitution for environment variables. I have DOS manuals for 2.1, 3.0, and 3.1, so if you could tell me what page to find it on I'd appreciate it. Bill White WWHITE@teknowledge
nather@ut-sally.UUCP (Ed Nather) (03/06/87)
In article <2778@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU>, holtz@beowulf.ucsd.edu (Fred Holtz) writes: > >PATH=c:\;c:\this\that;c:\work\bin > >PATH=%PATH%;c:\this\also;c:\ramres > >PATH=%PATH%;c:\thats\all > > > >---Sharad Singhal > > I tried this under PC-DOS 3.1 with no luck. I like the construct; what > DOS are you using to achieve environment variable substitution? > > Fred Holtz This method of environment-variable substitution works fine under DOS 3.1 -- I use it regularly. I have not tried the multiple substitutions described above, but it appears that any construct of the form set xx=whatever in a batch file can be followed by a reference to the variable, as in if %xx% == "whatnot" will have the string from the environment substituted before the comparison is made. This can shorten batch files dramatically, and goes a fair way toward overcoming the "no variables" rule in batch files. -- Ed Nather Astronomy Dept, U of Texas @ Austin {allegra,ihnp4}!{noao,ut-sally}!utastro!nather nather@astro.AS.UTEXAS.EDU