[comp.sys.amiga] Suggestion for CLI Help

a46@mindlink.UUCP (Robin Ritchey) (05/12/89)

        I would like to know if someone would like to help me out! I would
like to see a program done on the Amiga. I have estimated that it would
take me three years to write the program! Two and a half years to learn how
to program then six months to write the program.

        The reason for the program is to help new users to use the Amiga to
its full potential. I help out in a user group, to teach other new
Amiganiods about their machine. I would like a program that would aid in
this endeavor.

Proposed Program:

        A small window opens up on execution. Say 3 lines high and 60
columns across.  The window will be movable and be able to clicked to
front.

        The program copies whatever is done with the mouse and translates
these actions into CLI language and puts the text into the window.

        I would also like to see the program do some other things too like:

        Having the CLI command in a different color and if you click onto
that word, have another window open up and explain what the command is. The
explanation part would give you the command and it args and a brief
statement on what the command does. Also have the agrs that cannot be
executed from the mouse to be in a different color again. An example would
be the INITIALIZE command WB. It would come up in the window as:

<color>Format <white>drive df0: name "EMPTY"

If you clicked on the colored Format word then a window would open up and
give you a little explanation like:

  COMMAND : Format
  FORMAT  : FORMAT DRIVE <drivename> NAME <string> <noicons> <quick> <ffs>
  TEMPLATE: FORMAT DRIVE/a/k,NAME/a/k

FORMAT will format and initialize a 3-1/2 inch disk.  DRIVE is the name  of
the  disk  drive where the disk is to be formatted and NAME is the name the
disk will be associated with from that point on.   The  name  of  the  disk
should be placed in a pair of double quotes if it contains spaces.


  FORMAT DRIVE df0: NAME "test disk"

Will format the disk in drive df0: and assign the name test disk to it.


  FORMAT DRIVE df1: NAME test1

Will format the disk in drive df1: and assign the name test1 to the disk.

        If someone is willing to do this, please speak up. If you all think
this is a waste of someone's time please explain why etc. etc.
Robin Ritchey - a46@mindlink.UUCP

sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (05/17/89)

In article <258@mindlink.UUCP> a46@mindlink.UUCP (Robin Ritchey) writes:
>
>Proposed Program:
>
>        A small window opens up on execution. Say 3 lines high and 60
>columns across.  The window will be movable and be able to clicked to
>front.
>
>        The program copies whatever is done with the mouse and translates
>these actions into CLI language and puts the text into the window.
>
>        I would also like to see the program do some other things too like:
>
>        Having the CLI command in a different color and if you click onto
>that word, have another window open up and explain what the command is.

I don't know about your first idea, sounds difficult to implement. But then I
am not really a programmer either. There
is a program out that has online CLI help. Basically it is a cli window that
has a menu bar at the top. You pull down the menu and select the cli command
that you want to know more about. It then prints a help text in the window.

Beginners can keep it in the background and pop it to the front whenever they
need help. I have it somewhere. I will look for it. I will send it to Bob Page
(unless it's already been sent previously) to be included in
comp.binaries.amiga

You can also check some BBS's. Sorry I don't remember the name of the program,
look for "CLI" & "help" in the BBS's file descriptions.



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