papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/06/88)
FULLY INTERATIVE SCRIPTS FOR XICON
A Tutorial
by
Marco Papa 'Doc'
Now that I am putting the final touches on A-Talk III, the problem has come
up of how to create fully interactive scripts for its installation on a
Hard Disk and with foreign fonts. The requirement is that the install program
must be run from the workbench so that it will work for the non-CLI user as
well.
Various versions of XICON exist that allow execution of a "script" file
from an icon. More than two are available on the Fish disks (Pete Goodeve's
is on FF 102) and another version is included in WB 1.3. Both work pretty
much the same in the sense that they use the DEFAULT TOOL to invoke XICON
and then execute a script with the same name as the icon (save the .info).
My requirement is that the user must be able to SELECT among a given set
of PREDEFINED options [in the case of fonts for foreign countries] and among
a NON-PREDEFINED set of options [ in the case of a hard disk partition name].
It turns out that there is NO command besides ASK that interprets user input.
The ASK command just allows one to answer "y" or "n" and returns an different
error value in each case. This is OK for yes/no questions, but was no good
for my case. I looked at what others had done, and in all cases people have
written ad-hoc programs that ask a very specific set of questions. What I
wanted was a SIMPLE, SINGLE command that would allow me to use it in all
cases I needed. Since I am writing this, you've probably guessed that I have
found such a stupid, little program.
The program getline.c [appended at the end of this file in source and
MANX-compiled binary] gets input from the keyboard, using MANX built in
CLI-like line editing, stores the entered data in a buffer and sends the
entire string to standard output when the carriage return is pressed.
Its use is as follows:
echo "where do you want to go [DF0:,DF1:,DF2:] ?"
;
getline >RAM:__DUMMY
;
cd <RAM:__DUMMY ?
That is, getline's output is redirected to a dummy file in RAM:. The contents
of the dummy file is then redirected as input to the CD command. Note that the
? is required. This technique [using < and ?] works with the CBM provided
DOS commands and should also work with the ARP commands [though that exercise
is left to the reader.]
Note also that inteactive commands CANNOT be executed with the window initially
opened by XICON. The standard way is to add a line of the type:
NEWCLI >NIL: con:x/y/w/h/name FROM Install
as the last line of the script executed by XICON and include the "interactive"
part in the "Install" script.
The solution is so simple that I am surprised that nobody came up with it
before. Anyway, here is the code and binary for getline.c, plus the
2 scripts files for installing fonts with A-Talk III. The code seemed so small
and the problems with the moderated groups so large, that I don't feel bad
about posting this.
Enjoy.
-- Marco Papa 'Doc'
#!/bin/sh
# This is a shell archive, meaning:
# 1. Remove everything above the #!/bin/sh line.
# 2. Save the resulting text in a file.
# 3. Execute the file with /bin/sh (not csh) to create the files:
# getline.c
# xicon-install
# FD-Install
# getline.uue
# This archive created: Thu May 5 22:23:16 1988
# By: Marco Papa (Felsina Software, Los Angeles, CA)
export PATH; PATH=/bin:$PATH
echo shar: extracting "'getline.c'" '(804 characters)'
if test -f 'getline.c'
then
echo shar: over-writing existing file "'getline.c'"
fi
sed 's/^X//' << \SHAR_EOF > 'getline.c'
X/*
X * getline.c -- get a line from stdin with "line editing" and send to stdout
X *
X * Copyright (C) 1988 Marco Papa 'Doc'
X * Permission is granted for ANY use of this code if the above notice
X * is left intact.
X */
X
X#include "ctype.h"
X#include "stdio.h"
X
Xstatic char chatbuf[80];
Xstatic short chatindex = 0;
X
Xmain(argc,argv)
X{
X int ch;
X
X for (;;) {
X ch = getchar();
X InputChat(ch);
X }
X}
X
XInputChat(ch)
Xint ch;
X{
X
Xchar c;
X
X c = ch & 0177;
X if (iscntrl(c)) {
X switch (c) {
X case '\n':
X FlushChat();
X break;
X default:
X /* **** throw it away */
X break;
X }
X } else { /* if not control */
X chatbuf[chatindex++] = c;
X }
X if (chatindex == 80) FlushChat();
X}
X
XFlushChat()
X{
X int i;
X
X for (i=0;i<chatindex;i++)
X putchar(chatbuf[i]);
X putchar('\n');
X exit(0);
X}
X
X
X
X
X
SHAR_EOF
if test 804 -ne "`wc -c 'getline.c'`"
then
echo shar: error transmitting "'getline.c'" '(should have been 804 characters)'
fi
echo shar: extracting "'xicon-install'" '(245 characters)'
if test -f 'xicon-install'
then
echo shar: over-writing existing file "'xicon-install'"
fi
sed 's/^X//' << \SHAR_EOF > 'xicon-install'
XATInstall:HardDisk/failat 30
XATInstall:HardDisk/echo "*E[4mSetting up for first time floppy disk installation.*E[0m*N"
XATInstall:HardDisk/failat 10
XATInstall:HardDisk/cd ATInstall:HardDisk
Xnewcli >NIL: con:0/0/640/200/FloppyDisk from FD-Install
SHAR_EOF
if test 245 -ne "`wc -c 'xicon-install'`"
then
echo shar: error transmitting "'xicon-install'" '(should have been 245 characters)'
fi
echo shar: extracting "'FD-Install'" '(1241 characters)'
if test -f 'FD-Install'
then
echo shar: over-writing existing file "'FD-Install'"
fi
sed 's/^X//' << \SHAR_EOF > 'FD-Install'
Xcd ATInstall:HardDisk
Xecho "First time floppy disk installation.*N"
Xecho "Warning: this procedure will modify your A-Talk III floppy disk."
Xask "Do you want to continue ? [Press RETURN to exit] "
X;
Xif NOT WARN
X SKIP endit
XENDIF
X;
Xfailat 30
X;
Xecho "Which county-dependent fonts do you want to install in the"
Xecho "A-Talk III disk?"
Xecho "[u] USA/UK"
Xecho "[s] Swedish/Finnish"
Xecho "[d] Danish/Norwegian"
Xecho "[g] German"
Xecho "[f] French"
Xecho "[i] Italian"
Xecho "Enter country code [end with RETURN]: "
Xgetline >RAM:__ATF <---------------------- [SETUP ***************]
X;
XIF not exists AT3:fonts
X echo "Font directory on Disk 1 (AT3) not found."
X echo "Exiting..."
X SKIP endit
XENDIF
X;
XIF not exists ATInstall:fonts
X echo "Font directory on Disk 2 (ATInstall) not found."
X echo "Exiting..."
X SKIP endit
XENDIF
X;
XCD ATInstall:fonts
XCD <RAM:__ATF ? <---------------------- [USE ***************]
XIF WARN
X echo "Invalid Country Code."
X SKIP endit
XEndif
Xecho "*NCopying fonts to the A-Talk III disk."
Xcopy #? to AT3:fonts ALL
X;
XIf WARN
X echo "Error occurred while copying fonts."
XElse
X echo "All fonts have been copied."
X echo "Installation is completed."
XEndif
X;
Xlab endit
XWait 5
Xendcli >nil:
SHAR_EOF
if test 1241 -ne "`wc -c 'FD-Install'`"
then
echo shar: error transmitting "'FD-Install'" '(should have been 1241 characters)'
fi
echo shar: extracting "'getline.uue'" '(6282 characters)'
if test -f 'getline.uue'
then
echo shar: over-writing existing file "'getline.uue'"
fi
sed 's/^X//' << \SHAR_EOF > 'getline.uue'
Xbegin 640 getline
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XM__Q@($AL@)P@+?_\0>R"2A(P" !(@4C!+P%.N@:.4$]2K?_\,"R DC (BW_
XM_+* ;=)(;("<2'@ "DZZ!FY03T*G3KH+6%A/3EU.=4Y5 !(YP@@)&T ""\*
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XM@&?D( 1@ZDY5 O"B1M @@4K'J 1E#"\*81I83R1?3EU.=2!24I(0$$B
XM2,# O /]@Z$Y5 !(YP@P)&T "! J S / 89PIP_TS?#!!.74YU"*H
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XM!G 8/1.50 2'@ !$AZ !Q.N@(8+P!.N@(X2'@ 4ZZ Y/[P 03EU.=5Y#
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XH !0 #\@ ^L ! #\@
X
Xend
SHAR_EOF
if test 6282 -ne "`wc -c 'getline.uue'`"
then
echo shar: error transmitting "'getline.uue'" '(should have been 6282 characters)'
fi
# End of shell archive
exit 0
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu
"There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=UH2@PSUVM.BITNET (Lee Sailer) (05/07/88)
It occurs to me that there should be a standard for software installation, following the usual arguments in favor of a standard user interface.
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/08/88)
In article <41893UH2@PSUVM> UH2@PSUVM.BITNET (Lee Sailer) writes: |It occurs to me that there should be a standard for software installation, |following the usual arguments in favor of a standard user interface. That's definitely a good point, and one of the reasons of my posting was to have others comment on it. So far the only thing that I have seen is one article in AmigaMail (by Mike Colligon?) that indicated how to move A-Talk Plus and DPaint to a hard disk, and promoted the use of XICON for building "install" programs. When I tried to implement such a scheme, I quickly found out that with current tools I could NOT be able to build a "fully interactive" install program. With GETLINE now I can. Any comments would be appreciated. (and of course used in my owm products :-) -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
david@ms.uky.edu (David Herron -- One of the vertebrae) (05/09/88)
YES! It's a whole lot more convenient to have a simple standard way
for installing software. (I'm speaking as a long time SA on Unix machines,
I'm very familiar with installing software by hand).
One of the nicer things on Unix PC's is the software installation. An
"installable floppy" is a floppy(ies) that have a cpio archive on it/them,
with a few standard files in the cpio archive. (Size, Install, and
Uninstall are the most important, there are others.) Size is a simple
indication of how much space is required for the installation. Install
is the script used to install all the files wherever they need to go,
Uninstall is stored away and used later when you want to remove the
software.
I've got a real long description of it available if anybody wants to
see it (or if you have access to The STORE!, it's INSTALL.DOC).
The point that I want to make is to think a little about the kinds
of things you want to do in relation to installing/removing software.
It's *real*convenient* to be able to do something like click on an
icon to do either of the tasks. (installing/removing/installing updates).
Having such a standard would go a long way towards being able to
sell the machines to the less sophisticated.
--
<---- David Herron -- The E-Mail guy <david@ms.uky.edu>
<---- or: {rutgers,uunet,cbosgd}!ukma!david, david@UKMA.BITNET
<---- Windowing... The Amiga has windowing. The Mac has windowing (echoes of
<---- Jonathan Livingston Seagull: "Just flying? A mosquito can do that much!").pete@violet.berkeley.edu (Pete Goodeve) (05/13/88)
[Marco Papa writes (in <8922@oberon.USC.EDU>) about his program "getline"
to be used with XICON...]
Yeah!! Many thanks, Marco! I've been meaning to to write a "stupid little
program" like that since I first wrote xicon, but somehow I never got to
it. As usual, the first person who REALLY needs it is the one who has
to write it...
Anyhow, it nicely fills the "Interaction Void" in that area.
BTW, for my own scripts at least, I find that the sort of place where pipes
can be very useful (rather than writing the input line to RAM:). Of course
you DO have to have pipes installed first! Which makes the idea not so
good for the installation scripts you were talking about. (But when 1.3 is
released, EVERYONE will use pipes, won't they? (:-))
Marco also mentions the "various versions" of Xicon. I think I can finally
clarify that a bit, after I wrote to Gail Wellington at C-A about it, and
got a friendly letter back. Apparently both I and someone at C-A (unnamed)
had the same idea, and picked the same (perhaps obvious) name for it, quite
independently, so the program that is to be released on 1.3 is NOT mine.
(I'm not sure why they never released it before, though...) To avoid
confusion, C-A has graciously decided to change the name of theirs to
"IconX". As mine is more comprehensive, you may find it more use in the
sort of turnkey applications it was designed for. It IS bigger though!
-- Pete --papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/13/88)
In article <9927@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> pete@violet.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Pete Goodeve) writes: >[Marco Papa writes (in <8922@oberon.USC.EDU>) about his program "getline" >to be used with XICON...] >Yeah!! Many thanks, Marco! I've been meaning to to write a "stupid little >program" like that since I first wrote xicon, but somehow I never got to >it. As usual, the first person who REALLY needs it is the one who has >to write it... You are welcome! By the way, another problem that cropped up, and that I have to deal with, is that people will have either 1 or 2 disk drives, and that makes a difference if the installation program is on a different disk from the programs to install, as it is the case for A-Talk III. If you've looked at the scripts, the startups EXPLICITLY mentions the entire path <disk>:<dir>/<file>. But on a single drive system that can be a LOT of disk swaps. One solution is to copy your required "install" files and DOS commands to RAM:, CD to it and then do everything with the second disk with the programs to install. >Anyhow, it nicely fills the "Interaction Void" in that area. Feel free to use it any way you like. It did fill my "void". >BTW, for my own scripts at least, I find that the sort of place where pipes >can be very useful (rather than writing the input line to RAM:). Of course >you DO have to have pipes installed first! Which makes the idea not so >good for the installation scripts you were talking about. (But when 1.3 is >released, EVERYONE will use pipes, won't they? (:-)) I thought about that, but had to find a place that IN EVERY case would be available to store the temporary files. T: is not good since it might not be there. PIPE: would be good in 1.3, except that it MUST be mounted to be usable, and I cannot assume that. It turns out that RAM: is always available and if it isn't, it will be MADE. >Marco also mentions the "various versions" of Xicon. I think I can finally >clarify that a bit, after I wrote to Gail Wellington at C-A about it, and >got a friendly letter back. Apparently both I and someone at C-A (unnamed) >had the same idea, and picked the same (perhaps obvious) name for it, quite >independently, so the program that is to be released on 1.3 is NOT mine. >(I'm not sure why they never released it before, though...) It was released in the installation disk for the A2090 hard disk controller. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
erd@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Ethan R. Dicks) (05/14/88)
In article <9066@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >In article <9927@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> pete@violet.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Pete Goodeve) writes: [ text about getline and explicit paths removed ] >>BTW, for my own scripts at least, I find that the sort of place where pipes >>can be very useful (rather than writing the input line to RAM:). Of course >>you DO have to have pipes installed first! Which makes the idea not so >>good for the installation scripts you were talking about. (But when 1.3 is >>released, EVERYONE will use pipes, won't they? (:-)) > >I thought about that, but had to find a place that IN EVERY case would be >available to store the temporary files. T: is not good since it might not >be there. PIPE: would be good in 1.3, except that it MUST be mounted to be >usable, and I cannot assume that. It turns out that RAM: is always available >and if it isn't, it will be MADE. > RAM: is _almost_ always available; at least all Amigas come equipped to sue and create RAM:. I disovered meny moons ago, when I first began customizing my workbench disks that the files in L: _were_ important. My point is that while RAM: will be created if it can be, due to the actions of the user, may not be. How hard is it to get an AmigaDOS redistribution license ($$$)? If you can provide bootable disks to do installation, the solution becomes easier: mount PIPE:, use XIcon (or IconX ;-) Just use the bootable disk to configure the users WorkBench disk/Application disk, or better yet... use the bootable disk to format a blank disk and force the user to make a working copy, which is appropriately customized. -ethan -- Ethan R. Dicks | ###### This signifies that the poster is a member in | ## good sitting of Inertia House: Bodies at rest. This space for rent | ## | ###### "You get it, you're closer."
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/15/88)
In article <13328@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu| erd@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Ethan R. Dicks) writes: |In article <9066@oberon.USC.EDU| papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: ||In article <9927@agate.BERKELEY.EDU| pete@violet.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Pete Goodeve) writes: |||BTW, for my own scripts at least, I find that the sort of place where pipes |||can be very useful (rather than writing the input line to RAM:). Of course |||you DO have to have pipes installed first! Which makes the idea not so || ||I thought about that, but had to find a place that IN EVERY case would be ||available to store the temporary files. T: is not good since it might not ||be there. PIPE: would be good in 1.3, except that it MUST be mounted to be ||usable, and I cannot assume that. It turns out that RAM: is always available ||and if it isn't, it will be MADE. || |RAM: is _almost_ always available; at least all Amigas come equipped to sue |and create RAM:. I disovered meny moons ago, when I first began customizing |my workbench disks that the files in L: _were_ important. My point is that |while RAM: will be created if it can be, due to the actions of the user, may |not be. ^^^ My script will ASSUME that it is installed on an Amiga with at least 512K, and booted with Workbench. I would say that will cover 99% of the current Amigas (Who has an A1000 with 256K?). In that case RAM: will be "made" and will have sufficient space for my executanles and the temp files. If they guy multitasks and runs out of RAM: space during installation, he will get an error and will have to do it again. It happened to me when installing the A2090 software with an A2000 with 512K (I had disconnected my ASDB 8MI). |How hard is it to get an AmigaDOS redistribution license ($$$)? If |you can provide bootable disks to do installation, the solution becomes |easier: mount PIPE:, use XIcon (or IconX ;-) Just use the bootable disk to |configure the users WorkBench disk/Application disk, or better yet... use |the bootable disk to format a blank disk and force the user to make a working |copy, which is appropriately customized. The distribution license is not the point. PIPE: requires the PIPE: entry to be on the Mountlist, otherwise mount PIPE: will fail. I cannot assume that the user will have it, and changing a MountList MUST be done with an EDITOR. That's TOO MUCH WORK for the "average" user. The point is that the installation MUST be run from workbench, with click and answering questions ONLY. Otherwise it is TOO COMPLEX. Second point, as of today few people have PIPE: and that may be for some more considering that 1.3 is not out yet. I guess I have to manage with what I have TODAY. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
langz@athena.mit.edu (Lang Zerner) (05/15/88)
In article <9084@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >The distribution license is not the point. PIPE: requires the PIPE: entry to >be on the Mountlist, otherwise mount PIPE: will fail. I cannot assume that >the user will have it, and changing a MountList MUST be done with an EDITOR. Why not have the mounlist entry on your installation disk and do something like this in the INSTALL script: join devs:mountlist mymountentry as newmountlist rename newmountlist devs:mountlist Be seeing you... Lang Zerner langz@athena.mit.edu ihnp4!mit-eddie!athena.mit.edu!langz "Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage..." -- Bill Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, I.v.19
discat@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (G. Strachan Elec. Eng.) (05/15/88)
In article <9927@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> pete@violet.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Pete Goodeve) writes: > > >[Marco Papa writes (in <8922@oberon.USC.EDU>) about his program "getline" >to be used with XICON...] > >Yeah!! Many thanks, Marco! I've been meaning to to write a "stupid little >program" like that since I first wrote xicon, but somehow I never got to >it. As usual, the first person who REALLY needs it is the one who has >to write it... > >Anyhow, it nicely fills the "Interaction Void" in that area. I have never posted to the net before so I hope I am doing everything correct... A while back I discovered that you can in fact create interactive scripts from the CLI without the need for little programs to print the message and read in the input etc. I figured that it was fairly obvious and everyone else knew it too. Now I am not so sure because people still seem to use these input programs. If this is obvious I apologize. Anyway here is how it works. Ever wondered why Amigados scripts require you to specify the number and name of arguments the script needs? It needs this so the Execute program can tell the user what the required parameters are if he asks with the '?' command. Now once the Execute has printed out the required parameters it reads from standard input to get the parameters. So this can be used to build an interactive script. For example here is my startup sequence script. path sys:system add path sys:utilities add path sys:my_commands add BindDrivers mount pipe: Execute sys:s/loader ? where the script file loader is: .key "Load WorkBench (y/n)" if <Load WorkBench (y/n)$y> eq "y" LoadWb endcli >nil: else echo "Workbench not loaded" shell s:.login endif When the Amiga starts up it will print out the "Load Workbench (y/n)" prompt on the screen. If I type in y it will load the workbench any other responce and it will not. This method has the advantage over writing a simple program to get the input in that it is faster (no program to load) and is much more flexable. The disadvantage is that only one input can be obtained per script. If you need more than one responce from the user then you have to put it in different scripts. Hope this helps some people Gordon Strachan
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/15/88)
In article <5342@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU| langz@athena.mit.edu (Lang Zerner) writes: |In article <9084@oberon.USC.EDU| papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: ||The distribution license is not the point. PIPE: requires the PIPE: entry to ||be on the Mountlist, otherwise mount PIPE: will fail. I cannot assume that ||the user will have it, and changing a MountList MUST be done with an EDITOR. | |Why not have the mounlist entry on your installation disk and do something like |this in the INSTALL script: | | join devs:mountlist mymountentry as newmountlist | rename newmountlist devs:mountlist That would ALMOST do it. The entire sequence would go like this: 1. mount PIPE: 2. if 1. fails then 3. copy pipe-handler to appropriate place 4. if 3. fails forget it 5. else join devs:mountlist with my PIPE mountlist entry 6. (optionally rename as above) 7. mount PIPE: [this hopefully will work] 8. endif -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
schein@cbmvax.UUCP (Dan Schein CATS) (05/17/88)
In article <13328@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> erd@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Ethan R. Dicks) writes: > >not be. How hard is it to get an AmigaDOS redistribution license ($$$)? If ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A Workbench license is not hard to get, heck we don't even have a test :-) >you can provide bootable disks to do installation, the solution becomes >easier: mount PIPE:, use XIcon (or IconX ;-) Just use the bootable disk to ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >configure the users WorkBench disk/Application disk, or better yet... use ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >the bootable disk to format a blank disk and force the user to make a working >copy, which is appropriately customized. > One flaw here is that the user might not be working from floppy but rather hard drive. So if joe user wants to use your bootable install disk to install to his/her hard drive, (im refering to installing an application) they have to first copy the expansion drawer, and in some cases - also copy or edit the mountlist, and maybe (just maybe) edit the startup-sequence. At this point your method is not as easy as before. >-- >Ethan R. Dicks | ###### This signifies that the poster is a member in -- Dan "Sneakers" Schein uucp: {ihnp4|allegra|burdvax|rutgers}!cbmvax!schein Commodore AMIGA ARPANET: cbmvax!schein@uunet.uu.net 1200 Wilson Drive Bix: dschein Plink: Dan*CATS West Chester PA 19380 phone: (215) 431-9100 ext. 9542 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Call BERKS AMIGA BBS - 24 Hrs - 3/12/2400 Baud - 40Meg - 215/678-7691 +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ I help Commodore by supporting the AMIGA. Commodore supports me by allowing me to form my own suggestions and comments.
doug-merritt@cup.portal.com (05/17/88)
Marco Papa writes: >The distribution license is not the point. PIPE: requires the PIPE: entry to >be on the Mountlist, otherwise mount PIPE: will fail. I cannot assume that >the user will have it, and changing a MountList MUST be done with an EDITOR. >That's TOO MUCH WORK for the "average" user. The point is that the installation >MUST be run from workbench, with click and answering questions ONLY. Actually, you can automate this. Write a program that does a quick scan of Mountlist for "pipe", and if not found, append the appropriate entry to it, and copy pipe.device to the appropriate disk (all with user prompts to ask if it's ok to do this, of course). Doug Merritt
papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (05/18/88)
In article <4697@watdcsu.waterloo.edu| discat@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (G. Strachan Elec. Eng.) writes: |In article <9927@agate.BERKELEY.EDU| pete@violet.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Pete Goodeve) writes: ||[Marco Papa writes (in <8922@oberon.USC.EDU|) about his program "getline" ||to be used with XICON...] ||Yeah!! Many thanks, Marco! I've been meaning to to write a "stupid little ||program" like that since I first wrote xicon, but somehow I never got to ||it. As usual, the first person who REALLY needs it is the one who has ||to write it... ||Anyhow, it nicely fills the "Interaction Void" in that area. | |A while back I discovered that you can in fact create interactive scripts |from the CLI without the need for little programs to print the message and |read in the input etc. I figured that it was fairly obvious and everyone |else knew it too. Now I am not so sure because people still seem to use |these input programs. If this is obvious I apologize. Anyway here is how |it works. Ever wondered why Amigados scripts require you to specify the |number and name of arguments the script needs? It needs this so the |Execute program can tell the user what the required parameters are if he |asks with the '?' command. Now once the Execute has printed out the required |parameters it reads from standard input to get the parameters. So this can |be used to build an interactive script. For example here is my startup |sequence script. | |path sys:system add |path sys:utilities add |path sys:my_commands add |BindDrivers |mount pipe: |Execute sys:s/loader ? | |where the script file loader is: | |.key "Load WorkBench (y/n)" |if <Load WorkBench (y/n)$y| eq "y" |LoadWb |endcli |nil: |else |echo "Workbench not loaded" |shell s:.login |endif | |When the Amiga starts up it will print out the "Load Workbench (y/n)" prompt |on the screen. If I type in y it will load the workbench any other responce |and it will not. This method has the advantage over writing a simple program to |get the input in that it is faster (no program to load) and is much more |flexable. The disadvantage is that only one input can be obtained per script. |If you need more than one responce from the user then you have to put it in |different scripts. Nice try. Unfortunately it does NOT work with XICON (both versions from CBM or Pete), but only when executed by the CLI or through an Execute command. In fact an article on "Execute file ?" was included in the last issue of Amazing Computing. I don't know if it is a bug or feature of Execute or AmigaDOS or what else but if you do an Execute name ? in the main XICON script it will ask the question but it will NOT wait for the answer, and in all my cases will go into an infinite loop on the next script instruction. I had this bug report in my queue for sometime, but never got to send it out. Andy, consider this an official bug report. Let me know if you need any more details. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
mb@munnari.oz (Michael Bednarek) (05/18/88)
In article <4697@watdcsu.waterloo.edu> discat@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (G. Strachan Elec. Eng.) writes: >In article <9927@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> pete@violet.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Pete Goodeve) writes: >>[Marco Papa writes (in <8922@oberon.USC.EDU>) about his program "getline" >>to be used with XICON...] >> >>Anyhow, it nicely fills the "Interaction Void" in that area. > > [description of EXECUTE using arguments and `.key'] Another crude way of input handling is the SKIP command: [from my `Startup-Sequence') echo "Environment: CLI, WB or shell?" skip ? lab CLI Date ? execute Make_RAM quit lab WB loadwb endcli >NIL: quit lab shell c:/moreC/shell s:login.sh quit SKIP ? will cause a prompt "LABEL: " and jump. Problem: If the usere enters something else. -- Michael Bednarek, Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (IAESR) // Melbourne University,Parkville 3052, AUSTRALIA, Phone:+61 3 344 5744 \X/ Domain:u3369429@{murdu.oz.au | ucsvc.dn.mu.oz.au} | mb@munnari.oz.au "bang":...UUNET!munnari!murdu!u3369429 PSI%23343000301::U3369429 "POST NO BILLS."
andy@cbmvax.UUCP (Andy Finkel) (05/20/88)
In article <2123@munnari.oz> mb@munnari.oz (Michael Bednarek) writes: >SKIP ? will cause a prompt "LABEL: " and jump. >Problem: If the usere enters something else. 1.3 has an ENDSKIP command for just this purpose...stops the skip dead in its tracks, so lets you continue within the script. -- andy finkel {ihnp4|seismo|allegra}!cbmvax!andy Commodore-Amiga, Inc. "C combines the power of assembly language with the flexibility of assembly language." Any expressed opinions are mine; but feel free to share. I disclaim all responsibilities, all shapes, all sizes, all colors.