[comp.windows.ms] DOS for Windows

harold@wam.umd.edu (James B. Harold) (05/14/91)

  I've been happily (usually) buzzing along with Win 3.0 now for a
few months.  But I happen to _like_ command line environments,
so I keep a DOS window up most of the time.  Thing is, after
using Windows apps for awhile I start wanting more out of
my DOS box.  Specifically, I'd like to be able to scroll
back through previous pages of the session using a slider,
like other apps.  Is there some app out there that would
do something like that?  Sort of a windows version of a
command line editor? Other ideas would include highlighting
a section of text, then an <ENTER> to execute it on the
command line.
  Ok, ok...maybe I'm asking too much from poor, persecuted
DOS. Still, is this possible?

   James Harold
   harold@lpf.umd.edu

royce@minnie.cs.su.OZ.AU (Royce William Paul Lithgo) (05/14/91)

In article <1991May13.202956.6214@wam.umd.edu>, harold@wam.umd.edu
(James B. Harold) writes:
|>
|>  I've been happily (usually) buzzing along with Win 3.0 now for a
|>few months.  But I happen to _like_ command line environments,
|>so I keep a DOS window up most of the time.  Thing is, after
|>using Windows apps for awhile I start wanting more out of
|>my DOS box.  Specifically, I'd like to be able to scroll
|>back through previous pages of the session using a slider,
|>like other apps.  Is there some app out there that would
|>do something like that?  Sort of a windows version of a
|>command line editor? Other ideas would include highlighting
|>a section of text, then an <ENTER> to execute it on the
|>command line.
|>  Ok, ok...maybe I'm asking too much from poor, persecuted
|>DOS. Still, is this possible?
|>
|>   James Harold
|>   harold@lpf.umd.edu
                 
What we really need for Windows is something like the xterm application
for X windows. This enables you to run a shell (UNIX) inside a window that has
a slider bar and adjustable buffer (e.g. 500 lines). One of the really nice
features of xterm is that you can select text from the window (e.g. really long
command or file name) using the mouse and when you hit one of the mouse buttons
the selected text is automatically reproduced at the cursor position.

Hope this inspires somebody to create such a beast for Windows!!

----------
Royce Lithgo <royce@minnie.cs.su.OZ.AU>
Basser Department of Computer Science,
University of Sydney,
Australia.
----------

dcrowley@sunb.mqcc.mq.oz.au (David Crowley) (05/14/91)

In article <1991May13.202956.6214@wam.umd.edu> harold@wam.umd.edu (James B. Harold) writes:
>my DOS box.  Specifically, I'd like to be able to scroll
>back through previous pages of the session using a slider,
>like other apps.  Is there some app out there that would
>do something like that?  Sort of a windows version of a
>command line editor? Other ideas would include highlighting

	Yea, I once read somewhere in a shareware program that someone was
    writting a program called wsh i.e. a shell in a window. And if the
    author is listening - please hurry up and make either it or the source
    code available. -*PLEASE*-

							That's all
							  David...

-- 
-----------------=\|/= = = = = Don't blow up, it's more fun to implode ! = = =
  David Crowley  --@--  Database Programmer, Macquarie University, Australia
----------------- /|\             email: dcrowley@suna.mqcc.mq.oz.au
 At MacUni-Phone = 61 2 805-8792 Room = EsevenB 238. At home-Phone = 489-5384

kxb@math.ksu.edu (Karl Buck) (05/14/91)

royce@minnie.cs.su.OZ.AU (Royce William Paul Lithgo) writes:

>In article <1991May13.202956.6214@wam.umd.edu>, harold@wam.umd.edu
>(James B. Harold) writes:
[..]
>                 
>What we really need for Windows is something like the xterm application
>for X windows. 
[..]
Yes, this would be great. The next best thing (what I'm using now) is
Backmenu without the Program manager. It of course does not give you all
the great options of X, but if you are most productive in a command line
environment, and don't want icons getting in the way, this is a great way
to go. I just changed my shell=progman to shell=backmenu. 
--
 Karl Buck 
 KSU Dept. of Mathematics                      email: kxb@hilbert.math.ksu.edu
 Manhattan, Kansas 66506                       voice: (913)532-6750

hadgraft@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au (Hadgraft) (05/15/91)

In article <1991May13.202956.6214@wam.umd.edu>, harold@wam.umd.edu (James B. Harold) writes:
>
>   I've been happily (usually) buzzing along with Win 3.0 now for a
> few months.  But I happen to _like_ command line environments,
> so I keep a DOS window up most of the time.  Thing is, after
> using Windows apps for awhile I start wanting more out of
> my DOS box.  Specifically, I'd like to be able to scroll
> back through previous pages of the session using a slider,
> like other apps.  Is there some app out there that would
> do something like that?  Sort of a windows version of a
> command line editor?

I can't help with that, but it would be useful.

> Other ideas would include highlighting
> a section of text, then an <ENTER> to execute it on the
> command line.

I can help with this. I already have an application that acts as a companion to
other applications (particularly DOS ones). It lets you build menus of commands.
When you select a menu item, a sequence of keystrokes is fired at the companion
application (eg. DOS in a window). Menu items can do a number of other things as
well, one of which is to copy what has been highlighted in the companion
application, then fire it back followed by RETURN to have it executed. This is
really neat (for example) when using FTP. I highlight the file I want to get,
and select "Get Marked file". My app copies the name of the file (via the
clipboard), then sends back GET FILENAME{ENTER}., and it's done.

Menu items may also execute applications, present a simple list box of files
from which to choose, etc.

I haven't made it available, because it's still a bit experimental, but I'd be
willing to make it available via e-mail to a few dedicated users. I use it
reqularly with WinQVT (my biggest use), DOS (for zipping files), and MemoryMate
(a DOS free text database), and as a general platform for launching
applications.

One of its neater features is when you run an application, it can start it in
whatever directory is at the top of the stack in File Manager. I find this
really handy, and I know of no other application that can do this.
--
  +--------------------------------------+
  |  Roger Hadgraft                 +----------------------------------+
  |  Senior Lecturer                |  hadgraft@civeng.monash.edu.au   |
  |  Dept of Civil Engineering      |  phone:  +61 3 565 4983          |
  |  Monash University              |  fax:    +61 3 565 4944 or 3409  |
  |  Clayton, Vic. 3168. Australia. +----------------------------------+
  +--------------------------------------+

defaria@hpcupt3.cup.hp.com (Andy DeFaria) (05/15/91)

>/ hpcupt3:comp.windows.ms / royce@minnie.cs.su.OZ.AU (Royce William Paul Lithgo) /  7:32 pm  May 13, 1991 /
>What we really need for Windows is something like the xterm application
>for X windows. This enables you to run a shell (UNIX) inside a window that has
>a slider bar and adjustable buffer (e.g. 500 lines). One of the really nice
>features of xterm is that you can select text from the window (e.g. really long
>command or file name) using the mouse and when you hit one of the mouse buttons
>the selected text is automatically reproduced at the cursor position.
>
>Hope this inspires somebody to create such a beast for Windows!!

Can't you just run a DOS shell in a window?  I'm told that you can do this but
I can't verify it because I have a 286 an the option for running it in a
window it listed under the 386 options.

Course this doesn't solve the cut-and-paste issue but I have written my own
shell that allows me to cut-and-paste (although I here that it is difficult to
coerce Windows into letting you grab the mouse I haven't been able to try it
with my 286 :-(.