Category : Alternate Operating Systems - Quarterdeck DesqView, CP/M, etc
Archive   : QWHITE13.ZIP
Filename : APISTART.TEC

 
Output of file : APISTART.TEC contained in archive : QWHITE13.ZIP
ID:AP Starting DESQview Under API
Quarterdeck Technical Note #135 Filename: APISTART.TEC
by Stan Young CompuServe: APISTA.TEC
Last revised: 3/02/92 Category: API

Subject: How to start a DESQview API program from the command line using
DV . Discusses the default status of DESQview in this
mode and about enabling DESQview functions (which by default are
disabled).


Starting DESQview Under API Program Control

Many API programs are designed to run much the same as any off-the-shelf
program in the DESQview environment. That is, the user simply selects them
from the Open Window menu, they open and once they are running they may begin
to control and take advantage of DESQview.

Creating an "auto-start" macro for DESQview can allow the program to be
brought up automatically on the start of DESQview. The "auto-start" macro is
described in the DESQview users manual (Look up "Scripts, startup" and
"Scripts, global in the index).

The auto-start macro is generally a good starting method where you want to
make sure your API program is run, but want to make most of the features of
DESQview available to your users. The default for starting in this method is
that all of the features of DESQview are enabled and your API program would
have to disable them specifically after starting up if you did not want all of
these features available.

However, sometimes API developers want to control the system more fully. To
do this, you can start DESQview as follows:

DV {program information filename}

An example of a program started in this fashion is on every users DESQview
disk in the SETUP.BAT file. It reads as follows:

DV SETUP.DVP
There are some other parameters listed in SETUP.BAT that are specific to
DESQview operation, but these would not normally become a part of your API
program startup (/OK assumes "non-enhanced keyboard", /NS means don't read the
setup file, use defaults.)

Run the DESQview Setup and you will get an idea of the defaults under which
API programs started from the command line are run:

1. After display of the DESQview copyright screen, the application
listed in the DVP file is automatically run.

2. All access to the DESQview menu is disabled. DESQview macros,
including the auto-start macro for the window are enabled if present, but
access to the Learn menu is not available.

3. Terminating the application terminates DESQview and drops you out to
the DOS prompt.

Obviously, this is a limited, single-tasking environment, however this puts
the API program in control. Once started, the API program can start
additional tasks (NEW or NEWPROC in assembler, app_new or app_start in C or
Pascal), and selectively enable the features of DESQview (Manager streams 00
to 3F in Assembler, or win_allow function in C or Pascal).

The only feature not enabled is the Open Window item. When an API program is
started from the command line, the DESQVIEW.DVO file,(contents of the Open
Window menu) is not read in and the Open Window option will not be present.
Your API program can produce its own menu of programs to open if you like. If
you want to allow users to have access to the Open Window menu, you would want
to start up using the auto-start macro.

************************************************************************
*This technical note may be copied and distributed freely as long as it*
*is distributed in its entirety and it is not distributed for profit. *
* Copyright (C) 1989-92 by Quarterdeck Office Systems *
************************ E N D O F F I L E *************************


  3 Responses to “Category : Alternate Operating Systems - Quarterdeck DesqView, CP/M, etc
Archive   : QWHITE13.ZIP
Filename : APISTART.TEC

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