Dec 172017
| A very comprehsive DOS Manager and menu program. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| File Name | File Size | Zip Size | Zip Type |
| #DM.EXE | 22362 | 21143 | deflated |
| DM.BAT | 16 | 16 | stored |
| DM.CFG | 205 | 121 | deflated |
| DM.DAT | 3365 | 1348 | deflated |
| DM.DOC | 19284 | 7512 | deflated |
| DM.MSG | 683 | 344 | deflated |
| E-MAIL.HLP | 308 | 192 | deflated |
| WHATIS.NEW | 200 | 161 | deflated |
Download File DM16.ZIP Here
Contents of the DM.DOC file
DOS MANAGER
===================
(v 1.6 10-Jul-1992)
by
Maurizio Ammannato
(c) Copyright 1992 Maurizio's House
(GEnie mail M.AMMANNATO)
This DM.DOC file is in
HappyWare concept.
==================
My personal concept of HAPPYWARE is to deliver a fully working package at
$0 licence fee to enjoy together of this fantastic opportunity to share
ideas and knowledge over physical, cultural, race and religious boundaries.
Use it as you want, but don't make any kind of profit on my work which
you've received free of charge. Commercial licence is available and related
money will be devolved to a local school of Valmadrera for young people
with handicap.
My Preferred Sentence
=====================
"-To get back what you gave to others- is one of the best thing I can wish
to somebody or to receive from. Why when I say that to some bosses or
colleagues I see worried faces, sometimes terror in their eyes?"
(Oiziruam Otannamma)
Maurizio Ammannato
Via Preguda N.60
22049 Valmadrera (CO)
I T A L Y
---------------------
(tel. 39-341-581081)
WHY DM
======
While WINDOWS is a fantastic DOS/Application graphic interfaces, I believe
that it's done for 'PC-aware' people. To get the best from it you need at
least a '386' machine, a VGA graphic, a mouse, a second serial port, a
large memory, abundant disk bytes and the time and the good willing to
learn it.
The remaining 90% of PC users "non-PC-aware", still believe that the
mouse is an animal, don't need multitasking because it's still their habit
to do one job at the time, don't need an Apple picture to understand to
press the 'A' key, don't have VGA screen, don't need 2Mbytes of memory,
don't have disk Mbytes to dedicate to one program, and finally don't have
money/time to be trained on a program which 'simply' executes other
application programs (which on the contrary must be deeply learned).
Well, for myself and for this people I've developed in the past some
Program Manger programs (MENU, POP, PM, for more than 400 downloads from
GEnie). I've stopped their development after WINDOWS 3.0 announcement
getting the feeling to waste my time. But now, in spite of the overall
hallelujah for WINDOWS, after many months of WINDOWS usage, I believe that,
for the most part of PC users, an honest, easy, cheap, fast, compact and at
the same time powerful Program Manager has still its strong utility.
That's why of DM, DOS Manager program.
DM FEATURES
===========
- DM can execute up to 1584 programs: 16 x 99 (menus x programs = 1584)
all of them visible in ONE screen.
- DM executes .COM .EXE and .BAT batch files
- DM can execute a program leaving available ALL the main memory or
remaining RAM resident. An 'a' on 24th line remarks that.
- Optionally DM can open an Help Window with more details on highlighted
program. A flashing '+' on 24th line for this availability.
- Optionally DM can execute Help Master (HM) to read an Hypertext
Help Document on HighLighted program. A flashing '+' on 24th line for
this availability.
- Each of 1584 programs can be executed via a password validation.
A 'p' on 24th line advises you of password presence.
- Each Menu can execute up to 99 programs.
- You can pass parameters to the program (i.e. c:\diw.exe *.exe) and
execute multiple programs via '|' character (c:\diw.exe *.dat|c:\diw.exe
*.exe). DM allows piping (i.e. c:\diw.exe>pippo *.EXE|c:\print.com pippo)
- Input variable parameter. Giving %1 instead of the fixed parameter you
advise DM to ask for an input before executing a program or a BAT
(i.e. c:\dir.exe %1)
- Special "@" COMMAND to allow Internal DOS programs like DIR,TYPE etc.
- Program navigation also allowed via 'red key' (case sensitive) of your
choice
- DM has been compiled using an innovative compiler, PDQ. It reads
QuikBasic sources and generates ASSEMBLER code. That's why DM is fast and
compact.
- You can have your own tongue, editing DM.MSG file.
QUICK INSTRUCTIONS
==================
Put in your C:\ root directory the following files:
- DM.EXE Program
- DM.CFG Configuration file
- DM.MSG Comments, Messages, Help file
- DM.DAT Programs and applications to be executed
Better if you execute DM directly from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Prepare using your preferred Text Editor the DM.DAT file (in the .ZIP file
you find an example of the DM.DAT file) or leave it as it is just to make a
try.
Don't change for now DM.CFG and DM.MSG files and execute DM from DOS prompt
(C:\DM). Once on Main Menu, use left/right arrows to navigate the menus and
up/down arrow to navigate programs. F1 for Help.
DM.DAT STRUCTURE
================
You can have up to 16 Menus. Let start with a DM.DAT with 3 menus.
Each of them needs 4 HEADING instructions:
MENU=1 1 for first, 2 for second etc.
DESCRIPTION=DOS First Menu description (on first screen row)
COMMENT=DOS Utilities First Menu long description (up to 80 characters
on last screen row)
PROGRAMS=2 2 programs for first menu
After that you have to write 2 lines for each programs, line type 'A' and
line type 'B'.
The line 'A' needs THREE values :
COP,Linking host computer with COP program,secret
| | |
| | |------ 3) optional password
| |------------------------------------2) command comment
|--------------------------------------------------1) command
Line 'A' => 1) Program-to-execute (comma)
(a '@' indicates the left character to be considered as
the Red Key; no @ means first character=Red Key)
2) Its long comment for the 23rd line (comma)
3) Optional Password
The line type 'B' needs ONE value only :
C:\COP\cop.exe MKIII
Line 'B' => FULL path ending with the FULL program name (include its
extension like .COM or .EXE or .BAT) or DM special commands
(@COMMAND or @QUIT).
N.B. Full path means also and always the device name (A: or C: or D: etc.).
If for example you want to print the file PIPPO on diskette B:, you have to
write as line type 'B' :
C:\DOS\PRINT.COM B:\PIPPO.TXT
PROGRAM LEVEL EXCEPTIONS
========================
- If you put a "-" in the first line (graphic character) you don't need
to give the second line (that allows you a better window editing).
- If you give a DM '@' command, you don't need to give any extension.
See "@ Special Commands" section.
In both cases you have to count such editing command as programs. For
example for the following menu section :
5,EDITORS,Execute one of your preferred editors
MENU=2
DESCRIPTION=Editors
COMMENT=Professional Editor Menu
PROGRAMS=5
PE2,Professional Editor,[password]
C:\EDITORS\pe2.exe %1
-
QEDIT,Quick Editor,[password]
C:\EDITORS\qedit.exe %1
-
SHELL,Temporarily to DOS (write EXIT to come back),ONLYME
@COMMAND
you have to declare 5 programs (2 editing lines, plus 2 real commands, plus
a "@" DM Special Command").
SPECIAL @ COMMANDS
==================
There are two type of Special Commands. The first one is to allow you to
shell to DOS or to quit to DOS:
@COMMAND to SHELL to dos (type exit at DOS prompt to come back to DM
@QUIT to exit form DM and remain at DOS level
Second type allow you to don't give any extension (.COM or .EXE, etc) so
that DM doesn't check for it. This option is useful to use INTERNAL DOS
commands. In fact DIR, TYPE, COPY, PAUSE etc, are DOS internal commands and
they don't really exist on disk.
If you want to have a disk directory from DM, do as following :
DIR,File Directory (give filenames,
@DIR %1|@PAUSE
This command ask for the directory you need, then after the list it pauses
(piping character) for any key before coming back to DM. (i.e. answer
"C:\DOS\*.COM" in the input window).
Help Program File
=================
If DM finds in current directory an
correlated to highlighted program (i.e. LOTUS.PHP for LOTUS program,
EMAIL.PHP for EMAIL program, etc.) you get ,pressing the flashing plus (+)
key, some additional comments (the text in .PHP file). If that file doesn't
exist, DM displays what the appropriate filename for the highlighted
programs should be (so that you can prepare an help file for that program
with that filename).
For example if the highlighted program is "B*Talk 5.1", DM looks for
"BTALK51.PHP" (DM removes from program string all not allowed DOS
characters for filenames and adds .PHP extension).
EXAMPLE
=======
'----------- 1st for DOS
MENU=1
DESCRIPTION=D O S
COMMENT=DOS Utility
PROGRAMS=5
DIR,Disk Directory (give string to search; i.e. c:\*.EXE),
@dir %1
COPY,Files to copy (give name to copy & device;i.e. *.DAT D:),
@copy %1
TYPE,File to display (give the name of printable file),
@type %1
PURGE,Remove selected files from disk (ask for confirmation),
@del %1
FORMAT,Like FORMAT DOS command (only for A: or B: devices),
c:\dos\format.com %1
'
'-- 2nd for application, still without password
'
MENU=2
DESCRIPTION=U T I
COMMENT=Disk Utility
PROGRAMS=8
LOOK,LOOK Utility (by GE Information Services),
c:\uti\look.bat
TSS,Statistics on your Personal,
c:\uti\tss22.exe
SPEED,Compute your PC Speed,
c:\uti\speed.bat
DISK,Compute your disks free sizes,
c:\uti\disk.bat
COMPRESS,Squeeze disk space,
c:\uti\compress.exe
NDD,Norton Disk Doctor,
c:\uti\ndd.exe
SZ,Squeeze disk space,
c:\uti\sz.exe
GRABBAG,Some utilities,
c:\uti\gb.exe
'
'-- 3rd displaying 'hard pictures' via password
'
MENU=3
DESCRIPTION=GIFteca
COMMENT=Pictures from GEnie
PROGRAMS=5
Aloha03@,From Hawaii,maumau
d:\vgapic\picem.exe>nul hawaii03.pic
Aloha04@,From Hawaii,maumau
d:\vgapic\picem.exe>nul hawaii04.pic
Ca@ble4,See and decide,maumau
d:\vgapic\picem.exe>nul cable4.pic
Don@na,A woman,maumau
d:\vgapic\picem.exe>nul donna.pic
Gal@nu231,No distraction !,maumau
d:\vgapic\picem.exe>nul galnu231.pic
'
'-- 4th to finish
'
MENU=4
DESCRIPTION=Quitting
COMMENT=To Exit to DOS
PROGRAMS=3
SHELL,To Exit temporarily,
@COMMAND
-
QUIT,To Exit definitively,
@QUIT
OPTIONS
=======
DM has its OPTION file to allow you to use your favorite
color/layout/menuname combination.
If you want to use above option you have to edit DM.CFG file with your Text
Editor.
Foreground color numbers can range from 1 to 31: Background from 1 to 7.
The following is the complete list of options you can set :
'-----DataFile--DM.CFG------------
MENU_TITLE=DOS Manager
TIME=5 (save screen after 5 minutes)
F_MAIN=14 (foreground main window color)
B_MAIN=1 (background main window color)
F_WIND=0 (window)
B_WIND=7
F_TOP=0 (top line)
B_TOP=7
F_MENU=0 (menu)
B_MENU=3
F_PROG=0 (program)
B_PROG=2
F_CHR=4 (hot key)
B_CHR=7
F_24=14 (24th line)
B_24=5
Above option example are the default DM values.
MESSAGES
========
After Option file you can customize messages and comments in your own or
preferred language modifying the DM.MSG file.
The following is an example of standard DM messages in DM.CFG file.
" + Highlighted Prog Help Navigate Main Menu"
" p Prog requires Password Navigate Progs Menu"
"ecb Exe, Com or Bat Program PgUp Navigate Progs Menu"
" @ Special @ Command PgDn Navigate Progs Menu"
"Cap Caps Lock ON F1 This Help"
"ESC ESCape Execute Marked Prog"
"Any key to continue"
"Wrong Matrix Definition in"
"Wrong Option. Check"
"No device name!"
"No '\' symbol found!"
"No .COM,.EXE or .BAT extension"
"Input"
"not found."
"[ Press any key to continue ]"
""
You can change whatever you want at the only condition to don't change
string comment length.
MAIN MENU LAYOUT
================
1st line : main menus list (highlighted color for current menu)
25th line : corresponding long highlighted menu comment (LEVEL 1)
23rd line : long highlighted program comment (LEVEL 2)
24th line : . date
. F1=Help
. RAM device if exists
. current program on total available (2/40 = 2nd of 40)
. title
. +/a/p/e/c/b/@ as per help screen
. total RAM availability (k bytes)
. Cap or no Cap (useful for the Red Keys, case sensitive)
. time
. remaining secs before going to sleep
between 2nd and 23rd the up to 19 lines menu's window.
NAVIGATING MENUs
================
Once in the main, you can navigate in the following ways :
- left/right keyboard arrows: navigate menus (1st screen line)
- down/up arrows : navigate programs of current menu one by one
- Rot Key (different color) : jump directly to program and execute
- PgDn and PgUp : jump to Home/End of program window
- F1 for help screen.
- Once on highlighted program, the IMMISSION (or RETURN or ENTER) key allow
you to execute the chosen procedure.
- ESC to quit.
- Any other key, displays the CopyRight/Help screen.
EXECUTING PROGRAMS FROM DM
==========================
You can execute programs from DM in the following different three formats:
A) You can execute a program without any command line value; i.e.
C:\EDITORS\pe2.exe
You enter in PE2 with no file on screen.
B) You can execute a program with a command line value; i.e. :
C:\EDITORS\pe2.exe C:\pippo.txt
You execute PE2 which loads pippo.txt
C) And finally you can tell DM to ask for a parameter; i.e. :
@DIR %1
DM before executing DIR, opens an input window asking for filenames and
pass them to called internal DOS command.
That is valid for .EXE, .COM , .BAT and @ programs.
PREPARING HELP FILE
===================
One of the most powerful capability of DM is to let you prepare an
exhaustive Help Window for each of 1584 programs.
You can do that in two different ways.
WINDOW HELP
-----------
If you have the following program lines on DM.DAT :
My Dbase,Executing my personal data base,
C:\DB\pcf.exe
you have to prepare with your editor an ASCII file called MYDBASE.HLP (thus
looking at "My Dbase" string, remove blanks and other not allowed DOS
characters and add .PHP extension) and leave it on DM directory.
Once executed DM and highlighted above program, DM automatically looks for
that .HLP file and once found, print a flashing "+" character on 24th line
for help. If the user now press the + key, your help comment are displayed
on a pop up window in the middle of main screen (20 lines per 72 characters
as a maximum).
HELP MASTER
-----------
If you available HM (Help Master) another my program to build Help file in
Hypertext fashion, prepare such file with the same rule as before but with
.HYP extension. DM looks for this extension firstly, then for .HLP.
If DM finds this file, executes Help Master passing the name of the
Hypertext File. Specially for beginners, this kind of help is extremely
useful. You can find HMxx.ZIP package on GEnie.
History
-------
1.0 . First release
1.1 . Added HM capability.
1.4 . Full PATH support (program and parameters)
(i.e. c:\DOS\print.exe f:\vision\vision.doc)
. Added @ SPECIAL COMMANDS to use Internal DOS commands
1.5 . NumLock set to 'off' only at the DM start
1.6 . Fixed a bug on 'editing' character when in long submenu list
Notes for Help Master (type "HM DM.DOC" at DOS level)
======================================================
{HM}
Help Master is a program which allows to use the same documentation
you can read the same file in
navigation and window facility.
An highlighted word represents a
There are two different types of key-word; the first one opens an
explanation window, the second one jumps to a specific document point.
Pressing the
words (first type) or jump to a specific point (2nd type).
. Press F1 for Help
. Press ESCape key to come back basic text
-@-
{ASCII}
When you have an ASCII file on your PC, that means you can PRINT it,
you can TYPE it, you can EDIT it.
- PRINT filename
- TYPE filename
- EDLIN filename
-@-
{Hyper Text}
That is a new technique to improve a text comprehension speed. Each
Hyper Text word can be a key-word which opens a new text folder, in
this new folder you can find new key-words which open new folders etc.
So that you can read text at the layer of your knowledge layer.
-@-
{Hypertext}
See
-@-
{key-word}
A key-word is a special word you want to detail more. Depending on the
key-word type, you may enter in a window with more details or jump to a
specific point of the document you are reading
-@-
{arrows}
See
-@-
{arrow}
Looking at your keyboard, on numeric small keyboard, there are some
small arrows. For this program you can use Left and Right Arrow to move
right and down or left and up.
-@-
{RETURN}
Often you can find this key as IMMISSION key or a CARRIAGE RETURN key
or ENTER key.
-@-
{ALL}
To leave free all available main memory
-@-
December 17, 2017
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