******************************
*** ***
*** COMMAND MANAGER v1.41 ***
*** ***
******************************

Mark L. Bakke
14309 Fairview Lane
Dale City, VA 22193
(703) 680-2628



***
*** INTRODUCTION
***

Command Manager is a utility program that provides the ability to
store up to 200 DOS commands for later editing and execution. This
program is not a TSR as are a number of command line editors (HISTORY,
CED, NDOSEDIT, etc.) with which you may already be familiar. This
means that will be able to store up just the commands you want and,
also, not be concerned with managing another memory-hungry TSR that's
always around even when you don't need it.

A short list of the features of Command Manager:

-- Selectively store up to 200 DOS command lines as you run them
-- Recall any saved commands for execution, editing, or cloning
-- Display all saved commands that begin with a defined 'mask'
-- Store new commands at any time without executing them
-- Ability to create a queue of commands to execute in sequence
-- Save and recall queued command files
-- Choose between 'shell', 'child', or 'exec' execution modes
-- Choose color or monochrome (B&W) display modes
-- Uses 43/50 line EGA/VGA display modes, if available
-- Not a TSR

The Command Manager executable file is named "x.exe". This should
NOT be renamed to something else, since the new queue processing
capabilities added beginning with v1.40 need that name to accurately
perform some functions.

This document supports v1.41 of Command Manager. To get a quick
overview of the new features and fixes included in this version, see
the RELEASE NOTES section near the end of the document. Also, new
sections in the documentation that pertain to the current version have
been marked with a '|' character in the rightmost column so you may
find them quickly.






***
*** TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 2
***

COMMAND MANAGER DISTRIBUTION FILE ........................ 2
INSTALLING COMMAND MANAGER ............................... 3
INVOKING COMMAND MANAGER ................................. 4
COMMAND LINE MODE ........................................ 5
INTERACTIVE MODE ......................................... 6
COMMAND EDITOR ........................................... 8
OPTION MODE .............................................. 9
COMMANDS QUEUE ........................................... 10
COMMAND EXECUTOR CONTROL PANEL ........................... 11
ALTERNATIVE USES FOR COMMAND MANAGER ..................... 12
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ...................................... 13
RELEASE NOTES ............................................ 14
REGISTRATION INFO ........................................ 16
LIABILITIES, WARRANTIES, AND OTHER MUMBO-JUMBO ........... 17
COMMAND MANAGER SUPPORT AND NEWEST VERSIONS .............. 19
OTHER SHAREWARE PRODUCTS FROM THE
AUTHOR OF COMMAND MANAGER ............................ 20


*** |
*** COMMAND MANAGER DISTRIBUTION FILE |
*** |
|
The complete distribution file for Command Manager v1.41 should |
contain the following files: |
|
X.EXE -- This is the Command Manager executable file |
(51663 bytes, dated 07-12-90) |
|
CMD_FILE -- This is a sample stored commands file |
|
CMDMGR.DOC -- Command Manager documentation |
|
CMDMGR.AD -- A one-page game description and registration |
order form |
|
SUPPORT.BBS -- Where to obtain the newest versions of Command |
Manager and my other shareware programs. This |
is also where you can contact me with questions, |
comments, suggestions, and orders. |
|
My original Command Manager distribution file is a PKZIP-created |
archive named CMGR141.ZIP. The unarchiving utility PKUNZIP is |
required to recreate the five original files from this archive. If |
you do not have PKUNZIP, you will need to obtain it from your favorite |
BBS. The current version of this utility should be contained in a |
file called "PKZ110.EXE". |





*** |
*** INSTALLING COMMAND MANAGER Page 3 |
*** |
|
You may run Command Manager from your hard drive or from a floppy |
disk. To install Command Manager, you need only copy the distribution |
file to the desired directory or sub-directory and enter the command, |
"PKUNZIP CMGR141" to recreate the Command Manager files. For example, |
if you have the disk containing the distribution file in floppy drive |
A: and you wish to install Command Manager on your hard drive C: into |
a new directory called "cmgr", you should put the diskette into drive |
A: and issue the following commands: |
|
c: (make hard drive C: the current drive) |
cd \ (change to the root directory) |
md cmgr (create the new sub-directory "cmgr") |
cd cmgr (change to the new sub-directory) |
copy a:cmgr141.zip (copy the distribution file from diskette) |
pkunzip cmgr141 (recreate the Command Manager files) |
|
NOTE: PKUNZIP must be in the current directory or in a directory that |
is accessible through your PATH environment variable. |
|
*** |
*** VERIFYING YOUR VERSION OF COMMAND MANAGER |
*** |
|
If you use the VALIDATE.COM utility to verify the integrity of |
executable files, it should produce the following output for |
X.EXE -- |
|
VALIDATE 0.3 Copyright 1988-89 by McAfee Associates. (408) 988-3832 |
|
File Name: x.exe |
Size: 51663 |
Date: 7-12-1990 |
File Authentication: |
Check Method 1 - 8CB5 |
Check Method 2 - 0423 |
|
If the Command Manager distribution file you received or downloaded |
does not contain the five files listed above, if it is not named |
CMGR141.ZIP, or if VALIDATE does not produce the results listed above |
when run on X.EXE, please contact me via a bulletin board or phone |
number given in the "Command Manager Support and Newest Versions" |
section of this document. Let me know the details of the discrepancy |
and where you obtained the incorrect distribution file and I'll ensure |
that a correct and authorized CMGR141.ZIP file is made available to |
you either by mail or by uploading it to your favorite BBS. I will |
require either a fully paid registration or $3.00 to cover costs of |
disk, mailer, and postage before I can mail you a new program disk. |
I'll upload to your favorite BBS in exchange for the phone number of |
that BBS. |





***
*** INVOKING COMMAND MANAGER Page 4
***

There are numerous command line options available for use with
Command Manager:

-- Entering a command in the format "x [DOS command]" will
call Command Manager, save the DOS command, and execute
it. No windows will be displayed.
For example, "x type autoexec.bat" will save the 'type
autoexec.bat' command for future use and then execute it
normally. This will be referred to as Command Line Mode.

-- Entering "x" by itself calls Command Manager and opens a
window displaying the commands that have been stored.
From here you may select, edit or delete any of these
commands. This will be referred to as Interactive Mode.

-- Command Manager has four 'switches' that invoke special
options. These switches provide the ability to save new
commands without executing them, the ability to list all
saved commands that begin with a defined 'mask', the
ability to use a black-and-white or monochrome display
instead of the normal color display, and the option to
disable the use of extended 43/50 line EGA/VGA text
modes. This will be referred to as Option Mode.

-- Entering "x /?" or "x /v" displays a version/registration
info window. Press any key to put away this window after
you are done reading it. This same window can be seen by
pressing 'ALT-V' when in Interactive Mode.

-- Entering "x ?" or "x /h" displays a complete command line
syntax listing with brief explanations for each option.






***
*** COMMAND LINE MODE Page 5
***

The Command Line Mode of Command Manager is invoked any time you
preface a normal DOS command with "x " (that is, 'x' plus a space
character). Command Manager creates and maintains a file called
'cmd_file' where all the stored commands will be saved. Command
Manager will first look for this file in the current working directory |
and in the root directory of the current drive. If the file is not |
found, Command Manager will check the root directory on every drive on |
your computer to try and find it. If 'cmd_file' is still not found, |
you will be prompted to choose where a new commands file will be |
created for you. 'cmd_file' is maintained in such a way that the |
command used most recently will be made the first command in the file.
Any legal (or, illegal, for that matter) DOS command may be stored by
Command Manager. Once the current limit of 200 commands have been
stored, any attempt to store another will result in the command at the
bottom of the file being dropped in favor of the new command.
There is one general exception to normal DOS command formats when
used with Command Line Mode. Any DOS command that utilized a
redirection operator, such as "type autoexec.bat >outfile" or "dir |
more", must be enclosed in double quotes for Command Manager to store
them properly. For example, to save the first example you would use
the command:
x "type autoexec.bat > outfile"

NOTE: Beginning with version 1.11, the distribution archive file
contains a sample/starter 'cmd_file' that contains a few commonly-used
DOS commands. Copy this file into the desired working directory on |
your computer's hard drive, or, onto the floppy disk from which you |
will run Command Manager and you'll be ready to start using the |
program. You may also use the '-a' switch to create 'cmd_file' and
add the first command to it if it does not already exist.






***
*** INTERACTIVE MODE Page 6
***

The Interactive Mode of Command Manager is invoked by entering "x"
by itself as a normal DOS command. It is recommended that the 'x.exe'
file be placed in your root directory or any other directory listed in
your PATH environment variable so that it may be accessed from
anywhere. When you invoke Interactive Mode you will be presented with
one window showing the available functions and another presenting the
currently saved commands that you may choose from. The available
functions are listed below:

ENTER: Press the Enter key to execute the currently highlighted
command in the commands window. Before the command
executes you will be asked if you wish to return to
Command Manager upon completion of the command. Press
'N' (the default) for "No", 'Y' for "Yes", or use the
left/right cursor keys to move the highlight box to the
proper response and press . If you choose to
return to Command Manager, the command will execute and
the message "Press any key to continue" will appear at
the bottom of the screen. This allows you the opportunity
to view any screen output from the command before Command
Manager's windows would cover it up.
Command Manager will execute the command by shelling out to
DOS and running the command just as if you had typed it in
at the operating system prompt in the current working
directory.
NOTE: 'Enter' is temporarily disabled if the Commands Queue
window is currently displayed.

Up/Down Arrow: Use these cursor control keys to move the highlight
bar up and down within the commands window. The highlight
will wrap around from top to bottom and vice versa.

PgUp/PgDn: If there are more commands available than can fit
inside the commands window, one or both of these flags will
be displayed at the bottom of the window. Pressing one of
these keys will display the next or previous block of
available commands, as appropriate.

F1/ALT_E: Either of these keystrokes will invoke the Command
Editor for use with the currently highlighted command. The
Command Editor is described in depth a bit later in this
document.

F2: This keystroke will sort all the saved commands in ascending
alphabetical order and re-display them. After sorting, the
commands display is reset to the beginning of the file.







Page 7

F3: This keystroke invokes the command 'cloning' procedure. When
this key is pressed, the currently highlighted command will
be cloned and a copy of it will be placed into the Command
Editor. You may now edit this command and save it to
create an entirely new command while still retaining the
original. For example, if you already have the command
"dir *.c" and wish to have a version of it with the '/w'
switch added, simply highlight it in the commands window,
press F3 to clone it, use the Editor to add the '/w', and
press F1 to save it.

F4: This keystroke will bring up a blank editor window and give
you the opportunity to add a brand new command line.

F7: This keystroke will search the root directory of the current
drive for all queued command files that have been saved in
previous sessions. All '*.xqf' files located will be
displayed in a window for you to choose the one you need.

ALT_I: This keystroke will initialize the Commands Queue window.
This gives you the capability of creating the equivalent of
batch files by "stacking" multiple commands for sequential
execution. The Commands Queue system is described in
detail later on in this document.

ALT_V: This keystroke will display the same help window that is
displayed by the "x ?" DOS command.

ALT_X: This keystroke will pass the selected command line to the
Command Executor Control Panel. You may choose between
'shell', 'child', and 'exec' modes of execution and specify
or change execution/working directories and argument lists.
The Command Executor Control Panel is described in detail
later on in this document.

ESC: Press the Escape key to quit Command Manager. If any changes
have been made to the stored commands, they will be saved
before the program terminates.

The commands display window will be sized as appropriate for the
number of stored commands available. The maximum size of the window
will display 20 commands at a time on a CGA monitor and 40 commands on
EGA/VGA monitors.






***
*** COMMAND EDITOR Page 8
***

The Command Editor is invoked upon the press of either 'F1' or
'ALT_E' to edit the current command, 'F3' to clone the current
command, or 'F4' to enter a brand new command. The command will be
displayed in the Editor window in two lines of 64 characters each,
except when you are adding a new command, when, of course, there is no
command line to display. If you are adding a new command, just start
typing it in when the Editor window appears.
The Editor is invoked in INSERT mode as shown by the letters "INS"
displayed in Editor window's upper left-hand corner. Pressing the
key will change the Editor to OVERSTRIKE mode, as indicated
by those letters changing to "OVR". Other keys available for use in
the Editor are the DEL, END, HOME, Backspace, and all cursor control
arrow keys. These all work as is customary. The character at the
current position of the cursor is highlighted inside the Editor
window. The special functions of the Editor are described below:

F1: Press this key to save the edited version of the command.
This will replace the old version and will move it to the
top of the commands list. The Editor will disappear, and
the commands display will be reset to the beginning of the
file - highlighting the newly-edited command. You may then
execute it immediately by pressing .

F2: Press this key to delete the selected command. This will
remove the command from the stored commands file. The
Editor will disappear, and the commands display will be
reset to the beginning of the file.

ALT_X: Pressing this combination will save the currently edited
command as described for 'F1' and will immediately execute
it. (See the description for 'ENTER' in Interactive Mode.)
Note that this command is *not* the same as the 'ALT-X'
command described in the Interactive Mode section and does
not bring up the Command Executor Control Panel.

ESC: Press the Escape key to immediately leave the Editor and
abort any changes you may have made to the current command.

If the editor is currently working on a cloned command line, you
will see the "CLONE" flag in the upper right-hand corner of the editor
window. F2 will not work when the "CLONE" flag is displayed. When
you press F1 to save a cloned command, the new version is saved and
the original command is not replaced or deleted.






***
*** OPTION MODE Page 9
***

The Option Mode of Command Manager supports various functions that
are activated by invoking the program in the format:
"x ".

The switches are single letters prefaced by either the MSDOS-style
'/' or UNIX-style '-' character and are not case-sensitive. The
following switches are supported beginning with version 1.02 of
Command Manager:

'a': Add a new command to the saved commands file
without executing it. For example, "x -a dir /w" will
save the command 'dir /w' for later use, but, does not
execute it.

's': Search the saved commands file for all commands that begin
with a character mask specified by . For
example, "x -s copy" will list all the saved commands
beginning with 'copy'. This option is most useful to check
out whether or not you have already saved a command.
The listing will pause after every 20 commands, if
necessary.


The following switch is available beginning with version 1.03 of
Command Manager:

'm': Use a black-and-white display instead of the normal color
display routines. To use this switch when entering
Interactive Mode, the proper syntax is "x /m".


The following switch is available beginning with version 1.11 of
Command Manager:

'n': Command Manager will automatically detect EGA/VGA monitors
and will use extended 43/50 line text modes to display a
larger commands window. If you find 43/50 line mode
difficult or annoying to read, you can use this switch to
disable it and force normal 25-line mode.






***
*** COMMANDS QUEUE Page 10
***

The Commands Queue gives you the ability to "stack up" multiple
command lines and either execute them sequentially or remove those
commands from the stored commands file.
To initialize the Commands Queue for use, press "ALT_I". You will
see the Commands Queue window open up in the bottom left hand corner
of the screen. Command lines that are added to the queue will appear
within this window. The following commands may be used with the
Commands Queue:

F5: Add -- Press 'F5' to add the currently highlighted
command to the queue.
F6: Yank -- Press 'F6' to remove the last command line
from the queue.
F10: Go -- Press 'F10' to begin sequential execution of
all commands in the queue. See the next section
for more detailed information on this procedure.
@F10: Del -- Press "ALT_F10" to delete all of the command
lines in the queue from the stored commands
file. Use this option for a fast way to
clean up unwanted command lines.

NOTE: If you enter the Command Editor while the Commands Queue is
open, the Queue will be closed and dropped.
After pressing F10 to start the execution of the queued commands,
you will be prompted to tell Command Manager whether or not you wish
to pause between commands, save the queued commands to a file for
later use, and return to Command Manager after all commands have
finished executing.
If you wish to pause between commands, choose "Yes" when the
appropriate dialog box appears. When the commands begin to execute,
you will see "Strike a key when ready..." after each terminates.
If you wish to save the queued commands to a file for future use,
choose "Yes" when the appropriate dialog box appears. Then, supply a
name for the file (8 characters maximum). Do NOT add any extensions
to the name, as ".XQF" will be automatically appended for you.
If you wish to return to Command Manager after all queued commands
have finished executing, choose "Yes" when the appropriate dialog
box appears. Command Manager will then be reloaded after all commands
have terminated. If you choose "Cancel" instead, the queue will be
aborted and you will be returned to Command Manager.
The queued commands are executed via a special batch file that is
created in the root directory of the current drive. This file is
named "XQ.BAT". After you press F10 and answer the dialogs, this
batch file is created, Command Manager is unloaded from memory, and
the batch file starts up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Because of the special batch file used in queued
commands processing, you will NOT successfully be able to execute the
entire queue if there are any other batch file commands included.
This is a "failing" of MS-DOS versions prior to 3.30, and, I will be
working to remove this restriction in future versions of Command
Manager. But, for now, do not include any batch file command lines in
any queue.






***
*** COMMAND EXECUTOR CONTROL PANEL Page 11
***

Command Manager gives you the option of executing any selected
command line in any of three different modes - 'shell', 'child', or
'exec'. Press 'ALT_X' when the desired command is highlighted to
invoke this feature.
First, you will see a dialog window asking you to choose an
execution mode. The different choices are explained below:

'DOS Shell' -- This mode will start up a new DOS shell and
execute the selected command as if you had typed it
in on the DOS command line. After the command has
terminated, control is returned to Command Manager.
You must ensure that any program or data files
referred to in the command are accessible through
the PATH environment variable or the command will
not execute successfully. Also, any directory
pathnames in the command should be complete, or,
must be legitimately reachable from the current
working directory in order for the command to
succeed. Command Manager requires about 210K of
memory for itself, so there will be that much less
available memory in which to execute 'DOS Shell'
mode commands.
'Child' -- This mode will directly execute the command line as a
child process of Command Manager without starting a new
DOS shell. Control returns to Command Manager after
the command has terminated. You may use the Command
Executor Control Panel to specify file name extensions,
execution and working directories, and argument lists.
Memory overhead is the same as described above for 'DOS
Shell' mode.
'Exec' -- This mode will directly execute the command line after
unloading Command Manager and transfer control to that
command. You will not be returned to Command Manager
unless the 'exec' request failed - in which case you
Command Executor
Control Panel will pop up. The different sections contained within
are described below:

Program Name -- Informational only. The name of the program or
command you will execute is shown here. This
cannot be changed.
Executable
File/Cmd Type -- Except for 'DOS', this is the proper extension of
the file that will be executed. Press 'E' to
move the 'X' until you have selected the required
extension. If the command to be executed is a
DOS internal command, you must select 'DOS'.
Otherwise, select from 'EXE','COM', or 'BAT' as
is necessary. If the wrong extension is
selected, the command will not execute properly.
Execution Directory -- This is the directory where the file is
located. The default entry is to use the
PATH environment variable to locate the
file. To change this entry, press 'D' and
enter the proper pathname in response to
the dialog window.
Work Directory -- This specifies the "current working directory"
that will be used when the command is executed.
Any files that will be acted upon by the command
will be assumed to reside in this directory. If
this entry is not set properly, the program you
are executing may not be able to find the files
it wishes to use. The default entry is the
currently active working directory. To change
this entry, press 'W' and enter the proper
pathname in response to the dialog window.
Arguments -- This is a list of up to 10 arguments to be passed to
the program being executed. Each argument must be
listed separately on its own line. To enter or
change arguments, press 'A'. The first argument (if
any are present) is highlighted. Use TAB and
SHIFT-TAB to move the highlight bar up and down until
the desired argument is highlighted (to enter a new
argument, just highlight a 'blank' space). Press
to select the highlighted argument and type
in the new argument in response to the dialog window.
Press to quit modifying the argument list.

When everything is set as desired, press to begin
executing the selected command line, or press to abort the
process and return to Command Manager. If any errors are encountered
during the attempted execution of the command, appropriate error
messages will be displayed. Remember that you will not be returned to
Command Manager following successful execution of an 'exec' mode
command.





***
*** ALTERNATIVE USES FOR COMMAND MANAGER Page 12
***

In addition to the normal DOS command line usage of Command
Manager, this program can be utilized in other, more specialized ways.
A sampling of these possible uses is given here --

COMM PROGRAMS - Command Manager can be used to store all of the
external protocol command lines you would normally use with your
favorite communications program. If you're like a lot of other BBS
addicts, you've got more external protocols than your comm program
will allow you to install. By using Command Manager to store and
issue all of the proper command lines for you, you can have them all
available and still only take up one external protocol installation
slot in your program. Here's how you do it: Create a batch file that
calls "x". This is necessary since many comm programs pass arguments
or data to the external program and these would be not be handled
properly by Command Manager. Then follow your comm program's normal
procedure for installing the batch file/program that runs external
protocols and install the batch file you just created. Add the
appropriate command lines to Command Manager's saved commands file and
you're ready to go. A word of warning -- if you are short on RAM, you
may not be able to use Command Manager this way. Also, the external
protocol command line must not be executed in 'EXEC' mode.

AUTOEXEC - Do you ever have the need to boot your computer with
different Autoexec.bat files depending on what you are planning to
run? Normally, you have to save off your old Autoexec file, create a
new one to do what you need, re-boot, and then switch back again when
you need your original one back. By using Command Manager, you can
have a method whereby you can choose between as many different
Autoexec-type startup batch files as you need any time you boot your
machine. Here's how -- Create as many different startup batch files
as you may need. Install the names of each of them as command lines
in Command Manager's saved commands file. Now you can remove
everything from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file except for the statements that
set environment variables and invoke Command Manager as that file's
last statement. When the saved commands window appears, simply
highlight the name of the batch file you wish to execute, press
'ALT_X', choose 'Exec' mode, and press to run it. Using this
procedure, you can now reconfigure your machine any time you need by
simply rebooting and choosing the appropriate startup batch file from
Command Manager instead of all the time-consuming manual editing
otherwise required.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT attempt to execute an Autoexec-type batch
file simply by highlighting it and pressing . This could
result in the creation of large "memory holes" if that file loads any
TSR programs! Be sure to use 'ALT_X' and 'Exec' mode, instead!





***
*** SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Page 13
***

Command Manager was written in Microsoft C 5.1 on a Tandy 3000HL
and uses my Screen Manager video function library for output and user
interface support. It requires any PC-compatible computer and a hard
disk is recommended to store the saved commands file, but, a floppy |
drive may be used. Monochrome monitors are supported, but, a CGA or
better color monitor is highly recommended. If you have only 512K RAM
or less, you may not be able to use this program to execute large
programs (such as using the MAKE utility to execute the Microsoft C
compiler) in DOS Shell mode.
This program uses direct video RAM I/O for speed. Starting with
Version 1.10, it automatically detects the presence of DESQview and
will run inside of a small window. Also, beginning with Version 1.10,
EGA and VGA monitors are detected and 43/50 line mode will
automatically be used to display more saved commands within the
commands display window. Beginning with Version 1.30, monochrome
adapters are automatically detected and utilized in text mode 7. If
you have a monochrome adapter, you will not need to specify the '-m'
command line option to utilize the black-and-white display mode.







***
*** RELEASE NOTES Page 14
***

*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.01

This update corrects a bug that occasionally resulted in a
conflict between an internal function return code and certain offset
indexes for the saved commands. This would result in an erroneous
command being executed instead of the one that had been selected in
Interactive Mode.
A version of this program with an improved display for monochrome
or laptop machines is now available for registered users.
The registration offer that applied to v1.0 has been extended to
cover this and any future versions numbered 1.0x.


*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.02

This update adds Option Mode to Command Manager. The am, but just made the screen look bad when it popped up.
I *hate* it when that happens! No new features introduced this time.


*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.10

This version adds support for DESQview and 43/50 line modes on
EGA/VGA monitors. Also, this version is compiled using an upgraded
version of my Screen Manager Library and features increased speed and
better use of color. The storage capacity of Command Manager has been
doubled - to a total of 200 command lines.






Page 15

*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.11

This update adds the '/n' switch to allow you to disable the
otherwise automatic usage of 43/50 line text mode on EGA/VGA monitors.
It also adds a special cursor to the Editor window to circumvent an
EGA bug that causes the regular cursor to disappear when using 43-line
mode. This release is also meant to correct a problem with some
distribution versions of CMGR110.ARC that contained an incorrect
'X.EXE' file.


*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.20

This version introduces the Commands Queue - a method for
executing multiple commands in sequence. 'F4' may now be used in
Interactive Mode to bring up a blank Editor window for the purposes of
adding a brand new command. The commands search function ('/s') now
pauses its listing every 20 commands.


*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.30

This version introduces the Command Executor Control Panel - a
method for allowing the user to choose between 'shell', 'child', and
'exec' modes of command line execution. Program now detects
monochrome monitors and switches to black-and-white display if one is
found. Fixed a bug in the execution of commands stored in the
Commands Queue.


*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.31

This update adds the ability to use floppy disk drives A: or B: to
store the saved commands file "cmd_file". Thanks to Jim Bennett of
Dale City, VA for suggesting this enhancement. Also corrected a small
bug in the operation of the 'F4' command.


*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.40

This version greatly expands the powers of the Commands Queue.
Users may now save queued commands to a file and retrieve those files
for use at a later time by using the new 'F7' command.
Also implemented is a new capability to "plug" the name of a batch
file directly into the keyboard buffer. This results in the ability
to automatically have that batch file start up after Command Manager
completely unloads from memory to free up more RAM.






Page 16

*** NOTES FOR VERSION 1.41 |
|
Maintainance release. This update adds the ability to store |
'cmd_file' on any drive in its current working directory or root. |
Thanks to Marcia Meier of Public Brand Software for suggesting this |
enhancement. This release also takes advantage of some improvements |
I've been making in my library of screen handling and interface |
functions for a better "look and feel" and smaller .EXE file code |
size. Also, the X.EXE file has been compressed using an excellent |
new utility from France called LZEXE, v0.91, which greatly reduces |
.EXE file sizes, but leaves them completely executable. Veteran |
Command Manager users should now notice that the X.EXE file is over |
50K smaller than previous versions!

************************* END OF RELEASE NOTES ***********************





***
*** REGISTRATION INFO Page 17
***

Command Manager is distributed as a shareware program. If you
like it and find it useful, I ask only for a small contribution of
$10. In return, I offer the following goodies:

Everyone who registers and contributes $10 or more for their copy
of Command Manager will be upgraded to *all* future versions up to the
release of v2.00 for free. If you have not received at least two
upgrades prior to the release of v2.00, you will receive that new
version free of charge. Please report the proper version number of
your copy of Command Manager when you register it.

Anyone reporting a program bug will be upgraded automatically. If
you are the first to report the bug, you will be considered a *paid*,
registered user. Please include a complete description of your
hardware in the bug report. Anyone reporting a bug that is squashed
in a future release will be credited and profusely thanked in the
documentation for the new release.

Registrations and comments should be sent to:
Mark L. Bakke
14309 Fairview Lane
Dale City, VA 22193

You may also contact me on any Prince William County bulletin
board from which this program was downloaded.







***
*** LIABILITIES, WARRANTIES, AND OTHER MUMBO-JUMBO... Page 18
***

You already know the shpiel about how this program is distributed
AS IS and how I assume no liability for performance, improper use,
etc. I *will* guarantee that any reported bugs will be fixed ASAP
with appropriate recognition as described in the Registration Info.
Also, anyone suggesting a new feature that is incorporated into a
future release will be considered a *paid*, registered user. How's
that for an offer? Bet you won't see a similar one from Microsoft any
time soon...

I encourage you to freely distribute this program to your favorite
bulletin boards. The archived distribution version of this program
should contain the following files:

X.EXE -- the Command Manager executable file
CMDMGR.DOC -- this documentation file
CMD_FILE -- sample/starter commands file

(C)Copyright 1989-90, Mark L. Bakke. All rights reserved.





*** |
*** COMMAND MANAGER SUPPORT AND NEWEST VERSIONS Page 19 |
*** |
|
I have chosen the three Prince William County, VA, bulletin boards |
listed below as my official sources for user support and the newest |
upgrades for all of my shareware products: |
|
|
THE BUCKET BRIGADE |
------------------ |
SysOp: Pat Scanlon |
(703) 330-9264 |
RBBS-PC CPC 17.2 -- 24 hours |
300/1200/2400 |
|
|
THE BREAK |
--------- |
SysOp: Jim Thompson |
(703) 680-9269 |
RBBS-PC CPC 17.3 -- 24 hours |
U.S. Robotics Courier HST |
300 - 19,200 |
|
|
THE PITT |
-------- |
SysOp: Rich Cycholl |
(703) 335-2925 |
Wildcat! 2.1 -- 24 hours |
U.S. Robotics Courier HST |
300/1200/2400/9600 |
|
|
You could also reach me by E-Mail on the Sears PRODIGY system (my |
user ID is PGGX81A), or write me at the address below: |
|
Mark L. Bakke |
14309 Fairview Lane |
Dale City, VA 22193 |
(703) 680-2628 |
|
|
Finally, you could leave me a message in the AUTHORS conference on |
Public Brand Software's BBS. The number is 317-856-2087. |
|
Again, thanks for your support, and, I hope you continue to enjoy |
my shareware products! |





***
*** OTHER SHAREWARE PRODUCTS FROM THE Page 20
*** AUTHOR OF COMMAND MANAGER
***

If you enjoy Command Manager, you might also wish to try out my
other shareware programs:

FileScan -- One of the fastest and most flexible file searching
utilities available. Search any or all of your disk
drives for filenames that match any of up to 10
wildcarded filespecs. Use file date and size limit
options to pinpoint the files you need. Select only
the files you want from those presented and import
them into a file processing utilities function that
will allow you to copy, edit, print, rename, delete,
move, or execute them. Also included are support for
PKZIP/PKUNZIP functions, LHARC, and support for a
Microsoft or compatible mouse.
Current version - FileScan v2.1, 18 May 89.
Look for "FSCAN21.ZIP" on your favorite BBS.
(Registration: $15.00)

SETKEYS -- A small utility designed to be invoked in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file, SETKEYS can be used to automatically
set or reset the Num Lock, Caps Lock, and/or Scroll
Lock keys as you require. Are you tired of seeing your
machine turn on the Num Lock key when you boot up and
cut out the cursor control keys on the keypad? I was,
so I wrote this program to take care of that nuisance.
Put the statement "SETKEYS -n" in your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file, and you'll have no more headaches.
Current version - SETKEYS v1.1, 09 Mar 89.
Look for "SETKEYS.ZIP" on your favorite BBS.
(Registration: None required. This program has been
placed in the public domain.)

ANALYSIS -- Based on the UNIX utility 'count', ANALYSIS will read
any file and count up the number of occurances of each
unique byte value that it contains. The results are
displayed in table form and are further sub-totalled
by character class, e.g., printable, control, graphics,
upper/lower case, etc. Quite useful as a debugging
tool to detect the presence of illegal/invalid bytes
in database files.
Current version - ANALYSIS v2.0, 05 July 89.
Look for "ANALYSIS.ZIP" on your favorite BBS.
(Registration: None required. This program has been
placed in the public domain.)

FRAZZLE! -- Increasingly popular and quite addictive game of dice |
strategy. Can be played by any combination of 1-4 |
human and computer opponents. Can you beat your |
friends and/or FRAZZLE!'s computer player to 10,000 |
points? Maintains a Hall of Fame to record superior |
achievements. Computer player has 5 different game |
strategies and 8 separate turn strategies. |
Current version - FRAZZLE! v3.10, 11 Jul 90. |
Look for "FRAZL310.ZIP" on your favorite BBS. |
(Registration: $7.00) |