Misc. Utilities for DOS (2 of 2)

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OTHER MISC PROGRAMS


Linkln- Link executable files to file names in other directories.

* * * * * [added 10-3-98]

reviewed by H. Schwartz (10-2-98)

In Unix, the ``ln'' program lets you link a real file in directory A, to a filename in directory B. Within directory B, the filename ``points to'' the real file and reacts (to commands) exactly like it was the real file. Linkln allows you to link executable files (i.e., exe and com files) to file names in other directories, within DOS (using a tool like bat2exec, you can also create links for bat files). Why would you want to do this? Doing so lets you execute programs from any directory, without the problems related to DOS's PATH variable.To execute programs in any directory, DOS has you set the PATH variable to all directories containing executable programs. However:

Using linkln, you place all your executable file names in, and set PATH to, only ONE directory. Advantages:

  1. Faster execution of programs and less wear on your disk.
  2. Saving environment space and ram, since the PATH variable need contain only one directory.
  3. Saving disk space: Linkln stores a filename, not a real file, in a directory. This requires about 12 bytes instead of the minimum 2Kbytes or so (1 cluster) required for a file of any size.
  4. For convenience or clarity, you may wish a file to show up in different directories, with different names. You can link a file to file names in one or many directories, using any file names you want.

Cautions:

Author: Oliver Fromme, Germany (1994)

download linkln11.zip (25K)

Note that Simtel.Net carries linkln10.zip, but it contains a bad bug.


man- ("PCMan") Helpfile system for DOS.

* * * * * [added 10-1-98]

reviewed by H. Schwartz (10-1-98)

Have you ever promised yourself you would organize all those documentation files that come with software programs, so you could find them when you need them? This helpfile is a great tool for doing this. It is an extension of the Unix ``man page'' helpfile system - essentially a menu browser for help files (with 4dos type descriptions), a viewer, and a data-base to search for the files you want.

What makes this one better than other helpfile systems?

Author: Stuart Herbert, UK (1994)

download pcman19b.zip (116K)


PRN2FILE- Redirects print jobs to a disk file.

* * * *

A few programs on these pages support printing- but have no "save to file" option. PRN2FILE is a TSR that provides a means of redirecting print jobs to file(s). By default, successive print operations are appended to a single file, but the program may be invoked repeatedly to change the filename. Option to uninstall from memory.

Usage: PRN2FILE [path][filename][/Pn][/Bnn][/F][/A][/U]
Run PRN2FILE with the desired filename to activate it.
Run it with a differant filename to change destination file.
/P to designate the printer number (defaults to 1)
/B to enter buffer size in K bytes (defaults to 4)
/F to print just to file and not to printer (default is both)
/A to append to file (default is to create new file)
/U to uninstall the program

This util may have gone through 3-4 revisions by different authors: the original version (v. 1.0, prn2file.zip, 1987) is still around- the lastest "v. 1.1-John Durso" below (1992) adds reminder beeps to indicate that prn2file is working [note that the docs omit discussion of some switches (see asm source file)]. This 1.1 version seems to be derived from two prior independent revisions (c. 1989 and 1991?) which I don't have links to.

download prn2fil3.zip (14K)


TCAP- TSR logs console text input/ output to file.

unrated [added 6-23-98 updated 09-16-99]

From the docs: "TCAP is a text capturing utility. Console I/O is copied to a file. TCAP's purpose is somewhat like the "script" program available on Unix systems, with respect to its ability to log text from the console while it is running. It can remain resident in memory (i.e., as a TSR program) to capture text from several programs or commands, or capture text from a single program. Both program output and text input by the user are captured. Captured text input does not include editing characters, such as backspaces, only the final text is captured. TCAP captures text from both standard-out and standard-error." Good documentation.

Usage:  TCAP [options] [filename] [/c command [parameters]]
        /?          display help
        /b=size     specify Buffer size in kilobytes (default=8)
        /on         turn capturing ON (default)
        /off        turn capturing OFF
        /overwrite  destroy initial contents of capture file
        /append     Append text to capture file (default)
        /n          No filename swap (with /c option only)
        /p+ or /p-  enable or disable Path searching (with /c option only)
        /i          make entire command-line case-Insensitive
        /l+ or /l-  enable or disable use of Long file names
        /u          Uninstall the program
        filename    name of file that text is copied to
                    (defaults to TCAP.TXT)
        /c command  run and capture text from 'command'

Author: Tim D. Kannel (1999). Suggested by Marianna Van Erp.

09-16-99: new in v3.1 (9-99): "added /overwrite and /append options, auto-run of batch files (specifying command.com is no longer required), added support for specifying default options with the TCAP environment variable, minimum buffer size has been increased again..." see docs for other changes.

download tcap31.zip (17K)


TSR Utilities (TSRCOM)- Remove memory resident programs that can't remove themselves.

* * * * *

Several TSR programs are listed on these pages- many of which have no option to uninstall themselves from memory. It's often wise to uninstall DOS TSR's when running programs with which they may conflict (e.g., Windows). The TSR Utilities are compatible with a wide range of memory managers and can remove TSR's loaded to upper memory. From the docs: "The TSR Utilities are a collection of programs useful for managing DOS memory, particularly for managing memory-resident programs, also known as TSR's...The most popular use of these utilities is for removing TSR's from memory without rebooting the PC. There are many other uses, however, especially if you are a software developer." Released in 1993.

download tsrcom35.zip (80K)


Tee- Send program's output to both screen and file.

unrated [added 08-22-99]

If you want to see the output of a command on screen- but at the same time wish to save it to disk, tee is the program to do it. Tee is based on a Unix tool of the same name.

Syntax: <command> | tee <filename>

Win32 versions also available on Home Page. Author: Brian Friesen (1999)

download tee16.zip (8K)


SLOWDOWN- Slows down PC to allow running of older programs.

unrated [added 7-15-98]

One of the more flexible "slowdown" tsr programs available- freeware or shareware.

From the docs: "SLOWDOWN is a program that temporarily "slows down" your computer so that you can run programs that require a slower computer (usually, a 4.77 MHz PC/XT or an 8 MHz PC/AT)...There are other "slowdown" programs out there that have already been designed and marketed, so what makes SLOWDOWN different enough from the others that I even bothered to write it? The main thing is flexibility... SLOWDOWN can be used to either "permanently" slow down your computer (letting you run several programs in a row, slowly), or to just slow down one particular program (and when that program is done, your computer automatically returns back to its normal, faster speed). Secondly, SLOWDOWN will let you run any type of program - either executable files (.COM or .EXE) or Batch files. Some other "slowdown" programs will only work with COM or EXE files. Thirdly, SLOWDOWN can either simulate a PC/XT, a PC/AT, or can be "fine- tuned" to simulate almost any speed you want it to."

SYNTAX: SLOWDOWN [/?] [/H] [/Q] [/speed] [/X] [/A] [filename]
  /?,/H    -Show this HELP screen
  /Q       -Be QUIET unless there's an error
  /speed   -Speed to run the computer at (1-65535) (default=XT speed)
                (bigger Speeds make the computer slower)
  /X       -Run the computer the same speed as an XT
  /A       -Run the computer the same speed as an AT
  filename -Program to run at this Speed (default=permanent SLOWDOWN)

Note: Default XT and AT speed values can be modified by setting an env. variable.

Author: Bret Johnson (1995)

download slodn101.zip (10K)


UPCT- Ultra precision command timer.

unrated [added 3-26-98]

A small utility for benchmarking duration of processes.

Usage: UPCT [COMMAND_SEQUENCE]
Meaning: Any command plus parameters you would normally
enter at the DOS command prompt, including redirection.

To get UPCT to time duration of a batch file run from the command line, try this syntax:

UPCT CALL MY.BAT

Here's the output after running a batch file that turns this web site into a text file:

Command executed: C:\COMMAND.COM /C call HTSTR.BAT
Parameters: HTSTR.BAT
Raw total count: 128403478 cycles on the 8253/4 programmable interval timer.
Elapsed time: 107614357.1 microseconds = 1 minute and 47.6144 seconds.

No documentation included in zip. Author: Erik de Neve (1993). Suggested by Robert Bull.

download upct16.zip (7K)


MakeLog- Create and maintain time-date logs for program usage.

* * *

MakeLog is a small and simple utility that can be used for tracking program usage. You will have to create and use batch files for launching the programs you wish to track. Not fancy, but it works and it doesn't eat up valuable memory. Author: Jeff Debrosse (1994) .

Syntax: MAKELOG FileName [/D] [/T] [/S "string"]

FileName .. name of the log file to be created or appended to.
/D ........ current date.
/T ........ current time.
/S ........ follow by user-specified string (place in quotes "").

An example to track usage of the DOS editor and launching Windows:

1) create dosedit.bat:
MAKELOG logall.log /d /t /s "Launched DOS editor"
EDIT
2) create windows.bat:
MAKELOG logall.log /d /t /s "Launched Windows"
WIN
3) Here's a snippet from the log file logall.log after running dosedit.bat and windows.bat:
09/25/97 11:54 Launched DOS editor
09/25/97 11:57 Launched Windows

download mklog100.zip (8K)

Also see: LOGECHO (use similarly with re-direction (>>) to a log file; more flexible date/ time formats).


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