Mail Archives: opendos/1997/02/09/00:39:52
On Tue, 4 Feb 1997, Ian 'DrDebug' Day wrote:
> >> >> Also, I'd suggest an ANSI that is built into COMMAND.COM, what do you
> >> >> all think to that? Of course, it would be an OPTION!
> >> >
> >> >NO!!!! What use is ANSI.SYS nowadays anyways?
> >> >
> >> >I'm not asking this to get flamed, just because I know of no uses for
> >> >it anymore. I used to use it to switch to 50 line mode, and use color
> >> >in batch files, and a few other things. Now I use a 17 byte non-tsr
> >> >program which I've written to switch to 50 line mode, I use 4DOS for
> >> >color in batch files, and to redefine the keyboard safely, and I use
> >> >special viewers to view ANSI files. As for using DOS via a serial
> >> >port (which used to be the other reason I needed ANSI.SYS) I now use
> >> >DOS over serial/modem via DOSemu with no ANSI.SYS. What use does
> >> >ANSI.SYS really have anymore? I'm not suggesting in any way to get
> >> >rid of it either, just asking because I don't know.
> >>
> >> Well, for example, there's a lot of people out there that still use BBSs
> >> (in fact, we still run one) and they depend on ANSI for colour display.
> >
> >I still use BBS's too, and I still get color ANSI screens on my
> >screen too. I *DONT* have ANSI.SYS loaded either. I have also
> >ran a BBS and didn't have ANSI.SYS loaded either. Everything
> >worked just fine and in COLOR on both ends.
>
> Because, no doubt, you have a terminal emulator that will support ANSI
> without the need for a driver. It obviously has it's own internal one.
> Very few of them have this.
I'm using Telix. I've used many text mode terminal programs.
I've yet to find one that needs ANSI.SYS. Yes, Telix supports
ANSI directly as well as several others.
> >> And how would you do a luverly multi coloured prompt that sits in the
> >> top right of the screen without ANSI? ;-)
> >
> >Use 4DOS as your command interpreter, and use the SCRPUT,
> >DRAWBOX, DRAWHLINE, DRAWVLINE, SCREEN, TEXT, and VSCRPUT
> >commands, as well as the built in 4DOS %@xxx functions and %_xxxx
> >variables. These functions use DIRECT screen writes (or BIOS
> >writes if you configure 4DOS to NOT use direct writes).
>
> I do use 4DOS. I wouldn't use anything else. The functions you mention
> are not feasable for many of us 'die-hard-prompt-addicts' as it would
> make it too long for the environment (yes, even 4DOS's).
Nope. Use the %@exec[] command inside your prompt and it will
fit easily. That is what I used to do. You can then have it
call a batch file, or another command, alias, .exe, or whatever.
It is much more powerful, and not at all difficult to set up. I
used to have quite a complicated "die-hard" prompt setup in 4DOS
in this manner. You might want to look up %@exec[] in the 4DOS
manual, also look up the PROMPT command for examples of how to
use %@exec[].
> >I can't justify loading ANSI.SYS and slowing down display writes
> >by a factor of 10 just to see a cute prompt on the top of the
> >screen. Heck, I don't even do it in 4DOS anymore cause it got
> >so annoying!
>
> Annoying for you, maybe. But for me, I display a whole bunch of info up
> in the top right of the screen (memory, date/time, session name etc.)
> This CANNOT be fast enough! ;-)
It can if you use 4DOS's %_MEM, %_DATE, %_TIME variables and
countless other 4DOS variables and internal functions, along with
the direct screen write commands I mentioned earlier and the
%@exec[] function.
If you're interested, send me your ANSI prompt in email, and I'll
write you up a 4DOS FAST version.
Mike A. Harris | http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris
Computer Consultant | My webpage has moved and my address has changed.
My dynamic address: http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris/ip-address.html
mailto:mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca
DOS must have's: 4DOS 5.50c ftp://ftp.std.com/vendors/jpsoft
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