Date:	Thu, 13 Mar 1997 20:37:10 -0500 (EST)
From:	"Mike A. Harris" <mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca>
Reply-To:	"Mike A. Harris" <mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca>
To:	Tim Bird <tbird AT caldera DOT com>
cc:	opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net
Subject:	Re: [opendos] YAWI (Yet Another Wishlist Item): tab completion
In-Reply-To:	<199703130556.WAA32436@caldera.com>
Message-ID:	<Pine.LNX.3.95.970313202516.955O-100000@capslock.com>
Organization:	Total disorganization.
MIME-Version:	1.0
Sender:	owner-opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net

On Wed, 12 Mar 1997, Tim Bird wrote:

> I'll speak my peace here, in case this lists archives are ever used
> to generate a semi-official wishlist for OpenDOS:

Wishlist is soon forthcoming.
 
> Here my YAWI:
> I'd like to see COMMAND.COM do tab completion.  It already has some
> weird history completion options, I'd think it was easy to add command
> and filename tab completion.  This is a feature of bash under Linux
> that I've grown to love.  Basically, it is this: if you type part of
> a word, then the tab key, the shell will figure out what you meant
> and type the rest for you.  If there is any ambiguity, then the shell
> completes what it can.  Pressing tab a second time gives you a list
> of matches to choose from.

Yes, it is my goal to turn COMMAND.COM into a 4DOS clone, and
beyond that.  I'd also like to incorporate bash features into
COMMAND.COM.  Right now 4DOS has filename completion on TAB,
SHIFT-TAB, and CTRL-TAB brings down a file list popdown menu.
I'd also like to see something like bash's command completion
implemented in COMMAND.COM.

All of these features would be options, they could be enabled and
configured in a COMMAND.INI file not unlike 4DOS.INI.  What would
be fantastic would be if Caldera persued acquiring the 4DOS
source code.  This would make it a BREEZE!  Since the bash code
is allready available, it would only be a matter of weeks, or
perhaps a couple of months until COMMAND.COM was de-labotomized.

> I could type: cd d<tab>
> and the shell would show: cd dir

Or you could have directory quick CD's like 4DOS does right now.
You need not even type CD.  For example, to go to a directory you
merely just type it's name followed by the backslash.  You can
also switch drives too.

This          replaces this
\             CD \
..            CD ..
BIN\NC\       CD BIN\NC
..\..\        CD ..\..
...\          CD ..\..
.....\        CD ..\..\..\..
..\BIN\       CD ..\BIN
C:\BIN\       C:
              CD \BIN

I use these little tricks to speed up manoevers in DOS all the
time.  It'd be great to see them in COMMAND.COM

> This feature is particularly great when you are in the middle of 
> typing some long path, and can't remember the exact file or directory
> name you want to reference.  Just hit tab a couple of times and the shell
> will help you out.  Coding it would not be too hard.  I'm just waiting
> for the source like everyone else.

I've allready coded a filename completion routine in C which uses
linked lists.  The code can be used in any program easily.  It
works pretty much exactly the same way that 4DOS does.  I'd have
to fiddle with it a bit to make it more ANSI, and also to make it
non sloppy.  After that, I'm willing to release it to whoever
wants it.  Right now it is written in Borland C.  I was going to
give it to Bob Stout before for inclusion in Snippets, but lost
contact with Fidonet.

TTYL

Mike A. Harris        |             http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris
Computer Consultant   |                  Coming soon: dynamic-IP-freedom...
My dynamic address: http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris/ip-address.html
mailto:mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca

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