* aborts suspends * SoftLogic Solutions Customer BBS This is BULLETIN # 6 - Tips on using DoubleDOS A. Neat things to know about DDCONFIG.SYS ------------------------------------------ You can use the "TOP PROGRAM = " statement as many times as you want (up to the total limit of 128 chars per memory section). These statements are executed in the order in which they appear, just as though you typed them. Examples: TOP PROGRAM = C: TOP PROGRAM = CD\WS TOP PROGRAM = WS BOTTOM PROGRAM = C: BOTTOM PROGRAM = CD\LOTUS BOTTOM PROGRAM = LOTUS More (Y),N,NS? ns B. What else you can do with the "Adjust Memory Size" option ------------------------------------------------------------- The adjust memory size option, from the DoubleDOS control menu will clear all memory resident programs out of RAM... if you specify a different memory size. This is a handy way to recover memory used for a resident program without rebooting. SIDEKICK will turn the DoubleDOS timesharing off if you remove it by using its command "CTRL HOME; CTRL END". If SIDEKICK is loaded, you will not get the ADJUST MEMORY option when you are at a DOS prompt. You must type the space bar first, then go to the DoubleDOS menu. This will then allow you to adjust the memory. This option allows one to readjust the memory division, assigned at the initial startup of DoubleDOS. C. HELP WITH USING THE DoubleDOS PARALLEL PRINTER BUFFER --------------------------------------------------------- The two statements "PRINT DRIVER = " and "PRINT BUFFER = " in your DDCONFIG.SYS file will allow you to have a print buffer and specify its size. The "PRINT DRIVER = " statement controls the implementation of the DoubleDOS print buffer. Only "PRINT DRIVER = CLOCK" or "PRINT DRIVER = INTERRUPT" statements will activate the DoubleDOS print buffer. Using one of the other two PRINT DRIVER options (=BIOS, or =DIRECT) will cause DoubleDOS to ignore the "PRINT BUFFER = " statement. "PRINT DRIVER = INTERRUPT" is the fastest printing routine in DoubleDOS. However, this option only works when using the IBM monochrome adapter printer port. Most all other printer boards (AST's LPT2 port, or the IBM parallel printer adapter board) cannot support this INTERRUPT option. Š "PRINT DRIVER = CLOCK" is almost as fast and works with all parallel printer adapter boards. When using either INTERRUPT or CLOCK DoubleDOS will implement a printer buffer with the size specified in the "PRINT BUFFER = " statement. You can specify any size print buffer from 1 to 64 K. D. How to avoid reloading a diskette containing COMMAND.COM when a program terminates (If you boot from a floppy). ---------------------------------------------------------------- Place a copy of the COMMAND.COM file on your hard disk (or RAM disk). The SET statement can be used to instruct DOS where to find the part of COMMAND.COM that is often reloaded. In order to avoid having to keep COMMAND.COM on all your floppy disks, you can use the following statement in your autoexec.bat file to tell DOS where to get COMMAND.COM. SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM (This assumes your hard disk is drive C:) If you boot from a floppy, and do not have a hard disk, you may create a small RAM disk, copy the COMMAND.COM to it, and then use the SET command to force DOS to look for COMMAND on the RAM disk. E. DoubleDOS' PRINTER.COM program. ------------------------------------ The file PRINTER.COM is available for downloading and is designed to make either memory section print all its output to the LPT2, or LPT3 printer adapter as LPT1. Programs like BASIC, and Wordstar will only print to a printer which is connected to the LPT1 printer port. With our PRINTER.COM program, you can run PRINTER LPT2 and from that point on, all printer information will be printed to the LPT2 printer. By using this program you can run two copies of Wordstar, both printing to its own LPT1 printer. This program is also used to prevent printer reset, which is caused by some programs when the program is started or stopped. For systems with just one printer, you can run PRINTER LPT2 in the top memory section. Then anytime you are running a program in the bottom memory section which is using your LPT1 printer, it will not be reset by a program which is run in the top memory section. 41 min left Bulletin # 1 thru 10, L)ist, C/R continues?