=== DISCLAIMER === I allow you to use and distribute HSWITCH freely under the condition that I am in no way responsible for any damage or loss you may suffer. Henk Kelder, Fidonet 2:280/801.339 Notes about HSWITCH: ==================== HSWITCH is a program that allows you to switch sessions on OS/2 2.0 from within full screen sessions. HSWITCH is a dual mode program. The .exe file actually contains TWO programs: A OS/2 program AND a TSR program for DOS. For HSWITCH to work properly you need to have OS/2 2.1 or OS/2 2.0 AND the service pack installed. On OS/2 2.0 GA HSWITCH does not work properly. General Installation for OS/2 ============================= There are two ways to install HSWITCH: 1. Add a "RUN=[path]HSWITCH.EXE [options] in your CONFIG.SYS 2. Enter "DETACH [path]HSWITCH [options]" at a OS/2 command prompt Valid options are: /Fnn : nn is first session number to monitor (default 4) /Lnn : nn is last session number to monitor (default 15) See notes on version 1.3 /Hnn : nn is the scancode of the HOTKEY. The default value for the hotkey is 53. See notes on version 1.4 /O : Always popup using (the VioPopUp attribute) OPAQUE. OPAQUE means that HSWITCH will always create a popup screen with dimensions 25x80 and that underlying screen will not be visible. This argument is usefull for users working with some SVGA cards where popping up HSWITCH will make spaghetti of the screen. Installation in a DOS box ========================= Simply run HSWITCH in a DOS (VDM or VMB) session, or better install in in your AUTOEXEC.BAT. It will install itself as an TSR program that will take round 9Kb of RAM space. If the OS/2 version is not installed, the DOS version will NOT install. When activated by its hotkey, HSWITCH will send a signal to the OS/2 counterpart that will actually show the switchlist. Since the OS/2 program has no way to determine which DOS session has send the signal the DOS program changes its session title for some moments to "DOSSWITCH" so the OS/2 program can recoqnize the proper DOS session. The default duration of this title-change is 500 milliseconds which is sufficient for a 33 mHz 486 on normal operation. If HSWITCH never checkmarks the current DOS session when activated from DOS you could try to increase this value. Please note that the DOS program is blocked for the specified duration. Note: HSWITCH can also be loaded and activated in a DOS window. Pressing the hotkey there will however result in switching to full screen before the switchlist is displayed. HSWITCH does not work (the tasklist will not appear) while using WIN-OS/2. Syntax : [path]HSWITCH [options] Valid options are: /Hnn : nn is the scancode of the HOTKEY. The default value for the hotkey is 53. This options only has effect when specified while installing See notes on version 1.4 /Tnn : Specify the title-change duration in milliseconds. The default duration is 500 milliseconds. /R : When already installed, removes itself from memory Activating ========== To activate HSWITCH press the hot-key. This hot-key consist of two keys: Press and hold the key en press the forward slash. This keystroke causes a task list window to appear over the current screen. A session can be selected by using the arrow keys, or by entering the first letter in the session title. Once a session has been selected, you can enter any of the following keys: - switches you to the highlighted session - places you back in the session you started in - Removes the detached HSWITCH OS/2 background program Known bugs/limitations ====================== - HSWITCH may not become active from within an OS/2 session if you have more than 20 or so sessions. - When you activate HSWITCH from an DOS session the current session is not always marked by the highlighted bar. Instead the first session might highlighted while no session is check-marked. (See notes on version 1.4) - On Version of OS/2 where only the initial release of OS/2 is installed (GA) there are reports of traps when the DOS HSWITCH is used. - HSWITCH uses box drawing characters to display itself and assumes you are using codepage 437. If you are not using this Codepage some incorrect characters might be used. - When HSWITCH is activated from a DOS session, and the session is at a COMMAND Prompt, HSWITCH will show 'Current DOS' instead of the normal title. (feature, no bug). Credits ======= The OS/2 Part of HSWITCH is based on the public domain "VSWITCH" program by Scott Dudley. The DOS part is off my own hand. VSWITCH is in turn based on a public domain program call "HOTKEY" by Peter Fitzsimmons and Dave Burton. HSWITCH is also public domain. The OS/2 code was compiled with IBM C/2 Set 32 Bits compiler for OS/2 2.0. The DOS code was compiled with the Microsoft C version 6.0a compiler. =========================== HISTORY ======================================= Notes on version 1.3: o You can now specify the first and last session that hswitch monitors. The syntax is: run=[d:\path\]hswitch.exe /Fff /Lll (in the config.sys) or detach [d:\path\]hswitch.exe /Fff /Lll (from the command line) where ff is the first session id and ll is the last session id. The defaults are 4 until 15. o When the DOS HSWITCH is used and the screen is not set on 25 lines, the screen background is cleared before the program will popup. o If you run HSWITCH in the foreground it will show messages about whats happening (debug messages mainly). Notes on version 1.4: o You can now specify the HOTKEY that HSWITCH uses. Note that this hotkey must always be an ALT-combination. The syntax is: [....]HSWITCH /Hnn where nn must be a valid DECIMAL keyboard SCAN code. Not all keys can be used. Some (e.g. the numeric keys and the tab key) simply don't work. Most alphabetic keys however work. Just try it. Should you use the parameter make sure you specify the /H parameter both for the OS/2 version as for the DOS version the same. Please note that no checking is done! You'll find scancodes in your PC's manual. o The tasklist is shown in reversed order now. This normally matches the order in the standard PM tasklist. o HSWITCH now tries to select the proper session when activated from a DOS session. However when it works, and the DOS session is at a COMMAND Prompt, HSWITCH will show 'Current DOS' instead of the normal title. (feature, no bug). o When the DOS version was installed in upper memory using LH the upper memory was not freed when the DOS version was deinstalled. This has been corrected. Notes on version 1.5 o Added the /O option. This option will make HSWITCH to use the VioPopUp API call with the VP_OPAQUE flag instead of the VP_TRANSPARENT flag. The flag will cause VioPopUp to always create a cleard 25 by 80 characters popup screen. This option may be usefull for people with some SVGA adapters where using HSWITCH will make spaghetti of the screen.