TShell Monte Copeland (c) Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1993, 1995. All Rights Reserved. REVISION HISTORY -------------------------------------------------------------------- 06JUN95: color; update readme 16FEB94: better listboxes 19JAN94: first release for IBM EWS 05JAN94: home,end keys for listboxes; tweak readme 13DEC93: CSHELL->TShell name change; less RAM used if no REXX 16NOV93: start group is programmable with REXX 18AUG93: first release on OS2TOOLS. INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------- TShell is a text-based, non-graphical user interface shell for OS/2. TShell can start multiple full-screen sessions and run programs in them. TShell is not for everybody. TShell sacrifices the usability of PM and the Workplace Shell, but it does save memory. TShell works well in 4MB. Every TShell session is a full-screen session. These can be OS/2 or DOS sessions depending on the machine configuration. As always, you use Alt-Esc to switch around sessions and Ctrl-Esc to show a list of sessions. There is no Presentation Manager; thus, PM applications will not work. There are other restrictions; see below. TShell may have applications in low-resource systems, embedded systems, floppy boots, or test beds. TShell is IBM Employee Written Software. Please read the "as-is" license agreement from IBM. Essentially, you use this program "as is," and IBM makes no warranty about the correctness of this program or its suitability to any purpose. Monte Copeland, IBM Boca Raton, monte@vnet.ibm.com INSTALLATION -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Make a copy of your CONFIG.SYS. You will need it to uninstall TShell. 2. Copy TSHELL.EXE into the root directory of the bootup drive. 3. Edit CONFIG.SYS and change the PROTShell setting to PROTSHELL=\TSHELL.EXE There is more you can do to save memory. See below. 4. (OPTIONAL) Copy PGMSHELL.EXE into your PATH. RESTRICTIONS AND KNOWN BUGS -------------------------------------------------------------------- TShell will not run programs that require Presentation Manager. TShell does not initialize PM. It can only run text-mode OS/2 and DOS programs in full screen sessions. Some users have reported system hangs when attempting to run a PM application on Warp with TShell. TShell does not spool. If you have no printer attached, and you accidentally press Print-Screen, you should wait for the parallel port to timeout: up to two minutes. See SetParallelTimeout() function below for a workaround. TShell does not start the file system cache program for HPFS. Start CACHE.EXE somewhere in STARTUP.CMD. REXX works (if present) but REXX utilities DLL (REXXUTIL.DLL) does not. The START /DOS command does not work right. CMD.EXE should start a DOS session, but it incorrectly starts an OS/2 session. Get my STARTDOS package (STARTD.ZIP) for a workaround. For a LAN requestor, obtain IBM LAN Server version 3.01 or higher. When TShell has a shutdown option on the menu, end all running programs first, then it works. When TShell does not have a shutdown option on the menu, press Ctrl-Alt-Del and wait for the disk activity light to go out. Then turn off the computer. This is a clean shutdown. C-A-D will always perform a clean shutdown and reboot. TShell has no means to kill a session. The programming interfaces do not exist. Obtain a process-killer utility and PSTAT.EXE. The running list can get corrupted. Keep pressing Alt-Esc to recover. This happens on ThinkPads if you close and reopen them. In DOS sessions, NumLock and CapsLock lamps on the keyboard do not light properly. The lamps are refreshed correctly after a session switch. Starting more than 12 DOS session using StartDos and/or DosStartSession() API will lead to a system failure. If running MEMMAN=NOSWAP, you must ensure you have enough memory. Problems will occur upon exceeding memory capacity. TShell operates most reliably with swapping turned on. Don't run TShell from a command prompt. TSHELL.EXE is for the PROTSHELL statement in CONFIG.SYS. There are problems running WinOS2 in a DOS session on OS/2 Warp. WinOS2 works better on OS/2 2.1 and 2.11. PMDD.SYS, if left installed, may cause a hang in DOS-less configurations on Warp. PGMSHELL.EXE: PROGRAMMING THE TSHELL START LIST -------------------------------------------------------------------- Usage: PGMSHELL You can modify TShell's list of startable programs by writing a script in REXX and invoking it via the utility PGMSHELL.EXE. PGMSHELL collects data from REXX and passes it to TShell. PGMSHELL is optional. If you never use PGMSHELL, TShell will provide a default list of items to start. PGMSHELL requires REXX. Here is a sample REXX program that modifies the TShell start list: /* REXX program to modify TShell */ if 'PGMSHELL' <> address() then do say 'Expected PGMSHELL environment.' say 'Usage: PGMSHELL ' return 2 end /* TShell does not spool, so reduce parallel port timeout from 120 to 5 seconds in case you accidentally hit print-screen and there is no printer hooked up. */ rc = SetParallelTimeout( "LPT1", 5 ) /* title text for the start list */ rc = SetStartTitle( "Start Group" ) /* title text for the running list */ rc = SetRunningTitle( "Running Group" ) /* Add OS2 program; arguments: title, startup dir, parameters, exe */ /* I omit the title of CMD.EXE session, then CMD.EXE will dynamically */ /* update the title based on the currently-running program. */ rc = AddOS2Program( "",,,"CMD.EXE" ) /* Add OS2 program; arguments: title, startup dir, parameters, exe */ rc = AddOS2Program( "Format Floppy",,"A:","FORMAT.COM" ) /* is configured for DOS? */ if QueryDOSCapable() then do /* Add DOS program; arguments: title, startup dir, parameters, settings stem */ drop settings settings.0 = "DPMI_DOS_API=ENABLED" settings.1 = "DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT=8" rc = AddDOSProgram( "DPMI DOS Session",,, "settings" ) end /* add shutdown option. arguments: title, completion msg */ rc = AddShutdown( "Shutdown", "Shutdown Complete" ) /* make text white on blue; 0=black; 1=blue; 2=green; 3=cyan; 4=red; 5=pink; 6=orange; 7=white */ rc = SetForegroundColor( 7 ) rc = SetBackgroundColor( 1 ) return 0 These special functions are available to REXX programs under the PGMSHELL environment: SetParallelTimeout( portname, timeout in decimal seconds ) Sets the parallel port timeout. Set the port timeout to zero if there is no printer attached. SetStartTitle( start group title ) Sets the title text above the list of startable programs. SetRunningTitle( running group title ) Sets the title text above the list of running programs. SetBackgroundColor( n ), SetForegroundColor( n ) Sets the text colors of the TShell screen. N is a number from zero to seven. 0 black 1 blue 2 green 3 cyan 4 red 5 pink 6 orange 7 white Default background color is 0; default foreground color is 7. QueryDOSCapable() Returns a Boolean indicating if the system is configured to emulate DOS. AddOS2Program( title, startup dir, parameters, EXE ) Adds an OS/2, protected-mode program to the start list. AddDOSProgram( title, startup dir, command.com arguments, settings stem ) Adds a DOS mode program to the start list. ALL elements of the stem variable are considered DOS settings. Therefore, drop the stem variable before assigning DOS settings to it. For help with DOS settings, 1) see the settings dialog in Workplace Shell or 2) obtain my STARTDOS package and run settings.exe, a PM application. AddShutdown( shutdown title, shutdown complete message ) Adds the shutdown option to the start group. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- LICENSE INFORMATION: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please read LICENSE.TXT, the IBM license agreement. If you redistribute TShell, be sure the ZIP contains these files: TSHELL.EXE PGMSHELL.EXE README LICENSE.TXT TSHELL.ABS USING LESS DISK AND MEMORY WITH TSHELL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This section suggests ways to reduce the amount of disk space and memory required for OS/2 when running with TShell. Think carefully before you delete OS/2 system files. Experiment with a subset of OS/2 DLLs in a directory other than \OS2\DLL. When you find the right subset, then erase the rest as you see fit. OS/2 can boot from a single floppy. See the BOOT2X.ZIP package in the OS2USER forum library 17 on CompuServe. Other configurations are discussed in an article by Bill O'Connor in IBM Personal Systems magazine, July/August 1994. Here are two configurations: one with DOS support; one without. It assumes the boot drive is drive C:, and there is a VGA display installed. Step 1: Create new directories for your subset of OS/2 DLLs. Begin by copying DLLs from \OS2\DLL into C:\DLL and C:\DLL\DLL as shown. Directory C:\DLL is required for both DOS and non-DOS operation. Directory of C:\DLL 11-20-93 10:27a 0 . 11-20-93 10:27a 0 .. 4-22-93 2:49p 438 0 ANSICALL.DLL 4-22-93 2:50p 401 0 BKSCALLS.DLL 4-22-93 2:51p 398 0 BMSCALLS.DLL 4-25-93 4:04p 9443 49 BVHINIT.DLL 4-25-93 4:04p 40892 49 BVHVGA.DLL 4-22-93 2:54p 454 0 BVSCALLS.DLL 1-15-94 1:19p 0 DLL 4-29-93 9:30p 90854 0 DOSCALL1.DLL 4-22-93 3:32p 858 0 KBDCALLS.DLL 4-22-93 3:31p 1010 0 MOUCALLS.DLL 4-22-93 4:09p 508 49 MSG.DLL 4-25-93 4:31p 1024 49 NAMPIPES.DLL 4-22-93 4:08p 466 49 NLS.DLL 4-22-93 6:03p 25280 49 NPXEMLTR.DLL 4-25-93 4:12p 56000 49 OS2CHAR.DLL 4-29-93 9:27p 15250 49 QUECALLS.DLL 4-25-93 4:18p 32806 49 SESMGR.DLL optional-> 4-29-93 9:01p 179872 0 UHPFS.DLL 4-25-93 4:11p 1825 0 VIOCALLS.DLL 21 file(s) 457779 bytes used 24926208 bytes free Directory C:\DLL\DLL is only required for DOS operation. Omit it for protect-only configuration. Directory of C:\DLL\DLL 1-15-94 1:19p 0 . 1-15-94 1:19p 0 .. 4-25-93 4:04p 14288 49 BVHWNDW.DLL 4-22-93 4:10p 474 49 MONCALLS.DLL 4-22-93 1:06p 1597 0 OS2SM.DLL 4-25-93 5:02p 60162 0 PMBIND.DLL 5-06-93 11:37p 327579 3236 PMCTLS.DLL 4-22-93 3:34p 303865 49 PMGPI.DLL 5-11-93 6:14p 421101 0 PMGRE.DLL 5-02-93 10:14p 125296 3286 PMSHAPI.DLL 4-22-93 1:02p 3839 3286 PMSHAPIM.DLL 4-22-93 11:51a 183292 0 PMSPL.DLL 5-06-93 9:58p 2550 0 PMVDMH.DLL 4-25-93 4:49p 35105 0 PMVDMP.DLL 5-06-93 10:00p 96401 3542 PMVIOP.DLL 4-29-93 9:04p 541892 0 PMWIN.DLL 3-12-93 5:57p 248368 0 REXX.DLL 3-12-93 5:57p 33367 0 REXXAPI.DLL 3-12-93 5:57p 1468 0 REXXINIT.DLL 5-08-93 9:33p 29385 0 REXXUTIL.DLL 4-22-93 11:36a 5061 49 SPL1B.DLL 21 file(s) 2435090 bytes used 24924672 bytes free Three REXX DLLs can reside in either C:\DLL or C:\DLL\DLL. Or, omit them if you don't use REXX. Step 2: Modify CONFIG.SYS. Here are two sample CONFIG.SYS files. The directory C:\BIN contains only user executables. FOR NON-DOS, OS2-ONLY OPERATION: Get VTBL850.DCP from OS/2 Installation Disk 1 and copy to C:\OS2. Note this LIBPATH ignores C:\DLL\DLL created in step one. Sample CONFIG.SYS: rem CONFIG.SYS for no DOS, protect-mode-only operation PROTSHELL=C:\TSHELL.EXE rem HPFS is optional IFS=C:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:256 /CRECL:4 /AUTOCHECK:C SET COMSPEC=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET OS2_SHELL=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET PROMPT=[$p] LIBPATH=.;C:\DLL;C:\; SET DPATH=C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\; SET PATH=c:\bin;C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\;C:\OS2\APPS; PRIORITY_DISK_IO=YES FILES=20 BUFFERS=30 IOPL=YES DISKCACHE=64,LW MAXWAIT=3 MEMMAN=SWAP,PROTECT SWAPPATH=C:\OS2\SYSTEM 4096 5120 THREADS=64 PRINTMONBUFSIZE=134,134,134 COUNTRY=001,C:\OS2\SYSTEM\COUNTRY.SYS SET KEYS=ON BASEDEV=PRINT02.SYS BASEDEV=IBM2FLPY.ADD BASEDEV=IBM2ADSK.ADD BASEDEV=OS2DASD.DMD PROTECTONLY=YES CODEPAGE=437,850 DEVINFO=KBD,US,C:\OS2\KEYBOARD.DCP DEVINFO=SCR,EGA,C:\OS2\VTBL850.DCP FOR OS/2 WITH DOS SUPPORT: Sample CONFIG.SYS: rem CONFIG.SYS for multiple DOS sessions PROTSHELL=C:\TSHELL.EXE rem HPFS is optional IFS=C:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:512 /CRECL:4 /AUTOCHECK:C rem INI's are not used, but settings are required SET USER_INI=C:\OS2\OS2.INI SET SYSTEM_INI=C:\OS2\OS2SYS.INI SET COMSPEC=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET OS2_SHELL=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET PROMPT=[$p] SET KEYS=ON LIBPATH=.;C:\DLL;C:\DLL\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\; SET PATH=c:\bin;C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\;C:\OS2\MDOS; SET DPATH=C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\OS2\APPS; PRIORITY_DISK_IO=YES BUFFERS=30 IOPL=YES DISKCACHE=64,LW MAXWAIT=3 MEMMAN=SWAP,PROTECT SWAPPATH=C:\OS2\SYSTEM 4096 5120 THREADS=64 PRINTMONBUFSIZE=134,134,134 COUNTRY=001,C:\OS2\SYSTEM\COUNTRY.SYS BASEDEV=PRINT02.SYS BASEDEV=IBM2FLPY.ADD BASEDEV=IBM2ADSK.ADD BASEDEV=OS2DASD.DMD PROTECTONLY=NO SHELL=C:\OS2\MDOS\COMMAND.COM C:\OS2\MDOS BREAK=OFF FILES=20 FCBS=16,8 RMSIZE=640 DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VEMM.SYS DOS=LOW,NOUMB DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VDPX.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VXMS.SYS /UMB DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VDPMI.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VCDROM.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VMOUSE.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\POINTDD.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MOUSE.SYS rem unrem these for COM device driver support rem DOS programs see COM hardware even if these are rem'ed out rem DEVICE=C:\OS2\COM.SYS rem DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VCOM.SYS CODEPAGE=437,850 rem this machine has a VGA DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VVGA.SYS DEVINFO=KBD,US,C:\OS2\KEYBOARD.DCP DEVINFO=SCR,VGA,C:\OS2\VIOTBL.DCP SET VIDEO_DEVICES=VIO_VGA SET VIO_VGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA)