MZ is back!
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Mark Zbikowski
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Microsoft Open Source
Microsoft Open Source
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Multi-Tasking MS-DOS
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Beta Test Release 1.00
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Session Manager
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User's Guide
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Introduction
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The Session Manager(SM) for Multi-Tasking MS-DOS
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allows you to run up to six programs at one time and switch
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between them with a couple of keystrokes. Each program's
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screen is preserved so that it can be restored when you
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switch back to it. SM also contains the system-wide, Int24
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Handler.
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Initialization
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The first thing SM does when it is started is look for
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any program initialization information you may have. SM
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looks for the initialization information in a file named
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SM.INI in the current directory. Although recommended, no
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initialization information is needed.
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There are two types of initialization lines:
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1) define <program key> <program name> [program args]
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<working directory>
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2) start <program key>
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"program key" - a printable ascii character, a control
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character (^A thru ^^), or a function key (F1
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- F10).
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"working directory" - a well formed path; i.e., begins
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with drive letter (d:\).
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Each define line will associate a key with a program.
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If there is more than one define line using the same key,
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only the information in the last one is used.
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A start line is optional. If one exists, the program
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associated with the key on the start line is run as soon as
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SM finishes initializing. If more than one start line is
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given, the last one is used.
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This is what a sample initialization file might look like:
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define f1 a:\command.com c:\bin\src
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define ^z z.exe foo.c a:\foo\bar
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start f1
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Running the Session Manager
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To run Session Manager, just type SM. It does not
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require any arguments. If there was a start line in the
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Session Manager User's Guide - Page: 2
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initialization file, the program associated with the start
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key will be run. Otherwise, the SM screen will be displayed
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and you will be prompted for input.
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The SM screen contains a chart that describes each
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defined program's key, status, arguments, and working
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directory. There are 3 types of program status:
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1) New - the program has never been run.
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2) Active - the program has been started.
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3) Dead - the program has terminated.
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The input choices at this point are to either type a
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program key or hit the <ESC> button to enter command mode.
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If you hit a program key, the screen associated with that
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program will be displayed and the program will
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start/continue executing. If this is the first time the
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program has been run, a chdir to the program's working
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directory is made before it is started. If SM cannot start
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the program you desired, the SM screen will reappear.
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If the program you chose to run has died, its screen
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will still be displayed so that you can check its output.
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That is all you can do while in a dead programs screen
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except switch back to SM.
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To switch back to SM, hit Alt-F10. Alt-F10 is
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currently the program key for SM and will be recognized no
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matter what other programs are running. This is the only
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program key that works this way. All of the others will
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only be recognized if SM is running and the SM screen is
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being displayed.
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Whenever any of SM's children die, their status is
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changed to dead. You will see the status change the next
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time the SM screen is displayed. If the program using the
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current screen dies, you will go back into SM.
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Command Mode
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When you enter SM's command mode the prompt "SM command or
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HELP>" is displayed. The valid SM commands are:
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1) INIT <program key>
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Initialize the program associated with key so that
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it can be run again. The program's status is
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changed to "New" and its screen memory is freed.
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If the program is active, it is killed before it
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is initialized.
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2) DEFINE <program key> <program name> [program args]
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<working directory>
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Define and run a new program using the supplied
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information. If the key was previously defined,
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redefine it.
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Session Manager User's Guide - Page: 3
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3) RUN <program key>
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Run the program associated with key.
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4) RESTART <program key>
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Restart the program associated with key. This
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like issuing an INIT and a RUN command.
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5) KILL <program key>
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Kill the program associated with key. Its status
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is changed to dead.
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6) HELP
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Display a help screen.
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7) EXIT
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Kill all of SM's children and exit SM.
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In all of the above commands, "key" is the printable
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ascii representation of a programs key. If a command fails,
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you will either be asked to enter a new command or placed in
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SM's top level.
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Session Manager's Int24 Handler
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Whenever an Int24 occurs, SM's Int24 handler is called.
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No matter what program is using the screen and no matter
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which program caused the error, SM's Int24 screen is always
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displayed. This screen will contain information on the type
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of Int24 that happened, and the name and pid of the program
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that caused the error. You will then be prompted for one of
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the valid actions for this type of error. After the action
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typed in has been taken, you are returned to the screen you
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were using before the Int24.
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