To make a computer serve you well, you need to configure it properly.
Start with the file AutoExec.bat in the root directory of
MS-DOS1. I recommend you very much to define the
beginning of ``environmental variable'' Path (list of
directories, where executable files are sought) as
Path=C:\bat;C:\DOS;C:\s\exetpu;
-- the very beginning is the directory with batch files (programmes in
the operating system language), which you use to start programmes
contained in many different directories. There is no need to include
these many directories into the Path variable.
For example, you can start the Windows system by win.bat or
just w.bat, which read probably C:\Windows\win.com --
no other programmes in the \Windows directory are run by MS-DOS,
and so it is dull to include that huge directory in the Path.
(Why it is so common? MS-DOS makes no \bat directory during
its installation, and so no programmes are relying on it during their
own installation.)
Batch files enable to define starting values for various programmes.
For example, I have a batch t.bat, which reads
C:\s\t602\t602.exe /EGAm %1 %2, and by which I can easily open
up to two files in that popular Czech editing program, and use a bit
higher letters. Another batch
you will surely need is tpc.bat, running a command-line
compiler of Turbo Pascal (you can place a /m parameter there,
which makes sure that changed units will be compiled as well, or
parameter /l, to overcome insufficient free memory). The
Borland system for developing programmes is started by a batch
tp on my computers, Free Pascal Compiler by fp.
You would do well to copy the batch files contained in directories
Astro and Util of the archive pas_jh into the
\bat directory. From the root directory of the archive, copy
two batch files there, tpc.bat and tpc_all.bat. The
first one compiles one file, the other one compiles all files in a
current directory by the fist one. Failing compilations are logged in
fail_tra.lst.
The ExeTPU directory, as I call it, has to appear in the
tpc.cfg file in the /E parameter -- there the compiled
units and programmes should be placed, and there the compiler tries to
find the units compiled before. The tpc.cfg file should reside
in the same directory as the compiler tpc.exe itself (which I
call by tpc.bat).
The Path variable should continue (or end) with a directory
containing various viewing and packing programmes, in my case
C:\s\nc. There I have the programmes for creating and expanding
archives. To expand an archive, make a directory for it (it may have
the same name), copy the archive there, and issue a command
pkunzip -d name of archive (suffix .zip can be
omitted)2. The
-d switch ensures restoring the needed subdirectory structure.
The archive file itself can be then deleted.
In case of archive BSC5_cd with a part of The Bright
Stars Catalogue ([8]) there is a batch of the same name (i.e.,
BSC5_cd.bat), which makes that task, and then it runs a
database programme which changes the files into a working form. To be
able to run a database program, it needs a d.bat file with one
parameter (in my case it reads C:\s\db3\dbaza.exe %1), which
starts that program. If the programme is dBaseIII+,
Append.exe (MS-DOS resident program) should run with a
directory containing that program. In my case it is accomplished by
ApdB.bat reading:
LH Append /e
Append c:\s\db3;c:\s\tp\bgi;
If your Autoexec.bat does not execute the above command, then
(for programmes using a graphic mode) it should contain a line like
Set BGI=C:\s\tp\bgi
which informs the programmes where the graphic drivers (Borland Graphic
Interface) reside. The same directory contains usually the Borland
unit Graph.tpu, and so it is to be included in the /U
parameter of tpc.cfg, as well as the directory with the source
files of units (C:\s\Pas\Units in my case).
The above examples say, that I have most of software I use in the
\S directory. It is hidden there, as I do not need to see it
very often, and I do not want to be bored by its long list in the
root directory C:\. When I am looking at the programmes at all,
it's just into their source texts (I have them in the c:\s\PAS
directory, where I get any time by Pas.bat).
If your computers access more than one disk, you should avoid
starting file names by a disk letter in the batch files. Instead,
make a line in
Autoexec.bat reading like
Set SWDir=C:\s
and just then
Set BGI=%SWDir%\tp\bgi.
Similarly, explicit c:\s should be replaced by %swdir%
in all batch files. If the software will then shift to a disk
D (you will shift it, or the disk will have such letter when
accessed from another computer), it is sufficient to change the
letter in the definition of environmental variable SWDir, and
the rest will work as previously. If the space for environmental
variables does not suffice, you can enlarge it by a line in the
Config.sys reading like
Shell=c:\command.com /p /e:1024.
Then, 1024 bytes of environmental space will be available instead of
default 256 B.