very slow cursor in CMD window w/Text editor?

[Michael C.]

I am using a DOS based text editor, Aurora, which I am totally devoted
to. When run from a CMD prompt or even a Run command, the cursor
movement is painfully slow! In my previous version, Windows 98, I used
the MODE CON: command to set the typematic rate (at 32) which made the
cursor move very quickly. This does not work with Win XP CMD.exe.

Can someone tell how to speed up the cursor movement?

Thanks so much.
Michael

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Have you tried using Aurora in command.com?

Start | Run | Type: command | Click OK

Typematic rate: MODE CON[:] [RATE=r DELAY=d]

mode /? for help.

Aurora32???

<quote>
Aurora32 Notes about Win2K: While I have been able to run Aurora32 under
Win2K, you can cause a repeatable crash, in my experience, by using the File
Manager to load files. Invoking the File Manager from the "File" pull down
menu or starting the editor with the File Manager on the opening screen will
lead to a crash when a file is selected. Avoid the File Manager and you
stand a chance of editing. Aurora32 was programmed to run under previous
versions of Win32 and in my opinion needs to be updated to deal with known
Aurora32 bugs and whatever compatibility issues have been introduced in
Win2K vs prior OS releases. I was able to edit files once they were loaded
via the "File|Open" menu using an explicit path and filename. Another way I
was able to load and edit files is to use the "Tree" macro to navigate to
the file. Tree can be found either in the Macro List or in the File
pull-down menu. Although Tree looks a lot like the file manager when running
and probably uses many of the same functions, it does load the file(s) for
me instead of crashing. I have commented out the "File Manager" item in the
File menu (see menu.aml) so that I am not tempted to select it and I have
Aurora32 open to a new file instead of a File Manager window. The DOS
version of Aurora appears to run well under Win2K, so that is an alternative
(but it limits your window size). [kn, Jan 11-17, 2003].
<quote>
from...
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~knassen/aurora.html

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Plato]

I am using a DOS based text editor, Aurora, which I am totally devoted
to. When run from a CMD prompt or even a Run command, the cursor
movement is painfully slow! In my previous version, Windows 98, I used
the MODE CON: command to set the typematic rate (at 32) which made the
cursor move very quickly. This does not work with Win XP CMD.exe.

Can someone tell how to speed up the cursor movement?

Use a DOS based OS.

 

[michaeljnc]

Thanks! Running in command.com worked well. Don't need to use Mode
Con. I'm using Aurora 3.0c, not the 32bit ver. On my previous machine,
it crashed when trying to recompile the editor, with my user.aml and
macros. The file manager bug in Aurora32 that you described would be a
problem for me. I wrote a macro (external) to display a dialog window
with a list box of open file manager windows. I use the FMGR windows as
a kind of pick list for various filespecs, ie. .prg, .h, .bat, often in
different directorys.

I found that by adding NTCMDPROMPT to config.nt I can shell out of the
editor to cmd.exe instead of command.com, which of course is more flexible.

Mike

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Glad you got it working, Mike.

Command.com does have it's limits, short 8.3 names for example. But,
command.com's only reason for being included with an NT OS is backward
compatibility with old 16 bit programs.

See...
CMD.EXE and COMMAND.COM
here....
The Windows NT Command Shell
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/winntas/deploy/shellscr.mspx

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Thanks! Running in command.com worked well. Don't need to use Mode
Con. I'm using Aurora 3.0c, not the 32bit ver. On my previous machine,
it crashed when trying to recompile the editor, with my user.aml and
macros. The file manager bug in Aurora32 that you described would be a
problem for me. I wrote a macro (external) to display a dialog window
with a list box of open file manager windows. I use the FMGR windows as
a kind of pick list for various filespecs, ie. .prg, .h, .bat, often in
different directorys.

I found that by adding NTCMDPROMPT to config.nt I can shell out of the
editor to cmd.exe instead of command.com, which of course is more
flexible.

Mike

Have you tried using Aurora in command.com?

Start | Run | Type: command | Click OK

Typematic rate: MODE CON[:] [RATE=r DELAY=d]

mode /? for help.

Aurora32???

<quote>
Aurora32 Notes about Win2K: While I have been able to run Aurora32 under
Win2K, you can cause a repeatable crash, in my experience, by using the
File Manager to load files. Invoking the File Manager from the "File"
pull down menu or starting the editor with the File Manager on the
opening screen will lead to a crash when a file is selected. Avoid the
File Manager and you stand a chance of editing. Aurora32 was programmed
to run under previous versions of Win32 and in my opinion needs to be
updated to deal with known Aurora32 bugs and whatever compatibility
issues have been introduced in Win2K vs prior OS releases. I was able to
edit files once they were loaded via the "File|Open" menu using an
explicit path and filename. Another way I was able to load and edit
files is to use the "Tree" macro to navigate to the file. Tree can be
found either in the Macro List or in the File pull-down menu. Although
Tree looks a lot like the file manager when running and probably uses
many of the same functions, it does load the file(s) for me instead of
crashing. I have commented out the "File Manager" item in the File menu
(see menu.aml) so that I am not tempted to select it and I have Aurora32
open to a new file instead of a File Manager window. The DOS version of
Aurora appears to run well under Win2K, so that is an alternative (but
it limits your window size). [kn, Jan 11-17, 2003]. <quote>
from...
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~knassen/aurora.html

 

[Bob I]

Say Wes,
Try
DIR /N

if you want to see LFN

 

[Wesley Vogel]

True, Bob.

But try:
cd C:\Documents and Settings
instead of
cd C:\DOCUME~1
in command.com. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Bob I]

yes it doesn't like that.

 

[michaeljnc]

I think I saw something about using quotes or even a single preceding
quote, but I tried that and it didn't work?
cd 'c:\documents and settings

Another curious thing is that an x.bat file containing EXIT, will exit
from a CMD prompt but not from command.com.

 

[Bob I]

I think I saw something about using quotes or even a single preceding
quote, but I tried that and it didn't work?
cd 'c:\documents and settings

Another curious thing is that an x.bat file containing EXIT, will exit
from a CMD prompt but not from command.com.

exit works on a "command" bat file here.

 

[michaeljnc]

Hi Bob. That's very strange. I just tried it again.
I removed the NTCMDPROMPT command from autoexec.nt;
started the editor;
did a shell out to DOS prompt;
verified COMSPEC=c:\windows\system32\command.com
ran the xxp.bat;
it echos the single line, exit;
then back to the prompt

When NTCMDPROMPT is put back into autoexec.nt
doing the same thing verifies that comspec=c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe
then the xxp.bat Works.

So that's all I know.
Gremlins, I guess? :-/
Mike

 

[Bob I]

Dunno what's happening there but try this.

Make a copy of "command.com", rename it to Command.txt and open it with
Notepad, then scroll about 2/3 of the way down. Exit is listed along
with the other embedded commands.

 

[michaeljnc]

Hi Bob. OK, I did that. It shows:
EXIT
=Creates a directory

Obviously, it does not create a directory, but typing Exit -> Enter at
the prompt works as expected. It's just the .BAT command that is ignored?
Does that look right to you? Wonder if I can verify my ver. of command.com?

Not that big a deal; a little annoying but it is curious.
Thanks,
Mike

Windows XP Home SP2
AMD Sempron 3400+ 2.0 GHZ
1024MB RAM - 128MB shared video
eMachines T3418

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I think I saw something about using quotes or even a single preceding

quote

You CANNOT use long file names with command.com, quotes or no quotes. At
least with the Chdir (Cd) command.

------
Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\>cd C:\Documents and Settings\Wesley P. Vogel\Local Settings\Temp
Too many parameters - and

C:\>cd "C:\Documents and Settings\Wesley P. Vogel\Local Settings\Temp"
Parameter format not correct - "C:\Documents

C:\>cd C:\DOCUME~1\WESLEY~1~VOG\LOCALS~1\Temp

C:\DOCUME~1\WESLEY~1\LOCALS~1\TEMP>
------

Too many parameters
There are too many spaces in the command you are typing. Valid format is
8.3 names. C:\DOCUME~1\WESLEY~1\LOCALS~1\TEMP

Parameter format not correct
You typed one or more parameters that do not have a valid format for this
command. Valid format is 8.3 names.

Cannot Use Spaces in MS-DOS Command Parameters
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229880

Native MS-DOS Commands and the Space Character
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/166827

Amazingly enough, this command works in command.com:

md "A Directory With a Long Name"

You can use long file names with cmd.exe.

You have to use quotes with some commands with cmd.exe, especially if the
path contains a white space.

Try the following commands in cmd.exe and see what happens...

start "" "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

start "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

start C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

start iexplore

<quote>
Remarks
Using multiple commands
* You can use multiple commands separated by the command separator && for
string, but you must enclose them in quotation marks (for example,
"command&&command&&command").

Processing quotation marks
If you specify /c or /k, cmd processes the remainder of string and quotation
marks are preserved only if all of the following conditions are met:

* You do not use /s.
* You use exactly one set of quotation marks.
* You do not use any special characters within the quotation marks (for
example: &<>( ) @ ^ |).
* You use one or more white-space characters within the quotation marks.
* The string within quotation marks is the name of an executable file.

If the previous conditions are not met, string is processed by examining the
first character to verify whether or not it is an opening quotation mark. If
the first character is an opening quotation mark, it is stripped along with
the closing quotation mark. Any text following the closing quotation marks
is preserved.

File and directory name completion correctly processes file names that
contain white space or special characters if you place quotation marks
around the matching path.

The following special characters require quotation marks: & < > [ ] { } ^ =
; ! ' + , ` ~ [white space]

If the information that you supply contains spaces, use quotation marks
around the text (for example, "Computer Name").
<quote>
from CMD...
Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

hh ntcmds.chm::/cmd.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[michaeljnc]

Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

hh ntcmds.chm::/cmd.htm

Thanks Wes. I have this shortcut on my desktop:

%windir%\hh.exe ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm

It looks like hh is interpreted as shorthand for
%windir%\hh.exe ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\

Also, it looks very similar to:
http://

This was also interesting:

Try the following commands in cmd.exe and see what happens...

start "" "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

start "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"

The first loaded the browser;
The second loaded a second instance of CMD.exe

.....
Mike

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Hi Mike,

Thanks Wes. I have this shortcut on my desktop:

%windir%\hh.exe ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm

I have that shortcut on my Start Menu. ;-)

It looks like hh is interpreted as shorthand for
%windir%\hh.exe ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\

Yep. I never type more than I have to. You have to type the complete paths
for the shortcut.

%windir%\hh.exe ms-its:c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm

A shortcut to c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm will also open ntcmds.chm, but you
have to navigate around to get to the exact page that you want.

hh ntcmds.chm in the Run command will also open ntcmds.chm

hh ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm in the Run command will open right to the page.

ms-its:c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm in the Run command will open
it in Internet Explorer.

hh ms-its:c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm in the Run command will
also open it with hh.exe.

ms-its:c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm will also work from the IE
Address bar.

Also, it looks very similar to:
http://

Ms-its protocol uses Ms-its:filename.chm::/page.htm

There are also these protocols: file, http, https, ftp, its, ms-its,
mkmsitstore and hcp.

You know about Hypertext Transfer Protocol, http://SOMEADDRESS and secure
HTTP https://SOMEADDRESS and file transfer protocol, ftp://ftpserveraddress

{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} is the CLSID for My Computer.
{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} is the CLSID for Network Connections.

The file protocol. This pasted in Start | Run
file:///::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
opens Network Connections.

This pasted in Start | Run
file:///::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
also opens Network Connections.

This pasted in Start | Run
Explorer.exe
/e,/root,::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}\::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2
-00805FC1270E}
also opens Network Connections.

You can complicate it in many ways.

MkMSITStore:filename.chm::/page.htm
Protocol: mk. Protocol specific address: @MSITSTore.

hh MkMSITStore:c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm in the Run command
will open it with hh.exe.

MkMSITStore:c:\Windows\Help\ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm in the Run command
will open it with Internet Explorer.

Hcp protocol. This pasted in Start | Run
hcp://system/HomePage.htm
opens Help and Support to the home page.

*.chm files are Compiled HTML Help files.

hh is hh.exe (Microsoft® HTML Help Executable). hh.exe is what opens *.chm
files.

Any *.chm file that is in C:\WINDOWS\Help (%windir%\Help) can be opened with
the hh command.

You can open .chm files from the Run command by typing or pasting...

hh ntcmds.chm

Open to a specific page/article...

hh ntcmds.chm::/ntcmds.htm

hh ntcmds.chm::/dos_diffs.htm

hh ntcmds.chm::/cipher.htm

hh wmplayer.chm

Open to a specific page/article...

hh wmplayer.chm::/htm/player_overview_formats.htm

hh taskbar.chm::/win_tray_start_programs_runcommand.htm

Hint: You can find the Address (URL) of a Help page/article in Properties.

For example...
Open Help and Support | Type: boot in the Search box | Click the Arrow |
Click on: Require users to press CTRL+ALT+DELETE before logging on |
Right click in the right hand pane of: Require users to press
CTRL+ALT+DELETE before logging on | Properties | Address (URL) shows:
ms-its:C:\WINDOWS\Help\usercpl.chm::/usercpl_secureboot.htm |
Highlight: usercpl.chm::/usercpl_secureboot.htm | Ctrl + C to copy |
add hh | And you get:

hh usercpl.chm::/usercpl_secureboot.htm

Paste: hh usercpl.chm::/usercpl_secureboot.htm into the Run command and
click OK.

Of course you can navigate to C:\WINDOWS\Help and locate usercpl.chm, double
click it and navigate to Require users to press CTRL+ALT+DELETE before
logging on.

Or just paste C:\WINDOWS\Help\usercpl.chm into the Run command and navigate
to Require users to press CTRL+ALT+DELETE before logging on.

And of course, most of these open with Help and Support (helpctr.exe).

What I like about the hh and hcp commands is you can have someone type or
paste the command into the Run command. That is easier then listing however
many steps that it takes to get there through Help and Support.

For example, pasting: hh usercpl.chm::/usercpl_secureboot.htm into the Run
command is easier and quicker.

Any *.chm file can be opened by double clicking.

Any *.chm file can be opened by typing or pasting the full path in the
Run command.

There are also hcp commands.

hcp://system/sysinfo/sysInfoLaunch.htm for example, opens Advanced System
Information in Help.

This was also interesting:
The first loaded the browser;
The second loaded a second instance of CMD.exe

If you type: START in a command prompt, without parameters, start opens a
second command prompt window. With the second command, cmd.exe apparently
doesn't even see the second part of the command and ignores it.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Wesley Vogel]

When NTCMDPROMPT is put back into autoexec.nt

doing the same thing verifies that comspec=c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe
then the xxp.bat Works.

REM NTCMDPROMPT
REM When you return to the command prompt from a TSR or while running an
REM MS-DOS-based application, Windows runs COMMAND.COM. This allows the
REM TSR to remain active. To run CMD.EXE, the Windows command prompt,
REM rather than COMMAND.COM, add the command ntcmdprompt to CONFIG.NT or
REM other startup file.

Examples
To include ntcmdprompt in your Config.nt file, or the configuration startup
file specified in the PIF, type:

ntcmdprompt

------------

The exit command is an internal command part of command.com or cmd.exe.

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>exit /?
Quits the CMD.EXE program (command interpreter) or the current batch
script.

EXIT [/B] [exitCode]

/B specifies to exit the current batch script instead of
CMD.EXE. If executed from outside a batch script, it
will quit CMD.EXE

exitCode specifies a numeric number. if /B is specified, sets
ERRORLEVEL that number. If quitting CMD.EXE, sets the process
exit code with that number.

exit /? typed in command.com actually exits instead of displaying the help
for exit. But, help exit works.

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\>help exit
Quits the CMD.EXE program (command interpreter) or the current batch
script.

EXIT [/B] [exitCode]

/B specifies to exit the current batch script instead of
CMD.EXE. If executed from outside a batch script, it
will quit CMD.EXE

exitCode specifies a numeric number. if /B is specified, sets
ERRORLEVEL that number. If quitting CMD.EXE, sets the process
exit code with that number.


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In