MENU, COMMAND, DIALOG BOX, AND CONTEXT-SENSITIVE HELP
FOR THE MS-DOS 5.0 SHELL

!I!@
MS-DOS Shell Help Index

To see a topic:

 - Double-click the topic.

Or

 - Press TAB to select the topic, and then press ENTER.

   " Beta Notes "~KES~

KEYBOARD HELP
-------------
   " General MS-DOS Shell Keys "~K101~
   " Movement Keys "~K102~
   " Help Keys "~K109~
   " Active Task List Keys "~K103~
   " Program List Keys "~K104~
   " File List Keys "~K105~
   " File Selection Keys "~K106~
   " Directory Tree Keys "~K107~
   " Drive Selection Keys "~K108~

COMMANDS HELP
-------------
File List Menus
   " File Menu "~I205~
   " Options Menu "~I202~
   " View Menu "~I203~
   " Tree Menu "~I204~
   " Help Menu "~I210~

Program List Menus
   " File Menu "~I201~
   " Options Menu "~I202~
   " View Menu "~I209~
   " Help Menu "~I210~

View Screen Menus
   " Display Menu "~I207~
   " View Menu "~I208~
   " Help Menu "~I210~

PROCEDURES HELP
---------------
   " Basic Procedures "~R100~
   " File List Procedures "~R101~
   " Program List Procedures "~R102~
   " Running Programs "~R103~
   " Other MS-DOS Shell Procedures "~R104~

MS-DOS SHELL BASICS HELP
------------------------
   " Welcome to MS-DOS Shell "~S100~
   " Menus and Commands "~S103~
   " Dialog Boxes "~S105~
   " File List and Program List "~S114~
   " File List Overview "~1N~
   " Program List Overview "~I099~
   " How to Leave MS-DOS Shell "~S125~

USING HELP
----------
   " Requesting Help Directly "~H100~
   " Using Help Buttons "~H102~
   " Using Help Menu Commands "~H103~
   " How to Learn About MS-DOS Shell "~H104~
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!R!@
Procedures

Each of the following topics contains a list of procedures.

To see a list of procedures:

 - Press TAB to select the topic and then press ENTER.

Or

 - Double-click the topic.

   " Basic Procedures "~R100~
   " File List Procedures "~R101~
   " Program List Procedures "~R102~
   " Running Programs "~R103~
   " Other MS-DOS Shell Procedures "~R104~
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-----------------------PROGRAM LIST-----------------------
	    Commands and Context-Sensitive Topics
!PMHD! !1MHD!@
File Menu

You can use commands on the File menu to add, open, copy, delete, and change the properties of program items and groups. You can also add files to groups and change the order in which program items and groups are listed. In addition, you can quit MS-DOS Shell, or run a program.
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!PMAA! !1MAA!@
New Command

Adds a new group or program item to the currently selected group.

Related Procedures
   " Adding and Changing Program Groups "~I100~
   " Adding Program Items to Program Groups "~I102~
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!1DSS!@
New Program Object Dialog Box

In this dialog box, you can choose whether you want to create a new program item or a new group. Select either Program Item or Program Group, and choose the OK button.

A program item contains start-up instructions for a program. It's not the program file.

A program group is a collection of program items in the program list.

To get Help on a dialog box option, select it and press F1.

Related Procedures
   " Adding and Changing Program Groups "~I100~
   " Adding Program Items to Program Groups "~I102~
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!PDSR! !PDSS!@
New Program Item or New Program Group

Select either Program Item or Program Group, and choose the OK button.

A program item contains start-up instructions for a program. It's not the program file.

A program group is a collection of program items in the program list.
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!PD3Y! !1D3Q!@
Add Program Dialog Box

In this dialog box, you can type information about the program item you are adding. You must type a name for the program item and a command that starts the program.

Related Procedure
   " Adding Program Items to Program Groups "~I102~

To get Help on a dialog box option, select it and press F1.
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!PD3Q! !PD:Q!@
Program Title Box

Type a name for your program item in the Program Title box. It can contain up to 23 characters (including blank spaces). 
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!PD3R! !1D3R! !PD:R!@
Commands Box

Type the command that starts the program, including any parameters. It can contain up to 256 characters (including blank spaces).

Replaceable Parameters
----------------------
One kind of parameters you can specify is a replaceable parameter that tells MS-DOS Shell to display a dialog box when the program starts.

For example, if you want MS-DOS Shell to prompt you for a filename to open when you start Microsoft Word, you can use the following startup command:
word %1

NOTE: The replaceable parameter must be between 1 and 9. Zero and 10 will not work. For each numeral you set, MS-DOS Shell will display a dialog box.

Using More Than One Command
---------------------------
You can type as many commands in the Commands box as you like. To use more than one command, separate each command with a semicolon (;). There must be a space on each side of the semicolon.

Related Topic
   " Defining the Prompt Dialog Box "~PD7W~
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DB displays when choose program item
!PDCW!@
File Dialog Box

In this dialog box, type the name of the file you want the program to open. When you choose the OK button, the program will start and open the file.

To get Help on a dialog box option, select it and press F1.
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!PD7W!@
Defining the Prompt Dialog Box

You can define the dialog box that MS-DOS Shell displays when you choose the program item. You can specify the title of the dialog box, explanatory information, the prompt message, and parameters that allow you to open files without using a dialog box.

To get Help on a dialog box option, select it and press F1.
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!PD7Q!@
Window Title Box

Type or edit the title of the dialog box that you are defining.
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!PD7R!@
Program Information Box

If you like, you can type or edit text that will appear at the top of the dialog box.
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!PD7S!@
Prompt Message Box

If you like, you can type or edit a prompt for the text box. For example, the message, "File to Edit?" prompts you to type a filename in the text box.
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!PD7T!@
Default Parameters Box

You can specify a default parameter, such as a filename, that will appear in the Prompt dialog box whenever you choose the program item.

There are two parameters you can use to open files directly.
MS-DOS Shell will suggest the file specified by the following parameters.

To suggest                  Type this parameter
----------                  -------------------
The file selected
when you start the
program                           %f

The file that was
opened the last
time the program
was used                          %l
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!PD3S! !PD:S! !1D3S!@
Startup Directory Box

You can type the path to the directory that contains the data files the program uses.

This directory will become the current directory when you choose the program item.
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!PD3T! !1D3T! !PD:T!@
Application Shortcut Key Box

You can add or change a shortcut key combination for the program. When you choose the Enable Task Swapper command, you can use the shortcut key combination to move to the program if it is running. The shortcut key does not start the program.

To create the shortcut key combination, press either SHIFT, CTRL, or ALT, and a letter. After you create it, it will appear next to the program name in the Active Task List.

NOTE: Some key combinations are not available. Do not use the following combinations:

CTRL+M
CTRL+I
CTRL+H
CTRL+[
CTRL+5 (on the keypad)
SHIFT+CTRL+M
SHIFT+CTRL+I
SHIFT+CTRL+H
SHIFT+CTRL+[
SHIFT+CTRL+5 (on the keypad)

Related Procedure
   " Adding Program Items to Program Groups "~I102~
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!PD3U! !1D3U! !PD:U!@
Pause After Exit Check Box

If you select this check box, when you quit the program MS-DOS prompts you to press any key to return to MS-DOS Shell. If you don't select it, you return immediately to MS-DOS Shell when you quit the program.

Pausing is useful if you want to read text that your program displays after it finishes running, before you return to MS-DOS Shell.
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!PD3V! !1D3V! !PD:V!@
Password Box

You can type a password up to 20 characters (including blank spaces). If you don't want to use a password, leave the Password box empty.

A password protects a program item by limiting access to those who know the password. After you change a password, write it down and keep it in a safe place. A dialog box will prompt you for the password every time you use this program item.
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!PD3Z! !PD:Z!@
Advanced Button

Displays another dialog box where you can specify additional properties.
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!PD8]!@
Advanced Dialog Box

In this dialog box, you can add Help text and specify memory, video mode, reserved shortcut keys, and program switching.

To get Help on a dialog box option, select it and press F1.
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!PD3Q! !PD8Q! !PD0U!@
Help Text Box

You can type up to 256 characters (including blank spaces) of Help information for the program item. If you don't want to use Help text, leave the Help Text box empty.

Line Breaks
-----------
In the Help Text box, pressing ENTER doesn't indicate a line break.

To indicate a line break:

 - Type: ^m

Viewing the Help Text
---------------------
You can read this Help text by selecting the program item or group and pressing F1.
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!PD8R!@
Conventional Memory KB Required Box

You can specify in kilobytes the minimum amount of memory required to run this program when using task swapping. The default value is 128.

If less memory is available when you start a program, MS-DOS Shell will display a message.
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!PD8S!@
XMS Memory KB Required Box

You can specify in kilobytes the minimum amount of extended memory required to run this program when using task swapping. The default value is zero.

If less memory is available when you start a program, MS-DOS Shell will display a message.
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!PD8T!@
XMS Memory KB Limit Box

You can specify in kilobytes the maximum amount of extended memory that can be used by the program. This option controls the amount of memory that can be swapped by the program. The default value is 384 on systems that have at least this much memory. Otherwise, the default value is the total amount of extended memory.
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!PD8U! !PD8V!@
Video Mode Option

This option reserves memory for screen display information during task swapping. Usually the memory reserved by Text mode is enough, but you may need more memory if you are running a CGA adapter.

Select this option  If
------------------  --
Text                The program runs in text mode. Consider
                    using text mode if the program doesn't
                    need to display graphics. It will speed
                    disk swapping. Text mode is the default
                    option.

Graphics            The program runs in graphics mode. This
                    option is needed only if you are running
                    a CGA video adapter.
--@@

!PD8W!@
Prevent Program Switch Check Box

Turns off task swapping when the program is running. When this check box is selected, you must quit the program to return to MS-DOS Shell.
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!PD8X! !PD8Y! !PD8Z! !PD8X! !PD8Y! !PD8Z!@
Reserve Shortcut Keys Check Boxes

Turns off the specified shortcut keys in MS-DOS Shell so that the program can use those keys.

Selecting   
this        Turns off the shortcut to
---------   -------------------------
ALT+TAB     Toggling between two programs.
ALT+ESC     Displaying the next program.
CTRL+ESC    Returning to MS-DOS Shell from a program.
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!PDBZ! !1DBV!@
Add Group Dialog Box

In this dialog box, you specify information about the new group you are creating. You must type a name for the group. You can also type Help information for the group, and a password to limit access to the group.

To get Help on a dialog box option, select it and press F1.
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!PDBT! !PD0T!@
Title Box

Type a name for the new group. A title is required. It can contain up to 23 characters (including blank spaces).
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!PDBW! !PD0W!@
Password Box

You can type a password for the group in the Password box. It can contain up to 20 characters (including blank spaces). If you don't want to include a password, leave the Password Box empty.

A password protects a group by limiting access to those who know the password. After you change a password, write it down and keep it in a safe place. A dialog box will prompt you for the password every time you use this group.
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!PD1Q! !PD1T! !1D!@
Password Dialog Box

You must type the password before you can use this program item or group.
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!PMAB! !1MAB!@
Open Command

Starts a program and an associated file (if there is one) or displays the contents of a group.

Related Procedures
   " Opening Files "~I131~
   " Opening Program Groups "~I123~
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!PMAC! !1MAC!@
Copy Command

Copies a program item to the group you specify. After you choose the Copy command, open the group you want to copy the program item to, and then press F2.