THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: November 3, 2002 12:11 PM Sunday; Rod Welch

Gary reports problem with SDS launch, raises other issues.

1...Summary/Objective
2...SDS Launch Failed from Group Manager
3...SDS Program Launch 04702 Evaluation
4...Formatting SDS Records.
...........Summary Objective and Headlines
...........This is a Headline Immediately Below Summary/Objective
5...Improve Conversion of SDS Records to HTML
6...Para Commands Permit Optional Ending Command
7...Document Type Declaration Missing from SDS but Not from Documents
8...Font Command Nesting Errors Must be Eliminated for Opera
9...Bold Command Within Center Command and End Bold Before End Center
10...Subject Index Has Incorrect Content
11...Maintain Internet Transfer Directory Macro 235
12...Ws_ftp Pro Log File Reported on File Transfers to Web for Maintenance
13...DOS4 Requires Special Switches for Compliance with MS DOS
14...Subject Reports and Archiving Working Better But Not Correctly
15...25.bat Archive Op and Subject Reports Working Better But Not Correctly
16...Alternate Tools for Archiving SDS POINTERS
17...4DOS Advantages Compatible with MS DOS
18...Netmeeting Installed for Technical Support
19...Update SDS Program on Gary's Computer

ACTION ITEMS.................. Click here to comment!

1...Getting a template file from Gary that can be used to guide

CONTACTS 
0201 - Dynamic Alternatives                         562 802 1639
020101 - Mr. Garold L. Johnson
020102 - dynalt@dynalt.com

SUBJECTS
SDS Program Failing to Launch Group Manager Not Executing
Group Manager SDS Failing to Launch and Run 04702 Correctly
Johnson, Gary Group Manager SDS Failing to Launch and Run 04702 Corre
Start New Schedule
04702 Archive Records Global Pointers Schedule Set Up

1007 -    ..
1008 - Summary/Objective
1009 -
100901 - Follow up ref SDS 42 0000, ref SDS 39 0000.
100902 -
100903 - Received eight letters today from Gary on new issues and reporting
100904 - progress. ref SDS 0 OF6F  The schedule launch operation failed on
100905 - Gary's computer.  He zipped his records and sent them to the website.
100906 - Review showed a number of possible format problems. ref SDS 0 H17M
100907 - However, careful analysis revealed an obscure problem with SDS.  This
100908 - was fixed. ref SDS 0 Y93J  Gary's records updated normally after the
100909 - correction was applied, indicating the problem he reported has been
100910 - solved, ref SDS 0 NG9F, and further that Gary's records archive under
100911 - MS DOS, so this is an option to consider in addressing problems using
100912 - 4DOS.  For training purposes, I conformed many of Gary's records to
100913 - SDS format standards. ref SDS 0 QATW  Still need to discuss the
100914 - Subject Index.  It is significantly changed from SDS standards.
100915 - ref SDS 0 VY5F  Gary indicates in another letter that font nesting
100916 - errors are his main objective for HTML changes.  Hopefully, he can
100917 - provide sample work product that will guide improvements to SDS code.
100918 - ref SDS 0 TW6F  Gary reports a lot of progress getting 4DOS to meet MS
100919 - DOS standards for running SDS archive and report features. ref SDS 0
100920 - YX7I  If this remains problematic, perhaps he can run SDS under MS
100921 - DOS, while using 4DOS on other tasks. ref SDS 0 4K5K  Gary installed
100922 - Netmeeting as an aid for technical support.
100923 -
100924 -  ..
100925 - Submitted corrected SDS records for Gary by putting them on the
100926 - website.  Sent an email to this record for details on what was done.
100927 -
100928 -        [On 021104 Gary reports this problem did not occur again; the
100929 -        corrections made today were successful, ref SDS 43 TY6M, new
100930 -        problem occurred on using the Schedule. ref SDS 43 QQ6O
100931 -
100932 -
100933 -
100934 -
100935 -
100936 -
100937 -  ..
1010 -
1011 -
1012 - Progress
1013 -
101301 - Gary submitted eight (8) letters today.  Several repeated parts of
101302 - others.  These five (5) letters were reviewed today...
101303 -
101304 -    1.  SDS launch failed.......................... ref SDS 0 TY6M
101305 -    2.  HTML format font nesting main issue........ ref SDS 0 TW6F
101306 -    3.  Netmeeting installed for tech support...... ref SDS 0 NC4Y
101307 -    4.  4DOS features and advantages............... ref SDS 0 Q66G
101308 -    5.  Produce alternate method of archiving...... ref SDS 0 GYK4
101309 -
101310 -
101311 -  ..
101312 - SDS Launch Failed from Group Manager
101313 -
101314 - Received ref DRT 1 0001 from Gary responding to the letter record
101315 - yesterday sending him an updated program. ref SDS 42 X16G  He reports
101316 - the program fails to launch....
101317 -
101318 -    SDS dies on open
101319 -
101320 -    Today when I try to launch SDS, it simply dies unless launched with
101321 -    "no archiving" on. This of course shows a schedule for yesterday
101322 -    instead of today. ref DRT 1 EI6N
101323 -
101324 -        [On 021104 Gary reports this problem did not occur again; the
101325 -        corrections made today were successful. ref SDS 43 TY6M
101326 -
101327 -     ..
101328 -    I have no explanation.
101329 -
101330 -        [...see below, problem was obscure format issue that created a
101331 -        loop in the schedule op that changes from the date in the
101332 -        Schedule to the current date. ref SDS 0 QA4L
101333 -
101334 -    e:\sd\12 has files that appear to be diary records from day 1.
101335 -    There are 54 files dating back to October 1. It looks like this may
101336 -    be the monthly archive that is breaking? ref DRT 1 VI8J
101337 -
101338 -    I think that this is the same record I had trouble with before. I
101339 -    thought you fixed it. All other records in the vicinity appear to
101340 -    open fine. ref DRT 1 KJ9N
101341 -
101342 -    This one has me baffled, since I don't know where to begin. It
101343 -    seems that this is macro 008, but I can’t tell from the index or
101344 -    the file. ref DRT 1 RJ4H
101345 - ..
101346 - Sent Gary a letter asking him to submit his SDS records for
101347 - analysis.
101348 -
101349 -
101350 -
101351 -
101352 -  ..
1014 -
1015 -
1016 - 1642
1017 -
101701 - Received files from Gary.
101702 -
101703 - Work plan is to...
101704 -
101705 -     1.  Open Gary's records without archive to look for possible
101706 -         format issues.  Then close SDS, and run it normally, but with
101707 -         a debug command in 04702 to see what actually is clogging the
101708 -         works.
101709 -
101710 -     2.  Report on findings.
101711 -
101712 -     3.  Correct Gary's records and return them.
101713 -
101714 -           This was done below, ref SDS 0 Y93J, and the records were
101715 -           returned. ref SDS 0 X16G
101716 -
101717 -
101718 -  ..
101719 - Initially opend Gary's records without archive.  In sum, there are
101720 - format issues, but nothing that seems like it should crash the
101721 - program launch op run by 04702.
101722 -
101723 - There are four (4) records to archive, plus SAA to update.
101724 -
101725 -    1.  SAA
101726 -
101727 -        This looks okay, except there is not a blank line at the bottom
101728 -        of the list.  Should not cause a problem, but good practice is
101729 -        to leave one or two lines blank at the bottom of the stack.
101730 -
101731 -
101732 -         ..
101733 -    2.  Not using SDS concurrent with work.
101734 -
101735 -        This record has a slight problem where there are two (2) lines
101736 -        for...
101737 -
101738 -              {0001 Follow up ref SDS 2 0000, ref SDS 1 0000
101739 -
101740 -              {0001 Follow
101741 -
101742 -         ..
101743 -        Not sure if this should cause an archive problem, but
101744 -        possibly.
101745 -
101746 -        Do not understand how such an entry can come about, since
101747 -        nominally there is no reason to touch the Follow up line.
101748 -
101749 -         ..
101750 -        Gary further comments in this record....
101751 -
101752 -           I am still not using SDS concurrently with other work.
101753 -           KeyNote is still a better editor, and I find myself wanting
101754 -           to link to files and URLs, etc. which is more difficult in
101755 -           SDS.
101756 -
101757 -        This comment is unrelated to the current issue, but need to
101758 -        review linking with Gary, since none of his records so have any
101759 -        any links, and links only a second, so it is hard to see how
101760 -        this could any faster unsing KeyNote.  Should try to get a
101761 -        demonstration, once Netmeeting is up and running.
101762 -
101763 -         ..
101764 -        We sort of have a situation similar to the problem yesterday
101765 -        when the code would not make a new task becasue of the way a
101766 -        headline was positioned relative to the initial follow up line.
101767 -        ref SDS 42 UC5O
101768 -
101769 -        Seems like the corrected code submitted yesterday should have
101770 -        avoided the same problem. ref SDS 42 6X7F
101771 -
101772 -
101773 -         ..
101774 -    3.  Database update and directory format.
101775 -
101776 -        This record has two (2) record segments, which makes progress
101777 -        on learning to use F1 F6 to create record segments.
101778 -
101779 -        The first segment has not content, and the second segment has
101780 -        the same subject as the first one.
101781 -
101782 -        Neither of these conditions should cause archiving to fail.
101783 -
101784 -         ..
101785 -        The second record segment has one line seperating the subject
101786 -        descriptions from the beginning of the narrative.  Normally, we
101787 -        are looking for two lines, but this should not cause archiving
101788 -        to fail.
101789 -
101790 -        In sum, everything in this record should pass.
101791 -
101792 -         ..
101793 -    4.  Ws_ftp Pro transfer logs fixed.
101794 -
101795 -        Everthing in this record looks normal.
101796 -
101797 -        Gary has an entry...
101798 -           ..
101799 -           Path to the log file:
101800 -           C:\sd\wt\sd\08\00101\02\02\10\28\ws_ftp.log. The single file
101801 -           transferred was in the same directory.
101802 -
101803 -         ..
101804 -        He might consider revising this to the following format...
101805 -
101806 -            ..
101807 -           Path to the log file:
101808 -
101809 -               C:\sd\wt\sd\08\00101\02\02\10\28\ws_ftp.log.
101810 -
101811 -
101812 -           The single file transferred was in the same directory.
101813 -
101814 -         ..
101815 -        Experience shows that separating out specific strings that are
101816 -        not text, and providing structured outlining with spaces, helps
101817 -        later to quickly understand a record months and years later
101818 -        when the information might be needed again.  This is a matter
101819 -        of style, and so does not affect the current issue.
101820 -
101821 -         ..
101822 -    5.  Creating forward links for resolutoin.
101823 -
101824 -        This record has a problem.  There is no subject in the control
101825 -        field, and so there is no description with a double underline,
101826 -        might cause a problem.
101827 -
101828 -        Seems to me we did an experiment recently on this kind of
101829 -        situation and it seemed not to cause a problem, but maybe
101830 -        archiving with 04702 is different.
101831 -
101832 -
101833 -
101834 -
101835 -  ..
1019 -
1020 -
1021 - 1723
1022 -
102201 - SDS Program Launch 04702 Evaluation
102202 -
102203 - It has been years since I had to fuss with 04702.
102204 -
102205 - Initially copied stuff in Gary's current directory to another
102206 - location, so we can do experiments.
102207 -
102208 - Where to put the debug command???
102209 -
102210 -
102211 - On 971130 worked on code that calls 0702051 within 04702. ref SDS 4
102212 - HL4O
102213 -
102214 - Line 1830, ref OF 1 4327, -label lp_u7e in 04702, trying debug here.
102215 -
102216 -  ..
102217 - On 981208 did some work on this. ref SDS 24 2805  Will see if the work
102218 - at that time was on the code we need to review now.
102219 -
102220 - Line 2180, ref OF 1 7650, -label dun9, about 80 lines below the code
102221 - that extends the Schedule another 6 months, added call to...
102222 -
102223 - Decided to try debug here...
102224 -
102225 - Line 1000, ref OF 1 MV5M, -label sfprfct
102226 -
102227 -    We are starting in the Group Manager.
102228 -
102229 -
102230 - Line 1120, ref OF 1 TL3M, -label Exectv
102231 -
102232 -
102233 -  ..
102234 - Line 1560, ref OF 1 T58F, -label bRlp_1 in 04702
102235 -
102236 -   This is a loop that moves unperformed, pending schedule tasks from
102237 -   yesterday to today.
102238 -
102239 -   It is crashing in Gary's Schedule for some reason.
102240 -
102241 -   Will run SDS on c12 which can be archived to see how these
102242 -   conditions are being treated differently.
102243 -
102244 -  ..
102245 - Here is the problem.
102246 -
102247 -   Gary's schedule only runs to the end of December.  That is fine, but
102248 -   normally, the schedule would have been extended by 6 months in the
102249 -   File menu for the Schedule.  It turns out that November and December
102250 -   both have a line length of 15, so column 16 is blank, because there
102251 -   is a space between the name of the month and day, thus, November 2.
102252 -   The code happens to use column 16 with a no-blank command, nb, to
102253 -   scroll up the list for the current day, looking for unperformed
102254 -   tasks to move to the next day.  The "up" command was used at one
102255 -   time, but nb accomplishes several steps at once, so that is the way
102256 -   the current code is configured.  However, in Gary's Schedule, since
102257 -   there are no non-blanks in column 16 at the bottom of the list of
102258 -   tasks for the current date, the code hangs because the file does not
102259 -   move when it cannot find a non-blank, and so it never reaches the
102260 -   next date line that is the switch to kickout of the loop.
102261 -
102262 -     ..
102263 -    -if @0 > 0 up 5
102264 -
102265 -       Added this when nb returns an error because no noblank
102266 -       condition is found, it will jump up, and this will enable the
102267 -       linecnt command to end the loop.
102268 -
102269 -        ..
102270 -       With this in place, ran the Schedule launch and the program ran
102271 -       normally.
102272 -
102273 -       Thus, the explanation of the problem took a lot longer than
102274 -       creating a single line of code to fix ti.
102275 -
102276 -
102277 -
102278 -
1023 -

SUBJECTS
Johnson, Gary SAA File Needs Blank Line At Bottom of Follow Up Action
Schedule Keep Several Months Using Add 6 Months Function in File Menu
Links Forward Needs Conventional Format
Forward Links Need Conventional Format
Add to Calandar, 1 6 Months
Johnson, Gary Schedule Keep Several Months Using Add 6 Months Functio
Forward Links Need Standard SDS Format

2210 -
221001 -  ..
221002 - Formatting SDS Records.
221003 -
221004 - None of the format issues above hampered operation. ref SDS 0 H17M
221005 -
221006 - For training purposes made following changes to Gary's system..
221007 -
221008 -       1.  Restored Gary's original Schedule directory, 00, which was
221009 -           saved per above. ref SDS 0 H2UV
221010 -
221011 -       2.  Open Schedule without archiving and added 6 months using
221012 -           the feature in the File menu of the Schedule.
221013 -
221014 -            ..
221015 -       3.  The record on 021016 has a forward link, but the format does
221016 -           not conform to SDS convention, so this was added as a
221017 -           demonstration. ref SDS 35 H65I
221018 -
221019 -
221020 -
221021 -
221022 -
2211 -

SUBJECTS
Headline Too Close to Summary/Objective
Format Issues Impact Performance Corrected and Prepared Explanation t
Headline Too Close to Summary/Objective
Headlines and Follow Up Link Formats
Flexible Record Structure
Flexible Structure Line Numbers

2709 -
270901 -            ..
270902 -           Summary Objective and Headlines
270903 -
270904 -
270905 -       4.  There are a lot of records that have something like...
270906 -
270907 -           {0001 Follow up rrf SDS x 0000.
270908 -
270909 -           This is a Headline Immediately Below Summary/Objective
270910 -
270911 -           This that and the other....
270912 -
270913 -            ..
270914 -           On 021025 this issue was reviewed and ideas for SDS
270915 -           compliant formatting were explained, along with an example
270916 -           referenced. ref SDS 32 HH6E
270917 -
270918 -           A similar issue came up yesterday on 021102.
270919 -           ref SDS 42 435G
270920 -
270921 -
270922 -
270923 -
270924 -  ..
2710 -
2711 -
2712 - 2055
2713 -
271301 - Called Gary.
271302 -
271303 - Explained solution to above problem, ref SDS 0 QA4L, and discussed
271304 - formatting issues. ref SDS 0 VY9L
271305 -
271306 - Called Gary back later, and left message about conforming the SI to
271307 - SDS standards, per above. ref SDS 0 VY5F
271308 -
271309 -
271310 -
271311 -
271312 -
271313 -
2714 -

SUBJECTS
HTML Improvements SDS Standard Procedure Need Validator Program
SDS Problem One Long Stream of Text
HTML Improvements Validator Shows SDS Code Can be Improved 070405 012
HTML Conversion Not Displaying Correctly in Opra Browser String of Te
Problem HTML Conversion Not Displaying Correctly in Opra Browser, Gar
Validator Program Shows HTML Code Defective, Gary Johnson
Johnson, Gary Provides Examples of Specific Problems
HTML Standards W3C for Coding Web Pages

391001 -  ..
391002 - Improve Conversion of SDS Records to HTML
391003 -
391004 - Follow up ref SDS 42 HE4U, ref SDS 39 5Y3F.
391005 -
391006 - See discussion below on p command and on fonts. ref SDS 0 TW6F
391007 -
391008 -
391009 -
391010 -
391011 -
3911 -

SUBJECTS
P Commands

4104 -
410401 -  ..
410402 - Para Commands Permit Optional Ending Command
410403 -
410404 - Follow up ref SDS 42 P15I.
410405 -
410406 - Received ref DRT 2 0001 from Gary today referencing the record
410407 - yesterday on 021102 that reviews the p commandin HTML, ref SDS 42
410408 - P15I, saying...
410409 -
410410 -     Closing tags are optional for several tags, which I why I said
410411 -     that tags *should* be closed, rather than *must* be closed. This
410412 -     one can be ignored for now. ref DRT 2 AN6J
410413 -
410414 -
410415 -
410416 -
410417 -
410418 -
4105 -

SUBJECTS
Introduction to Structure of HTML Document
Doctype Command First Line in HTML File Shows Comment on HTML Version

4305 -
430501 -  ..
430502 - Document Type Declaration Missing from SDS but Not from Documents
430503 -
430504 - Follow up ref SDS 42 935L.
430505 -
430506 - Gary seems to indicate today this is not an urgent issue.
430507 -
430508 -
430509 -
430510 -
430511 -
4306 -

SUBJECTS
Font Nesting Errors with A and B Commands Primary Cause of Opra Faili
Nesting Errors Font with A and B Commands Primary Cause of Opra Faili

4605 -
460501 -  ..
460502 - Font Command Nesting Errors Must be Eliminated for Opera
460503 -
460504 - Follow up ref SDS 42 TW6F.
460505 -
460506 - Gary indicates today this is an urgent issue, saying...
460507 -
460508 -     The one class of error that is killing opera is the incorrect
460509 -     nesting, primarily of {FONT> tags but also of {A> anchors with {B>
460510 -     and {FONT>. Correcting the nesting issues are the only thing that
460511 -     *must* be done in order to get the records to format properly in
460512 -     Opera. ref DRT 2 4R6O
460513 -
460514 - Getting a template file from Gary that can be used to guide
460515 - improvements to 0122 and to 070405, per recommendation yesterday,
460516 - ref SDS 42 QX7J, would be a big help.
460517 -
460518 -
460519 -
460520 -
460521 -
460522 -
460523 -
4606 -

SUBJECTS
Bold
Nested Commands Must be Entered in Consistent Sequence
Center Not Expressly Specified May be Deprecated Which Means Being Ph

4906 -
490601 -  ..
490602 - Bold Command Within Center Command and End Bold Before End Center
490603 -
490604 - Follow up ref SDS 42 K98J.
490605 -
490606 - Gary seems to indicate today this is an urgent issue in relation to
490607 - nesting with the font command, per above. ref SDS 0 TW6F
490608 -
490609 -
490610 -
490611 -
490612 -
490613 -
4907 -

SUBJECTS
Subject Index Has Been Significantly Changed from SDS Standards Where
Subject Index

5405 -
540501 -  ..
540502 - Subject Index Has Incorrect Content
540503 -
540504 - I don't how this can occur, however, examination of Gary's subject
540505 - index shows...
540506 -
540507 -    02 company index has stuff for............... 04 00074 02
540508 -    03 projects index has stuff for.............. 04 00074 03
540509 -    05 contacts index has stuff for.............. 04 00074 05
540510 -    06 law index has stuff for................... 04 00074 06
540511 -    07 research index has stuff for.............. 04 00074 07
540512 -    08 personal index has stuff for.............. 04 00074 08
540513 -    09 temp directory has stuff for.............. 04 00074 09
540514 -    10 temp directory has stuff for.............. 04 00074 10
540515 -    11 temp directory has stuff for.............. 04 00074 11
540516 -    13 temp directory has stuff for.............. 04 00074 13
540517 -
540518 -  ..
540519 - It appears that that sublevel structures for the 04 00075 account have
540520 - been moved to primary levels, and that there are no accounts for the
540521 - primary subjects, i.e., company, projects, law, contacts, etc.
540522 -
540523 - My transmittal letter to Gary on the corrections reported above,
540524 - asked him to call so we can discuss corrections to Subject Index.
540525 -
540526 -     [On 021104 letter from Gary says he will call on this. ref SDS 43
540527 -     VY5F
540528 -
540529 -
540530 -
540531 -
540532 -
540533 -
540534 -
540535 -
5406 -

SUBJECTS
Transferring Files
Temp Transfer Dir on Local Drive, 070405, 0122
Empty Temp HTML Directory
Maintain Internet Transfer Directory from Local Disk to Server by Del
WS FTP Pro Setup Parameters for Uploading, Downloading and Deleting F
Ws_ftp Log Establishing Transfer Has Occurred Not Showing Up in Direc
DOS Copy Command Parameters W98 Autoexec.bat Path SD 01 and 01 02 for
Johnson, Gary Ws_ftp Log Establishing Transfer Has Occurred Not Showi

6611 -
661101 -  ..
661102 - Maintain Internet Transfer Directory Macro 235
661103 - Ws_ftp Pro Log File Reported on File Transfers to Web for Maintenance
661104 -
661105 - Follow up ref SDS 42 MZ4H, ref SDS 38 MZ4H.
661106 -
661107 - Gary says today he can set switches for 4DOS to perform with same
661108 - formats as MS DOS, per below, ref SDS 0 YX7I, so this should support
661109 - maintenance of the transfer directory, per issue yesterday.
661110 - ref SDS 42 US6G
661111 -
661112 -
661113 -
661114 -
6612 -

SUBJECTS
25.Bat and 001 DIR Command Different Format for Windows 98 Not Assemb
DIR /Z Command DOS4 /Z Switch Requires Revising SDS Code for Archivin
Pointers Global Using OTS for Sort, Select
Subject, 06112
Archive and Reports Use DIR /Z Switch for DOS4 Macros 001 and 0011 Bo
25.bat Global Pointers Archive SDS Records

7409 -
740901 -  ..
740902 - DOS4 Requires Special Switches for Compliance with MS DOS
740903 - Subject Reports and Archiving Working Better But Not Correctly
740904 - 25.bat Archive Op and Subject Reports Working Better But Not Correctly
740905 -
740906 - Follow up ref SDS 42 YX7I.
740907 -
740908 - Letter from Gary at 0411 today relates plans to research compatibility
740909 - of 4DOS with MS DOS. ref DRT 2 AS7K
740910 -
740911 -  ..
740912 - Letter from Gary at hour later at 0500 today indicates he has solved
740913 - this problem....
740914 -
740915 -    DIR command defaults
740916 -
740917 -    I looked at the 4DOS documentation and found a way to force the
740918 -    defaults on the DIR command to use the /z /e switches, which
740919 -    generates a directory listing in the same format as MSDOS. It works
740920 -    when I exit SDS, so I believe that it works everywhere, I removed
740921 -    all the switches I had installed before. ref DRT 1 SV6F
740922 -
740923 -  ..
740924 - Ability to set switches for 4DOS to perform with same formats as MS
740925 - DOS, so this should support maintenance of the transfer directory, per
740926 - issue yesterday. ref SDS 42 US6G
740927 -
740928 -     [...below, in a second letter Gary shows the syntax for setting
740929 -     these switches. ref SDS 0 7V4Y
740930 -
740931 -     [On 021104 Gary reports that SDS launch op ran successfully, so
740932 -     this may indicate this issue is resolved. ref SDS 43 TY6M
740933 -
740934 -     [On 021105 Gary reports that modifying 4DOS did not solve the
740935 -     problem. ref SDS 44 TY6M
740936 -
740937 -     [On 021105 later in afternoon Gary reports that switching from
740938 -     4DOS to MS DOS solved problem. ref SDS 44 JW4F
740939 -
740940 -  ..
740941 - Additionally, it seems that Gary should be able to configure SDS to
740942 - run on W98 using MS DOS simply by setting up an application using
740943 - command.com, or cmd.exe.  He can still use 4DOS for everything else.
740944 -
740945 -     [On 021105 Gary reports that switching from 4DOS to MS DOS solved
740946 -     problem. ref SDS 44 JW4F
740947 -
740948 -
740949 -  ..
740950 - Alternate Tools for Archiving SDS POINTERS
740951 -
740952 - Received ref DRT 5 0001 from Gary commenting that...
740953 -
740954 -     This is part of what I meant when I talked about moving
740955 -     incrementally toward a more Windows-like interface. ref DRT 5 LI6H
740956 -
740957 -     Since much of the work of macro is in processing files and
740958 -     generating other files, this can be written in any language that
740959 -     is convenient. ref DRT 5 UI6L
740960 -
740961 -     If this indexing problem continue to aggravate me, I will
740962 -     seriously consider doing it in Perl, which I understand.
740963 -     ref DRT 5 2J7F
740964 -
740965 -      ..
740966 -     I am not saying that we should abandon the macro language, since
740967 -     we need to make the bas SDS system work, but we could do parts of
740968 -     the extending of SDS as modular programs. By continuing the
740969 -     approach you are using of having small support programs to do
740970 -     things like directories, sorting, zipping, etc. we could write
740971 -     others as needed. ref DRT 5 5J7J
740972 -
740973 -
740974 -
740975 -
740976 -
7410 -

SUBJECTS
4DOS Compatible with MS DOS Has Advantages
DOS4 DIR /Z Switch Can Run SDS Using Microsoft Compliant Formats for
4DOS Used by Gary Johnson

7706 -
770601 -  ..
770602 - 4DOS Advantages Compatible with MS DOS
770603 -
770604 - Gary's first letter sets out a lot of advantages of 4DOS....
770605 -
770606 -    a.  It offers a far richer set of commands, and a very powerful
770607 -        batch (.bat) language. There are commands for loops, screen
770608 -        operations (you can actually build entry forms and popups), and
770609 -        an improved IF statement. ref DRT 2 L09I
770610 -
770611 -    b.  It offers file completion so that if I enter part of a file
770612 -        name and press <tab>, it will cycle through files that start
770613 -        with what I typed. ref DRT 2 O34F
770614 -
770615 -    c.  It has command history, so that if I have run a command, I can
770616 -        enter the start of it and press up arrow to cycle through all
770617 -        the recent commands that I have used starting with the prefix I
770618 -        enter. I can also choose from a popup window. I save the
770619 -        history so that it is the same every time I open a command
770620 -        window.
770621 -        ..
770622 -    d.  It supports aliases so that it is possible to create new
770623 -        commands that work like batch files. This is the feature I
770624 -        intend to investigate concerning changing the defaults on the
770625 -        DIR command.
770626 -
770627 -    e.  It has numerous functions for parsing file names, strings,
770628 -        system information, etc.
770629 -
770630 -    f.  As with many tools, the benefits matter only if you use them. I
770631 -        install 4DOS everywhere I work just for the file completion and
770632 -        command history. I haven't really gotten into the power of the
770633 -        batch language, but I have seen it used to do quite impressive
770634 -        things.
770635 -
770636 -    Having you move to 4DOS won't help a lot at this stage. I am afraid
770637 -    that it would just break your system, and that is *not* a good
770638 -    idea.
770639 -
770640 -  ..
770641 - Per above, it seems that Gary should be able to configure SDS to run
770642 - on W98 using MS DOS simply by setting up an application using
770643 - command.com, or cmd.exe. He can still use 4DOS for everything else.
770644 - ref SDS 0 4K5K
770645 -
770646 - Received ref DRT 4 0001 from Gary listing more advantages and ways of
770647 - using 4DOS that are not available in MS DOS.
770648 -
770649 -      ..
770650 -     The alias mechanism allowed me to set defaults for the dir
770651 -     command:
770652 -
770653 -     *   alias dir=*dir /ze
770654 -
770655 -  ..
770656 - This seems to be one of the ways that 4DOS can be configured to
770657 - support MS DOS formats, per above. ref SDS 0 7U6J
770658 -
770659 - Gary continues...
770660 -
770661 -     Debugging Batch Files
770662 -
770663 -     There is a LOG command which will log all batch commands to a
770664 -     file. By default, the file is c:\4doslog. The '/w file' switch
770665 -     will change the file. ref DRT 4 HK7G
770666 -
770667 -      ..
770668 -     Purpose:  Save a log of commands to a disk file.
770669 -
770670 -     Format:
770671 -
770672 -        LOG [/H /W file] [ON | OFF | text]
770673 -
770674 -        file:  The name of the file to hold the log.
770675 -        text:  An optional message that will be added to the log.
770676 -
770677 -               /H(istory log)              /W(rite to file)
770678 -
770679 -     LOG "This is a heading" writes the text to the log file.
770680 -
770681 -      ..
770682 -     There is also a batch file debugger activated by SETDOS /Y1 and
770683 -     turned off by SETDOS /Y0. This allows line by line tracing of
770684 -     batch files and provides access to LIST for viewing files.
770685 -     ref DRT 4 NQ9J
770686 -     ..
770687 -     The combination of features together with redirecting output
770688 -     should help a lot. ref DRT 4 TQ9N
770689 -
770690 -     It is not clear how these setting affect files or commands
770691 -     executed using DOSE. ref DRT 4 5172
770692 -
770693 -
770694 -  ..
770695 - Sent Morris a letter forwarding Gary's explanation in his letter
770696 - about 4DOS, and saying to Morris....
770697 -
770698 -     Might it be possible that documentation you need is available on
770699 -     4DOS, per Gary's letter below, that can enable progress on the
770700 -     memory issue we have been discussing?
770701 -
770702 -        [On 021104 received a letter from Morris saying 4DOS will only
770703 -        provide about 60K additional memory. ref SDS 43 Q66G
770704 -
770705 -
770706 -
770707 -
770708 -
770709 -
770710 -
770711 -
7708 -

SUBJECTS
Netmeeting Installed May Help Technical Support for SDS

7804 -
780401 -  ..
780402 - Netmeeting Installed for Technical Support
780403 -
780404 - Received ref DRT 3 0001 from Gary saying...
780405 -
780406 -     I installed the latest version of NetMetting, and the program
780407 -     launches. Beyond that I can't say.
780408 -
780409 -
780410 -
780411 -
780412 -
780413 -
7805 -

SUBJECTS
Zip Update SDS with Improvements on HTML Format and Scheduling a New

7904 -
790401 -  ..
790402 - Update SDS Program on Gary's Computer
790403 -
790404 - Follow up ref SDS 42 X16G, ref SDS 41 0001
790405 -
790406 - After correcting Gary's records, and making changes to SDS that will
790407 - avoid problems reported today, put an SDS update on the Internet at...
790408 -
790409 -       http://www.welchco.com/09
790410 -
790411 - ...with these changes since the last update on 021102. ref SDS 42 X16G
790412 -
790413 - Included Gary's SDS records, so everything will install at once.
790414 -
790415 -
790416 -
790417 -
790418 -
790419 -
790420 -
790421 -
790422 -
790423 -
790424 -
790425 -
790426 -
790427 -
7905 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"