>Date: Wed, 08 Nov 2000 15:34:55 +0000 >From: "Ron Clarke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: Edit Arachne's Hotlist ... > Well, almost as good - one can always shell out to DOS (Alt+E) and invoke >another application. Alternatively, I use FASTFLIP when I need to "multi-task" >my DOS programs (including Arachne, but not while on-line), such as using a ... Dear Ron and list, this is precisely what I do with MS DOSShell. I start it from autoexec.bat and call almost every program from it (there are only a few graphic or sound card application which urgently need the memory blocked by DOSShell, so I try them from command line). It is not multi-tasking in the precise sense of the word, because nothing is supposed to run in the background. You just leave your applications open and switch to the next one. But I can assure you, Ron, that it *is* possible and secure to go on- line from DOSShell. You just are not allowed to switch tasks while being online. While you are using Arachne offline, you are free to switch to other applications, supposed that: - you have configure your screen to something lower than VESA - you start the Arachne program only once at a time If you need DOSShell's task switching with Arachne, I recommend to proceed this way: - make sure that you run Arachne from DOSShell only if you had run the following DOS commands some time before (eg. from autoexec.bat): SET ARACHNE=vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv SET ARACHNETEMP=vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv SET MYIP=vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv SET REMIP=vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv SET NETMASK=vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv SET PEERMRU=vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv - go through Arachne setup procedure twice and save the setups as profiles ONLINE.ACF (online capable and VESA) and OFFLINE.ACF (without connection and lower video mode). Save also the ARACHNE.PCK file containing the video setup to ONLINE.PCK and ONLINE.PCK. - write two batch files ARA_ON.BAT and ARA_OFF.BAT which replace ARACHNE.CFG and ARACHNE.PCX with the correct setting. You may modify ARACHNE.BAT or call ARACHNE.BAT from them. Be careful with the appropriate directory changes! - place the batch files into your DOSShell menu. Switch the 'prevent program switching' option with ARA_ON.BAT Although I am quite satisfied with the result, I have wondered, whether the rather large programme DOSShell (that is basically a file editor) is the only secure way to do task switching. I will be very interested to read your experiences with FASTFLIP. Which version did you use? When I had a look at FASTFLIP it, I was very enthusiastic about its clipboard feature. I tried to fill some applications into it - and crashed. As I had extracted it from the W0rm package, I just accepted that it must not expect it to be "user friendly" (warning on the W0rm homepage). And I am afraid, that the sophisticated tools on this disk are too strong for my system. Best regards Christof Lange P.S. Michael, would'nt you like to add something of the above to your documentation file dosshell.htm? Until now, it concludes with the remark: "Then all is fine. (But, do not use task swapper!)" _______________________________________________ Christof Lange Prokopova 4, 130 00 Praha 3, Czech Republic phone: (+420-2) 22 78 18 00 / 22 78 20 02 fax: (+420-2) 22 78 18 01 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] WWW: http://www.volny.cz/cce.zizkov
