MeShell commandline frontend timetable

[Heikki Kekki]

Heikki, could you remove my email address from above?

Sorry, my bad.

[Dave Yeo]

No, it's not a bug. From zip --help:

If zipfile and list are omitted, zip compresses stdin to stdout.

Lots of *nix utilities default to inputting from stdin, and some use a single dash as a parameter for using stdin. Likewise for outputting to stdout if no file name.

[Martin Vieregg]

I implemented now a simple workaround for the next MeShell version:
If the user enters ZIP<ENTER>, then the command gets transformed to "zip -help". This works fine.

[Andreas Schnellbacher]

Lots of *nix utilities default to inputting from stdin, and some use a single dash as a parameter for using stdin. Likewise for outputting to stdout if no file name.

Sure, I remember that behavior for all TeX compilers.

[Martin Vieregg]

I updated to MeShell 0.64, still without syntax completion. There were still minor problems.

With 4os2 the behavior is a bit more different than I thought. If 4os2 directs the stdout into a file or a pipe like with MeShell, it does a series of manipulations of the output. I have noticed so far
- ESC ANSI color sequences are filtered
- Lines that start with Return without Carriage (^ M = # 13) and should actually overprint the previous line (e.g. in the case of a progress bar) are completely filtered out, which causes quite a bit of chaos, since only the lines that are otherwise displayed disappear.

I wrote Andreas Buchinger, who is responsible for the 4os2 project at Netlabs, that we need a setting that eliminates any manipulation of redirected output. If such a setting should already exist, please report here, thank you.

[Martin Vieregg]

I updated to MeShell 0.65, still without syntax completion. Minor things are fixed again:

• semicolon not shown in output fixed
• VIO settings page improved, setting "observe changing VIO window size" added
• Shift-Doubleklick to a directory name executes "cd Dirname" and "dir".
• fast typing of the next command while the last command is still executed did swallow keyboard input
  

[David Graser]

I updated to MeShell 0.65, still without syntax completion. Minor things are fixed again:

• semicolon not shown in output fixed
• VIO settings page improved, setting "observe changing VIO window size" added
• Shift-Doubleklick to a directory name executes "cd Dirname" and "dir".
• fast typing of the next command while the last command is still executed did swallow keyboard input
  

Martin, I noticed that 4os/2 has been updated and is dated 6/12/2020.

ftp://ftp.netlabs.org/pub/4os2/4os2_3.09_AB_wpi.exe

 Fixes and changes since last release
 ------------------------------------

 3.08.4-shl (3.09 beta)
 - Correct memory DirHistory size display

 3.08.3-shl (3.09 beta)
 - Ensure that 4os2 understands that given command lines like @ foo.exe
   @ is not an INI file indicator
 - Double max input line length to 2048, needed for compiling some QT4 stuff
   (by Andreas for Elbert)
 - Ensure command lines like @foo.exe do not treat foo.exe as an INI file
 - Ensure max length quoted pathnames handled correctly.
 - Correct ESET logic for BEGINLIBPATH etc.
 - Resolve list I command exception (ticket #20, changset 37507)
 - Support #! as EXTPROC equivalent if UnixPaths enabled
 - Default History and DirHistory to page multiples
 - Show DirHistory memory usage in memory command output
 - Update @makeage to be Y2K compliant

[Andi B.]

David, this is a version build from the current sources from perforce. It includes the fixes which were done over the last years mostly by Steven. I think the version included with ArcaOS was build from the same sources. When I set up a git repository for 4os2 at bitbucket.org I also uploaded this packages (zip and wpi) at netlabs. None of the changes Martin desires for MeShell are included there.

[Martin Vieregg]

I am in contact with Andreas Buchinger and I think that he will implement the needed things  the next weeks. He already sent me a version where he changed already something to test it. According to current knowledge, it is only two minor things:
- when pressing Ctrl-C, "^C" has to be sent to stdout, not to VIO
- when redirecting 4os2 output to a file (or a pipe), some things (colors, line endings) are changed and filtered. We simply need a setting (commandline parameter or 4os2.ini file) where the changes are omitted in this case.

Then I have reported a bug that when redirecting output to a file and the output contains lines ending with ^M without ^J (Return without carriage)  to overwrite the old line (like in a progress text 5% done, 10% done...) the wrong lines are filtered: The lines which are overprinted are shown in the text file and the final ines which should stay are omitted.

If anyone has found other problems with 4os2 and MeShell, please report here. I myself do not use it regulary.

Meanwhile, I began to program syntax completion. It is not very difficult to program. I will also implement program name completion based on the cmd.exe  internal commands and the PATH list. The dropdown flyover list is already programmed in my german accounting program "Textbuch". I will implmenent several user settings (flyover no/when pressing TAB,  automatically after ...quarterseconds), so anyone should get happy.

[Martin Vieregg]

MeShell 0.70 with syntax completion (command completion and file name parameter completion) is finished.

Here you can download MeShell 0.70 (700 kB)

You will find a new chapter "Syntax completion" in the docu.

The functionality is more extensive than in 4os2 or in Windows. There are also useful hint windows with different colors. You can turn on and off every feature on the "Complete" page of the settings notebook. The settings are also explained in the docu, page Settings Notebook - Complete.

There are also again other bugs fixed.

[Martin Vieregg]

I have now completed MeShell version 0.72 . A whole series of inconsistencies have been corrected again.

MeShell changes the input lines. If a PM program is called, "start" is automatically set in front of it. If you accidentally call a Win32 or Win64 program, then my computer did crash. A Win32 / 64 program is now recognized and "pe" or "pec" is set in front of it. A Win64 program is acknowledged with an "echo (error message)".

The completion syntax was sometimes incomplete or incorrect. Commands with included directory names have not yet been completed, you can do that now. Please report constellations where completion still doesn't work properly.

I am considering whether to switch the display of the hint window, where directory structures are searched while typing, to a separate thread. I have a fairly fast computer, there is only a noticeable delay when navigating through a CD drive. You can write if you are annoyed.

[Martin Vieregg]

MeShell Version 0.80 with navigation tree window is available.

The development of the MeShell commandline frontend is now functionally complete.

In the navigation window there is a "normal mode", in which the current directories are shown in the first level and the entered commands in the second. Then there is an "Error Mode", in which only the lines are displayed where the previous stderr output has taken place. This is useful for long batch files to find the error lines.

The OS/2 project MeShell is now basically finished. On my side, all functionality I have considered are implemented now. However, bugs are certainly still included, although in decreased number. Please send me remaining bug collections with instructions on how to reproduce them.

Not much will happen on the OS / 2 platform until 1.0. I want to finish the Windows version in 0.90, 0.9X will continue bug fixing on both platforms.

I hope that MeShell helps the guys running text mode compilers for porting programs to OS/2.

[Martin Vieregg]

MeShell Version 0.81 fixes a handful of bugs (including a crash with command history cursor up / down) and n the settings book the "Save" page it has a setting where you can limit the length of the output history. So far it has grown endlessly. The oldest entries are no longer saved.

[Martin Iturbide]

Hi Martin

I also posted your new release on the OS2World news. Thanks for your efforts of developing more OS/2 software.

Regards

[Martin Vieregg]

MeShell 0.81 could crash when browsing the command history with Cursor Up/Down. In the new navigation window, the button names in english language were complete false. MeShell Version 0.82 fixes this and other minor stuff.