Joe's OS/2 Tips - Number 10

Written by Joseph Mckinnon

Introduction
Long time, no type. Anyway I'm back with another edition. To mark this release I have finally got my own copy of OS/2 2.1 to play with. Looks good doesn't it. Fast, fairly bug free. Also NT has been officially released, and some lucky people have got some copies, but with a recommend 16+ memory configuration to get 'reasonable performance' definitely means that NT will restricted to the rich few. The ones with more dollars than sense, as I firmly believe that NT is a waste of anyone's resources.


 * 1) OS/2 2.1
 * 2) Hobbes OS/2 CD-ROM
 * 3) Install 2.1 from CD-ROMs that aren't supported directly in 2.1.
 * 4) NEW SECTION Questions and Answers.
 * 5) Setting Video Display resolutions.
 * 6) VisPro/Rexx
 * 7) A Quick Tip.

OS/2 2.1 arrives
The long awaited new version of OS/2 has arrived, and after 2 months of trying hard to break it, I can say it's fairly solid. It's DOS handling side of things is much tighter than before and now the chances of a DOS session taking out the entire system are remote. WIN-OS2 has been upgraded to support most 3.1 applications, and appears to be very fast, and much more stable than the real MS version.

What's in the Package?
Would you believe, 3 inches of reading material! Yes, IBM listens to it's critics, and actually supplied hard copy manuals to read at ones leisure. And no the rumour of my manual being beside my bed is a little tall, it's actually on my desk. There are 2 different versions of this release, one is the Blue release and the other is the Salmon coloured release. The only difference is that IBM has implemented a tighter compression method, which reduces the number of disks by about 5, depending on the media of course.

Hobbes OS/2 CD-ROM
Have you ever wished to have all the OS/2 offerings at your hands, for the price of producing this CD-ROM diskette, Walnut Creek provides you with the best programs for OS/2. All versions of OS/2 are supported, not just 2. Hence this rom is jam-packed with OS/s goodies, from programs to Information. Contact your local CD reseller to order one today, it's well worth the money and is updated quarterly. If you order from Walnut Creek directly say Joseph Mckinnon recommended your CD, but they will probably not recognize the name.

Install 2.1 from CD-ROMs that aren't supported directly in 2.1
With the new version of OS/2 we can now have the option to buy a CD-ROM version of 2.1 and with this we must have either a suitable system configuration or have a good working knowledge of how to get around non standard CD-ROM hardware. I've included a FAX (facts) sheet from IBM regarding this problem and should be helpful in understanding the processes involved with installing the CD-ROM version on a non-supported CD-ROM setup.

Question and Answers
This is a new section where I shall endeavour to answer ANY queries on OS/2. To contact me, send a message either via E-Mail to Josephm@mhs.oz.au or to one of the systems listed at the end of these tips.

Question.

Recently I installed OS/2 on my system. OS/2 configured itself for dual booting, which I thought was great, but after going back to DOS to run one of my favorite games I couldn't get the Boot /OS2 command to work correctly, in that I had to reinstall OS/2 very time I want to go from DOS to OS/2. Is this suppose to happen? I'm running MS-DOS 6.

Answer

DOS 6's Smartdrv uses a technology called staged writes, which enables the computer to continue on processing until either one large write to the hard drive, or when the computers CPU isn't busy. This Stage Writing is a very good idea to increase ones systems performance, but is also a nightmare for OS/2's BOOT command. Since BOOT must transfer Both DOS's important files to a directory and OS/2's boot files to the root directory the stage writes keeps the changes in memory and once BOOT is 'finished' moving the files it reboots. Then the system appears to be dead, because the Smartdrv program failed to flushes it's stage write buffers before rebooting, hence the changes where never completed.

The solution is an easy one. Write a batch file. I've included a short one for you to use.

BOOTOS2.BAT Echo Press Ctrl-Break, if you don't wish to start OS/2. Pause smartdrv c- smartdrv /c C:\os2\BOOT /OS2 This batch file assumes the OS/2 system is on drive C, which it should be for a dual booting system and that smartdrv is your caching programing (which is also in the DOS path). I'd also add all the drives to the smartdrv line so that they are all disabled. From now on, your system will be quite useable, as long as you follow the above method. OS/2 to DOS is ok, as BOOT /DOS causes OS/2 to perform a cache flush before rebooting, which is what all good Multi-tasking OSs should do.

Question

Hi, I wonder if anybody can help me. I am currently running OS/2 2.0 and when I open the settings for the workbench they do not display on the screen. A review of the window list shows the settings as a active window but still the window does not display.

I can't work it out and the books don't appear to address the problem directly.

John Stavrinoudis.

--- Maximus 2.01wb * Origin: The Bush Telegraph - Sydney - Australia (3:711/454)

Answer

On the task list, go to the Desktop-Settings line and press your right mouse button on the application that you can't see, and select CASCADE. This should solve your problem. This sometimes happens under the 2.0 GA especially when you are running under a very minimal system.

Also this problem occurs if you have been running at a high video resolution, and then switched back to a lower resolution. Since OS/2 stores the positions of certain objects, in relation to the video mode, it's quite possible to have OS/2 displaying an object 'off the screen', hence it's displayed on the Task List, but not on the screen.

IBM is including a large manual to rectify the lack of information available to novice users. Also A highly recommend OS/2 book is 'OS/2 Unleashed'.

Question

I am curious though, about the WIN-OS/2 v3.1 support in v2.1, has anyone tried running some of (gasp!) MicroSoft's stuff under it? I'm mostly interested in Visual Basic and MicroSoft Access.

Also, I read a review of MMPM/2 in Byte, but it suggested there was support only for IBM's own MultiMedia PS/2... I trust that is no longer the case and the MMPM/2 built into OS/2 v2.1 will support my own Ambra (and my customers generic clones).

Well that's it ..... thanx - Stephen -

* SLMR 2.1a * The Enterprise runs OS/2 v9.1 ! (The Ferengi use Win NT)

--- WM v2.06/92-0210 * Origin: The-Borg BBS! 10 Nodes Edm.AB.Can (62:3200/300)

ANSWER

OS/2 supports both Enhanced and Standard mode operations as expected under MS_Windows v3.1, but cannot operate an application that requires a VxD mode. Access works. Visual Basic, there is a patch from Microsoft allowing you to run this package. Visual REXX may be a better alternative as it performs similar functions under OS/2's REXX, and since OS/2 applications are system aware, they will utilise OS/2 resources more efficiently than DOS/Windows applications.

MMPM/2 is not only for IBM's Multi-media PS/2s, but is for any PC with the correct gear...With this article there is a listing of currently supported Sound Cards/CDROMs and Video cards.

Setting Video Display resolutions
I've been asked to explain how to install different video drivers and resolutions whilst running OS/2. The answer is simple, but remains hidden due to some obscure thinking by IBM. Instead of the selective install calling the video installation setup program, we must do it by hand. The simplest method is to click on the drives ICON, open the drive which you have OS/2 installed on to, and open the sub-directory OS2\INSTALL and click on DSPINSTL.EXE. DSPINSTL is the Display Driver Installation Tool.

At this stage you'll require to have either the CD-ROM or the Video Driver disks handy and your video card's utility diskettes.

Once DSPINSTL is loaded you will have the option to choose which Display System you'd like to change, in most cases it's the Primary display, as hardly anyone has 2 monitors connected to the one OS/2 system. Click the Primary Display option box, then click on OK.

You will now be prompted to select a driver that suits your card, in some cases the installation program has already selected which video driver it feels is correct. There is an option also to select another driver, use this only if you have OS/2 drivers for your card which state they are useable under OS/2 ver 2.1GA. Once you have chosen your driver, click on OK and the system will do some checking.

This short space of time will either be to run the SVGA program, in a full screen DOS session, or to start reading from the driver diskettes (or CD). If the card is a SVGA compliant card, and OS/2 has drivers which allow different resolutions, you will be prompted for the suitable resolution, before it loads the new drivers.

After the drivers are loaded you will be asked to supply your video cards utility which controls refresh rates, so that OS/2 can customize the pre-chosen resolution to your system, Otherwise it will default to the IBM standard for that mode. You will now be told to re-start your system, so that the changes take effect.

NOTE: Every time you decide you want to change resolutions, you will have to go through the above process. Unless you are running XGA which is configurable form the OS/2_Systems settings. Also to run SVGA.EXE you will be required to install the DOS support, as SVGA is a DOS only program.

VisPro/Rexx - PROMOTIONAL OFFER
Robert X. Cringely of InfoWorld Magazine said on the 25th of January, 1993. "OS/2's time may be here thanks to...Visual Programming with REXX which brought the house down at a recent OS/2 conference in Colorado...it is to REXX and OS/2 what Visual Basic is to Windows and DOS."

What Can I Do With It? VisPro/REXX gives you access to these OS/2 programming features.
 * Quickly prototype and develop OS/2 2.x CUA' 91 Applications
 * Generate a small, single .EXE file for license-free distribution
 * Build Client-server programs
 * Migrate existing REXX procedures to the OS/2 2.x GUI environment.
 * Buttons, lists, graphics, sliders and all the CUA '91 controls.
 * Business graphics
 * APPC, HLLAPI and OS/2 2.x Database Manager.

System Requirements
 * OS/2 2.X
 * 2 meg of Hard drive space.

SPECIAL PRICE  $400 RRP            $499

So call me on (07) 345-6761 to order your copy now.

On the BBS line (07)344-6012 you will find a Demo version of VisPro/REXX which is fully functional, except the actual build command, the one which makes the EXE is missing, so you can find out yourself first hand how this Brilliant product functions.

I've included a sample program made by me with VisPro/REXX, it's Joed, a basic editor which you can only load and save text files, but gives you an idea of how easy it is to create an application. This editor was created in about 30 minutes.

Quickie Tip for OS/2
This Tip came from Peter Stubbs, one of OS/2 Clients. When he first told me, he said 'I suppose I don't have to tell you this, it would be like teaching my Grandmother to Suck lemons', well it was a new one to me, Thanks.

Under DOS sessions you can set the default directory listing, via SET DIRCMD=/A. This same option(S) can be also used in an OS/2 session, but it must be configured in your CONFIG.SYS.

The End
I'm still looking for a method of doing INFs which don't require a lot of work, is there any tools which would be useful?

If you wish to contact me, about various topics I have covered, or if you have suggestions, the easy method is via a message in one of the following mail networks in their OS/2 area.
 * WORLDNET   61:6700/1
 * FIDONET    3:640/830
 * INTERNET   josephm@mhs.oz.au

Or via SNAIL MAIL Joe's OS/2 Tips 3 Pandanus Street Sunnybank, QLD, Australia, 4109 Or via the BBS +61-7-344-6012 Hours 0700-0215 Australian Eastern Standard Time 1200-14.4k baud rates.

Or Via VOICE +61-7-345-6761 Most times I am around the phone, but the answering machine will take care of you otherwise. Sorry, I can't afford to return an international call.

DISCLAIMER

Although I know a lot about OS/2, I am no expert. Therefore information I may pass-on in these tips maybe bogus on some setups. All of my knowledge of OS/2 has come from personal experience with both my own experiments and my clients.

Since I have now started to directly add adverts to this informational package I must add prices will change without notice etc. I am not a big business, I only sell a few items a week, which actually helps to pay both my rent and bills on my computer, but if you want to make a big order with me, I'll be able to look after you.