YAOS

This is a shell that runs on top of cmd.exe. The following is a list of its features:

Unix-like file name completion using the key. A name is completed with a space appended to the name if it is not a directory entry.

A vcd-like quick directory changer. The command "ycd " performs a quick change to the directory specified anywhere on the same drive. When the command is first issued on any drive, a directory scan is carried out and the results stored in a file named "YCD_DAT" in the root directory of that drive. Subsequently, YCD_DAT will be used whenever a ycd is called. If you make changes to the directory structure, you can cause yaos to rescan by deleting the YCD_DAT file. Currently, ycd do not support cross directory searches. If you do not have write permissions on a drive, a YCD_DAT file will be created in the root directory of drive C, having the name YCD_DATX where X is the drive alphabet.

A history of previously used commands with ability to access them using commands like: !!, !4, !v test.c (those familiar with unix would know what I this is about). Of course, the up & down cursor keys will scroll through previous commands too. Also, by typing the initial characters of recently used commands and using F1 or Up/Down arrow keys, a search will be performed.

Ability to change directory to any [drive:\directory] in a single command using the normal 'cd' command.

Full support for prompt setting in OS/2.

Full implementation of command line editing.

A popup window that displays the possible file names for completion. You can scroll through the entries in this popup window using the up and down arrow-keys, Home, End, PageUp and PageDown keys. You can also search for a particular file name by typing its name directly onto the popup window. ['-w' option when starting YAOS]

Alt-H keystroke will bring up a popup window containing commands that are stored in history. Again, you can scroll through this list using the cursor keys, Home, End, PageUp & PageDown keys. (The window will only appear if there are two or more commands in history).

[-o] argument: Defaulting to overwrite mode on startup.

Directory name that is completed using will have the back slash appended to the end of the name.

Implementation of aliases. You can define aliases in YAOS, save them into a file and later retrieve them. You can also specify an alias file when starting YAOS with the option [-s ]. You have to specify the full path name for the unless it is located in the current directory. A total of up to 9 argument replacements (from %1 to %9) is allowed in aliases. Chaining aliases is no longer allowed. This is to prevent endless alias recursion. To read or write an alias file inside YAOS, refer to online help on alias: (Type: '? alias' without the quotes at prompt.) You can also unset an alias by using the unalias command.

Implementation of default application to launch for specific file extensions. Using the "ext" command, you can specify what application to be run when a filename of a particular extension is executed. For example, if you set "ext txt=tedit", whenever you type a filename with an extension txt on the command line, the program tedit will be called up automatically to edit that file.

In the file name completion popup window, the maximum string that is common to all possible names is matched. (Previously, matching is done only up to what the user keys in before bringing up the popup window.

Emacs like editing keys are implemented. Ctl-v : PageDown Alt-v : PageUp Ctl-p : Previous Line Ctl-n : Next Line Ctl-a : Beginning of line Ctl-e : End of Line Ctl-f : Forward a character Ctl-b : Back a character Alt-f : Forward a word Alt-b : Back a word Ctl-d : Delete current character Ctl-k : Delete till end of line

Instead of keying in the startup options from the command line, you can define an environment setting in the config.sys file to hold the options. For example, you can do the following:

set YAOS=-wqs c:\yaos\alias.fil

Moreover, you can overwrite the 'set' options from the command line.

In the filename completion popup window, after typing in one or more characters, hitting the  key will cause YAOS to match again as much as possible the likely completing file name.

Recognizes different keyboard layouts.

Built-in "which " command to locate pathed executable files.

Changing to a directory is as simple as typing its name. If a pathed executable of the same name exist, it will be executed instead.

Ability to execute any program upon YAOS startup with the "-x" option.

Ability to read in a file containing environment settings and aliases with the "-s " option during startup or the "source " command while in YAOS.

Hitting the  key clears the command line.

Use of the '&' character to detach a process like in Unix.

Built-in "kill " command to kill a process with id. can be specified in hexadecimal (e.g., 0x261) or decimal (e.g., 609). Make use of the OS/2 program "pstat /c" to find out the pids of active processes.

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 * Dave Saville