Re: DOS Window Font Nomenclature and Identification

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from "M.C."  on Mon, 20 Dec 2004 22:21:33
+0100

Manuel:

> If I start a different DOS program in windowed mode it takes the
> same font, either I call it using a batch file or I invoke directly the
> main executable (always via a .LNK file).

First of all, you must in fact be calling via PIFs, *not* LNKs, because LNKs
say "Modify shortcut that started this window" (and, indeed, they only modify
the one LNK that started the window), whereas PIFs say "Save properties for
future windows with same title".

But what's the underlying cause of your problem? LNKs use CMD.EXE, PIFs use
COMMAND.COM, as their respective command processors. All PIFs really do have
the same root Title, which is "BootDrive:\path\ntvdm.exe". All PIFs are
running the NT Virtual DOS Machine a.k.a. NTVDM -- every one of them. NTVDM,
in turn, runs a shell that contains Editor or whatever.

Solution:
Start the DOS program(s) with LNKs! E.g., in Properties, at "Program", type:
 BootDrive:\WINDOWS\system32\CMD.EXE /c d:\path\editor.exe[switches]

And Done. May result all kinds of collateral issues, such as no AUTOEXEC.NT
(if you do anything important there) -- but all of that can be worked around
too. I start XyWrite from a LNK.

The other Solution is, keep the PIFs, and just don't change fonts on-the-fly
like that, while they're running! Close the bloody program, change Properties
==> Font at the Shortcut, and then reopen the program. It will have a new font
that will NOT be applied to other windows "with the same title". And finito.

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
-----------------------------