Re: .pif vs. lnk

[Harry Binswanger hb@xxxxxxxx]

> Patricia pulled together some of Robert's posts on this subject at
>
> http://xywrite.org/msg01161.htm


Hmmm. I got a "Not found"--looks like the server is down, temporarily.

> Here's a straight-forward explanation of a .pif file.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_Information_File


Well, that much I knew already(!).


> A .lnk is simply a shortcut to a WIN program, introduced, I think with W95.


Since I know how to invoke them and deal with them only by means of
right-clicking on title bars or icons and getting up dialog boxes, I don't
know what/where they are, and how they come to be.


> I somewhat understand the difference between .lnk and .pif and I'm sure
> someone here will either correct and/or extend this,
> but...essentially...the pif, *program information file,* establishes the
> terms/limits whatever of the dos environment in Windows for the particular
> dos program you want to run. The various tabs in a pif's properties versus
> the tabs in a .lnk's properties make this somewhat clear.
>  Both are *shortcuts,* as that word commonly applies, but perhaps in
> computereze there's a distinction. (Again, beware my limits.)


Then when I see an icon that I can use to launch a program (DOS or Win),
how do I know whether that icon represents a .pif or a .lnk? Or, putting it
better, how do I know what kind of dialog with what kind of tabs is going
to be under the Properties of that icon?



> From your various posts, it sounds as if you might be creating your pif
> incorrectly. You wrote: *Isn't that what I did? I created the desktop
> shortcut by right clicking on an empty part of the desktop, then doing
> New/Shortcut. That brings up one of those damnable wizards, which allows
> me to finish creating the shortcut.*
>
>
> Harry, some of your TAME problems may stem from the procedure you used.
> Please try this procedure instead: 1. Delete all your current XY shortcuts
> (forget about .lnk or .pif for now). Using explorer or your file manager,
> go to the directory with editor.exe. Right click on it. Select "create
> shortcut." That will give you a file named "Shortcut to Editor.exe" in
> that directory. If you look at the file specs, you will see it's a .pif.


How do I look at the file specs?

> Drag that shortcut (pif) onto the desktop. Right click on it and then
> click on "properties."


It's the same kind of dialog box I've been using right along.

>  Click on the "Program" tab. In the box labeled *Cmd line* you should see
> [Drive letter]:\[Xywrite Dir]\Editor.exe. Erase that. Insert the name of
> the .bat file you wrote that invokes TAME then XY, to wit [Drive
> letter]:\[Xywrite Dir]\[XYbat.].bat. Run this in *Normal Window.* Click
> on the font tab. Select *Both types* and *auto.* Click on the *memory*
> tab. Set :*Conventional Memory*=Auto; Expanded=5120; Extended=None (and
> check the box); MsDos=Auto; intitial enviro=auto. Go the the *Misc* tab.
> UNCHECK *always suspend* (very important for CLIP) and *exclusive mode.*
> Everything else is checked. Go to the *screen* tab and make sure *Window*
> is checked. Now, APPLY then OK. And you have a .pif for the .bat that
> starts TAME and XY. Start XY using this .pif and try again with the TAME
> console dialog/drop down menus.


Thanks, but this is the same dialog box with the same settings as I had
before, and the same (mixed) results. Most importantly, not just the ctrl-j
but even the arrow keys give bad output when held down (arrow keys put out
2, 4, 6, and 8).




Harry Binswanger
hb@xxxxxxxx