Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    There is a small public domain command written by Dave Haynie of
    CBM called SETFONT.  In your Startup-Sequence, you would include
    the command 'SETFONT <fontname> <fontsize> screen windows titles'
    
    The last three arguments are optional and are self-explanatory.
    
    The better way would be to pick up a copy of MicroSmith's 'FastFonts'
    program, which includes some neat extras like a screenblanker and
    text speedup routines.

Re: .0

I assume that you are getting your colored prompts by embedding escape
sequences in your prompt using the cli PROMPT command.

The NEWCLI command copies certain process context from the parent cli
into the child cli.  For example, the new cli will be started with the
same connected directory and command PATH as the parent.

I know that if you set up your command path before you do a LOADWB, that
all of the clis started by clicking on the CLI icon will get that path.

I am not sure, but I suspect that a child CLI inherits the prompt of
its parent.  The odds are that a cli started from the Workbench would
get the prompt in effect in the cli started workbench did a LOADWB.
If that is so, made sure you set up your prompt BEFORE you do the LOADWB.

By the way, the prompt string isn't just a string.  It is actually
used as the "format" string of a printf type function in the cli.
In c, the code in the cli would look something like:

	printf(prompt, cli_number);

when cli_number is the integer number of the current cli.  I once
set my prompt to something like "*C>", and my prompt was the cli
number converted to an ASCII char followed by a ">".  Thus, the
seventh cli's prompt was control-G>, which caused the screen to
flash in reverse video for a fraction of a second.

    Thanks for the help chaps, but....
    
    .1
    
    	Has anyone got a copy of this 'SETFONTS' program, preferably
    someone in the UK? It sounds like just what I'm looking for.
    
    .2
    	
    	Setting the prompt is the first second thing I do, The order
    of events is :-
    
    	Read the time from the RTC
    	Set the prompt
    	Load C: into RAM:C/
    	Load WB
    
    Any more ideas, anyone?
    
    	

    Re: SETFONT
    
    Setfont is OK, but I really prefer MicroSmith's 'FastFonts' program.
    It is much more permanant than SetFont, in that it changes absolutely
    every single font occurance in every single window or screen opened.
    Setfont just doesn't seem to be tough enough.  I've had my custom
    font blown out and replaced by the icky Topaz many times.  In addition,
    FastFonts provides a font called 'Gulch' that looks fantastic in
    an 640 x 400 screen, where the Topaz looks to short and blocky.
    
    The FastFonts disk also include a programmable screenblanker, and
    macros for hotkeys.

Re: .3

Since your set the prompt before you load Workbench, I suspect it cannot
be done.

Since I am at home, I just checked:  When a cli process is spawned from
an existing CLI process, the child process does get the parent's prompt.

Workbench is not a CLI process.  However, when it starts, to stores
certain information about the CLI who started it in order to do some
of the inheritance of CLI attributes.  For example, the PATH of the
CLI that started Workbench.  Evidently, it doesn't bother with the
prompt.

One thing you can do run POPCLI, and use it to get a CLI whenever you
want it.  POPCLI is a program that you run in your startup sequence
that will do a NEWCLI command anytime you press the left-Amiga (I
guess the left-Commodore on a 500) key and the escape key simultaneously.
POPCLI also will blank your screen after a specified interval with
no input occurs.  (I use POPCLI on all my system disks.)

    
    The NEWCLI command has an option FROM in 1.2.  This can specify
    a file to EXECUTE at startup of the new CLI.  I suppose one could
    have a file s:setprompt containing the required prompt command.
    
    You could use this with POPCLI as it allows you to define the command
    which is executed when Amiga-ESC is hit.
    
    regards,
    
    steve mcafee

    this 'FROM' sounds the most promising yet. I've never seen the POPCLI.
    is it PD software?
    
    Martin
    

Re: .7

POPCLI is a screen blanker and CLI starting program.  If you press
the left Amiga key and escape simultaneously, it will create a new
cli.

POPCLI is publicly available.  You can get a copy from:

	TLE""::UPORT$:[RMEYERS.TRADE.AMIGA]POPCLI.ARC;1

Note that you do not have to use the from feature of NEWCLI when
you use POPCLI.  A cli started with POPCLI will have the same prompt,
connected directory, and command path that the CLI that ran POPCLI had
when it ran POPCLI.

    Note that there is a new version of PopCLI out, I saw it on Plink.
    I'll try to download it soon so I can upload here.

    POPCLI2 is preferred over POPCLI3.