Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    I don't remember the name, but there is a PD program that copies
    a bunch of files into one for faster access, and then restores them
    on command. That helps a lot. Of course, with a hard disk, it makes
    very little difference :-)
    
    Does anyone know the name of this little utility, and where it is?
    
    dov

    Let's use this space for STARTUP-SEQUENCE files.

    You may be referring to MAKEACV and LOADAVC.  All these do is create
    a large sequential file out of a lot of little files.  When loaded
    into RAM:, the sequential file goes much faster due to little or
    no head gronking.
    
    LOADACV unchains the files once in RAM:.  These are both available
    on PLINK, but I'm sure I have them on a disk somewhere.  If anyone
    needs them, let me know and I'll repost them here.
    

    Here's what I would like in mine, but don't know how to do it...
    
    Some packages require that a CLI window stays open to work correctly.
    Zing! does, but somehow in their startup, they resize it to the
    smallest size and move it down to the corner of the screen.  Is
    there any way to do this in a startup-sequence?  Probably the way
    would be to execute a mini-program that does it.  Alas, I am not
    a programmer, and know NOTHING about C.  Any ideas?
    
    Anyone want to give it a try?  It would be really nice to have this.
    Doing it with the mouse is a pain.  I guess I could do it with
    TimeSaver, but there must be an easier way.
    
    	Randy
    

    
    Re:  .3 (MakeACV , etc)
    Ed, Please upload this seems to be what I am looking for.
    
    How about kickbench?  Does anyone use it?  Can I fit all the absolutely
    necessary stuff on it?  I've got Dave Wecker's compress, maybe this
    along with MakeACV and kickbench would make a good combination.
    
    thanks for the input so far,
    
    steve mcafee

    You can give the NEWCLI command paramaters something like
    
    newcli con:xpos/ypos/xsiz/ysiz/"name of cli"
    
    this may not be exactly right. It is in the Amiga DOS manual. If
    you don't have it I can look it up tonight and post it.
    
    Or maybe somebody that keeps this kind of info in their head can
    verify.
    
    Chris

    That sounds like it.  I don't have a manual, so anything you can
    come up with would be appreciated.
    
    Randy
    

    Runback is a Rob Peck replacement command for the AmigaDOS RUN command.
    It is useful for closing a CLI window that would have otherwise
    stayed open.  I'm not 100% checked out on it's usage, but a lot
    of people on PLINK were commenting a while back on how it dramatically
    reduces the startup time.  
    
    This weekend I'll go shopping on Plink and upload some goodies.
    I've got a special surprise coming; the most mind-blowing demo ever
    seen yet.  It even puts Juggler to shame.  And, it only uses 151K
    or RAM, so even our backwoods friends with 512K machines will be
    able to enjoy it.
    
    Anyone with a pulse will instantly keel over when they see this
    new animation.
    
    Stay tuned... Ed
    

    slobber....slobber...
    I can't wait. What is it about demos that make them so fun.
    
    Chris

    Actually, the "CON:X/Y/W/H/"Title"" is just the name of a "file"
    passed to the creat() system call.  When CON: is opened, it will
    parse the rest of the file spec and open the window accordingly.
    That is how a program can easily create a console window with its
    own title.
    
    As far as newcli is concerned, you can give it any file name.  If
    you say
    
    newcli ser:
    
    It will open up a CLI over the serial line with the paramaters set
    by preferences.  The only problem though, is that preferences sets
    a minimum buffer size of 512 chars for the serial driver, and you
    must type 512 charachters before CLI will use them.  I think there
    is a replacement serial driver in the public domain that has somehow
    fixed the buffering problem with CLI.
    
    	--Mike

    re: .4
    
    Have you considered using POPCLI? Touch a couple keys together and
    a CLI window appears. Then, with CONMAN installed (from startup),
    you only need to touch F1 to shrink the CLI to minimum size or F2
    to oenlarge it to maximum. 

re:	.0

I probably have one of the easist startup-sequence files:

	stack 8192
	shell s:.login

Here is what happens:

	1) I run from a kickbench disk in df0: and my c compiler stuff in
	   df1:

	2) kickstart happens which then arms the workbench side of the disk

	3) the workbench starts the shell (see above) I then do a NEWCLI with
	   a second identical shell (so that I can use the machine while it's
	   booting).

	4) I then mount vd0: and other essential items.

	5) I decompress my most used files from df0:c to vd0:c (see note on
	   my compress program)

	6) switch c: to be vd0:c

	7) start up a vt100 with a script that dials work and logs me in on
	   various machines.

	8) at the same time copy all of df0:c/* to vd0:c and do a decompress
	   on everything that ends with a .Z in the vd0:c directory.

	9) if the df1: disk contains my compiler directory tree then the tree
	   is copied up to vd0: and decompressed

	10) steps 8 and 9 are skipped if this is a warm-reboot and the files
	    are already there

	11) finally ask for the correct date/time.

Notice that the whole process is run from a shell script and is
non-interactive until step 11 so that I can turn on the machine, go away and
in 5 minutes vd0: is populated with all of my c: files (and compiler files
if desired) I'm also logged in at work. It's taken quite awhile to get
everything to work, but if there is interest I will upload the shell .login
script and my dialwork.script file for vt100.

dave

    Rather than needing to find RunBack, the following will install
    a background utility which will continue even when the initiating
    CLI is closed:
    
    	Run >NIL: <NIL: file >NIL: <NIL:
    
    This command redirects all I/O for the file to the NIL: device thus
    removing its dependence on the CLI window.  Of course, this assumes
    that the background device needs no I/O.  I understand the theory
    behind this, but the only background task I have upon startup is
    the RSLClock, which does not work (The clock goes up, I think, but
    the text is going to NIL: so I can't see it!).  I haven't tried
    it with anything else (for instance the clock that comes on the
    Workbench disk which, having no text, should have no problem), but
    you might try it and see.
    
    Andy Humphrey

    re: .12
      yes dave..it sounds as if its just what I've been looking
    for...Also if you have any other info on kickbench...I seem to remember
    something on a fish disk, but it required something from the developers
    stuff to make it work...any further info appreciated...
    
    re: .13
     runback (or runbackground or...) is the greates thing since sliced
              bread...:-)...  
    seriously...it sure works great, and allows the rslclock to work
    like a charm...while the idea may be the same as the redirection
    scheme, it will also wait for the program to do its thing (user
    programable) before continueing...saves wear and tear searching
    all over gods green acre for disk sectors!  If its not on-line anywhere
    send me mail, and i'll upload it...

re:	.14

Ok... take a look at cookie""::DISK$GZ_2:[WECKER.AMIGA]start.arc it contains:

	.login		- my main shell startup
	.login2		- my secondary shell startup (for the NEWSHELL alias)
	vt100.init	- my vt100 startup
	dial.script	- my second half of vt100 startup

my startup-sequence file is just:

	shell 8192
	shell s:.login

Enjoy!
dave

    re:  .14 and others
    
    I tried runbackground with RSLClock and I've got a few questions
    about RSLClock for anyone else out there using it:
    
    1.  Is there any documentation?  (What does the pop-up stuff mean
        in the menu?)

    2.  I've managed to get it to start up with the correct hi-lighting
        and displaying my desired memory stats, but how can I change
        this thing to a lower priority?  The default is 20 and it actually
        slows down my mouse!

    regards,
    
    steve mcafee
    
    BTW  Just saw "The Prince of Darkness" last night.  Guess what was
    being used by several members of the scientific team?  Yep, an A1000
    with a spare disk drive on top.  Although the name was covered.  Also
    I'm not sure the monitor shots were actually from an Amiga.

    RE .16
    
    Standard pop-up means that once a minute the clock will become the
    topmost window on the workbench screen.  *Hyper* pop-up means that
    the clock will move to the top even if you are looking at another
    screen.  The docs warn that this may not always work, especially
    if popping onto a lo-res screen.  I use standard pop-up myself.
    
    As for the priority, apparantly a number of complaints have been
    received about that.  The latest version was just posted on People
    Link.  It sets the default priority to 0, with the option to set
    it at 20, allows the clock to occupy the full width of the screen
    if desired, thus eliminating that annoying screen tearing when
    scrolling, and incorporates a mouseoff feature, which makes the
    pointer invisible if the mouse has not been used in ~10 seconds.
    I can't post it, but perhaps some kind soul out there in DECland
    will make it available.
    
    --Andy Humphrey