Conference hydra::amiga_v1

>Is there a way to change a CLI window's backbground and text colors from within
>a shell startup?  I've found out how to change the prompt color but not the
>text or background.
    
    Yes, it is.
    
    I've written 'pref' which changes the system-configuration.
    
    Usage: pref devs:<any other conf>
    
    With this utility I was able to change colors, printers and so on
    without rebooting.
    
    Please answer here if  You are interested in an upload.
    
    Cheers
    Gerald
    

    
    I just did this a month or so ago.  I am using Nazcron to perform
    automatic backups of my wife's subdirectory.  The batch file includes
    AmigaDOS escape sequences to reverse the text and background color.
    
    I'll post how I did it tonight, when I have my Amiga in from of me.
    
    Ed.

re .2

Great Ed.  This sounds like what I'm after.


...Ed

    
    
    Echo "*E[0;0H*E[41;30m*E[J"		; causes the current window to go to
    					  inverse video
    
    
    Echo "*E[0;0H*E[40;31m*E[J"         ; returns the window to normal
    
    
    I'm not sure where these escape codes are documented in full; I just
    used the one included in the standard 1.3 Shell-Startup file.
    
    
    Ed.

I think they're in the ROM kernel manual (libraries and devices in the 
console chapter) and/or the AmigaDOS manual by Bantam books.

I tried the ESC sequence last night and it worked, but not as expected.  It
inversed the cli window but only the current display.  As soon as I went beyond
the current screen it reverted back.  Also when I typed the text was reverted
to normal.  In other words it inverse video'd the current display but didn't
change my mode to inverse video.

I tried it just within the CLI window and not in the shell startup.  Could that 
have made a difference?


...Ed

If your prompt has an escape sequence in it you may be setting the
colors back to normal.

-steve

    
    Try putting the escape secquence in the Shell-Startup with an alias
    such as 'reverse'.  Then, the first command that your batch file
    executes in it's window would be 'reverse'.
    
    This is what I've done, and my Shell window indeed remains inversed
    whilst scrolling etc.
    
    Ed.
    
    

The ESC sequences worked!  The problem I had was the PROMPT command was 
resetting them.  After adding the background and text color ESCs to the
PROMPT command all works well.  Thanks Ed A.

For those interested...



*E[4_m	sets the background color where _ defines one of the 4 workbenck colors
*E[3_m	sets the text color where _ defines one of the 4 workbenck colors

Cheers,


...Ed

    RE .1
    
    Please upload the pref program it sounds like what I require.
    I need to change the workbench size on the fly.
    
    				-Pete-

    Pete,
    
    please be a little patient. i'll upload it as soon as possible.
    
    Gerald

    Sorry to sound impatient, It's Just that I noticed that your offer to
    upload had not been taken up .
    
    #include <std/grovell/appology>
    
    			Pete :-(

Because my Amigo is at home while I'm not, I can't upload 'pref' before 
tomorrow. On wednesday it will be on TAPE::, OK???

Do You need source or executable (or both)?
Gerald

I uploaded pref.lzh.
It's on TAPE::USER2:[upload]

Cheers
Gerald

    
    I tried downloading PREF.LZH last night without success.  I always
    end up with a file on the Amiga = PREF.LZH  0 bytes long.  
    
    I also get VMS error trying to unarc it on the VAX with LHARC.
    
    I have no problem downloading anything else.  Is this a bad archive?
    
    Frank
    

    VMS LHARC works OK for me. How did you download the file? 
    
    My copy of it is only 3 blocks long (I think). 
    
    John

Sorry about Your difficulties.

That was the first time I uploaded a file.
I lharced four (4) files on my amiga then copied it with DOS2DOS onto I*M 
format. After that I used PCSA to copy it again in my VMS account.
The last thing I did was a 'spool copy' onto TAPE::

Wasn't that correct???
I can't reead that file with VMS-lharc either.
Gerald

    It was the copy using PCSA that killed the file (most likely). After
    copying with PCSA you probably need to reset the file characterics to
    Stream_LF. I forget the specifics - Either use CVTARC or FILESET to
    change the file. 
    
    The difference is that CVTARC may change the file contents and FILESET
    only messes with the file header. Try both.
    
    John

>    It was the copy using PCSA that killed the file (most likely). After
>    copying with PCSA you probably need to reset the file characterics to
>    Stream_LF.

I wonder why a download from tape:: using PCSA and dos2dos is simple while an 
upload is not.

> Either use CVTARC or FILESET to change the file. 

Please give me a hint (I don't know what You think about).

Tomorrow I will upload an uncompressed version in my own directory
and will point You to it. 

Sorry about that
Gerald
  

    Re: .21
    
    The main difference between the upload and download is that during
    'upload' PCSA creates the file on VMS (and it is usually incorrect in
    this scenario). During the 'download' the VMS file is already created
    and you are creating the MSDOS file (just a byte stream). 
    
    RMS in general causes several problems when dealing with PC, UN*X and
    Amiga files (unless consistency is maintained in creation and access).
    
    I can't offer any other advice about what to try next without further
    information (a DIR/FU on the created file and maybe a DUMP/RECORD of
    the first few blocks).
    
    John

Now I've uploaded 'pref.c' and 'pread.me'
to 
    NBOSWS::SWAS$USER:[FRIES.PUBLIC]

Sorry about the newlines in it, but that seems to be the same PCSA upload
problem again.

Gerald