GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 1 ›4mGMC --- Console-Handler›0m ›1mOverview ›0mGMC was written to replace the already existing console handler like CON, NewCON, ConMan etc. Beside of the wellknown features, GMC provides a number of new features to make the life with the keyboard easier. The primary mission of GMC lies in team-work with a shell or the CLI, that had to work up to now with CON, NewCON, or ConMan. Applications should restrict mainly to pure text output because GMC can affect the output so that the result may look not very well. Problems are also possible if the shell isn't a real shell but only a program that waits for inputs and starts then other programs. Instead the team-work with the standard shell or the ARP shell is very good. GMC provides the following features: - Command line editing - Function key assignment in four levels - Command line history - Online help for functions of the handler - Iconify function - File/Directory name completer - Printout of the recent outputs to printer and window - Script function for storage of all outputs - Undo-Funktion for the command line - Command line finish without execution - Actual directory path in window title - Beep function on prompt display - Close gadget function for Kickstart 2.0 - Local and global configuration GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 2 ›1mCommand line editing ›0mThe command line editing bases on the following functions: Delete functions Delete character before cursor (1) Backspace Delete character under cursor (2) Del Delete from cursor position to start of word (3) Ctrl-Backspace Delete from cursor position to end of word (4) Ctrl-Del Delete from cursor position to start of line (5) Shift-Backspace Delete from cursor position to end of line (6) Shift-Del Delete the whole line (7) Alt-Backspace,Alt-Del Cursor movement Character left/right (1/2) "Cursor left/right" (also with Alt key) Word left/right (3/4) Ctrl-"Cursor left/right" Start/End of line(5/6) Shift-"Cursor left/right" Insert/Overwrite mode The default mode (insert) can be toggled only for the current line or durable. Toggle for the current line is made by Ctrl-A. After RETURN is pressed the old mode is activated. The mode can be changed durable with SetGMC (see SetGMC.Doc). In word movement and word delete, words are not only separated by spaces but also by ':' '/' '.' '(' ')' and '|'. With this feature quick editing of pathnames is possible. If the cursor is placed on or behind one of the seven separators only the separator will be erased. The above listed line edit functions can be assign to different keys with SetGMC. The list above is only the default assignment. The numbers in brackets refer to the GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 3 belonging functions. ›1mFunctionkey assignment ›0mAll function keys can be assigned in four levels (alone, or with pressed Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key). The assignment is done again with SetGMC. The function keys can also be switched on and off. The settings are not touched by switching the function keys on or off. ›1mCommand line history ›0mAll commands are stored (maximum 2048 Bytes, each line needs 10 Bytes extra) and can be recalled in different ways. The last typed line is stored at the end of the list. If the list is too long, the lines at the start of the list are shifted out. Lines with the length 1 won't be saved in the command line history. -  With "cursor up/down" the list will be shown in direction start/end of the list. -  With Shift-"cursor up" the list will be searched through line-wise on basis of the partial line as a pattern given-in up to this point in time. -  With Shift-"cursor down" a jump behind the end of the list will be performed. ›1mOnline help functions ›0mThe help key (alone or together with Shift, Ctrl, or Alt) shows four different helps: -  Help: Display of the functions of the cursor keys, Backspace and Del key, and the additional help functions. -  Shift-Help Display of the first characters of the function key settings. -  Ctrl-Help Output of information how to set function keys and insert/overstrike mode. -  Alt-Help Display of the command line history with numbers. The output can be stopped and continued by pressing any key. It can be breaked by pressing RETURN. GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 4 ›1mIconify function ›0mThe Iconify function can be assigned with SetGMC to any function key. For that purpose the function key must be assigned to ICONIFY. The Iconify function will be executed immediately. The produced small window can be shifted around and brought back to its old size by a double click. If the window is in the reduced size, output is possible. The window will be inactive so no wrong input is possible. The contents of the window won't be affected. The iconify function is disabled if GMC runs under dos.library > 34 (Kickstart 1.4/2.0). ›1mFile›0m/›1mDirectory name completer ›0mThe command line can be expanded by the new function of the tab key. When TAB is pressed, an interpretation of the currently given-in command line is performed. First the line is saved from the last space or from the start to its end. This copy will only be overwritten when the the line is changed or finished by RETURN. The stored part of the line is interpreted as a path and/or filename. If the path contains no root directory the current directory of the CLI or Shell process is used. As process only that process is used that opened the input/output stream the first time. The part behind the last '/' or the ':' is used as the pattern to select files or directories. The directory refers by the path is searched through. If a file is found which has the same beginning as the pattern the command line will be completed with this file. By pressing the TAB key once more the search will be continued. If no other files are found the old command line is displayed again. A '/' is appended to directory names. If the line ends with ':', '/', or ' ' all files will be shown. The C: directory will be searched through if the command contains no ' ' and also no ':' and no '/'. The comparison of pattern and files is not case sensitive. GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 5 Examples Kommandozeile vor TAB | ergibt mit Alt-TAB ----------------------+------------------------ ------- "ty"              | all files/dirs in C:, that | start with "ty" | "type s:st"       | e.g. "type s:startup-sequence" | "type "           | all files/dirs in the actual | directory | "type abc"        | all files/dirs, that start | with "abc" in actual directory | "list a/b/c"      | all files/dirs, that start | with "c" in the subdirectory | "a/b" of the current directory | Beside Alt the other qualifiers have the following meaning: -  TAB: Only files are shown, but no info files. -  Shift-TAB: Only info files are shown. -  Ctrl-TAB: Only directory are shown. -  Alt-TAB: Everything is shown. ›1mPrintout of the recent outputs to printer and window ›0mThe printout function is assigned to a function key in the same way as the iconify function (with PRT_SCR instead of ICONIFY). With SetGMC it is possible to defined the page lenth of the printer at the beginning of every printout. The buffer size is 4KByte at the startup of the handler. This can also be changed by SetGMC. The buffer can also be displayed in the window. With Ctrl-"cursor up" the start of the buffer is shown. Ctrl-"cursor down" shows the next page in the buffer, Alt-"cursor down" shows the next line. At the bottom of the window the percentage of the displayed buffer is shown. If a character shall be output to the window or a key is pressed, the buffer output scrolls up to its end. GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 6 ›1mScript function for storage of all outputs ›0mGMC supports a script function. With this ability it is possible to record all outputs including the echo of inputs in a file. The function is activated by SetGMC. The script file remains opened until the window is closed or it is closed explicitly by SetGMC or another script file is opened. ›1mUndo function for the command line ›0mBefore every change in the command line its old state is saved. It can be brought back by pressing the ESC key. With the aid of this buffer the command line is also restored after the window was resized. The buffer allows to get back a command line that isn't finished yet and is modified by pressing the help key, by executing a command line history or the window output recall function or an unwished delete function. By pressing the ESC key the contents of the actual command line and the buffer is exchanged. The cursor is set also to its old position. ›1mCommand line finish without execution ›0mTo avoid that a started command line must be again deleted because one had recognized another command must be executed first, the RETURN key has now two functions. Without Shift key there is no change. With the Shift key the command line is only stored in the command line history but not sent to the Shell/CLI. Now the other command can be typed and executed in the standard way and then one can recall the old command by pressing "cursor-up" twice. ›1mActual directory path in window title ›0mBeside the normal title from the startup window description it is also possible to display the actual directory path in the window title section. This special function like others and the following beep function must be switched on explicitly by SetGMC. ›1mBeep function on prompt display ›0mIf this function is activ, on the reception of a READ packet the time is appointed since the last READ packet was replied. If this interval is greater than a given value a sound signal is sent. It is possible to determine that this GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 7 should happened only if the GMC window isn't the front most on the front most screen. There will be no beep in RAW mode. ›1mClose gadget function for Kickstart 2›0m.›1m0 ›0mUnder Kickstart 2.0 the Shell supports a close gadget in the console window. Clicking on the close gadget has the same effect as Ctrl-\. The new Shell reacts with a CLOSE packet for the console handler. The close gagdet is added if "/CLOSE" is appended to the title in the window description. ›1mLocal and global configuration ›0mAs repeatedly mentioned, GMC processes can be configurated in a local and a global way. Global configuration has effcts only to those GMC processes that are started after the configuration. Therefore global configuration should be made in the startup-sequence. Local configuration affects only the GMC process in its window it is executed. A detailed description of the program SetGMC is available with the enclosed operating manual. ›1mMiscellaneous ›0mCtrl keys, except Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C..F, Ctrl-M and Ctrl-\ have no function and aren't sent to the Shell/CLI. In RAW mode all keystrokes (except Ctrl-C..F) will be transmitted without any translation. In CON mode the following "Report" messages from the console.device will also be passed through: -  Cursor Position -  Window Bounds -  Raw Events (except NEWSIZE-,CLOSE- und Raw Key Event) GMC don't work with the module terminal.mod of M2Amiga. In this case GMC causes an error during the startup and the window will be closed again. This happens always then if someone tries to add a close gadget and it isn't the way that is taken under Kickstart 2.0. On the output of a script file one should take care that it could contain hidden report request for the console.device. If these reports are sent a second time there is nobody who is interested and so they are sent to the Shell/CLI. Therefore it can happen that the next command isn't understood. Scrolling down the window cause no GMC V9.2 21.07.90 GMC V9.2 Operating Manual Page 8 problems in this way. But script file should be better displayed by editors or text display programs. ›1mInstallation ›0mFirst of all the files GMC-Handler and ExtFuncProc must be copied in the L: directory. Then the mountlist entry descriped below should be inserted in the mountlist in the DEVS: directory. GMC is installed by "Mount GMC:". This command should be executed in the startup-sequence. There are several ways to use GMC: instead of CON: or NEWCON:. NewCLI, NewShell, or AShell can be patched or GMC: must be given on start (NewShell GMC:xxx). Another possibility is to replace GMC: by NEWCON: in the mountlist and install GMC: as NEWCON:. Then the patch or the window specifications can be omitted. The last possibility is to remove CON: by the command "Assign CON: remove" and the installation of GMC: as CON: with "Mount CON:". In the mountlist must stand CON: instead of GMC:. The installation as CON: won't work with M2Amiga programs which used the module terminal.mod. MountList entry GMC: Handler = L:GMC-Handler Stacksize = 2500 Priority = 5 GlobVec = -1 # ›1mAcknowledgement ›0mSpecial thanks to Volker Rudolph, Joachim Strubel and Jörg Mayer for tests and suggestions and to all people that use and support GMC (if there is someone outside West Germany) and paid the shareware fee. GMC V9.2 21.07.90