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From: ForthNet@willett.pgh.pa.us (ForthNet articles from GEnie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: User Interface
Message-ID: <1815.UUL1.3#5129@willett.pgh.pa.us>
Date: 5 Oct 90 03:27:33 GMT
Organization: String, Scotch tape, and Paperclips.  (in Pgh, PA)
Lines: 50


 Date: 09-22-90 (08:04)              Number: 3818 (Echo)
   To: ALL                           Refer#: NONE
 From: STEVE PALINCSAR                 Read: (N/A)
 Subj: Passing commands to DOS       Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE

 The following code (which I translated into Forth - specifically 
 HS/Forth - from QuickBasic code published in PC Magazine this Spring) 
 can be used to chain execution from one program to another by placing 
 a string into the PC's keyboard buffer.  Limitation is that only 15 
 characters max can be put there.  That means a complex lengthy command 
 would have to be invoked with a batch file.

 \ Pass a command to the PC keyboard buffer.  Can be used to pass
 \ execcution of an EXE, COM orr BAT file.  Unlike using SHELL, this
 \ program will not stay in memory.  Can be used for creating a front-end
 \ menu program.  For HS/Forth, but can be used with any Forth that has
 \ C!L  ( n segmentaddr offset -- ).  DUPC@ is a coded-together DUP C@;
 \ 2* is a 2 *

 DECIMAL

 : ADD_RETURN  ( $addr -- $addr )
 \ Add an ASCII 13 to the end of a counted string
    DUPC@ 1++ OVER C!
    13 OVER
    DDUPC@ + C!  
 ;

 : PASS_COMMAND  ( $addr -- )
 \ Place a counted string  into the PC's keyboard buffer
    ADD_RETURN
    30  0 1050 C!L                \ Update the  ead & ttail  
    DUPC@ 2* 30 +  0 1052 C!L     \ keyboard buffer pointers
    DUPC@ 1+ 1 DO                 \ Loop thru the string
       DUP I + C@                 \ and copy i:hinto the
       0 1052  I 2* +  C!L        \ keyboard buffer
    LOOP  
    DROP                          \ annd then discard the string
 ;


 : TEST
   IN$             ( Prompts for string, places it at PAD )
   PASS_COMMAND    ( Place the string in thhe keyboardd buffer )
   BYE             ( and return to DOS. )
 ;
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