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From: reino@cs.eur.nl (Reino de Boer)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Re: How to get started writing TSR's
Keywords: Intro to TSR's
Message-ID: <1991Apr3.091456.17369@cs.eur.nl>
Date: 3 Apr 91 09:14:56 GMT
References: <252u3715.670537130@fergvax>
Reply-To: reino@cs.eur.nl
Distribution: alt
Organization: Erasmus University Rotterdam
Lines: 74

Although the following could have been sent by email, the questions seem
to be popping up :-) so regularly that I thought a followup was
appropriate.

In <252u3715.670537130@fergvax> 252u3715@fergvax.unl.edu (Teik Leong Tan) 
	writes:

>       I have been using the PC for quite a number of years now. But I
>just don't know where/how I could start learning about TSR's. For all 
>I know TSR is a resident program that stays in the memory after it is 
>terminated, and that it can be activated through certain combination of 
>special keys. What I want to know here is:

>[1] How to write TSR programs?

See the excellent article
	Terminate-and-Stay-Resident Utilities
in
	The MS-DOS Encyclopedia
	ISBN 1-55615-049-0
	(I think there is a newer edition as well)

>[2] Do you need special compilers for TSR?

You probably want to be able to use either
1.	assembly language,
2.	assembly language from within your programming language, or
3.	the possibility to link assembly language modules with your
	program.
4.	Or, someone forbid, a language dedicated to writing TSRs.

>[3] What books are recommended? 

The above-mentioned Encyclopedia, and several articles in Dr. Dobbs
Journal and/or Computer Language. Also highly recommended is the
documentation for the TesSeRact library mentioned below.

>[4] Where can I find these books?
>[5] Can anyone of you give me some pointers on TSR programming so
>    that I can get started? I think some examples of beginner's programming
>    on TSR would benefit me tremendously. I am just a beginner in this 
>    field. So please don't talk to me in language so technical that I can't
>    understand.

One of the very first things to do (when you want to create TSRs, that
is) is to understand something about the inner workings of MS-DOS in its
various incarnations. This probably involves what you are calling
technical language.

>Other helpful hints/pointers are welcomed.

In one (or more) of the news groups there is a regularly updated list of
all Interrupts (purpose and usage) for PC's. Try to get a hold of it and
keep it online (I keep it at my fingertips as a Norton Guide).

>All help is very much appreciated.

You could also look into the EXCELLENT shareware effort

	TesSeRact (TSR) Libraries
	by
	TesSeRact Development Team
	c/o Chip Rabinowitz
	2084 Woodlawn Avenue
	Glenside, PA 19038

where all the technical problems are solved for you (if you use one of
the compilers they support).

Hope this helps -- Reino
-- 
Reino R. A. de Boer     "We want to build the right product right, right?"
Erasmus University Rotterdam ( Informatica )
e-mail: reino@cs.eur.nl