Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!ihuxy!nowlin
From: nowlin@ihuxy.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: PD C_compiler & Csh
Message-ID: <1935@ihuxy.ATT.COM>
Date: Mon, 13-Apr-87 16:22:06 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxy.1935
Posted: Mon Apr 13 16:22:06 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Apr-87 01:53:07 EST
References: <387@sbcs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 55
Summary: ash shell suggestions

In article <387@sbcs.UUCP>, pmt@sbcs.UUCP (Phil Tromovitch) writes:
> 
>  Last night, I finally logged onto the Atari BBS, and downloaded a
> public domain shell (called ash). If people are interested, I'll send it
> to Turner.
> 
>  I've been using PCOMMAND for a while now, but I just switched to the new
> shell. Its commands are very similar to Csh, eg  ls , rm , mv, mkdir, etc.
> It also support a history mechanism, and previous command(s) line editing,
> which is something NOT supported by PCOMMAND.   Ash also has df, cat, grep.
> It takes up about 70-80 K of memory.
> 
>  Now the bad part.  The cp command is very slow.   Doing a rm *.* always
> generate an error message saying "Can't remove .", and it quits.  No
> option for wide directory listing.
> 
>  Actually, these flaws are very annoying that I'm considering getting
> Beckermeyer's Cshell.   Can someone tell me how much memory the
> Beckermeyer Csh takes up?   How good is it previous command line editing
> facilities?
> 
> -- 
> 
> CSNET:pmt@sbcs.csnet
> UUCP :{allegra, hocsd, philabs, ogcvax}!sbcs!pmt
> 
>   In the path of our happiness shall we find the learning for which
> we have choosen this lifetime.

This is the first I've heard of ash (A SHell) on the net.  I wrote it
because I can't hack too much pointing and clicking.  Fortunately I'm
spoiled by UN*X and ksh so I stuck some history editing capabilities in
that mimic the vi interface to ksh and most of the UN*X style commands. 
Ash has a few short comings but I'm working on some improvements now and
I'll look into that rm problem.

I'm taking suggestions for the cp problem (it's also a mv problem when
files aren't on the same drive).  I've tried lots of things to make it
faster but nothing I know about can make it as fast as a desktop drag copy.
I just bought Megamax C, mainly because it's supposed to do disk I/O faster
and generate smaller code.  I'm currently working on compiling ash with
Megamax and while I'm at it I'll try to fix any of the little problems and
nagging things that are bugging you.  I also plan to make the memory
allocation dynamic so ash runs leaner.  If I can do it without too much
rewriting I'm going to implement I/O redirection for the built-in commands
while I'm at it.

PLEASE send me any suggestions you have.  I'm planning to post the thing to
the net with an actual document instead of the HELP file in a few weeks.  I
have to make sure the port to Megamax is solid first.  Just for
information, ash was the shell used to port the Icon Programming Language
to the ST so it has proved useful.  Thanks.

Jerry Nowlin
(...!ihnp4!ihuxy!nowlin)