This undocumented autoload feature of the HP 200LX lets you highlight an MS-DOS application's data file in FILER and then press (ENTER) to launch the DOS application with the data file loaded. The key to accessing this feature on the 200LX is the creation of the FILER.INI file.
This feature may sound familiar to users of the programs 95Buddy , 100Buddy , and now Buddy 2.0 for the 100LX & 200LX (see product description, page 12). These excellent shareware programs added this feature to the HP 95LX, 100LX and 200LX. (Editor's Note: As of this writing, the 200Buddy file launcher feature overrides this undocumented 200LX feature. However, Buddy users can turn off Buddy by pressing (CTRL)-(-) and turn it back on by pressing (CTRL)-(+). The two launchers are somewhat complementary as Buddy is optimized for built-in applications and FILER.INI for DOS applications.)
The 200LX feature is undocumented, meaning that it's a little bonus added to the 200LX, but unsupported by HP. You won't find any reference to the feature or the FILER.INI file in the HP 200LX User's Guide. This article will attempt to show you how to set up the FILER.INI file and use this feature. The article is based on our experience with this feature to date. We hope it will get you started using this feature, but make no claim as to the completeness of the information presented. The fact that this feature is "undocumented" means that HP's Technical Support hotline doesn't support this feature and will, most likely, not be able to give you any help with it. It also means that the feature may be dropped from future ROM software revisions of the 200LX or subsequent versions of the HP Palmtop. We sincerely hope that this doesn't happen. The FILER.INI feature cannot be transferred to another HP Palmtop.
Testing the autoload feature and creating FILER.INI
Enough disclaimers. Let's get a feel for what this autoload feature can do. To access it we first have to create the FILER.INI file. We'll start with a simple test case using one of the DOS applications built into the HP 200LX.
ICN200LX.EXE, an icon viewer and editor, is found in the D:\BIN directory. It is a program that lets you view, edit, or create icons to be used in Application Manager. You can start the program from Filer by highlighting ICN200LX.EXE and pressing (ENTER). You get a screen that looks like this:
From here you can load existing icons, and create and save new ones.
The autoload feature is built into the 200LX. It is activated by instructions in the FILER.INI file. To set the Icon program up to auto-load .ICN files from Filer, we have to create a FILER.INI file that contains the appropriate instructions.
Start MEMO and type in the following two lines:
[Launcher]
ICN=D:\BIN\ICN200LX.EXE %
The first line, [Launcher], must be included, it must be spelled as shown and be enclosed in square brackets. Upper or lower case letters may be used.
The second line tells the 200LX which data files will be associated with which application. The autoload feature reads the line and knows that whenever a file with a .ICN extension is highlighted in Filer and ENTER is pressed, the autoload feature will start the ICN200LX program and load the highlighted .ICN file into it.
The ICN above refers to the three-letter file extension for icon data files. The equal sign tells the feature to "associate files with this extension to the following." The path name and MS-DOS program name of the associated application follow. FILER.INI requires the complete path and filename of the associated file. It won't be able to find "ICN200LX", even if the PATH statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file contains "D:\BIN". You also have to include the .EXE or .COM extension in the name.
The last character on the line is a percent sign. It is the code that stands for the full name of the data file that will be loaded into the ICN200LX.EXE program. Be sure to put a space in front of the percent sign.
After you've entered these two lines in Memo, press (MENU) File Save and key in the name C:\_DAT\FILER.INI. (FILER.INI must be in the C:\_DAT directory.) Make sure that the ASCII check box in MEMO has a check mark in it.
TEST AUTOLOAD FEATURE
Switch back to Filer, press (F5) (Goto), key in D:\BIN and press (ENTER). In the D:\BIN directory you'll find several icon files that end with the extension .ICN. Highlight one of the filenames and press (ENTER). Almost immediately the ICN200LX.EXE program will start, displaying the icon file you highlighted. Press Quit to quit ICN200LX- EXE, highlight another ICN file and press (ENTER) to view that icon. You're up and running!
What happened?
The HP 100 and 200LX are set up to run program files from Filer. For example, you highlight a file with a .EXE, .COM, or .BAT extension and press (ENTER) and the program runs. Ordinarily, if you were to highlight a data file like one of the .ICN files and press (ENTER) you'd get the error message:
"Cannot run file: file extension must be .BAT, .COM or .EXE."
With FILER.INI in the loop, the error message is by-passed, the associated .COM or .EXE file is run instead, and the highlighted data file is loaded into the .COM or .EXE application.
Limitations to using FILER.INI and workarounds
There are two limitations to the use of this built-in autoload feature. The first is that it doesn't work as is with the built-in applications. That is, you can't create an entry in the FILER.INI file to launch a built-in application by highlighting its data file. We'll talk about that later and suggest a workaround.
The second limitation is related to DOS batch files. The 200LX lets you highlight a .BAT, .COM, or .EXE file and press (ENTER) to launch it. However, you sometimes need to load a .BAT file into a text editor to view or modify it. You cannot use the FILER.INI approach described above to load DOS Batch files into a text editor to edit them. If you try the above approach with batch files, you'll lock up your 200LX.
Workaround: Using FILER.INI to view, edit, or launch batch files
It would be nice to be able to highlight a batch file and have the options to either view it, edit it, or launch it. You can view a batch file from FILER by highlighting it and pressing (F8) (View). You can run it by pressing (ENTER). There is no easy edit option.
Fortunately, there is at least one way to get around the FILER.INI
batch file limitation and create such a system. To understand this workaround,
lets first look at a way to use FILER.INI to quickly go to the DOS prompt.
Save the modified FILER.INI file and return to Filer.
Running batch files from FILER.INI
The fact that you can launch a copy of COMMAND.COM using FILER .INI makes it possible to run a batch file from FILER.INI. The general form of the line added to FILER.INI in this workaround looks like this.
EXT=D:\DOS\COMMAND.COM /C C:\assoc.bat %
EXT stands for the file extension you wish to associate with COMMAND.COM (i.e., the extension of the file you wish to highlight and press (ENTER) in order to run the batch file).
assoc.bat stands for the batch file you wish to associate with a the given "EXT" extension.
As an example, try the following.
REM Test.bat
echo Hello, I'm the %0 program
echo The "data file" I'm associated with is %1
echo.
type %0
pause
Save the FILER.INI file.
The "data file" I'm associated with is C:\sample.tst
@echo off
echo Hello, I'm the %0 program
echo The "data file" I'm associated with is %1
echo.
type %0
pause
Press any key to continue . . .
What happened was this: FILER.INI detected the "TST" extension and responded by running COMMAND .COM which, in turn, ran TEST.BAT. It's possible to run a batch file from FILER.INI using this method.
Viewing, editing, or running batch files: you choose
Remember our goal: To create a system whereby we can view, run, or edit a highlighted batch file. Let's see if we can get FILER.INI to let us highlight a batch file, press (ENTER) and be asked whether we want to Run it, View it, or Edit it.
One way to do this uses ECHONL.COM , a program discussed in Vol.3, No.4, Pg.53 of The HP Palmtop Paper. That issue gives detailed instructions on how to create ECHONL.COM using Memo and the built-in Debug feature of the HP Palmtops. The batch file that follows uses an ECHONL command.
CREATE VIEW/EDIT/RUN BATCH FILE
First we'll create a batch file to give us the Run/View/Edit option. In Memo, key in the following batch file. Don't type the "//" delimiters or the comments to the right of them.
@echo off
if exist $.* del $.* // Delete the
// intermediate files
if not "%2"=="" goto %2 // If the second
// parameter is not
// blank go to the
// the appropriate
// label below.
set Fn=%1 // Set environment
// variable
echo Options for %Fn% // Put the prompt
// on the screen
echo R)un, V)iew, E)dit?
Echonl %0 %Fn% > $ // Put CHOICE and
// Filename in the
// $ file
copy $+con $.bat > nul // Append input to
// $ and create
// $.BAT
$ // Run $.BAT file
:V // View commands
VU %Fn%
goto end
:E // Edit commands
ted3 %Fn%
goto end
:R // Run command
%Fn% %0
:End
[When you run this batch file, you be asked to press Run, View, or Edit. Be sure to press (F6) and (ENTER) after making your selection.]
The VU command in the VU %FN% line refers two VU.COM , a file viewer on the last two Subscriber PowerDisks. You can substitute another file viewer or just use the command TYPE %Fn% | d:\dos\more in place of VU %Fn%.
The ted3 command in ted3 %Fn% refers to TED3.COM , a text editor. You can substitute another text editor such as VDE.EXE or Qedit.EXE .
Save the above batch file as C:\CHOICE.BAT .
MODIFY FILER.INI
Use MEMO to add the following line to FILER.INI:
bat=d:\dos\command.com /c c:\choice.bat %
Save the FILER.INI file and return to Filer. Point at TEST.BAT and press (ENTER). You'll see the message,
Choices for C:\test.bat
R)un, V)iew, E)dit?
Press V (F6) (ENTER) to view contents of TEST.BAT.
Press E (F6) (ENTER) to open TEST.BAT in the text editor you set up in
CHOICE.BAT.
Press R (F6) (ENTER) to run TEST.BAT. You should see a message something like this:
Options for C:\test.bat
R)un, V)iew, E)dit?r^Z
Hello, I'm the C:\test.bat program
The "data file" I'm associated with is c:\choice.bat
@echo off
echo Hello, I'm the %0 program
echo The "data file" I'm associated with is %1
echo.
type %0
pause
Press any key to continue . . .
List/extract/view an archive file
This example shows you how to use FILER.INI to set up a system that will let you highlight an archived file, press (ENTER) and be given the options to list the files in the archive, extract one or several files from the archive, or view the contents of one of the files in the archive.
The example below assumes that you are looking at an archive file created by LHA.EXE . LHA is a file compression program that lets you bundle a group of files together in a compressed file that ends with the extension .LZH.
Suppose you have a group of documentation files that take up a lot of space on a disk and are referred to only on rare occasions. To conserve space, use LHA to archive them into a single compressed file called ALLDOCS.LZH.
You'd like to be able to access the documentation files without having to uncompress them all. You might want to get a listing of the files in ALLDOCS.LZH. You might want to view the contents of one of the files without extracting it. You might want to extract one or several documentation files from the archive. Below is LZH_OPT.BAT, a batch file that will give you these options.
@echo off
REM LZH_OPT.BAT
if exist $.* del $.*
if not "%2"=="" goto %2
set Fn=%1
echo Options for %fn%
echo L)ist, V)iew, E)xtract ?
echonl %0 %fn% > $
copy $+con $.bat
$
:L
LHA L %fn% | more
echo.
pause
goto end
:V
lha p %Fn% %3
goto end
:: if you have VU.COM or another file
:: viewer substitute the following
:: 4 lines in place of the last two
:: lha e %Fn% %3
:: vu %3
:: del %3
:: goto end
:E
lha x %Fn% %3
:end
Add the following line to FILER.INI.
lzh=d:\dos\command.com /c c:\lzh-opt.bat %
The next time you point at an LZH compressed file and press (ENTER), you'll see a prompt that asks you to press List, View, or Extract, followed by (F6) and (ENTER). You can use List first to see what files are in the LZH file. To view a particular file in the archive, type V, followed by the file name, followed by (F6) (ENTER). To edit a particular file, type E, filename, (F6) (ENTER).
You'll have to wait a couple of seconds before the LHA program starts to work. (You'll wait forever if you forget to press (CTRL)-(Z) or (F6) and then (ENTER)).
Compiled batch files: another workaround
The second way to get around the "no batch file" limitation of FILER.INI is to convert the batch file into a .COM or .EXE file with a batch file compiler. There are several such batch-file-compilers on the shareware market. BATLITE.LZH is an example of one such program. BATLITE .LZH contains the program used to compile the batch file and a documentation file describing how to use it. Once you've converted a batch file to a .COM file, you may use the .COM file in place of the "D:\DOS\ COMMAND.COM /C" ploy described earlier.
Using FILER.INI with the built-in applications
The autoload/FILER.INI feature was designed to handle DOS programs on the HP 200LX. By itself, it does not work with the built-in, System Manager compliant programs such as Memo, Phone, Appointment Book, 1-2-3, etc. However, with a little help from a couple of useful add-in programs, FILER.INI's usefulness can be extended to System Manager applications as well.
KEYSTUFF AND FILER.INI
The first of these add-ins is KS.COM, a small program that "stuffs" a character or series of characters into the keyboard buffer, causing the Palmtop to execute them. Functionally, this program lets you enter predetermined strings of characters or commands into the Palmtop, just like a macro.
We needed to modify the original keystuff program to make it work with FILER.INI. The modified version, KSX.COM along with the original KS.COM are found in KS.ZIP , on this issue's HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK and on CompuServe. The file also includes a description of how to use keystuff. For example, when KSX.COM is available, you can put the following command in the FILER.INI file:
gdb=c:\ksx.com @c@$@9%/
This command lets you highlight a .GDB database file and press (ENTER) to start the built-in Database application and automatically load the database file. Similar commands may be created for files that have the extensions, .NDB, .EQN (for HP Calc/Solver), and even .WK1. We've included examples of several such commands in the KS.ZIP mentioned above.
If you don't have The Palmtop Paper On Disk, there's another way to get FILER.INI to work with System Manager programs. This solution involves a program called Pushkeys, built into the HP 100/200LX. PUSHKEYS.COM is a built-in program that stuffs keystrokes and commands into the keyboard buffer, causing them to be automatically executed in much the same way as a macro. Pushkeys is a Terminate and Stay Resident program that uses .MAC macro files created by the built-in macro application for its input.
The solution involves several steps. We'll walk through them and leave
it up to you to decide if all the additional keystrokes are worth the extra
effort.
Start Filer and point at any file that has an extension of .GDB and press (ENTER). The database application will start, the Open File screen will be displayed and the highlight bar will be resting in the File selection portion of the screen. Select the .GDB database file to load and press (ENTER).
This approach has a limitation: It only takes you to the Database File selection screen. You have to select the .GDB file from there. This is because Pushkeys doesn't recognize "%" as a valid command line parameter, nor does it have any meaning in a System Macro.
Pushing FILER.INI to the limit
If you're interested in extending further the capabilities of FILER.INI, check out another add-in program called PNS200 (Point-N-Shoot).
The PNS200.EXE (and its data file) will let you create menus similar to the menus we created above for .BAT and .LZH files. The advantage of using PSN200 is that you don't have to create separate batch files for each application. PNS200 will also run KS.COM so that you can start System Manager applications and automatically load the data file pointed at. The disadvantage is that the coding in the PNS200.INI file is very cryptic and will require some experimentation to gain mastery of the program.
Why keep this neat stuff secret?
As was mentioned in the beginning of this article, FILER.INI is a "undocumented" bonus program in the HP 200LX. Such undocumented features are not unusual in HP products and one can only speculate as to why they are left on the Palmtop. Perhaps these programs were developed for HP "in-house" use. HP may have felt that the programs were of some use to the general population, but limited in their appeal or required a little too much technical savvy to use. They may have left them on the Palmtop for the more adventurous and self-sufficient users to play with. They may have decided not to mention or document them so they wouldn't confuse the majority of users or spend a lot of money technically supporting little-used applications.
It's fortunate for us that they left FILER.INI on the HP 200LX and PUSHKEYS.COM on both the 100 and 200LX. They are very useful programs that let us, with a little bit of work, expand the capabilities of HP's fine Palmtop PCs. It's fun to discover that you've got some pretty good prizes in HP's "Cracker-Jack" computer.