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QuickCMD

771 bytes added, 20:46, 5 April 2018
*'''A: or B:''';: By typing A: or B:, the user can select the corresponding drive (drive A or B). All forthcoming disc operations will be using the selected drive.
*'''ABOUT''';: This gives the credits of the program. It also reports memory usage (address and length) required for QuickCMD's execution.
*'''CAT''';: This command behaves exactly like the regular CAT command does under BASIC. Its aim is for compatibility purpose, other programs such as BonnyDOS rely on this to display hard-drive content. Hidden files from catalog are not displayed. This command is not recommended to browse a disc, prefer the DIR command instead.
*'''CATART''';: This command behaves exactly like the regular CAT command does under BASIC, excepted it also reset the screen to default's startup one (blue background with yellow letters, using graphical MODE 1). This allows to display "cat arts", which represent graphical screens displayed with CAT command. Once displayed, user can press a key to return back to default QuickCMD's screen setup. This command is internally called by DIR command when a "cat art" is automatically detected.
*'''CRTC''';: This command reports the CRTC type. CRTC is the graphical chip of the Amstrad CPC. The CRTC test is based on Madram's implementation. It may not be the best implementation out there, but does the work as expected. It's useful to know installed CRTC type when dealing with demos that are dedicated to a single CRTC type.
*'''DEL''';: This command delete a file on disc. Be aware, no confirmation is asked to the user;! *'''DELROM ''': This command is only compatible with RAMCARD and MEGAFLASH devices. It clears memory at specified ROM number.
*'''DIR ''': This command gives the list of files on disc. It shows files in the current user only. Available size in Kb is also reported. When this command requires multiple pages to display a long list of files, it will actually ask the user to press a key at each page-scroll. There is no filename sorting, files get displayed in order of apparition when parsing catalog information. The command supports Read-Only and Hidden files. It's interesting to mention that Hidden files are also treated and shown. If catalog appears to be a "cat art", then this command will be internally redirected to CATART command.
*'''DIRDEL ''': This command performs like the DIR command, excepted it lists deleted files. If a file has been recently deleted and that no write access on disc have been done, it's possible to retrieve original file content using the UNDEL command.
*'''DISCINFO''';: This gives information about disc format. It reports the name of the format, its capacity in Kb, the number of maximum files that can be managed, the single- or double-sided info, as also sectors and tracks identifiers. Many formats are supported, including those managed by PARADOS.
*'''HIDE ''': This command allows to hide a file from catalog. Of course, it will be still shown under QuickCMD (flagged as a Hidden file). When using CAT command, this file will be not reported (invisible) to the user. Files hidden can be shown back to catalog by using the SHOW command.
*'''REN ''': This command is used to rename a file. The first parameter is the new filename, the second parameter is the current filename to rename. Be aware;! REN command under BASIC use a reverse convention (old filename before new one). Such a reversion is used for DOS-like compatibility.
*'''RO READONLY ''': This command is used to set Read-Only attribute to a specified file. Files set as Read-Only can not be deleted till this attribute got removed.
*'''RW READWRITE ''': This command is used to set Read-Write attribute to a specified file (which is the default for a file). Files set as Read-Write can be deleted or overwritten.
*'''ROMS ''': This lists the installed ROMs on the system. On an unexpanded CPC, ROM 0 (BASIC) and ROM 7 (CPM ROM) are listed by default. This is useful to execute this command before putting a ROM on a rom box, to know which rom number should be used. The command shows, for each installed ROM, its internal name, its version and its type (foreground, background or extension).
*'''BASIC is still your friend ''': QuickCMD is not a replacement for BASIC. BASIC has important features that QuickCMD does not support, and vice versa. It has been made easy to the user to quickly switch from BASIC to QuickCMD (and from QuickCMD to BASIC) by using the CTRL+TAB keys. Since QuickCMD is a ROM, you can deal with large BASIC programs or data stored in BANKs without any kind of alteration.
*'''Recommended third-party ROMs '''to be used with QuickCMD;''': QuickCMD is very well integrated with Arnor's ROMs. If you need a sector editor, use UTOPIA's DEDIT command. Use UTOPIA's MEDIT command for a memory editor. Use PROTEXT to edit your source files. Use MAXAM to program your assembly source-codes. By using all these powerful tools conjointly, you will be get an efficient manner to be creative with your CPC. This is a completely safe workflow, there have been many tests during QuickCMD implementation to make sure memory was not overwritten regarding various usage of HIMEM.
*'''Rediscover your library ! '''!;: One of the obvious strength of QuickCMD is the ability to show Hidden files on disc, as also quickly get information about a file or disc format. From a developer point of view, it's fun to be curious about how "proper" is a program, cf. is it composed by one or two files or is it composed by multiple small hidden files;? etc. Those things generally does not appear when using regular CAT command.
== History ==
===v2.3===
*Added command history
*ROMS command : Fixed a crash when listing ROMs with corrupted names
*Another critical problem (involving stability) has been fixed with direct drive parsing
*Renamed RSX to |Q (for even faster switching between BASIC and QuickCMD)
===v2.2===
*Added support for Bryce's MegaFlash
*Renamed RO and RW commands to READONLY and READWRITE
*Removed CRTC command
*Reset screen to QuickCMD’s default if external RSX changed video mode
*DELROM now clears a rom with &FF value (was using &00)
*Fixed: was overwriting first byte after HIMEM
*Fixed: not assuming anymore than Amsdos area is always at &A700
===v2.1===
*Correctly handles missing disc in drive for all commands
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