Modding my Compaq Contura 486/25

[n3chu]

Hi all, Hope this is the correct place to ask this question. I use this computer to program one Mot. radio and others and it works well. the operating system is Dos 6.22 and I use a Dosshell for a menu. it boots to the menu fine and am able to pick my program from there. Problem is : when I get out of the program it goes to a black screen and says "push any key to return to MS-Dos Shell".. is there somthing simple that I could put on a floppy and dump into the computer that would let me go from the program directly back to the Dos shell menu avoiding the black screen? any help would be greatly appreciated .thank you. Davie n-3-c-h-u at atlanticbb dot net P.S. I'm not a computer whiz but have fun trying.

[Will]

Davie,

Try to see if there is a command in the DOS Shell that returns to the shell. IIR, there is something in there.
Write a simple BAT file to run your RSS and have it return to DOS Shell as the last line.
Maybe someone remembers better than me....

cd\mrss\maxtrac
cls
maxtrac
cls
cd\
dosshell

[n3chu]

thank you Will for your reply but thats what I dont know how to do?

[Bill_G]

Google "batch files". You'll learn how to write simple scripts that are run from the command line.

[n3chu]

sorry, guess I'm not that good at Dos but thank you for helping

[Bill_G]

It's not that difficult. Batch files a simple text files that are lists of commands. They are actually kind of fun. Google batch files. You'll find many examples of how to get started, and then write one like Will suggested. It should work fine if Maxtrac is in the directory c:\mrss\maxtrac.

cd mrss\maxtrac
cls
maxtrac
cls
cd\
dosshell

Here's how Will's batch file reads -
change directory to mrss\maxtrac
clear the screen
run the executable maxtrac
(after maxtrac exits) clear the screen
change directory back to the root directory
run the executable dosshell

You could write that text file and save it as max.bat. Then from the command prompt, type max, and the max.bat batch file will run.

[maxkelley_kc2spy]

And Davie, as far as how to put this batch file on the computer, type in "EDIT" at the command line, and that will bring up a text editor. Then, type in the lines:

Code: Select all

cd mrss\maxtrac
cls
maxtrac
cls
cd \
dosshell

Then, save as max.bat, Bill_G mentioned. It's not too bad at all, when you have a text editor of course (that's the EDIT command)

[n3chu]

problem is the computer dosent have any maxtrac stuff on it, mostly Kenwood? I got as far as "EDIT" I'm not really dumb I have just done things my way and thats not always the best way.

[Bill_G]

okay. what's the name of the program you want to run, and what directory is it in?

[n3chu]

sorry for delay, got the "Edit" thing and name of program is "tk-190" and software is "KPG59D"

[Bill_G]

Okay. When you are using dosshell to run your program, what directory do you go to, and what is the name of the program you run? Your answer seems to indicate you go to the directory KPG59D to run tk-190.exe, but that's not entirely clear since you said software.

[n3chu]

Bill_G, the Kenwoods name for the software is "KPG59D" and the radio that I use it on is a Kenwood TK-190. is that OK?

[n3chu]

actually I start with scrolling down the directory tree to "KPG59D" then with the Right arrow move over to"C:\KPG59D\*.*(at the right top of the page) and scroll down to "KPG59D.exe" I hope that clears it up a bit. I can hex edit software but am having a problem doing stuff like this LOL

[Bill_G]

There you go. That's what we needed. The program is kpg59d.exe, it's on the c drive (c:), and it's in the directory kpg59d (c:\kpg59d). So, start EDIT, type these few lines in, and save it as tk190.bat in the root directory (c:\).

cd\
cd kpg59d
kpg59d
cd\
cls

To run tk190.bat, just type tk190 at the command line, or select it from dosshell.

[n3chu]

and when I want to get out of the kpg59d will it automatically go back to my Dosshell menu? as thats the only problem i have, it dosent go back to the menu, it wants me to push any key to do that. getting ready to go to church, be nice if you had Echolink.

[n3chu]

I typed exactly what you showed me on the blue EDIT screen and it didnt work. I have seen this stuff done on my computer buy another guy but his fingers moved so fast I couldn't have duplicated it. guess the black screen will do for now Thank you Bill for your help and patients.

[Bill_G]

It would be interesting to know how and why it didn't work. But, I was glad to give it a try. Batch files are not difficult, and in fact back in the dos days, that's how you got things done.