IBM's PC DOS 7 is the latest release of the industry standard for DOS and Windows users. PC DOS is "classic" 16-bit DOS, considered by many to be the best DOS in the industry for Intel and compatible personal computers. PC DOS 7 has many new features, and significant enhancements in usability and performance. This article gives details about all of the major new features and enhancements in PC DOS 7. PC DOS 7 establishes IBM as the leader in providing new DOS technology to the computer industry. PC DOS 7 is the most full-featured DOS in the marketplace, and its APIs are 100% MS-DOS and Windows compatible, making PC DOS 7 the best choice for all DOS and DOS/Windows users. With this new release, users can get up to 40 KB of additional free memory, Stacker 4.0 compression, file synchronization, REXX programming, docking support, on-line help, enhanced PCMCIA support, and much more. PC DOS 7 also includes significant enhancements to PC DOS's already superior line of utilities. In addition, PC DOS 7 is available in 18 languages. Memory DOS users want to maximize available conventional memory. Running a DOS application while ensuring that enough memory is still available for other programs can be challenging as well as frustrating. PC DOS 7 addresses this challenge by employing a variety of memory reduction techniques. PC DOS 7 requires less conventional memory than DOS 6.x for comparable function, freeing more memory for user applications. The extra conventional memory available to PC DOS 7 applications typically ranges from 5 KB to 40 KB. These PC DOS 7 components have been optimized to use less memory: COMMAND.COM DOSKEY.COM MOUSE.COM MSCDEX.EXE RAMBOOST.EXE SMARTDRV.EXE ANSI.SYS DISPLAY.SYS HIMEM.SYS RAMDRIVE.SYS The following switches or techniques can be implemented for better memory savings: o MOVEXBDAHIGH loads the XBDA (eXtended BIOS Data Area) into upper memory, if available. o FASTA20 increases the A20 handling speed and improves performance. o DOSDATA=UMB loads the system tables (FILES, FCBS, BUFFERS, LASTDRIVE, STACKS) into upper memory if available (DOS=UMB must be in effect, and an upper memory manager must be installed). o DOSDATA=NOUMB loads the system tables into conventional memory (this is the default). o IBMBIO code has been moved to the High Memory Area (HMA). PC DOS 7 dynamically allocates IBMBIO data as needed. o Compression can now be loaded into protected mode using DPMS. This frees up approximately 20 KB of conventional memory. PC DOS 7's memory manager is EMM386 (not to be confused with the RAMBoost optimizer). With EMM386, users no longer have to choose between EMS and XMS when starting their systems. EMM386 makes use of available UMB (Upper Memory Block) RAM. Its search algorithm finds more free space in the High Memory Area (HMA), as well as in unallocated areas of memory. EMM386 can also allocate expanded and extended memory from shared pools. PC DOS 7 has an integrated memory optimizer, RAMBoost, that automatically and dynamically keeps your system's memory optimized. RAMBoost attempts to find the best arrangement for device drivers and for terminate and stay resident (TSR) programs within UMB. Because it frees up conventional memory (under 640 KB), you can now run DOS programs that may have previously experienced memory shortage problems. RAMBoost works much like other optimizers. First, it scans your configuration files and determines which TSRs and device drivers are being loaded. Next, it probes memory and orders the TSRs and device drivers in what it determines is the optimal way. Finally, it saves the optimized configuration and restarts your PC. RAMBoost goes one step further: it provides "dynamic optimization", an intelligent learning and tracking feature that watches over your system configuration. If you have modified your configuration (such as by adding programs) and the configuration watcher detects a change in any of the tracked files, RAMBoost asks you if you would like to re-optimize. If you respond with YES, RAMBoost goes into LEARN mode and optimizes your system. Otherwise, you can select NO and optimize at a later time. Alternately, you can set RAMBoost to AUTOMODE. In this mode, RAMBoost does not ask the user whether to re-optimize. Instead, RAMBoost automatically re-optimizes whenever the configuration watcher detects changes. This technique requires no user intervention. In comparison, MS-DOS's MemMaker does not implement dynamic memory optimization. Instead, MemMaker uses the static approach, and you are responsible for knowing when to run MemMaker. When installing RAMBoost, PC DOS now prompts you if it finds an EMM386 statement in your CONFIG.SYS. You then have the choice of either letting RAMBoost create a new EMM386 statement or using the existing EMM386 statement. (In DOS 6.x, if an EMM386 line was found, it was used as-is, but if it was not configured correctly or optimally, the user would not realize the best possible memory savings.) Although it is usually preferable to permit RAMBoost to create a new EMM386 statement, PC DOS 7 offers a choice to accommodate the user who has previously set up the EMM386 statement in a particular way and wants to continue using that statement. Another feature in RAMBoost is its multi-configuration awareness. RAMBoost searches the CONFIG.SYS file to determine whether PC DOS 7's multi-configuration support has been implemented. If found, PC DOS 7 optimizes and tracks each environment separately, giving you dynamically optimized memory utilization in multi-configuration environments. MS-DOS's MemMaker is not multi- configuration aware. Additional UMB Device-Driver support for devices found in 8088 and 80286 computers. Users who have video cards or EMS boards can realize as much as 60 KB of additional free memory. By adding these drivers, PC DOS 7 supports users who have EGA, VGA, or EMS cards. With PC DOS 7, the extra memory found in these cards won't be wasted. Advanced Upper Memory Usage Editor. If you are an experienced user, PC DOS 7 comes with an easy-to-use graphical editor that allows you to directly manipulate the High Memory Area (HMA). Compression PC DOS 7 includes Stacker for Windows and DOS. This award- winning data compression standard safely increases your disk capacity. Upgrading from prior compression technologies such as MS-DOS DoubleSpace/DriveSpace, PC DOS SuperStor/DS, or earlier versions of Stacker is fast and easy. Even with its many features, Stacker is designed to use less conventional memory then other compression programs. Stacker's patented LZS compression and the new Stacker SmartPack, both of which are in PC DOS 7, combine to give you a better compression ratio and more disk space than any other data compression product. Whereas other compression schemes have, at best, an average 1.7-to-1 compression ratio, Stacker transforms a typical 100 MB disk into 250 MB, or 2.5-to-1. Stacker is the first real-time software compression technology that breaks through the 2-to-1 compression barrier, more than doubling your hard disk's capacity. PC DOS 7's new compression features give you: o Easy access to your Stacker- compressed drives, from either a DOS or Windows Toolbox. You can easily see how much free space is available, how fragmented the drives are, when the data was last backed up, which compression settings are being used, the current compression ratio, and disk usage information. o The ability to read and write data on compressed disks on another computer, anywhere -- even if that computer does not have Stacker compression installed. Stacker Anywhere, Stacker's transportable floppy technology (called Universal Data Exchange in PC DOS 6.3), makes using compressed diskettes practical in all environments. In contrast, with MS-DOS's compression scheme, you cannot read from or write to compressed diskettes unless both computers are running the same compression scheme, i.e., DriveSpace or DoubleSpace. o Easy conversion from DriveSpace, DoubleSpace, SuperStor/DS, or other Stacker drives to the new Stacker 4.0 compression algorithm. The resulting conversion yields more space and reliability. o More free memory then other compression schemes, by loading the compression driver into protected mode using DPMS support. The compression driver uses only 17 KB of memory in the address space below 1 MB. o Fine-tuning options to control the balance between how tightly and how quickly you want data compressed. The Stacker Tuner controls the balance between how fast Stacker works (MaxSpeed) and how tightly it compresses data (MaxSpace). Stacker Setup automatically sets the Tuner to maximum speed. You can fine-tune your compression settings with the three Toolbox settings, or by editing the STACKER.INI file. o Protection for your data. Every time you start your system, PC DOS 7 runs AutoProtect to ensure that your data is in good condition. o Reminders, by flashing an icon or sounding an audio tone, when maintenance tasks need to be performed. You can customize PC DOS 7's compression to let you know when the disk is getting full, it is time to back up files, or it is time to optimize the disk drive. o The ability to check the integrity of your Stacker drive and to fix any errors, by using the Check tool option, which examines your data and drive integrity. Checking drive integrity includes: - Checking file structures - Repairing any errors found - Checking the disk media (scan). o An estimate, based on the kind of data on your hard disk, of how much your data will compress. (Compression ratios vary depending on the type of data.) No longer do you have to guess which ratio to enter -- PC DOS 7 automatically adjusts its compression based on the data in the system, always giving you the most possible space. o Password protection for your compressed drives. By assigning passwords to your compressed drives, you can ensure that only your users you specify have access to information on these drives. PC DOS 7 supports read/write or read-only passwords. Backup PC DOS 7 includes a full-featured DOS and Windows version of Central Point's PC Tools backup utility program. Both user interfaces are easy and intuitive, using a tree-view display of your file system for easy point-and-click operations. However, if you do not want to use the DOS or Windows interface, PC DOS 7 lets you run backup from the command line. This full-featured backup utility comes with features not found in other DOS products. These features include file viewers (for both DOS and Windows files) that let you view the contents of files prior to backing them up. The backup program also includes a very easy-to-use scheduler program that you can use to back up your hard disks during a time when the computer is otherwise idle. With today's hard disks exceeding 300 MB, a full backup solution must include the ability to back up to tape. PC DOS 7 supports tape backup to many tape formats, including QIC 40/80 and SCSI. You can also specify to have your data compressed during backup to tape. PC DOS 7 supports a wide array of backup media, including: o Tape o Optical o Hard disk o Diskette o High-speed diskette o Removable disk drive AntiVirus Protection of PC and LAN environments must be a key component of every business recovery process. Understanding the importance of safeguarding your business is easy, but protecting against the threat of computer viruses can be difficult. Viruses are a leading cause of business disruptions, and inadequate protection against them can bring your business to a standstill. Consider: o Three new viruses are created each day. o Viruses are rarely isolated to a single PC as they spread via networks and diskette distribution. o Instances of businesses infecting one another are on the rise. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus is an integral part of any recovery strategy, providing the most technologically advanced virus database and tracking service available today. Developed by IBM research scientists, PC DOS 7's AntiVirus benefits from years of experience in dealing with virus incidents around the world. The result is a highly reliable product that has been certified by the National Computer Security Association. With PC DOS 7, you gain access to highly advanced virus detection technologies, dedicated technical support, and the security of knowing that your business continues to be protected even as new viruses are discovered. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus is "install-and -forget" protection for your computer. As soon as it is installed, AntiVirus begins protecting your system from being penetrated by viruses. Thereafter, it remains active all the time, preventing common viruses from becoming active in your system and spreading. In addition, AntiVirus scanning can be run automatically at prescheduled times to check all of your hard disks for viruses. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus does not damage the programs that it is disinfecting. It disinfects programs only when it knows exactly what the virus is and how to disinfect it. If AntiVirus does not recognize the virus, it notifies you of its suspicion. One of the most important things an AntiVirus program can do is provide the smallest possible memory footprint. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus uses as little as 6 KB of conventional memory. This means you can run your programs while PC DOS's AntiVirus is present, rather than having to unload drivers and/or applications. In addition, keeping the memory footprint small encourages more users to take advantage of AntiVirus protection. AntiVirus provides: o A full-screen DOS and Windows interface. o Instant and automatic virus protection against over 2,100 known viruses as well as unknown viruses. o Automatic checking for "boot sector" viruses on diskettes. o Detection and disinfection of viruses with the touch of a button. o Detection technology virtually eliminates false positives, and all virus incidents are logged for tracking and control. Major AntiVirus features include: o Integrity checking, which tries to detect unknown viruses. It tries to find out when things have changed in the system, and if the changes were done by a virus rather than something legitimate. It informs you only if things change in a way such that a virus is suspected. Integrity checking drastically reduces the number of false alerts that you get, and leads you to have more trust in your virus program when it actually does issue an alarm. o Signature scanning, a technology for finding known viruses. It looks for a particular sequence of bytes, or more complicated things, that exist in a known virus. If a certain sequence of bytes occurs both in a virus and in a file or a boot sector on a computer, it indicates that a virus is on the computer. o Fuzzy logic detection, a technology that IBM developed to complement signature scanning. Many viruses are variants of older viruses, where only a few bytes in a sequence are modified in order to circumvent antivirus programs' signature strings. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus program uses a fuzzy scanning technique that is smart enough to determine when these changes have occurred, and is less prone to allow a virus to go by undetected. o TSR protection. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus protection comes in the form of a TSR program. This is very important, because an effective protection scheme requires an active sentry at all times to warn you when a virus is present, or when one has been introduced to your system. o Safe running of infected programs. Another valuable feature in PC DOS 7's AntiVirus program is its ability to safely run infected programs as though they were not infected. The ability to run critical applications that have been infected by a virus -- without any fear of spreading the infection or doing damage -- is indispensable. o Minimal RAM requirements. It is important for antivirus software to have as small a memory profile as possible. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus memory footprint is very small in comparison to other antivirus programs. When loaded into expanded memory, PC DOS 7's AntiVirus program takes up as little as 1 KB; when loaded into conventional memory, the AntiVirus program takes up to 6 KB. By keeping the memory footprint small, PC DOS 7 allows you to keep the AntiVirus program running at all times, ensuring maximum protection while not using memory that can be better utilized by other programs. In contrast, MS-DOS's memory footprint can take as much as 44 KB. o Network drives. Antivirus program users usually have to scan network drives with one program and local drives with another. PC DOS 7's AntiVirus program scans all drives at once, no matter how they are configured. As long as DOS recognizes a drive, PC DOS 7's AntiVirus program will protect it. o Customized alert messages. PC DOS 7's users can personalize alert messages to say anything they want. The system administrator can customize alert messages to give specific phone numbers and directions to follow when a virus is encountered. For example, a message might say: "Warning: Contact Virus Specialist Elaine Smith at extension 675". o Virus service plan. PC DOS 7's virus update plan is a flexible service plan that includes quarterly updates and a toll-free electronic bulletin board that provides up-to-date information and protection against the latest viruses. If you happen to get a virus that has not been seen before, you can contact IBM AntiVirus Services. This service gives you information for detecting and eliminating the virus as quickly as possible. Help System The PC DOS help system is an online publication viewer. It lets you search, view, and print information in online books created by the OS/2 IPF Compiler. With PC DOS 7, you can now easily access information online and fast. This versatile viewer includes features like hypertext links, extended print, and search capabilities. It uses a subset of the IPF standard format, and can read other books that use this format (.INF extension). Included in PC DOS 7 are three on-line books: o PC DOS Command Reference (CMDREF.INF) o REXX Information (DOSREXX.INF) o PC DOS Error Messages (DOSERROR.INF) To create an .INF document viewable by the DOS Viewer, you need to use the OS/2 Toolkit, which contains the OS/2 IPF Compiler. IBM's Information Presentation Facility Guide and Reference, order number S10G-6262, gives detailed information for using and creating IPF-based books. Note that PC DOS handles only a subset of the IPF tags documented for OS/2. Even though PC DOS can view OS/2 .INF files, it cannot display OS/2 books that use tags not supported by the DOS Viewer. The subset of supported IPF tags is documented in the PC DOS 7 Red Book. The OS/2 Toolkit is included in The Developer Connection to OS/2, which is a subscription service available by calling 1-800-6-DEVCON. Features in the PC DOS online help facility are: o Multipane viewer, which lets you view the table of contents along with the item. o Hyperlinks, highlighted words or phrases that link you to related subjects and topics. o Services, which let you search by keyword, print one or more sections, or copy information to an ASCII file. o Options, which let you change the way information is displayed on your screen by selecting from: Expand one level, Expand branch, Expand all, Collapse branch, Collapse all, Contents, and Index. Docking Support Mobile users who have Plug and Play (PnP)-enabled hardware can take advantage of "cold", "warm", and "hot" docking support. Indeed, PC DOS 7's docking support could eliminate the need to reboot your docking station whenever you dock your mobile PC. Whether you need to reboot will depend on what is connected to your docking station. Cold docking means that, when a mobile PC is docked, it must be re-booted in order to recognize any of its associated peripherals. Cold docking support in PC DOS was enhanced with the multi-configuration support implemented in DOS 6.x. In warm docking, a mobile PC is in a suspended state when a docking event occurs. In this situation, many if not all of the associated peripherals are recognized and activated. In hot docking, a mobile PC is fully active when docked, and many if not all peripherals are recognized and activated. In PC DOS 7, docking support has been extended to both warm and hot docking. Accompanying this new docking support is the ability to configure a mobile PC to execute a predefined command, batch file, or program when either docking or undocking takes place. This new function, called DOSDOCK, executes at the DOS command line. It loads and remains resident, waiting for the docking or undocking event. When the event occurs, DOSDOCK examines the environment for the docking or undocking parameters, and (depending on the Plug and Play interrupt received) tells DOS to execute the docking or undocking command. A message informs you that the docking or undocking support is executing. DOSDOCK greatly enhances usability, and makes docking and undocking a PC simple and painless. Docking support cannot be activated while running Windows. However, PC DOS 7 notifies you, in a pop-up Windows message, that you must shut down Windows to allow the DOSDOCK operation to commence. A new command, DYNALOAD, enables you to dynamically load certain device drivers from the C: prompt without requiring you to modify your CONFIG.SYS and restart your computer. DYNALOAD does not run under Windows, in a VDM, or while a task swapper is active. The PC DOS 7 Command Reference lists the drivers shipped with DOS that are supported by DYNALOAD. However, users may find that many additional device drivers are DYNALOADable. Because there are no standards for loading DOS device drivers after CONFIG.SYS is processed, the rule of thumb is: Attempt to load the device driver. If any errors occur, or the driver does not behave properly, do not use DYNALOAD with that device driver. Drivers that DYNALOAD definitely cannot load include those that require DOS system initialization, execution via CONFIG.SYS, and Block Device Drivers. (IBM has tested only the drivers listed in the PC DOS 7 Command Reference.) File Synchronization PC DOS 7's File Update keeps your work current wherever your work resides. This new full-screen utility automatically updates files between two personal computers, enabling you to easily synchronize files between your mobile and desktop computers. You don't have to remember which files you have changed -- just let PC DOS's File Update synchronize the files! The PC DOS File Update utility provides filters for ignoring non-data files and for synchronizing files between two computers. To use File Update, you need to establish a connection between two computers, via parallel or serial port, LAN connection, or even sneakernet (on diskette) File Update's full-screen and command-line interface works with any connection that shows a drive letter. PC DOS 7 comes with a utility, INTERLNK, that lets you establish a connection between two PCs using a parallel or serial cable. Using INTERLNK: (1) Connect two systems via either a serial or parallel cable (the parallel transfer rate is much higher than serial). (2) On both PCs, include in CONFIG.SYS the line: DEVICE=C:\DOS\INTERLNK.EXE (3) Reboot both PCs to activate the INTERLNK driver. (4) Establish one PC as the server, and at that computer's keyboard, type INTERSVR (5) Establish the other PC as the client, and at that computer's keyboard, type INTERLNK After you do the steps above, the server displays a screen that shows the remapped drive letters. Now you are able to access the server's drives from the client. Now you can work transparently at your client computer, accessing the server drives as though they were on the client. The server cannot otherwise be used during the INTERLNK connection. Editor The E Editor was designed by IBM Research to be a full-function editor, giving you all the basic editing functions. Its power and flexibility enable you to perform many functions found only in high-end word processors. New pull-down menus and mouse support make the E Editor easy to use. You can edit multiple files, view them simultaneously, cut and paste between them, set margins/tab stops, reflow paragraphs, search and replace, and undo previous actions. The E Editor has an autosave feature that helps to ensure that you don't lose any of the data you have created. Several new features in the E Editor include: o Full menu and mouse support. You can easily navigate with a mouse or use pull-down menus to run E Editor commands. o Browse mode, which lets you view files without editing. o Deletion recovery, which lets you undo the previously deleted text. o 132-column support, which allows for more than 80 columns on the screen. o Expanded search support, which searches multiple files, places its findings in a separate file, and allows you to toggle back and forth between the searched files and findings. o REXX and C auto-syntax support, is automatically provided when you use a language-specific keyword, followed by the space bar. For example, suppose you edit a REXX language file, and you use the language keyword IF, followed by the space bar key. When you press the space bar, auto-syntax takes place -- the E Editor automatically puts the associated THEN and ELSE keywords in the file for you. This helps eliminate syntax errors. o ACALC, a function that supports integer and floating-point arithmetic as well as a rich set of logical operands. ACALC can also be run from the DOS command prompt. o Switch capability, offering improved switching among files. o Customizable E.INI, which enables you to customize your E Editor functions. o Online help, providing information about function keys and commands. o Macros, that automate various editor functions like: lets you do freehand drawing with the arrow keys lets you mark a block of data and sort it lets you do column addition lets you draw boxes of arbitrary size Undelete PC DOS 7's undelete feature is a full-function, full-screen undelete program that allows you to re-access files that have been inadvertently deleted. Both DOS and Windows interfaces are provided. PC DOS 7's undelete supports three levels of protection. The lowest level is Standard, which gives you the ability to recover files that have not been overwritten. The middle level of protection is Tracker. With this level of protection, DOS leaves the files on the hard disk, but marks the file's clusters as available. DOS then records the file's cluster address. As long as the clusters have not been overwritten, the chance of recovery is excellent. The highest level of protection is Sentry. Files protected by Sentry are saved to a hidden directory, and can be retrieved by Sentry in perfect condition. If Sentry detects your that hard disk is running out of space, it automatically removes the oldest files that have been stored in the hidden directory, freeing up space for newer ones. You can customize this feature. With PC DOS 7's file viewers, you can examine the contents of files prior to undeleting them. Files are shown in their native format, when it can be determined; otherwise, they are shown in either text or binary format. Windows file viewers are available when using the Windows Undelete interface. Scheduler PC DOS 7 includes a full-functioning program scheduler that allows you to run any program or DOS command automatically. It's great to have tools such as BACKUP, DEFRAG, and AntiVirus, but it's not so great to have to bide time waiting for them to finish running. With PC DOS 7's program scheduler, you can schedule all these utility programs, as well as any other DOS programs or commands, to run at a certain time. PC DOS 7's scheduler comes with a very easy-to-use calendar interface. REXX REXX has been added to PC DOS 7 as the programming language of choice. REXX for PC DOS includes utilities and REXX commands for designing powerful REXX programs that can also run on other operating systems like OS/2 Warp. PC DOS 7 REXX is a superset of the standard REXX programming language. PC DOS 7 adds new REXX functions to classic REXX . These functions are: o Standard and advanced function, .BAT file commands, and arithmetic operations. o A REXX-aware kernel. The kernel checks the syntax in the first two bytes of a .BAT file. If it finds a REXX comment, it launches the REXX interpreter and executes the program. If it does not recognize the .BAT file as a REXX program, the kernel processes it as a batch file. o Portability. REXX is portable to other operating systems, such as OS/2 Warp, AIX, and VM. APM Support To help minimize the power usage of mobile systems, PC DOS 7 supports the latest standard of Advanced Power Management (APM) 1.1. PC DOS 7 continues to support systems that contain an APM 1.0 BIOS, and supports the two-phase broadcast protocol for standby/suspend requests. PCMCIA PC cards of all types are expanding the definition of mobile computing. Storage cards enable users to take their information with them wherever they go, and to transfer files as though they are carrying a floppy diskette. Fax/modem cards and LAN cards make communications to and from portable systems easier than ever. PC DOS 7 comes with PhoenixCARD Manager Plus (PCM+), which enables personal computers to use a wide range of PC cards that conform to the standards of the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). PCM+ is a set of drivers, utilities, and applications designed to provide maximum function for PCMCIA PC cards. In the past, installing or configuring a PCMCIA card was often messy and frustrating. Each time you removed or inserted a PCMCIA card, you had to use a series of commands to alert the computer, and then the system had to be manually reconfigured to accept the new card. Despite all this, most times the computer still could not recognize the new card. With PC DOS 7, all this has changed. Instead of a book full of new commands filled with arcane utility switch options, PC DOS 7 gives you simple menu selections through either a DOS or Windows interface. Most cards -- whether they are flash memory, SRAM, network, fax/modem, or IDE hard drives (ATA) -- are configured automatically by PC DOS 7. On the rare occasions when you need to set up or reconfigure a card, PC DOS 7 has an easy-to-use setup and configuration program. Do you need to swap out a card in the middle of a program? Go ahead! PC DOS 7 can set up and reconfigure on the fly, so there is no need to back out of an application and begin again each time you want to use a new card. Many new features have been added to PC DOS 7's PCMCIA support. First and foremost is the easy-to-use installation program and user interface. A second major feature added is the ability to recognize DOS 6.x's multiple boot configurations. PCMCIA's installation program is now fully aware of multi-config, and makes sure that the installation is being performed with the desired boot configuration. Each PCMCIA component recognizes this support and uses this information accordingly. Program Association is a new feature you will find in PC DOS 7's PCMCIA support. This feature gives you the ability to associate PC cards with any program. So anytime you insert a card that has been associated the system will run the associated program. For example: if you have associated a FAX program with a given FAX card; every time you insert the card into the PCMCIA slot PC DOS 7 will recognize the card, using its hot-plugabiilty feature, then it will recognize that the card has an association to a program on your system. PC DOS 7 will then run the FAX program. This functionality gives you quick and easy access to your FAX system or any other PC card you have. New features in PC DOS 7's PCMCIA support include: o A setup program that enables the novice user to quickly and easily install PCMCIA support, while also providing a full range of customization features for the sophisticated user o Support for Microsoft's Flash File System II (FFSII) o Easy-to-use information/ configuration utilities for managing PC cards in both DOS and Windows versions o Hot insertion and removal of PC cards without the need to reboot o Support for power management o Support for the largest number of PCMCIA cards: Flash Memory, SRAM Memory, Network/LAN, fax/modem, ATA, hard disks, SCSI, and other I/O cards o Card and Socket Services 2.1 compliance o Centralized initialization file (.INI) support for all components o Support for DOS 6.x multiple configuration o FDISK utility that supports multiple partitions o Super Client Driver that supports definable card lists for minimal memory requirements o Enhanced resource detection in the Resource utility o Improved error reporting mechanism Here are details about some of these features. Socket Services is the API for all card support. Socket Services is a DOS-loadable driver that can be loaded in the CONFIG.SYS file or run as a TSR from DOS. Socket Services works with any OEM 2.0-level socket services in any OEM or IBM system. It also works with existing PC (short for PCMCIA) cards that meet the 2.1 specification. Socket Services complies with the PCMCIA Card Services 2.1 interface specification as defined by the PCMCIA Board. Additionally, PC DOS 7 includes the socket services required to support the following PCMCIA controllers: Cirrus Logic CL-PD6710 / CL-PC6720 Databook 86082 / 86082A IBM Stinger Intel 82365SL (A-B step, and final) Ricoh RF5C266/RF5C366 Card Services is operating-system code that provides a standard application programming interface (API) for clients. PC DOS 7 incorporates PCMCIA Card Services at the 2.1 level. The Super Client Driver is a collection of client drivers that perform PC card configuration. After configuration, the PC card operates exactly as though it was a permanent component when the system was started. PC DOS 7's Super Client Driver consists of a set of client drivers that is determined at link time. Each individual client driver can either be linked separately or with a group of other client drivers. The Super Client Driver does not support every PC card in the industry. If the Super Client Driver does not support a PC card, then a client driver will have to be provided by a third-party supplier. PC DOS 7's information utility program provides the status of each PC card that has been installed into the PC card socket. After the information utility is run, the status of each socket is displayed, advising the user whether a socket is empty, or whether the socket is in the process of configuring a card. If a card has been installed, the information utility displays the name and information about the PC card. In the case of a non-configurable card, a message is displayed informing the user of that status. This utility has DOS and Windows interfaces. The SRAM format utility program is a format utility program for SRAM PC cards being accessed as either drive A or drive B. This utility is necessary because a DOS format program limits the capacities available for drives A and B. SRAM cards can also be made bootable by using this utility program. A driver is provided in PC DOS 7 for FAT diskette emulation. When this driver loads, it performs diskette drive emulation on the specified socket, and then registers it with Card Services as a memory client. Pen Support With its PenDOS support, PC DOS 7 gives PC hardware manufacturers the ability to include Pen enablement for no additional cost -- it's part of the PC DOS operating system! PC DOS 7's PenDOS supports existing, unmodified, mouse-aware DOS applications, as well as pen-aware applications. The Pen extensions offered in PC DOS 7 are mouse emulation, gesture recognition, numeric recognition, writing window, and a pop-up soft keyboard. Mouse emulation enables any current existing DOS mouse-aware application to function with a pen, just as it would with a mouse. Gesture recognition brings common editing gestures to your current DOS applications (if those applications support the gestures "undo", "cut", "paste", and so on). For example, if you are using a word-processing program for DOS that is mouse-aware, you can use the pen to pull down menus, select items or highlight text, and then make an X gesture to delete the highlighted text. With both mouse emulation and gesture recognition, PC DOS 7 makes current DOS applications function easier and more intuitively. Numeric recognition enables pen-aware applications or standard DOS applications to accept numeric hand-written text. With a pen-aware application, numbers can be hand-written directly into fields and recognized. If using standard DOS applications, a writing window must be displayed. Once it is displayed, numbers can then be hand-written, recognized, and sent to the DOS application. Another PenDOS extension in PC DOS 7 is the pop-up soft keyboard. This feature displays a keyboard on the screen, which can be used to send keystrokes to any DOS application. The only Pen extension not shipped in PC DOS 7 is alphanumeric handwriting recognition. This extension is available in the PenDOS operating system. A coupon in the PC DOS 7 User Guide enables PC DOS 7 users to upgrade to the full-featured PenDOS operating system for $39.95 (a $40.00 savings). Additional items PC DOS 7 continues to feature several items originally included in PC DOS 6.3 these items include: Clean Boot, PC DOS 7 has an option at bootup called clean boot. When you see the DOS startup screen and press F5, your system bypasses CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, sending you directly to the C:> prompt. Interactive boot lets you step through your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. In the DOS startup screen, when you press F8, the system steps through both files line-by-line, prompting you to enter Y or N after each line. Multi-Confiuration support, lets you set up multiple configurations within a single computer. This is done within your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT by placing groups of statements into configuration blocks. When the computer is booted, PC DOS displays a customized menu, indicating the different available configurations, and asks you to choose the configuration you want to run. This feature provides flexibility when managing multiple configurations, especially in office environments where one computer might perform various functions. SmartDRV disk cache, that increases performance of hard disk and CD-ROM drives. Two major improvements in SmartDRV are: o The addition of lazy writing, also called delayed writing, which stores information to be written to your hard disk, and writes it to the disk later, when the system is less busy. This results in significant performance improvements for write operations. o SmartDRV is now an executable (*.EXE), allowing you to change, enable, or disable caching on the fly. Defragmentation reorganizes files on your hard disk so that each file is intact rather than fragmented. Defragmentation minimizes the time it takes your computer to access and retrieve data. PC DOS 7's defragger uses extended memory to defragment even large hard disks safely and efficiently. Interactive batch processing brings the step-through feature found in interactive boot to batch files. Its functions are similar to interactive boot, except that you do not have to reboot your system in order to step through a batch file. Instead, simply type: command /y /c filename.bat This feature is very handy for debugging a batch file that is failing. When you execute a batch file in interactive mode the system will step through each batch command individually. Prompting you, yes or no, to execute that command. With this feature the user will be able to observe where the batch file fails. Interactive batch processing is not only for debugging batch files. You can use this feature to step through a batch file and omit certain commands. Deltree command lets you delete a whole sub-tree or a hierarchical directory structure of files at once. If you want to delete a directory, you no longer need to delete all the files and subdirectories first. Instead, you can specify DELTREE followed by the name of the directory you want to remove. PC DOS 7 then deletes all subdirectories and files below and including the level of the directory you specified. Move command gives you the ability to move a file or group of files from one directory to another, or to move a whole directory hierarchy from one directory to another directory. The files in the original directory are placed in the new location, then deleted from the original location. PC DOS 7 has a "smart" installation, which recognizes the multi-configuration support delivered in PC DOS 6.1 and MS-DOS 6.0/6.2. Until now, when upgrading or changing to DOS 6.x, the installation process did not recognize multi-configuration support, and installation files would be randomly placed within the CONFIG.SYS. In PC DOS 7, installation is now aware of multi- configuration support, and files are added to the CONFIG.SYS correctly. Additional installation enhancements are: o An option enables viewing or changing any modifications made to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Once the installation is complete, the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are displayed in the E Editor. At this point, you can edit either file. o The DOSKEY command-line statement is now automatically added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT. o Mouse navigation is supported. o Comment lines are added to CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to show you what has been added or changed. Materials The following materials are available: o PC / MS DOS Feature Comparison Chart. To obtain, call 1-800-IBM-4FAX, and specify document number 1530. o PC DOS 7 Specification sheet. To obtain, call 1-800-IBM-4FAX and specify document number 2435, or order IBM publication number G221-4320-00 o PC DOS 7 What's New sheet. To obtain, call 1-800-IBM-4FAX and specify document number 1532. o PC DOS 7 Technical Update Video Tape. To obtain, call 1-800-456-1426. o PC DOS 7 Audio Cassette. To obtain, call 1-507-498-3279 or send a fax to 1-507-498-3554. o PC DOS 7 features diskette demonstration (3 1/2 media). To obtain, call 1-407-443-9810. 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