DOS ain't dead

ron

Australia,
18.10.2013, 01:51
(edited by ron, 18.10.2013, 02:05)

@ david

links.exe

> I have yust uploaded links.exe compiled with obsolete Dellorie svgalib
> library.
> ftp.perotti.ic.cz/links
> You can test it.

I downloaded it. I tried to get it to run.

It failed to find a loaded packet driver when loaded as links -g,
and complained
1: could not find c:\vgalib.cfg
2: did not recognise my video card (Diamond stealth 2 MB boosted to VESA 2).

It also generated a large file GMON.OUT

wtf is GMON.OUT ?

But it DID run, and go on-line, when run as text only.

---
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iw2evk

Magenta (Italy),
18.10.2013, 08:22

@ ron

links.exe

Post reply

Hi,
i've tried the build form David with the same results of Ron..
Seem you have compiled a old version of 2.8 (in info window : links 2.8 -test)
the new and finally version is here :
http://links.twibright.com/download/links-2.8.tar.gz
for the svga lib may be best this:
ftp://ftp.delorie.com/pub/djgpp/current/v2tk/svgalibb.zip
and have you tried to use grx libraries ?
ftp://ftp.delorie.com/pub/djgpp/current/v2tk/grx247b.zip

Roberto

marcov 20.10.2013, 21:18 @ ron	links.exe Post reply
	> It also generated a large file GMON.OUT > > wtf is GMON.OUT ? Afaik gmon.out is profiling output. Probably the build was made with profiling turned on.

david 24.10.2013, 11:55 @ david	links.exe Post reply
	Hi, Roberto and others, http://perotti.ic.cz/links/ there are new files compiled with grx driver, batch file works for me, and DOS icon.. I can`t test it, because I don`t have network in plain DOS David

andrea936 24.10.2013, 23:22 @ david	links.exe Post reply
	thanks to David I'd test, it work fine ( the batch too) but I don't see relevable difference compared to previus release of links/elinks, It seems the problem remains about java script in dos. We hope in new developments! Regards andrea ( posted with links)

david 25.10.2013, 08:45 @ andrea936	links.exe Post reply
	> It seems the problem remains about java script in dos. > We hope in new developments! Andrea, I think that links generally doesn`t support javascr*! Because "-enable-javascr*" there is not this option in configure You have to ask author of browser. David

ron

Australia,
25.10.2013, 09:25

@ david

links.exe

Post reply

> I think that links generally doesn`t support javascr***!

In DOS, not a hope.

In Linux, javascr*** has been abandoned for quite a while because it had some problems.

However, I do have a Linux build of Links with SSL and a minimal javascr*** capability, which I have found to be quite useful.

See: http://www.ausreg.com/files/links2ssl - make it executable and it should run in most Linux setups.

---
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Tadpole Tunes http://www.tadpoletunes.com
Sna Keo Il http://www.tadpoletunes.com/sna_keo_il/

david 25.10.2013, 14:01 @ ron	links.exe Post reply
	> However, I do have a Linux build of Links with SSL and a minimal > javascr* capability, which I have found to be quite useful. > > See: http://www.ausreg.com/files/links2ssl - make it executable and it > should run in most Linux setups. Yes, it is works in text mode, but without javascr* https works well in DOS version too? No diference between links2ssl and links for DOSes

iw2evk

Magenta (Italy),
25.10.2013, 20:46

@ david

links.exe

Post reply

> > It seems the problem remains about java script in dos.
> > We hope in new developments!
>
> Andrea,
> I think that links generally doesn`t support javascr***!
> Because "-enable-javascr***" there is not this option in configure :-(
> You have to ask author of browser.
>
> David

Hi All,

try to add this patch to links 2.8 :

http://links.twibright.com/download/unofficial_patches/dummy-js.diff
Handler for few simple javascr*** functions.
By Jan Bobrowski <jb@mohan.krakow.pl>

and .. good luck!!!

Roberto iw2evk

ron

Australia,
25.10.2013, 00:42

@ david

links.exe

Post reply

> Roberto and others,
>
> http://perotti.ic.cz/links/
>
> there are new files compiled with grx driver, batch file works for me, and
> DOS icon..

I tested it in MSDOS 6.20.

Seems to work OK in text mode.

Could not get it to work in graphics mode.
It keeps demanding "grx" mode. WTF does that mean ?

So, as with the previous trial, it is now deleted. :(

---
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Sna Keo Il http://www.tadpoletunes.com/sna_keo_il/

Doug

25.10.2013, 08:28

@ ron

links.exe

Post reply

> Could not get it to work in graphics mode.

Graphics mode works for me with this build. You have to use the "-mode" command the first time (and then maybe need to save Settings within the program?). For example:

links -mode 800x600x16m

Otherwise, it complains about not having a default mode. After you have a LINKS.CFG file, you only need to specify "-g":

links -g

Command-line help is also available:

links -?

Anyway, i do have a question. I want to use Links as a local .HTM-file viewer from my TUI shell, but it doesn't seem to want to use standard DOS file specification.

For example, Links produces an error message and does not load the file when i use something like the following:

links d:\somedir\afile.htm

But if the current directory is the one containing the .HTM file, then it works ok (LINKS.EXE directory is in the PATH):

links afile.htm

So, is there any way to get Links to read a local .HTM file that is specified with a path using standard DOS command-line nomenclature? Thanks.

- Doug B.

david

25.10.2013, 08:42

@ Doug

links.exe

Post reply

> Anyway, i do have a question. I want to use Links as a local .HTM-file
> viewer from my TUI shell, but it doesn't seem to want to use standard DOS
> file specification.
>
> For example, Links produces an error message and does not load the file
> when i use something like the following:
>
> links d:\somedir\afile.htm
>
> But if the current directory is the one containing the .HTM file, then it
> works ok (LINKS.EXE directory is in the PATH):
>
> links afile.htm
>

try file://c:/somedir/afile.htm ... or c:/somedir/afile.htm ... or etc...
"\" slash is MS-DOS, There are GNU/Linux :-)

ron

Australia,
25.10.2013, 09:06
(edited by ron, 25.10.2013, 22:16)

@ Doug

links.exe

Post reply

> Could not get it to work in graphics mode.

OK, I got it to work in graphics mode - I am writing this with it !

> Anyway, i do have a question. I want to use Links as a local .HTM-file
> viewer from my TUI shell, but it doesn't seem to want to use standard DOS
> file specification.

It works just fine for me.

> For example, Links produces an error message and does not load the file
> when i use something like the following:
>
> links d:\somedir\afile.htm

Ah ! I can't explain why that doesn't work for you, because it works for me.

> So, is there any way to get Links to read a local .HTM file that is
> specified with a path using standard DOS command-line nomenclature?

Yes.

Press "g" to get the goto (URL) line.
Then type in: d:\somedir\subdir\filename.htm <enter>

and it will be displayed.

You can also get Links to navigate by typing in: e:\ <enter>
or: . <enter> for current directory.

---
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ron

Australia,
25.10.2013, 22:26

@ ron

links.exe

Post reply

FWIW: This is the .bat file I use to run Links in MSDOS 6.20:

c:
call ram3.bat ;; creates a RAM disk as \temp
cd\linksnew
set RANDFILE=noise586.exe
set TTY_SCREEN_INTFACE=direct
rtspkt 0x60 -m auto ;; load packet driver

links.exe -g -mode 800x600x64k e:/arac190/hotlist.htm
;; boots Links to display Arachne bookmark file

rtspkt -u ;; unload packet driver
set RANDFILE=
set TTY_SCREEN_INTFACE=
call unram.bat ;; delete RAM disk \temp
menu ;; return to main menu

---
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Sna Keo Il http://www.tadpoletunes.com/sna_keo_il/

iw2evk

Magenta (Italy),
26.10.2013, 13:42

@ ron

links.exe

Post reply

Hi all,
i've tested the Dave's build and this version work fine ,also on graphic mode!!!
Some notes for Dave : from program info seem you have older libraries
jpg,png and tiff: update from
ftp.delorie.com/pub/djgpp/current/v2tk

If you have used for compile the script mk-dos , try to change gcc command -march=386 to pentium and -o (see documentation in djgpp faq).
This for optimize with pentium processor ( i suppose the most parts of dos
users have a pentium ;).

For Dave and Ron : i've see in glinks.bat a" set randfile" command referred to noise586 random noise generator , but links 2.8 work without noise586.
So i don't understand this call : i've access to https page without noise586 with Official dos build of links and with Dave's build.

Thanks

Roberto iw2evk

ron

Australia,
27.10.2013, 01:11

@ iw2evk

links.exe

Post reply

> For Dave and Ron : i've see in glinks.bat a" set randfile" command referred
> to noise586 random noise generator , but links 2.8 work without noise586.
> So i don't understand this call : i've access to https page without
> noise586 with Official dos build of links and with Dave's build.

I find that using a randfile avoids the occasional failure to access SSL sites - usually early in the browser's run.

I could have used links itself, but that takes several operations before it has generated useable random numbers.

I use noise586 because I have it already running, and other browsers are also using it.

---
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Tadpole Tunes http://www.tadpoletunes.com
Sna Keo Il http://www.tadpoletunes.com/sna_keo_il/

Doug

28.10.2013, 23:45

@ ron

links.exe

Post reply

> try file://c:/somedir/afile.htm

Thanks for the suggestion, but i was already familiar with Win/DOS URI syntax for local files:

file:///d|/somedir/afile.htm
file:///d:/somedir/afile.htm

What i'm trying to do is use Links as an external viewer from my TUI shell, and that only supplies standard DOS syntax (for example: d:\path\filename.ext) when it passes command-line parameters to an external.

> or c:/somedir/afile.htm

Ahhh, thanks for the "/" tip! It works... as long as the entire path from the root is specified, as in:

links d:/somedir/afile.htm

So that's a step closer than the URI syntax, but it still won't help relative paths like:

links d:afile.htm

Unfortunately (as above), my shell program uses only "\" characters when supplying path info, so i guess i'm SOL... unless i can find the "/" chars internally in LINK.EXE's path strings and hack them into "\" chars.

I guess i'll give it a try and report back. But it's a big .EXE file....

- Doug B.

ron

Australia,
30.10.2013, 01:49

@ Doug

links.exe

Post reply

> What i'm trying to do is use Links as an external viewer from my TUI shell,
> and that only supplies standard DOS syntax (for example:
> d:\path\filename.ext) when it passes command-line parameters to an
> external.

That should still work.

> Unfortunately (as above), my shell program uses only "\" characters when
> supplying path info, so i guess i'm SOL...

That should not be a problem. Links accepts \ or / , at least on my system.
And it accepts relative links between .htm files: I just tested it on my chemical
data package - once I got to the leading index it was all open to Links.

> unless i can find the "/" chars
> internally in LINK.EXE's path strings and hack them into "\" chars.

That should not be necessary.

Unless there is something about your "TUI" shell I don't know about. :(

---
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Doug

30.10.2013, 04:57

@ ron

links.exe

Post reply

Ron - Hey! Thanks for the encouragement... but "/" doesn't even work from the command line! So it's not just my shell program.

I'm using MS-DOS 7.1 (from Win98SE) and 4DOS 8.0. I'm testing with Links 2.8 -- both David's and iw2evk's versions behave the same. (And just of note: iw2evk's binary is about half the size of David's.)

Maybe you have some environment variable set or did something else to the system? A possibility: I have 3 partitions on my hd: FAT32 for Win98SE (primary), FAT16 for DOS, and FAT32 for data (i'm testing in real DOS). I did this so that each time i have to re-install Win (and it has to be done periodically!), i don't lose everything else. My LINKS.EXE is in D:\LINKS\ -- so i wonder if perhaps that's part of the problem... maybe Links doesn't understand multiple drives? Maybe has hard-coded paths? (I haven't looked at the source.) Maybe likes to be on C:?

Anyway, when i get a chance, i'm still gonna look into patching the slashes....

But now i'm curious: What is everybody else's experience when trying to load a local HTM file with Links using standard DOS syntax? Will it accept both forward and back slashes as path designators? Accept relative paths?

- Doug B.

ron

Australia,
30.10.2013, 06:57

@ Doug

links.exe

Post reply

Doug,

> Ron - Hey! Thanks for the encouragement... but "/" doesn't even work from
> the command line! So it's not just my shell program.

It does for me.

> I'm using MS-DOS 7.1 (from Win98SE) and 4DOS 8.0.

And I am using MSDOS 6.20 on a FAT16 partition, and without 4DOS.
I have no FAT32 partitions. I only have 4 FAT16 DOS partitions and 4 Ext2 Linux partitions.
When running DOS browsers, I also run a RAM disk containing /temp directory.

> I'm testing with Links 2.8 -- both David's and iw2evk's versions behave the same.

So am I, and both versions behave exactly the same.

> Maybe you have some environment variable set or did something else to the
> system?

Possibly, but none that I think could affect the way Links accepts a URL.

4DOS may even be involved here. I have found that use of 4DOS does affect some DOS software, including some of my own.
That is why I don't use 4DOS.

> My LINKS.EXE is in D:\LINKS\

And mine are scattered over c:\links28, c:\linksnew, and d:\test\links2, as well as e:\elinks.
All perform just fine on local drives.

> But now i'm curious: What is everybody else's experience when trying to
> load a local HTM file with Links using standard DOS syntax? Will it accept
> both forward and back slashes as path designators?

It does on my system.

> Accept relative paths?

It does on my system, but I do not use any kind of TUI, just the DOS CL.

---
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Tadpole Tunes http://www.tadpoletunes.com
Sna Keo Il http://www.tadpoletunes.com/sna_keo_il/

david 23.11.2013, 12:38 @ david	links.exe Post reply
	Hi, Especially for Roberto Perotti I have yust uploaded links.exe compiled with javascr*** support; ftp.perotti.ic.cz/links there is broken wrapper, so You can test it with JS switch ON/OFF http://www.webkit.org/perf/sunspider/sunspider.html I don`t know, if can JS works in plain DOSes

david 17.10.2013, 16:58	links.exe (Developers) Post reply
	Hi, Especially for Roberto Perotti I have yust uploaded links.exe compiled with obsolete Dellorie svgalib library. ftp.perotti.ic.cz/links You can test it. David

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