This topic contains general information on TCC initialization. For information on specific directives see the separate topic for each type of directive:

 

Onestep        Key Mapping Directives

Onestep        Advanced Directives

 

These topics list the directives, with a short description of each, and a cross reference which selects a full description of that directive. A few of the directives are simple enough that the short description is sufficient, but in most cases you should check for any additional information in the cross reference topic if you are not already familiar with the directive.

 

Syntax for Directives

 

Most lines in the .INI file consist of a one-word directive, an equal sign =, and a value. For example, in the following line, the word History is the directive and 2048 is the value:

 

History = 2048

 

Any spaces before or after the equal sign are ignored.

 

Regardless of how long a string value is, for example the list for the ColorDir directive, you must enter it all on one line. Strings cannot be continued to a second line.

 

Each line must be within the command line length limit.

 

The format of the value part of a directive line depends on the individual directive. It may be a numeric value, a single character, a choice (like Yes or No), a color setting, a key name, a path, a filename, or a text string. The value begins with the first non-blank character after the equal sign and ends at the end of the line or the beginning of a comment.

 

Blank lines are ignored in the .INI file and can be used to separate groups of directives.

 

You can place comments in the file by beginning a line with a semicolon ;. You can also place comments at the end of any line except one containing a text string value. To do so, enter at least one space or tab after the value, a semicolon, and your comment, like this:

 

History = 2048                ;set history list size

 

If you try to place a comment at the end of a string value, the comment will become part of the string and will probably cause an error.

 

If you use the configuration dialogs to modify the .INI file, comments on lines modified from within the dialogs will not be preserved when the new lines are saved. To be sure .INI file comments are preserved, put them on separate lines in the file.

 

When Take Command or TCC detects an error while processing the .INI file, it displays an error message and prompts you before processing the remainder of the file. This allows you to note any errors before the startup process continues. The directive in error will retain its previous or default value.

 

If you need to test different values for an .INI directive without repeatedly editing the .INI file, use the OPTION command or see the INIQuery directive.

 

The SETDOS command can override several of the .INI file directives. For example, the cursor shape used by TCC can be adjusted either with the CursorIns and CursorOver directives or the SETDOS /S command. The correspondence between a SETDOS option and a .INI directive is noted under  both the individual help topic for that directive and under that option in the SETDOS help topic.

 

A TCC shell started from another TCC shell (a "secondary shell") automatically inherits the configuration settings currently in effect in the previous shell. If values have been changed by SETDOS or OPTION since the primary shell started, the current values will be passed to the secondary shell. If the previous shell's .INI file had a [Secondary] section, it will then be read and processed. If not, the previous shell's settings will remain in effect.

 

If you want to force secondary shells to start with a specific value for a particular directive, regardless of any changes made in a previous shell, repeat the directive in the [Secondary] section of the .INI file.

 

Types of Directives

 

There are various types of directives in the .INI file. The type of a directive is shown under the individual help topic for that directive. The types are distinguished by the kind of data, if any,  that must be entered after the = (equal sign):

 

Onestep        Name = nnnn (1234):  This directive takes a numeric value which replaces the "nnnn."  The default value is shown in parentheses or listed below the directive's description.

 

Onestep        Name = c (X):  This directive accepts a single character as its value. The default character is shown in parentheses. You must type in the actual character; you cannot use a key name.

 

Onestep        Name = CHOICE1 | Choice2 | ... :  This directive must be set to one of the vertical bar separated values listed between the braces. The default value is shown in all upper case letters in the directive description, but in your file any one of the choices can be entered, using any case. (Do not enter the vertical bar.) For example, if the choices were shown as YES | no then YES is the default.

 

Onestep        Name = Color:  This directive takes a color specification. See Colors and Color Names for the format of color names.

 

Onestep        Name = Key :  This directive takes a key specification. See Keys and Keynames for the format of key names.

 

Onestep        Name = Path :  This directive takes a path specification, without a filename. The value should include both a drive and path (e.g., C:\TCMD\) to avoid any possible ambiguities. A trailing backslash \ at the end of the path name is accepted but not required. Any default path is described in the text.

 

Onestep        Name = File :  This directive takes a filename. We recommend that you use a full filename including the drive letter and path to avoid any possible ambiguities. Any default filename is described in the text.

 

Onestep        Name = String :  This directive takes a string in the format shown. The text describes the default value and any additional requirements for formatting the string correctly. No comments are allowed.

 

Evaluation of Directives

 

The directives are evaluated sequentially from top to bottom within each section processed. When a directive is processed more than once during startup, it replaces any previous value(s).

 

Most key mapping and advanced directives are cumulative and may appear several times when several concurrent values are desired, such as when assigning several different keystrokes to the same function.