Cannot apply Start In folder for Tcmd

[larryalk]

Hello. I am using Take Command.pdf and trying to set up a command line for my Tcmd startup icon that contains a pointer to the Tcmd.ini.

My intention is then to place a line loading my alias file and some color directives in Tcmd.ini.

The command line in the icon properties is:
"C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD12\" "@c::\Program Files\JPSort\\tcmd12\tcmd.ini"


I don't know what the @c is all about. Please explain what it is.
I've tried with and without the @ with no result.

For some reason my attempt to apply the settings results in the error:
The folder
"c:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD12" "c:\Program Files\
specified in the Start In box is not valid. Make sure the folder exists
and that the path is correct.


Larry

 

[David Marcus]

Load your aliases and set your colors in TCSTART.btm. In Take Command, do Options > Configure TCC... > Startup > TCSTART/TCEXIT Path to specify where TCSTART.btm is.

Did you change the shortcut? You seem to be missing the exe filename.

The @ is explained under "Take Command Startup Options" in the Help. It indicates that what follows is the ini file.

 

[larryalk]

Load your aliases and set your colors in TCSTART.btm. In Take Command, do Options > Configure TCC... > Startup > TCSTART/TCEXIT Path to specify where TCSTART.btm is.

Did you change the shortcut? You seem to be missing the exe filename.
yes see below.

The @ is explained under "Take Command Startup Options" in the Help. It indicates that what follows is the ini file.

David I have set the TCSTART/TCEXIT path to
"c:\program files\jpsoft\tcmd12"
and created a new file for shortcuts and colors in the same directory
named tcstart.btm

I'm still having problems configuring the tcmd shortcut.
In at: "C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD12\tcmd.exe"
In in: "c:\Program Files\JPSort\tcmd12\tcmd.ini"

My understanding is I don't need the @ sign if the ini file name is tcmd.ini.

When I click Apply or OK it still gives me an error message.

I've been working all afternoon on this and am still confused (and frustrated).

Larry

 

[David Marcus]

I'm still having problems configuring the tcmd shortcut.
In at: "C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD12\tcmd.exe"
In in: "c:\Program Files\JPSort\tcmd12\tcmd.ini"

Is there a reason you moved the tcmd.ini file? Why not just let Take Command put it where it wants? The shortcut I use to start Take Command has

"C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD12\tcmd.exe"

as the target (including the quotes). Note there are no options after the filename.

Are you trying to set the "Start in" value in the shortcut? That has nothing to do with where the tcmd.ini file is located. I have mine set to

C:\

 

[larryalk]

Is there a reason you moved the tcmd.ini file? Why not just let Take Command put it where it wants? The shortcut I use to start Take Command has

"C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD12\tcmd.exe"

as the target (including the quotes). Note there are no options after the filename.

Are you trying to set the "Start in" value in the shortcut? That has nothing to do with where the tcmd.ini file is located. I have mine set to

C:\

Here is my tcmd.ini file which I have moved to c:\
alias pf="c:\program files"
alias ho="c:\documents and settings\lba"
alias r=cd \

al*ias=if[%# eq 0, *alias | *list /s,*alias %$]


There don't seem to be any rem or comment statements.

Is the above workable?

Larry

 

[Charles Dye]

Here is my tcmd.ini file which I have moved to c:\
alias pf="c:\program files"
alias ho="c:\documents and settings\lba"
alias r=cd \

al*ias=if[%# eq 0, *alias | *list /s,*alias %$]


There don't seem to be any rem or comment statements.

Is the above workable?

Larry

That looks like a batch file (TCSTART.BTM?), not an .INI file.

 

[larryalk]

That looks like a batch file (TCSTART.BTM?), not an .INI file.

Charles, I'm not sure what to do here.
I _thought_ you told me to put the file where tcmd wants it,
in c:\

The file that is actually there now is tcmd.ini.

Larry

 

[Steve Fabian]

From: David Marcus
| Is there a reason you moved the tcmd.ini file?

I have several desktop and Quick Launch shortcuts, each designed to perform a specific task, using TCC. Most use very simple .INI files - ones which are nearly empty - for faster operation. My systems have all versions of 4NT / TCC installed, starting with version 5. These use much more elaborate .INI files, containing information shared using the INCLUDE directive. I could not accomplish all this by using default locations for the .INI files.
--
Steve

 

[vefatica]

On Thu, 26 May 2011 20:49:31 -0400, larryalk <> wrote:

|Charles, I'm not sure what to do here.
|I _thought_ you told me to put the file where tcmd wants it,
|in c:\
|
|The file that is actually there now is tcmd.ini.

I think Charles meant that you shouldn't **put** it anywhere. Rather let TCMD
put it where it in the default place (and read it from there without your having
to specify its location anywhere). So ... start TCMD without any @inifile spec
and in a TCC tab give the command "ECHO %_ininame". That should tell you the
TCMD.INI file in use and if you want to edit it by hand you'll know where to
find it.

 

[David Marcus]

Here is my tcmd.ini file which I have moved to c:\
alias pf="c:\program files"
alias ho="c:\documents and settings\lba"
alias r=cd \

al*ias=if[%# eq 0, *alias | *list /s,*alias %$]


There don't seem to be any rem or comment statements.

Is the above workable?

No. That's not a tcmd.ini file. That's a tcstart.btm file. Rename it "tcstart.btm" and put it in the "TCSTART/TCEXIT Path" location you've set.

Why did you put it in C:\ ? Because I said that was my "Start in" directory? As I said, "That has nothing to do with where the tcmd.ini file is located."

You should not be touching the tcmd.ini file at all. The only file you should be doing anything to is tcstart.btm.

 

[Charles Dye]

Actually, I was pointing out that his ".INI file" appears to contain commands, not configuration directives....

This is a pretty confusing thread. Is the OP trying to change the startup directory, or edit his .INI file, or move his .INI file, or create a startup batch script, or what? I think we could all give better advice if we knew what the object of the game was.

Personally, I like to keep both the .INI file and TCSTART.BTM in the same directory with TCC.EXE. But that's just me; nothing sacred about it.

 

[David Marcus]

I have several desktop and Quick Launch shortcuts, each designed to perform a specific task, using TCC. Most use very simple .INI files - ones which are nearly empty - for faster operation. My systems have all versions of 4NT / TCC installed, starting with version 5. These use much more elaborate .INI files, containing information shared using the INCLUDE directive. I could not accomplish all this by using default locations for the .INI files.

But, you aren't the original poster. And, you aren't getting the ini files and tcstart.btm confused.

 

[David Marcus]

This is a pretty confusing thread. Is the OP trying to change the startup directory, or edit his .INI file, or move his .INI file, or create a startup batch script, or what? I think we could all give better advice if we knew what the object of the game was.

Note the OP wrote, "My intention is then to place a line loading my alias file and some color directives in Tcmd.ini." So, he is mixing up tcmd.ini and tcstart.btm. Once you realize that, you can sort out most of what he says.

Personally, I like to keep both the .INI file and TCSTART.BTM in the same directory with TCC.EXE. But that's just me; nothing sacred about it.

That's fine, but in the context of this discussion, I fear you will only confuse the OP by saying that.

 

[Charles Dye]

That's fine, but in the context of this discussion, I fear you will only confuse the OP by saying that.

Point taken.

 

[vefatica]

On Thu, 26 May 2011 22:03:20 -0400, Charles Dye <> wrote:

|Actually, I was pointing out that his ".INI file" appears to contain commands, not configuration directives....
|
|This is a pretty confusing thread. Is the OP trying to change the startup directory, or edit his .INI file, or move his .INI file, or create a startup batch script, or what? I think we could all give better advice if we knew what the object of the game was.
|
|Personally, I like to keep both the .INI file and TCSTART.BTM in the same directory with TCC.EXE. But that's just me; nothing sacred about it.

I think he wants to accomplish a number of things.

In short ...

You can control where TCMD starts with an entry in a shortcut's "Start in"
field.

Most folks need only one TCMD.INI file and the default location should suffice.
With only one, you'll never have to specify its location. In a TCC session,
"ECHO %_ININAME" will tell you where that file is. TCMD.INI is for
configuration directives (only). You don't **do** things (i.e., give commands)
in TCMD.INI, you merely design how it will operate. Nearly every configuration
directive can be set in one of the options dialog. Get to the TCMD options with
"Options(Menu)\Configure Take Command" and get to the TCC options either from
TCMD's "Options(menu)\Configure TCC" or by giving the command "OPTION" in TCC.

One option in TCC's options dialog is "TCSTART / TCEXIT Path". This specifies
where TCC will look for TCSTART.BTM and TCEXIT.BTM. It's in TCSTART.BTM that
you can **do** things (give commands, like ALIAS) that you want done when TCC
starts. If you want things done when TCC exits you can do them in TCEXIT.BTM.

 

[Charles Dye]

One option in TCC's options dialog is "TCSTART / TCEXIT Path". This specifies where TCC will look for TCSTART.BTM and TCEXIT.BTM. It's in TCSTART.BTM that you can **do** things (give commands, like ALIAS) that you want done when TCC starts. If you want things done when TCC exits you can do them in TCEXIT.BTM.

Well put. I would add that there's seldom any need to use the "TCSTART / TCEXIT Path" option either. Just leave it empty, and put those files in the default location (wherever TCC.EXE is) and give them the default names.