[Coco] The Beta Test release of MShell

Mon May 12 16:43:25 EDT 2014

Ok, I've been promising this for a while and I know some of you didn't think it actually worked..... so here it is.

I am releasing a "beta test" version of the current build of MShell for OS9. Right now, it's basically just a big "File Browser".... but on steroids :-)
The GUI consists of two panels, each listing 2 columns of a directory. Each panel is independent of the other and either panel can/should be able to browse ANY OS9 file system as well as RSDOS formatted disks and RSDOS partitions on HD/VHD. This includes HD, Floppy, CF, SD, VHD, DSK and even the CocoFDC (and your CDs, DVDs, and probably your BVDs). It will even "copy" files from RSDOS to OS9. Other features coming soon, including a Wi-Fi link to the "Mars Surface Rover"  :-)
MShell is completely mouse or keyboard controlled with multi-level pull-down menus and dialogs. All directories can be scrolled via arrow keys or "onscreen" arrows. The "active" panel can be switched just by clicking the panel you want. There are "file context" menus when you click on a file, and "directory context" menus when you click on a directory
Directories can be opened by clicking them twice and selecting "Open". Using this feature,you can browse you complete file system.

The GUI is clean and uncluttered, using a special 8x7 font to give 28 rows of text. There is a status bar for Drive/File info, a Directory bar for each panel showing the current drive/dir. Mshell automatically polls the system and enumerates all your drives, so switching drives is point and click. MShell uses virtual memory for the directory arrays so even HUGE directories will scroll quickly as the disk only need be read once until changed. It will use up to 2-meg of memory for data buffers if you have it. There is very little "manual input" needed for this system.. Sometimes you can just think of something and MShell will do it for you :-)

MShell will run on standard OS9 L2 (I think), patched OS9 L2, NitrOS9 L2 (any form). 
MShell features my unique "internet update" routine which allows you to update MShell from my internet update site.... FROM YOUR COCO! (DW4 enabled only)

MShell does have some special requirements....

Coco 3 (or Vcc or Mess [Coco3])
512k - 2 meg of memory (512k min)
OS9 or NitrOS9 with:
CoWin (windint) or CoGrf (grfint)
Pipe, Piper, & Pipeman (absolute requirement)
To use DW4 features you will need:
scdwv driver & the "/Nx" descriptors (optional)
Preferably a an HD/VHD based system as a disk based system may work, but ultimately, it's an HD based system as MShell accesses the drives constantly and requires a lot of temp space.
Your default drive must have "/DD/CMDS" & /DD/SYS" as (for now) this is hardcoded into the software. I hope to make this user configurable soon.

Optional requirements are:
Joystick/Mouse
Tandy Hi-Res interface
DriveWire4
Internet connection (for DW4 server host)
RGB type monitor
Actual human user

Last and most important, a working knowledge of OS9 and how to run OS9 software. I will not be giving OS9 lessons with this demo :-)

Anyone interested in trying this software, just follow the link below and please.......
READ THE INCLUDED TEXT FILE!

And remember... this beta test is for the purpose of making sure it runs on all OS9 systems. This is just the file browser that everything else will be based around, so I want it rock solid before I start writing modules around it. At the link below you will find the project goals and the MShell blog which explains a lot more than I can here as well as the MShell download link.

I haven't built a lot of error trapping into MShell yet, so there is a chance you may be able to do something MShell doesn't understand. If you find anything strange going on, let me know and I'll see if I can fix the problem. That's why I'm releasing it at this stage... to find and squash the bugs before they crawl into the baseboards and start eating away at any future modules.

Here is the link:

https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/mshell---the-ultimate-os-9-gui

All good feedback appreciated, all negative feedback ignored :-)
Please, let me know how it runs and if there's any problems.
This is how I spent my winter... And how I'll spend my summer (on new modules)
Also, I would like to thank Robert Gault for allowing me to use his "HRSDOS" DECB to OS9 transfer program sources to be able to include RSDOS file browsing from OS9. It helps make it all worthwhile
Oh.... and PC file browsing via DW4 coming soon.. just want to make this stable first :-)

Keep those cards and letters comin'..... but most of all... THROW MONEY!
Actually, MShell is and always will be free. I do not like to charge money for something I love to do, I just charge more money for doing things I hate to do to make up the difference :-)

Bill Pierce
"Today is a good day... I woke up" - Ritchie Havens

My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/
Co-Webmaster of The TRS-80 Color Computer Archive
http://www.colorcomputerarchive.com/
Co-Contributor, Co-Editor for CocoPedia
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E-Mail: ooogalapasooo at aol.com