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Q28590: Microsoft Editor Fails to Find TOOLS.INI Using DOS Version 2.x

Article: Q28590
Product(s): See article
Version(s): 1.00
Operating System(s): MS-DOS
Keyword(s): ENDUSER | | mspl13_basic
Last Modified: 20-OCT-1988

Problem:

When running the M.EXE editor under DOS Versions 2.x, the editor does
not find the TOOLS.INI file. The error reported is "Unable to Read
TOOLS.INI[]".

The following demonstrates the problem:

1. Rename QUICK.INI to TOOLS.INI.
2. Set the environment variable INIT to the directory c:\mytools
   as follows:

   SET INIT=c:\mytools

3. Load the M.EXE editor. It will come up with default settings,
   instead of reading TOOLS.INI.

When running DOS Version 3.20 on an IBM PC AT, M.EXE correctly finds
the TOOLS.INI file.

Response:

M.EXE and MEP.EXE use their startup name to find the right section in
TOOLS.INI. For example, if you rename the editor to Z, it will look
for [z] instead of [m] in the editor's section in TOOLS.INI.

This process occurs in all cases except under DOS Versions 2.x. Under
any 2.x version of DOS, the name of your program is not available, and
instead, the compiler provides the arbitrary name "C".

To work around this limitation in DOS Versions 2.x, change the
editor's tagged section in TOOLS.INI file to use the tag [c] instead
of [m]. If it is necessary to share files with DOS Versions 3.x
systems, the editor's section in TOOLS.INI can be tagged [m c].

The editor uses the same method to name the following, where * is
replaced by the editor name or by "C" under DOS Versions 2.x:

1. The virtual memory file, *-XXXX.VM
2. The history-and-state file, *.TMP
3. The compiler message file, *.MSG

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