Q95099: Changing Colors in MS-DOS Shell

Article: Q95099
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:5.x,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article discusses changing colors in MS-DOS Shell and covers these two
topics:

- Choosing Colors in MS-DOS Shell Generates a Beep

- Adding New Colors to MS-DOS Shell

MORE INFORMATION
================

Choosing Colors in MS-DOS Shell Generates a Beep
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If your computer beeps when you try to choose Colors from the Options menu of
MS-DOS Shell, the DOSSHELL.INI file is probably corrupt.

To change the colors, MS-DOS Shell looks in the DOSSHELL.INI file for a section
that begins with the line:

     color =

If this section does not exist, choosing Color causes a beep. To correct this
problem, expand the file EGA.IN_ (for an EGA or VGA monitor) on Disk 3 (MS-DOS
5.0 5.25-inch set) or Disk 2 (MS-DOS 6.0 5.25-inch set) or Disk 2 (MS-DOS 5.0
3.5-inch set) or Disk 1 (MS-DOS 6.0 3.5-inch set).

If you have a CGA monitor, the compressed file is CGA.IN_ instead of EGA.IN_. The
EXPAND.EXE utility can be found on Disk 6 (5.25-inch set) or Disk 3 (3.5-inch
set). The EGA.IN_ or CGA.IN_ file contains the same color information as the
original DOSSHELL.INI. To get the color information into the DOSSHELL.INI, do
the following (substitute "cga.in_" for "ega.in_" if you have a CGA monitor):

1. Expand the file. For example:

  " expand a:\ega.in_ c:\dos\color.txt " (without the quotation marks)

2. Edit COLOR.TXT so only the color information is left in the file. To do this,
  you can use MS-DOS Editor.

3. Combine the DOSSHELL.INI file with the COLOR.TXT file. Use the COPY command:

  " copy c:\dos\dosshell.ini + c:\dos\color.txt c:\dos\dosshell.ini " (without
  the quotation marks)

You should now be able to change the color scheme in MS-DOS Shell.

Adding New Colors to MS-DOS Shell
---------------------------------

To change the colors in MS-DOS Shell, choose Color from the Options menu. Only
certain choices are available; to create more choices, you must edit the
DOSSHELL.INI file.

The currentcolor= section is the color scheme being used. The color title is
placed here. The color= section keeps records of all the available color
schemes.

The color options for the following include:

  black         brightblack
  white         brightwhite
  red           brightred
  cyan          brightcyan
  magenta       brightmagenta
  green         brightgreen
  blue          brightblue
  brown         brightyellow

NOTE: There is no yellow or brightbrown color.

The DOSSHELL.INI color settings are as follows:

  Setting         Description
  -------         -----------

  color=          Header for the list of color schemes
  selection=      Header for a particular color scheme
  alert=          Color of a warning dialog box
  menubar=        Color of the menu bar
  menu=           Color of the menu text
  disabled=       Color of a disabled menu item
  accelerator=    Color of a menu accelerator
  dialog=         Color of a dialog box
  button=         Color of a button
  elevator=       Color of the list box elevator
  titlebar=       Color of the title bars when focused
  scrollbar=      Color of a scroll bar
  borders=        Color of the lines around menus and dialog boxes
  drivebox=       Color of the area around the drive icons
  driveicon=      Color of the drive icons
  cursor=         Color of the mouse cursor

You can change any part of the screen by changing the existing color name. You
can create a new color scheme by copying one of the existing color schemes and
changing the title and any of the individual colors. The name you choose for the
new color scheme will be added to the Color Scheme dialog box.

Additional query words: 5.00 5.00a 6.00

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:5.x,6.0

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