Microsoft KB Archive/70265

Deleting Default Items in DOSSHELL PSS ID Number: Q70265 Article last modified on 02-08-1993 PSS database name: O_MSDOS

4.00 4.01 4.01a

MS-DOS

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 4.00, 4.01, and 4.01a

Question:

I’ve defined the maximum allowable number of items in the DOSSHELL “Start Programs” screen, but would like to add more. The program doesn’t seem to let me delete the default items provided: “Command Prompt,” “File System,” “Change Colors,” and “DOS Utilities.” Is there any way to delete the default items provided with DOSSHELL?

Response:

The SHELL.MEU file, which is the default file used by the DOSSHELL program to define the Start Programs screen, provides three program items and one group item. The group item, “DOS Utilities,” can be modified or deleted. However, the program items, “Command Prompt,” “File System,” and “Change Colors,” cannot be modified or deleted.

Because a total of 16 allowable groups and/or programs are allowed in the “Start Programs” screen, and each group can have 16 program items, these 3 program items can reduce the maximum number of definable items by 45 (3 groups * 16 items/group = 48 items, minus the 3 positions used).

To regain these potential program items, do the following:

1. Create a new group in the DOSSHELL Start Programs screen by choosing Add from the Group menu. Enter “Main” (without quotation marks) for the Group Name, then press the TAB key to enter the Filename field. Enter “main,” and press F2 to save the group.
2. Open the Main Group, and from the Program menu, select Add.
3. Enter any non-empty value for both the title and command fields. For example, type “ver” in the title field, press the TAB key to enter the command field, and type “ver” again. Save the program item by pressing F2 and then exit DOSSHELL by pressing the F3 key.

This has created a new .MEU file, which can be substituted for the default SHELL.MEU. DOSSHELL can be invoked without the default items after the following steps are performed:

1. Using any text-editor, modify the DOSSHELL.BAT file, modifying the “/MEU” option of the line beginning with “@SHELLC” to read “/MEU:MAIN.MEU”. Save the file.
2. Run DOSSHELL again. The Startup Programs screen now will have only the item defined in step 3 from the previous section.

To regain the groups previously defined, add groups to the Start Programs screen using the same names as had been previously used. For example, the previous default MEU file, SHELL.MEU, can be added to the list of items defined in MAIN.MEU by adding a group “Shell” with the filename “shell,” as in step one of the first section above. The programs defined in the Shell group will be identical to those that were originally in the default Start Programs screen.

Additional reference words: 4.00 4.01 4.01a noupd

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.