PIP: More Than a Copy Program! ------------------------ As most of you already know PIP is a transient CP/M command, that is it must be on the program disk to use. This CP/M utility most common use is for copying files from one disk to another. PIP can be used in two different ways, if you type in PIP without any parameters you will get the prompt "*>". This is the PIP command prompt. (To cancel, press return alone at the "*>" prompt). If you type in PIP with parameters it will copy the specified files and return you to the system. Example: PIP A:OLDNAME.FILETYPE=A:NEWNAME.FILETYPE or without parameters following... PIP (loads program) *A:OLDNAME.TYP=A:NEWNAME.TYP Commands for one drive differ from commands for two drives only by designation of the drives. Example: PIP B: means to drive B from drive A PIP E: means to drive E from drive A Note: Drive E is a simulated disk drive in memory and is referred to as a "virtual" drive. Wildcards may be used when coping a file, IE: PIP B:=A:*.* will copy all the files on drive A to the disk in drive B. Another option available is the verify option. IE: PIP B:=A*.*[V]. This will copy all the files as in the first example, but will verify by comparing to the original file. PIP has many other uses other than copying files... For example, you can concatenate files (join together) IE: *> MEMO.TXT=MEMO1.TXT[V],MEMO2,TXT[V],MEMO3.TXT[V] The above example takes the files MEMO1.TXT, MEMO2.TXT, and MEMO3.TXT and combines them into one file called MEMO.TXT, and also verifies them during the process. To do the same thing and put the new file on a different drive, you would enter: *>B:MEMO.TXT=A:MEMO1.TXT[V],A:MEMO1.TXT[V],A:MEMO2.TXT[V],A:MEMO3.TXT[V] (This would put the file on drive B, also, please note that in the verify parameter the "[" and "]" are brackets and not parentheses.) PIP has another option that will allow you to make only copies of files that have been altered since last copied. When you alter a file, CP/M sets a flag known as the archive flag. If you were to enter, for example, B:*.TXT[AV] (A=Archive, V=Verify), PIP would make a copy of all the TXT files on the disk that have been changed. You may see the status of your files be entering DIR[FULL and you will see "ARCV" in the attribute column if a file needs to be backed up. PIP can also be used to display and/or print files. Example: PIP CON:=A:MEMO.TXT, will display the file MEMO.TXT to the screen. (CON is the device name for the console keyboard.) It works like the TYPE command, but is more versatile. If you were to enter LST:=A:MEMO.TXT, it would also print the file just as it is or with options as follows: N - adds line numbers to listings U - prints in uppercase only L - prints in lowercase only F - removes form feeds PN - form feed every "n" lines TN - tabs set every "n" columns For example, to print a file all in uppercase, form feed every 60 lines and filter out all embedded line feeds in the file the command would look like this: LST:=A:MEMO.TXT[UP60F]. Here is a list of some possible commands you may want to save for reference: PIP B:=A:MEMO.TXT Copy a file from disk in drive B from disk in drive A. PIP B:=A:*.* Copy all files on disk in drive A to disk in drive B. PIP B:=A:*.*[V] Copy all the files and verify them. PIP B:=A:*.*[VR] Copy all the files including the system files with verify. PIP B:=A:*.TXT[AV] Copy (back-up) altered text files. PIP B:=A:MEMO.TXT=MEMOX.TXT[E] Will copy the file MEMO.TXT, rename it to MEMOX.TXT and display the file on the screen as it is being copied. =============================================================== I hope this short text file has helped you in some way to understand the world of CP/M on the Commodore computer. I know I have a lot to learn and if I learn anything new I will try to share it with you as i go along. If you would like to write a text file like this and share your knowledge of CP/M with us... Please upload it to the system and leave feedback to the sysop and I will place it in the text file section for all to read. Written by: Mike Fontaine - SYSOP - COMTEL 64 BBS - 813-989-9128 A Commodore BBS supporting the commodore 64, 128, and CP/M 3+ for the 128 Commodore computer... 8:00PM - 6:00AM Weekdays - 24 Hours on weekends... <> A C-NET support BBS <>