Re: What are ...EXE Files ???---Help Please!!!

[dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <01H9NPXXNHAA8XGWI2@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu>
HOLTG@CTRVAX.VANDERBILT.EDU writes:

> Could someone out there please explain what GS/OS Shell Applications are???

They are programs which require some kind of GS/OS-based shell
application to use.  In other words, you run the shell application
from your program launcher, then from inside the shell application you
start up the EXE file.  The EXE file relies on the shell in various
ways, and the shell remains "active" in memory while the EXE file is
running (unlike GS/OS applications, which are either made "dormant",
or are removed from memory completely).

The majority of IIgs EXE files (file type $B5) will be intended for use
with ORCA/Shell, which is the shell included with Byte Works' ORCA/C,
ORCA/Pascal, ORCA/Modula-2 and ORCA/M (assembler) products.

Another large group is programs for use with GNO, from Procyon.  GNO
can run most ORCA/Shell EXE files (but ORCA/Shell cannot run all GNO
EXE files).

Other shells include ProSel-16, ECP-16 (freeware) and the Merlin-16+
assembler.  There are EXE files which are specific to these shells.

A small number of EXE files can work with any GS/OS shell.  An even
smaller number can be changed into a standard GS/OS application simply
by changing the filetype to S16.  These are few and far between.  I can
think of two: the EdIt-16 and MicroEmacs editors.

Most EXE files require parameters to be entered on a command line,
which is passed to the EXE file by the shell application.

There is no easy way to tell which shell a particular EXE file
requires, unless it says something about it in the documentation, or
it prevents you from using it if you have the wrong shell.

> Also, how do I use them???---I just recently downloaded UNZIP for the ][gs 
> at GRIND.ISCA.UIOWA.EDU, de-BINSCIIed it, and the file is not a regular 
> application.

I don't know if UNZIP needs ORCA/Shell, but it definitely needs a
command line.

You could try using it with ECP-16, if you can find a copy of that.

Better still, try using PMPUnzip, which is a shareware desktop program
that supports newer versions of the ZIP file format.

I've found that UNZIP (version 2.0, dated September 1989) tends to
crash if you use it on recently created ZIP files. 
-- 
David Empson                                                               
dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz                                                
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand