Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1996-08.adf » Regulars » StarInfo/Kemp/TaskEnsure/!Readme
StarInfo/Kemp/TaskEnsure/!Readme
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1996-08.adf » Regulars |
| Filename: | StarInfo/Kemp/TaskEnsure/!Readme |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0BEA bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
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TaskEnsure
by Andrew Kemp
� KCE Software, 1996
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purpose
-------
TaskEnsure is a little utility for your library directory, designed
for use in Obey files.
Basically, it provides a task name equivalent of '*RMEnsure'. This
allows you to create Obey files that execute commands conditionally
depending on whether or not a given task is running.
Thus you might have an Obey file to set your machine up for, say,
writing letters, that will only run your word processor if it is not
already running.
TaskEnsure could also be envoked from an application's !Run file, to
prevent more than one copy from being loaded.
Usage
-----
Syntax: *TaskEnsure <task name> <*command>
Where:
'task name' is the name of the task to be checked for, as it appears
in the Task Manager window - note that this _is_ case sensitive.
'*command' is a command to be executed if the task is not active.
If the task name consists of more than one word, it should be enclosed
in quotes; for example,
*TaskEnsure "ADFS Filer" ...
The command does not need to be in quotes, even if it is more than one
word - everything after the task name is just passed straight to
OS_CLI.
See the Obey file 'Examples' for some examples of how to use
TaskEnsure.
Licence
-------
TaskEnsure is freeware. By this I mean that it may be freely
distributed as long as this !Readme file and the obey file 'Examples'
accompany it, and nothing is modified.
If you have the source code to TaskEnsure, please do not distribute it
separately from the other files, and do not distribute modified
versions. If you want to use bits of the source in your own program,
please remember to acknowledge my contribution! :)
TaskEnsure is supplied "as is", and without guarantee. Please note
that the author accepts no responsibility for anything nasty that
happens as a result of the existence of TaskEnsure or its associated
files - you use them entirely at your own risk.
Anyone wanting to distribute TaskEnsure on a large scale should contact
me first, to make sure they have the latest version.
Bugs
----
Should you find any, it would be helpful if you could let me know what
they are. Until mid June this year (1996) I can be contacted at
ajwk100@hermes.cam.ac.uk. Otherwise my postal address is:
23 Conifer Close
Church Crookham
Fleet
Hants
GU13 0LR
Comments and suggestions are also welcome.
00000000 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d |----------------| * 00000040 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a |---------------.| 00000050 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 |. TaskEns| 00000060 75 72 65 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |ure.. | 00000070 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | * 00000090 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 62 79 20 | by | 000000a0 41 6e 64 72 65 77 20 4b 65 6d 70 0a 0a 20 20 20 |Andrew Kemp.. | 000000b0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | * 000000e0 20 20 20 20 20 a9 20 4b 43 45 20 53 6f 66 74 77 | . KCE Softw| 000000f0 61 72 65 2c 20 31 39 39 36 0a 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d |are, 1996..-----| 00000100 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d |----------------| * 00000140 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a 0a 50 75 72 |----------...Pur| 00000150 70 6f 73 65 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 20 20 20 |pose.-------. | 00000160 20 20 20 20 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 65 20 | TaskEnsure | 00000170 69 73 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 75 74 69 6c |is a little util| 00000180 69 74 79 20 66 6f 72 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6c 69 62 |ity for your lib| 00000190 72 61 72 79 20 64 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 2c 20 |rary directory, | 000001a0 64 65 73 69 67 6e 65 64 20 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |designed . | 000001b0 20 20 66 6f 72 20 75 73 65 20 69 6e 20 4f 62 65 | for use in Obe| 000001c0 79 20 66 69 6c 65 73 2e 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |y files... | 000001d0 20 20 42 61 73 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 69 74 20 | Basically, it | 000001e0 70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 73 20 61 20 74 61 73 6b 20 |provides a task | 000001f0 6e 61 6d 65 20 65 71 75 69 76 61 6c 65 6e 74 20 |name equivalent | 00000200 6f 66 20 27 2a 52 4d 45 6e 73 75 72 65 27 2e 20 |of '*RMEnsure'. | 00000210 20 54 68 69 73 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 61 6c | This. al| 00000220 6c 6f 77 73 20 79 6f 75 20 74 6f 20 63 72 65 61 |lows you to crea| 00000230 74 65 20 4f 62 65 79 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 74 68 |te Obey files th| 00000240 61 74 20 65 78 65 63 75 74 65 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 |at execute comma| 00000250 6e 64 73 20 63 6f 6e 64 69 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 6c |nds conditionall| 00000260 79 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 64 65 70 65 6e 64 |y. depend| 00000270 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 6f |ing on whether o| 00000280 72 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 67 69 76 65 6e 20 74 61 |r not a given ta| 00000290 73 6b 20 69 73 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a |sk is running...| 000002a0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 68 75 73 20 79 6f 75 | Thus you| 000002b0 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 6e 20 4f | might have an O| 000002c0 62 65 79 20 66 69 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 73 65 74 20 |bey file to set | 000002d0 79 6f 75 72 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 20 75 70 20 |your machine up | 000002e0 66 6f 72 2c 20 73 61 79 2c 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |for, say,. | 000002f0 20 20 77 72 69 74 69 6e 67 20 6c 65 74 74 65 72 | writing letter| 00000300 73 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6f 6e 6c |s, that will onl| 00000310 79 20 72 75 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 77 6f 72 64 20 |y run your word | 00000320 70 72 6f 63 65 73 73 6f 72 20 69 66 20 69 74 20 |processor if it | 00000330 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 61 |is not. a| 00000340 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 6e 67 2e 0a |lready running..| 00000350 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 |. TaskEns| 00000360 75 72 65 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 62 |ure could also b| 00000370 65 20 65 6e 76 6f 6b 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 |e envoked from a| 00000380 6e 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 27 73 20 |n application's | 00000390 21 52 75 6e 20 66 69 6c 65 2c 20 74 6f 0a 20 20 |!Run file, to. | 000003a0 20 20 20 20 20 20 70 72 65 76 65 6e 74 20 6d 6f | prevent mo| 000003b0 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 6f 70 79 |re than one copy| 000003c0 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 6c 6f 61 64 | from being load| 000003d0 65 64 2e 0a 0a 0a 55 73 61 67 65 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d |ed....Usage.----| 000003e0 2d 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 53 79 6e 74 61 78 |-. Syntax| 000003f0 3a 20 2a 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 65 20 3c 74 |: *TaskEnsure <t| 00000400 61 73 6b 20 6e 61 6d 65 3e 20 3c 2a 63 6f 6d 6d |ask name> <*comm| 00000410 61 6e 64 3e 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 57 68 |and>.. Wh| 00000420 65 72 65 3a 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |ere:.. | 00000430 27 74 61 73 6b 20 6e 61 6d 65 27 20 69 73 20 74 |'task name' is t| 00000440 68 65 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 |he name of the t| 00000450 61 73 6b 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 68 65 63 6b 65 |ask to be checke| 00000460 64 20 66 6f 72 2c 20 61 73 20 69 74 20 61 70 70 |d for, as it app| 00000470 65 61 72 73 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 69 |ears. i| 00000480 6e 20 74 68 65 20 54 61 73 6b 20 4d 61 6e 61 67 |n the Task Manag| 00000490 65 72 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 2d 20 6e 6f 74 65 |er window - note| 000004a0 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 5f 69 73 5f 20 | that this _is_ | 000004b0 63 61 73 65 20 73 65 6e 73 69 74 69 76 65 2e 0a |case sensitive..| 000004c0 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 27 2a 63 6f 6d |. '*com| 000004d0 6d 61 6e 64 27 20 69 73 20 61 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 |mand' is a comma| 000004e0 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 65 78 65 63 75 74 65 |nd to be execute| 000004f0 64 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 73 6b 20 69 73 |d if the task is| 00000500 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 63 74 69 76 65 2e 0a 0a 20 20 | not active... | 00000510 20 20 20 20 20 20 49 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 73 | If the tas| 00000520 6b 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 63 6f 6e 73 69 73 74 73 20 |k name consists | 00000530 6f 66 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6f 6e 65 |of more than one| 00000540 20 77 6f 72 64 2c 20 69 74 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 | word, it should| 00000550 20 62 65 20 65 6e 63 6c 6f 73 65 64 0a 20 20 20 | be enclosed. | 00000560 20 20 20 20 20 69 6e 20 71 75 6f 74 65 73 3b 20 | in quotes; | 00000570 66 6f 72 20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 2c 0a 0a 20 20 |for example,.. | 00000580 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 2a 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 | *TaskEns| 00000590 75 72 65 20 22 41 44 46 53 20 46 69 6c 65 72 22 |ure "ADFS Filer"| 000005a0 20 2e 2e 2e 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 68 | ..... Th| 000005b0 65 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e |e command does n| 000005c0 6f 74 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 69 6e |ot need to be in| 000005d0 20 71 75 6f 74 65 73 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 69 66 | quotes, even if| 000005e0 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e | it is more than| 000005f0 20 6f 6e 65 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 77 6f 72 | one. wor| 00000600 64 20 2d 20 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 |d - everything a| 00000610 66 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 74 61 73 6b 20 6e 61 |fter the task na| 00000620 6d 65 20 69 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 70 61 73 73 65 |me is just passe| 00000630 64 20 73 74 72 61 69 67 68 74 20 74 6f 0a 20 20 |d straight to. | 00000640 20 20 20 20 20 20 4f 53 5f 43 4c 49 2e 0a 0a 20 | OS_CLI... | 00000650 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 53 65 65 20 74 68 65 20 4f | See the O| 00000660 62 65 79 20 66 69 6c 65 20 27 45 78 61 6d 70 6c |bey file 'Exampl| 00000670 65 73 27 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 65 78 61 |es' for some exa| 00000680 6d 70 6c 65 73 20 6f 66 20 68 6f 77 20 74 6f 20 |mples of how to | 00000690 75 73 65 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 61 73 6b |use. Task| 000006a0 45 6e 73 75 72 65 2e 0a 0a 0a 4c 69 63 65 6e 63 |Ensure....Licenc| 000006b0 65 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |e.-------. | 000006c0 20 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 65 20 69 73 20 | TaskEnsure is | 000006d0 66 72 65 65 77 61 72 65 2e 20 20 42 79 20 74 68 |freeware. By th| 000006e0 69 73 20 49 20 6d 65 61 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 |is I mean that i| 000006f0 74 20 6d 61 79 20 62 65 20 66 72 65 65 6c 79 0a |t may be freely.| 00000700 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 64 69 73 74 72 69 62 75 | distribu| 00000710 74 65 64 20 61 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 61 73 20 74 |ted as long as t| 00000720 68 69 73 20 21 52 65 61 64 6d 65 20 66 69 6c 65 |his !Readme file| 00000730 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6f 62 65 79 20 66 69 | and the obey fi| 00000740 6c 65 20 27 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 27 0a 20 20 |le 'Examples'. | 00000750 20 20 20 20 20 20 61 63 63 6f 6d 70 61 6e 79 20 | accompany | 00000760 69 74 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20 |it, and nothing | 00000770 69 73 20 6d 6f 64 69 66 69 65 64 2e 0a 0a 20 20 |is modified... | 00000780 20 20 20 20 20 20 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 | If you hav| 00000790 65 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f 75 72 63 65 20 63 6f 64 |e the source cod| 000007a0 65 20 74 6f 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 65 2c |e to TaskEnsure,| 000007b0 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 64 | please do not d| 000007c0 69 73 74 72 69 62 75 74 65 20 69 74 0a 20 20 20 |istribute it. | 000007d0 20 20 20 20 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 6c 79 20 | separately | 000007e0 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 66 |from the other f| 000007f0 69 6c 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 |iles, and do not| 00000800 20 64 69 73 74 72 69 62 75 74 65 20 6d 6f 64 69 | distribute modi| 00000810 66 69 65 64 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 76 65 72 |fied. ver| 00000820 73 69 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 77 |sions. If you w| 00000830 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 20 62 69 74 73 20 |ant to use bits | 00000840 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 6f 75 72 63 65 20 69 6e |of the source in| 00000850 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 | your own progra| 00000860 6d 2c 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 70 6c 65 61 73 |m,. pleas| 00000870 65 20 72 65 6d 65 6d 62 65 72 20 74 6f 20 61 63 |e remember to ac| 00000880 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 67 65 20 6d 79 20 63 6f 6e |knowledge my con| 00000890 74 72 69 62 75 74 69 6f 6e 21 20 3a 29 0a 0a 20 |tribution! :).. | 000008a0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 | TaskEnsur| 000008b0 65 20 69 73 20 73 75 70 70 6c 69 65 64 20 22 61 |e is supplied "a| 000008c0 73 20 69 73 22 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 6f |s is", and witho| 000008d0 75 74 20 67 75 61 72 61 6e 74 65 65 2e 20 20 50 |ut guarantee. P| 000008e0 6c 65 61 73 65 20 6e 6f 74 65 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |lease note. | 000008f0 20 20 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 61 75 74 68 | that the auth| 00000900 6f 72 20 61 63 63 65 70 74 73 20 6e 6f 20 72 65 |or accepts no re| 00000910 73 70 6f 6e 73 69 62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 66 6f 72 |sponsibility for| 00000920 20 61 6e 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6e 61 73 74 79 20 | anything nasty | 00000930 74 68 61 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 68 61 70 |that. hap| 00000940 70 65 6e 73 20 61 73 20 61 20 72 65 73 75 6c 74 |pens as a result| 00000950 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 | of the existenc| 00000960 65 20 6f 66 20 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 65 20 |e of TaskEnsure | 00000970 6f 72 20 69 74 73 20 61 73 73 6f 63 69 61 74 65 |or its associate| 00000980 64 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 |d. files | 00000990 2d 20 79 6f 75 20 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 65 |- you use them e| 000009a0 6e 74 69 72 65 6c 79 20 61 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 |ntirely at your | 000009b0 6f 77 6e 20 72 69 73 6b 2e 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |own risk... | 000009c0 20 20 20 41 6e 79 6f 6e 65 20 77 61 6e 74 69 6e | Anyone wantin| 000009d0 67 20 74 6f 20 64 69 73 74 72 69 62 75 74 65 20 |g to distribute | 000009e0 54 61 73 6b 45 6e 73 75 72 65 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 |TaskEnsure on a | 000009f0 6c 61 72 67 65 20 73 63 61 6c 65 20 73 68 6f 75 |large scale shou| 00000a00 6c 64 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 63 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |ld contact. | 00000a10 20 20 20 6d 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 2c 20 74 6f 20 | me first, to | 00000a20 6d 61 6b 65 20 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 |make sure they h| 00000a30 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 74 65 73 74 20 76 |ave the latest v| 00000a40 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 2e 0a 0a 0a 42 75 67 73 0a 2d |ersion....Bugs.-| 00000a50 2d 2d 2d 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 53 68 6f 75 |---. Shou| 00000a60 6c 64 20 79 6f 75 20 66 69 6e 64 20 61 6e 79 2c |ld you find any,| 00000a70 20 69 74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 68 65 6c | it would be hel| 00000a80 70 66 75 6c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 63 6f 75 6c |pful if you coul| 00000a90 64 20 6c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 77 68 |d let me know wh| 00000aa0 61 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 74 68 65 79 20 |at. they | 00000ab0 61 72 65 2e 20 20 55 6e 74 69 6c 20 6d 69 64 20 |are. Until mid | 00000ac0 4a 75 6e 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 79 65 61 72 20 28 |June this year (| 00000ad0 31 39 39 36 29 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 63 |1996) I can be c| 00000ae0 6f 6e 74 61 63 74 65 64 20 61 74 0a 20 20 20 20 |ontacted at. | 00000af0 20 20 20 20 61 6a 77 6b 31 30 30 40 68 65 72 6d | ajwk100@herm| 00000b00 65 73 2e 63 61 6d 2e 61 63 2e 75 6b 2e 20 20 4f |es.cam.ac.uk. O| 00000b10 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 20 6d 79 20 70 6f 73 74 |therwise my post| 00000b20 61 6c 20 61 64 64 72 65 73 73 20 69 73 3a 0a 0a |al address is:..| 00000b30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | 00000b40 32 33 20 43 6f 6e 69 66 65 72 20 43 6c 6f 73 65 |23 Conifer Close| 00000b50 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |. | 00000b60 20 43 68 75 72 63 68 20 43 72 6f 6f 6b 68 61 6d | Church Crookham| 00000b70 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |. | 00000b80 20 46 6c 65 65 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | Fleet. | 00000b90 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 48 61 6e 74 73 0a 20 20 20 | Hants. | 00000ba0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 47 55 31 | GU1| 00000bb0 33 20 30 4c 52 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 43 |3 0LR.. C| 00000bc0 6f 6d 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 61 6e 64 20 73 75 67 67 |omments and sugg| 00000bd0 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 61 6c 73 6f |estions are also| 00000be0 20 77 65 6c 63 6f 6d 65 2e 0a | welcome..| 00000bea
.