FreeDOS/docs/config.txt

Advanced - FreeDOS specific - CONFIG.SYS processing

a new command DOSDATA=UMB
DOSDATA=UMB loads some FreeDOS specific stuff in Upper Memory Blocks,
like the RAM that FILESHIGH, LASTDRIVEHIGH, and STACKSHIGH occupy

a new command ECHO
ECHO does ECHO its argument (surprised ?-) and is executed at
the time the DEVICE= lines are executed.
use it similarly to

	ECHO loading driver 1
	device=Driver1.sys
	ECHO driver1 successfully loaded

a new command called EECHO is also available, for echo-ing ANSI Escape Sequences
(redefines keyboard input for example).


an undocumented command SCREEN=xx
SCREEN= switches into videomode xxx  (INT10/11xx/000)
useful 
	SCREEN=0x11   -- 28    lines
	SCREEN=0x12   -- 43/50 lines (on EGA/VGA)



the following advanced config.sys processing options are available:

normal
	FILES=20
	DEVICE=MyNetWorkDriver.sys

'?' - ALWAYS ask if a single line shall be executed

	FILES=20
	?DEVICE=MyNetWorkDriver.sys


'!' - NEVER ask if a single line shall be executed, even if single stepping

	!FILES=20
	!DOS=HIGH,UMB
	!BUFFERS=30
	DEVICE=MyNetWorkDriver.sys



configuration management - you may compose several configurations,
using following special commands:

MENU
MENU  select your configuration
MENU
MENU  use (0) for basic configuration
MENU  use (1) for CDROM operation
MENU  use (2) for NETWORK configuration
MENU
MENUDEFAULT=0,1				( configuration 0, wait 1 second)


1?  rem CDROM
1?  device=CDROM.SYS

2?  rem NETWORK
2?  device=MyNetworkDriver.SYS


Although this is definitively worse then MSDOS menuing possibilities,
IMHO it's better then nothing. 

It's also possible to combine menu options, to avoid writing thing every 
time again.
constructions like 0?devicehigh?=cdrom.sys are also possible
("if menu option 0 chosen, ask if you want to load this driver")

the selected configuration can be determined in AUTOEXEC.BAT in the
environment variable CONFIG like

        if %CONFIG% == 0 echo configuration 0 selected

however, if you have no menu's in config.sys, then %config% has no value,
thus resulting in "IF == 0 echo configuration 0 selected."
(which causes syntax errors as there's nothing on the left side of == )

That's why you better use something like:
if [%config%]==[0] echo configuration 0 selected.        -or-
if "%config%"=="0" echo configuration 0 selected.

then if there is no menu you have: "IF []==[0] echo configuration 0 selected."
(which will of course output nothing)

thus my config.sys now looks like


!files=20
!dos=high,umb
!break=off
!buffers=30
!screen=0x12
!lastdrive=z
!shellhigh=a:\command.com /p /e:512 /MSG

MENU
MENU 0 - SoftIce+HIMEM+Network (default)
MENU 1 - SoftIce+HIMEM
MENU 2 -         HIMEM+EMM386
MENU
MENUDEFAULT=0,0


01? DEVICE=C:\NUMEGA\S-ICE.EXE /TRA 3000 /SYM 400
012?DEVICE=himem.exe
01? DEVICE=UMBPCI.SYS
2?  DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS

0?device=c:\ntclient\ifshlp.sys

DEVICE=ATAPICDD.SYS /D:MSCD000

Full Screen Menus (thanks to Rune Espeseth)

Use MENUCOLOR=foreground[,background] to obtain a full screen menu
where you can use the arrow keys. Example (note that box drawing
characters are used that look strange in other character sets):

REM *** This is the FreeDos Config.sys ***
REM *** executed before autoexec.bat   ***

REM *** Set white foreground, red background ***
menucolor=7,4

files=20
buffers=20

REM *** The Menu ***
MENU
MENU  <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>ͻ
MENU  <20> My Menu - FreeDOS rules!                              <20>
MENU  <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>͹
MENU  <20>                                                       <20>
MENU  <20>   1. Test with border                                 <20>
MENU  <20>                                                       <20>
MENU  <20>   2. Another test...                                  <20>
MENU  <20>                                                       <20>
MENU  <20>   3. Third choice                                     <20>
MENU  <20>                                                       <20>
MENU  <20>   4. Fourth choice.                                   <20>
MENU  <20>                                                       <20>
MENU  <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>ͼ
MENU

MENUDEFAULT=1,10		( configuration 1, wait 10 seconds)

1?  REM 1st choice
1?  ECHO You selected menu #1 

2?  REM 2nd choice
2?  ECHO You selected menu #2

3?  REM 3rd choice
3?  ECHO You selected menu #3

4?  REM 4th choice
4?  ECHO You selected menu #4







2002-11-28 - Tom Ehlert
2003-07-15 - Bernd Blaauw
2003-09-18 - Bart Oldeman