Overview 16-bit DOS MODE These programs are compiled to run under 16-bit DOS. They will run properly under DOS 3, 4, 5, 6, Windows 3.1, Windows 95/98 and Windows NT with the limitation noted below. The majority were written in C and 8086 Assembly Language and compiled with Borland language products. Most of the programs have a help screen that lists the command-line options for that program. You can view this screen by running the program with the single command-line parameter ? or /?. Many programs were designed for automation using batch files and the two timers built into each Intel PC (the time-of-day timer and the real-time alarm timer). The DOS-based PC is now obsolete as an automation platform, but it was possible to use it for reliable unattended operation, within certain limits. There are two scheduling applications in this set. The program COMTROL.EXE can be used to run one batch file each night on a PC that is used for other purposes during the day. It uses the real-time alarm timer to reboot the computer at a predetermined time so that the automated process will run properly. The other scheduling program package, TASKER.ZIP is a full-feature task scheduling system, but it requires a dedicated PC. DOS Environment Limitation Several of these programs operate by placing values into the DOS environment where they can be used by other programs in the batch file and by the batch file, itself. This is a powerful technique that allows the batch file to construct complex parameters to be used by other command-line programs in the batch file. The programs that use this approach will only work under DOS and Windows 95, not under Windows NT. I have not tested them with Windows 98. The code that places values into the local environment is quite specific to DOS and NT has a totally different internal structure. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any way to use this technique with NT programs. Under NT you can place variables in the master environment (in the registry) but these values are not available to the current console window or batch file.