^Extended Command Processor^ Fact Sheet What it is: ECP is a ProDOS based combination operating system shell/program selector program. It conforms to all ProDOS conventions for System programs and Program Selectors. Compatibility: Apple IIgs, Apple //e, enhanced //e, //c, enhanced //c, and ][+; any ProDOS compatible floppy disk drive, Unidisk 3.5, hard disk, or RAM disk, any ProDOS compatible printer interface, serial card, or modem. Memory Usage: The ECP shell program takes up about 16K of RAM when resident. It automatically reloads itself into memory upon leaving any standard ProDOS System program (such as AppleWorks etc). While the shell is in memory, the user has approximately 24K of memory available for his programs. This is more than it seems as user programs can take advantage of over 100 documented system calls within ECP to shorten user programs. Programs larger than 24K will work with the shell as well because the shell is automatically reloaded from disk whenever the standard ProDOS QUIT call is made. Features: 1) 50 Built-in keyboard commands - to handle normal filing and communications functions. 2) Transient commands - that are loaded into memory only when needed. The user can add any number of external commands to the ECP system by following the directions in the documentation. The user can also create new commands out of combinations of existing commands through the Batch program feature. 3) Smart Batch or command program facility - Not only can you have BASIC style Batch programs with the ECP system, you can also create Batch programs with positional parameters and conditional execution. This adds greatly to the flexibility of Batch programs. You can have Batch programs that accept file name parameters and the like from the keyboard command prompt. A typical use of an Batch program might be to check a large ram disk such as RamWorks (tm) to see if certain programs have been installed and to install them if they haven't. By the same token, you can backup ram disk files to a more permanent medium automatically before you shut down your system. 4) Online help feature - user extensible and customizable. You can remove this feature at any time if disk space is needed once you become familiar with the system. 5) Privileged CMDS subdirectory - a special subdirectory is set up so any programs or transient commands in the CMDS subdirectory have global scope. This means that you don't have to remember the whole ProDOS pathname to access files in the CMDS subdirectory. If a file isn't found in the current directory, the CMDS directory is automatically searched regardless of the current prefix setting. An MS-DOS styled PATH command allows you to change the location of this directory at any time. 6) Output redirection - allows you to send all screen output from any command to a printer, modem, or disk file with a single keystroke or under Batch program control. 7) User defined function keys - Up to 10 ram-based user defined function keys are available. The function keys can contain any line of text you can type at the keyboard up to 60 characters long. This may consist of one or more commands separated by semicolons. This feature allows you to run any of several programs or commands with an open apple - number sequence (ESC - number for ][+). There are 26 disk-based user defined function keys available for a total of 36 function keys. The disk-based function keys can invoke any executable file including basic programs or exec files. 8) Terminal program built-in. System shipped configured for the Apple Super Serial card or Apple IIgs built-in modem port. User configurable to support almost any serial device. You can write smart Exec programs to perform tasks such as auto-logons. 9) Remote operation mode - allows you to access the ECP system via remote modem hookup. It is also possible to set up the ECP system as a crude RBBS type of system though creative use of Batch programs. 10) Full technical documentation to allow you to write assembly language or C programs that take full advantage of the internal features of the ECP system. 11) Extended machine language interface allows you to write your own transient commands that have access to all of the internal features of ECP. ECP is available from Carolina System Software for $30 which includes a program disk (of course it's not copy protected!), user manual, technical manual, telephone support, update notices, and my undying gratitude. The ECP system disk files almost completely fill two standard Apple 5.25 inch floppy disks. If you should get a copy of the disk from a friend then go ahead and send in your $30 so you can get the latest version of the software and documentation. Updates only cost you the cost of postage and a floppy disk. To order, send $30 to the address below: Carolina System Software 2916-A Chatsworth Rd Columbia, SC 29223 (803) 788-7360 Update: Be sure to check out ECP-16 for the Apple IIgs. It runs completely under ProDOS 16 and includes the ECP-8 package. ECP-16 is shareware for $40.