Topic       : Documentation for Thing
Author      : Arno Welzel/Thomas Binder/TransAction
Version     : thing.hyp 1.27E (23/8/1998)
Subject     : Documentation/Shells
Nodes       : 269
Index Size  : 6336
HCP-Version : 4
Compiled on : Atari
@charset    : atarist
@lang       : 
@default    : %I
@help       : %Hilfe
@options    : +g -i -s +y +zz -t4 -d10
@width      : 75
@hostname   : THING   
View Ref-FileIntroduction: Console window                                          Thing

Installing the utility TOS2GEM, programmed by Thomas Binder, provides a 
clean and simple scrolling Console window to display the output from 
TOS/TTP programs. It also supports colour displays and optional output 
buffering.

TOS2GEM is only reserved if the window is open. Otherwise other programs 
too may use TOS2GEM for their own needs.

Under a multitasking environment it's important to note that screen output 
of every other application, including Thing itself, is blocked during the 
complete execution of the program in the Console window. In addition, the 
started programs will naturally not run in parallel with Thing.

In order to run TOS/TTP programs in parallel with regular GEM applications
there are various tools (VT52, MINIWIN) supplied with both MagiC and with 
MultiTOS. These are automatically used by the operating system if a 
TOS/TTP program has not been started in the Thing Console window. Under 
Single-TOS and MiNT one can also use TOSWIN.

Terminal size

If the environmental variables LINES and COLUMNS are set, Thing sets the 
terminal size to the specified values. Otherwise the terminal inside the 
Console window defaults to 25 lines and 80 columns.

Scroll-back 'History'

If you want to monitor long output from a program (e.g. from a compiler 
etc.) even after leaving the program, you can specify a scroll-back 
'History' buffer of up to 9999 lines. In the window the end of this buffer 
is marked with a horizontal line. You can change the size of the 'History' 
buffer in the 'Configuration' > 'TOS2GEM' dialog.

If you do not need a scroll-back history buffer set the history to 0 lines 
to save memory. This also applies if you do not have TOS2GEM installed; 
otherwise memory will be reserved for the buffer!