The Waite Group's MS-DOS Papers

✍ Scribed by The Waite Group (editor)

• Publisher: Sams
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 608
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

MS-DOS Papers lets you exploit the MS-DOS operating system to its limit. Essays on
fourteen state-of-the-art topics, written by experts and aimed at programmers and serious
users, present the inner workings of the MS-DOS operating system, secrets of undocumented
features and tips for creating powerful new MS-DOS applications.

You'll find advanced techniques in assembly language and C. replacement shells for the
DOS command line, little-known details on writing safe Terminate and Slay Resident
programs, a complete examination of device drivers, and more, including:

• A rare look at the cryptic and detailed internal structures of the MS-DOS operating
system

• PCnix, a UNIX-like shell replacement for MS-DOS, consisting of public domain utilities,
batch files, and patches

• Advanced techniques for using Microsoft's Macro Assembler (MASM) 5 and third-party C
libraries

• Writing Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) programs, including when to use the little-
known INT 5Oh, INT 51 h, INT2fh (Multiplex Implement), and Functions 31 h (Keep Process
Call) and 34h (IN_DOS Flag Call)

• Exploring programming concepts of MS-Windows: queues, message streams, Windows
functions, classes, regions, resources, and a complete SPY examination utility in C

• The interface between the MS-DOS operating system and device drivers, with detailed
information about Program Segment Prefix (PSP), Memory Control Block Chain, MS-DOS
busy flog, System File Table, Device Control Blacks, and Current Directory Structure

• Enhanced Graphics Adopter (EGA) programming, including control of EGA registers,
latches, bit mask, and map mask, with listings for graphics routines written in C

• A detailed examination of serial port control, including a complete communications
package

• Expanded Memory Specification (EMS) versions 3.2 and 4.0, and EEMS, including bonk
switching, testing for EMM, and error code and relevant function tables

This valuable reference presents a remarkable range of powerful techniques, insider
shortcuts, and wizardry for the most popular operating system ever created.

✦ Table of Contents

Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction xvii

Section One
Extending the MS-DOS User Interface

01 - A Guided Tour inside MS-DOS 5
02 - Searching the File Tree with whereis 35
03 - Adding UNIX Power with PCnix 55
04 - Adding Power to MS-DOS Programming 91
05 - Advanced MASM Techniques 117

Section Two
Programming Tools and Techniques

06 - Undocumented MS-DOS Functions 147
07 - Safe Memory-Resident Programming (TSR) 185
08 - Data Protection and Encryption 217
09 - Inside Microsoft Windows 241
10 - Developing MS-DOS Device Drivers 303
11 - Writing a SOUND Device Driver 347
12 - Programming the Enhanced Graphics Adapter 435
13 - Programming the Serial Port with C 477
14 - Understanding Expanded Memory Systems 535

Index 563

✦ Subjects

MS-DOS; Computer Programming; MS-DOS Programming; TSR; MASM; Windows