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CONNECT

DOS File manager, edior and other tools

Active · last change 12-21-2025
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README

The IBM HandShaker (CONNECT)

The IBM HandShaker (CONNECT) has at first been designed as a helping tool for the embedded system software and hardware developers, but eventually it has become what it is now - a fully-fledged universal DOS shell.

It is a Borland-style integrated environment application:

Features

Multi-window Text Editor

Capable of processing files up to 1M.

Vertical block support
Line draw mode
Expanding/shrinking tables
Math operations
Text formatting
Regular expression search (forward, backward, in several windows)
DOS/UNIX text mode support
Infinite Undo/Redo
Syntax highlighting
User-defined external help file support
Customizable character conversion tables (XLAT) for different kinds of text

Multi-window HEX Editor

Insert/overwrite mode
Selected block operations
Search and replace
Block fill
Logical operations AND, OR, XOR

Text Viewer and HEX Viewer

View files of any size
Regular expression search (forward and backward)
Copy to Clipboard
Overwrite edit mode in HEX viewer
DOS/UNIX text mode support
XLAT support

dBASE File Viewer

Regular expression search and replace (forward and backward)
Field edit mode
Insert/delete records
View memo fields
Data import/export
Copy/paste data to/from Clipboard
XLAT support

Built-in Script Language

CONNECT built-in script language is a powerful tool to write serial transfer protocols and text processing programs with the ability to include binary code.

Built-in Script Language Debugger

Trace into, step over commands
Debugging animation
Breakpoints
Watches window
Modify window
"Turbo Debugger"-like CPU window for binary code debugging

File Manager

Looks much like the Norton Commander but is at least twice as powerful.

Copy/rename/delete directories
Customizable archive processing
Windows 95 long filename support
Display/copy/rename/delete file descriptions
Optimal fill copy mode and file splitting for removable disks
File panel resizing
Drag-And-Drop files and directories
Optional tree info auto-update after disk-changing operations
Save/restore panel selection on directory change
Select/unselect files from Clipboard
Search files by mask, size, time, attributes, contents
Approximate condition search, search specified drives or directories only, search in archives
Copy/rename/delete found files
Sort and highlight files/directories by mask
Advanced panel display and copy filters
Directory branch unfold
History lists for all inputs
Customizable association lists for executable programs and external/internal viewers (Point-And-Shoot)

External Application Executor

Able to run various programming tools such as cross-assemblers, compilers etc. with the user-defined parameters depending on currently active window, or currently focused file name. For example, one can run an assembly code compiler for the newly edited text, view a report generated by the compiler in a special Message window, and quickly go to the source line which caused an error, if necessary. The executor has a lot of flexible features enabling to easily configure itself to run any type of compiler and other batch utilities.

Keyboard Macro Editor and Player

Enables to quickly record, edit and play any sequence of keystrokes and commands and reassign any key or any sequence of keys in the editor, File Manager, terminal windows.

Clipboard Window

One can copy/paste data from/to any of the program windows and input lines, including external program screens (Snipper).

ANSI.SYS-compatible Terminal

Back Scroll window
Built-in file transfer protocols (X-modem, Y-modem, Z-modem, Kermit, ASCII, BPlus)
The ability to specify almost any emulated terminal type by means of termcap-compatible files
Copy/paste data to/from Clipboard
Phone dialer queue

Phone Book

With the dialer queue and the tree-like structure of records.

Miscellaneous Tools

Programmer's calculator
Memory map viewer
Memory code viewer
Memory dump editor
Environment editor
Alarm clock
ASCII table
Calendar
Print spooler with customizable external fonts
CD-Player

Context-sensitive Help System

Regular expression search
User-made help files
Inter-file cross-references
External application execution

HTML File Viewer

Local and inter-file href links support
Regular expression search (forward and backward)
HTML tables display
Copy to Clipboard
XLAT support

Customizable Program Setup

Colors, work directories, keyboard, mouse, country settings, confirmations, log file etc.

Local Menu

Pop-up called from almost every program window by pressing Alt+F10 keys, or right mouse button click.

Running CONNECT

At DOS prompt type:

pascal

cn.exe [[/bxxxx]/s] [filename [filename]] [/ccfgname]

Where:

Parameter	Type	Description
`/s`	optional	Enables Snipper loading at the start
`/bxxxx`	optional	Sets Snipper buffer size in bytes
`filename`	optional	Specifies file(s) to load in a new Edit window
`/ccfgname`	optional	Specifies an initial configuration file name

An initial configuration file name can also be specified by the environment variable CNCFG.

This software version is FREEWARE!

Contact Information

For additional information please call:

Kharkov, Ukraine, (380)572-9053-02, Ian Balter

or write to:

Fido: 2:463/1331.27
E-mail: dimorlus@gmail.com

Download

You can download the newest versions from:

[http://www.dorlov.no-ip.com/Connect/index.htm](http://www.dorlov.no-ip.com/Connect/index.htm)

Disclaimer

If you are willing to make your contribution to further development of this software, or if you want to express your gratitude to authors for the job they have already done, call us and your share will be accepted with pleasure. Any comments, suggestions and bug reports are most welcome. Just send us a message.

This software is provided on "AS IS" basis. The whole risk is with you. In case of any data losses, or physical damage to your hardware authors will not be liable for it.

Credits

Authors are thankful to all those who took part in discussions and suggestions, and especially the following companies, teams and persons:

Borland International
"Weird Stream Tricks": Copyright D.J.Murdoch
We wish to express our gratitude to Dos Navigator Team for ideas and inspiration

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