FL for DOS and UNIX
[Back to main page]

The program, I call FL (aka FLIST in IBM's manner) to deal with file directories by using CD and DIR (DOS) or LF (UNIX) commands (with output redirected to a file) for navigating. Output assumes ANSI-like terminal, e.g. VT100 or VT340 or just DOS screen controlled by an ANSI driver (TSR or emulated by the communication program). This is very convenient when working on alphanumeric terminals, TELNET and dial-up communicating between two computers. Download FLIST for DOS (with executables for DOS 6.x--7.x and DOS 5.0) and for UNIX.

The program is driven by simple commands starting with slash or backslash (depending on the platform used), e.g., \h (or /h) calls help. To view a file or change a directory just type . or ... \q (or /q) mean "quit".

The top line on the screen is intended for entering operation system commands not related to file names of the list. any command typed at the left of a file name is appended with the file name if a place holder (slash or backslash) is not specified. Displayed file names may be overlapped with the command---it does not matter.

A screen shot of DOS FL looks like (UNIX FL is the same, but the commands are started with backslashes): 

_______________________________________________________________________________
__________ addguest.html
__________ artmac.zip
__________ banner.gif
__________ belkova.htm
__________ bio.htm
__________ cterra.htm
__________ detex.zip
__________ eugen.jpg
__________ f90.zip
__________ forppd.zip
__________ forppkx.zip
__________ forppu.zip
__________ guestbook.html
__________ index.htm
__________ index.top
__________ karlik.htm
__________ kedit.gif
__________ lettex.htm
__________ lettex.tex
__________ mike.jpg

Directory: d:\!home page\old\ option:
FList V 1.2 ** /=fname /q=quit /h=help /=down /u=up /x=exec /r=refresh "=same
The same with a typed command: 
_______________________________________________________________________________
__________ addguest.html
erase_____ artmac.zip
.
.
.
__________ banner.gif
__________ mike.jpg

Directory: d:\!home page\old\ option:
FList V 1.2 ** /=fname /q=quit /h=help /=down /u=up /x=exec /r=refresh "=same

Some versions of FL do not execute typed commands until a special "execute" command in entered or the last line of the screen is reached. In this case the screen shot may look like: 

_______________________________________________________________________________
copy / d:_ addguest.html
__________ artmac.zip
erase_____ banner.gif
rename / a belkova.htm
__________ bio.htm
erase_____ cterra.htm
"_________ detex.zip
"_________ eugen.jpg
__________ f90.zip
__________ forppd.zip
move / d:_ forppkx.zip
"_________ forppu.zip
__________ guestbook.html
__________ index.htm
__________ index.top
__________ karlik.htm
__________ kedit.gif
c:\utils\html2text / lettex.txt
/x________ lettex.tex
__________ mike.jpg

Directory: d:\!home page\old\ option:
FList V 1.2 ** /=fname /q=quit /h=help /=down /u=up /x=exec /r=refresh "=same

Here /x when entered causes all commands type above be executed one after another.

There are FL's source codes in FORTRAN and FPP-format, please, refer to ForPP page if you want to get the preprocessor as well for platforms specified.

Note, that C:\Swap directory must exist for temporary files. If you want other directory names then change this in FLIST.DCL file and recompile.

If you use GNU (G77) compiler then make sure that the C-style backslash activity in strings is disabled if you compile DOS version and enabled if you compile UNIX version of FL. Appropriate switch is to be specified.

Under multitasking environments (e.g., Windows) do not start more than one FLIST instances! Under UNIX each user may start FL safely without any interference, but only one FL instance per user.

End of FL page