<li>
<a name="set_path">
<b>I want the TASM directory to be automatically
searched.  How do I modify environment variables PATH to allow this?
</b>
</a>
<br>
(a) Here is how to do it in Windows 95:
go to the start menu->control panel.  Click on the
        the system icon.  Choose the environment tab,
        and click on the user PATH variable.
        You can now modify its value in the
	appropriate value box.
        When done, click apply.  Now when you invoke
        MS-DOS or WINDOWS, the new value of the path
        variable will be used. [Note: you can add new
	environment variables this way too]
<br>
(b) You can also do this within the MS-DOS (but
unlike the previous approach, it will not survive a reboot).
Suppose your TASM is found is in Z:\tasm\bin.  To add this
to the path, you type the following to the DOS prompt:
	<pre>
	:&gt; set path = &lt;old-path&gt;; Z:\tasm\bin
	</pre>
where &lt;old-path&gt; is the original value of path.
One way to automate this process is to create a
``bat file'' (say, mypath.bat) which performs this function.
Note that ``path'' will print the value of the
current path variable.  Hence, to put this information
into mypath.bat, do:
	<pre>
      :&gt; path &gt; mypath.bat
	</pre>
Now use an editor to edit mypath.bat, i.e., you insert
``set &nbsp;'' to the beginning of the line, and ``; Z:\tasm\bin''
to the end of the line.  Now you can execute this bat file
each time you need it.

<li>
<a name="bat">
<b>What are bat or batch files?
</b>
</a>
<br>
Batch programs are stored in batch files.
These are ascii files whose extension is ``.bat''
or ``.cmd''.  They contain instructions for the
operating system.  When you execute
such a file (you need not type the .bat or .cmd extension
if this is unambiguous), it is as if you issued those instructions
in your window (or MS-DOS prompt).  It is useful to
use such files to store a set of related commands
that you want to use frequently.  E.g., for this class,
you might want to prepare a batch file containing
the sequence
<pre>
	@rem my homework batch file
	echo -- Processing Homework Batch File --
	tasm /zi /z hw.asm
	tlink /v hw.obj
	hw.exe
	echo -- Done Homework Batch File --
</pre>
Some general commands are:
<ul>
	<li><b>
	rem</b> (remark or comment)
	<li><b>
	echo</b> (echo just prints the arguments on the screen)
	<li><b>
	call</b> (calls another batch program)
	<li><b>
	if</b> (conditional processing)
	<li><b>
	pause</b> (pauses and asks for any key press to continue)
	<li><b>
	for</b> (runs a specified command for each file in a set)
	<li><b>
	goto</b> (jump to a label)
</ul>	
	
<li>
<a name="nt">
<b>I happen to use an Windows NT system. 
Can you give me some hints?
</b>
</a>
<br>
In many ways, Windows NT (or, WinNT) feels just like
Windows 95 (Win95).
The difference is that WinNT is geared towards multiple
users (like UNIX).
Each user has his or her own ``user profile'' that is
usually stored in the folder C:\winnt\profiles\&lt;usr-name&gt;.
Thus, your will find that your desktop files
and start menu are stored here.  
<p>
<!-- the following  info are found in the file config.nt
-->
Two basic files in DOS, CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT,
used to configure your system.  In WinNT, these files
are called <b>CONFIG.NT</b> and <b>AUTOEXEC.NT</b>
and are found in the directory /%systemroot%/System32,
where %systemroot% is where WinNT system information
are found (e.g., %systemroot%=WINNT).
Config.nt (not config.sys) and autoexec.nt (not autoexec.bat)
are used to initialize your MS-DOS environment,
unless some different startup files are specified in the
application's PIF.
<p><b>echoconfig</b>:
By default, no information is displayed when MS-DOS environment
is initialized.  To display information, add the
command <b>echoconfig</b> in the config.nt/autoexec.nt files.
<p><b>ntcmdprompt</b>:
When you return to the command prompt from a TSR or while
running a MS-DOS application, WinNT runs command.com
(see <a href=#msdos>above</a>)
This allows the TSR to remain active.  To run <b>cmd.exe</b>
(the WinNT command prompt) rather than command.com,
add the command <b>ntcmdprompt</b> in CONFIG.NT or
other startup file.
<p><b>dosonly</b>:
By default, you can start any application from command.com.
But if you start an application other than MS-DOS application,
any running TSR may be disrupted.  To ensure that only MS-DOS applications
can be started, add the command <b>dosonly</b> to config.nt or
other startup file.



