Technical Information Database TI410D.txt - Recommended PIF Settings for Windows Category :Turbo Pascal Platform :DOS Product : Description: Every DOS program that runs under Windows will have an associated PIF file. These files designate how much memory an application uses and how it uses other aspects of your computer, such as the video memory. If you do not associate a particular PIF file with a DOS application then it will use the _Default.PIF file which Microsoft places automatically in the Windows subdirectory. You should also be aware that whenever you open a DOS box via the MSDOS icon, then by default Windows uses the DOSPrmpt.PIF file, which Windows installs during setup. This PIF file will control the settings of an application that is started from inside a DOS box. During the default installation Turbo Pascal 7.0 and Borland Pascal 7.0 both place correctly configured PIF files in the BIN subdirectory for the protected mode IDEs and debuggers such as BP, TPX and TDX. Borland Pascal will automatically create a Program Manager group with icons which are associated by default with these PIF files. This same chore is not performed automatically during the Turbo Pascal installation, so if you own that product you should be sure to associate TPX with the correct PIF file if you want to start it from a Windows icon. There is no need to associate real mode applications such as Turbo.EXE with a PIF file since they will normally run fine under either the _Default.PIF or the DOSPrmpt.PIF. It is extremely easy to associate a DOS executable with a particular PIF file. To do so, follow the normal procedures for setting up a Windows Icon, except instead of associating an executable with a particular icon, you should associate it with a particular PIF file. The PIF file itself will know where your executable is and how to start it. If you want to know more about the set up or use of PIF files you should read the lengthy and detailed description of this subject in the Microsoft Windows Users Guide which shipped with your copy of Windows. Here are the default PIF settings for the PIF files that shipped with BP7 and TP7: ===================================== BP PIF: Program FileName: BP.EXE Window Title: Borland Pascal 7.0 Optional Parameters: /R+ Video Memory: Text Memory Requirements KB Required: 128 KB Desired: 640 EMS Memory KB Required: 0 KB Limit: 1024 XMS Memory KB Requited: 0 KB Limit: 2048 Display Usage: Full Screen Close Window on Exit: TRUE Advanced Options Background Priority: 50 Foreground Priority: 100 Detect Idle Time: TRUE Emulate Text Mode: TRUE Allow Fast Paste: TRUE Application Shortcut Key: None ===================================== TDX PIF: Program FileName: TDX.EXE Window Title: TDX Video Memory: Text Memory Requirements KB Required: 128 KB Desired: 640 EMS Memory KB Required: 0 KB Limit: 1024 XMS Memory KB Requited: 0 KB Limit: 2048 Display Usage: Full Screen Close Window on Exit: TRUE Advanced Options Background Priority: 50 Foreground Priority: 100 Detect Idle Time: TRUE Emulate Text Mode: TRUE Allow Fast Paste: TRUE Application Shortcut Key: None ===================================== TPX PIF: Program FileName: TPX.EXE Window Title: Turbo Pascal 7.0 Optional Parameters: /R+ Video Memory: Text Memory Requirements KB Required: 128 KB Desired: 640 EMS Memory KB Required: 0 KB Limit: 1024 XMS Memory KB Requited: 0 KB Limit: 2048 Display Usage: Full Screen Close Window on Exit: TRUE Advanced Options Background Priority: 50 Foreground Priority: 100 Detect Idle Time: TRUE Emulate Text Mode: TRUE Allow Fast Paste: TRUE Application Shortcut Key: None Reference: 3/31/99 10:10:25 AM
Last Modified: 01-SEP-99