How to change the language of FreeCOM?

-- 2000/07/10 ska

At this time not all strings can be customized, but it will change!

WAY 1 - using pre-compiled FreeCOM images

There are four precompiled FreeCOMs:

- Debugging - Language

+ COMMAND.COM - none - English (Default)

+ CMDDEBUG.COM - yes - English (Default)

+ COMMAND.CLN - none - none

+ CMDDEBUG.CLN - yes - none

You need:

+ one of the *.CLN files

+ STRINGS\FIXSTRS.EXE

+ STRINGS\DEFAULT.LNG

+ STRINGS\<your_desired_language>.LNG

What do to:

1) enter STRINGS subdirectory: cd strings

2) create the string database for your language: fixstrs <language>

Don't write the angle brackets, e.g. to create Spanish string

run: fixstrs spanish

3) attach the strings to FreeCOM:

copy /b ..\command.cln + strings.dat command.com

If you want to include FreeCOM's debugging support run:

copy /b ..\cmddebug.cln + strings.dat cmddebug.com

If you want to test several languages, do this:

3) Perform steps 1) and 2) above, but NOT step 3)!

4) Copy either COMMAND.CLN or CMDDEBUG.CLN into any directory you

like and rename it into COMMAND.COM, e.g.:

copy ..\CMDDEBUG.CLN a:\command.com

5) Copy STRINGS.DAT (the strings database) into the same directory

as you copied the clean FreeCOM image above, e.g.:

copy STRINGS.DAT a:

If you run A:\COMMAND.COM now, it will miss the embedded strings, but

will use the external STRINGS.DAT file. To change FreeCOM's language

just replace the STRINGS.DAT file.

If you use the clean FreeCOM image, but do NOT supply an external

STRINGS.DAT file, all strings appear as placeholders, e.g.:

"Error #93"

WAY 2 - Compile FreeCOM yourself

Before you run dmake, create the environment variable LNG and specify

the language as its contents, e.g.:

SET LNG=spanish