FirstBase: DBSHELLTOOL(1)

URL: http://www.firstbasesoftware.com/man/man1/dbshelltool.htm
Last modified: 12 September 1995
Copyright © by FirstBase Software.
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NAME

dbshelltool - the FirstBase window shell

SYNOPSIS

dbshelltool_OL [tool] [tool arguments]

DESCRIPTION

Dbshelltool is the FirstBase OpenLook interface to the tool selected. If no tool is used, dbshell(1) is used on the FirstBase MAIN menu.

The interface provided by dbshelltool consists of two parts -- a button panel and a standard tty subwindow. The indicated tool, usually a formal FirstBase tool, is run in the tty subwindow. A button panel of mouse selectable signals are placed beside the running tool.

During the running of many of the actual FirstBase tools, like dbshell(1) and dbvedit(1), the mouse can be used to select actions from the tty subwindow. However, the actual focus of the dbshelltool interface is never forced to either the mouse or keyboard -- both are available at all times.

As a FirstBase tool is executing underneath dbshelltool(1), the button panel will dynamically change to display only those commands that are proper at the moment. Of course, the tools running under the tty subwindow can be used without any of the command buttons.

Dbshelltool(1) will display a header denoting the actual FirstBase tool running in the tty subwindow, as well as a context sensitive footer that changes with the states of the underlying tool. This footer provides the user with a message about what the mouse can select at that point.

OPEN LOOK ACCELERATORS

The following is a list of the places within the FirstBase that additional Open Look accelerators have been added:

dbshell(1): mouse selectable menu commands. Note: the selectable actions must use the reverse video mechanism as outlined in dbshell(1).
dbedit(1), dbvedit(1), dbvemit(1): mouse selectable fields to edit, choice fields, nested choices, and extended choices. An additional button command provides a standard OpenLook menu.
scrprint(1): mouse selectable commands from the menu.

USAGE

Dbshelltool(1) can be run in a number of ways, including the background. Here are a few simple examples:



   dbshelltool
   dbshelltool &
   dbshelltool dbshell menu/MAIN
   dbshelltool dbvedit -d dbase -i index -v view &
   dbshelltool fblogin

Additionally, OpenLook command line arguments, such as those that control background colors, can be given to dbshelltool_OL. However, these command line arguments must use the short flag name, denoted by -W style arguments, and these arguments must be placed at the end of the list of arguments.

DIAGNOSTICS

Dbshelltool(1) requires an Open Look (or X11) window manager. Formally, dbshelltool_OL is the Open Look version.