Command and Arguments

On several locations within the settings requesters, you can enter some sort of external command. For convenience, there are separate string gadgets for the command itself and its arguments.

In the command string gadget, you can type in a command. It is advised that you specify the full path, or else AWeb might not be able to execute the command. You can click on the button to pop up a file requester, so you can easily pick the command.

In the arguments string you specify the arguments for the command. Any text you type here will be passed to the external program, but some special character combinations will be replaced by parameters from AWeb. Generally the following parameter specifiers are used:

%a = news article or newsgroup name
%e = e-mail address
%f = path/file name
%h = host name
%i = frame ID
%l = login name
%m = MIME type
%n = screen name
%p = port number
%u = URL
%w = password

Not all parameters are applicable in every case. You can click the gadget to pop up a short descriptive list with the possible parameters.

Instead of a program, you can specify a DOS script. If you do, make sure that the script bit for this file is set. You can set this bit either by the DOS command

   protect script_name +s

or by the Workbench Information program (select the Script checkbox).

Note that an external program setting will usually only be recognized if both fields, command and arguments, are supplied.

Example

Look at the HTML source viewer setting (in the Program: Programs settings). Suppose you want to install MultiView as viewer, and let it open its window on the same screen as AWeb.

First, you click on the button and navigate to the SYS:Utilities drawer. Then you select MultiView. Now the Command is set up correctly.

Then click on the gadget and hold the mouse button. You will see:

   %f = path/file name
   %n = screen name

MultiView can take the arguments: FILE,SCREEN/S,PUBSCREEN/K. Therefore you enter %f PUBSCREEN %n in the Arguments field. The %f will be replaced by the real file name when the command is executed by AWeb. Likewise, %n will be replaced by the actual screen name.

So your settings would look like this:

Command: SYS:Utilities/MultiView
Arguments: %f PUBSCREEN %n

If you like MultiView to run on its own screen, you would set it up this way:

Command: SYS:Utilities/MultiView
Arguments: %f SCREEN