Behind the Scenes
From CometWiki
Tool Programs
The tool context features are available for Comet98 systems only. The following directories contain programs and files for these features:
| REL directory | Contains the CTGEN, CTOOL, and SNOVA programs.
The NOVA programs include SuperNova features (force transmit, save/restore screen, pass message in COMMON or system buffer). These features were added in REL 97.05. |
| UTL directory | Contains the CTMAINT program.
Contains a sample tool context file (TFSYSTEM). Contains the VKCHARS file (virtual keyboard). All Comet utilities work as subprograms. These features were added in UTL 97.03. |
| CED directory | CED works as a subprogram.
This feature was added in CED 97.01. |
Tool Context Files
When you create a Comet tool context, the CTMAINT program creates four files (actually, the CTGEN subprogram creates the files, but CTGEN is called by CTMAINT). The following table describes each of these files.
Each file is named with a 2-character prefix denoting the file's function (i.e., TF= tool file, TN=Nova file, TU=usefile, TW=Windows file). The remaining portion of the filename (6 characters maximum) is the name of the tool context.
The example filename shown in the middle column is based on the assumption that the example tool context is named SAMPLE.
| File | Prefix to filename | Example filename | Directory | Description |
| Tool database | TF | TFSAMPLE | user-specified | Comet keyed file (record=1024, key=14). Contains the master records for each tool context, including the information and bitmaps for the toolbar,
and the information for the accelerators and popups. This file is maintained by the CTMAINT program. |
| Nova tool file | TN | TNSAMPLE | CTGEN attempts to create this file on the same directory as the #NOVA file. If #NOVA is not found, CTGEN creates this file on REL. | Comet keyed file (record=64, key=7). Contains the corresponding Nova records for each tool in the tool context.
When one of the tools results in a Nova action, Comet inquires this file. |
| MTB Usefile | TU | TUSAMPLE | CTGEN attempts to create this file on the same directory as the #NOVA file. If #NOVA is not found, CTGEN creates this file on REL. | Comet keyed file (record=94, key=7). A use file containing SET statements for the MTB variables included in the tool context.
See below for more information. Note: If you do not include tool variables in the tool context, this usefile will be empty |
| Windows tool file | TW | TWSAMPLE | CTGEN attempts to create this file on the same directory as the #NOVA file. If #NOVA is not found, CTGEN creates this file on REL.
This is a Windows file and is not contained in the Comet directory file (QDIR). | Contains all of the information for loading and interfacing with a tool context in Comet98. |
