These items are FREE DOS based programs that run within WINDOWS. They were developed in the early PC years, to be used without a mouse. They are menu driven and EZ to use.
* CAUTION * * * CAUTION * * * CAUTION *
All the items are distributed as is. That means that any user assumes all responsibility for any and all results. If you do not agree to that, PLEASE do not use them.
Also, you should thoroughly "test drive" a program to be sure it will work for you as you want it to. That includes working with your printer if that is one of your requirements. If it does not work satisfactorily for you, PLEASE do not use it.
DOWNLOAD LINKS:
1. EZ EXPENSES: For tracking all types of home, or business expenses for budgeting, vouchering, and income taxes. I have used it to record and track and produce reports of business and home expenses for use in filing income taxes and budgeting.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD -- EXPENSES.XEX
2. EZ VIEW: View - Edit - Copy - Delete files. This is a very nice program for scanning files and cleaning up Directories that contain "junk" files that have accumulated over time. You can review files, mark them for deletion, and then return to where you were in the Directory to select another file to scan.
You can print files except with Vista. Hopefully a work-around will be available on the web soon. Until then, if you want to print a file, use Wordpad or another tool that works with Vista.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD -- EZVIEW.XEX
3.TED: A small full-screen (1988) editor by Tom Kihlken. Supports scrolling, cut, copy, paste. and printing operations, and permits entry of all members of the IBM character set.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD -- TEDEDIT.XEX
AFTER YOU DOWNLOAD and SAVE A FILE:
1. Using Windows Explorer, locate the file and then copy it to a new Directory (Folder) named: newitem, or any name that you choose.
2. Next, rename the downloaded file by changing the file extension from .XEX to .EXE.
3. It is a self extracting file, so after it is renamed, you can just double click on it and it will unpack automatically.
4. Because your version of Windows may not allow the INSTALL.BAT file to make a new Directory in the C:\ Root Directory, use Windows Explorer or the DOS Command Prompt to make a Directory to house the program files.
For the EZ EXPENSES program, make the Directory C:\EZX
For the EZ VIEW program, make the Directory C:\VIEW
For the TED editor program, make the Directory C:\TED
(The Command Prompt command for making a Directory, is: md C:\....)
5. When the Directory is made, double click on the file: INSTALL.BAT to install the program.
6. Once the program is installed, you can add a Start Up Button to the START menu by using Window's Explorer. Browse to the program's Directory, and right click on the name of the .EXE file that is used to run the program (see below). Then click on: Pin to Start Menu. You can add a START menu button to the Desktop by clicking on it and draging it from the Start Menu to an open spot on the Desktop.
The program .EXE file for EZ EXPENSES is: EZX.EXE
The program .EXE file for EZ VIEW is: VIEW.EXE
The program execution file for TED is: TED.COM
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT START UP BUTTONS:
Depending on the version of Windows you are using:
a. Right click on your new Start Up button, and click on the Compatibility tab. To run the EZ VIEW program it may be necessary to check the Privilege Level box: Run this program as an administrator. If the box is checked, you probably will have to "allow" it to run when it starts up.
Also, if you get a caution concerning the screen size when the program starts, just click the "ignore" option.
b. The "Cmd line:" or "Target line" entry should have an entry in this form: C:\....\....exe. It tells the computer to execute that file. For the EZ VIEW program, the entry should be: C:\view\view.exe
c. Depending on your version of Windows, click on the Program or Target tab, and be sure the "Working" or "Start in" line shows the C:\ Directory that the .EXE file is in. For the EZ VIEW program, the entry should be: C:\view.
d. Lastly, when the program is up and running, right click on the top margin of the window it is running in, and then click on properties.
Click on the layout tab and change the "Window Size" entries to 80 by 28, or some other set of numbers that makes the window look OK.
The window should be in the center of the screen, but if not, you should be able to click and drag it to where you want it.
STARTING A PROGRAM USING A .BAT FILE
The INSTALL.BAT file will attempt to add a "start up" .bat file to the C:\ Root Directory. But depending on the version of Windows you are using, Windows may prevent that.
If a "start up" .BAT file is added, it can be clicked on to start the program, or the Command Prompt command: C:\.....bat can be used to start the program.
You can also add a start up button to the Desktop using the command line C:\....bat, to start the program. (Windows may not allow you to pin a Start Button that uses a .BAT file in the command line, to the Start Menu, but you can put one on the Desktop.
I suggest that you print out this doc and use it as your guide in making changes. I found out how to do this via experimentation and cussing a lot. You may know a better and easier way. If so, use it.
I can not guarantee that these instructions will work as stated on your computer. You will have to do a little fussing and cussing on your own, to figure out just what works for you. Best of luck with that.
A note about the EZ VIEW and the TED editor program.
If you work in one Directory a lot, the VIEW.EXE file or the TED.COM file can be copied to that Directory, and started from there if you like. That way you don't have to change Directories to that Directory each time you start EZ VIEW or TED.
After copying the file to a Directory, right click on the EZ VIEW or TED Start Button, and drag it to the desk top. Right click on the new button, and click on Properties and then on the Program tab at the top. Change the "Cmd line:" or "Target" line from C:\view\view.exe to C:\.....\view.exe. Do the same for the TED Start Button.
Also, check to be sure that the "working" line info shows the C:\ Directory that the .EXE file is in. You also may wish to rename your "new" Start Button.
Making a donation would be a very nice way of saying thank you for the the info, articles, and programs on this site, and to help defray web costs. Your act of kindness will be appreciated and a spur to contine providing them. Just click on a donate button, and use your credit card or PayPal account to send an amount you are comfortable with.
Thank you.
PayPal handles donations for a nominal fee. It is charged to my EZ SOFTWARE PayPal account. EZ SOFTWARE is my very small company (one person). If you're not a PayPal member, that's OK.
ABOUT PRINTING AND VISTA
I have used the programs with a Panasonic KX-P1092i pin feed dot matrix printer, a HP 500C Desk Jet, an Epson C62, and HP Laser Jet 1012.
They will also work with newer USB type printers, however, Windows Vista does not allow for DOS program printing to USB printers.
I have used the stay resident program: DOS2USB as a work around, and it works fine with Windows XP. But I have a problem getting it to work with Vista.
DOS2USB currently can be used with or without registering it. Here is the URL: http://dos2usb.com/download.htm. And here is a web link.
To get around the printing issue, the EX EXPENSES and EZ VIEW programs allow you to copy a file or a report to a .TXT file. Notepad or another Windows compatible text editing/printing program can be used to capture and print the file.
For more info on more printing issues, and in particular with Vista printing issues, click here.
In my humble opinion, you can thank the evil geniuses at Microsoft for having to go to all this trouble to make a simple program run. Since DOS is their's, they could have allowed "old DOS" programs to run for the benefit of Windows purchasers/users, as they did in the days of DOS. With Vista, you can use a virtual DOS window, but that option is available only if you have a version that costs more than the basic version.
Also in my opinion, the "elimination" of DOS, and making it difficult to run "DOS" programs in Windows was done deliberately to squelch and eliminate competitors and competition, and to force users to have to buy the latest software versions. The same can be said about the failure of MS and printer makers to provide "patches" to address the changes in printer ports, and basic printer emulation as in the past.
If Intel can make chips that can "look back" so to the software and printer makers.
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