Installing the WINDOWS version

The program needs access to the following files.

bd.cmd

A text file defining [B/D]'s commands and other keywords. This file is essential - [B/D] will not work without it.

bd.msg

A text file containing runtime error and warning messages. [B/D] will work if this file is missing, but no error messages will be available.

bd.hlp

A large text file containing online help for the program. [B/D] will work if this file is missing, but no help will be available.

bd.exe

The main [B/D] executable program;

Suppose that all the files listed above for a particular implementation are in your current directory, and that you plan to work solely within this directory. Then you can run the program by typing the command ``bd'' at your system prompt. Otherwise, you can configure the program so that it finds its files elsewhere, as follows.

We refer to the directory from which [B/D] is run as the current directory. All temporary files are placed on, and all output directed to, the current directory. The required files must be present either in the current directory, or in the path given by the environment variable BDINPUTS . The current directory is always searched first. (The search path can be added to interactively if necessary.) The environment variable can be set by adding, for example, the following line to your autoexec.bat file:

set BDINPUTS=C:\BD\BDNEEDS\

where c:\BD\BDNEEDS is the name chosen for the subdirectory containing the required files.

The BDMACROS  environment variable is set in a similar way to the BDINPUTS  variable. It can be set to contain a string of paths which are to be searched for input files. For example, you could add the following line to your autoexec.bat file:

set BDMACROS=c:\BD\BDINPUTS;D:\

For its input files, the effect here would be for [B/D] to search (by default) the current directory first; and then the subdirectory c:\bd\bdinputs, and so forth.

• Starting the program