Batch and Powershell Nano Syntax Highlighting

NOTE: Please see my better, shorter, and updated versions here.

Another quick update for the few that may venture into this... I've recently had a few quirks when trying to read batch and powershell files in nano on Linux.... I love my Nano editor but it doesn't have nanorc files for syntax highlighting regarding Batch or Powershell. Heck, who can blame them! Windblows? No thanks! Yuck!

But sadly... That's not how the real world works so... I had to write my own to get it to work since apparently no on one on the internet has ever made them for nano.

## Here is an example for Batch scripts.

## CREATED BY MITCH BUMGARNER ON MAY 10TH 2014

syntax "bat" "\.(bat|cmd)$"

icolor brightred "%%."

icolor red "(do|else|exist|exit|for|goto|if|not|return|say|select|then|when)"

icolor magenta "^call :?[a-zA-Z0-9_].*$"

icolor brightmagenta "([[:space:]]equ[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]neq[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gtr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]lss[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]geq[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]leq[[:space:]])"

color brightyellow "=="

icolor brightcyan "(ansi|append|assign|assoc|attrib|at|autofail|backup|basedev|boot|break|buffers|cache|cacls|cd|chcp|chdir|chkdsk|chkntfs|cls|cmd|codepage|color|command|compact|comp|convert|copy|date|del|dir|diskcomp|diskcopy|doskey|echo|endlocal|erase|fc|find|findstr|format|ftype|graftabl|help|keyb|label|md|mkdir|mode|more|move|path|pause|popd|print|prompt|pushd|rd|recover|rename|ren|replace|restore|rmdir|run|set|setboot|setlocal|shift|sort|start|subst|time|title|trapdump|tree|type|undelete|unpack|use|verify|ver|vol|xcopy)"

icolor brightblue "^rem.*$"

color cyan "[[:space:]]?::.*$"

icolor brightwhite ""[^"]*"" 

icolor yellow "[[:space:]]\%.*%[[:space:]]"

## Here is an example for Powershell scripts.

##

syntax "bat" "\.(ps1|psm1)$"

icolor brightred "([[:space:]]Add-Computer[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Add-Content[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Add-History[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Add-Member[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Add-PSSnapin[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Add-Type[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]asnp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cat[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cd[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cd..[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]chdir[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Checkpoint-Co[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]clc[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]clear[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-Content[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-EventLo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-History[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-Host[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-ItemPro[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Clear-Variabl[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]clhy[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cli[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]clp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cls[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]clv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]compare[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Compare-Objec[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Complete-Tran[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Connect-WSMan[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertFrom-C[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertFrom-S[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertFrom-S[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Convert-Path[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertTo-Csv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertTo-Htm[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertTo-Sec[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ConvertTo-Xml[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]copy[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Copy-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Copy-ItemProp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cpi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cpp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]cvpa[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]dbp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Debug-Process[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]del[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]diff[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]dir[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Disable-Compu[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Disable-PSBre[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Disable-PSRem[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Disable-PSSes[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Disable-WSMan[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Disconnect-WS[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ebp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]echo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Enable-Comput[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Enable-PSBrea[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Enable-PSRemo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Enable-PSSess[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Enable-WSManC[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Enter-PSSessi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]epal[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]epcsv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]epsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]erase[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]etsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Exit-PSSessio[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Alias[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Clixml[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Consol[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Counte[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Csv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Format[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-Module[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Export-PSSess[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]exsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]foreach[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ForEach-Objec[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Format-Custom[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Format-List[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Format-Table[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Format-Wide[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gal[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gbp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gc[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gci[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gcm[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gcs[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gdr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Acl[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Alias[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Authentic[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-ChildItem[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Command[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-ComputerR[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Content[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Counter[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Credentia[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Culture[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Date[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Event[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-EventLog[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-EventSubs[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Execution[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-FormatDat[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Help[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-History[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Host[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-HotFix[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-ItemPrope[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Job[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Location[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Member[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Module[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PfxCertif[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Process[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSBreakpo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSCallSta[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSDrive[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSProvide[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSSession[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSSession[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-PSSnapin[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Random[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Service[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-TraceSour[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Transacti[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-UICulture[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Unique[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Variable[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-Verb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-WinEvent[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-WmiObject[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-WSManCred[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Get-WSManInst[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ghy[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gjb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gmo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gps[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]group[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Group-Object[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gsnp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gsv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]gwmi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]help[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]history[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]icm[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]iex[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ihy[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-Alias[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-Clixml[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-Counte[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-Csv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-Locali[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-Module[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Import-PSSess[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ImportSystemM[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Invoke-Comman[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Invoke-Expres[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Invoke-Histor[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Invoke-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Invoke-WmiMet[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Invoke-WSManA[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ipal[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ipcsv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ipmo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ipsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ise[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]iwmi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Join-Path[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]kill[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Limit-EventLo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]man[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]measure[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Measure-Comma[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Measure-Objec[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]mkdir[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]more[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]mount[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]move[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Move-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Move-ItemProp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]mv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]nal[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ndr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Alias[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Event[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-EventLog[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-ItemPrope[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Module[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-ModuleMan[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Object[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-PSDrive[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-PSSession[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-PSSession[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Service[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-TimeSpan[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-Variable[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-WebServic[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-WSManInst[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]New-WSManSess[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]nmo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]nsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ogv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-Default[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-File[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-GridView[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-Host[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-Null[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-Printer[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Out-String[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]popd[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Pop-Location[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]prompt[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]pushd[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Push-Location[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]pwd[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rbp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rcjb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rdr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Read-Host[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Receive-Job[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Register-Engi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Register-Obje[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Register-PSSe[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Register-WmiE[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-Comput[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-Event[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-EventL[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-ItemPr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-Job[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-Module[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-PSBrea[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-PSDriv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-PSSess[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-PSSnap[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-Variab[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-WmiObj[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Remove-WSManI[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]ren[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Rename-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Rename-ItemPr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Reset-Compute[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Resolve-Path[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Restart-Compu[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Restart-Servi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Restore-Compu[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Resume-Servic[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rjb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rmdir[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rmo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rni[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rnp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rsn[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rsnp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rvpa[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]rwmi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]sajb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]sal[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]saps[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]sasv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]sbp[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]select[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Select-Object[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Select-String[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Select-Xml[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Send-MailMess[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]set[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Acl[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Alias[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Authentic[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Content[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Date[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Execution[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Item[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-ItemPrope[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Location[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-PSBreakpo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-PSDebug[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-PSSession[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Service[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-StrictMod[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-TraceSour[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-Variable[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-WmiInstan[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-WSManInst[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Set-WSManQuic[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Show-EventLog[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]sleep[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]sort[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Sort-Object[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]spjb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Split-Path[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]spps[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]spsv[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]start[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Start-Job[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Start-Process[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Start-Service[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Start-Sleep[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Start-Transac[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Start-Transcr[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Stop-Computer[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Stop-Job[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Stop-Process[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Stop-Service[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Stop-Transcri[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Suspend-Servi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]swmi[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]TabExpansion[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]tee[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Tee-Object[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Test-Computer[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Test-Connecti[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Test-ModuleMa[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Test-Path[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Test-WSMan[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Trace-Command[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]type[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Undo-Transact[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Unregister-Ev[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Unregister-PS[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Update-Format[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Update-List[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Update-TypeDa[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Use-Transacti[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Wait-Event[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Wait-Job[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Wait-Process[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]where[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Where-Object[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]wjb[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]write[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Debug[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Error[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-EventLo[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Host[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Output[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Progres[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Verbose[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]Write-Warning[[:space:]])"

icolor brightyellow "function[[:space:]]"

icolor brightyellow "-(eq[[:space:]]|ne[[:space:]]|gt[[:space:]]|lt[[:space:]]|ge[[:space:]]|le[[:space:]])"

icolor brightred "\$\{?[0-9A-Z_!@#$*?-]+\}?"

color brightblue "^[[:space:]]?#.*$"

icolor brightwhite ""[^"]*""

icolor yellow "[[:space:]]\%.*%[[:space:]]"

icolor brightcyan "([[:space:]]?if[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?do[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?else[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?elseif[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?for[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?foreach[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?switch[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?until[[:space:]]|[[:space:]]?while[[:space:]])"

Clearly the first one is for batch files and the second for Powershell. The hardest part of this was getting better at regex! Once I got around that hurdle, it was a bit easier. Also, sorry for including so many commandlets in the powershell one but.... I wanted to have decent highlighting for keywords so... I made that work. The key to making them work was having them highlighted only if they are stand-alone keywords... I know they won't currently highlight if they are the start of a line, but it was better to do it this way. They are super long and I think it should be noted that in between each quote and parenthasis should be a single line when you paste this into a text editor for saving. 

To save, you simply copy the text I have here into a file, then save that file in /usr/share/nano/batch.nanorc and also /usr/share/nano/powershell.nanorc.

Then to get them included into your nano, you need to edit /etc/nanorc and navigate to the bottom where it says "## Nanorc files".... then include /usr/share/nano/nanorc.nanorc.... it's saying Read this .nanorc file when you run for syntax highlighting... Well we want to add our two files into that list. Once that's done. Close it up. Fire up nano with a batch file or a powershell file and test away! You can tweak these colors and settings to make them match what you want but, hopefully I've done most of the hard work for you.

Overall, I hope this was helpful to anyone that may need them and if anyone has any questions regarding them, please feel free to contact me! You can either comment on here or email me and I'll try my best to answer!

-Mitch

EDIT: There is a much cleaner version at https://github.com/mitchell486/nanorc

TUMPA

Sorry for the long absence of a post. Life gets crazy sometimes.

Tonight, we make up for that with a little awesome device I got for my birthday called the "TUMPA". TIAO USB Multi-Protocol Adapter. This little guy is powerful. I've only used it a little bit but I like it already. Best $30 I've spent. This isn't where I got mine, but it's the same price. The device can be a bit daunting if you've never messed with UART, JTAG, or anything of the sort before. So I wrote a small tutorial on getting started with this device and minicom on Linux.

To give someone a good starting place with the TUMPA device.

On a Linux system to get a decent start and test to make sure your TUMPA board is working. Mine is for Ubuntu 12.04 x64.



Read http://www.tiaowiki.com/w/TIAO_USB_Multi_Protocol_Adapter_User's_Manual as you go along. It is actually quite helpful along with this starter guide.
To start, you will need to move the 3x8 TTL-COM jumpers from the default position of "Top Row & Middle Row" if you are following the guide... to the new position of "Middle Row & Bottom Row" to put the RS232 TTL-OUT as active. Once you have done that, remove the jumper from the Upper RS232 "c60" postion where it is currently located at 5&6, and place it on pin 1&2 on the TTL-COM row (or the 2x6 TTL) located at the bottom of the board. Once you have done this, your board is now in "Self test" mode or "loopback".

Essentially what we have done here is take the TTL section that is 3x8 TTL and made it go from "SELECT" mode, to "TTL-OUT" mode.... Meaning it will now utilize the bottom row of TTL-COM pins or the 2x6 TTL pins. Once you have selected to use those... We needed to set the TX(send) and RX(receive) to speak so that we could test the loopback functionality of the device. If you read in the manual, pins 5&6 on the upper RS232 "c60" pins are the TX and RX pins, while pins 1&2 are the TX and RX pins for the lower 2x6 TTL pins. These are all documented in the manual.



Once you hook your TUMPA via USB to your system, run

Code: [Select]

dmesg | grep USB. Verify that the output toward the end says that the "FTDI device is attached at ttyUSB0". Next, get minicom by running

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get install minicom
Once minicom is installed, from your terminal window,

Code: [Select]

minicomIt will then be at an almost blank screen with very little information. Minicom is pretty easy to navigate once you get used to it. To start, make sure minicom is set to read the /dev/ttyUSB0 device. And the settings for the TUMPA serial test are either 115200 8N1 or 9600 8N1. To set these settings within minicom, use the key combo Ctrl+A, then press Z to access the menu (note: a shortcut for it is Ctrl+A, Then the letter of the shortcut, in our example... it's O.).... So from that menu... You will need to press O unless you used the shortcut. Once in that menu, you will need to select the option "Serial Port Setup". Once in that sub-menu, select E for Bps/Par/Bits. And from there you can either set it to 115200 or 9600 (C or E), and then Q for 8N1. You can exit that menu. Saving it is recommended. While in there, you can verify that /dev/ttyUSB0 is set as well. NOTE: That is a zero and not the letter OH.

Once these settings are in there, you should have full connectivity to your device via USB to the serial interface on the device! Exit minicom and re-open it with the settings from before. To do this, you'll want to do is either run

Code: [Select]

sudo minicom savefilenameor

Code: [Select]

sudo minicomif you saved it as your default.

Once you have re-opened minicom, you should be able to test anything that you type at all and it will show on the screen directly as you type it. What this means is it is getting sent via minicom to the device, then going into the device and getting output by the device as well and then getting printed back on the screen! 


I hope that this has been helpful to someone that needs a good starting point with the TUMPA and if anyone is interested, I can post more of these once I learn small tips and tricks that might help along the way. I look forward to lots of fun with the TUMPA. And minicom seems to be a very handy program for interfacing with it.

I wrote this on a forum that was for the TIAO device but decided that if I write a blog post about this device, it will probably bode well for the general public rather than finding it buried somewhere deep in a forum. Who know's how long those are saved and such! SO I hope this has been informative for anyone and if you have any questions, I plan on playing with my TUMPA more as time goes on so I will try to answer any questions you might have! Thank you guys! I'll try to share more when I can!

PS - Maybe next time, if I get a bit of free time, I'll add pictures for this post to help in the learning process. Some people are visual learners. I try to cover all walks of life.

-Mitch

Cat!

     Wow it has been a while... It's going to be a fairly short update too. I plan on doing this one more often now that things have calmed down just a tad but, for now I will share with you the thing I most recently learned!

CAT!

     Cat is an interesting item for sure! If you just use it as it is... [cat file.txt] will show you the contents of the text file in your CLI. Or if you wanted to, you could cat those contents into a different file. So let's say that you were writing a code, and you needed the output of a file put into a variable or something, you could do it with cat. You can also do that just in your everyday if you wanted to make a HUGE text file from 37 different text files. You would just say [cat file.txt > big_text.txt] and then it would take the contents of file.txt and put it into big_text.txt. Handy! Then you just do that 37 times and you are set!

     But wait, there's more! You can even shorten that! I believe you could do that with something like this [cat file.txt file2.txt ..insert others here.. file37.txt > big_text.txt]. That's not super handy for something like 9,392 files but.... For a few it sure is! I think you could also make a clean folder and copy all of your text files to the folder and ONLY have the text files you want in there and simply do [cat *.txt > big_text.txt] and you would catch all and then put them into the big_text file! So handy!

     Another useful implementation of this process is for "part" iso files... Let's say you get something.iso_part1 and then something.iso_part2... Well that's just silly! Who would do that? People that can't host large files. The WORST kind of people... That's ok. We can solve this problem without giving them an earful. It's relatively easy also! Basically... You take the first file, second file, and then output it to 'complete.iso' and it will do it! As an example [cat /path/to/first.iso_part1 /path/to/second.iso_part2 > completed.iso]... Then you should have a combined file that is the complete iso! How handy is that! "Very" is the answer you were looking for.

     And that is a very useful thing that you can do with the [cat] command. It might not be something you use every day but it can definitely save you from copying and pasting 2,000 times.