MS-DOS shell/menu system?

[ianoid]

I've got some volumes on my XTIDE in a Tandy 1000 with thousands of files. I'm looking for a menu or shell program that works with loads of MS-DOS files.

 

I have tried DOS Shell and maybe 5 other menu systems and they either crash under the burden, or try to read the who file system at startup, which takes a while. Then they are file limited, to maybe 256 files or something. 

 

Can anyone suggest a file/menu/shell program to use in this setup?

[oracle_jedi]

Wasn't Xtree Gold the big thing back then?   I seem to recall using it a few times with HD equipped ATs and it not buckling under the burden.

 

Usually I just used CD commands with a directory structure that made sense to me. 

[mr_me]

Norton Commander, similar to Xtree Gold, it's more a file manager than menu system.

[+OLD CS1]

I always liked StupenDOS.  It works on my Amiga under CrossPC, so I assume it will work on some really old stuff.

 

http://www.sharewarejunkies.com/8s3/stupendo.htm

[wierd_w]

I am a fan of Direct Access 5.  It DOES work on XTs.

 

It supports submenus. (I have never found a functional bottom to how deep it can nest.)

 

https://winworldpc.com/product/direct-access/5x

 

(I use it to get around the restrictions on the free version of adosbox on android. It limits to one application-- phht-- OK, I will set up DA5, and then pick from there!)

 

It has a few nice features, in that it returns to the menu once you quit your game/application. 

Edited January 3, 2023 by wierd_w

[ianoid]

14 hours ago, OLD CS1 said:

I always liked StupenDOS.  It works on my Amiga under CrossPC, so I assume it will work on some really old stuff.

 

http://www.sharewarejunkies.com/8s3/stupendo.htm

The download link is broken at their webpage, but I found it on Internet Archive  https://archive.org/details/SD395B_ZIP

 

Yeah command line is an option, although I will probably discover more games to try out if I use a slick menu system. 

 

Thanks for all the recommendations! I will try them all out.

 

 

 

[+OLD CS1]

3 hours ago, ianoid said:

The download link is broken at their webpage, but I found it on Internet Archive  https://archive.org/details/SD395B_ZIP

 

Yeah command line is an option, although I will probably discover more games to try out if I use a slick menu system. 

 

Thanks for all the recommendations! I will try them all out.

I found that, too, but it is too old.  I can get you the latest version shortly.

[Pfaffa]

StupenDOS 5 can be DL here: http://www.retroarchive.org/cdrom/garbo_dos/sysutil/sd-500.zip

[hanmirth]

I think LIST.COM is a good choice. Just tried and it seems to work up to 998 files per directory.

 

For directories with more files, it gives an error and then only shows the first 998 entries.

 

You can download LIST.COM from LISTPLUS.ZIP over here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080704121935/http://www.buerg.com/download.htm

[JamesS]

I like Dos Navigator, lots of options and free (The best price ever)

 

https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/dn/

[82-T/A]

On 1/2/2023 at 8:58 PM, OLD CS1 said:

I always liked StupenDOS.  It works on my Amiga under CrossPC, so I assume it will work on some really old stuff.

 

http://www.sharewarejunkies.com/8s3/stupendo.htm

 

I was just going to post this, but noticed you mentioned it too.

 

I cannot emphasize enough how great StupenDOS is. It became so route in my use of DOS that I instinctively type SD randomly on DOS computers because I'm so used to using it. In the ~40 years since I've been using DOS... this was the best application I've ever used for file management. Like... let me know if you want me to ramble on about it, because you won't find anything else better. Literally everyone else's opinions on here are totally wrong unless they agree with me. I'm just that confident about it... haha...

[+OLD CS1]

11 hours ago, 82-T/A said:

let me know if you want me to ramble on about it

I am assuming you customized yours, too.

 

 

 

[82-T/A]

8 hours ago, OLD CS1 said:

I am assuming you customized yours, too.

 

 

 

 

Hahah... yes! There were many times I'd change the colors. Is that Carl? I don't remember that episode, but damn.... hahah...

 

[+OLD CS1]

2 hours ago, 82-T/A said:

 

Hahah... yes! There were many times I'd change the colors. Is that Carl? I don't remember that episode, but damn.... hahah...

Been a while since I sat down in front of SD, but I customized the colors and a couple of the menus, IIRC.

 

Yup, that is Carl, from the "Dickesode" episode, season four, episode four.  The guys are trying to hide him from Wongburger's minions.