Dynamic Input Assistance – Common Questions!
- I am far from being the world’s greatest typist. I make mistakes. Is there a better way to correct command line typos than “FC”?
- I am not a perfect speller, either. Can you get some spell checking, on demand?
- I often use the same commands time and again. Can my host connectivity software remember those commands for me (even if I shut down and restart my PC)? AND, let me tweak commands, if I want, when reusing them?
- Can you give me a smart list of past commands? I mean, a list of commands based on what I’m doing right now? Not just dump everything I’ve ever done on me, regardless of its applicability?
- If I give a command from within one connection, can it be available for any and all my connections? Immediately and even across separate yet concurrent host sessions?
- Can I get in-line syntax help when I try to enter infrequent commands?
With OutsideView’s Dynamic Input Assistance feature, the answer is YES to all of the above! OutsideView 8.1 offers all these capabilities through our Dynamic Input Assistance feature.
Dynamic Input Assistance is a way to overlay Windows-level technology onto terminal emulation operations. This can take the form of a text-edit box overlaying a command line so you can do modern entry – insert, overtype, delete, copy, paste, cursor arrows, etc. Or you can use Command History mode to store commands, and make them instantly, persistently, and globally retrievable across all sessions. In fact, using the OutsideView context recognition feature (discussed in earlier topics) your retrieved command history is filtered so only relevant history is presented back to you! For instance, if you are in OSS, you’ll only see OSS history.
Our Command Completion Assistance mode provides focused, syntax-aware prompts to help you construct unfamiliar commands properly. This capability is extensible, and currently available to help with BATCHCOM, BIND, FTP, FUP, MEASCOM, PATHCOM, PERUSE, RJECIR, SAFECOM, SCF, SPOOLCOM and TMFCOM. Finally if, like me, your spelling or typing needs a little help from time to time – we offer that too. Whether a single field or multiple block mode fields, OutsideView offers spell-checking.
Illustration 1: DIA’s modern text-edit box makes FC unnecessary
Illustration 2: DIA’s Context-specific (e.g., OSS) Command History
Illustration 3: DIA’s Command Completion Assistance mode provides help as you type
View the video demonstrating Dynamic Input Assistance: