Multiple PIFs for Same MS-DOS Applications in Windows

ID: Q84419

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1, if a program information file (PIF) for an MS-DOS application already exists, a dialog box will appear and provide an option to create a new PIF, replace an existing PIF, or cancel the request.

In Windows 3.0, running the Set Up Applications command from the Windows Setup icon creates a new PIF for each MS-DOS application that it recognizes from the [PIF] section of the SETUP.INF file.

MORE INFORMATION

To set up MS-DOS applications to run in Windows 3.0 or 3.1, do the following:

From the Program Manager, choose the Windows Setup icon.

From the Options menu, choose Set Up Applications.

Windows searches the [PIF] section of the SETUP.INF for Windows 3.0 or the APPS.INF file for Windows 3.1 for MS-DOS applications and uses the related information to create the PIF.

The PIF filename conventions are as follows:

For Windows 3.1, the Set Up Applications program displays the following message when it encounters an existing PIF for an MS-DOS application:

A program information file (PIF) for <name of MS-DOS application> already exists: <PIF name>. The existing PIF may provide Windows with special instructions about running <name of DOS application>.

To preserve the existing PIF and set up an additional PIF for <name of DOS application>, choose Create. This also creates a new Program Manager icon for <name of DOS application> so you can run <name of DOS application> using the new PIF.

To replace <PIF name> with a new PIF, choose Replace. This creates a new Program Manager icon for <name of DOS application> and any existing Program Manager icons that refer to <PIF name> will use this new PIF.

To preserve the existing PIF without creating a new Program Manager icon, choose Cancel.

If you choose Create, Windows creates a new PIF and adds sequential numbers to the new filename. The list of PIFs will then look as follows:

WORD5.PIF
WORD500.PIF
WORD501.PIF

In Windows 3.0, a number is substituted for the last letter of the filename (not the extension). For example, several PIFs for WORD for MS-DOS would be created as follows:

WORD5.PIF
WORD0.PIF
WORD1.PIF
WORD2.PIF

In this example, Set Up Applications was invoked three times with the original PIF being WORD5.PIF. Windows also creates a new icon using the last PIF created. The original icons are not replaced. However, if the previous icon is deleted, it is also safe to delete the previous PIF.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 files option options

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :