Hints for Computer Programs

Introductory Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

J.R. Elliott
C. T. Lira

Prentice-Hall International Series in the Physical and Chemical Engineering Sciences ISBN (0-13-011386-7)

Hints for Running Compiled Programs

This section gives hints for viewing output or errors from PRMIX.exe or ESD.exe or other programs that run in a command prompt window.

By default, if you double-click the program to run it, the program will run in a command prompt window. However the number of lines held in buffer will be set by default, and if the program crashes or terminiates the window will disappear, not permitting you to review the screen output.

To keep the window from disappearing upon normal or error termination, the program should be started from a command prompt window (in WinME or older versions of windows, it is called the MS-DOS window). In WinXP or Win2000, the command prompt window is most quickly started using "Start>Run...>cmd", where 'cmd' is typed in the box. It also can be found using "Start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt". Once this started, you will have to move to the folder where the program is stored by using the change directory command "cd <folder>\<subfolder>" where your folder names are inserted. Additional subfolders can be appended by using additional backslashes. Use "cd .." to move 'up' folders. Once the correct directory is displayed at the command prompt, you may initiate the program by typing the program name. If you wish to view the folder contents, use the line command 'dir'.

Depending on the program, there may be a large number of lines that are output to the console window but are not written to an output file. If they scroll off the top of the screen buffer, you may wish to increase the buffer. To increase the number of lines held in the window buffer in Win2000 or WinXP, click the icon in the upper left of the console window title bar, and select 'Properties'. In WinXP, select the 'Layout' tab, and adjust the Screen Buffer Size Height. Restart the program. It is not possible to change the number of lines in older versions of windows that use the MS-DOS window.

lira@egr.msu.edu