Handy Little Interface Number 1 for use with IBM's LOADDSKF and SAVEDSKF utilities Introduction ============ Handy Little Interface Number 1 is a Graphical User Interface for IBM's LOADDSKF and SAVEDSKF utilities. Handy Little Interface Number 1 was written using WATCOM's VX-REXX for OS/2. This interface was written as a learning project in an effort to learn the VX-REXX language. The reason that the LoadDskF and SaveDskF utilities were chosen is because these utilities are not used often and it's easy to forget the parameters and their meanings. Handy Little Interface Number 1 allows you to quickly set-up parameters and execute these utilities with a minimum of effort and to avoid syntax errors. Copyright ========= Handy Little Interface Number 1 is copyright 1994 by Services ORDILis Qu‚bec Enr. Disclaimer ========== Services ORDILis Qu‚bec Enr. makes no warranty with respect to the adequacy of this documentation or the programs which it describes for any particular purpose or with respect to its adequacy to produce any particular result. In no event shall Services ORDILis Qu‚bec Enr. or the author of the program described herein be liable for special, direct, indirect or consequential damages, losses, costs, charges, claims, demands or claim for lost profits, fees or expenses of any nature or kind. The only thing that this program is guaranteed to do is take up disk space. Trademarks ========== IBM and OS/2 are trademarks of the IBM Corporation. WATCOM and VXùREXX are trademarks of WATCOM International Corporation. Package contents ================ This archive contains the following 7 files: NUMBER1.EXE Handy Little Interface Mumber 1 executable. (Required) NUMBER1.ICO Icon file for the executable (Optional) NUMBER1.BMP Program name banner file. (Required) NUMBER1.TXT The program documentation. (Optional) ORDILIS.BMP ORDILis logo file. (Required) QUICK.TXT Quick setup information. (Optional) VROBJ.DLL VX-REXX run-time library. Redistributed according to WATCOM's Redistribution Rights. (Required) Note: Any other files added to this archive come from outside sources. Registration ============ Handy Little Interface Number 1 is FREE shareware. If you like and use the product you are encouraged to tell others about it. I would also appreciate it if you sent me a NetMail message telling me what you think of the program. Contacting the author ===================== The author is available on FidoNet as John Bousquet at 1:240/1.11 Snail mail address is: John Bousquet 201 Senneville St-Raymond Quebec, Canada G0A 4G0 System requirements =================== OS/2 2.x and the contents of this archive. IBM's LoadDskF utility. (LoadDskF.exe) IBM's SaveDskF utility. (SaveDskF.exe) A mouse or other pointing device. (This interface offers very limited keyboard support) Installation ============ - Place the VROBJ.DLL file in a directory in your LIBPATH. - Place the remaining files from this archive in a sub-directory of your choice. - In the executable's settings book, ensure that the working directory is set to reflect the directory where the files were installed. - Open a OS/2 full-screen or windowed session or alternately use the drive icon to change drive:\directory to where the Number 1 files are located. - Execute the NUMBER1.EXE file. NOTE: The first time that Number 1 is executed you will be asked to supply information about the location of the LoadDskF and SaveDskF utilities. This information will be written to the NUMBER1.INI file which will be created in the directory containing the Number 1 files. Failure to supply the required information will abort the program. User's guide ============ Operation ========= - Execute the NUMBER1.EXE file. - Choose whether to create an image file of a floppy by pressing the [Create] button or to restore an image file to a floppy by pressing the [Restore] button. - Depending on which button was pressed, either the create options area or the restore options area will be available for input. - Choose the desired options by checking the options boxes or push buttons. - Press the [Execute] button. - To exit the interface, press the [Quit] button. - NOTE: Help is available within the program by clicking the right mouse button on an item. The interface ============= ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄ¿ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄ´ ³ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ ³ ³ ³ ORDILis ³ Handy Little Interface ³ ³ ³ ³ LOGO ³ Number 1 ³ ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ³ ³ ³ ³ ÚÄImageÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ÚÄCreate optionsÄÄ¿ ÚÄRestore optionsÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿³ ³ ³ ³ ³ [] Compression ³ ³ [] Format floppy ³³ ³ ³ [Create ] ³ ³ [] Pure image ³ ³ [] Floppy conversion ³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ [] Whole floppy ³ ³ [] Bypass prompt ³³ ³ ³ [Restore] ³ ³ [] Text file ³ ³ [] Omit warning ³³ ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ³ [] Append msg ³ ³ ³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³ ³ [Execute] ³ [A][B] Source ³ ³ [A][B] Target ³³ ³ ³ [File] Target ³ ³ [File] Source ³³ ³ [ Quit ] ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ The Window ========== The title bar contains the name of the executable and a minimize button for your convenience. The window may be moved but is of a fixed size measured in twips (20th's of a point). The window contains the following areas of interest. The ORDILis logo ================ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ Clicking on the logo using the left mouse ³ ³ ORDILis ³ button will bring up product information. ³ ³ LOGO ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Clicking on the logo using the right mouse button will bring up help. The Program banner ================== Clicking on the program banner using the left mouse button will bring up program information. Clicking on the program banner using the right mouse button will bring up help. The Image area ============== ÚÄImageÄÄÄÄÄ¿ This area is used to choose whether to create an image ³ ³ file of a floppy or to build a floppy from an image file. ³ [Create ] ³ ³ ³ Clicking on the [Create ] button will activate the create ³ [Restore] ³ options area. ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Clicking on the [Restore] button will activate the restore options area. The chosen button will change colour to red to reflect the choice. Clicking on either button using the right mouse button will bring up help. The create options area ======================= ÚÄCreate optionsÄÄ¿ Compression: Optionally compresses the files from the ³ [] Compression ³ floppy to produce a smaller image file. ³ [] Pure image ³ This is SaveDskF's /N option. The default ³ [] Whole floppy ³ is with compression. ³ [] Text file ³ ³ [] Append msg ³ Pure image: This option creates an exact image of the ³ ³ floppy. When this option is selected all ³ [A][B] Source ³ other options are disabled. Also the whole ³ [File] Target ³ floppy option is set and locked to retain ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ compatibility with the LoadDskf utility. This is SaveDskF's /D option. Whole floppy: This option saves the whole diskette regardless of the amount of data stored on the floppy. This is SaveDskF's /A option. Text file: This option allows you to read text from a file which will be included as a comment in the diskette image file. The total length of this message plus any message added via the Append msg option must not exceed 4096 bytes. This is SaveDskF's /M option. Append msg: This option allows you to enter a short message which will be included as a comment in the diskette image file. This message will be added to the Text file message if this option was also chosen. This is SaveDskF's /K option. NOTE: Care must be exercised when using this option as the entire command length passed to SaveDskF is limited to 128 bytes. Source [A] and [B] buttons: These buttons are used to select the source drive to be used for creating the image file. The default is the A: drive but can be changed by clicking the B: drive button. If the target image file has already been set then the [Execute] button will be enabled. The active source button will be red. Target [File] button: This button brings up a dialog box which allows you to choose a drive:\path\filename.ext for the image file. Once an image file has been set the file button will change to red and the [Execute] button will be enabled. Clicking the left mouse button on a checkbox sets or removes the option. Some checkboxes will bring up further dialog boxes when chosen. Clicking the left mouse button on a source drive button will set the option to that drive. Clicking the left mouse button on the target [File] button will bring up a standard file dialog box to choose a path and filename for the image file. If the image file already exists you will be asked to confirm overwriting the file. Clicking on any object or text in this area using the right mouse button will bring up help on that item. The restore options area ======================== ÚÄRestore optionsÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ [] Format floppy ³ Format floppy: This option is used to format ³ [] Floppy conversion ³ the floppy during the restore. ³ [] Bypass prompt ³ This is LoadDskF's /F option. ³ [] Omit warning ³ ³ ³ Floppy conversion: This option permits writing the ³ ³ image file to a floppy of a ³ [A][B] Target ³ different format than the ³ [File] Source ³ original. The floppy must be ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ at least of the same capacity as or greater than the original. This is LoadDskF's /C option. Bypass prompt: This option bypasses the need to press the "y" key in order to continue. If this option is set, the window running the LoadDskF utility will be opened behind other open windows. If this option is not checked, the window running the LoadDskF utility will be brought to the foreground for you to enter the required keystroke. This is LoadDskF's /Y option. Omit warning: This option bypasses the warning message that appears before the data transfer begins. Setting this option sets and disables the bypass prompt option. This is LoadDskF's /A/Q option. Target [A] and [B] buttons: These buttons are used to select the target drive to be used for creating the floppy. The default is the A: drive but can be changed by clicking the B: drive button. If the source image file has already been set then the [Execute] button will be enabled. The active target button will be red. Source [File] button: This button brings up a dialog box which will allow you to choose a drive:\path\filename.ext for the image file. Once an image file has been set the file button will change to red and the [Execute] button will be enabled. Clicking the left mouse button on a checkbox sets or removes the option. Clicking the left mouse button on a target drive button will set the option to that drive. Clicking the left mouse button on the source [File] button will bring up a standard file dialog box to choose a path and filename for the image file to use in the restoration process. Clicking on any object or text in this area using the right mouse button will bring up help on that item. The [Execute] button ==================== Clicking the left mouse button on the [Execute] button when it is enabled will launch the task that was chosen. The [execute] button will only be enabled if the following are true: The [Create] button is red, and The create options [A] or [B] button is red, and The create options [File] button is red. - or - The [Restore] button is red, and The restore options [A] or [B] button is red, and The restore options [File] button is red. Clicking on the [Execute] button using the right mouse button will bring up the help for that item. The [Quit] button ================= Clicking on the [Quit] button using the left mouse button will exit the interface. The [Quit] button will change to a red [Wait...] button while Number 1 checks for any windows that were created by the interface. Before exiting you will be asked to close down any windows created by Handy Little Interface Number 1. Windows opened by Number 1 will be brought to the foreground for your attention. Clicking on the [Quit] button once these windows are closed will exit the interface. BUG reports =========== If you discover a bug in the program you are encouraged to contact the author by NetMail or snail mail describing the steps required to reproduce the fault. History ======= Version 1.0 First official release.