<Iconshell manual summary>
....Please click on a title to go to the chapter

QUICK REFERENCE

DESCRIPTION OF AN ICON
SELECTING AND VIEWING ICONS
MOVING ICONS

CHANGING PAGE OF FILE ICONS
SELECTING FILES THE DESKTOP DISPLAYS
CHANGING DRIVE

LAUNCHING A PROGRAM
ASSOCIATING A COMMAND WITH A FILE
THE RUN ICON

PULL-DOWN MENU
THE DISK DIRECTORY WINDOW
DESCRIPTIONS OF FILES: THE SHELL.EXT FILE
SENDING DIRECTLY DOS COMMANDS
TO QUIT Iconshell

CREATING AN ICON WITH THE INSTALL COMMAND
ADDING, MODIFYING, DELETING AN ICON
THE COMMAND FIELD
THE PROGRAM FIELD
OPTIONS AND VARIABLES

SETUP
COLORS
PICTURE ON BACKGROUND
TO MOVE OR CHANGE SIZE OF A WINDOW
RESTORING THE STANDARD DESKTOP

LOCK/UNLOCK
RENAMING FILE/DIR
MOVING FILE
MAKING DIR
DELETING FILE/DIR
FILE/DIR COPY
DISK COPY
DISK FORMAT

PHANTOM FILENAMES
BOARD.EXE
TEXT FILE VIEWING

DISK COMMANDS
SWTOOLS
HOW TO MAKE A NEW DESKTOP

SUMMARY OF COMMAND KEYS
PROBLEMS AND OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW TO CREATE IMAGES FOR ICONS
ABOUT THE GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

<Other programs>
SHELLR.BAT
SE.BAT
DISKCOPY.BAT


QUICK REFERENCE

SELECT    an icon, use the cursor keys or click once the left mouse button.
LAUNCH    select an icon, press ENTER or click twice.
VIEW      content of an icon, press 'v'.
INSTALL   an icon, select a file or directory and press 'i'.
ASSOCIATE to launch a program with files, type '+' or click the right
          mouse button, select first the program, and then each file.
MENU      press ALT and underlined letter together.
READ TEXT press 'r'
ARCHIVE   to view an archive in the directory window type ENTER
DRIVE     press A..F, with uppercase, to change drive.
ICONS     the space bat toggles display of installed or file icons.
MASK      to select files displayed as icon, use the 'b' command.
RESTART   Iconshell when exiting a program, requires:
          - loaded by SHELLR
          - proper option on in setup,
COLORS    if color or setup changed, press F2 to keep the changes.
QUIT      Iconshell, press F3 or q.


OVERVIEW

Iconshell  is a useful DOS interface that make good use of the power of
current  computers to a friendlier  access  to  softwares and commands.
The  keys  and  mouse  usage  is close to that of Windows (c), allowing
using the two softwares but learning only one user interface.

FEATURES OF Iconshell

- It displays software and command as icons.
- Allows automatical installation into icons.
- Store options and variables with filenames.
-  Allows to associate icons together with two clicks, to launch a pro-
gram with a file, or to execute a command with files.
- Has file management at the menu: copy, format, and so on.
-  A  directory  window  and a special added program to  easily sail in
directories.
- A function to search a file on a disk.
- A built-in file viewer, keyboard or mouse driven also.
- Displays content of ZIP and LZH archives.
- and it remain a very short program with all these features.

Iconshell  displays the current disk directory either as icons or text,
and  programs    can  be executed with the single click of the mouse on
the icon or the filename.
Automatical  installation of the filenames and their path is  also  al-
lowed to run them further without the search in disk sub-directories.

Until  30  icons  can  sit  on  a desktop and each of them can store in
data  fields  all  DOS  commands, filenames and following options  that
are  typed  to run a software in order. Complex line commands no longer
require  to  refer  at  the  manual, but once to install them. User can
create unlimited number of desktop.

Some  commands  are  already installed, that are only examples, you can
change them and add so much that you want.

Finally,  the  functions  of  Iconshell,  are all these  you install in
icons, including all DOS commands.


DESCRIPTION OF AN ICON

To  see  the  data  inside  an icon, select it with the cursor keys and
press  the  'v'  key.  A green  window  shows the title, the image, the
command and program fields.

First  of  all,  please  to  remember  the difference between a command
icon,  that is an installed icon with data fields, and a file icon that
is a file displayed as icon on the desktop.
When I say only 'icon' that's referring to an installed icon.

An  icon has an image and a title and has two data fields not displayed
on the desktop:
- the COMMAND field for DOS commands, and
- the PROGRAM field for a program with his path and options.

The  command  field  gets  DOS commands, which will be executed without
leaving  Iconshell, as  for example, a directory change before to run a
program.
It can also get a batch filename, a COM or EXE program.

When  one  click  on  an icon, Iconshell always first performs the com-
mand field, and then the program field.

The  program field  gets  the name of a program to run, with EXE or COM
extension, and its options.

Here are two examples of data fields:

Example:           Title: Word x.x
                   COMMAND: cd \word
                   PROGRAM: word mytext.doc

Example:           Title: Unpack
                   COMMAND:
                   PROGRAM: \tools\unpack a: \(file.pak) -x2


SELECTING AND VIEWING ICONS

Use  the  cursor keys to move the cursor on an icon, then its title be-
comes  highlighted, press ENTER to execute it, or type a command key to
apply a function on this icon.

Using  a  mouse,  move the mouse cursor on the image or the title of an
icon, and  click once to select this icon, click again to execute it.


MOVING ICONS

Press  'm'. The title  of the current icon is now displayed with a yel-
low  background.  Move  the  icon selection bar with the cursor keys to
a  new location, and press 'm' again or press ENTER, the icon will move
to this new location.
With the mouse, select an icon and click on the 'move' option in the
pull-down menu, and repeat to move, or click on the ESC key at right
of the title bar to cancel.


CHANGING PAGE OF FILE ICONS

When  one  move  the  mouse  pointer  on  the left or right side of the
screen,  the  mouse become an horizontal arrow. Click then to display a
previous  page  of  file icons that symbolically is at the left, or the
next  page  that  is at the right. The Page Up key, to view next files,
and  Page  Down  key,  to view previous file, do the same with the key-
board.


SELECTING FILES THE DESKTOP DISPLAYS

Press the 'b' key to access the dialog box.
Press  in    order  'e',  'c',  'b',  't', 'd' to select/deselect files
with  EXE, COM, BAT extension, others files or directories. Press ENTER
to exit.


CHANGING DRIVE

At  bottom  left  of  the  screen,  icons figure each available logical
unit.  Logical  unit  is  all that MS-DOS recognizes as unit, including
the pseudo B drive, virtual disks, and SUBST commands.
To  change  for  a  unit, click on a unit icon or press the letter with
the shift key held down .

The  B  unit  is  always displayed, if  here is no physical second disk
drive  present,  MS-DOS  creates a logical B unit and redirects the ac-
cesses to the physical drive A.
You can yourself define logical unit by using the SUBST command.
For example:   SUBST E: C:\WORK
Iconshell displays then an E disk icon.


LAUNCHING A PROGRAM

Select  an  icon  and  press  ENTER  or click twice on the icon. If the
program  needs  variables  to be entered when one loads it, it will ask
you  to  type  them int a dialog box. One may also click on the program
name in the directory window to execute it.

Another  way to give parameters is the association, that is detailed in
the  following  chapter.  Before  one  speaks  about  association,  get
clearly in mind the difference between the two methods:
-  one  clicks  the  LEFT  mouse button or one presses ENTER to run the
program displayed as icon.
-  one  clicks  the RIGHT mouse button or one presses '+' to run a pro-
gram  with  association  of one or more other icons of files as parame-
ters.

When  the program launched ends, one returns to DOS or Iconshell is re-
loaded,  according  to  the  chosen option. To return to Iconshell, two
things are necessary:
1)  Iconshell  must to have been loaded with the SHELLR command, either
at the prompt line or by the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
2)    The  option  'Self-reloading'  must to be set on, it is the first
line of the setup window.

Sometimes,  to  return to Iconshell is not desirable. Some programs mo-
dify  the  timer  of the computer that change the time and date. Others
erase  the  drivers  that  reside in memory. On must to boot the system
after  these  programs,  but  it is very useful to reload automatically
the DOS interface when one runs short programs often used.


TO ASSOCIATE A COMMAND AND A FILE

Commands  in  the disk sub-menu are performed on the currently selected
icon,  if  a  file  icon,  that  is a kind of association. One may also
associate  an icon  that holds a command with variable filenames in pa-
renthesis,  with  file  displayed  as icon on the desktop. The filename
will replace the string in parenthesis.

One  tags  first  the  command icon by a press on the '+' key, then one
tags one or more file icons by selecting them and pressing again '+'.

With  the  mouse, one clicks once on a command icon with the right but-
ton  (the  mouse  pointer  become  a cross), and then one clicks on the
icons of the file icons in order.
When  one  has selected the first icon, its content is displayed at the
bottom  of  the screen. And when on select the following icons, the re-
placement of the strings in parenthesis appears simultaneously.

If  the  first  icon does not hold variables, the icon is simply selec-
ted, nothing appears.
When  all variables are replaced by filenames, the command is automati-
cally performed.

Example: To load the program EDIT.EXE with the file TEXT.TXT:
  The  installed  icon  EDIT  must  have  a  variable  in  parenthesis,
as for example:   EDIT (file)
  Select the installed icon EDIT, press '+', then select  the file icon
TEXT, press '+' again.
  EDIT  (file)  is replaced by EDIT TEXT.TXT... and the command is per-
formed.

Example: An icon holds the command  CD \(dir)
  Selects  this  icon and press '+', the command  will be  displayed at
the  bottom  of  the  screen.  Then select an icon of a directory, 'my-
dir',   for example, and press '+' again:  CD \mydir  will then be dis-
played, and the directory change is processed.


THE RUN ICON

The  SHELL desktop holds an icon that has the RUN command installed in-
to.  This is an DOS extension, included into the Hlist & Plus software,
from  the  same  author,  and  that  is  given as a bonus to registered
users.  This  command  searches for a program in the whole disk, change
directory,  and  run the program. It's only needed to click on the icon
and type the name of the program to search.


PULL-DOWN MENU

To access the menu, hold down the ALT key and press a key among F,
I, O, D, U. These letters are underlined on the menu bar.
Press ENTER or the down cursor key to display a sub-menu.
Use cursor keys to move the selection bar or to change sub-menu.
Press ENTER to execute the command. If this command must apply to
an icon, it will apply to the currently highlighted one.

Each  option has  a shortcut key, that is either underlined or shown at
the right of the command.
Press ESC to quit the sub-menu or the menu.

Using mouse:
Do  a  mouse click on the menu bar to active it, click on a line of the
sub-menu to execute the function.

There are three buttons on the title bar.
- The leftmost button is for displaying the version number,
-  the second at left that shows a double arrow toggles between icon or
directory display,
-  the one at right, that shows a diamond, replaces the ESC key for the
mouse.

Summary of pull-down menu command:

Files
 Directory:    Display the current directory.
 Run:          Execute an icon.
 Board mask:   Select files to display on the desktop: EXE,  COM, BAT,
               dir or data (all others).
 Dos command:  Execute directly DOS commands.
 Help:         List essential commands.
 About...      Display copyright, current version and date.
 Exit:         Return to DOS.

Icons
 View:         Display fields of a resident icon.
 Install:      Create a resident icon from a file icon.
 Add:          Opens a dialog box for resident icon creation.
 Change:       Change fields/image of a resident icon.
 Delete:       Remove an installed icon of the board (not the files).
 Move:         Reorganize the desktop.

Options
 Setup:        Change configuration.
 Colours:      Open the window for preferences setting.
 Save config:  Save changes made on display (changes on resident
               icons are automatically saved).
 Std desktop:  Retrieve all defaults: colours, window sizes,
               etc...

Disk
 Lock file     Protect a file against deletion.
 Rename        Rename currently selected, highlighted, file or
               directory, or move it elsewhere on the disk.
 Make dir      Create a new sub-directory.
 Del           Delete the highlighted file or directory if empty.
 Copy          Copy a file or a directory and its sub-directories.
 Disk copy     Copy a disk.
 Format        Format a disk.


Utilities
 Where is      Search for a filename or pattern anywhere on a given
               drive.
 Read file     Display a text file.


THE DISK DIRECTORY WINDOW

The  'd'  command    allows  a larger disk directory list that is dis-
played  as  text  inside    a window. Filenames have black letters, and
sub-directories red letters.
Files  are    displayed    according  to the mask specified by the mask
setting  and  that is displayed as yellow squares on the window's title
bar.
When  the squares are yellow, the file having this extension are inclu-
ded in the list. Simply click on the squares to change the setting.
The shortcut keys are these:
- e: for EXE files.
- c: for COM files.
- b: for BAT files.
- t: for all other files.
- d: for directories.

Other commands in the directory window:
- ESC: exits, returns to board of icons.
- cursor keys, to select or scroll.
- ?: Display more info: show file size and date, press ? again
     to return to condensed display.
- r: view the file.
- A..F (uppercases) change drive.
- ENTER: acts on the highlighted entry,
   > if a directory, performs a change dir.
     The '..' sub-directory returns to the previous level.
   > if a program (EXE, COM, BAT), runs it.
   > if an archive (ZIP or LZH), displays it's content.
     Press ENTER again to return to directory.
   > otherwise, ENTER calls the file viewer.
-    ALT-SPACE: open the menu, then cursor is used to move or to change
the size.

Using  mouse,  click  once on an entry to select it, or use the lift at
the  right  of the window, and click twice to replace 'ENTER'. To exit,
do a mouse click out of the window.

This function shows up to 256 file or directory names.


DESCRIPTIONS OF FILES: THE SHELL.EXT FILE

If  the extended directory option is chosen, the window display the si-
zes,  dates,  and  a short description of the file according to its ex-
tension.
These  descriptions  are  stored inside the SHELL.EXT file, that may be
edited  by  the  user with any text editor. A line may be until 44 cha-
racters  long, and start with the three letters extension followed by a
space.
Until  32  lines  may be included in the file, if a registered version.
The  unregistered  version holds only 8 lines and allows only to change
existing descriptions.


SENDING DIRECTLY DOS COMMANDS

Press 'o', and type a DOS command into the dialog box.


TO QUIT Iconshell

Press    'q'    to  exit  and save options of the display (windows, co-
lours,    ...)    as  they  are  not stored in the CFG file until there
is  change  relating  to icons or the F2 key is pressed.

Press F3 to exit without saving the last changes.
Alternate keys to F3: ALT-F4, ALT-X.

To  do  a  mouse click on the diamond at right of the title bar, is the
same that pressing the F3 keys.


CREATING AN ICON WITH THE INSTALL COMMAND

Installation  avoids  to   search a program in a sub-directory, and al-
lows to put the options at command line if required.

Move  the    cursor    on  the file icon on the desktop and type 'i'. A
dialog  box  displays the content of the future resident icon when ins-
talled:
- title, that is the node of the filename,
- a change drive and directory command,
- the program name.
You may edit these data now. Press ESC to cancel.


ADDING, MODIFYING, DELETING ICONS

To  add  a  new  Icon,  press 'a'. A dialog box will appears. This  box
shows  an image of icon that is the first in buffer, you may choose the
image with the PAGE UP/DOWN keys.

To  change   line,  use the up/down cursor keys. Don't press ENTER when
a  field  is  filled.    All  that  is  on  the  screen  is also in the
memory,  and  the ENTER key serves to save data and to close the dialog
box...  One  may also click  on  the  'Get' button to save and quit. Or
one may press ESC or click on the Cancel button.

The  title  can  be  16 letters long, other fields have size limited by
the  window  width,  and they are specially described in the two follo-
wing paragraphs.

The  windows  can    be  enlarged by a press on the ALT-SPACE key, or a
mouse  click  on  the  borders (See later for details of that).

To  modify an existing icon, the    command   is:  'c'. Then, there  is
no difference with the 'add' or 'install' function.

To  delete  an  installed icon, press  DEL,  and  confirm  by  a  press
on  the 'y' key or a mouse click on the Ok button. To cancel, press 'n'
or ESC or click on the Cancel button.


THE COMMAND FIELD

This  field gets any DOS command as typed on the DOS line command.
Starting  MS-DOS  version   5, one can chain several commands separated
by '|' symbol.
If  the   field remains  blank, the program ignores it when the icon is
selected.
A  batch  filename (BAT), a program with COM or EXE extension are valid
commands.
One  must  verify  that the process  will  not  have memory action that
can  erase Iconshell, as it remains in memory when the COMMAND field is
performed.
The  program  must run  in remaining memory, that is 400-500k according
to the configuration.

If  the command uses variable data, put a string in parenthesis for re-
placing  at  the  execution time or for association.  When one click on
the  icon  with the left mouse button, Iconshell opens a dialog box for
the  replacement  of the string, when one clicks with the right button,
Iconshell  wait  for another click on an icon of file, and it makes the
replacement of the string by the filename with the path.


THE PROGRAM FIELD

The  program  field  gets  a    program name with 'EXE', 'COM' or 'BAT'
extension. One may set the path of the file.

This   field  can  remain  blank if the icon represents only a DOS com-
mand.
The program  name (but BAT file) can be followed by several parameters
until  a  maximum  of  7, separated by a space. The first parameter can
be  separated  of the name by '/', if this is a correct syntax for this
program.

Example, to execute Windows in standard mode:       win/s

The  program field as the command field allows string to replace at the
execution time.

Including  substituting strings the fields can be  until 160 characters
long.


OPTIONS AND VARIABLES

Some  programs as PKUNZIP, LHA, have many parameters including filename
that  change  each  time, so to avoid often to type their complex  syn-
tax, Iconshell allows  strings to replace that are in parenthesis.

When the icon will be performed, Iconshell will ask for replacement.

a) Example of replacement for the command fields.

         COMMAND: cd \(directory)

When one does a mouse  click on this icon a message is displayed:

         Replace or press ENTER to keep
         directory.....................

If  one types for example, 'windows', the string is replaced and paren-
thesis are removed,  that will produce the following result:

         cd \windows

If  one presses only ENTER, the string that is the default remains, and
this produces:

         cd \directory

b) Example of replacement for the program field.

         PROGRAM: unpack -t a:(SOURCE) (DESTINATION)

At the click on the icon, Iconshell asks:

         Replace or press ENTER to keep
         SOURCE........................

Type for example:

         MEGAPROG.PAK..................

Iconshell then asks:

         replace or press ENTER to keep
         DESTINATION...................

Type for example:

         c:\temp.......................

Substitutions will produce the following result:

         unpack -d a:MEGAPROG.PAK c:\temp


SETUP AND DISPLAY

SETUP

Type 'u' to open the setup dialog box.

Following option may be changed:

Automatically return to Iconshell
 Type 'a' to switch the selection.
The  self-reloading  will  work  only if Iconshell has been load by the
SHELLR command.

Screen resolution.
 The desktop may have two screen resolutions:
- the medium resolution, or EGA, or VGA 16.
- the high resolution or VGA 18, 640 x 480 pixels.
  Press  's' to change this option. The high resolution allows until 30
installed  icon,  and  one  may  not switch to the medium resolution if
more than 20 icons are created.

Background picture
  The  registered version allow display of an VGA or EGA 16 colors pic-
ture  as  background.  Press the 'p' key to select/deselect the display
of the picture. That can also be done from the desktop.

Display of current path and available disk space.
 Press 'f' to change.

Display file icon on the remaining space on the desktop.
 Press 'i' to change.

Display either installed icons or file icons only.
 Press 'o' to change.
 From the desktop press SPACE to change.


COLORS

  To  change  the  colors  of the desktop, press the F5 key to open the
dialog  box, then select an item  with  the TAB key or vertical arrows,
and  click  on  a  color or use the horizontal arrows cursor to move to
the chosen color.

 The police for icon titles may be changed by pressing the 'f' key.

  A  new  color  may  be created for the desktop background.  Just do a
click  on  the  buttons  at  left or right of each of the three colored
squares,  that  represent  the RGB, red, greed, blue registers. On key-
board the following keys may be pressed instead: r, R, g, G, b, B.

  Title  bar  and    background of windows can be directly changed when
they  are opened, with ALT-b and  ALT-h or by selecting the window menu
with ALT-SPACE, and then using 'b' or 'h' commands.

  To  restore  all defaults press 'z'. All  changes relating to display
will  be  cleared  and the initial  desktop  restored. Changes on icons
are  preserved however. To forget  all changes including  icons,  erase
the file SHELL.CFG, it will be rewritten with default icons.


TO MOVE OR CHANGE SIZE OF A WINDOW

  If  the  window has a button with a 'w' letter in the upper left cor-
ner,  it  has  a  system menu that holds the 'move' and 'size' options,
one  presses  ALT-SPACE to get the menu. If the window doesn't have the
button,  to  press  ALT-SPACE goes directly to the move/size mode and a
dotted rectangle appears.
  With  the  mouse,  if  moving  is  allowed,  the mouse cursor becomes
four  arrows  when  the  mouse  stays  on the left or top border of the
window.
  If  changing  the  size  of  a window is allowed,  a horizontal arrow
replaces  the  standard  arrow    when   the mouse pointer stays on the
right or bottom  border.
  To  do the change with the mouse, hold down the left button and drag,
then click once the right button to exit.

  With  the  keyboard,  when  selecting specifically either the move or
size  option  is  possible,  one uses the cursor keys to do the change,
exactly as in Windows (c).
  Otherwise,  when  it is a dialog box and the ALT-SPACE command sets a
global  change  mode, one uses the cursor keys to move the box, and one
holds  down  the  ALT key and presses the cursor keys simultaneously to
change the size.

 There are also alternate keys to change the size:
 '>'  increases width
 '<'  reduces width,
 '+'  increases height,
 '-'  reduces height.

 Press ESC or ENTER to exit.

RESTORING THE STANDARD DESKTOP

  Press  the 'z' key. All changes on the display will be erased and the
standard  desktop  will  be restored. This doesn't clear the changes to
the  icons.  To  retrieve the standard icons, erase the SHELL.CFG file,
il will be rebuilt with the standard icons.


LOCK/UNLOCK

To protect a file against deletion, use the command 'l'.
    Attributes are then displayed as ASHR:
      A: archive
      S: system
      H: hide
      R: read only
  Only  the  'read  only'  attribute can be changed here, for any other
attribute, use the 'o' command.
  Press 'l' or '+' to lock the file, 'u' or '-' to unlock it.

RENAMING FILE/DIR

To  rename a file or a directory use the 'n' command and type the new
name into the input box..

MOVING FILE

Moving a file on the same disk is allowed by the rename command also.
Press 'n' and type a new path for the file selected, with the same
or a new name.
Moving a file on another disk is not allowed by this command, but the
MS-DOS or other move command may be installed into an icon. I want
only use commands that may not cause by error lost of file.

MAKING DIR

To make a directory, use the command 'k'.

DELETING FILE/DIR

To delete a file or an empty directory, use CTRL+d.

FILE/DIR COPY

  To copy the currentlry selected file or directory with its sub-direc-
tories,  type 'y', then a window displays  the  directories to the user
selects the destination path.
  One  moves to the proper path, not only one moves the cursor on a di-
rectory  name,  but changes to it, then presses 'y' again to do the co-
py.

DISK COPY

To  copy  a  disk,  type '$'.  This command run either the DISKCOPY.BAT
file  if  present in the Iconshell directory or the MS-DOS diskcopy.com
command.
  DISKCOPY.BAT  holds  a  generic program name, 'diskdup' that copies a
disk  in  one  pass  by  storing the disk image on a hard drive. If you
don't  own  a  program of this kind, simply erase the DISKCOPY.BAT file
and  the  MS-DOS  command  will  be directly called. Of course, you may
edit  DISKCOPY.BAT to put another name for the one-pass duplicator, as-
suming  it requires as first parameter the name of the disk to copy and
as  second parameter the name of the unit to store the disk image. Some
programs  use  another  syntax  and  you must deal with it to adapt the
batch file.
  One  may choose the option 'DOS diskcopy' that is for a standard copy
using  the  MS-DOS  diskcopy.com  program,  or 'Disk image', for a copy
with a one-pass duplicator.
   In both cases one selects with the Source button the disk drive that
holds  the    disk  to copy. In the DOS diskcopy case, one selects with
the  Target  button  the  disk drive that holds the backup disk. In the
second  case, one selects with the Image button the unit where the disk
image is temporary stored.

DISK FORMAT

To  format  a disk, type 'f', then select either the drive A or B, by a
press  on  the  'd'  key,  and  select the DOS format method for a 1.44
disk:
-  Certify:  this  is  the  standard format command. The DOS format the
disk and verify each sector.
-  Quick:  this  corresponds   to  the  /Q  option of MS-DOS that clear
only the FAT and directories.

  For  other  options or other kind of disk, some examples of icons are
provided on the Disk command desktop.


PHANTOM FILENAMES

'Phantom  files' are  programs integrated to Iconshell, that can sit in
the command or program field, as programs on disk.

There are currently:

EXIT.EXE  Its action is to return to DOS.
QUIT.EXE  saves display changes and return to DOS.
WAIT.EXE  waits  for  a key press. Useful when a command displays some-
thing just before to exit.
BOARD.EXE  with  CFG  filename  as  parameter,  allows  loading  a  new
desktop.
CLOCK.EXE Displays the time.
DIRECTORY Shows the current disk directory in a window.
CDD       Change drive and directory.

If    by  chance  one  wants  to put real program with the same name in
a  fields  of  an  icon,  or    same  name  with  'COM'  extension, one
must  specify  the  path  (for  example: C:CDD.COM), and Iconshell runs
the  file   from disk rather to execute the phantom programs.


BOARD.EXE

This  integrated  program  allows  multiple desktops. One uses the  'a'
command  to  create a new icon, fills the command field, for example:

     BOARD.EXE  C:\MYBOARD.CFG

Then  a click on this icon will display until 30 new icons. There is no
limit  but  the  disk size to the number of boards. It is preferable to
put   the complete path of the config file, as the icon can be selected
from another sub-directory.
  The  registered  version  recognizes  a second parameter to a file of
icon  images, a background picture, and a file of icons, as extra para-
meters, in order.


WHERE IS

Locate a filename.
Use the command 'w'.
Search    for  a  filename or pattern in a whole drive, starting at the
root directory.  ESC can abort the process.
 Examples:   c:*.exe
       or    a:FILENAME.EXE
       or    FILENAME.EXE
       and so on...


TEXT FILE VIEWING

To  display the content of a file on the desktop, press the 'r' key, or
simply ENTER, but for a file with BAT extension.
The  built-in  viewer  may  read files having 32767 lines, and up to 32
megabytes.  However,  the  more  the size increases, the more the speed
slows  down, it is in fact intended to easily read all these short text
files you often find around, including the Iconshell's help file.

Commands are these:
ESC:          exit.
Cursor  key:  scroll up or down a line, or move horizontally the win-
              dow on the text.
Page up:      display previous screen page.
Page down:    display next screen page.
HOME:         jump to start of file.
END:          jump to end of text in memory.
t:            change text and background color.
 By  a  mouse  click on a  button upon the text window one passes the
same commands.


DISK COMMANDS

DOS  disk  commands  are  available  either  within the menu, or on the
desktop.  Commands  in  the menu are special improved built-in commands
or   simply  those  of  DOS, as Iconshell is a shell to DOS.
File  and  disk    copy,  format, use the DOS commands with a graphical
interface to make them friendly.

MD  Make a directory.
    Use the command 'k'.

DEL Delete a file or an empty directory.
    Use CTRL+d.

REN Rename a file or a directory or move a file in another directory.
    Use 'n' and type the new name, and optionally type a new path.

LOCK Protect a file against deletion.
    Use the command 'l'.

COPY Copy a file or a directory with its sub-directories.
     Use 'y' to copy the selected file or directory, then a window dis-
plays  the  directories to you select the destination path.

DISKCOPY Copy a disk.
  Type  '$'.   This command run either the DISKCOPY.BAT file if present
inside  the  same  directory  that  Iconshell, or otherwise the MS-DOS'
DISKCOPY.COM command.

FORMAT  Format a disk.
    Type  'f' for a standard format, for other options or other kind of
disk,  some  examples of icons are provided on the 'Disk command' desk-
top.

CHKDSK Checks a disk for correct allocation.
   Use the icon CHECK DISK.

MEM Views memory.
   Use the icon MEM from MS-DOS version 5, of CHKDSK otherwise.

  All  other commands described in the DOS manual can be installed into
icons also.


SWTOOLS

  In the shareware market, there are plenty of new improved useful com-
mands  to  enhance the DOS base system.   Some examples are already ty-
ped on the SWTOOLS desktop:
- Pkunzip    (c) PKware.
- Arj        (c) R.K. Jung.
- Lha        (c) H. Yoshizaki.
- Diskdup    (c) R. K. Snyder.
- V-Scan     (c) McAffee Associates.
- Run, go    (c) D.G. Sureau.

  Many  other  commands  may be installed in the same way, that you may
find  at  shareware distributors and BBS.  These programs generally re-
quire one pays a licence to use them.


HOW TO MAKE A NEW DESKTOP

The  program    comes  with  some CFG files that contains desktop data.
Creating  a new CFG file is easy and done with the following steps:

1) Add a new icon, with these data into the program field:
        BOARD.EXE  C:\MYBOARD.CFG
BOARD.EXE  is  the 'phantom' program that loads an alternate desktop.

2) Click twice on this new icon. An error message is displayed,
  'File no found: MYBOARD.CFG'
This  is normal, the  program  attempts  to load it, does not found it,
then  restarts  with  default desktop. Note  that  the  name 'MYBOARD',
without extension, is now displayed on the title bar.

3)  To make a new desktop, remove the icons you don't want to keep, and
add those you want.

To  make  a  link  with  the  main  desktop, you may add  an icon  with
BOARD.EXE C:\SHELL.CFG into the program field.

Note  that  these  paths are only for examples, any drive and directory
may rather be used.

Another  simple  method to create a new desktop is running Iconshell at
the  DOS  prompt with the name of the new board as parameter. A message
display  "file  not found", that you ignore, and the program start with
the  default  board of icons with the name you have typed as title. You
will  further save the new desktop with F2, and add an icon to make the
links from the main desktop to the new one.


SUMMARY OF COMMAND KEYS

F1             Display the help screen.
h              Display the copyright, version, date.
Cursor keys    Select icon, sub-menu, etc...
ESCAPE         Leave current function, window, menu, etc...
ENTER          Execute a function.
+              Launch a program by association with one or more
               files.

SPACE BAR      Toggle to installed icons or disk directory
               on the desktop.
HOME           Jump to the first file.
PG up/down     Scroll files on the desktop.

v or END       Show the content of an icon.
i              Install currently selected file as icon.
a              Add an icon.
c              Change an existing icon.
DEL            Remove an icon.
m              Move an icon ('m' to select icon, 'm' again to
               drop).

ALT+key        Get sub-menu or changes a color in desktop.
o              Execute directly DOS command.
d              Show directory. (+ ENTER to run a program).
b              Set desktop directory mask.
Shift-A..F     Change drive.

w              Find path of a filename.
l              Lock a file.
n              Rename a file or a directory.
k              Create a new directory.
y              Copy a file, or a directory.
$              Copy a disk.
f              Format a disk.
CTRL-d         Delete the selected file or directory.
r              Display a file as ASCII.

u              Open the setup dialog box.
F5             Open the dialog box for colors change.
F2             Save the preferences.
s              Change screen resolution.
p              Set/Reset picture for background (Reg. ver. only)
ALT-SPACE      Change current window.
z              Restore standard settings.

q              Save changes and quit.
F3             Exit.


PROBLEMS AND OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS

1)  Don't  put  a  resident  program into the COMMAND field, as it will
install  itself in the middle of the memory! Use the Iconshell's reloa-
ding feature to install resident programs and return to Iconshell.

2)  If  any  problem  appears on the Iconshell's display, this probably
comes  from  a  corrupted  CFG  file, or a CFG file that is for another
software.  Installing  Iconshell's  config files into a special sub-di-
rectory  and  setting    the   proper  paths in the icons will fix that
problem.

3)  The  version  1.8 and following are not compatible with older ones.
An  attempt  to load older  CFG file will blank the screen and the pro-
gram  will hang (this  has  no effect on user's files). When installing
the new version,  be careful  to erase all previous CFG files of Icon-
Shell first.

4)  Some  programs    that  are  normally  launched when one puts their
name  in    the    program  field,  can't  be  loaded if one calls them
within  the  command  field.  When  it calls a program from the command
field,  Iconshell  remains    resident    and  the  screen mode remains
graphical.  The  launched  program  may  use a way to display text that
doesn't  work on a graphic screen, unlike DOS commands. It may also oc-
curs that the launched program can't fit in the available memory.

5)  The  "Out  of memory" message may occur after you use Iconshell, if
you  have  loaded  directly a resident program. Look at the previous 1)
paragraph about that.


HOW TO CREATE IMAGES FOR ICONS

The  SHELL.SPR   file  holds  33 images that are icons of commercial or
shareware  softwares for DOS, or symbols of  commands,  and these icons
are  loaded  or drawn, and stored into a compressed  file  with VIRTUAL
REALITY TOOLS or SPRITES 18, that are also shareware.


ABOUT THE GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

Iconshell  has been written  in C and assembly 80286, using a graphical
interface  that I have written also. This  interface  is   used  yet by
V.  R.  Tools,  Sprites 18, Hlist and other programs that are currently
in  work.  By  using  special  graphical  functions and with always the
search  of  the simplest algorithm in mind, I write these so short pro-
gram  that  do  so  much as commercial packages with 1/10 the size. The
registered  version  of  the software SPRITES 18 now includes a GUI li-
brary that holds most  features of the Iconshell's GUI.


SHELLR.BAT

This  batch  file  allows  Iconshell  is restarted when exiting another
program launched by Iconshell.


SE.BAT

The  purpose  of  this  program  is  going to C: root directory and run
SHELLR  from any disk and directory. If Iconshell  is  not installed on
the  c:  drive, SE.BAT may be edited  and the 'c' letter changed to the
proper drive letter.


DISKCOPY.BAT

This  program  serves  to load either the DOS diskcopy command or a re-
placing  one-pass  program  (not furnished) that stores the disk images
on  a  hard  drive unit. You may edit this  file to change the name and
path of programs it calls.




