DP Tool Club 12/CD_ASCQ_12_0294.iso/vrac/smishl14.zip/README.TXT

Text File | 1993-11-15 | 13KB | 267 lines

README.TXT: SMILERSHELL 1.4  QUICK START AND INSTALLATION


QUICK START / HINTS AND TRICKS

Windows makes many things easier, but it also makes some things harder.
Even in this era of the graphical interface, there are tasks that can
be done much more easily by typing in a command than by menus and
pointing and clicking and such.  That's what SmilerShell is for.

SmilerShell is a command line utility.  It's like shelling out to DOS.
You type a command and press Enter.  It supports pipes, redirection,
and internal DOS commands (and runs Windows programs too).  It works
just like the DOS command line.  But SmilerShell is the best command
line you've ever seen, as if the plain-vanilla DOS prompt was enhanced
by lots of handy utilities.  Here's how to get the most out of it.

INSTANT INSTALL:  You can install SmilerShell automatically, using the
enclosed installer.  To do this, simply run install.exe.  You can run
it using File Manager, or the Run item on Program Manager's File menu,
or in whatever other convenient way you choose.  Give it the directory
to put SmilerShell's files into, and the Program Manager group name
for the SmilerShell icons (appropriate defaults are suggested).  It'll
do the rest.  The installer will make no changes to your system setup.
It just copies files to the directory you specify, and adds icons to
the Program Manager group you specify.  If you decide to uninstall,
just delete the specified files and icons.

COMMAND HISTORY AND SEARCH: Every time you run a command, it is saved
on the command stack.  To find a previous command of interest, type the
first letter or two of that command, then press the up or down arrow key.
Up-arrow searches back, down-arrow searches forward.  It's a circular
buffer, the last command is connected to the first, so you can search
in either direction.  Arrows on a blank line show all commands in order.
A full command history list is available from the File menu.

COMMAND LINE EDITOR: A retrieved previous command, or anything else you type,
can be edited to suit.  Think of SmilerShell as a one-line word processor.
It supports insert mode, overtype mode, and clipboard cut/paste.

ALIASES: When you press Enter, the first word of the command is compared
to the alias list.  If it matches, the alias is substituted for that
first word.  You can skip the alias testing by starting the command with
an equals sign.  You can also hang aliases off the function keys F2
through F12; hit the key and the command runs.  Both kinds of aliases
are set up in the ini file.  A full alias list is available on the File menu.

QUICK DIRECTORY CHANGE: Type DC and the first few letters of the directory
you want to be in.  If it's unambiguous, boom, you're there, otherwise a
list box pops up with the first possible match highlighted.  If you
haven't used DC yet, you'll be asked for permission to scan the drives
listed in DC's ini file parameter.  If you scan more than one drive,
DC can change drive as well as directory to get you where you want to go.

SMILERSHELL NEVER FORGETS:  In the ini file, set winwidth=PREV and
SmilerShell will start up next time in the same directory, same screen
position, and with the same settings, as when you shut it down this time.

CHANGE INI FILE SETTINGS ON THE FLY:  Hit the Edit Ini File item on
SmilerShell's File menu.  It'll fire up Notepad with your ini file (and
create one first if needed, filled with reasonable defaults).  When you're
done editing and you close Notepad, SmilerShell will know.  It'll read in
the new ini file and reset itself as indicated there.

DOS IN A WINDOW: Do you prefer to have DOS commands run fullscreen or in a
window?  Toggle this on the fly from the Options menu.

INACTIVES STAY VISIBLE:  This Options menu item controls whether, after
you run a DOS command, the command's inactive window sticks around, or
immediately vanishes.

REMOVE INACTIVES: Too many inactive windows cluttering your screen?  Get
rid of 'em with this Edit menu item, or just type Alt-R from the keyboard.

CLOCK:  Toggle the titlebar clock from the Options menu, or just type Alt-C.
Prefer 12-hour or 24-hour time?  Use the timeformat ini file parameter.

CURRENT DRIVE/DIRECTORY IN THE TITLE BAR:  Toggle this from the Options
menu, or just type Alt-D.

SYSTEM RESOURCES:  Toggle the System Resources display onto the menu
bar from the Options menu, or just type Alt-S, to see a real-time
running report of your available Windows memory and resources.

INSERT OR OVERTYPE MODE: Toggle this from the Options menu, or just type
Alt-O.  In overtype mode a flag appears in the title bar.

TOPMOST WINDOW: Make SmilerShell a "topmost" window from the Options
menu, or just type Alt-T.  That way, it's always visible and ready for
use, even when you're working in another window.

GET RID OF THE MENU:  Hit Alt-M to make SmilerShell even smaller.  Hit
Alt-M again to bring the menu back, or use the Show SmilerShell Menu
item on the System menu (the dash thing in the upper left corner).

SAVE YOUR STACK: You can save the current command stack to a file and
reload it automatically at startup, or at any other time.  This gives you
a preloaded batch of commands you can search on.  The startup loading is
set up in the ini file.

A HANDY CONFIGURATION: Make SmilerShell "topmost," turn on the clock,
turn off the menu, mouse it as small as it goes (about as big as two
icons) and stick it in the corner.  The clock shows, and it's always
ready for action.

ANOTHER HANDY CONFIGURATION:  Make SmilerShell "topmost" and maximize it.
When maximized, it only takes up the top line of your screen, not the
whole display.



SHAREWARE: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Thank you for trying SmilerShell.  You are welcome to test it
for a week or two.  I hope you like it.

SmilerShell is marketed as shareware.  As with all shareware,
you are encouraged to try  it for a short time on your own system,
to see if it meets your needs.  If you find it useful and you
keep it on your system for more than two weeks, you are obligated
to send in the registration fee.  If you don't find it useful,
simply delete it from your system.

To register, send $19.95 plus $3.50 for shipping to:

Barry Smiler
Bardon Data Systems
1023 Key Route Blvd.
Albany, CA 94706

Outside North America please add $6 for overseas shipping charges.

You can register through Bardon, or through our toll-free telephone order-
taking service [phone], or on Compuserve, or through distributors
worldwide.  Details and addresses are in the file REGISTER.TXT.

If registering through Bardon, you can print and mail invoice.wri, the
invoice that came with this package.  It's in Windows Write format.  With
a MasterCard or Visa you can order by phone, at [phone], or simply
mail in your card number and expiration date.

Registered users get a registration number that will turn off the
reminder screens.  Registration will also entitle you to a printed
manual, support, update notices, and a disk with the most recent
version.

Registered users also get these Extra Free Bonuses:  Two more handy
Bardon utilities (WHATSNEW lists files not yet backed up, or directories
containing such files; PR/PRFILTER format output for printing, and add a
header with filename, size, create date, and print date), discount
certificate for JCSM shareware CD-ROMs at half price, discount on PsL
shareware-by-mail (up to 2/3 off!), discount on Shareware Magazine, free
Compuserve startup kit, other Windows shareware I think you'll like,
and whatever other goodies I can fit on the disk.

SmilerShell is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle
works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem
with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members'
products.  Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon,
MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX [phone] or send a Compuserve message via
Compuserve mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.



WHY IS THIS A SHELL?

The word "shell" is sometimes used for a wrapper that
surrounds another application and hides it.  SmilerShell is
the opposite of that.  It makes all the power of the command
line available from an environment in which that power is
not otherwise accessible.  But since it makes things more
visible, rather than less visible, why is it called a shell?

It's a shell in another sense.  Maybe you've seen programs
that let you "shell out" to DOS, for example WordPerfect's
Ctrl+F1 command, Shell.  When you "shell out" it's like
having a window into another environment, a pathway to a
different level of functionality.  That's what SmilerShell
is, and that's why it's a shell.



INSTALLING SMILERSHELL

SmilerShell includes the following files:

  smishell.exe      the program
  smishell.hlp      the documentation, in Windows help file format

  readme.txt        overview and installation instructions
  install.exe       automated SmilerShell installer
  sample.ini        sample initialization file
  sample.stk        sample command stack file
  file_id.diz       45 column x 10 line text description, for BBS uploads
  vendor.doc        gives distribution permission
  invoice.wri       registration invoice (direct to Bardon Data Systems)
  register.txt      register toll-free and through distributors worldwide
  whatsnew.txt      new features and revision history

You can install SmilerShell automatically, using the enclosed
auto-installer.  To do this, simply run install.exe from within
Windows.  You can run it using File Manager, or the Run item on
Program Manager's File menu, or in whatever other convenient way
you choose.  Give it the directory to put SmilerShell's files
into, and the Program Manager group name for the SmilerShell
icons (appropriate defaults are suggested).  It'll do the rest.

If you prefer, you can install SmilerShell manually:

  1) Copy the files to a convenient directory on your hard
  disk.  (Actually, only smishell.exe and smishell.hlp need
  to be in this directory.  The others are not required to
  run SmilerShell.)

  2) Put the SmilerShell icon into a program group.  To do
  this, bring up File Manager and set it to the convenient
  directory you chose in the previous step.  Then drag-and-
  drop smishell.exe into your favorite Program Manager
  group.  The SmilerShell icon should appear there.

  (How to drag-and-drop: While the mouse is pointing at the
  word "smishell.exe" in File Manager, press and hold the
  left mouse button.  While continuing to hold the button
  down, move the mouse to point into your favorite Program
  Manager group.  Let go of the button.  The SmilerShell
  icon should appear in the group.)

Optionally, you can set up an initialization file.  But if you start
SmilerShell without an initialization file, you'll be asked if you'd
like SmilerShell to create one and fill it with reasonable values, then
let you edit it in Notepad before proceeding.  See the section The
Initialization File in the documentation.

Optionally, give a non-default location for the initialization file.
See the section Initialization File Location.

Optionally, you can create a command stack file, having a list of commands
that you want loaded into SmilerShell.  See the section Command Stack Files
in the documentation.



NOTES FOR THOSE UPGRADING FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS

Version 1.0 stored the DC info file smishell.dir and the default
ini file smishell.ini in your Windows directory.  Starting with
version 1.1, to avoid cluttering the Windows directories of the world
more than they already are, by default these files are now stored in
the same directory as the SmilerShell program.  After you install the
new version, you can delete smishell.ini and smishell.dir from your
Windows directory.

As before, the ini file can be wherever you like.  Use the command
line switch /ini=<drive:\fullpath\filename> to put it where you want.

Starting with version 1.3, the DC info file can also be wherever you like.
Use the ini file parameter dirfile=<drive:\fullpath\filename> to do this.


SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Requires Microsoft Windows 3.1