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MenuDIRECT Gold V3.0 (was P&S Hard Disk Manager) VERSION 3.0 Copyright (C) 1987-91 All Rights Reserved Applied Micro Systems Technology Dr. Kurt H. Diesch P.O. Box 1784 Stillwater, OK 74076 (405) 377-0444 Member, Association of Shareware Professionals Revised: May 21, 1991 MenuDIRECT is a hard disk file and program management tool designed for IBM Personal Computers and 100% compatibles. Applied Micro Systems Technology reserves the COPYRIGHT to this program and all related materials. The user is granted a non-exclusive license to use the program and is encouraged to pay for the program if it is found to be useful. Payment of the $79.95 registration fee will entitle the user to full registration including printed documentation and user support. Government and business entities may not use the program without paying the full registration fee. Please register your program with the form included at the end of the documentation or use the About/Order|Print function in the program. REMEMBER: Shareware is not free! Please note that this program is produced by Applied Micro Systems Technology, but is published and supported by International Microcomputer Software, Inc. Send payments to: International Microcomputer Software, Inc. 1938 Fourth Street San Rafael, CA 74076 (415) 454-7101 The user is also granted permission to make unlimited copies of the program and to distribute those copies as long as no fee is charged for the program. A small duplication fee may be collected. SHAREWARE DISK VENDORS ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM AMST BEFORE DISTRIBUTING THIS PROGRAM. Applied Micro Systems Technology specifically disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for any particular purpose. In no event shall Applied Micro Systems Technology be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other damages. MEMBER - ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS The author of this program is a member of ASP and has agreed to comply with its standards: Programming standards: - The program meets ASP's definition of Shareware. - The program has been thoroughly tested by the author and should not be harmful to other files or hardware if used properly (although ASP cannot warrant this; therefore, the user should take normal precautions in trying new software). Documentation standards: - Sufficient documentation is provided to allow the average user to try all major functions of the program. - The program author has explained the Shareware concept in a professional and positive manner. Support standards: - The program author will respond as described in the documentation to people who send registration payments. At a minimum, the author will send an acknowledgement of payment. - The author will respond to written bug reports from registered users when the user provides a self-addressed, stamped envelope (some authors will respond by phone, but this is not an ASP requirement). - Incompatibilities with other software or hardware, major or unusual program limitations, or known problems are noted in the documentation that comes with the shareware version of the program. General: - The author keeps his/her membership in ASP current. - The author recognizes that any user may appeal to ASP for any unresolved dispute that arises. If you feel that the author has not complied with these standards in some manner or if you register the program with the author and subsequently have any disputes with the author which cannot be resolved, please write the ASP at: Association of Shareware Professionals 545 Grover Road Muskegon, MI 49442 While ASP cannot warrant programs nor the actions of members, ASP will do what it can to assure that all authors who claim membership comply with ASP standards. These standards are the assurance of quality and support that you will get when you register Shareware produced by ASP members. SHAREWARE To promote better understanding of the shareware concept, ASP has developed the following official definition of shareware: Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- QUICK START GUIDE .................................... 1 Installation ...................................... 1 Starting/Quitting ................................. 1 Program Setup ..................................... 1 Upgrading from a Previous Version ................. 2 In Case of Difficulty ............................. 2 GENERAL PROGRAM USE .................................. 3 Help System ....................................... 3 Program Menu ...................................... 3 Desktop ........................................... 4 Status Line ....................................... 4 Program Windows ................................... 4 Input Fields ...................................... 6 Memo Fields ....................................... 6 Push Buttons ...................................... 7 List Boxes ........................................ 8 Radio Buttons ..................................... 8 Check Boxes ....................................... 8 History Lists ..................................... 8 SYSTEM MENU (≡) ...................................... 9 About/Order ....................................... 9 Calculator ........................................ 9 Calendar .......................................... 9 DOS Shell ......................................... 10 System Info ....................................... 10 WINDOW MENU .......................................... 11 Close ............................................. 11 Size/Move ......................................... 11 Zoom .............................................. 11 Next .............................................. 12 Tile .............................................. 12 Cascade ........................................... 12 Erase All ......................................... 12 List .............................................. 12 CLOCK ................................................ 13 USER-DEFINED MENUS ................................... 14 General Description ............................... 14 Adding/Changing Menu Items ........................ 14 Special Commands To Execute ....................... 15 Executing Batch Files ............................. 16 Selecting a New Menu Window ....................... 16 Linking Menus Together ............................ 17 Rearranging Menu Items ............................ 17 Changing the Menu Title ........................... 17 Resizing the Menu ................................. 17 Running Programs .................................. 17 FILE MANAGER ......................................... 18 Tree Commands: Add Floppy ..................................... 19 Build Tree ..................................... 19 Delete Dir ..................................... 19 Edit Disk ...................................... 19 File List ...................................... 20 Goto Dir ....................................... 20 Hide Dir ....................................... 20 Make Dir ....................................... 21 Origin ......................................... 21 Print .......................................... 21 Rename Dir ..................................... 21 Swap O/T ....................................... 21 Target ......................................... 21 Undelete ....................................... 22 Verify Disk .................................... 22 File Commands: Attribute ...................................... 23 Block .......................................... 23 Copy File ...................................... 24 Delete File .................................... 24 Edit File ...................................... 24 Filter ......................................... 24 Gather ......................................... 25 Krunch ......................................... 25 Locate Text .................................... 26 Move File ...................................... 26 Newer Copy ..................................... 27 Print .......................................... 27 Rename File .................................... 27 Sort Files ..................................... 27 Tree List ...................................... 27 View File ...................................... 28 Window Split ................................... 28 Execute ........................................ 28 Zero Out ....................................... 28 TEXT EDITOR .......................................... 29 DATABASES ............................................ 31 Add Records ....................................... 31 Browse Records .................................... 31 Delete Record ..................................... 32 Edit Records ...................................... 33 Find Record ....................................... 33 Order/Sort ........................................ 33 Reports ........................................... 33 Save/Done ......................................... 33 Lookup Data ....................................... 34 Goto Record ....................................... 34 Generic Database .................................. 34 Projects Database ................................. 35 Timelog Database ................................... 35 User Database ..................................... 36 UTILITIES ............................................ 37 Auto Menu Creation ................................ 37 Color Selection ................................... 37 Database Utilities ................................ 39 Environment ....................................... 40 Settings ....................................... 40 Protection/Logging ............................. 42 Valid Drives ................................... 43 Floppies ....................................... 44 User Menu ...................................... 44 Mouse Double Click ............................. 44 Swapping Path .................................. 44 Printer ........................................ 44 Dates .......................................... 45 Times .......................................... 45 Format Disks ...................................... 45 Password Change ................................... 45 Upgrade Data ...................................... 45 SCREEN BLANKERS ...................................... 46 NETWORK OPERATION .................................... 47 ORDER FORM ........................................... 48 QUICK START GUIDE ----------------- NOTE: This quick start guide should not replace a complete reading of the documentation. This program contains many useful features that are not discussed in the quick start guide. INSTALLATION To automatically install this program on a hard disk: o Place the program disk in a floppy drive o Change to the floppy disk (i.e. A:) o Run the INSTALL program and follow the instructions o Read the section on Auto Menu Creation under Utilities STARTING/QUITTING This program MUST be started with the supplied batch file, M.BAT. Correct operation of the menu portion of the program depends on running the program from this batch file. If this file cannot be found, it should be created in the \MDIRECT directory and should consist of the following lines: ECHO OFF C: CD C:\MDIRECT (or desired disk and directory) MDR MDRCPROG If you are at the DOS prompt, the program must be restarted from DOS by typing M (not MDR). If the program has been correctly installed, the main program screen should appear. To quit the program, press <Alt+X> or select File|Exit/Logoff. PROGRAM SETUP The first time this program is executed, immediately use the Utilities|Environment command to select program configuration options. The most important option is to identify the disk drives used. To set the program options, Press <Alt+U> to select the Utilities pop-up menu, then press <E> to select Environment. When the Environment Options Screen appears, use the <Enter> key to move from field to field and set the desired options. When all options are set as desired, press <F2> to save. Use <F1> to get help at any time. - 1 - UPGRADING FROM A PREVIOUS VERSION Users upgrading from a version of the program prior to 3.0 should immediately use the Utilities|Upgrade command to convert pre-3.0 user menus and databases to the new formats. The command issues appropriate warnings and prompts. Also, read the sections on Swapping Mode and Executing Batch files. IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY This program has been carefully tested to ensure that users have minimum difficulty. The science of computer programming, however, dictates that no program is ever entirely bug free. If a problem occurs in the operation of the program, support may be necessary. In the event of a problem, the first step is to carefully review the associated section of the documentation. Many apparent program problems are actually incorrect usage of the program. The second step is to ask a colleague or friend about the problem. If neither of these steps proves sufficient, registered users may contact IMSI for support at: International Microcomputer Software, Inc. 1938 Fourth Street San Rafael, CA (415) 454-7101 When writing or calling for support, you must be the registered owner of the program. If phoning for support, be prepared with a written list of details. Whether writing or phoning, the following list will serve as a guideline for information to collect: o Program name, version, and serial number o Equipment used including make and model of computer, type of monitor and other peripherals, amount of memory, and other hardware details o DOS version and manufacturer o Other software used, especially Terminate and Stay Resident Programs (TSR's) o Complete detail of the problem including error messages, specific procedure followed when the error occurs, and any other relevant information - 2 - GENERAL PROGRAM USE ------------------- HELP SYSTEM The help system is available anywhere in the program by pressing <F1>. Most of the help screens have some highlighted items (cross references) on them that lead to another help topic. The <Tab> and <Shift+Tab> keys highlight cross references on help screens. The <Enter> key or a mouse double-click jumps to the help screen for the selected cross reference. The cursor keys scroll the screen to view long help topics. The [Index] button jumps to the help index where help topics are arranged for quick selection. The [Previous] button jumps to the last help topic displayed. PROGRAM MENU The top line of the screen is the Menu Bar where most program commands are selected. The Menu Bar is your primary access to all the program commands. One of the items on the menu bar will be highlighted when the menu bar is active. The highlighed item is the "selected" item. If a command is followed by an arrow, the command leads to another menu, (a pop-up menu). A command without an arrow indicates that the command will be immediately executed when selected. To choose menu commands using the keyboard: 1. Press <F10> to make the menu bar active. 2. Use the arrow keys to select the menu you want to display, then press <Enter> 3. Use the arrow keys again again to select the desired command from the pop-up menu. You can also use a number of shortcuts (or hot keys) to access the menu bar and choose commands. You can activate a menu bar item by pressing <Alt> and the highlighted letter of the item. Once the pop-up has appeared, you can press the item's highlighted letter or the shortcut next to it. To choose menu commands using the mouse: 1. Click the desired menu item to display the pop-up menu. 2. Click the desired command from the pop-up menu. You can also drag straight from the menu title down to the menu command. Release the mouse button on the desired command. If you change your mind, just drag off the menu and no command will be chosen. (Drag means to hold the left mouse button while moving the mouse). Some menu commands will be disabled when it makes no sense to choose it. These items (shown in dim characters) can still be highlighted to get help. - 3 - DESKTOP The Desktop is where a user interaction with the program takes place. Various Program Windows will be opened in this area. Consider the Desktop to be your workspace. STATUS LINE The Status Line appears at the bottom line of the screen. The Status Line provides many useful functions: o It reminds you of the <F1> Help and <F10> Menu hotkeys. o It lets you click on these hotkeys instead of using the keyboard. o It tells you what the program is doing. o It offers one-line hints on the selected menu item or active window. PROGRAM WINDOWS Most of what you see and do in this program occurs in a window. A window is a screen area that you can move, resize, zoom, tile, overlap, open, and close. Multiple windows can be open at the same time, memory permitting, but only one window can be "active" at any time. The active window is the one you are currently working in. Any command you choose or keystroke you press generally applies only to the active window. The active window has a double-line border around and it is the frontmost (top) window on the desktop if windows overlap. When multiple windows are open on the desktop, you can activate a window by clicking anywhere within the window. You can also choose Window|List or press <Alt+0> to select a window from a list. You can move in succession from window to window by selecting Window|Next or by pressing <Alt+F6>. Some windows are temporary (like message boxes, dialog boxes that request user input, or the help system window). These windows must be closed before other windows on the desktop can be accessed. If the mouse seems to be unable to select the program Menu Bar or if other windows on the desktop cannot be selected, then the active window is probably a temporary window. Temporary windows usually have Push Buttons on them. - 4 - There are several types of windows in this program, but most of them have the following things in common: o A title bar o A close box o A resize corner o A zoom box o Scroll bars Other items that might appear in a window include: o Input Fields o Memo Fields o Push Buttons o List Boxes o Radio Buttons o Check Boxes o History Lists The title bar is the top frame line of the window. The title bar contains the name of the window. You can drag the title bar with the mouse to move the window around on the desktop. You can also choose Window|Size/Move or press <Alt+F4> to move a window. The close box is the small square in the upper left corner of the window's frame. You can click on this box with the mouse to close the window (or choose Window|Close or press <Esc>). The resize corner appears in the lower right corner of the window as a single-line border. Resize corners only appear on some of the program windows. You drag the resize corner to make the window larger or smaller (or choose Window|Size/Move or press <Alt+F4>). The zoom box (text editor windows only) appears in the upper right corner of the window's frame. If the zoom icon is an up arrow, you can click the arrow to enlarge the window to the largest possible size. If the zoom icon is a double-headed arrow, the window is already at the largest possible size. In that case, clicking the zoom icon returns the window to its previous size. You may also choose Window|Zoom or press <Alt+F5> to zoom a window. Scroll bars are horizontal or vertical bars that are used by a mouse to move around in a window. Each end of the scroll bar has an arrow. Click on the arrow to scroll the associated view one line. Keep the mouse button pressed to scroll continuously. If the associated view spans more than one screenful, there will be a small box on the scrollbar indicating the current position in the list. Click on either side of this position box to page the associated view. Finally, you may drag the position box to quickly move to a relative position in the associated view. - 5 - INPUT FIELDS Fields are areas on the screen where the program is asking for input. The following commands are used to edit data within a field. Note that some of these commands do not work with formatted fields such as dates and times. If the edited screen is part of a database, the commands marked with a '*' are also available. Character left <Left arrow> Character right <Right arrow> Beginning of line <Home> End of line <End> Insert mode on/off <Ins> Delete character left <BackSpace> Delete character at cursor <Del> Blank field <Ctrl+Y> or <F8> Auto Fill (Lookup) <F3> Next Field <Enter> or <Tab> Previous Field <Shift+Tab> *Save/Done with edit <F2> *Previous Record <F5> *Next Record <F6> If more than one type of input area appears in the window, press <Tab> or <Enter> to move to the next area. Press <Shift+Tab> to move to the previous area. MEMO EDITING A memo field is a mini text editor window. The following commands are used to edit text in memo fields: Cursor Movement --------------------------------------- Character left <Left arrow> Character right <Right arrow> Word left <Ctrl+left arrow> Word right <Ctrl+right arrow> Line up <Up arrow> Line down <Down arrow> Page up <PgUp> Page down <PgDn> Beginning of line <Home> End of line <End> Top of window <Ctrl+Home> Bottom of window <Ctrl+End> Beginning of text <Ctrl+PgUp> End of text <Ctrl+PgDn> - 6 - General Editing ----------------------------------------- Insert mode on/off <Ins> Delete character left <BackSpace> Delete character at cursor <Del> Delete word right <Ctrl+T> Delete line <Ctrl+Y> New line <Enter> Block Commands -------------- A block of text is any amount of text, from a single character to an entire file, that is marked with special hidden block markers. There can be only one marked block of text in the text editor at a time. A block is marked by placing the cursor at the desired starting location and then using any of the standard cursor movement commands in combination with the <Shift> key to mark the block (text will become highlighted as it is marked). The mouse may also be used to mark text by placing the mouse cursor at the desired starting location and holding the left button down while dragging the mouse over the text to mark. The mouse may be moved beyond the edge of the Text Editor window to scroll the screen while marking. After the text is marked, any of the following commands may be performed on the block: Copy to clipboard & delete <Shift+Del> Copy to clipboard <Ctrl+Ins> Paste from clipboard <Shift+Ins> Delete block <Ctrl+Del> If more than one type of input area appears in the window, press <Tab> or <Enter> to move to the next area. Press <Shift+Tab> to move to the previous area. PUSH BUTTONS Push Buttons are rectangular shaded areas in windows that have the appearance of a button. Push Buttons generally appear in temporary windows where access to the program menu bar is not allowed. Push on a button with the mouse or press the highlighted letter (if there is one) to perform the indicated action. A common button is the [OK] button, which is equivalent to the <Enter> key. Another common button is the [Cancel] button which is equivalent to the <Esc> key. - 7 - LIST BOXES List Boxes let you scroll through and select a variety of types of items from lists throughout the program. Lists generally have scroll bars. All the usual arrow keys and mouse functions are used to examine lists. <Enter> or mouse double-click selects an item. If more than one type of input area appears in the window, press <Tab> or <Enter> to move to the next area. Press <Shift+Tab> to move to the previous area. RADIO BUTTONS Radio buttons are special lists that present choices that are mutually excluse, i.e., only one item can be selected at a time. One item in the Radio Button list will be marked with a (o) mark. To choose a radio button click on it or its text. From the keyboard, select the highlighted letter (if there is one) or use the arrow keys to choose an item. If more than one type of input area appears in the window, press <Tab> or <Enter> to move to the next area. Press <Shift+Tab> to move to the previous area. CHECK BOXES Check Boxes are special lists that present multiple options. Any number of items in a Check Box can be selected (marked with a [X]). To check a box, click on it or its text. From the keyboard, press the highlighted letter (if there is one) or use the arrow keys to choose an item and press <Space> to toggle the check mark. If more than one type of input area appears in the window, press <Tab> or <Enter> to move to the next area. Press <Shift+Tab> to move to the previous area. HISTORY LISTS History Lists record previous entries in an input field. An input field has a history list if a down-arrow symbol appears just to the right of the field. Press down-arrow or click on the history icon to activate the list. Highlight the desired item and press <Enter> or double-click the mouse to select an item from the list and place it into the input field. The history list displays any text you typed in the input field the last few times you used the input field. - 8 - SYSTEM MENU (≡) --------------- The System menu appears on the far left of the menu bar and is represented by the ≡ symbol. Activate the system menu by pressing <Alt+Space>. The following commands are available under the System menu: About/Order - View copyright or print order Calculator - Open calculator window Calendar - Open calendar window DOS Shell - Open DOS Shell window System Info - View system information ABOUT/ORDER The About window displays a detailed copyright notice for the program. Select the [Print] button to print an order form. Unregistered copies of the program will automatically display the About window for 3 seconds every 10th execution of the program. CALCULATOR The calculator is a simple four-function calculator with add, subtract, multiply, and divide. To operate the calculator you can either use the keyboard or click on the calculator buttons. The [Save] button saves the current result in calculator memory. The current memory value is displayed in the top output line of the calculator. The [Recall] button places the calculator memory into current entry. The [Mode] button changes between decimal and hexadecimal calculator mode. The current calculation mode is displayed on the divider line in the output display as either "Dec" for decimal or "Hex" for hexadecimal. The [Clrall] button Clears the calculator entry window, but not memory. The [clrEnt] button clears the current calculator entry. The [Export] button exports the current calculator result into the next lower window. CALENDAR The Calendar command opens a calendar window which displays the current month, with the current day highlighted. The cursor keys or the mouse is used to move the highlight to other days. - 9 - Four small arrow buttons appear in the top area of the calendar. Mouse clicks on the two left buttons change the date by one month, forward or backward. Mouse clicks on the two right buttons change the date by one year, forward or backward. The <PgUp/PgDn> keys change the date by one month and the <Ctrl+PgUp/Ctrl+PgDn> keys change the date by one year. Pressing <Enter> or double-clicking on the current day or pressing <A> accesses the Appointment Book for the current day. The Appointment Book provides space to record appointments for any day of the year. A small memo field (500 characters) is also provided for notes. <F2> saves the current appointment book data and returns to the calendar. <F9> prints the current appointment book day. To select a different day, return to the calendar and select a new day. Move from field to field by pressing <Enter> or <Tab>. The Todo List is a 16K editor accessible only through the calendar. Use the Todo List to save reminders or other information of interest. <F2> saves the Todo List and returns to the calendar. <F3> opens other Todo Lists. <F4> saves the current Todo List with a new name. <F9> prints the Todo List. DOS SHELL With the DOS Shell command, you can leave the program temporarily to perform a DOS command or run another program. When DOS Shell is selected, a window appears with an input line used to enter DOS commands. Any DOS command may be entered in the input line with the following exceptions: o DO NOT execute terminate and stay resident programs o Available memory is substantially lower than if at the real DOS command line, so only execute small programs. The input line contains a history list that is selected with the <down arrow> key or by clicking on the history icon (at the end of the input line). The history list records prior commands. After a command is entered, <Enter> will execute the command. After the command has finished, press any key to return to the program. Alternately, <F2> may be used to temporarily shell to DOS. To return to the program from shell mode, type EXIT at the DOS prompt. SYSTEM INFO The System Info window displays disk space, memory, and protection system statistics. Disk space information for each disk drive is selected by pressing the letter associated with the desired drive. - 10 - WINDOW MENU ----------- The Window menu provides access to commands used to manipulate program windows. The following commands are available (some of these commands may be disabled for some windows): Close: - Close the window Size/Move: - Resize/move the window Zoom: - Zoom window to full size Next: - Make next window active Cascade: - Arrange windows cascaded Tile: - Arrange windows tiled Erase All: - Close all windows List: - List active windows CLOSE The Close command closes the currently active window. The <Esc> key serves the same purpose, as does a mouse click on the close icon of the active window. SIZE/MOVE The Size/Move command changes the size or position of the active window. The arrow keys move the window to a new location, and <Enter> accepts the new position. The mouse can be used to drag the top line of the window to a new position. All program windows can be moved. <Shift + arrow keys> resize the window and <Enter> accepts the new size. The mouse can be used to drag the lower right corner of the window to the desired size. Only windows that have a single line lower right corner (like the text editor and user-defined menus) can be resized. ZOOM Zoom resizes the active window to the maximum size. If the window is already zoomed, selecting Zoom will restore the window to the original size. Double-clicking the mouse anywhere in the title line or the Zoom icon (arrow in upper right corner) will also zoom/unzoom the window. Only a few of the program windows are zoomable (like the text editor). - 11 - NEXT Next makes the next window active which makes it the topmost open window. Use Next to cycle through windows if more than one window is open on the desktop. CASCADE Cascade stacks all open windows. TILE Tile attempts to arrange all open windows to be visible on the screen. Due to size limitations on many types windows, the tile command may overlap windows. ERASE ALL Erase All removes all open windows from the desktop. Some windows may request save confirmation before closing. If the Force User Menus option is enabled in Utilities|Environment, then the default user menu will be opened after all windows are closed. LIST The List command opens a window which lists all of the open windows on the desktop. From this window, select or delete any of the windows. The titles of all open windows are shown in a scrollable list. Position the highlight bar on the desired window, then press <Enter> or double-click with the mouse to make that window active. Select the [Delete] button to remove the window from the desktop. - 12 - CLOCK ----- The clock displays the current date and time in the upper right corner of the screen. The clock may be selected like other pull-down menu items to change the system date and time. The Clock Set window is used to set the system date and time. Select the [OK (F2)] button to set the system clock. Select the [Cancel] button or press <Esc> to quit without changing the date and time. Press <Enter> or <Tab> to move from field to field. Avoid changing the system clock if Time Logging is enabled in Utilities|Environment. - 13 - USER-DEFINED MENUS ------------------ The File|Menu Manager command is used to create user-defined menus and to run programs. Each menu may contain up to 30 entries. Each entry can either run a program or open another menu. With this unique linking of menus, the menu manager can contain an unlimited number of menus. GENERAL DESCRIPTION User-defined menus are used to run programs or DOS commands. Each user menu window has space for 30 entries. Each of these entries can either run a program or open another user menu window. The entire user menu is stored in a file with a .MNU extension. The bottom of the menu shows the name of the menu file if the Menu Filenames option is set in Utilities|Environment. A '*' will also appear in the lower left corner of the menu if it has been modified and not yet saved. ADDING/CHANGING MENU ITEMS To add or change an item, select the position within the menu that the item will occupy. Next, select the Edit-Menu|Edit Item command to set the parameters for the highlighted menu item. The Edit Item command opens a dialog box from which information related to the highlighted menu entry may be edited. The <Tab> and <Shift+Tab> keys move from field to field. The Edit Item dialog box contains the following fields: Entry Title: Title for the menu item that will appear on the user menu. The first capital letter or number in the title will appear in bright color and is used as the shortcut key for the entry. Password: If passwords are enabled in Utilities|Environment, then the user will be prompted for this password when the menu entry is selected. Command to Execute: The command(s) that will be executed when the menu entry is selected. Several commands can be included by separating them with the vertical line '|' character. Normally, the command to execute is name of a program (.COM or .EXE) file. Batch (.BAT) files may also be executed (see below). Also, see SPECIAL COMMANDS TO EXECUTE. - 14 - Status Line Hint: The text entered for the status line hint will appear on the status line (last line of the screen) whenever this menu item is highlighted. Path to Run From: The location on the hard disk from which the Command to Execute will be executed. To select the path from the tree, use the <Enter> key to select the tree box, then highlight the desired path and press <Space> or double-click with the mouse. If the tree does not show all directories, select the [Build Tree] button to rebuild the tree. Also, make sure all drives are set correctly in Utilities|Environment. The Executable File List displays .COM, .EXE, and .BAT files from the highlighted path on the tree. Files shown are the possible choices for Command to Execute. Note that the tree will revert back to the current Path to Run From when the Path Selection Tree is not focused, so you must set the Path to Run From to look at long file lists in the Executable File List. After the desired parameters are set, the menu should be saved with the Edit-Menu|Save Menu or Edit-Menu|Save As command. SPECIAL COMMANDS TO EXECUTE The following commands may also be used in Command to Execute: OPENMENU "filename": Equivalent to Edit-Menu|Open Menu. The "filename" parameter must name a menu file and the file name must be enclosed in double quotes. The menu file extension 'MNU' is appended to the file name. If the named file does not exist, a new blank menu is opened. Example: OPENMENU "UTILITY" FIRSTMENU: Equivalent to Edit-Menu|First Menu. FIRSTMENU can be used to make a menu entry that will jump to the first defined menu for a user. LASTMENU: Equivalent to Edit-Menu|Last Menu. LASTMENU can be used to make a menu entry that will jump to the menu that called the current menu. ASK: Prompts for user input before running the Command to Execute. ASK can be used to prompt for parameters for programs that have command line options. DO NOT use the | before ASK. Example: TESTBAT ASK PAUSE: Pauses after running the Command to Execute. Example: DIR|PAUSE STOP: Stops in DOS and does not return to the menu program. Example: TESTPROG|STOP - 15 - NOSWAP: Temporarily suspends swapping mode for execution of this menu item and reverts to the normal batch file loop execution mode. The NOSWAP option should be used when executing any programs that perform low level disk alterations since this program's swap file remains open during execution of the menu item. NOSWAP is also useful if running a program that requires EMS memory and there is insufficient EMS memory to run the program. See Executing Batch Files for special considerations. Example: TESTPROG|NOSWAP EXECUTING BATCH FILES Executing batch (.BAT) files requires special attention. If you are using DOS 3.3 or greater (check with Sys Info), use the CALL command immediately before the batch file name in the Command to Execute field, e.g. CALL TESTBAT. This technique is used regardless of the Swapping Mode setting. Make sure none of your batch files end with the "M" command (as was required in earlier versions of this program). Use the Edit-File|Text Editor command to modify batch files. If your DOS version is 3.2 or less then you must pay attention to the Swapping Mode setting. If Swapping Mode is enabled, make sure none of your batch files end with the "M" command (as was required in earlier versions of this program) unless the NOSWAP command is used. If Swapping Mode is disabled, batch files MUST end with the "M" command. Use the Edit-File|Text Editor command to modify batch files. Read the documentation regarding "Executing Batch Files" to make sure the correct modifications are made to batch files. In many cases, the entire contents of the batch file can be entered directly in the Command to Execute field and the batch file can be eliminated. SELECTING A NEW MENU WINDOW New menu windows are selected in numerous ways. If a user menu item is executed and its Command to Execute field contains the OPENMENU command, then the designated menu will be opened. The Edit-Menu|Open Menu command can also be used to directly select another menu. If the selected menu does not yet exist, it is created automatically. The Edit-Menu|First Menu command opens the default menu (set in Utilities|Environment) and the Edit-Menu|Last Menu command opens the last menu that was open. - 16 - LINKING MENUS TOGETHER Multiple user-defined menus can be linked together in a chain to create an unlimited number of menu choices. To create a link from one menu item to another menu, use the OPENMENU, FIRSTMENU, or LASTMENU command in the Command to Execute field. REARRANGING MENU ITEMS User menu items may be rearranged using a hidden "clipboard". The clipboard can hold one menu item. The Edit-Menu|Cut Item and Edit-Menu|Paste Item commands store and retreive items to/from the clipboard. The clipboard is available even after switching to a different menu, allowing items to be clipped from one menu and pasted to another. CHANGING THE MENU TITLE To change the menu title (on top line of menu window frame), select the Edit-Menu|Title Change command and enter the desired new title. The title is set to "New Menu" by default. RESIZING THE MENU The Window|Size/Move command can be used to change the width of user-defined menu windows. One, two, or three columns of user menu items will be shown, depending on the selected width. The menu may also be resized by dragging the lower right corner of the window. Resizing the window counts as a modification of the menu, so the menu should be saved after resizing. RUNNING PROGRAMS User menu items are selected in one of three ways: (1) The highlight bar may be moved with the arrow keys until the desired item is highlighted, then the <Enter> key selects the highlighted item, (2) Most menu items contain one character that shows in a bright color. This letter may be pressed to directly select the menu item, or (3) The menu item may also be selected by double-clicking with a mouse. Note: This program must run in the supplied batch file loop before programs will properly run from the user-defined menus. Read the documentation regarding "Starting the Program" if the user-defined menus don't appear to work correctly. - 17 - FILE MANAGER ------------ The File|Tree/File command opens the File Manager window. The File Manager provides a comprehensive set of functions for file manipulation. The File Manager window contains a directory tree and one or two file lists from which files and directories are managed. Note: Although not shown specifically, file and tree command hotkeys are the single characters associated with the commands found in the program's Edit pulldown menu, i.e. "C" for Copy File, "B" for Build Tree, etc... The program's Edit menu will show Edit-File or Edit-Tree depending on the active subwindow of the File Manager window. Move between the subwindows with the left and right arrow keys or with the <Tab> key. The bottom portion of the File Manager displays the origin and target directores, a count of files and their total size for each file list, and a count of tagged files and their total size. The File and Tree commands work in concert. The upper or leftmost file list always displays the files from the directory marked on the tree with an "O" denoting the Origin. To select an Origin, move the highlight bar on the tree to the desired directory and press <Enter>, double-click the left mouse button, or select the Edit-Tree|Origin command. The tree also marks a directory with a "T" denoting the Target. The Target is where files will go as a result of file commands such as Copy or Move. To select a Target, move the highlight bar on the tree to the desired directory and double-click the right mouse button or select the Edit-Tree|Target command. IMPORTANT: Always select Origin and Target directories before using File commands! If a floppy disk is changed, remember to reset the Origin and Target to re-log the disk or the file display will be incorrect. If the tree does not show correct drives/directories, check the settings in Utilities|Environment or use the Edit-Tree|Build Tree command. A powerful feature of the File Manager is the ability to perform file commands on groups of files called blocks. Blocks are created by tagging files in the file list. Tagged files are marked with a check mark on the left side of the list. After desired files are tagged, a single block command can be selected to manipulate the entire block of files. The remainder of this section describes each of the File and Tree commands. - 18 - ADD FLOPPY Add Floppy scans the selected floppy disk for subdirectories and adds them to the tree. If a floppy disk is not present in the drive or if the disk contains no subdirectories, only the drive letter will be shown on the tree. By default, the directory tree does not include floppy disk subdirectories. BUILD TREE The File Manager stores the directory tree in a disk file for quick loading. If a directory is added or removed outside of the program (as is common when other software is installed), the File Manager will not be aware of this activity. The Build Tree command rereads the directories from the hard disk to update the File Manager's tree. Use this command whenever the tree does not look correct or if any software has been installed. Build Tree relies on drive settings found in Utilities|Environment to correctly build the tree. If the tree does not include all drives and directories, check these settings. DELETE DIR Delete Dir deletes the currently highlighted directory. Only directories that are completely empty (no files or child directories) may be deleted. The program directory also cannot be deleted. If the directory appears to be empty and still cannot be deleted, check the Edit-File|Filter command to make sure the file filter is allowing all files to be displayed. The current file filter is shown at the end of the Origin path in the lower portion of the File Manager window. EDIT DISK The Edit Disk command invokes a disk editor window to allow editing of data on the selected disk. The disk editor does not edit files like a text editor, but rather deals with the actual data stored on the disk. The disk editor is capable of altering system areas of the disk as well as data areas, so caution should be used. Select between the Hexadecimal and Ascii sides of the Disk Editor with the <Tab> key or by clicking on the appropriate side with a mouse. The following commands are available for the Disk Editor: - 19 - Read Again: Rereads current sector Save: Save changes made to the current sector Save Done: Save changes made to the current sector and close Find Text: Find user-specified text on the current disk. If the search is performed from the Hex Values side of the Disk Editor window, an exact match is performed. If the search is performed from the Ascii Values side of the Disk Editor window, a case-insensitive search is performed. Last Find: Repeat the last Find command. Print Page: Prints the current disk editor page Goto Area: Jump to Boot Record, FAT, Root Directory, Data Start, or a selected cluster. Disk Info: Displays detailed information about the disk Map Disk: Display a space allocation map of the disk Name File: Determine owner of current sector Where is File: Shows location of File Manager file FILE LIST The File List command moves to the File commands (same as right-arrow). The Origin directory will be moved into view on the directory tree if it is not already in view and the Edit-Tree program menu will change to Edit-File. GOTO DIR Goto Dir immediately exits the program and moves to the highlighted directory. If this command does not appear to work correctly, make sure the program was started with the supplied batch file and read the documentation regarding "Starting the Program." HIDE DIR Hide Dir toggles the hidden file attribute of the currently highlighted directory. If hiding, the directory name is masked with asterisks to show that it is hidden. The File Manager can find these hidden directories, but they are invisible to the DOS DIR command. If the directory is already hidden, then the Hide Dir command unhides it. - 20 - MAKE DIR Make Dir creates a new subdirectory as a child of the currently highlighted directory. The program prompts for a new directory name which is in the same format as file names. The new directory is inserted in the tree at the correct sorted position. ORIGIN Origin selects the currently highlighted directory as the Origin for File commands. The <Enter> key or a double-click of the left mouse button will also select the Origin directory. PRINT Print offers several options to print the directory tree and file names within subdirectories. RENAME DIR Rename Dir changes the name of the currently hilighted directory. The program prompts for a new directory name which cannot duplicate an existing name. The program directory cannot be renamed. SWAP O/T Swap O/T exchanges the current Origin and Target directory marks and rereads the Origin and Target file lists. No files are actually moved on the disk, only the display is changed. TARGET Target selects the currently highlighted directory as the Target for File commands. If the second file window has been opened using the Edit-File|Window Split command, then the files from the Target directory will be shown in the lower file display. The Target can also be set by double-clicking the right mouse button. - 21 - UNDELETE Undelete provides the remarkable capability of retrieving files and directories that have been deleted. When the File Manager (or DOS) deletes files or subdirectories, the actual disk data is not removed; the file name is just marked as deleted and its space is marked as available. When Undelete is selected, the File Manager uses special techniques to peek at the disk to find those files in the Origin directory that are marked as deleted. The deleted files are shown in a list with the first letter of each file marked with a "?" (because DOS uses the first character to mark a file as deleted). A check mark next to a file indicates that the file MIGHT be fully recoverable (i.e., the File Manager's best guess at where the file's data should be indicates the data is still available). Files without the check mark have been partially or completely overwritten. To undelete a file or subdirectory, move the highlight bar to the selected name and press "U" or click on the [Undelete] button. The program will prompt for the original first letter of the file or directory name. The program will then attempt to undelete the file or directory. The Verify option causes the program to show each cluster of data and ask for verification. This option is useful in recovering partially overwritten files. As with any file recovery program, this program must make some assumptions during file recovery, therefore: any file or subdirectory that is undeleted should be checked after recovery using the Edit-File|View File command. Undelete makes changes to the system areas of a disk and has not been checked on all brands of computers and hard disks, so careful testing should be employed. VERIFY DISK Verify Disk attempts to read all sectors of a disk to determine whether there are any bad (unreadable) sectors that are not marked bad. If Verify Disk finds a bad sector that contains data, the program displays the owner of the data and asks whether to attempt to relocate the data. If a bad sector is found that does not contain data, the program asks if the sector should be marked bad. If data is relocated, it is quite likely that the relocated data will not be complete and the owner file will not be completely usable. Be sure to examine any relocated file's data after Verify Disk is used. If Verify Disk relocates data or marks sectors bad, changes are made to the system areas of the disk. For safety reasons, the computer will be rebooted after data relocation to make sure the disk is not damaged. Verify Disk's data relocation has not been tested on all brands of computers and hard disks, so careful testing should be used when first using Verify Disk if data relocation is requested. - 22 - ATTRIBUTE Changes the attributes, date, or time of the currently selected file. Attribute choices include Read-only, Hidden, System, and Archive. A list is presented from which the current attribute settings, date, and file time are viewed or modified. BLOCK Block commands perform an Attribute, Copy, Delete, Move, Newer, Rename, or Zero Out operation on a group of tagged files. Tagged files have a check mark to their left in the file list. After the desired files are tagged, the block operation may be executed by using the pull-down menu to select the desired block command, or by pressing <Ctrl> + the first letter of the desired block command (i.e., <Ctrl+C> for Block Copy). There are several methods to tag files for block operations: <Enter> toggles tag <+> tags all <-> untags all <Shift+Ins> retags prior tagged files <Left-shift up-arrow> tags one and moves up <Left-shift down-arrow> tags one and moves down <Right-shift up-arrow> untags one and moves up <Right-shift down-arrow> untags one and moves down In addition to keyboard tagging, the mouse may also be used for file tagging. Double click on a file to toggle its tagged status. To tag multiple files, hold the left mouse button down until the selected file becomes tagged, then drag the mouse to tag additional files. To untag multiple files, hold the right mouse button down until the selected file becomes untagged, then drag the mouse to untag additional files. The following block commands are used on tagged files: Attribute: Change attributes of tagged files Copy Files: Copy tagged files to Target Delete Files: Delete tagged files Move Files: Move tagged files to Target Newer Copy: Copy to Target if newer Rename: Rename tagged files Zero Out: Write zeroes then delete tagged files - 23 - COPY FILE Copy File copies the currently highlighted file from the Origin directory to the Target directory. If the Origin and Target directories are the same, then the program prompts for a new file name and a copy of the file is made. If the selected file exists in the Target directory, then the program will prompt for replace confirmation. DELETE FILE Delete File deletes the currently highlighted file. The program prompts for delete confirmation before the deletion takes place. EDIT FILE Edit File has three options: Text Editor - Opens current file in text editor New Text - Opens blank text editor Hex Editor - Opens current file in hex editor The Text Editor is a 64K editor used to edit standard text files. A complete description of the text editor is found under Text Editor. The Hex Editor is used to edit any file in hexadecimal or ASCII mode. Select between the Hexadecimal and Ascii sides of the Hex Editor with the <Tab> key or by clicking on the appropriate side with a mouse. The following commands are available for the Hex Editor window: Read Again - Reread current block of file Save - Save current file/don't close Save Done - Save current file and close editor Find Text - Find text anywhere in the file Last Find - Repeat last find command Print Page - Print current page FILTER Filter restricts the file search for the file display lists. The default filter is "*.*" which will find all files. File filter strings are the same as used in DOS (see your DOS manual for details). When Filter is selected, the program prompts for a new file filter. If a blank Filter is entered, the default "*.*" is assumed. The current filter is always shown in the lower portion of the File Manager window, at the end of the Origin path. - 24 - GATHER Gather searches the entire hard disk for files matching the current file filter. After the Filter command is used to select the desired files, the Gather command will scan the entire disk and prepare a single list of files. This command is particularly useful to find duplicate files or to eliminate backup files from the disk. After Gather has prepared its file list, the highlight bar may be moved from file to file and the location of the selected file is shown both on the directory tree and just below the Gather file list as the Origin. The Gather window includes buttons to Copy, Delete, Move, or Newer Copy individual files. Remember that the Copy, Move, and Newer Copy commands will act according to the current Target directory so make sure the desired Target is selected before using the Gather command. KRUNCH The Krunch command compresses or decompresses groups of files into a single file. Compressed files require from 30% to 70% less disk space than uncompressed files. File compression performs two important tasks; it reduces the amount of space required by a file, and it combines multiple files into a single file. The result of compression is more disk space and better organization. The file compression techniques used in this program are proprietary. Files created by compression in this program may not be decompressed with any other compression programs. All compressed files created by this program end with the ".APK" file extension. Files placed into a .APK compressed file must be decompressed before they are useful to other software. There are many compression programs available to computer users, several of which have become quite popular. This program's compression IS NOT intended to compete with other programs, but rather to provide an integrated solution to hard disk management. The author of this program fully supports programs considered to be the established standards for file compression and does not encourage the use of this compression for uploads to bulletin boards or other uses where the general public is concerned. Please contact the author if you are interested in further information regarding publicly accepted file compression programs. The Krunch|Compress Files command attempts to compress all files from the Origin file list to a single file in the Target directory. The program will prompt for the desired name of the resulting compressed file, which always ends with the ".APK" file extension. If the selected file already exists, the program will prompt for replace confirmation. The original file names are preserved in the compressed .APK file. - 25 - After the files from the Origin file list are compressed, the program will ask to delete the compressed files. This command is useful in saving disk space, particularly with files that are seldom used. A common practice is to create a single directory on the hard disk to store compressed files, then use Compress with a work directory as the Origin and the compressed file directory as the Target, or Decompress with the compressed file directory as the Origin and a work directory as the Target. The Krunch|Decompress Files command is the opposite of the Compress Files command. Select a compressed file (".APK" extension) from the Origin file list. The compressed file will be decompressed to its seperate files into the Target directory. If a file already exists in the Target, the program will prompt for replace confirmation. After decompression, the compressed .APK file remains intact. The Krunch|Selected Decompress command allows individual files to be decompressed from a compressed .APK file. Select the desired compressed .APK file from the Origin directory and a list of files contained in the compressed file is presented. Highlight the file to decompress and select the [Decompress] button. The selected file is then decompressed to the Target directory. If the file already exists, the program prompts for replace confirmation. Note: The compression methods used in this program are proprietary and are not compatible with other compression programs. LOCATE TEXT Locate Text locates text strings in files anywhere on the hard disk. The program prompts for a text string to find and for locate options. A history list is provided to select previous search strings. Options include All Directories, Current Directory, or Forward Only. If the search text is found, a portion of the file that contains the text will be shown with the search text highlighted. Options then include continuing the search in the same file, skipping to the next file, and skipping to the next directory. The <Esc> key aborts the search at any time. MOVE FILE Move File moves the currently highlighted file from the Origin directory to the Target directory. If the selected file exists in the Target directory, the program will prompt for replace confirmation. If a file appears to be lost after File Move, double check which directory is set as the Target, then look there for the file. - 26 - NEWER COPY Newer Copy is similar to the Copy File command except the selected file is only copied to the Target directory if it is newer than an existing file with the same name in the Target, or if the Target does not contain a file with the same name. Think of this command as a method to freshen up a Target directory with newer files. PRINT Print is used to print text files or the Origin file list. The following Print options are available: Expanded File List - Print file list with all info File Names Only - Print file list with names only Hex Mode Print - Print selected file in hex mode Laser 2 Column - Print selected file in 2 columns Text Plain Print - Print selected file RENAME FILE Rename File changes the name of the currently highlighted file. The program prompts for a new file name. Duplicate file names are not allowed. SORT FILES Sort Files determines the display order of the files shown in the file lists. Sort Files presents the following sort options: Name - Ascending name order Extension - Ascending extension order Date/Time - Ascending date/time order Inverse Date - Descending date/time order Size - Ascending size order Reverse Size - Descending size order TREE LIST The Tree List command moves to the Tree commands (same as left-arrow). Edit-File program menu will change to Edit-Tree. - 27 - VIEW FILE View File opens the highlighted file in a scrollable window. The View File window includes buttons for the following: Hi-bit Filter - Subtracts 128 if higher than ASCII 127 Print Filter - Display only printable characters WINDOW SPLIT Window splits allows selection of three types of file displays: o Single List - Shows only origin file list o Two Columns - Shows origin and target lists in 2 columns o Upper/Lower - Shows origin on top and target on botton The <Tab> key is used to move between the windows. File commands only operate on the Origin file list. EXECUTE Executes the currently highlighted file in memory (.COM or .EXE files only). DO NOT EXECUTE MEMORY RESIDENT (TSR) PROGRAMS!!! The ability to execute programs is limited by the amount of memory currently available since this program remains in memory while the selected program executes. If the Swapping Mode option is set, this program will swap to disk or EMS memory, leaving all but approximately 8K of memory available to the executing program. If using the swapping mode option, DO NOT execute any programs that perform low level disk alterations, such as DOS CHKDSK/F or disk defragmenting, or file undelete programs. The swap file used by this program remains open during child execution and disk damage could result. ZERO OUT The Zero Out command is similar to the Delete command except before the file is deleted, zeroes are written over the file's data. This command is useful to avoid access to a file's data via Edit-Tree|Undelete. - 28 - TEXT EDITOR ----------- The Text Editor window is used to edit text files of up to 64K in size. The top line of the window displays the file currently in editor memory. The lower left corner of the edit window displays the row and column location of the cursor and a star "*" to indicate that the file has been modified. Scroll bars are shown on the right and bottom edges of the text editor window to indicate the position in the file and to facilitate mouse use. The following commands are used to move the cursor in the Text Editor window: Character left <Left arrow> Character right <Right arrow> Word left <Ctrl+left arrow> Word right <Ctrl+right arrow> Line up <Up arrow> Line down <Down arrow> Page up <PgUp> Page down <PgDn> Beginning of line <Home> End of line <End> Top of window <Ctrl+Home> Bottom of window <Ctrl+End> Beginning of file <Ctrl+PgUp> End of file <Ctrl+PgDn> The following commands are used for general editing in the Text Editor window: Insert mode on/off <Ins> Delete character left of cursor <BackSpace> Delete character under cursor <Del> Delete word right <Ctrl+T> Delete line <Ctrl+Y> New line <Enter> A block of text is any amount of text, from a single character to an entire file, that is marked with special hidden block markers. There can be only one marked block of text in the text editor at a time. A block is marked by placing the cursor at the desired starting location and then using any of the standard cursor movement commands in combination with the <Shift> key to mark the block (text will become highlighted as it is marked). The mouse may also be used to mark text by placing the mouse cursor at the desired starting location and holding the left button down while dragging the mouse over the text to mark. The mouse may be moved beyond the edge of the Text Editor window to scroll the screen while marking. - 29 - After the text is marked, any of the following commands may be performed on the block: Cut (Shift+Del) - Copy to clipboard & delete Copy (Ctrl+Ins) - Copy to clipboard Paste (Shift+Ins) - Paste from clipboard Delete (Ctrl+Del) - Delete block Print (Ctrl+P) - Print block Export (Ctrl+X) - Write block to file Search commands are used to find and optionally replace text in the Text Editor window. The following search commands are available: Find Text - Find selected text Replace - Find and replace selected text Last Find - Repeat last find/replace Miscellaneous editing commands include: Save - Save editor text Save Done - Save editor text & close Save As - Save editor text with new name Import - Read text into editor from file - 30 - DATABASES --------- A Database is a special type of file that is similar to a box of index cards where each card has preprinted fill-in-the-blank area. In a database, each card is called a record. Each piece of information on a single card is called a field. A computerized database keeps all the records sorted automatically and can quickly find, sort, and print the records. There are five databases in this program: Appointments - Appointment book Generic - Generic information Projects - Project ID data Timelog - Time logging data Users - User ID & access data Databases are manipulated from the Edit-Data pull-down menu item. The commands shown below are available for databases. Note: Although not shown specifically, database command hotkeys are the single characters associated with the commands found in the program's Edit-Data pulldown menu, i.e. "A" for Add, "B" for Browse, etc... Add Records - Add new records to database Browse Records - Browse records in tabular format Delete Record - Delete current record Edit Records - Edit existing records Find Record - Find a specific record by key Order/Sort - Change record display order Reports - Print database reports Save/Done - Save current record/done editing Lookup Data - Automatically fill field's data Goto Record - Goto specific records ADD RECORDS Add Records puts the database into Add mode with a new blank record on the screen. Add Records is used to add new records to the database. Each database record is modified using the Field Editing commands. When database modifications are complete, the Save/Done or Next Record commands may be used to save the record. <Esc> can be selected to abandon changes to the current record. BROWSE RECORDS Browse Records shows the records in tabular format. The following commands are available in Browse mode: - 31 - <Up/Down arrows> - Scroll up/down one line <PgUp/PgDn> - Scroll up/down one page <left/right arrow> - Scroll horizontally <Home/End> - First/last field horizontally <Ctrl+Home/Ctrl+End> - First/last record in database <Enter> or Dbl click - Select record/return to view <Esc> - Return to original record <A..Z> - Quick search [Find (F3)] - Browse Find [Find Up (F5)] - Find Backward [Find Down (F6)] - Find Forward [Detail (F9)] - Show Detail Quick Search is initiated by pressing any letter. The program will prompt for text to find. The field searched is the current sort order field. The program performs a fast partial match to find the first record whose sort field starts with the Quick Search string. Browse Find is a slower version of the Quick Search command. Browse Find does not depend on the current sort order, and does not look for a field that starts with the selected match string. Rather, the Browse Find command searches the field that is currently on the left side of the Browse window for the selected match string to appear anywhere in the field. After the desired match string is entered, the Find Backward or Find Forward commands must be used to initiate the search. Browse Find Backward is used to initiate or continue a search after a match string is selected with the Browse Find command. The search progresses in backward record order. Browse Find Forward is used to initiate or continue a search after a match string is selected with the Browse Find command. The search progresses in forward record order. Show Detail takes a quick peek at the current record in view mode. This command allows the detail of a record to be viewed without actually leaving the browse mode. No action can take place on the record when viewing with the Show Detail command. <Esc> returns to browse mode. DELETE RECORD Delete Record removes the current database record from the database after the program prompts for delete confirmation. If many records are deleted, refer to the Database Utility|Repair & Condense command to recover excess used disk space in the database. - 32 - EDIT RECORDS Edit Records puts the database into Edit mode with the current record on the screen. Edit Records is used to modify existing database records. Each database record is modified using the Field Editing commands. When database modifications are complete, the Save/Done, Next Record, or Prev Record commands may be used to save the record. <Esc> can be selected to abandon changes to the current record. FIND RECORD Finds a record matching the current order key. You will be prompted to enter a key to match. You may enter a partial key and the program will attempt to find the closest match. ORDER/SORT Order/Sort changes the order that records from the database are displayed. The program presents a list of possible sort options. After the new sort order is selected, the database will display the first record in the new sorted order. This command affects some of the database reports. REPORTS The Reports command provides selection of reports to records from the current database. Refer to the section describing each specific database for details about the available reports. SAVE/DONE The save/done command is active only when in Add or Edit modes. Save/Done saves the current record to disk and then returns to view-only mode. - 33 - LOOKUP DATA Lookup Data automatically fills in data for some fields in a database. In particular, date and time fields can be automatically filled with the current date or time with this command. Other automatic lookup fields that might be available are described in the section specific to each database. GOTO RECORD Goto Record provides several commands that allow jumping quickly from record to record: Prev Record: - Goto previous record in sort order Next Record: - Goto next record in sort order First Record: - Goto first record in sort order Last Record: - Goto last record in sort order GENERIC DATABASE The Generic Database stores general information of interest. This database is primarily designed to use for file names and descriptions to facilitate locating files, but the database may also be used for lists of any types of items. The Category field is useful to separate items in the database if more than one type of item is stored. Database fields include: Item - Unique key field for the record Category - Duplicate key field, general category Date - Date field for optional use Keys - Key words to categorize record Notes - Memo field for optional description The following reports are available for the Generic Database: All Entries Detail Report: Prints all the fields from each record of the current database. The report is printed in the current sort order. Use the Order/Sort command before printing to select the desired print order. Current Entry Detail Report: Prints all the fields from the current database record. Keyword Match Report: Prints records from the Generic Database that have a Keyword field that contains a selected match string. This report is useful to print a selection of records that have a particular topic in the Keyword field. - 34 - Single Category Report: The Single Category report prints records from the Generic Database that have a Category field that is equal to a selected match string. This report is useful to print a selection of records from a particular Category. PROJECTS DATABASE The Projects Database stores records for projects that are tracked in the time logging system. Database fields include: Project ID - Unique identifier for project Description - Description of project The following reports are available for the Projects Database: All Entries Detail Report: Prints all the fields from each record of the current database. The report is printed in the current sort order. Use the Order/Sort command before printing to select the desired print order. Current Entry Detail Report: Prints all the fields from the current database record. TIMELOG DATABASE The Timelog Database stores records for the time logging system in the program. Whenever a user logs on or off, or runs a program from a user-defined menu, an entry is made in the timelog database. There is normally no need to directly modify the timelog database. Database fields include: Entry Num - Count of entries, automatic User ID - User ID of user generating entry User Name - Name of user generating entry Project ID - Project ID assigned to entry Proj Desc - Description of project for entry Activity - Description of activity for entry Start Date - Date when activity started Start Time - Time when activity started Finish Date - Date when activity finished Finish Time - Time when activity finished Elapsed Hours - Elapsed time in hours of activity The following reports are available for the Timelog Database: All Entries Detail Report: Prints all the fields from each record of the current database. The report is printed in the current sort order. Use the Order/Sort command before printing to select the desired print order. - 35 - Current Entry Detail Report: Prints all the fields from the current database record. Project Summary Report: Prints records from the Timelog Database summarized by Project ID. Records with no Project ID are not printed. Total hours are summarized by Project ID and totalled for the report. The program prompts for a start and end date for the report, where blank dates mean no limits. User Summary Report: Prints records from the Timelog Database summarized by User ID. Total hours are summarized by User ID and totalled for the report. The program prompts for a start and end date for the report, where blank dates mean no limits. Summary by Activity Report: Prints records from the Timelog Database summarized by Activity. Total hours are summarized by Activity and totalled for the report. The program prompts for a start and end date for the report, where blank dates mean no limits. USER DATABASE The User Database stores records for each user who is provided access to the system under the Protection/Logging System. If you are the system administrator, make sure you give yourself access to all parts of the program! Note: the user database consists of two pages of data. Database fields include: User ID - Unique identifier for user User Name - Name of the user Password - Optional password for logons User Menu - Default user menu to display General Commands - Access to general commands File Commands - Access to file commands Tree Commands - Access to tree commands Utilities - Access to program utilities The following reports are available for the User Database: All Entries Detail Report: Prints all the fields from each record of the current database. The report is printed in the current sort order. Use the Order/Sort command before printing to select the desired print order. Current Entry Detail Report: Prints all the fields from the current database record. User Summary Report: Prints a summary of each record from the User Database. - 36 - UTILITIES --------- AUTO MENU CREATION Auto Menu Creation scans the hard disk(s) for recognized programs and automatically places them in user-defined menus. Existing menus will be overwritten by this command, so it should not be used after menus have been created. This routine makes assumptions about the way you want to run programs, so menu items should be checked after using Auto Menu Creation. COLOR SELECTION The color selection window has four areas of interest: Group - List of different program regions Item - Views within group regions Foreground - Foreground color setting Background - Background color setting Use the <Tab> key to move to each area in the Color Selection window. To change program colors, select the Group of interest, then select the Item within the group, and finally set the Foreground and Background colors for the Item. As colors are changed, the program immediately shows the new colors and the Sample Text shows the color settings. Black on Black is not allowed and will result in a flashing white on red color. Predefined color palettes can be selected with the Predefined command. Customized color palettes are loaded from disk with the Load command and saved with the Save As command. The top frame line of the color selection window shows the file name of the current custom palette, if any. Customized color palette files end with the ".PAL" file extension. Following is a detailed list of the color Groups and Items and the program views that are affected: Desktop (center portion of screen) ------------------------------------------------------------- Backgrou nd - Main screen background area Program Menus (pull-down menus and status line) ------------------------------------------------------------- Normal color - Normal color of the menu item Disabled item - Item is not selectable. Make calculator window active and look at Edit menu for example. Shortcut key - Hotkey for item, e.g. "F"ile Selected item - Cursor is on item Selected disabled - Cursor is on item but item is disabled Selected shortcut - Hotkey when cursor is on item - 37 - Text Editor (File Manager's text editor window) ------------------------------------------------------------- Frame inactive - Frame when text editor is open but is not the active window Frame active - Frame when text editor is the active window Frame icons - Close, resize, and zoom icons Scroll bar page - Long portion under icons Scroll bar icons - Arrows and position indicator Normal Text - Regular text in editor Selected Text - Text selected for block command Dialogs (all program windows that open on desktop) ------------------------------------------------------------- Frame inactive - Frame when window is open but is not the active window. Info in bottom area of File Manager also appears in this color. Frame active - Frame when window is active Frame icons - Close, resize, and zoom icons Scroll bar page - Long portion under icons Scroll bar icons - Arrows and position indicator Normal text - Information text in windows. The Sys Info window is drawn exclusively in Normal Text Note: Labels are the text used to identify areas in dialogs, e.g., the Group and Item text on the Color Selection window. Label inactive - Label when not selected Label selected - Label when selected Label shortcut - Hotkey for label Note: Buttons are the square items like [OK] and [Cancel] that appear in various places in the program. Button inactive - Normal colors for the button Button default - Button if it would be selected when <Enter> is pressed. See the Window|List dialog's [OK] button for an example. Button selected - Button if selected. See the calculator's buttons for examples. Press the <Tab> key several times in the calculator to watch the selected button change. Button disabled - Button if not selectable. Button shortcut - Hotkey for button. See the buttons on the Color Selection window for examples. Button shadow - Shading under button - 38 - Note: Clusters are the selection lists like the Settings in Utilities|Envrionment and the Predefined Color Palette list. Cluster normal - Item normally (not selected) Cluster selected - Item if selected Cluster shortcut - Hotkey for item Note: Input lines are used whenever user input is requested by the program. Look at any of the database screens for good examples. Input normal - Normal color Input selected - Color of text if selected Input arrow - Arrow for text longer than displayed width Note: History Lists are used in the DOS Shell window and in many of the search input windows. History icon - Arrow for history activation History icon side - Sides of activation arrow History bar page - History's scroll bar History bar icons - History's scroll bar icons Note: Lists are used in the Group and Item areas of the Color Selection window, in file selection prompt windows, as User-defined menus, and for the Tree and File lists in the File Manager window. List normal - Normal color of item List focused - Item when cursor is on it List selected - Item when cursor is on it but the view is not the focused view. See the File Manager's Tree and File lists for examples. List divider - Divider line between columns of a list. See the User-defined Menu windows for examples. DATABASE UTILITIES Database utilities include the following options: Export Data - Export data to text file Repair & Condense - Rebuild data & remove blanks Trim Timelog - Delete old records - 39 - Export Data sends all data from a database to a text file. The program first prompts for the database to export and then the name of a file to send the data to. If the selected file already exists, the program prompts for replace confirmation. All data is exported in quote/comma delimited format, i.e., all text fields are enclosed in quotes and each field is separated by a comma. After using the time logging feature for a long period of time, the Timelog Database will grow large. The Trim Timelog command offers a quick method to delete old, unwanted timelog records. After selecting the Trim Timelog command, then program will prompt for a date from which older records will be deleted. Repair & Condense serves two purposes: (1) Attempts to reconstruct a database that has been damaged, and (2) Removes unused records from a database. Power outages and other problems may corrupt a database. A corrupt database is indicated if garbage appears in the database or if a program error occurs when attempting to open a database. The Repair part of Repair & Condense attempts to eliminate these types of problems. When database records are deleted, the space occupied by the deleted record is not reclaimed unless new records are added to the database. If many records are deleted and it is not expected that records will be added back into the database, the Condense part of Repair & Condense will reclaim the empty record space. When Repair & Condense is selected, the program prompts for the database to Repair & Condense and then proceeds to rebuild the database. ENVIRONMENT Environment options determine the behavior of the program. Move from area to area on the environment screen with the <Enter> or <Tab> keys. The following options are available: Settings -------- Settings determine many characteristics of the program. To change a setting, move the cursor to the desired setting and press <Space> or click with the mouse. Prompt on Quit: Program will prompt for quit confirmation before quitting. Attention Bell: Program rings bell whenever errors occur and the user's attention is desired. This feature can become annoying and may be disabled with this setting. - 40 - Hourly Chime: Program rings the bell twice on the hour. This feature can become annoying and may be disabled with this setting. Force User Menu: This setting works in conjunction with the User Menu and the settings in Protection/Logging. If set, this option forces a User-defined menu to always be open on the screen. Whenever a user menu is closed, the prior menu will be opened. If there is no prior menu, the default user menu will be opened. If Logons are enabled, then the default menu is determined from the User Database, otherwise, the default menu is determined from the User Menu setting in the Environment window. Menu Filenames: This setting determines whether the name of the current user-defined menu file will be shown on the user-defined menus. The user-defined menus appear somewhat cleaner if this feature is disabled. Editor Backups: This setting determines whether a backup file will be made of the Text Editor data when a the current text editor file is saved. If set, a file with a .BAK extension will be created and the previous contents of the text editor will be copied to this file before the new text is saved. Show Sys Files: This setting determines whether files with the System file attribute will be shown in the File Manager's file lists. System files are normally created when a disk is formatted and should not be tampered with. Only knowledgable users should enable this setting. Use EMS Memory: Use EMS memory if available for program overlays and execution swapping. If EMS memory is not available, this setting is ignored. Check the System Info window to determine if your computer has EMS memory. 43/50 Line Mode: Computers with EGA or VGA monitors are capable of displaying 43 or 50 lines of text rather than the standard 25 lines. With this option set, more space is available on the desktop to display windows. Setting this option on computers without EGA or VGA monitors has no effect. If you switch from 43/50 line mode to 25 line mode and can't find some windows, they may be off the screen. Change back to 43/50 line mode and move the windows back into view. - 41 - Swapping Mode: This setting affects the method used by this program to run programs from user-defined menus, the operation of the DOS Shell window, and the operation of the Edit-File|Execute command. In normal mode (Swapping Mode off), programs from user-defined menus are executed via a batch file loop and this program is completely removed from memory. The Shell (F2) mode of the DOS Shell window and the Edit-File|Execute command will only have the memory above this program (about 200K) available. This mode is the slowest but makes the most memory available for user-defined menu item execution. In Swap Mode (Swapping Mode on), this program uses a special technique to swap itself to disk or EMS memory when executing other programs. A small (about 8K) kernel remains in memory. The Shell (F2) mode of the DOS Shell window, the Edit-File|Execute command, and user-defined menu items have all but 8K of memory available for program execution. This mode is very fast, particularly if EMS memory is available and the Use EMS Memory setting is enabled. The path used for swapping may be specified in the Swapping Path field. Several rules MUST be followed if Swapping Mode is used: o DO NOT run programs like DOS CHKDSK with the /F parameter, file undelete utilities, or disk defragmenters when Swapping Mode is set. These types of utilities make low level changes to disks. Swapping Mode uses a swap file which is left open during swapping and these utilities do not take this into account, possibly damaging the disk. You may run these types of programs from user-defined menus if the NOSWAP option is used. o If running batch (.BAT) files from user-defined menus, DO NOT include the command to return to this program at the end of the batch file. See Executing Batch Files for more details on running batch files. o ALWAYS return to this program and then Exit to DOS before turning the computer off. This will guarantee that the swap file is closed. Protection/Logging ------------------ The protection system offers various levels of protection and computer usage tracking. Use the cursor keys and <Space> or click with the mouse to toggle selections. These options depend on the User Database. Make sure you understand and have made entries in the User Database before Logons are enabled! If Logons are enabled, the program will request a User ID from the User Database and optionally a password. If you can't remember your User ID and Password and you will be forced to reinstall the program to gain access. - 42 - Following are the valid settings for the four Protection/Logging options: [X] Enable Logons [ ] Time Logging [ ] Project Logging [ ] Use Passwords Enable Logons option forces a prompt for a User ID from the User Database. Access to program features are restricted based on settings for each user. Add appropriate records to the User database before setting this option. [X] Enable Logons [X] Time Logging [ ] Project Logging [ ] Use Passwords Time Logging option will log all use of the computer to the Timelog Database. This option can only be used in combination with Enable Logons. [X] Enable Logons [X] Time Logging [X] Project Logging [ ] Use Passwords Project Logging prompts for a Project ID from the Projects Database to add to the timelog entry when a user-defined menu item is executed. This option can only be used in combination with Enable Logons. [*] Enable Logons * (optional with passwords) [ ] Time Logging [ ] Project Logging [X] Use Passwords Use Passwords option forces a prompt for password when a user-defined menu item is executed (if that menu item has a password assigned). If Enable Logons is also set, a password is requested after User ID entry when logging onto the system. Valid Drives ------------ This setting determines which drives will be used to construct directory trees for the File Manager and the Path Selection Tree in user-defined menu editing windows. Enter the drive letters in the space provided. Directory trees will be automatically reconstructed if changes are made to this setting. - 43 - Floppies -------- This setting determines which drives that are identified in the Valid Drives list are floppy disks. This setting affects the directory trees and the Format Disks window. Position is important for this setting. Floppy disk drives are numbered from 0 to 3. The first position in the Floppies field corresponds to floppy disk number 0, the second position corresponds to floppy disk number 1, etc. Normally, A = 0, B = 1, etc... If your computer has external floppy disks beyond the A and B designation, place the corresponding drive letter in the correct position in the Floppies field. Examples: System descriptions Floppies setting ----------------------------------- ---------------- Standard floppy disks A & B "AB" Only floppy disk A "A" Floppy disk A, no B, external F "A F" User Menu --------- This setting determines the User-defined menu file that will be loaded by default when the Menu Manager command is selected if no user menu window is currently open. Blank in this space defaults to the name of this program with the ".MNU" extension. This setting is overridden if Logons are enable in the Protection/Logging settings and the logged on user has a different default menu specified in the User Database. Mouse Double-Click Rate ----------------------- This setting determines the speed required when double-clicking the mouse to select items throughout the program. The default setting is 8 and can range from 1 to 20. Lower numbers require faster double-clicks, while higher numbers allow more delay between clicks. Swapping Path ------------- This setting determines where the program swap files will reside if Swapping Mode is enabled. If this field is left blank, the program directory is used. Up to 1 megabyte of disk space may be required for swapping, so make sure the path specified for swapping has sufficient free space available. If EMS memory is used, the Swapping Path is ignored. Printer ------- This setting determines where printed output will be directed. - 44 - Dates ----- This setting determines the format used to display dates throughout the program. Options include MM/DD/YYYY format or DD/MM/YYYY format. Times ----- This setting determines the format used to display times throughout the program. Options include HH/MM/SSam 12-hour format or HH/MM/SS 24-hour format. FORMAT DISKS Format Disks prepares disks for data storage. Use <Enter> or <Tab> to move between option groups. The following options are available: Drive: Drive to format. If all drives do not appear in list, check Valid Drives and Floppies settings in Utilities|Environment Type: Type (capacity) of drive to format Volume Label: Name to write to disk after format PASSWORD CHANGE If the Enable Logons option is set in the Protection/Logging options in the Utilities|Environment window, users that log onto the system have a password assigned from the User Database. The Password Change command allows the current user to change their password. UPGRADE Database Upgrade upgrades database data from older program versions to a format that is usable by the new version. The program will prompt for the database to upgrade, then will proceed with the upgrade. Make sure the old databases reside in the same directory as this program before using this command. This command overwrites any new databases that may have been created, so do not use this command if valuable data has already been added to new databases. User Menu Upgrade upgrades User-defined Menus from older program versions to a format usable by this program. Make sure the old menu file resides in the same directory as this program before using this command. This command overwrites new menu files that have already been created, so do not use this command if new menu files already exist. - 45 - SCREEN BLANKERS --------------- Three screen blankers have been provided with the program disks, ASB.COM (for CGA or monochrome monitors), ASBE.COM (for EGA monitors), and ASBV.COM (for PS/2 and VGA monitors). These screen blankers blank the screen of your computer after 5 minutes of no keyboard activity. To use these programs, include the following command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file immediately before the "M" command (Note: [ ] indicates optional parameters): ASB [-] [seconds] or ASBE [-] [seconds] or ASBV [-] [seconds] The program will display an installation message. After the screen blanks, any keypress will restore the screen. The keystroke is passed to the underlying program, so use a key like <Alt> or <Ctrl> to unblank the screen. After the initial installation, you may temporarily disable the program by entering: ASB - or ASBE - or ASBV - Entering the original ASB, ASBE, or ASBV command again will re-enable the screen blanker. You may change the time the blanker waits before blanking by entering the number of seconds to wait. The delay time option can be used in combination with the disabling option. For example, to change the delay time to 1 minute, enter the following command: ASB 60 or ASBE 60 or ASBV 60 If you are running any graphics programs from the user-defined menus, disable the blanker before running the program and enable it after returning by using the appropriate commands in the Command to Execute field of the user-defined menu item. For example: ASB - | GRAFPROG | ASB The screen blankers do not support graphics modes, but you may disable the blankers before entering graphics mode programs. Also, some programs capture the keyboard in a way that prevents the blanker from seeing keystrokes. The blanker will blank the screen even though you have been typing keystrokes. You should disable the blanker before entering these programs. The screen blanker does not pay attention to a mouse, so your screen will blank even if you are using a mouse. - 46 - NETWORK OPERATION ----------------- The single-user version of MenuDIRECT will operate on a network provided certain restrictions are followed. To use the single-user version of MenuDIRECT on a network, separate copies of the program must be made available to each user on the network. This means that the program must be installed on a local hard disk for each user. Each user would the use the program to control their own computer. Appropriate error messages are returned if a user attempts to access locked files or directories. Note: The single-user version cannot be installed on a network drive. Using a single registered copy of the single user version of the program for multiple users on a network is a violation of the license agreement. Network installations must have a licensed copy of the program for each user on the network. A network version of the program is available from IMSI. The network version supports Novell, MS-NET, PC-NET, 3Com, PC LAN, CBIS, and PC-MOS/386 networks. See the About/Order|Print command to print an order form. - 47 - ORDER FORM ------------------------------------------------------------ MenuDIRECT Gold 3.0 S/N: MDR3.______________ (was P&S Hard Disk Mgr from AMST) (please fill in the serial number from About screen) Mail To: INTERNATIONAL MICROCOMPUTER SOFTWARE, INC. 1938 Fourth Street San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 454-7101 Name: __________________________________________________ Company: __________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________________ Phone: (______) ______-________ Quantity Price Extended MenuDIRECT Gold ________ 79.95 ________ MenuDIRECT Net ________ CALL ________ BackupDIRECT ________ 79.95 ________ Upgrades ________________________ CALL ________ Subtotal ________ CA residents add 7% sales tax ________ Shipping ($5 + $2 each addit. item) ________ Total Order (U.S. dollars/U.S. bank) ________ Paid by: Check[ ] MO[ ] PO[ ] VISA[ ] MC[ ] AmExp[ ] Card/PO#: ____________________________ Exp Date: _________ Authorized Signature: ______________________________________ (Call for information on volume discounts and site licenses) Where did you hear about this program? _____________________ Comments: - 48 -