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┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ Early Start (EARLYST) by Dale Warren (c) 1993 ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Copyright (c) 1993 by Dale Warren
All Rights Reserved
Fortune Cookie, History Teacher, Password Protection and
Time and Date Program for the PC
PostCardWare Edition Documentation
Release 1.01
This Way for the Sorrowful City
This way for Eternal Suffering
This Way to join the lost people...
For hope abandons, Ye who enter here!
Inscription at the entrance to hell
:Dante
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ TABLE OF CONTENTS ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 1 - License and Registration
License
Registration
Warranty
Chapter 2 - Introduction and Installation
Preface
Introduction
Installation
Chapter 3 - Using the Program
Command Line Options
Detailed Instructions
Password Feature
Special Notes
Chapter 4 - Thank-You
Credits
Beta-testers
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ LICENCE ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
EARLYST is POSTCARDWARE, user supported software. If you find the program
of use and wish to continue using it, you are obliged to send a picture
postcard to the author.
EARLYST is copyrighted software, and all rights are reserved. EARLYST may
not be changed or modified in any way except by the author.
EARLYST is POSTCARDWARE, and may be freely distributed without permission
as long as it remains in its complete form with all support and
documentation files.
No files may be added or taken away from the original archived form in
which EARLYST is distributed. Regardless of how the copy is obtained, it
is requested that all users comply with the licensing and registration
provisions if they continue to use EARLYST after an initial 30 day
evaluation period.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ REGISTRATION ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Registration of EARLYST provides you with the license to continue using
EARLYST after the 30 day evaluation period.
To register the product, you are required to send a *PICTURE* postcard to
the author, at the following address:
Multi-Format [Miracle Productions]
Dale Warren
158 King Street
Kettering
Northamptonshire
NN16 8QR
England
Should you wish to distribute this program on a cover-disk media, you are
requested to contact the author to obtain permission. This will ensure
that the latest version is distributed, and that any licensing
requirements are met.
When I receive your picture postcard your name will be entered into the
registered users file, which will be distributed with future releases of
this program, and you will become extremely famous!
As an extra bonus if you send two post cards and 50 pence sterling,
and place a stamp on one of the cards, along with your name, I will send
you a unique code which will allow you to customise your version, with
your own name.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ WARRANTY ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The author makes no warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.
This includes, but is not limited to, implied warranties or
merchant ability, and fitness for any particular purpose with respect to
both the software and the documentation included in this package.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY
TO USE THIS PRODUCT EVEN IF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR CLAIM.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ PREFACE ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
There were three prime objectives for writing EARLYST.
1) an interesting and informative program to present a more
welcome introduction to DOS.
2) general statistics about your system.
3) a historically educational tool.
In all respects, I think I have surpassed all expectations.
I hope your find EARLYST of use, and will register allowing me to see how
popular EARLYST is, and where it has been distributed to around the
globe.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ INTRODUCTION ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Early Start is a simple little program which was designed to be placed in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT and run as a welcoming screen. Many features found
inside this program can be located in several small programs through the
public domain libraries, but my program will have the added advantage of
incorporating all the features into one big program.
Lets now go on and actually get EARLYST installed!
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ INSTALLATION ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Having now un-archived the distribution archive, locate the following
files into a directory from the path called EARLYST.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU USE A DIRECTORY CALLED EARLYST, WHICH IS LOCATED
OFF OF THE ROOT DIRECTORY, ie. C:\EARLYST
\EARLYST\
EARLYST.EXE USERS.LOG
From the EARLYST directory should be three other directories DOCS, COOKIE
and TODAY.
\EARLYST\DOCS
EARLYST.DOC HISTORY.TXT REGUSERS.TXT
\EARLYST\COOKIE
COOKIE.0 COOKIE.1 COOKIE.2 COOKIE.3 COOKIE.4
\EARLYST\TODAY
JAN.TOD ..TO.. DEC.TOD JAN.TAD ..TO.. DEC.TAD
The minimum features offered by this program include the displaying of
the current time and date. You may wish to have the program run every
time you boot your computer. This can be achieved by editing your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include the line:
C:\EARLYST\EARLYST /
In theory, it can be placed anywhere, but we recommend placing it at the
end.
[Note: Any parameter will do the bare essentials, i.e. EARLYST RUNORELSE]
For other command line options, run EARLYST /? or EARLYST /H or EARLYST
It is recommended that you make a backup of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file,
incase you make a mistake!
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ COMMAND LINE OPTIONS ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
These are the command line parameters that can be used when running
EARLYST. We list here only brief details for each, most are covered in
detail further into the manual.
EARLYST /A
Changes times to 12hr clock. (Default is 24hr)
EARLYST /B
Shows birthdays only for the current day.
EARLYST /C
Shows a random fortune cookie.
EARLYST /D
Shows the amount of disk space on the current drive.
EARLYST /E
Shows events only for the current day.
EARLYST /F
Changes prompt for female user. (Default is Male)
EARLYST /H
/?
Displays a Help screen detailing the Command line options
available.
EARLYST /K
Pauses until a key is pressed.
EARLYST /M
Shows the amount of memory available.
EARLYST /N
Removed sexist prompt.
EARLYST /O
Runs program only once a day.
EARLYST /P
Password lockout.
EARLYST /R
Records all users of EARLYST.
EARLYST /S
Produces an error level if within a set time schedule.
EARLYST /T
Removes the time and date display.
EARLYST /U
Removes the Butler from the screen.
EARLYST /W
Days left until Christmas.
EARLYST /Z
Shows events and birthdays for the current day.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
MADAM │
───────┼─
After trying this simple program out I was shown to be a sexist due to
the program only saying, Good Evening, Sir. To which I was convinced to
alter it for the better.
To enable this special feature simply use the /F parameter to the
AUTOEXEC.BAT, i.e:
EARLYST /F
NON-SEXIST │
────────────┼─
This feature was added for the groups of people who may use the computer,
giving a non-biased statement - no title is display.
To activate it use the /N parameter in the AUTOEXEC.BAT, i.e:
EARLYST /N
HARD DISK SPACE │
─────────────────┼─
On Boot-up you can see the space free on your hard disk.
This simply displays the percentage of disk space free on the current
drive, along with the total space free (IN MEGABYTES). If you have over
75% of the hard disk free the message will be displayed in GREEN. If
only 50% is available then the message is YELLOW, and if only 25% is free
the message is in RED.
This feature is yours all for the use of the /D parameter, i.e:
EARLYST /D
FORTUNE COOKIE │
────────────────┼─
The fortune cookie is a selection of approximately 250 phrases and
sayings, of which one will be randomly selected, and appear on the
execution of this feature.
This can be used by adding the parameter /C to the AUTOEXEC.BAT, i.e:
EARLYST /C
MEMORY FREE │
─────────────┼─
This option, in a similar respect to the hard disk free option, will
display the amount of memory available to DOS.
Not much else to say except the /M parameter will operate it, i.e:
EARLYST /M
AM/PM │
───────┼─
Some people prefer using the 24hr clock, which I have chosen as default.
However I recognise that others may desire to use the traditional 12hr
AM/PM format. Therefore, the clock will appear in the old fashion AM/PM
style if the /A parameter is used, i.e:
EARLYST /A
ONCE A DAY │
────────────┼─
A simple idea for those people who reboot their machine several times a
day - this feature will ensure that you only see Early Start once a day.
To activate it, use the /O parameter, i.e:
EARLYST /O
HISTORY OF TODAY │
──────────────────┼─
A simple, but informative routine which tells you what happened on this
day several years ago.
This information is stored in the files <month>.TOD and can be edited as
time progresses. You can add things like peoples birthdays and other
interesting things to the list so they are displayed. Please don't give
edited versions away with the program however, since it may end up being
full of really useless information. [ Instead of only being half full of
useless information :-) ]
To activate this feature use the /Z parameter, i.e:
EARLYST /Z
BIRTHDAYS │
───────────┼─
Using the /Z parameter as described above, you will see both Birthdays
and Events which occurred on this day. You may, however, wish to see only
the Birthdays, which can be achieved using the /B parameter, i.e:
EARLYST /B
EVENTS │
────────┼─
Using the /Z parameter as described above, you will see both Birthdays
and Events which occurred on this day. You may, however, wish to see only
the Events, which can be achieved using the /E parameter, i.e:
EARLYST /E
TIME SCHEDULER │
────────────────┼─
This procedure, will appeal to those of you who switch on their computer
just to do one task at a particular time, i.e: To download your mail from
a BBS.
To set the time limits create a file called SCHEDULE.DAT in the directory
EARLYST. On the first line put the starting time (not inclusive). On the
next line put the finishing time (not inclusive). On the next line put
the event to happen. (0 = stop computer booting, 1 = continue as normal)
Finally put on the fourth line the error-level to send out if the time is
within a schedule limit.
As this is quite complicated, we shall have a look at an example:
This batch file will display the Disk Space, History of Today and then
wait until a key is pressed, then, if it the current time is within
specified parameters it will execute the program:
EARLYST /D /Z /K /S
IF ERRORLEVEL 9 GOTO RUNME
GOTO END
:RUNME
{Put your program to be executed here}
GOTO END
:END
If this SCHEDULE.DAT is used:-
1200
1700
1
9
It is possible to use this as a protection device. By limiting the number
of hours the computer is in use, you will also limit the chance of other
people using it. To implement this idea obtain a program which either
resets your machine or crashes it!
Use /S to activate the scheduler, i.e:
EARLYST /S
WAIT FOR A KEY │
────────────────┼─
If you use the /K parameter (pause until a key is pressed) you can show a
large amount of information on two or more screens.
e.g.
EARLYST /D /M /C /K /Z
Will display the Disk Space Free, Memory Free, Fortune Cookie, pause for
a key to be pressed and then display the birthdays and events of the day.
DAYS TO CHRISTMAS │
───────────────────┼─
If you are one of those people who likes to get their computer seasonal
around Christmas time, then this is for you.
To find out how many days are left until the big day itself, you need to
use the /W parameter, i.e:
EARLYST /W
NO BUTLER │
───────────┼─
You may wish to remove the "Good Morning, Sir" message which is displayed
completely, to allow more room for Birthdays and Events.
Use the /U parameter to remove the warm welcome, i.e:
EARLYST /U
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ PASSWORD FEATURE ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The password feature is not meant to be a complex security system, but
instead a quick method of finding out who logged on and when. The valid
users and passwords are stored in a file called USERS.LOG and can be
edited using any ASCII editor.
An example USERS.LOG file is included with the program, and gives two
users with passwords. They are:
User: FRED
Password: SECRET
User: JOHN
Password: DONTTELL
To edit/delete or add to the list of users, use an ODD line to enter a 20
character name. Do not insert blank lines in the list - otherwise it will
crash.
The password for that user is then stored on the next line beneath the
name and can be an 8 character word. It must be on an EVEN numbered line!
A password can consist of any characters including any HIGH ASCII values.
To achieve these try using holding down ALT and typing 255 on the
number pad, which will produce a blank space which is NOT the same as the
space achieved by pressing the Space-Bar. This will make it extremely
hard to reproduce - even if a person does reads the USERS.LOG file, they
are likely to see nothing!
When a person enters the system the entry is record in the file ENTRY.LOG
and you can view it using any ASCII editor or by typing the file at the
DOS PROMPT, i.e:
TYPE ENTRY.LOG
As a point of interest the program can NOT be stopped by the usual
Ctl-Break method, but if you place it in AUTOEXEC.BAT, the batch file CAN
be broken.
If you wish to stop this you can purchase a cheap program from Public
Domain Libraries or BBS's which stops the Ctl-Break altogether. If you do
obtain a program which does the job (an example being No Control (NOCTL)
by M. Davies - Mar '89, which in addition removes the Ctl-Alt-Del reset)
then place it at the start of the CONFIG.SYS using the line:
INSTALL=C:\ (then the programs name).
Use the /P parameter in EARLYST to activate the password feature.
If you are curious to know when your computer was turned on (oo-eer) you
can use the /R to record all entries into the system. These are recorded
in the file ENTRY.LOG, but will not record a user name as it could be any
legal or illegal person.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ SPECIAL NOTES ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
When using the MEMORY FREE, DISK SPACE FREE, or FORTUNE COOKIE, the order
in which they are displayed can be controlled by the order of the
parameters,
i.e:
The order /M /D /C will display Memory, Disk Space and Fortune
The order /C /D /M will display Fortune, Disk Space and Memory
Using the same parameter twice will display the information twice:
i.e:
The order /C /C will display two Fortune Cookies.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ CREDITS ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Special thanks go to the following people:
Nicholas Race - for writing, correcting, and updating the documentation,
and providing many ideas for additional features in EARLYST. He also
managed to find plenty of bugs for me to fix!
Patrik Kincaid & Mike Butler - for providing the inspiration for EARLYST,
and the bulk of the data in the files.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒ BETA-TESTERS ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Nicholas Race
Andrew Drummond
Dale Warren
Richard Coles
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────