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Software Vault: The Gold Collection
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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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dynbot11.zip
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DYNABOOT.DOC
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1993-05-24
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─┬───┐ ─┬───┐
│ │ ┬ ┬ ┬──┐ ───┐ ├───┤ ┌──┐ ┌──┐ ─┼─
│ │ │ │ │ │ ┌──┤ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
─┴───┘ └──┤ ┴ ┴ └──┴ ─┴───┘ └──┘ └──┘ └─┘
───┘ by Matthew J. Palcic
DynaBoot is a dynamic configuration utility to allow multiple
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS combinations to be chosen from a menu,
and edited from within DynaBoot (useful for viewing or modifying
your configurations). DynaBoot can be most useful when a system
requires a different boot-up for several people sharing the same
system, or different required memory resident programs (TSRs)
depending on the application to be run, etc. For example, programs
like AutoCAD, R:Base, Lotus 1-2-3 require large amounts of memory to
be run. Running a TSR like Borland's Turbo Lightning to check
spelling is often a convenience. However, if Turbo Lightning is
taking 60K of valuable RAM, R:Base will complain that it is out
memory. So most people opt not to use the spiffy TSRs they find on
bulletin boards around the country. Why cut your system short just
because it is a pain to load an editor, modify Autoexec.Bat to
comment out the TSR, then save Autoexec.Bat and hit Ctrl-Alt-Del?
The easy solution is to use DynaBoot.
DynaBoot is designed to allow you to have up to 100 different
configurations each with its own Autoexec.Bat and Config.Sys so you
can run all the TSRs you want and can pull them out in a clean
manner (unlike many of the memory resident bookmarks that remove the
TSRs from memory, often leaving unresolved interrupt vectors leading
to system crashes). Each configuration can have a totally different
path, different drivers, environment variables, different number of
buffers or files...whatever you normally put in an Autoexec or
Config file. For programs that require no memory resident software
for operation (like disk UnFragmentation utilities or interleave
adjustment software) you can create a configuration that has no
memory resident software. For graphics work you might want to have
a snapshot program installed or a graphics PrtSc utility loaded. Any
variation of configuration is as easy to get to as the next.
DynaBoot requires that you build an ASCII file (with a simple
text editor) called 'DYNABOOT.CFG' that contains the following
information in this set format:
The filename of the autoexec.bat and config.sys files
stored as name.BAT and name.SYS where 'name' could be
anything meaningful like 'NORMAL.BAT' and 'NORMAL.SYS' or
'GRAPHICS.BAT' and 'GRAPHICS.SYS'
A short description of up to 40 characters to be used as the
menu description line. i.e. 'Normal Configuration'
A longer description of up to 80 characters for listing a
brief list of contents to primarily serve as a memory
refresher. i.e. 'Contains SnapShot and GRAPHICS.COM'
A sample layout of this file is included as DYNABOOT.CFG to give
you an idea of how you need to lay this file out. DynaBoot is very
picky about the data following this format without any deviation,
but will be much more flexible in a future release. The ability to
create configurations from within DynaBoot will also be added later.
If you don't care to use the menu system in DynaBoot you can
call DynaBoot from the command line with the filename of the
configuration you wish to boot. i.e. DYNABOOT NORMAL
DynaBoot provides mouse support for selection of different
configurations, but no mouse support is yet provided in the editor.
If more configurations exist than will fit in the selection box, a
scroll bar appears on the right (only if a mouse is installed) which
operates similar to the scroll bars in Windows type interfaces.
Configurations can also be selected by typing the first letter of
the short description, followed by <ENTER>. If more than one menu
item begins with the same letter, repeated pressing of that letter
will cycle through the possibilities. Pressing F1 (or both the left
and right mouse buttons simultaneously) will pull up the editor on
the currently highlighted item.
The editor is a simple split screen editor with AUTOEXEC.BAT
displayed in the top window and CONFIG.SYS displayed in the bottom
window. The current maximum line length is 127 characters, but this
should be expanded in a future version. If either file is modified
they will be marked as needing to be saved with an indicator at the
top right of the screen. Pressing F2 will save the files, AltF2 or
Esc will abort the edit, CtrlF2 will save and exit. Normal cursor
movement (with cursor keys and Ctrl cursor keys) are supported. The
F6 key will toggle between AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS, and all key
commands are supported in both windows. Aborting the edit will
confirm the exit if the files have been modified. Upon exit from
the editor the selection box will return. Pressing Esc (or the
right mouse button) from the selection box will abort the DynaBoot
process. Pressing <ENTER> on the highlighted item will reboot with
that configuration. Clicking (with the left button) on a
non-highlighted item will cause that item to be the highlighted
item. Clicking on the highlighted item will reboot that item.
Summary:
DYNABOOT [filespec] [options]
[filespec] is the name of the configuration to be booted,
bypassing the selection menu system.
[options] can be either /C or /W for cold or warm boot,
with /W being the default if /C is not specified.
In DynaBoot:
(F1) or (left and right mouse button)
Edits highlighted AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS pair.
(Esc) or (right mouse button)
Exits DynaBoot without rebooting.
(Enter) or (left button on highlighted item)
Reboots the highlighted configuration.
(any other alpha key)
Moves the highlight bar to the first configuration
beginning with that character. Successive pressings
of that key will cycle through other items starting
with that same character.
In the editor:
(F2)
Saves the files regardless of whether they are modified
(AltF2) or (Esc)
Aborts the current edit session, confirming exit if
either file has been modified.
(CtrlF2)
Saves both files and exits to the selection system.
(normal cursor movements)
Advance to next character, word, etc. A full list of
keys and enhanced editing will be provided in a
future version.
Comments, suggestions, bug reports, etc. can be sent to:
Matthew J. Palcic
MJP Enterprises
1030 Dayton-Yellow Springs Road
Xenia, Ohio 45385-9508
513-767-1625 (voice line)
This program is public domain, but any donations will be greatly
appreciated and will affect the continued efforts of MJP Enterprises.
This program has been written for and supported by Community Hospital of
Springfield, Ohio using the Turbo Professional(R) system by Turbo Power
Software.
This program is (C)1989 by MJP Enterprises. DynaBoot is dedicated to the
Public Domain. This program is not to be resold or commercially
distributed without the permission of Matthew J. Palcic and/or Community
Hospital of Springfield, OH.
Release History
---------------
02 Apr 89, v1.0ß - Original release for Beta testing of groundwork.
17 Apr 89, v1.1 - Complete rewrite of program to include editor.