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- 02/10/92
- SUPER BOOT VERSION 7.4
-
- The following files should be included in your SPBT74.LZH file:
- README.1ST - This file (a summary of changes from 7.0 to 7.4).
- SUPERBT.PRG - Super Boot V7.4.
- SUPERBTA.PRG - Auxiliary program used by Super Boot.
- SUPER_CS.PRG - Super Boot Construction Set V7.4.
- SUPER_CS.RSC - Resource file used by SUPER_CS.PRG.
- SBCNV7_0.TOS - Program to convert 5.0, 5.1, 5.5, or 6.0 data file to 7.0.
- SBCNV7_2.TOS - Program to convert 7.0 data file to 7.2/7.4.
- SUPERBT.DOC - Manual for Super Boot.
- STARTGEM.PRG - GEM program autobooter.
- STARTGEM.DOC - Documentation for Startgem.
-
- Previous collections which were released with V7.0:
- SB_OTHER.ARC - Utility programs which are useful for Super Boot.
- SBSOUNDS.ARC - Matched pictures and sounds for use with Super Boot.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM 7.2 TO 7.4
-
- This minor update corrects a few bugs and hopefully makes Super Boot more
- compatible on the TT. The changes:
-
- o Fixed bug which would cause Super Boot to incorrectly select the default
- configuration from the mono function key instead of the color function
- key on some systems.
- o Fool Super Boot into thinking TT High Rez is the same as ST High Rez to
- prevent a reboot on TT Monochrome systems. (Has not been tested yet on
- a TT).
- o Fixed dialog boxes in the Super Boot Construction Set so that they draw
- correctly in resolutions larger than the ST's standard medium and high
- resolutions. They should be drawn correctly and centered now in TT High
- rez and on large screen monitors which can be used on ST's.
- o Increased the line size that a line in DESKTOP.INF or NEWDESK.INF can
- be from 120 characters to 175 characters. This was a problem for at
- least one person I know of using TOS 2.05.
- o Longer pathnames can now be entered in the "Other" file type configuration.
-
- SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM 7.0 TO 7.2
-
- The major goal of this release was to make Super Boot compatible with all
- models of ST's and STE's and all versions of TOS and in all built-in
- resolutions. It should now be completely compatible. The changes:
-
- o Fixed bug where 4 hidden programs (SUPERBT,SUPERBTA,STARTGEM,HEADSTRT) were
- being removed from the file list but Super Boot would not substitute in
- other programs in their place. So if you had 25 AUTO programs but only
- 1 column selected to display them (1 column = 19 files), Super Boot would
- only show 15 instead of 19 of the files on the file selection screen
-
- o Fixed bug where STE's had 00/00/28 date on files like DESKTOP.INF which are
- copied in Super Boot.
-
- o Increased Cold Boot time factor to allow for longer boot up in TOS 2.05
- and greater. Cold Boot detection should now work correctly on all models.
-
- o Allow colors from expanded STE color palette. Two buttons were added on
- the color selection screen (color monitors only) called "512 Palette" and
- "4096 Palette". Click on "4096 Palette" if you have an STE machine for
- expanded color. The 512 option allows for color values from 0 to 7 while
- the 4096 option allows for color values from 0 to 15.
-
- o Changed final update screen to show selected F-key and other miscellaneous
- data such as if Super Boot was bypassed, if it timed out waiting for a
- keypress, etc.
-
- o 8 character root filename of DESKTOP.INF is now user-specifiable to allow
- for NEWDESK.INF or anything else that comes down the pike. If you are
- using TOS 2.05 or greater, go to the "Specify Disk Drives" option in the
- Super Boot Construction Set and type in "NEWDESK" instead of "DESKTOP".
-
- o Fixed #Z line for TOS 1.4 and greater to be line # 5 in the .INF file
- instead of the first line, to prevent 2 #Z files in the same .INF file
- (in case resaved).
-
- o Made F-keys for default configuration user selectable. See page 6 of
- "Edit Program Parameters" in the Super Boot Construction Set.
-
- o Pictures and Sound Files can now be shown sequentially. The SEQUENTIAL
- method shows pictures in order (still one picture each boot) so that you
- will be sure to see them all. If you were using RANDOM before you probably
- noticed that you might see one picture several times and others you might
- never have seen.
-
- Super Boot creates a new data file when this method is used, it has an
- extension of .STS and the filename will be something like 00230002.STS.
- The first 4 digits of the filename are the next picture to show (it would
- show the 23rd picture in the specified directory in the above example
- filename) and the second set of 4 digits are the next sound it will play
- (it would play the 2nd sound in a directory in the example). When it
- reaches the end of a directory it starts over at number 1 again. You can
- add and delete pictures/sounds from the directory and Super Boot will have
- no problem with it. The .STS file is created automatically. You can
- delete it with no problem if you stop using the sequential method or if
- you want Super Boot to start over at 00010001.STS again.
-
- The reason that the filename is actually the data instead of writing the
- data inside the file is that it is much faster to rename a file rather
- than to change the data inside it. See page 1 of "Edit Program Parameters"
- in the Super Boot Construction set to choose sequential pictures and
- page 6 if you want to choose sequential sounds.
-
- o Monochrome color selection should now work correctly and the menu is more
- informative.
-
- o Clearing the screen now works properly in the "Hide Files" menu option
- in monochrome.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- NEW TIPS
-
- o If you use Quick ST and use the Super Boot Construction Set to view a
- low resolution picture, Quick ST seems to get confused or it is confusing
- GEM and any menus you see will be "shifted" and hard to read. Apparently
- Quick ST still thinks it in low rez when it should be in medium rez.
- Hopefully Quick ST will be corrected, but for now if you don't have
- Turbo ST just turn off Quick ST in the Super Boot Construction Set or
- don't view low rez pictures while using Quick ST.
-
- o Extensions for the various types of files in Super Boot should be unique,
- they should not be the same. So, for example, you shouldn't have a
- "Other" type file with an extension of .INF since Super Boot uses .INF
- to recognize DESKTOP.INF files.
-
- If you have no choice and have to set up an "Other" type file with a
- duplicate extension you can, but just be sure that none of the filenames
- in one set are the same as a filename another set. So if you have .INF
- set up as a type 2 "Other" file for Neodesk, that's fine. But if you
- have a LOW_REZ.INF desktop file, and a LOW_REZ.INF Neodesk file, that
- will be a problem. Super Boot would never activate the neodesk file. In
- that situation you could rename the Neodesk file to LOW_REZN.INF and all
- would be fine. You could have also changed the extender to something
- like .NDS and eliminated all problems.
-
- So, as a general rule, don't use .INF, .SYS, .PRG, or .ACC as an "Other"
- file extension, and if you use multiple "Other" filesets, please make
- the extensions unique.
-
- o Just as a clarification, when you are setting a search mask using the
- file selector, you have to be sure that the file selector accepts the
- new search mask before clicking on "OK". Acceptance may vary if you use
- an alternative file selector. To make sure it is selected, all of the
- files in the file selector window should fit the search mask before you
- click on "OK". So if you change the search mask from "C:\PICTURES\*.*"
- to "C:\PICTURES\*.TNY", the only files that should be listed should have
- an extension of .TNY, otherwise something is wrong.
-
- If you use the ST's built in file selector, you have to click on the
- horizontal bar just above the filenames for it to accept the new search
- mask. The same is true with Universal Item Selector, click on the
- horizontal bar just above the filenames.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- BEFORE RUNNING YOUR NEW VERSION OF SUPERBOOT
-
- o Please read through the new sections of the manual if you need more
- detailed information.
-
- o Copy all files to their proper directories (use ALL of the new files)
-
- o Run SBCNV7_2.TOS to convert your data file from 7.0 to 7.2 format for use
- with this new version of Super Boot. (V7.2 and V7.4 use same data format)
-
- o Run SUPER_CS.PRG to configure the new parameters in this version.
- NOTE: You can also just delete your old SUPERBT.STF and run SUPER_CS.PRG
- and it will create a new data file with default settings in 7.4 format.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- THE FUTURE
-
- I still have plans to add more features to Super Boot so expect to see a
- Super Boot 8.0. I won't go into the new features that I'm planning, but
- if you do have any more ideas for features you would like to see in Super
- Boot let me know.
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Gordon Moore
- 2300 Beech St.
- Ashland, KY 41102
- (USA)
-
- E - M A I L
- Genie : G.W.MOORE
- Compuserve: 73647,2735
-
-