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05/01/90 ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ╖ ╔═════╗ ╖╔════╗ ╔═════╗ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ║ ║ ╙ ╠╝ ║ ║ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ║ ║ ╓ ║ ║ ║ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ╨ ╚═════╝ ╨ ╚═════╝ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ╔═════╗ ╖╔════╗ ╥ ╥ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ║ ║ ╠╝ ║ ║ ║ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ╠═════╝ ║ ║ ║ ║ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╔╣ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ╚═════╝ ╨ ╨ ╚════╝╙ tm MicroMenu 5.00 - Bringing Organization to Fixed Disk Systems Copyright (c) 1990, Robert Rodrigue & Premier Business Solutions Distributed by: Premier Business Solutions 15909-B E. Gale Ave. Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 (818) 961-7903 Data (818) 961-6214 Voice Documentation by: Robert Rodrigue Table of Contents What is MicroMenu?..............................i Program Purpose.................................i Requirements....................................i Trademark Declarations..........................i Program Features and Functions..................ii ShareWare Information...........................iii Program files...................................1 Getting Started.................................3 Installing MicroMenu on Your Hard Disk..........2 Getting Full Use of your Hard Disk..............5 General Operation...............................7 Opening Screen..................................7 Setting the Date and Time.......................7 Your First Menu.................................8 Making your Selection...........................8 Getting Help....................................9 Leaving MicroMenu...............................9 Editing MicroMenu...............................10 Special Use Keys................................11 Add Options (MENU)..............................14 Add Options (DOS)...............................15 Edit Options....................................16 Delete Options..................................16 Edit Menu Title.................................17 Master Password.................................17 Modify Colors...................................18 Modify Date & Time..............................18 Including Messages..............................19 Passing Variable Parameters.....................20 Stacking DOS Commands...........................21 Appending Lines.................................22 Returning to DOS................................23 Importing a File................................24 Exporting a File................................25 Error Messages..................................26 System Errors...................................27 OPERATION ON A NETWORK..........................28 ADVANCED OPERATION..............................29 License.........................................31 Registration and Ordering Information...........32 Order Form......................................33 Corporate & Quantity Purchases..................34 What is MicroMenu? MicroMenu is a very sophisticated organizational tool that will help you take better advantage of the hard disk drive(s) in your PC-DOS or MS-DOS computers. MicroMenu can increase your productivity by allowing you to create options that will execute complex sets of DOS instructions. Once these instruction sets are defined, they are automatically saved by MicroMenu, and each set is available to you through a single keystroke. MicroMenu presents you with a simple menu type user interface to allow you to quickly find and select the menu options you want. This enables you to access virtually any application program on your hard disk(s) through one easy program. MicroMenu DOES NOT remain in memory, so all is available to run your application. Program Purpose: To provide a user interface that will setup the daily oper- tion of applications in the DOS environment through a system of simple onscreen menu choices. To provide a means of securing the system through password protection, from the time MicroMenu is executed to the comp- letion of the computer session. To operate exactly the same in a Single User or Multi-User Network environment. Requirements The minimum requirements to use MicroMenu are: An IBM PC, XT, AT or Compatible with at least one hard disk drive, one floppy diskette drive and a color or monochrome monitor. At least 256KB of memory and a version of PC-DOS or MS-DOS 2.10 or higher. NetWare(r) is a registered trademark of Novell, Inc. IBM(r) & PC-DOS(r) are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS(r) is a registered trademark of MicroSoft Corporation. WordStar(r) is a registered trademark of MicroPro Inter- national Corporation. i Program Features and Functions 0. Automatic screen blanking (non memory resident). 1. Runs on Color or Monochrome monitors. 2. Opening screen appears whenever the system date changes. 3. Opening screen allows setting of system clock. 4. Up to 9 menus per screen and number of screens is limited only by disk space. 5. Full editing of all Menu screens. 6. Full password protection for supervisor functions and in- dividual user applications. 7. Full custom configuration of colors and special back- ground characters for each menu screen. 8. Shell to DOS from any menu screen (may be password pro- tected if desired). 9. Execute applications with a single keystroke. 10. Non memory resident, allowing applications full use of memory. 11. Upon completion of an application's execution MicroMenu returns to the last menu option selected or drops to DOS if desired. 12. <Esc>ape key returns to previous or last menu until the first menu is reached at which time <Esc>ape prompts for exiting to DOS. 13. User Input can be accepted during execution of any DOS option. 14. Constant display of current date and time. 15. Context sensitive online help is available at a single keystroke. 16. Ease of use and consistent features are maintained through out the program to facilitate set up on any DOS machine or network. 17. Can maintain an audit trail of usage for tax or network purposes. 18. Supports MicroSoft or compatible mouse. 19. Contains many custom hardware configuration options. MicroMenu is a powerful, yet easy program for most computer users and network supervisors. It helps to insulate novice users from the sometimes harsh DOS Command Line environment by automatically executing the commands necessary to run most DOS programs. This program has been designed to work with PC-DOS or MS-DOS version 2.1 or above. It may or may not work in other operating systems. This program was written and compiled in MicroSoft QuickBASIC and uses Assembly Routines provided by the following: Crescent Software, Inc. MicroHelp Inc. Hammerly Computer Services, Inc. My personal thanks to the above named companies, without them MicroMenu would not be available today. ii ShareWare Information This program is being distributed under the ShareWare concept of user supported software. If you use this program for your system on a basis other than evaluating the program you are required to register your copy. Registration will help to keep the cost of good software down and help to keep MicroMenu in development. It will also allow us to keep you posted on future updates, information of other products from MicroLink PC Users Group as well as provide support. The registration cost for this program and the above benefits is $25.00. Check or money order will be accepted. MasterCard and Visa are not available at this time. Please do not send cash in the mail. Feel free to copy this program and share it with others. The program files and documentation files may be uploaded to bulletin boards and distributed by User Groups in their software library. It may also be distributed by Shareware distributors as long as the cost of distribution does not exceed $7.00. Obtaining a copy from a Shareware distributor for that amount does not register the program with the author. If you have any comments, suggestions or features you would like to see implemented in future updates of MicroMenu please drop us a line at the address listed on the first page. We hope you enjoy the ease of use built into MicroMenu and feel that it is worth the registration fee. Shareware distribution keeps the cost of quality software low. Your response is necessary to keep shareware alive. ALSO SEE PAGES 31-34 iii Program Files There are two files that come on the disk or in the ZIP or ARC'd version that are used to run the program. These files are MMENU.EXE and MMENU.HLP. Additionally, you will see MMENUxxx.DOC and ORDER.FRM as part of the library, but they are not necessary for the operation of MicroMenu. As you use MicroMenu initially, you find other files created by it for the various menus. These files do not come with the program as each system and environment is different. It is impossible for the author to know what applications you have and create menus that will utilize all of the app- lications you own. What will be attempted in this documentation is to clearly illustrate how to set up the menus for the applications you have. If you are a person with a basic understanding of DOS you should have no trouble using MicroMenu. If you have no experience with DOS, you shouldn't have any trouble using MicroMenu, however, it is suggested that you have your DOS manual open to the section on batch files as you work through the examples. MicroMenu is simple enough that those with a basic knowledge of batch files will have their menus setup within minutes of starting. It isn't even necessary to read this documentation since the program prompts you from the screen right from the start. All files created by MicroMenu will be created in the MicroMenu default directory. This is the directory of your hard drive where MicroMenu is located. All of the Menus will have names you have given MicroMenu, however, they will all have the extension of .MNU at the end. When you look through the MicroMenu default directory, after you have created some Menus, you will see the following files: MMENU.EXE <─── Executable file of MicroMenu MMENU.HLP <─── Online Help file MM.DAT <─── Date and Time last on and last <filename>.MNU <─┐ menu selection (Single User only, <filename>.MNU <─┤ see "Using MicroMenu on a Network" <filename>.MNU <─┴─ Menus created by MicroMenu Where <filename> is the name that you give to MicroMenu for the Menu you have created. This is limited only by the disk space available on your drive. 1 Installing MicroMenu on your Hard Disk These files should be in a separate sub-directory on your hard disk. Some suggestions for naming that sub-directory are: MMENU (original, eh?) or MICROMNU Do this be typing in the following at the DOS prompt: C:\>MD \MMENU [ENTER] Whenever you see the word [ENTER], it means to press the <─┘ ENTER or RETURN key. DO NOT TYPE IN [ENTER]. Now change to the new directory: C:\>CD \MMENU [ENTER] You are now ready to continue. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CREATING AND USING SUB-DIRECTORIES, READ "Getting Full Use of your Hard Disk" on page 5. 2 Getting Started If you are like me, you don't want to wade through tons of fine print to see if a new program will be useful to you. These simple instructions should help you get started. Copy the files MMENU.EXE, MMENU.HLP, and MMENUxxx.DOC into a separate subdirectory (MMENU or MICROMNU, if you followed the suggestions on the previous page) on your hard disk. Keep a floppy disk backup of these three files in a safe place as you may need them at some time to restore your files. At the DOS prompt type in the word MMENU and press the ENTER key. C:\MMENU>MMENU [ENTER] This will get MicroMenu started. First you will see the opening screen. This screen shows the program name, author information and the system date and time at the bottom of the screen. If the date and time are correct, press the <RETURN> key twice to get started with the program. You will see the opening screen only once each day unless you change the system date. If the system date and time are incorrect, you have the opportunity to make corrections before proceeding. If this is the first time you have used MicroMenu, you will now see an empty page notice on the screen. You can either panic and press the <Esc>ape key to exit MicroMenu or you can venture on and set up your first menu. Pressing the RETURN, [ENTER] or <─┘ key brings you to a series of questions; the first will ask for a Menu name. This is the name on the top of the menu items. It's open to your imagination. Be exotic. Call your menus something memorable. Next you are prompted for the name of the first option on the menu. HINT: It is suggested that, if you have several programs that do similar tasks, the opening or main Menu should branch to other Menus instead of executing the DOS instructions. This will allow MicroMenu to run practically an unlimited number of options. EXAMPLE: For instance, if you have three or four programs relating to word processing, (i.e. WordStar, an ASCII editor, a grammar checker or separate spell checker, a label program), you could have one option on the main Menu called "Word Processing Programs" that could branch to a sub menu con- taining the DOS commands. 3 Next, you will be queried for the type of option, either MENU or DOS, to create. If the option you are creating is to run an application you would enter -> D <- for DOS. If, on the other hand, this option is going to branch to another menu you would enter -> M <- for MENU. Pretty simple, isn't it? All you have to decide is whether or not you want to run the program now (DOS) or have it branch to another menu (MENU). We'll discuss the MENU choice first. After telling MicroMenu that you want this choice to be a Menu option, you are asked for the name of the file that will store the menu information. It is strongly recommended that you name the file with an easily identifiable name. For example, "WORD" for your word processing programs, "DOS" for a DOS command menu, "UTIL" for a utility program menu and so forth. After naming the menu file with a filename only (remember MicroMenu automatically adds the extension of ".MNU" to the name), you are returned to the Edit Mode Menu and the first menu option is displayed. You can now perform any of the functions found in the Edit Mode Menu on the left side of the screen. If you want to add more options, scroll down to "Add Options" by pressing the down arrow key on the cursor movement keypad once, or press the number 2 on the top row. 4 Getting Full Use of your Hard Disk DOS 2.10 Directory Structure Overview DOS Version 2.10 and above gives you the ability to separate programs and data files into separate subdirectories. Sub- directories can be thought of as completely different disk storage areas organized into a tree structure. An example of a directory structure is: ┌─────────────────┐ │ Root Directory │ └────────┬────────┘ ┌───────────────────┼───────────────────┐ ┌─────┴──────┐ ┌────────┴────────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ │ Business │ │ Word Processing │ │ Programming │ └─────┬──────┘ └────────┬────────┘ └──────┬──────┘ ┌─────┴────┐ │ │ ┌────┴────┐ ┌───┴───┐ ┌─────┴─────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ │ Payroll │ │ Sales │ │ Documents │ │ MicroSoft C │ └─────────┘ └───────┘ └───────────┘ └─────────────┘ The root directory is the primary directory in the tree structure. It is created when you format the floppy or fixed disk. Every floppy diskette and fixed disk has a root directory. The root directory can hold only a limited number of files. For example, the maximum number of files in the root directory on a double-sided diskette formatted with DOS 2.10 is 112. The fixed disk holds more, but the total number of entries in the root directory is still limited. This directory also contains the names of any subdirectories that are directly connected. Subdirectories, on the other hand, do not have this re- striction imposed on them. A subdirectory can have any number of files and/or subdirectories, limited only by the amount of space on the floppy or fixed disk. For a more detailed description of directories, how to create and access them, refer to your DOS manual. Because different application programs often use files with identical names, it is a good practice to isolate each application into its own subdirectory. This helps to avoid any conflict that may arise with identical program file names or data file names. It is also better to separate data files from the actual program. This may not always be possible, so check to see if the program will access data files that are kept in a separate subdirectory. This enables you to quickly identify the data file activity. This is especially useful with word processing and spreadsheet programs. It is also a good approach for maintaining backup copies of data files, and maintaining data files for different users. 5 The root directory should be reserved for the Boot Programs and other Subdirectories only. Create a subdirectory to hold the DOS programs and files as well as other subdirectories to hold the other programs you own. By using the DOS 2.10 and above PATH command, you can make sure that all the DOS commands can be found in their respective directories. Refer to your DOS manual for more information about the PATH command. 6 General Operation: The Opening Screen The MicroMenu Opening Screen does serve a purpose. It not only contains the MicroMenu logo, but is useful in setting the correct date and time. When MicroMenu is started each day, or when the DOS date has changed, the logo screen will be displayed. Setting the Date and Time The DATE displayed is the system date that is set in the computer. If it is not the correct date, you can enter the current date by typing it in the form of MM-DD-YY. MicroMenu will put in into the correct format, so, you do not need to enter the dashes. You can use the right or left cursor keys to move the cursor inside the entry area. This enables you to change the day without entering the entire date. After you type the last digit in the date, or press the Enter key, the cursor moves to the time. You can enter the current time by typing it in the form HH:MM and the either "a" for am or "p" for pm. Again, MicroMenu will put it in the correct format, so, you do not need to enter the colon. As in the date entry, you may use the right and left cursor keys to move back and forth. If you want to change the date after pressing the Enter key, press the cursor left key until the cursor moves back to the date. After you enter the last digit of the time you should double check the date and time entries, then enter either an "a" for am or a "p" for pm, or press the ENTER key. The first menu screen will be displayed. You may also change or correct the Date and Time through the F9 Edit MicroMenu feature. 7 Your First Menu After you enter the date and time, the Opening screen is replaced by the first menu. For obvious reasons, I will call this the main menu. The main menu is the only menu that MicroMenu must have. The first time you run MicroMenu you will see the following warning: ╔══════════════════════════╗ ║ Empty Page ║ ║ Press [ENTER] to Begin, ║ ║ <Esc> to Quit, or ║ ║ F1 for HELP ║ ╚══════════════════════════╝ You can either panic and press the <Esc>ape key to exit MicroMenu or you can continue on and set up your first menu. You will also see this same screen and warning message every time access a newly created menu for the first time. Continue on to page 14 "Add Options" Making your Selection There are two ways to select the menu option: Use the Cursor Up and the Cursor Down keys to highlight the option that you want to select. Then, press the ENTER key to confirm your selection. Use the top row of numbered keys and press the number of the option you want to run. 8 Getting Help MicroMenu has several online context sensitive Help screens. To access them, simply Press the F1 key. This key is shown at the bottom of all the menu screens in case you forget. While the help screens are being read from the disk, a note will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. There are several ways to change help pages: 1. Press any key except the <Esc> key to view the next page. 2. Press the PgUp key to view the previous page. 3. Press the Cursor Up key to view the previous page. NOTE: When you want to leave the Help section, Press the <Esc> key to return to the menu screen. Leaving MicroMenu At times it may be desirable to leave MicroMenu and work directly from the DOS prompt. This can be accomplished by either leaving the program completely, or using MicroMenu's SHELL utility to temporarily drop to DOS and then return to MicroMenu quickly. You can leave MicroMenu completely and use DOS directly several different ways. 1. Press the F5 key. MicroMenu will ask you to confirm the exit. 2. From the Main Menu, press the <Esc> key. Again, you be asked to confirm the exit. If you want to leave MicroMenu, press the Y key. If you do not want to leave, press any other key and you will be returned to the program. 3. For a quick exit, press the Alt key and the F5 key down at the same time. NOTE: If you have entered a Master Password, you will have to enter it before being permitted to exit. 9 Editing MicroMenu Press the F9 key to enter in the Edit Mode. The Edit Mode allows you to edit, add or delete menu options. You can also change menu titles, passwords, and the colors if you have a color monitor. Additional Edit Mode help is available when you request Help while the Edit Mode Options are dis- played on the screen. MENU or DOS? A MENU is a set of related options. For example, a word processing menu might contain a couple of word processors, a spelling checker, another simple editor and a backup program. Such a menu might have the title "Word Processing Menu." MicroMenu allows you to create as many menus as you have room for on your hard disk. You must observe these rules to access the menus without any problems: 1. Each menu has a unique name. The menu name has the same restrictions as a DOS filename, except that the ext- ension is automatically appended by MicroMenu. 2. To access a menu from more than one menu you must create a menu option, define it as a menu branch (MENU-type option), and provide the same Menu Name. 3. All of the menu files should be in the same directory as the MicroMenu program (MMENU.EXE)*. If you transfer a menu from another system or from a diskette, make sure that it is put into the same directory as all the other menus. The PATH command will not find the .MNU files if they are in different directorys. * SEE THE CHAPTER ON ADVANCED OPERATION FOR MORE INFORMATION 10 Special Use Keys From the DOS COMMAND EDITOR: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│A│="┼" Append next line: If you have a command that's └───┘ └─┘ longer than 72 characters, this command will append the next line to the end. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│B│="ß" Beep Sound: Place a beeping sound in with the └───┘ └─┘ batch line commands for attention. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│R│="φ" Return to DOS: Don't return to MicroMenu after └───┘ └─┘ running the option. Useful when parking hard disk, etc. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│S│="║" Stack Commands: Place several commands on the └───┘ └─┘ same line by pressing this combination in between each command. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│O│="{" Open Message: Start or Open a message that you └───┘ └─┘ want displayed on the screen during the exe- cution of the batch commands. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│C│="}" Close Message: End or Close the message. SEE └───┘ └─┘ Alt+O. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│U│="±" User Input: Prompt for user input during the └───┘ └─┘ execution of the batch commands. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│D│ Delete line: Deletes the line that the cursor └───┘ └─┘ is currently on. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│I│ Insert line: Inserts a line directly above the └───┘ └─┘ line that the cursor is currently on. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│M│ iMport a File: Import the contents of a file └───┘ └─┘ on disk into the editor. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│X│ eXport a File: Export the contents of the ed- └───┘ └─┘ itor to a file on disk. ┌───┐ │Esc│ Cancel the current action, or signal the comp- └───┘ letion and confirm Y or N. ┌────┐ │Home│ Home: Moves the cursor to the first position └────┘ of the current line. ┌───┐ │Ins│ Insert (on/off): Toggles MicroMenu into char- └───┘ acter insert mode. Any characters you type are inserted at the cursor position. When you press this key a second time, the character insert mode is set to off. 11 ┌───┐ │Del│ Delete character: Deletes the character at the └───┘ cursor position. ┌───┐ │End│ End: This key moves the cursor to the end of └───┘ the current line. ┌───┐ │<──│ Backspace: Moves the cursor one space to the └───┘ left and erases that character. ┌────┐ │Caps│ Caps Lock (on/off): After pressing this key, │Lock│ all letters you type will be in capitals with └────┘ no need to press the Shift key. Pressing this key again sets the capital lock mode to off. From the Menus: ┌──┐ │F1│ Summon the Help Screens └──┘ ┌──┐ │F3│ Shell to DOS: Allows quick access to the DOS └──┘ command line. Type the word EXIT to return to MicroMenu. NEVER LOAD OR UNLOAD MEMORY RESIDENT PROGRAMS WHILE USING THE SHELL FEATURE. ┌──┐ │F5│ Exit to DOS: Leave MicroMenu completely and └──┘ return to the DOS command line. ┌──┐ │F9│ Edit MicroMenu: Allows editing of MicroMenu's └──┘ user definable parameters. ┌───┐ │Esc│ Cancel the current action, return to the └───┘ previous menu or exit to DOS. While Editing any Password: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│D│ Delete Password: Completely deletes the cur- └───┘ └─┘ rent password. This is the only way the pass- word can be completely eliminated. 12 While Modifying the Colors: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│C│ Standard Colors: Set the standard default └───┘ └─┘ colors contained in MicroMenu. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│M│ Monochrome: If you are using a Color Adaptor └───┘ └─┘ Card with a composite monochrome monitor, you can set the colors so that look right on your screen. ┌───┐ │Esc│ Done Modifying: Tell MicroMenu that you are └───┘ done modifying the Colors and are ready to save them or abort the changes. Confirm with a Y or an N. 13 Adding a MENU-Type Option Creating a new menu screen enables you to expand your menu system. You can create a new menu by selecting Add Options and specifying a menu-type option (M). When you create a menu, MicroMenu asks you to specify: 0. The first time you create an option on a new menu you will be asked to assign a name to the Menu. This is the name or title that will be displayed in a box at the top of the screen. If later you want to change this title, you must use the "Edit Menu Title" option from the Edit Mode Menu. 1. THE NUMBER OF THE OPTION - You can specify the order number of the option if there are one or more options already on the menu. Type in the number you want the option to be. 2. THE OPTION DESCRIPTION - This option description will be displayed on the menu with the other options. It may contain up to 30 characters. 3. THE PASSWORD - If a Master Password has been defined, each menu option may also have a unique password. This password can be from 1 to 8 characters long consisting of numbers, symbols, upper or lower case letters or any combination of these. When you select this option, you will be asked for this password before the option is executed. If you do not want the option to have a password, leave the password blank. CAUTION: If you enter a password, be sure to write it down and protect it in a safe place. Lost passwords cannot be recovered. SEE Master Password Page 17. 4. ADD A MENU OR DOS OPTION - Specify an M for Menu since we are explaining a Menu option. 5. THE NAME OF THE MENU - This is a 1 to 8 character name that follows the same restrictions as a DOS filename. This name is actually used to create a new file with an extension of .MNU. 14 Adding a DOS-Type Option Menu options that access applications, utilities or DOS functions are DOS-type options. MicroMenu allows you to specify a set of DOS commands to be executed when the DOS- type option is selected. A DOS-type command is any command that you normally would enter at the DOS prompt. When you wish to create a DOS-type menu option, you specify: 0. The first time you create an option on a new menu you will be asked to assign a name to the Menu. This is the name or title that will be displayed in a box at the top of the screen. If you want to later change this title, you must use the "Edit Menu Title" option form the Edit Mode Menu. 1. THE NUMBER OF THE OPTION - You can specify the order number of the option if there is one or more options already on the menu. Type in the number you want the option to be. 2. THE OPTION DESCRIPTION - This option description will be displayed on the menu with the other options. It can contain up to 30 characters. 3. THE PASSWORD - If a Master Password has been defined, each menu option may also have a unique password. This password can be from 1 to 8 characters long consisting of numbers, symbols, upper or lower case letters or any combination of these. When you select this option, you will be asked for this password before the option is executed. If you do not want the option to have a password, leave the password blank. CAUTION: If you enter a password, be sure to write it down and protect it in a safe place. Lost passwords cannot be recovered. SEE Master Password Page 17. 4. ADD A MENU OR DOS OPTION - Specify a D for DOS since we are explaining the DOS option. 5. DOS COMMAND EDITOR - You may enter up to twenty (20) DOS command lines. A DOS command line consists of one or more DOS commands. A command line can be from 1 to 72 characters long. For more information, see the section on the DOS COMMAND EDITOR. 15 Editing a Menu Option MicroMenu allows you to edit both DOS and Menu-type options. When you edit an option, you are asked to enter or change the information that you previously entered. Each prompt displays the current contents as the default. You can change the contents of any field, or press the ENTER <─┘ key to accept the default. If you press the <Esc> key before editing all of the fields, the new information is not saved and the original information is unchanged. Refer to Creating a Menu, and Adding a DOS-Type Option for more information about the specific information requested. Deleting a Menu Option To delete an option you must first select Delete Options, then select the option you wish to delete the same way you would if you were running the option. After you select the option to delete, MicroMenu asks you to confirm the deletion. If you decide not to delete an option, simply press the N or <Esc> key to return to the Edit Mode Menu. If you delete the last option on a Menu you will be returned to the "Empty Page" warning. Press <Esc> to return to the previous menu. If there is not a previous menu, MicroMenu will return to the DOS command prompt. MicroMenu does not actually delete the ".MNU" files from the disk, so, you can recover them at any time if you want to reuse them at a later time. If you do not want them anymore, you must erase them from the disk. MicroMenu's menu files have the extension ".MNU". 16 Edit Menu Title You can change the current Menu Title by selecting the Edit Menu Title option from the Edit Mode Menu. You are asked to edit the current information, or enter new information. Master Password You can add, delete or modify the existing Master Password by selecting Master Password from the Edit Mode Menu. To change the Master Password, simply type in the new char- acters. They can be numbers, symbols, upper or lower case letters or any combination of these. THE PASSWORDS ARE CASE SENSITIVE. To delete the Master Password completely, press The Alt key and the "D" key at the same time. You should be careful to check the Master Password as you type it. IF YOU FORGET YOUR MASTER PASSWORD, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE EDIT MODE MENU (F9), SHELL TO DOS (F3), OR EXIT TO DOS (F5). If you press the <Esc> key before pressing the ENTER key, the previous password is not changed. If you have installed a Master Password, you may also install a unique password for any or all the MENU or DOS options. When you add or edit the options, you will be asked to assign a password to that option. You DO NOT have to assign a password if you don't want to, and if you want to remove any existing password, press the Alt key and the "D" key at the same time. NOTE: If you have lost or forgotten your password(s) you do have some recourse, however, you will need to have access to an ascii editor that will allow you to view and edit characters that are stored after the END OF FILE marker. Load the MENU.MNU file into the editor and drop to the end of the file. You will see several occurances of "PBS-PBS-". This is where your passwords are stored. Using the OVERWRITE mode of your editor, replace all of the nonconforming characters (ª¿½»╠δó£) with "PBS-PBS-" and save the new file. Repeat this for all other "MNU" files that have associated passwords. If you do not have access to an editor, you will have to delete all the associated "MNU" files and recreate them again. 17 Modifying the Colors If you are using a CGA, EGA or VGA Color Card with a color monitor, you may change the menu colors to suit your tastes. You can additionally change the background character to establish any pattern you want. If you are using a Monochrome card, you can only modify the background character. When you select Modify Colors from the Edit Mode Menu, you will see a new Color Menu pop onto the screen. Select the colors you wish to change by highlighting the number and pressing ENTER or by entering the number directly. A sample color patch will appear on the left side of the screen. By using the cursor movement keys, you can alter the foreground and background colors. The side movement keys control the foreground colors and the up and down keys control the background colors. When you have the colors you want, press ENTER. The screen will immediately be updated and will show the new colors. If they do not meet with your approval, press ENTER and try again. A set of default colors can be selected by pressing the Alt key and the "C" key at the same time and if you have a monochrome monitor with a color card, pressing the Alt key and the "M" key at the same time will set the Monochrome standard colors. When you are finished modifying the colors and background character, press the <Esc> key and save your new colors. If you press "N" your new colors will not be saved and the original colors will be restored. Modifying the Date and Time SEE PAGE 7 (The Opening Screen) 18 Including Messages MicroMenu will allow you to display a message containing special information in DOS type options. This is accomplished by enclosing the message you want to display in left and right Braces, "{ }". Messages can be displayed three (3) different ways: 1. Displayed for a given number of seconds. 2. Until the user presses the Enter Key. 3. The user enters some parameters to be passed to the program. Symbols Used: "{" and "}". These symbols are placed into the DOS COMMAND EDITOR by using special keys. These keys are as Follows: Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│O│="{" Open Message: Start or Open a message that you └───┘ └─┘ want displayed on the screen during the exe- cution of the batch commands. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│C│="}" Close Message: End or Close the message for └───┘ └─┘ above. (1.) If you want the message to be displayed on the screen for a given number of seconds, use the following format: { Your Message typed in here }3 This example will display the message "Your Message typed in here" in a framed box for 3 seconds and then execute the rest of the commands. You can replace the 3 with any number between 1 and 9. (2.) If you want the message to be displayed until the user acknowledges its presence, use the following format: { Your Message typed in here } This example will display the message "Your Message typed in here" in a framed box until the user presses the enter key, then it will execute the rest of the commands. When you do not include a number after the right Brace, "ENTER to continue" will be displayed on the bottom of the box. (3.) Passing Parameters will be discussed on the following page. 19 Passing Variable Parameters MicroMenu will allow the user to pass variable parameters to the DOS commands in a DOS type option. By allowing the user to interact this way, you can change information in the DOS commands used by MicroMenu. This permits greater flexibility when designing your menu options, and reduces the number of menu options you need to maintain. Symbols Used: "{", "}", and "±" These symbols are placed into the DOS COMMAND EDITOR by using special keys. These keys are as Follows: Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│O│="{" Open Message: Start or Open a message that you └───┘ └─┘ want displayed on the screen during the exe- cution of the batch commands. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│C│="}" Close Message: End or Close the message for └───┘ └─┘ above. ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│U│="±" User Input: Prompt for user input during the └───┘ └─┘ execution of the batch commands. The correct format (or syntax) is as follows: Command { any message you want here }± You would accomplish this by typing in the command you want to execute followed by a space (in the example above "Command" is the command you want to execute)..... Then Press the Alt key and the "O" key at the same time. This will put a "{" on the screen..... You may now type in a prompting message for the user to view on the screen, and..... When you are finished with the message, press the Alt key and the "C" at the same time. This will put a "}" on the screen..... Now, to prompt for the users input, press the Alt key and the "U" key at the same time. This will put the "±" on the screen. More information and examples are available in the MicroMenu help screens by pressing F1. 20 Stacking DOS Commands MicroMenu may have up to 20 command lines for each option. This is enough room for most programs. If you are creating a complex series of DOS commands, you may have more than 20 DOS commands. You can enter all your commands by putting more than one DOS command on each command line. This is done by pressing the Alt key and the "S" key at the same time between each command. Symbol Used: "║" This symbol is placed into the DOS COMMAND EDITOR by using special keys. These keys are as Follows: Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│S│="║" Stack Commands: Place several commands on the └───┘ └─┘ same line by pressing this combination in between each command. For example: C:║CD\DOS║CHKDSK /F Is the same as: C: CD\DOS CHKDSK /F 21 Appending Lines MicroMenu will allow up to 72 characters on each command line. This should be sufficient for most applications. However, if you have some special commands that are longer than 72 characters, you can add more than one line together by pressing the Alt key and the "A" key at the end of the line immediately before the next line you want added. Symbol Used: "┼" This symbol is placed into the DOS COMMAND EDITOR by using special keys. These keys are as Follows: Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│A│="┼" Append next line: If you have a command that └───┘ └─┘ is longer than 72 characters, this command will append the next line to the end. When the batch commands are processed, MicroMenu will internally correct the line length and process the appended lines as one continuous command. For Example: ECHO This is an example of a string command that has an ┼ overall length longer than 72 characters. By placing the "┼" at the end of the first line, we are sig- nalling MicroMenu to append the very next line to the end of this line. HINT: Be sure to include a space either before the "┼" or as the first character on the next line if there is a separation of words. 22 Return to DOS MicroMenu normally returns to itself after running the option that was selected. This is done for convenience, however, sometimes it may be necessary to leave MicroMenu completely and not return. An example of such a time might be when you park the heads on your hard disk. You certainly do not want the heads to move from their parked position to return to MicroMenu again. To accomplish this, you must press the Alt key and the "R" key on the line immediately following the last command line in the DOS COMMAND EDITOR. Symbol Used: "φ" This symbol is placed into the DOS COMMAND EDITOR by using special keys. These keys are as Follows: Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│R│="φ" Return to DOS: Don't return to MicroMenu after └───┘ └─┘ running the option. Useful when parking hard disk, etc. 23 Importing a File If you are upgrading an existing system with MicroMenu and have existing BATCH files to run your applications, you do not need to enter that same information all over again. Within the DOS COMMAND EDITOR is a sophisticated File Import Feature that will allow you to directly import the contents of any text file into the editor. Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│M│ iMport a File: Import the contents of a file └───┘ └─┘ on disk into the editor. Example: You have all your batch files on drive C: in a sub- directory called BATCH and want to import the one that will execute WordStar. From the editor, press the Alt key and the "M" key at the same time. This will open a box at the bottom of the screen. Type in the drive, path and name of the file you want to import and press the ENTER key. In this case it would be: C:\BATCH\WORDSTAR.BAT. The contents of WORDSTAR.BAT will automatically be brought into the editor. You can accept them as is or edit them to suit. 24 Exporting a File MicroMenu will also allow you to dump the contents of the DOS COMMAND EDITOR into a text file on the disk. It works very similarly to the Import feature, but in the opposite direction. For additional information, see "Importing a File" on the previous page or the OnScreen help within the MicroMenu program by pressing F1. Special Keys: ┌───┐ ┌─┐ │Alt│+│X│ eXport a File: Export the contents of the └───┘ └─┘ editor to a file on disk. Example: Instead of calling a file into the editor you will be creating as new file on a disk. From the editor, press the Alt key and the "X" key at the same time. This will open a box at the bottom of the screen. Type in the drive, path and filename you want to use to contain the contents of the editor and press the ENTER key. The contents of the editor will be automatically exported into the file you named. 25 Error Messages MicroMenu is designed to provide messages that describe the possible error conditions that may occur. Unless a system error is being displayed, you will be returned to the beginning of the program after you acknowledge it by pressing the key called for. Information Messages: One type of message that you may see when using MicroMenu is an information message. This message tells you that something you are trying to do cannot be done. A good example of an information message is a beeping sound. You may hear a beep if you try to use a key incorrectly. Another example would be if you tried to enter the Edit Mode Menu (F9), and did not know the password, assuming there was a password installed. A detailed description of information messages is presented on the following pages. This will help if you need more information than MicroMenu displays on the screen. "Empty Page, [ENTER] to begin, or <Esc> to Quit" While in Edit Mode, you have Deleted all the options on the screen. Press <Esc> to return to the previous Menu or recreate some new options. "This Menu Page is Full!" You have attempted to add another menu option to a menu that already has 9 options. If you want to add a new option you must change one of the DOS options to a MENU option. Then select the Menu and add up to 9 additional options. "Bad command or file name" The option you selected may not have the right DOS commands to execute the program properly. Check the DOS commands and try again. "Insert disk with COMMAND.COM" When using the SHELL option, or returning to MicroMenu after running from some programs, DOS will attempt to load another copy of COMMAND.COM and cannot find it. This usually happens only when you boot up using Drive A: and later remove the Boot disk. Replace the boot disk in Drive A: and ENTER. 26 System Errors One of the most common complaints we get about MicroMenu is that sometimes it will not return to itself. 99 times out of 100 this is caused by starting or executing your program with a BATCH file. SEE the section called "Return to DOS". If you need to execute your application with a BATCH file, place the following command on the line just before the line that contains the BATCH file name: COMMAND /C (NOTE: Will not work with DOS 2.x) If you are using WORDSTAR.BAT to run WordStar you will not return to MicroMenu unless you execute COMMAND /C before you execute WORDSTAR.BAT. It would be better if you imported the contents of WORDSTAR.BAT into the editor and then let MicroMenu run the commands necessary to run the program. See the "Importing a File" section for more information. The most serious type of error that could occur is a system error. A system error tells you that you have done something that MicroMenu cannot handle. If you encounter a system error, a message describing what to do may be displayed on the screen. Before you attempt to recover from the error, you should get a copy of the information on the screen. To print a copy of the screen, press the Shift key and the PrtSc key at the same time. If you do not have a printer, copy the information that is on the screen. To recover from a system error, press the ENTER key. If the error continues, you have some additional work to do to get things working correctly. System errors can be caused by several different things, a corrupted program file such as MMENU.EXE or one of the .MNU or .DAT files. If you experience a complete system crash along with a segment number (1234:5678), the MENU.MNU or MM.DAT files may be bad or corrupted. (NETWORK FILENAMES MAY BE DIFFERENT, SEE THE SECTION "Using MicroMenu on a Network") Your first line of defense would be to copy the original MMENU.EXE and MMENU.HLP files into the subdirectory that contains the .MNU files. If this doesn't make it work any better, erase MM.DAT and try running MMENU again. If it still will not operate properly, rename or erase MENU.MNU and try one more time. If you still cannot succeed in running MicroMenu, call the number for the MicroLink PCUG's Bulletin Board or write to the address on the front cover. REMEMBER, NEVER LOAD OR UNLOAD MEMORY RESIDENT PROGRAMS WHILE USING MICROMENU'S SHELL FEATURE. 27 Operation on a Network The only difference between running MicroMenu in a single user or a Network environment is: 1. the way it is started or executed 2. the names of the .DAT and .BAT files that are created by MicroMenu have different names. Most networks allow customized Login Scripts for each user or generalized "System Scripts" for all users. Most script languages will also usually support variables. In the Novell environment a Login Script might be handled this way: SET MMENUS="F:\\MMENU" 'Locates the *.MNU's SET MMHELP="F:\\MMENU" 'Locates the Help File SET MMUSER="%1" 'Sets the Users Name MAP M:=SYS:MMENU ' DRIVE M: EXIT "MMENU %1" This example assumes your ".MNU" files are located in a sub- directory called MMENU on the network drive F:. Make sure that these commands are the last ones in your script file. Let's say that the users name is Robert, when the Login Script is executed, MicroMenu will be executed with the users Login Name as a parameter and to the computer will look like: MMENU ROBERT MicroMenu will then create a file called ROBERT.DAT to hold the date information for Robert, and when Robert executes a DOS type option MicroMenu will create and execute another file called ROBERT.BAT. In a Non-Network environment these files would be called MM.DAT and MM.BAT respectively. If you do not use a System or Login Script, YOU MUST EXECUTE MICROMENU WITH A UNIQUE PARAMETER FOR EACH USER. Normally, the users name, initials, or password would insure its uniqueness. The reason for this is, MicroMenu creates a separate ".DAT" and ".BAT" file for each user. If two users have the same parameter, they will encounter problems while executing and returning from application programs. Example: Executing MMENU ROBERT would tell MicroMenu to create a file called ROBERT.DAT to hold the data for the user Robert, and a ROBERT.BAT file that will hold the DOS instructions as well as the returning instructions for the applications Robert wants to run. 28 Advanced Operation SETTING THE ENVIRONMENT: MicroMenu will recognize certain environment settings to make it more useful on networks and single user systems. If you are using MicroMenu on a network and want each user to have their own menus it is possible. It is also possible to "PATH" to the main EXE program by placing MMENU.EXE in a sub- directory that is in the search path (the PATH is defined in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the root directory of the boot disk for single user systems and in the LOGIN SCRIPT for networks) and setting the environment variable to help MicroMenu find the ".MNU" files. There are a few rules that must be observed for this to work correctly. Use the SET command to tell MicroMenu which drive and subdirectory contains: 1. MMENU.HLP 2. the *.MNU files 3. the USERS LOGIN NAME (For Network Users Only) An easy way to set the environment is from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Single User System: An example of a simple AUTOEXEC.BAT file might look like: ECHO OFF 'Turn ECHO to Off CLS 'Clear the screen PROMPT $P$G 'Set the DOS prompt PATH C:\;C:\DOS;C:\UTIL;C:\MMENU 'Set the Search Path SET MMENUS=C:\MMENU 'Where are the .MNU's SET MMHELP=C:\MMENU 'Where is the .HLP MMENU This simple AUTOEXEC.BAT file assumes you have a subdirectory called MMENU where all of the MicroMenu files are located. With these environment settings installed and the MMENU.EXE program placed in the search path you will be able to execute MicroMenu from any subdirectory on any drive in your system. Network System: Network Users should place the SEARCH and SET commands in the SYSTEM LOGIN SCRIPT: MAP S5:=SYS:MMENU 'Sets the search path SET MMUSER="%1" '%1 variable = the Login Name SET MMENUS="F:\\%1" 'This would be F:\Login Name SET MMHELP="F:\\MMENU" 'This is the same as F:\MMENU The above example is for Novell networks, if you are using a different network consult your documentation regarding LOGIN SCRIPTS. 29 Advanced Operation (Cont.) CONFIGURATION FILE: MicroMenu can be custom configured to operate with special monitors and keyboards. It also has the ability to create an audit trail (.AUD) to track system usage for any or all users and, if desired, can be programed to return back to the MAIN MENU after each execution. If a configuration file (.CFG) is not present when MicroMenu is executed, one will be created automatically. Of course, to edit the configuration file, select option #8 on the EDIT MICROMENU menu and follow the instructions on the bottom of the screen. MOUSE SUPPORT: If you are using a MicroSoft or Compatible Mouse a "MouseBar" will be automatically displayed on the bottom line of your screen. Pressing button 1 in any of the enclosed areas will prompt a reaction. Also, moving the "MouseCursor" within the active Menu Box will move the highlighted option bar to the "MouseCursor" position. Pressing button 1 on the option will activate that option. 30 LICENSE MicroMenu is distributed under the User Supported software concept. Non-registered users of MicroMenu are granted a limited license to use MicroMenu for a trial period, in order to determine if it suits their needs. Any other use of MicroMenu or use past this period requires registration. Any use of non-registered copies of MicroMenu by a business, organization, or any kind of institution is forbidden. A registered copy of MicroMenu must be treated like a book, in that the same registered copy of MicroMenu may not be used in more than one computer at the same time. All users are granted a limited license to copy MicroMenu only for the purpose of allowing others to try it, subject to the above restrictions as well as these: MicroMenu must be distributed in absolutely unmodified form, including ALL program, documentation, and other files. MicroMenu may be included in the sale of any computer system as long as all files are distributed with it and are not altered in any way and permission from Premier Business Solutions has been obtained in writing. No charge or payment may be levied or accepted for MicroMenu except by Premier Business Solutions. Bulletin Board system operators may post MicroMenu on their BBS for downloading by their users without written permission only if the above conditions are met, and only if no special fee is necessary to access the MicroMenu files (a general fee to access the BBS is ok). Distributors of User Supported and Public Domain software MUST obtain permission from Premier Business Solutions in writing BEFORE distributing MicroMenu and must also follow the above conditions. Permission is almost always granted; this requirement is necessary to ensure protection for our- selves and MicroMenu users from unscrupulous individuals. The following section contains information for registration and licensing. 31 REGISTRATION AND ORDERING INFORMATION Registering MicroMenu allows you to use the product after the trial period. Registered MicroMenu users may get mailed notification of MicroMenu updates and priority when calling the MicroLink BBS. Most importantly, registered users know they are helping to make sure that high quality software like MicroMenu continues to be sold in this low cost way. MicroMenu registration costs $25 US / $35 Cnd, and includes tne latest version along with bound documentation. Checks and money orders are accepted for payment, as well as corporate purchase orders for amounts of $25 US and over. An evaluation disk with the current copy of MicroMenu on it is available for $10 US / $12 Cnd. This is to be used to try out MicroMenu, and does not include registration. The fee covers the cost of postage, diskette(s), and handling. To place an order, please use the order form on the following page. Corporations and Institutions: Please see the section entitled 'Quantity and Corporate Purchases' for information on licensing multiple copies of MicroMenu. Under no circumstances may unregistered copies of MicroMenu be used in a corporate or institutional environment. 32 Order Form MicroMenu version 5.00 05/01/90 ------------------------------------------------------------- Remit to: Premier Business Solutions 15909-B Gale Ave. Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 ------------------------------------------------------------- Quan Item US/Cnd Price ___ MicroMenu Registration........ @ $25/$35 ea $___________ (includes latest version and bound documentation) ___ MicroMenu evaluation disk..... @ $10/$12 ea $___________ (includes latest version and manual on disk, but not registration) Subtotal $___________ - Discount $(_________) California residents please add 6.75% Tax $___________ Total $___________ Checks or money orders accepted. ------------------------------------------------------------- Payment by: ( ) Check or money order ( ) PO # _______________ Name_____________________________________________________ Company_____________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Phone(______)_________________ Bus.(______)_______________ Where did you obtain MicroMenu? _____________________________________________________ Comments_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ 33 Corporate and Quantity Purchases Any commercial (i.e., business, corporate, government, or other institutional) use of MicroMenu must be registered. Volume discounts and site licenses are available. Each Network terminal running MicroMenu is considered as a separate user and should be registered accordingly. The order form on the previous page may be used to purchase multiple copies of MicroMenu, with discounts as follows: 1 - 10 copies no discount 11 - 25 copies 10% discount 26 - 50 copies 15% discount 51 - 100 copies 22% discount 101 - 200 copies 30% discount 201+ copies 40% discount Purchases of up to 50 copies are bulk purchases and include that many copies of MicroMenu and Documentation, as with single registrations. Purchases of 51 copies or more are site licenses. Premier Business Solutions will provide a MASTER COPY of MicroMenu along with the appropriate number of diskette labels and manuals. The Licensee is responsible for copying the disks (backups of the MASTER do not count towards the total copies in the license). The name on the order form is considered the contact and is the person with whom all correspondence will take place. If your group or organization has special requirements please contact Premier Business Solutions at (818) 961-6214, Monday through Friday, 9:00am - 4:00pm, Pacific Standard Time. Note: All prices and discounts are subject to change without notice. Discounts apply only to separate orders, they are not cumulative. End of Documentation Robert Rodrigue 05/01/90 34 ADDENDUM TO DOCUMENTATION 02-01-91 NEW ADDITIONS TO MicroMenu: EASY EDITOR ADVANCED DOS EDITOR SIMPLIFIED COLOR MODIFICATION FORMATTED AUDIT TRAIL Because MicroMenu is used by many first time computer users as well as advanced users, we have added an easy to use DOS editor as part of the Configuration Menu. We have also expanded the original DOS Command Editor to include many new features. Users can specify which Editor they want to use by a selection in the Configuration Menu. When MicroMenu is first started, it defaults to the Easy DOS EDitor. If you are an existing user and have already created some (D)OS options in MicroMenu with the DOS Command Editor, you will be given a warning and the opportunity to Edit those options with the new advanced editor. Of course, if you want to have MicroMenu default to the advanced editor you can make that selection from the Configuration Menu. The Color selection area has also been updated. Now, when you want to change the colors on the different menus, the changes will be seen immediately. The small "Color Box" no longer appears since it's not necessary any more. Instead, the screen is updated instantly as you press the up, down and side arrow keys. Pressing <Esc> aborts any single change and you still have the opportunity to save or not save the new colors. The Audit trail that is created through the Configuration Menu now records more information and writes to a standard comma delimited file format. It should be a lot easier to import into Lotus 1-2-3 or dBase to do reports and such. EASY EDITOR: If you are new to computing, some of the commands you have to give to get your computer to work may seem confusing. Most of the programs you will be using can be executed quite easily by using MicroMenu's new EASY EDITOR. When you first start up MicroMenu, follow the instructions on the screen by approving or modifying the DATE and TIME. You will then see a message announcing a "Blank Page", press the ENTER key to continue with the installation. You will be asked for a Title for the Main Menu Header. Enter your Company name or anything else you want then press the ENTER key again. Next, you will be asked for a Name for the Option. This would be the name of the program you want to run (use upper and lower case letters as you would like to see it on the Menu). The next question asks if it is to be a (M)enu or a (D)OS option. A Menu option will branch to a Blank Page which can contain nine (9) additional options and a DOS option will run a program. Select "D" for DOS and a new screen will appear. The first question asks for the drive letter of the hard disk drive that contains your program. Usually this is drive C for a single user system or F for a Novell local area network. Enter the correct drive letter. EXAMPLE ---> C Next, the subdirectory that the program is in is requested. Enter the name of the subdirectory. EXAMPLE ---> LOTUS\123R22 Finally, the name of the program you want to run is asked for. Enter the name of the program. Enter the file name only, DO NOT enter the extension. (MicroMenu looks for ".COM", ".EXE" and ".BAT" files in that order automatically). EXAMPLE ---> LOTUS If you have made a mistake with the spelling, or if the program does not exist, you will receive a warning, otherwise you will be asked to Save your selection. Press "Y" and everything will be saved for you. ADVANCED DOS EDITOR: If you have a good working knowledge of the Disk Operating System (DOS), you may want to use the ADVANCED EDITOR to create your batch files. It is a full screen editor capable of importing and/or exporting text from existing files, cutting and pasting text within and/or between menus, deleting or inserting lines and many other advanced features. To use the ADVANCED EDITOR press the F9 key to Edit MicroMenu. Scroll to the Configuration option and press Enter or press the number "8" on the top row of your keyboard. The Configuration will appear on the right side of your screen. Scroll down to the question "Easy Editor Mode?" and press the "N" for "No". Finally, press the <Esc> key and save your new configuration. If you need additional help, press the F1 key while you are editing a (D)OS option and a help screen will appear with all the keystroke features. SIMPLIFIED COLOR MODIFICATION When you select "Modify Colors" from the "Edit MicroMenu" menu the same selection menu will appear, however, when you select the color you want to change the selection menu will disappear and the message in the lower information box will instruct you to use the cursor movement keys to change the colors. The changes will be shown on the screen immediately. (i.e. If you select the "Screen Background", the color of the screen background will change everytime you press a cursor movement key.) Follow the directions to save your changes. Try it, we think you will really like it. FORMATTED AUDIT TRAIL The Audit trail now writes the following information to a comma delimited file called "UserName.AUD" (where UserName is the LOGIN name in a network environment or "MM" in a single user environment): 1. the DATE in "MM-DD-YY" format 2. the TIME in "HH:MM" format 3. the MENU name where the action took place 4. the ACTION that took place the ACTION COMMANDS are as follows: a. "ADD a menu option b. "EDIT a menu option c. "DELETE a menu option d. "EXIT" to DOS e. "EXECUTE" a program f. "RETURN" from a program g. "SHELL" to DOS h. "CONFIG" modify the configuration 5. the name of the PROGRAM that was executed (if one was) There are always 5 fields to every line in the audit trail record listed in this same order. All the information is stored in standard ASCII TEXT MODE enclosed in quotes and the fields are seperated by commas. Every line is properly terminated with a carriage return and a line feed (ASCII 12 and ASCII 10). The ACTION COMMANDS are always uppercase and are the fourth field from the start of the line. The PROGRAM name is only printed after the EXECUTE action command is used, otherwise a blank field is generated. EXAMPLE OF THE FIELD STRUCTURE: "01-01-91","14:30","SSHEET","EXECUTE","Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet" In the example, the first field contains the current date, the second, the current time, the third, the DOS name of the menu where the action took place (in this case SSHEET, the spreadsheet sub menu), the fourth, the action that took place, and the fifth, the name of the program that was executed. Happy auditing... END OF ADDENDUM