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README!.DOC
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1997-01-27
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Prompt! ver. 1.00 build 106
32bit software for OS/2
Copyright 1997 by Gary L. Robinson
*******************************************
WHAT IS PROMPT! ?
*******************************************
Prompt! is a small WPS program (no executable
files) that will prompt you with a small
dialog box every time you drag and drop an object
in the Workplace Shell. The dialog allows you
to choose whether you want to move, copy, migrate
a program, or create a shadow of the object
or objects you just dragged before you drop them.
Making the selection at drop time allows you to do
it all by mouse with one hand. No OS/2 hot key
combinations to remember to do the job. Prompt!
also adds a simple cascading menu item to ALL
the existing popup menu's for folders - including
the Desktop. This menu item allows the user to
access the settings dialog for Prompt! and to
disable the program if desired without uninstalling.
This saves time and aggravation to users who
resent having to remember the hot keys or who
just don't want to have to use the keyboard
when creating shadows and program objects.
Prompt! is small, fast, simple, has almost
NO overhead and no drag on the system resources.
All the functionality of Prompt! is included in another
program I sell - Desktop Wizard (current ver. is
1.41 - dw1410.zip). However, Desktop Wizard
has many features, is somewhat complicated,
takes more memory, and (as all complicated
WPS programs) may have incompatabilities with
some other WPS programs. You might want to
check out Desktop Wizard ($30), though, if
you prefer a lot of WPS features wrapped up in
a single package.
*******************************************
REQUIREMENTS
*******************************************
Prompt! requires OS/2 Warp 3.x or OS/2 Warp 4.x.
*******************************************
INSTALLATION
*******************************************
Run the installation PMPTINST.EXE by double clicking
on the icon (!) and typing in a path where you want
the Prompt! files to be copied and registered to.
If you have already unzipped Prompt! into a directory
on you hard drive you can install it into that same
directory. Just type that path into the appropriate
entry field.
Then press the Install button.
If the path doesn't exist you will be prompted to
let the installation program create it for you. It
then copies the 3 files : PROMPT.DLL, PMPTRES.DLL,
and PMPTINST.EXE to the desired directory.
The installation program also registers the DLL's
with the system, creates 1 new object class
(promptfolder), adds an entry to the OS2.INI file,
add the install path to your config.sys (it creates
a back up of your original config.sys - config.pmp)
and prompts you to reboot.
After you reboot Prompt! will also create a
PROMPT.INI file in the directory you installed it
in. You can now right click on any folder and
see the Prompt! menu item on the popup menu.
PMPTINST.EXE is really not needed in the directory
you installed the program into but you may want
to leave it there because the installation program
is ALSO the un-installation program.
Uninstalling Prompt! is simple, too. Run PMPTINST.EXE
and select Uninstall. Press Yes when prompted. The
uninstall deregisters the object class, takes the
entry out of your OS2.INI file, takes the LIBPATH=
entry out of your config.sys for Prompt!, and
prompts you to reboot. After rebooting you, the
user, can then delete the files.
*******************************************
USING PROMPT & SETTINGS
*******************************************
Prompt! causes a dialog box to pop up every time
an object is dragged and dropped from one folder
to another. The dialog does not appear if objects
are just moved within their own folder or moved
from one spot on the Desktop to another. The
default for OS/2 is to move an object which is
dragged and dropped. Instead of moving the object,
Desktop Wizard causes a dialog box with five
buttons on it to pop up. The five choices are
"Copy", "Move", "Shadow",
"Migrate program object to folder" and "Cancel".
No action is taken until a button is pressed.
Pressing "Copy" copies the dropped objects to
the new folder, "Move" moves them there,
"Shadow" creates a shadow of each object in
the new location. "Cancel", of course, cancels
the entire operation.
"Migrate program object to folder" causes a
program reference object to be created at the new
location. The name of the program reference is the
same as the executable, but without the extension.
This button is active only for objects whose
extensions are "exe", "cmd", "bat", "class" or "inf".
The "inf" and "class" extentions are special. Since
these type files are NOT executable how can
Prompt! put a program reference object for them
at the new location? Well, first, "inf" files are
help files and "class" files are Java files.
The VIEW.EXE program (comes with OS/2) is what
the system uses to view OS/2 Help files. So Prompt!
allows you to, if desired, to drag a help file to a
location and to put a program reference object
for VIEW.EXE there. The program reference object
has been set to point at the actual help file.
Similarly, if you drag a Java "class" file to a location
Prompt! will let you put a program reference object for
JAVAPM.EXE (this runs java programs) that points to
the real "class" file. To use this feature you must have
Java support on your machine and fill in the appropriate
settings box on the Prompt! settings dialog. Please
note, also, that while any "class" file an be referenced
by a program file to the JAVAPM.EXE program it must
be the main class file or the program will not activate
properly. There are usually bunches of "class" files
in a Java program and Prompt! can not tell which is
the one that needs to be ran. This should be noted
by the author of the java program, though.
The Prompt! dialog can be overridden by using the
keyboard at the same time the object is dragged and
dropped. The keys used are the same as the standard
keys for copy and shadow as OS/2 normally uses:
<control+drag> = copy;
<control+shift+drag> = create shadow).
To move a file without the prompt, <shift+drag> is
used.
Note: Prompt! is very useful for laptops and other
situations where a traditional mouse is not used. It
is also helpful in allowing new users to get a feel
for OS/2, without having to worry about what is
going to happen when they drag an object.
Additionally, it is useful when you don't want to use
the keyboard.
The Settings dialog for Prompt! (accessed from the
cascading menu on any folder) has the following
settings :
DISABLE PROMPT!
Checking this option will disable the Prompt! dialog
until you uncheck it.
ONLY SHOW PROMPT! MENU IF F12 KEY IS PRESSED
Checking this option will take the Prompt! menu
item off ALL the folders in the system whether
Prompt! is active or not. To access the menu
after you have done this you would hold down on
the F12 Key and at the same time right click on any
folder for it's popup. The menu will be there when
you do it this way. This helps keep "menu clutter"
to a minimum. If you forget the key that you have
to hold down (F12) and lose the documentation you
can reset Prompt! by uninstalling AND erasing the
PROMPT.INI file after the uninstallation.
FULLY QUALIFIED NAME FOR JAVAPM.EXE OR JAVA.EXE
You must put the fully qualified name for the java
program in this entry field to enable Prompt! to handle
migrating Java class files. For most Warp 4.0 users
that will be : X:\JAVAOS2\BIN\JAVAPM.EXE but that
may not always hold true and certainly might be
different for Warp 3.0 installations with added Java
support.
REGISTRATION CODE
This is where you enter the registration code that
you get when you send me tons of money and make
me filthy rich! Well, a guy can dream, anyway.
The registration code must be kept in this entry
box to get rid of the disgusting Shareware bug
screen.
*******************************************
Desktop Wizard and NFNF users
*******************************************
This program is absolutely free to ALL registered
users of NFNF or Desktop Wizard - though ALL
the functionality of Prompt! is already included
in Desktop Wizard. Use the same code phrase as
Desktop Wizard or NFNF. However, it is NOT
recommended to run Prompt! at the same time
you have NFNF or Desktop Wizard installed and
the drag and drop feature enabled. Having both
enabled (not that you would want to) could
cause a system hang.
*******************************************
REGISTRATION
*******************************************
Registration fee is $10.00 for a single registration or
$15.00 if you require a diskette. After sending
registration fees you will be sent a CODE word
(either to your e-mail address or your street
address if you don't use the internet) that will disable
the ugly SHAREWARE screen that comes up and bugs
you. You will be registered for ALL future updates or
versions of Prompt! and will NOT have to pay any
additional fees. Send all fees and inquiries to :
Gary L. Robinson
P.O. Box 359
Christiansburg, OH 45389
U.S.A.
Internet -----> grobin@erinet.com
OR
Internet -----> grobin@coax.net
Web Page ---> http://www.coax.net/people/grobin
Compuserve -> 76547,503