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Hayes(r) Microcomputer Products, Inc. LANstep(r) Technical Note
"Creating a DOS Startup Script
for a LANstep Workstation"
Number LS-1 September 1991
Summary:
This Technical Note explains how a Super_User can create a startup
script for a LANstep Workstation user that bypasses the LANstep
"office" screen and automatically:
* loads a user's most frequently used or menuing application
immediately after log-in, or
* starts a user in DOS at a mapped drive location.
This Technical Note is applicable for LANstep version 1.0x.
Some Questions Answered
This section outlines in brief what can be accomplished with
a DOS startup script, why it might be useful, who should do it, and,
the basics of how it is done. Further sections go into detail on each
part of the process
Why
A LANstep Workstation boots (starts up) using LANstep as the
underlying operating system, and then a user must manually select a
DOS program for use. This script automates those steps. This is helpful on
systems where menu-type programs are in use and need to be automatically
executed after log-in.
Who
Since this procedure involves entering the Support room, only a Super_User
who is familiar with user setups and commands such as NETUSE should
attempt to create a startup script. Keep in mind that startup scripts must
be created for each user that needs one.
How
First, you'll create a single line start-up script that
loads DOS after a valid login. When DOS loads, (typically from the E:
drive) AUTOEXEC.BAT (the same for all users) runs, and moves to a
user's personal directory (usually G: drive). From there,
AUTOEXEC.BAT ends by executing a second batch file (START.BAT)
located in an individual user's personal directory. START.BAT uses
the NETUSE command and assigns the F: drive to the location where a
user's frequently used program is kept. At that point, a user need
only enter WMSTART to execute a batch file to load the program.
Cautions
The Super_User should take care when using the Browser,
since accidental erasure of system files would require re-installing
the system, and possibly reformatting the NSS hard drive.
About Bill
"Bill" is a fictional LANstep user. In our example, we're
going to create a DOS startup script for him that automatically loads
DOS after a valid login, then leaves Bill at his personal G: drive
DOS prompt. Bill's USERID is BILL.
Creating a Login Script
Use these steps to create a login script for automatically
loading DOS for Bill. Be sure you can login as Super_User.
Step 1:
Login as Super_User at the NSS, then move to the Support
Room.
Step 2:
Select the Browse Hard Disk 0 icon and press Enter, then select
System and press Enter.
Step 3:
Select userids and press Enter, then select BILL and press
Enter.
Step 4:
Select login and press F2 to display the startup script;
since there is no script, the screen will be blank. Press F5 to
edit, then enter the following line:
!pcdos -0 {} {} {} */DOS/BOOT {} #user/DOS {} E:
Remember, LANstep is case sensitive, so be sure you type the line as
shown.
This script command tells LANstep to automatically run DOS immediately
after the specified user (Bill) has completed a valid login. Here's a
breakdown of each component of the command:
Element Description
!pcdos starts the activity called "pcdos"
-0 uses all available "DOS" memory (lower 640K); this
is a zero, not the letter "O"
{} Uses default printer for LPT1
{} Uses default printer for LPT2
{} Uses default printer for LPT3
*/DOS/BOOT Sets path for drive E: to BOOT on the NSS
{} Sets Drive F: to be unmapped but still available
#user/DOS Sets G: to users personal DOS files
{} Drive H: is reserved for system use and is not mapped
E: Selects which drive is the BOOT drive, i.e, where
DOS is loaded
Step 5:
Once the command is typed in, press F5 to save.
Testing The Script
Use this procedure when editing the script to test it
instantly:
Step 1:
With the cursor on the script command line, press
Control-Space, then Control-Space again.
Step 2:
Press F2:START and the script is automatically executed.
This is an excellent way to test check the script's accuracy. If
you get an error message at the top of the screen, such as
"COMMAND," press Control-Escape. The cursor appears at the top of
the screen; move it to the word COMMAND and press Enter. You'll
see an explanation of the message. Recheck your typing. Remember,
the command line is case sensitive.
Note that during this test, G: will be mapped to the Super_User's
personal files, not Bill's.
Step 3:
When at DOS prompt, type
DOSEXIT
and press Enter to go back to the startup script.
Modifying AUTOEXEC.BAT
Each time DOS is loaded by a user, the common AUTOEXEC.BAT
file (located on drive E:)is executed. While everyone uses the same
AUTOEXEC.BAT, you can create an individual batch file for Bill which
maps the F: drive to the location of his most frequently used
application. When there, Bill needs to only enter the WMSTART command
to execute the WMSTART.BAT batch file and load the application.
Use these steps to modify the common (on drive E:) AUTOEXEC.BAT to
echo a reminder, then run a second batch file (START.BAT, on Bill's
drive G:) START.BAT only contains two lines, and uses the NETUSE
command to assign drive F: to the directory where Bill's application
is kept.
Step 1:
From the previous steps, press Escape to leave this screen,
then press F3:CLIMB three times. This will take you to the top
menu of the Browser.
Step 2:
Select DOS and press Enter. Select BOOT and press Enter.
Step 3:
Select AUTOEXEC.BAT and press F2:VIEW. Press F5:EDIT, and go
to the last line of the file.
Step 4:
Type in the following 2 lines, pressing Enter after each one:
ECHO Type WMSTART to start the application.
START.BAT
The ECHO line displays "Type WMSTART..." to remind Bill to type in
the standard WMSTART command to execute the batch file used to
load his frequently used application.
Step 5:
Press F5:SAVE key, then press Escape. You should now be at
the screen that is displaying the contents of the E: drive, with
all of the DOS files.
Finding an Application's Location and Creating START.BAT
START.BAT is a batch file that uses the NETUSE command to
map drive F: to the directory of Bill's most frequently used
application. You should create a START.BAT for every user who wants
this mapping done.
To do this, first determine the directory location for each user's
most-used application, then create a START.BAT batch file (on the
user's drive G:) for each user.
Note: Keep in mind that an individual user's START.BAT can only map
F: to a single directory, so that directory should be the location
of the application we want to start automatically for the user.
Finding an Application's Location
Use this procedure to locate the directory on the NSS where
a loaded application is kept. You'll use this information to map that
directory as the F: drive for a specific user.
Step 1:
From the previous steps, press F3:CLIMB, then select
installed_apps. Press F2:VIEW.
This will display all of the installed applications and their
respective directories. For example, suppose the assisted INSTALL
program installed Smartcom Exec(r); one of the lines would read:
Smartcom Exec Version 2.x|SCMEXC2X
Step 2:
If you have installed many applications, you may need to
scroll through the list by pressing the down cursor key. The first
half of the line is the application description as it appears on
the menu choice, and the part after the pipe ( | ) symbol is
the actual directory that it is installed in.
For the remainder of this example, let's assume Bill uses
Microsoft Works frequently. When you select Microsoft Works 2.0 in
the list, it appears as :
Microsoft Works 2.0|MWORKS20
From this we know that the application resides in the directory
MWORKS20.
Manually installed applications appear like this:
Automenu|MAN00001
Step 3:
Find the other application(s) and accompanying directory(s),
and write them down. You'll need to know these names and locations
when you create START.BAT for other users.
Step 4:
Press Escape twice. Exit the Support Room, and enter the
Management Console by selecting it and pressing Enter.
Step 5:
Choose DOS Application Management, and press Enter. Select
Maintain Installed Applications, and press Enter. It does not
matter which application you have highlighted. We will not be
making any changes to the application itself.
Step 6:
Press F4:EDIT. Select Set Up Application For Users and press
Enter. Highlight the USERID BILL, and press Enter. DOS loads,
running AUTOEXEC.BAT, which tries to run the as yet non-existent
START.BAT, so ignore the "Bad Command or Filename" message that
DOS returns. When DOS starts, enter G: (this moves you to Bill's
G: drive) and then press Enter. From this point, you'll be at the
DOS prompt of Bill's G: drive.
Creating START.BAT
START.BAT can be configured three ways:
* to map F: to an application's directory and leave the user
at the DOS prompt
* to map F: to an application's directory then run the
WMSTART.BAT batch file to go ahead and load the application.
* to just run a CLS command, so the "Bad command or file name"
message is not seen.
Step 1:
From DOS, use the COPY from CONsole command to create
START.BAT in Bill's G: drive:
COPY CON START.BAT e
The cursor drops to the next line (no DOS prompt is shown), and
you should type these two lines, pressing Enter after each one:
NETUSE F: */DOS/APPS/MWORKS20
F:
Step 2:
If you want START.BAT to stop here (leaving the user at
DOS), press Control-Z then Enter and START.BAT will be written to
disk. Otherwise, add this final line, then press Control-Z then
Enter to create START.BAT on the disk.
WMSTART
Once you've created the file, DOS displays a message "1 File(s)
copied." Remember to replace "MWORKS20" with the necessary
directory name for other START.BAT files created for other users
and their applications. Type DOSEXIT.
When Bill next logs in, he is automatically taken to this
directory. If you don't create a START.BAT file for other users,
be sure they understand to ignore the
Bad Command or Filename
message they see when first starting DOS. This happens since
AUTOEXEC.BAT tries to execute START.BAT in a user's directory,
when no START.BAT is there. If this is a problem, go ahead and
create a dummy START.BAT in each user's G:-mapped directory that
contains a single CLS (clear screen) statement:
COPY CON START.BAT
CLS
Then press Control-Z and Enter; START.BAT then just clears the
screen and leaves the user at the G: prompt.
Avoid "Bad command.." by Updating AUTOEXEC.BAT
If you don't want a user to see the "Bad command or file
name" error, you can further update AUTOEXEC.BAT to prevent this
message from being seen. Here's a sample file:
ECHO OFF
PATH E:\;E:\WMCMDS
USERDEV
PRINTEND /T:20 NUL
IF NOT EXIST F:WMSTART.BAT GOTO NEXT_STEP
F:
WMSTART
:NEXT_STEP
IF NOT EXIST G:START.BAT GOTO END
G:
START
:END
G:
ECHO To return to your room, type DOSEXIT and press enter.
The Default Login Script
You can create a startup script that automatically runs an
application, such as Automenu or Windows, each time a user logs in to
the network. You can make this script work for all users, or just
newly created ones. Here's how to do it:
Step 1:
From the NSS, login as Super_User; enter the Support room.
Step 2:
Start the Browse Hard Disk 0 Icon.
Step 3:
Choose system and press Enter; select userids and press
Enter. Finally, select Super_User and press Enter.
The next step is where you determine if the script is to be used
for all users, or just ones created after the script is entered.
--Step 4a:
| To configure the script to run for *ALL* users, both
| current and future, select system_defaults and press Enter.
Pick |
one--|
|
|
-- Step 4b:
To configure the script to run for users which are created
*AFTER* the script is entered, select model_defaults and press
Enter.
Step 5:
Select login and press Enter.
Step 6:
Press F5:EDIT.
Step 7:
Enter this line:
!pcdos -0 {} {} {} */DOS/BOOT */DOS/APPS/MAN00001 #user/DOS {} E:
Step 8:
Press F5:SAVE.
Step 9:
Press Escape twice to exit to the Support Room
The Automenu program will automatically be executed for the selected
users after a valid login.
Hayes and Smartcom Exec are registered trademarks, and LANstep is a
trademark of Hayes Micrcomputer Products, Inc.
Other trademarks appearing in this document are trademarks of the
respective companies
(C) 1991 Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.