home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Magnum One
/
Magnum One (Mid-American Digital) (Disc Manufacturing).iso
/
d1
/
iams207.arc
/
FEATURES.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1990-04-09
|
16KB
|
388 lines
Prodigy Technologies is a proud member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals.
┌───────┐ (tm)
──┌────┴──┐ │───────────────────
│ ┌────┴──┐ │ Association of
│ │ │─┘ Shareware
└──│ o │ Professionals
─────│ │ │─────────────────────
└───┴───┘ MEMBER
FEATURES.TXT FILE CONTENTS
--------------------------
1) What is IAMS ?
2) Feature Summary
3) New for version 2.7
4) Versions prior to 2.7
[1]
WHAT IS THE INSTANT ACCESS MENU SYSTEM ?
The Instant Access Menu System (IAMS) is a program that allows
you to organize your software in a centralized fashion. From
there, you may "order" which program you want to run, much
like you'd order what you wish to eat from a restaurants menu.
WHO WAS IAMS DEVELOPED FOR ?
IAMS was designed for anyone who wants to get the most out of
their computer programs with the least amount of work, hassle
and wasted time. IAMS is both an organizational and
productivity tool. It's interface allows for easier, and
quicker, access to any program on your hard disk.
JUST HOW WILL IT MAKE THINGS "EASIER AND QUICKER" ?
Once you have entered the information on the programs you wish
to run through Instant Access, you no longer have to deal
through DOS. For example, if you want to run your spreadsheet,
you simply hit "A" (or whatever you wish it to be). The same
is true for any type of program. From here on out, you don't
have to switch drives and directories, or remember the command
to begin the program.
Simply said, with Instant Access you can run any program that
would normally be executed through DOS. The important
difference is that with Instant Access, it only takes two
keystrokes!
WHO WROTE THIS PROGRAM ?
This program is produced by Tony Gentile, a member of the
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). The ASP wants to
make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you
are unable to resolve a shareware related problem with an ASP
member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or
problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical
support for the member's products. Please write to the ASP
Ombudsman at P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 or send a
Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
[2]
PROGRAMS :
o Run any DOS program using less then 4K of memory.
o Run any of 400 DOS programs with just two keystrokes.
o Run programs on other [logical] drives.
o Run internal DOS Commands.
o Run programs on your PATH statement.
o Run a program at a specific time and date, or everyday
unattended.
o Pass parameters to any program.
o Password protect any program.
CONFIGURATION :
o Completely menu driven configuration system.
o Program entry is done interactively.
o Complete drive, directory and file name validation.
GENERAL UTILITIES :
o User definable colors.
o Automatic screen blanking utility.
o Usage log for program (time) tracking.
o Online Help
o A PopUp Notepad.
o A Full-functioned text editor.
o A DOS Shell.
o Running time display.
[3]
Release v2.7 is both a maintenance release and an upgrade. New
features include :
o If there is only one program in a sub menu, it will now be
executed when that sub menu is selected (!!!).
o Added Copy, Kill, Move, Swap and Import to the Sub Menu Config Area.
o Added COMSPEC checking :
IAMS will now work with 4DOS and other COMMAND PROCESSORS.
In order to accomplish this, it searches the environment for
the COMSPEC argument.
o Improved Display Time
Efforts were made to increase the speed in which the menu is
displayed to the user.
o Changed Parameter/Password Entry
Parameter and Password entry has been altered. Passwords now
echo each character entered with an asterik (*). Both
Parameters and Passwords may now be edited using the
backspace command.
o Screen/Help updates:
(1) IAMS Copyright notices have been updated.
(2) Version numbers have beeen updated.
(3) Y] Defing (in password help screen).
(4) "And expect them to AE" in AutoExecute Help.
(5) "FORMAT=drive[:]/dir/subdir" in AutoExecute Help.
(6) "Common defintions are..." main menu config help screen.
o Status bar update
(1) Status bar for ALTER in Program Definition.
(2) Status bar after file verification.
o Status bar help screens
(1) "You are currently viewing"... for general configuration.
(2) "You are currently viewing"... for autoexecution config.
o If all files are present (verification), the screen will not pop
up to make you strike a key.
o Escaping
(1) You may now escape up until final confirmation while in
both the import function, and ALL Alter functions.
o When configuration program is called up from the menu system
with F6, it will no longer say "Type MENU to run the menu system".
o Changed IAMS default colors
o Changed Shadowing
The shadowing has been moved from the left side to the
right.
o Changed scroll method/rate
IAMS now displays a different message when the screen is
blanked. Further, it now blanks the screen after five
minutes, as opposed to three. Finally, the screen message
moves to 24 different locations, once every 15 seconds.
o If a Sub Menu is undefined, you can not open it.
o If an undefined program is select, the alarm will sound.
o Changed blank color background
The background color for the screen blank is now black.
o Added BATCH file compatibility for AutoBoot mode
BATch files now work with the AUTOBOOT mode. HOWEVER, the
batch file must be located in the directory specified,
rather then the DOS PATH command. For example, if you
defined TELIX.BAT as residing in C:\COMM, it MUST be there,
NOT C:\DOS, with IAMS finding it through the PATH command.
o Changed pm to PM and am to AM in the banner message
o Changed light green in config area
o Changed exit prompt
[4]
Version 2.65
- AutoBoot : This is an insurance policy for your programs.
When IAMS is run in AutoBoot mode, it monitors the programs you
run. If a program does not return after exit for any reason, it
can be AutoBooted. For example, if you start a program, and it
is terminated do to a power outage, the program will run when
the power is restored.
- Save Message : The configuration system has been updated to
automatically prompt you for confirmation on exit from each
area if updates were made and changes were not saved.
- Banner Message : Users may now configure the banner message.
Unfortunately, the complete rewrite of the configuration system
lead to a few bugs sneaking in. They have been *properly* dealt
with :
Bugs : - The "Shadow" bug is fixed.
- The "Prompt" bug is fixed.
- The "Drive" bug is fixed.
- The "Blank" bug is fixed.
Version 2.6
o Colors : Users may now define their own colors to be used in
the menu system.
o Pause : Users now have the option to have programs pause
after they execute.
o Usage Log : The Mini Log has been re-written. It now
displays it's information in a much more useable fashion.
o Screen Blanking : A key toggle (along with automatic screen
blanking) has been installed for immediate screen blanking.
o Configuration Program : Approximately 7000 lines of the
configuration program has been re-written. It is now cleaner
and faster.
o Help Screens : All of the help screens have been re-written
and re-formatted.
o Documentation : This documentation file has been re-
formatted, as well as updated to reflect all program changes.
Version 2.5
- Color : The colors have been changed once again, and will
now remain until full color configuration is made available.
- Blanking : Screen blanking has been changed. Instead of the
former manual toggle, the program will now automatically
blank the screen after three minutes of keyboard inactivity.
When it blanks the screen, it displays a message. This
message is rotated between two locations, once every minute.
In this manner there is no chance for screen burn in.
- Log : A small, "Mini-Log" has been added to the program. It
creates a small file named MINILOG.TXT, which can be
displayed by entering TYPE MINILOG.TXT at the DOS prompt.
- Passwords : Password entry from the menu program has been
changed. In order to provide maximum security, there will
be absolutely NO keyboard echo when the password is
entered.
- Toggles : Most of the additions made modify the
configuration file MENUS.CFG. However, they can also be
turned on or off from inside the menu system.
- Functions : The functions from the menu system have been
changed from numeric (1, 2, 3...) to function keys (F1, F2,
F3...).
- Bugs : Somehow, <grin>, the last version was surprisingly
clean. About three weeks after it's release I found a small
bug in the configuration program. When defining a program,
entering anything other than a path (ie. C:\) when asked for
the path would give a system error (but the program wouldn't
crash). This is now fixed.
Version 2.4 :
o Color Configuration: The user may now select a toggle for
either color, or mono screens.
o Users may now define their favorite Text Editor, or use
the Turbo Editor as the default.
o The configuration program has been added as an option from
the function menu.
o Each individual program may now have it's own 5 character
password.
o When attempting to save a file in the configuration
program, a screen is displayed containing the status of the
save (success / fail, etc).
o Improved AutoExecution area. This area has been completely
redone. Additionally, it has been moved into the
configuration program to allow proper editing functions. It
now allows not only data import, but also customization.
o Parameters have also been completely restructured. Rather
than just having the previous options of Yes or No, with
Yes allowing you to enter parameters at run time, you now
have three options. No, Fly (like the Yes option before),
and Set. The Set option allows you to predefine parameters
to use with a specific program.
o Help screens. The help screens have been updated, so as to
be useful white the new version. Additional help screens
have been added.
o The notepad has been modified. It now has an ESCape
command that lets you exit without updating it's file,
NOTE.PAD.
o Bugs Department.
1) You may now hit ESC to escape from any editing sequence.
2) High Noon. The clock has been fixed to read 12:00 pm at
noon, rather than 0:00 pm.
3) Root directory. Previously, if you entered the root
directory as the path for a program, and than entered an
invalid file name, the program would show you a blank list
of files in the root directory. This has been corrected.
4) Floppies. Previously, when you designated drive A or B as
the path to the program, IAMS would search the floppy
drives. This meant that 1) IAMS crashed if no floppy is
in the drive, or 2) It requires the user to insert each
and every floppy disk... This has likewise been corrected.
Version 2.31:
o Applications - Instant Access will now auto-execute any
of your configured programs at any time and date. There is
also an option to execute a program every day.
o File Validation - The file validation featured added in
version 2.1 and updated in 2.2 has been updated for the new
data files. In addition, it now includes program and path
verification.
o Command Line - You may now send command line arguments
(switches parameters) to any defined application.
o Configuration - The configuration program has been
updated, to including better online help, and a more usable
interface. It has also been modified to work with the new
data files.
o File Conversion - A utility has been included to
automatically convert data files from version 2.0, 2.1 and
2.2 to 2.3.
o DOS - The configuration program now checks to make sure
that DOS 2.0 or higher is installed, and refuses to run if
it isn't.
Version 2.2:
o Applications - Instant Access has increased program
capacity by 400%. The program will now run any 400
applications or commands that the user defines, while still
maintaining a simple interface.
o File Validation - The file validation featured added in
version 2.1 has been updated for the new data files. It also
now generates INSTANT.BAT automatically.
o Configuration - The configuration program has been
updated, including better online help, and a more usable
interface. It has also been modified to work with the new
data files.
o File Conversion - A utility has been included to
automatically convert data files from version 2.0, 2.1 to
2.2.
Version 2.1 :
o File Validation - This newest addition to the
configuration program will create all necessary data files
to run Instant Access, rather then require the user to save
each sub-menu, configured or not.
o Passwords -If a password was left blank during configuration
configuration, the user will no longer be prompted to hit
return.
o Interface - The user interface for Instant Access has been
"modernized". The new look is not only more attractive,
but is actually faster.
o Real time clock - In the upper right hand corner, users
will find a real time clock updated by the second.
o Documentation - This documentation file was modified to
reflect the changes in the program.