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-= Manual for Xtractor, version 1.02 =-
-= UK/American version =-
March 1996
See README.SWE for the Swedish version.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
SECTION 1: Introduction
SECTION 2: Installation notes
SECTION 3: Starting the shell/batchfile
SECTION 4: In-depth description of features (read this!)
SECTION 5: The text- and batchfile pair
SECTION 6: Some final words...
SECTION 1 : Introduction
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Thanks for uploading the Xtractor! Xtractor is a combined menue shell and
batchenhancer especially designed for making installation of archived progs
from CDROM easier. For each new CDROM distribution, you will need to make a
new batch & textfile pair (see below for details).
I'm releasing Xtractor as UGLYWARE (same as freeware but uglier), which means
that you don't have to feel guilty for using the program. I think it's a bad
trend that amateurs like me, to a greater extent, charges for their SMALL
programs. Long live freeware!
! Here is one for all you americans out there. I think you're great, but you
! do have a tendency to sue anybody for anything. I DON'T TAKE ANY RESPONS-
! ABILITY WHATSOEVER IF THE XTRACTOR MESSES UP YER COMPUTER. FURTHERMORE, I
! DON'T TAKE ANY RESPONSABILITY IF THE XTRACTOR IS USED IN ILLEGAL PURPOSES,
! LIKE INSTALLING PROGS FROM A PIRATE WAREZ CD.
The Xtractor package consists of six files: X.BAT (launches the main prog),
XPROG.EXE (the main prog), README.SWE (Swedish manual), README.ENG (this
file) and the example files FOOBAR.TXT and FOOBAR.BAT.
SECTION 2: Installation notes
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Installation requires the 3 following steps (A-C):
A) Increase environment space to 1K
Since Xtractor takes advantage of the environmental space, you will
probably need to increase this to at least 512 bytes (depends on yer
current config). The environment is by default defined to 256 bytes of the
conventional memory. To increase this value, do the following:
* make a boot diskette in case you mess up.
* Write 'SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1024 /P' in Config.sys. This will
increase the environment to 1 k.
Comment: Having a 'large' environment can be very useful if you write yer
own batchfiles. Besides, increasing the size with 256+ bytes is a drop in
the cean compared to what some drivers does for your system.
B) Copy all the Xtractor files to some directory in your PATH
C) Edit X.BAT
To make sure the menue shell can locate the textfile (ex FOOBAR.TXT) where-
ever you are in the directory structure, you need to edit X.BAT. Start an
editor, open X.bat and edit the line AFTER the label RESTART. Here's where:
<snip>
:RESTART
REM ** Add a ChDir to the line below. Example: 'CD C:\XTRACTOR' **
REM CD C:\XTRACTOR
<snip>
Instead of the directory C:\XTRACTOR, add the directory where you chose to
install the files. Also, don't forget to remove the REMark. ;-)
Windows 95 tip:
---------------
Don't worry, the Xtractor works fine with Windows95. Here's a tip though:
Create a shortcut to X.BAT, and add a '?' after the command line (ex
'C:\DOSUTILS\X.BAT ?'. When starting X, you will be prompted for a parameter,
ie the textfile. Also, choose 'terminate after completion' and write 'Input
textfile...' in the topmost field.
SECTION 3: Starting the shell/batchfile
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
You can launch the menue shell in two ways; in Windows or DOS. In Windows just
doubleclick on X.BAT and load the name of the textfile (see tip above). In
DOS, you can start it by writing 'X txtfile' (ex 'X FOOBAR.TXT').
There are two ways to launch the batch procedures. First, you can use the
menue shell and launch an installation procedure simply by pressing <enter>.
Second, you can launch the batchfile by calling it directly from the prompt,
ie 'FOOBAR progname'. If the batchfile is constructed well, it should provide
information about syntax and a list of all the available programs, when it
lacks a command line argument.
SECTION 4: In-depth description of features (read this!)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The Xtractor package provides two main features, the menue shell and the batch
enhancer.
The menue shell
---------------
X-BAT launches the menue shell. If the first argument is either 'HELP' or '?'
syntax information is shown, otherwise the argument is supposed to be a text-
file. Example: 'X ?' or 'X Foobar.txt'. If no argument is given, a default txt-
file called X.txt will be created and launched. In the menue shell you can:
1) (L)oad - Load new textfiles.
2) (S)ort - Sort the database contents.
3) E(X)tract - Installs marked program. You can also use <enter>.
4) (O)ptions - Customizes the menue shell (colors).
5) (I)nfo - shows general information.
The menue shell is terminated by pressing <esc> or 'Q'.
The batch enhancer
------------------
The batch enhancer features are adressed through XPROG.EXE. In your batch
installer file, call the features with 'XPROG command', where available
commands are:
HELP or ? - shows syntax and all available commands.
CDDRV - returns the first CDROM drive letter in the environmental var-
iable CDDRV. All variables can be accessed in your batch file
by putting a % before and after the variable.
CDVOL - returns CD label in the variable CDVOL.
ANSI - tests whether ANSI driver is loaded, then returns 'YES' or
'NO' in variable ANSI.
WIN - tests if Windows is loaded, then returns 'YES' or 'NO' in the
variable WIN.
MSCDEX - tests if MSCDEX is loaded, then returns 'YES' or 'NO' in the
variable MSCDEX. This is useful if ya want to do an emulation.
PUSHDIR - saves the current directory.
POPDIR - restores the 'current' directory previously saved.
ASKDIR - asks for an install directory, returns answer in variable DIR.
ASKKEY [S] - writes string S, then prompts for key input. Response is given
in variable KEY.
ASKSTR [S] - writes string S, prompts for string input and returns response
environmental variable STR.
MAKEDIR D - creates (multiple-level) directory structures
Examples of use:
XPROG CDVOL
IF NOT %CDVOL%=="My progs" ECHO This is the NOT the correct CD!
XPROG ASKDIR
MAKEDIR %DIR%
SECTION 5 : The text- and batchfile pair
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The Xtractor provides some of the TOOLS you need to make an efficient and
easy-to-use install program. You will however, need to put some effort into
making a good text- and batchfile pair, which is used by the Xtractor shell.
The batchfile has to have the SAME NAME as the information file, but with
different extensions (ofcourse). Examples are FOOBAR.BAT and FOOBAR.NFO. Note
that the information file does not have to have the TXT extension.
The (information) textfile
--------------------------
The info-file should have the following structure (number in brackets denote
character length):
BatchID (12) Category (17) Description (39)
------------ ----------------- --------------------------------------
Example:
<snip>
Dosgame#1 Game (Strategy) Tic-Tac-Toe, (c)NeverNever Productions
Dosgame#2 Game (Action) Big Heffer, (c) Playboy Interactive
Winapp#1 Win95 application Golf Ball Manager, (c) Humpty Inc
. . .
. . .
. . .
<snip>
Observe that there are two spaces between each part. If a