The Menu Entry program allows you to create and edit the previously mentioned file called GNF used by Menu Maker, also found on this disk. You can think of this program, Menu Entry, as a program that does little else beyond make it easy to create the GNF file needed by Menu Maker 64/128.
This file contains the information needed to load and run programs. Another unique function of this program is complete support for Creative Micro Design hard drives. On the various CMD hard drives and the 1581 you can switch partitions. Those same drive also offer the following partitions: 1541, 1571, 1581, native, and native subdirectories.
From the main menu of the program, you'll see the following entries:
1 - Load G.N.F. file.
2 - Save G.N.F. file.
3 - Enter Titles.
4 - Add Titles.
5 - Edit/Delete Titles.
6 - View G.N.F. file.
7 - View Directory
8 - Change Active Drive.
9 - DOS Commands
0 - Partition Toggle
F1- End.
Displayed to the right of the main Menu are the number of titles in memory, drive number currently being used, directory name of the current directory, and the device type (1541/1571/1581/NATV), as shown above. Here's a rundown on each menu option:
Load G.N.F.: This prompts you if you wish to load the G.N.F. file on disk. If you do wish to load it, you will be returned to the main menu.
Save G.N.F.: Use to save the G.N.F. file in memory. If you do wish to save it, the program returns to the main menu.
Enter Titles: This option is used when you first start a G.N.F. file for that disk and partition. Upon selecting this option, you're presented with the following:
1 - Enter titles using keyboard.
2 - Enter titles using directory.
3 - Return to main menu.
Option 1: Here the program first asks how many entries you would like to enter. After you have entered this information, the program asks certain information about each entry. These include description, filename, if a (,1) is needed, whether it's activated with a RUN or SYS and if it's within a partition. Let's look at each of these in detail.
Description: This is a short description of the program, usually 5 to 25 characters.
Filename: This is the name of the program as found on the directory.
The (,1) question: Use a "1" to designate that the file should be loaded with the ",8,1" extension (usually machine language programs). Use a 0 to designate that the file should be loaded with a ",8".
RUN/SYS: Enter R or RUN to just load and RUN the program. Enter SYS xxxxx to load and start the program with the appropriate SYS command.
Partition: You can press return for no partition, which would reflect you're using the 1541/1571. This means that the directory from where the program is being loaded does not have to change. Or you can enter the path commands to the appropriate subdirectory on the 1581 or CMD hard drives.
Option 2: This option allows you to enter titles by using filenames on the directory. Only program files will be listed. You will be asked if you wish to add the file or not. If you do, you're prompted to enter the description, a 0 or 1, a RUN or SYS xxxxx, and finally a partition command for hard drives.
You're then asked if the information entered is correct. If it is, you're prompted to enter any more titles from the directory or quit to the main menu. When you've entered the information and returned to the main menu, be sure to select Option 2 to save the G.N.F. file to disk.
Add Titles:
As its name implies, this option is used to add titles to an already existing GNF file or to the computer'smemory. The first prompt asks if you wish to (1) add titles to an existing GNF file on disk, (2) add titles to a file in memory or (3) return to the main menu.
If you select option (1), you will be asked to insert the appropriate disk and then if you would like to add titles using the keyboard or the directory. If you select option (2), you will be asked if you would like to add titles using the keyboard or the directory. Then just follow the same instructions as detailed in Enter Titles.
Edit/Delete Titles: This option presents the following choices:
1 - Edit/Sort/Delete by Description.
2 - Edit/Sort/Delete by Filename.
3 - Return to main menu.
Option 1 & 2: The screen appears with the titles named by Description or Filename, depending on which option you chose. From here you can delete, edit, or sort the titles into any order that you wish. Press F7 for a list of the commands that can be used in this section of the program. F7 is the help screen.
Option 3: Returns to the main menu.
View GNF: The following options are available here:
1 - Disk File.
2 - Memory.
3 - Return to main Memory.
Option 1: This allows you to view the contents of the GNF file on the current directory. Selecting this option clears the contents of memory.
Option 2: Allows you to view the contents of memory.
Option 3: Selecting this option returns to the main menu.
You will also be asked if you wish to print the contents of the G.N.F. file (disk or memory) to the printer. If you do not wish to print them, they will be displayed to the screen.
View Directory: Displays the current directory. Press Q if you wish to abort from the directory listing, or press the spacebar to pause.
Change Active Drive: This is only useful if you have more than one drive. The program checks to make sure that the drive selected is present. If the drive selected is not present the program remains on the current drive.
DOS commands: This option sends DOS commands. You can use the pound sign as a seperator between commands.
Partition Toggle: This allows you to enter in partition information for the 1581 and CMD devices for the purpose of entering or adding titles to the data file. The program automatically puts this partition information into an entry. Press 1 to toggle it on, 2 to toggle it off, and 3 to return to the main menu. The Partition Toggle is off when the program is loaded.
To enter the partition information, you must choose option 9 (DOS commands) from the main menu. Enter your DOS command and the program performs the commands and retains the information for the Entering/Adding titles area. If you do not want the partition information for an entry, just delete the automatically entered partition information and replace it with the information you want.
End: Quits the program. The program will reset the computer.
This section contains commands that can be used in the partition part of an entry. '!' will replace the usage of the pound symbol of the 64 keyboard. The pound symbol is normally located between the '-' and 'clr/home' keys. The pound symbol will be used to seperate commands. '<-' will replace the usage of the left-arrow located in the upper-left corner of the keyboard.
1581 Commands: A '/' used alone will take the 1581 back to the root directory. Entering '/partition' will take you to that partition of the 1581 from the current directory. More examples include the following:
'/' This returns to the root directory.
'/!/part1' Accesses the root directory, and then the partition called 'part1' of the current directory.
Here's some examples of CMD hard drive commands:
'CP1': This will take you to partition 1 of the hard disk.
'CP1!CD<-': Accesses partition 1 of a hard disk and resets the root directory as the current directory.
'CP1!CD//SUB1': Accesses partition 1 of the hard disk, and then switches to the sub-directory called 'sub1'.
You can also mix commands as follows:
'CP4!/!/SUB1': This would switch to partition 4 of the hard disk, which is a 1581-style partition, then go to the root of the 1581 directory, and then switch to the partition called 'sub1'. You can not perform this function with a 1581.
