Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/UTILS2/OSBS.ZIP/OSBS.DOC

Text File | 1994-01-26 | 19KB | 325 lines

            ONE STOP BOOT SHOP: Documentation.  (c)1994 Jim Neill
                    This is version 1.0 Released 1/24/94
   ========================================================================

ABOUT:

   The ONE-STOP-BOOT-SHOP (OSBS) is a multiple boot sequencer for MS-DOS
computers. It will allow you to set up to 256 boot sequences, each with a
non-DOS limited name (meaning more than eight characters). These sequences
(AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS) will be saved to a data file in your DOS
directory on drive C:. This will keep you from having 256 sets of
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files scattered about your hard drive. Once set
up, you can reboot with any saved configuration by typing "OSBS" at a DOS
prompt. OSBS also includes an uninstall program so you can remove all OSBS
files, and restore your origional boot configuration.

DISCLAIMER:

   All programs included in this package are not warrantied in any way, shape
or form. They have been tested, and to the best of my knowledge contain no
bugs. But, I will be in no way held responsible for any damage to hardware or
software, whether directly or indirectly caused by this software. I also take
no responsibility for damage, even if I have been made aware of the possibil-
ity of it happening. Putting it simply, you use these programs at your own
risk.

SHAREWARE NOTICE:

   The OSBS is SHAREWARE. This means, you may try it for 30 days. After which,
if you do not intent to register it, you must delete it from your computer.
The cost of registration is $10 US. If you cannot afford to register it, then
please send me a letter stating what you thought of the program. I am not
heartless, nor am I rich. I know times are tough, so I don't expect miracles.
I will give free or reduced registrations to persons that I feel have a viable
reason for not registering. You must contact me to recieve this type of regis-
tration, it is NOT automatic!!
   The following persons or organizational groups will automatically recieve
free registration once contacting me: Any church or charity group, any non
profit organization, persons under the age of 17 that send a photocopy of
their latest school report card with a 3.0 or higher G.P.A., anyone that sends
me a registered copy of any program that they wrote or any active duty US
military personel or persons that are Veterans of any US war. The President
and Vice President may also recieve a free copy of the program.
   When sending in for regular registration, please fill out the enclosed
order form and send a check (drawn on a US bank), US money order, or cash for
$10 to:                                  James M. Neill
                                         OSBS Registration
                                         213 Merriwood Drive
                                         Oakdale, PA  15071   USA

   When applying for free or reduced registration, please fill out the encl-
osed order form, and the enclosed application for free or reduced registration
(AFFORR.FRM). If you were approved for free registration, you will recieve
notification of such in the mail. If you were denied or approved for reduced
registration, you will recieve notification of such in the mail.
Send forms to:                           James M. Neill
                                         OSBS AFFORR Application
                                         213 Merriwood Drive
                                         Oakdale, PA  15071   USA

   Please do not abuse the reduced or free registration. It is there for
persons or groups that were willing to put forth an extra effort that deserves
recognition. If you do not qualify for the AFFORR, don't forget that it still
is only $10 for legal registration! Not too much to ask, I think.

REQUIREMENTS:

   OSBS requires an IBM compatable computer running with a hard drive. You
must have DOS installed on drive C:. I don't know whether it will work with
types of DOS other than MS-DOS. I am running MS-DOS v. 6.2, and I haven't
tried it with other types of DOS. There are no external DOS calls, so it
should work with any version of MS-DOS 3+. If you have trouble running it on
any version, let me know. Also, if it works for you, and your not using MS-DOS
let me know.
   OSBS can be accessing up to 6 files at once, so if you have problems that
suggest that you are accessing too many programs at once, raise your FILES=n
in your CONFIG.SYS.

DISTRIBUTION:

   Distribution of this program is allowed by any means possible. You may not
charge anything for this program, other than a small fee (under $5) for the
cost of the media. This program may be included on any SHAREWARE CDROM. Though
not required, I do ask if you intend to distribute it on CD or by mass produc-
tion, you let me know(I like to see my name in lights, but I have to know
where to look!).

INSTALLATION:

    To install the program, you must have the following files:  OSBS.EXE,
OSBSSET.EXE, OSBSADD.EXE, OSBSUPDT.EXE, OSBSDEL.EXE, OSBSREM.EXE,
OSBSCURR.EXE, REBOOT.COM, README.1ST, OSBS.DOC (your reading it!), ORDER.FRM,
and AFFORR.FRM. If you distribute this program, all of these programs MUST be
present in the archive or on the disk. If there is not an install.bat included
with the program, then follow these steps to complete the installation:

Type>   COPY *.EXE C:\DOS
Type>   COPY REBOOT.COM C:\DOS

   This will ensure all of the vital files are in your PATH. You may run into
problems if these files are placed in another directory that is still in your
PATH. it is recommended that they are placed in DOS, on drive C:. The doc
files and frm files can be in any directory.
   Be sure to make a system disk before continuing!! To do this, put a blank
disk in drive A: or B:. Then type>  FORMAT A: /U /S  This will format the
disk, and put the system files on that disk. This way, you should have a safe
backup route if things go wrong. Be sure to store this disk in a safe place.

Type>   OSBSSET

   Doing this will bring up the set up program for OSBS. Just follow the
prompts to initialize the program. Your current CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files will be added to the OSBS.DAT file that will be created in your C:\DOS
directory. The OSBS.DAT file can be edited by any text editor. Be sure that if
you edit the file, you read the below section entitled: ABOUT THE OSBS.DAT
FILE.

   Now the program is initialized. You have several options now. There are two
ways that you can add more sequences to your data file. The first way is to
run the OSBSADD program. For details on using this program, see the USING THE
OSBSADD PROGRAM. The second way is to edit your files now, just as you norm-
ally would. If you are totally rewriting the files, this is the recommended
procedure. Just rewrite the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files, get them run-
ning to the way you want (If your running a program such as MEMMAKER, be sure
to run it before updating the OSBS.DAT file!), and then run the OSBSCURR file.
Using this program is explained below.

THE OSBSADD PROGRAM:

   The OSBSADD program is a text editor specifically designed for editing your
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files at once. To run it, simply type> OSBSADD at
the DOS prompt. The program will then come up with your current CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files. Now, you should edit them to your likings. This editor
should be used when doing minor edits or adding and removing small amounts of
data. The editor works just like DOS's EDIT program. The pull down menu in-
cludes a cut, copy and paste clipboard for doing several startup sequences.
I will not go into detail about how to edit files. You should have a general
knowledge on editing your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, anyway. If you
aren't sure how to edit them, see your DOS manual or get some help. Be care-
ful, if you mess up these two files, you can severely cripple your computer's
performance. A mouse is recommended for this program. If you do not have a
mouse, the TAB key will cycle through the options on the screen. It will be
assumed that you do have a mouse.
   Clicking on the SAVE button will prompt you for a name for the current boot
sequence. You can give a name up to 40 characters, but it is recommended keep-
ing it under 20. Type in the sequence name, and click on OK. An example would
be, if you set a configuration to be optimized for Windows, you could give it
the name WINDOWS BOOT. After selecting OK, the files will be saved to the
OSBS.DAT file. Then, when you run OSBS, you can just select WINDOWS BOOT, and
the computer will reboot with that configuration.
   Clicking the RESET button will reload the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files
that were active in the system when you ran OSBSADD. This is good if you
wanted to make a good part of the origional files the same on a bunch of
configurations. The pull down menu, accessable with the mouse or by pushing
the ALT key, include all of the above mentioned commands, and the edit func-
tions such as EDIT, CUT and PASTE.
   Clicking on the QUIT button will exit the OSBSADD program. If you have not
saved your latest edit, you will loose all of it's contents.

THE OSBSCURR PROGRAM:

   The OSBSCURR program is a command line program for adding the configuration
you are currently using. If you are using a program such as memmaker or QEMM,
this is the recommended method for adding files. First, edit the configuration
files to your liking. Then run OSBSCURR to add them to your data file. If you
wanted to add the current sequence and call it WINDOWS BOOT, you would type>
OSBSCURR "WINDOWS BOOT". Be sure to enclose the name in quotes. That way, you
can have spaces in the name. If you do not include quotes, the first and last
character of the string will still be removed, so be sure to include them!
   After doing that, your data file is updated, and you are set. You are now
ready to run the OSBS program!

THE OSBS PROGRAM:

   The heart of OSBS, is the OSBS program itself. To use it, simply type OSBS
and press enter. You will be presented with a list of choices to select for
your boot sequence. You can use a mouse, or the arrow keys to highlight the
choice you want, then click on OK, or press ENTER. Your computer will then
update your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, and reboot. If your computer
appears to lock up, then press CTRL-ALT-DEL. This will reboot your computer
and initiate the new boot sequence.

ABOUT THE OSBS.DAT FILE:

   The OSBS.DAT file is created when you run OSBSSET. It contains all of the
information for your boot sequences. The can be edited with any text editor.
If you do edit it, be careful, because unpredictable results can occur if you
mess up this file! Including not being able to UNINSTALL the program!!
   I will break the file format down for you now. The first line of this file
contains the files ID string, telling you that this is the data file, and you
should not delete it! After that line, will be your origional boot sequence.
All sequences are setup the same way. They are specified as a different seq-
uence by the CHR$ 244 (looks like Noah's staff). Directly after this character
should be the name of the boot sequence, such as ORIGIONAL BOOT.
   The next line should be the CHR$ 243 (a less than sign with a line under
it). This specifies the start of the CONFIG.SYS data. You will then find the
main data for the CONFIG.SYS file. This is where you can edit a specific part
of the file.
   After the CONFIG.SYS data, will be another CHR$ 243. This tells OSBS that
the CONFIG.SYS is over, and the AUTOEXEC.BAT is starting. Just as above, the
AUTOEXEC.BAT data will be next.
   After the AUTOEXEC.BAT data will be... yep, you guessed it! Another CHR$
243. This tells OSBS that the AUTOEXEC.BAT is finished. You can follow this
sequence to manually add up to 256 different configurations. Remember to
follow this sequence!!!!
      CHR$ 244 + [Name of sequence]
      CHR$ 243
      [CONFIG.SYS data]
      CHR$ 243
      [AUTOEXEC.BAT data]
      CHR$ 243
   If you follow this format, you should have no problems. If there are blank
lines, they will be ignored by OSBS.

ABOUT THE OSBSUPDT PROGRAM:

   Now that your boot up sequences are up and running, you may have to make
some adjustments. Let's say for example, you move Windows from C:\WINDOWS to
D:\WINDOWS. Well, you could start all over, redoing all of your startup seq-
uences, or you could use OSBSUPDT. This command line program will take a
string you designate, and replace it with another string you specify. Like
with our example of moving Windows. You would type>  OSBSUPDT "C:\WINDOWS"
"D:\WINDOWS". The program will then go through your data file, finding any
reference to C:\WINDOWS, and replacing it with D:\WINDOWS. Note that the
strings can be any case (upper or lower), but have to be EXACT in text. That
means if you typed C:\_WINDOWS, with a space, it would pass up C:\WINDOWS! Be
sure to be careful when typing. And be sure to include the quotations!
   Another feature of OSBSUPDT is the /V switch, which will verify the exist-
ance of the string you are searching for. If it comes up with more than 0
occurances found, you know you typed it right! When using this switch, no
files will actually be edited. So it is safe to use it for testing purposes.

ABOUT THE OSBSDEL PROGRAM:

   Ok. Your OSBS is set up great! It's running fine, but you find that you
went overboard with the boot sequences. So, you want to get rid of a select
few. Well, enter OSBSDEL! This program will bring up a select box that con-
tains a list of all of your boot sequences, and let you pick one. After sel-
ecting one, it will be removed from the data files, so be sure you know which
one you want ot delete! OSBSDEL is set up the same way as OSBS is, so select-
ing the file should be familiar to you by now.

ABOUT THE OSBSREM PROGRAM:

   Now, there may come a time that you have to totally start over with your
configurations. Maybe you are having some serious problems, or you added a
hardware component that will make it easier just to restart OSBS. The OSBSREM
program takes care of that for you. Basically, it will UNINSTALL all of the
program files, and restore the origional CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files you
had when you first ran OSBSSET. Remember, that after running this, all files
pertaining to OSBS will be deleted. Including the EXE files! After running
this, you must reinstall the program as if you had just got it. You should use
this program if you have had OSBS for thirty days, and do not intend on regis-
tering it. Just type> OSBSREM at the DOS prompt, and answer YES to the prompt.
After that, it is too late to stop it, so be sure you want to do it!

   Well, hopefully you have no problems getting OSBS up and running. I know
there are alot of EXE files, but I thought it would be simpler to have them
all seperate, than to having a single file with 500 command line switches!
Once up and running, OSBS should definately make life with programs requiring
different setups easier. If you are having problems with OSBS, feel free to
write to me. I will try my best to help you work out any problems you are
having!

NOTES:

   Some info that you may find to be useful. First off, let me say that the
best way to edit a file that already exists is to use a text editor. I would
have included one, or changed OSBSADD to edit existing files, but I had about
4 other projects that had been side tracked for this program, and since DOS 5
and up came with a good editor, well... you get the picture.
   Anyway, the other way to edit an existing sequence would be to run OSBS,
selecting the sequence you want to edit. Then edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CON-
FIG.SYS files the way you want them. Next, run OSBSCURR to add the files to
your data file. Finally, run OSBSDEL to delete the old file sequence you have
just updated. Remember, all sequences are listed in the order you made them.

   Also, you may have noticed that OSBS will not allow you to edit your or-
igional boot sequence. OSBSUPDT will  skip right over it. That is for safety's
sake. Don't worry, you can still edit them with a regular text editor.

   As said before, it is important to put all of your EXE files, REBOOT.COM,
and of course your OSBS.DAT file in DOS (OSBS.DAT is created in that direct-
ory, and OSBS will not recognize it in any other drive). If you are thinking
of putting the EXE files somewhere else, go ahead. But remember, ALL of your
boot sequences have to include the directory that contains these files. OSBS
doesn't do a hunt and search for files. If there not where they are supposed
to be, well.. you guess what happens! The only file that is EXPECTED to be in
a particular directory is OSBS.DAT in C:\DOS.

   To clear up some info on OSBSUPDT. This program only works with an entire
line of your configuration. And, as said before, it has to be exact. Do to the
wide range of CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT contents, this limitation is the
only SAFE alternative I could think of. If you have an idea on accessing the
files in a safe manor, let me know!

   A little misunderstanding one of my BETA testers had. The reference to EDIT
in OSBSADD refers to editing a new configuration, not an existing one! Sorry
for any confusion.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMMER:

   Well, now is the part I get to brag! Yea! Seriously, I have been program-
ming for about 13 years. I have done programming in QB45, Visual Basic for DOS
(these programs were written with VBDOS and some assembly routines), Visual
Basic for Windows (the best program on the market!!), and a little bit of C++.
   If you are interested in hiring me, please write. I am planning on going to
school to learn some advanced programming. I am willing to move for a decent
job (not so much tons of money, but one I would enjoy!). I would also be will-
ing to write programs for small businesses. If you are interested in having a
program written for you, please contact me at the above address.

THANKS, HELLOS and GREETS GO TO:

   My beta testers: Larry Harris, Bill Flucker, Tom Neill, Jim Neill (my dad!)
Thanks and/or hello to : John Eckenrode, Gary Limburht, John McMahon, Kristen
Neill, MOM and DAD, Tommy, Brian, Tom and Dee Ferris (I miss you!), Mike Dixon
and family, Ken Manecki, Bobby Moore, Nhan McChesney (If you read this, drop
me a line at the address above!), the guys at Metallica, Testament, and Over
Kill (for keeping me sane while programming!), and The Big Guy upstairs!
   Sorry if I forgot anyone! I'll get ya on the next one!

THE END! (I bet you're glad to see that!!)