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Text File | 1996-12-23 | 16KB | 417 lines

             ┌──────────────────────────────┐
             │ AlacartE (TM) - Version 4.20 │
             └──────────────────────────────┘
              (C)Copyright SHANIT Australia


                  TABLE OF CONTENTS

              1.  INTRODUCTION
              2.  SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
              3.  INSTALLATION
              4.  OPERATION
              5.  SETUP
              6.  HINTS AND SPECIAL FEATURES
              7.  USING THE MOUSE
              8.  COLOURS SETTING
              9.  ALADOSKEY
             10.  LICENSE SUPPORT AND DISTRIBUTION


 1.  INTRODUCTION

 AlacartE (TM) is a user configurable  menu system,  for
 the IBM PCs, IBM PS/2s and clones,  operating under IBM
 DOS, MS-DOS, DR-DOS, Microsoft Windows and Windows95.

 The AlacartE menu system  provides a friendly,  easy to
 set and operate interface into the DOS environment. For
 the novice user  a preset menu  will improve efficiency
 of the  PC day to day  operation,  by avoiding the need
 for a time consuming navigation through DOS directories
 in order to invoke various commands. The  advanced user
 will benefit  through  the  fewer key strokes  that the
 menu system requires,  in order  to achieve  repetitive
 operations, eg. backups, prints, etc. A preset AlacartE
 menu  may be utilized as a friendly front cover  to any
 software package,  or  merely  as  an aid  for software
 distribution.  The AlacartE Setup named ALASETUP.EXE is
 a stand alone utility that may be removed from the disk
 ensuring that the preset menu is not alterable.

 Any option activated from the AlacartE menu,  will have
 no further  memory constraints,  as  AlacartE  does not
 remain resident during programs execution.   This means
 that the activated option operates exactly as if it was
 started from the  DOS prompt,  making use of the entire
 available memory space.



 2.  SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

  * IBM PC-DOS or MS-DOS version 2.1 or higher.

  * IBM PC  or  true compatible machine  using any off :
     8086, 8088, 80286, 80386 or 80486 processors.

  * Monitor - monochrome, or preferably a colour monitor
     CGA, EGA, VGA or Super VGA with adapter.

  * Hard disk installation occupies approximately 300 Kb
     on the hard disk,  (120 Kb  ONLY!  if the  Setup and
     the User Manual are excluded from installation).

  * Mouse is optional.



 3.  INSTALLATION

 Copy all files on the distribution diskette to the hard
 disk, preferably to a subdirectory.

 For example,  presuming a subdirectory called AE on the
 C: drive is allocated to this installation:

 * Create the subdirectory first :

   C:\>MD AE<Enter>

 * Copy  files  to  subdirectory :

   C:\>COPY A:*.* C:\AE<Enter>


 * To start AlacartE  automatically on switch-on, insert
   the following lines  at the end of  the  AUTOEXEC.BAT
   file found in the bootable disk root directory :

   CD\AE
   A


 The following is a list of the distribution files:

 File name       Function
 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────

 A.BAT        -  AlacartE startup batch file.
 ALACARTE.EXE -  AlacartE menu system executable file.
 ALASETUP.EXE -  AlacartE Setup utility executable file.
 ALACARTE.HLP -  AlacartE help file.
 ALASETUP.HLP -  AlacartE Setup utility help file.
 ALACARTE.CNF -  AlacartE example configuration file.
 ALASCRSV.EXE -  AlacartE Screen saver default utility.
 ALASPACE.EXE -  AlacartE Screen saver second option.
 ALAUREAD.TXT -  AlacartE User manual - Help file.


 4.  OPERATION

 AlacartE is run  with  the simple command:  "A<Enter>".
 This command  may be  inserted  as the last line in the
 AUTOEXEC.BAT  file of the bootable disk root directory,
 such that  AlacartE  is automatically run  on start-up.

 <F1> is the Help key.  Help is provided at any stage of
 operation.  The help window position is controllable by
 press and hold the <Shift> key while striking  an arrow
 key, or by clicking the left mouse button on the arrows
 displayed on the bottom line of the screen.

 The screen's bottom line  is continuously updated  with
 the active keys. Navigation through the menu options is
 achieved by striking the arrow keys.    Fast horizontal
 moves may be achieved by press - hold  <Shift> or <Alt>
 key,  and pressing a horizontal menu "hot-key".

 Activation  of a pre-defined option  is achieved either
 by selecting the option first  and  then invoking it by
 pressing the <Enter> key,   or by striking the relevant
 pre-assigned "hot-key" from the current vertical menu.


 To quit AlacartE  - either press <Esc>  or press - hold
 the <Shift> or <Alt> key and press the <Q> key.
 Alternatively select the "Quit" option first, using the
 arrow keys, then press the <Enter> key.  Confirm 'Quit'
 by pressing the <Y> key.


 5.  SETUP

 The  <F2>  key is a "hot key" that switches to and from
 AlacartE menu and AlacartE set-up mode.   The <F10> key
 serves as Save/Continue key.    During operation of the
 Setup utility  the current relevant set-up is displayed
 and confirmation is required prior to save.    While in
 Setup,  pressing the  <F2>  key will switch to AlacartE
 menu.   Please note that if the  <F2>  key  is pressed,
 prior to  <F10>-Continue,  the latest changes that were
 not confirmed will be discarded and lost.

 The horizontal menu may contain up to  NINE  categories
 each calling up to  TEN  "commands" that are preset and
 called via pull-down vertical menus.   Any alphanumeric
 character of the horizontal option title  may be set as
 a "hot-key".

 Please note,  due to limited space  in a single line of
 your monitor, the warning: "Too many characters..." may
 appear on your screen, while configuring the horizontal
 menu titles.  A change in the field's background colour
 serves as an indication of such warning. In this event,
 abbreviate the horizontal menu titles until the warning
 disappears.

 The  vertical menus  may contain up  to TEN operations,
 each initiating a preset command, started from a preset
 path (drive and directory). Each named operation may be
 associated with a "hot-key" from the option title.   If
 two or more similar "hot-key"s are selected, a warning:
 "Key selection error" will appear following <F10>-Save.
 Answer <N> to the "Confirm..." question,  then rectify.

 Please note,  "hot-key"s  are case sensitive  only when
 displayed.    However, for operating purpose "hot-key"s
 are non case sensitive,  eg.  if for  "Tools" a "T" was
 selected  as the  "hot-key",  striking  either  "T"  or
 "t" will activate the "Tools"  preset vertical menu  or
 command. It is therefore advisable that unique hot keys
 are selected.

 "Path" is the drive and directory from which the preset
 relevant command is to be executed,     eg. "C:\DOS" or
 "D:\",  "A:\BACKUP", etc.    The maximum path length is
 limited to 80 characters.

 "Commands" are any DOS internals  eg.  DIR, COPY, TYPE,
 etc., or executable files, .COM, .EXE,  or  .BAT  batch
 files.  The command length is limited to 80 characters.



 6.  HINTS AND SPECIAL FEATURES


 6.1  SPECIFIED DOS COMMAND OR COMMAND TAIL

 A DOS command or a variable command tail execution  may
 be set-up by inserting a "->" in the "Command" field of
 a vertical menu,  eg.  "DIR->" will prompt for the rest
 of the command tail, prior to execution.       Type the
 command or the command tail then press either <F10>  or
 <Enter> to execute.


 6.2  BATCH FILES EXECUTION

 In order to facilitate batch files execution  from  the
 AlacartE menus, the following must be performed :

 * The  DOS PATH  must contain  the path of the AlacartE
   installation, eg.: PATH = C:\AE.   This may be preset
   in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

 * Due to  DOS  inherent limitations in version prior to
   3.30,  batch files activated from  AlacartE  need  to
   include a last line reading: "rprosoft".  If your DOS
   version is 3.30 or later,   your batch files will not
   require any modification  in order to be run from the
   AlacartE menu.


 6.3  SHELL TO DOS

 Any one of the vertical options may be configured as an
 "Exit to DOS Shell" using the command: "COMMAND".    To
 return to AlacartE from DOS Shell, type: "EXIT<Enter>".


 6.4  DELETING HORIZONTAL ALACARTE OPTIONS

 Options in the horizontal menu  are  merely titles  for
 categories of functions, or programs.  Deleting options
 from the AlacartE  horizontal menu  is allowed  only if
 all the attached vertical menu options are cleared.

 To clear a vertical menu, press  <F2>  to switch to the
 Setup utility. Select the  "Vertical menu options" from
 the SETUP MENU.  Select the relevant horizontal option.
 Press the <F4>-Clear All key,  then <F10>  to continue.
 Confirm by pressing <Y>,  then press  <Q>  or  <Esc> to
 return to SETUP MENU.  Select "Horizontal menu options"
 by pressing <H>.  Delete the relevant horizontal option
 by pressing  <F8>  while in the  "Title"  and the "Key"
 fields.   Press  <F10>-Continue,  <Y> to confirm,  then
 press <F2> or <Esc> to return to the AlacartE menu.

 Deletion of multiple horizontal menu options in any one
 session  is  allowed  only  if  the  deleted horizontal
 options are grouped together. Otherwise delete only one
 horizontal option at a time.


 6.5  DELETING VERTICAL ALACARTE OPTIONS

 To clear vertical menu option(s),  press <F2> to switch
 to the Setup utility.    Select "Vertical menu options"
 from the SETUP MENU.     Select the relevant horizontal
 option. Using the mouse or <TAB>, <Shift><TAB>, <Enter>
 or the arrow keys place the cursor in the "Title" field
 of the vertical option to be deleted.         Press the
 <F8>-Clear field, then <F10>-Continue. Confirm deletion
 by pressing <Y>,  then press  <Q> or <Esc> to return to
 the SETUP MENU.   Press <F2> or <Esc>  to return to the
 AlacartE menu.


 6.6  KEYBOARD TIMEOUT AND SCREEN SAVING

 While in the menu system,  press hold the  <Shift>  key
 and strike the <Esc> key  to start the screen blanking.
 This invokes the screen blanking utility  as defined in
 the Setup. The default screen blanking ALASCRSV.EXE may
 be used for both colour and monochrome monitors.   This
 utility displays a pattern at random coordinates on the
 screen,  until any key is pressed or the mouse is moved
 or clicked.      The screen saver is also automatically
 triggered by a keyboard timeout, defined in SETUP  as a
 minimum of 10 to a maximum of 32000 seconds.
 ALASPACE.EXE is a secondary option for screen saving.
 This utility may be run in various ways, depending upon
 the command line utilized.   ALASPACE.EXE defaults to a
 display of 40 white stars at any time.    The number of
 stars may be selected by the switch -Nxxx  where xxx is
 the number of stars required, minimum is 10 and maximum
 is 100. The stars may be displayed in colour, if the -C
 switch is added to the command line.  These options are
 set such as to obtain the best display flavour.

 Please note that other  screen saving  utilities may be
 utilized,  eg. slides displays or animated company logo
 may be invoked at screen saving time.     Screen saving
 utilities should be terminated  at the press of any key
 or by mouse motion or click.


 6.7  CONTROLLING SOUND.

 Whenever  an  invalid key is pressed,  a short sound is
 activated as a warning to the user.   Some TSR programs
 may be activated using "hot keys" that combine  <Shift>
 and/or <Alt> thus interfering with the "quick" AlacartE
 horizontal selections.  It therefore is imperative that
 in such case the  "Invalid key stroke sound"  is turned
 OFF.  The sound may be turned ON or OFF by Setup.


 6.8  CHANGING USER INTERFACE STYLE.

 Two modes of display are available, CUI (Character User
 Interface) or GUI (Graphics User Interface).    The GUI
 mode is marginally slower,  thus it is  more suited for
 faster processors ie. 80386 or 80486.  GUI is available
 on VGA and Super VGA displays only.


 7.  USING THE MOUSE

 The use of the mouse is optional  but  very convenient.
 The left hand button is used to Select,  while both the
 right hand button and the centre button (if available),
 simulate the <Esc> key. The mouse may be used to either
 'point and click'  or  'drag and drop' to select any of
 the menu options displayed on the screen  or any of the
 options displayed on the screen's bottom line.


 8.  COLOURS SETTING

 The AlacartE menu colours are fully selectable when run
 on a colour monitor.   Select and activate the  'Colors
 setting' option from the SETUP MENU  and select colours
 as indicated.  If at any stage you decide that it might
 be easier to restart from the default colours selection
 activate this option from the SETUP COLORS menu.

 Some 'badly written' TSR  programs address the graphics
 display and terminate  prior to  restoring the previous
 setup. If the AlacartE menu colors blink upon return to
 the menu from a TSR program,  selection of eight colors
 rather than sixteen will solve this problem. This setup
 is achieved via the SETUP COLORS menu.


 9.   ALADOSKEY - Advanced users.

 This is a perfect alternative to the MS-DOS  DOSKEY.COM
 utility that stays resident and occupies about 4Kbytes.
 Unlike the traditional DOSKEY,  AlaDOSKey is a built in
 feature of the AlacartE menu.   It is therefore neither
 memory resident nor limited in commands storage.   Each
 AlaDOSKey option will store the latest 550 commands and
 paths, with the most recent on the top of the list, for
 quickest selection.   Multiple AlaDOSKey options may be
 configured.    To configure an AlaDOSKey option,  press
 <F2> to switch to Setup,  then press  <V> to select the
 'Vertical Menu options' from the SETUP MENU.  Select an
 horizontal option under which the  AlaDOSKey  is  to be
 configured.   Type in a title of your choice and set an
 appropriate hot key for it.    In the 'Path' field type
 '*' preceded by a file name  that will store the paths.
 If no file name is entered following the '*'  a default
 file name (ALAPATH.TXT).   The file storing commands is
 configured by entering a  '*'  in the  'Command' field,
 optionally preceded by a file name, or else it defaults
 to ALACMND.TXT.  The last paths and commands are viewed
 and selected from a pull down combo list that is opened
 by pressing the  Down arrow key  while  in the relevant
 field. Selection using the mouse is fast and convenient
 especially when many options were already stored.   The
 AlaDOSKey text files may be deleted so that a clean set
 of paths and commands is started.


 10.  LICENSE SUPPORT AND DISTRIBUTION

 The AlacartE (TM)  software  is  licensed  to  use on a
 single IBM PC system.  To run AlacartE  on a network it
 is recommended that each user keeps a full copy  of the
 AlacartE files either on his own work station,  or in a
 private directory on the file server.    Multiple users
 license or site license for AlacartE  is only available
 on special application.

 Software upgrades will be available, only to registered
 licensed users.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 * IBM, IBM-DOS  and  PS/2 are registered trademarks of
    International Business Machines, Inc.
 * Microsoft, MS and MS-DOS  are  registered trademarks
    and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────

 AlacartE was written for you, enjoy it...

 Our address is :  SHANIT
                    Tedy Shalev
                    P.O.Box 292
                    CROWS  NEST
                    NSW    2065
                    AUSTRALIA

              Telephone:   [phone]
              eMail: [e-mail]

 PLEASE NOTE:

 AlacartE software is distributed as shareware.
 If you find AlacartE suitable to your needs, please
 register it, by sending $10 to the above address.
 Thank you for your support.