═══ 1. General Information ═══ ═══ 1.1. Description of Program ═══ Note: To go directly to the installation instructions, double click the left mouse button on one of the highlighted phrases three paragraphs below or just press Enter. The first of the two methods is highly recommended. The Belongs2 program is designed to be a Theft Deterrent. The purpose is to make it harder for someone to sell stolen computer equipment by identifying the rightful owner of the equipment when the system is started up. This approach can even result in recovered equipment being returned to its rightful owner. A stolen laptop owned by Jerry Pournelle, author of the User's Column in BYTE magazine and The View From Chaos Manor in OS/2 Professional was returned by the San Diego police. Even though all of the identification had been removed from the machine, the police knew who it belonged to because his name and fax telephone number were displayed by the DOS AUTOEXEC.BAT file. (See the User's Column in BYTE, Volume 17, Number 7, July 1992, p. 112 and in BYTE, Volume 17, Number 9, September 1992, p. 116.) However, Belongs2 provides a higher level of security than could be achieved by modifying the AUTOEXEC.BAT on a DOS system. The program is typically installed into a hidden Startup folder so the information is displayed when the computer is started up. Since this requires some knowledge of how to create Workplace Shell objects, this makes it harder to disable the program than simply editing a batch file. The program can also be installed into STARTUP.CMD, but since this file can be modified by editing it, it is easier to disable the program. The specified information will be displayed in a window when the computer is started. The window will remain on top, which means that it will be visible even if other applications being started have opened windows on top of the Belongs2 window. After being displayed for a short time, the program terminates and the window disappears. ═══ 1.2. Additional Information and Support ═══ For additional information or support, send your request(s) to the author, Robert Simpson at one of the following addresses (in order of preference): CompuServe: 71520,737 IBM PROFS: IBMMAIL(USN6NB6N) Internet: Rob.Simpson@email.blackbox.com USN6NB6N@ibmmail.com 71520.737@compuserve.com U.S. mail: 2839 Dolores Drive Library, PA 15129 U.S.A. Comments and suggestions are also welcome. ═══ 1.3. Other programs by the author ═══ Until mid-1993, I had been developing DOS programs using Borland C++ under OS/2. Since then, I have been developing native 32-bit OS/2 programs. I am currently concentrating on shareware for the corporate environment, since OS/2 has not significantly penetrated the home market but is in widespread use in the corporate environment. The lack of interest in OS/2 by major developers has opened opportunities for smaller developers and shareware authors like myself which have not existed in the computer market for almost a decade. Thanks for using OS/2 and considering my programs. These are the OS/2 programs I have made available through shareware: Belongs2 - Theft Deterrent The Belongs2 program is designed to be a Theft Deterrent. The purpose is to make it harder for someone to sell stolen computer equipment by identifying the rightful owner of the equipment when the system is started up. I chose the Belongs2, program as my first OS/2 program because it is more practical than "Hello World". Although the program itself was a simple program, I also developed the installation procedures that would be needed to distribute it and the more ambitious programs I have created more recently. IPFDB - IPF Database IPFDB simplifies creating VIEWable hypertext databases by generating IPF source from a relatively simple text file. Both detail and index panels are created, with many links between the two types of panels between index panels. For a sample of a large IPF Database, try the OS/2 Periodical Database. OS/2 Periodical Database The OS/2 Periodical Database contains references to OS/2-related articles in a variety of computer-industry publications. Abstracts for most articles in a number of publications are included. This tool will give you magazine references to just about any OS/2-related subject you might be interested in. The latest version of the entire OS/2 Periodical Database can be downloaded from the OS/2 Developer Mag. library in the OS/2 Developers 2 forum (GO OS2DF2) on CompuServe. There is also a smaller subset containing references to articles in OS/2 Magazine only which can be downloaded from the OS/2 Magazine library in the OS/2 Vendors forum (GO OS2AVEN) on CompuServe. To obtain the entire database, go to the OS/2 Developers 2 forum (GO OS2DF2) and download the file in the OS/2 Developer Mag. library named "MAyymm.ZIP" where "yy" is the last two digits of the current year and "mm" is the number of the current month. For example, if it is May 1995 and you want to get the current version of the database, you should download "MA9505.ZIP". The OS/2 Periodical Database is also available on The Developer Connection for OS/2. The database can be found in the \DOCS directory on the CD-ROM or by opening the following folders in sequence: The Developer Connection (on the desktop) The Developer Connection Browser The Developer Connection for OS/2 References Technical References and locating the icon named OS/2 Periodical Database (OS/2 Magazine Article Database prior to Volume 8). Shareware Registration Libraries The Shareware Registration Libraries are a set of C and C++ libraries which can be used by shareware authors in their programs. The functions provided allow registration information, such as the registered user's name, to be sent to users via electronic mail. The content of the registration information can be customized as needed. See Additional Information and Support for information on how to contact the author. ═══ 2. File descriptions ═══ ReadMe.Cmd This file can be used to view the Read Me information. ReadMe.Inf This file contains the Read Me information. This is the file you are now viewing. Sample.Exe This is the executable file for running the sample program. For registered users, this file may be replaced by a customized .Exe file. B2Inst.Cmd This command procedure can be used to install the Belongs2 program. The Belongs2 program is installed in a hidden Startup folder. This is the recommended method of installing the Belongs2 program. See Installation into a hidden Startup Folder for instructions. B2Remove.Cmd This command procedure can be used to remove the Belongs2 program. See Removing the Program for instructions. Startup1.Cmd This is a sample Startup.Cmd file which can be used as an alternate method of running the Belongs2 program. Startup2.Cmd This is another sample Startup.Cmd file which is equivalent to Startup1.Cmd but is written in REXX. Register.Frm This is the registration form for the software. LicAgree.Txt This is the license agreement which you agree to by using the software. This is necessary to protect the author, who is currently unincorporated, as well as registered users of the software. ═══ 2.1. Requirements ═══ This program requires OS/2 2.0 or above. The optional REXX support in OS/2 is required to run the .Cmd files which can be used to install and remove the Belongs2 program. ═══ 2.2. Special Considerations ═══ In order to make it more difficult to determine how the Belongs2 program is installed and to prevent it from being easily removed, it is recommended that the B2Inst.Cmd and B2Remove.Cmd files not be stored on the hard disk. Since the files which have been distributed only need to be accessed when installing or removing the Belongs2 program, it is recommended that they be stored on a floppy disk and executed from there. For systems on a network, the installation files could be stored in a secure network directory and executed either manually or as part of a CID automated install. ═══ 3. Installing the Program ═══ There are two ways to execute the Belongs2 program. It can be installed in a Startup folder, preferably a hidden folder, or it can be added to Startup.Cmd. Command procedures for installing it in a hidden startup folder, which is the recommended method, are included. Sample Startup.Cmd procedures are also included. ═══ 3.1. Installation into a hidden Startup Folder ═══ To install the Belongs2 program in a hidden Startup folder, execute the B2Inst command procedure. Although the B2Inst command may be issued from any OS/2 command prompt, installation is slightly easier if the command is issued after the current drive is changed to the installation disk or directory. The syntax of the B2Inst command is: B2Inst [d [spath]] "d" is the target drive letter and "spath" is the source drive path. If you issue the B2Inst command with no parameters, you will be prompted for the target drive letter. Both parameters should be included if you are performing a CID automated install. See the section, Modifying the Install Command Procedure, if it is necessary to alter the way the Belongs2 program is installed. If the specified target drive is an HPFS drive, the Belongs2 program will be installed into a hidden "\Belongs 2" subdirectory. If it is a FAT drive, the program will be installed into a hidden "\BELONGS2" subdirectory. A program object will be created in a hidden startup folder to start the program when the system is booted. ═══ 3.2. Modifying the Install Command Procedure ═══ There are some additional parameter which can be modified by editing the install command procedure. The parameters, which appear near the beginning of the B2Inst.Cmd file are: FATname This is the name of the .Exe file on the installation disk or directory. Normally, this value should not be changed unless you are installing the program onto a FAT drive and want to change the name of the program. The .Exe file in the source location must be renamed with the same name. The name must be 8 characters or less and enclosed in quotes. exename This is the name of the .Exe file installed on an HPFS drive. targetdir This is the name of the directory created for the .Exe file on an HPFS drive. The default is 'Belongs 2'. FATdir This is the name of the directory created for the .Exe file on a FAT drive. The name must be 8 characters or less and enclosed in quotes. The default is 'BELONGS2'. ═══ 3.3. Installation into Startup.Cmd ═══ Although Installation into a hidden Startup Folder is the recommended method of executing the Belongs2 program, it can also be executed by installing it into Startup.Cmd. To execute the Belongs2 program from a Startup.Cmd procedure, copy the program to the hard disk and add the following line to an existing Startup.Cmd file or create a new Startup.Cmd file. START /N d:\path\program.EXE "d:\path" is the drive and path where the program was copied to and "program" is the name of the program (different names are used since a different version of the program is generated for each company or individual). Enclose the command in single quotes (') or double quotes (") if you are using a REXX Startup.Cmd procedure. If you created a new Startup.Cmd, you should also add a DOS EXIT command to your Startup.Cmd procedure, so the Startup.Cmd process terminates after it has started the Belongs2 program. This command also needs to be enclosed in single quotes (') or double quotes (") in a REXX procedure, otherwise it will be interpreted as the REXX EXIT command. ═══ 4. Terminating the Program ═══ The Belongs2 program ensures the window is visible by displaying its window is on top of any other windows which are being opened during system startup. Since this also results in it intercepting any keyboard or mouse input, it may be desirable to terminate the program before it has terminated automatically. The program may be terminated prematurely by double-clicking the title bar icon or by pressing Alt+F4. ═══ 5. Removing the Program ═══ If the program was installed into a hidden Startup folder using the B2Inst command, it may be removed with the following command: B2Remove [d] "d" is the drive letter where the Belongs2 program was installed. If the program was installed manually into a Startup folder or into Startup.Cmd then it should be removed manually by reversing the procedure which was used to install it. ═══ 6. Registration Information ═══ To obtain a copy of the Belongs2 program which displays a customized message, you must register the program. The following sections provide additional detail on registering the Belongs2 program. ═══ 6.1. Registration Fee ═══ This program is being distributed as shareware. There are two ways to register the program. 1. A single personal copy of the Belongs2 program may be registered for $5.00. The registration is returned in a command file via electronic mail. After running the command file to process the registration, the Belongs2 program will display the name and, optionally, telephone number which were sent on the registration form. 2. The registration fee for a customized version of the Belongs2 program is $25.00 plus $5.00 per additional line plus $1.00 per additional copy. For example, 100 copies of Belongs2 with two lines would be $129.00 ($25.00 + $5.00 + $1.00 x 99). If one line changes between copies, then they are counted as additional lines, not as additional copies. For example, 100 copies of Belongs2 for a company needing 20 copies for each of 5 departments would be $145.00 ($25.00 + $5.00 x 5 + $1.00 x 19 x 5) if there were two lines, one for the company name and another for the department name and phone number. When you register for a customized version of the Belongs2 program, you will receive a version of Belongs2 which displays the identification you specify. The identification is encrypted to prevent it from being changed with a disk editor. See the section, Customization of the Program, for more information. See the next section, How to Register the Program, for additional information. ═══ 6.2. How to Register the Program ═══ Send the registration form provided in Register.Frm showing the items (company name, telephone number, etc) to be used to identify the owner of the hardware along with the registration fee to the following address: Robert Simpson 2839 Dolores Drive Library, PA 15129 U.S.A. ═══ 6.3. Customization Options ═══ The program is customized with the information you provide by modifying a text file containing the program's resources (strings and timers) and using the Resource Compiler to merge these resources with the compiled program. The following features are implemented as resources: o Text displayed in the window o Timers controlling display of window ═══ 6.3.1. Text Displayed in the Window ═══ The text displayed in the window can be customized by the author. Indicate the desired text on the registration form. Some suggestions are: o Name and telephone number John Doe (412) 555-1234 o Company name, address, and telephone number Acme Bridge Construction, Inc. 1000 Hunting Ridge Road, Suite 123 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412) 555-1234 o Company name, user name, and user's telephone number Acme Bridge Construction - John Doe (412) 555-1234 Acme Bridge Construction - Mary Smith (412) 555-1235 Acme Bridge Construction - Brian Wales (412) 555-1236 This example shows the displayed text for three different users. The identifying text which is displayed is encrypted to prevent someone from easily modifying the text to make it look like they actually own the computer. ═══ 6.3.2. Timers Controlling Display of Window ═══ There are two timer values which may be customized. o Timer for how often to bring the window to the top. The default is 200 ms (two tenths of a second). o Timer for how long to display the window before closing the window and terminating the program. The default is 30 seconds. On my system, the default time is just long enough that the program terminates just about the same time that CM/2 has finished starting up. If the default values are not suitable, you may specify different values when you send in your registration. Specifying a value of zero for either timer results in disabling the timer. ═══ ═══ Configuration, Installation, and Distribution IBM's software distribution strategy. ═══ ═══ Disk Operating System ═══ ═══ File Allocation Table A file system which is compatible with DOS and earlier versions of OS/2. ═══ ═══ High Performance File System A file system, optional in OS/2, which allows file names to be up to 254 characters long and contain characters which are not permitted in the FAT file system.