This file has the same contents as the online help. It is provided only to give the user a more easily readable document. # Enhanced Desktop Help Index v. 2.0.0 Enhanced Desktop pops up a menu when the user clicks the right mouse button on the desktop (that is a point not occupied by any window) or the title bar of any window. This menu contains commands to quickly exit Windows and a set of custom menus that lets the user to run programs without having to switch to his shell program (usually the Program Manager). How to use Enhanced Desktop Command Line Options Custom Menus Disclaimer Enhanced Desktop is a Public Domain - FreeWare piece of software. This program may be freely copied and distributed, as long as it is not modified in any way, and all the files it comes with are kept together (the list of files is found in filelist.txt). Only a small reasonable charge may be charged for copying and distribution. To avoid multiple copies of this program proliferating on electronic services under different names, you are encouraged to distribute it under the name ENDSK200.ZIP (or .ZOO, .ARJ, etc.). Please send any suggestions, comments, or bug reports to the following address: Roberto Soldi via Mazzini 108 I-20010 Arluno (MILANO) Italy Or to the following E-Mail address, on internet: tsan1319@cdc8g5.cdc.polimi.it If you find this program useful, a contribution of 5$ (US Dollars), or 7000ITL (Italian Liras) would be greatly appreciated. # Command Line Options Only one command line option is implemented: /w. If the program starts with this option, then uses a configuration file (enhdesk.ini) located in the Windows directory, as is the standard behaviour of the Windows programs. Otherwise it searches for the configuration file in the same directory where the executable files reside. If the configuration file does not exist, a reasonable default configuration is used; of course, in this case no custom menu exists. # Disclaimer I took any care to make this program a good program but note that following conditions apply: no warranty exists, either express or implied. No liability is assumed for any damage direct or indirect, or loss resulting from the use of this program. I cannot guarantee that it is bug free. I do not guarantee anything about this program but that, probably, it will not destroy the Solar System. If you do not like these terms, please do not use Enhanced Desktop (or exit immediately if you are already running it). # How to use Enhanced Desktop Although Enhanced Desktop can be started in every moment, it is convenient to start it when Windows start (this can be done by putting it in the StartUp group, if the shell is the Microsoft Program Manager). Note that nor a window neither an icon will appear on the desktop; furthermore the program is not shown in the task list. From this moment, clicking the right mouse button on the desktop or on the title bar of any window, the Enhanced Desktop menu is shown. It starts with a section containing CustomMenus. Next sections contain the following commands: Options The options command shows the Options menu. Help The Help command shows the Help Menu. Task List The Task List command shows the list of the active programs. Note that Enhanced Desktop is not shown in the task list. Close Windows The Close Windows command ends the current Windows session. However a prompt is shown for saving all unsaved works. Restart Windows The Restart Windows command ends Windows and restarts it immediately after. However a prompt is shown for saving all unsaved works. Reboot Computer The Reboot Computer command is only shown if the Enable Reboot option has been set from the options dialog box; this option is not set the first time the program is run. This command causes the computer to reboot. However a prompt is shown for saving all unsaved works. Close Enhanced Desktop The Close Enhanced Desktop command terminates Enhanced Desktop. # Options Menu The Options menu contains the following commands: Settings The Settings command opens the Settings dialog box. Custom Menus The Custom Menus command opens the Menu Setup dialog box. # Help Menu The Help menu contains the following commands: Help Index The Help Index command shows the main index of the online help on Enhanced Desktop. Using Help The Using Help command shows help on using the online help system. About Enhanced Desktop The About Enhanced Desktop command brings up a dialog box showing release and copyrights information about Enhanced Desktop. # Settings Dialog box In the Settings Dialog box there are commands to choose the configuration settings. Confirmation on exit check box If the Confirmation on exit check box is checked Enhanced Desktop will ask a confirmation before starting the exiting procedure. This option takes effect immediately. Enable Reboot option check box If the Enable Reboot check box is checked, Enhanced Desktop shows the Reboot Computer command in the menu. For this option to take effect Enhanced Desktop must be first closed and then restarted. This is made to allow network administrators to prevent users to set this option. In fact Enhanced Desktop checks the enhdesk.ini file at the start, and sets the reboot option according to that file. If the file is made read only by the network administrator, users will never be able to modify this option. This has been required to me by a network administrator. Enable caption hitting check box If the Enable caption hitting check box is checked the Enhanced Desktop menu can be called by clicking the right mouse button on any title bar and on the desktop too. If this check box is not checked, the Enhanced Desktop menu can be called by clicking the right mouse button on the desktop only. # Menu Setup Dialog box The Menu Setup dialog box shows two list boxes: - Popups list box: it shows the popup menus defined by the user. The text shown here is shown by the custom menu portion of the main menu. - Items list box: it shows the commands that the selected popup in the other list box owns. The text shown here is shown by the custom menu. The Menu Setup dialog box also shows two sets of buttons. Only one set at a time is active: selecting the Popups list box or the Items list box activates one set or the other. The Buttons are: - Add Popup button: it prompts the user for entering a name for a new popup and creates it. - Popup Name button: it changes the name of an existing popup prompting the user for entering a name for a new popup and creates it. - Remove Popup button: it removes the currently selected popup menu. - Add Item button: it adds an item to the popup menu selected in the Popup list box. It pops up the Program Item Setup dialog box to perform this task. - Change Item button: it changes the settings associated to the selected menu item, showing the Program Item Setup dialog box. - Remove Item button: it removes the selected item from the menu. - Ok button: it accepts the current settings and closes the dialog box. The current settings are saved in the enhdesk.ini file. - Cancel button: it discards the changes to the custom menus and closes the dialog box. # Program Item Setup dialog box The Program Item Setup dialog box lets associate a file to run with a title, a starting directory and an optional command line. It shows four edit fields: - File Name: it holds the file name to run. May be an executable file or a data file too, if a correspondence between the data file and an application has been set by means of the File Manager. - Menu Text: it holds the text to show in the custom menu. - Optional parameters: it holds the optional parameters to pass to the chosen program. It is optional. - Working Directory: it holds the active directory when the program starts. It is optional. The Program Item Setup dialog box also shows three buttons: - Ok button: it accepts the settings in the dialog and closes the dialog itself. - Cancel button: it discards the dialog box contents and closes the dialog itself. - Browse>> button: it pops up a dialog box from which the user can choose the executable file to add to the menu. # Custom Menus Enhanced Desktop can show a set of user defined menus, that let the user to quickly launch an application. The main menu, that is called by clicking the right mouse button on the desktop or on any title bar, starts with the set of custom popup menus; of course, the first time Enhanced Desktop runs they do not exist. They must be created with the Options/Custom Menus menu command. The custom menus can be filled with that programs the user wants to be able to run in every moment, without having to search for his shell (normally the Program Manger). A data file can also be run, if an association exists between the data file and the program that created it. This association can be made by means of the File Manager. Note that all information about the custom menus is stored in the enhdesk.ini file. See the command line option for information about where the enhdesk.ini file is located.