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1993-11-27
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==================== Keepin' It Simple Documentation ====================
DISCLAIMER:
THE AUTHOR DOES NOT GUARANTEE THIS PROGRAM TO BE FREE FROM
DEFECTS AND MAY NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS CAUSED BY SUCH.
YOUR USE OF THIS PROGRAM CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS.
THE AUTHOR ONLY GUARANTEES THAT THIS PROGRAM WILL OCCUPY DISK
SPACE.
What is KIS for OS/2?
This file is principally for the needs of SysOps running DOS BBS
programs under OS/2. This program, will, on the presence of a
semaphore file (referred to from now on as a 'flag'), will execute a
DOS VDM Full Screen window in the background to process any event
that you might have that can run in the background and freeing up
your other processes to run.
KIS is a DEMO program. It will run for 90 days allowing you to
fully evaluate the program. It does not write any values to your
System or User INI files. It has its own INI file system.
LIMITATIONS:
At present, this program will only recognize five semaphore
files per program in the configuration, with a limit of 2 programs,
10 flags. It also requires the VROBJ.DLL runtime library from Watcom
which may or may not be included in this file.
LICENSE:
You are granted a license to run KIS on your personal computer
systems for a period of 90 days. After that period you are required
to purchase the program. Government Institutions and Business
establishments must purchase one copy per system for use after that
period.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
KIS was developed using VXREXX for OS/2 by Watcom International.
It is a PM program with enhanced extensions to the REXX language and
requires that REXX and the Workplace Shell to be installed on the
system in order to fully work properly. It also needs VROBJ.DLL in
order to run. This file may, or may not have been included in this
archive.
INSTALLATION:
To install KIS, you must first copy all KIS executable files to
the directory in which your flags will exist. This is the
INSTALL.CMD, VROBJ.DLL, KISINTL.EXE, KISCFG.EXE and KISOS2.EXE
files. (If you already have VROBJ.DLL on your system, be sure to
use the newer version, and you do not need to include this file
although you will see a short error message stating 'File Not Found'
when running the Install.cmd.
Open a OS/2 session, change directory to where KISOS2 resides
and type INSTALL. Follow the prompts and carefully input the
information it requires. If you do not wish for the DLL file to be
copied to your OS2\DLL directory, the simply type KISINST.
Installation will take a moment, as it will create the INI file
that the program will use while it is running. Depending on your
machine, it may take a minute or two. You will not see any screen
input during this time.
Once the INI file process in complete, it will enter into the
configuration program.
When this process is done, the configuration program will exit,
and then you will need to either Migrate the program, or use the
templates folder to create a program template. This will set KIS up
with its own icon file, and allow you to place it wherever you wish
on your Desktop.
CONFIGURATION:
When the program initializes, it will create a KISOS2.INI file
that contains no "real" information. You will need to complete the
configuration process to complete to customize the program for your
use. This program will run at the beginning of the installation,
and again from the main program menu if you need to change it.
You will need to enter in the full path and name of the
executable file that you desire for Program 1, Program 2 is
optional. This value will then be displayed in the settings box so
that you may select either program to react to each set of flags.
(The box currently is a drop down box that will show either program.
Setting this has no current effect on the program.)
You will also need to adjust the IDLE time to your liking. This
is the amount of time before the system polls for the presence of
the flags in the directory and executes the programs if they exist.
It defaults to 5 minutes on installation.
You will need to take some time to configure your programs. You
MUST execute a batch file which will have at least these two lines
in it where the batch file ends:
DEL RUN1 (or RUN2 for program 2)
EXIT
The file RUN1(or 2) is created in the directory where KIS is
installed. This is how KIS knows your program is still running and
does not launch another window in the time frame that you have set.
This is to avoid programs crashing into each other. While KIS is
designed to "spawn" another window, some programs will not run at
the same time, even if in separate sessions.
The last closes the window and frees up memory space. Since
there is no way for KIS to do this, you must ensure that each batch
file you use ends with these two lines. Without these lines, KIS
will continue to spawn new windows until you run out of available
memory, or swap space.
PROGRAM EXECUTION:
To start the program, double click on the KISOS2 Icon, This will
start the main program. You may click on start at this point, then
you can minimize the application so it will not occupy space on your
screen. (You will need to MIGRATE the program to create a program
icon for it, or you may drag a program icon from the templates
folder and do this instead.)
You may also run the configuration program from the main program
menu. This will allow you to change values. However you will need
to stop and restart the program at this time to read in the new
values.
HELP:
Currently there is no help available for the program beyond this
documentation.
FUTURE PLANS:
The next demo release will improve on speed of the program as
well as make it more configurable. Also, hooks will be added to
configure if you want the windows opened to be foreground or
background as well as if you want to launch a DOS session or a OS/2
session.
UPGRADES:
Registration entitles all upgrades through each version, ie:
1.x. While there might be a modest upgrade fee to the next version,
at this time I am not sure that it will evolve to that point. This
program was designed and thrown together to suit a specific need.
BUGS:
Bugs are a fact of life. If I were perfect, I would do this for
a living. Please report all bugs to me so that I can address them
and fix them.
PURCHASE:
Registration is a modest 5 dollars US, and the program will run
for 90 days with all the features of the commercial version. This
will allow someone enough time to evaluate it, decide if it is worth
the money. International check are accepted, however the
registration ID will not be sent until the check clears as with any
other personal check.
Send Money Order or Check to:
Doug Glenn
FORUM! Information Systems
135 Henderson Rd.
Statesville, NC 28677
Allow time for checks to clear prior to download your ID file if
sending a check. An ID file will be available for download within
72 hours of its clearance. (Allow for weekends please!)
SUPPORT:
Support is offered through The Programmers FORUM! BBS or through
the 3rd Party Authors conference in the WILDNET(tm) Network. Limited
support can be given through the FIDO Wildcat! or OS/2 conference
due to conference guidelines.
Most questions will be answered within a 72 hour period. Please
allow that much time after posting a question before looking for an
answer.
Thank you for trying Keepin' It Simple for OS/2