OS/2 Shareware BBS: 8 Other/08-Other.zip/mdesk13.zip/MDGUIDE.INF

OS/2 Help File | 1996-05-06 | 89KB | 2,397 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Title Page ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ


       A complete desktop replacement/add-on for OS/2 Presentation Manager

                    Copyright (C) John McCalla Enr., 1995-96.
                              All Rights Reserved.

This document is part of release 1.3 of MDesk.  It is designed to provide the
following:

o  Licence information.

o  An Installation Guide.

o  An Overview of MDesk to help you get started quickly.

o  A Reference of all MDesk's features.

o  Registration and Support information.

o  A list of Known Problems (if any) and missing features.

Those upgrading from MDesk 1.1 should check the release history for what's new.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Copyrights ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk, including the program itself, the import utility, the device driver, the
setup utility, and the documentation is copyright by John McCalla.

Deskpic (not distributed with MDesk, but can be obtained from ftp-os2.nmsu.edu)
is copyright by John Ridges.

The external screen saver modules are copyright by the following:

AQUARIUM, EYES, FIRE, FLASH, MELT, PUZZLE, SPHERES, STRING, CLOCK and WALL are
copyright by John Ridges.

RAIN is copyright by Alex Beamisch.

SMARTIES, OS22BOUN and OS2BOUNC are copyright by Delboy.

SWARM is copyright by Patrick J. Naughton.

TREK1 is copyright by D. Howell.

ACIDRAIN, BLOCKS, and KALSCOPE is copyright by Keith Agee.

SPLINES, BUSYBEES is copyright by Eduard Kappel.

CRAZY is copyright by K. Baran.

NEWPOLY, and POLYGONS are copyright by Barry E. King.

PUZZLE2, and SHRINK are copyright by Derek Howell.

WORM is copyright by Robert and Del.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Licence / Disclaimer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Disclaimer

John McCalla Enr. offers this product "as is", without warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied
warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

John McCalla Enr. is not responsible for any damage caused by the use or misuse
of this product.  In the event that this product proves to be defective, you
assume the cost of all necessary servicing.

Licence Agreement

This product is, and always remains the property of John McCalla Enr. In no
event may you disassemble, decompile, or in any way reverse engineer this
software package.  You are granted a licence under which you may:

o    Use the product for a 30 day trial period, after which you must register
     it.

 o   Freely distribute the unregistered package as long as its contents are not
     modified, which includes uploading to BBSs.

 If you own the registered version, the licence allows you to:

 o   Use the product on all your computers as long as they do not operate at
     the same time.

 o   YOUR REGISTRATION CODE IS PERSONAL.  IT MAY NOT BE SHARED.  DOING SO
     CONSTITUTES A COPYRIGHT BREACH.

 BY USING THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE, YOU AGREE TO ALL THE ABOVE STATEMENTS.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. What is Shareware? ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This product is classified as shareware.  Shareware is a concept where a
software product is offered freely for a trial period.  If the product proves
to be useful, and you wish to continue using the product, you must register it.
See the Registration section for more information.

An important issue among shareware developers involves finding ways to make
sure the user does in fact register.  These are sometime thought of as
incentives.  Some companies disable important features from their shareware
products, which then serve as bait to get the user to register.  We do not
believe in this approach; we believe you should be allowed to test the entire
product.

This product allows unrestricted use for 45 days.  After that, a few reminders
that the product is not yet registered begin to appear when using certain
features.  The product will remain useable for another two weeks. After this
two week period, the reminders will become a real nuisance, and render the
software virtually unusable.  At this point, the product should be registered
in any case, so this will not affect the honest user.

Remember that the author(s) laboured very hard to produce this package, and
should be rewarded for the work.  If you use and appreciate this product,
please register it.  It is the only way support for it will be maintained.

Supporting OS/2 Shareware is the Best Way to Support OS/2 as a platform!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Registration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This product is not free, it is Shareware.  You are granted a 45 day trial
period, If you like it and/or use it, you must register it.  John McCalla Enr.
is offering MDesk, release 1.3 at an incredibly low $25.00. For this price, you
get the 1.3 release and all subsequent minor releases (1.x).

The fee may be paid by check, money order, or cash, in a number of currencies.
Please consult the conversion table below for the correct amount.  If your
currency is not listed, please contact us either via email or post mail to
arrange an exchange rate.  Checks from foreign (non Canadian) banks must be
drawn from that bank, in that country's currency. For example, checks in US
currency from Swiss banks cannot be accepted. Checks should be made out to John
McCalla.  Company checks are preferred, but personal checks will also be
accepted.  Sorry, no credit cards.

CURRENCY CONVERSION TABLE

Currency Code (Country):    Price of MDesk:      Shipping & Handling:

CND (Canada)          25            2
USD (USA)            25            2
DEM (Germany)          33            3
FRF (France)          104            9
ENG (England)          14            2
AUS (Australia)         29            3
RND (South Africa)       Please contact the author
LIR (Italy)           35.000          3.000
JPY (Japan)           2142           200
NZD (New-Zealand)        33            3
ATF (Austria)          220            16
CHF (Switzerland)        25            2
FDM (Finland)          99            8

There are two ways to register.  In either case, you must fill out the order
form, enclose the registration fee, and mail it to John McCalla Enr. The
address is:

                                John McCalla Enr.
                                   625 Milton
                                    Suite 507
                                Montreal, Quebec
                                 Canada H2X 1W7

The fastest (and preferred) method is done electronically.  Check the
appropriate box in the order form, and as soon as the fee is received, your
personalized registration code will be e-mailed to you.  Alternatively, the
registration code may be mailed to you.  This is slower and you must add a
handling fee as found in the conversion table above.

You can print the order form by clicking on the order form below and then
select Services|Print..., or by printing the ASCII file ORDER.TXT.  If you do
not have access to a printer, copy down the required information on a separate
sheet of paper and mail it instead of the order form.

Order Form

Those with access to the Web may register on-line.  With this scheme, only the
registration fee must be mailed.  The address on the web is
"http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~johnm/mdesk/registration.html".


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5.1. Order Form ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

                           MDesk for OS/2, release 1.3

                    Copyright (C) John McCalla Enr., 1995-96.
                              All Rights Reserved.

Yes, I want to register MDesk for OS/2.  I understand that
under the licence agreement, I am not to distribute a registered copy of
this product.  I also understand I am entitled to free upgrades to all
minor releases, all versions 1.x in this case.

Name: ____________________________________________________________________

UserName: ________________________________________________________________
(As it appears on the User Info page of the desktop settings.)

Additional Users: ________________________________________________________
(If registering more than one copy.)

Internet Email Address: __________________________________________________
(If applicable.)

Mailing Address:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

  _________  Number of units to register

x
  _________  Price per unit, currency code: _______

+
  _________  Handling fee (If no Email address is given.)

=
  _________  Total Amount Enclosed.

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Installation Guide ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Installing and configuring MDesk is made very simple with the help of the MDesk
Setup Utility (MDSETUP).  The setup utility will install, as well as upgrade,
uninstall the complete package, and rebuild standard folders and program
objects on demand.  The utility can also be used to change your shell.

Before beginning the installation, please read the Licence Agreement. Then
consult the List of Files and make sure you have obtained the full package.

Select one of the following:

o  First Time Installation
o  Upgrading From a Previous Version
o  Removing MDesk From Your System
o  Rebuilding Standard Folders and/or Program Objects
o  Unlocking MDesk With Your Registration Code
o  Changing Your Shell


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.1. First Time Installation ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel describes the steps involved in installing MDesk for the first time
on your system.  The first to do is to enter the required user information.
There are three entry boxes to fill-in:

o  Name
     Enter your complete name, or the name of your company if MDesk is going to
     be used in a commercial setting.  This will now be referred to as your
     User Name.

     IMPORTANT: do not use any extended ASCII characters in your User Name.
     This means no accents or any multilingual characters.  Using these
     characters will cause problems when registering.  Also, once you send your
     registration form in you can no longer change your User Name.

 o  Registration Code
     Enter your registration code.  This code is given to you once you pay the
     registration fee.  Chances are you will not have registered this product
     before a first-time installation, therefore you may leave this field
     blank, and you will be regarded as an unregistered user.  You may operate
     MDesk for 30 days as an unregistered user.

 o  Home Directory
     Enter the directory that MDesk will use as its home.  The setup utility
     will suggest d:\MDesk, where d: is your OS/2 boot drive.  It is important
     MDesk gets its own directory, do not place it in your utilities directory.
     Setup also creates some sub-directories (ICONS, OBJECTS, and SSAVER).  Do
     NOT delete or rename these!

 Now, make sure the Action box displays "Full Installation", and then press
 "Begin".

 During installation, you must respond the following panels:

 o  Select Features
     Place a check to the left of those programs you have already installed on
     your system.  Check that the paths to the right point to the correct
     directories.  This panel will create program objects for these
     applications for you.

 o  Select a Shell
     MDesk may be used as a shell replacement for the WPS.  This dialog box
     asks you to choose which shell to use.  See Shell for a discussion of
     these issues.

 Setup creates a WPS folder called "MDesk 1.3 for OS/2" which is placed on the
 WPS desktop.  If you decide you do not want to use MDesk as a shell
 replacement, but as an add-on, you should place a WPS shadow of MDesk in the
 WPS's Startup folder.

 If you downloaded MDesk from an on-line system, remember to delete the files
 which came out of the zip file.  MD Setup will have copied them into the home
 directory.

 After installation, you should shutdown and reboot your system.  If you are a
 first time user, it is suggested you read through the Overview sections.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.2. Upgrading From a Previous Version ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If you have a previous version of MDesk, use this action to upgrade to the new
release.  All your folders, program objects, and settings will be preserved.

After the upgrade, you should shutdown and reboot your system.

NOTE: Since MDesk must not be running during this operation, if you use MDesk
as your shell, you must change the shell back to the WPS and reboot; use the
old MDSETUP to do this.  Remember to set it back after the upgrade is done.

IMPORTANT: You must run MDSETUP from the directory where the archive was
decompressed _and_ the dot (.) must come before the MDesk home directory in
your LIBPATH statement in CONFIG.SYS.  Failing to do this will cause MDSETUP to
load the old DLLs and this may cause problems.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.3. Removing MDesk From Your System ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The setup utility allows you to completely remove MDesk from your system. Click
on the "Change Action" button, and select "Uninstall".  Click the "Begin"
button, to start the removal process.  Setup will remove all entries in the
user INI file (OS2.INI), as well as delete the WPS objects it created.  It does
not touch CONFIG.SYS, so you should probably remove the home directory from the
path, libpath, and bookshelf.  Setup cannot delete the files in the home
directory because Setup needs some of those files to run.

You must delete the files in the home directory manually.  Open an OS/2 Window,
and if the home directory is C:\MDesk, type the following commands:

erase \MDesk\Objects
erase \MDesk\Icons
erase \MDesk\SSaver
erase \MDesk

rmdir \MDesk\Objects
rmdir \MDesk\Icons
rmdir \MDesk\SSaver
rmdir \MDesk

Of course, if you are still reading this, OS/2 will not delete the file
MDGUIDE.INF, and will not be able to remove the directory.  Either close this
guide, and then enter the above commands, or copy this book to your temporary
directory, and view it from there.

Since you are removing MDesk you obviously did not like it.  John McCalla Enr.
would like to know why.  If you could write us, or e-mail the author(s)
directly it would be greatly appreciated.

See Obtaining Support for addresses.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.4. Rebuilding Standard Folders and/or Program Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Sometimes it is nice to be able to re-generate the standard folders and program
objects, after the initial installation.  It is possible your MPROGRAM.DAT
(which holds program object definitions) may get corrupted and become unusable,
which makes this feature very useful.  With it, you can quickly recover from
such a disaster.

For Folders:

Click the "Change Action" button, and select "Rebuild Folders".  Click the
"Begin" button, and Setup re-generates the standard folders.  Folders you
created will not be deleted, but if any of your folders were in one of the
standard folders, that shadow will no longer be there.  To get them back, popup
the folder menu, select Insert Existing...|Folder... .  Then select the folder
you want from the list.

For Program Objects:

Click the "Change Action" button, and select "Rebuild Programs".  Click the
"Begin" button, and Setup re-generates the standard program objects. If your
old MPROGRAM.DAT file was corrupted (you will be so advised), setup will not be
able to save all the program objects you had created.  In order to salvage
them, look for a file called MDPM.OLD in the home directory. This file contains
all your old program objects.  Using a text editor (while MDesk is NOT
running), copy the old objects you want to keep into the new MPROGRAM.DAT file.
Make sure the format of MPROGRAM.DAT file is followed to the letter.  See
Technical Information for details on MPROGRAM.DAT file format.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.5. Unlocking MDesk With Your Registration Code ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

To obtain your registration code, you must register your copy of MDesk. Once
you receive your code, run the setup utility.  The Action box should be showing
"Register MDesk".  If it isn't, click the "Change Action" button and select it
from the list.  Then enter the code EXACTLY as it appears on the form you
received from John McCalla Enr.  The codes are case sensitive. Remember, you
cannot change your User Name after you register.

Click the "Begin" button, and setup registers you.  The program is then said to
be unlocked.  This means you won't see any of those reminder dialog boxes.  You
also now have a clear conscience when using MDesk.

Remember than once the program is unlocked, it stops being Shareware and
becomes commercial software.  This means you cannot distribute it.  See the
Licence Agreement for more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.6. Changing Your Shell ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Using the Setup utility, you may switch between shells.

o  From the command line, enter mdsetup /shell.
o  From the setup utility, click the Change Shell button.

The Select a Shell dialog is now displayed.  The current shell is preselected
for you.  Select the new shell you wish to use and press Ok. Press Cancel to
abort.  MD Setup will make the appropriate changes to your system, and then you
should shutdown and reboot.

For a discussion on the pros and cons of making MDesk your shell, see MDesk as
your Shell.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.7. List of Files ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The following is list of all the files included in the MDesk software package.
There should be exactly 38 files.

o  MDESK.EXE
   Main Program

o  MDSETUP.EXE
   MDesk's Setup Utility

o  MDESK.DLL
   MDesk's System Hook DLL

o  MDGUIDE.INF
   MDesk User's Guide (you're reading it)

o  FILE_ID.DIZ
   Identification file for BBS sysops

o  ORDER.TXT
   Registration Order Form (in ASCII)

o  README.TXT
   Readme file (in ASCII)

o  CLWIN.CMD
   Batch file for "~" commands in MDesk's command line window

o  *.DSS
   External screen saver modules

o  MDESKDD.SYS
   MDesk Device Driver

o  MDTILE.BMP
     MDesk tiled background bitmap

 o  MDIMPORT.DLL
     MDesk Import Utility


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Overview ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk is a Workplace Shell add-on/replacement.  Used as a shell replacement, it
provides the basic necessary functions you would expect from a shell program,
without the heavy memory demands of the WPS.  It also includes many features
which were omitted from the WPS which make it a good choice as a WPS add-on if
memory is not a problem.

MDesk will run a 4 MB system efficiently.  This is ideal for notebooks, and
older systems.  On an 8 MB system, using MDesk as your shell will permit you to
keep more applications open concurrently without having to wait on the swapping
subsystem.  As a general rule, you may cut the stated memory requirements for
programs by 2 MB.  MDesk also present substantial performance gains as compared
to the WPS on most systems.

In general, MDesk is very intuitive.  Most peoples will be able to start using
the program efficiently without going through this entire manual. Remember to
"right-click" with the mouse on every part of the desktop, folders, notebooks,
and dialog boxes.  There are many popup menus which help make the software
easier to use.  You should also browse through the settings notebooks (for
desktop, folders, and program objects).  These will give you an idea of what
can be customized in MDesk.

Here is a quick list of the some of the features:

o    The InfoBar provides a live status bar at the bottom of screen; try
     clicking on the fields which pop-out when the mouse passes over them.

 o   Folders which house MD Program Objects, or other folders.  Includes a
     "startup" folder which open's its when MDesk is first opened.

 o   The Rapid Switch feature which makes switching between open applications
     easier (like Windows 3.1).  Try pressing the <ctrl><tab> key combination.

 o   A graphical Command Line feature which allows you to enter simple commands
     without the OS/2 Window (CMD.EXE).  Try double clicking the desktop or
     InfoBar.

 o   Complete Spooler support (necessary when running MDesk as your shell),
     including an efficient spooler interface.
 o   Clicking both mouse buttons simultaneously anywhere now brings up the
     Window List.

 o   Quick Menus allow quick access to frequently used programs or folders.

 o   System wide Hotkeys allow you to start any program object from any
     application with the <ctrl><shift><key> sequence.

 o   A full-featured screen saver with password protection.

 For more information on these features, double-click it, or see the Reference
 sections.  A few quick suggestion are also mentioned in Getting Started, as
 well as in Using Folders.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1. Getting Started ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you first start MDesk, the only screen elements you see are the InfoBar,
and possibly the MD System folder.  On the InfoBar, you see various information
about your system.  In MD System folder, you see the standard folders MD Setup
creates for you, as well as the other programs which come with MDesk.

There are other windows open which you cannot see.  The Rapid Switch window,
which is displayed only when switching between applications (with the
<ctrl><tab> keys).  The Command Line window is shown when selected from the
Window List, or when the desktop is double clicked.

As noted in the Technical Information section, all objects you actually see (in
folders, quick menus, or through hotkeys) are shadows, not the actual object.
This means that removing an object you see from a folder or quick menu does not
delete the real object from the system.  It is still accessible, through the
Insert Existing command.  To actually delete an object, select the Delete
command from either the folder or desktop popup menu.

At this point, it would be a good idea to browse through the Using Folders
sections for more detailed information on manipulating folders.  If you need
more information, see the Reference and Technical Information sections.  The
best way to learn about MDesk is to actually use it.  Explore all screen
elements, and browse through all settings notebooks.  Have fun!


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2. Using Folders ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel describes how to use and manipulate MDesk folders.  More detailed
information on the folder's menu, and settings notebook can be found in the
Reference sections.

In MDesk, a folder is simply a visual element (window) which contains pointers
(shadows) to program objects or other folders.  Deleting a folder does not
effect the objects it contains.  The folder can be thought of as a bin in which
other objects are sorted.

Folders are used to group together relevant objects.  They are organizational
tools.  MDesk Folders can also be nested in one another. For example, you could
create a Programming folder which contained various tools (programs), and
another folder which itself contained more programs (on-line references for
example).

By default, new folders are placed in the MD System folder.  This happens if
the folder is created using the Create Another|Folder command from the Desktop
Popup Menu.  If a new folder is created from another folder, it is placed in
that folder.  The same holds true for program objects.  When created from the
desktop popup menu, they are not placed in any folder, they only exist as an
entry in the central database system.  To get an icon view of all program
objects, open the special folder called MD Program Objects as described below.

There are three special folders you should know about:

o  MD Program Objects
     This folder is not really a folder.  It is used to displays all program
     objects defined in the system.  It is useful for finding a particular
     object, or for quickly populating other folders.  Program objects created
     from the desktop popup menu will be displayed in this folder.

 o  MD Startup
     Objects in this folder will be opened upon startup.  They may be other
     folders or program objects.

 o  MD System
     This is the folder where all new folders created from the desktop are
     placed.  Although it may be nested in other folders, it is the base folder
     from which all other branch off.  It also contains auxiliary programs
     which come with MDesk.

 o  WPS Imported Objects
     This is the folder where all newly imported objects from the WPS are
     placed.When using the Copy operation, a separate object is NOT created,
     instead a shadow is placed in the new folder.  A Clone operation on the
     other hand will create a new object by copying the information from the
     old one.  A Move operation simply moves a shadow from one folder to
     another.

 All these operations are supported by direct manipulation.  The default
 operation is Move.  To do a Copy hold down the <ctrl><shift> key, and to do a
 Clone use the <ctrl> key.  MDesk Objects cannot be dragged from or to WPS
 folders.  Use the MDesk Import Utility instead.

 Frequently used folders may be placed in the Quick Folders menu for immediate
 access through the InfoBar (a la Windows 95) or Menu.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.3. Using DOS Settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk supports the use of custom DOS settings.  There are a few ways you can go
about attaching settings to a DOS program object:

o    Right click on the DOS Settings MLE of the Session page of the object's
     settings notebook, and choose one of the default settings from the popup
     menu.

 o   Choose the 'Select...' option on the above menu to display the standard
     DOS Settings selection dialog.

 o   Enter the DOS settings directly into the DOS settings MLE.

 You may also use a combination of both.  For example, you could choose
 the Games / Graphical option from the popup menu, and then further edit
 these default settings.

 A few notes on DOS Settings:

 o   The format for all settings is Setting=Value.
 o   When a setting can be either on or off, the value assigned is 1 or 0.
 o   If you need full description of each setting, you will need to use the
     'Select' option of the popup menu to get it.
 o   The default settings for Windows applications should suit most of them.
 o   The default Games settings assume the game will require a large amount of
     extended/expanded/DPMI memory.  If the game runs in real mode (640KB), you
     should change these settings to zero.
 o   Multi-line DOS Settings are separated by the '~' character.
 o   There is a limit on the length of DOS settings in MDesk.  If you select
     more than is allowed from the selection dialog, the settings will be
     truncated.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4. Using MDesk as your Shell ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You may or may not choose to use MDesk as your shell.  Following is a list pros
and cons which may help you decide which setup is best for you. Remember that
MDesk is also designed as an add-on to the WPS.  If you need WPS functionally,
you can still use MDesk as well.

Pros

o    MDesk uses much less memory than WPS does.  Because of this, applications
     will run much faster on low memory systems (12 MB and lower).  MDesk has
     also been shown be significantly faster than the WPS, even on systems with
     16 MB of RAM and more.

 o   MDesk offers a great deal of features which make it a very complete
     package.  With this product, you will be able to run your system very
     efficiently and conveniently.

 Cons

 o   Some programs on the market require the WPS to function, examples include
     CC:Mail, and Relish.

 o   MDesk does not offer any file management tools such as the Drive Objects
     in the WPS.  However, there are many Shareware and freeware file managers
     which complement MDesk very well.  A few good examples include M. Kimes's
     FM/2 (SW), IBM's MrFile/PM (EWS), and File Commander/2 (SW) written by
     Brian Havard.

 Whatever you decide, remember that you can switch between shells whenever you
 want using the setup utility.  See Changing Your Shell for more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.5. Technical Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

NOTE: Since this panel was written, new features were added so some of the
information here might not be complete (or accurate).  THIS PANEL HAS NOT BEEN
UPDATED SINCE MDESK 1.00.

This panel describes some of the more technical details which relate to MDesk.
It is not vital you understand what any of it means, it is simply included for
the curious, and those who wish to edit directly the MPROGRAM.DAT file.

MDesk is a 32-bit, multi-threaded, OS/2 Presentation Manager application. Under
normal circumstances, there are a minimum of two active threads, one which
controls all windows, the other which operates the hooks and the central
database system.  The architecture was chosen because it is very fast, and not
very demanding on memory resources.  Under normal operation, you should never
get a clock (wait) pointer.  There are a total of 12 different threads which
are activated at different times to do everything from loading folders to
waiting for the WPS to load.

When first loaded, MDesk allocates approximately 450 KB of RAM, and actually
commits about 200 KB.  As a comparison, the WPS in OS/2 2.1 commits more than a
whooping 1548 KB at startup.  Under MDesk, each addition open folder uses (on
average) one page (4 KB).  Since all program object are kept in memory, the
more you have, the more memory you use.  But don't worry, each program object
uses only a very small amount of memory; loading a typical dialog box often
requires more memory your program objects will ever use.  The number of folders
defined does not affect memory consumption.

Folder definitions are stored in the INI file MFOLDER.INI in the OBJECTS
sub-directory.  MDesk stores pointers to each program object and folder in the
folder, as well as position, presentation, and settings information.  A maximum
of 64 folders may be created.  This limitation is for performance reasons, and
could be easily increased.

Program objects are stored in a separate file called MPROGRAM.DAT also in the
OBJECTS sub-directory.  This file is a simple ASCII text file.  The reason for
doing it this way is that it makes it possible for you to edit your objects
directly without having to go through the settings notebook. For example, this
is useful if you change your main partition say from c: to e:.  All you have to
do to get MDesk up and running is to use an editor to change all instances of
c: to e:.  It also makes your objects more portable as they can be copied to
another system quickly.  Warning: always make a backup of MPROGRAM.DAT before
editing it.  Copy it to MDPM.BAK. This way, if you corrupted MPROGRAM.DAT,
MDesk will automatically rename MDPM.BAK and use it instead.  Also, MDesk must
not be running while you are editing MPROGRAM.DAT.

NOTE: This file used to be called MPROGRAM.DAT.  Any references to this file
are equivalent to MPROGRAM.DAT.

Here is an example MPROGRAM.DAT file:
MD DATA FILE - BEGIN
Handle: 1100
Title: PM Seek
WLText: PM Seek
Filename: E:\OS2\APPS\pmseek.exe
Workdir: NULL
Parameters: NULL
DosSettings: NULL
ProgSettings: 36
ProgramType: 3

Handle: 1115
Title: Win-OS/2 Window
WLText: Win-OS/2 Window
Filename: E:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2\progman.exe
Workdir: NULL
Parameters: NULL
DosSettings:
DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT=16;EMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=0;XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=0;VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION=0;VIDEO_8514A_XGA_IOTRAP=0;
ProgSettings: 44
ProgramType: 16

Handle: 1202
Title: WP Help File
WLText: WP Help File
Filename: E:\WP\WP50\WP.EXE
Workdir: e:\wp\wp50
Parameters: NULL
DosSettings: NULL
ProgSettings: 36
ProgramType: 2
MD DATA FILE - END

Some important notes on the structure of this file: The file must begin with
the text "MD DATA FILE - BEGIN" and end with "MD DATA FILE - END". Space is
very important.  No free lines after the header and before the end text, and
between each record, the is an extra line used to separate them. Each entry in
a record consists of a caption followed the value; these two parts are
separated by a colon plus a space.  If you see a caption(s) titled Unused, it
means that caption is simply a place holder for future settings.  This strategy
is used to avoid changing the file format in future releases.  There are three
kinds of values: string, multi-line string, and numerical.  The following table
classifies all entries:

String:
  WLText, Filename, Workdir, Parameters.

Multi-Line Sting:
  Title, DosSettings.

Numerical:
  Handle, ProgSettings, ProgramType.
If a string, or multi-line string entry is not needed for a given record (for
example, no parameters are needed for the OS/2 Window object) type in NULL for
the value.  Multi-line string entries (such as Dos Settings, and Titles) are
separated by a semi colon.  For example, entering Title: My;Program would cause
Program to be placed on a second line.  For Dos Settings, each setting must be
separated a semi-colon.  When entering records directly in MPROGRAM.DAT, use 36
as the value for ProgSettings, and refer to the following table for ProgramType
values:

0:  Don't Know, Let OS/2 Decide
1:  OS/2 Full Screen
2:  OS/2 Window
3:  OS/2 Presentation Manager
4:  DOS Full Screen
5:  DOS Window
16: Win-OS/2 Window
55: Win-OS/2 Full Screen

Finally, the most important entry into a record, the Handle:, is what MDesk
uses to identify the program object.  This handle must a be unique number,
between 1200 and 65000.  Handles under 1200 are reserved for the following:

1-5: Undeletable Folders
 6-100:   Normal Folders
 101-999: Reserved for Future Use
 1000-1199:    System Program Objects

 Using any of these handles will cause problems now, or in the future. NOTE:
 When creating a program object from within MDesk, a valid handle is
 automatically chosen for you.

 All desktop settings are stored in the INI file MDESKTOP.INI, as well as the
 user information, and hotkeys.  This means that hotkey definitions are not
 stored with program objects in MPROGRAM.DAT.

 This hopefully gives you a little insight into some of the inner workings of
 MDesk.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask via e-mail.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Reference ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section is the complete reference of MDesk.  It is divided into the
following sections:

Desktop Related:
     o  Desktop Popup Menu
     o  Desktop Settings Notebook

 Folder Related:
     o  Folder Popup Menu
     o  Folder Settings Notebook

 Program Object Related:
     o  Program Object Popup Menu
     o  Program Object Settings Notebook

 Miscellaneous:
     o  Internal Utilities
     o  InfoBar
     o  Import Utility


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.1. Desktop Popup Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel explains the entries in the desktop popup menu.  To bring up this
menu, right click the InfoBar, or press <shift> and right click the desktop.

o  Settings...
     This command opens the Desktop Settings Notebook.

 o  Help|User's Guide...
     This command opens the MDesk User's Guide (this book).

 o  Help|Product Information...
     This command displays the product information panel.

 o  Create Another|Program
     This command creates a new program object, and opens a blank Object
     Settings Notebook for you to fill in.  When a program object is created
     this way, a shadow is placed in the folder.

 o  Create Another|Folder
     This command creates and opens a new folder.  A shadow is placed in the MD
     System folder.  The maximum number of folders which can exist on a system
     is 64.

 o  Delete Any|Program(s)...
     This command allows you to delete from the entire system one or many
     program objects.  Select the ones you wish to delete, and press Ok. You
     will be asked to confirm each deletion.

 o  Delete Any|Folder...
     This command allows you to delete any folder.  All its shadows will be
     deleted.

 o  Quick Folders|Add...
     Use this command to add a folder to the folders quick menu.  The quick
     menu can also be accessed via the InfoBar.

 o  Quick Folders|Remove...
     Use this command to remove a folder from the folders quick menu.  The
     quick menu can also be accessed via the InfoBar.

 o  Quick Folders|...
     The rest of this submenu displays folders which can be opened directly
     from the menu.  Simply click the one you want, and it is opened.

 o  Quick Programs|Add...
     Use this command to add one or many program objects to the programs quick
     menu.  The quick menu can also be accessed via the InfoBar.

 o  Quick Programs|Remove...
     Use this command to remove one or many program objects from the programs
     quick menu.  The quick menu can also be accessed via the InfoBar.

 o  Quick Programs|...
     The rest of this submenu displays program objects which can be opened
     directly from the menu.  Simply click the one you want, and it is opened.

 o  Tasks
     This submenu presents the current task list.  It functions the same way
     the tasks' indicator of the Infobar does.

 o  MD Utilities|Command Line...
     Popup MD's graphical Command Line.

 o  MD Utilities|Customizer...
     Open MD's Customizer.

 o  MD Utilities|Process Killer...
     Activate MDesk's Process Killer utility.

 o  MD Utilities|Spooler...
     Open MD's Spooler interface.

 o  WorkPlace Shell / Close WPS
     When using MDesk as your shell, this command opens and closes the WPS. Do
     not load, or close the WPS any other way.  Once the WPS is loaded,this
     command will change to "Close WPS".  After the WPS is closed, it goes back
     to "WorkPlace Shell".

 o  Screen Saver...

     Activate MD's internal Screen Saver.

 o  Shutdown...
     Use this command to shutdown your system before turning the computer off.
     All applications will be closed, and any data left unsaved will be saved.

 o  Exit MDesk
     This command closes MDesk.  All open folders, utilities, and notebooks
     will be closed.  If MDesk is your shell, selecting this command will only
     close MDesk for a few seconds because OS/2 re-opens it immediately since
     its the shell.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2. Desktop Settings Notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section gives detailed information to help you understand and use the
desktop settings notebook.

Select a page:

o  User Info
o  Dialog Boxes
o  Background
o  Screen Saver
o  Misc
o  Infobar
o  Desktop


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.1. Desktop/User Info ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you do two things:

o  Obtain various information your MD setup.
o  Register your copy of MDesk.

NOTE: The entry boxes in this page are read-only.  They are for information
purposes only, and cannot be changed.

o  UserName
     This is your official user name.

 o  Registration Code
     If you have a registered copy of MDesk, this field displays your code. If
     the product is not registered, it is so written.

 o  Home Directory
     This is MD's home directory on your system.  It is where MDesk keeps the
     files it needs to operate.

 o  Register
     This push button allows you to register.  Once you have received your
     registration code, you may click this button.  This command actually runs
     MDesk Setup utility with the /register switch.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.2. Desktop/Dialog Boxes ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do two things:

o Select the fonts to be used in MDesk's dialog boxes.
o Select the colours to be used in MDesk's dialog boxes.

General Use:

Open the Customizer by clicking the Customizer push button at the bottom of the
page.  Then drag the font or colour from the customizer to the part you want it
to apply to.  For colours, drop the colour in the little boxes to the right of
the part description.  For fonts, drop one the name of the previous font, again
to the right of the part description.

Parts:

o  Normal Text
     This is text which appears as static text, including text boxes and group
     boxes.  Most dialog boxes were designed for 8.Helv or 8.TmsRmn.

 o  PushButton Text
     This is the text which appears on push buttons.

 o  EntryBox Text
     This is the text which appears in entry boxes, list boxes, and combo
     boxes.

 o  Title Bar
     This is the colour of the dialog box's titlebar.

 o  Border
     This is the colour of the dialog box's border.  By default, this colour is
     light grey.  Using this colour creates a nice 3D effect.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.3. Desktop/Background ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to customize your desktop background.

Background Image:

To display a bitmap on the desktop, click the "enable" button.  Different
bitmaps may be selected from the combo box.  MDesk uses the bitmaps which are
in the \OS2\BITMAP directory.

Image Options:

These allow you to customize how the image is displayed on your desktop.
"Normal" will simply center the image, "Scaled" will re-size the image such
that it occupies the entire desktop area.  "Tiled" will repeatedly paint the
image (unscaled) until the desktop area is full.

Background Colour:

This allow you to change the colour of the desktop background.  This colour
will only be visible when no image is being displayed on the desktop.  Use the
customizer's colour palette to change the colour.

NOTE: These settings affect the real desktop window, not the WPS desktop
window.  Since the WPS desktop window covers the real desktop window, if the
WPS is running, you won't see the changes made here.  This also means that if
you are planning on using MDesk as an add-on to the WPS, you should disable
background images as this will waste memory.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.4. Desktop/Screen Saver ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o Select and configure the screen saver display to use.
o Enable and select the amount of time for a timed lockup.
o Enable and select a password used in conjunction with the screen saver.
o Enable and select a hot corner.

Screen Saver

Select the display you want by spinning the control.  Press "Test" to have
MDesk show you what the display looks like.  Press "Configure" to modify
attributes used by the display module.  Each module can be separately
configured.  Note that the "Enabled" flag has no meaning in MDesk.

Timed Lockup

This feature allows you to have the screen saver engage after a specified
inactivity time.  In other words, if you use this feature, the screen saver
will be activate when you leave your computer for certain amount of time.

To use this feature, click "Enable Timed Lockup", and select the delay you want
by spinning the "Lockup after" control.

Password Protection

This feature allows you have MDesk ask for a password when disengaging the
screen saver.  Used with the Timer Lockup feature, it will protect your
computer from snoopers while you are away from it.

To use this feature, click "Enable Password", and enter a password in the entry
box.  The "Change" button will enable itself; you should click it and enter the
previous password for confirmation.  If there is no previous password, simply
click on "Ok" to dismiss the dialog box.  If confirmation was successful, the
new password will be displayed in a message box.  Make sure you remember it,
and note that it is case sensitive.  When you disable password protection, your
password is kept so that if you re-enable the feature your old password is
used.

Hot Corners

This feature allows you to specify mouse pointer locations which cause the
screen saver to engage automatically.  To use this feature, click on "Enable",
and select one of the following:

o Engage Top-Left

This will engage the screen saver when the mouse pointer is moved to the top
left corner of the desktop.  Conversely, the screen saver will never engage if
the mouse pointer is move to the top right corner.

o Engage Top-Right

This will engage the screen saver when the mouse pointer is moved to the top
right corner of the desktop.  Conversely, the screen saver will never engage if
the mouse pointer is move to the top left corner.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.5. Desktop/Misc ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do two things:

o  Configure hotkey support
o  Configure the Rapid Switch utility.

Hotkeys

The hotkeys feature allows you to open and/or switch to program objects using a
key combination.  For more information see Program/General.

o  To use this feature:
     Check the "Enable" button.

 o  To select the key combinations you want to use:
     Click the "Ctrl-Alt-Key" button, or the "Ctrl-Shift-Key" button.

 Rapid Switch

 See Rapid Switch for a description of this utility.

 o  To use this utility:
     Check the "Enable" button.

 o  To select the key combination to use:
     Click the "Ctrl-TAB" button, or the "Alt-TAB" button.  NOTE: only the
     Ctrl-TAB option is currently available in version 1.3.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.6. Desktop/Infobar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o  Customize the way the Infobar is displayed.
o  Select and sort the fields to show in the Infobar.

Display Options:

o  Always Visible
     The Infobar should be visible at the bottom of the screen.  Unchecking
     this will cause the Infobar to be hidden.

 o  Visible when point on top
     The Infobar should only be visible when the mouse pointer is moved to its
     location at the bottom of the screen.

 o  Float on top
     The Infobar, if it is "Always Visible" should further reserve the space it
     takes on the desktop.  If this feature is enabled, maximized windows will
     be re-sized as if the edge of the screen was just above the Infobar.
     Windows created or moved over the InfoBar will be placed behind.

 Customize:

 This group of controls allows you to decide which fields should be shown in
 the Infobar, and in what order.  Fields currently being displayed appear in
 the right-hand list box.  To remove a field click the "Remove" button; or to
 add a field, click the "Add" button.

 To change the location of an item in the Infobar, select it from the "Visible"
 list box, and click either "Move Up" or "Move Down".  Since the real Infobar
 is really horizontal and not vertical as the list box is, move up means move
 left and move down means move right.

 You may increase the separation between fields using the spacing spin button.
 The extra spacing will be associated with a field, and represents spacing in
 front of the field.

 More information on the Infobar can be found by clicking here.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.2.7. Desktop/Desktop ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o  Select the event which will popup the desktop popup menu.
o  Select a location for minimized windows.
o  Enable/Disable window animation.

Desktop Popup Menu

These two radio buttons allow you to choose the event which causes the desktop
menu to be displayed.  By default, you must hold down the shift key wile right
clicking on the desktop.  However, if you use MDesk as your main shell, you
might want to have it popup with a single right click.

Minimize Windows

These two radio buttons allow you to choose whether minimized windows are shown
on the desktop (as with Windows 3.1), or hidden.  By default, they are hidden
so as not to clutter the desktop.

NOTE: This feature only applies when MDesk is running as your shell.  Under the
WPS, it is not relevant because the WPS itself controls this.

Miscellaneous

Check the "Enable window animation" button to enable the standard OS/2 open and
close window animation.

Check the "Enable X close button" box to have MDesk place a close button
similar to the one in Windows 95 on window titlebars.

Check the "Enable enhanced DOS and OS/2 window operation" to do just that. This
mode of operation allows you to quickly mark and copy regions of text in any
windowed session by simply dragging mouse button 1.  To quickly paste to a
window, click mouse button 2 over the window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.3. Folder Popup Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel explains the entries in the folder popup menu.  Each folder has its
own menu, which can be brought up by right clicking empty space in the folder.
The system menu of the folder is now replaced by the folder's popup menu.

o  Settings...
     This command opens the folder's Settings Notebook.

 o  Create Another|Program
     This command create a new program object.  A shadow is immediately placed
     in the parent folder, and the program object's Notebook is opened for you
     to fill-in.

 o  Create Another|Folder
     This command creates a folder.  A shadow is immediately placed in the
     parent folder, and the new folder is opened.

 o  Insert Existing|Program(s)...
     Use this command to place one or many shadow(s) of already existing
     program objects in the folder.

 o Insert Existing|Folder...
     Use this command to place a shadow of an existing folder in the folder
     (this is called nesting a folder).

 o  Save Contents... / Refresh
     Use this content to save the contents of the folder.  Ordinarily, the
     content are only saved when the folder is closed.  If the folder is MDesk
     Program Objects folder, the command is "Refresh", and causes the folder to
     update its contents.  Since this folder's only purpose is to display every
     program object, its contents do not need to be saved.

 o  Sort
     This commands sorts the contents (icons) of the folder according to the
     type of sorting which was last selected from the folder's NoteBook.

 o  Arrange
     This command arranges the contents (icons) of the folder.

 o  Close
     This command closes the folder.  It is equivalent to selecting "Close"from
     the system menu.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4. Folder Settings Notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section gives detailed information to help you understand and use the
folder settings notebook.

Select a page:

o  Views
o  Security
o  Misc
o  General


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4.1. Folder/Views ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o  Change the view (or appearance) of this folder
o  Select small or large icons

View Options

These options allow you to change the way objects are displayed in a folder.

o  Icon
     This is the standard view with icons above the object's title text.

 o  Name (vertical)
     This view displays icons to the left of the object's title text in a
     single vertical row.

 o  Name (horizontal)
     This view displays icons to the left of the object's title text in
     multiple vertical rows.

 Icon Size Options

 These options allow you to specify the size of the icons shown in the folder.
 Large icons are the standard size, and small icons are the size of the icons
 which appear in the system menu of PM applications.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4.2. Folder/Security ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o  Secure (lock) this folder
o  Select the password to unlock the folder

By checking the "secure this folder" button, you lock the folder.  This means
that anytime the folder is opened, you will be asked to enter a password to
unlock the folder.  The security mechanism is not meant to protect against
malicious use of the system; it is merely designed to keep children, or guests
from accessing important files.

When a folder is locked, the settings notebooks are not also locked.  This was
decided partly because of the type of security provided, and partly to avoid
the situation where people forget a password and are completely locked out of a
folder.  Locked folders can be deleted.

To set a password, simply type it in the entry field, and click on the "change"
button.  A dialog will appear asking for confirmation of the new password.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4.3. Folder/Misc ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do two things:

o  Select the way to sort the contents of this folder.
o  Select the action to perform after opening an object.

Sort Options:

o  Name
     Sort all objects aphetically.

 o  Date
     Sort all objects according to the day and time they were created. This
     option will place folders first, from oldest to newest, and then program
     objects in the same way.

 o  Name (with folders first)
     Sort all objects alphabetically, but place folders before program objects.

 o  Name (with folders first)
     Sort all objects alphabetically, but place folders after program objects.

 Folder Options:

 o  Keep open
     After an object is opened, the folder also remains open

 o  Close after object open
     This folder will be closed after opening any object in it.

 o  Close if SHIFT key is pressed
     The folder will exhibit "keep open" behaviour, unless the <shift> key is
     held down while opening an object.  In the latter case, "close after
     object open" is used.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.4.4. Folder/General ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o Change the folder's title.
o Choose a hotkey to associate with this program object
o Place this program object in the Program Quick Menu.

Title

o    Enter the title of the folder in this multi-line entry box.  You can also
     change a folder's title by holding down the <alt> key and clicking with
     mouse button 1 on the folder's icon (assuming it is nested in another
     folder, MDesk System folder for example).

 Hotkey

 o   Enter the hotkey to associate with this folder.  You use
     <ctrl><shift>+this key, or <ctrl><alt>+this key to either open the object,
     or switch to it if it is already open.  See Desktop/Misc for information
     on how to select the sequence to use.  Note that MD's hotkeys are system
     wide, you do not need to be in MDesk for them to work.

 Menu Option

 o   If you wish this folder to appear in the Folders Quick Menu, check this
     button.  The Quick Menus appear on the Desktop Popup Menu and on the
     InfoBar's Programs field.

 IN THIS RELEASE YOU CAN NOT CHANGE A FOLDER'S ICON.  EXPECT THIS LIMITATION TO
 BE LIFTED SOON.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.5. Program Object Popup Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel explains the entries in a program object's popup menu.  The title
given to this panel is a little  misleading, since nested folders also have
such a menu.  To bring up this menu, right click an object in a folder.

o Settings...
     This command open the program object's Settings Notebook (or the
     folder's).

 o Copy To...
     Use this command to copy the shadow of the object from this folder to
     another.  You may also use direct manipulation (Drag+Drop) by holding down
     the <ctrl><shift> keys to achieve the same result.

 o  Move To...
     Use this command to move the shadow of the object from this folder to
     another.  You may also use direct manipulation (Drag+Drop) by holding down
     the <shift> key to achieve the same result.

 o  Clone
     Use this command to clone the current program object (this is not
     available to folders).  A clone is created from the program object, and it
     is identical in all respect to the original except that it exist as a
     separate identity in MDesk's database.  Cloning is very useful for
     creating similar object.  For example, you have a "DOS Games" object which
     includes all your favourite settings to get DOS games working nicely on
     your system.  Now, every time you install a new games, you want to create
     an icon for it: clone the "DOS Games" object, and then modify the filename
     and title; you don't have to reenter all the custom DOS settings as they
     are copied from the original object.

     You may also use direct manipulation (Drag+Drop) by holding down the
     <ctrl> key to achieve the same result.

 o  Remove
     Use this command to remove the shadow of the object from the folder. This
     command does not delete the program object which is stored in the Central
     Database System, or the nested folder.

 o  Delete...
     Use this command to remove the shadow of the object from the folder, and
     delete the ACTUAL program object (or nested folder) stored in the Central
     Database System.  Once you delete a program object, or folder it is
     removed from all folders, and from the quick menus.  Its entry in
     MPROGRAM.DAT file is deleted.  The program object will no longer exist in
     any part of MDesk.  For folders, its entry in OS2.INI is removed.

     USE WITH CAUTION, IT IS GENERALLY BETTER TO REMOVE THE SHADOW, BUT NOT
     DELETE THE OBJECT.  THIS WAY, IT CAN BE RECOVERED IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND.
     A PROGRAM OBJECT'S ENTRY IN THE CENTRAL DATABASE SYSTEM USES VERY LITTLE
     MEMORY.  FOLDER DEFINITIONS ARE STORED IN MDFOLDER.INI AND USE NO MEMORY.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6. Program Object Settings Notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This section gives detailed information to help you understand and use the
folder settings notebook.

Select a page:

o  Program
o  Session
o  Misc
o  Window
o  General


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6.1. Program/Program ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page is where you enter the program information.  It is divided in two
parts:

o  Path and Filename Information
o  Optional Information

Path and Filename Information

     In this entry box, type in the complete path and filename of the program
     this program object is to represent.  If you do not remember the exact
     path or filename, click the "Find" button.  This will allow you to browse
     through the contents of your disks for the program you want.  If a program
     is on the system PATH, a path name is not required.  If you enter an
     incorrect name, MDesk will usually display a question mark in place of the
     program's icon.  Note however that a question mark may be displayed even
     when the program is correct.  If this happens, make try entering the
     complete path name even if the program is on the system PATH.

 Optional Information

 o  Parameters
     Use this field if you need to pass command line parameters to the program.
     You may enter parameters of the forms "[prompt message]". This will cause
     MDesk to ask the user for program parameters at runtime in a dialog box
     where "prompt message" is displayed.  This is useful for editor, for
     example.

 o  Working directory
     Use this field to specify in which directory the data you use in the
     program should be found.  For example, if the program were WordPerfect,
     you could enter a "C:\McGill\JoeBlo\WpFiles" as the working directory.
     Thus, when WordPerfect is opened, you are automatically in the directory
     your files are in, not WordPerfect's.

     To specify that the working directory is to be the same as the program's,
     click the "same as path" button.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6.2. Program/Session ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you choose which type of session you want.  If the session is
a DOS session, you may also enter DOS settings.

Here is description of the different types, and what they mean:

OS/2

o  Window
     The program is an OS/2 text mode program, and you want to run it in a
     window on the desktop.

 o  Full Screen
     The program is an OS/2 text mode program, and you want it to run full
     screen.

 o  Presentation Manager
     The program is a graphical OS/2 application which runs on the desktop.

 DOS

 o  Window
     The program is a DOS text mode program, and you want to run it in a window
     on the desktop.

 o  Full Screen
     The program is a DOS text, and graphics mode program, and you want it to
     run full screen.  This includes DOS games.

 o  Win-OS/2 Window
     The program is a Windows program, and you want to run it directly on the
     desktop.  All Win-OS/2 Window sessions share the same address space, which
     means each application will load faster.

 o  Win-OS/2 Full Screen
     The program is a Windows program, and you want it to run full screen. Each
     Win-OS/2 Full Screen session is run in its own address space, which means
     loading a slower, but each application is protected from the others.

 o  Custom DOS Settings
     In this multi-line entry box, you enter any special DOS settings the
     program requires.  See Using DOS Settings for more information.

     NOTE: You may right click the entry box, and a menu will be displayed
     which will insert recommended DOS Settings for DOS Text mode and Win-OS/2
     applications, as well as for DOS Games.  You may also click on 'Select'
     which will display the standard OS/2 DOS Settings selectiondialog box.

 Note that most of the time the type of application will be preselected for
 you.  This page is mostly used to switch between full screen and windowed
 sessions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6.3. Program/Misc ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do three things:

o  Set the Window List text.
o  Set the CPU priority of this program object

Window List

o    In this entry box, you enter the text which appears on the program's
     titlebar (or in the Window List).  Only enter the part which does not
     change.  If this field is not set correctly, MDesk will not be able to
     find the program in your system.  Therefore, if you press the object's
     hotkey, or select it from the Quick Menu, instead of switching to the open
     program object, another instance of the program will be started.

     You may specify multiple captions, one per line.  These act in an "or"
     fashion: each line is treated as a possible caption for the program
     object.

     If you know that the caption is the same as the program's title, you may
     check the "same as object title" button.  This is true for all DOS and
     OS/2 Fullscreen and windowed sessions.

 CPU Priority

 o   (For OS/2 sessions only) You may specify an explicit runtime priority for
     this program.  This is very useful for adjusting system performance to
     meet your specific needs.  Here is a description of each priority setting:

     Idle-time: the program will only get CPU time when the system is idle.
     This setting is extremely useful for running long background processes
     such as ray-tracers, or news spoolers because no perceivable performance
     hit will occur.

     Normal: the program should run at normal priority.  Use this setting for
     most applications, including all PM applications.  A PM application will
     not run perceivably faster by setting a higher priority.

     Time Critical: this setting is usually only used by server threads. This
     priority guaranties CPU slices, but not response time.  It should not be
     used by interactive programs.  The most common example of a Time Critical
     session is a communications driver such as SLIP.EXE or PPP.EXE.

     Foreground Server: this is the highest possible priority under OS/2. It is
     meant to be used by real-time applications in which response time is
     critical.  Do not use this setting unless you absolutely must, because the
     multitasking performance of OS/2 is greatly affected by a single
     Foreground Server process.
 NOTE: Priority of DOS and Windows applications can be set from their's DOS
 Settings.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6.4. Program/Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do two things:

o  Select the object's opening behaviour.
o  Select the object's initial size.

Program Open Behaviour

This setting allows you select the action to perform when an object is opened.

o  Open new window
     Select this settings if you want to open a new instance of the program
     every time the object's icon is double-clicked, selected from the Quick
     Menu, or its associated hotkey is pressed.

 o  Switch to open  window
     Select this settings if you want to switch to an open instance of the
     program when the object's icon is double-clicked, selected from the Quick
     Menu, or its associated hotkey is pressed.

 o CTRL key opens new window
     This is the most versatile setting.  Simply double-clicking on the
     object's icon switches to the open instance.  If the CTRL key is held
     during the double clicking, a new instance of the program is created.
     Hotkeys and Quick Menus work like in the "Switch to open window" setting.

 Initial Size of Window

 This setting allows you to control the initial size of an OS/2 or DOS Window.
 You can also control full screen sessions.

 o  Minimized
     Start the application window in a minimized state.

 o  Normal
     Start the application window in a normal (restored) state.

 o  Maximized
     Start the application window in a maximized state.  This does not apply
     to full screen session, which are always maximized.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.6.5. Program/General ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This page allows you to do the following:

o  Change the program object's title.
o  Change its icon.
o  Choose a hotkey to associate with this program object
o  Place this program object in the Program Quick Menu.

Title

Enter the title of the object in this multi-line entry box.  You can also
change a program object's title by holding down the <alt> key and clicking with
the mouse's left button on the object's icon (assuming it is in a folder, or
you open the MD Program Objects folder).

Icon

This box displays the current icon for the program object.  It may be changed
by click the Select Another button, and choosing a file from the list.  The
file you choose does not have to be a .ICO file.  MDesk is able to extract
icons out of any file.  You may also change the icon by dragging another icon
onto it.  An ICONS sub-directory is used to store these "external" icons.  They
are called external icons because MDesk is loading an icon to represent a given
program using an external icon file, not the icon contained in the program file
itself.

If a simple modification of the current icon is in order, click the edit
button, and use the OS/2 Icon Editor to modify the icon.  Once you save and
exit the icon editor, your modifications will appear in the notebook.

Hotkey

o    Enter the hotkey to associate with this program object.  You use
     <ctrl><shift>+this key, or <ctrl><alt>+this key to either open the object,
     or switch to it if it is already open.  See Desktop/Misc for information
     on how to select the sequence to use.  Note that MD's hotkeys are system
     wide, you do not need to be in MDesk for them to work.

 Menu Option

 o   If you wish this program object to appear in the Programs Quick Menu,check
     this button.  The Quick Menus appear on the Menu and on the InfoBar's
     Programs field.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7. Internal Utilities ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk offers many internal utilities.  These utilities are part of the complete
package.

Select one:

o  Command Line
o  Process Killer
o  Spooler
o  Customizer
o  Screen Saver
o  Rapid Switch
o  Hotkey Manager


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.1. Command Line ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk provides an easy to use graphical command line.  It lets you enter
commands in a small PM window.  Unlike most utilities of this kind, most of the
commands are executed directly, and are therefore much faster.

There are a few ways to cause the command line window to popup:

     o  Double clicking mouse button 1 anywhere on the desktop and the InfoBar.
     o  Selecting the Command Line... menu item in the MD Utilities submenu of
     the Desktop Popup Menu.

 Once the command line is active, the current disk and directory are displayed
 in the message area of the InfoBar.  Type your command and press enter to
 execute it.

 The following is the list of commands which MDesk Command Line runs directly.

 o  cd [new directory]
     changes the current directory.  Its complete syntax is identical to the
     standard cd command.  See the OS/2 Command Reference for more information.

 o  d:
     Changes the current disk.  Substitute d for the new drive.

 o  programs
     Starts any program or batch file (including all DOS and OS/2 types) in the
     path or in the current directory.  You may include parameters in the usual
     way (up to 255 characters long).

 Here are a few examples:

 o  Change the current directory to the root of the current disk.

     cd\

 o  Change the current disk to f.

     f:

 o  start Lotus 123 and load the January sales report.

     123g JanuarySales.WG2

 If you need to execute a command not listed above, you may relegate it to the
 default command processor (usually cmd.exe).  The easiest way to do this is to
 begin the command with a tilde character (~).  For example, if wanted to get a
 directory listing of the current directory, you would type:

     ~dir.

 An OS/2 Window is then opened, and the command is executed.  After the command
 is finished, press any key to dismiss the window.  Note that this is not
 necessary for DOS or OS/2 batch files, they can be run directly.

 MDesk's Command Line also offers a feature which records your commands, and
 stores them for future use.  You use the up and down arrow keys to cycle
 through the list.  This is useful when you need to type long commands many
 times, or when you make a spelling mistake in a command.  Just by hitting the
 up arrow key, the last command is recalled.  MDesk Command Line stores a
 maximum of 20 commands, in a first-in first-out fashion.

 If you cannot remember the name of a command or application, you may click the
 browse button and search for the command using OS/2's standard dialog box for
 file selection.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.2. Process Killer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Sometimes in OS/2, you come across an application which refuses to close (for
example, the Workplace Shell is like that).  The only way to close these
applications is to "kill" them from the outside.  You also come across
applications which are "jammed".  Closing them in the usual way does work.
MDesk's Process Killer is a utility which will close these programs.

WARNING: Care must be taken when using this feature because data in the
application to be killed will not be saved.  Use this feature as a last resort
when all attempts to close the application is the normal way have failed.

To kill an application, select MD Utilities|Process Killer from the desktop
popup menu.  A list of all running tasks will then be displayed.  Select the
application (or process) you wish to kill and press Ok.  Press Cancel to
dismiss the dialog box without killing a process.

WARNING: Sometimes a process will own more than one task.  For example, if you
kill an MDesk Folder object, all of MDesk will be killed.  The same applies for
WPS folders.

NOTE: When using MDesk as your shell, open and close the WPS using the entry in
the Desktop Popup Menu.  DO NOT kill the WPS with this utility.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.3. Spooler ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Spooler window is a simple spooler interface.  It replaces the WPS's
printer objects (all of them).  When running MDesk as your shell, it is the
only way you can manipulate OS/2's spooler.  Here is a list of features:

o  Access any printer without accessing different objects.
o  Hold/Release any printer queue or job.
o  Delete a job waiting in the queue.
o  Change the default printer.

The following is a description of each of the screen elements.

o  Select a Printer
     This field is a combo box.  When the spooler window is first opened, the
     field shows the default printer on your system.  To manipulate a different
     printer, click the upside down arrow at the right of the combo box, and
     select the printer you want from the list.

 o  Printer Jobs
     This field list the jobs printing, spooling, or waiting in the currently
     selected printer queue.  You may manipulate individual jobs via a popup
     menu.  Select a job from the list, and then click with the right mouse
     button.  There are three commands on the popup menu:

          o  Pause
               Hold the job.

          o  Resume
               Release a job which was previously paused.

          o  Delete...
               Remove the job from the queue.  This cannot be done if the job
               is the active (PRINTING) job.

 o  Actions
     The pushbuttons is this box apply commands to the entire printer queue.

          o  Hold
               Hold the currently selected printer queue.

          o  Release
               Release the currently selected printer queue if is held.

          o  Default
               This command will make the currently selected printer queue the
               system default.

 o  Status
     The information given in this field relates to the entire printer queue.

 There are a number of printer related procedures you can not perform from
 within MDesk.  The following is a list of procedures you must use the WPS to
 perform:

 o  Install a new printer driver.
 o  Create a new printer object.
 o  Delete a printer object.
 o  Delete a printer driver.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.4. Customizer ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk's Customizer is a replacement for the WPS's Colour Palette and Font
Palette.  It works in exactly the same way:

o    Dragging from the colours palette modifies the receiving window's
     background colour.

 o   Dragging from the colours palette, while holding down the <ctrl> key,
     modifies the receiving window's foreground colour.  The foreground colour
     is frequently the text colour.

 o   Dragging from the fonts palette changes the receiving window's font name
     and size.

 What the Customizer can customize

 o  All aspects of MDesk's Folders.
 o  The Fonts in the dialog boxes page of the Desktop Settings Notebook.
 o  The font and colour used in MDesk's InfoBar.
 o  The Desktop colour.
 o  Any application which responds to fonts and/or colours being dropped on it
 from the WPS palettes.

 Limitations

 o  Fonts in the font palette cannot be changed.
 o  Colours in the colours palette are limited to the standard sixteen colours.

 You may also use the WPS's palettes on MDesk.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.5. Screen Saver ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The MDesk screen saver offers a variety of different displays which may be
configured individually.  The screen saver is compatible with Deskpic external
modules (which usually end in .DSS).  To use an external module which did not
come with MDesk, simply place it in the MDesk\SSaver directory, and it will
appear in the list of available modules.

The MDesk screen saver also provides a password protection feature.

To activate the Screen Saver, select Screen Saver... from the Desktop Popup
Menu or place the mouse pointer over one of the "hot corners". Alternatively,
you can configure the Screen Saver to engage automatically after a given amount
of idle time.  See Desktop/Screen Saver for more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.6. Rapid Switch ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

MDesk offers a rapid switch feature which makes it easier and faster to switch
between open applications.  It is similar to the way Window 3.1 works.  In
OS/2, you switch between applications using the <alt><tab> or <alt><escape> key
combination.  With MDesk, you may also use the <ctrl><tab> combination.  This
will activate the Rapid Switch feature.

When you begin switching between applications, a small window appears showing
the application icon and title.  You may flip between open applications by
holding down the <ctrl> key, and pressing down repeatedly on the <tab> key.
When you let go of the <ctrl> keys, OS/2 switches to the application last seen
in the Rapid Switch window.  The fact that MDesk does not actually call up the
windows which are flipped though until one is actually chosen, makes it much
faster than the regular <alt><tab> and <alt><escape> method.

The application which shows up first in the Rapid Switch window is the one last
used.  The next one is the second last one, and so on.  This makes it much
easier to work with two, or three overlapping windows at the same time.  This
means the "deepest" window on the desktop will be the last in the list.

Should you not want to use this feature (because you <ctrl><tab> for something
else), it can be disabled from the Desktop Settings Notebook, on the
Desktop/Misc page.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.7.7. Hotkey Manager ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The MDesk Hotkey Manager provides an easy to use graphical window for assigning
and removing hotkey definitions.  The facility is useful for getting a global
view of the defined hotkeys, and this in turn makes it easier to remember the
hotkeys.

To assign a program object or folder to a hotkey, simply drag the object to the
key to be assigned.  If the key was previously assigned to another object, that
link is deleted.

To remove a key to object mapping, double click on the key itself.

NOTE: Hotkeys can use either the <ctrl><shift><key> combination or
<ctrl><alt><key>.  The Desktop Settings Notebook, on the Desktop/Misc page is
used to specify these values.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.8. InfoBar ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The InfoBar is a small window which sits at the bottom of the screen.  Its
purpose is to display important, useful information, in a concise and clear
manner.  Some of the inset panes pop-out of their sockets when the mouse passes
over them.  This indicates that they are active fields.  Clicking on them with
mouse button 1 will bring up a roll-up menu, similar to Windows 95's Start
button.

The following is a list of the fields, and their use.  If the word "static"
appears next to it, this indicates that this field is not active and you cannot
click it.

o  Date Indicator (static)
     This field displays the current date, include day of week, day, and year.

 o  Time Indicator (static)
     This field displays the current time.

 o  Quick Folders
     This active field pops-up the "Quick Folders" menu.  This features allows
     you to open an MDesk folder with a single click.

 o  Quick Programs
     This active field pops-up the "Quick Programs" menu.  This features allows
     you to open an MDesk program object with a single click.

 o  Tasks Count
     This active field indicates the number of task currently operating in the
     system.  This is usually the same number as the number of open
     applications.  Clicking on the field, rolls-up a menu which lists the
     tasks.  Select the one you wish to switch to.

 o  Swapfile Indicator (static)
     This field displays two things.  The first number appearing before the
     slash "/" is the current size of the swapfile.  The second number is the
     amount of space left on the partition holding the swapfile.  This field is
     updated every time one of these quantities changes.  If the swapfile space
     drops within 2 MB of the minimum indicated in config.sys, the display
     turns to red.  This indicates you have reached the maximum virtual machine
     size, and should not open any more applications.  See the OS/2 Command
     Reference under SWAPPATH for more information.

 o  CPU Meter (Static)
     This field displays the system's current CPU load.  The value reported is
     based on the amount of CPU time a thread running at the absolute lowest
     priority gets.  For this reason, if more than 1 CPU meters are running
     concurrently on a given system, neither will report a valid CPU load.

 o  Virtual Memory Indicator (Static)
     This field displays the amount of virtual memory which is available to
     your system.  It is calculated by adding the amount of real RAM available
     to the amount of disk space left for the system swapfile to grow.

 o  Uptime Indicator (Static)
     This field indicates the amount of time your system has been up and
     running.

  o  Cascading Folders
     This field is shown as the "MDesk" button on the Infobar.  Clicking it
     will display cascading roll-up menus representing the folder hierarchy,
     starting at the MD System folder.  You can open the actual folder by
     clicking on the top-most entry above the separator.

  o  Message Area (Static)
     This field is used to display various messages.  For example, when the
     command line is active, it displays the current directory.  It also is
     used to indicate an action is being performed, such as opening a folder or
     program object.

 By default, the Infobar reserves the place it uses on the desktop for itself.
 If a window is maximized, it is re-sized in order not to cover the InfoBar.
 If a window is moved over it, InfoBar places itself on top of this window.
 This feature can be turned off in the Infobar page of the Desktop Settings
 notebook.

 The Infobar will accept colours and fonts dropped on it, as long as they are
 to change the text colour or font.  These settings will be saved and restored
 the next time MDesk is started.  The Infobar will re-size itself in such a way
 that the new font fits in the fields.

 You may also drop any MDesk object on the Infobar.  This will cause the object
 dropped to be added to either the Programs Quick Menu or the Folders Quick
 Menu depending on the object's type.

 There are a number of display options available, as well as a facility to
 select and sort those fields you want.  See the Infobar page of the Desktop
 Settings notebook for more information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8.9. Import Utility ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The MDesk Import Utility allows you to import WPS folders and program objects
into MDesk.  To do so, drop your WPS objects on the "MDesk Import" icon which
should have been created in the "MDesk for OS/2" WPS folder. The objects will
then appear in MDesk.  If you dropped a program object, the special "WPS Import
Objects" folder is open and the newly import object is placed in it.  If a
folder was dropped, a new MDesk folder is created, opened, and populated with
the program objects it contains.  The import utility does not import nested
folders.  This means that every WPS folder must be dropped one at a time.

The MDesk Import Utility is implemented with a WPS class.  If your WPS gets
corrupted, and you are forced to revert to the installation desktop, you must
run the following REXX script to re-register the MDImport class:

/* Installer for MDImport class */

Call RxFuncAdd 'SysLoadFuncs', 'RexxUtil', 'SysLoadFuncs'
Call SysLoadFuncs

Rc=SysRegisterObjectClass('MDImport', 'I:\MDESK\MDIMPORT.DLL');
  If Rc<>1 Then
    Do
    Say "SysRegisterObjectClass failed"
    End
  Else
    Do
    Say "SysRegisterObjectClass ok"
    End

  SetupString='OBJECTID=<WP_MDIMPORT>;'

  Rc=SysCreateObject('MDImport', 'MDesk Import Utility', '<WP_DESKTOP>',
SetupString, 'ReplaceIfExists')
  if Rc<>1 Then
    Do
    Say "SysCreateObject failed"
    End
  Else
    Do
    Say "SysCreateObject ok"
    End


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Known Problems / Omissions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Omissions

Here is a list of features which didn't quite make into this release:

o    Context sensitive help is incomplete.  Some of the help push buttons in
     the more obvious dialog boxes are not working at this time.

 o   The MDesk Spooler does not support network printers.

 Known Problems

 Here is a list all the known problems which relate to running MDesk:

 o   Seamless Win-OS/2 applications do not get hidden when they are minimized.
     The problem is still under investigation.  If anyone has any information
     about this, please contact the author.  This problem has not been resolved
     since the initial release.

 o   Rapid Switch does not display the icons for Seamless Win-OS/2
     applications.

 o   scroll bars in the Deskpic screen saver modules' configuration dialog
     boxes do not work.

 NOTE: Should you discover a problem, please report it.  See Obtaining Support
 for addresses.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Release History ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel documents the major changes brought to MDesk since the 1.00 release.
It is a quick way for upgraders to see what's new in this release.

1.3  Released 7 May 1996

NEW FEATURES:

o    added support for cascading roll-up menus on the infobar
 o   added the ability to control the spacing between fields on the infobar

 BUG FIXES:

 o   DOS settings requiring type other than 0 or 1 don't work
 o   uppercase batch files don't run in program objects
 o   uppercase batch files with extensions don't work in command line
 o   programs with extensions won't run from command line
 o   some background images do not get displayed properly
 o   toggling the backgound image to off can cause redraw problems
 o   objects that open minimized in the startup folder appear on the desktop
 o   a shadow of the command line window remains on the infobar
 o   DOS settings are limited to 450 characters, now extended to 4KB
 o   in "only visible when under pointer" the infobar roll-up menus are not
 handled properly in some situations
 o   crash occurs if there are no item to show in a roll-up menu
 o   when the last mdesk related window is closed, it's entry in the window is
     not removed properly

 1.2  Released 22 March 1996

 NEW FEATURES:

 1. FOLDER ENHANCEMENTS

 o   drag-n-drop support for move, copy, and clone, and drop on folder icons
 o   new operation on objects: clone
 o   close after object open, optionally only when SHIFT key is pressed
 o   folders can be assigned hotkeys
 o   option to assign a password to a folder
 o   support for multiple views
 o   nice "chiseled" look
 o   item count on titlebar

 2. INFOBAR ENHANCEMENTS

 o   ability to add/remove/sort infobar fields
 o   new fields: available memory, cpu meter, system uptime
 o   option to show infobar only when mouse pointer is over bottom of the
     screen
 o   icons appear to the left of items in roll-up menus
 o   ability to drop folders or program objects on the infobar and have them
     appear in the quick menus
 o   fields will now dynamically re-size themselves when a new font is applied

 3. PROGRAM OBJECT ENHANCEMENTS

 o   option to have working directory extracted from the path/filename field;
     same for window list captions and title
 o   edit button on general page of program objects is enabled
 o   ability to start an OS/2 session with a given CPU priority
 o   ability to accept parameters at run-time.

 4. MDESK IMPORT

 A new utility to import folder and program objects from the WPS.  Simply drop
 any WPS folder or program object over the MD Import icon, and the objects
 appear in MDesk (assuming MDesk is running).

 5. OTHER NEW FEATURES

 o   all settings notebooks re-vampped to make them clearer
 o   screen saver "hot corners" for activate/don't activate
 o   "Tasks" submenu now also appears in the main desktop popup menu.
 o   ability to accept multiple window list captionso  browse button on comand
                                                       line window is enabled
 o   ability to display a bitmap for a background, tiled style is available
     under Warp
 o   configure Deskpic module directly from MDesk
 o   a new hotkey manager to view/edit hotkey assignments
 o   a new enhanced DOS and OS/2 window mode for quickly marking, copying, and
     pasting.

 Countless other improvements and refinements to existing features are also
 implemented.  All reproducible bugs reported were fixed.

 1.1  Released 9 November 1995

 NEW

 o   Full featured screen saver with support for Deskpic external modules.
 o   Password protection feature.
 o   Drag'n'drop colours and fonts on the Infobar.
 o   Display an 'X' button on all windows to close windows with one click.
 o   Dragging of open folders and notebooks is now supported.
 o   Use the standard OS/2 DOS Settings selection dialogs to edit DOS settings.
 o   An enhanced shutdown procedure, which has a 'restart' button (like Windows
     NT).
 o   The option to hide the Infobar to save desktop space.
 o   The trial period has been extended from 21 days to 45 days.  The grace
     period is extended from one week to two weeks.  Unregistered users of
     release 1.00 will see their trial period reset to the full 45 days.

 IMPROVED

 o   Better management of the Desktop.
 o   Support for longer DOS settings (up to 450 characters), and multilined
     settings (such as DOS_DEVICE) - use the '~' to separate the settings.
 o   Support for common Win-OS/2 seamless sessions.
 o   Faster screen saver timer (uses much less CPU time).
 o   The MPROGRAM.DAT file (your program objects) is backed-up after every
     successful read (at startup).
 o   The hook DLL has been completely revamped and is now 3 times smaller and
     much faster.
 o   The MPROGRAM.DAT file is no longer saved on exit.  This means you can edit
     it while using MDesk as your shell, then exit and your changes will take
     effect as soon as MDesk re-loads itself.

 FIXED

 o   Spin buttons missing in the screen saver timer group box.
 o   Task indicator incorrect when running under OS/2 2.1.
 o   Full screen Windows sessions do not get their DOS settings.
 o   Titlebar font incorrect on most Infobar modal dialogs.
 o   Windows created over the Infobar remain above it even when the "float
     Infobar" style is selected.o                                                                        Script
                                                                                                         (.CMD)
                                                                                                         and
                                                                                                         batch
                                                                                                         (.BAT)
                                                                                                         files
                                                                                                         cannot
                                                                                                         be
                                                                                                         launched
                                                                                                         through
                                                                                                         program
                                                                                                         objects.
 o   Hidden windows sometime appear in the rapid switch window.
 o   MPROGRAM.DAT gets corrupted when closing MDesk with open notebooks.
 o   Data is lost when closing MDesk from another application (or if shutdown
     is run from another application).
 o   Initialization "jams" the system (most initialization now done on a
     secondary thread).
 o   The minimized icons for full screen sessions show up on desktop even if
     the "minimized to window list" style is set.
 o   Swapfile indicator incorrect on systems where the swapfile is in the root
     directory of a drive.
 o   Clicking on "close" when using the object selection dialog causes strange
     behaviour.
 o   Unselecting the "float infobar" style can cause the desktop popup menu
     style to change.
 o   Long strings of DOS settings can cause program objects to become corrupt.
 o   Selecting more than 30 elements from an object selection box causes
     strange behaviour, and eventually an invalid access.

 and many more minour bugs were also eliminated...

 MD SETUP

 o   Command prompts are now taken from SHELL and OS2_SHELL statements in
     CONFIG.SYS
 o   'Display Driver Install' was missing from the 'OS/2 Configuration' folder.
 o   CONFIG.SYS files with statements longer than 512 characters caused a
     crash, and left CONFIG.SYS trashed.
 o   Paths for programs in the 'OS/2 Configuration' folder were hard-coded to
     use drive d:.

 1.00  Released 20 September 1995
 o   Initial release.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Frequently Asked Questions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This panel answers some of the most frequently asked questions about MDesk.

Q: What is the device driver used for?
A:   The MDesk device driver is used to implement the restart button of the
     shutdown panel.  The driver is extremely small, and should not cause
     adverse effects on performance or memory requirements.  Removing the
     driver will simply cause the restart button to remain disabled.

 Q: Why do I get a message about memory problems when starting Win-OS/2
 sessions?
 A:  The most likely cause of this is that your WIN.COM file is the DOS
     version.  To correct this problem, switch to your /WINDOWS directory, and
     copy WIN.COM to WINDOS.COM, and WINOS2.COM to WIN.COM.

 Q: How can I move my MDesk setup from a disk to another without having to
 re-install everything?
 A:  All you must do is copy the entire \MDESK directory tree to the new disk
     or directory, and run MDESK.EXE from that directory.  You may also move
     your MDesk setup to another system by copying the directory tree as MDesk
     no longer depends on information stored in OS2.INI. Note that if you make
     multiple MDesk setups using this technique, the setup program will apply
     changes to the system which was last run. Note also that you must run
     MDESK.EXE in the new disk/directory before running setup.  This is because
     MDesk will mirror important information in OS2.INI which is used by the
     setup program.

 Q: Is MDesk compatible with Object Desktop?
 A:  Yes and No.  It is compatible in the sense that both can co-exist on a
     single system without any problems.  For example, MDesk can be placed in
     the WPS startup folder of a system which also has OD.  However, OD will
     not run as an add on to MDesk the way it does with the WPS.  This means
     that if you use MDesk as your shell, OD will not be available. Note that
     this is not something MDesk can control; OD falls in the category of
     software which requires the WPS to operate (see "Using MDesk as your
     shell).

 Q: Why are the options to start an application minimized or maximized grayed
 out?
 A:  MDesk can only control the initial appearance of OS/2 and DOS windowed
     sessions.  PM and Win-OS/2 Window sessions control this themselves. MDesk
     also allows any Fullscreen session to start minimized.

 Q: What is the difference between a copy and a clone operation?
 A:  In MDesk, all objects you see in folders are "shadows" in the WPS sense.
     Shadows can be placed in quick menus, or in the hotkey manager, for
     example. This implies that folders don't "own" the objects within, and
     therefore if you delete a folder, that operation does not affect the
     objects it used to contain.  With this in mind, a copy operation simply
     inserts another shadow of the object into a new folder. When using direct
     manipulation, a link is traced between the two objects.  However, a
     cloning operation creates an entirely new object in the MDesk program
     database.  This new object is initialize with the data from the source
     object, but exists separately. This means a clone's settings can be
     modified without affecting the source object; but because the data is
     duplicated in the database, clones consume memory whereas shadows created
     with moves don't.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Obtaining Support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Our support is policy is quite simple.  If you are a registered user, or plan
to register in the near future, the author(s) will answer your questions.
Further, as a registered user, you have the privilege to ask for new features.
If the number of requests for a certain feature is large enough, it will be
added.  As long as you continue to support the product through registration, it
will continue to evolve.

Because the product is so complex, it may still contain minor bugs.  If you
discover something you think is a bug, please advise us of it.

The best way to contact the author(s) is via e-mail.  If you have access to the
internet, please e-mail:

                               [e-mail]

NOTE: If you don't have direct access to the internet, chances are your email
may still be able to reach it.  For example, users of Compuserve, FidoNet, and
Bix can all send e-mail across the internet.  If you don't know how do this,
ask you system administrator for instructions.

If e-mail simply is not possible, you may send ordinary mail to us via Canada
Post.  It will then be forwarded to the appropriate person(s).  Our address is:

                                John McCalla Enr.
                                   625 Milton
                                    Suite 507
                                Montreal, Quebec
                                 Canada H2X 1W7

For those with full internet access, a World Wide Web support site is being
setup.  It's URL is:

                    http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~johnm/mdesk.html

This site offers up to date information, as well as bug reporting forms, a
suggestion box, and an on-line registration service.