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LACE: Led's Autoexec and Configuration Editor v1.2 Released May 8, 1992 A PC-DOS / MS-DOS Multiple Configuration Utility _______ ____|__ | (tm) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER Written by Keith Ledbetter 4240 Ketcham Drive Chesterfield, VA 23832 (804) 674-0780 (6:00pm - 10:00pm Eastern Time) Tech Support BBS: Blue Ridge Express 804-790-1675 30 Phone Lines (2400 bd) Sub-board KEITHL ("J KEITHL") Electronic mail on GEnie: ORION.MICRO Compuserve: 72240,1221 AOL: KLedbetter Program and Documentation are Copyright (c) 1992 by Keith Ledbetter. All rights reserved. Portions Copyright Borland, International. Written with Borland C/C++ 3.0 and Borland Turbo Assembler. This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. LACE Registration Form Keith Ledbetter 4240 Ketcham Drive Chesterfield, VA 23832 LACE Version 1.x Quantity Price Disk with branding utility ($15/copy): _______ _________ Total enclosed: _________ Please make payment by check or money order (in US funds) payable to "Keith Ledbetter". Please specify the diskette size(s) that are acceptable for you: ___ 5.25" 360KB ___ 3.50" 720KB Name _____________________________________________________ Company _____________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Phone _____________________________________________________ Where did you get LACE? _____________________________________ Multi-System and Reseller Licenses: Site, corporate, network, and reseller licenses are available for LACE. Check the line on the order form or contact me for more information. The following schedule provides some examples of multi-system license fees. The fee includes one master diskette which you may then copy and use on the number of machines listed below: # Users Price ------- ------- 5 $ 70.00 ($14 / copy) 10 130.00 ($13 / copy) 25 300.00 ($12 / copy) 50 550.00 ($11 / copy) 100 1,000.00 ($10 / copy) Unlimited 1,500.00 Table of Contents Definition of Shareware..................................1 Disclaimer - Agreement...................................2 An Introduction to LACE..................................3 How LACE works...........................................5 The Command Syntax.......................................6 Getting started with LACE................................13 Using the Passive Option.................................14 Using LACE with DOS 3.3..................................15 Using LACE with DOS 5.0..................................16 The ASK.SYS Device Driver................................17 The PAUSE.SYS Device Driver..............................17 The ECHO.SYS Device Driver...............................18 Conclusion...............................................19 Shareware Catalog........................................20 Shareware Distributors...................................23 Definition of Shareware Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 1 Disclaimer - Agreement Users of LACE must accept this disclaimer of warranty: "LACE is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of LACE." LACE is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using LACE and continue to use LACE after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of $15 to Keith Ledbetter. The $15 registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time. Commercial users of LACE must register and pay for their copies of LACE within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting the author. You are encouraged to pass a copy of LACE along to your friends for evaluation. One easy way to do this is by placing LACE on your favorite Bulletin Board System. Please encourage users to register their copy if they find that they can use it. All registered users will receive a copy of the latest version of the LACE program. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 2 Introduction Welcome to LACE, the multi-configuration utility for MS-DOS and PC-DOS versions 3.3 through 5.0. Do you ever have the need to boot your machine with multiple configurations? For example, sometimes with a disk cache and another time with a RAM disk? Do you find yourself keeping multiple CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files on your hard drive, and then copying the one you need to C:\ and then re-booting? Or, even worse, making special floppy boot disks so that your system boots in a "minimum configuration" state? If the answer to any of these is yes, then LACE.SYS will help make your life easier. LACE allows you to keep up to 14 different configuration setups inside of your single CONFIG.SYS file. At machine boot-up time, LACE will present you with a menu comprised of each configuration that you have specified. After selecting a configuration, LACE modifies the in-memory copy of CONFIG.SYS so that only the commands for that specific configuration are executed during the CONFIG.SYS processing. You can use either a single AUTOEXEC file or multiple AUTOEXEC files, depending upon your personal preference. LACE does not remain memory-resident, so it doesn't take up any of your precious low memory. The LACE package also includes three additional device drivers. The ASK device driver allows you to ask simple YES/NO questions from within your CONFIG.SYS file, and then load (or not load) device drivers depending upon the answer from the user. The ECHO device driver allows you to display a comment on the screen (just like the ECHO command in batch files). The PAUSE driver allows you to pause the CONFIG.SYS processing (again, identical to the PAUSE statement within batch files). The LACE package is made up of the following program files: LACE.SYS: this is the main device driver that you invoke at boot-up time in your CONFIG.SYS file. LACE_ERR.COM: this program can be called from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to set the ERRORLEVEL to the boot-up selection that you made. In other words, if you selected menu entry one from the boot-up menu, then ERRORLEVEL would equal 1. LACE_SET.EXE: this program is much like LACE_ERR except that it sets the ERRORLEVEL condition and also creates an environment variable named LACE. Again, if you chose option one, then in your AUTOEXEC.BAT "%lace%" would return a 1. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 3 Introduction ASK.SYS: a device driver that allows you to ask simple YES/NO questions, and act accordingly upon the answer. ECHO.SYS: a device driver that allows you to display comments to the screen during CONFIG.SYS processing. PAUSE.SYS: a device driver that allows you to pause the CONFIG.SYS processing and wait for a keypress from the user. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 4 How LACE Works The idea behind LACE is that you place what are called "selection blocks" within your CONFIG.SYS file (following the LACE.SYS invocation line). These blocks specify (a) the text entry that you want displayed on LACE's menu and (b) the CONFIG lines to execute if that option is selected by the user. A simple, two selection CONFIG.SYS might look something like this: ---------------------+------------------------------------------ COMMENTS | CONFIG.SYS Contents ---------------------+------------------------------------------ invoke LACE program | device = c:\lace\lace.sys | option 1 on the menu | device = LACE "M\enu entry number one" | ........ | ........ | statements to execute if selected | ........ | ........ | option 2 on the menu | device = LACE "M\enu entry number two" | ........ | ........ | statements to execute if selected | ........ | ........ | mark the end of LACE | device = LACE End | these lines, since | DOS = High, UMB they are outside of | Files = 30 the selection blocks,| Stacks = 0,0 are COMMON across | Buffers = 10 all selections. | Break = OFF ---------------------+------------------------------------------- Using the above CONFIG.SYS file, you will be presented at boot-up time with a menu that will look something like this: +------------------------------------------------+ | | | Menu entry number one | | Menu entry number two | | | +------------------------------------------------+ with the first entry highlighted by the "selection bar". If you choose option one, the statements immediately following that selection block will be executed, and statements within the other selection blocks will be ignored by the system. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 5 The Command Syntax LACE will normally, but not always, be the first line in your CONFIG.SYS file. It reads the remainder of your CONFIG.SYS file and presents a menu of the entries that you have specified. After you choose a boot-up option, it removes the other CONFIG.SYS lines from the copy of CONFIG.SYS that is in memory (DOS only loads the CONFIG.SYS file once, so these changes will not actually modify the copy of CONFIG.SYS on your disk). The actual LACE invocation line has the following syntax: device = c:\path\lace.sys [optional parameters] The optional parameters are as follows: Center tells LACE to center the selection lines in the dialog window. By default, all of the menu lines will be left justified. NoHighVideo by default, LACE uses the "high video" attributes allowable on EGA and VGA monitors. If you don't have an EGA or VGA monitor, you should specify the NoHighVideo parameter. If you're not sure if your monitor can support this option, it probably won't take long for you to find out. If text on your screen is blinking, then you need the NoHighVideo option. NumOff tells LACE to turn off the NUMLOCK setting at invocation time. Default=n tells LACE to use menu selection "n" as the default menu selection. Timeout=s used in conjunction with the "Default=" parameter above, this keyword sets the timeout period to "s" seconds, after which time LACE will assume that you chose the default option specified. Passive this option puts LACE into a "passive" mode, which means that it will always execute the first menu selection unless you force it to pop up its menu. See the section "Using the Passive Option" below. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 6 The Command Syntax After LACE has been invoked, it starts looking through the CONFIG.SYS file for two specific types of lines. These are "menu selection" lines and "option modification" lines. Menu Selection Lines -------------------- Menu selection lines tell LACE to insert the specified text as a selection on your boot-up menu. The syntax for a selection line is as follows: device = LACE "A \double quoted \S\tring" [optional parameters] As soon as LACE sees the double quote immediately following the word LACE, it adds the entry to the pop-up menu. Note that you DO NOT specify a path on the subsequent LACE lines; you simply use the word "LACE". Since everything in the CONFIG.SYS file is folded to UPPER CASE by the operating system, the "\" character allows you to toggle lower case on and off. The above example would show on the screen as: "A double quoted String". There are only two optional parameters, which are: Default tells LACE to use this menu entry as the default menu selection. The selection bar will initially be placed on this entry, and it will be chosen automatically if no key is pressed within the specified timeout period. It only makes sense to place this keyword on one menu selection line. If you do specify it on multiple menu lines, the last one will become the default. Timeout=s used in conjunction with the "Default" parameter above, this keyword sets the timeout period to "s" seconds, after which time LACE will assume that you chose this selection. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 7 The Command Syntax Option Modification Lines ------------------------- An "option modification" line allows you to change or set options for LACE (this would be analogous to "switches" on a command line program). You can have none or many option modification lines in your CONFIG.SYS file. These lines have the following syntax: device = LACE KeyWord[=Value] KeyWord[=Value]... The valid keywords are as follows: End this keyword marks the end of where LACE should stop processing. You must have one of these in your CONFIG.SYS! ColorType= this keyword allows you to modify LACE's default color set. where "ColorType" keywords are: BannerBorder the top and bottom lines of the screen. BannerBackground the background color of the copyright messages. BannerForeground the foreground color of the copyright messages. BackgroundFill the color used to fill the background of the screen. DialogBorder the border color around the menu selection dialog box. DialogBackground the background color of the menu selection dialog box. DialogForeground the foreground color of the menu selection dialog box. OwnerBackground the background color of the "registered owner" area. OwnerForeground the foreground color of the "registered owner" area. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 8 The Command Syntax SelectionBarBackground the background color used when displaying the moveable selection bar. SelectionBarForeground the background color used when displaying the moveable selection bar. and where the possible "color" values are: Blue Green Cyan Red Magenta Brown LightGray (BrightGray) DarkGray LightBlue (BrightBlue) LightGreen (BrightGreen) LightCyan (BrightCyan) LightRed (BrightRed) LightMagenta (BrightMagenta) Yellow White NOTE: If you are using a monochrome monitor, LACE will automatically detect this and set all of the colors accordingly. If all of these options at first overwhelm you, don't be concerned. LACE is extremely easy to set up and use. At this point, we will look at an actual CONFIG.SYS file that uses LACE to allow three different configuration setups. These three boot- up options are: 1. No network drivers loaded 2. LAN Manager network 3. Novell network The CONFIG.SYS file and two AUTOEXEC.BAT examples follow. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 9 CONFIG.SYS REM Since these first four lines are outside of the REM "device=c:\utils\lace.sys" and "LACE End" lines, REM they are COMMON across all selections. In other REM words, they will ALWAYS be executed. DOS = High,UMB device = e:\windows\himem.sys device = e:\windows\emm386.exe ram noems i=b000-b7ff shell = c:\4dos\4dos.com /p @c:\4dos\4dos.ini device = c:\utils\lace.sys Center NumOff device = LACE SelectionBarBackground=RED device = LACE "N\o network" Default Timeout=30 devicehigh = d:\ms_mouse\mouse.sys /y /s30 device = d:\hyper\hyperdkx.exe c:4096:4096 xs xt:- s t:2 devicehigh = c:\dos50\ansi.sys devicehigh = c:\dos50\setver.exe devicehigh = d:\hyper\hyperscr.exe k:p device = c:\lace\Ask.Sys "L\oad the \MOUSE\ driver?" device = YES devicehigh = d:\ms_mouse\mouse.sys /y /s30 device = END device = LACE "LAN M\anager \N\etwork" devicehigh = d:\netlib\dxma0mod.sys 001 devicehigh = d:\netlib\dxmc0mod.sys devicehigh = d:\netlib\dxmt0mod.sys s=32 c=32 device = d:\hyper\hyperdkx.exe c:4096:4096 xs xt:- s t:2 devicehigh = c:\dos50\ansi.sys devicehigh = c:\dos50\setver.exe device = LACE "N\ovell \N\etwork" devicehigh = d:\ms_mouse\mouse.sys /y /s30 devicehigh = d:\netlib\dxma0mod.sys 001 devicehigh = d:\netlib\dxmc0mod.sys devicehigh = d:\netlib\dxmt0mod.sys s=32 c=32 devicehigh = c:\dos50\ansi.sys devicehigh = c:\dos50\setver.exe device = LACE End REM Since these last five lines are also outside of the REM "device=c:\utils\lace.sys" and "LACE End" lines, REM they are also COMMON across all selections. buffers = 5 files = 60 break = on STACKS = 0,0 lastdrive = E LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 10 AUTOEXEC.BAT Example 1 REM ---------------------------------------------------- REM This example shows how to use the LACE environment REM variable to do everything in a single AUTOEXEC file. REM ---------------------------------------------------- REM First, we call the LACE_SET program to set the REM environment variable "LACE" to the selection that REM we made from the menu. C:\Lace\Lace_Set verify off set comspec=c:\4dos\4dos.com path d:\batch;c:\utils;c:\dos50;c:\4dos set prompt=$e[1;37;44m[$p]-[$g $h mode con rate=30 delay=1 if "%lace%" NE "3" goto no_novell c:\netware\wsgen\ipx c:\netware\wsgen\route c:\netware\wsgen\netx f: login novell_server/kledbetter path %path;c:\netware :no_novell LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 11 AUTOEXEC.BAT Example 2 REM ------------------------------------------------------ REM This example shows how to use the LACE environment REM variable to have 3 seperate AUTOEXEC files. Depending REM upon the selection made from the LACE menu, we will REM either execute AUTO-1.BAT, AUTO-2.BAT, or AUTO-3.BAT. REM ------------------------------------------------------ REM First, we call the LACE_SET program to set the REM environment variable "LACE" to the selection that REM we made from the menu. We then call the matching REM AUTO-n.BAT file. C:\Lace\Lace_Set C:\Auto-%Lace%.Bat File AUTO-1.BAT: ---------------------------------------------------------------- verify off set comspec=c:\4dos\4dos.com path d:\batch;c:\utils;c:\dos50;c:\4dos set prompt=$e[1;37;44m[$p]-[$g $h mode con rate=30 delay=1 File AUTO-2.BAT: ---------------------------------------------------------------- verify off set comspec=c:\4dos\4dos.com path d:\batch;c:\utils;c:\dos50;c:\4dos set prompt=$e[1;37;44m[$p]-[$g $h mode con rate=30 delay=1 File AUTO-3.BAT: ---------------------------------------------------------------- verify off set comspec=c:\4dos\4dos.com path d:\batch;c:\utils;c:\dos50;c:\4dos;c:\netware set prompt=$e[1;37;44m[$p]-[$g $h mode con rate=30 delay=1 c:\netware\wsgen\ipx c:\netware\wsgen\route c:\netware\wsgen\netx f: login novell_server/kledbetter LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 12 Getting Started At this point, probably the easiest way to get started with LACE is to create a two-selection CONFIG.SYS file. Option one in our example will be your existing CONFIG.SYS file and option two will be a "bare-bones" configuration. Load up your favorite text editor and let's edit your current CONFIG.SYS file. Make the following changes: Add the following two lines at the TOP of your current CONFIG.SYS file (change the path name if you put LACE in a different directory name): device=c:\lace\lace.sys Center device=LACE "S\tandard configuration" Default Timeout=30 Next, go to the very bottom of your CONFIG.SYS file and add these lines: device=LACE "B\are-bones configuration" files = 20 buffers = 30 device=LACE End Now, save your CONFIG.SYS file and re-boot your system. Unless you made a typing error, you should now see LACE's menu screen with your two configuration options on it. Selecting option one will boot your machine in the exact configuration as before you installed LACE. Selecting option two will boot your machine with no drivers at all loaded. Congratulations! You have just created your first LACE multiple configuration. As you can see, using LACE is very simple and intuitive. It should be easy for you to now build onto this CONFIG.SYS file to create as many different boot-up configurations as you need. A Shortcut ---------- There is a shortcut built into LACE that you might want to try out now. LACE assumes that your first two menu entries are going to be ones that you will choose the most. LACE makes it easy for you to do this. Before LACE displays its menu screen, it checks the keyboard to see if you are holding down either shift key. If you are holding down the left shift key, LACE bypasses the menu screen and proceeds as if you had selected option one from the menu. If you are holding down the right shift key, LACE proceeds as if you had selected option two from the menu. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 13 Using the Passive Option LACE has an optional mode known as "passive" operation (see "The Command Syntax" section). Passive mode is most useful when you execute your first menu selection block most of the time. When in passive mode, LACE always executes the first menu selection unless you specifically tell it to pop up its menu by holding down the Left Shift key at invocation time (when LACE loads from disk, not when you "boot" your machine). When you are in passive mode, you can still execute the second menu item automatically by holding down the right shift key. The following chart shows what the various Shift Key states do depending on your current mode: In "Active" mode In "Passive" mode ---------------- ----------------- No Shift LACE menu is always Executes the first pressed displayed to you. config block without displaying the menu. Left Shift Executes the first Forces the LACE pressed config block without menu to appear. displaying the menu. Right Shift Executes the second Executes the second pressed config block without config block without displaying the menu. displaying the menu. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 14 Using LACE with DOS 3.3 LACE was created to work seamlessly with DOS versions 4.x and higher. It will work with DOS 3.3 just fine except for a few differences that are caused by DOS 3.3's processing of the CONFIG.SYS file. First of all, there is no "REMark" statement allowed in DOS 3.3's CONFIG.SYS lines. Since the way LACE removes unwanted lines from your CONFIG.SYS file is by changing them to "remark" lines, this causes a big problem. The only way to cleanly remove lines in a DOS 3.3 config file (without getting an avalanche of "Invalid command" lines printed to the screen) is to change the unwanted lines to "BREAK=OFF" statements. This is what LACE does if it senses that you are running DOS 3.3. Of course, this means that if you want to set "BREAK=ON", you MUST do it AFTER the "device = LACE End" statement. Another problem comes in to play if you have a line in a selection block that has less than 3 characters to the right of the "=" sign. For example, a line such as "buffers = 5" is not long enough for LACE to change to a "BREAK=OFF" statement should it need to remove this line. If this occurs, you will get an "invalid command" error message, but the processing of the CONFIG.SYS file will have occurred just as you wanted it to (in other words, only the lines in the selected area of CONFIG.SYS will have been executed). One way around this is to "pad" with spaces to the right of any short lines. Using the above example, changing "buffers = 5" to "buffers = 5 *" will now allow LACE to change the line to a "BREAK=OFF" command, thereby eliminating the bogus "invalid command" message at boot-up time. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 15 Using LACE with DOS 5.0 The only thing you can't do under DOS 5.0 right now is to have multiple settings for your "DOS=" entry. This is caused by the fact that DOS 5.0 pre-scans the entire CONFIG.SYS file, before executing any device drivers, to see if it needs to set itself up to load high. What this means is that you can't do this: LACE "S\election one" DOS=Low ...lines... LACE "S\election two" DOS=High,UMB ...lines... LACE End In this example, "DOS=High,UMB" will always be used since DOS sees this as the last "DOS=" setting in the CONFIG.SYS file. DOS will then set itself up to load high before LACE.SYS ever gets executed. This problem will be addressed in a future version of LACE. I didn't want to hold up the release of an otherwise complete product until I could find a way around this problem. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 16 The Additional Device Drivers The ASK.SYS Device Driver ------------------------- The ASK.SYS device driver is a totally stand-alone device driver that can be used to ask simple, one-line Yes/No questions at boot-up time, and then load or not load any number of device drivers depending upon the answer. The questions can fall within a LACE "selection block". The format for the ASK driver is as follows: Device=c:\Ask.Sys "The Y/N question" [default=Y|N] [Timeout=nn] Device=YES ... the lines you want executed if they answer YES ... ... the lines you want executed if they answer YES ... Device=NO ... optional lines you want executed if they answer NO ... ... optional lines you want executed if they answer NO ... Device=END For example: ------------ device=c:\Ask.Sys "L\oad the mouse driver? " default=Y timeout=10 device=YES device=c:\windows\mouse.sys device=END The same caveats exist for the ASK driver under DOS 3.3 and DOS 5.0 as for LACE (see the "Using LACE under DOS 3.3" and "Using LACE under DOS 5.0" sections above). The PAUSE.SYS Device Drivers ---------------------------- The PAUSE driver does exactly what the DOS "Pause" batch file command does -- it displays an optional message to the user and waits for any key to be pressed. The syntax is: device = c:\lace\Pause.Sys which would result in: Press any key when ready... LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 17 The Additional Device Drivers device = c:\lace\Pause.Sys P\ress a key to continue \CONFIG.SYS would result in: Press a key to continue CONFIG.SYS The ECHO.SYS Device Drivers --------------------------- The ECHO driver simply echoes a message to the screen, which can be handy when debugging your CONFIG.SYS file. An example: device = c:\Echo.Sys I'\m now loading the \MOUSE\ driver device = c:\mouse.sys device = c:\pause.sys would display the message "I'm now loading the MOUSE driver" immediately before the mouse driver is loaded into memory. LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 18 In Conclusion I hope that you will enjoy using LACE. Please remember that this is a Shareware program; if you continue to use the program after a reasonable amount of time, show your support for Shareware by registering your copy of the program. When you register LACE, you will receive a diskette with the latest version of LACE and a "branding" utility that will allow you to place your name and serial number into all future versions of LACE. No future upgrade costs; you pay only one time! The diskette you receive will also contain the Shareware versions of all of the products listed in the "Product Catalog" found at the end of this document. As with most products, there are those who donate their time to BETA testing, and LACE is no exception. I'd like to personally thank the following BETA testers for giving freely of their time to ensure a solid product: Hal Hudler, Linnie Martin, Larry Cary, Dick Dunn, Pat Ford, Robert Norman, Roy Tucker, Mike Phillips, Bob Arnson, Ray Tackett, Peter Schulz, Joern Wettern, Edward Phillips, Jeff Garbers, Charles Wajciechowski, and Sharlyn Williams. Also, a big thanks to Webb Blackman, Sysop of the Blue Ridge Express, for continuing to allow me to use his BBS as a message center, file distribution point, and over-all remote disk drive! Once again, enjoy the program and be sure to contact me with any ideas you may have for future enhancements. And, last but surely not least, thanks to all of you who continue to support my Shareware products! Keith Ledbetter LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 19 Keith Ledbetter's Shareware Catalog Listed below is a chart of my other shareware and freeware utilities, along with the current version number of each. Also listed is the filename that you will find them under on BBS systems (please note that they may be different on your favorite BBS's, but it should help you at least get close to locating them). When you register one of my Shareware programs, you will receive a disk with all of these utilities on it. Filename Version Description ----------- ------- ---------------------------------- SST_53a.ZIP 5.3a The ultimate file-finder program. PC/Computing magazine called SST "the Concorde of all file finders". SST can search inside of all popular archive formats and also supports date searching, file size searching, and command execution on found files. Far too many other options to list here! Shareware: $15 LCD_40b.ZIP 4.0b "Led's Change Directory" is an intelligent directory changing program. This program was voted one of "the 10 best utilities of 1990" by the "Public (software) Library" magazine. Shareware: $15 LACE_12.ZIP 1.1 LACE ("Led's Autoexec and Configuration Editor") is a device driver that allows you to maintain up to 14 different boot-up configurations from within a single CONFIG.SYS file. LACE is very easy to set up and use - you no longer have to be a "power user" to support multiple configurations! Shareware: $15 AV_12.ZIP 1.2 "Archive Viewer" is used to display the names of members of all of the popular archiving programs (ZIP, ARC, LHARC, PKARC, ZOO, PAK). No longer do you have to struggle remembering the syntax to 6 different archiving programs. Freeware: $0 LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 20 Keith Ledbetter's Shareware Catalog X_30.ZIP 3.0 "X: The Executioner" can save you a lot of disk space. X allows you to ZIP down those seldom-used-but hard-to-delete .COM, .EXE, and .BAT files into one system "Command Library". You can then execute them easily by simply typing an "x" in front of the command line (eg: "x chkdsk c:"). Freeware: $0 ADMENU30.ZIP 3.0 If you own an Adlib Music card, you need this program. It allows you to ZIP down all of those .ROL song files you've accumulated, yet still play them with no extra effort! Uses a mouse-able, easy-on-the-eyes window system. Freeware: $0 DELDIR12.ZIP 1.2 "Delete Directory" allows you to delete an entire directory (and all directories under it) with one quick command. You will be shown totals of what you are about to delete and then be asked to confirm (the confirm process can be over- ridden from the command line). Freeware: $0 DIRSIZ11.ZIP 1.1 "Directory Size Information" allows you to easily determine the total size (in both files and bytes) of any directory. Freeware: $0 LSDIR_20.ZIP 2.0 "Led's Stacker Directory" is a replacement for Stacker's SDIR command. The main advantage of LSDIR is that it shows the compression ratio in "PKZIP-type" notation (50% instead of 2.0:1). Freeware: $0 DUPICO10.ZIP 1.0 "Duplicate Icon Deleter" is for any Windows 3.0 user who has accumulated tons of icons. It will go through a directory and delete all duplicate icon images, regardless of what they are named. Freeware: $0 LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 21 Keith Ledbetter's Shareware Catalog MSDRBT10.ZIP 1.0 MS-DOS / DR-DOS Dual Boot. This utility allows you to keep both MS- DOS 5.0 and DR-DOS 6.0 on your hard drive at the same time and easily switch between the two operating systems. Freeware: $0 TIMER10.ZIP 1.0 This program allows you to easily time the execution of any program. Simply use TIMER to invoke the command (eg: "timer chkdsk C:") and you will be shown, at the completion of the command, the elapsed time. Freeware: $0 UNTAB10.ZIP 1.0 One of the fastest "un-tab" programs you will find. It takes the specified input file and copies it to the specified output file, replacing all tab characters with hard blanks (you specify the "tab size"). Freeware: $0 LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 22 Software Distributors You can download all of my programs from the Blue Ridge Express BBS in Richmond, VA. This is the official technical support board for all of my software, and there's a special "Keith Ledbetter" message section where you can quickly get your questions answered. Once you log on, just do a "J KEITHL" to join my sub-board. First-time callers have access to both my message base and all of my download files. Please note that you must do a "J MAIN" command before downloading any files. The Blue Ridge Express is a first-class BBS, with 30 phone lines; no need to worry about getting a busy signal! The number is: The Blue Ridge Express BBS 804-790-1675 All of my software can also be obtained from the following shareware vendors: Alternative Personal Software 269 Springside Drive Suite C Hamilton, Ontario Canada L9B 1P8 Tel: (416) 577-4068 PC Assist Limited 4 Carruber's Close 135 High Street Edinburgh, EH1 1SJ Scotland Tel: 031-557-6432 BroCo Software P. O. Box 446 3760 AK SOEST Holland Tel: 31-2155-26650 EURO BOARD John Warren Postfach 3920 ZERMATT, VS Switzerland BBS: (0228) / 476-111-06 (Swiss Telepac) LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 23 Index additional device drivers, 3 ASK.SYS, 4, 17 Blue Ridge Express BBS, 23 BREAK=, 15 common selections, 5 CONFIG.SYS sample shell, 5 DOS 3.3, 15, 17 DOS 5.0, 16, 17 ECHO.SYS, 18 environment variable, 3, 11, 12 ERRORLEVEL, 3 getting started, 13 LACE invocation, 6 LACE.SYS, 3 LACE.SYS Parameters, 6 Center, 6 Default=, 6 NoHighVideo, 6 NumOff, 6 Passive, 6 Timeout=, 6 LACE_ERR.COM, 3 LACE_SET.EXE, 3 left shift key, 13 menu entry lines, 7 menu entry parameters Default, 7 Timeout=, 7 multiple AUTOEXEC.BAT files, 12 option line parameters BackgroundFill, 8 BannerBackground, 8 BannerBorder, 8 BannerForeground, 8 color values, 9 ColorType, 8 DialogBackground, 8 DialogBorder, 8 DialogForeground, 8 End, 8 OwnerBackground, 8 OwnerForeground, 8 SelectionBarBackground, 9 SelectionBarForeground, 9 option lines, 8 passive, 14 PAUSE.SYS, 17 product catalog, 20 remark, 15 right shift key, 13 selection blocks, 5 LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 24 Index Shift Key states, 14 shortcut keys, 13 software distributors, 23 technical support, 23 welcome, 3 YES/NO questions, 4 LACE: the Multi-Configuration Utility Page 25