Experimental BBS Explossion 3/Experimental BBS Explossion III.iso/msdos/icndos15.zip/ICONDOS.DOC

Text File | 1993-06-05 | 18KB | 348 lines

                                    ┌────┐
                                 ┌──┴─┐┌─┴──┐
                              ┌──┴─┐┌─┴┴─┐┌─┴──┐
                           ┌──┴─┐┌─┴┴─┐┌─┴┴─┐┌─┴──┐
                        ┌──┴─┐┌─┴┴─┐┌─┴┴─┐┌─┴┴─┐┌─┴──┐
                        │    ├┤    ├┤    ├┤    ├┤    │
                        └────┘└────┘└────┘└────┘└────┘
                         IconDOS: DOS Program Launcher
                                   ver. 1.5
                          Copyright 1993, EFD Systems
                               All Rights Reserved
                        ┌────┐┌────┐┌────┐┌────┐┌────┐
                        │    ├┤    ├┤    ├┤    ├┤    │
                        └──┬─┘└─┬┬─┘└─┬┬─┘└─┬┬─┘└─┬──┘
                           └──┬─┘└─┬┬─┘└─┬┬─┘└─┬──┘
                              └──┬─┘└─┬┬─┘└─┬──┘
                                 └──┬─┘└─┬──┘
                                    └────┘

                                "Elvis for DOS"


IconDOS is a trademark of EFD Systems.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                         T A B L E  of  C O N T E N T S


 Elvis is Dead but DOS ain't  ----------------------------------------- 3

 Standard Equipment  -------------------------------------------------- 4

 Startup and Test Drive  ---------------------------------------------- 5

 Under the Hood  ------------------------------------------------------ 6

 Behind the Wheel  ---------------------------------------------------- 8

 Locking the Doors  --------------------------------------------------- 10

 Driving and Maintenance Tips  ---------------------------------------- 11

 Mail Order  ---------------------------------------------------------- 12

 Maintenance Log  ----------------------------------------------------- 13

 NOTE: These page numbers are valid only if you are reading this with the
       included file viewer, BOOK.EXE.  Simply type a number and press ENTER.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                          Elvis is Dead but DOS ain't

Contrary to recent reports, Elvis is dead, DOS is alive and well. However, a
little of the King's flare and pizazz wouldn't hurt the reputation of DOS at
all.  IconDOS is just the ticket to add a little "Elvis" to a boring and
cantankerous DOS system.  With IconDOS you can "launch" any of your existing DOS
applications from a graphical icon-based desktop that is similiar to Program
Manager for Windows.  The IconDOS desktop works equally well either with or
without a mouse. Memory, your most precious DOS resource, is handled with the
utmost efficiency.  All of your existing applications are guaranteed to run
exactly as they always have because IconDOS requires no resident memory (none,
zero, nada) while a launched application is running.  And yes, all of you
glitter rock fans will be tickled pink to know that IconDOS has over 400
pre-drawn icons (registered version only) and WALLPAPER to decorate your
desktop!   With the included editor, you can make custom icons and wallpaper.

IconDOS provides for a virtually unlimited number of icon menu items.  Each menu
can contain up to 32767 icons spread across multiple pages.  Each icon can
either launch an application or invoke a submenu which can in turn invoke
another submenu and so on.  Clock, calendar, calculator and screen saver are
built-in.  A VGA display is REQUIRED.  A MicroSoft compatible mouse is required
to setup, edit and configure icons, menus and wallpaper.  Password security
controls access to applications, sub-menus and the DOS command line.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                               Standard Equipment

This version of IconDOS includes the following standard equipment.

ICONDOS.EXE - Desktop program launcher.

ICONEDIT.EXE - Graphics editor.  Edits icon graphics, titles, command strings.

ICONDOS.DOC, ICONEDIT.DOC - Documentation for ICONDOS and ICONEDIT.

RUN.BAT - Batch file which works with IconDOS.EXE to actually launch
   applications.  This one batch file can be easily configured to run all of
   your existing applications.  Comments in the file itself show you how.

DEMO.MNU, SUBDEMO.MNU - Example icon menu with an example sub-menu.  This menu
   doesn't run anything. It simply prints a short message identifying any icon
   that is selected.

PAPER.ICN - Wallpaper file.  A wallpaper is chosen at random from this file
   unless wallpaper has been fixed.  See README.1ST for details.

ICON.LBR - Icon library.  ICONEDIT.EXE can be used to copy these icons to your
   own menu files (see ICONEDIT.DOC for details).
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                             Startup and Test Drive

Before you can use IconDOS, you must install it on your hard drive. Installation
is very easy.  Simply make a new directory and copy all of the IconDOS files to
it.  If you insist, a batch file called INSTALL.BAT has been provided which will
do this for you.  Change to the drive and directory where the IconDOS files are
located and type:

                  INSTALL drivepath   Example: INSTALL C:\MENU

All menu and wallpaper files should always be maintained in the given directory.
Otherwise, IconDOS may have trouble finding the files when needed.

After installation, you can take ICONDOS for a test drive.  Change to the
drive and directory where the installation was made and type:

                                  ICONDOS DEMO

Try selecting a few icons using either the mouse or the ENTER key.  A short
message is displayed after each selection to identify the selected icon and to
show that the menu is indeed working.

Press F1 for a menu, press ESC to exit.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                                 Under the Hood

Before you can configure IconDOS to fit your needs, you need an understanding of
how IconDOS works, in other words, you need a peek "under the hood".

An IconDOS menu is simply a file containing a collection of icons.  Each icon
has a title (2-lines, 10 chars. each) and a command string (14 chars. max.).
ICONEDIT.EXE is used to assemble and edit the icon file (see ICONEDIT.DOC). Icon
graphics can be either hand drawn or copied from the supplied icon library
(again, see ICONEDIT.DOC for details). The desktop menu program, ICONDOS.EXE,
simply displays the icons from the menu file against a wallpaper backdrop and
allows the user to make a selection.  Once an icon is selected, the associated
command string is examined to determine whether it is the name of a submenu or a
DOS command string.  A DOS command string is stuffed into the keyboard buffer
and IconDOS ends.  DOS picks up at this point and runs the command as if it had
been typed from the keyboard.  Very simple except for one minor problem --- 14
characters is a very limited command string.  The solution is to use the command
string to call a batch file. Individual batch files can be setup for each icon;
however, a more efficient approach is to setup one batch file to run a number of
applications.  The provided example menu, DEMO.MNU, demonstrates this latter
technique.  Every icon in DEMO.MNU calls RUN.BAT but with a unique parameter.
RUN.BAT uses this parameter to select and execute the proper command set for the
icon.  This process is shown diagramatically below.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
             ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
             │IconDOS displays icon menu and waits for├─ ─ ─ ─ ──┐
             │the user to make a selection.           │          │
             └───────────────────┬────────────────────┘
             ┌───────────────────┴────────────────────┐          │
             │The user selects an icon.               │
             └───────────────────┬────────────────────┘          │
             ┌───────────────────┴────────────────────┐
             │IconDOS passes the command string (14   │          │
             │char. max) from the selected icon to    │
             │DOS and then IconDOS ends.              │          │
             └───────────────────┬────────────────────┘
             ┌───────────────────┴────────────────────┐          │
             │DOS picks up the command string and runs│
             │it.  Normally this string will execute a│          │
             │batch file (RUN.BAT) with a parameter.  │
             └───────────────────┬────────────────────┘          │
             ┌───────────────────┴─────────────────────┐
             │The batch file (RUN.BAT) uses the passed │         │
             │parameter to select and execute an       │
             │appropriate set of DOS commands.         ├─ ─ ─ ─ ─┘
             │RUN.BAT ends by running ICONDOS again.   │
             └─────────────────────────────────────────┘
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                            Under the Hood (cont'd)

From the above discussion, it should be obvious that IconDOS, stripped of all
the superfluous details, is simply a graphical front-end to a batch file.  Some
may be disappointed by this realization but it is a simple fact that there is no
safer or more efficient way to execute a series of DOS commands than a batch
file.  Configuring the included batch file template, RUN.BAT, to run your own
applications is about as easy as configuring most of the available alternative
memory-resident (i.e. potentially troublesome) menu systems now on the market.

With an understanding of IconDOS's operation, configuration is a 2 step process:

1) Setup an icon menu file using ICONEDIT.EXE.  Detailed instructions are
   provided in ICONEDIT.DOC.  DEMO.MNU is an example.

2) Build a batch file to actually run the DOS command strings needed for each
   icon.  RUN.BAT can be used as a template.  RUN.BAT also illustrates the
   commands needed to re-enter IconDOS after running an application.
   >>> RUN.BAT SHOULD BE RE-LOCATED SOMEWHERE INSIDE YOUR DOS PATH <<<

For those who have batch phobia, I suggest reading "Supercharging MS-DOS" by Van
Wolverton.  Time spent learning simple batch programming with this book will be
re-paid many times over with increased DOS productivity.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                                Behind the Wheel

Once IconDOS has been setup and configured, it is very simple and intuitative to
use and can be driven equally well from either keyboard or mouse.

Keyboard

Use the arrow keys to move the icon title highlight.  Press Enter to perform the
action associated with the highlighted icon, either launch a program or load a
submenu.  Page Up/Page Down moves to the previous/next page if the menu has more
than one page.  F1 invokes a utility menu, ESC immediately exits IconDOS and
returns to the DOS command line (express exit).

Mouse

To choose an icon, simply click once on the icon.  Double click not required as
in Windows.  Buttons located in the upper right of screen provide mouse paging
for multi-page menus (use PgUp/PgDn from the keyboard).  The command button in
the upper left of the screen provides a menu if clicked with the left mouse
button.  Clicking with the right mouse button immediately exits IconDOS (express
exit).

That's all there is to it!  Simple, efficient, practical and fun.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                           Behind the Wheel (cont'd)

Utility Menu Items

Press F1 to invoke the utility menu or click with the left mouse button on the
command button in the upper left of the screen.  Highlight an item and press
<enter> or click a menu item with the mouse.

The calendar can display any month of any year from 1900 to 2060.  Use the left
and right arrow keys to change months or click on the month with the left or
right mouse buttons.  Use up and down arrow keys to change years.  Click on the
year to do the same with the mouse.

The calculator is a simple 4-function dollars and cents style calculator.  The
calculator can also be driven from either the keyboard or the mouse.  With the
mouse, simply click on the on-screen buttons.

Press ESC or click on the square command button at the upper left to exit either
the calculator or the calendar.

The remaining utility menu items deal with wallpaper functions.  You can figure
these out by experimentation.  Hey, any true fan of the King loves a little
mystery and adventure!
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                           Behind the Wheel (cont'd)

IconDOS vs. Windows Program Manager

IconDOS attempts to provide some of the look, feel and essential utility of
Windows Program Manager in a neat, efficient DOS menu system but it is far from
a Program Manager "clone".  Compared to Program Manager, IconDOS is much less
"dynamic" which makes it simpler and easier to configure and use.  In
particular, Window's users will note the following differences:

- The IconDOS desktop always uses the full screen and cannot be re-sized.

- Icons are always arranged automatically and cannot be moved on the desktop.
  However, the order of icons can be changed using IconEDIT.

- The screen saver is pre-set to clear the screen after 4 minutes of mouse and
  keyboard in-activity and cannot be adjusted.

- The DOS date and time are always displayed at the bottom of the screen and
  cannot be turned off.

- IconDOS does not give you the ability to run more than one application at a
  time or break the DOS 640K barrier.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                               Locking the Doors

IconDOS now provides password security for applications, submenus and DOS
access.  Application and submenu icon passwords are entered using IconEDIT. The
DOS access password is specified on the startup command line like this:

                     ICONDOS menu /password (10 char. max.)

As an example, try using the DEMO menu with a DOS access password of TEST.
Type:
                             ICONDOS DEMO /TEST

Now the password, TEST, must be provided before the user is allowed to exit to
the DOS prompt.  This same password is also required to exit the screen saver.

A few words about the PC and security.  A PC is notoriously diffcult to secure
from a skillful and determined snoop due to the lack of security design features
in either the hardware or the operating system.  The password security provided
by menu systems such as IconDOS will only discourage the casual snoop.  Software
SHELL functions, batch files (including AUTOEXEC.BAT) and the bootable floopy
drive are all security weak points in a PC.  Attempts to address these weak
points have usually created a new problem --- the owner may very easily lock him
or herself out of the PC by accident.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                          Driving and Maintenance Tips

IconDOS and IconEDIT work together to provide all of the features needed to
setup and maintain a modern, efficient and fun DOS based menu system.  Almost
any needed configuration and maintenance operation can be performed in some way
although it may not always be entirely obvious how to do it.  If you need help,
be sure to check the "How-To" section of ICONEDIT.DOC for answers to some of the
most common questions.  If you cannot find the answer to your question there,
write to the address shown at the end of this file.  CompuServe users can write
to CIS: 72627,3026.  CompuServe is the preferred support channel and will
definitely result in a quicker response.  We definitely want to learn of any
problems with IconDOS and we will do our best to provide a resolution.

IconDOS does not provide a DOS shell function.  In our opinion, a shell is
redundant and unnecessary since it is just as easy to exit to DOS and re-enter
IconDOS as needed.  To make the process as convenient as possible, setup a batch
file called MENU.BAT which starts IconDOS and loads your menu.  Place this batch
file somewhere inside your DOS path.  Now exit IconDOS as needed and type "MENU"
to re-enter.  This is just as convenient and sensible as invoking some sort of
shell and typing "EXIT" to re-enter the menu.

To start IconDOS from outside the IconDOS directory, use the full path for both
IconDOS and menu like this:  C:\MENU\ICONDOS C:\MENU\DEMO
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                                   Mail Order

To use this software beyond a 30-day trial period requires the purchase of a
license. A license can only be purchased by direct mail order from the author
(just like in the old days with the Sears catalog).  See ORDER.FRM or send a
check or money order for $25 US to:
                                  EFD Systems
                            304 Smokerise Circle SE
                               Marietta, GA 30067                 CIS:72627,3026

As a minimum, licensed users will receive the following:

- The lastest licensed version of IconDOS including a library of at least 450
  "best of Windows" icons and new wallpaper.

- A utility to display 16 color .PCX files and capture icons from the screen.
  Provides an indirect but workable path to convert Window's icons to IconDOS.
  The icon library was converted from public domain Windows icons in this way.

- Any other related utilities that have been cooked up since the release of the
  shareware version.  Registered users can upgrade to any later version for a $5
  S & H fee.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
                                Maintenance Log

1.0 - 1/8/93 (the King's birthday) Original release.

1.1 - 1/21/93 Added password security.

1.5 - 6/04/93 Added pull-down menu, pop-up calculator, pop-up calendar.
      Other minor refinements.

*** End of Book ***