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__ __| ___ |__ __ | | | | | | | | | | | |__ | | |__| | | |__|__| |__| | | |__| ___| | | |___ | | ____________| __________________________________ Basic Instructions Written by Thomas J. Mosbo Copyright (c) 1991 WYNDWARE One Parker Place, Suite 308 Janesville, WI 53545 U.S.A. (608) 755-1628 (800) 475-1628 _______ ____|__ | (R) ---| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals ------| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER 2 I. INTRODUCTION WYNDSHELL is a menu program useful for organizing your hard disk. It is used to create Menu Options to run all the programs contained on your computer. Any number of Menus and Submenus may be set up, each of which is capable of containing up to 26 Options or Submenus of its own. Each Option calls a specific software application on your hard disk, according to how you choose to define your Menus. And since WYNDSHELL is not memory-resident, it surrenders all of your computer's memory to each application you choose. Built into WYNDSHELL is another program: WYND-DOS. This is a utility program which allows you to perform functions such as formatting disks, copying and deleting files, and creating subdirectories - all from a friendly environment - without having to type commands at a DOS prompt. WYNDSHELL requires a computer with at least 256K memory, operating with PC or MS DOS 3.0 or greater. And while using WYNDSHELL without a hard disk would be meaningless, WYND-DOS can also be very useful on a floppy-based system. Additionally, if you have a mouse connected, WYNDSHELL will detect it, and a full mouse interface will be available to you. WYNDSHELL is user-supported software. You are encouraged to use, copy, and distribute it as freely as you wish. But if you do find it useful, we ask that you please send a registration fee of $45.00 to WYNDWARE, One Parker Place, Suite 308, Janesville, WI 53545. When you send in your fee, you will receive the latest version of WYNDSHELL and will become eligible to receive updates to the program as improvements are made to it. While we have done our best to create a good product, this program 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 WYNDSHELL. II. WYNDSHELL FILES The following files are included with WYND-DOS: WS.EXE - WYNDSHELL program file. WS.HLP - Help file for WYNDSHELL. WD.HLP - Help file for WYND-DOS. README.BAT - Gives initial instructions. WS.DOC - This introductory booklet. WSREF.DOC - A complete reference manual. 3 III. GETTING STARTED To install WYNDSHELL on your hard disk, place the program disk in drive A. At the DOS prompt type "A:" (without the quotes) and press the <Return> key. Then at the A prompt type "INSTALL" and again press <Return>. A title screen will appear. If a question appears below the window, then if the message in the window is unreadable, press N so that the program will know that your monitor is unhappy with color and adjust itself accordingly; otherwise press Y or Return. A window will then appear with a series of questions which the program needs to know in order to proceed. In most cases, the answers supplied by the program itself are what you will want. If no changes need to be made, a short cut to answering all questions is to press the <PgDn> key. Otherwise, type in your preference for each question and press <Return>. Use the <Up> and <Down> Arrow keys to move from question to question if you need to return to an earlier question. After answering the last question and pressing <Return>, the program will copy, create and/or modify the necessary files for your hard disk. There is a situation which may arise that will cause difficulty. If your computer already loads a different program automatically when it boots, WYNDSHELL will not load. In this situation it is necessary to modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the root directory of the drive from which you boot the computer to remove the line invoking the other program. Once installed, you will be able to print out the Reference Manual if you wish. To print the manual: At the DOS prompt type COPY C:\WSHELL\WSREF.DOC PRN. (If you have installed WYNDSHELL on a drive other than C or in a directory other than WSHELL, substitute the appropriate names.) Press Return. IV. RUNNING WYNDSHELL Once WYNDSHELL is installed on your hard disk, it may be accessed two ways. If you answered Yes to loading it automatically when the computer boots, then WYNDSHELL will be run every time you boot up your computer. This is the normal way in which WYNDSHELL is meant to be used, since it allows you to avoid altogether the unfriendliness of the DOS prompt. If you exit WYNDSHELL to DOS and wish to get back in, or if you did not install it to load automatically, type the letter W at the DOS prompt from the root directory and press <Return>. 4 V. PROGRAM FUNCTIONS Non-menu functions available to you are displayed on the bottom bar of the screen in the program. Please pay attention to this bar. More detailed help is available at any time by pressing the <F1> key. Once in a help screen, pressing the <Escape> key will return you to the point in the program where you left off. If you wish to venture from the safety of the WYNDSHELL environment to the void of the DOS prompt, then press <F2> at any Menu. To return to the comfort of WYNDSHELL, type the letter W and press <Return>, breathing a thankful sigh of relief. WYNDSHELL allows you to change the computer date or time from any Menu by pressing the <F3> key. Enter the correct date, press <Return>, then enter the correct time and again press <Return>. A number of screen options may be set in WYNDSHELL depending on your preference. You may also change any of the colors used by WYNDSHELL if you have a color monitor. To change the screen options or colors, press <F4> at any Menu. Answer Yes or No to each question, then press <F2> to save these options, or press <F3> to save the options and change any screen colors you wish. At the Color Display, press the <Tab> key and <Shift-Tab> to move the arrows to the color you wish to change. Use the Cursor keys to change the color. There are 8 different built-in sample color sets which may be chosen by pressing Function keys 3 to 10. To save the new colors, press <F2>. If any Menu remains on the screen for five minutes without a key being pressed, WYNDSHELL automatically blanks the screen to prevent image burn-in. To bring back the display, simply press any key. (This keystroke is not passed on to the program as a Menu choice.) The screen-blanking feature may be disabled by answering "No" to the "Show Date/Time" option at the Screen Options Display. VI. MENU SELECTION The main purpose of WYNDSHELL is to provide you with easily selectable Menu Options for running your programs. Since you must set up these Menus yourself, the first time you run WYNDSHELL, no Menu will be displayed. Once menus are set up, however (see Menu Design below), you may use them as follows: 5 Menu Options may be selected in three different ways: 1 - Move the highlight bar by using the Arrow keys. The <Up> Arrow key moves the bar back one Option. The <Down> Arrow key moves it forward. If there are two columns of Options displayed, the <Left> and <Right> Arrow keys move you between the columns. Once the desired Option is highlighted, press <Return> to select that Option. 2 - Type the letter printed in front of the desired Option. 3 - If you have a mouse, point to the desired Option and click the Left Mouse Button. Once an Option on a Menu is selected, one of three things will occur: 1 - If no Submenu or Commands for this Option have been set up, then nothing will occur. 2 - If a Submenu has been set up for this Option, then that Submenu will appear in place of the original Menu. The selection of Options from the Submenu then proceeds identically to selection from the original Menu. To return to the original Menu, press the <PgUp> key or the <Escape> key. If you have more than one level of Submenus, hold down the <Control> key and press <PgUp> to return to the Master Menu from any other Menu. 3 - If Commands have been set up for this Option, then the program for this Option will be run. If an Option on the Menu is selected which has Commands which have been set up to allow parameters (see Menu Design), then a box will appear in which to enter the parameters. Type here anything which would normally be entered after the program name if the program were run from the DOS prompt. After the selected program is run, you will be returned to WYNDSHELL at the Menu from which you selected the program. VII. MENU DESIGN The process of setting up WYNDSHELL Menus can be divided into 4 steps: 1 - Set up Menu Options 2 - Set up Commands 3 - Set up Submenus 4 - Save the Setup 6 To carry out these steps: 1 - Set up Menu Options Press the <F5> key to enter Menu Design. A window appears on the screen with the title of the current Menu in the upper right corner. Each Menu may have up to 26 Options, lettered A through Z. If any Options have already been set up, then these will be listed after the appropriate letter. At the Menu Design screen, type in the title of each Option as you wish to have it appear on the Menu, and press <Return>. You may use the <Tab> and <Shift-Tab> keys to move the highlight from Option to Option in order to make changes. To insert a new Option ahead of the highlighted Option, press <F3>. To delete the highlighted Option, press <F4>. 2 - Set up Commands To set up Commands to run any of the Options on the current Menu, press the <F5> key at the Menu Design Screen. The Command Design display appears. It contains a window in which you may enter the Commands for one particular Option which has been entered for the current Menu. The title of the current Menu appears again in the upper right corner, and the title of the Option which had been highlighted is shown under it. For each Option on the current Menu that is to run a program, enter the letter of the drive and the directory from which you wish to run the Option, and the sequence of (up to 10) Commands necessary to actually run it. For each Command, you may answer Y for Yes in the field after the Command if you want WYNDSHELL to prompt you for Parameters at the time this Command is carried out (see below concerning Parameters). Each Command may be a DOS command, the name of a batch file, or the name of a program file. After entering the Commands for an Option, press <PgDn> to move to the next Option on the Menu, or press <PgUp> to move to the previous Option. Do not enter any Commands for an Option if you wish to have that Option lead to a Submenu rather than run a program. Once you have entered Commands for all of the Options you wish, press the <F2> key to save these Commands and return to the Menu Design display. When you return you will notice that the letter "C" now appears after each of the Options for which you set up Commands. 7 3 - Set up Submenus This step is optional since you may choose to put all of your programs on the Master Menu rather than have any Submenus. To create a Submenu, first be sure that the Option which will lead to the Submenu is highlighted in the Menu Design display. Then press the <PgDn> key. (If the Option has Commands set up for it then WYNDSHELL will not allow you set up a Submenu for it.) A new blank Menu appears, with the name of the Option which had been highlighted as the name of the new Menu. At this point you may follow the procedures in steps 1 and 2 above to set up Options for the new Submenu, then to set up the Commands for those Options. You may also press <PgDn> again for any Option to create a Sub-Submenu for that Option. (There is no limit to the number of levels of Submenus you may have.) If you wish to return to the parent Menu of any Submenu (for instance to create another Submenu from a different Option on that Menu), press the <PgUp> key at the Menu Design display. The Menu from which you created this Submenu reappears. You will notice that the letter "S" now appears after any Option for which you have created a Submenu. If you hold down the <Control> key and press <PgUp>, then you will return to the Master Menu no matter how many levels deep you had been. 4 - Save the Setup When you are satisfied with the setup of all your Menus, press the <F2> key at the Menu Design display (it doesn't matter what Menu is currently shown). WYNDSHELL saves the Menu Setup and your new ready-to-use Menus are now displayed on the screen in place of the title display. Parameters: Some Commands require Parameters. Parameters contain information which must be supplied by the user to a program at the time the program is run. For instance, the DOS EDLIN file editor requires the user to type in the name of the file to be edited after the word "EDLIN" when running the program. To accommodate such cases, when in Command Design type the letter Y in the field after the line containing a Command for which you may need to enter Parameters. Then when an Option with such a Command is chosen from a WYNDSHELL Menu, WYNDSHELL will ask you to enter the Parameters for that Command before it is carried out. 8 Exercise: Designing Menus You wish to set up the DOS program EDLIN as an Option on your Menu. 1 - Press <F5> to bring up Menu Design. Move the highlight down until it is on the first blank Option on the Menu. 2 - Type in "Edlin" (without the quotes) on this line. 3 - Press <F5> to enter Command Design. If you pressed <Return> after entering "Edlin" you will need to press <PgUp> to bring back the "Edlin" Option. 4 - Assuming that the EDLIN program is in the DOS directory on drive C, type the letter C for the drive, then type "DOS" in the Directory field, then press <Return>. 5 - Only one Command line is needed for this program. Type the word "EDLIN" on the first Command line and press <Return>. 6 - EDLIN does require you to enter Parameters, so type the letter Y. 7 - Press <F2> to save this Command and return to the Menu Design display. 8 - Press <F2> once more to save the Menu Design. Your Menu appears on the screen with "Edlin" as the last Option on the Menu. Now when this Option is selected, you will be prompted to enter Parameters before the program is run, and you would type in the name of the file you wish to edit. VIII. PASSWORDS To add security to your Menus, Passwords may be attached to any Option on any Menu. To set up Passwords for a Menu, press the <F6> key when in Menu Design. (This function is deliberately not shown on the bottom bar.) The screen display now shows any Passwords which have been set up next to their Options. Move the highlight to the desired Menu Option and enter in your Password for that Option. Press <F2> when finished to save all the Passwords for this Menu and return to Menu Design. When you return you will notice that the letter "P" now appears after each of the Options to which you assigned a Password. 9 If you wish to set up Passwords for global program functions, then at the Password Design display, press the <F6> key again. A box appears with a list of the various non-Menu program functions. Here again, enter Passwords for each function you wish, then press <F2> to return to the normal Password Design display. NOTE: The most important Password is the Password to enter Password Design itself. (It doesn't do much good to set up Passwords if anyone can find out what they are by pressing <F6>. But just be sure that you remember it so that you can get back in yourself!) When you select an Option or a function which has a Password assigned to it, then a box will appear in the middle of the screen in which to enter the Password (this entry will be invisible so that others do not see you typing in your Password). If the Password you enter is not correct, then you will be denied access to that Menu Option or program function, otherwise WYNDSHELL will then continue normally. IX. WYND-DOS Included as a part of WYNDSHELL is a DOS utility program: WYND-DOS. When you choose WYND-DOS by pressing <F6> at any Menu, you are transferred immediately to that program. Enter the drive and directory you wish to work with (leave the directory blank for the root directory of a drive), and press <F2>. WYND-DOS shows information about your drive and a listing of the files in the selected directory. Extensive context-sensitive help is available by pressing the <F1> key. To choose commands from the pull-down menus: press the <F10> key or hold down the <Alt> key and type the first letter of one of the menus listed on the top line of the screen. Then use the Cursor Arrow keys to move through the menus. Highlight the command you want, then press <Return> to select it (or press <Escape> to leave the menus). To exit WYND-DOS and return to the WYNDSHELL environment, hold down the <Alt> key and type the letter G to bring up the GLOBAL menu. Then select the EXIT command from this menu. For more detailed information on using WYND-DOS, consult the program's Help screens and the WYNDSHELL Reference Manual (see the Getting Started Section on how to print out this manual). 10 X. WYNDWARE PRODUCTS If you like the utility functions of WYND-DOS but do not need the menu features of WYNDSHELL, or if you like WYNDSHELL but do not need the functions of WYND-DOS, stand-alone versions of both are also available at a reduced price. WYNDFIELDS is a general purpose Database program, useful for keeping track of any type of structured information, which also supports the use of a mouse. Data may be added, changed, removed, found, displayed, analyzed, and printed easily using the friendly pull-down Menu System. Creating and printing Mailing Labels or detailed Reports can be accomplished painlessly from within the program. Multiple Indices (ways of ordering your data) are maintained automatically for you, and several methods are available for extracting exactly the information you need from your files. For more advanced users, WYNDFIELDS also offers extensive string and math functions for use in searches and calculated Fields, and its date and time tracking abilities are unsurpassed. (Requires 512K.) FLAGS is an educational program which displays representations of over 600 different flags of the world. (Requires color monitor.) XI. WHY REGISTER? The program contained on this disk is a fully operational program with complete documentation. You are encouraged to use, copy, and distribute it as freely as you wish. But if you do find it useful, we ask that you please register your copy. There are several reasons why it is to your advantage to do this: 1. This is the only way in which this software is supported. WYNDWARE depends on your registration fee for our continued existence. If we do not receive your registration, we will be unable to continue offering programs like this to you. 2. By registering, you are assured of receiving the most up-to-date and full-featured product possible. We are continually upgrading our products, making them more powerful and easier to use. When you register, you will receive a copy of the most current version of the program, and will be placed on our list to receive notices of new revisions when they become available. 3. The initial registration reminder screen which appears at the beginning of the program is removed when you install your registered copy, saving you an extra keystroke when you start the program. 11 4. While the documentation in this manual, and in the on-disk Reference Manual, does cover every feature of the program, the User's Guide you will receive upon registration does offer an additional illustrated Tutorial section which can help you step-by-step to learn the program in a logical and detailed order. 5. As an added incentive for registering at this time, we will also include with your order a copy of THE HIVE, our strategy game for up to 4 players (including the computer if you wish). This game is ONLY available to registered users of our products and is included at NO additional cost. To become a registered owner of WYNDSHELL, or to order other WYNDWARE products, use the convenient order form in the back of this booklet or call 1-800-475-1628 for credit card orders. 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 49442-9427 or send a Compuserve message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536 ORDER / REGISTRATION FORM WYNDWARE One Parker Place, Suite 308 Janesville, WI 53545 U.S.A. (608) 755-1628 (800) 475-1628 Name __________________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________ State _______ Zip _______________ Country ______________________________ Phone ____________________________ _ _ _ |_| Check or Money Order |_| Mastercard |_| VISA Card Number ______________________________________________________________ Signature ____________________________ Expiration Date __________________ _____ copies of WYNDSHELL / WYND-DOS at $45.00 each. . . . $ ____________ _____ copies of WYNDSHELL alone at $30.00 each. . . . . ____________ _____ copies of WYND-DOS alone at $30.00 each. . . . . ____________ _____ copies of WYNDFIELDS Database at $70.00 each. . . . . ____________ _____ copies of FLAGS at $25.00 each. . . . . ____________ Wisconsin residents add 5% Sales Tax. . . . . ____________ Non-USA orders please add 20% shipping. . . . ____________ TOTAL ENCLOSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ ____________ Registered owners will receive the most recent version of the program, with a detailed Manual, and will be eligible to receive updates to the program as improvements are made to it. Please contact us for site-licensing and quantity discounts. Where did you get your copy of WYNDFIELDS? _______________________________ Comments _________________________________________________________________