home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- READ.ME ................. for 4FILES Version 3.0
-
- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
- ║ NOTE: The format of 4F.CFG was changed in Version 2S.0. ║
- ║ If you are upgrading from a previous version, delete your old ║
- ║ 4F.CFG file and configure the new version from scratch. ║
- ╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
-
- CONTENTS: ..... 1) A note to all users, new and old.
- ---------
- ..... 2) A note for NEW users.
-
- ..... 3) Compatibility.
-
-
- 1) TO ALL USERS:
- =================
-
- Have you tried a previous version? If so, read UPDATE.TXT. 4FILES
- now has an internal branding routine. If you are a registered user and
- havn't received your serial number yet, please call me collect and I will
- give it to you.
-
- If you have difficulties be sure to check the section on compatibility
- below, and also press <Alt-F10> to check your configuration. If that
- doesn't help, Tech Support is listed on Page 1 of 4F.DOC.
-
- If you will be using 4FILES under OS/2 or MS-Windows, CTRL-ESC & ALT-ESC
- have their OS/2 or Windows rather than 4FILES functions; use plain ESC or
- SHIFT-ESC to quit 4FILES. Also, your mouse driver should be loaded before
- loading Windows. While the mouse will be operative in Windows without a
- pre-active driver, a pre-active driver is necessary for non-Windows
- applications such as 4FILES. Also, the mouse will have its 4FILES
- functions only when 4FILES is in a full screen window.
-
-
- 2) TO NEW USERS OF 4FILES:
- =========================== Thanks for taking the time to give 4FILES a try!
- 4F.DOC has both general and detailed installation instructions; look for
- "Quick Start," "MS-Windows," and "Detail Installation" in the table of
- contents. The file 4F.VER(sion) may be of interest as well.
-
- One of the first things you should do is use <Alt-F10> to call up the
- configuration menu. This is where you setup 4FILES so it can find your
- utilities. The key designations such as "G+", meaning the <Grey+> key,
- may seem somewhat cryptic until you read the manual. If a utility is in
- your PATH you need give only its filename AND extension (required), but a
- full pathspec results in better performance.
-
- If use 4DOS, its internal LIST browser will be activated by the
- <Grey+> key, but you may wish to recongifure 4FILES to use a stand-alone
- browse utility. Vern Buerg's LIST or TV.COM (included in this .ZIP file)
- will give much faster performance since running internal commands like
- 4DOS LIST require shelling to DOS first. The browser is also called by
- <F1> and <CTRL-F1> to display HELP and 4F.DOC respectively.
-
- Also, use <Alt-F10> to set the keyboard type you use if you have a
- laptop computer or an old PC keyboard.
-
- It is very important that all new users read the Navigation section
- in 4F.DOC. Directory navigation is the key to 4FILES' exceptional
- efficiency. Play around a lot with the navigation keys. Other important
- keys are <TAB> to toggle between file management and file description
- modes, and <F7> to toggle display of file attributes or file time.
- <Alt-Char>, where Char is any alphanumeric key, searches for files and
- subdirectories starting with the character.
-
- There are many other features and a great file note editor, all well
- integrated into the keyboard to put a lot of power at your finger-tips in
- an easy to learn and remember arrangement. Please lavish a little time on
- the manual (4F.DOC) and at least look at "Quick Start" therein for now. I
- have worked hard to incorporate a lot of features into 4FILES and to write
- a thorough manual. It would be a shame for you to miss the full benefits
- of that labor by trying to get-by by running the program by the seat of
- your pants (although it's easy enough that you can get pretty far that way).
-
-
- 3) COMPATIBILITY:
- ================= 4FILES is compatible with both MSDOS (3.x through 6.0),
- DRDOS 5.x and 6.0, all versions of 4DOS and NDOS, OS/2, Windows & Desqview.
-
- COMPATIBILITY ISSUES:
- --------------------
- A) PC-Magazine's LOG.COM intercepts calls to the DOS EXEC function, but
- trashes the success/non-success data returned by the EXEC'd program. This
- causes 4FILES to display the "incorrect configuration" message after every
- utility call. While LOG.COM _can_ be used, this problem makes it awkward.
- The best choices for logging are 4DOS' own internal LOG feature or a
- shareware log program.
-
- B) With NEWKEY.EXE, you should run NEWKEYSP.EXE and free-up <Ctrl-Esc>
- for use by other programs via one of the menus. Otherwise, this key
- will be non-functional in 4FILES.
-
- Conflicts with SWITCH5.COM and a few other freeware key-swap utilities
- result from the failure of the offending utilities to properly update the
- BIOS data bits for shift key states (including Ctrl and Alt). I have
- found several such utilities which either change only the scan codes or do
- update the BIOS data, but do so incorrectly for some shifted keys.
- Programs which avoid using the BIOS shift data will work properly with
- these utilities, but for the moment 4FILES does rely on this data.
-
- A handler for German keyboards called KEYGR has some problems. Use
- KEYGR16 instead.