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The Datafile PD-CD 3
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PDCD_3.iso
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utilities
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utilsm
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multiboot
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!Help
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1995-08-26
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211 lines
MultiBoot v1.00 written by Chris Coe of Norsoft Productions
===========================================================
Norsoft MultiBoot is an application designed to replace your existing !Boot
sequence, to allow you to have multiple desktop configurations, selectable
from a friendly menu system. Since !Boot sequences are technical by nature,
MultiBoot is not the easiest of programs to install, though unfortunately it
is impossible to evaluate it any other way, since it should not be run from
the desktop. Take my word for it though, it's really useful!
There are two phases of installation for MultiBoot, which are described in
detail below. MultiBoot is not designed for use on RISC PCs.
The actual day-to-day usage of MultiBoot is very simple. When you switch on
or reset your machine, MultiBoot does three things:
1) Initializes itself and scans the configuration files
2) Executes any present PreBoot files (see below)
3) Displays a menu of BootFiles for the user to select from (see below)
BootFiles are the typical desktop boot files. They are similar to the
desktop boot files you can save from the Task Manager. They contain commands
listing all the applications you may wish to run or boot, windows to open,
modules to load etc. The main purpose of MultiBoot is that instead of just
having your normal !Boot file, you can create as many as you want, and
choose one from a menu when the machine is switched on. Therefore, you can
set up working environments for, eg. letter-writing, programming,
DOS/Windows, graphics work etc.
PreBoot files contain commands that you always want to be executed when you
switch on or reset. These files are executed before the menu appears, and a
running commentary appears telling you what's going on. This is useful to
avoid duplicating lots of commands in BootFiles, plus if you decide to make
a change, you only have to change one file. PreBoot files would, for
example, load VProtect, to ensure that no matter which BootFile is selected
from the menu, VProtect will always be resident in memory (VProtect is a
virus-checker module task). If you have customized your desktop in any way,
you would probably include these here, so that whichever BootFile is chosen,
the desktop will always be customized.
Once the menu appears on the screen, you can either click on an option to
execute that boot sequence, or press its corresponding function key. The
first option is F1, the second is F2 and so on. This is useful because it
means you can just hold down a function key when you switch the machine on
and the appropriate file will be run.
Current maximum limits:
77 PreBoot files (limit imposed by the Filer)
8 BootFiles (77 really, but only 12 function keys and only room
for 8 on the screen...)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MultiBoot Installation
WARNING: Follow all instructions precisely. Failure to do so may result in
your machine failing to start up correctly, or the loss of your old
boot-sequence.
PART 1
======
1. Open the root directory window of the hard drive you wish your machine to
boot from.
2. If you already have a !Boot file or !Boot directory here, rename it to
!oldBoot.
3. Drag MultiBoot's !Boot directory into the hard drive window and wait
while it is copied.
IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE A WORKING BOOT-SEQUENCE, DO STEPS 4 AND 5:
4. Press F12 to bring up the command line.
5. Enter the lines:
Configure Boot
Configure FileSystem idefs (replace idefs with the correct filing
system, eg. adfs, scsifs etc.)
Configure Drive 4 (replace 4 with the correct drive number)
Drive 4 (replace 4 with the correct drive number)
Opt 4 2
At this stage, you can check that everything is set correctly by resetting
your machine. If all is OK, the message "Norsoft MultiBoot" will appear
after the RISC OS startup message. After a short delay you will be presented
with a menu containing the single option "Basic Desktop". Click on it and
you should enter a 'blank' desktop.
PART 2
======
IF YOU ALREADY HAD A WORKING BOOT-SEQUENCE, DO STEPS 6 TO 9:
6. Copy your desktop boot file (now called !oldBoot) into !Boot.BootFiles
and rename it as "Standard".
7. Load the text file !Boot.BootFiles.!BootFiles into a text editor.
8. On the second line, after "Basic,Basic Desktop", enter "Standard,Standard
Desktop" and press RETURN.
9. Re-save !BootFiles and reset the machine. The second option on the menu
now represents your old boot-sequence.
IF YOU DID NOT ALREADY HAVE A WORKING-BOOT SEQUENCE:
10. Reset your machine, holding down ESCAPE until the RISC OS 3 banner
appears.
11. Set up your desktop exactly how you want it. Open directory windows to
boot files you want booted, load applications, set up the pinboard and
place windows where you want them to be on start-up.
12. Go to the Task Manager, and open the "Desktop boot" save box. Drag the
icon into !Boot.BootFiles and give it an appropriate name.
13. Carry out steps 7 to 9, but replace "Standard,Standard Desktop" with
"filename,text" where filename is the name you gave to your boot file and
text is what you want to appear on the menu to represent it.
You have now completed the installation of MultiBoot. If you had an old
boot-sequence, you can delete it now.
Different working environments
==============================
For different working environments in the desktop, like image processing and
music editing, you can just repeat steps 10 to 13 of the installation. If
there are any odd files that don't fit anywhere else in the MultiBoot
directory structure that you need to use, put them in UserFiles. For
example, I have my Alarms and Configure files stored there, together with a
little module that executes an Obey file when you choose Shutdown from the
Task Manager menu. The Obey file is also stored there. If you are a more
advanced user, you can edit BootFiles manually in a text editor, just as you
would with an ordinary boot sequence.
You don't have to, but I have provided the directory
!Boot.BootFiles.DeskViews for you to save any pinboards you may have into,
to keep them all together. All you need to do is choose Save from the
Pinboard menu and drag the icon into !Boot.BootFiles.DeskViews, giving it an
appropriate name. You will need to add a line to the BootFile that you want
to use it, to make sure it is executed.
Using PreBoot files
===================
If you have several BootFiles, and you find yourself repeating lots of
things in them all, with just a few differences, you need to use a PreBoot
file. PreBoot files are executed whenever MultiBoot is, so they will always
be executed before any boot sequence you might choose to run.
You can set up a PreBoot file like this:
1. Enter the commands you want to be executed into a text editor, and save
it as an Obey file into !Boot.PreBoot
2. If any of these commands are already present in any BootFiles, remove
them from the BootFiles.
3. Load !Boot.PreBoot.!PreBoot into a text editor, and, just as for
BootFiles, enter the filename of the PreBoot file and a description of what
it does somewhere in the list. This description will appear in a window
before the MultiBoot menu appears, while it is being executed.
4. Save !Boot.PreBoot.!PreBoot and reset the machine. It is now installed.
History
=======
1.00 (26/8/95) - First release version
Copyright and Disclaimer
========================
MultiBoot was written by Chris Coe and is (c) Norsoft Productions 1995
I can take no responsibility for any data loss incurred by the use of misuse
of this program, so don't come complaining when it reformats your hard disk!
(just kidding, of course)
Contact
=======
Write to me! I especially need graphic artists to do a bit of charitable
(ie. unpaid) work for some games I'm writing (including a shoot 'em up and a
graphic adventure, like Simon the Sorcerer).
All bug reports, praise, complaints, ideas for improvement, money and offers
of help, to:
Norsoft Productions,
19 Seton Road,
Taverham,
Norwich,
Norfolk,
NR8