Collection of Tools & Utilities/Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso/comm/zmenu_v2.zip/ZMENU.DOC

Text File | 1990-04-25 | 15KB | 290 lines

*** ZMENU SYSTEM *** (To interface with ZCOMM by Omen Technology)
VERSION 90-05-01 V2 (2nd Version for ZCOMM)

       The ZMENU system was developed from the MENU system for Pro-YAM.
       The two menu systems are basically equivalent as to
       functionality, but the ZMENU version lacks certain features
       present in the MENU version, and it performs its tasks in a
       slightly different manner.  On the other hand, developing the
       ZMENU system under the restrictions imposed by ZCOMM script
       language has brought improvements to both menu systems to make
       them more efficient to use.

DOC for ZMENU.T  Menu System for ZCOMM/Pro-YAM

       This .doc was created from the .doc files for MENU_V5.ZIP for
       Pro-YAM.  This .doc relates to ZCOMM shareware version ZMENU_V1
       90-04-22, which is functionally equivalent to MENU_V5 90-04-01
       for Pro-YAM.

Note:  The MENU menu system works only with the registered version of
       Pro-YAM.  It does not work with the shareware ZCOMM, due to its
       use of arbitrary strings.  ZMENU supports the shareware ZCOMM.
       Please register your copy of ZCOMM to obtain full benefit of this
       software.  Also consider purchasing the Pro-YAM product, which
       expands the capabilities of ZCOMM and which is supported by a
       parallel MENU system.

The author welcomes and encourages suggestions for improving this
system, and especially pleads for corrections for errors in processing.
He wants to thank those who've called with very helpful suggestions and
reports of problems with particular configurations.

Author:  Bruce E. Högman           [phone] (h)
         629 S. 24th St.           [phone]x6470 (w)
         Arlington VA 22202-2525   [phone] (home, FAX)

Contributors to recent versions: (MENUs for Pro-YAM)
        general suggestons by W.J.Wright of Port St. Lucie FL
  .DOC  suggested by John Ferebee of NYC
  .T    bugs in 101-keyboard parms found by George Clifford of Aurora CO

INSTALLING ZMENU.T to replace PHONES.T  (prompted by W.J.Wright)

You can replace PHONES.T with ZMENU.T in several ways.  The way that may
be the easiest is to set up a .BAT file that prepares the environment in
which to run ZCOMM is listed below. Note, however, that you must have
enough slack space left in your DOS environment to define the new items
used by ZCOMM, like DPORT= (or specify that on the command line).
A sample zmenu.bat file is now included.

     In the .BAT you run,
     1.  SET PHONES=ZMENU.T
     2.  CD \ZCOMM
     3.  ZCOMM

     SUGGESTED .BAT File:

     @echo off
     SET PHONES=ZMENU.T
     REM YOU MAY WANT TO ADD OTHER ENVIRONMENT ITEMS HERE FOR ZCOMM
     REM DPORT WOULD BE ONE OF THESE IF YOU USE OTHER THAN DPORT=1
     CD \ZCOMM
     ZCOMM
     SET PHONES=
     REM REMOVES ENVIRONMENT STRING, REDUCING ENVIRONMENT SIZE

There is a non-displayed option "x" on MENU.T to unilaterally transfer
to PHONES.T (you can't get back without doing "set phones=menu.t"
explicitly).

CAUTION:     <=======================================================
          ZMENU.T was set up to handle stock Hayes 2400B and does not
contain commands to tame weird iron or advanced MNP or 9600+ modems.
You will probably want to insert modem initialization commands in the
ZMENU.T  "SETUP" label processing to tailor ZMENU.T for your own use.
Or set the modem initialization using zmnuparm.ini user parameter file.
You may also use a zmnuuser.t file to customize the zmenu.t system.  It
is invoked by the zmenu.t setup script after all the zmnuparm.ini
parameters have been read.

Notes 90-05-01:  V2 added msglevel support for novice to expert message
          control.  Default in .ini file distributed is novice.
          Change zmnuparm.ini, del zmnuparm.t, call setup to create
          new "hot start" zmnuparm.t file.  Users reported problem with
          ZMENU_V1.ZIP, so I put out immediate fix for "rmtmsg" string
          error.  This version, ZMENU_V2.ZIP, replaces all previous.

Notes 90-03-16:  George Clifford of Colorado noted that MENU.T caused
          looping when he attempted to use it with his "clone" PC.
          This he discovered was due to the use of ZCOMM numeric
          paramter "pK1" which causes calls to the BIOS for 101-key
          keyboards.  If you do not use 101-key keyboard, set user
          parameter "kbd101 n" in zmnuparm.ini
          The keyboard parameter value was removed from "hard-code"
          zmenu.t to the zmnuparm.ini file because of this problem.
          Thanks, George.

Notes 90-03-25:  This version has new files MENUINIT.T, MENUDISP.T
          that are used in the creation and maintenance of zmnuparm.ini
          user parameter file.  The zmnuparm.ini user parameters have
          been expanded greatly to cover most of the ZCOMM parms you
          would want/need to change to support your own peculiar
          needs or stock/clone iron.

          Note:  I haven't been able to find the string length limit
          documented in ZCOMM manual (but I may have old version).
          Be aware you can't generate (or use) string variables
          longer than 130 characters.  Thus, you can't capture the
          display values into one string (so I've used three for
          that in the zmnuparm.ini).

          Note:  How to capture ZCOMM values: see zmnudisp.t for one
          example - it captures display values.

ZMNUUSER.T This idea is taken from IBM software design and provides
          the means by which you can code your own local init script
          to add your own customization to the menu system without
          having to modify the main script (and thus avoid having to
          do it again for future updates).
          ZMENU.T invokes ZMNUUSER.T using "source %lib/zmnuuser.t"
          within the SETUP routine after processing zmnuparm.t and
          before displaying the main menu screen.
          This script file gives the user the final say as to what
          processing to do prior to getting into the main menu panel.


DISCLAIMER:  <=======================================================
ZMENU.T has not been reviewed by Omen Technology, and you cannot assume
that ZMENU.T will work for your particular setup.  Since Omen Tech did
not design this particular menu system, you cannot hold them responsible
for errors.  [On the other hand, if you complain to the author, he will
expedite correction of embarassing faux-pas and give you credit for
finding them.]


FILES DISTRIBUTED WITH ZMENU SYSTEM:

   ZMENU.DOC     This (hopefully helpful) file.

   ZMENU.BAT     A skeleton .BAT to invoke ZCOMM with phones=zmenu.t

   ZMENU.SCR     Main menu display

   ZMENU.T       Central menu system PHONES.T replacement.
                 Contains SETUP that initializes menu system parameters.

   ZMNU*.SCR     Various help display screens (all ASCII) containing
                 (valuable) guidance for use on-line with menu system.

   ZMNUBBPW.INI  BBS system names and associated passwords.  This is the
                 best we can do with ZCOMM scripts to provide you with
                 the ability to use different passwords for each BBS you
                 access to protect you from unscrupulous people.  You're
                 strongly urged to use a different password for each
                 BBS you access and to change them periodically.  The
                 password value is kept in string parameter "fc8".

                 Format of ZMNUBBPW.INI:
                 bbsname=remote_name password=your_password_value
                 like:
                 bbsname=dcinfo password=goodguy
                 In ZMENU BBS processing, the bbsname is the system
                 name in zmnufon*.scr, and the password value is kept
                 in string parameter "fc8" for use in your scripts.

   ZMNUBH.SCR    Help for BBS option

   ZMNUBOX.SCR   An outline box, used by colors.t among others.

   ZMNUCOLR.T    This is a special scr