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MAGICKEY.DOC
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1994-06-30
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MagicKey Version 1.08
(c) Copyright 1994 Jennings Communications, Inc
MagicKey was originally created as a kind of on-line address book that
could be popped up in an editor or terminal to fill in email addresses
automatically. But it can be used to TYPE ANY TEXT INTO ANY PROGRAM.
I use it to save all my favorite telnet, finger, and ftp addresses as
well as email addresses for use on-line in a terminal program or off-line
creating new mail.
The ability to add new lines at any time means I can add new services to
the list as I am reading about news or mail about them and later,
when I have the time, I can try them out. Kind of a TO DO list for commands
I want to execute later.
Being able to capture text directly from the screen means I no longer end
up with typos in long strings of subdirectories or URLs. It is very easy
to clip long ftp site names and store them into PERSONAL.DAT for later use.
It would work just as well as a popup DOS menu program for selecting from a
menu of DOS commands.
Or, it can be used to fill in mailing labels with stored names and addresses.
Programmers will use it to type functions directly into programs and then
just edit the arguments as necessary.
You can even use MagicKey in conjunction with a modem as a Rolodex type
phone directory with instant dialing.
When you press the hotkey combination a scrollable window is popped up
containing a description on the left and a string on the right. Scroll
the highlight bar to the desired item and press Enter to auto-type the
desired string. Pretty simple.
There is no limit to the number of strings that can be stored. The window
displays a plain ascii text file that can be as large as your hard disk
will allow. You can use any editor to add or modify strings at any time.
Navigation is done using the usual cursor movement keys. Pressing a
letter will scroll rapidly to that part of the file (if it has been sorted
into alphabetical order). Subsequent letters will index further.
Multiple line entries can be auto-typed by repeatedly popping up MagicKey
and pressing Enter. The cursor will automatically advance each time.
A tree of menu files can be created using MagicKey's ability to change
files at any time by selecting a line containing a file name.
MagicKey is a text based application. It cannot be used with Windows, or
popped up in a program which has switched the display to graphics mode.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ The latest version of MagicKey and data is available from: │
│ │
│ ftp.netcom.com:/pub/VE3SUN/mkey*.exe │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Even if you don't register, please let us know if you have any suggestion
or comments on the program. If you are not registering because there is a
feature that you expected or wanted that wasn't there, please tell us so we
can continue to improve this product.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
INSTALLATION
Quick Demo
----------
If you want to move the sample data to c:\MAGIC and run MagicKey, use:
> INSTALL
This BAT file will copy all of the files to the c:\MAGIC directory.
You may use another directory name, but it will be necessary to
modify the filenames embedded in the reference files using a
plain text editor.
Change the file names in {} brackets to the appropriate full pathname for
your installation. E.g. {c:\magic\INTERNET.DAT} could become
{e:\internet\internet.dat} if you have installed the data files in
the directory INTERNET on drive E:
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Operation
---------
The program MAGICKEY.EXE installs the MagicKey TSR in your computer's
memory. If you want to have MagicKey available at all times, you can add
the installation lines to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If so, you will probably
want to use LOADHIGH or \QEMM\LOADHI, or some similar memory management
utility to load MagicKey into extended memory. Test MAGICKEY on your system
in conjunction with other programs before adding it to your AUTOEXEC.BAT.
MagicKey takes about 52K when loaded into conventional memory.
If you only want to install MagicKey for use while a certain program is
running, or if you want to install MagicKey with a different data file for
each program, the easiest way is to create a BATCH file which will install
MagicKey, run your program, and uninstall MagicKey when you are done.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Command Line arguments
----------------------
C:> MAGICKEY [data-file] [-k[=nn,nn]] [-t] [-r]
MAGICKEY.EXE is the program which installs the TSR.
data-file is a text file containing the descriptions and the automatic
strings. If it is in the same directory as the MAGICKEY.EXE
program, only the file name is required. If it is in a different
directory, it is necessary to use the entire path name including
the drive and directories. [ e.g. C:\MAGIC\INTERNET.DAT ]
- or / Options may be indicated with - or / according to your taste.
Case is ignored.
-k An optional method of defining your own hotkey. The default is
/K Alt-Left-Shift-A. That is, hold down Alt. Hold down the Left
Shift key, and press the A key. That is very easy on my keyboard,
but you may prefer a different key combination that fits your
fingers and keyboard.
If you just use -K ( or /K ) as an argument, MagicKey will
prompt for the key combination you wish to use. If the
combination you try is a valid combination, MagicKey will be
installed, and you will be informed of the scan codes of the
key combination. [ e.g. -K=10,30 ]. These scan codes can be used
to install MagicKey from a batch file so that it will use your
special hot key.
Always make sure that the hot key combination you use is one that
the program will not need. 3 key combinations are best because
most programs don't use them for something else. Function keys
can also be used as hot keys.
Once you know the scan code for the hot key you wish to use, you
can enter -K=nn,nn where nn,nn are the correct codes, to install
MagicKey. This is necessary when using a BAT file to install
MagicKey with a hotkey different from the default.
-t Test mode. This argument should only be necessary if you are
/T having problems getting MagicKey to work. MagicKey will operate
as a regular program without creating a TSR. Autotyping is
disabled in test mode. If MagicKey works in test mode, but
doesn't work as a TSR, the problem is likely a compatibility
problem with another TSR or driver on your system. We would like
to hear about such problems, but we cannot promise to be able to
fix them. If you are having problems, please let us know if they
occur in test mode as well as in TSR mode.
-r Remove MagicKey. After MagicKey has been installed as a TSR, it
/R can be removed from the DOS command line by entering the command:
MAGICKEY -r. This is useful if you do not wish to use MagicKey
again and want to maximize your available conventional memory.
MagicKey can also be removed by pressing Alt-R after popping up
the MagicKey window with the hot keys.
If another TSR has been loaded after MagicKey which uses the same
interrupts, MagicKey will delay unloading itself until the other