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Pro Power Tips 1.0A (c) 1992 Scanlon Enterprises ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── WINDOWS POWER TIPS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── This section has several tips and suggestions to make using and working with WINDOWS easier. Don't forget, if you want more useful and powerful tips, register today. Having The Right System Although, Windows is a very powerful user interface, it does present drawbacks. First, Windows 3.1 requires at least a 286 computer, Windows 3.0 could run on a 8086. Even if using the older Windows 3.0, you should have lots of RAM, 1MB minimum, and preferably 2MB to 4MB. For Windows 3.1, this jumps from a minimum of 1MB to 2MB and a preference of 4MB to 6MB. Windows 3.0 would run on most video systems, while 3.1 requires at least an EGA capability. Speed is another import issue. Both Windows 3.0 and 3.1 are sluggish, although, Windows 3.1 is considerably faster than 3.0. If you are using a slow XT class machine, expect operations to exceed 10-15 seconds or longer! If you have NOT purchased Windows, DON'T unless, you have a 386 computer (or better), at least 2MB of RAM and EGA, or are expecting to get one. If you are preparing to buy a new system to use with Windows, go with the following : 1) 386 33MHZ Main System 2) 4MB Ram with an Expanded Memory Manager 3) VGA with 512K ram 4) Mouse (3 button preferred) 5) Super sized hard drive of at least 120MB If you really need Windows Power, we suggest getting a 486 Computer, with 6MB (min) at 40MHZ, a 200MB+ hard drive, a SVGA video system with 1MB Ram and a CD ROM! A 486 DX has a built in Math Co-Processor! In addition, you should consider a Windows speed up card if speed is even remotely important to you. When going the Windows route, don't waste time buying DOS applications, get Windows based applications, you'll notice the difference and advantages. After all, if you're using windows, why waste money on DOS based applications, when Windows based ones will take advantage of what Windows has to offer. Printing Windows 3.x Colors in Black and White Printing colorful graphics on black-and-white printers doesn't work very well. True colors print as lifeless black blobs. You can avoid this problem by changing the colors to a value between 180 and 210. Open the color utility from the Control Panel. Select Color Palette Define Custom colors. Select your defined colors, and choose an appropriate hue. Your custom colors will now print as gray dot patterns. NOT a perfect solution, but better than basic black. Choose your Files in Windows 3.0 It's often useful to select multiple files from a File Manager directory window. For example, you can choose a group of temporary files and then press {Delete} to erase the group. You can also click and drag selected files to copy or move them to other directories. When you click the left mouse button, to select an individual file, any other selected files are automatically deselected. To select more than one file, you must hold down the {Ctrl} key after selecting the first file while you use the mouse to click on the other file names. To select a consecutive subset of the file names, select the first name, then hold the {Shift} key down and click on the last name. This trick takes practice, but after you get the hang of it, you can select sets of files in a jiffy. Garbage in, Garbage out with Windows 3.0 Windows 3.0's File Manager makes deleting files as easy as throwing out the trash. But if you're erasing a bunch of files inside nested subdirectories, File Manager prompts you before deleting each file. For faster deletes select the Confirmation command from File Manager's Options menu. A small window that lists four deletion options will pop up. Normally, you'd leave all four boxes checked, but when deleting nested subdirectories, turn off the first and second choices, "Confirm on Delete" and "Confirm on Subtree Delete". Now select OK to return to File Manager's main display. Highlight the directory you want to erase, press {Delete}. File Manager will erase all files in the selected directory and any subdirectory below, plus delete the directory names. This will delete all directories without any prompt, immediately. When thru, be sure to reset the Confirmation command option. Using Windows' Task List for Easy Application Switching Windows 3.x pop-up Task List makes it a snap to switch between application windows. Keyboard users call up the Task List by pressing <Ctrl>-<ESC>. For Mouse users, it's even easier, just double click anywhere on the background wallpaper. Preserving Your Windows 3.x Desktop It's easy to set up a personal desktop in Windows 3.x, But just as easy to lose it. When you exit Windows with the save Changes box selected, Windows saves the current desktop, even if it's not the one you want. To make sure you can recover your desktop arrangement, go to the DOS prompt, in your Windows directory and enter these commands to copy your configuration files to a backup directory. "MD WINBAK", "COPY *.INI WINBAK", & "COPY *.GRP WINBAK". If you accidentally mangle your desktop, you can new recover it by going to a DOS prompt, in your Windows directory, and entering the command "COPY WINBAK"; then start Windows in the normal way. Whenever you make changes in your desktop, make sure to save them in your backup directory. Browsing Windows 3.x Directories With File Search Windows 3.x File Manager has a handy Search Command, that accepts DOS wild-card file specs. For example, to hunt for all Excel files whose names begin with B, open File Manager, select File Search, ant type "B*.XL?". Make sure search entire disk has an "X" is its check box; if this option is turned off, File Manager will look only in the current directory. Select "OK" to begin search. After scanning the drive, File Manager displays any matching files and their paths in a search results window. You can then copy, delete, or perform other operations on selected files. Faster Disk Copy in Windows If you have Windows 3.x and want to duplicate large capacity disks in one pass, open up your Windows Tool Kit (File Manager) and speed it up. Select File Manager, then Disk Copy Diskette. Now, you can duplicate a high capacity disk on one pass! There is one draw back, this is NOT a sector by sector copy, but a file by file method. Thus if your disk has "hidden" data (not the same as a "hidden file"), then this method probably will NOT work. Getting Past the Windows 3.x Logo You can get into Windows quickly and bypass the opening screen. Just type "WIN" followed by a space and the executable file name of any program you want Windows to run that isn't listed in your WIN.INI file. If you have nothing for Windows to run, type "WIN" followed by a space and a colon ":". Shape up Those Windows Group Icons Can't straighten up the group icons in the Program Manager window with the Window Arrange Icons command ? Select one of the Program Manager's group icons (not a program icon like those in the Main window), an then issue the Arrange command. The pesky devils will line up instantly. Self-Stick Wallpaper for Windows 3.x Tired of the same old blank walls? Windows 3.x desktop, lets you customize the background (pattern) and the display (wallpaper). First, scan your company logo or digitize a favorite photo, edit the results with Windows PaintBrush, and save the graphic as a bit map. Make sure the file name has the extension ".BMP", copy the file to your main Windows 3.x directory, and then run the Control Panel Utility, from Program Manager's Main Group. Next, select the Desktop Icon, and choose the bit map's file name from the Wallpaper section. You can select the Center button to display a single copy of your artwork midscreen, or choose Tile to replicate a pattern, to the far corners of your display. To reset the display to its original background, set Wallpaper to [None]. DOS Windows Front and Center If you maximize a DOS application's window and then move it with the mouse, it's hard to center that window perfectly at the top of the screen. No problem, let Windows do it for you. Select the maximized window, and press {Alt} & {Enter} twice. This pops up the window into text mode and then back to graphics mode. This sequence compels Windows to automatically recenter your window at the top of the screen. The position of other windows is not affected by this technique. Switching Screen Modes in Windows 3.x If you have a super VGA card and monitor, you'll probably want to install high-resolution drivers for Windows 3.x . But you may also want to be able to switch from on resolution to another. So that you can do this, set up Windows for the standard 640 x 480 VGA mode, exit to the DOS prompt, and enter "md\640x480". Go to your Windows subdirectory, and enter "COPY *.INI 640x480" to copy the configuration files into their own directory. Follow the installation instructions that come with your high- resolution drivers; then make another directory such as "800x600" or "1024x768" and copy the INI files into that (those). Finally, create a batch file for each video mode you've installed and place them in a directory that's named in your PATH. Here's a sample batch file, called "WIN800.BAT" (substitute your own drive and directory names). @ECHO OFF CLS COPY C:\800x600 C:\WINDOW>NUL WIN Start Windows in any screen mode by executing the appropriate batch file. Nice Moves in Windows 3.0 Here is a quick primer on using Windows 3.0's File Manager for moving and copying files. First, open two directory windows, one containing the source file and one containing the target directory. To move the file to a different directory, on the same drive, select the files name (from the source directory), hold the left mouse button down, drag the source file icon into the target directory. The original file icon disappears to indicate that when you release the mouse button, File Manager will move the file. To move a file to a different drive, hold down the {Alt} key while dragging the icon. To copy a file to another directory, on the same drive, hold the {Ctrl} key down while dragging the icon. To copy a file to a different drive, just drag the icon to the new directory. Avoiding The "EMM386 Exception #6" Error The "EMM386 Exception #6" is a common error message, and occurs very often when running an application from Windows. Believe it or NOT, DOS itself is one of the biggest causes of this error message! It has come to my attention, that this error is directly related to the DOS parameter, STACKS. This is a section of memory DOS uses to save pointers and other temporary information, regarding DOS operations. What seems to be happening, is that one or more of these STACKs are overflowing (filling up), and loosing data. This means, that DOS will loose track of some operations, and operating parameters! DOS provides 9 stacks of 128 bytes each, as the default, unless, the CONFIG.SYS file has a different setting, using the "STACKS=" command. There have been many articles to have users set "STACKS=0,0" (no stack). This should NEVER be done when using Windows! Actually, you shouldn't do it PERIOD! We strongly urge you to set "STACKS=12,512" (for 12 stacks by 512 bytes each) as a minimum size. YES, this will use up 6K bytes, but that's a small price to pay, to NOT have your application die right in the middle of something, forcing a REBOOT! The actual line you put into your CONFIG.SYS file is : STACKS = 12,512 You can run SYSEDIT from Windows, to change this. Don't forget to REBOOT your computer after changing this. The new STACKS will NOT take effect until you HAVE rebooted. Are You Too Slow For Windows? Some people, have problems with the mouse and double clicking. Their complaint, sometimes double clicking works and some times it doesn't. The solution, is possibly, to change the wait time for the second click on your mouse. The Window Control Panel, has a mouse settings section, which includes a Double Click Speed option. Select this option, and try setting the wait to a longer setting. If this is NOT your problem, then perhaps, it is the Window lack of allowing you to make minor moves (moving the mouse) when double clicking. When double clicking, you can NOT move the mouse, even slightly, while in Windows. If you have Windows 3.0 you are stuck. My only suggestion, is try to relax your hand and press only the button, instead of jiggling the mouse. Alternately, upgrade to Windows 3.1 (it's cheap enough). However, if you have Windows 3.1, you can fix this problem. Select your WIN.INI file for edit, and find the mouse control section, which contains lines, such as "DoubleClickWidth=?" and "DoubleClickHeight=?". The "?" are some numeric value. Increment both values by at least one (try 4 for Width and 6 for Height). You will have to exit Windows and restart to have the new values in effect. If these settings don't work, increment until they do. If these lines are NOT in the WIN.INI file, then add them. By doing this, Windows makes a box upon detecting the first click, then click inside the box a second time (within the time you set for double clicking) a real double click has succeeded. Printing Woes If you are having problems with a Network Printer or your application is having problems printing, you might try this trick. Open your WIN.INI file for editing, and find the section beginning with [Ports]. Change the lines : LPT1:= LPT2:= LPT3:= To : LPT1.PRN LPT2.PRN LPT3.PRN This will, believe it or not, work! Using Dot Matrix Printers in Landscape Mode You can use a dot matrix printer in landscape mode in Windows. If when printing, the printing looks slightly tacky, select the Control Panel and Select Install Fonts. Select the C and D fonts, which are designed for Dot Matrix Printers. If this is NOT good enough, you'll have to invest in either a third party font set, or a laser printer. Unwanted WIN.INI Settings Is your WIN.INI file growing to huge proportions. Look for sections in the file, for applications you no longer use, or duplicate sections. Each time an application is installed, a new section is added to the WIN.INI file. For example, Excel adds a section "[Microsoft Excel]" to the file. When you remove the program (un-install), these added lines are NOT always removed! When this happens, your WIN.INI file takes longer and longer to process, by Windows. Each time you install a new application to Windows, check your INI file for new entries. You can do this, by keeping a copy of the WIN.INI file, in another file, called W.INI, for example, then, comparing the two, using the DOS COMP program. These un-wanted sections can be removed by using any editor or Windows NotePad. ClipBoard Saves If you have clipped something from a document and simply want to save it (you don't want to paste it into another one), go to the Program Manager. Select Clipboard from the main group, and choose File Save As. Enter your file name to save the Clipboard entry. Quick Task Switching in Windows If you have loaded several tasks, and want to switch among them quickly, one way is to hold the <Alt> key down, and press <Tab>. Each successive <Tab> press, displays a new title bar of an open application (continue to hold the <Alt> key down while pressing Tab repeatedly). DOS and WINDOWS Printer Battles Some users are experiencing printer conflicts while running DOS applications from Windows. If you're one of them, try one of the following : 1) Load Windows with the "/S" option, from a command line prompt. This starts Windows in Standard mode. Although you won't be able to multi-task, your printing will be much faster. 2) Adjust the priority of the DOS application by changing the Program Information File (PIF). Bring up the Windows PIF Editor, and click on Advanced. Set the background priority higher to speed up printing. 3) Alternately, try running the application as an exclusive program. Using the PIF Editor, select the Exclusive box and click. Options 2 and 3 are available in 386 Enhanced mode only. 300 DPI Printing From Windows LaserJet printers are being equipped with more and more RAM, offering higher resolution printing. If you are running a Laser so equipped and only seem to be able to print from Windows in 150 DPI, then try the following. Select the Windows Control Panel, from the Main Program Group, and select the Printer Icon. Highlight LaserJet, in the Installed Printers box (will be highlighted if it's the only printer installed) and click on Configure. In the next dialog box, select setup. Now, under Graphics Resolution, select 300 DPI. From Now on, all printing, by Windows, will use the higher resolution. If the application you are using to print, is a DOS (non- Windows) application, you will have to adjust that program, not Windows. Smartdrive Limits If you're using Smartdrive (WINDOWS device driver) and you're setting it for more than 1MB then, you're wasting memory. Smartdrive is optimized at 1MB, so if you're setting it for more, then you'll actually INCREASE performance by decreasing the amount of memory available to Smartdrive back to 1MB. You can then use that extra RAM for RAM disk, device drivers or TSR's. Windows Doesn't Use All of Your Expanded Memory If you have a 286, and have an expanded memory board (which you really need to make effective use of Windows), and Windows still says you are "Out of Memory", then read on. Many expanded memory boards, are set as Small Frame Expanded Memory (EMS). If your CONFIG.SYS file contains a line like the following, then your EMS is set as Small Frame. DEVICE=EMM386.SYS 2048 This line usually is entered after the DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS line. To realize full use of EMS, you must use the Large Frame approach. The actual details of implementation, must be obtained from your user manual, for the expanded memory board you are using. However, I can give you some guidelines in the general approach. To begin, your EMS board must support the LIM (Lotus - Intel - Microsoft) 4.0 specification. Your EMS board, must also be able to "backfill", down to the 256K conventional RAM level. Finally, your system must allow you to disable all but 256K of conventional RAM. If your EMS Board, can do the above, then, follow the operators manual for your board and "backfill" conventional RAM. Don't forget to disable all but 256K of conventional RAM. If "backfill" is a new term to you, read on. Backfill refers to some portion of memory on the mother board, and replacing that area, with EMS memory. Most EMS boards, allow backfilling conventional RAM, starting at 512K (instead of 256K) and through 640K. However, to utilize Large Frame EMS, you need to back fill from 256K, and up to 640K. One such board, which allows Large Frame EMS, is the AST RAMPage board. If your operators manual, for your board, do NOT mention backfilling and the LIM 4.0 support, you must call the manufacturer, for help. Many manufacturers now have drivers, available to add this ability. Be sure to ask your board can backfill conventional ram, starting at the 256K level and ending at the 640K level, for Large Frame EMS support. You may have to purchase an upgrade board, as some older ones do NOT support the Large Frame EMS, since they don't have registers for it. When backfilling, you do NOT loose conventional RAM, it is just exchanged. You DO, increase the amount of expanded memory that can be allocated to each Windows program. When using Small Frame EMS, the extra memory gained by each application, is just the EMS Frame Size (Segment), which is usually 64K of RAM in an area just above conventional RAM. Although, each successive application is allocated this 64K chunk, we soon run out of conventional RAM! This can occur with under 6 applications running. Although, we are out of conventional RAM, we have lots of EMS left, but un-usable. When we use Large Frame EMS, and backfill RAM to 256K, we have increased the chunk of EMS allocated to each Windows Application. Suppose, Windows, after loading, uses 340K of RAM, this would leave 300K for applications. This 300K of RAM, is now EMS RAM, and can be swapped! This swapping is done by hardware, rather than by software, so it takes place very quickly. So, you load the first program into the 300K chunk, swap it out, and you have the same 300K chunk for the next application. On most systems, you will have more than 300K available, so, whatever is available, in your system, can be swapped. Any chunk using the range of 256K to 640K can be swapped out. This gives us a swap size of 384K! Once you are using the Large Frame EMS approach, you'll see an improvement in usage of EMS memory. After you get an "Out of Memory" report, you'll have very little EMS left as well. Multiple Display Drivers For Windows You set Windows up for multiple Display drivers, especially if you have a VGA capable of supporting multiple modes. You should be able to use three or more drivers, without reinstalling for each driver. Different display drivers, Windows has available, are listed in the SETUP.INF file, located in the Windows SYSTEM directory. First, I'll explain using Windows Setup to add multiple display drivers. We will set up a VGA system, to run 3 different display drivers. For this explanation, we assume your adapter can support VGA, EGA and Olivetti/AT&T 640x400 mono modes. If your system is set to VGA, and is should if you have VGA, we'll work together to add the other two drivers. Adding EGA, we begin, by starting Setup from inside Windows. Select Change System Settings, which is under the Options Menu. Now choose the EGA option, and click the OK box. You will be prompted to insert several of your original disks, as Windows Setup finds the various support files for this option. Once Setup has located and installed all support files, you select Restart Windows. When it restarts, Windows will be in the EGA mode! Next, we'll add the Monochrome option, again, by selecting the Setup option, from within Windows. Just as before, we select Change System Settings, from the Options Menu, and this time, choose a 640x400 option, instead of EGA. Setup again, requests various disks, to obtain the support files for our chosen option. When done, Restart Windows. Now, to get Windows to use any one of the 3 drivers, you Run Setup, either from inside Windows or from a DOS prompt, and select the driver you wish to use. Once you have selected the display driver to use for this session, start or restart Windows. This procedure only requires about a minute and a half. The above procedure works dandy, if the SETUP.INF file contains a listing of all display drivers you will use. SETUP.INF contains, not only the list of available display drivers, but their support files as well, such as LOGO's and screen fonts. The above will NOT work, if you are using a third party display driver. If you are using a third party display driver, then, you could modify the SETUP.INF file, adding all information required for that driver. This approach requires very detailed knowledge of interactions between various support files and the drivers. The advantage is that you will then be able to use the previous explanation involving, invoking Setup to simply change display modes. To add a display driver, begin editing the SETUP.INF file, and find the section "[display]". You should set entries similar to the following : 1:V7VGA.DRV This indicates that the driver V7VGA.DRV can be found on disk one. A description of the driver, follows the entry. Next, you'll see and entry similar to this : 100,96,96 This is the resolution, of the display. The two 96, entries define resolution on a vertical and horizontal 1 inch logical block. The first value, is the ratio, multiplied by 100, thus, 100 = a ratio of 1. A logical inch, is NOT the physical resolution, which on a VGA at 640x480, which would be 78x78. This resolution relates to the fact, that paper is 8.5 inches wide (typical letter size), and that pica measurement of font width has a density of 10 characters per inch. Thus, if you have a right and left margin of 1 inch each, you will fit 66 characters into the remaining space, on a line (6.6 inches). This remaining space should equal the horizontal resolution of your display, which is 640 dots. This results in a calculated value of 96.7 (640/6.6) dots per inch, rounded to 96. Since the aspect ratio is 1, the vertical resolution must also be 96! This results in an actual inch, on a VGA system to be 1.2 to 1.3 logical inches. On the printer, the real inch and logical inch are the same. Windows uses the ratio, to match the driver, with appropriate support files. Windows, also uses the ratio, to choose the typographic fonts for the driver. Below the resolution entry, we will find entries for each supported driver, similar to the following entry : [display] ; The string following the driver description specifies the screen ; resolution. It is used to match the system and OEM character sets ; with the display selection. ; ;profile = driver, Description of driver, resolution, 286 grabber, logo code, VDD, 386grabber, ega.sys logo data ; 8514 = 4:8514.drv, "8514/a", "100,120,120", A:vgacolor.gr2, 4:vgalogo.lgo, A:vdd8514.386, A:8514.gr3, , 4:vgalogo.rle cga = 3:cga.drv, "CGA", "200,96,48", A:cga.gr2, 4:cgalogo.lgo, A:vddcga.386, A:cga.gr3, , 4:cgalogo.rle plasma = 3:plasma.drv, "Compaq Portable Plasma", "100,96,96", A:cga.gr2, 4:cgalogo.lgo, A:vddcga.386, A:plasma.gr3, , 4:cgalogo.rle egahires = 4:ega.drv, "EGA", "133,96,72", A:egacolor.gr2, 4:egalogo.lgo, x:*vddega, A:ega.gr3, A:ega.SYS, 4:egalogo.rle egahibw = 3:egahibw.drv, "EGA black and white (286 only)", "133,96,72", A:egacolor.gr2, 4:cgalogo.lgo,,, A:ega.SYS, 4:cgalogo.rle egamono = 3:egamono.drv, "EGA Monochrome (286 only)", "133,96,72", A:egamono.gr2, 4:egamono.lgo,,, A:ega.SYS, 4:egamono.rle hercules = 3:hercules.drv, "Hercules Monochrome", "133,96,72", A:hercules.gr2, 4:herclogo.lgo, A:vddherc.386, A:herc.gr3,, 4:herclogo.rle mcga = 3:vgamono.drv, "IBM MCGA (286 only", "100,96,96", A:vgacolor.gr2, 4:cgalogo.lgo,,,, 4:cgalogo.rle olibw = 3:olibw.drv, "Olivetti/AT&T Monochrome or PVC Display", "120,96,80", A:oligrab.gr2, 4:cgalogo.lgo, A:vddcga.386, A:plasma.gr3,, 4:cgalogo.rle sv400a = 4:sv400a.drv, "Olivetti OEC Color Display or AT&T VDC750", "120,96,80", A:sv400a.gr2, 4:egalogo.lgo,,, 4:egalogo.rle ct441 = 4:vga.drv, "QuadVGA, ATI VIP VGA, 82C441 VGAs", "100,96,96", A:vgacolor.gr2, 4:vgalogo.lgo, A:vddct441.386, A:vga.gr3,, 4:vgalogo.rle vga = 4:vga.drv, "VGA", "100,96,96", A:vgacolor.gr2, 4:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, A:vga.gr3,, 4:vgalogo.rle vgamono = 3:vgamono.drv, "VGA with Monochrome display", "100,96,96", A:vgamono.gr2, 4:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, A:vgamono.gr3,, 4:vgalogo.rle ; Start of Video Seven Entries v7vga = 1:v7vga.drv, "Video seven VGA with 512K", "100,96,96", 3:vgacolor.gr2, 2:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, 4:v7vga.gr3, , 2:vgalogo.rle v7751256 = a:v7751256.drv, "Video seven VRam VGA 720x512x256 colors", "100,96,96", 3:vgacolor.gr2, 2:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, 4:v7vga.gr3, , 2:vgalogo.rle v754016 = a:v754016, "Video seven VGA 720x540 16 color", "100,96,96", 3:vgacolor.gr2, 2:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, 4:v7vga.gr3, , 2:vgalogo.rle v760016 = a:v760016.drv, "Video seven VGA 800x600 16 color", "100,96,96", 3:vgacolor.gr2, 2:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, 4:v7vga.gr3, , 2:vgalogo.rle v776816 = a:v776817.drv, "Video seven VGA 1024x768 16 color", "100,120,120", 3:vgacolor.gr2, 2:vgalogo.lgo, x:*vddvga, 4:v7vga.gr3, , 2:vgalogo.rle In the above example listing, we indented to show, lines which are actually continuations, of previous lines. To add multiple OEM video drivers, you'll have to set up entries similar to the above, for each driver. The only problem you'll find, is in using the 1024x768 mode, then, you should execute Setup from a DOS prompt. This is due, to a bug in Windows 3.0, (may not be there in 3.1). This bug results in the 8514 typographic screen fonts, to improperly restore (you'll have a real mess). You can make your task easier, by using a programming tool, which comes with such programming languages, as BASIC, 'C', PASCAL, MASM and others. This tool is called EXEHDR. This tool can aid, in selecting the right font for your selected video driver. An alternative to modifying the SETUP.INF file, requires modifying the WIN.INI file, which is in the WINDOWs main directory. This may be the best choice, for those who do NOT have the knowledge to modify the SETUP.INF file, or who don't have the information available to modify it. Your first step, is to save the current WIN.INI file under a new name (don't rename, use COPY). Select a new name, which suggests it's use, such as ORIGINI.WIN or SYSINI.WIN or any other name which will be easy to remember. Your next step, is to follow directions from your display driver manual in modifying the WIN.INI file. Once the changes are made, your next session of Windows, will use the new INI file. Exit to DOS, and make a COPY of the new INI file, as a name you'll remember, such as VGAINI.WIN. Now, create 2 or more batch files (depends on how many drivers you want), and place these (or similar) two lines in them. For ORIGINI.WIN make a batch file name of ORIGINI.BAT COPY ORIGINI.WIN WIN.INI WIN The first line, replaces the current WIN.INI file, with the original one. For your VGA version, change the first line to : COPY VGAINI.WIN WIN.INI The only problem with this doing this, is that every time a new application is installed, you'll have to modify the remaining INI modified files (such as ORIGINI.WIN and VGAINI.WIN). Adding an Icon to SysEdit To obtain an Icon for SysEdit, which doesn't already have one, Select File Menu, then click on New. Now, select Program Item and click on the OK box. You will be presented with a Program Item Properties Box. Select Browse. From the Windows System directory, select SYSEDIT.EXE and click on the OK box. Now click on the OK box in the Program Item Properties Box. Now, you'll have an Icon for SysEdit, in the current group. One Icon which SysEdit has available, can be gotten, by selecting the Program Item Properties box, then Change Icon and finally, View Next (from the Select Icon Dialog Box). If you don't like either of the two available Icons, you can select another Icon Library name, and browse thru those listing. In addition to commercial Icons, there are many Shareware ones, available on your local BBS or via Compuserve. Windows NotePad Searches and Replaces The Windows NotePad Tool, doesn't have a built in search and replace feature, so we must design our own. First, type the string you want to replace with, at the top of your text. Now, highlight the entry, and use the Cut option, from the Edit Menu. This will transfer the entry to the clipboard. Next, select Search, then Find. Now, enter the text to replace (search string). Select the Forward Ratio Box (Button) and press <ENTER> or click on the OK box. NotePad will now highlight the first match. Press the <DEL> key to remove the original string, then press <Shift><INS> to paste the new string in. Pressing <F3> will begin search for the next match. Repeat the <DEL> and <Shift><INS> keystroke to replace each found match. The above procedure, can also be stored as a macro. Turn on the Recorder, by double clicking on Recorder Icon, in the Program Manager. Follow the above text until you get to the first <DEL> entry. Now, restore Recorder, Select File New. Enter a name for the macro, then select a Hot Key which does NOT conflict with other Hot Key combinations, and press the Recorder Start button. Enter the keystrokes to delete and replace an entry and search for next. Now press <Ctrl><Break> to stop recording. Save the macro. To use, start as before, but halt after the first find, use your chosen Hot Key to start your Find and Replace Macro. When the macro can find no more matches, you will be presented with a dialog box, just click on the OK box. Faster Windows Loading, Without the Logo To speed up your Windows startup, you can eliminate the opening Logo screen. One such method is to start Windows using the command line : "WIN :" Another method, simply replaces the current WIN.COM file, with one that doesn't load the Logo. Windows creates WIN.COM from three files (WIN.CNF, ????.LGO & ????.RLE), at installation time, by Setup. To stop loading the Logo each session, simply COPY the WIN.CNF file to WIN.COM (COPY WIN.CNF WIN.COM). The WIN.CNF file may be in your ROOT directory, or in the main Windows directory. Section finished. Be sure to order your THREE BONUS DISKS which expand this software package with vital tools, updates and additional tutorial material for computer users! Send $24.95 to Scanlon Enterprises, Department TIP, 38354 17th St. E., Palmdale, CA 93550. Bonus disks shipped promptly! Modifications, custom program versions, Site and LAN licenses of this package for business or corporate use are possible, contact the author. This software is shareware - an honor system which means TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Press escape key to return to menu.