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Dr. CD ROM (Annual Premium Edition)
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IBMOS2_1
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MUSER066.ZIP
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readme.txt
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1993-11-23
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4KB
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99 lines
This program is a short simple way of implementing multiple desktops
for different users.
The program is free to users and companies just send me a postcard
if you like it. The software may not be included into any commercial
packages without my express permission.
It was written in a hurry because my wife wanted to use my computer
but could not find her way around my desktop, so wanted her own.
The program uses a rather crude way of capturing the changes to the
desktop during a user session but it works for now and so it will
stay. (It does not use the processor so creates no load).
I am currently looking at a different way to do this because I want
to implement passwords and make the error detection methods a bit
more intelligent.
Over the next month I have University exams so I cannot improve the
program at all. I am releasing this version for BETA testing. Next
month when I've graduated i'll finish the program off.
Features in this version
- Allow as many users with unique desktops as youve got disk space
- Allow names to be assigned to desktops
- Allows default desktop to be loaded if you screw yours up
Features for the near future
- Password protection of logins
- Each user can have their own config.sys and autoexec.bat and win.ini
(what else, maybe screen resolutions as well)
- Nice colour bitmap for the background
- screen saver (blanker?)
- Anything anybody requests???
To install the program create a directory called
\Users
THIS MUST BE ON THE DRIVE THAT CONATINS OS/2
(ie the install drive with ?:\OS2\INSTALL)
Copy the zip file to this directory and unzip it
This should create
?:\users
muser.exe the main multiuser program
minstall.exe the install program
readme.txt this file
recov.txt help if anything goes wrong
icons.zip a small collections of icons for command prompts
run the minstall.exe
This will copy your current desktop and prompt you for a name to call it
(This will be the name you will use to select this desktop at bootup)
It will also setup the default login desktop for NEWUSERS
Add to the second line of your config.sys (or as close to the top as possible)
CALL=?:\users\muser.exe
then follow it with the directory that muser is in
EG ?:\users
(ie mine config.sys says C:\utils\muser\muser.exe c:\utils\muser)
Also copy the file emx.dll into any directory pointed to on your path in
CONFIG.SYS or add he approiate entry to the path to point to emx.dll or
as I have done simply copy emx.dll into the os2\dll directory
save, Shutdown and REBOOT
To add new users to the system simply type NEWUSER at the USERNAME prompt
This will create allow the new user to start up and give them the default
desktop. This can be customised and setup to their own requirements and
when they log off the system will store away the relevent info.
Hope you find the program usable and not too buggy. If this stuffs
your system then I'm real sorry but it works for me but I would
like to hear about what happened so I can try to fix it.
I have found one small difficulty that when the computer does not complete
its shutdown sequence ie no CAD to reboot screen, then sometimes the INI
files are not released so the MUSER.EXE program cannot play with them. If
this happens the program should report the error and startup with the previous
good USER desktop. To remedy simply shutdown again and start up with the new
users name.
Also turning off the computer from the login screen results in the computer
needing to do a chkdsk.
Written By Mark Harvey
As I said in the earlier text if you use this program and like it then send
me a postcard.
Mark Harvey
21 Bailey Ave
Hamilton
New Zealand
email gdn@waikato.ac.nz