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════════════════════════════════════════
WELCOME TO THE MENU MASTER DOCUMENTATION
════════════════════════════════════════
Note: The MENU MASTER documentation will be divided into the following
sections. Each section will give a complete explanation of it's
purpose and possibly give a few examples on using that section.
This documentation can be read from the DOS prompt by typing README
I. INTRODUCTION
II. INSTALLATION
III. MENU
A. DESCRIPTION OF MENU
B. HOW THE MENU WORKS
IV. SETUP
A. MENU
B. CONFIGURATION
C. USER TRACKING
D. DIRECT ACCESS SYSTEM
E. FILE LOCKING
V. DOS UTILITY
A. SCREEN DESCRIPTION
B. UTILITY COMMANDS
VI. ABOUT THE MENU MASTER
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
I. INTRODUCTION
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Welcome to the MENU MASTER. The MENU MASTER is a menu program that
gives you direct access to your computer programs. The graphics and the
special effects are the highlights of the menu. The MENU MASTER lets you
select the fonts, character sizes, colors, and icons for your selections.
In case your computer does not support graphics, the MENU MASTER works just as
well in text mode and is especially colorful in text color mode. One special
effect of text mode is the horizontal scrolling of the selections.
There are practically no limits to the amount of selections you can have.
All submenus including the main menu can have up to 10000 selections and each
main menu selection can have up to 50 submenus! In addition, each selection
can have it's own font, password, parameter message, and icon.
Other highlights of the MENU MASTER make it very useful. The User Tracking
mode will help you keep track of computer users. Passwords are available for
running your selections, changing the setup, and running the DOS utility
program. The MENU MASTER can be configured to display any message at start-up.
The File Locking capability of the MENU MASTER can be configured to lock any
file combinations at start-up and set certain attributes to the files. After
exiting the MENU MASTER, the locked files are restored to their previous state.
One special mode of the MENU MASTER is the memory resident mode. In this
mode, up to 100 programs can be assigned to different hotkeys. Whenever the
hotkey for a program is pressed, the program will be instantly loaded. For
instance, a text editing program may be assigned the hotkey ALT_T. To start
the text editor, you would press ALT_T at the C:\> prompt. These hotkeys may
also be programmed to change the current directory or drive. This mode is
useful for both novices and more experienced people who work at the DOS prompt.
The MENU MASTER comes with a DOS utility program that gives you basic
file manipulation. It's simplicity and ease of use makes it especially useful
in performing copying, deleting, and other file manipulations. The DOS utility
program includes a text editor that is useful for editing system files such as
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. The text editor is also useful when typing simple
letters and notes. The colorful environment and screen setup makes it clear and
easy to understand.
The display and operation of the MENU MASTER will enhance the look of
your computer and organization of your programs. The MENU MASTER's flexibility
and ease of use makes it the menu program of your choice.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
II. INSTALLATION
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The MENU MASTER comes with two diskettes for the 5-1/4" drive and one
diskette for the 3-1/2" drive. Before installing the MENU MASTER, it would
be a good idea to make a backup of the MENU MASTER diskette(s).
To do this at the DOS prompt:
1. Place an empty diskette in drive A
2. Type: FORMAT A:
3. Place the MENU MASTER diskette in drive A
4. Place the formatted diskette in drive B (For two identical drives)
5. Type: COPY A:*.* B:
6. Repeat steps 1 - 5 for each MENU MASTER diskette
The diskette(s) you formatted now contain a copy of the MENU MASTER. In
case you should damage the backup, you can refer to the original diskette(s).
Insert disk 1 in drive A and type:
A: [Press ENTER]
Install [Press ENTER]
The installation program will come up and give you several options for
installing the MENU MASTER.
Install Menu:
This option will take you into the installation menu which gives more
choices on installing the menu.
View Documentation:
This selection will display this file to the screen. If at any time you
wish to read this file, type README at the DOS prompt.
Exit Installation:
If for some reason you do not wish to install the MENU MASTER, this
selection will exit the installation program.
Directory of Installation:
The default directory of installation is \MASTER. If you wish to install
the MENU MASTER in another directory, then specify the directory.
Load menu when computer starts:
This option will determine if the MENU MASTER comes up when the computer
is turned on or reset. If you don't want the MENU MASTER at start-up then set
this option to NO by pressing ENTER.
Search disk to create menu:
The MENU MASTER can search your hard disk and create a menu based on the
programs on your hard disk. If you do not want the MENU MASTER to search your
hard disk, then set this option to NO by pressing ENTER.
Drives to search:
This selection tells the installation program which drives to search
when searching for programs. By default, the installation program will
search all hard disks.
After selecting the options that suit you, select [Start Installation]
to begin the installation. If the [Search disk] option was selected, the
installation program will display a list of any programs it recognizes.
After the installation is complete, type 'MENU' to start the MENU MASTER.
Listing for 5-1/4" diskettes
----------------------------
Files on diskette 1 Files on diskette 2
=================== ===================
INSTALL.EXE SETUP.PRG
HOSTMENU.EXE DOSUTIL.PRG
DIRECT.EXE MSTINFO.EXE
README.EXE ICONPIC.ICN
DISPLAY.DRV ICONPIC.MST
FONTS.DRV INITIAL.DAT
MASTER.CSR
MASTER.MNU
MASTER.DOC
MASTER.PRG
Listing for 3-1/2" diskette
---------------------------
INSTALL.EXE
HOSTMENU.EXE
DIRECT.EXE
README.EXE
DISPLAY.DRV
FONTS.DRV
MASTER.CSR
MASTER.MNU
MASTER.DOC
MASTER.PRG
SETUP.PRG
DOSUTIL.PRG
MSTINFO.EXE
ICONPIC.ICN
ICONPIC.MST
INITIAL.DAT
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
III. MENU
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
──────────────────────
A. DESCRIPTION OF MENU
──────────────────────
The MENU MASTER consists of the menu, function list, clock, and the icon
display. Each component of the menu can be moved around the screen using the
setup program. A background color may be chosen to define the desktop color.
The number of colors and resolution of the menu depends on the screen mode
chosen. The icons, fonts, and character size definitions are available only
in graphics modes. In text mode, all selections appear the same size in the
80 X 25 mode. The menu works on both black & white and monochrome monitors.
The menu consists of the title message, date, greeting message,
stack bar, and selection list which can all be defined using the setup
program. The title message displays the name of the menu and may be changed
depending on the use of the menu. The date which is optional can be displayed
in two formats. Just below the date is the greeting message which may take
up to two lines. Followed by the greeting message is the stack bar. The
purpose of the stack bar to display the current submenu. Followed by the
stack bar is the actual selection list. This list of programs is the custom
menu you create for the programs on your disk. All parts of the menu from the
title message to the selection list may have a specific font, character size,
and color which are all defined through the setup program.
The function list which is optional displays the MENU MASTER function
key commands. The F1 key displays the HELP screen. The HELP gives a
brief summary of the commands and instructions on running a selection. The
F2 key loads the MENU MASTER SETUP program through which the MENU MASTER can
be configured. The F5 key lets the user select executable files from
disk to run. The MENU MASTER asks for a directory to read executable files
from after pressing the F5 key. The F8 key will load the MENU MASTER
DOS UTILITY program used for performing file manipulations. The F10 key
will exit the MENU MASTER to DOS. If executable files have been selected
from disk using the F5 key, then the F10 key will not exit to DOS but
will exit back to the original menu. To exit immediately to DOS at any
time, press Shift_F10.
The clock display which is optional displays the time of the day with
or without the seconds.
The icon display which is optional displays the icon for each selection.
The position of the cursor determines the icon to be displayed. By default
the cursor is a picture of a diskette. As the cursor is moved, the icon
changes to reflect the move of the cursor. Icons are identified by a number.
Each icon has a number that is used in selecting an icon for a selection. As
a result, each selection can have a separate icon. One icon is used for
executable files selected from disk which can be set using the setup program.
The position level (scroll bar) appears on the side of the menu if
selected through the setup program and gives you an idea where you are on the
selection list. As you approach the end of the list, the position level will
get closer to the bottom of the menu display.
─────────────────────
B. HOW THE MENU WORKS
─────────────────────
The MENU MASTER can run in one of two modes. It can run in a memory
resident mode (which it does by default) or in a non-memory resident mode.
In the memory resident mode, the menu is initially started by typing 'MENU'.
After the menu has been started, you may start it by pressing the hotkey
assigned to starting the menu. The MENU MASTER takes about 40K of memory
when loaded in the memory resident mode. The MENU MASTER can be uninstalled
from memory by pressing the hotkey assigned to uninstall it. There is also a
hotkey used to view the current hotkey assignments. This assignment of hotkeys
is called the DIRECT ACCESS SYSTEM. Up to 100 programs can be assigned
different key combinations using the setup program. To start a program, simply
press the key combination for that program at the DOS prompt.
In the non-memory resident mode, the menu is always started by typing
'MENU'. No hotkeys are used in this mode because the MENU MASTER does not
remain in memory. Parameters may be passed to the MENU MASTER. Each
parameter stands for a key that you would press when the menu is loaded.
When the menu is loaded, the parameters passed are performed as though you
actually pressed them on the keyboard. The keys that may be passed are the
following.
F1 F2 F5 F10 - These function keys are pressed
'TEXT' - Characters within the single quotes are pressed
U[number] - The cursor moves up -number- selections
D[number] - The cursor moves down -number- selections
E[number] - The ENTER key is pressed -number- times
For example to start the MENU MASTER so that F5 is pressed to select
files from disk and the directory selected is C:\MASTER you would type the
following: MENU F5 'C:\MASTER' E
If a message has been selected to appear through the setup program,
it will appear for a few seconds or until a key is pressed depending on the
way it is configured.
If the User Tracking Mode has been activated through the setup program,
you may have to type your name and a password. All programs you use will
be recorded by the MENU MASTER. After you finish, you should log off by
pressing Alt_L so that the next user can properly log on.
After the MENU MASTER is loaded, make your selection by using the arrow
keys to move the cursor to the selection of your choice and press ENTER. If
the selection you select has a submenu, the selection name will appear on the
stack bar and a new menu will be displayed. To go back to the previous menu,
you would press the ESC key. If the selection is a program and requires
parameters, then give the required parameters or press ENTER for none. If you
have a long list and want to search for a selection, then press Alt_F and
type the name of the selection you want to find. After typing the name press
ENTER and the MENU MASTER will search for that selection. The Home key will
take you to the beginning of the menu and the End key will take you to the end
of the menu. The function list on the side displays the commands used in
MENU MASTER. The HELP screens which has more information on the commands may
be brought up at any time by pressing F1. You may use the TAB key to switch
between the menu and the function list.
Executable files can be selected from disk using the MENU MASTER by
pressing F5. If you have programs on disk you want to run, press F5 followed
by the directory or drive the programs are on. If your entry is valid, the
MENU MASTER will display the list of programs on disk. The stack bar will be
updated to display the current directory the displayed programs are in. You
may select a program to run just as you would with the menu listing. Pressing
F10 returns you to the original menu. Press Shift_F10 to exit directly to DOS.
Several menu files may be created through the setup program. A menu file
may be created for a disk that has programs on. Instead of pressing F5 to
display the programs on that disk you could press Alt_R and type the directory
or drive in which the menu file exists. This function lets you load a menu
file other than the default menu into the MENU MASTER. The menu you created
for that disk will be displayed for you to select from.
A mouse may be used with the MENU MASTER if selected in the setup program.
The mouse can make it easy and fast to make a selection. To run a selection
simply move the mouse pointer to the selection of your choice and press the
left button. If the cursor is not on the selection, then the cursor will move
to the selection. If the cursor is on the selection when you press the left
button, then the MENU MASTER will run the selection. If the position level
has been activated, clicking on the arrows on the position level will either
move the cursor up or down depending on the arrow you click on. Another way
to move the cursor using the mouse which is optional through the setup
program is done by using the right mouse button. If you press the right mouse
button on the top half of the menu, the cursor will move up. Likewise if the
right mouse button is pressed on the bottom half of the menu, the cursor will
move down. If you want to go back to the previous menu using the mouse, press
the left mouse button on the stack bar. All functions on the function list can
be selected using the mouse by pressing the left mouse button in the square
next to the function.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
IV. SETUP
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
───────
A. MENU
───────
The MENU MASTER SETUP program is the program used for configuring and
setting up the MENU MASTER. Using the up and down arrow keys, select the part
of the MENU MASTER you want to configure from the menu.
The first selection displayed in the MENU MASTER SETUP program is used to
create the custom menus which appear when the MENU MASTER is loaded. You can
create new menu files or edit existing menu files. After pressing ENTER on
[Menu], a submenu which has the following will appear.
Edit menu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the selection used to edit existing menu files or create new ones.
When this is selected, the menu editor will come up and the menu file selected
will be displayed. The menu will be displayed on the left side of the screen
while information and commands will be displayed on the right side of the
screen.
The information displayed on the right consists of the total number of
entries in the menu, the range being displayed, and the level in which the menu
is in. The menu level shows the submenu position. The menu level is 1 if
the menu editor is in the main menu.
On the left are the actual selections. Selections are numbered in the
menu editor from one to the number of selections. This numbering is specific
to the setup program and is used only in referring to the selections. If the
number of selections exceed the memory capacity, a range of selections will be
displayed at a time. The following parts define the information for each
selection.
Selection:
This is selection name that will be displayed on the menu. It may have
up to 50 characters.
Password:
This is password given to the selection required to run the selection.
The password may have up to 20 characters.
Icon number:
To assign an icon to a selection, an icon number is used to identify the
icon assigned to the selection. The icon is then defined in the configuration
menu. If no icon number is given, no icon will be displayed for the selection.
Font:
Each selection can have a different font. The font is the style in which
the selection will be displayed. If no font is given, the default selection
font specified in the configuration menu will be used. Use the left and right
arrow keys to cycle through the fonts.
Type:
Each selection can either be a program or a submenu. A program type is
the type used to define programs on the menu. Information about the program
including the drive and directory in which the program is located is used in
running the program when it is selected in the MENU MASTER. A submenu type
is a selection that represents another list of selections. When a submenu
is selected, the selections represented by that submenu will be displayed on
the menu to select from. Submenus may be up to 50 levels deep. Use the left
and right arrow keys to pick the type.
Path:
If the selection type is a program, the path of the program should be
given. The path of a program is the drive, directory, and name of the
program file. For example if the program EDITOR is on drive C in the
DOS directory and the program file name is EDITOR.EXE, the path for this
program would be:
C: \DOS\ EDITOR.EXE
[Drive] + [Directory] + [File name] = C:\DOS\EDITOR.EXE
Parameters:
To pass parameters to a program, select YES using the left and right
arrow keys. When the program is selected, the user will be prompted for
parameters.
Message:
The parameter message displayed for parameters is defined in the
configuration menu and is by defaults 'Parameters: '. If you want a different
parameter message displayed you may either change it in the configuration menu
or type in the message to be displayed. Each selection can have a different
parameter message. If no parameter message is given, the parameter message
defined in the configuration menu will be used.
Pause:
If you want the MENU MASTER to pause after running the program, select
YES using the left and right arrow keys. The MENU MASTER will wait for a key
after running the program.
To move to the next selection, use the up and down arrow keys to move the
block cursor up and down. To move to the beginning of a line, use the Home key.
To move to the end of a line, use the End key. To move to the beginning of the
selections, press Ctrl_Home. To move to the end of the selections, press
Ctrl_End. Pressing the ESC key will blank the current line. On the bottom
right side of the screen are the commands used in the menu editor. These
commands are used in manipulating the selections. The following are the
commands.
F1-INSERT
This command will insert an empty entry at the current selection. All
selections including the current selection will move down one entry.
F2-DELETE
This command will delete the current selection and move all selections
below up one entry.
F3-MOVE
To move a selection from one position to another, use this command. You
first type in the number of the selection you are moving after pressing F3.
After pressing ENTER, type the new number position you want to give the
selection. If entered correctly, the selection will be moved to the new
position.
F4-GIVE
If you have several selections that you want to give the same font,
password, or icon number, you may do that using this command. First enter
the range of selections that will be changed. Next, specify the part of the
selections that will be changed. For example type S for selection, or P
for password. Next, type the new information each selection will be given.
If entered correctly, all selections within the range specified will be
modified to reflect the changes you gave.
F5-TRANSFER
This command will look for programs on disk and place them on the menu.
You must enter the directory you want the menu editor to search for programs.
If programs exist in the directory, they will be inserted into the menu at
the current position.
F6-PRINT
You may print a list of the selections in the current menu using this
command. Simply enter the range of selections you want to print. If entered
correctly, the menu editor will print them.
F7-SUBMENU
If a selection is a menu type, you may access or create the selections it
represents using this command. The current menu will change to the name of
the selection and the menu level will increase by 1.
F8-PREVIOUS MENU
This command will take you back to the previous menu. The previous menu
name will be displayed and the menu level will decrease by 1.
F9-DELETE BLOCK
To delete a group of selections, use this command and give the range of
selections to delete. All selections within the range will be deleted.
F10-SAVE/EXIT
To exit the menu editor, press this key. If you have made any changes,
you will be asked if you want to save your changes. After saving your changes,
you may exit the menu editor.
--------------------------------End Edit Menu-----------------------------------
Select menu file:
This selection lets you change the menu file you are working with.
Since you can create more than one menu file, use this selection to alternate
between the files by entering the directory of the menu file.
Recreate menu file:
Use this selection to replace a bad menu file or to create a new one.
Enter the directory and name of the menu file to create. For example to
create a menu file for the programs on a disk in drive A, you would create
a menu file named A:\MASTER.MNU. After the menu file has been created, you
can bring it up in the MENU MASTER by pressing Alt_R and entering the
drive that has the disk with the menu file.
────────────────
B. CONFIGURATION
────────────────
The configuration menu which is selected off the main menu is used in
configuring and setting up the MENU MASTER. The first submenu displayed has
the following.
Setup
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The [Setup] submenu lists many of the options used in configuring the
MENU MASTER. Below is a detailed list of the options given in the setup
program under the [Setup] submenu.
Colors:
The display mode selected will determine the number of colors available.
The [Colors] submenu will list all the colors in the MENU MASTER which can be
changed and give you a range colors you can select from.
Fonts:
In graphics modes, all text displayed on the menu are displayed using
one of five fonts. Select the font of your choice by picking the font for
the text from one of the five fonts. The [Selection font] selection that
appears here is the default font used for selections. This font can be
overridden using the menu editor.
Character sizes:
In graphics modes, all text displayed can have different character sizes.
The only character sizes that cannot be changed are the function list
characters and the clock characters. Enter a number within the range displayed
to set the size of the characters displayed on the menu. The character width
and height entered work for all fonts except the Normal font. To set the
size for text using the Normal font, enter a size only for the height. The
[Normal font size] selection in the [Character sizes] submenu refers to the
size used for selections that use a Normal font. Since each selection in the
MENU MASTER can have a different font, a separate font size exists for
selections that use a Normal font.
Display options
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The [Display options] submenu has a list of the options used in displaying
the MENU MASTER. Following are descriptions of selected display options that
may not be obvious.
Update Icon when paging:
Whenever the PgUp or PgDn key is pressed in the MENU MASTER, the
MENU MASTER moves the cursor up or down a screen of selections respectively.
This option determines if the icon for each selection is displayed as the
cursor moves.
Restore text screen on exit:
The MENU MASTER always saves a picture of the screen and position of
the cursor before starting. Whenever the MENU MASTER exits to DOS, it
restores the screen and cursor position. This option determines if the
screen and cursor position are restored on exit.
Display message when reading:
This options determines if the message 'Reading...' appears when the
MENU MASTER is entering or leaving a submenu.
Title message -1-, Title message -2-:
The MENU MASTER can display up to two title messages at the top of the
menu to the user. An example of title message is the name of the owner, or
name of the computer on which people use the MENU MASTER. The title messages
may be displayed together on the same line or on separate lines.
Greeting message -1-, Greeting message -2-:
The MENU MASTER can have up to two greeting messages below the date to
the user. The purpose of the greeting message is to greet and instruct the
user on using the MENU MASTER.
Parameter message:
This message is the default message that is displayed when a selection
requires parameters. Each selection can be given a different parameter
message using the menu editor.
-----------------------------End Display options--------------------------------
Special options
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This selection gives you options on the animation the MENU MASTER uses.
Following are descriptions of the options.
Cursor movement:
This option controls the movement of the cursor across the menu when a
selection is selected.
Stack bar movement:
This option controls the sliding movement of the stack bar.
Horizontal scrolling:
This option controls the horizontal sliding of the selections when
entering or leaving a submenu. This option is intended to be used in text
modes and will not work properly in graphics modes on most computers. If you
have a fast computer, it may work well.
Selection movement:
This option controls the movement of the selections when entering a
submenu.
Scrolling at ends:
This option determines if the menu will scroll when the cursor is at the
ends of the menu display. If NO is selected, the menu will scroll when
the cursor is at the middle of the menu display.
-----------------------------End special options--------------------------------
Working options
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This selection gives you options on the workings of the MENU MASTER.
Following are descriptions of the options.
Input:
This option lets you use the keyboard, mouse, or both in using the
MENU MASTER.
Speed:
The speed controls the movement of objects during animation.
Cursor:
The MENU MASTER may use one of three different types of cursors. The
first type displays a picture of a diskette on the left of the selection.
The second type highlights the selection using the cursor color. The last
type changes the color of the selection using the cursor color. The
[Use default cursor] option which applies to the first cursor type is used to
determine if the MENU MASTER displays a picture of a diskette for the cursor
or displays a user defined cursor. If you create a user defined cursor
as your cursor, set this option to NO.
Menu Master mode:
The MENU MASTER can work in one of two modes. In the memory resident
mode, the MENU MASTER is activated by using a hotkey while in the non-memory
resident mode, the MENU MASTER is started by typing 'MENU' at the DOS prompt.
User Tracking mode
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The User Tracking mode of the MENU MASTER records programs used, and the
date and time the programs are used. This selection has a submenu which has
the following.
User Tracking:
This option determines if the User Tracking mode is activated or not.
Get name:
This option determines if the user is asked for a name when logging on.
Get password:
This option determines if the user is asked for a password when logging
on.
Set password:
This selection lets you set the password required when the MENU MASTER
asks for a password in the User Tracking mode.
----------------------------End User Tracking mode------------------------------
Screen saver wait:
This is the delay in minutes the MENU MASTER waits before blanking the
screen. To restore the screen, press any key.
Starting space:
This is the amount of space between the stack bar and the beginning of the
selection list. Enter a value within the given range.
Selection space:
This is the amount of space between each selection. Enter a value within
the given range.
Extra memory for Icons:
Icons are loaded into memory, but sometimes must be read from disk again.
To lessen the disk access time when the icons are being updated, increase this
value.
Program execution
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This selection has a submenu that has several options on executing
(running) programs. The following are the descriptions.
Display selection:
By default before running a selection, the screen is cleared and the
selection name is displayed at the top of the screen. This option determines
if the selection name is displayed.
Display selection in text mode:
If [Display selection] is set to YES, this option will display the
selection to be run in text mode before running the program. This is useful
for programs that do not run well in graphics modes.
Display Icon:
If a graphics mode is selected, this option will determine if a selection's
icon is displayed before it is executed.
Screen switching:
Before a selection is executed, this option determines if the previous
screen mode is restored for the executed program. If the program you are
running does not work well in graphics modes, this function if selected,
will restore the screen to its original mode before starting the program.
Accept -SELECT- parameters:
This option determines if the user is asked for parameters when running
a program selected from disk using the F5 key.
Pause after -SELECT- execution:
This option determines if the MENU MASTER should pause after running a
program selected from disk using the F5 key.
-----------------------------End Program execution------------------------------
Save position on exit:
This option determines if the menu position is saved when exiting to DOS.
The menu position is the current selection and cursor position. If the menu
position is saved, the next time the MENU MASTER is loaded, you will be returned
to the selection you were previously on.
Recreate batch file -MENU.BAT-:
The MENU MASTER is started using a file called MENU.BAT. If the file
is deleted or corrupted, it can be restored using this selection.
Click stack bar with mouse to go back:
This option determines if the mouse may be used to go back to the
previous menu by pressing the left mouse button on the stack bar. This is the
same as pressing the ESC key.
Use right mouse button to scroll:
This option determines if the mouse may be used in moving the cursor. To
move the cursor up, press the right mouse button on the upper half of the menu.
To move the cursor down, press the right mouse button the bottom half of the
menu.
-----------------------------End Working options--------------------------------
Menu positions:
The components of the MENU MASTER can be moved around the screen. This
selection lets you move the menu, function list, clock, and icon display
around the screen. Use the arrow keys to move the images of the objects.
None of them should overlap except the icon which may overlap the menu only
at the top the menu.
Icons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Icons assigned to selections are defined in this submenu. Each icon is
assigned a number when it is created. To assign that icon to a selection,
simply use that icon's number in the menu editor. The following is a
description of this submenu.
Edit Icon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This selection lets you create icons using an icon editor. Enter the
number you want to assign to your icon. Icons are usually numbered from one
to as many icons available. To see the icons available, select [View Icons]
from the menu.
After entering the icon number, the icon editor will load and display the
selected icon if it exists. The icon editor displays the icon number at the
top of the screen. On the left is a square in which you will draw the icon.
On the right is a smaller square which will be used as a preview of the icon when
you finish drawing the icon. On the bottom of the screen are the commands you
can use to draw the icon. Below the commands is the information line. This
line gives you information on any command you select.
You may use the keyboard or mouse to draw the icon. To toggle between the
keyboard and mouse, press F1. To use the keyboard, use the arrow keys to move
or draw. Pressing the space bar will toggle between drawing and moving. To
use the mouse, press the left button as you move the mouse.
The commands that appear on the bottom of the screen are used to draw the
icon. The following are descriptions of the commands.
F1-INPUT
This command toggles between the keyboard and the mouse.
F2-COLORS
This command lets you cycle through the colors available. The number of
colors available depends on the graphics mode selected.
F3-SHAPES
This command is used in drawing a rectangle, bar, and a circle. Press
the first letter of the shape you want to draw. Using the keyboard or
mouse, follow the instructions at the bottom of the screen to complete the
drawing.
F4-COPY
Use this command to copy or move an image to another part of the square.
The image must fit within the boundary.
F5-CLEAR SCREEN
This command is used to clear the square in which the icon is drawn.
F6-FILL AREA
This command is used fill an enclosed region. Place the cursor in the
region and press ENTER with the keyboard or press the left mouse button with
the mouse.
F7-MODIFY
This command is used to modify the size of a picture. Select the old
boundary of the picture, then select the new boundary. The picture will
be modified to fit within the new boundary. This function is useful for
changing the size of an image to the size of an icon.
F8-LINES
This command is used for drawing continuous lines. To restart a line,
press ESC to select the first point of the line.
F9-TEXT
This command is used for writing text to the screen. You must first
select a font by typing the first letter of the font. The fonts available are
N-Normal, T-Triplex, L-Small, S-Sans Serif, and G-Gothic. After selecting the
font, enter a size for the width and height. After entering the size, type
the text to be displayed. Next, move the cursor to the top left position of
the text to be displayed and press ENTER. The text will be displayed in the
current color.
F10-GET PICTURE/SAVE/EXIT
After you finish drawing the icon, press F10. If you have made any
changes and decide to save the icon, you must first get or locate the image
within the drawing boundary and press ENTER. The icon will be displayed in
the square on the right side of the screen. If you are not satisfied with the
appearance, press ESC to find the image again. When you are satisfied with the
icon, the icon will be saved to disk and you will be returned to the [Icons]
menu.
--------------------------------End Edit Icon-----------------------------------
View Icons:
This selection will display the current icons on the screen. To see more
icons, press ENTER. To move to a specific icon, press F1 and enter the icon
number you want to move to.
Delete Icon:
If you want to remove an icon, use this selection to do it. Enter the
icon number you want to delete and press ENTER.
-SELECT FILE- Icon number:
This is the icon number of the icon to be displayed whenever executable
files are selected from disk using the F5 key.
Update all Icons:
Whenever the screen mode is changed, the icons will not be displayed
unless they are updated. This function if selected, updates all the icons
for the current screen mode.
----------------------------------End Icons-------------------------------------
Define cursor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In graphics modes, a user defined cursor may be used instead of the
default cursor of a diskette. This selection is used to define the cursor.
The following submenu will appear.
Edit cursor:
This selection is used to create the cursor. The drawing editor works
exactly like the icon editor. Refer to the instructions in the Icons section.
Update cursor:
Like the icons, the cursor must be updated if the screen mode is changed.
If the screen mode is changed and the cursor is not updated, the cursor will
not be displayed.
------------------------------End Define cursor---------------------------------
----------------------------------End Setup-------------------------------------
Display mode:
The MENU MASTER SETUP program gives you the option of selecting the
display mode you want run the MENU MASTER in. First select either Graphics
or Text depending on the kind of display you want. Although icons are not
available in text mode, the MENU MASTER might work faster in text modes than
in graphics modes. Next, select the type of display you have and the display
mode.
Passwords
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Passwords may be used to prevent users from running selections. Passwords
may also be used to prevent users from running the setup program. Following
are the different types of passwords.
Setup password:
This password is used to prevent users from running the MENU MASTER SETUP
program. This password is also used to prevent a menu file from being edited
by menu editor.
-SELECT FILE- password:
This password is used to prevent users from selecting executable files
from disk using the F5 key. This password is also used to prevent users from
running another menu file in the MENU MASTER.
Dos Utility password:
This password is used to prevent users from running the MENU MASTER DOS
UTILITY program used to perform basic file manipulations.
Exit-To-Dos password:
This password is used to prevent users from exiting to DOS.
--------------------------------End Passwords-----------------------------------
Message
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The MENU MASTER can be configured to display a message at start-up. This
might be a message inform the users of some event. The following is a
description of the submenu.
Edit message:
This selection is used to edit the message that will be displayed at
start-up. After typing the message, press ESC and you will be given the
option of clearing the screen, saving the text, or exiting without saving.
Select the option of your choice.
Message option:
This option gives you the choice of displaying the message for a number
of seconds or displaying the message till the user presses a key.
Display message at start:
This option determines if the message will be displayed at start-up.
At any time if you want to disable the message from being displayed, set
this option to NO.
--------------------------------End Message-------------------------------------
View menu:
At any time you may view the menu to see the result of the configuration
you have selected. Press any key to return to the menu.
────────────────
C. USER TRACKING
────────────────
This selection is used to get information about selections that have been
used through the MENU MASTER. It also gives information on the date and name
of the users.
View records:
This selection will display the records to the screen or printer. Select
the sort type and destination.
Delete records:
This selection will delete all records up to date. If you do not delete
the records regularly, the records will continue to increase.
───────────────────────
D. DIRECT ACCESS SYSTEM
───────────────────────
This selection is used configure the DIRECT ACCESS SYSTEM. When the MENU
MASTER is running in the memory resident mode, this system is used to start
programs at the DOS prompt using hotkeys. The following is a description of
the submenu.
Edit Program Information
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This selection is used to edit the program information for the programs
to be started using hotkeys. The information editor has the following parts
for each entry.
Selection:
This is the name of the program to be started using hotkeys.
Password:
This is the password necessary to run the program.
Hot key:
This the key combination used to start this program. Press the key
combination here.
Path:
This is the full drive, directory, and file name of the program. Refer to
the information about the menu editor for more information on the path.
Display:
This option determines if the program name will be displayed on the screen
before it is executed.
Type:
The selection can be one of two types. If it is a program type, it is
an actual program on disk. If it is a command type, it is a DOS command
that could be typed at the prompt. An example of a command type would be
CLS, CD, and DIR. A selection that is a program can be defined as a command
type. To maximize the amount of memory available for a program, set the
program as command type.
-------------------------End Edit Program Information---------------------------
Menu starting hotkey:
This key combination is used to start the MENU MASTER from the DOS
prompt.
Menu exiting hotkey:
This key combination is used to uninstall the MENU MASTER from
memory when it is in the memory resident mode.
Information hotkey:
This key combination is used to view the current program hotkey
assignments.
Menu exiting password:
This password is required to uninstall the MENU MASTER from memory.
───────────────
E. FILE LOCKING
───────────────
The MENU MASTER can be configured to lock files at start-up. The MENU
MASTER locks them by giving the files a new name so that they cannot be
accessed from the DOS prompt. The MENU MASTER can also hide the files or
set them read-only. After exiting the MENU MASTER, the files are restored.
The following is a description of the submenu.
Edit Locking Information
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This selection is used to edit the information for the files that will
be locked at start-up. The information editor has the following parts for
each entry.
Path of file(s):
This is the full path of the file to be locked. To lock a group of files
using one entry, use wild cards. For example the entry C:\DOC\*.* will lock
all files in the C:\DOC directory.
Set hidden:
This option determines if the file(s) will be hidden.
Restore hidden:
This option determines if the file(s) will be visible when the MENU MASTER
is uninstalled from memory.
Set readonly:
This option determines if the file(s) will be set readonly so that they
cannot be altered.
Restore readonly:
This option determines if the file(s) will be restored so that they can
be altered when the MENU MASTER is uninstalled from memory.
-------------------------End Edit Locking Information---------------------------
File Locking:
This option determines if the file locking function has been activated.
To stop the file locking at any time, set this option to NO. If any file(s)
are locked when this option turned off, the file(s) will be restored.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
V. DOS UTILITY
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
─────────────────────
A. SCREEN DESCRIPTION
─────────────────────
The MENU MASTER comes with a DOS utility program called the MENU MASTER
DOS UTILITY that lets you perform basic file manipulations. This program
can be run from the MENU MASTER by pressing F8.
The MENU MASTER DOS UTILITY displays the volume label of the drive at the
top left corner of the screen. The files and directories are displayed at the
center of the screen. Below the file listing is information on the current
drive. Below the information are the commands available in the DOS utility
program.
The file display has the current directory on top and the files below.
On the left are the directories in the current directory and on the right are
the files. The files displayed depend on the mask used. By default the DOS
utility program uses a mask of *.*, displaying all files in the directory.
The mask can be changed by using the New Directory command. The cursor
highlights the current file or directory and most commands used affect the
file or directory the cursor is on.
The information below displays all the information for the current
directory and drive. The information consists of the total files and their
total size in the current directory, the number of files marked (if any) and
their total size, and the space capacity of the current drive including the
amount of space available on the drive.
Below the information are the commands. The commands can be invoked
using function keys F1 - F10 or by pressing the first letter of the command.
For example to copy a file you could press F5 or 'C'.
───────────────────
B. UTILITY COMMANDS
───────────────────
The DOS utility program may accept parameters for setting the directory
and changing the sort type. If no parameters are passed, the DOS utility uses
the current directory and sorts files by name. The parameters that may be
passed to are as follows: DOSUTIL [Directory] [Sort type]
Directory is the directory you want the DOS utility program to start in.
Sort type is the default sorting type used in sorting the files. Sort type may
be Name, Extension, Size, Date, or Original. Only the first letter of the sort
type is required. For example to start the DOS utility program in C:\DOS
using a sort type of extension you would type: DOSUTIL C:\DOS E
To perform a function, move the cursor to the directory or file of your
choice using the arrow keys and select the function using the function keys.
To perform a function on a group of files, first mark the files by pressing
'M' and then select the function. The following is a description of the
commands.
The ENTER key is used to view the contents of files if the cursor is
under the file column. Use the up and down arrow keys when viewing files to
scroll through the file. When the cursor is under the directory column, the
ENTER key will change to the directory the cursor is on. Pressing the ESC key
regardless of where the cursor is will change to the previous directory. When
searching for an entry, you can press Alt_F and enter the name of the entry.
After pressing ENTER, the DOS utility will search for that entry.
F1-HELP
This command gives you a basic summary on using the DOS utility commands.
If you need help at any time, press F1.
F2-EDIT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This command is used for editing text files using the MENU MASTER DOS
UTILITY text editor. The text editor has several editing commands to help
create text files. After pressing F2, type the name of the file you want
to edit. If the file does not exist, it will be created. After pressing ENTER,
the text editor will clear the screen and display the file contents if the file
exists. The cursor will be placed at the top left corner of the screen. At
the top of the screen is information on keys pressed such as the CAPS and
NUM lock keys. The current cursor position and editing mode is also displayed.
If the editor is in the insert mode, INSERT will be displayed above.
Type in your text ending each line by pressing ENTER. Each line may be
longer than the width of the screen. The maximum number of characters on a
line is 240 characters. Pressing the TAB key will move the cursor to the next
tab position depending on the tab size. The information above tells you what
column and row the cursor is on. Columns are numbered from left to right and
rows are numbered from top to bottom.
The editor has two modes of operation. When the editor is in the insert
mode, all text typed will be inserted at the cursor position moving text to
the right. Pressing ENTER when the editor is in insert mode will insert a line
at the cursor position. When the editor is not in insert mode, all text typed
will replace existing text. Pressing ENTER will not insert a line at the cursor
position but will move the cursor to the next line.
The BACKSPACE key is used to delete characters to the left of the cursor.
If the cursor is at column 1 when the BACKSPACE key is pressed, the cursor
will move to the end of the previous line. The DELETE key is used to delete
characters to the right of the cursor. If no character exists to the right of
the cursor, the succeeding line will be joined to the current line.
Use the arrow keys to maneuver the cursor around the screen. To move the
cursor to the word to the left, press Ctrl_(Left arrow key). To move the cursor
to the word to the right, press Ctrl_(Right arrow key). Press the PgUp key
to move up a screen of text or press the PgDn key to move down a screen of text.
Pressing Ctrl_PgUp will move the cursor to the top of the screen. Pressing
Ctrl_PgDn will move the cursor to the bottom of the screen. To move the cursor
to the top of the file, press Ctrl_Home. To move the cursor to the bottom of
the file, press Ctrl_End.
Text can be copied, moved, and deleted when it is marked. Mark the text
to be manipulated by marking the beginning and the end of the text. After the
text has been marked, select the function to be performed on the text. Press
F1 at any time for a brief summary of the text editor's commands. Following is
a description of the commands used in the text editor.
F1-HELP
This command displays the help screen which gives a brief summary of the
commands used in the text editor.
F2-SAVE FILE
To save your file to disk at any time, press F2. If you attempt to exit
the text editor before saving your file, you will be reminded by the text
editor.
F4-SEARCH
This command searches for text in your file. After pressing F4, type the
text you want to find and press ENTER. If you want to replace each occurrence
of the found text with new text, enter the new text you would like to replace
the old text with after pressing ENTER. If you do not want to replace the
found text, just press ENTER. The text editor will search for the text and
prompt you if necessary.
F5-READ FILE
This command reads text from another file and inserts it at the cursor
position. Move the cursor to the position you want to insert the text. Press
F5 and enter the name of the file you want to read from.
F6-WRITE BLOCK
This command writes marked text to a file. You must first mark the text
you want to write to a file before pressing F6. Enter the name of the file
you want to write the text to. If the file already exists, it will be
replaced.
F10-EXIT/CLEAR EDITOR
This command will exit the text editor. Make sure your file is saved
before exiting. If you do not want to exit the text editor, you have the
option of clearing the editing screen.
Alt_T-SET TAB SIZE
This command will set the tab size. This size will be used whenever the
TAB key is pressed.
Alt_C-COPY TEXT
When text has been marked using Alt_S and Alt_E, the text can be copied
by pressing Alt_C. The marked text will be copied to the cursor position.
Alt_M-MOVE TEXT
When text has been marked using Alt_S and Alt_E, the text can be moved
by pressing Alt_M. The marked text will be moved to the cursor position.
Alt_D-DELETE LINE/BLOCK
This command will delete the current line if no text has been marked. If
text has been marked, you will be asked if you want to delete the marked text.
Alt_P-PRINT TEXT/BLOCK
This command will print the entire file if no text has been marked. If
any text has been marked, you will be asked if you want to print the marked
text.
Alt_S-MARK BLOCK START
This command marks the beginning of text to be marked at the current
cursor position. Along with Alt_E, you can define a marked block for text
operations.
Alt_E-MARK BLOCK END
This command marks the end of text to be marked at the current cursor
position. Along with Alt_S, you can define a marked block for text operations.
-----------------------------------End EDIT-------------------------------------
F3-RENAME/MOVE
This command is used to rename or move files. After pressing F3, enter
the new file or directory name. To move a file, enter a new directory for
the file.
F4-DELETE
This command will delete the current file or directory depending on the
cursor location. This command will not remove a directory if there are files
in the directory.
F5-COPY
This command copies the file the cursor is on to a another directory.
Enter the full path of the directory or drive you want to copy the file to.
If you want to copy the file as a different name, add the new name to the
path.
F6-SORT TYPE
This command allows you to change the sorting type. By default files
are sorted by name. After pressing F6, type the first letter of the new
sorting type.
F7-MARK/UNMARK
This command marks the current entry. If the entry is already marked,
it will be unmarked. Pressing Shift_F7 marks all entries. Pressing Ctrl_F7
will set all entries unmarked.
F8-NEW DIR
This command is used for changing the current directory or drive. Enter
the full path of the drive or directory. If the directory does not exist,
the DOS utility will ask you if you want to create a new directory. This
command can also be used to change the mask. Enter the new mask and all files
will be displayed using the mask. For example to display all files that have an
.EXE extension, you would enter *.EXE after pressing F8.
F9-ATTRIBUTE
This command is used to change the attributes of a file or directory. A
list of attributes is displayed under the entry with a blinking block cursor to
the left of the attribute. Pressing + will set that attribute. Pressing -
will turn off the attribute. Pressing the space bar will keep the previous
attribute. Keeping the previous attribute can be useful if you want to change
a specific attribute for a group of files. Use the up and down arrow keys to
move from one attribute to another. After setting the attributes, press ENTER.
F10-QUIT
Pressing this key will exit the MENU MASTER DOS UTILITY.
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
VI. ABOUT THE MENU MASTER
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
The sole designer and creator of the MENU MASTER, Kwabena Mireku, makes
no warranty of any kind, either express or implied. The author shall not be
liable for any damages whether direct, indirect, special, or consequential
arising from a failure of this program to operate in the manner desired by
the user. The author shall not be liable for any damage to data or property
which may be caused directly or indirectly by the use of the program.
This program is copyright and should not be modified or sold at a cost
higher than basic disk handling fees without the author's permission. Please
feel free though, to give unaltered copies of this program to others.
Instructions on making copies are given under the INSTALLATION heading above.
Type MSTINFO at the DOS prompt for information on registering your copy of this
program so that you receive the benefits that come with this program. Thank
you for using the MENU MASTER.