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1.1 root 1:
2:
3: PROGRAM SELECTOR
4:
5: The program selector allows users to select activities to
6: start in new screen groups and to switch among existing screen
7: groups. Information about the name, location, and parameters
8: for frequently used programs can be saved by the program selector.
9: These programs can then be run simply by selecting them from a
10: list.
11:
12: The main program selector display consists of three
13: main areas:
14:
15: 1) Start list: A list of program selections that can be
16: started in a new screen group. The user
17: can start any of these by simply making a
18: choice from the menu. One option always
19: available is to start an OS/2 Command Line
20: in a new screen group. This provides the
21: ususal DOS style interface.
22:
23: 2) Switch list: A list of all currently active screen groups.
24: The user can switch to a screen group by
25: making a choice in the menu.
26:
27: 3) Update Popdown Menu:
28: Choices are to add, delete, or change the
29: entries on the start list, or to update the
30: switch list to remove any screen groups that
31: have terminated. Information about programs
32: that can be started is maintined in files that
33: allow changes to the start list to be permanent.
34:
35:
36:
37: CONTEXT SENSITIVE HELP
38:
39: The Program Selector provides popup windows with scrollable help
40: text for every operation the Program Selector is capable of carrying
41: out. This means that no matter what you may be trying to do within
42: the Program Selector, you may press the F1 key for help that is
43: appropriate for the context. Once you have the help popup displayed,
44: you may access additional help information by pressing any of the
45: keys displayed at the bottom of the popup window.
46:
47: In the upper right-hand corner of the popup window you will see the
48: word "more" and one or two arrows just to the right. These arrows and
49: the word "more" indicate that there is additional text either above or
50: below the current window. This text may be viewed by pressing the
51: up or down arrow keys until the cursor bar is at an upper or lower
52: boundary at which point the text will scroll up or down if there is
53: any undisplayed information.
54:
55: Normally to exit a help popup you would press the escape key, but
56: under certain circumstances it is convenient to be able to leave the
57: text displayed while carrying out some associated operation. To
58: do this, press alt+F6. This will cause an exit from the help window
59: and a return to the field for which help was invoked without erasing
60: the help text. To return to the help window, press the alt+F6 key
61: combination again. If you do not wish to return to the help window,
62: but simply want to erase it from the display, press the escape key.
63:
64: There is a special help display called "index" which can be accessed
65: from almost any help popup by pressing the F5 key. A new popup will
66: appear with a list of topics for which help is available. To cause
67: the corresponding help popup to be displayed, move the selection bar
68: over the topic for which you need help, and then press the SPACE BAR.
69: The corresponding help popup will then be displayed.
70:
71:
72:
73: UPDATE POPDOWN MENU
74:
75: The update popdown menu allows the user to make additions, deletions,
76: and changes to the list of programs that can be started using the
77: program selector start list. The list of programs is maintained in two
78: files, Shell11f.aii and Shell11f.aif, so any changes made to the list
79: are saved. The update popdown also allows the user to refresh the
80: switch list to reflect changes caused by the termination of running
81: programs.
82:
83: * Program Information *
84:
85: The following information must be supplied for a new entry on the list:
86:
87: TITLE The text that the user will see in the start list.
88: e.g. New account listing
89:
90: PATH The full path specification and program name of the
91: executable program to use when the entry is selected.
92: e.g. c:\usr\bin\acctpgms\newinfo.exe
93:
94: PARAMETERS Parameters to pass to the program when it is selected
95: to run. There are 2 possible parameter list types.
96:
97: 1) Actual parameter list that will always
98: be supplied when the program is chosen. This
99: may be blank if no parameters are required.
100: e.g. newaccts.dat 1297
101:
102: 2) The character '?' in the first position of the
103: parameter string indicating that the user
104: should be queried for parameter values when
105: the program is selected.
106: e.g. ?
107:
108:
109: Examples:
110:
111: In the following, the first line is a comment that would mot
112: be typed when adding a program. The following 3 lines contain
113: strings that could be typed in the title, path, and parameters
114: sections of the add display when adding a program.
115:
116: /* run an editor and ask for the file name */
117: document preparation
118: d:\usr\accts\editor.exe
119: ?
120:
121: /* run a program that processes the file newacts.dat */
122: list new accounts
123: c:\usr\bin\list_act.exe
124: d:\data\daily\newacts.dat
125:
126: /* program with no parameters */
127: picture painter
128: d:\usr\games\display.exe
129:
130: /* batch file */
131: accounts data listing
132: c:\os2\cmd.exe
133: /k d:\data\daily\list.cmd
134:
135:
136: * Invoking the Update Popdown Menu *
137:
138: The Update Popdown Menu is invoked by striking the F10 key
139: followed by striking the ENTER key. The user is then given
140: a choice of activities to perform and is guided through data
141: entry for the activity chosen. Options are:
142:
143: Add a program: Add a new program to the list.
144:
145: Delete a program: Delete a program from the list
146:
147: Change a program: Change the information for a program.
148:
149: Refresh: Update the switch list to reflect
150: program terminations.
151:
152:
153:
154: * Shell11f.aii Shell11f.aif information files *
155:
156: The information for programs in the start list is kept in the
157: Shell11f.aii and Shell11f.aif files. These files should never be
158: edited by the user. They should only be changed using the update
159: popdown menu. The program selector will attempt to restore damaged
160: files, but if you add a large number of programs to the start list,
161: it may be wise to save a copy of your shell11f.aii and shell11f.aif
162: as backups.
163:
164:
165: EDITING KEYS
166:
167: When the "Add a Program Title" or "Change Program Information"
168: options are selected from the update pulldown window, a window will
169: be displayed with three fields. These fields are the program title
170: field, the path field, and the parameters field. Note that the
171: second and third fields are actually 64 character in length. Only
172: 30 characters may be viewed at one time, so these two fields may
173: be scrolled left or right. See the list below for editing key
174: definitions.
175:
176: Up arrow - Previous field
177: Down arrow - Next field
178: Left arrow - Cursor left one character
179: Right arrow - Cursor right one character
180: Control+Left arrow - Beginning of field
181: Control+Right arrow - End of data in field.
182: Home - Beginning of fields window
183: End - End of fields window
184: Ins - Begin/end insert mode (toggle)
185: Del - Delete the char under cursor
186: Control+Home - First field in window
187: Control+End - Last field in window
188: Alt+F7 - Erase to end of field
189: F1 - Help for this field
190:
191:
192:
193: INSTALLING THE PROGRAM SELECTOR
194:
195: The program selector consists of 4 files:
196: shell.exe, shell.lib, shell11f.aii, and shell11f.aif.
197:
198: These files must all be placed in the same directory (any directory
199: you chose). If you have a previous version of the Microsoft
200: base shell, it has the same name, shell.exe, so you may want to
201: save the base shell under a different name, if you intend to use it
202: again in the future.
203:
204: Put the entire drive:path\shell.exe specification for shell.exe in the
205: protshell line of the config.sys file on your boot directory.
206: For example, here is a config.sys file that has the shell
207: in c:\os2 and calls c:\os2\initenv.cmd for every new protected screen
208: group:
209:
210: buffers=50
211: shell=c:\os2\command.com /p
212: rmsize=350
213: protshell=c:\os2\shell.exe c:\os2\cmd.exe /k c:\os2\initenv
214: memman=swap
215: swappath=c:\tmp
216: iopl=yes
217: libpath=c:\os2;c:\os2\lib;.
218:
219:
220: VIDEO ADAPTORS
221:
222: If you are using a Compaq VDU display adaptor, a Compaq III portable,
223: or composite video adaptor, you may want to use the "/m" option in
224: the protshell line of your config.sys file. With some adaptors
225: there may be insufficient contrast between the foreground and back-
226: ground colors. To remedy this you may add a "/m" to the end of the
227: protshell line. For example:
228:
229:
230: protshell=c:\os2\shell.exe c:\os2\cmd.exe /k c:\os2\initenv /m
231:
232: Note: DO NOT use this option if you have a normal EGA, CGA or
233: MONOCHROME adaptor.
234:
235:
236:
237:
238:
239: Mouse Interface.
240:
241:
242: When the mouse cursor is over an active field, it will no longer be
243: transparent magenta, but becomes a white and magenta dot pattern.
244:
245: Lists and help text can be auto-scrolled by placing the mouse cursor
246: over a scroll arrow and holding button one down.
247:
248: A single button press outside of a help panel will cause an escape.
249: A double button press inside a help panel will also cause an escape
250: unless the mouse is over a selection list. Only one help panel has
251: a selection list - "index".
252:
253: Double presses within half a second are required to make a selection in
254: all list but the update popdown. In that case a release of button one
255: makes a selection.
256:
257: If you drag into the update popdown and drag out without releasing
258: button one, the popdown will disappear.
259:
260: Any keys listed in the "keys box" at the bottom of a panel, or the
261: "F1=Help" and "Update" fields on the main panel may be activated by
262: placing the mouse cursor over the field and pressing and releasing.
263: The "Update" is an exception in that a press will cause the menu
264: to popdown.
265:
266:
267: Please report any anomalies to Microsoft.
268:
269: Thanks
270:
271:
272:
273:
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