Multi Program Launcher for Windows 95 and Windows NT Version 1.01 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Copyright (c) 1997 Chris Wood, All Rights Reserved 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Disclaimer 컴컴컴컴컴 This program is copyrighted material for personal use on one computer, if any business or organization's wish to use a customized or standard version of MPL as a launch pad for their systems, then please contact me at 'chris.wood@programmer.net' to discuss this further. If you would like to continue to use version 1.01 of MPL after an evaluation period of ten days, you will need to register MPL just by sending ten uk pounds (Sterling) to the address at the end of this document, with your name, email address, full postal address, and any suggestions or opinions you may have to improve MPL. If you come across any bugs, or you wish to make any suggestions to improve MPL, just drop me a line at 'chris.wood@programmer.net'. This program can only be used on the understanding that no responsibility is held by or can be accepted by the author for any problems arising through its use, or misuse. It is the understanding of the author that this program operates in the manner in which it is intended and contains no major 'bugs' or errors. No charge, other than a nominal disk handling, duplication and postage fee, may be made for it and should be supplied as an archived file bearing the file name 'MPLvvv.???', where 'vvv' corresponds to the version number (ie 100) and '???' corresponds to a relevant archive extension (such as ZIP, ARJ, RAR, etc) which contains the files listed below. Archive File contents 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� FILE_ID DIZ........Brief Description. MPL TXT........This file. MPL EXE........Multi Patch Compiler executable file. MPL INI........Initialization file for MPL. All information provided by this text file is for guidance only. Description 컴컴컴컴컴� MPL is a small (36kb), easy to use, but very powerful Win95/NT notify bar program launcher (icon stored next to the clock on bottom right hand corner of the screen), It is fully configurable, because at present the maximum viewable number of vertical popup menu entries is thirty seven at 800x600 resolution, and forty six at 1024 x 768 resolution, I have included an option to create up to 65535 user configurable submenus, to get around this paltry restriction. MPL can open any file which has a file association, and is able to run normal executable files, you can associate several different executable files to one menu entry to make life easier. I have also included an option to start the executable files in various display modes, i.e. hidden, minimized, maximized, etc, as well as being able to select default directories to run from. Installation 컴컴컴컴컴컴 Extract 'MPL101.ZIP' file into one directory, and start 'MPL.EXE', place the mouse cursor over the world icon, and press the right mouse key to display the popup menu. I strongly recommend you to select 'Edit', and edit the 'MPL.INI' file to reflect your system settings. After that you can start experimenting, by adding additional menu entries, submenus, etc. I recommend you make a shortcut for MPL, in your startup program group, then MPL is always loaded automatically, and ready for use. Multi Program Launcher Usage 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Syntax :- MPL.EXE To display the popup menu, place mouse cursor over world icon, press right mouse button, and to access the 'MPL.INI' file for editing quickly, place mouse cursor over world icon, press left mouse button, it is as simple as that. Multi Program Launcher INI File Options 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Note all spaces, indicated between '=' sign and program name, and or menu name, are essential, for the correct handling of the function commands. If you wish to add comments in the 'MPL.INI' file, then just put an ';' (semi-colon) as the first character on the line in front of the comment to render the rest of the line invisible to MPL. [Application Title] - Displayed menu, and submenu entries 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� At present the maximum viewable number of vertical popup menu entries is thirty seven at 800x600 resolution, and forty six at 1024 x 768 resolution. On top of this you have the option of having up to 65535 popup menus, which again extends MPL further still. Menu Entries 컴컴컴컴컴컴 If you wish to create a menu entry, this can be done in two forms, depending on where you wish to have the menu entry displayed, Syntax:- Create a Menu Entry directly after a create submenu command. 3=Send Email to Chris | |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | Text to be displayed. | Menu Entry index, for running Command Line Applications. Create a Menu Entry in a specific submenu. 4=-0 Explorer | || |^^^^^^^ | || Text to be displayed. | || | |Submenu index. | | | Switch to indicate select submenu. | Menu Entry index, for running Command Line Applications. NOTE:- The first menu entry must be done in the latter format of the above, to correctly setup the menu entries in the base popup menu, otherwise you will get an extra character after the initial menu entry. Submenu Entries 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� MPL has the ability to handle up to 65535 popup submenus, and to add a submenu, just include a line similar to (9999=-S0 1 Submenu1), this will create 'submenu1' directly linked to the base popup menu, and all (4=-1 Explorer) menu entries will be placed in this submenu. Syntax:- Create a submenu, 9999=-S0 1 Internet | |^| | |^^^^^^^ | | | | Text to be displayed. | | | | | | | New Submenu index. | | | | | Link to Submenu 0 | | | Switch to indicate create new submenu. | Menu Entry index, this should be a Command Line Index which is not going to be used. Command Line Entries 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 The Command Line entries are indexed, to directly link them to the corresponding Menu Entries, you can execute files using file association, or directly just using the correct executable filename. Also you can use window handling switches, which allows you to hide, minimize, maximize restore, and just show windows normally. Syntax:- Window switches -H......Hide window, the only programs that are not hidden are programs that access the notify bar. -X......Maximize window. -M......Minimize window. -N......Normal window. -R......Restore window (default). Default directory switch -D [drive:directory] Runs the program in a specific directory, this switch can be combined with the above window switches. -HD [drive:directory] [executable filename] Hides the window, and runs filename in drive:directory. Using file association, 0=mpl.ini | |^^^^^^ | Execute file association with '*.ini' files. | Command Line Index, this should be directly linked to a Menu Entry. 2=-M http://homepages.enterprise.net/cwood/ | |^ |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | | Execute file association with 'http:' files, default web browser. | | | Minimize window on startup. | Command Line Index, this should be directly linked to a Menu Entry. Directly run executable programs. 1=-X C:\WIN\EXPLORER.EXE ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48} | |^ |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | | Execute file with parameters. | | | Maximize window on startup. | Command Line Index, this should be directly linked to a Menu Entry. 1=-HD c:\internet\magic\ c:\internet\magic\magic.exe | |^| |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | | | | Execute file with no parameters. | | | | | | | Default directory. | | | | | Default diretory switch. | | | Hide window on startup. | Command Line Index, this should be directly linked to a Menu Entry. Note:- The double quotes surrounding the LFN. 1="c:\misc\Untouchable Pro 2.0\untouch.exe" | |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | Execute LFN files. | Command Line Index, this should be directly linked to a Menu Entry. Example 'MPL.INI' 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� ; ; This is a comment line ; [Application Title] 0=-0 Edit 1=Internet Tools 9999=- 9999=-S0 1 Internet 2=Chris WWW page 3=Send Email to Chris 4=-0 Explorer [Command Line] 0=mpl.ini 1=-H c:\internet\magic\magic.exe 1="c:\misc\Untouchable Pro 2.0\untouch.exe" 1=-X C:\WIN\EXPLORER.EXE ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48} 2=http://homepages.enterprise.net/cwood/ 3=mailto:chris.wood@programmer.net?subject=MPL Public Suggestions 4=-M C:\WIN\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,c:\ Shareware Note 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Important note, the shareware version has been restricted to five menu entries, and one sub menu entry, if you wish for more then just register MPL, and you will receive your key to unlock your version of MPL. If you are wondering how I came to this number, it is because I personally do not use more than three menu entries, and I do not use submenus, and this does all what I want it to do. Registration 컴컴컴컴컴컴 To register your use of 'Multi Program Launcher' version 1.01, just send ten uk pounds (Sterling) to, Mr C.Wood 73 Bouverie Road West Folkestone Kent CT20 2RL United Kingdom Supplying me with your Name, Email address, and Postal address, any suggestions, or comments, or opinions to improve MPL, with the monies in any of the forms listed below, and in return I will issue you with your own key to unlock the full power of MPL. Payment can be made in Cash, or Postal Order, or Cheque drawn on a UK bank account, or Travellers Cheque. Bulk discounts and site licenses can be arranged, send email to email address below to discuss further. Indicate whether you prefer to receive your key via email (attached, or text only), or by snail mail, keys are released on clearance of funds. Help, suggestions, and or bug reporting 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� If you need any help with 'Multi Program Launcher', or have any suggestions for future releases of 'Multi Program Launcher', or you find any bugs which might have slipped through the net, then please contact me via email at the address below, Internet:- chris.wood@programmer.net Future 컴컴컴 Awaiting useful suggestions, as MPL does exactly what I wanted it to do and more, so the only way to improve it, is via good end user suggestions. History 컴컴컴� I originally developed the basic version of 'Multi Program Launcher' in Delphi 2.00 RAD system, and I was quite dismayed to see a 219kb file to do something so basic, and simple. So I sat down and wrote a much tighter version by hand (36kb), this is not quite as pretty as the original version but then again this is smaller, tighter, faster, and has submenus to boot, among other things. And if you are interested, this is my first attempt at writing a 32bit Windows program, so do not moan if it is not what you are looking for, just do not use it, or better still email me your suggestions to make it better, but feel free to pass the original 'MPL101.ZIP' file around to your friends. 'Multi Program Launcher' Version 1.01 - Corrected my over zealous re-use of variables, which caused a serious flaw in the submenu handling routine. Added default directory switch. Version 1.00 - First beta release. End