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INIUPDate - A Network INI File Update Utility Version 3.04 (c) Copyright Abrams Technologies, 1993,1994,1995. 536 North Donar Drive Columbia, SC 29223 Phone: (803) 865-0405 CIS: 73632,746 Table of Contents File Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Command Line Switches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 /I-<INIFile>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 /M-<MasterFile> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 /F-<RightsFile> . . . . . . . . . . . (ver 3.04 add). . . 4a /S-<Section>. . . . . . . . . . . . . (ver 3.04 add). . ..4a /C-<CmdFile>. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Command Line Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Delete Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Update Single INI File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Using A Command Line File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 When To Run INIUPDate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 New Application Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Prevent Changes To INI Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 User Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Copyright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Shareware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Registration Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Page: 2 Files Listing ═════════════ INIUPD.DOC Documentation and registration form INIUPD.EXE INIUPDate program file WIN.INI Sample INI File SYSTEM.INI Sample INI File PROGMAN.INI Sample INI File SOL.INI Sample INI File WIN.MAS Sample Master File SYSTEM.MAS Sample Master File PROGMAN.MAS Sample Master File SOL.MAS Sample Master File EXAMPLE.CLF Sample Command Line File EXAMPLE.BAT Sample Batch File Introduction ═════════════ INIUPDate is a utility designed for Network Administrators who manage Windows on a Local Area Network (LAN). Specifically, INIUPDate provides the following benefits: * Easily modify INI files for new and existing applications * Prevent users from making modifications to INI files * Provide better support to your end users INIUPDate is a DOS program that modifies an INI file by comparing the Keys and Values in the INI file to a Master INI file. Terminology ═══════════ Example Part of an INI File ----> [Desktop] ----> Wallpaper=marble.bmp Term Example ─────── ────────── Section [Desktop] Key Wallpaper Value marble.bmpPage: 3 Command Line Switches ═════════════════════ /I-<INIFile> ──────────── This tells INIUPDate the file you want to modify. It can be WIN.INI or any other application INI file. There is no default file name or extension; you must explicitly enter the full path, filename, and extension of the INI file you want to modify. INIUPDate will strip the extension and use the path and filename to create a temporary file (<INIFile>.$$$) and a backup of the file (<INIFile>.!). The user running the INIUPD.EXE program must have Read, Write, Create, and Erase rights to the directory where <INIFile> is located. You may prefix the <INIFile> with an asterisk "*" to have INIUPDate search the path for the <INIFile>. This comes in handy if users run Windows locally where the path may be C:\WIN, C:\WIN31, C:\WINDOWS, etc... In all of these cases, the Windows directory should be in the path. You can use environment variables to specify the location of the <INIFile>. Examples: /I-C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI /I-J:\WINDOWS\EMAIL.INI /I-*WIN.INI /I-%USERINI% Page: 4 /M-<MasterFile> ─────────────── This tells INIUPDate the file with the changes you want made to <INIFile>. Again, the full path, filename and extension are required. The <MasterFile> is simply an INI File with Values you want applied to <INIFile>. If the Section, Key and Value in the <MasterFile> are not in the <INIFile>, they will be added. If the Section and Key are found in the <INIFile>, the Value will be updated to match the Value in the <MasterFile>. The <MasterFile> is not limited in the number of sections. You may have as many sections as you want in the <MasterFile>. <MasterFile> does not have to have the MAS extension. You can name the file anything you like. Users should only have Read and File Scan rights to the directory where the <MasterFile> is located. This prevents them from changing the <MasterFile>. You may use environment variables to specify the name of the <MasterFile>. Leaving a Value blank unconditionally deletes the line (delete regardless of value), specifying {del} after a line conditionally deletes the line (delete only if key and value match in <INIFile> and <MasterFile>. Specifying {blank} as the value causes a blank key to be added. Example: WIN.MAS [Windows] (Unconditional Delete)-> BorderWidth= (Conditional Delete)---> Spooler=no {del} (Blank Key) -----------> Load={blank} [Extensions] wri=write.exe ^.wri hlp=winhelp.exe ^.hlp Examples: /M-F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS /M-F:\WINCFG\PROGMAN.MAS /M-%DEPTINI% Page: 4a (added ver 3.04) /F-<RightsFile> ─────────────── This option allows you to process a <MasterFile> only if users have rights to the application file. For example, only process QPW.MAS if users have rights to F:\APPS\QPW\QPW.EXE. Example: INIUPD /I-J:\WIN.INI /M-F:\INIMAS\QPW.MAS /F-F:\APPS\QPW\QPW.EXE /S-<Section(s)> ─────────────── This option allows you to delete section(s) from the <INIFile> specified. You use /M or /S, but not both on the same command line. The /S must be the last argument if used! Examples: /S-[Ports];[Fonts];[OldApp] /S-Ports;Fonts;OldAppPage: 5 /C-<CmdFile> ──────────── This option allows you to put your options in a file so multiple INI files can be processed by loading the program only once. Environment variables may be used in the command line file. See the EXAMPLE.CLF file for an example. The following options can be used when you specify a Command Line File: /NC-No Copyright If you have a registered copy of INIUPDate, this option allows you to turn off the copyright display when INIUPDate runs. /ZB-Zip Backup If PKZIP.EXE is in your path, INIUPDate will create a INIxx.ZIP & GRPxx.ZIP file in the <INIFile> directory where xx is the week of the year. The idea is to create a the Zipped file once per week so old INI or GRP files can be recovered. I have had to recover GRP files numerous times from tapes because the GRP file became corrupt. If the INIUPDxx.ZIP file exists, it is not updated each time INIUPDate is run. /CB-Compare Backups When INIUPDate runs, it creates a backup of the <INIFile> with a .! extension. WIN.INI has a backup named WIN.!. If you use this option, INIUPDate will compare the INI and ! files before applying updates. If they are the same, no updates will take place. The reason behind this is I have several users that never have any modifications to their WIN.INI. This option just speeds up the update process because it does not perform unnecessary updates. /LA-Log Activity This option will write out the messages that appear on the screen to a log file. The name of the log file is specified with the ATLOG environment variable. This is helpful just to look at whether you benefit from the /CB option and to see how many adds, updates, and deletes occur. This option also uses the environment variable USER to write the user name in the log file. Watch this option carefully, as the log file can grow extremely large very quickly! Page: 6 Command Line Usage ══════════════════ There are three types of command lines. Though INIUPDate was designed to use Command Line Files, being able to run the program without the Command Line File comes in handy. 1. Delete Section(s) (/I and /S switches) ───────────────────────────────────────── This usage allows you to delete Section(s) from the <INIFile> from the command line. Some examples are: INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /S-[OldApplication] INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /S-OldApplication INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /S-Word;Ports;Fonts INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /S-[Word];[Ports];[Fonts] This option is not case sensitive. Also, you can optionally enclose each Section Name in brackets. 2. Update a Single <INIFile> (/I and /M switches) ───────────────────────────────────────────────── If you only have one <INIFile> to update, you may not want a Command Line File. Some examples are: INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /M-WIN.MAS INIUPD /I-PROGMAN.INI /M-PROGMAN.MAS 3. Using a Command Line File (/C switch) ──────────────────────────────────────── Simply put, this usage combines usages 1 and 2 into a single command line and allows you to use the options listed under the description of a Command Line File (/NC, /ZB, /CB, and /LA). An example command line file (WINUPD.CLF): INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /S-[OldApplication] INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /S-Word;Ports;Fonts INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /M-WIN.MAS INIUPD /I-PROGMAN.INI /M-PROGMAN.MAS If this were your command line file, you could execute it by running the command: INIUPD /C-WINUPD.CLF You could use any or all of the options available with Command Line Files. Page: 7 When to Run INIUPDate ═════════════════════ INIUPDate needs to be run before Windows is launched so the changes it makes to INI files will be in effect when Windows loads. There are several ways to do this and you can use whichever is best for you. Run INIUPDate from a Netware Login script, for example: IF MEMBER OF "INIUPDATE" THEN BEGIN #INIUPD.EXE /C-F:\INIUPD\UPD.CLF /NC /CB ENDIF Run INIUPDate from a batch file before loading Windows, for example: ECHO OFF CLS J: CD \WINDOWS INIUPD.EXE /C-F:\INIUPD\UPD.CLF /NC /ZB /CB /LA WIN.COM Usage 1: New Application Setup ─────────────────────────────── There are several ways to set up Windows applications on a LAN. Basically, you install the program in a directory, add an icon for the users to access it, and add or modify one or more INI files. The following is a simple example of how to install a program called EDITOR. Step 1 - Install the Application I install all my Windows applications in the directory F:\WINAPPS. For this application, I installed it in the directory F:\WINAPPS\EDITOR. I then granted users rights to the directory so they could execute EDITOR.EXE.Page: 8 Step 2 - Add an Icon to run the application I have a generic Windows group file called LAN Applications. This file is F:\WINCFG\LANAPPS.GRP. Every time the user logs in to the network, this file is copied to their personal Windows directory (J:\WINDOWS). This way, when I update F:\WINCFG\LANAPPS.GRP, all users will get the update. In this case, I added the icon for EDITOR to the group. When doing this, you need to be sure the PROGMAN.INI file for your users has the line Group#=J:\WINDOWS\LANAPPS.GRP. Step 3, Modify all WIN.INI files The EDITOR program adds the following line to the WIN.INI file in the [Extensions] section edt=f:\winapps\editor\editor.exe ^.edt You definitely DO NOT want to edit every WIN.INI file to add this line. INIUPDate was designed to do this for you. All you have to do is create a <MasterFile> with the desired lines you want added to each user WIN.INI file. The <MasterFile> is an ASCII file; you can use any editor to create it. The format of the <MasterFile> is the same as for a normal INI file. The <MasterFile> in this case looks like this: [Extensions] edt=f:\winapps\editor\editor.exe ^.edt Once created, I save the file as F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS. All modifications I want to make to WIN.INI, I put in the file WIN.MAS. Master files are not limited to a particular application.Page: 9 I choose to update user INI files each time they log in. I use a batch file called WINUPD.BAT which is run after the system login script exits. The line in the Netware login script to do this is: EXIT "WINUPD.BAT" The WINUPD.BAT file looks like this ECHO OFF CLS J: CD \WINDOWS INIUPD /I-WIN.INI /M-F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS WIN LOGOUT This looks at the user J:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI file and compares it to the F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS file. All lines in F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS not in J:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI are added to J:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI in the appropriate Section. If the line is already in the J:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI file, INIUPDate updates the line to match the line in F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS. In this example, the following line is added to every user's [Extensions] Section of their WIN.INI file when they log in: edt=f:\winapps\editor\editor.exe ^.edtPage: 10 Usage 2: Preventing Users From Changing INI File Values ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────── If you ever want to prevent a user from making a change to the INI file, just set up the value you desire in a <MasterFile>. When the user logs in and INIUPDate is run, the user INI file will be changed. In some cases, this does not prevent a user from making the change, but it does only allow the change to be active for the current session when a change is made. Most users will probably not want to keep making a change every day and they will probably cease making current session changes. Example: Suppose you want to put restrictions in PROGMAN.INI so that the File, Run option is not available. To do this, you would add a [Restrictions] Section to progman.ini. The Key would be NoRun and the Value would be 1. It would look like this: [Restrictions] NoRun=1 Again, modifying every progman.ini file would be quite time consuming. Instead, I created the <MasterFile> F:\WINCFG\PROGMAN.MAS. In it, I included the two lines shown above. When the user logs in to the server, the following line is run: INIUPD /I-J:\WINDOWS\PROGMAN.INI /M-F:\WINCFG\PROGMAN.MAS Even if the user modifies PROGMAN.INI with an editor, the next time they log in it will be put back to the way it is in PROGMAN.MAS. I log the user out when they exit Windows, so they must log back in to re-load it. In logging back in, INIUPDate is run again. Page: 11 Usage 3: Providing User Support ──────────────────────────────── INIUPDate allows you to make changes to user INI files that help the user out. Sometimes the user does not know how to make the changes or there is no way for the user to make the changes. Example: Suppose you want to change the default screen font. The default is small and hard to read. I have found that using Arial, Bold, 8pt is a lot better looking. There is no way for the user to change this, so it must be added to the WIN.INI file manually. The following lines change the screen font: [Desktop] IconTitleFaceName=Arial IconTitleStyle=1 IconTitleSize=8 Suppose you also want to change where users must click on icons to make the area bigger. You can do that by adding the following lines: [Desktop] DoubleClickWidth=4 DoubleClickHeight=4 Finally, you want to let users print to a file rather than a port. You do this by using the following lines: [Ports] FILE:=J:\WINDOWS\PRINT.FIL where J:\WINDOWS\PRINT.FIL is the name of the file you want users to print to. Page: 12 To accomplish these changes, make a <MasterFile> use the same master file I use to add new applications. It is F:\WINCFG\WIN.MAS and looks like the following: [Extensions] edt=f:\winapps\editor\editor.exe ^.edt [Desktop] IconTitleFaceName=Arial IconTitleStyle=1 IconTitleSize=8 DoubleClickWidth=4 DoubleClickHeight=4 [Ports] FILE:=J:\WINDOWS\PRINT.FILPage: 13 History ------- Version Description ------- ----------- 3.04 (04/95) Add ability to delete sections with multiple words [This Is A Test]. /S- must be the last argument. 3.03 (03/95) Fix problem adding to last group in INI which caused group to be duplicated Added the /F option for selective INIFile processing 3.02 (01/95) Fix CR/LF added after section deletion 3.01 (12/94) Fix Zip Problems with Path Fix problem with duplication of sections 3.0 (11/94) Rewritten for speed Searches path for INI file Can use environment variables Logs activity Compares with backups Creates ZIP backup of GRP and INI files Delete multiple sections 2.0 (09/94) Add ability to delete sections and specific lines. 1.11 (03/94) Fix a problem that caused a question mark to appear followed by an error 5. 1.10 (02/94) Add support for processing multiple INI files while loading INIUPD only once. Fix a problem that caused "Error 5". 1.02 (01/94) Add support for "duplicate keys" (/K-D Switch). 1.01 (04/93) Process multiple Sections in INI file. 1.0 (02/93) Original Version. Only processed one Section in WIN.INI file. Page: 14 Copyright --------- INIUPDate is (c) Copyright Abrams Technologies, 1993, 1994, 1995. Other programs mentioned are copyright/trademark/property of their respective companies. Warranty -------- Abrams Technologies make no warranties, either expressed or implied, pertaining to the functionality, suitability, and usage of this product. It is supplied after extensive testing and usage on LANs with various servers and end-users. It is intended as a utility to enhance LAN administration and decrease the amount of time involved in maintaining INI files on the LAN. Shareware --------- INIUPDate is a Shareware software program. Shareware is a great concept, but it only works if YOU, the user, register Shareware programs you are using. Shareware (also known as user supported software and other names) is a concept not readily understood by everyone. The authors of Shareware retain all rights to the software under existing copyright laws while still allowing free distribution. This gives the user (YOU) the opportunity to obtain and try out software (without advance purchase) to see if it fulfills your personal or business needs. Shareware should not be confused with Public Domain software even though they are often obtained from the same source(s). If you continue to use INIUPDate after trying it out for 30 days, you are expected to register your copy. In exchange you get the latest version and technical support via Compuserve. Page: 15 Distribution ------------ You are free to distribute the INIUPdate "Evaluation Version" of this program provided: (1) You obtain the "Evaluation Version" via any legal means including CompuServe for distribution. To obtain from CompuServe: At any CIS prompt, type: GO NOVUSER At the menu, Select: 3 Libraries (Files) At the menu, Select: 1 New Uploads At the menu, Select: 1 Browse "Browse" until you find file IUP303.ZIP When you have found the file, type: CHOICES and follow directions for downloading file. NOTE: FILE IUP303.ZIP MAY NOT STAY INDEFINITELY IN LIBRARY 1 (NEW UPLOADS). MAY NEED TO LOOK IN OTHER LIBRARY DIRECTORIES. NOTE: ALWAYS LOOK FOR LATEST VERSION - "IUP303.ZIP"; IUP304.ZIP"; "IUP305.ZIP", ETC. (2) No fee is charged, other than normal costs for media and distribution. (3) All files are included: INIUPD.DOC Documentation and registration form INIUPD.EXE INIUPDate program file WIN.INI Sample INI File SYSTEM.INI Sample INI File PROGMAN.INI Sample INI File SOL.INI Sample INI File WIN.MAS Sample Master File SYSTEM.MAS Sample Master File PROGMAN.MAS Sample Master File SOL.MAS Sample Master File EXAMPLE.CLF Sample Command Line File EXAMPLE.BAT Sample Batch File NO REGISTERED SERIALIZED VERSION OF INIUPdate MAY BE DISTRIBUTED. INIUPDate Registration Form Make check or money order payable to ABRAMS TECHNOLOGIES. Remit to: ABRAMS TECHNOLOGIES 536 North Donar Drive Columbia, SC 29223 Our Phone: (803) 865-0405, CIS: 73632,746 Our Federal Tax ID #: 57-0989626 Your Name:______________________________________________________ Company Name:___________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Phone: ______________________________________________________ Server Operating System/Ver: ________________________________ Your CompuServe Account Number: ________________________________ INIUPDate is licensed PER SITE. A SITE consists of ONE physical LOCATION or MULTIPLE LOCATIONS WITHIN the SAME CITY and may be one or more buildings. Businesses operating in MORE THAN ONE CITY will REQUIRE ONE SITE LICENSE PER CITY or an organizational license. Number of Sites Price Per Site --------------- -------------- 1 - 15 $200.00 16 - 30 $149.00 An Organizational License which may be used at any number of sites, world-wide, may be purchased at $4995.00. Quantity ______ @ $200.00 = $_________ Quantity ______ @ $149.00 = $_________ Org. Lic. ______ @ $4995.00 = $_________ Subtotal = $_________ Add 5% Sales Tax = $_________ Remittance Total = $_________ All orders shipped regular first class mail, prepaid. Registration by PURCHASE ORDER IS ACCEPTABLE (MAIL-IN, PHONE-IN, OR FAX-IN). You will be invoiced with shipment. Payment is due upon receipt but not later than 30 days after receipt. All prices are in U.S. dollars. Tax exempt organizations NEED NOT submit tax IF PROOF OF TAX EXEMPT STATUS IS SUBMITTED.