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M e n u M a s t e r Command Menu for IBM-PC Computer * (and other compatible Computer Systems) Version 1.50 May 16, 1985 by John Franck 1200 Jefferson Davis Rd. Martinsville, Va. 24112 (703) 632-3845 CompuServe 70077,3453 OWNER'S MANUAL ( BBS EDITION ) * IBM-PC is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- Introduction to Menu Master 3 Installation - Hard Disk Systems 4 - Floppy Disk Systems 5 Using Menu Master: Program Start-up 6 Main Menu Screen 7 Modify or Examine Menu Settings 8 Customizing Menu Master: Change Screen Colors 10 Change Menu Title 10 Reference: Modifying Settings 11 Deleting Settings 11 Deleting All Settings 11 Maximum Setting Lengths 11 Changing Screen Colors 12 Changing Menu Title 12 Batch Files 13 Automatic Start-Up 13 Program Improvements 14 Payment Information 14 Invoice 15 MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 2 INTRODUCTION -------------- MENU MASTER allows you to create a Customized Menu for use with your various application programs and frequently used DOS routines. Applications can be run at the touch of a single key instead of typing in commands. No more forgetting commands or DOS directory names - all these are entered one time only and it remembers the commands for you. Use MENU MASTER as your "Home Base". MENU MASTER frees you from the burden of remembering commands and lets you concentrate on getting your work done. MENU MASTER's features include: - Simple to Learn, Easy and Fast to use - Up to 12 Menu Items with user-defined Menu Prompts, Directory Paths, and Commands. - Customize your own Screen Colors - Personalized Menu Title with your Own or Company name - Date and Time Display - Clock chimes softly on the hour. - Screen Blanks after 4 minutes to prevent Screen Burn-in. It was designed for Hard Disk Systems, but many have also found it extremely useful for Floppy Disk Systems as well. If you have not seen MENU MASTER at work, please take a few minutes to try it on your System. You'll like what you see! MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 3 INSTALLATION - Hard Disk Systems ----------------------------------- Note: If you are NOT using a Hard Disk, skip this section and read "INSTALLATION - Floppy Disk Systems". In order for MENU MASTER to work properly, the following 2 files must reside on the Root Directory of your Hard Disk: MM.BAT - Program Initiation File Required MMPRG.EXE - MENU MASTER Program Required The program also self-generates a file called MENU.STG which contains all of the Menu Settings that you will enter. To Run MENU MASTER, at the "C>" prompt: type MM and press <return> ---- NOTE: If you should ever lose the MM.BAT file, you can re-create it as a Batch File with the below listing: ECHO OFF CLS MMPRG RUN MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 4 INSTALLATION - Floppy Disk Systems ------------------------------------- Note: If you ARE using a Hard Disk, skip this section and refer to "INSTALLATION - Hard Disk Systems". When using MENU MASTER with a Floppy Disk System, it is important that the Disk containing MENU MASTER's files is "bootable". In other words, that disk must contain the DOS Operating System in addition to the MENU MASTER files. The best way to accomplish this is to do the following: 1. Format a New Diskette, containing the DOS Operating System. - Place your DOS diskette in Drive A and turn on the Computer. - Enter the Date and Time and obtain the "A>" prompt. - Insert a BLANK diskette into Drive B. - Type FORMAT B:/S and press <return>. 2. Copy the MENU MASTER files to the floppy. In order for MENU MASTER to work properly, the following 2 files must reside on the Root Directory of your "bootable" Floppy: MM.BAT - Program Initiation File Required MMPRG.EXE - MENU MASTER Program Required The program also self-generates a file called MENU.STG which contains all of the Menu Settings that you will enter. To Run MENU MASTER, place your newly created disk into Drive A. At the "A>" prompt: type MM and press <return> ---- NOTE: If you should ever lose the MM.BAT file, you can re-create it as a Batch File. See Page 4. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 5 USING MENU MASTER ----------------- Before using MENU MASTER, you should have installed it either on your Hard Disk or a "bootable" Floppy Disk. If you haven't done so, complete the steps outlined in the "INSTALLATION" section of this manual. If you haven't already done so, begin running MENU MASTER by doing the following: type MM and press <return> ---- The following screen should appear: ============================================================== = = = = = M e n u M a s t e r = = = = Version 1.50 = = May 16, 1985 = = (C) Copyright 1984, 1985 by John Franck = = = = If you find this program useful to you, = = a payment of $25 per system is requested. = = = = John Franck = = 1200 Jefferson Davis Rd. = = Martinsville, Va. 24114 = = = = Please copy this program and share it with others. = = = ============================================================== Press any key to continue ... This TITLE SCREEN appears only once per day, so as to not interfere with MENU MASTER's ease-of-use. Just press ANY KEY to continue... MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 6 The next screen, MAIN MENU, is the one you will normally see when using MENU MASTER. It is from this screen that you select your Applications at the touch of a single key. ============================================================= = = = 05-16-1985 M e n u M a s t e r 8:06:10 am = = = ============================================================= = = = A - G - = = = = B - H - = = = = C - I - = = = = D - J - = = = = E - K - = = = = F - L - = = = ============================================================= = = = = = ESC = DOS = ALT-letter = Modify = F10 = Colors = = = = = ============================================================= About the MAIN MENU: The MAIN MENU displays the current Date and also provides a digital Clock. The Clock chimes softly every hour. Up to 12 Menu Selections can be entered into MENU MASTER, with their prompts appearing on this screen. Whenever you finish running a program, MENU MASTER returns you to this screen so you can quickly move on to something else. To prevent "Screen Burn-in", the screen will go blank after about 4 minutes of no activity. The Time will continue to be displayed and updated. To re-draw the screen, simply press any key. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 7 MENU SETTINGS ------------- To Modify or Examine Menu Settings, hold down the "ALT" key and press the letter (A-L) of the item you wish to modify. As an example, let's enter a menu setting for Formatting Floppy Disks. This will allow you to Format Disks at the touch of a single key from MENU MASTER's Main Menu. We know the following: - We want "Format a Disk" to be Menu Item A - The DOS FORMAT Command is located on the "Root" Directory - The DOS Format Command, "FORMAT A:", formats a Floppy in Drive A To enter these settings in Menu Item A, hold down the ALT key and press "A". press ALT-A The MODIFY Screen will appear. This MODIFY screen is used to enter new or to modify existing menu settings. You also can use it to examine settings which have already been entered. There are 4 fields to enter for the "AstroCalc" menu setting. Enter them now under "New Settings" as described below: Current New Settings Settings --------- --------- Menu Prompt Format a Disk <return> Directory Path <return> Command FORMAT A: <return> Command <return> You will note that we did not enter anything for Directory Path or the 2nd Command setting. The Directory Path setting is needed only if your application program resides on some sub-directory other than the "Root" Directory. Refer to your DOS manual if you need information on Directory Paths. The 2nd Command setting field is optional for use if a second command is necessary. Many settings will not use this field. After entering the 2nd Command Setting, the program prompts you to press <return> once more. This returns you to the MAIN MENU screen. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 8 ============================================================= = = = 05-16-1985 M e n u M a s t e r 8:06:10 am = = = ============================================================= = = = A - Format a Disk G - = = = = B - H - = = = = C - I - = = = = D - J - = = = = E - K - = = = = F - L - = = = ============================================================= = = = = = ESC = DOS = ALT-letter = Modify = F10 = Colors = = = = = ============================================================= Go ahead and "Format a Disk" now ! press A When you have finished Formatting Disks, you can enter some Menu Settings of your own. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 9 CUSTOMIZING YOUR MENU MASTER ---------------------------- You already know how to enter Menu Settings, allowing you to Custom-Design your own Menu. There are three other ways you can Customize your MENU MASTER: 1. Change the Screen Colors (for Color Monitor Systems) 2. Write your own Main Menu Title 3. By-Pass the Title Screen To modify item 1 or 2 above, simply press Function Key F10: press F10 This takes you to a screen that will allow you to try out various screen color combinations by selecting Foreground, Background, and Menu Border colors. When you have set your colors, you will automatically proceed to a screen where you can set your own Menu Title. The Menu Title you enter will appear at the top of the MAIN MENU and replaces the "M e n u M a s t e r" logo. Once your Title has been entered, press <return> until you reach the MAIN MENU. These setting changes are saved until you desire to change them again. Item 3: When you run MENU MASTER for the first time each day, a TITLE SCREEN appears (see page 6 for illustration). There is a SECRET way to by-pass this screen, but this information is only available to registered users. You will be notified of this simple procedure once payment has been received. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 10 REFERENCE --------- MENU MASTER's features are very easy to learn and you already know most of them if you went through the "USING MENU MASTER" section of this manual. For reference purposes, here are a few topics that may be of use. MODIFYING - To modify Menu Settings, go to the SETTINGS MODIFY screen of the Menu Item you wish to modify by pressing ALT and the letter of the Item. At the MODIFY screen, enter the changes for your settings. Press <return> if there are no changes to a particular setting. DELETING - To delete Menu Settings, go to the SETTINGS MODIFY screen of the Menu Item you wish to delete by pressing ALT and the letter of the Item. At the MODIFY screen, enter a Minus (-) into each of the 4 settings you wish to delete. DELETING - All Menu Settings are stored on a file ALL SETTINGS called MENU.STG. In case you ever want to delete every setting on a Menu and start over from scratch, this can easily be accomplished by Deleting this file. - Return to DOS by pressing the ESC key. - Type: DEL C:MENU.STG <return> The next time you run MENU MASTER, an empty MENU.STG file is re-created automatically. MAXIMUM - Menu prompts must be 24 characters or SETTING less in order to fit onto the MAIN MENU LENGTHS screen. Directory Paths and Commands can be up to 38 characters. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 11 CHANGING - To Change Screen Colors (Color Monitors SCREEN COLORS Only): - Press F10 to activate Change Colors Routine. - Select your colors from the Color Settings Screen. - Press <return> to skip back to MAIN MENU. CHANGING - To change the title that appears at the MENU TITLE top of the MAIN MENU screen, from the MAIN MENU: - Press F10 to activate Change Colors Routine. - Press <return> to skip through the Color Settings Screen. - Enter your New Title. - Press <return> to skip back to MAIN MENU. CLOCK & DATE - The Clock and Date which appear on your MAIN MENU screen are controlled by the computer's System Clock. MENU MASTER's clock chimes softly on the hour when the MAIN MENU screen is displayed. You may wish to include a "Reset Clock" item on your Menu in case the system clock ever needs resetting. The DOS commands "DATE" and "TIME" can be used as Menu Command Settings to accomplish this. DOS COMMANDS - Frequently-used DOS commands can be executed easily by MENU MASTER. You will find it to be an extremely handy utility for such things as BACKUP routines, Formatting disks, etc. These commands are found in your DOS manual and can be entered as Menu Command Settings. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 12 NEED MORE - Currently, MENU MASTER supports a THAN 2 maximum of 2 commands for a single Menu COMMANDS ? Item. For a series of more than 2 commands, a Batch File can be created under DOS. Creation of a Batch File is relatively easy and is explained in your DOS manual. Be sure to include the command "MM" as the last command in your Batch File so that it will return you to MENU MASTER. Use MENU MASTER to execute your Batch File by including the Batch Filename (without the .BAT) as one of your Menu Command Settings. A future version of MENU MASTER will include a Batch File Editor and this will be available, hopefully in your next upgrade. NOTE: The name of your Batch File MUST be at least 2 characters long and MUST include an alphabetic character: A.BAT = Wrong 12.BAT = Wrong A1.BAT = Right MENU MASTER - MENU MASTER can be run automatically AUTOMATICALLY whenever you turn on your computer. AT START-UP This is done by including the command "MM" as the last item in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Your DOS Manual has a section which covers the AUTOEXEC file. MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 13 PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS -------------------- MENU MASTER is constantly being upgraded and improved by the author. Chances are that a more recent version exists than the one you are now using. Major rewrites of MENU MASTER or other future software programs will be made known to you by letter. Registered users of MENU MASTER are entitled to upgrades, most of which are FREE. Upgrades can be obtained by Registered users by sending a blank diskette to: John Franck 1200 Jefferson Davis Rd. Martinsville, Va. 24112 (703) 632-3845 Be sure to indicate your Current Version Number. You will soon receive the latest version by return mail. PAYMENT INFORMATION ------------------- MENU MASTER is distributed under the consideration that people enjoy sharing software with each other. It takes some experimenting with software to determine if it is actually helpful in doing one's work. If after evaluating MENU MASTER you find it to be useful, you are trusted to send a $25 payment. Corporations using MENU MASTER are expected to pay $25 for Each system using the program. Please let us know what version you are using so we'll know to inform you of any MENU MASTER upgrades. Once payment is received, you will be registered as a user of MENU MASTER. Registration is important so that you can be on our mailing list to receive upgrades to MENU MASTER or other reasonably-priced software offerings. Corporations be sure to include the name of your person in charge of PC applications for mailing list and upgrade purposes. Under this concept, you are ENCOURAGED to copy and share the program with your friends and associates. This approach keeps distribution costs to a minimum and these savings are passed on to you in the form of a very low price. Enjoy your MENU MASTER ! MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 14 In case you need an invoice for Tax or Accounting purposes, the following should suffice. You may retain this copy for your records. For your information, we pay all applicable Federal, State, and Local taxes on proceeds from the sale of MENU MASTER. -------------------------------------------------------------- I N V O I C E Purchased from: JOHN FRANCK SS# 224-62-0004 1200 JEFFERSON DAVIS RD. MARTINSVILLE, VA. 24112 DATE: ___ / ___ /___ Invoice No. 31201 -------------------------------------------------------------- Unit Extended Qty Price Price --- ----- -------- "MENU MASTER" Software ___ 25.00 ________ Version 1.50 Add 4.0% State Sales Tax ________ Virginia Residents Only TOTAL AMOUNT ________ Please make check payable to: JOHN FRANCK MENU MASTER OWNER'S MANUAL - VERSION 1.50 15