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- READ.ME ................. for 4FILES
-
- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
- ║ NOTE: The format of the configuration file was changed in Version 2S.0.║
- ║ If you are upgrading from a previous version, delete your old ║
- ║ 4F.CFG file and configure the new version from scratch. ║
- ╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
-
- CONTENTS: ..... 1) A note to all users, new and old.
- ---------
- ..... 2) A note to registered users.
-
- ..... 3) A note for NEW users.
-
- ..... 4) Compatibility.
-
-
- 1) TO ALL USERS:
- ================= If you have difficulties be sure to check the section on
- compatibility below, and also press <Alt-F10> to check your configuration. If
- that doesn't help, Tech Support is listed on Page-1 of the manual.
-
- If you will be using 4FILES under MS-Windows, CTRL-ESC & ALT-ESC have their
- Windows rather than 4FILES functions; use plain ESC to quit 4FILES. Also, your
- mouse driver should be loaded before loading Windows. While the mouse will be
- operative in Windows without a pre-active driver, a pre-active driver is
- necessary for non-Windows applications such as 4FILES.
-
-
- 2) TO REGISTERED USERS:
- ======================== If this is a registered 4FILES disk, you will find
- several un-zipped files ready for immediate use, including your personalized
- copy of 4F.COM. The .ZIP file contains all files in the 4FILES package, but
- the 4F.COM in this archive is the _shareware_ version, and is not a backup for
- the un-zipped, registered 4F.COM. The purpose of the .ZIP file is to have the
- complete shareware version in one place, ready for you to upload or copy for
- someone else.
-
- It would be a good idea to read the "new users" section below for features
- which may be new to you, and you will also find 4F.VER(sion) to serve well as a
- quick-start for the new features.
-
- Remember to delete you old .CFG file if it was from a version previous to
- 2S.0.
-
-
- 3) TO NEW USERS OF 4FILES:
- =========================== Thanks for taking the time to give 4FILES a try!
- Here are a few quick notes to help get you started. See also the section on
- compatibility below, and "Quick Start" in 4F.DOC. The file 4F.VER(sion) may be
- of interest too.
-
- You should copy all files provided into a directory which is listed in
- your PATH statement. Type 4F to start 4FILES. If you get garbage on your display at startup, try restarting
- with the /8 switch. (The video system detection should be fully automatic,
- but there is always the possibility of an incompatibility.)
-
- One of the first things you should do is hit <Alt-F10> to call up the
- configuration menu. This is where you set up 4FILES so it can find your
- utilities (the key designations such as "G+" (meaning <Grey+>) may seem cryptic
- until you read the manual). If a utility is in your PATH you need give only
- its filename AND extension (required).
-
- If you are operating with 4DOS, its internal browser called LIST will be
- activated by the <Grey+> key, but you may wish to recongifure 4FILES to use
- a stand-alone browse utility. Vern Buerg's LIST or TV.COM (included in this
- .ZIP file) will give much faster performance since running internal commands
- like 4DOS's LIST require shelling to DOS first. The browser is also called by
- <F1> and <CTRL-F1> to display HELP and the manual.
-
- Play around a lot with the Grey-Minus, Grey-Plus, and Grey-Star keys in
- various levels of your directory tree. (On 83-key keyboards the <Scl-Lk> key
- takes the place of Grey-Star.) Grey-Plus has differing functions when the
- cursor-bar is on directories, normal files, and archived files. <TAB> toggles
- between file-management and note-editing modes. <NUM-LK> toggles the display
- of attributes and file creation time. <Alt-char> locates a record starting
- with the character, and <SCROLL-LK> reverses the search direction, either
- on-the-fly or before a search.
-
- There are many other features and a great file note editor, all well
- integrated into the keyboard to put a lot of power at your finger-tips in an
- easy to learn and remember arrangement. Please lavish a little time on the
- manual (4F.DOC) and at least look at "Quick Start" therein for now. I have
- worked hard to incorporate a lot of features into 4FILES and to write a
- thorough manual. It would be a shame for you to miss the full benefits of that
- labor by trying to get-by by running the program by the seat of your pants
- (although it's easy enough that you can get pretty far that way).
-
- I hope you enjoy 4FILES and that you will find yourself putting it into
- daily, if not constant, use. If not, I'm always looking for constructive
- criticism to help improve the program. Again, thank you for taking time to
- try out 4FILES. I look forward to receiving your registration, and if you
- need help I welcome your call or note whether you are registered or not.
-
-
- 4) COMPATIBILITY:
- ================= 4FILES is compatible with both MSDOS (2.x through 5.0),
- DRDOS 5.x and 6.0, all versions of 4DOS and NDOS.
-
- COMPATIBILITY ISSUES:
- --------------------
- A) PC-Magazine's LOG.COM intercepts calls to the DOS EXEC function, but
- trashes the success/non-success data returned by the EXEC'd program. This
- causes 4FILES to display the "incorrect configuration" message after every
- utility call. While LOG.COM _can_ be used, this problem makes it awkward.
- The best choices for logging are 4DOS' own internal LOG feature or a shareware
- log program.
-
- B) In past versions of 4FILES, some keyboard enhancers conflicted with some
- of 4FILES' use of special keys (e.g. with keys without IBM-documented software
- scan codes), or were conflicting more directly with 4FILES' keyboard interrupt
- handler. These conflicts have now been resolved.
-
- With NEWKEY.EXE, you should run NEWKEYSP.EXE and free-up <Ctrl-Esc> for use
- by other programs via one of the menus. Otherwise, this key will be
- non-functional in 4FILES.
-
- Conflicts with SWITCH5.COM and a few other freeware key-swap utilities
- result from the failure of the offending utilities to properly update the BIOS
- data bits for shift key states (including Ctrl and Alt). I have found several
- such utilities which either change only the scan codes or do update the BIOS
- data, but do so incorrectly for some shifted keys. Programs which avoid using
- the BIOS shift data will work properly with these utilities, but for the
- moment 4FILES does rely on this data.
-
- A handler for German keyboards called KEYGR has some problems. Use KEYGR16
- instead.