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█▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀█ ░█ █ ▒░█ ENCOMPASS VERSION 2.8 █ ▒░█ The Single or Multi User Menu System █ ▒░█ Copyright 1989, 1990 Multiuser Microsystems █ ▒░█ All Rights Reserved █ ▒░█ CompuServe ID 73077,1011 █ ▒░█ █ ▒░█ █ ▒░█ MULTIUSER MICROSYSTEMS █ ▒░█ 4838 Walden Glen Drive █ ▒░█ Memphis, TN 38128 █ ▒░█ (901) 385-2372 █ ▒░█ █ ▒░█▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄█ ▒░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ Table of Contents Introduction .................................................... 1 About ENCOMPASS ................................................. 2 ENCOMPASS Setup ................................................. 3 General Usage ................................................... 4 General Usage (cont) ............................................ 5 Screen blanking & mouse support ................................. 6 How ENCOMPASS Works ............................................. 7 Future Enhancements ............................................. 7 INTRODUCTION Page 1 ENCOMPASS is the copyrighted property of Multiuser Microsystems. You are granted a limited license to use ENCOMPASS, and to copy and distribute it, provided that the following conditions are met: 1) No more than $10 may be charged for such copying and distribution. 2) ENCOMPASS may ONLY be distributed in its original, unmodified state. You are granted a 10-day trial period in which you may use ENCOMPASS. If you continue to use ENCOMPASS after this period, you must pay the license registration fee of $35. Once we receive a check, we will issue you a registration number at which point you will be eligible for future updates, assistance, and a clear conscience. The registration fee should be sent to: Multiuser Microsystems 4838 Walden Glen Drive Memphis, TN 38128 Site licenses, commercial distribution licenses, and customized versions are available. Call or write for more information. Limited Warranty This program is transferred "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Multiuser Microsystems licenses this program for your use. You must assume responsibility for installation of the program, and that the program performs to your expectations. ABOUT ENCOMPASS Page 2 ENCOMPASS was designed to provide a user-friendly menu "front-end" to stand alone PCs AND multi user environments such as PC-MOS/386, MULTILINK, or any NETBIOS compatible network. While many other menu systems are available, we took the users approach in providing such key features as: 1) "Lotus" style menu bar selection. 2) Fast and easy selection setup. 3) Submenus for logical grouping. 4) Editable, ASCII menu files. 5) Transparent support of multi user environments. 6) Non-memory resident to preserve valuable memory. 7) Encrypted password protection for selections. 8) Capability to prompt for parameters at execution. 9) Screen blanking via a 'clear screen' for safety. 10) Mouse support. (Microsoft, Logitech compatible) We hope you will enjoy ENCOMPASS as much as all of our other satisfied users. Remember as a registered user you will be eligible for the enhancements as available and any necessary phone support. Your requests for new features will be appreciated and considered. A word about user supported software: The user supported software concept (usually referred to as shareware) is an attempt to provide software at low cost. The cost of offering a new product by conventional means is staggering, and hence dissuades many independent authors and small companies from developing and promoting their ideas. User supported software is an attempt to develop a new marketing channel, where products can be introduced at low cost. If user supported software works, then everyone will benefit. The user will benefit by receiving quality products at low cost, and by being able to "test drive" software thoroughly before purchasing it. The author benefits by being able to enter the commercial software arena without first needing large sources of venture capital. But it can only work with your support. We're not just talking about ENCOMPASS here, but about all user supported software. If you find that you are still using a program after 10 days, then it is obviously it worth something to you, and you should send in your registration fee. ENCOMPASS Setup Page 3 1) Create a subdirectory on your hard disk named 'ENCOMPAS'. Ex: C:\>md \encompas 2) Copy all ENCOMPAS files to the ENCOMPAS subdir. Ex: C:\>copy a:encompas.exe \encompas C:\>copy a:readme.doc \encompas C:\>copy a:printdoc.bat \encompas C:\>copy a:viewdoc.bat \encompas 3) A startup batch file must be created for each user. This batch file should be placed in a directory IN YOUR PATH. (Ex. \ or \BAT). DO NOT put the ENCOMPAS subdirectory in your path as this could cause menu files to be placed in your current directory, instead of the ENCOMPAS subdirectory. NOTE: In order for the MULTI USER environment to work correctly, each workstation must be given a UNIQUE name of 7 CHARACTERS OR LESS and the environment must be IBM Netbios compatible. This is usually done by adding a NETNAME command to the "autoexec" for each user. NOTE for some LANs: If you cannot set a NETBIOS node name, then you may set an environment variable called 'NBNAME' and ENCOMPASS will use that name. Ex. SET NBNAME=OFFICE Use the following format depending on the environment. MULTI-USER Example: Using 'CONSOLE' for the base user name and 'REMOTE' for a terminal name on the 'C' drive. Environment: STANDALONE |---------- PC-MOS/386 ---------| PC | | Network Name: | CONSOLE <---> TERM1 | | Batch file name ------> MENU.BAT CONSOLE.BAT <-|-> TERM1.BAT | Batch file contents --> echo off .batecho off | .batecho off c: c: | c: cd \encompas cd \encompas | cd \encompas -----------------> encompas encompas | encompas | _menu _console <-|-> _term1 | | | | | (These MUST match!)---| | | -- (Use 'encompas /BW' for composite monitors or terminals.) 4) Put the name of the startup batch file as the LAST LINE in the autoexec.bat and the particular "autoexec" for each user. Ex: echo off \ .batecho off \ prompt $p$g \ Single PC .dot off \ PC-MOS/386 ... / --------- prompt $p$g / ---------- menu / console / General Usage Page 4 Reboot your computer and ENCOMPASS should come up for each user. If the user exits from ENCOMPASS, it is restarted by typing the name of the startup batch file. For a stand alone PC, simply type 'MENU'. In a multi user environment, type the name of your terminal. Simply hilight the desired selection and press Enter or press the item letter! NOTE: To help end users, it is a good idea to put the name in the user's prompt. This not only identifies the terminal at all times but shows the user the name they have to type to return the menu. Ex: [CONSOLE] C:\> MENU SETUP: Press ALT-S to enter menu setup where the following options are available. NOTE: The first time ENCOMPASS is run there will be no selections and you will automatically be in 'ADD' mode. ADDING MENU SELECTIONS: 1) Add Selection Before or After Line x? (B/A): Answer 'B' or 'A' to arrange as you wish. 2) Is this a Main menu selection or a Submenu? (M/S): Answer 'M' or 'S' as to whether you are creating a selection on the main menu or a submenu. NOTE: If you create a submenu, only the submenu name will be requested. To enter the submenu selections, exit from menu setup, hilight the submenu name and press enter, then press ALT-S to add the selections for the submenu. 3) Selection Name: Enter the name as you want it to appear on the menu. 4) Drive & Directory: Basically, tell where the selection exists. Ex. Lotus might be C:\LOTUS 5) Optional Password for this Selection: Enter a password to protect this selection. These 6) Command # x: Enter up to 10 commands to perform the selection. You DO NOT need to 'CD' to the directory as this is automatically done via the 'Drive & Directory' entry. NOTE: If any of the commands are BATCH FILES, you need to do one of two things. 1) Enter the CONTENTS of the batch file. OR... 2) Use a batch file 'call' such as COMMAND /C <batch name> or CALL <batch name>. If you do NOT do this you will not return to the menu after you exit the particular selection. SPECIAL FEATURE!!! Add [P] to the end of a command line and ENCOMPASS will prompt you for any additional parameters at execution. This is useful to issue a generic command a specific drive or directory! Ex. If Command #1 is 'DIR [P]' then you would be asked for a parameter at which time you could enter "C:" or "D:" or "C: /p" etc. General Usage (cont) Page 5 EDITING MENU SELECTIONS: 1) Cursor through the selections until the desired selection appears. 2) Press 'E' from the setup menu and cursor through the entry fields making any necessary changes. DELETING MENU SELECTIONS: 1) Cursor through the selections until the desired selection appears. 2) Press 'D' from the setup menu. 3) If you really want to delete this selection (or submenu), answer 'Y'. SETTING THE MENU TITLE: 1) Press 'T' from the setup menu. 2) Enter anything you want for the menu title. SETTING ENCOMPASS SYSTEM PASSWORDS: 1) Press 'ALT-P' from the setup menu. (This option is NOT shown) 2) Enter a password to protect access to ENCOMPASS's setup. 3) Enter a password to restrict 'Exit to Operating System' from the main menu. NOTE: Once these passwords are set, you had better remember them or YOU will lose access to these areas. Screen Blanking and Mouse Support Page 6 SCREEN BLANKING: ENCOMPASS provides a screen blanking feature to keep the menu from "burning" into the screen. This is accomplished by saving the video memory, clearing the screen, and then restoring the video memory (screen). This method assures that nothing tricky is done with hardware and thus no possibility of card or monitor damage. Screen blanking defaults to 1 minute but can be altered by passing the number of minutes desired as a parameter. For example, in your startup batch file (menu.bat, etc.): encompas <# minutes>. ('encompas 2' for two minutes) If, after the specified time, a key has not been pressed, the screen will clear. To resume operation, simply press any key and the screen will restore. NOTE: Screen blanking can be disabled by passing a 0. Ex. 'encompas 0' MOUSE SUPPORT: Mouse support can be enabled by installing the appropriate mouse driver (mouse.sys or mouse.com) before loading ENCOMPASS. Once in ENCOMPASS, a cursor will appear. Place the cursor on any part of the desired selection and click. That's all there is to it! How ENCOMPASS Works... Page 7 ENCOMPASS uses the information in the .MNU (or .Sxx submenu) files to "build a batch file on the fly". This batch file is either _MENU.BAT or _<netname>.BAT (in multi user). Format of the .MNU main menu file (MENU.MNU or <netname>.MNU) ------------------------------------------------------------- TITLE (up to 40 characters) SELECTION~PATH~COMMAND1~...COMMAND12 (for a normal selection) SELECTION~+submenu+ (for a submenu selection) ... Submenu Files: (MENU.Sxx or <netname>.Sxx where xx = selection #) ----------------------------------------------------------------- SELECTION~PATH~COMMAND1~...COMMAND12 (for a normal selection) ... A NOTE ABOUT PASSWORD FILES: * System passwords are encrypted and kept in a hidden file called ENCOMPASS.PWD. * Selection passwords are encrypted and kept in a hidden file with one of the following filenames (depending on area): MENU.PWD or <netname>.pwd - for main menu. MENU.Pxx or <netname>.Pxx - for submenus. Future Enhancements Future enhancements of ENCOMPASS are in progress! Some enhancements to be included are: 1) File Utilities 2) Chat between two different users. Remember to register to be notified as updates are available!