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P]01j:pdp/Fig.0

      You say you've got this nifty "CLI only" whiz-bang of a program you're
 just itching to try out?  That you've always used icons to launch your best
 programs?  You don't feel you know your way around the CLI?
      Then Xicon might be what you need.

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] ]40EAST IS EAST ....]10 All program execution on the Amiga is accomplished in one
 of two ways. Either you double click on an icon, or you type, from within a
 CLI or Shell, the program's name. That is a somewhat oversimplified but
 essentially true description of the human-to-computer interfaces available
 to us on our marvelous machine of choice.
      Icons are easy, but the CLI or Shell is powerful. And the two are
 incompatible. So it follows that any program written as "CLI only" is
 automatically out of reach to novices or anyone uncomfortable with the CLI
 or Shell environments.
      Nobody denies the simplicity and truth of those statements, right?
 Well, one man did.  Not only did he deny it, but he set out to do something
 to remedy it.  He was so successful that even Commodore-Amiga took notice.

] ]40WHO AND WHAT ...]10 Long before the release of Amiga's Enhancer 1.3 introduced
 an AmigaDOS command called "Iconx," a programmer named Pete Goodeve came up
] with incredibly versatile program he called ]80"Xicon"]10. It is capable of
 performing more functions than you can shake a stick at.
]      Do you have a text file to display?  Well, ]80"Xicon"]10 can help.
]      Is there a series of "AmigaDOS" commands you want to execute?  ]80"Xicon"
 will do it.
      Do you want to launch a commercial game without having to reboot?  You
] know what just may be the answer?  Of course, it's ]80"Xicon"]10.
      How about a mixture of picture files using different display programs?
] Yep, ]80"Xicon"]10 can do it.
      Script files?  Yes.
]      By the way, we never say ]60"Ex Icon"]10.  It's pronounced ]60"Zzz-eye Con"]10.

] ]40HOW AND WHERE ..]10 Almost everything you'll want ]80"Xicon"]10 to do for you can be
 grouped into two distinct categories.  The first category, those tasks that
 don't require a script file, include text file display, launch platforms
 for programs that use simple arguments, AmigaDOS command execution, etc.
]      To read text files, for example, you will need, in addition to ]80"Xicon"
 and the text file, a "project" icon with the following entries:
]           ]90Default Tool... ]A0:c/xicon
]           ]90Tool Types..... ]A0MODE=noscript|closewindow
]                           ]A0WINDOW=0/10/640/190/<file.name>
]                           ]A0TEXT=<file.name>
]                           ]A0PAUSE
 You now have an icon-executable file-specific text-reader that will open a
 full screen window, display the text file one page at a time and then close
 the window.
]      If you wish to iconize a picture you'll want ]80"Xicon"]10, the file and the
 "project" icon that contains the following entries:
]           ]90Default Tool... ]A0:c/xicon
]           ]90Tool Types..... ]A0MODE=noscript|nowindow
]                           ]A0CMD=<fancy.viewer> <file.name> <options>
 If the viewer's options do not include a display time you might have to add
 the "WINDOW" and "PAUSE" options.  All you do is double-click on your icons
 to see the pretty pictures.
      The other category, those tasks that might need script files, includes
 multiviewer slide shows, complex AmigaDOS command sequences, execution
 of a commercial game, etc.
      You may be able to circumvent a need to reboot into a commercial game
 by using multiple script files and an icon with the following entries:
]           ]90Default Tool... ]A0<workbench.disk>:c/xicon
]           ]90Tool Types..... ]A0MODE=nowindow
]                           ]A0SCRIPT=<game.disk>:script.one
]                           ]A0SCRIPT=<game.disk>:s/startup-sequence
]                           ]A0SCRIPT=<game.disk>:script.two
 The first script file is used to "assign" virtually everything to your game
 disk, the "c", "devs", "libs", etc.  The "startup-sequence" is next used to
 actually execute the program and finally script.two is used to reassign the
 system resources to your Workbench disk.  This concept is workable because
 the aforementioned "startup-sequence" is itself a script file.
      Since commercial disks are all different, the amount of success you'll
 achieve is subject to experimentation.  If you'd rather not experiment, you
 might try testing different set-ups.
      Another example is a mouse accelerator that sometimes must disabled to
 run incompatible programs.  Rather than entering a CLI to reactivate the
 mouse accelerator, set up a script file and a "project" icon containing the
 following entries:
]           ]90Default Tool... ]A0C:Xicon
]           ]90Tool Types..... ]A0MODE=nowindow
]                           ]A0SCRIPT=<script.name>
 The script defines the command and its options.  The icon is your interface
 with the Workbench. Together they simplify your life a bit.
      Generally, it's wise to use the "WINDOW" option when you're setting up
 a slide show.  Otherwise you may have to look at the Workbench between each
 picture.  Of course, if your choice of pictures is boring . . .  You'll find
 other tasks may not need that option, so plan to experiment.
      For tasks where you want to control termination, such as text reading,
 I suggest you use the "PAUSE" option.  It'll hold the window open until you
 give your permission to close.
      These two options are also useful as a temporary debugging tool.  Just
 add them to the icon's "Tool Types".  They can be removed once you're happy
 with the performance of your creation.  The window provides a place for any
 error messages and the pause gives you the time to read them.
]      Before you can begin to use ]80"Xicon"]10, you'll need to acquire a copy, so
 what are you waiting for ... an invitation?  Okay, you're cordially invited
] to get a copy of ]60Fish Disk No. 290]10, it will provide you with ]60Version 2.5]10 of
] ]60Pete Goodeve's]10 versatile utility. The program and full documentation
have also been included on PDQ_4 -- this month's optional disk offered by
JUMPDISK.

] ]40NOTE ........]10
      The program's documentation file is thorough, easily understood and
 well peppered with examples.  You should read it carefully to grasp all the
 options available for your use.  There are many.
]      ]80"Xicon"]10 is usually kept in your C directory.  You'll need to provide
 room for 6184 bytes plus overhead (6832 bytes, total).

] ]40BOTTOM LINE ....]10 I say ]80"Xicon"]10 is a fine example of freely distributable
 software at its best.  Whether you are a novice or an expert, this program's
 versatility is truly limited only by your imagination. Get it, use it, and
 you'll not regret it.