***************************************************************************** * * * BOOT-MENU WRITER 1.0 Instructions * * --------------------------------- * * Release Date : 20.03.1991 * * * * (C) By DOCTOR PSI / ZENITH 1991 * * * ***************************************************************************** This program is fully PUBLIC DOMAIN 'Spread the word and the disk' PLEASE !!! Read the doc carefully before using this powerful utility ! 1. Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- First I coded this utility for my own use because I needed a program to do my demos and utilities packs and this easily and very quickly. Some friends told me that this program is great and that I should improve it and then spread it... Boot-Menu Writer 1.0 was born !!! I used the wellknown 'bootblock+loader' method and I modify it a little bit : the BootBlock-Menu is loaded (fast) : you choose the prg/demo you want and press the corresponding key to load it. Then the normal process go on with the startup-sequence : the loader load the file 'FILES' (which contains the Filenames and the Keys), search the choosen file, load and run it. I think it is the best and fastest way ! I HATE those packs where you've to wait while loading and decrunching, then choose your file with the mouse, and which use lot of disk space ! Arghhh !!! With this utility you can : - Install a nice Bootblock-Menu with 628 bytes only for the text !!! You can modify everything by yourself (colors, texts,...). You can also use this BootBlock to write a message ! - Write the Loader and the needed files (Run, StartUp-Sequence,...) - Edit a Files List (which contains the files you want to load) : just click a file in the directory and press the corresponding keys to load it. And you can keep the filenames like they are ! (don't need to rename them like '1', '2',...) It's so easy ! 2. Instructions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The screen is divided in 4 parts: - left window : Commands / Options - right window : Directory / List - 3rd window : Colors Palette - the BootBlock-Menu (lower part) Remember : you must know what you are doing when you use a command/option !!! So read the following text carefully... 2.1 Commands / Options window (left one) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- - STATUS LINE Show you what the program is currently doing (Msgs) and the possible errors. So watch out ! [ READ BBM ] Read a BootBlock-Menu from the selected drive (DF0-DF3). [ WRITE BBM ] Write the current BootBlock-Menu to the selected drive (DF0-DF3). [ DF0-DF3 ] Change the drive from DF0 up to DF3 (if available). This option only affects the READ & WRITE BBM commands. Very usefull if you want to use an old BBM (because you like its colors for example...). [ DF0: ] Get the directory of the Workdisk (in drive DF0). [ PARENT ] Get the previous directory from the Workdisk. [ WRITE LOADER ] Write the Loader to the Workdisk. It also write the 'Run' command (in the C/ dir if available) and even the 'StartUp-Sequence' (create the S/ dir if not available !). [ FILES IN BBM ] A very cool option (for lazy typers...). It insert the current Files List (max. 20 entries) in the BBM : the Keys and the Filenames are copied in the BootBlock-Menu ! If the Files List is empty, the BBM will be cleared (except the title). [ LOAD FILES ] Load the Files List ('DF0:Files') from the Workdisk. [ SAVE FILES ] Save the current Files List to the Workdisk. [ CLEAR FILES ] Clear the current Files List (in the prg !). Usefull when you start a new Files List for a new pack... - SELECTED FILE LINE Show you the current Selected File from the Directory or the Files List (depend in which mode you are). [ INSERT FILE ] Insert the current Selected File from the Directory in the Files List : the whole path is copied, so you can load ALL the files (in any dir) from your Workdisk ! Note that you have max. 4096 bytes for the Files List. You have also to enter the Key that will load this file : you can use the WHOLE keyboard (except the Caps Lock). Anyway, the keyboard is the USA one (sorry...). If you have another keyboard, then correct the Keys in the BBM texts (if you used the FILES IN BBM option). Don't worry, the files are loaded correctly ! [ DELETE FILE ] Delete the current Selected File from the Files List. If you pressed the wrong key... [ DIR <> LIST ] Switch between the Directory and the Files List mode. 2.2 Directory / Files List window (right one) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Status Line shows you in which mode you are (Directory or Files List), the current entries number and the page number. - PATH LINE Show you the current path of the Workdisk (DF0). - DIRECTORY / Show you 8 entries (current page) from the Directory FILES LIST WINDOW or the Files List. [ /\ Scroll Up ] Get the previous page (previous 8 entries). [ \/ Scroll Down ] Get the next page (next 8 entries). DIRECTORY MODE : - If you click a Directory (DIR): the path is changed and the next dir loaded... - If you click a Filename: it appears in the Selected File Line. Then you can use the INSERT FILE command to insert it in the Files List. FILES LIST MODE : - If you click a File: it appears in the Selected File Line. Then you can use the DELETE FILE command to delete it from the Files List. - If you click a File, then a second one, their places will be exchanged. So you can make some order in the Files List (alphabetical order for example) before using the FILES IN BBM option. 2.3 Colors Palette window (3rd one) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- With this palette you can change all the colors of the BootBlock-Menu. They are (from left to right) : - 'Stripes' : 2 stripes (up and down) for the CINEMASCOPE effect ! - Background 1 : 1st part of the background (before the underline) - Underline : line under the title - Background 2 : 2nd part of the background (after the underline) - Font colors : 8 colors (from up to down) for the font Simply click the color you want to change and enter (in the Status Line) the new color in HEX format (sorry...) : $xxx with x=0...9 a...f. Just try It ! / | \ / | \ Red Green Blue 2.4 The BootBlock-Menu (lower part) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- It shows you how your BootBlock-Menu will look like. Note that the real BBM will use the TOPAZ 60 Font and that the lines are centered. The BBM texts are : - The Title: 1 line of 48 chars (below the underline) for the name of your pack. - The Menu: 10 lines of 58 chars (divided in 2 columns for 20 entries). Use the FILES IN BBM command to put automagically the Files List in your BBM. If you don't like this layout, you can type the texts like you want, and if you use short filenames you can even put more than 20 entries in the BBM ! It's up to you... THE EDITOR : First, SORRY for this lame editor... But I coded everything by myself (no system routines !) and I think this ed is good enough for what you have to do !!! The supported keyboard is the USA one. This is a 'line-editor' : to edit a text simply click the line at the position you want and type in your text. You can press only one key at the same time : if you want to use SHIFT or ALT, just press one of those keys to activate the mode and then type. Repress one of those keys to return to 'normal' typing. A little sprite (left) shows you in which mode you are currently. You can also use : - CURSOR LEFT / CURSOR RIGHT to move the cursor - BACKSPACE to go one char back and delete it - SHIFT LEFT / SHIFT RIGHT to switch on/off the Shift mode - ALT LEFT / ALT RIGHT to switch on/off the Alt mode - RETURN / RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON to quit the edit mode Use the right mouse button to change the pointer and the cursor color if you have some problem to see them because of the background color... 3. Quick 'Step By Step' instructions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- To create a new pack : 1) Prepare your pack with all the needed files and load this nice utility. 2) Put your pack (Workdisk) in DF0: (always !) and read the directory. 3) Click a Filename you want in your pack, select the INSERT FILE command and press the corresponding Key to load this file. Go on till your Files List is ready. Then use the SAVE FILES command to save your Files List to disk. 4) Write the Loader to disk with the WRITE LOADER command. All the needed files (Loader, Run, StartUp-Sequence...) are written ! You'll have to add by yourself the other files you'll need (Add44k, Intro, Reset,...) on the disk and in the startup-sequence. 5) Prepare your BootBlock-Menu : use the FILES IN BBM option to put your Files List in the BBM (make some order before...) or just type in all the Filenames and Keys by yourself. Just like you want ! Change the BBM Colors by using the Palette and when ready, save it to disk with the WRITE BBM command. You can also read an old BBM because you like its colors (use the READ BBM command)... If you have external drive(s) then use them ! Your pack is finished ! If you start another pack, don't forget to clear the old Files List with the CLEAR FILES command. Then go to 1). To update a pack (because you get a new version of a prg) : 1) Put your pack (Workdisk) in DF0: and read the directory. 2) Load the old Files List with the LOAD FILES command. Clear the old File in the Files List with DELETE@gex8܇G0B‡2g\)"4N@0r `w] N7vCA9WcNB8 @pcHy{3Z~t@QD/JX ŔV-#@aJAAD"@pVd jƀG> $+DžE00ʒUyo؟`Z?O)>hql <M|@gbC= : P^ oX$ T ߄? !3F [X>zj%GED~u, π 2ɕ/ܱ^o @$!L 5ÌׁQ~ׯ\N?DEB*$HjlMpذi>`P Files List is 4096 bytes (should be enough !) Some technical infos : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boot-Menu Writer 1.0 works with Kickstart 1.2 and 1.3 on A500, A1000, A2000. All the needed memory is in the code and it is 100% PC relative !!! So there should be no problem with Fastmem... It support all external drives. I think most of the bugs are removed ! (I hope...) Please note that this program is 100% in Assembler and that the only System Routines are used for disk access !!! That was a hard work... :-) >>> If you find some bugs or if you have any suggestions then please contact: PROT KILLER/ZENITH Ch. Four 1 1053 CUGY / VD Switzerland 5. The long awaited Personal Greetings Part !!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- - First a special thanks to my friend SAMIR/ZENITH for helping me to optimize the BootBlock. - All the members of ZENITH - SPIRIT of ANOREXIA and TRIAD of CLASSIC - DON WOTAN of DIGITAL FORCE INTERNATIONAL - My friends on the Visinfo Chatter (MICS) who knows me as 'ALFred' :-))) Chris (SCA) - Amicom - Nakamichi - Ursus - Druid - Pepe - Tendy & Pepsi JaneC - Bobo - Cat - Agamemnon - Pooky - King Tiger - Odi - etc... - My friends on IRC who also knows me as 'ALFred' : Celebrandil - Pumpkin Bilbo - Criminal - Top - Setarkos - Mr. Scary - Dr. Delete and the others ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Watch out for our soon coming new productions !!! DOCTOR PSI / ZENITH