@database Scegli.guide
@$VER: Scegli.guide 39.10 (18.1.99)
@(c) Copyright 1998 Matteo Beccati
@smartwrap
@tab 8

@macro _ipar "@{lindent 4}@{par}"
@macro _opar "@{lindent 0}@{par}"


@node "MAIN" "Scegli.guide"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Scegli 39.10@{uu}@{ub}@{par}

Copyright © 1998 Matteo Beccati@{par}

Release Date: 18-01-1999@{par}

@{"Introduction" LINK "Introduzione"}@{line}
@{"Features" LINK "Caratteristiche"}@{line}
@{"Legal" LINK "Informazioni"}@{line}
@{"Requirements" LINK "Richieste"}@{line}
@{"Installation" LINK "Installazione"}@{par}

@{"Usage" LINK "Uso"}@{line}
@{"Configuration" LINK "Configurazione"}@{par}

@{"Future" LINK "Futuro"}@{line}
@{"Author" LINK "Autore"}@{line}
@{"Program history" LINK "History"}@{_opar}

@{i}Note: @{ui}This manual needs AmigaGuide v40 or above to be correctly viewed.
In any case the manual should be readable also with previous versions.@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Introduzione" "Scegli.guide/Introduction"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Introduction@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Probably you are wondering why I decided to create a bootmenu since there
are already many available. The reason is that they were not what I really
wanted...@{par}

A long time ago I used two programs at startup-sequence boot: a program,
whose name I can't remember, which tested the mouse buttons and another,
called @{i}The Choice@{ui}, which showed an interface very similar to the
@{i}Scegli@{ui} one to choose the script to launch.@{par}

So I decided to create a program to integrate the functions mentioned above.
Now @{i}Scegli@{ui} has many more @{"features" link "Caratteristiche"} than I ever imagined at start! :-)@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Caratteristiche" "Scegli.guide/Features"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Features@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

@{i}Scegli@{ui} was born to be used as a bootmenu that appears only pressing the
left mouse button and to load an alternative startup-sequence pressing the right mouse
button but nothing prevents you to use it once the OS has been loaded because:@{line}
 - the mouse control function is optional;@{line}
 - it can use the configuration file you prefer in every moment;@{line}
 - it can be launched from Workbench and it's configurable via tooltype.@{par}

The @{i}Scegli@{ui} bootmenu can contain a whole screen of buttons and, to make
all more readable, they can be divided in different categories with the name you
prefer. For example: Games, Graphics, Startup...@{par}

The bootmenu screen can be opened in any video mode (PAL, dblPAL, CyberGFX...).@{par}

It's also possible to choose a font for screen and buttons.@{par}

For both the functions you can use a standard ASL requester.@{par}

It can launch both scripts and commands and can be configured to return at the menu once
the selected operation is terminated.@{par}

At last @{i}Scegli@{ui} is fully localised, even if used before the system inizialization.@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Informazioni" "Scegli.guide/Legal"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Legal@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

@{i}Scegli@{ui} is distributed through the Freeware concept. This means that
you can redistribute this archive, provided that it remains complete and unchanged.
The packing/depacking operations with a program such as LhA is not considered
a change just if all files, filenames included, remain untouched.@{par}

@{i}Scegli@{ui} is distributed without any warranty. The author can not be
made responsible for any damage of any kind due at the use of the program. You
use this program at you own risk!.@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Richieste" "Scegli.guide/Requirements"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Requirements@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

@{i}Scegli@{ui} needs Kickstart 3.0 or above to work because it uses some resources
available only on Workbench 3.0 (or above) such as 'asl.library' and 'diskfont.library'.@{par}

Besides I suggest you to have an hard drive since there's not much sense
in using it without one...@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Installazione" "Scegli.guide/Installation"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Installation@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

An installation script is not yet available (if you want one @{"contact me" link "Autore"} via email).
Anyway, to install the program is really easy:@{par}

@{u}For Shell usage:@{uu}@{_ipar}

- Copy the file 'Scegli' in 'C:';@{line}
- Create the file 'S:Scegli.config' to @{"configure" LINK "Configurazione"} the program;@{line}
- Copy the Catalogs directory in 'LOCALE:'.@{line}
- Add the line 'C:Scegli MOUSE QUIET' (view @{"usage" LINK "Uso"}) before 'SetPatch'@{line}
  in 'S:startup-sequence'.@{_opar}

@{u}For Workbench usage:@{uu}@{_ipar}

- Copy the @{i}Scegli@{ui} directory wherever you prefer.@{_opar}

@{u}Notes:@{uu}@{_ipar}
If you want to use @{i}Scegli@{ui} as bootmenu you must use a little trick.
If @{i}Scegli@{ui} is launched at boot the various system settings and assignements are
not yet made and theorically the localization would not be possible. In the
v39.10 I've added a new function to obviate this inconvenience; the only thing to
do is to set up the variable 'ENVARC:Language'. It should exists from Workbench 3.1,
if you do not have that version or you do not have that file in your configuration
you can easily create it from the CLI with the following commands:@{par}

- SetEnv Language "<preferred language>"@{line}
  where <preferred language> is italiano, english, deutsch etc...@{line}
- Copy ENV:Language ENVARC:@{_opar}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Uso" "Scegli.guide/Usage"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Usage@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

@{i}Scegli@{ui} can be used from Shell or from Workbench.@{par}

If you use it from Workbench you cannot specify all arguments.@{_ipar}

@{b}String Arguments:@{ub}@{line}
@{"CONFIG" LINK "arg_config"}            Configuration File.@{line}
@{"FONT" LINK "arg_font"}              Font name to use.@{line}
@{"MODEID" LINK "arg_modeid"}            Video mode to use.@{line}
@{"RMOUSE" LINK "arg_rmouse"}            Script to launch on right mouse button click.@{par}

@{b}Numerical Arguments:@{ub}@{line}
@{"FONTSIZE" LINK "arg_fontsize"}          Font size to use.@{par}

@{b}Switch Arguments:@{ub}@{line}
@{"MOUSE" LINK "arg_mouse"}             Recognize if the mouse buttons are pressed.@{line}
@{"NOEXIT" LINK "arg_noexit"}            Back to menu once the script (or command) is terminated.@{line}
@{"QUIET" LINK "arg_quiet"}             De-active the error output.@{line}
@{"TOBLACK" LINK "arg_toblack"}           Black screen when the script is running.@{_opar}

On my startup-sequence, for example, it is launched so:

C:Scegli @{"QUIET" LINK "arg_quiet"} @{"RMOUSE" LINK "arg_rmouse"}=SYS:g/ShapeShifter @{"FONT" LINK "arg_font"}=dgsansserif @{"FONTSIZE" LINK "arg_fontsize"}=8 @{"MODEID" LINK "arg_modeid"}=167936@{par}

@ENDNODE

@NODE "Configurazione" "Scegli.guide/Configuration"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Configuration@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

In this archive you can find an example of configuration file.@{par}

A '#' at the start of a line create a category, it MUST be
inserted in the first line of file.@{par}

The next line contains a name for the first button, the following
one the script to execute; if the first symbol in this line is a '+'
@{i}Scegli@{ui} will run it as a command. You can insert as many buttons and
categories as you want.@{par}

   Example:@{par}

<-------------------------- BEGIN OF FILE --------------------------------->@{line}
   #Games                     <- First line with category (compulsory)@{line}
   Alien Breed                <- First button@{line}
   Games:AlienBreed/Start     <- Script associated to the first button@{line}
   Zak McCracken              <- Second button@{line}
   +Games:Zak/StartZak        <- Associated command@{line}
   ...                           etc..@{line}
   ...@{line}
   #Programs                  <- Second category@{line}
   LightWave                  <- First button of the second category@{line}
   SYS:s/StartLW              <- Associated script@{line}
        ...                           etc...@{line}
<--------------------------- END OF FILE ---------------------------------->@{par}

@ENDNODE

@NODE "Futuro" "Scegli.guide/Future"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}The future@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

If you have any suggestion please @{"contact me" link "Autore"}!@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE "Autore" "Scegli.guide/Author"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Author@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

If you want contact me for any reason (bug report, new ideas, gifts, CyberstormPPC... :) you
can use the following addresses:@{_ipar}

Matteo Beccati@{line}
Via del Castagno, 8@{line}
44100 Ferrara (FE)@{line}
Italy@{par}

email:  ciaccia@writeme.com@{_opar}

@ENDNODE

@NODE "History" "Scegli.guide/Program History"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Program History@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Scegli 39.10:    - Added TOBLACK option;@{line}
                 - Added localization, even if used before the LOCALE: assignment@{line}
                   and before launching iPrefs;@{line}
                 - Removed the ENV: assignment request if not available;@{par}

Scegli 39.9:     - First public release.@{par}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_config "Scegli.config/Uso/CONFIG"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Config@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Here you can set a @{"configuration" LINK "Configurazione"} file to use.

The @{b}CONFIG@{ub} keyword is optional.@{par}

Default is 'S:Scegli.config'.@{par}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_font "Scegli.config/Uso/FONT"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Font@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Here you can set the font to use (without the '.font' extension).@{par}

Default is the font currently used from Workbench.@{par}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
If you don't specify the @{b}FONTSIZE@{ub} argument too the smaller font size available will
be used.@{_opar}

See also:@{_ipar}
@{"FONTSIZE" LINK "arg_fontsize"}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_modeid "Scegli.config/Uso/MODEID"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}ModeID@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Here you can set the video mode to use for the @{i}Scegli@{ui} screen.@{par}

It can be:@{_ipar}
- an integer number;@{line}
- an hexadecimal number (if has prefix '$' or '0x');@{line}
- a '?' to open a screen mode requester.@{par}

Default is the mode currently used from Workbench.@{_opar}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
I suggest you to use the program @{i}GetModeID@{ui} by M. Holmgren to
get the number of the video modes.@{_opar}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_rmouse "Scegli.config/Uso/RMOUSE"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}RMouse@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Here you can set a script to run if the right mouse button is pressed
at program start.@{par}

By default no script is launched.@{_opar}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
If specified, authomatically the @{b}MOUSE@{ub} option is actived.@{par}
It cannot be specified from Workbench.@{_opar}

See also:@{_ipar}
@{"MOUSE" LINK "arg_mouse"}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_fontsize "Scegli.config/Uso/FONTSIZE"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Fontsize@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

Here you can set the size of the font to use.@{par}

By default the Workbench one is used.@{par}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
It needs also the @{b}FONT@{ub} argument to be specified to take any effect.@{_opar}

See also:@{_ipar}
@{"FONT" LINK "arg_font"}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_mouse "Scegli.config/Uso/MOUSE"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Mouse@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

If you specify this option @{i}Scegli@{ui} will show the menu only when the left mouse
button is pressed at program start.@{par}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
It cannot be specified from Workbench.@{_opar}

See also:@{_ipar}
@{"RMOUSE" LINK "arg_rmouse"}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_noexit "Scegli.config/Uso/NOEXIT"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}NoExit@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

If you set this option @{i}Scegli@{ui} will come back to the menu once script or the command
is terminated.@{par}

@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_quiet "Scegli.config/Uso/QUIET"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}Quiet@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

If you set this option, @{i}Scegli@{ui} will not show any output for error messages.@{par}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
This is for both scripts and commands running (if @{i}Scegli@{ui} is launched from Shell).@{par}
@ENDNODE

@NODE arg_toblack "Scegli.config/Uso/TOBLACK"
@{_ipar}
@{b}@{u}ToBlack@{uu}@{ub}@{_opar}

If you set this option the screen will become black by pressing a button;
so you can avoid to show the really ugly Workbench screen during the boot.@{par}

@{u}Note:@{uu}@{_ipar}
Obviously, if you do this, @{i}Scegli@{ui} will remain in memory until the script or the command is
terminated.@{par}
It cannot be specified from Workbench.@{_opar}

@ENDNODE