R C M E N U Amygdala Software's "Zero K" DOS Shell Version 3.00 Released March 31, 1991 I. Introduction What is RCMENU? RCMENU is a "DOS Shell" or Menu. It permits the user to launch DOS applications without typing extensive commands at the DOS prompt. RCMENU also contains utilities activated from the main screen. Why should RCMENU be used over other menuing systems available? RCMENU requires NO RAM while running other applications. Whatever RAM exists after installing DOS (and any TSR's), is fully accessible to any application launched from RCMENU. Requirements: IBM Compatible running DOS (best on 3.3 or higher) 640 K recommended RCMENU is Shareware, not freeware! Shareware allows the user to test drive the software prior to purchase. If you find RCMENU useful after a test drive, PLEASE register! DISCLAIMER THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED "AS IS", AMYGDALA SOFTWARE MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. AMYGDALA SOFTWARE DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PROGRAM WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR THAT THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SELECTION OF THE PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE YOUR INTENDED RESULTS AND FOR THE RESULTS ACTUALLY OBTAINED. II. Installation - A two step process Step 1: Users exchange RCMENU in an archived format. Extract the archive into the desired directory. Placing the directory in the system PATH works best. Step 2: Run SETUP.EXE. Setup will create a batch file called RCM.BAT. It is RCM.BAT which will execute RCMENU. If you desire RCMENU to execute on computer boot, enter the command RCM.BAT as the last line in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. RCMENU WILL ONLY FUNCTION AS A "ZERO K SHELL" IF IT IS RUN FROM RCM.BAT. WITHOUT RUNNING SETUP.EXE, NO APPLICATION WILL RUN FROM RCMENU! III. Tutorial A. Main Screen The main screen displays a list of user created menus. A highlighted bar appears on the first entry. Provided with RCMENU is an empty menu called "Word Processing." Pressing will prompt a form for creation of a new menu. Try pressing now. The new screen asks for a menu name. Type Utilities and press . Notice the newly created menu added to the list. RCMENU is can produce 999 menus, each with 999 applications. (Limited by disk space, of course!) Pressing will cause a menu deletion from the list. BE VERY CAREFUL! If you delete a menu, all information about applications contained on the menu will be lost. Both of existing menus are empty, so try deleting the Utilities menu just created. Highlight "Utilities" with the cursor keys, and press . The same form used in the last stage will indicate a warning message. Go ahead and press . The "Utilities" menu is now deleted. Undocumented on the screen is the key. key provides an editing function for both the main screen and the application selection table. Pressing will access the same entry form as before, but allow you to edit an existing menu item. Undocumented in On-Line Help, or on screen, to prevent stray users from gaining access to passwords. You have now created, deleted, and edited your first RCMENU! B. Applications Menu If you have followed the tutorial, only one menu should exist - "Word Processing." Select it and press . Now a new form presents itself - The Program Enter/Edit Form. Follow the prompts as before, only this time supplying the information about each program from this menu. For Example: PROGRAM NAME: Who's a Whatsit DRIVE : C: PATH : \WHOS EXECUTABLE : WHOSWHAT.EXE PASSWORD : GUISEPPI Please note the format! It is imperative to include the ":" after the DRIVE letter, and to include the "\" before the PATH statement. Passwords are optional. Please remember your password. Program access will be denied without it. Entering more and more programs onto a menu, it becomes increasingly tedious to scroll through the listing with the cursor keys. Please notice the "Program:" prompt at the bottom of the table. By typing a program name, or first letter, the application table will jump to that program. To launch a program, highlight it and press . Challenge RCMENU - Go Ahead! Try running a program known to be a memory hog. If you were able to run it from the DOS prompt, it should run from RCMENU as if invisible. C. Hot Keys At nearly every screen provides "On-line Help" Accesses RCMENU's option menu Please experiment with the Help and Option keys. Key conventions remain constant throughout RCMENU. Options: Rossadex - Address and Phone Database Text File Viewer - Displays ASCII text file to screen Client Tracker - Under development Calendar - Under development DOS Commands - Under development Custom Greeting - Displays customized terminal greeting atop RCMENU IV. Trouble Shooting 1. RCMENU will not run any applications Most likely one of two problems has occurred: a) A typing error or format error was made when entering the application data. b) RCM.BAT did not start RCMENU. You have most likely executed the RCMENU.EXE by accident. 2. RCMENU cannot find its way back after running an application. Check if the application executed from a batch file. In older versions of DOS (before 3.3), required inclusion of RCM as the last line in the BAT file may occur. 3. RCMENU becomes locked on my system while accessing the Options. You probably do not have enough FILES in the CONFIG.SYS. Increase the number. I run FILES=30 and BUFFERS=32 and encounter no problems. Another possibility would be lack of sufficient RAM to run the screens in RCMENU. Check the number of TSR's loaded before RCMENU. Do you need them all? RCMENU should launch any program loadable from the DOS prompt; however, it does not provide memory management in RAM crowded systems. 4. Any other problems or comments - PLEASE WRITE!!! Ross Contino 407 Deerfield Drive Hanover, PA 17331 I can also be found on: Compuserve - ID number 73327,1271 GEnie - Address R.CONTINO Microbe II - (717)252-4543 Wrightsville, PA Address mail to Ross Contino REGISTRATION FORM Please Return to Ross Contino 407 Deerfield Drive Hanover, PA 17331 Please include a $15.00 check made payable to Ross Contino Name:_______________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________________ City, State:________________________________________________ Zipcode:____________________________________________________ Comments:___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Where did you find RCMENU?:_________________________________ Support basement programmers! Register today.