HotStartup
                                v 1.2
                               10/9/96
                        Written by Pietro Altomani

Introduction:

    Usually the Amiga,when you turn it on,waits for a disk which contains in the
    's' directory a script,called Startup-Sequence,and executes it.
    Some months ago I saw that if I insert the Win95 Installation CD
    in a PC,AFTER the boot,starts a program contained in the CD.
    That day I tought: "Why don't I give this feature also to my Amiga?"
    So,in the Summer 1996,HotStartup was born.
    When you launch it,it wait for a disk with the script
    "S/HotStartup-Sequence" and then executes it.


Archive Content:

    The distribuition Archive of HotStartup contains:

    HotStartup          The Program
    HotStartup_ITA.doc  The Italian Manual
    HotStartup_ENG.doc  This doc
    HotStartup.config   A configuration example
    HotStartup-Sequence An example of script for HotStartup


Installation:

    To install HotStartup you have only to copy the file HotStartup to
    the destination directory and the config file to ENVARC:.
    Then you have to reset the machine.

Use:

    To run HotStartup double-click on its icon or type in a CLI:

    RUN <> NIL: HotStartup

    You can also add the comand to you user-startup or copy the program
    in the WBStartup directory of your Workbench disk or HD.

    To end HotStartup you have to send it a CtrlC signal,with command like
    Break or BreakTask.
    In the first position of my ToDo list there is the semplification
    of ending HotStartup. Stay tuned.


Configuration HotStartup:

    HotStartup need the file HotStartup.config in ENV:, S: or
    in the same directory of the program.
    You can create it with a Text Editor,or use the sample config
    file included in this archive.

    It must contain this command: (in block capitals)

    DEVICE <exec_device> <unit> <AmigaDOS_devname>

    This add a new device to the list of devs to check.

    <exec_device> is the name of the Exec device which controls the drive
                  (like trackdisk.device for floppies or cd.device for CDs)

    <unit> is the unit number

    <AmigaDOS_devname> is the name wich is used from CLI (like DF0:,PC1:,CD0:)


    For example to ceck the internal floppy drive HotStartup.config must
    contains:

    DEVICE trackdisk.device 0 df0:




    There are other commands,but they aren't always needed.

    IMMEDIATE

    Tell HotStartup to check also the disks wich are ALREADY in the drives
    when HS starts.

    WINDOW <consol_definition>

    Tell HS to use the console <console_definition>.
    For example yo7u can write:
    WINDOW "CON:0/50//130/HotStartup window/CLOSE/WAIT"

    If you don't use this command the prg uses the hardcoded defaults.


    You can write commands without caution,but I suggest you to introduce
    them with the ; (semicolon) character.


Known Bugs:

    During long tests on my A1200 with GVP1230 at 40MHz + 4Mb Fast Ram,
    and on the A1200 with Blizzard 1220 of Simone Tellini ( The Best beta-tester. It was also
    the only beta-tester ;-) ) we haven't found any bug. However if you
    find a bug you should inform me. Thanks!


The Future:

    This is my ToDo list (only for HotStartup,not for my life! ;-) )

      1) A easier system to close the program

      2) A grafic Interface

      3) HotStartup may become a Commodity (I'm not sure...)

     I will also try to make HotStartup compatible with PowerAmiga
     and other Amiga-like Operating Systems.
     (but when will they arrive??????)  :-(


History:

    v0.0 -> v0.5

    Not running version,never distributed,neither to beta-testers.

    v0.6

    First running version;never distribuited.

    Launch a HS process for each drive to check.
    Use command line arguments instead of the config file.
    Cause Enforcer Hits on Exit.

    v1.0

    HotStartup has been rewritten.
    You've to launch only one HotStartup process;use a config file.
    Don't cause Enforcer hits,however it has a bug: it opens a requester
    if the disk inserted is not a valid DOS disk.

    v1.1

    All bugs fixed (thanks to Simone Tellini)
    Use new commands in the configuration file.

    v1.2

    Uses less memory and don't slow down the Amiga.
    It now checks drives once a second.

    v1.3

    First public release. :)))
    Now the config file could be in ENV:,s: or in the
    same directory of HotStartup.


The Author:

    HotStartup has been written by Pietro Altomani.

    Fidonet MATRIX: 2:332/502

    Internet E-MAIL: altomanipietro@pragmanet.it

    WWW Home Page: not yet...

    Snail (Normal) Mail:  Pietro Altomani
                          P.O.Box 82
                          42016 Guastalla (RE)
                          Italy

Thanks:

    Many thanks go to:

    - all people who works to the birth of the Amiga,the only real
      Multitasking and Multimedia Computer (since 1985!). :-)

    - Simone Tellini,for the beta-testing,and for his help.

    - All the users who will send me comments,suggestions,bug-reports,
      or who will tell me they're using HotStartup.

    - Wouter van Oortmerssen for the Amiga E compiler.

Legal Note:
    THERE  IS  NO  WARRANTY  FOR  THE  SOFTWARE  TO  THE  EXTENT  PERMITTED BY
APPLICABLE  LAW.   EXCEPT  WHERE OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE COPYRIGHT
HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE THE SOFTWARE "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY
OF  ANY  KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE  IMPLIED  WARRANTIES  OF  MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.   THE  ENTIRE  RISK  AS  TO  THE  QUALITY  AND PERFORMANCE OF THE
SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU.  SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE
COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.

IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL
ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY REDISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE
AS  PERMITTED  BELOW, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL,
SPECIAL,  INCIDENTAL  OR  CONSEQUENTIAL  DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR
INABILITY  TO  USE THE SOFTWARE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA
OR  DATA  BEING  RENDERED  INACCURATE  OR LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD
PARTIES  OR A FAILURE OF THE SOFTWARE TO OPERATE WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS),
EVEN  IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SUCH DAMAGES.

    HotStartup is SolidarityWare: if you like it and use it
    for more than a month
    you should give a small donation to a Humanitarian Institution.
    If you have access to the Internet I'd like to receive
    an E-MAIL,too.
    Thanks!

    You can distribute my program but you MUSTN'T modify anything.


HotStartup Style Guide:

    These are the rules you have to respect in writing HotStartup scripts:

    1) If the script launches a apllication it have to use the command RUN.

    2) The scripts must ends with the command ENDSHELL


    3) The scripts mustn't execute the funtion that must be
       executed by the startup-sequence
       (since the boot has already finished when HS starts)


For Developers:

    If you are a developer (also if you write commercial Software) you can
    distribute HotStartup with your package,but you MUSTN'T change anything.
    I would like receive your package (if it's PD/Freeware/ecc..) or only a
    message or a demo copy (I prefer the second... ;-) if it's Commercial.
    Thank you!!