StartupControl V1.2 Copyright © 1995-1996 by Dirk Jesse this software package is distributed as MAILWARE (23.10.96) DISCLAIMER: ----------- The author cannot be held liable for the suitability or accuracy of this  documentation and/or the program it describes. Any damage directly or indirectly caused by the use or misuse of this documentation and/or the program it describes is the sole responsibility of the user her/him self. COPYRIGHT & DISTRIBUTION: ------------------------- The program and all related files are freely distributable, but are also copyright (c) by Dirk Jesse.  They may be freely distributed as long as no more than the nominal fee is charged to cover time and copying costs. No commercial usage is permitted without the written permission from the author. Everything in this  distribution must be kept togehter, in original unmodified form. !! ATTENTION - SOFTWARE-STATUS OF STARTUPCONTROL HAS CHANGED !! Since this program is released as MAILWARE with version V1.1, you have to send an E-Mail to the author in order to honour his work if you use StartupControl. If you ain`t able to do so, please send a nice postcard from your hometown. This distribution contains the following files: StartupControl_V1.2 StartupControl.doc StartupControl.doc.info StartupControl.guide StartupControl.guide.info Fred Fish and the makers of the "Aminet PD Series" have special permission to distribute this software package on their CD`s. INTRODUCTION: ------------- PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENTATION CAREFULLY BEFORE USING STARTUPCONTROL FOR THE  FIRST TIME TO UNDERSTAND  WHAT THE PROGRAM DOES AND WHY! StartupControl is an utility that simply gives you some more contol over the boot sequence of your dream-machine. Its usual place is on the top of the  startup-sequence. From there, StartupControl will  allow you to disable execution of User-Startup and/or all files in your WBStartup- directory. If you have OS2.1 or higher you can also disable installed monitordrivers to get a pure PAL-system that doesn`t damage a connected TV-set, which only works with 15kHz modes. To complete the variety of functions you can open a  Shell window or even directly execute a scriptfile or run an executable from StartupControl via Asl- or ReqTools filerequester The idea for StartupControl came from Lars Eilebrechts "ShadowStart 1.2" which  offers similar "disable"  functions, but leaves out Script-,Exe- and PAL-options. So I decided to write StartupControl and that`s what you got on your screen right now. You surely will find some similarities to ShadowStart in this program but why inventing the wheel twice? I like the way ShadowStart does it`s job and so I arranged  StartupControl in same way. When activating StartupControl it opens a requester where you can choose the way things will go. REQUIREMENTS: ------------- - Any Amiga with installed OS2.04 (V37) or higher - installed AmigaDos commands: execute, run, newshell - reqtools.library, if you want to use ReqTools-Filerequester - Workbench 2.1 or better for using PAL-Option INSTALLATION: ------------- - as StartupControl is a simple command I recommend to copy it to your "C:" directory, but of course you can place it wherever you want. - Grab your favourite editor and load your "S:Startup-sequence". Now insert the following line AFTER the SetPatch-command: "StartupControl_V1.2". - As I remember - that`s all... I decided to add a commandline option to use this wonderful ReqTools- filerequester when selecting files. So, if you want to use it, just write: Assign ENV: ENVARC: Startupcontrol_V1.2 -r or start "RTPatch" in front of StartupControl... (RTPatch contains to the ReqTools-Package by Nico François and can be found on Aminet or almost any other PD-Collection) The "Assign" has to be done, because reqtools.library ties to load its preferences file from ENV:. If you don`t assign ENV:, reqtools.library will use its defauts and popup a lousy requester, telling you, that ENV wasn`t found. It should be assigned to ENVARC:, because StartupControl runs very early in startup process when your contents of ENVARC: isn`t copied to RAM:ENV yet. USAGE: ------ When StartupControl is installed correctly, it is easy to use. Simply hold down  left or right ALT key or press the left mousebutton after a reset or after switching on your machine and StartupControl will open a nice requester  offering a variety of functions. Simply select one of these buttons: WB+User -> disables both, WBStartup and User-Startup WB -> only disables WBStartup User -> only disables User-Startup Shell -> opens a shell window, startup-sequence is paused until you send a BREAK to StartupControl by typing "BREAK 1" in your shell-window. Script -> opens a filerequester to execute a scriptfile and returns to the StartupControl-Menu when script has finished Exe -> opens a filerequester to run an executable file in background and returns to the StartupControl-Menu. PAL only -> disables an installed monitordriver to force PAL-mode only available with Workbench 2.1+ Cancel -> leave StartupControl, startup-sequence is continued WHAT DOES STARTUPCONTROL TO DISABLE FILES OR DIRECTORIES? StartupControl  renames the "WBStartup" directory, "S:User-startup" file or "Devs:Monitors"  directory to prevent them from being executed ("name" is renamed to "#name"). After changing names files stay renamed until next reset. To get  back their original names after disabling them, you can rename them yourself or run  StartupControl again. If you boot your machine without activating StartupControl all files and directories are automaticly  set to their original names. So if you wont disable something, there will be no change. When opening a shell window the Startup-sequence is paused. To continue executing startup-sequence,  send a "break" command to StartupControl. If StartupControl was started directly after SetPatch, it normaly has process  number 1. Typing "Break 1" in your shell-window will quit StartupControl and execution of  startup-sequence will be continued. Don`t forget to close the shell window to allow workbench to reset its screen to its needs. When using the SCRIPT or EXE option, the program returns to the menu, after execution of a selected file to give you the possibility to do further changes like opening a hell. This can be very useful, if you want to run large, memory-hungry applications like games and demos. So, you can setup a small environment via scriptfile and then watch your favrourite amiga-demos from a shell-window. RESTRICTIONS: When pressing the ALT key too early during a reset, StartupControl maybe don`t realizes that the key was pressed. This can happen, because the harware keybuffer is cleared during reset, so the keycode is already lost before StartupControl is executed. HISTORY: -------- V1.2 - Bug removed: In some cases StartupControl used wrong a path and that`s why sometimes files were not found! (I tried to do this option really safe but reached the oposite... ...that`s life) >> found & reported by B. Breuer V1.1 - EXE-Option added - after SCRIPT and EXE option, StartupControl returns to its menu to allow further selections - there are no longer two versions for OS2.0 and OS2.1+ (two in one!) - ReqTools support and commandline option added - StartupControl sets CurrentDir to ProgDir to help programs to find their stuff - minor code changes V1.0 - first public release AUTHOR`S ADRESS: ---------------- If you have any suggestions, ideas or bug-reports, please send a mail to this adress (E-Mails prefered). Dirk Jesse Promenadenstraße 11 02827 Görlitz GERMANY E-Mail: djesse@rcs.urz.tu-dresden.de Other programs I`ve written: SAMPack convert and compress really large 8bit IFF, WAVE, VOICE, RAW samples Aminet: /mus/edit/smp_v132.lha ...