| File/Directory | Description/Purpose |
| Choices (directory) | This directory is where individual applications can store their user-customisable configuration files. For example, !ZapUser settings, Delirium screensaver settings that you may have defined. It is likely to contain quite a few directories, depending upon what you've installed on your computer. |
| Choices.Boot.Desktop (file) | This is a file (filetyped 'Desktop') which shouldn't be changed by the user. It basically ensures that applications stored in the 'Hook' directories are 'seen', starts the internet resolver and determines if the !Internet part of the configuration is available. |
| Choices.Boot.PreDesk (directory) | This is where any modules or applications which need to be run BEFORE the desktop is entered are run. Only applications, Obey files and Modules are executed, so you may need to ensure that each file that goes in here is actually executed via a suitable Obey file. This is where you would place things like !X-Files, !LongFiles or utility modules such as LineEditor. There are also a number of 'system' files such as 'Configure' and 'SetUpNet'. |
| Choices.Boot.PreDesk.SetUpNet (file) | The content of this file will vary depending upon whether you have TCP/IP enabled or not from the Configuration settings. This file will be discussed in more detail on my networking pages. |
| Choices.Boot.PreDesktop (file) | This file is 'Obeyed' by !Boot.Utils.!BootRun as part of the bootup sequence, before the desktop is run. It is the file which installs the new window manager if you have it installed. It also sets the resources paths and adds any relevant applications into the 'Apps' folder on the iconbar. User commands can be appended to the end of it, such as loading new iconsprites etc. |
| Choices.Boot.Tasks (directory) | This is where your main !Boot file (on original machines) resides (if present) and also where you should place any directories that you want to be installed on bootup. This is where you would normally save your 'Desktop boot' file from the taskmanager icon. There is also a short 'Configure' obey file which sets up any relevant desktop font changes. |
| Library (directory) | This is where utility modules and executables go which are executed on typing their filename from the (f12) CLI prompt. This is kind of similar to the old DOS directory on older PCs. Things like PGP are placed in here, so that typing "PGP" will run the file without the need to specify a full pathname. For the technical users, the Library (or Run$Path) is actually specified at the beginning of the !Boot.Utils.BootRun file, so unless it's been changed it should point to this directory by default. |
| MchConfig (directory) | This directory is actually empty on my machine, so if anyone has any better ideas as to what it's for, please let me know too! :-) |
| PartNumber (file) | Serial/reference numbers for your machine internals. You can ignore this file. |
| Resources (directory) | This directory (which is generally the biggest directory, in terms of disc space, in your !Boot sequence) is where system wide resources go. Averything in here is 'seen' on bootup and essential resources like Font and System directories are located in here. Anything which is shared by multiple applications and that you want readily available if required is stored here. This is where things like !MoveFS and !Java go - Things you don't actually want running on bootup, but nonetheless want available if needed by other applications. |
| ROxxxHook (directories) | There should be four of these directories; one for each major release of RISC OS. Inside each is an 'Apps', 'Boot' and 'Res' directory, each of which contain applications and files specific to different versions of RISC OS. Generally, it is safe to delete any which are of a newer version of RISC OS to that fitted to your machine. However, if you have a RISC PC I would leave them all intact in case you later upgrade to StrongArm or something. |
| SiteHook (directory) | This directory is actually empty on my machine. |
| Utils (directory) | This contains a number of very important files - more of which later when I finish updating this site.... |
© Paul Vigay