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P O W E R M E N U P L U S
U S E R S' M A N U A L
V E R S I O N 6.0
Copyright (C) Brown Bag Software 1991
2155 South Bascom Ave. Ste. 105
Campbell, Ca 95008
U. S. A.
Telephone: (408) 559-4545
Fax: (408) 559-7090
International FAX: (719) 488-9835
Resellers contact
Software Resource: (800) 879-7899
or
(415) 485-0800
Copyright (C) 1991 Brown Bag Software, Inc.. All rights
reserved world wide. Both the PowerMenu Plus program and
documentation is copyrighted. It can not be disassembled or
modified without our express written consent.
THE SHAREWARE CONCEPT
PowerMenu Plus is distributed on a ShareWare basis. You may
use PowerMenu Plus without charge for evaluation purposes. We
suggest that this evaluation period be limited to 30 days of
actual use. If you find that PowerMenu Plus is worth continuing
to use, then you are required to pay for it. Simply complete the
registration form and mail it to us with your payment. A copy of
this registration can be used as a pro forma invoice. When you
register your copy of PowerMenu Plus, you'll receive the latest
version of the program, along with a comprehensive printed user
manual and free unlimited technical support for 90 days from date
of purchase. We aggressively develop our products, and as a
registered user you'll be entitled to upgrades at a greatly
reduced price. Most importantly though, by registering your copy
of PowerMenu (or any ShareWare product), you'll ensure the
survival of the convenient and risk free distribution method that
brought you PowerMenu Plus in the first place.
If you have received this copy from a Users' Group,
"Software Library" or "SIG", and have paid a small fee (usually
$3 to $10), you have NOT acquired the registered rights or
continued right to use PowerMenu Plus. This fee was for the
convenience of obtaining the diskette with PowerMenu Plus on it.
The fee does NOT apply to the registration fee. If you obtained
this disk from Brown Bag Software, the fee IS applicable towards
registration if you register your copy within 90 days.
You may freely copy this version of PowerMenu Plus for
distribution under the ShareWare concept, without charge.
You may NOT charge any fee for the PowerMenu Plus program or
documentation without our WRITTEN APPROVAL (usually granted).
You may NOT distribute PowerMenu Plus or it's
documentation in connection with ANY commercial venture, product,
publication or service without our written approval. This
includes, but is not limited to, the sale of computer systems or
components.
WHAT IS POWERMENU PLUS?
PowerMenu Plus is a DOS operating environment for your IBM
PC or Compatible which provides easy access to any program on
your hard disk. When you want to start a program, select it from
the menu. After you install the program into PowerMenu, no
interaction with DOS is required to run it. You press one or two
keys and you are ready to use the program. When you're done,
PowerMenu returns automatically, awaiting your next command.
POWERMENU PLUS FOR THE LAN
There is also a LAN version available. The single user
version is for a single users on a single CPU and should not be
installed on a LAN where it will be accessed by multiple users.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 2
USING THIS MANUAL
This manual is shorter than previous on-disk documentation
because of disk space constraints. This version of PowerMenu Plus
is also more powerful than any previous. A comprehensive printed
manual will accompany the registered version. Also, features may
only be mentioned once in this documentation, so read it all.
TYPE CONVENTIONS
Whenever this manual tells you to press a key, that key will
be enclosed in square brackets. For example, if you are
instructed to press the Home key, you will be told to press
[Home]. When you see two keys in the same set of brackets, such
as [Alt-S], you should hold down the [Alt] key and hit the [S]
key.
INSTALLATION
Installation is done automatically by a program called
MINSTALL. To start MINSTALL simply place disk number one in
drive A and type MINSTALL. If you have received PowerMenu from a
bulletin board. Place all of the files which you downloaded in
one directory and type MINSTALL from that directory.
The MINSTALL program will automatically unpack and copy all
the necessary files for you and copy them to the appropriate
directory. It will then search your hard disk and install all of
the applications which it finds in to the menu.
When your done installing, change to the \MENU directory and
type MENU. The initial screen you see is the PowerMenu Plus
ShareWare screen which briefly explains the ShareWare concept. By
pressing any key you will be prompted to hit "S" to start
PowerMenu Plus, "R" to register your copy, or "P" to print the
PowerMenu Plus documentation.
After hitting "R" you will be presented with a login screen.
You are prompted for your name and password. The main menu will
then be displayed. To change or add new users to PowerMenu Plus,
hit F2 to bring up the utility menu. From this menu select "USER
ACCOUNTS". To change the supervisor name hit key F7 to edit this
information. Once it has been changed, hit key F7 again to save
the changes. You can then hit [ESC] until you return to the main
menu. You can exit from PowerMenu anytime by hitting [Esc] from
the main menu.
THE POWERMENU PLUS SCREEN
In the main PowerMenu Plus screen you will probably want
to change many, if not all, of our sample menu selections. We
will tell you how to do this after we discuss the elements of the
PowerMenu screen. The top box contains Brown Bag's copyright
notice, the date on the far left and the system time on the far
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 3
right. These can be set through PowerMenu at any time (Press [F2]
to see the Utility menu and select Time or Date).
SELECTING ITEMS FROM THE MENU
Further down is the opening menu itself. Note the ten
Description Line selections under the word "PowerMenu Plus."
There are three ways to activate these description lines:
1. Highlight the selection by moving the cursor bar with the
[up arrow] and [down arrow] keys, and then hit [Enter].
2. Press a number key. This immediately activates the
corresponding program or submenu on that description line.
3. Hit the first letter of the description line.
The bottom line of your screen will be a Help Line as long
as you remain in PowerMenu Plus. The help line will give you
quick hints as to what functions are available to you. Remember
that you can get detailed help at any time by pressing [F1].
CUSTOMIZING MENUS
When first installed on your system, PowerMenu Plus may not
yet know which application programs you have on your hard disk.
You will have to give PowerMenu Plus a little help in customizing
your menu system.
The edit window is opened by highlighting the description
line and hitting the [Ins] key, and closed by hitting [Esc].
Press the [Ins] key now. Each white-on-black area is called an
Input Field, because you are expected to input data into this
field. [up arrow] and [down arrow] keys move you to the next
field.
TITLE FIELD
The top line is the description that will appear on the
menu.
DIRECTORY FIELD
Contains the name of the directory in which your
applications program resides.
CMND NAME FIELD
The filename and extension (the Command Name) of the command
you wish to run. There is a new option to enter "One
Command or a Series of Commands." Select "Series of
Commands" if you want PowerMenu Plus to run multiple
commands for that menu item.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 4
PARAMETERS FIELD
These are the arguments (a.k.a. Parameters) you send to the
program.
PASSWORD FIELD
If this field is not blank, PowerMenu will ask you to type
this password before allowing you to edit or run this
selection.
PAUSE FIELD
If you put a Y in this field, PowerMenu Plus will pause
before returning to the Main Menu screen.
PROMPT FOR PARAMETERS FIELD
If you put a Y in this field, PowerMenu Plus will prompt you
for new parameters each time.
COMMAND NAMES AND PARAMETERS
Don't worry about these fancy DOS terms: a command name is
just the name of the program you wish to run; a parameter is
additional information the program needs.
Command names in PowerMenu all have one thing in common:
they all end with either a .EXE, .COM, or .BAT. (The resident DOS
commands COPY, DIR, ERASE, REN, and TYPE are exceptions). This is
called the Extension of the command name. The extension .EXE
tells DOS that the file is EXEcutable, .COM stands for a DOS
COMmand, and .BAT means the file is a BATch of DOS commands. When
you buy a word processor, spreadsheet, or any other program for
your PC, you call it up by typing the command name. To run a
program, PowerMenu must know both the file name and the
extension. Some common programs and their command names are:
Program filename/extension
WordStar ws.com
Microsoft Word word.com
PARAMETERS
Parameters are information passed to a command name.
Sometimes you need to tell the program what file to work on. you
would do that with a parameter. For instance, if you wanted to
edit a document on your computer, the DOS command might be:
C> edlin letter.doc
When you install a program in PowerMenu, that program's
manual will probably explain what command to give DOS. Everything
after the first word are parameters.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 5
If DOS Command is... Parameters are
C>word /c letter.doc /c /c letter.doc /c
C>ws thesis.txt thesis thesis.txt thesis
With PowerMenu Plus, all you have to do is install this menu
selection once, and editing your report is one keystroke away.
If your word processor is Microsoft Word, and the program is in
the \WORD subdirectory: The description would be "Microsoft
Word" or "Word Processing". The directory is C:\WORD The command
is WORD.COM
This is how you would input the information into your menu:
Highlight description line 1 with the [down arrow] or [up arrow]
keys. Delete the sample 1 selection by hitting the [Del] key and
answer "Y". Next, hit [Ins] to open the Edit Window. All the
fields should be blank. Fill in the fields and then hit [Esc] to
close the edit window. You have just installed your first menu
selection!
Note that you won't be able to activate this selection
unless you happen to have Microsoft Word on your hard disk in the
\word directory. If you know which programs you have on your hard
disk, you can now customize PowerMenu to your heart's content.
SUBMENUS
It is possible to display as many as 4 menus on the
PowerMenu screen at once. You can do this by setting up a
selection to call a submenu. Submenus are set up by putting
"[MENU]" in the directory field, and putting a 1-8 letter menu
name in the Cmnd Name field.
You will need to remember the names of your submenus in
order to call them up. Your selection can call any existing
submenu; if the submenu does not exist, it can be created. If you
create a new submenu, it will contain blank selections until you
fill them. Your initial PowerMenu screen shows you an example of
a submenu call. If you open the Utilities for Computer edit
window, you can see how it activates a submenu named UTILITY.
ERROR MESSAGES
It is possible that you will see some error messages if you
make a mistake in setting up PowerMenu. These will appear on the
second line from the bottom. Hit [F1] to see a detailed
explanation of the error.
USER ACCOUNTS
Version 6.0 has the ability to maintain an almost unlimited
number of separate user accounts. Each user having their own
customized menus, colors, and security. There is a new option to
have user Group Menus, so now multiple users can now share the
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 6
same set of menus, while maintaining their own options and
security level.
User accounts does NOT allow more than one person to use
PowerMenu at the same time. A version of PowerMenu for use on a
LAN is available for that purpose.
NEW USERS
From the Utility menu, select USER ACCOUNTS to create or
maintain your users. The available commands are displayed across
the bottom line of the screen. The function keys allow you to add
or change the users at will.
USAGE LOG
When enabled, PowerMenu will keep a log of who did what,
when and for how long. There is also a powerful feature that
allows creation of projects and the assigning of costs to the
projects. This would allow the user to maintain billing
information accurate to the minute based on projects or to
analyze performance.
MOVING MENU SELECTIONS (SWAP)
Hitting [Alt-S] lets you drag a selection to any location on
the menu. For example, dragging the 1 selection to the 5 position
and then hitting [Enter] will exchange their contents. [Esc] will
abort.
LIST, OR REINDEX THE DATA FILES
In the unlikely event that something should damage a
PowerMenu data file, you can attempt to repair it with the
program MENUFUN.EXE. The program is run with parameters.
To reindex the menu datafile, run MENUFUN -R
To list the Submenus in your menu structure, run MENUFUN -L
If you are running with multiple user accounts, MENUFUN will
prompt you to enter a user and supply the password.
AUTOMATIC EXECUTION WITH AUTOEXEC.BAT
You can have your system automatically invoke PowerMenu
whenever you reboot on your computer. Just put the command menu
as the last line in a file called AUTOEXEC.BAT in the root
directory. The contents of a typical AUTOEXEC.BAT file might
look like this:
TIME
DATE
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 7
PATH=C:\DOS
SK
CD \MENU
MENU
BACKING UP YOUR POWERMENU FILES
You should make it a practice to routinely copy your
important files to a backup disk. This is true for all of your
applications, and not just PowerMenu.
COLOR SETTINGS
Selecting "Colors" from the [F2] Utilies menu allows you to
change your PowerMenu colors. Use the arrow keys to move the
pointer up and down. To change the text color, use the plus [+]
and minus [-] keys. Change the background color by holding down
the [shift] key while pressing the [+] and [-] keys. ([ESC] will
exit) To save your changes, either exit the program and come back
in, or run an application.
DOS WINDOW
You can directly access DOS by using the WINDOW TO DOS
command. When you press [F4] you'll be given a blank screen with
a DOS prompt. All DOS commands are valid, and you may remain in
DOS for as long as you like. When you are finished, type 'EXIT'
and hit [ENTER] and you'll be returned to PowerMenu. Remember,
all DOS commands (and even some commands DOS DOESN'T support) are
available from the Disk Manager.
KEYBOARD ENHANCERS
PowerMenu Plus is compatible with keyboard enhancement
products such as SuperKey, Prokey, and Keyworks. However, if you
redefine one one of PowerMenu's reserved keys, you might disable
some of PowerMenu's features. PowerMenu's "reserved" keys are:
[F1] - [F5]
[Shift-F1] - [Shift-F10]
[Alt-F1] - [Alt-F10]
[1]-[0]
[Alt-S]
[Alt-D]
[Alt-T]
[Home]
[Ins]
[Del]
[down arrow]
[up arrow]
[Esc]
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 8
Try to avoid redefining these keys while you are in
PowerMenu.
RAM-RESIDENT PROGRAMS
PowerMenu Plus is fully compatible with RAM-resident
programs such as HomeBase, SuperKey, and Turbo Lighting; just
follow one simple rule: Don't load RAM-resident programs through
PowerMenu!
In general, you should initialize all of your RAM-resident
programs when you boot your machine. Never have a PowerMenu Plus
selection to "Load Sidekick." (Better yet never USE SideKick! Use
our HomeBase instead!). If you load RAM-resident programs
through PowerMenu Plus, you will create a "hole" in memory when
you exit, and you may have to reboot.
SCREEN SAVE FUNCTION
PowerMenu Plus has a screen saver which turns the PowerMenu
screen off after 1-9 minutes of non-use. This prevents "burn in,"
(permanent damaage to your screen from the same image being
displayed for too long.) PowerMenu displays the message "Hit
space bar to return..." at a random place on your screen and
moves it from time to time. Screen save is only in effect in
PowerMenu Plus and will not blank the screen in your applications
programs.
SUBMENUS
It is possible to display as many as 4 menus on the
PowerMenu Plus screen at once. You can do this by setting up a
selection to call a submenu. Submenus are set up by putting
[menu] in the directory field, and putting a 1-8 character menu
name in the Cmnd Name field.
You will need to remember the names of your submenus in
order to call them up. Your selection can call any existing
submenu; if the submenu does not exist, it can be created. If you
create a new submenu, it will contain blank selections until you
fill them. Each submenu requires about 1.8 Kb of disk space. To
delete or list submenus, use MENUFUN.EXE.
ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM
From the Main Menu of PowerMenu Plus, press F2 to bring up
the Utilities Window. Highlight the word "AntiVirus" and press
the <<ENTER>> key. You can scan for viruses on your hard drive,
network drives, RAMdisks or floppy diskettes
.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 9
PC-HOOKUP (NEW FILE TRANSFER PROGRAM)
PowerMenu Plus now includes PC-HookUp, a high speed file
transfer program. This section contains instructions that will
introduce you to the basic functions of PC-HookUP. PC-HookUP is
more than just a file transfer system. It is also a
comprehensive DOS Utility, Disk Organizer, Editor and modem
communication system. A complete guide to PC-HookUP's more
advanced features is found in the PowerMenu Plus Users Manual,
you will receive when you register the program. PC-HookUP can be
executed from diskettes or a hard drive.
GETTING STARTED
If you installed PC-HookUp to be run from PowerMenu Plus,
bring up PowerMenu and press F2 to bring up the Utilities
Window. From there, select "F" for File Transfer. The Main
Screen will appear. Repeat this process on the second computer.
The system will then make an electronic connection between the
two computers. The Status Box located in the lower left corner
of the PC-HookUP Main Screen verifies the connection by
displaying Remote Active. To begin PC-HookUp, if you did not
install it to work with PowerMenu Plus, type the command "PCH" at
the DOS prompt followed by <<ENTER>>. IMPORTANT: Network users
must begin PC-HookUp with the command PCH/N. The /N option
configures PC-HookUp for use on a network. After starting the
program with the /N switch and selecting "Update All Options"
from the Setup Menu, you will no longer need to add the /N switch
on the command line, as PC-HookUp will use the network option as
the default.
If the Remote Active message does not appear:
1) Make sure the appropriate port for the selected cable is
displayed in the lower right corner of the screen.
2) Lower the baud rate.
Instructions for adjusting the port setting and baud rate are
found in the PowerMenu Plus User's Manual (the registered
version) under the Setup command.
THE MAIN SCREEN
The PC-HookUP Main Screen consists of four boxes preceded
and followed by two lines. These eight distinct areas are
oriented toward either action or information.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 10
Command Line
Across the top of the Main Screen is the Command Line.
Select a command by entering the first letter of the command
(i.e. press X for X-Fer).
Path Line
Directly below the Command Line is the Path Line. It
displays the current drive and directory.
Statistics Area
The Statistics area, located at upper left, displays
important information about the files and subdirectories
present in the current directory, as well as the total
amount of free space remaining on the disk.
Function Keys
Below the Statistics Area is the Function Keys Box which
identifies the commands initiated when a function key is
pressed.
PC-HOOKUP MENUS
PC-HookUP's user interface is designed to make file
transfers as simple as possible. This chapter will discuss
each item found on the Menu Bar (the first line in the screen
shown above) in detail. To access the PC-HookUP Menu Bar, press
the highlighted letter of the menu item. To select the first
item in the Menu Bar, press C for Commands. The Commands menu
appears. Execute a function in the Commands Menu or any other
menu in the Menu Bar using one of three methods.
1) Use the up and down arrow keys to highlight desired function
using the cursor and press <<Enter>>.
2) Press the highlighted letter in the function line.
3) Use the key or group of keys displayed to the right of the
menu line to execute that function anywhere on the PC-HookUP
screen.
COMMANDS
When selected, Commands Menu displays 15 functions. Two of
these functions have a secondary menu designated by a caret
symbol at the right side of the menu line. The secondary menus
appear when a function is selected.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 11
Log Drive, Subdir or Wildcard...
This function allows easy access to alternate drives,
subdirectories or files. Once this function is activated, a
pop-up window appears where you type in the desired drive,
subdirectory or wildcard files and/or subdirectories to be
displayed.
Change to Highlighted Directory:
This function takes you into the highlighted directory
instantaneously.
Display Remote Files
The remote computer's files are easily viewed on your
computer with the Display Remote Files function. When
activating this function, your computer will display both
computers' files simultaneously.
Display Directory Tree...
PC-HookUP provides several tools to assist in organizing
files and directories. One of these tools, Directory Tree,
gives you a graphic display of the directory structure of
your disk. When Display Directory Tree is selected, you
will be asked, Display Directory Tree for which drive?
Enter the current or any active drive letter and press
<<Enter>>. A graphic display of the selected drive will
appear. To change drives at this point, press C. To move to
any directory, highlight it and press <<Enter>>. The
directory selected will automatically be highlighted the
next time Directory Tree is accessed either through this
function or functions in HookUP-DOS such as Copy Files and
Move Files. The Directory Tree also lists the number of
files that are in each directory, each file's size; as well
as the total number of directories, files and bytes.
Adding\Removing Directories
PC-HookUP's Directory Tree allows you to add or remove
directories. To add a directory, place the cursor on the
desired parent directory and press the Ins key. A pop-up
window appears. Type in a directory name and press
<<Enter>>. The new directory will appear highlighted in the
Directory Tree window. To remove a directory, place the
cursor over the directory to be removed and press the Del
key. You can remove directories only when:
1. The directory to be removed contains no files
or subdirectories.
2. You are not logged to the directory to be
removed.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 12
An error message appears when you violate one of these
rules. Note: The Hacksaw feature in the HookUP-DOS menu is
not constrained in this way. Use it to remove a directory
and all files and subdirectories below it.
Transfer Directory
All files in a directory can be transferred within Directory
Tree by highlighting the directory to be sent and pressing
F2. Files will transfer to the current directory of the
remote computer. When the transfer is complete, the
Directory Tree window remains on the Local computer and the
Remote shows the files it has received.
Exiting Directory Tree
Exit the Directory Tree window by changing directories or
pressing the Esc key which will prompt for destination to
be typed in.
Reload Directory
This function updates your directory and displays the most
current list of files and subdirectories.
View/Edit Highlighted
Select View/Edit Highlighted to view and revise the contents
of a highlighted file. File display can be in Hex or
Regular fashion. Selecting this option automatically
invokes PC-HookUP's built-in text editor. To access the
editing mode, press F5 when the file is displayed.
Rename Highlighted...
Renaming a file or directory is easily done by selecting
this function and typing in the desired name in the pop-up
window.
Change Attributes of Highlighted File
When this function is activated, a pop-up window appears.
Select the attribute you wish to change by moving the cursor
to highlight your choice. Press <<Enter>> and the
attribute will be changed. If the cursor is highlighting a
directory, no action will take place.
R/W: Marks the files as write or read only, not to
be modified or erased.
Hidden: Makes a file invisible to the DOS commands
Dir, Copy, and Del and invisible to the PC-
HookUP directory.
Sys: DOS system files.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 13
Archive: Marks a file as having been changed. This is
useful for keeping track of when files need
to be backed up.
Print Files or Directory
Use this function to print the list of files in the current
directory, the Directory Tree structure, a group of tagged
files or the contents of a single file.
Directory Sort
Sort controls the way file names are displayed in
the Directory Box. It does not affect how the files are
arranged on the disk. Select Directory Sort and a
secondary pop-up window appears. Use the up and down arrow
keys to highlight the field used in the sort. Press enter
to make your selection. File names can be sorted in the
following ways:
Name: Alphabetically by the eight character file
name and the three character extension.
Ext: Alphabetically by the three character
extension.
Size: Numerically by file size in bytes.
Date: By the system date assigned through DOS when
the file is created or modified.
DOS: Unsorted, in the same order as DOS.
Sort Direction
Indicate which order to use:
Display Low to High: Displays in ascending order.
Display High to Low: Displays in descending order.
Locate Files on Drive
Locates files that match the specification entered in
wildcard pop-up window: When file is located a second pop-
up window displays six choices for action:
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 14
1. Skip the current located file and continue
the search.
2. Delete the current located file and continue
the search.
3. Jump to the directory of the located file and
highlight it with the cursor.
4. List all the located files on the screen.
5. Edit the contents of the located file. Press
F5 to access editing mode when file is
displayed.
6. Quit locating files.
Locate Files in Subdirs
Performs the same function as Locate Files on Drive except
PC-HookUP searches only the current directory and its
subdirectories for files specified.
About...
This is where you find information about PC-HookUP such as
version number of the software, telephone and address of
Brown Bag Software.
Quit to DOS:
Exit PC-HookUP by selecting Quit. A pop-up window asks for
verification.
X-fer:
The X-Fer menu provides several methods used in file
transferring. When selected, the X-Fer menu item displays a
list of eleven functions described below.
Highlighted:
When selected, the file or subdirectory highlighted
by the cursor is transferred.
Tagged:
When selected, all tagged files in the current
directory are transferred. The Local and Target
computers provide verification of each transferred
file.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 15
Wildcard spec:
Wildcard operates similar to the DOS wildcard. When
selected, a pop-up window appears where you enter a
file specification. Global characters such as ? and
* are supported. The question mark serves as a
replacement for any single character in the file
name or extension. The asterisk can be substituted
for multiple characters. All files in the current
directory that match the file specification are
transferred.
All files listed:
When the All files listed option is selected, all of
the files residing in the current directory, whether
tagged or untagged, are transferred.
Entire Drive:
It is possible to transfer any or all files,
directories and subdirectories on the entire drive
by selecting this option. The contents of the
transfer is determined by a file specification
entered in the pop-up window. A duplicate of the
Local computer's structure is recreated beneath the
current directory of the Remote.
All Files and Subdirs:
All Files and Subdirs has the same effect as Drive,
except transfers are limited to the files and
subdirectories of the current directory. The
contents of the transfer is determined by a file
specification entered in the pop-up window. The
Local computer's structure is retained similar to
that described in Entire Drive above.
Subdirs via Find:
Transfers all files in current directory and its
subdirectoires that match specification entered in
Locate Files in Subdirs...
Subdirs via Find:
Locates all files in current directory and its
subdirectories that match the specification and asks
for confirmation before transferring. Will continue
to locate and transfer files until search is
complete or the Esc key is pressed.
Drive via Find:
Locates files matching the specification and asks
for confirmation before transferring. Will continue
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 16
to locate and transfer files until search is
complete or the Esc key is pressed.
Chat with Remote:
Allows exchange of messages between two computers. When
activated, this function produces a beep and clears the Main
Screen from both monitors. The Chat screen appears. The
Chat screen has two sections. The top portion displays the
character input of the Local computer while the bottom half
shows messages from the Remote. Messages typed on either
keyboard appear on both screens simultaneously. The messages
can be edited in the usual manner, but they cannot be saved
to disk.
Phone:
The Phone menu contains options related to PC-HookUP's
telecommunication capability. Hayes compatible 300-2400
modems are supported. The instructions in this manual were
written with the assumption that you are familiar with the
operation of your modem.
Phone Book:
Phone Book creates a data base of phone numbers. It also
stores modem speed, port and other technical settings for
each. When selected the following window appears.
Adding an Entry:
Press the Ins key. The cursor appears in the Name
field. Enter the name and press <<Enter>>. The
cursor moves to the Number field. Enter a phone
number with the complete dialing sequence. For
instance, 1 plus the area code for long distance. If
you are dialing through a switch system that
requires you to dial 9 to get an outside line, enter
the 9 before the number, separated by a comma for
time delay. To insure tone dialing insert the letter
T prior to the number entered. For example, T9,1-
312-555-1212. Press <<Enter >>. A pop-up window
appears containing communication settings. These
settings must be correct for proper communication.
Typically the first four will need to be verified.
The balance are for special communication needs. Use
the arrow keys to make changes, press <<Enter>> or
<<Esc>> when finished.
Mode:
Choose PCH to communicate with PC-HookUP, TERM for
all other communication systems. DIAL is used for
voice transmission in speed dialing.
Baud:
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 17
Choose the speed (300-2400) for the Local and Remote
computers. The speed selected must match the remote
system.
Port:
Select the interval port serving the modem.
Type:
Dialup dials number and waits for response from
modem.
Saving an Entry
There are two ways to save your Phone Book entries,
<<Enter>> and <<Esc>>. When <<Enter>> is pressed, a
popup window appears asking if you want to save your
new entry to disk. Respond with Yes or No. The
modem will then dial the highlighted number. When
<<Esc>> is pressed, a pop-up window appears asking
if you want to save your new entry. Respond with Yes
or No. You will then return to the Phone command.
The modem will not dial the highlighted number. The
Phone Book stores all entries in the file PCH.PHN.
If this file does not exist or is not located in the
current directory or path, a pop-up window will
appear asking if you would like to create such a
file. If the file already exists, enter No and
locate the file and then copy it to the path or
current directory.
Calling an Entry
Place the cursor over the desired number and press
enter. The modem will automatically make the call.
Editing an Entry
Edit an entry by placing the cursor over the listing
and press F5. Input the new information and press
<<Enter>>.
Deleting an Entry
Place the cursor over the entry to be removed and
press the delete key. Respond Yes in the pop-up
window. Save changes as described above.
Force Modem Hang up
This command disengages the modem so it will be ready
for the next call.
Dial a number...
Type the number and press enter. The modem will
automatically make the call but the system does not
save the number.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 18
Capturing the exchanged information
At any time you can collect all information sent to
and from the Remote computer by pressing the Alt and
C keys simultaneously. This will invoke a pop-up
window where you enter the name of the file to be
stored. When you wish to stop collecting
information and close the file press Alt C again.
This ASCII file can then be viewed or printed by PC-
HookUP.
Set to Answer calls
Incoming calls are automatically answered. When
connected, PC-HookUP performs as if the computers
were in the same room.
PCH File Transfers
PC-HookUP connects with a remote computer running PC-HookUP
and works as if the computers were connected locally. Send
and receive files as you would when using PC-HookUP.
Remember that pressing F4 will display the current
directory of the Remote.
Receiving files via X-Modem protocol
Since we have no way of knowing which system you will be
communicating with, we can not include a tutorial.
However, we will provide a brief example of exchanging
files with a typical bulletin board. Sign on in the normal
manner. Prepare the Remote system to send a file using the
X-Modem protocol. This usually involves viewing the
available files and selecting one. In this instance,
EXAMPLE.FIL. A typical bulletin board ready to send
message would be:
Download what? EXAMPLE.FIL
X-Modem send of EXAMPLE.FIL ready.
Transfer Time 2 Min, 19 Sec (Approx.)
Now that the Remote system is ready to send, tell PC-HookUP
to receive the file by pressing F4. A pop-up window will
appear for you to enter the name of the file as you would
like it stored on the Local computer. Input the filename
and press <<Enter>>. PC-HookUP will verify that it is
receiving the file. When complete the Remote system gives
the awaiting command message.
Sending files via X-Modem protocol:
First tell the Remote system to receive a file:
Upload what? NEWFILE.FIL
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 19
X-Modem receive of NEWFILE.FIL ready.
When the Remote computer is ready to receive, press F2 to
send the file. Enter NEWFILE.FIL in the pop-up window and
press <<Enter>>. PC-HookUP will begin sending the file and
verify the process on the screen. When finished, the
Remote system awaits your next command.
Speed Dialing
Store your most commonly dialed numbers in Phone Book and
use PC-HookUP as a speed dialer. Add numbers in the normal
manner and select DIAL in mode. When selected, the number
is dialed and you can talk to the party that answers. For
a better voice level, press any key after the connection is
made, to release the modem.
Dial a number
Quick calls are made by Dial. When chosen, a pop-up window
appears. Enter the number to be dialed. Include all
necessary numbers to complete the dialing sequence. Press
<<Enter>>. A pop-up window will appear with the message,
Awaiting Answer and the modem will begin to dial. PC-
HookUP will communicate with most popular modem packages
including: bulletin boards, Cross talk, PC-Talk, TelPak and
dial-up services. Dial defaults to PCH mode. If you are
calling a computer that is running a modem package other
than PC-HookUP, then you must enter the Terminal mode. Do
this by selecting Terminal after the connection is made.
Reenter Terminal Mode
Sometimes it is necessary to temporarily exit the
communication mode and return to the Main Screen. To do
this, press F10. A pop-up window will appear asking if you
want to exit Terminal. Do so by pressing <<Enter>>. The
Main Screen will appear, but your modem will remain
connected to the Remote computer. When you finish, select
Reenter Terminal Mode from the Phone menu and you will
again have access to the Remote computer. Occasionally the
connection with the Remote computer will be broken when you
temporarily exit the Terminal mode. When this occurs,
select Phone Book and redial to re-establish connection.
Problems and Solutions
When you try to use Phone options and there is no response
from the modem it can usually be attributed to one of
several problems. The most common is a wrong Port setting.
Make sure you have indicated the correct port through the
Phone Book or Select X-fer Port function under Setup. Also
make sure the Baud rate accommodates the Local and Remote
modems. Sometimes the Status Box will display the message,
receiving garble. This means the connection has been made,
but stray data has entered the line. You can correct this
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 20
situation by pressing F9. Remote Active should appear and
PC-HookUP is ready for work.
Tag
The Tag commands allows you to mark (tag) groups of files.
Files will remain tagged until you change directories,
select Clear or press the F9 key. In addition to the tag
options explained below, the space bar, minus key and plus
key perform tag functions as explained in the Quick Start
section of the manual.
Highlighted: Tags file highlighted by the cursor.
All files: Tags every file in the current
directory.
Tag per Wildcard spec:
Tags files in the current directory that match a
file specification entered in the pop-up window. If
no matches are found, no files are tagged.
Untag per Wildcard spec:
Removes tags from all files that match a
specification entered in the pop-up window.
Invert Tags:
Reverses tags. Removes the tags from the files that
have been marked and tags the files that were not
marked.
Clear Tags:
Removes all tags from files in the current directory.
Retag Files marked:
After a successful transfer of tagged files, the tag
markers change from triangles to hyphens. By using
the Retag option, the tags are restored. Only the
files in the current directory that have hyphens can
be retagged.
Tag all Below Highlighted
Tags the highlighted file and all those below it.
Even files that are out of view will be tagged.
per Date/Time spec...
Tags all files between a specified range of date and
time. For example, select the per Date/Time spec
option. A pop-up window appears containing the
prompt Low, followed by a default date and time.
Enter the date and time of the oldest file to be
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 21
tagged and press <<Enter>>. A second prompt, High,
appears. Input the date and time of the most recent
file to be tagged and press <<Enter>>. PC-HookUP
tags all files within the specified range. PC-HookUP
allows for tagging shortcuts in the per Date/Time
spec entry to make tagging easier.
Prune (global erase)
Prune is a powerful option that helps you maintain your disk
drive by enabling you to readily delete several files with
one simple command. First, the files in the current
directory are deleted. Then files within associated
subdirectories are removed. The directory structure remains
in tact although all files are removed. It is strongly
suggested that you carefully review the following example
before attempting to use Prune.
Prune/Hacksaw Example
Select Prune or Hacksaw. If logged to the root
directory, a pop-up window appears. If you wish to
delete all the files and save the DOS and Read Only
files respond Yes. This will save the files needed
to boot your system. If you respond No, all files
will be deleted and you will not be able to reboot
your system. A second pop-up window appears with the
prompt, Here Save. Response to this applies to the
current directory. All saves the files in the
current directory and deletes all others. None
deletes all files. A third pop-up window appears.
Enter a file specification and press <<Enter>>.
Before PC-HookUP deletes all matching files, it will
ask for verification. This helps to prevent
inadvertent file deleting. As the files are deleted,
they are listed on the screen. You can interrupt
Prune or Hacksaw at any time by pressing the Esc
key. However, files deleted prior to pressing Esc
will not be restored.
Hacksaw (delete subdirectories)
Hacksaw operation is similar to Prune. While Prune is
limited to removing files, Hacksaw removes files as well
as directories and subdirectories. It is important that you
read the preceding example on Prune and Hacksaw before
attempting to use Hacksaw. We suggest using it on a floppy
disk before you try it on your hard drive. Improper use
could delete important information.
Status Box
Beneath the Function Keys Box is the Status Box.
Information regarding the status of the electronic
connection is found here.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 22
Condition Line
Immediately below the Status Box is the Condition Line. It
will display a message if an error occurs during
transmission.
Directory Box
The large box to the right of center is the Directory Box.
It displays the files that are in the current directory,
seventeen files at a time. If your directory contains more
than seventeen files you can use cursor movement, described
below, to view the files that are not shown.
Communication Line
Below the Directory Box is the Communication Line which
lists the current communications parameters.
Help System
Any time you are using the program and need further
instruction, you can access the on screen help system by
pressing the F1 key.
Pop-up Windows
PC-HookUP requests information essential to complete a task
or process through pop-up windows. Some pop-up windows
prompt you with a question, others require you to enter the
information directly. To answer a question, place the
cursor over your selection and press <<Enter>>. You can
also select an answer by pressing the first letter of your
choice (i.e. Y for Yes). The highlighted answer is the
default response. Press the Esc key to exit a pop-up window
or move up one step in the Command Line structure.
Cursor Movement
There are several different cursors in the PC-HookUP system.
Typically, cursors are the highlighted areas of the screen.
For this quick booklet we will limit our discussion to the
cursors found in the menus and Directory Box. These two
are responsible for a majority of the work you will do with
PC-HookUP. The arrow keys are the simplest way to move the
cursors (Num Lock must be off). The up and down arrows move
the Directory Box cursor. Other keys that control the
Directory Box cursor are Home, End, PgUp and PgDn. Take a
moment to become familiar with how different keys affect
cursor movement.
Transfer A File
For the purpose of this Quick Start Section we refer to the
two computers as Local and Remote. Local is the
transmitting computer. Remote is the receiving computer. To
send a file, position the Local computer's Directory cursor
over the file you wish to send and press F2. PC-HookUP will
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 23
automatically copy the file to the current directory of the
Remote computer. Once the process is complete, the file
will exist on both computers. When sending files, it is
important to make sure you are working in the correct drive
and directory on both computers. This insures that files
will end up where you want them.
Changing the Current Drive
Changing the current drive can be accomplished through the
use of the F3 key. For example, to switch from the A drive
to the C drive, press F3 and enter C: at the pop-up window.
PC-HookUP instantly changes to that drive.
Changing the Current Directory
Use the F6 key to change directories. Place the cursor over
the desired directory listing in the Directory Box and press
the F6 key. You can also change directories using the F3
key as described above.
Tagging Files
To PC-HookUP a tag indicates a request for action. Typical
file actions include: transmitting, copying, deleting and
printing. Tag highlighted files by pressing the space bar,
plus (+) or minus (-) keys. Each key acts as a switch,
turning the tags on and off.
Space Tags the file highlighted by the cursor and
the cursor moves down one position.
Plus key Tags the file and moves the cursor down one
position.
Minus key Moves up one position and tags the file.
Placing the cursor over the current directory indicator
located at the top of the Directory Box and pressing the
space bar will tag all of the files in the directory.
Multiple File Transfers
Using the Tag feature makes transmitting a group of files
simple. Tag all of the files you wish to send and press F2.
PC-HookUP will automatically send any files that have been
tagged to the current directory of the Remote. If no files
have previously been tagged, PC-HookUP assumes that the file
highlighted by the Directory Box cursor is to be sent.
Room To Send
When you are sending files it is important to make sure
there is enough room on the Remote computer to receive them.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 24
The available space is shown in the Statistics Area.
Compare the Dir Free size on the Remote computer to the
Tagged total size on the Local computer. If you forget to
check the space available and attempt to send more files
than the Remote can receive, PC-HookUP will notify you
through a pop-up window. This window gives you three
options:
Retry Try again after you have changed the diskette
on the Remote computer to one that has more
space available.
Skip Skip the current files which you are
attempting to send and scan the directory to
choose a smaller file which would fit in the
room remaining.
Quit discontinue the transmission. process. At
times you may wish to stop during
transmission. Do this by using the Esc or
F10 keys. The Esc key will automatically
halt the transmission. The F10 Key will
pause, giving you the message, Paused type
Esc to quit.
Deleting Files
After a file is sent, it may not be necessary to store it on
the Local computer. To delete it, position the cursor over
the file and press the Del key. A pop-up window appears to
insure that you do not delete the wrong file. When several
files are tagged and the Del key is pressed, a pop-up window
will appear asking if you wish to delete all tagged files.
To delete all of the files in a directory, place the cursor
over the current directory indicator and press the delete
key.
Remote Mode
The Remote mode enables you to control the activities of
both computers from the Local keyboard. While in this mode
the keyboard of the Remote computer is inactive. The F4 key
acts as an on and off switch to enter and exit the Remote
mode. After pressing F4 a mirror image of the Remote
computer's directory is displayed on the left side of the
Local screen.
Switch Directories
When the Remote mode is invoked the cursor appears in the
Remote directory on the Local computer. To switch cursor
control from the Remote to the Local directory press the Tab
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 25
key. Press it again and control moves back to the Remote
directory. While in the Remote Mode, the Remote directory
covers the statistical area. If you wish to view this area,
press the F1 key. The cursor location will determine which
computer's statistical information is displayed. For
example, if you wish to view the statistical area of the
Local computer, make sure the cursor is resting within the
Local directory, and press F1. Press Esc and the Remote
directory will return to the display.
Remote Busy Message
When one computer is involved in a task that is not directly
related to file transmission, the Remote Busy message
appears in the Status Box of the other computer. When the
task is finished the Remote Active message should return.
If it doesn't, press F9 to refresh the screen.
Add/Delete Directory
You can add and remove directories through the use of the
Del and Ins keys. Pressing Ins will produce a pop-up window
to prompt you for a new directory name. Input the name of
the directory to be added and press <<Enter>>. The new
directory will be placed under the current directory. To
delete a directory, position the cursor over the directory
to be removed and press Del. PC-HookUP will not delete the
current directory or a directory that contains files or
subdirectories.
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 26
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
The minimum system requirements to run PowerMenu are:
IBM PC, XT, AT or compatible computer
A hard disk
A floppy disk drive
512K Bytes of RAM (only 3Kb RAM impact when running
programs.)
PC- or MS-DOS Version 3.10 or greater
Color monitor (optional)
GLOSSARY
[Alt] key The key labeled Alt at the left of your keyboard.
This key is most often used by holding it down and hitting
another key.
AUTOEXEC.BAT The batch file run automatically by DOS whenever
you reboot your computer.
batch file A text file containing a list of commands to be
carried out by DOS.
clock/calendar card An accessory for your computer which keeps
the correct time and date even when your computer is turned
off. Some computers have these as standard equipment.
[Ctrl] key The key labeled Ctrl at the left of your keyboard.
This key is most often used by holding it down and hitting
another key. cursor The flashing underscore on your screen
that indicates where text will appear should you press a
key. Also directs your attention to a particular area of the
screen. cursor bar The line of reverse video text on your
screen. The cursor bar is moved with the [down arrow] and
[up arrow] keys.directory An imaginary "room" an your hard
disk which contains files of similar types. There are DOS
commands to allow you to create, change to, and delete
directories.
[Enter] key The large key to the right of your keyboard. On some
computers, this is labeled [Return].
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 27
[Esc] key The key on your computer labeled Esc, meaning Escape.
file Computer term for a group of data on your disk. The
text of a report, the numbers in a spreadsheet, and
instructions to a program are all examples of disk files.
function keys The ten keys labeled F1 - F10 on your keyboard.
highlight A PowerMenu selection is highlighted when the cursor
bar is over that selection.
\MENU directory The directory on your hard disk where all
of your PowerMenu files reside.
parameters Information sent to a DOS program at runtime.
PREMIER TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICE
Brown Bag Software now offers Premier Techincal Support.
This new service includes free technical support and product
upgrades for a period of one year. The annual fee for Premier
Support is only $29.95. *(Note: Without Premier Support you will
only receive free Technical Support for 90 days from date of
purchase.)
COMBINATION PARALLEL/SERIAL CABLE AVAILABLE
A combination parallel/serial cable is available for use
with PC-HookUp. Direct link (Use of the Combo Cable) provides
the fastest and most error free file transfers. This cable
enables you to take advantage of serial transfer speeds up to
115,200 baud. Each end of this 6 foot cable contains a 25 pin
serial, a 25 pin parallel, and a 9 pin serial connector. Our
cables are shielded and are UL approved. The cost is only
$29.95. Prices includes shipping & handling. California
residents add appropriate sales tax.
SITE LICENSES AND BUNDLING ARRANGEMENTS
Corporate site licenses and bundling arrangements are
available direct from Brown Bag Software. Site licenses can be
used to distribute large quantities of PowerMenu Plus and its
documentation within a specific organization at very reasonable
prices (hundreds of dollars less per copy than competing
products).
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 28
Bundling arrangements can be used to distribute copies of
PowerMenu in order to promote some other product or service.
Note that neither of these activities is permitted under the
limited license granted to all users of PowerMenu without the
expressed written consent of Brown Bag Software.
A NetWork ("LAN") Version of PowerMenu Plus. Contact Brown
Bag Software in Campbell, CA USA via fax 408-559-7090 or voice
408-559-4545 for information on the PowerMenu Plus LANPAK or see
your Software Dealer. Resellers contact our destributor
Software Resource at (800) 879-7899 or (415) 485-0800. REMEMBER,
you get the latest version when you register.
REGISTRATION IS NOT OPTIONAL.
If you want to continue to use PowerMenu Plus, you are
required to register it. If you don't know if you're already
using a registered copy, call Brown Bag software.
SPECIAL LIMITED-TIME OFFER:
Register PowerMenu Plus for only $89.95 and receive another
Brown Bag Program for only $29.95. LIMITED ONE PER CUSTOMER.
Call us at (408) 559-4545 or FAX (408) 559-7090 for more details.
ORDERING POWERMENU PLUS
To order PowerMenu Plus fill out the order form and mail or fax
it with payment or credit card information to:
Brown Bag Software Phone Orders - 24 hours
Atten: Orders (408) 559-4545
2155 South Bascom Ave. Fax: (408) 559-7090
Suite #105
Campbell, CA 95008 USA
International FAX: (719) 488-9835
Resellers: Contact Software Resource at: (800) 897-7899
Power Menu Plus Users Manual 29
POWERMENU PLUS ORDER FORM
Product Price Qty Amount
-------------------------------------------------------------
PowerMenu Plus 6.0 $89.95
-------------------------------------------------------------
PowerMenu Plus (Upgrade) $29.95 **
-------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal:
-------------------------------------------------------------
California Sales Tax:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shipping and Handling $7.50
-------------------------------------------------------------
Total:
-------------------------------------------------------------
** Registered users of PowerMenu. who purchased PowerMenu after
7/15/91, upgrade is free plus $5.00 shipping and handling.
All products include 5.25" & 3.5" size diskettes.
Prices Subject to Change Without Notice
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Serial # from your copy of PowerMenu Plus:___________________
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Power Menu Plus Users Manual 30
