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Menu Commando II Copyright (C) 1989,90 by Progressive Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved Sandi & Shane Stump 1321 Klondike San Antonio, Texas 78245 Voice: (512) 670 1061 BBS: (512) 670 0954 BBS: (713) 955 7211 This file is intended to familiarize you with Menu Commando II and enable you to test the product. Our online help, invoked by pressing [F1],should be consulted for more information about specific program areas. This file is NOT the complete documentation for the program; a 200 page printed manual is sent out with registered copies of the program. The Shareware Principle Shareware is one alternative to the increasingly high price of commercial software. Good software is made available for a limited test period to users for their evaluation. Once that test period is over, you should determine if you think the program is useful. If you use the program, you should send the requested contribution to the author of the program. Otherwise, you should delete the software from your machine. This software is not intended as a "freebie". Just as you work hard for a living and do not want people taking advantage of you by not paying you for your work, this is our occupation and it takes a TREMENDOUS amount of time, $$$money$$$, energy, and effort. If software authors are not reimbursed for their work, they will eventually quit writing for the shareware public. Single User On the opening screen of Menu Commando II, our name, address, Registration telephone number, and requested registration price of $50 is shown. The phone number is only provided for use in registering your copy or for REGISTERED users to call for phone support. We cannot give extensive phone support to unregistered users. If you have a question or a problem, we will try to help you, but if you do not intend to register your copy, please do not call. Registered users receive the latest version,full phone support, and a complete, printed manual. Single User Alternately, users may opt to license Menu Commando for a Licensing reduced fee of $30. This entitles you to legally use your existing copy of Menu Commando. We will send you a special file which eliminates the shareware screen. However, you do not get full phone support or the complete, printed manual. Please note, the documentation file provided with MCII is not the complete, printed manual. This file is only intended to introduce you to Menu Commando and get you started. For more detailed information about various aspects of the program, use the [F1] Help function. Correspondence If you wish to make any comments or suggestions, we recommend that you write us a letter rather than phone so that we can keep a record. If you are not a registered user and you wish a response to your letter, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). Corporate & Registration is based on the number of users using the program Multiple Copy and the number of systems that the program is installed on. Registration What this means is that the single-user registration fee of $50 does NOT register an entire user group, business, school district, or any other multiple user/computer organization. For cases like these, we have quantity pricing, as follows: Number of machines/users Discount Price per Unit 5 - 10 copies 10% discount $45 11 - 20 copies 15% discount $42.50 21 - 50 copies 20% discount $40 51 + See ORDER.DOC file Site licenses & bundling/resale agreements are also available. Please call for more information. Unregistered All unregistered copies of Menu Commando II displays the Copies registration information screen for 3 seconds everytime the program is started. When you register your copy of the program, you will receive a version that eliminates this nuisance. Other than this not-so-subtle reminder, Menu Commando is not crippled or limited in any other way. Registration We accept Mastercard/Visa/American Express by telephone only. If registering by mail, please send your name and address printed clearly along with a check or money order for the registration fee. When ordering outside of the United States, please make certain that your account is on a US bank in US funds. For oversees orders, please add $10.00 for Air mail delivery. Otherwise, we have to send it by boat (and you know how long that can take!). Program Credits Menu Commando was created by Shane & Sandi Stump for S & S Software, Copyright (C) 1989. This program and manual could not have been written without the significant help of our eight cats: Wickett, Princess, Mr. Moby, Allegro, Panda Bear, Merlin, Toby, and Genghis Khat. A few people also helped along the way. We would like to thank Mike Bryden, Bob Willoughby, Michael Ash, Larry Hayden,& (most of all) Inspector Charles Heineke for their invaluable aid in testing, suggesting, and supporting Menu Commando. This program was written using Turbo-C and Debugger, Watcom-C, and Microsoft Assembler on the Compaq Portable 80386 and the Toshiba T5200. The manual was written using Lotus Manuscript on an ALR 80386 and a Hewlett-Packard LaserJet. Introduction Program Menu Commando is a versatile program management tool that lets Description you take charge of your computer. Some of its features are: * Provides a flexible menu program with powerful commands in an easy-to-use, colorful, customizable, & menu-driven environment. * Allows mouse aficionados to use a Microsoft-compatible mouse to scurry around the screen and select commands. * Provides customizable menu security within both single user and multiple user modes. This includes the assignment of passwords to menus, programs, users, and Menu Commando commands. Security levels may also be assigned to the above options to transparently restrict user access. * Accepts unlimited number of users within multi-user mode. * Executes programs and opens menus at the touch of a key. * Keeps a record of program usage within a usage log for overall analysis. * Provides a print formatter used to customize the printed usage log. Print formatting options include specification of page length, page numbers, headers, subheaders, footers, margins, control character stripping, line wrapping, et cetera. * Exports the usage log to ASCII data files for use with your favorite spreadsheet, database, or other analytical programs. * Features a unique "menu tree" for use in creating logically structured menus and positioning programs. * Supports unlimited number of menus and programs entries within the Menu Commando menu interface. Each menu entry may have up to 26 separate program or sub-menu entries. Menus and programs may be secured for unauthorized user access by assigning restrictive security levels or requiring entrance of a password. * Sets up all aspects of program execution, including program path, work path, command line options (whether pre-defined or user-specified), password, security level, and customized help file. * Lets each user customize Menu Commando by allowing the selection of his/her password, color scheme, screen title, etc. * Restricts access to any command menu option of Menu Commando, including the Quit Menu Commando command, if so desired. * Allows you to select a color scheme that suits your tastes rather than ours or your boss's. * Lets you go to a DOS prompt to execute programs and DOS commands. * Displays a graphic directory tree showing the hierarchical relationship of the directories of the disk. * Makes, renames, and removes subdirectories at the stroke of a key. * Edits or creates files using the Menu Commando editor. Its commands include: cut, copy, and move blocks of text, wrap text, enter any ASCII graphics character, jump to any location in the file, search for occurrences of text, format the output to the printer, et cetera. * Formats 5¼ and 3½ inch diskette. As a safety precaution, a fixed disk drive can not be formatted. * Locates files on your system by name and lists them to the screen. * Maps the program contents of memory and the amount used. * Displays the volume label of a disk for modification. * And much more... System To run Menu Commando, your computer system must meet or exceed Requirements the following specifications: * IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2, or 100% PC compatible with at least 384k of main memory, and a hard disk. * MS-DOS 3.0, PC-DOS 3.0, or later version of DOS. * A printer, if the usage log is to be printed. * A Microsoft compatible mouse is optional. If using a mouse, its driver must be installed in memory before Menu Commando is run. * A color monitor is optional. * A RAM disk or EMS memory is recommended. It is used to speed up disk access when storing program information swapped to disk. The Menu When you receive Menu Commando, the disks should contain the Commando Files following files: *.EXE The Menu Commando program command modules. Should be MENU.EXE, HELP.EXE, and EDITOR.EXE. MCIIRUN.BAT A batch file used with MCII.BAT to run MCII. MCII.BAT The file used to run Menu Commando. *.HLP The Menu Commando help files. *.DOC and *.MC Information on last minute modifications, order forms, start up hints,& other products. Creation of Menu Commando creates several files which are used to store Files configuration information. MENUII.DAT File containing Menu Commando configuration information including system information, menu setup, usage log, and user database. EDITOR.CFG Editor configuration data file. Installing To install Menu Commando, create a directory on your disk Menu Commando where Menu Commando and its data files can be stored, then copy its files to this directory. Once the files have been copied, the AUTOEXEC.BAT file must be modified to contain the following line: SET MCOMMANDO=drive:\directorypath This is used by Menu Commando to locate its executable files, overlays, help files, and data without having to rely on the vagaries of the DOS PATH command. When entering this line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, replace the drive:\directory with the drive and directory that was created to house Menu Commando and its data files. For example, if a directory called MCII is created on drive C: to house Menu Commando, the SET command would look like this: SET MCOMMANDO=C:\MCII Any text editor that creates ASCII text may be used to modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file or a temporary file containing the SET information may be created and appended to the end of the AUTOEXEC.BAT. To create a temporary file, go to the directory where AUTOEXEC.BAT appears and type the following at the DOS prompt: COPY CON TEMP This opens a file called TEMP and allows you to enter data into it. Now type the SET statement as explained above and press [Enter]. Now press [Ctrl][Z]. This closes the TEMP file. Now append this file to AUTOEXEC.BAT by typing the following: COPY AUTOEXEC.BAT+TEMP To make sure that the file has been created properly, you may wish to use the DOS TYPE command to list its contents. To do this, enter the following at the DOS prompt: TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT The SET command should appear as the last line of the file. Running Menu Once Menu Commando has been installed onto your computer, you Commando should be ready to go. To run Menu Commando, type the following at the DOS prompt: MCII This begins executing the Menu Commando program. Running MCII After using this program for a while, you may want to have MCII from the run automatically every time you turn your computer on. To do AUTOEXEC this, use our editor (described at the end of this manual) to edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. This file should be located in the root directory of your boot disk. This contains information about the path, prompt type, clock, system programs, and other programs that you cannot live without. Select the Utility menu Editor command and type C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT as the file name. Now move the cursor to the bottom of the file by pressing [End], press [Enter] to start a new line, and enter MCII. Troubleshooting Three sources of reference materials are available for use in answering questions you may have about the program. These are the help utility, available when the [F1] key is pressed within Menu Commando; the README file, which contains any last-minute additions, modifications, or corrections; and this file, which introduces you to the program. Once you register, you will receive a printed manual. This manual has been written in the style of a reference book, with each section treated as if you have not read the rest of the documentation. If you experience any difficulties with any of the commands, we recommend that you first consult the Help, then the README and this file for information. If you still are having trouble,call our BBS or the technical support line shown at the beginning of this manual. When you call, have the following information written down. It would also be helpful if you can call from the vicinity of your computer. Please understand, registered users will be given priority on the technical support line. * The make and model of your computer, * The version of DOS that you are using (if you do not know, type VER at the DOS prompt), * The version & date of your copy of Menu Commando MCII.EXE, * The contents of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, * The programs in memory at the time the problem occurs (use the Utility menu Memory map command) and the programs run or commands used just before encountering the difficulty, * And the serial number of your copy of Menu Commando. The README.DOC As with most programs, the version of Menu Commando that you and HISTORY.MC have in your hand (or in your disk drive) may have already FILES undergone a few modifications and additions since the printing of the manual. A description of any such changes is provided within the Menu Commando README file. All users should read the README file and the following introductory section of the manual before using Menu Commando. In this way, you are notified of any interesting changes to the program and you may pick up some useful tips on using Menu Commando. Menu Commando Running Menu When you are ready to execute Menu Commando, type MCII at the Commando DOS prompt. What happens next depends on how Menu Commando has been set up to run on your system. Menu Commando may be set up to run as a simple single-user menu system not requiring the entrance of names or passwords or as a flexible multi-user system with program protection based on security levels and passwords assigned to users, menus, programs, and Menu Commando menu commands. Using Menu If you share the computer with several other users, whether at Commando in a work or at home, you will probably want to use Menu Commando in Multi-User user name entry mode. User name entry mode requires each person Environment entering Menu Commando to enter his or her name and password before being allowed access to the menu program. This mode lets you configure a menu structure suited to all persons using this program. Access to Menu Commando and the computer system can be controlled by not letting unauthorized users (those whose names and/or password are not correctly entered at the LogOn screen) enter Menu Commando or exit to the DOS prompt. When using Menu Commando in a multiple user environment, the person in charge of supervising computer usage may set Menu Commando up to run in user name entry mode. At this time, one person must be designated the "PC-Coordinator". He/she is responsible for defining the Menu Commando operating environment, the menu structure and program entries, and the name, security level, password, and other information for each user. The PC-Coordinator should be a reliable, knowledgeable person who can help others resolve difficulties (like recovering forgotten passwords). This person should be conversant with the users' needs since he or she must configure the menu program so that all users have easy access to the programs they need while restricting access to the programs and commands that they should not be using. Once the PC-Coordinator has set up Menu Commando, each user must enter his or her name and assigned password before being allowed to enter the Menu Commando program. By requiring each user to "log on", records can be kept detailing what each user works on and restrictions may be placed on programs that specific users should not be allowed access to. For this reason, each user should create a password which is easy to remember but hard to guess. The program is in user name entry mode when the first screen shown prompts for your name and password. A project code may also be requested. The user name entry mode is selected by the PC-Coordinator from the Setup menu Accounting Setup by setting the "Require user name to enter system" entry to Yes. When the program is in user name entry mode, all users other than the PC-Coordinator are only allowed to access their own Personal information record and the Quit Menu Commando command (if the Quit command has not already been restricted by use of a security level or password). The PC-Coordinator can use security levels and/or passwords to restrict access to various programs & menus defined within the program. The Menu Commando commands may also be restricted via use of security levels and/or passwords by using the Setup menu Privilege option. PC-COORDINATOR As mentioned above, ONE person should be selected to be the Default PC-Coordinator. The PC-Coordinator enters the menu program by Password entering PC-COORDINATOR in the name slot followed by his/her password -- this CANNOT be changed. We designed it this way to enforce the Menu Commando's security design: only one person should have access to all sensitive areas of the system. When multi-user mode is first initiated in Menu Commando, the default PC-Coordinator password is "Hello" (no quotes but case sensitive; the 'H' must be capitalized and the rest of the word should be in lower case). The PC-Coordinator should change his password to something only he/she knows -- this is done in the User section under the Setup menu. Using Menu If you are the only person with access to your computer and Commando in a this program, you probably do not want to be forced to enter Single-User your name and password each time Menu Commando is entered. For Environment users like you, Menu Commando can be used in Single user mode (the default mode). In this case, when the program is executed from the DOS prompt, the user name and password prompt is bypassed and all Menu Commando commands and menus are available to you without restriction. Whenever user name entry mode restrictions are mentioned in the following text, you may disregard that information. Added Whether Menu Commando is configured to run under Single user or Protection via User name entry mode, it may be necessary to restrict access to Use of specific programs and commands. For instance, when the program Passwords is in user name entry mode, the PC-Coordinator may want to keep most users from going to the DOS prompt. In this case, the PC-Coordinator would use the Setup menu Privilege option to assign a security level and a password to the Run menu and the Quit Menu Commando option. When Menu Commando is being used in Single user mode, you may also wish to protect certain programs or commands from unauthorized use. For instance, you may be using Menu Commando in an environment where you are the only authorized user of your computer but other persons may be able to gain access when you are not present. In cases like this, you should use the Setup menu Privilege option to password-protect the Setup menu, the Run menu, and the Quit Menu Commando command. You should also protect programs and menus defined within the Setup menu Menu option that provide access to sensitive data that you do not want others to disturb. When a password-protected program, menu, or Menu Commando command is selected, you are prompted for its password. This password must be entered exactly as defined before you are allowed to use the secured item. Security levels are used to restrict user access to options assigned a security level within the user name entry mode. User name entry mode requires each person to enter his or her name and password at a LogOn screen each time they enter Menu Commando. The user security level is defined within the Setup menu User option and can be displayed (but not altered) within the Setup menu Personal option. This value is used to compare to other security levels assigned to menus, programs, and Menu Commando commands to determine whether you are allowed access to specific options. Menu Commando options, menus, and programs with security levels greater than the security level of the user are not displayed to the screen. In this way, a single menu system can be set up for multiple persons with differing needs. Passwords are used to restrict user access to individual options which have been assigned a password. These are used to further discourage users from attempting to enter programs or commands where they have no reason for going. Passwords are also used to protect the Menu Commando options from tampering. Screen The Menu Commando screen is divided into several notable parts. Description The top line shows the [F2] command menu options. Below this is shown the information window. In the center of the screen, the default Main menu is shown with its 26 possible menu and program entries. The cursor and function key commands are shown at the bottom of the screen. Within this text file, this screen is referred to as the menu window. Command Menu The [F2] Command menu options are shown at the top of the Menu Line Commando screen. This includes the Setup menu, Run menu, and Utility menu. When in user name entry mode,a security level may be used to restrict access to either the Run or Utility option. If your security level is not greater than the security level assigned to either option, it will not be displayed at the top of the screen. Information At the top of the screen, directly below the command menu, is Window shown various items of information. When the program is in user name entry mode, the information includes today's date, your name, your title, the time, and the station number. Your title and the format used to display the date & time are both defined within the Setup menu Personal option. The station number is defined within the Setup menu Accounting Setup option. The user name must be entered by the PC-Coordinator before you are authorized to use Menu Commando. If the program is in Single user mode, only the date, title, station number, and time are shown. Menu Window The active menu is shown in the center of the screen with the contents of the menu displayed next to their alphabetic selection keys. The name of the menu is shown at the top of the menu window. The default menu displayed when Menu Commando is first entered is the Main menu. Up to 26 entries may be defined within any of these menus. These entries may be executable programs, sub-menus, headers (used to identify groups of programs or sub-menus within the displayed menu window), or blank entries (used to separate groups of entries). Menu items are defined within the Setup menu Menu option. Use the [Left], [Right], [Up], & [Down] cursor keys to move the selection bar to highlight the desired item and press [Enter] or press the alphabetic selection key. Selecting a Sub-menus are those entries with the label "MENU" shown at the Sub-menu far right of the entry. To select a sub-menu from the menu window, press the alphabetic selection key to the left of the item. When selected, the contents of the sub-menu overlaps the previously displayed (parent) menu on the screen. To move back to the parent menu, press [F3] or [Esc]. Selecting a If the menu item is a program entry, pressing the selection key Program begins executing the defined program. You may also use the cursor keys to move the selection bar to highlight the entry and press [Enter]. When a program entry is selected, Menu Commando reads in its program definition information and prepares to execute the program. If a password has been assigned to the program, you are prompted for it at this time. You must enter the password exactly as it has been defined. Programs may be set up to run using either predetermined command line information or user-specified information. Command line information is the information usually typed following the program name at the DOS prompt. If the selected program has been configured to ask for command line information, a customized prompt is shown in the center of the screen with a 60 character requesting this information. This prompt should provide information about the type of command line information expected. For instance, when using the DOS Format command to format a 3½ inch 720k diskette, the program name is FORMAT followed by the command line information B: /t:80 /n:9 Menu Commando now begins executing the program. Since Menu Commando is not a TSR, programs should have no trouble running within its environment. The only factors that may affect the operation of a program are the amount of memory required and the use of EMS memory. If the program uses EMS memory, you should check that the EMS usage option found within the Setup menu Environment command is turned Off. Menu Commando occupies between 96 bytes and 7 kilobytes of memory when it is set up to remove itself from memory.If your program reports "insufficient memory", use the Utility menu Memory map command to display the contents of memory to determine if any other programs are unnecessarily occupying memory. Also check the Setup menu Menu option to verify the run mode selected & the amount of required memory specified for the program. If you do not have access to these options,ask the PC-Coordinator to check this information. When you exit the program, you are returned to the Menu Commando menu window. From here you may continue selecting other programs for execution. Headers & Two other entries may be found within the displayed menu. These Blank Entries are headers and blank fields. Neither of these two items are executable. They are only used to describe & demarcate separate sections of the displayed menu. Command Menu The [F2] Command menu options are shown at the top of the Menu Options Commando screen. Setup Contains the Menu Commando setup options. The contents of this menu depends entirely on the program mode. When Menu Commando is in user name entry mode, all users other than the PC-Coordinator will see only two options within this menu. These are: Personal setup and the Quit Menu Commando command (if not restricted by use of the Setup menu Privilege option). When the PC-Coordinator is using the program or when in Single user mode, the setup options are: Accounting, Environment, Menu, Privilege, User, & Quit. Run Contains the temporary return to DOS options, used to execute DOS commands and programs. The options are:DOS command shell & Gateway to DOS. Utility Contains miscellaneous utilities.These include: directory maintenance commands, file editor, diskette formatter, file locator, memory map, system hardware report, date & time setup, and volume label modification. To enter command mode, press the [F2] Menu key. This places the highlighted selection bar on the first command entry at the top of the screen & lists its contents. Use the [Left] or [Right] cursor keys to move the highlighted selection bar across to the desired entry. The assigned quick keys may also be used to select the desired command menu option directly from the menu window. Security Level If Menu Commando is in user name entry mode, security levels Restriction may be used to restrict access to the Run & Utility options and the Quit Menu Commando command. If your security level is lower than the security level for the command, it is not shown on the top line of the screen and is not available for selection. Password Passwords may be assigned to any of the [F2] options by using Restriction the Setup menu Privilege option. If a command menu option is protected by a password, you are prompted for that password before being allowed to use any command within that command menu. This password must be entered exactly as defined. Command Menu The quick keys assigned to the command menu are activated by Quick Keys pressing the [Alt] key and the first letter of the menu item simultaneously. This pulls down the menu for the selected item. The command menu quick keys are as follows: Setup [Alt][S] Run [Alt][R] Utility [Alt][U] Function Keys The function keys are shown at the bottom of the Menu Commando screen. [F1] Help Shows help information for Menu Commando. [F2] Menu Activates the Menu Commando command menu, places the highlighted selection bar at the top of the screen, & lists the contents of the Setup menu. [F3] Go up Shows the contents of the displayed menu's parent menu menu.The parent menu is the menu shown overlapped by the displayed menu and is the menu that holds the displayed menu's activation key. [F10] LogOff If in user name entry mode,pressing [F10] returns to the LogOn screen where the user name& password is entered. If in single user mode,pressing [F10] exits Menu Commando. The [Alt][-] The [Alt][-] key invokes a special menu containing two options Menu that allow you to blank the monitor and password protect your computer while you are away from your desk. Blank Screen Immediately blanks the screen and shows the time, date,& screen status. This is randomly moved to a different location on the screen every 30 seconds, which protects the monitor from the prolonged display of a static image.To return to Menu Commando, press any alphanumeric key. Lock Keyboard Lets you assign a password to prevent others from gaining access to your computer without your knowledge while you are away from your desk. When selected, you are prompted to choose the password to be used, either your personal password or a different password.If you define a different password,CAREFULLY enter a 20 character word at the prompt. Select a password that is easy to remember but not easy to guess & make sure that you spell and capitalize the password carefully. Once a password is selected, the screen clears & displays a box with reactivation instructions. This moves to another screen location every 30 seconds. When you are ready to re-enter Menu Commando, press a key and enter the defined password. Capitalization of the word must be entered exactly as defined. Commonly Used Several keys are used consistently to perform similar actions Keys within Menu Commando. These keys include the cursor keys, alphabetic keys, and some of the function keys. Cursor Keys Use the cursor keys to move the selection bar to highlight the desired item. The [Enter] key is used to make a selection. A mouse may be utilized to emulate the use of cursor the keys.The [LEFT] mouse button is then used to select a command. Alphabetic Pressing an alphabetic key moves the highlighted selection bar Keys to the entry within the menu or menu window beginning with that letter and selects that option. This is only used within the menu window and pull-down menus showing highlighted activation keys. [Esc] The [Esc] key is used to exit a pull down menu without choosing a command. When mouse mode is activated, pressing the [RIGHT] mouse button may also be used to exit a menu. [F1] Help The [F1] Help key displays information describing the use of selected Menu Commando options.The screen is divided two parts. The left side lists all help topics. The right side shows the information available about the highlighted topic. The help text is a compilation of the contents of the manual. To change the help index, use the [Up], [Down], [PgUp], [PgDn], [Home], or [End] cursor keys. Pressing one of these moves the highlighted index selection bar. Press [Enter] to display the help information for the highlighted index. To scroll the help text one line at a time, use the [+] or [-] keys. Use the [Ctrl][PgDn] or [Ctrl][PgUp] keys to show the next or previous pages of the text. When you have finished reading this information, press [Esc] to exit Help. [F9] Accept The [F9] Accept key, when shown at the bottom of the screen,is used to save the contents of the menu or data entry window before returning to the Menu Commando menu window screen. This is usually shown in conjunction with the [F10] Cancel command. [F10] Exit The [F10] Exit key is usually used to exit a data entry window / Cancel without saving its contents or performing a command. When selected from the Menu Commando main window within user name entry mode, it is used to return to the LogOn screen. When in single user mode, pressing [F10] at the menu window exits Menu Commando and returns to the DOS prompt. Using a Mouse For those of you with mice scurrying around on your desktops, with Menu Menu Commando can be run with a Microsoft compatible mouse. Commando When a mouse is used with Menu Commando, a separate blinking block mouse cursor is shown on the screen. With a mouse, you may move to and select any option shown on the screen including options within the command line menu, menu window, and function key line. To select an item on the screen, move the mouse cursor to a position within the desired command and press the [LEFT] mouse button. To exit a menu or move to the previous parent menu, press the [RIGHT] mouse button. To activate the mouse within Menu Commando, use the User or Personal setup option to set the Mouse support option from Off to either Right-Hand or Left-Hand. The Left-Hand option exchanges the function of the left and right mouse buttons for left-handed users. Note: To use a mouse, the mouse driver must be installed on your system before Menu Commando is run. The mouse driver file should be placed within the AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file for automatic installation. Please consult your mouse manual for more information. When the mouse is activated, a scroll bar is added to most of the Menu Commando windows. This bar is displayed either vertically at the far right side of the screen or horizontally at the bottom of the screen above the function key line. At either end of the scroll bar are shown up and down arrows. When the mouse cursor is moved to one of these arrows, the highlighted selection bar is scrolled one entry at a time in the indicated direction. By moving the mouse cursor to a location within the scroll bar itself, the highlighted selection bar is moved directly to the relative location within the window corresponding to the selected scroll bar location. Using Menus Within Menu Commando, pull-down and pop-up menus are used within Menu extensively to list commands and options. When a menu is shown, Commando use the [Up] or [Down] cursor key to move the selection bar to highlight the desired menu item and press [Enter] to select.The highlighted letter may also be pressed to select a menu item. To exit a menu, press [Esc]. Many of the data entry windows contain one or more multiple choice responses and Yes/No options. Each time the [Right] or [Left] cursor key is pressed, the response changes to show the next or previous response in the response list. For example, when selecting the date format within the User/Personal setup window,pressing the [Right] cursor key while the response shows "American" changes it to "European".Pressing the [Right] cursor key two more times shows "Japanese" and "American" again. The mouse may also be used within any of the menus to make a selection. Simply move the mouse cursor to the command that is to be selected and press the [LEFT] mouse button. Press the [RIGHT] mouse button to exit the menu. Exiting Menu To exit Menu Commando, press [Alt][S] to display the Setup menu Commando and press [Q] to select the Quit Menu Commando option. When in user name entry mode, you can return to the LogOn screen (the screen where you are prompted for your name and password) by pressing [F10]. When in single user mode,the [F10] key may also be used to exit Menu Commando. The Setup menu Privilege option may be used to assign a password and/or a security level to the Quit command. When Menu Commando is set up in user name entry mode, a security level may be assigned to the Quit command to keep specified users from exiting the program and being turned loose at the DOS prompt. In this case, Menu Commando compares the security level assigned to the Quit command to your personal security level to determine if you are permitted to exit the program. If your level is less than that of the Quit command, you are not allowed to exit Menu Commando. If a password has been assigned to the Quit command, you are prompted for that password before being allowed to exit. When in single user mode, the only way that the Quit command may be restricted is by use of this password. If you select to quit Menu Commando and no Quit password has been assigned, you are then prompted to verify your exit command selection. Press [Y] to exit, press [N] to return to Menu Commando. Setting Up Menu Commando Defining the When you first run Menu Commando, the program is displayed in Color & other single user mode using the default system settings. To set this User Settings program to your tastes, use the Setup menu options shown at the top of the screen within the [F2] menu. The first command you should use is the Setup menu User setup option. This lets you define the user information assigned to the PC-Coordinator. The settings assigned to the PC-Coordinator are the default settings used by Menu Commando when running. To edit the information displayed on the screen (this should be the PC-Coordinator card),press [F7]. Now move the cursor to the fields to be changed and enter the appropriate information. The editable PC-Coordinator information includes: title, password (the default is Hello), bell, mouse support, screen blank interval, fill character used, color set, date format, and time format. Once the PC-Coordinator record is redefined, press [F9] to save this information. If Menu Commando is to be used in multi-user mode, now enter the names and passwords of the other users allowed access. To do this, press [F3] to Add. The editable information includes the above data, the user name, and the security level. Environment Once you have defined the preliminary user information, use the Setup Environment option available under the Setup menu to reset the options used to expedite the execution of Menu Commando. This includes the swap drive to be used, EMS status, the default Run mode, and the Snow checking status. Accounting After the Environment has been correctly configured, now decide Setup whether Menu Commando is to be used in single- or multi-user mode. If you are usually the only user of your computer and/or the information on the system is not acutely user-sensitive, continue using Menu Commando in Single-user mode. You do not have to use the Accounting Setup option, described below. If Menu Commando is to used in user name entry mode, use the Setup menu to select the Accounting option, then select the Setup option from the Accounting menu. This will display a list of options. Move to the 'Require user name to enter system' and set it to Yes. If you wish the system to track the programs and commands used while inside Menu Commando, set the 'Keep a usage log' to Yes. Privilege Once the program mode (single user mode or user name entry mode Setup (multi-user) ) is selected, you can further protect the Menu Commando information by using the Privilege Setup. In single user mode, you may only want to assign a password to the Setup menu to keep someone else from "messing up" your Menu Commando program settings & menu/program definitions. In user name entry mode, you may wish to restrict other people from using certain commands, menus, or programs. Use the Setup menu to select the Privilege option. This displays a window showing the four command areas of Menu Commando. These are the Setup menu, the Run menu, the Utility menu, and the Quit Menu Commando command. If the program is in user name entry mode, the security level can be used to restrict access to the above items. Passwords can be assigned to these areas regardless of the user mode. The Help for the Privilege window provides more information. Menu Setup Finally, after all of the above information has been edited to your liking, use the Menu Setup to define the various menus and programs that are to be available for use from Menu Commando. Defining a To set up your first menu, use the Setup menu Menu option. To Menu select, press [F2] & press [M]. This displays a window showing the menus already defined on the left side of the screen & the program entries of the highlighted menu on the right side. The first time this command is used, only one menu is shown. This is the Main menu,which is used to show all menu options defined within Menu Commando. Each menu can contain up to 26 sub-menus and / or program entries. In this way, you can set up as many menus and programs as you need. To define a sub-menu, move the highlighted menu bar to the menu where the new menu is to appear and press [F8]. You are then prompted for the activation key that is to be assigned to the menu entry. Once a key is chosen, you are asked for the title used to describe the sub-menu entry, the password (if one is required), and the security level (also if required). Once this information is entered, press [F9] to save the menu information. You are then returned to the window where, on the left side of the screen, the newly-created menu is shown indented under the menu selected and on the right side of the screen, the menu title is shown next to the selected activation key when that menu is highlighted. Remember, all created menus are subordinate to the Main menu. Defining a Now that you have defined a sub-menu, you probably would like Program Entry to define a couple of programs to appear within it. To do this, press the [F8] Switch windows command. This moves the selection bar from the left side of the screen to the right side. To define a program entry, move the selection bar down the list to highlight the activation key that you wish to use & press [F8]. This opens up the program entry definition window. This window lets you specify the information required to run the program. For example, to define a program entry for File Commando, move the highlighted selection bar down to 'F' and press [F8]. Now type in a descriptive menu title, such as "File Commando". Move the selection bar to the program directory entry and enter the directory where the File Commando program is located. Enter the name "FCII" at the program name entry. Menu Commando is smart enough to figure out what the file extension is. Now move the selection bar to the Run mode and set it to "Swap MCII". This removes Menu Commando from memory before running File Commando. Once you have defined File Commando, press [F9] to save it. Running TSRS If you need to run a TSR with an application program and the TSR from MCII cannot unload itself, you should set the run mode to "Swap MCII" and Lockup Menu Commando then unloads all loaded TSRs upon returning from Recovery the application. Using the "Swap MCII" run mode also lets you recover from SOME "locked-up" programs. If your program appears "locked-up" (where typing at the keyboard does not produce a response), press the [Shift] [Ctrl] [Delete] keys. This only works when Menu Commando is able to receive keyboard feedback while within the program. PLEASE NOTE: Do NOT confuse this key sequence with the [Ctrl] [Alt] [Delete] key combination, which reboots the computer. Last Comments Unlike Direct Access, AUTOMENU, PowerMenu, and other such menu On MCII's programs, we wanted a security system that made SENSE. Security Design The above mentioned programs achieve security by allowing the PC-Coordinator to put pre-selected passwords on all menu items. This design has a major flaw: a user who should not be able to get into a menu/program can see it on the screen and can play "guess the password". Menu Commando's security is very simple. Each user is given a security level by the PC-Coordinator. When a user logs into the system, menus/programs with a security level greater than his/ hers are not displayed! The PC-Coordinator can still assign passwords on each menu/program for added security. The PC-Coordinator can also set minimum security levels and passwords for the Run and Utility menus of Menu Commando (this is done using the Privilege setup section of the Setup menu). If the user doesn't have a high enough security level, the affected menus will not be displayed. Network A networking version of Menu Commando II will be available Users at a future date. The program will be identical, with network file support for simultaneous multiple-user access. About the Sandi & Shane Stump both attended Texas A & M University. Our Authors family is made up of 7 indoor cats, 3 permanent outdoor cats, numerous visiting cats, & a plethora of birds. No dogs, horses, or other critters yet, not because we don't want them but because our backyard is not big enough (Sandi loves animals). We began writing utilities for MS-DOS/PC-DOS in 1982, when we released the first version of PC-SWEEP. We issued File Commando in 1984,followed by Desk Commando & Disk Commando in 1985-1987. We joined DTI in 1987 and released the commercial program "Take Charge!". After leaving DTI in Nov 1988, we formed Progressive Solutions, Inc., with the idea of writing programs that fit our users' needs rather than the salesmen's. Last A lot of time and thought have been put into the design of Menu Comments Commando II. There are many features that may not be obvious to the user (they are outlined in detail in the manual). If you have questions concerning system setup,first consult this file. Questions concerning features in the program are covered in the help included with the program. If your question is not covered here (and most are), please contact us via our BBS boards or our voice support line. All the Commando Products (currently File Commando II and Menu Commando II) were written and designed by Sandi & Shane Stump. We do this FULL-TIME, not after regular 8 - 5 jobs; if you use the software,please register & support our development efforts. We cannot compete against the bigger software companies to provide useful, cost-effective programs if we cannot afford to eat.