PCjs Machines
Home of the original IBM PC emulator for browsers.
PC-SIG Diskette Library (Disk #1924)
[PCjs Machine "ibm5170"]
Waiting for machine "ibm5170" to load....
Information about “MENU CONSTRUCTION SET 1 OF 2 (2119 ALSO)”
This isn't merely another menu program, rather it is software that lets
you construct customized and detailed menus. With MCS, you can create
extremely clean menus, with no unnecessary distractions on the screen.
The menus are not memory resident, and therefore use no additional
memory.
Create attractive colorful menus with shadowing effects. Your menu
choice can run a batch file, display an informational screen you
create, or display another menu. MCS allows up to 100 items per
menu and there's no limit on the number of menus in a given menu set.
The edit/construct mode uses "1-2-3 like" commands to walk you through
the process of creating your own menu design. There are no
documentation manuals with this program -- that's how easy it is to
use! Ideal for the system consultant or computer pro who needs to
create a user friendly environment for computer neophytes. Full
mouse and LAN support is provided.
FILE1924.TXT
Disk No: 1924
Disk Title: Menu Construction Set 1 of 2 (2119 also)
PC-SIG Version: S1.2
Program Title: MENU CONSTRUCTION SET
Author Version: 1.1
Author Registration: $47.50
Special Requirements: 384K RAM and a hard drive.
This isn't merely another menu program, rather it is software that
lets you construct customized and detailed menus. With MCS, you can
create extremely clean menus, with no unnecessary distractions on the
screen. The menus are not memory resident, and therefore use no
additional memory.
Create attractive colorful menus with shadowing effects. Your menu
choice can run a batch file, display an informational screen you
create, or display another menu. MCS allows up to 100 items per
menu and there's no limit on the number of menus in a given menu set.
The edit/construct mode uses "1-2-3 like" commands to walk you through
the process of creating your own menu design. There are no
documentation manuals with this program -- that's how easy it is to
use! Ideal for the system consultant or computer pro who needs to
create a user friendly environment for computer neophytes. Full
mouse and LAN support is provided.
PC-SIG
1030D East Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale Ca. 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1989 PC-SIG, Inc.
GO.TXT
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ <<<< Disk #1924 MENU CONSTRUCTION SET (disk 1 of 2, 2119 also) >>>> ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ To start using the program, type: COPY README PRN (press enter) ║
║ ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
(c) Copyright 1990, PC-SIG Inc.
INSTALL.TXT
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ The Menu Construction Set 1.1 ║
║ ║
║ (c) Copyright 1990 by Optimal Solutions of NH ║
║ "Software solid as a rock" ║
║ ║
║ ...loading installation program... ║
║ ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
MCS.DOC
THE MENU CONSTRUCTION SET
(c) 1990 by Optimal Solutions of New Hampshire
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Installation Instructions................................................1
How to run MCS...........................................................1
Licensing Information....................................................1
Pricing/Licensing........................................................1
Special Note for Turnkey 3.X users.......................................1
Command Descriptions.....................................................2
Top Level Commands.......................................................2
Using the Add Command....................................................2
Using the Edit Command...................................................3
Using the Menu Command...................................................3
Using the Global Command.................................................3
Using the Set Command....................................................4
Using the Run Command....................................................4
Using the Xport Command..................................................4
Using the Info Command...................................................4
Using the Quit Command...................................................4
Technical Support........................................................5
Information about Reconfig - The DOS Configuration Manager...............5
Order Form...............................................................6
-1-
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MENU CONSTRUCTION SET
Insert Installation Disk 1 into a floppy drive and then type:
A: (or B: if you are using Drive B)
INSTALL
The installation program will let you know when to insert Disk #2. Older
versions of MCS came on three diskettes, new versions come on two diskettes.
HOW TO RUN THE MENU CONSTRUCTION SET
Type MCS to run the menu authoring environment.
Type MENU to run the menus that you have created with MCS.
LICENSING INFORMATION FOR THE MENU CONSTRUCTION SET
MCS is being distributed under the Shareware concept, which allows you to
try the software first before buying. You only pay for the software if you
decide to use it.
Upon receipt of your registration check, OSNH will send you the following:
o Latest version of MCS
o The User's Manual
o Automatic upgrade to MCS 2.0 (when available)
Normally MCS is sold with a single user, single machine license. However,
you can purchase the LAN server license, which allows all PCs that connect
to the server to run MCS at no additional cost. Or, you can purchase the
unlimited run-time distribution license, which allows you to distribute
an unlimited number of run-only versions of the menus you create.
PRICING/LICENSING (Order form on last page)
Single user, single machine license (retail $95).............$47.50
LAN Server license (retail $295)............................$147.50
Unlimited run-time distribution license (retail $295).......$147.50
Send check or money order to:
Optimal Solutions of NH, 6 Salem Road, Atkinson, NH 03811
Hardware requirements are an IBM-compatible microcomputer with 384K memory
running DOS 2.0 or later, and a hard disk.
SPECIAL NOTICE FOR TURNKEY 3.X USERS
There is a conversion program called ConverTK which converts Turnkey 3.0
and Turnkey 3.1 menus to Menu Construction Set format. ConverTK is
available free with your MCS registration.
-2-
COMMAND DESCRIPTIONS for the MCS editor
TOP LEVEL COMMANDS
To execute any command in MCS, you must first press the slash (/) key.
Then use the arrow keys to highlight your selection and press Enter, or
just press the first letter of your selection as a shortcut. For example,
press the slash key (/) and then the letter A to execute the Add command.
Add (/A): Add a new item to the currently displayed menu.
Edit (/E): Make changes to the currently selected item.
Menu (/M): Make changes to settings related to the currently displayed
menu only.
Global (/G): Make changes to settings related to all of the menus in the
current menu set.
Set (/S): Menu set operations such as load, create, copy, or delete
menu sets.
Run (/R): Run the current menu set.
Xport (/X): Export the current menu set to a diskette that can be
installed to other PCs.
Info (/I): Information about The Menu Construction Set
Quit (/Q): Leave The Menu Construction Set (all changes are
automatically saved).
USING THE ADD COMMAND (/A)
The Add command allows you to add a BatchFileItem (type /AB), a
SubmenuItem (/AS), or an InfoScreenItem (/AI) to the currently displayed
menu. A BatchFileItem is an item which, when picked by the end user,
executes a batch file. A SubmenuItem is an item which, when picked by the
end user, displays another menu. An InfoScreenItem is an item which, when
picked by the end user, displays one or more screenfuls of text.
A BatchFileItem is composed of the following:
- menu item name: name which appears on the menu
- help message: optional message which appears on the bottom of the menu
when the item is highlighted
- password: optional case-sensitive password for the item
- argument prompt: optional text which will be displayed upon selection
of the item. The end user will be able to supply arguments to the
batch file
- batch file: the commands which are executed
A SubmenuItem is composed of the following:
- menu item name, help message, and password which operate the same as in
a BatchFileItem
An InfoScreenItem is composed of the following:
- menu item name, help message, and password which operate the same as in
a BatchFileItem
- information screen which is displayed when the user selects this item.
There is no limit on the length of the message, the user can use the
PgUp/PgDn keys
-3-
USING THE EDIT COMMAND (/E)
The Edit command allows you to edit previously defined menu items. To use
the Edit command, first select the item in the menu that you would like to
change, and then press /E for Edit.
USING THE MENU COMMAND (/M)
The Menu command allows you to change settings that affect an entire menu.
When you select the Menu command, a second layer of commands is displayed.
Title (/MT): The title of a menu is the line of text that appears at
the top of a menu.
Colors (/MC): Change the colors of the currently displayed menu only.
Move (/MM): Move the currently selected item to a different position.
Item type (/MI): Change the currently selected item to a different item
type. (BatchFileItem, SubmenuItem, or InfoScreenItem).
Delete (/MD): Delete the currently selected item.
USING THE GLOBAL COMMAND (/G)
The Global command allows you to make changes to settings related to all
of the menus in the current menu set.
Colors (/GC): Change the colors of those portions of the screen
outside of individual menus.
Date (/GD): Display the date in the upper left hand corner or not.
Time (/GT): Display the time in the upper right hand corner or not.
User help (/GU): Define text that appears on the bottom line of the
screen. For example, "Menus developed by ABC Company".
Shadowing (/GS): Use the shadowing effect on color monitors or not.
Inactivity (/GI): Screen saver option. Enter period of inactivity before
the screen saver is activated. Enter 0 to disable the
screen saver.
Escape (/GE): Allow the end user to exit to DOS by pressing Escape,
or not.
Wrapping (/GW): Allow cursor wrapping or not. A third setting is called
"Selective" - if a mouse is attached, wrapping is
disabled, but if there is no mouse, then wrapping is
enabled.
LAN (/GL): If multiple users are going to access the same menus
located on a network drive, then the batch files should
be placed on a local drive, typically drive C. (Note
that a LAN Server License is required to legally install
MCS on a LAN Server.)
-4-
USING THE SET COMMAND (/S)
The Set command allows you to manipulate entire menu sets.
Load (/SL): Load in an existing menu set. Menu sets can also be
loaded when you invoke MCS - for example, MCS EXAMPLE
will automatically load the menu set called EXAMPLE.
When no argument is given (e.g. MCS), then the default
menu set is loaded (the default menu set is called
DEFAULT).
Create (/SC): Create a new menu set.
Make copy (/SM): Make a copy of the currently loaded set.
Erase (/SE): Delete a menu set. You cannot delete the currently
loaded set.
USING THE RUN COMMAND (/R)
The Run command runs the current menu set. This is useful for quickly
moving between the end user and authoring environments as you develop and
debug your menu sets. To "complete the loop", define a "Run MCS"
BatchFileItem so that you can quickly switch environments.
USING THE XPORT COMMAND (/X)
The Xport command exports the current menu set to a diskette that can be
installed on other PCs. (Note that the purchase of an Unlimited Run-time
Distribution License is required before you can install this diskette on
other PCs.)
USING THE INFO COMMAND (/I)
The purpose of this command is similar to a README file. It displays
information pertaining to The Menu Construction Set.
USING THE QUIT COMMAND (/Q)
The Quit command exits The Menu Construction Set and returns you to DOS.
Since menu information is continuously saved to disk as you use MCS, there
is no need to save menu sets before you exit to DOS.
-5-
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Registered users can call 603-362-4758 for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
technical support. If you are asked to leave a message, we will call you
back as soon as possible.
INFORMATION ABOUT RECONFIG - THE DOS CONFIGURATION MANAGER
Reconfig is an extremely useful utility that allows the user to quickly
change to various Autoexec.bat/Config.sys combinations. PCM Magazine
awarded Reconfig 2.1 a Publisher's Pick in its January 1989 issue. Now
Reconfig 3.1 is available for $39.50, and can be ordered directly from
Optimal Solutions of NH.
Currently, DOS users juggle multiple Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files by
using DOS commands and a text editor. Now they can use Reconfig with its
integrated text editor and easy-to-use two-dimensional menus to maintain
up to 100 different "configurations" (Autoexec.bat/Config.sys
combinations).
A key feature of Reconfig is its optional command line interface. With
just one DOS command, you can switch to a predefined DOS configuration and
automatically reboot your machine. Another useful feature is the ability
to import any DOS text file, which means you won't have to retype your
current Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files.
And here's a sweetener. If you buy Reconfig 3.1, you will receive Version
4.0 of this indispensible utility automatically. Even if there is a price
increase, you will receive Version 4.0 at no charge.
Hardware requirements for Reconfig 3.1 are 384K RAM, DOS 2.0 or later, and
a hard disk. As is true of all OSNH software products, Reconfig 3.1 is
not copy protected. For more information, see the RECONFIG.DOC file on
MCS Installation Disk 1.
-6-
ORDER FORM
Make check Optimal Solutions of NH
payable to: 6 Salem Road
Atkinson, NH 03811
============================================================
Date: PO #:
============================================================
Qty Description Cost Extension
------------------------------------------------------------
| | |
| The Menu Construction Set | |
| - Single user, single machine | $47.50 | $
| - LAN Server license | $147.50 | $
| - Unlimited run-time license | $147.50 | $
| | |
| Reconfig 3.1 | $39.50 | $
| (plus free update to Version 4.0) | |
| | |
------------------------------------------------------------
Total: $
Checks and money orders accepted.
Name:
------------------------------------------------
Address:
------------------------------------------------
:
------------------------------------------------
City:
------------------------------------------------
State:
------------------------------------------------
Zip:
------------------------------------------------
Comments:
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #1924
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
README 2186 2-24-90 1:06p
INSTALL BAT 531 2-24-90 1:15p
INSTALL TXT 673 2-25-90 9:10a
MCS_EDIT EXE 263878 4-01-90 7:31p
MCS DOC 14989 2-24-90 7:59p
GO BAT 38 1-01-80 1:37a
GO TXT 575 1-01-80 1:38a
FILE1924 TXT 2369 7-13-90 11:30p
8 file(s) 285239 bytes
32768 bytes free