1 - Introduction Easy Go is Copyright 1993 by Anthony Watson, all rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication of the program(s) or documentation is a violation of federal copyright laws! 1.1 - Making a Backup Copy The Easy Go disk is not copy protected as we believe you have the right to make backup copies to guard against disk failures or accidents. So please take the time now to make a backup copy of the Easy Go disk and place the original in a safe place. We also suggest that you flip the write-protect tab on the original disk to guard against accidental erasure and computer viruses. 1.2 - Disclaimer Easy Go has been tested extensively and to the best of our knowledge will not cause problems of any kind. However, neither Mountain Software nor the author (Anthony Watson), will be held responsible for any damage occurring to your system or other software. We also make no guarantees as to compatibility with other software or hardware configurations. 1.3 - System Requirements Easy Go will run on any Atari ST, STe, TT, or Falcon computer (Some functions are not available on all machines). It will function in ST medium, ST High, or any graphics mode having a resolution of 640 x 200 or greater. Easy Go will run successfully with as little as 512K of RAM. However, since Easy Go remains resident in memory while other programs are run, we recommend that you have a minimum of 1 Meg RAM. Easy Go will run successfully from floppy disk or hard drive, though we recommend a hard drive for greater access speed and storage capacity. 1.4 - Registration When you first run Easy Go you will be asked to enter your name and address. Please enter this information carefully, as once it is entered it cannot be changed! Once entered, Easy Go will spend a few minutes updating the program code with your name and address. When this process is completed, you will be returned to the main menu. 1.5 - Getting Help Easy Go has been designed for ease of use. Please take the time to read this manual and consult it when you have problems. Most program operations are rather straightforward, and those that are not are discussed in greater detail in this manual. If you are still having difficulties, or have a comment regarding Easy Go, please feel free to contact us via electronic mail on GEnie (E-mail address: A.WATSON6) or on the Internet (E-mail address: anthony.watson@pods.rain.com). You may also write us at: Mountain Software 6911 NE Livingston Road Camas, Washington 98607 USA {Graphic: SCREEN0.IMG} 2 - Getting Started Regardless of how many software titles you may own, it is likely that only a few are run on any frequent basis. And searching through multiple directories to find that one program you want to run quickly becomes tedious. Many have solved this problem by assigning their favorite programs to the function keys, so that a single keypress will launch that program. And users of the newer TOS versions can assign an icon right on the desktop to accomplish the same task. But, both of these methods have limitations. If you have more than 10 programs to launch, you are forced to use hard to remember key combinations to launch your programs. And even the newer TOS versions are limited by the number of icons that can be placed on the desktop. In addition, many tasks such as creating an archive or compiling a program just cannot be accomplished by these methods. Easy Go attempts to solve these limitations by allowing up to 240 programs to be assigned to "Buttons" that allow you to launch your favorite software. In addition, it allows many powerful features for launching programs including resolution switching, processor speed selection, and a complete macro language to handle the really complex jobs. 2.1 - Naming the Menu's Before you assign programs to the various buttons, you should assign titles to each of the menus. Though the menus default to standard menu names, you will find the program easier to use if you rename the menus to your preferences. For example, you may wish to rename one of the menus to "Games" or assign a menu for each member of the family. To change a menu title, click on the desired menu button at the bottom of the screen using the RIGHT mouse key. A small dialog will appear allowing you to enter your new title. Press the RETURN key when you are finished entering your title. The current menu title is always displayed in the window "move" bar at the top of the window. 2.2 - Moving Menus Once you have named your menus, you may find that you want them to appear in a different order. While you could simply rename the buttons, this would not change the actual menus. To move a menu, click and HOLD the LEFT mouse key on the menu button you wish to move. Then while holding the mouse key down, drag the menu button to the new location and release the mouse key. The menu title button at the new location will be swapped with the menu button at the old location. In addition, all menu items from the new menu will be swapped with the menu items from the old location. 2.3 - Moving Buttons Once you begin defining buttons, you may find that you want them to appear in different places in the menu. While you could just redefine the buttons, it is usually easier to just move the button to it's new location. To move a button, click and HOLD the LEFT mouse key on the button you wish to move. Then while holding the mouse key down, drag the button to the new location and release the mouse key. The button at the new location will be swapped with the button at the old location. {Graphic: SCREEN1.IMG} 3 - Defining a Button The button definition menu is accessed by clicking on the button you wish to define using the RIGHT mouse key. If a button has not already been defined, the button definition menu will appear regardless of which mouse key you click the button with. 3.1 - Entering a Title To enter or modify the button title, click on the "Button Title" button. A small dialog will appear allowing you to enter or modify your title. When you have finished entering your title, press the RETURN key. 3.2 - Keyboard Equivalents To set a keyboard equivalent, click on the "Key Equivalent" button. A small alert will appear and wait for you to press the desired key. The button definition menu will then display your chosen key. The key equivalent is entirely optional, and will simply display "none" if you do not define a key. Most keys may be used, and can include "shift/key" combinations if desired. Pressing the space bar as a key equivalent will clear that key assignment. Only one program may be assigned to a specific key in each menu, though you can use the same key for two different menus. 3.3 - Locating the File To locate your desired file, click on the "Filename" button. The fileselector will appear allowing you to locate your desired file. Once you have located your file, click on the "OK" button in the fileselector. You will be returned to the button definition menu and the filename of your program will be displayed in the menu. 3.4 - Setting the Resolution Many software titles, especially games, will only operate from ST Low resolution. However, most application programs tend to run from ST Medium. This usually means that you must switch resolutions from the desktop before you can run the various programs. Easy Go attempts to reduce this problem by switching resolutions automatically for those programs which require it. If the program you have defined operates only in ST Low, click on the "Resolution" button until "Change to Low Resolution" is displayed in the menu. NOTE: The resolution change feature is only available from ST Medium resolution and will not function in multitasking environments. Also, since this feature makes use of several undocumented system variables it is only available on systems using TOS 2.06 or earlier. If you find that this feature does not function properly, we suggest that you discontinue using it. 3.5 - Setting Processor Speed The processor speed setting is specific to the MegaSTE and will serve no purpose on other machines. The MegaSTE is usually operated at 16mhz, however, some applications such as graphics viewers require 8mhz. In addition, certain games may operate too quickly at 16mhz to play comfortably. Therefore, Easy Go allows you to set the processor speed required by individual programs. To change the processor speed, click on the "Processor Speed" button to toggle between (8mhz/Cache Off) and (16mhz/Cache On). 3.6 - Saving Your Settings Once you have finished defining a button, click on the "Save" button to save your settings, and return to the main launch menu. 3.7 - Clearing a Button If you want to clear a button, click on the "Clear" button from the button definition menu. The button title, filename, and all settings will be cleared from this button and you will be returned to the main launch menu. 4 - Launching a Program 4.1 - Singletasking Launching a program is as simple as clicking on a defined button. Easy Go will configure your system according to your button configuration, and then launch that program. Easy Go remains resident in memory, and you will be returned to the Easy Go launching menu when you exit the program you launched. Easy Go automatically resets screen colors, processor speeds, vblank rates, etc. after launching a program, thus improving the operation of "problem" software which fail to restore desktop colors or 50/60hz vblank rates. 4.2 - Multitasking Using Easy Go in a multitasking environment is much the same as using it in singletasking modes. The primary exception being that Easy Go will open the selected file along with Easy Go. You can easily move between Easy Go and your application, and can use Easy Go to launch additional applications as well. Certain functions like the resolution switching will not function in a multitasking environment (A rez change for one program would change it for all applications currently executing!). Unlike the singletasking mode, quitting the program you launched WILL NOT return you to Easy Go, but will simply terminate the current program. {Graphic: SCREEN2.IMG} 5 - The Macro Language The Macro Language is one of the most powerful features in Easy Go. It not only allows advanced program launching, but can also allow Easy Go to function as an easy to use shell for Archivers, Programming Lauguages, etc.. Most applications will not require use of the Macro Language, and can simply be defined from the button definition menu. 5.1 - Creating a Macro To create a Macro, first select the button definition menu by RIGHT clicking on the desired launch menu button. Then click on the "Macro Editor" button from the button definition menu. If this is a new launch button definition, you will be placed in the Macro Editor and the Macro List will be cleared. If you are editting or redefining a macro, the original macro will be loaded into the Macro Editor automatically. Macros are written one line at a time, and can only have one command per line. Although, you may place any number of variables on a line. You may insert a line by pressing the INSERT key, or delete a line by pressing the DELETE key. Any line starting with a semicolon (;) is considered a comment line and will be ignored when the macro is run. The "Commands" and "Variables" buttons provide immediate access to the list of Easy Go commands and variables. The "Fileselector" button will call the system fileselector, and allow you to locate a file or path. The selected file or path will then be placed at the end of the line you are currently editting. {Graphic: SCREEN3.IMG} 5.2 - Macro Commands The Macro Commands tell Easy Go what to do and in which order to do them. They provide for such things as changing resolution, setting processor speed, and running programs. Please note that the "{" and "}" characters ARE part of the commands and variable names and MUST be included if the commands are to be recognized. The Macro Commands are defined as follows: {LOW} Switches the graphics mode from ST Medium to ST Low and is used BEFORE you "Run" a program. This command carries the same limitations as the resolution switching option in the button definition menu. This command will simply be ignored if used improperly. No other commands or variables may appear on the same line as this command. {MEDIUM} This command is used just as the "LOW" command, except that it switches the graphics mode from ST Low to ST Medium. {PRINT=} This command simply prints a message on the screen. You MUST include the equal sign (=) directly after the PRINT command and your text must follow this command immediately with no spaces between your text and the command. {HEADING=} This command sets the "Heading" variable which is used in the input routine and the Fileselector on later TOS versions. The same format rules apply as with the PRINT command. {FILE=} This command sets a "File" variable which can be used later in your macro. The "File" variable contains the complete path and filename. The same format rules apply as with the PRINT command. {NAME=} This command is similar to the "File" variable, but contains ONLY the filename, and not the path. The same format rules apply as with the PRINT command. {PATH=} This command is similar to the "File" and "Name" variables, but contains ONLY the file path, NOT the filename. The same format rules apply as with the PRINT command. {COMMANDLINE=} This command allows you to set the "Commandline" structure before running a program. The "Commandline" is usually used to pass filenames, or control information to your software. The same format rules apply as with the PRINT command. {ENVIRONMENT=} This command allows you to set the "Environment" structure before running a program. This is a seldom used command, but it serves much the same purpose as the "Commandline" structure. The same format rules apply as with the PRINT command. {RUN} This command is the one that actually launches your software. Every macro will include this command if it is to do anything. A valid Filename (Full path and filename) must follow this command with one space between the command and the filename. {8} This command places the MegaSTE into 8mhz operation. This command must be used before the application you are running, and will simply be ignored on any machine other than a MegaSTE. No other command or variable may appear on the same line as this command. {16} This command places the MegaSTE into 16mhz operation. Otherwise, it is used the same as the "8" command above. {Graphic: SCREEN4.IMG} 5.3 - Macro Variables The Macro Variables allow you to define a filename or title once and use it later in the macro. In addition, the Macro Variables allow varied operation from a single macro. Every Macro Variable must be preceded by a Macro Command on the same line. The Macro Variables are defined as follows: {FILESELECTOR} When this variable is encountered during the execution of the macro, the system fileselector is called allowing you to locate a file or path. The "Fileselector" variable is then replaced by the selected filename. {FILE} This variable is replaced with the filename previously defined with the "{FILE=}" command. The absence of the equal sign (=) distinguishes this variable from the corresponding command. {PATH} As with the "{File}" variable above, this variable is replaced with the filepath only. {NAME} As with the "{File}" variable above, this variable is replaced with the file 'NAME' only. {INPUT} When this variable is encountered during the execution of the macro, a small dialog box will appear allowing you to enter in any text string. 5.4 - Sample Macro's To give you an idea of the Macro Language flexibility, here are a few sample macros for you to examine. Though these macros ARE fully functioning, they may require path and name changes to make them perform properly on your system. SAMPLE #1: Call the system fileselector and then run that program in low resolution. ; Run Program in Low Rez ; {HEADING=}Locate File To Run {low} {run}{fileselector} SAMPLE #2: Call the system fileselector, separate the filename into separate path and filenames. Then run that program. {HEADING=}Locate File To Run {file=}{fileselector} {name=}{file} {path=}{file} {run}{path}{name} SAMPLE #3: Call the system fileselector. User selects a GFA source file. Easy Go then calls the GFA compiler and Linker to produce an executable file. {heading=}Locate GFA Source Code {commandline=}{fileselector} {print=}*** Compiling *** {run}d:\basic\gfa_bcom.prg {commandline=} {print=} {print=}*** Linking *** {run}d:\basic\gl.prg SAMPLE #4: Allows the user to enter a filename and then calls the LZH archiving utility to create an LZH file from all the files on drive 'M'. {heading=}Enter Name For Archive {name=}{input} {commandline}=a m:\{name} m:\*.* {run} F:\DISK\ARCHIVRS\LZH.TTP {Graphic: SCREEN5.IMG} 6 - Information This chapter is a general 'catch-all' for those items which do not pertain to other program operations. 6.1 - Version/Contact Information To determine the current version number or the registered owner, click on the 'Easy Go' menu item under the 'Easy Go' menu heading. You may also press the HELP key at any time to bring up the information screen. The information screen also provides complete contact information for Mountain Software. 6.2 - Memory Checking You may determine the available free memory by pressing the CONTROL and 'M' keys at the main menu. If you have limited memory, you may want to disable your desk accessories, and any nonessential AUTO folder programs (such as a RAM Disk) when you run Easy Go. 6.3 - Window Recentering Should the Easy Go window get moved out of position, you may recenter the window by pressing CONTROL and the 'W' key. 6.4 - Appreciation I would like to thank all of the dedicated users who previously registered Easy Go. I appreciate your comments, suggestions, and complaints. Thanks go to my beta testers; Victor Bruhn, Don Schmidt, Phil Latona, and Steve Van Horn. Without your help, many problems would never have been detected. I congratulate you on your hard work, despite a lack of documentation! A special Thank You to my wife Peggy, the best wife a guy could have! Finally, I want to thank my Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation and the wonderful life he has granted me. 6.5 - About Easy Go Easy Go was written by Anthony Watson using GFA Basic 3.5e and includes several assembly routines written and compiled with GENST. The Easy Go manual was written using the editor in Mountain QWK, and was then layed out and printed using Wordflair II by Goldleaf Publishing.