Magic Menus (tm) v1.00, released 29 September, 1987 Copyright (c) 1987 by Custom Technologies Welcome to Magic Menus (tm), the Software Environment Mananger (tm). Magic Menus is a DOS "front-end" (that is, it allows you to convert the cryptic DOS environment into an easy to use menu driven system). Magic Menus is packed with features that you will not find in any other menuing programs. It allows you to define your own pull-down and pop-up menus to control the functions of your computer, as well as offering powerful pre- defined functions. It has five pop-up windows that range from an instant disk directory to a "Window to DOS", and even includes a useful financial calculator! Experienced users will enjoy Magic Menus "Boot Options", which let you effect- ively maintain ten different sets of AUTOEXEC and CONFIG files. Novices will appreciate Magic Menus' intuitive layout and ease of setup and editing. It is truly a system that has something to offer everyone. -- "Standard" Features (often found in Menuing programs): - Up to 100 user-defined applications in 10 user-defined menus - Five levels of password protection - User configurable colors, messages, and sound - "Maximum Memory Mode" for large programs - On-screen display of CAPS, NUM, and SCROLL status - Screen black-out to protect video monitor - Includes extensive, context sensitive on-line help - Not copy protected -- "Unique" Features (unique to Magic Menus): - Uses intuitive pull-down and pop-up menu system - Easy use for novices, extensive power for experienced users - Powerful macro processors available for defining applications allowing pre-defined or flexible user inputs - Full screen editing - Easy pre-defined "DOS" menu with common commands - User-configurable "Boot Options" allow quick reconfiguring of your computer's memory usage - Fast "direct" screen writing or optional "BIOS" writing for multitasking systems - DOS shell - Pop-up file listing window - Pop-up directory control window - Pop-up printer control window - Pop-up "Window to DOS" that remembers past commands - Pop-up financial calculator with rolling tape -- System Requirements Magic Menus will run on IBM PC/XT/AT/jr and PS/2 as well as true compatibles. It may also run on some non-compatible machines. Magic Menus requires DOS 2.0 or above, 256K of memory and at least 2 DSDD drives (hard disk recommended). Magic Menus is not a "memory resident" program, but does operate in a mode where it lays dormant in memory while your applications execute. In this mode, Magic Menus uses approximately 160K of system memory. For programs that need to use this memory, Magic Menus has a "maximum memory mode" that frees all but 3K for the application. See the Magic Menus User's Guide for more information. NOTE: The "Maximum Memory Mode" is only available in systems using DOS 3.0 or above. This is due to a limitation in DOS 2.X concerning how commands are processed from the command line. -- Files on the Magic Menus' distribution disk: MAGIC.DIS Magic Menus distribution file MMINST.COM Magic Menus Installation and Configuration Program READ.ME Overview of Magic Menus (this file) QSTART.DOC Quick-start installation and tutorial PRTR.COM Printer utility for use with Magic Menus RBOOT.BAT Batch utility for use with Magic Menus' boot options MANUAL.ARC Compressed 50+ page evaluation User's Guide Note: The User's Guide (MANUAL.ARC) is compressed with an "ARC" utility so we could fit it on the Magic Menus' distribution disk. To use it, you will need to "un-ARC" it with an "ARC" utility such as PKXARC, ARC-E, or ARC. These programs are available from most public BBSs, disk libraries, and user's groups. We cannot supply one of these programs ourselves (the authors of the programs hold copyrights on them). -- The Association of Shareware Professionals Custom Technologies is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). The ASP is a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Washington. The ASP is made up of professional shareware authors nationwide, and is dedicated to furthering the concept of shareware as an alternative to commercial software. The authors share a code of ethics and have agreed to comply with standards of quality, documentation, and support set by the ASP. Look for the ASP name and symbol for an assurance of high-quality, well- supported shareware. -- On-Line Support On-Line support for all Custom Technologies' products is now available on CompuServe! We are sub-topic 7 in the PC Vender forum. Type GO PCVEN at any CompuServe prompt. All of our shareware products are available for downloading from this forum. -- Revision History: 29 September 1987 -- Initial release, version 1.0 3 October 1987 -- Release of version 1.00A. A change made to MMINST.COM to check for DOS version during installation. Modified Magic Menus to run properly under DOS 2.X, but restricted use of the "maximum memory mode" for these older versions of DOS. 18 October 1987 -- Release of version 1.00B. Very small change... now the "Applications" menu is automatically invoked at start-up (if any applications are defined). This allows the novice to be presented with a menu at start-up. 30 December 87 -- Release of version 1.00C A small change to allow by-passing of the opening screen. Simply invoke Magic Menus with the "/S" option on the command line. That is: MM /S will run Magic Menus without displaying the opening screen. If you are using the batch file (MAGIC.BAT), you can go in to it with any text editor and add the /S. 10 February 88 -- Release of version 1.00D. Fixed two minor bugs associated with v1.00C (not present in earlier versions). 29 May 88 -- Release of version 1.10. Addition of Microsoft or Mouse Systems mouse support. You must first load your mouse driver (see the documentation that accompanies your mouse). The left button acts as a , and the right button as the key. 27 June 88 -- No substantial changes to the program. We released this version as 1.60 to standardize our version numbering (across all our products) and to update our address and phone numbers (as we have relocated to Colorado Springs, CO). 11 July 88 -- Release of version 1.70. One problem was fixed. DOS 2.X (and some generic versions of DOS 3.X) do not initialize the MOUSE INTERRUPT (int 51). When CheckMate called this interrupt to check for the mouse, the computer would hang. Version 1.70 first confirms the validity of the interrupt before actually calling it. 28 Jul 88 -- No changes to the program. We had to change our phone number for technical support (our local phone company changed cable routing). Version 1.70A reflects the new number on-screen and in the documentation. Our new number is (719) 282-0402.