Folders Program Version 3.1 (c)Copyright 1991 Sloop Software The folders program adds depth to the Program Manager groups. It gives the ability equivalent to having groups within groups. Each folder can hold any type of file you decide to place in it, including more folders. Features include: - No limit on nesting folders within folders - Add any type of item to a folder - Move or copy items from folder to folder - Launch your applications directly from a folder - Customizable command lines for any item - Use virtually any icon on the system to represent items - Tie two or more folders to the same subfolder - Now supports 256 color display modes ********************************************************************* IMPORTANT NOTE: If you already have installed version 2.x of Folders, you must run FINSTALL and select RE-INSTALL. Due to the difference in the use of icons, re-installing must be performed to convert any existing folder data files to the new format. Also, copy files FOLDERS.EXE and FOLDERS.HLP to your windows directory. Do not copy over your FOLDERS.INI file. It is also suggested you read the notes on using icons in this file. If you already have version 3.0 installed, to install the latest version, copy over the files FOLDERS.EXE and FOLDERS.HLP with the latest versions. Then, if installing version 3.1, follow the instructions below for installing version 3.1 over 3.0. ********************************************************************* Installation (no previous versions installed): 1. Copy files FOLDERS.EXE, FOLDERS.HLP and FOLDERS.INI to your windows directory. 2. Run FINSTALL and follow its directions. Be sure to select Install, not Re-Install. 3. That's it. Your are now ready to start getting organized. If this installation process should fail, follow the directions for manual install found in FOLDERS.WRI. Installing v3.1 over v3.0: 1. Edit the file FOLDERS.INI found in your windows directory in the following manner using some editor like Notepad: a. Under the section [Icons] change the first line to read Icon Count=8 b. Delete all lines in this section starting with the line numbered 8. You should now have the Icon Count=8 followed by lines numbered 0 thru 7. c. Save and close the file. 2. Go to your folders directory and delete the file FOLDERS.ICF. 3. You will now be able to run v3.1. Note that you will have to add back in any icons you were using previously. Getting Started: 1. Once the program is installed, open your first folder. 2. You can rename it, if you want, using the Name command under the File menu. Be sure and rename it in the program group, too. 3. From this folder, or any folder you create, you can make new folders. Simply choose New from the File menu. You can create subfolders or new group level folders such as this first folder. 4. Create whatever folders you want and add items to them using the Add Item command from the Edit menu. For detail information on each command, use either the help menu or read FOLDERS.WRI. 5. A word of warning on creating new folders. Each folder needs to have a unique name. Lower or upper case makes no difference. Notes on using icons: If you have already been using Folders, after re-installing you'll notice that most, if not all, of the items appear using the DOS icon. This is due to the fact that new icons must be loaded into the folder system before they will appear. This can be done in one of two manners. The first way, and easiest way, is to simply add either an executable file with an icon in it or an item associated with an executable with an icon. For example, if .TXT files are associated with Notepad, if you add either a .TXT file or NOTEPAD.EXE to a folder, the notepad icon will become available for use by the Item Icon or the Set Default Icons commands. In addition, any item with a .TXT extension will appear using the notepad icon after this. Note that the first time you do this, the folder will have to be closed and reopened before all items appear using their icon. The second method involves using the Add Icon command under the Special menu. Using this command, you can add any acceptable icon description file. These files usually end in .ICO. Once an icon has been added, it can be accessed using the Item Icon or the Set Default Icons commands. You'll note that when using these commands, some icon names appear with an asterisk before them. These asterisks indicate icons that were added to the system from an executable in the manner described by the first method of adding icons. There are a couple of definite limitations in the use of icons. First, CGA is not supported. Second, Folders cannot extract the icon from an application when that app uses only a monochrome icon, such as in Word for Windows. There may also be applications that Folders is unable to extract the icon from for some other reason. Changes from version 2.0 - Only one copy of a particular folder may now be open at a time. Double-clicking on the folder icon or using the Open command on a folder already open will make the folder selected the active window, even if iconized. It will not open a second copy of the folder. - Group level folders are now created so their icon may be changed by simply going to the Change Icon menu of the Properties command and selecting View Next. Previously, it was necessary to replace the file name in the Change Icon dialog with FOLDERS.EXE. - Subfolders will now always appear starting in the lower-left hand corner of the folder. Changes from version 2.1 - Use of icons changed considerably. New command Add Icon allows any icon file to be added to the system for use in displaying items. Also, executable files with icons in them and items associated with these executable will now appear using the executable's icon. - Can now copy, move or delete multiple items at a time. Pressing the ctrl key while selecting items with the mouse, allows multiple items to be selected at a time. - Folder windows may now be resized and the new size used from then on when opening that particular folder. Simply set the folder to the desired size and then save the folder. The next time it is open, it will appear using the saved size. - Note that this version does not support SVGA. Changes from version 3.0 - Problem corrected when using Folders with Windows running in debug mode. - Fixed problem with Folders being stuck in multiple select mode until hitting CTRL key after using a menu accelerator. Changes from version 3.0a,b - Support for 256 color displays added. Files on Disk: FOLDERS.EXE - the executable for Folders FOLDERS.INI - Folders initialization file FOLDERS.HLP - Folders help file README.TXT - this file FOLDERS.WRI - documentation on folders FINSTALL.EXE - Folders install program FLD0000.FL0 - empty folder for use in manual install ORDERFRM.TXT - Folders order form Note that this is a shareware program. As such, this version only supports fifteen folders. Registering this program gets you a version that supports well over a hundred folders. The cost is a flat twenty dollars. Registered users of version 2.x may upgrade to 3.x for ten dollars. The fee is payable to: Sloop Software 6457 Mesedge Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Be sure and specify your name, address, name of the program and where you obtained the program when registering. Also, specify 3.5" or 5.25" disk. Colorado residents, please add the applicable sales tax. Registering the program also entitles you to customer support. Direct any comments to the above address or email to CompuServe 72540,144.