


	                             MEGAMENU 
	                           Jun 20, 1990 
 
 
	    MegaMenu is a menu program that has been designed to be both
	versatile and easy to use. It combines a pleasing presentation with
	a virtually unlimited multi-level menu system.  
 
	    While MegaMenu was meant for a hard disk system, there is no
	reason that it can  not be used on a floppy based system. The
	program is extremely compact (3k). It loads rapidly and takes up
	very little space on the disk.  
 
	    MegaMenu operates in three levels. There are twenty-six
	possible entries in each level. Each of the twenty-six entries in
	the first level can call twenty-six sub-entries. And each of those
	twenty-six can call another twenty-six sub-sub-entries in the third
	level. There are 17576 (26x26x26) possible entries.
  
	    In addition to the three menu levels, registered versions of
	MegaMenu have the capability to load and display any number of
	completely different menu files. The new menus start in level one
	and can also have as many as 17576 entries. 
 
	    The three level menu system offers a wide range of
	possibilities such as separation of work areas in a multi-user
	system or easy organization of a large directory system. The
	possible variations are virtually limitless. 
 
	    MegaMenu is simple to use. The only keys you need to remember
	are the space bar and the ESC key. The space bar sequences the menu
	pages and the ESC key takes you back to level one. If you are using
	an alternate menu, a second press of the ESC key re-displays the
	default menu (Registered versions).

	    You start MegaMenu by typing 'MM' and 'enter'. It will start
	automatically if you add 'MM' as the last command in your
	AUTOEXEC.BAT file. 
 
 
	THE MENU FILE 
 
	    The program works in conjunction with a menu file tailored to
	the user's own system. Menu files are simply collections of batch
	files that the user writes to suit his own purpose. They are plain
	text records that can be produced with any text editor or word
	processor that can output in pure text mode.  

	    Once the menu file is installed, a single key-stroke can start
	application programs, switch directories, carry out repetitive
	tasks, or run a series of DOS commands. With an appropriate menu
	file, even people with limited computer knowledge will be able to
	use the computer without knowledge of the DOS directory system or
	commands. 



	OTHER FEATURES of MEGAMENU 
 
	    If there are more than ten entries in a menu, the SPACE BAR
	will call up additional pages of entries. After all menu entries
	have been displayed, the SPACE BAR will sequence the menu boxes.  

	    The ESC KEY returns you to the first menu level. A SECOND push
	of the ESC KEY will re-load the main menu if you are currently
	using a secondary menu file (Registered versions). 

	    Menu selections are activated by "hot key" action. You do not
	have to use the enter key.

	    Each menu level is color coded. In addition, when a sub-menu is
	displayed, the selection that brought up the sub-menu is displayed
	in a separate title box as a reminder. 
 
	    The title box in the upper right corner of the screen will
	display your company name, menu title, or whatever you put in the 
	title line in your menu file. 
 
	    The date and time are displayed as a convenience. 
  
	    MegaMenu contains a screen saver that will blank the screen
	after a period of inactivity at the keyboard. 

	    Registered versions of MegaMenu (Versions 2.0 and up) add
	password protection for any menu selection.

	    Registered versions also include mouse support. 
 

	REGISTERED VERSIONS: 
 
	     Registered users receive the latest version of the software
	with all additions and enhancements to date. In addition,
	registered users will receive future updates FREE (the only charge
	will be for media and mailing, currently $3.50). 
 
	Registered versions: 
 
	        Provide a disk with program and all documentation files. 
		Both mouse and non-mouse versions of MegaMenu are included.
 
	        Have the capability to load any number of secondary menu   
	        files from any menu selection. 
 
	        Provide for password controlled access to menu selections. 
	         
	        Present an on screen readout of available system memory to 
	        provide an indication if resident utilities are consuming 
	        large amounts of ram. 

	        Have added flexibility in name and location of your menu
	        files. Full path names are supported.



	MENU FILE FORMAT 
 
	    MegaMenu was designed to make the menu building process as
	simple as possible. A familiarity with DOS commands and batch file
	instructions is necessary to build the menu file, although a lot
	can be done with only a limited knowledge. Most of the menu entries
	will involve only switching directories and activating other
	programs.
 
	    Menu entries that you will build into your menu file fit the
	following general format: 
 
	       ^Menu entry
	           Batch file instructions
	                     .
	                     .
	        MM 

	    The menu entry (identified by a ^) is what will be presented on
	screen as a selection.  The batch file instructions are any number
	of legal DOS commands and batch instructions that will carry out
	the desired task. The 'MM' following the batch file instructions is
	required to make your system return to MegaMenu. 
 
	For example:     ^DIR of Text Files 
	                  ECHO OFF
	                  CLS 
	                  REM Display all text files.
	                  DIR *.TXT 
	                  PAUSE 
	                  MM 
 
	OR:              ^Word Processing 
	                     ECHO OFF 
	                     CLS 
	                     REM Process documents in 'LETTERS' dir 
	                     CD\LETTERS 
	                     WORDP 
	                     MM 
	                 ^Next Entry 

	SAMPLE MENU FILE WITH SUB-MENUS 

	(Sub-menus are identified by double or triple ^) 

	    "My Computer System  (title for upper right corner of screen)
		^Business Letters 
		    {my password         (control access)
		    REM Password control available on registered versions.
		    CD\LETTERS           (go to correct directory) 
		    WORDP                (your word processor) 
		    MM                   (return to MegaMenu) 
		^Second menu entry 
		    ^^Sub-menu entry 1 
			batch file instructions 
				. 
				. 
			MM 



		    ^^Sub-menu entry 2 
			batch file instructions 
				. 
				. 
			MM 
		    ^^Sub-menu entry 3 
			^^^Sub-Sub menu entry 1 
			         batch file instructions 
					. 
					. 
				MM 
			^^^Sub-Sub menu entry 2 
				batch file instructions 
					. 
					. 
				MM 
		^RETURN TO DOS 
		    ECHO OFF 
		    CLS 
		    REM Any set of batch file instructions that 
		    REM do not end with MM will return to the 
		    REM system prompt. 
		^LOAD ANOTHER MENU 
		    REM Available on registered versions 
		    +alternate.mnu 
		^Fifth menu entry 
 
 
	TO BUILD A MENU SELECTION: 
 
	    As you can see from this example, a menu selection is made from
	DOS commands and DOS batch commands. The line with the caret(^) is
	the line printed on the screen as a menu selection. The following
	lines can contain any legal command that you might type at the DOS
	command prompt or include in a stand alone batch file. In fact, one
	way of building a menu file is to write and test stand-alone batch
	files and then insert them in the menu file. Complex batch files
	can be simply called by a menu selection.


	MENU FILE RULES: 
 
	    1.  The menu file must be a pure text file - no  formatting
	        codes from a word processor. Use a text editor (such as
	        EDLIN) or a wordprocessor in text mode. 
 
	    2.  Each line in the menu must be terminated with a carriage
	        return. Only one instruction per line. 
 
	    3.  The first character on the line determines how MegaMenu
	        will interpret the line. Tabs and spaces preceding the
	        first character are ignored. 
 
	        ^ (caret) - identifies one of three menu entries. 

		    ^ indicates an entry on the first menu level.
		    ^^ indicates a SUB-menu entry. 
		    ^^^ indicates s SUB-SUB-menu entry.

 

		" (double quote) - identifies a menu title that will be
	                presented in the upper right corner of the screen.
	                It is limited to 40 characters. If more than one
	                title entry is included in the menu file, only the
	                last one takes effect. 
 
		+ (plus sign) - indicates that the line contains the name
	                of another menu file that will be loaded with
	                selection of that entry. Path names up to 63
	                characters in length are supported. (Registered
	                versions). 
 
		{  -  (Registered versions) indicates a password to
	                control access to that selection. It must be placed
	                immediately following the selection line and before
	                any batch instructions. It can be up to 20
	                characters long and can include any printable
	                character. Upper case letters are distinct from
	                lower case and spaces count. 

		none - indicates start of batch file instructions.  


	    IF A LINE IN THE MENU FILE DOES NOT BEGIN WITH ANY OF THESE
	CHARACTERS, that line, and all subsequent lines (until reaching the
	next ^) are assumed to contain DOS commands or batch file
	instructions.  They will be loaded into the MEGABAT.BAT batch file
	and executed. 
     
	     BE SURE to use only legal DOS commands and batch instructions.
	While an error in the batch file instructions will usually just be
	ignored by DOS, results are not totally predictable. 


	HOW MEGAMENU OPERATES 
 
	    The MegaMenu "system" consists of four (4) operating files. 
 
		MM.BAT - the batch file that controls the order of
	                 execution. Always start up MegaMenu with the
	                 command, 'MM'. 
 
		MEGAMENU.EXE - the actual menu program. 
 
		MENUFILE.MNU -  the menu file that is loaded when Megamenu
	                        first starts up - the default menu. This is
	                        the name you give to your menu file. 

		MEGABAT.BAT -   the batch file that is automatically 
	                        created from instructions the user builds
	                        into his menu file. In case of operating
	                        problems, the user can inspect this file to
	                        see what his menu actually produced. If 
	                        this file was not created, it means that
	                        MegaMenu encountered a file error. The disk
	                        was full, the menu file was missing, the
	                        drive was not ready, etc.
 


	    The sequence of events starts when the user types 'MM' and
	'enter' or when 'MM' is the last instruction of the AUTOEXEC.BAT
	file in the root directory. The menu screen is displayed using the
	file, MENUFILE.MNU. 
 
	    The typical MM.BAT for a system set up on drive C in a
	directory named \MEGAMENU is as follows: 
 
		C: 
		CD\MEGAMENU 
		MEGAMENU	(.EXE) 
		MEGABAT		(.BAT) 
 
	    The first two instructions ensure that you always return to the
	\MEGAMENU directory so that DOS can "find" MENUFILE.MNU. This could
	also be done with an APPEND command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, but
	this way is less fuss. 
 
	    The next instruction runs the menu program, MEGAMENU.EXE. When
	a menu selection is made, the program builds a batch file named
	MEGABAT.BAT. and terminates. The last instruction then runs the
	newly created batch file (MEGABAT), carrying out the desired task. 
 
	    The final step in the menu cycle is to return to the MEGAMENU
	program at the termination of the desired task. This is
	accomplished by including the instruction, 'MM' as the last step in
	the batch instructions you build into your menu file,
	(MENUFILE.MNU). 
 
	For example:    The following instructions might appear in your
	                version of MENUFILE.MNU under the menu
	                selection,"Personal Letters": 
 
			^Personal Letters 
			    CD\LETTERS 
			    CALL WORDPROCESSOR.BAT 
			    MM 
 
	    These three batch file instructions would be written to
	MEGABAT.BAT and executed. The current directory would be changed to
	\LETTERS; your wordprocessor program would be activated; and at
	completion, control would be returned to MegaMenu through MM.BAT. 

	    At this point, it should be clear that for the system to work
	properly, you must make sure that program control returns to
	MM.BAT. Otherwise, you will be dumped out to DOS instead of
	returning to the menu screen. 


	OLDER VERSIONS OF DOS

	    There is one other small problem with DOS versions prior to 3.3
	when one batch file calls another batch file. Notice the batch file
	called in the above example. If your menu entry (and therefore
	MEGABAT.BAT) includes another batch file as one of the
	instructions, the older DOS versions will not return control to
	MEGABAT.BAT. The second batch file will run, and then you will be
	returned to the system prompt. The menu screen will not re-appear. 
 


	    The 'CALL' instruction used in this example takes care of this
	detail nicely. It is available to users of DOS versions 3.3 and
	above. After the called batch file terminates, control will return
	to the calling batch file. If using previous versions, it will be
	necessary to do a bit of manipulation. 
 
	    One trick you can use is to substitute the 'COMMAND/C'
	instruction for the 'CALL' instruction. 
 
	For the above example: 

			^Personal Letters 
			    CD\LETTERS 
			    COMMAND/C WORDPROCESSOR.BAT 
			    MM 
 
	    This will load another copy of the command processor, carry out
	the program, and then dump the new command processor and return to
	the batch file. 

	     One other way of getting around the limitations of earlier
	versions of DOS is to "chain" all the required batch files. For
	each batch file that you want to run from MegaMenu, you would
	include in that batch file the necessary last instruction - 'MM'.
	Control would then transfer from the application directly to MM.BAT
	without ever returning to MEGABAT.BAT. 
  
	    By far, the easiest way to do all this is to use Version 3.3 or
	subsequent, and use the CALL instruction. 
 
 
	RETURNING TO DOS 
 
	NOTICE: 
 
	     Control-C and Control-Break will not work while the menu
	screen is displayed. Always include a RETURN-to-DOS selection in
	your menu to make it easy to get back to the system prompt. 
 
	     Any set of batch file instructions that do not include 'MM' as
	an instruction will return you to the system prompt.  

		Example: 
 
			^RETURN TO DOS 
			    CLS (or any other instruction) 
			^Next entry 
 
	    Also, once a menu selection is made and the menu screen
	disappears, a Control-C will work as usual.


	INSTALLATION 
 
	    MegaMenu will run on IBM-compatible computers. It uses
	documented ROM BIOS function calls. It also writes directly to the
	video buffer to achieve the fastest results. A version is available
	that does NOT write direct to the screen buffer.
 


	    You can install MegaMenu in your root directory or a separate
	directory. The only requirements are the DOS requirements that the
	four files, MEGAMENU.EXE, MENUFILE.MNU, MM.BAT and MEGABAT.BAT can
	'find' each other. 
 
	    That means that the location of 'MM.BAT' must be included in
	the PATH command. Also, since MENUFILE.MNU or any other menufile is
	a data file, it should be in the same directory as MEGAMENU.EXE or
	its location accessed with an APPEND command. And finally,
	MEGABAT.BAT will be created in the same directory as MEGAMENU.EXE
	so you will have to build your menu file instructions with that in
	mind. 
 

	EASY INSTALLATION 
 
	    The quickest way to get going is to create a directory named
	\MEGAMENU and load all the files into it. To start MegaMenu, type
	'MM' and enter. 
 
	INSTALL.BAT:

	    The program INSTALL.BAT included on the program disk will
	automatically do this for you. It will install MegaMenu on Drive
	C:, in a directory named \MEGAMENU. Just put the disk in your
	floppy drive and type 'INSTALL'. 
 

	DEMONSTRATION MENU

	    The menu file included with the program is a demonstration menu
	that can be used to acquaint the user with the system operation.
	Just read the menu selections. There is a selection that will
	return you to the DOS prompt.

 
	AUTOEXEC.BAT: 
 
	    You should then modify your PATH statement in AUTOEXEC.BAT to
	include the \MEGAMENU directory. This will enable you to call
	MegaMenu from anywhere in your system. 

	    If you want Megamenu to start automatically when you turn on
	your computer, add 'MM' as the last line in AUTOEXEC.BAT. 

	    For example, your AUTOEXEC.BAT might look like this: 

		PATH=c:\;c:\MEGAMENU;c:\dos   (include MEGAMENU directory)
		PROMPT $P$g 
		CD\MEGAMENU                   (go to MEGAMENU directory)
		MM                            (Start MegaMenu)


	THEN... Build your menu file.
 
	    You will now want to build your menu file. The easiest way to
	get started is to modify the MENUFILE.MNU file or fill in the blank
	menu file that came in the package. The name of your menu file must
	be 'MENUFILE.MNU'. 



	SUPPORT

		All users are encouraged to comment on the quality and
	usefulness of this software. Suggested enhancements and additional
	features may be incorporated in future updates. Users may
	communicate problems or ideas to the author of MegaMenu at the
	following address:



			Hudson Digital
			23 River Bend Road
			Clinton, NJ 08809


	or through CompuServe(R) at 76655,1673. 



























	Note: Some of the software names in this manual are trademarks or
	trade names of specific manufacturers.



	                    DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY 
 
 
	    This software is Licensed "AS IS". THE USER OF THIS SOFTWARE
	BEARS ALL RISK as to the quality and performance of this product.
	The user is cautioned to thoroughly test this software before
	relying on it. 
 
	    Hudson Digital makes no warranty of any kind, express or
	implied, including without limitation, any warranties of
	merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.  Hudson
	Digital shall not be liable for any damages, whether direct,
	indirect, special or consequential arising from a failure of this
	product to operate in the manner desired by the user.  
 
	    BY USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE that neither Hudson Digital,
	nor any officers, directors, employees, shareholders, affiliates,
	owners, or other related parties will be liable to you or any third
	party for any use or performance of this product, or for any
	damages whatsoever, even if Hudson Digital or an agent of Hudson
	Digital is notified of such possibility in advance. 
 
	    IN NO EVENT WILL HUDSON DIGITAL BE LIABLE TO YOU, OR ANY OTHER
	PARTY, FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS,
	OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR
	USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT. 



	                          MegaMenu 1.4
	               Copyright (C) 1990 Hudson Digital 
	                      All rights reserved. 
 
 
	                            LICENSE 
 
 
	    MegaMenu is copyrighted software. It was developed and is
	owned by Hudson Digital, 23 River Bend Road, Clinton, NJ 08809.
	MegaMenu is NOT "Freeware" or "Public Domain". 

	    Non-registered users are granted a limited license to use
	MegaMenu 1.4 for a thirty (30) day evaluation period. Use of
	MegaMenu 1.4, except for this limited purpose, requires
	registration. 
 
	    All users are granted a limited license to copy and
	distribute MegaMenu 1.4 subject to the following limitations: 
 
	      No user may modify this program in any way. 
 
	      MegaMenu 1.4 and all accompanying documentation, licensing,
	      and warranty information must be copied in unmodified form
	      and distributed together. 
 
	      No fee or other compensation may be accepted or requested. 
 
	      MegaMenu 1.4 may not be distributed in conjunction with any
	      other product without express written permission. 
 
	      All disks and documentation must be marked with the
	      following copyright notice: Copyright (C) 1990 Hudson
	      Digital. All rights reserved. 
 
	    MegaMenu 1.4 is the original version of MegaMenu. It is a
	fully functioning, three level menu system. However, it does not
	contain all the revisions and enhancements incorporated since its
	release. Registered versions of MegaMenu are identified by
	version numbers of 2.0 or higher. 
 
	THIS LIMITED LICENSE DOES NOT APPLY TO REGISTERED VERSIONS OF
	MEGAMENU. Registered versions of MegaMenu may be copied only by
	the owner, and only for personal use.  NO USER MAY DISTRIBUTE
	REGISTERED VERSIONS OF THIS SOFTWARE. 
 



	REGISTRATION FORM 
 
 
	TO:	Hudson Digital
		23 River Bend Road 
		Clinton, NJ 08809-1046 
 
 
	FROM:
		Name:      _______________________________________ 
 
		(Company): _______________________________________ 
 
		(Title):   _______________________________________ 
 
		Address:   _______________________________________ 
 
	    City, State:   _______________________________________ 
								ZIP  

	MegaMenu Software Package

	MegaMenu 2.x - Latest version of MegaMenu,
	MegaMenu 2.xM - MegaMenu with mouse support,
	Future updates,
	Documentation files,
	Software license     ................................... $19.95 

 
		    Media, mailer, postage, handling.............  4.00
							         ------

			Total for MegaMenu ..................... $23.95
 
	New Jersey residents include 6% sales tax ($1.44) ...... ______
 

					TOTAL ENCLOSED      ____________ 
 
 
	Diskette desired:	5.25" disk ___		3.5" disk ___ 
 
	*****************************************************************

	COMMENTS on this product will be appreciated. 
