Greetings From David B. Hughes! And Thank You (!) for evaluating the LAUNCH.EXE program. You should have the following files for Version 2.1 of Launch File What ---- ---- LAUNCH.EXE The program. LAUNCH.HLP The online help file LAUNCH.TXT This file. Launch Version 2.1 can be freely distributed for the purposes of software evaluation. Note that all the files listed above must be included with the program when distributed. What Is Launch? LAUNCH.EXE is an application program launch pad. It allows you to: 1) Specify the application program to load. 2) What directory to run the program in (useful if the program requires initialization files and etc). 3) What parameters to pass to the application. 4) Request that you be prompted prior to loading the program. 5) If you wish, the started application can have 'focus' (that is, the active Windows application, ready for keyboard/mouse input). 6) How the program is to appear on the Desktop (i.e. Icon, Window, etc). After all application programs have been Launched, you can request that the LAUNCH.EXE program: 1) Terminate. 2) Keep LAUNCH.EXE as a Window. 3) Keep LAUNCH.EXE as an Icon. LAUNCH.EXE can be started from a 'Group', from the File Manager or you can add it to the 'WIN.INI' file (under the LOAD or RUN option). LAUNCH.EXE does not require its own directory, nor are you forced to place it in the Windows directory. For more information, see the help file that is included with Launch. How To Start Launch First let's make these assumptions 1) Windows is running, 2) This is the first time LAUNCH.EXE has run and, 3) that you have placed the LAUNCH.EXE program in the following directory: C:\LAUNCH There are three standard methods for starting an application under Windows: 1) Use the File Manager to start LAUNCH.EXE. 2) Add the program to a 'Group'. 3) Modify your WIN.INI file to include ONE of the following, run=c:\launch.exe OR load=c:\launch.exe This method requires that you reboot Windows for the program to load! Launch will then create a in the directory that it was loaded from (in this example, C:\WINTOOLS). This file will then be used to store the information required to start any applications that you specify. The LAUNCH.EXE program will appear as a window on your screen ready for use. How To Use Launch ********************************************************************** * * * Note that, until the program is registered, Launch will display a * * message indicating that it is unregistered. This message will * * appear for about 10 seconds and the program will continue. * * * ********************************************************************** After LAUNCH.EXE has started for the first time, a small window appears. Using the mouse, click on the 'Select' menu item. A dialog box will now appear. This dialog box is used to select the application program to launch. The following briefly describes how to add a file to the Launch Pad: 1) 'File Name:' edit box - this box is used to select the type of application to launch. Typical file types of interest are, *.EXE *.PIF, and *.BAT. Enter the file type (or enter *.*) you wish to look for. When complete, press the 'enter' key and the list box on the left will display all these file types. 2) The list box on the left displays the file types specified in the 'File Name:' edit box, directories, and disks. To change to a directory or disk, click on the directory name (inclosed in [ ] or ..). To select a file to add to the Launch Pad, you 'double click' on the name or 'click' once on the name and click on the button labeled 'Add To Launch Pad' (or Alt + A). The Application Startup Parameters dialog box appears. 3) The Application Startup Parameters dialog box is used to define the various startup parameters for your application. The edit box 'Startup Directory' is used to specify which directory that this task runs in. Note, some DOS (and Window) programs require that you start a program in a specific directory so that the application has access to configuration files, data files and so on. Also note that the 'Startup Directory' does not need to be the directory that the application program is loaded from. The 'Parameters' edit box will contain the data you wish to pass to the application program being started. The 'Prompt Before This Application Is Started' check box is as described; If selected, Launch will ask (prompt) if you wish the application to be started. The 'After Startup, Connect To This Application' check box also does as the name suggests. When all tasks have been started, this application will be the one receiving mouse/keyboard input. Finally, you will have a choice of how the application appears on the Desktop. This choice is made by selecting one of three radio button in the 'After Started, This Application Is' group. Options are, 'A Window', 'An Icon' and 'Application Default'. How To Use Launch (Continued) For example, the application being run is 'Notepad.exe' (supplied with Windows 3.0), and: The 'Startup Directory' edit box contains c:\notefile' The 'Parameters' edit box contains 'c:\notefile\mynotes.txt' 'Prompt Before This Application Is Started' is selected 'After Startup, Connect To This Application is selected The 'A Window' radio button is selected. When LAUNCH.EXE is run again (or the 'Launch!' menu item is selected), the following will happen. Launch will ask if you wish the program started. Launch will turn into a small window and transfer control to notepad.exe. Launch Errata And The Usual At this time I am obliged to state: David B. Hughes will not be liable for special, incidental, consequential, indirect, direct or any other damages, even if David B. Hughes has been advised of the possibility of damages. This means that David B. Hughes is not responsible or is liable for damages or costs incurred as a result of loss of time, loss or destruction of data, loss of profits or revenue, or losses incurred during use. In addition, David B. Hughes is not responsible or liable for damages or costs incurred in connection with obtaining any substitute software, claims by others, inconvenience, or any other costs. If you wish to order Launch, please send a check or money order for $25 (twenty five) U.S. dollars to: David B. Hughes 993 North Vulcan #5 Leucadia, Ca 92024