                        
                             Handy Little Interface
                                    Number 1

               for use with IBM's LOADDSKF and SAVEDSKF utilities






                                  Introduction
                                  ============

 Handy Little Interface Number 1 is a Graphical User Interface for IBM's
 LOADDSKF and SAVEDSKF utilities.  Handy Little Interface Number 1 was 
 written using WATCOM's VX-REXX for OS/2.

 This interface was written as a learning project in an effort to learn 
 the VX-REXX language.  The reason that the LoadDskF and SaveDskF 
 utilities were chosen is because these utilities are not used often and 
 it's easy to forget the parameters and their meanings.  Handy Little 
 Interface Number 1 allows you to quickly set-up parameters and execute 
 these utilities with a minimum of effort and to avoid syntax errors.



                                   Copyright
                                   =========

 Handy Little Interface Number 1 is copyright 1994 by Services ORDILis 
 Qubec Enr.



                                   Disclaimer
                                   ==========
 
 Services ORDILis Qubec Enr. makes no warranty with respect to the 
 adequacy of this documentation or the programs which it describes for 
 any particular purpose or with respect to its adequacy to produce any 
 particular result. In no event shall Services ORDILis Qubec Enr. or 
 the author of the program described herein be liable for special, 
 direct, indirect or consequential damages, losses, costs, charges, 
 claims, demands or claim for lost profits, fees or expenses of any 
 nature or kind.

 The only thing that this program is guaranteed to do is take up disk space.



                                   Trademarks
                                   ==========

 IBM and OS/2 are trademarks of the IBM Corporation. 

 WATCOM and VXREXX are trademarks of WATCOM International Corporation. 



                                Package contents
                                ================

 This archive contains the following 7 files:

   NUMBER1.EXE  Handy Little Interface Mumber 1 executable. (Required)
   NUMBER1.ICO  Icon file for the executable (Optional)
   NUMBER1.BMP  Program name banner file. (Required)
   NUMBER1.TXT  The program documentation. (Optional)
   ORDILIS.BMP  ORDILis logo file. (Required)
   QUICK.TXT    Quick setup information. (Optional)
   VROBJ.DLL    VX-REXX run-time library.  Redistributed according to WATCOM's
                Redistribution Rights. (Required)

   Note:  Any other files added to this archive come from outside sources.



                                  Registration
                                  ============

 Handy Little Interface Number 1 is FREE shareware.  If you like and use 
 the product you are encouraged to tell others about it.  I would also 
 appreciate it if you sent me a NetMail message telling me what you 
 think of the program.
 


                             Contacting the author
                             =====================

 The author is available on FidoNet as John Bousquet at 1:240/1.11

 Snail mail address is:         John Bousquet
                                201 Senneville
                                St-Raymond
                                Quebec, Canada
                                G0A 4G0



                              System requirements
                              ===================

 OS/2 2.x  and the contents of this archive.
 IBM's LoadDskF utility. (LoadDskF.exe)
 IBM's SaveDskF utility. (SaveDskF.exe)
 A mouse or other pointing device. (This interface offers very limited
                                                     keyboard support)



                                  Installation
                                  ============

 - Place the VROBJ.DLL file in a directory in your LIBPATH.
 
 - Place the remaining files from this archive in a sub-directory of your 
   choice.
 
 - In the executable's settings book, ensure that the working directory is set 
   to reflect the directory where the files were installed.

 - Open a OS/2 full-screen or windowed session or alternately use the drive 
   icon to change drive:\directory to where the Number 1 files are located.

 - Execute the NUMBER1.EXE file.
   
   NOTE:  The first time that Number 1 is executed you will be asked to supply 
          information about the location of the LoadDskF and SaveDskF 
          utilities.  This information will be written to the NUMBER1.INI file 
          which will be created in the directory containing the Number 1 files.  
          Failure to supply the required information will abort the program.



                                  User's guide
                                  ============

Operation
=========

 - Execute the NUMBER1.EXE file.

 - Choose whether to create an image file of a floppy by pressing the [Create] 
   button or to restore an image file to a floppy by pressing the [Restore] 
   button.

 - Depending on which button was pressed, either the create options area or the 
   restore options area will be available for input.

 - Choose the desired options by checking the options boxes or push buttons.

 - Press the [Execute] button.

 - To exit the interface, press the [Quit] button.

 - NOTE: Help is available within the program by clicking the right mouse 
   button on an item.


The interface
=============

            Ŀ
            Ĵ
             Ŀ                                  
                     ORDILis          Handy  Little  Interface      
                      LOGO                    Number 1              
                                               
                                                                       
             ImageĿ Create optionsĿ Restore optionsĿ
                          [] Compression    [] Format floppy     
              [Create ]   [] Pure image     [] Floppy conversion 
                          [] Whole floppy   [] Bypass prompt     
              [Restore]   [] Text file      [] Omit warning      
               [] Append msg                          
                                                                   
               [Execute]    [A][B] Source     [A][B] Target        
                            [File] Target     [File] Source        
               [ Quit  ]    ٳ
            


The Window
==========

 The title bar contains the name of the executable and a minimize button for 
 your convenience.  The window may be moved but is of a fixed size measured in 
 twips (20th's of a point).  The window contains the following areas of 
 interest.


The ORDILis logo
================
 
 Ŀ  Clicking on the logo using the left mouse 
         ORDILis        button will bring up product information.
          LOGO        
   Clicking on the logo using the right mouse
                           button will bring up help.


The Program banner
==================

 Clicking on the program banner using the left mouse button will bring up 
 program information.

 Clicking on the program banner using the right mouse button will bring up 
 help.


The Image area
==============

 ImageĿ   This area is used to choose whether to create an image 
               file of a floppy or to build a floppy from an image file. 
  [Create ]  
               Clicking on the [Create ] button will activate the create 
  [Restore]    options area.
    
                 Clicking on the [Restore] button will activate the restore 
                 options area.

                 The chosen button will change colour to red to reflect the 
                 choice.

                 Clicking on either button using the right mouse button will 
                 bring up help.


The create options area
=======================

 Create optionsĿ  Compression: Optionally compresses the files from the
  [] Compression                 floppy to produce a smaller image file.
  [] Pure image                  This is SaveDskF's /N option.  The default
  [] Whole floppy                is with compression.
  [] Text file                   
  [] Append msg      Pure image: This option creates an exact image of the
                                 floppy.  When this option is selected all
  [A][B] Source                  other options are disabled.  Also the whole
  [File] Target                  floppy option is set and locked to retain
                compatibility with the LoadDskf utility.
                                   This is SaveDskF's /D option.

                     Whole floppy: This option saves the whole diskette
                                   regardless of the amount of data stored on
                                   the floppy.  This is SaveDskF's /A option.

                        Text file: This option allows you to read text from a
                                   file which will be included as a comment in 
                                   the diskette image file. The total length of 
                                   this message plus any message added via the 
                                   Append msg option must not exceed 4096 
                                   bytes. This is SaveDskF's /M option.

                       Append msg: This option allows you to enter a short
                                   message which will be included as a comment 
                                   in the diskette image file. This message 
                                   will be added to the Text file message if 
                                   this option was also chosen.  This is 
                                   SaveDskF's /K option.
                             NOTE: Care must be exercised when using this
                                   option as the entire command length passed 
                                   to SaveDskF is limited to 128 bytes.
                                
       Source [A] and [B] buttons: These buttons are used to select the source             
                                   drive to be used for creating the image 
                                   file.  The default is the A: drive but can 
                                   be changed by clicking the B: drive button.  
                                   If the target image file has already been 
                                   set then the [Execute] button will be 
                                   enabled. The active source button will be 
                                   red.
                                
             Target [File] button: This button brings up a dialog box which
                                   allows you to choose a 
                                   drive:\path\filename.ext for the image file.
                                   Once an image file has been set the file 
                                   button will change to red and the [Execute]
                                   button will be enabled.

 Clicking the left mouse button on a checkbox sets or removes the option.
 Some checkboxes will bring up further dialog boxes when chosen.
 
 Clicking the left mouse button on a source drive button will set the option to 
 that drive.
 
 Clicking the left mouse button on the target [File] button will bring up a 
 standard file dialog box to choose a path and filename for the image file.  If 
 the image file already exists you will be asked to confirm overwriting the 
 file.
 
 Clicking on any object or text in this area using the right mouse button will 
 bring up help on that item.
                                
                                
The restore options area
========================
                                
 Restore optionsĿ                               
  [] Format floppy         Format floppy:  This option is used to format                           
  [] Floppy conversion                     the floppy during the restore. 
  [] Bypass prompt                         This is LoadDskF's /F option.             
  [] Omit warning                                     
                        Floppy conversion: This option permits writing the                        
                                           image file to a floppy of a 
  [A][B] Target                            different format than the
  [File] Source                            original.  The floppy must be
                     at least of the same capacity as
                                             or greater than the original.
                                             This is LoadDskF's /C option.
                                
                              Bypass prompt: This option bypasses the need to
                                             press the "y" key in order to 
                                             continue.  If this option is set, 
                                             the window running the LoadDskF 
                                             utility will be opened behind 
                                             other open windows.  If this 
                                             option is not checked, the window 
                                             running the LoadDskF utility will 
                                             be brought to the foreground for 
                                             you to enter the required 
                                             keystroke.  This is LoadDskF's /Y 
                                             option.
                                
                               Omit warning: This option bypasses the warning 
                                             message that appears before the 
                                             data transfer begins.  Setting 
                                             this option sets and disables the
                                             bypass prompt option.  This is 
                                             LoadDskF's /A/Q option.
                                
                 Target [A] and [B] buttons: These buttons are used to select 
                                             the target drive to be used for 
                                             creating the floppy.  The default 
                                             is the A: drive but can be changed 
                                             by clicking the B: drive button. 
                                             If the source image file has 
                                             already been set then the 
                                             [Execute] button will be enabled. 
                                             The active target button will be 
                                             red.
                                
                       Source [File] button: This button brings up a dialog box
                                             which will allow you to choose a 
                                             drive:\path\filename.ext for the 
                                             image file.  Once an image file 
                                             has been set the file button will 
                                             change to red and the [Execute] 
                                             button will be enabled.

 Clicking the left mouse button on a checkbox sets or removes the option.
 
 Clicking the left mouse button on a target drive button will set the option to 
 that drive.
 
 Clicking the left mouse button on the source [File] button will bring up a 
 standard file dialog box to choose a path and filename for the image file to 
 use in the restoration process.
 
 Clicking on any object or text in this area using the right mouse button will 
 bring up help on that item.
                                
                                
The [Execute] button
====================

 Clicking the left mouse button on the [Execute] button when it is enabled will 
 launch the task that was chosen.
 
 The [execute] button will only be enabled if the following are true:
     
     The [Create] button is red, and
     The create options [A] or [B] button is red, and
     The create options [File] button is red.                                
                                
     - or -
     
     The [Restore] button is red, and
     The restore options [A] or [B] button is red, and
     The restore options [File] button is red.                          
                                
 Clicking on the [Execute] button using the right mouse button will bring up 
 the help for that item.                               
                                
                                
The [Quit] button
=================
                                
 Clicking on the [Quit] button using the left mouse button will exit the 
 interface.  
 
 The [Quit] button will change to a red [Wait...] button while Number 1 checks 
 for any windows that were created by the interface.  Before exiting you will 
 be asked to close down any windows created by Handy Little Interface Number 1.  
 
 Windows opened by Number 1 will be brought to the foreground for your 
 attention.  
 
 Clicking on the [Quit] button once these windows are closed will exit the 
 interface.
                                
                                
                                
                                  BUG reports
                                  ===========                                
                                
 If you discover a bug in the program you are encouraged to contact the author 
 by NetMail or snail mail describing the steps required to reproduce the fault.                               
                                
                                
                                
                                    History
                                    =======

 Version 1.0     First official release.
