02/10/92
SUPER BOOT VERSION 7.4
The following files should be included in your SPBT74.LZH file:
README.1ST - This file (a summary of changes from 7.0 to 7.4).
SUPERBT.PRG - Super Boot V7.4.
SUPERBTA.PRG - Auxiliary program used by Super Boot.
SUPER_CS.PRG - Super Boot Construction Set V7.4.
SUPER_CS.RSC - Resource file used by SUPER_CS.PRG.
SBCNV7_0.TOS - Program to convert 5.0, 5.1, 5.5, or 6.0 data file to 7.0.
SBCNV7_2.TOS - Program to convert 7.0 data file to 7.2/7.4.
SUPERBT.DOC - Manual for Super Boot.
STARTGEM.PRG - GEM program autobooter.
STARTGEM.DOC - Documentation for Startgem.
Previous collections which were released with V7.0:
SB_OTHER.ARC - Utility programs which are useful for Super Boot.
SBSOUNDS.ARC - Matched pictures and sounds for use with Super Boot.
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SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM 7.2 TO 7.4
This minor update corrects a few bugs and hopefully makes Super Boot more
compatible on the TT. The changes:
o Fixed bug which would cause Super Boot to incorrectly select the default
configuration from the mono function key instead of the color function
key on some systems.
o Fool Super Boot into thinking TT High Rez is the same as ST High Rez to
prevent a reboot on TT Monochrome systems. (Has not been tested yet on
a TT).
o Fixed dialog boxes in the Super Boot Construction Set so that they draw
correctly in resolutions larger than the ST's standard medium and high
resolutions. They should be drawn correctly and centered now in TT High
rez and on large screen monitors which can be used on ST's.
o Increased the line size that a line in DESKTOP.INF or NEWDESK.INF can
be from 120 characters to 175 characters. This was a problem for at
least one person I know of using TOS 2.05.
o Longer pathnames can now be entered in the "Other" file type configuration.
SUMMARY OF CHANGES FROM 7.0 TO 7.2
The major goal of this release was to make Super Boot compatible with all
models of ST's and STE's and all versions of TOS and in all built-in
resolutions. It should now be completely compatible. The changes:
o Fixed bug where 4 hidden programs (SUPERBT,SUPERBTA,STARTGEM,HEADSTRT) were
being removed from the file list but Super Boot would not substitute in
other programs in their place. So if you had 25 AUTO programs but only
1 column selected to display them (1 column = 19 files), Super Boot would
only show 15 instead of 19 of the files on the file selection screen
o Fixed bug where STE's had 00/00/28 date on files like DESKTOP.INF which are
copied in Super Boot.
o Increased Cold Boot time factor to allow for longer boot up in TOS 2.05
and greater. Cold Boot detection should now work correctly on all models.
o Allow colors from expanded STE color palette. Two buttons were added on
the color selection screen (color monitors only) called "512 Palette" and
"4096 Palette". Click on "4096 Palette" if you have an STE machine for
expanded color. The 512 option allows for color values from 0 to 7 while
the 4096 option allows for color values from 0 to 15.
o Changed final update screen to show selected F-key and other miscellaneous
data such as if Super Boot was bypassed, if it timed out waiting for a
keypress, etc.
o 8 character root filename of DESKTOP.INF is now user-specifiable to allow
for NEWDESK.INF or anything else that comes down the pike. If you are
using TOS 2.05 or greater, go to the "Specify Disk Drives" option in the
Super Boot Construction Set and type in "NEWDESK" instead of "DESKTOP".
o Fixed #Z line for TOS 1.4 and greater to be line # 5 in the .INF file
instead of the first line, to prevent 2 #Z files in the same .INF file
(in case resaved).
o Made F-keys for default configuration user selectable. See page 6 of
"Edit Program Parameters" in the Super Boot Construction Set.
o Pictures and Sound Files can now be shown sequentially. The SEQUENTIAL
method shows pictures in order (still one picture each boot) so that you
will be sure to see them all. If you were using RANDOM before you probably
noticed that you might see one picture several times and others you might
never have seen.
Super Boot creates a new data file when this method is used, it has an
extension of .STS and the filename will be something like 00230002.STS.
The first 4 digits of the filename are the next picture to show (it would
show the 23rd picture in the specified directory in the above example
filename) and the second set of 4 digits are the next sound it will play
(it would play the 2nd sound in a directory in the example). When it
reaches the end of a directory it starts over at number 1 again. You can
add and delete pictures/sounds from the directory and Super Boot will have
no problem with it. The .STS file is created automatically. You can
delete it with no problem if you stop using the sequential method or if
you want Super Boot to start over at 00010001.STS again.
The reason that the filename is actually the data instead of writing the
data inside the file is that it is much faster to rename a file rather
than to change the data inside it. See page 1 of "Edit Program Parameters"
in the Super Boot Construction set to choose sequential pictures and
page 6 if you want to choose sequential sounds.
o Monochrome color selection should now work correctly and the menu is more
informative.
o Clearing the screen now works properly in the "Hide Files" menu option
in monochrome.
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NEW TIPS
o If you use Quick ST and use the Super Boot Construction Set to view a
low resolution picture, Quick ST seems to get confused or it is confusing
GEM and any menus you see will be "shifted" and hard to read. Apparently
Quick ST still thinks it in low rez when it should be in medium rez.
Hopefully Quick ST will be corrected, but for now if you don't have
Turbo ST just turn off Quick ST in the Super Boot Construction Set or
don't view low rez pictures while using Quick ST.
o Extensions for the various types of files in Super Boot should be unique,
they should not be the same. So, for example, you shouldn't have a
"Other" type file with an extension of .INF since Super Boot uses .INF
to recognize DESKTOP.INF files.
If you have no choice and have to set up an "Other" type file with a
duplicate extension you can, but just be sure that none of the filenames
in one set are the same as a filename another set. So if you have .INF
set up as a type 2 "Other" file for Neodesk, that's fine. But if you
have a LOW_REZ.INF desktop file, and a LOW_REZ.INF Neodesk file, that
will be a problem. Super Boot would never activate the neodesk file. In
that situation you could rename the Neodesk file to LOW_REZN.INF and all
would be fine. You could have also changed the extender to something
like .NDS and eliminated all problems.
So, as a general rule, don't use .INF, .SYS, .PRG, or .ACC as an "Other"
file extension, and if you use multiple "Other" filesets, please make
the extensions unique.
o Just as a clarification, when you are setting a search mask using the
file selector, you have to be sure that the file selector accepts the
new search mask before clicking on "OK". Acceptance may vary if you use
an alternative file selector. To make sure it is selected, all of the
files in the file selector window should fit the search mask before you
click on "OK". So if you change the search mask from "C:\PICTURES\*.*"
to "C:\PICTURES\*.TNY", the only files that should be listed should have
an extension of .TNY, otherwise something is wrong.
If you use the ST's built in file selector, you have to click on the
horizontal bar just above the filenames for it to accept the new search
mask. The same is true with Universal Item Selector, click on the
horizontal bar just above the filenames.
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BEFORE RUNNING YOUR NEW VERSION OF SUPERBOOT
o Please read through the new sections of the manual if you need more
detailed information.
o Copy all files to their proper directories (use ALL of the new files)
o Run SBCNV7_2.TOS to convert your data file from 7.0 to 7.2 format for use
with this new version of Super Boot. (V7.2 and V7.4 use same data format)
o Run SUPER_CS.PRG to configure the new parameters in this version.
NOTE: You can also just delete your old SUPERBT.STF and run SUPER_CS.PRG
and it will create a new data file with default settings in 7.4 format.
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THE FUTURE
I still have plans to add more features to Super Boot so expect to see a
Super Boot 8.0. I won't go into the new features that I'm planning, but
if you do have any more ideas for features you would like to see in Super
Boot let me know.
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Gordon Moore
2300 Beech St.
Ashland, KY 41102
(USA)
E - M A I L
Genie : G.W.MOORE
Compuserve: 73647,2735