DVPEDIT Version 1.0

A DESQview Program Information File Editor

Copyright (c) 1991 by Daniel J. Bodoh and Richard Reiner


INTRODUCTION
DVPEDIT is a replacement for DESQview's Change A Program. It very
closely simulates the behavior of Change A Program, but can do much
more. Dvpedit
provides superior field editing and context-sensitive help,
provides access to DVP fields which Change a Program conceals,
can edit DVP files which are not on DESQview's Open Window menu,
can edit DVP files which are not named something of the form
``xx-PIF.DVP'', and
can be run from the command line.

THE DVPEDIT PACKAGE
The following files are contained in the archive DVPEDIT.ZIP:

CHANGES.TXT - Summary of changes since version 0.9Beta
DEFAULT.DVP - A default DVP for building new DVPs
DVPE-CFG.EXE - The program for customizing DvpEdit's colors
DVPEDIT.EXE - The DvpEdit executable
DVPEDIT.HLP - Context-sensitive help text
DVPEDIT.MAN - Documentation of DvpEdit's features and options
EP-PIF.DVP - A DV Program info file (DVP) for ``dvpedit -o''
ED-PIF.DVP - A DVP for ``dvpedit''
MD-PIF.DVP - A DVP for ``dvpedit default.dvp''
README.1ST - This file

INSTALLATION
Installation of DvpEdit is very simple:

(1) Create a DvpEdit directory. We'll use C:\DVPEDIT, but you can
substitute any directory. If you use a different directory,
replace all references to C:\DVPEDIT with your directory.

(2) Unzip the DVPEDIT files into C:\DVPEDIT. The file DVPEDIT.HLP
must reside in the same directory as DVPEDIT.EXE, unless you
use the ``-h'' option with DvpEdit.

(3) Read the file DVPEDIT.MAN and get a feel for how you want
to use DvpEdit.

(4) If you want to use DvpEdit from the command line (i.e. from a
BIG DOS window) add C:\DVPEDIT to the PATH= line in AUTOEXEC.BAT.

(5) If the DESQview system directory is not in your PATH= statement,
AND it is not C:\DV, (let's say it is F:\DESQ) add the following
to your AUTOEXEC.BAT:
set DV=F:\DESQ
again, substitute the DV system directory for F:\DESQ in the
example above.

(6) We have provided three Open Window menu selections for DvpEdit.
The first runs ``dvpedit -o'' and simulates Change A Program.
The Open Window name is ``Edit A Program'' and uses the keys ``EP''.

The second Open Window menu selection runs ``dvpedit''.
This selection allows you to edit any DVP file, whether it is
on the Open Window menu or not. The Open Window menu name
for this selection is ``Edit A DVP'' and uses the keys ``ED''.

The third Open Window menu selection runs ``dvpedit default.dvp''.
It uses the keys ``MD'' and is called ``Make A DVP''. This is
a handy way to build new DVPs.

You can install any one or all of these menu selections. To
install DvpEdit on the Open Window menu, choose Open Window -
Add A Program. Type "O" to select "Other (Add a Program not on
the List)". Type C:\DVPEDIT (or the appropriate directory name).

(7) Use the space bar to mark which DvpEdit menu selections you
want to add to Open Window. Hit RETURN when done.

(8) If you are already using the keys "ED", "EP", or "MD", you will
be asked for new keys. Otherwise, DvpEdit will be added to the
Open Window menu.

(9) You may have to make some changes to ED, EP, or MD. If you get the
error "DESQview System Directory not found" when you try to run
ED, EP, or MD, use Change A Program (or DvpEdit from the command
line) to add
-dF:\DESQ
to the Program Parameters field. Substitute the name of your
DESQview system directory for F:\DESQ.

If you want ED to display a particular directory by default,
say E:\DVP, change the Path field to C:\DVPEDIT\DVPEDIT
and change the Directory field to E:\DVP.

You can also add options to suit your own tastes.

ADVERTISEMENT
Also available is a package of utilities for DESQview 2.26+ called
DESQview System Information (DVSI). The current version is 1.21,
The utilities in the package have a Unix flavor. They include

PS.COM - Process status: Handle, switch windows #,
memory info, cpu time and utilization, etc.
DF.COM - Free and used disk space
PERF.COM - DESQview performance: CPU Utilization, task switches
KILL.COM - Kills processes
WN.COM - Kills, raises, lowers, tops, suspends or hides processes
processes
UPTIME.COM - Displays time DESQview has been running
MEMSTAT.COM - An alternative to DESQview's Memory Status

PS, DF, PERF, and MEMSTAT can be run in a continous mode in which
they continously update their information but take up very little
CPU time. All the utilities can be run from the command line.

DVSI 1.21 is available via anonymous ftp from WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL
in PD1:DVSI1_21.ZIP. It has also been released
as DVSI1_21.ZIP on DVnet, a network of Fidonet BBSs.

DVPEDIT HISTORY
[CHANGES.TXT contains a more detailed list of changes]

October 20, 1991 Version 1.0
First public release of DvpEdit. A few small bugs that
were found in 0.9Beta2 were killed. The editing keys have been
slightly changed.

October 8, 1991
Released version 0.9Beta2. Some bug fixes as well as a
significantly new save algorithm have been added. DvpEdit will
now keep the Open Window menu up-to-date. Also added MD-PIF.DVP
and a color-customizer to the distribution.

September 21, 1991
Released version 0.9beta. DvpEdit has the ability
to simulate Change A Program, as well as edit any DVP file
and has fields that are concealed in Change A Program.

Late August, 1991
In a email discussion of some bugs in Bodoh's DVSI package,
Change A Program somehow got into the conversation. While
lamenting its poor ergonomics and limited flexibility, the
idea of co-writing a DVP editor was born.

THANKS
We would like extend a big thanks our beta testers for their help
in locating bugs and their many suggestions and criticisms.

Thanks to...

David Baxter [email protected]
Jeffrey T. Berntsen [email protected]
Jonathan Bradshaw [email protected]
Michael D. Burdick [email protected]
Thomas J. Corsalini [email protected]
Doug Dougherty [email protected]
Erik Fichtner [email protected]
Gil Freund [email protected]
Paul Gomme [email protected]
Gary A. Hildebrand [email protected]
Yifun Liang [email protected]
Gerald Lim [email protected]
JC Pollman [email protected]
Jim Reisert [email protected]
Charles O. Shefflette cosheff.bitcave.in-berlin.de
Pete Stern [email protected]
George A. Theall [email protected]
[email protected]