b y t h e



















Copyright 1991 by Joel Gott / The CompuTech Group




* * * W E L C O M E T O A M E N U * * *


The AMENU utility (Automatic MENU) is a simple yet very functional menu
utility. It was not designed to replace a "standard" menu program. Its
purpose is to give you an uncomplicated means of viewing every executable file
within a directory.

AMENU scans the current directory and builds a menu for all .BAS, .BAT, .COM,
and .EXE files. It also displays all subdirectories as well as the "parent"
directory. All that is left for you to do is highlight the program that you
want to run and press [ENTER/RETURN] or click a mouse button. It's that easy.

AMENU also has a companion program called AMENUED.EXE. AMENUED allows you to
customize AMENU to suit your tastes. All colors can be changed. Your own
title can be displayed. Extension groups can be enabled and disabled. Various
features used within AMENU can be enabled and disabled. Even the background
pattern can be changed.

AMENUED creates a data file called AMENU.DAT in the current directory. If at
any time you want to return to the default settings of AMENU, then just delete
this data file.

When AMENU starts, it looks in the current directory for the AMENU.DAT data
file. If it does not find this file in the current directory it will look in
the directory where AMENU.COM resides. If it does not find it there it uses
the "built in" defaults. For example:

AMENU is located in a subdirectory: \UTILITY\MISC\AMENU.COM
You are in the root (\) directory and type AMENU.COM.

First AMENU looks in the root directory for a file called
AMENU.DAT. If it does not find it there it then looks in
\UTILITY\MISC for a file called AMENU.DAT. If it is not
located there, then it uses the "built in" defaults.

Help is available if you start AMENU with a [ ? ] as a parameter.
For example:

AMENU.COM ?

AMENU requires DOS 3.0 or greater.


* * * A M E N U C O M M A N D S * * *


These keys will have an effect on the Automatic Menu while the menu is being
displayed:

(Keys that are proceeded by an asterisk are enhanced features that are included
in the registered version.)

ALT - Turn ON / Turn OFF the menubar.
This menubar displays the F1, F2 keys as well as all
floppy and hard drives.
[A - Z] - Pressing a drive letter while the menubar is on will
change to that drive.

ARROWS - Moves the cursor

CONTROL ENTER - Copies the filename to the command line and waits for
keyboard input. This allows the passing of parameters
to your program.

END - Moves the cursor to the LAST filename

ENTER/RETURN - Executes the highlighted file

ESC - Exits the Automatic Menu

F1 - Command Line
This allows you to enter a DOS command directly from
AMENU.

F2 - Shell to DOS
You must type EXIT to return to AMENU.

* F10 - Enable ALL extension groups (if disabled)
If any extension group has been disabled by AMENUED
then this will temporarily turn it on.

HOME - Moves the cursor to the FIRST filename

PAGE DOWN - Moves the cursor to the BOTTOM of the column

PAGE UP - Moves the cursor to the TOP of the column

* LEFT MOUSE BUTTON - (Same as ENTER/RETURN)

* RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON - (Same as CONTROL ENTER)

* CENTER MOUSE BUTTON - (Same as ESC)
[ If available ] (Two button mouse users can press both mouse buttons
SIMULTANEOUSLY)

Clicking a mouse button while the mouse cursor is on the bottom row will turn
the menubar on. (Same as ALT) Clicking anywhere else will turn the menubar
off. Clicking on a menubar item will activate that item.

This key will have an effect if used on the command line when starting AMENU:

M - Sets colors for use with monochrome and LCD displays
(ie. AMENU.COM M)


* * * A M E N U E D C O M M A N D S * * *


(AMENUED.EXE is included with the registered version only)


ENTER/RETURN - Accept this entry

ESC - Exit the program and SAVE the configuration

UP / DOWN ARROWS - Moves the cursor UP or DOWN the configuration list

+ (plus) - Increments the value by one

- (minus) - Decrements the value by one

CONTROL C - Exit the program and DO NOT SAVE the configuration

To restore AMENU to its "built in" defaults, just delete the AMENU.DAT file
that is created.


* * * A T T E N T I O N * * *
E D U C A T O R S
M U L T I P L E P C U S E R S


After buying many units of expensive hardware some schools or businesses may
not be in a position to buy software in multiple copies. Yet that is what the
current copyright laws require you to do if you intend on running a piece of
software on several different computers.

The reproducing of copyrighted software has thus become one of the most heated
debates of the computer age and especially so within the educational circles.
On one hand there are some teachers who believe that because they are acting in
the public interest, they should have the right to copy "educational" programs.
On the other hand are the writers of those programs, who feel they are not
being compensated for their work.

The CompuTech Group therefore, has taken steps to accommodate both sides of
this issue. We are pleased to announce a MULTIPLE COMPUTER REGISTRATION that
will cover all the computers at a given site.

Each registration of AMENU Version 3 is $25.00 U.S.
A SITE registration is $100.00.

As you can see, having five or more computers involves no further burden to
your budget.

Many long and difficult hours have been spent by the programmers to bring this
software to you. Please do not abuse the trust that has been extended to you.


* * * A T T E N T I O N S H A R E W A R E D I S T R I B U T O R S * * *


As shareware authors we view the distribution of our programs as a benefit to
us. We have two stipulations, however, for the distribution of our programs:

1) THE ONLY CHARGE FOR THE PROGRAM MUST BE CONNECT TIME (if
downloading from a BBS) OR A MINIMAL HANDLING FEE (if received
through a mailing company). NO CHARGE WILL BE MADE FOR THE PROGRAM
ITSELF.

2) THE PROGRAM, ITS ACCOMPANYING FILES, AND DOCUMENTATION MUST
NOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY.

You may consider this notice as having permission to distribute the SHAREWARE
version of this program IF the above stipulations are adhered to.

The CompuTech Group would appreciate receiving a copy of your catalog or
advertisement when it includes one of our programs. This is not a requirement
for distribution; only a request.


* * * A T T E N T I O N B A S I C U S E R S * * *


If BASIC programs are not executing, then BASIC.EXE or BASIC.COM is not
in your PATH. If you use BASICA.COM, you may have to rename the file
to BASIC.COM.


* * * A T T E N T I O N N E T W O R K U S E R S * * *


AMENU is Novell compatable. Please read the section entitled "ATTENTION
EDUCATORS / MULTIPLE PC USERS".


* * * A T T E N T I O N N O N - H A R D D I S K U S E R S * * *


One small note to those of you who "boot" your computers using a floppy disk:

AMENU makes extensive use of the COMSPEC environment variable. The COMSPEC
variable tells DOS where your COMMAND.COM file can be located. On systems that
are "booted" with a floppy disk, COMSPEC points to the A: drive. What all of
this means is that a floppy disk with COMMAND.COM must always be in the A:
drive.

If you have two drives, it may be more advantages to run AMENU on the B: drive.


* * * A M E N U I N F O R M A T I O N * * *


AMENU.COM was written entirely in assembly language. What does that mean? It
means that AMENU is compact, fast and requires very little overhead. (In fact
AMENU only occupies 6.7K.) It also means that more than the usual work went
into writing AMENU. Assembly language is much more difficult to program with
than languages such as BASIC, C, PASCAL, etc.

AMENU has been Copyrighted 1991 by Joel Gott / The CompuTech Group. AMENU is
protected under U.S. copyright laws; the United Nations Educations, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and by the Berne Union.

Any inquiry about AMENU should be made to The CompuTech Group by writing to:

The CompuTech Group
213 Webster Avenue
Providence, RI 02909

or by

Sending E-MAIL to either one of these two "electronic addresses":

COMPUSERVE: 73117,3314
PCLINK: GOELJOTT


The file ORDER.FRM is an order form for registering AMENU. This can be easily
printed on your printer by typing this command at your DOS prompt:

COPY ORDER.FRM LPT1


T H A N K Y O U S , A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S, & H A N D S H A K E S


The CompuTech Group would like to take this opportunity to thank all of its
beta testers and contributors:

Ron Caron............ THE CARON AGENCY
Carl Gott............ GOTT BROTHERS PAINTING AND PAPERING
Paul Gott............ YANKEE SALES AND SERVICES
Jim McNulty.......... PCMAGNET SYSOP
John Ramos........... TANDY ELECTRONICS

And especially to Art Ferreira, honorary member of the CompuTech Group.
Without Art's contribution, AMENU (as we know it) would not exist.



COMPUTECH/JOEL GOTT SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CUSTOMER
OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE
CAUSED OR ALLEGED TO BE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY THIS SOFTWARE,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR
ANTICIPATORY PROFITS OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OR
OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE.