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BRISTOL COMPUTING PROFESSIONAL MENU SYSTEM
------------------------------------------
USER MANUAL























Bristol Computing Systems, Inc.
Suite 162
200 Linden Street
P.O. Box 9009
Wellesley, MA 02181








TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents....................................................i
License Agreement..................................................iii
About This Document..................................................v
Chapter 1 - Introduction.............................................1
Features ......................................................1
System Requirements.............................................3
Chapter 2 - Installing BCS Menu Program..............................4
1. Read the README file.......................................4
2. Copy the appropriate files to your fixed disk..............4
A. Using the Install Program.............................4
B. Copying BCS Menu Program with DOS.....................5
3. Modify AUTOEXEC.BAT........................................6
4. Customize the menus for your system........................6
Other Considerations............................................6
Using A Mouse...................................................6
The Sample Menu Files...........................................7
Chapter 3 - Using BCS Menu Program...................................8
A Little Geography..............................................8
Executing A Menu Item...........................................9
Getting Help...................................................10
Displaying Item Description Window.............................10
Turn Sound ON Or OFF...........................................10
Screen Blank...................................................11
Changing Keyboard Settings.....................................11
Exit To DOS....................................................12
DOS Exit Batch File............................................12
Changing Colors................................................12
Saving The Menu Definition File................................13
Other Keys.....................................................13
Key Summary....................................................13
Chapter 4 - Changing The Colors.....................................14
To Change A Window's Color.....................................15
Using The Mouse To Change Window Colors........................15
Changing Prompt Colors.........................................15
To Change The Color Of A Prompt................................16
Using The Mouse To Change Prompt Colors........................16
Changing Window/Prompt Colors..................................16
Changing Colors On An MDA......................................16
To Change Window Attributes On An MDA..........................17
Using The Mouse To Change Window Attributes....................17
To Change The Attribute Of A Prompt On An MDA..................18
Using The Mouse To Change Prompt Attributes....................18
Changing The Color Palette On EGA/VGA..........................18
To Change The Palette..........................................19
To Change The Palette Using The Mouse..........................19
Recall Colors..................................................19
Creating A New Menu File.......................................19
Editing A Menu File............................................19
Saving The Menu Definition File................................20
Key Summary....................................................20


BCSMENU.DOC Page i








Chapter 5 - Editing A Menu File.....................................21
Menu Edit Screen Display.......................................22
About Menu Editing.............................................22
Key Usage In An Edit Window....................................22
Reserved Character.............................................23
To Change A Menu Item..........................................24
Entering/Changing The Menu Item Password.......................24
Entering/Changing The Menu Item Prompt.........................24
Entering/Changing The Item Description.........................25
Entering/Changing The Menu Item Commands.......................26
Loading A New Menu File........................................27
Specifying User Input Variables................................27
Examples Of User Input Variables...............................28
Command Helper Mode............................................28
To Interactively Build A Command...............................29
Editing A Menu Item Repeatedly.................................31
Getting Help...................................................31
Restore Menu...................................................31
Delete A Menu Item.............................................31
Inserting A New Menu Item......................................31
Changing The Title/DOS Exit Password...........................32
Set Spacing/Number Of Columns..................................32
Moving A Prompt................................................33
Sorting Prompts................................................34
Saving The Menu Definition File................................34
Other Keys.....................................................34
Key Summary....................................................35
Chapter 6 - BCS Menu Program - Operational Overview.................36
Loading Default And Alternate Menu Files.......................37
Menu Definition File Naming Conventions........................37
Location Of Menu Definition Files..............................37
Appendix A - About Bristol Computing Systems, Inc...................38
Appendix B - Error Messages.........................................40
Appendix C - Known Problems.........................................45
Appendix D - Customer Support.......................................46



















BCSMENU.DOC Page ii








Bristol Computing Professional Menu System
E V A L U A T I O N L I C E N S E A G R E E M E N T

Bristol Computing Systems, Inc. is furnishing you a copy of Bristol
Computing Professional Menu System, hereafter referred to as BCS Menu
Program, as shareware (user-supported software). The shareware
concept means that you can evaluate this software on your own machine
to determine whether you want to purchase it. BCS Menu Program is
copyrighted software. It is not free software, nor is it in the
public domain. You are granted a limited license to evaluate a copy
of this software subject to the terms of this Evaluation License
Agreement.

This is a single copy software license granted by Bristol Computing
Systems, Inc., Suite 162, 200 Linden Street, P.O. Box 9009, Wellesley,
MA 02181.

BCS Menu Program is licensed to you on a limited basis as outlined
herein:
o Bristol Computing Professional Menu System is copyrighted
software. You may use it on a trial basis only for
evaluation. Use of BCS Menu Program and/or affiliated files
on any other basis or for a period longer than 30 days
requires that you buy a copy of the software (see order
form).

o Anyone distributing BCS Menu Program for any kind of
remuneration must first contact Bristol Computing Systems at
the address below for authorization. This authorization is
automatically granted to distributors recognized by the
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) as adhering to
its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such
distributors may begin offering BCS Menu Program immediately
(however we request that we be advised so that the
distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version
of BCS Menu Program.).

o You are encouraged to pass a copy of BCS Menu Program along
to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to
register their copy. All registered users receive a copy of
the latest version of BCS Menu Program on diskette along
with a printed manual.

o You may not modify, change, disassemble, or otherwise
reverse engineer BCS Menu Program.

o You may not modify or change BCS Menu Program documentation.

o You are free, and encouraged, to modify the example menu
files to fit your personal needs.




BCSMENU.DOC Page iii








o You agree to accept and use the software "as is." Bristol
Computing Systems makes no warranties concerning BCS Menu
Program, implied or otherwise.

o Bristol Computing Systems accepts no liability for any
damages whatsoever. YOU USE THIS SOFTWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

o Your use of the software indicates your acceptance of the
terms of this Agreement.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights
This program and documentation are provided with Restricted Rights.
Use, duplication, or disclosure by the government is subject to
restrictions set forth in subparagraph (c)(1) of the "Rights in
Technical Data and Computer Software" clause at 52.227-19 of the
Federal Acquisition Regulations. Contractor/manufacturer is Bristol
Computing Systems, Inc., Suite 162, 200 Linden Street, P.O. Box 9009,
Wellesley, MA 02181.

Bristol Computing Systems, Inc.
Suite 162
200 Linden Street
P.O. Box 9009
Wellesley, MA 02181






























BCSMENU.DOC Page iv








ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

This document describes the features and use of BCS Menu Program. The
program was designed so you don't have to reference a manual to use
it. On-line help is available to guide you through all functions.

This document does itemize the features included in BCS Menu Program
to make you aware of them so you can get the most out of the program.
Detailed installation instructions and explanations for each function
are included here. You will need to use this document for certain
menu item editing functions (such as loading another menu file or User
Input Variables) or as a reference for more detailed information.
























(c) 1990 Bristol Computing Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this manual may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without prior written permission of Bristol Computing Systems, Inc.

Information in this manual is subject to change without notice.
Bristol Computing Systems, Inc. reserves the right to make changes in
this manual or in the software it describes at any time.


IBM, PS/2, Personal Computer AT are registered trademarks of
International Business Machines Corporation.
Personal Computer XT is a trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
SideKick is a trademark of Borland International.


BCSMENU.DOC Page v








CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION


Bristol Computing Professional Menu System, referred to as BCS Menu
Program, is a software tool to help you get the most productivity from
your personal computer. It is designed to allow you to start other
programs (applications) quickly and easily. BCS Menu Program adds
security to your system by allowing you to assign passwords to prevent
unauthorized use of your computer (Control Break and Control C will
not exit the program).

The built in editing capabilities of BCS Menu Program provide the
mechanisms to customize screen display and menu content. The program
was designed to provide extensive color control, allowing selection
from 64 different colors on EGA and VGA equipped computers. You can
generate aesthetically pleasing screens on both monochrome and color
displays.


FEATURES

Overview of features provided by BCS Menu Program are:

Easy Menu Selection - Menu selection bar may be positioned using
the UP/DOWN arrow keys, by typing the first
character of the menu item prompt or with a
single click of the mouse. Executing the
selected menu item is accomplished by then
pressing the ENTER key or a double click of
the mouse.

True Mouse Support - Every function available from the keyboard
may be performed using a mouse (except for
text entry where keyboard use is required).

Extensive Item Help - Each menu item may contain up to six lines of
descriptive information that you can
optionally display. The item description
display is updated dynamically to correspond
with the entry indicated by the selection
bar.

Number of entries - Each menu may have up to 100 selections.

Unlimited menus - The number of possible menus is virtually
unlimited (limited only by available
diskspace and DOS file naming conventions).

Date/Time display - Current date and time are continuously
displayed on the menu screen.




BCSMENU.DOC Page 1








Video Support - Support is provided for MDA, CGA, EGA, MCGA
and VGA adapters. Palette modification is
supported on EGA and VGA.

Program Help - Program help provides online descriptive
information. Program help is invoked by
pressing the F1 function key.

No Temporary Files - This program does not create temporary or
batch files to execute menu selections.

Memory Consumption - Memory consumption during command execution
is only 2.5K.

Passwords - Each menu item may have a password assigned
to it. DOS Exit may be password protected.

Screen Blank - The screen will automatically be blanked
after a defined time period has elapsed
without any keyboard or mouse activity. A
small window containing a "screen blank
message" is then displayed on the screen.
Screen blank time and message are easily
modified. Blank time may be set to any time
between 0 and 99 minutes. A screen blank
time of 0 disables screen blanking. The
"screen blank message" may contain up to 60
characters of text.

Execution Items - You can execute one or more DOS programs
and/or commands (including batch files), or
load another menu file from each menu item.

User Input - Up to twenty items of user input may be
prompted for prior to execution of a menu
selection. Input is substituted into the
commands.

Easy Installation - An easy to use installation program is
supplied, or you can manually install BCS
Menu Program following the directions that
appear in CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLING BCS MENU
PROGRAM.

Program Control - BCS Menu Program stays in control until you
exit to DOS. There is no need to add
additional commands to restart BCS Menu
Program - it automatically restarts on
completion of an executed menu selection.

Not a TSR - BCS Menu Program is not a TSR. It will not
stay resident once it is exited.


BCSMENU.DOC Page 2








Color Editing - One of the most intuitive color changing
(editing) screens available. Complete color
control. Palette control on EGA/VGA (choose
from 64 colors in standard text mode).
Colors are defined in the menu file, not in
the program, enabling different color
selections for each menu file.

Menu Editing - Edit existing menu files or create entirely
new menu files. Menu text may be edited on
line - no need to start a separate
application to edit the menu files. Each of
the following items may be edited on a per
menu basis: menu title, DOS Exit password,
screen blank time, screen blank message.
You can add entries (up to 100 entries per
menu), delete entries, or modify entries.
The following items may be edited on a per
entry basis: menu selection password, menu
prompt, item description, DOS/BCS Menu
commands, prompts for user input.

Command Helper - This feature automates command building by
searching your disk(s) for executable files
(.COM, .EXE and .BAT files) or menu files
(.MNU files) and allows you to interactively
create commands from pop-up windows.


SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

IBM Personal Computer PC, XT, AT, PS/2 or 100% Compatible.

DOS 3.0 or Higher.

512K Random Access Memory.

Hard Drive or Network File Server recommended.

Optional Microsoft compatible mouse.














BCSMENU.DOC Page 3








CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLING BCS MENU PROGRAM


BCS Menu Program is best utilized on computers that have a fixed disk
and/or use a network file server. Although it may be used on a floppy
disk system, this is not recommended.

Installation should proceed in the following order:
1. Read the README file included with the BCS Menu Program
files.
2. Copy the appropriate files to your fixed disk.
(fixed disk is used throughout the remainder of this chapter
to mean fixed disk or network drive.)
3. Modify AUTOEXEC.BAT.
4. Customize the menus for your system.


1. Read the README file.
The README file may contain instructions that have been added since
this manual was prepared. Directions that appear there supersede
directions included here. You can read this file on the screen a page
at a time by executing the following DOS command: TYPE README | MORE.


2. Copy the appropriate files to your fixed disk.
An Installation program is supplied to automate this portion of
program installation. You can either use the install program or copy
the files manually using the DOS COPY command. It is recommended that
you use the install program.


A. Using the Install Program.
To start the install program, type INSTALL at the DOS prompt (you
might have to specify a drive and/or path name if the BCS Menu Files
are not in the current directory). For example if the BCS package is
in your A drive in the root directory you can start the install by
typing A:\INSTALL. Answer the questions as they appear on the screen.
The install program's final question will ask you for confirmation
before it copies any files - this gives you the opportunity to abort
before any files are actually copied.

When the install program is activated the Bristol Computing Systems
logo screen will be displayed.
o Press a key, for example the Enter key, to continue.

You are asked "Where To Install BCS Menu Program?".
o Enter the drive destination and subdirectory name (eg.
C:\BCSMENU). The subdirectory does not have to already exist.

You are then asked "Where Are the BCS Menu Files Now?".
o If the BCS package is in your A drive in the root directory you
should type A:.


BCSMENU.DOC Page 4








You are then asked to confirm your answers.
o If you want to change any of your answers to the previous
questions type "N" otherwise type "Y".

If the installation subdirectory does not exist you are asked whether
the installation program should create it.
o Type "N" if you don't want the install program to create the
directory (you will then be prompted to enter new directory
names). Type "Y" to have the install program create the
subdirectory.

You are then asked "Proceed with Menu Installation?".
o Type "Y". The BCS Menu Program files will then be copied to the
drive/directory specified.
o Type "N" to abort the installation. You will be returned to the
DOS prompt.


B. Copying BCS Menu Program with DOS.

From the DOS prompt you can issue the following commands to manually
install BCS Menu Program. It is assumed that the BCS Menu Program
files are in the A drive and that the files are to be transferred to
the C drive in the subdirectory C:\BCSMENU and that the subdirectory
exists on the C drive. If the directory C:\BCSMENU does not exist,
execute the following DOS command to create it: MKDIR C:\BCSMENU.

COPY A:BCSMENU.* C:\BCSMENU
COPY A:*.DOC C:\BCSMENU
COPY A:*.BAT C:\BCSMENU
COPY A:*.LST C:\BCSMENU

If your system has a CGA adapter issue the command:
COPY A:*.MNU C:\BCSMENU

If your system has an EGA, MCGA or VGA adapter issue the command:
COPY A:*.EGA C:\BCSMENU\*.MNU

Otherwise, if your system has a monochrome display adapter (MDA) with
a monochrome monitor issue the command:
COPY A:*.MDA C:\BCSMENU\*.MNU













BCSMENU.DOC Page 5








3. Modify AUTOEXEC.BAT.

You should modify the file AUTOEXEC.BAT so that BCS Menu Program is
started automatically each time you turn on your computer. (If you're
not familiar with how to modify AUTOEXEC.BAT, consult your DOS
manual.) The installation program automatically creates the file
ADD2AUTO.BAT which contains the appropriate lines for inclusion in
AUTOEXEC.BAT. You can copy the lines from this file to the end of
AUTOEXEC.BAT, or, you can type the lines in manually. The following
lines should be added (substitute the appropriate drive letter and
directory name):
C: (drive where BCS Menu Program is installed)
CD \BCSMENU (directory where BCS Menu Program is installed)
BCSMENU (to start BCS Menu Program)

These commands should be the last lines in AUTOEXEC.BAT. If your
AUTOEXEC.BAT currently starts another program automatically (such as a
word processor or a spreadsheet program), you should remove activation
of that program and make it a selection in a BCS Menu. Lines in
AUTOEXEC.BAT that start TSR's (programs that Terminate and Stay
Resident, such as SideKick) should be placed BEFORE the lines that you
insert to start BCS Menu Program.

4. Customize the menus for your system.
Refer to CHAPTER 5 - EDITING A MENU FILE to customize the menu files
for your system.


OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

The menu files (menu program files and menu definition files) normally
reside in a subdirectory together. It is possible to separate the
menu definition files from the program files. If you decide to
separate the program and menu definition files, the program files
(BCSMENU.COM and BCSMENU.OVL) must be in the same directory. The
default drive and directory at the time BCS Menu Program is started
must be the directory where the program files are located. The menu
definition files may be on any drive/subdirectory (including a network
drive). If the menu definition files are on a different
drive/subdirectory the complete path name must be specified whenever a
menu file is referenced. These references occur at menu start up and
within the menu definition file itself. More on this in CHAPTER 5 -
EDITING A MENU FILE.


USING A MOUSE

BCS Menu Program checks for the presence of a mouse driver during
initialization. In order to use a mouse, the mouse driver must be
started before BCS Menu Program. (The mouse driver may be loaded in
CONFIG.SYS or in AUTOEXEC.BAT - consult the documentation that came
with your mouse.)


BCSMENU.DOC Page 6








It is also recommended that if you use any TSR programs that they be
loaded from your AUTOEXEC.BAT file before BCS Menu Program or from the
DOS prompt after exiting BCS Menu Program. This is to prevent memory
fragmentation. TSR's started from BCS Menu Program can trap
approximately 2.5K of memory that can be released only by uninstalling
the TSR (if possible) or rebooting. See CHAPTER 6 - BCS MENU PROGRAM
- OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW for more details.


THE SAMPLE MENU FILES

The sample menu that is initially displayed on your screen when you
start BCS Menu Program contains a Mini-Tutorial in the "Item
Description" window (the smaller double lined window in the center of
the screen). You can get a good idea how to operate BCS Menu Program
by reading these windows. Press the DOWN ARROW one time to read the
next window; continue pressing the DOWN ARROW until you have read each
of the windows.

There are three sample menu files included with this version of BCS
Menu Program. They are provided to act as a basis for the creation of
your own, real menu files. Once you've read through these menus you
should edit them to start applications that you run frequently.
Please refer to CHAPTER 5 - EDITING A MENU FILE for complete details
on editing the menu file.





























BCSMENU.DOC Page 7








CHAPTER 3 - USING BCS MENU PROGRAM

If you have not yet installed BCS Menu Program on your system, please
do so now (see Chapter 2). It's a good idea to modify AUTOEXEC.BAT to
automatically start BCS Menu Program as outlined in Chapter 2. If you
have modified AUTOEXEC.BAT, you can simply reboot your computer to
start BCS Menu Program. You can, however, start BCS Menu Program
manually by performing the following steps:
1. Make the drive and directory where you installed BCS Menu Program
the default drive and directory.
2. Type BCSMENU. Press ENTER. BCS Menu Program will start.


Start BCS Menu Program (by rebooting your computer or starting it
manually using the steps above).

Once the program starts, you will see the BCS Menu Program logo screen
while the program is busy initializing menu parameters and reading the
menu definition file. When initialization is complete the display
will change to a shareware notice screen. (Please send your check to
Bristol Computing Systems, Inc. today if you've not already done so -
we've spent a lot of time creating this program - your contribution
will enable and encourage us to create other great software packages!)
Press the SPACEBAR (or some other character generating key) to display
the BCS Menu screen.


A LITTLE GEOGRAPHY

BCS Menu Program's Menu Screen is comprised of windows and a selection
bar. A brief description of the items that make up the menu screen:

Menu Window - This is where all of the menu item prompts
are displayed. If there is a title, it is
always displayed centered on the top line of
this window (the top line of the screen).
The time, day and date are displayed on the
next line in this window.
Selection Bar - The selection bar is the reverse video bar
that highlights the currently selected menu
item's prompt (initially, the first menu
item). This bar can be moved by pressing the
UP or DOWN ARROW keys, by typing the first
character of the prompt, or by pointing to a
prompt with the mouse and clicking once.









BCSMENU.DOC Page 8








Item Description Window - is the smaller double lined window in the
center of the screen. This window will
display up to 6 lines of descriptive
information associated with the currently
selected prompt. Press the ESC key to remove
the item description window from the screen
(or point to the ESC message at the bottom of
the window with the mouse and click). Press
F2 to display it again.

Key Definition Window - is displayed at the very bottom of the
screen. This is used to explain an action
that may be performed by various keys.
Whenever there are more action keys than will
fit in the window you can press F10 to see
what other keys will do. (The action
associated with the key does not change when
you press F10, only the display in this
window changes.) The description of the keys
in this window can also be used to perform
the action by positioning the mouse cursor on
any letter of the key description and
clicking.
Program Help Window - this window is not displayed initially.
Press F1 to display the program help window.
The program help window contains a more
detailed description of the available action
keys. Press ESC (or point at the ESC message
at the bottom of the help window with the
mouse and click) to remove the Program Help
Window.


EXECUTING A MENU ITEM

To execute a menu item, position the selection bar on the desired item
to be executed and press ENTER or double click with the mouse.

You can position the selection bar using the mouse, the UP/DOWN ARROW
keys, or by pressing the first character of the prompt (if more than
one prompt starts with the same character, you may have to press the
character multiple times).

If the item you have selected has a password assigned to it, you will
be prompted to enter the password. Type in the password and press
ENTER or press ESC to abort executing the menu item. If you make
three wrong attempts at entering the password, the password entry
window will be removed from the screen and you will be returned to the
menu program.





BCSMENU.DOC Page 9








If a variable has been defined in the commands that will be executed
by the selected menu item, you will be prompted to enter the data for
the variable. Follow the directions on the screen to enter the data.
Press ENTER when you have finished entering the data or press ESC to
abort executing the menu item. The data that you type is substituted
into the command sequence that is used to start the application or
function that you selected.

BCS Menu Program sets a CHANGED flag when certain menu settings are
changed. The CHANGED flag is checked whenever you execute a menu item
or Exit to DOS. If the flag is set, a window will appear in the
center of the screen that asks if you want to save the current menu
settings. Press "N" or ESC if you don't want to save the current
settings. Press "Y" if you do want to save the settings. You will
then be prompted for a menu filename - see SAVING THE MENU DEFINITION
FILE later in this chapter for further explanation.

The application or function you have selected will be executed.
Control will return to BCS Menu Program when you exit the function or
application.


GETTING HELP

You can display the help window for the Menu Screen by pressing F1.


DISPLAYING ITEM DESCRIPTION WINDOW

You can display the Item Description Window by pressing F2. You can
remove the Item Description Window by pressing ESC. The CHANGED flag
is not affected by displaying or removing the Item Description Window.
When you save the menu file, the current state of the Item Description
Window is written to the menu file. If you saved the file with Item
Description displayed, it will be displayed whenever you load that
menu file.


TURN SOUND ON OR OFF

BCS Menu Program makes a distinctive sound when windows are initially
displayed or cleared from the screen. You can turn the sound off or
on by pressing F3. If the sound is ON, press F3 to turn it off. If
the sound is OFF, press F3 to turn it on. (The Key Definition Window
will always tell you what action F3 will take, it will turn the sound
ON when the F3-Sound On is shown, or turn sound OFF when F3-Sound Off
is shown.) Changing the sound setting sets the CHANGED flag that gets
checked when you execute a menu item or exit to DOS.






BCSMENU.DOC Page 10








SCREEN BLANK

BCS Menu Program will automatically blank the screen when a specified
time has elapsed without keyboard or mouse activity. You can set the
time for screen blanking by pressing F4. An entry window will appear
in the center of the screen. Enter the time in minutes for screen
blank (from 0 to 99 minutes). If you enter 0 (or 00), you disable the
screen blank function. If you press ESC, the screen blank time will
remain unchanged. Enter the screen blank time and press ENTER or just
press ENTER to leave the time unchanged.

The entry window will change to the message that is displayed during
screen blank. Type in a new message and press ENTER or just press
ENTER for no change. The CHANGED flag is not affected by changing
screen blank time or the screen blank message. The blank time and
message will be written to the menu file if you save the menu file
after changing these parameters.


CHANGING KEYBOARD SETTINGS

BCS Menu Program can configure the state of the NUM LOCK, CAPS LOCK
and SCROLL LOCK keys when a menu is loaded. Each of these keys may be
turned ON, OFF, or simply left as they are (Don't Change). BCS Menu
Program may also be configured to clear the keyboard buffer on
startup, or to leave it alone (Don't Change); more on this below.

Keyboard Settings may be changed by pressing F7. BCS Menu Program
responds by displaying a window in the center of the screen; the
current settings are shown surrounded by chevrons (>>ÿ<<). Each key
is on a separate line. You may select the appropriate setting by
using the Left or Right Arrow keys, or by pointing at the desired
selection with the mouse and clicking once. You can select a
different key by using the UP or DOWN ARROW keys or by pointing with
the mouse and clicking once.

Setting Keyboard Buffer to "Clear" causes BCS Menu Program to discard
keystrokes that are pressed prior to displaying the menu screen.
Setting Keyboard Buffer to "Don't Change" causes keys that are
depressed prior to displaying the menu screen to be processed. This
allows you to type ahead; you can make a menu selection before
actually seeing the menu screen. This feature is available only in
the registered version of BCS Menu Program.











BCSMENU.DOC Page 11








You can abort the selection process by pressing ESC. You can save the
settings you have selected by pressing F10. When F10 is pressed to
save settings, the keys are immediately set to the selected state.
Once the menu file has been saved the keys will be set as specified
every time the menu is loaded. Changing the keyboard settings sets
the CHANGED flag that gets checked when you execute a menu item or
exit to DOS.

Note: The status lights on the keyboard of certain IBM compatibles
do not light when "LOCK" keys have been activated under
software control. Even though the lights on these machines
do not light, the keys are active.


EXIT TO DOS

If the Program Help Window is displayed, press ESC to remove it. If
the Item Description Window is displayed, press ESC to remove it.

Press ESC to Exit to DOS.

If the DOS Exit function has a password, you will be prompted to enter
it. Press ESC to abort the Exit to DOS, or, type in the password and
press ENTER. If you make three wrong attempts at entering the
password, the password entry window will be removed from the screen
and you will be returned to the menu program. On correct entry of the
password BCS Menu Program will exit to DOS (see below for details).

If there is not a password assigned, a confirmation window is
displayed in the center of the screen. Press the letter "Y" to exit
to DOS (see below for details), press "N" or ENTER to return to the
menu.


DOS EXIT BATCH FILE

BCS Menu Program automatically executes the file BCSEXIT.BAT on Exit
to DOS if it exists in the same directory as the program files. This
allows you to execute a batch file before returning to DOS. This is
typically used to change directories on exit but may be used for any
purpose. It should be noted that BCSEXIT.BAT must exist in the same
directory as the BCS Menu Program program files or it will not be
executed. (The path is not searched for the file BCSEXIT.BAT.)


CHANGING COLORS

The colors used to display windows on the screen are saved in the menu
definition file (not in the program). You can change the color
settings from the Color Change Screen. Press F8 to change to the
Color Change Screen. See Chapter 4 for a complete description of
color changing.


BCSMENU.DOC Page 12








SAVING THE MENU DEFINITION FILE

You can save the current menu settings, in the menu definition file,
by pressing F9. An entry window will be displayed asking you to enter
the name of the file to save the changes to - the name of the current
menu definition file is already in the entry field. If you want to
save the changes to the current file, press ENTER, otherwise, type in
a new filename (you can include a drive and path name if desired) and
press ENTER. The menu file will then be saved. If an error occurs
while writing the menu file, you will be prompted for a new name.
Examples of errors that can occur are when the menu file has been
marked Read Only or when your disk is full. If an error is
encountered, try using a different filename or storing the menu file
to a different drive.

OTHER KEYS

There are more keys defined for use than can be displayed with a clear
description in the Key Definition Window at the bottom of the screen.
To see how other keys are defined, press F10. Other key definitions
will be displayed in the Key Definition Window. Pressing F10 does not
change the function of keys, it simply shows how other keys are
defined.


KEY SUMMARY

DOWN ARROW - Move selection bar down in circular fashion.
UP ARROW - Move selection bar up in circular fashion.
ESC - Action depends on current display. If a Help
or Item Description window is displayed it
will be removed, otherwise, Exit to DOS is
performed.
F1 - Display program Help Window.
F2 - Display Item Description Window.
F3 - Turn Sound On or Off.
F4 - Modify Screen Blank Time, Screen Blank
Message.
F7 - Change Keyboard Settings.
F8 - Change to Color Editing Screen.
F9 - Save menu file.
F10 - Show other key definitions in Key Definition
Window.











BCSMENU.DOC Page 13








CHAPTER 4 - CHANGING THE COLORS

To change menu colors, display the Color Change Screen.

Press F8 from the Menu Screen to enter the Color Change Screen.

The color change screen displays a miniature of the menu screen. On
the right of the screen are two additional windows that show the
available colors that can be used in each of the windows. For each
window on the menu screen you can specify a foreground color and a
background color.

If you have an EGA, MCGA or VGA adapter with a monochrome monitor,
colors are gray scaled. EGA/VGA users can modify the color palette
using BCS Menu Program (more on this later). If you have a Monochrome
Display Adapter (MDA), colors are shown as BLANK, NORMAL or BOLD
blocks.

Arrows are used as pointers. The arrow on the left side of the screen
will always point to a model of one of the following windows:
Menu Window
Selection Bar
Item Description Window
Program Help Window
Key Definition Window

There are also arrows in each of the color windows, the foreground
color and the background color. The arrows in the foreground color
window and the background color window show what the current setting
is for the selected "model" window.

Only one of the three arrows is active at any time; the active arrow
is the blinking arrow. The blinking arrow can be moved by using the
UP and DOWN ARROW keys. When the active arrow is on the left side of
the screen and is moved between the model windows, the arrows in the
foreground color window and in the background color window will also
move to show the current color settings.

The video mode used by this program allows use of 16 colors at the
same time. The 16 colors are shown in the foreground color window.
(Only eight colors may be used as background colors - the other eight
colors cause the text to blink.)












BCSMENU.DOC Page 14








TO CHANGE A WINDOW'S COLOR

1. Select the model window you want change. Use the UP/DOWN
ARROW keys to move between the model windows.
2. Change the active arrow. You can move the active arrow to
the foreground color window by pressing the TAB key or RIGHT
ARROW once. You can move the active arrow to the background
color window by pressing the TAB key or the RIGHT ARROW key
twice.
3. Position the active arrow by using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys to
the desired color. The corresponding model window will
change color as you move the active arrow in one of the
color windows.
4. Repeat the process moving the active arrow back to the model
windows. (You can also change the active arrow by using the
SHIFT TAB key and the LEFT ARROW key.)

USING THE MOUSE TO CHANGE WINDOW COLORS

The active arrow is automatically updated based on the position of the
mouse cursor when the mouse is clicked.
1. Select the model window you want to change by positioning
the mouse cursor anywhere in the window and clicking.
2. Position the mouse cursor on the desired foreground or
background color and click. The color of the model window
will change accordingly.


CHANGING PROMPT COLORS

You can select a color for each and every prompt from the Color Change
Screen. To change the color of one or more prompts press F3 - the
prompts will now be displayed in the model Menu Window. The blinking
arrow will point to the first prompt. The color windows will be
replaced by a single foreground color window (the prompts are always
displayed in the Menu Window on the background selected for that
window, therefore, you cannot change the background color for an
individual prompt).
















BCSMENU.DOC Page 15








TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF A PROMPT

1. Select the prompt you want change. Use the UP ARROW, DOWN
ARROW, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, HOME or END key, or, press the
first character of the prompt (repeat until on desired
prompt); the blinking arrow will move correspondingly;
scrolling will occur if necessary.
2. Change the active arrow to the foreground color window. You
can change the active arrow by pressing the TAB key or the
RIGHT ARROW key.
3. Position the active arrow using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys to
the desired color. The corresponding prompt will change
color as you move the active arrow in the foreground color
window.
4. Repeat the process moving the active arrow between the
prompts and the foreground color window. The TAB, SHIFT
TAB, RIGHT and LEFT ARROW keys may be used to switch between
windows.


USING THE MOUSE TO CHANGE PROMPT COLORS

1. Select the prompt you want to change by positioning the
mouse cursor anywhere on the prompt and clicking.
2. Position the mouse cursor in the foreground color window on
the desired color and click. The color of the prompt will
change accordingly.


CHANGING WINDOW/PROMPT COLORS

The F3 key is used to switch between the change window color screen
and the change prompt color screen. As explained above the window
color screen contains the model windows and the foreground and
background color selection windows. The prompt color screen contains
the prompts and the foreground color window.


CHANGING COLORS ON AN MDA

Obviously, you can't change colors on a monochrome display adapter
(MDA)! You can, however, change the attributes used for displaying
the menu screens.

You can select from the following attributes:
NORMAL White text on a black background
BOLD Bright white text on a black background
REVERSE Black text on a white background
UNDERLINED White underlined text on a black background





BCSMENU.DOC Page 16









The foreground color and background color windows only display blank,
normal or bold blocks. It is not obvious how to position the color
window arrows to achieve a desired attribute on an MDA. We therefore
recommend the following procedure to change attributes:


TO CHANGE WINDOW ATTRIBUTES ON AN MDA

1. Position the active arrow on the desired model window.
2. Change the active arrow to the Foreground window by pressing
the RIGHT ARROW or TAB key. Position the arrow on the top
most position in the window by pressing the UP ARROW if
necessary. Press the DOWN ARROW the number of times
indicated below for the desired attribute:
Attribute Press DOWN ARROW
NORMAL 7 times
BOLD 15 times (or press UP ARROW 1 time)
REVERSE 0 times
UNDERLINE 1 time
3. Change the active arrow to the Background window by pressing
the RIGHT ARROW or TAB key. Position the arrow on the top
most position in the window by pressing the UP ARROW if
necessary. Press the DOWN ARROW (for each press the
blinking arrow will move down two lines) the number of times
indicated below for the desired attribute:
Attribute Press DOWN ARROW
NORMAL 0 times
BOLD 0 times
REVERSE 7 times (or press UP ARROW 1 time)
UNDERLINE 0 times
4. Repeat the process moving the active arrow between the model
windows and the color windows as outlined above.


USING THE MOUSE TO CHANGE WINDOW ATTRIBUTES

The active arrow is automatically updated based on the position of the
mouse cursor when the mouse is clicked.
1. Select the model window you want to change by positioning
the mouse cursor anywhere in the window and clicking.
2. Position the mouse cursor on the desired foreground or
background line and click. The attribute of the model
window will change accordingly.











BCSMENU.DOC Page 17








TO CHANGE THE ATTRIBUTE OF A PROMPT ON AN MDA

You must first display the prompts in the model Menu Window (press F3
if the prompts are not displayed).

1. Select the prompt you want change. Use the UP ARROW, DOWN
ARROW, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, HOME or END key, or, press the
first character of the prompt (repeat until on desired
prompt); the blinking arrow will move correspondingly;
scrolling will occur if necessary.
2. Change the active arrow to the foreground color window. You
can change the active arrow by pressing the TAB key or the
RIGHT ARROW key.
3. Position the active arrow using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys. The
attributes available for the prompt are dependent on the
Menu Window's background color. Many of the attributes have
the same settings so when you press the DOWN ARROW the
displayed attribute may not change.
4. Repeat the process moving the active arrow between the
prompts and the foreground color window.


USING THE MOUSE TO CHANGE PROMPT ATTRIBUTES

1. Select the prompt you want to change by positioning the
mouse cursor anywhere on the prompt and clicking.
2. Position the mouse cursor in the foreground color window on
the desired line and click. Watch as the prompt changes in
accordance with your selection.


CHANGING THE COLOR PALETTE ON EGA/VGA

There are 16 colors available in the video mode used by BCS Menu
Program. The 16 colors that are available are defined in a palette.
The EGA and VGA hardware allows reprogramming of the palette. This
means that even though you can only use 16 colors at a time, it is
possible to select which colors are used. There are 64 possible
colors that can be used by the palette (numbered from 0 to 63). BCS
Menu Program allows you to define the palette that gets used while it
is active.

The current palette number is displayed in the palette windows
underneath the Foreground Color and Background Color windows. Palette
windows are not displayed on an MDA or CGA.









BCSMENU.DOC Page 18








TO CHANGE THE PALETTE

1. Position the blinking arrow at the color to be changed in
either the Foreground or the Background color window.
2. Press the '+' key to add to the palette number. The number
displayed in the palette window will change accordingly.
3. Press the '-' key to subtract from the palette number. The
number displayed in the palette window will change
accordingly.

TO CHANGE THE PALETTE USING THE MOUSE
1. Click on the '+' or '-' sign in the palette window under the
color window. The palette number will increment or
decrement with each click of the mouse.

As you change the palette definition of a color you will notice that
anything on the screen that uses the color you are changing will
immediately change to the new palette definition. Saving the menu
will save the new palette settings in the menu definition file so that
the colors are used every time you load that menu.


RECALL COLORS

Color settings are stored each time the menu file is saved. You can
recall these color definitions by pressing F2. A window will appear
on the screen asking you to confirm the command; this avoids losing
color changes when the F2 key has been pressed accidentally. Press
ESC to keep the current colors; press any other key to recall the
stored color settings.


CREATING A NEW MENU FILE

A new menu file may be created by pressing F7 from the Color Change
Screen. Your screen will change to the Menu Edit Screen; all menu
items will be discarded and entry of a new menu item will commence
with the menu item password window. Continue editing the entry as
outlined in CHAPTER 5 - EDITING A MENU FILE. Add menu items as
desired. Like other edit changes, the menu file must be saved prior
to exiting BCS Menu Program.


EDITING A MENU FILE

The text portion of the menu can be changed from the Menu Edit Screen.
Press F8 from the Color Change Screen. Your screen will change to the
Menu Edit Screen. See CHAPTER 5 for more information.






BCSMENU.DOC Page 19








SAVING THE MENU DEFINITION FILE

You can save the color changes and all other changes made to the menu
definition file by pressing F9. An entry window will be displayed
asking you to enter the name of the file to save the changes to - the
name of the current menu definition file is already in the entry
field. If you want to save the changes to the current file, press
ENTER, otherwise, type in a new filename (you can include a drive and
path name if desired) and press ENTER. The menu file will then be
saved. If an error occurs while writing the menu file, you will be
prompted for a new name. Examples of errors that can occur are when
the menu file has been marked Read Only or when your disk is full. If
an error is encountered, try using a different filename or storing the
menu file to a different drive.

KEY SUMMARY

DOWN ARROW Move selection arrow down in circular fashion.
UP ARROW Move selection arrow up in circular fashion.
+ When a color window is selected increments the
palette number in a circular fashion (Only on
EGA/VGA systems).
- When a color window is selected decrements the
palette number in a circular fashion (Only on
EGA/VGA systems).
TAB/RIGHT ARROW Changes selected window by moving to the right in
a circular manner.
SHIFT-TAB/LEFT ARROW Changes selected window by moving to the left
in a circular manner.
ESC Exit to Menu Screen.
F1 Displays program Help Window.
F2 Recall last saved color settings.
F3 Change between prompts and window color editing.
F7 Create a new menu.
F8 Activate menu text editor.
F9 Save menu.


















BCSMENU.DOC Page 20








CHAPTER 5 - EDITING A MENU FILE

BCS Menu Program includes an on-line menu editor. You can add up to
100 entries per menu, delete all but one entry or modify existing
entries. All menu settings are stored in a menu definition file.
There is no need to load a separate module or a text editor to create
or modify a menu definition file. This makes it easy to interactively
design your menus - you can press ESC two times to return to the Menu
Screen to view the current settings. You can go back and forth
between the Menu Edit Screen and the Menu Screen and make changes
until you are satisfied.

You can edit either the currently displayed menu file, by pressing F8,
or start a completely new menu file, by pressing F7 from the Color
Change Screen. (If you're at the Menu Screen press F8 to get to the
Color Change Screen and then either F8 to edit the current menu, or F7
to start a new menu file). Your screen will change to the Menu Edit
Screen. If you have pressed F7, item editing will commence for a new
menu item.

The term "menu item" is used throughout the remainder of this chapter.
The menu item consists of up to five parts. The parts of a menu item
are:

o The password (optional).
o The prompt (the text displayed on the Menu Screen used for
selection of the menu item).
o The item description (optional - up to 6 lines of "help" for
this menu item; displayed in the item description window of
the Menu Screen).
o The commands (up to 12 lines of DOS/BCS Menu commands that
are executed when you select the menu item from the Menu
Screen).
o User Input Variables/Prompts (optional - you can prompt the
user for input prior to executing a menu item - the input is
substituted into the commands).

The Menu Edit Screen allows you to perform the following actions:
o Edit a menu item (you can edit all five parts).
o Restore the menu (abort all edits).
o Delete a menu item.
o Insert a new menu item.
o Edit the menu title.
o Edit the DOS Exit password.
o Set the spacing for prompt display on the Menu Screen
(single, double or triple spaced).
o Set the number of columns for prompt display on the Menu
Screen (up to 10 columns).
o Move a menu item.
o Sort the menu items (alphabetically in ascending or
descending order).
o Save the menu definition file.


BCSMENU.DOC Page 21








MENU EDIT SCREEN DISPLAY

The Menu Edit Screen is similar to the Menu Screen. The differences
are; the Menu Edit Screen uses a blinking arrow in place of the
selection bar, there is no item description window, there is only one
column of prompts aligned at the left side of the screen, and the Menu
Edit Screen title is displayed.


ABOUT MENU EDITING

All changes (edits) are typed into an "edit window". An edit window
will be displayed to allow you to change each element of the menu
item, the menu title and the DOS Exit password. The windows are
displayed sequentially. You can elect not to make any changes in a
particular edit window by pressing ENTER or F10. You may press ESC
while an edit window is displayed to abort the edit.


KEY USAGE IN AN EDIT WINDOW

The definition of keys used during editing is displayed on the bottom
of the screen in the Key Definition Window. The mouse can be used to
perform the function of the keys displayed in the Key Definition
Window by positioning the mouse cursor on any letter of the
description and clicking once.

Each edit window contains a title that tells you which element you are
changing. The bottom line of the edit window always lists keys used
to end or abort the edit. You can position the mouse on any letter of
these key descriptions and click once to select it. The key
definitions and the functions they perform are:






















BCSMENU.DOC Page 22








KEY ACTION
---------- ------
ESC Abort the edit (all elements revert to their pre-
edit state). This option is displayed on the
bottom line of the edit window.
BACKSPACE Delete the character to the left of the cursor (if
the cursor is in the first position, no action is
taken).
LEFT ARROW Move the cursor left.
RIGHT ARROW Move the cursor right.
ENTER End the line - the text on the current line is
saved. If the cursor is on the bottom line (or
only line) of an edit window, the next edit
window, if any, is displayed. This option is
displayed on the bottom line of the edit window.
DEL Delete the character at the cursored position.
END Move the cursor to the end of the text line.
INSERT Turn Insert Mode On or Off. Insert mode is ON
when the cursor is full size. Insert mode is OFF
when the cursor is an underscore.
HOME Position the cursor to the start of the line.
F10 The F10 key allows you to end the current edit
window and to switch to the next edit window.
Text on all lines of the edit window is saved.
The F10 key is shown on the bottom line of the
edit window.

The following keys are active only if the edit window has multiple
lines (item description and commands edit windows).

F3 Delete the line at the cursor (moves following
lines up by one line)
F4 Insert a blank line at the cursor (moves following
lines down by one line - if there is any text on
the bottom line of the window it will be lost)
UP ARROW Edit the line above the cursored line (no action
if the cursor is on the top line of the edit
window)
DOWN ARROW Edit the line below the cursored line (no action
if the cursor is on the bottom line of the edit
window)


RESERVED CHARACTER

The Double Quote character (") is never allowed during text entry in
an edit window. This character is reserved for use by BCS Menu
Program as part of the Menu Definition File. If you need quote
characters, use the single quote characters.





BCSMENU.DOC Page 23








Certain characters are restricted from entry in particular edit
windows. A password, for instance, may only contain alphabetic or
numeric characters. If a character is not allowed in an edit window,
it will not be displayed when you type it. The descriptions below
explain which characters are allowed for each item.


TO CHANGE A MENU ITEM

o Position the blinking arrow so that it points to the menu
item to be changed. (Use the UP ARROW, DOWN ARROW, PAGE UP,
PAGE DOWN, HOME or END key; press the first character of the
prompt [repeat until on desired prompt]; or, point with the
mouse and click once.)
o Press ENTER or double click with the mouse.

If the menu item you have selected has a password associated with it,
the password must be entered before you can change the menu item. If
there is a password, a password entry window will be displayed. Enter
the password and press ENTER. (You can press ESC to abort password
entry which also aborts the edit.) If you incorrectly enter the
password three times, the password window will be removed from the
screen and you will not be permitted to edit the entry.


ENTERING/CHANGING THE MENU ITEM PASSWORD

If you correctly enter the password (above) or if there is no password
associated with the entry you are editing, a password edit window will
be displayed on the screen.

Type in a new password or edit the existing password. If you don't
want a password associated with this entry, delete all characters from
the entry field. Press ENTER or F10 to save the password field and
display the next edit window. You may press ESC to abort the edit.
All menu item fields will revert to their pre-edited state. A
password may contain up to 15 alphabetic and/or numeric characters.

If you enter a password, the user will be prompted to enter the
password before the menu item may be executed.


ENTERING/CHANGING THE MENU ITEM PROMPT

The password Entry Window will be removed from the screen and the menu
item prompt edit window will then be displayed. (The menu item prompt
is displayed on the Menu Screen - it is this item that is selected by
the user with the selection bar.)

A menu item prompt may be up to 76 characters long. Any displayable
ASCII character is allowed (those that have an ASCII character value
less than or equal to 128).


BCSMENU.DOC Page 24








Edit the existing prompt. A menu item prompt must contain at least
one character. Press ENTER or F10 to save the prompt field and
display the next edit window. If you leave the field blank, an error
window will pop-up informing you that you need to have at least one
valid character. You may press ESC to abort the edit. All menu item
fields will revert to their pre-edited state.

Note: The display width of the menu item prompt is computed by BCS
Menu Program based on the line spacing and number of columns
of prompts on the Menu Screen. (You can select the line
spacing or the number of columns; see SET SPACING/NUMBER OF
COLUMNS below.) The width of the edit line in the menu item
prompt edit window is this computed width. If your prompt
is longer than the computed width the edit line will scroll
horizontally to allow you to edit the entire entry. If the
number of prompt columns changes the display width will be
recomputed.


ENTERING/CHANGING THE ITEM DESCRIPTION

The menu item description edit window will be displayed overlapping
the last line of the menu item prompt edit window. (Text entered here
is displayed in the Item Description Window on the Menu Screen when
the selection bar is positioned on the menu item prompt.)

A menu item description can contain up to 6 lines, each line may be up
to 68 characters long. Any displayable ASCII character is allowed
(those that have an ASCII character value less than or equal to 128).

Text in this window is optional. You may leave all lines blank, or
you can type any text you wish. The line you are editing will appear
at the left margin of the edit field; all other existing lines in the
item description are centered. When you finish editing a line and
press ENTER or the DOWN ARROW to edit the next line, the text in the
line just edited is automatically centered. You can use the UP/DOWN
ARROW keys to edit previous or next lines in this edit window. You
can use F3 to delete the line at the cursored position. You can use
F4 to insert a new line at the cursored position.

If the cursor is at the last line in the window, press ENTER to save
all lines of the Item Description and display the next edit window.
You may press F10 at any time to save all lines and display the next
edit window. If you leave all lines in the Item Description blank,
the message "No further information available for this selection" is
displayed in the item description window on the Menu Screen. You may
press ESC to abort the edit. All menu item fields will revert to
their pre-edited state.






BCSMENU.DOC Page 25








ENTERING/CHANGING THE MENU ITEM COMMANDS

When you have finished editing the Item Description, the window will
be removed from the screen and will be replaced by the menu item
commands edit window. (The menu item commands are the commands that
get executed when you press ENTER or double click the mouse on a menu
item prompt in the Menu Screen.)

Menu item commands can contain up to 12 lines, each line may be up to
78 characters long. Any displayable ASCII character is allowed (those
that have an ASCII character value less than or equal to 128).

Enter a DOS command, the name of a batch file or the name of a program
to be executed, one command per line. (You can also load another menu
file or specify a user input variable on a command line, more on this
later.) You can use the UP/DOWN ARROWS to move to the next or
previous line. You can use F3 to delete the line at the cursored
position. You can use F4 to insert a new line at the cursored
position. The ENTER key will also move to the next line unless you
are on the last line in the window, in which case it will end the
commands edit session. Press F10 to save all commands and end
commands editing. You may press ESC to abort the edit. All menu item
fields will revert to their pre-edited state.

DO NOT ADD COMMANDS TO RETURN TO THE BCS MENU PROGRAM DIRECTORY AND
START BCS MENU PROGRAM AGAIN. BCS MENU PROGRAM WILL DO THIS
AUTOMATICALLY.

Each line that contains a command must have at least one character.
Blank lines are not allowed. If you press ENTER or the DOWN ARROW on
a blank line, an error window will pop-up informing you that you must
have at least one character per command line.

It is not recommended that you start TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident)
programs from BCS Menu Program. This may cause memory fragmentation
which can only be fixed by rebooting your computer or by unloading the
TSR if that is possible.

















BCSMENU.DOC Page 26








LOADING A NEW MENU FILE

You can load and execute a new menu by indicating the name of a menu
file preceded by the at sign (@) as the first and only line in the
commands edit window. For instance, to load a menu file called
DOSMENU.MNU, the first and only command line should be:
@DOSMENU.MNU
Other commands inserted after this command will not be executed. The
@ character as the first character on the first line in the commands
edit window indicates that the name of a menu file follows. The @
character may be used freely in any other position on any line of the
commands edit window. A new menu will only be loaded if this command
is on the first line in the commands edit window. If this appears on
any other line, DOS will attempt to execute this as a command and will
generate an error message.


SPECIFYING USER INPUT VARIABLES

You can prompt the user for input prior to command execution by
inserting one or more User Input Variables on any line in the commands
edit window. The variable may be used as a part of a command line or
as the entire command line.

The percent sign (%) followed by up to 8 Alphabetic and/or Numeric
characters indicates the name of a User Input Variable. The first
non-alphabetic or non-numeric character (or the 9th character)
indicates the User Input Variable name has ended. This character may
begin a new User Input Variable name or is a part of the DOS command
line. You can specify up to 20 User Input Variables per menu item
(per commands edit window). Additional variable names will be ignored
by BCS Menu Program and will be passed on to DOS as executable
commands.

The text the user types when executing this menu item is substituted
in the command buffer at the location of the variable.

When you have finished editing the COMMANDS EDIT WINDOW and press F10
to end the edit, the edit buffer is searched for User Input Variables
(for the percent sign). If any variable names are found windows
appear, one after another, for each variable name found in the
commands buffer. You are requested to enter a prompt that will be
displayed when the user executes this menu item. Enter a prompt
suitable for the information you are attempting to obtain from the
user.

Prompts for User Input Variables may be up to 64 characters long. Any
displayable ASCII character is allowed (those that have an ASCII
character value less than or equal to 128).





BCSMENU.DOC Page 27








EXAMPLES OF USER INPUT VARIABLES

An example of how user input variables might be used is given here.
The commands edit window for a menu item that allows the user to run
any program on any drive might appear as follows:
%DRIVE:
CD \%DIRECTRY
%PROGRAM

You will be requested to enter a prompt for the %DRIVE variable (the
colon is not alphabetic or numeric so it ends the variable name). A
suitable prompt might be "Enter the Drive the Program Resides On". If
the user types "C" then the letter "C" replaces %DRIVE resulting in
"C:" as the command passed to DOS.

You will then be requested to enter a prompt for %DIRECTRY.
(%DIRECTORY is 9 characters long and is therefore not a valid variable
name. If you entered %DIRECTORY, only 8 characters are valid as a
variable name so %DIRECTOR would be the resulting variable name; the
letter "Y" would be passed to DOS as part of the command.) A suitable
prompt for this variable might be "Enter the Directory Name of the
Program". If the user types "WORK", the resulting command will be "CD
\WORK".

You will be requested to enter a prompt for %PROGRAM. A suitable
prompt might be "Enter the Name of the Program to Run". If the user
types "WP" for word processing, the resulting command passed to DOS
will be "WP". A program by the name of WP will be started.

If the user responds by typing the items indicated above, the
resulting commands passed to DOS will be:

C:
CD \WORK
WP


COMMAND HELPER MODE

You can press the F1 key to activate Command Helper Mode at any time
while the commands edit window is displayed. This allows commands to
be created interactively by choosing a drive, directory and file from
lists displayed in the pop-up command helper window.











BCSMENU.DOC Page 28








When Command helper mode is activated a window is displayed allowing
you to choose the type of command you want to create. The available
command types are:
Menu File - used to load another menu. This selection is
only available when the cursor is on the
first line of the commands edit window.
Single Line - builds a one line command as in:
C:\WP\WP
Multi Line - This selection is not available when the
cursor is on the last line of the commands
edit window. Builds a multi line command as
in:
C:
CHDIR \WP
WP

Choose one of the above command types using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys or
by pointing and clicking with the mouse. Press Enter or double click
with the mouse on your selection. The command entry format window
will disappear and a new window will pop-up displaying available
Drives, Directories and Files, each in a separate sub-window.

You can use the UP/DOWN ARROW, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, HOME, END keys or
the mouse to choose an item in a given sub-window. The TAB, RIGHT and
LEFT ARROW keys can be used to switch between the three sub-windows.
Press ENTER to select the chosen item.

When you select a new drive and/or directory by pressing ENTER, the
selected disk is searched for directories and matching file names; all
of the sub-windows are automatically updated to reflect the new
selection. The matching criteria for file names depends upon the
selected command type. When Menu File has been selected, files that
have an extension of .MNU are displayed; when Single Line or Multi
Line have been selected, files with .BAT, .COM, or .EXE extensions are
displayed.

TO INTERACTIVELY BUILD A COMMAND:

During command building, the command being built is displayed in the
Command Helper window just under the sub-windows. Perform the
following steps until you have built up the command you want. Press
F10 when you are done. The command will then be copied into the
Commands window.

o Select a drive. Position the selection bar on the desired
drive; press ENTER or double click with the mouse to select.
All sub-windows will be updated to reflect your selection.







BCSMENU.DOC Page 29








o Select a Directory. Move the selection bar to the
Directories sub-window; position the selection bar on the
desired directory name; press ENTER or double click with the
mouse to select. Again all sub-windows will be updated to
reflect your selection. You can repeatedly select
directories until you traverse an entire path. You can also
back up to a previously selected directory by selecting the
top entry (..).
o Select a File. Move the selection bar to the Files sub-
window; position the selection bar on the desired filename;
press ENTER or double click with the mouse to select.
o Press F10 to exit Command Helper Mode and save the current
state of your command.

After you are finished creating a command and have pressed F10, one of
the following will occur:
Menu File - the newly created command replaces whatever is on
the first line of the commands edit window.
Single Line - If the cursor is on a line in the commands edit
window that contains a command, and the newly
created command will fit on the same line as the
existing command, you will be given an opportunity
to add the built up command to the end of the line
(this can be used to pass command line arguments
to the program being started) or to replace the
line. In all other cases the newly created
command replaces whatever is on the current line
of the commands edit window.
Multi Line - If the cursor is on a line that contains text in
the commands edit window, you will be given an
opportunity to have the newly created command over
write the current commands or be inserted in front
of the existing commands. If you select Insert,
all subsequent lines are moved down in the
Commands window (this can cause lines to be lost
if there are more lines than will fit in the
commands edit window).

You can create commands by combining both Multi Line and Single Line
Modes using Command Helper. For example, you might ordinarily run
your word processor from a "work" directory containing document files
that is different from the word processor program file directory.
This can be accomplished by building the command up in steps. First,
select Multi Line mode to create the command to change to the
appropriate directory by selecting from the Drive and Directory sub-
windows; press F10. An example of what the resulting command might
look like is:
C:
CHDIR \WP\WORK





BCSMENU.DOC Page 30








Next, select Single Line mode. Now build up a command that will start
the word processor. An example of the final command sequence might
look like:
C:
CHDIR \WP\WORK
C:\WP\WP


EDITING A MENU ITEM REPEATEDLY

You may edit each menu item as many times as you like. You can skip
over editing any particular window by pressing F10. The next edit
window will then be displayed.


GETTING HELP

You can display the help window for the Menu Edit Screen by pressing
F1.


RESTORE MENU

Edit changes are stored each time the menu file is saved. You can
restore a menu to it's pre-edited state by pressing F2. A window will
appear on the screen asking you to confirm the command; this avoids
losing changes when the F2 key has been pressed accidentally. Press
ESC to keep the current menu file; press any other key to restore the
stored menu file.


DELETE A MENU ITEM

You can delete a menu item (and all of the fields associated with it)
by positioning the blinking arrow on the item to be deleted and
pressing F3. If the menu item has a password associated with it, you
will be prompted to enter the password before the menu item can be
deleted. If you enter the password correctly, the menu item will be
deleted. You may press ESC during password entry to abort the delete.
You can restore deleted items prior to saving the menu file by
pressing F2 - Restore Menu. Entries that have been added since the
last time the menu file was stored will be deleted.


INSERTING A NEW MENU ITEM

When editing a menu file that contains less than 100 entries BCS Menu
Program allows you to add new menu items. Position the blinking arrow
at the point of insertion and press F4. The new menu item will always
be inserted before the menu item pointed to by the blinking arrow.




BCSMENU.DOC Page 31








You can also add an item to the end of a menu by positioning the
blinking arrow so that it is one line past the last menu item. Press
ENTER or F4.

The maximum number of menu items allowed in a single menu is 100.
There is no limit to the number of menus. If there are 100 entries, a
window will pop-up indicating that this menu already has the maximum
number of entries. Press any character producing key (such as the
SPACEBAR or ENTER) to remove the pop-up window.

If there are less than 100 entries, a space will open up for the new
menu entry and you will be prompted to enter a password for this
entry. Editing is exactly the same as editing any other menu item
except that all entry windows will be blank. If you press ESC to
abort the edit, the space will close up and no new entry will be
inserted. If you complete the edit successfully, the new menu item
will appear at the point of insertion that you specified. Restoring a
menu prior to saving it will cause inserted entries to be discarded.


CHANGING THE TITLE/DOS EXIT PASSWORD

Both the title and the DOS Exit Password are changed by pressing F5.
An edit window will appear with the current title displayed. Edit the
menu title or delete all characters in the edit field for no title.
Press ESC to abort the edit. Press ENTER or F10 to save the new
title. The title may be up to 78 characters long. Any displayable
ASCII character is allowed (those that have an ASCII character value
less than or equal to 128).


If a DOS Exit Password exists, a password entry window will appear
when you press ENTER or F10 to end the title edit. You must enter the
current password in order to change it. (Press ESC to abort DOS Exit
Password editing.) Enter the current password and press ENTER. The
password entry window will be removed from the screen and an edit
window will be displayed with the current password. Edit the
password. If you don't want a DOS Exit password, leave the field
blank (delete any characters in the field). Press ENTER to save the
current edit field as the new DOS Exit password. The DOS Exit
password may be up to 15 alphabetic and/or numeric characters.


SET SPACING/NUMBER OF COLUMNS

The prompts for each of the menu items are displayed on the Menu
Screen. You can select the spacing for prompt display, and the number
of columns of prompts for the Menu Screen. To change the Spacing
and/or Number of columns press F6.





BCSMENU.DOC Page 32








A window will appear that shows the available choices for spacing. If
there are 70 or fewer menu items, you can select Single, Double or
Triple spacing. If there are more than 70 menu items, you can only
select between Single and Double spacing. Use the UP/DOWN ARROWS to
select the desired prompt spacing, or point to the desired spacing
option with the mouse and click. Press ENTER or double click with the
mouse on your choice to record your selection. The spacing will be
set to the value you have selected. If you select triple spacing and
later add menu items so that the total becomes greater than 70, the
spacing will automatically be adjusted to double spacing.

The Spacing window will be removed from the screen and a Columns
window will be displayed. You may select from one to ten columns or
Best Fit. If you select Best Fit, BCS Menu Program will compute the
optimum number of columns based on the number of menu items and the
line spacing option in effect. Make your selection by using the
UP/DOWN ARROW keys, or by pointing to a selection with the mouse and
clicking once. Record your selection by pressing ENTER or double
click with the mouse on your selection.


Note: When you are finished editing and you press ESC to return to
the Color Change Screen, or, when you Save the Menu File,
BCS Menu Program checks the number of menu items and formats
them for display on the Menu Screen using the spacing and
column options you have chosen if possible. Nineteen (19)
prompts will fit in each single spaced column; 10 prompts
will fit in each double spaced column; 7 prompts will fit in
each triple spaced column. If you have selected 1 column
and you have 20 menu items, BCS Menu Program will format the
entries to be displayed in 2 columns (since only 19 will fit
in 1 column). If you have selected triple spacing and have
added menu items to bring the total greater than 70, BCS
Menu Program will change the spacing to double spacing. BCS
Menu Program will use the settings you have selected unless
it cannot fit the prompts in the spacing/column choices
designated.


MOVING A PROMPT

You can move menu item prompts so that they appear in a different
order. To move a prompt, select the prompt to be moved by positioning
the blinking arrow at the prompt using the UP/DOWN ARROW keys or point
at the prompt with the mouse and click once. Press F7. The entry
will be highlighted and a window will appear with further
instructions. Position the blinking arrow to where you want to move
the prompt to - press ENTER, or, point to the position to move the
prompt to and double click with the mouse. The prompt will be moved
in front of the second prompt selected.




BCSMENU.DOC Page 33








Inserting and moving prompts works in a consistent manner. Prompts
are always inserted or moved to the position specified by the blinking
arrow. Therefore, moving a prompt to the last position is a two step
process. Move the desired prompt to the second to the last position
and then move the last prompt to someplace in front of it.


SORTING PROMPTS

You can sort the menu item prompts alphabetically (ASCII character
value order without regard to case) in ascending or descending order.
To sort prompts, press F8. A window will appear with ASCENDING (A to
Z) and DESCENDING (Z to A) as choices. Use the UP/DOWN ARROW keys or
point to either choice with the mouse and click. Press ENTER once you
have made your selection or double click with the mouse on your
selection. The entries will be sorted in the order you have chosen.
The new sorted order will appear on the screen. (This could take a
second or two if you have many entries.)


SAVING THE MENU DEFINITION FILE

It's a good idea to save the Menu Definition File whenever you've made
changes. The Menu Definition File may be saved from any screen (the
Menu Screen, the Color Change Screen and the Menu Edit Screen). To
save the menu definition file, press F9. An edit window will appear
with the name of the current menu file (the filename may include the
drive, path and complete filename). To save the menu file using the
current name, press ENTER (or click on ENTER with the mouse). You can
change the name to any valid DOS filename, including a different
drive, path and complete filename. The menu file will be saved using
the name in the edit field. If an error is encountered, while writing
the menu file, an error message appears on the top line of the edit
window and you will be prompted to enter a new name. Examples of
errors that can occur are when the menu file has been marked Read Only
or when your disk is full. If an error is encountered, try using a
different filename or storing the menu file to a different drive.


OTHER KEYS

There are more keys defined for use than can be displayed with a clear
description in the Key Definition Window at the bottom of the screen.
To see how other keys are defined, press F10. Other key definitions
will be displayed in the Key Definition Window. Pressing F10 does not
change the function of keys, it simply shows how other keys are
defined.







BCSMENU.DOC Page 34








KEY SUMMARY

ESC Aborts any in process edit, removes the help
window, or returns to the Color Change Screen.
ENTER Ends a line during edit, or, selects a menu item
to be edited.
F1 Display Menu Edit Help Window or invokes Command
Helper mode if the commands edit window is
displayed.
F2 Restores menu to last saved menu definition.
F3 Deletes a line if editing an item description or
commands window, otherwise, deletes the menu item
pointed to by the blinking arrow.
F4 Inserts a line if editing an item description or
commands window, otherwise, inserts a menu item
before the menu item pointed to by the blinking
arrow.
F5 Edit the menu title/DOS Exit Password.
F6 Select Prompt Spacing/Number of Columns.
F7 Move a menu item.
F8 Sort menu items (in ascending or descending
order).
F9 Save all current settings in a menu definition
file.
F10 If editing, save current edit fields and skip to
next window; otherwise, show other key definitions
in the Key Definition Window.
UP/DOWN ARROW If editing the item description or commands
selects the previous/next line for edit,
otherwise, move the blinking arrow up or down to
select a menu item to edit.
INSERT During edit, toggles between Insert Mode On (full
sized cursor) and Insert Mode Off (underline
cursor).
BACKSPACE During edit, deletes the character to the left of
the cursor.
DEL During edit, deletes the character at the cursored
position.
LEFT/RIGHT ARROW During edit, moves the cursor left/right one
character position. Will scroll edit field if
necessary.
END During edit, moves the cursor to the end of the
text in the current edit line, otherwise,
positions the blinking arrow at the last menu
item.
HOME During edit, moves the cursor to the start of the
edit line, otherwise, positions the blinking arrow
at the first menu item.
PAGE UP/DOWN If there are more menu items than will fit on the
screen, scrolls menu items to next/previous screen
full.



BCSMENU.DOC Page 35








CHAPTER 6 - BCS MENU PROGRAM - OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW

In order to run BCS Menu Program, you must have at least the two BCS
Menu Program executable files (BCSMENU.COM and BCSMENU.OVL) and a
minimum of one Menu Definition file. Additional files including menu
definition files and documentation files are also a part of this
package.

When you start BCS Menu Program, the directory where the program files
are located must be the default directory. You can start BCS Menu
Program from this directory by simply typing "BCSMENU" (without the
quotes). This command instructs DOS to start BCSMENU.COM.

BCSMENU.COM will load and execute BCSMENU.OVL. BCSMENU.OVL must be in
the same directory as BCSMENU.COM which must be the default directory
when the program is started.

BCSMENU.OVL contains the heart of the menu program. It is BCSMENU.OVL
that reads and translates the Menu Definition File. When you select a
menu item to execute from the Menu Screen, BCSMENU.OVL will validate
the password (if any), prompt the user for input if a User Input
Variable is found in the command sequence and format a command buffer
for BCSMENU.COM. BCSMENU.OVL then exits passing control once again to
BCSMENU.COM.

BCSMENU.COM then executes any commands it finds in the command buffer,
or exits to DOS when it finds an empty command buffer. Since
BCSMENU.COM executes each command, it must be in-memory during command
execution. BCSMENU.COM takes up approximately 2 1/2 K of memory while
it is executing commands. (The execution of a command can start an
application such as word processing. When you exit the word processor
or other application and return to DOS, the next command in the
command buffer will be executed.) Once all commands have been
executed, BCSMENU.COM returns to the drive and directory where it was
started from and once again loads and executes BCSMENU.OVL. This
circle of execution is maintained until you perform a DOS Exit from
BCS Menu Program.

BCS Menu Program does not create batch files to execute commands.
Instead, all commands are stored in and executed directly from memory.
More than half the size of BCSMENU.COM is devoted to a command buffer
used exclusively for this purpose. Small batch files created and
deleted frequently can result in disk fragmentation. BCS Menu Program
does not contribute to this fragmentation by creating temporary batch
files.

BCSMENU.COM is not a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program. When
you exit to DOS, BCSMENU.COM returns to DOS without leaving itself in
memory.





BCSMENU.DOC Page 36








LOADING DEFAULT AND ALTERNATE MENU FILES

When BCS Menu Program is run it will load a menu definition file by
the name MENU.MNU. If this file is not found an error message is
displayed and the program exits to DOS.

You can alternately type the name of a different menu file on the DOS
command line (or in a batch file used to start BCS Menu Program) and
that menu file will be loaded instead. For example:
BCSMENU OTHER.MNU

This causes BCS Menu Program to load OTHER.MNU.


MENU DEFINITION FILE NAMING CONVENTIONS

BCS Menu Program does not enforce Menu Definition File naming
conventions. You may name a Menu Definition File using any valid DOS
filename. You can then load the menu file from the DOS command line
by specifying the full filename after BCSMENU.COM, or you can load the
menu file from another menu file by specifying the full filename in
the command sequence.

It is recommended that you use the .MNU extension for menu definition
files. Command Helper mode relies on the fact that menu files have a
.MNU extension. When creating a menu item to load another menu file,
only files with this extension will show up in the Command Helper mode
"Files" window.


LOCATION OF MENU DEFINITION FILES

Menu Definition Files may be located on any drive in any directory
(including a network drive). If the menu file is not in the same
directory as the BCS Menu Program files, you must specify the complete
Drive, Path and Filename so that BCS Menu Program can find and load
the menu file. You can also specify the complete Drive, Path and
Filename in menu item commands used to load other menu files.
















BCSMENU.DOC Page 37








APPENDIX A - ABOUT BRISTOL COMPUTING SYSTEMS, INC.


Bristol Computing Systems, Inc. was formed by two computer software
professionals who have over thirty years combined experience in the
computer industry, much of that time working exclusively with PC's.
During the course of that time they have had occasion to train many
individuals from the seasoned professional to the new user. Their
goals include making computers easier for the novice to use and more
efficient and less error prone for all users. This program has been
found to meet these goals as well as increasing productivity allowing
you to get the most out of your computer.

They each own a personal computer and are accustomed to working with
top shelf software products. Top shelf software products can be too
expensive a proposition for the typical home user. This helped in
shaping their goals to develop high quality software at a price that
is easily affordable for home as well as office use. Thus Bristol
Computing Systems slogan:

"Reliable Software Products at a Reasonable Price"

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please forward mail to:
Bristol Computing Systems, Inc.
Suite 162
200 Linden Street
P.O. Box 9009
Wellesley, MA 02181

You can also contact us electronically:
CompuServe 71341,1463
BIX ntiedemann
GENIE N.TIEDEMANN





















BCSMENU.DOC Page 38








_______
____|__ | (tm)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware
principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-
related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly,
ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a
dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical
support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at
P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 or send a Compuserve message via
easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.




































BCSMENU.DOC Page 39








APPENDIX B - ERROR MESSAGES


The following error messages may appear when using BCS Menu Program.

A brief explanation of each message follows.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Menu file not found - Exiting to DOS

PROBLEM
The program tried to read a menu file that it could not find on the
disk. This can occur at startup if the default menu file "MENU.MNU"
is not in the same directory as the program, or if the menu file
specified on the command line is not found. This error can also occur
when attempting to load a menu file from an existing menu file.

SOLUTION
This error can occur if the menu file is not in the current directory,
or, if the menu filename was not typed correctly. Make sure the file
exists in the directory you're attempting to load it from (use the DOS
DIR command for this). If it doesn't exist, try copying the file
MENU.MNU (or the menu file you're attempting to load) to the desired
directory and restart BCSMENU. If a menu file filename was specified
on the command line, be sure the name is spelled correctly and that
the entire name is used. Minimally the filename and extension are
required. Whenever the menu files are not in the same directory as
the program files you should always include the complete DOS filespec
for the menu file (drive, path, filename and extension).

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Error reading menu file

PROBLEM
A disk read error occurred when the program read the specified menu
file (MENU.MNU if no menu file was specified, or the menu file
specified on the command line).

SOLUTION
The menu file may have become corrupt. It is recommended that you
backup your menu files once you have edited them. If you have backed
them up, copy the backed up menu files to the appropriate directory.
If a backup copy is not available, copy the menu files from the
distribution diskette again and edit them for your system. This might
also be indicative of a hard disk problem. If this happens
repeatedly, have your system serviced.






BCSMENU.DOC Page 40








------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Invalid Menu File - Exiting to DOS

PROBLEM
The menu file is not in a format recognized by BCS Menu Program.

SOLUTION
The menu file is not a valid BCS Menu Program menu file. The file may
have become corrupt, or the name of the file specified is not a BCS
Menu Program menu file. Start by making sure you know the name of the
menu file you're trying to load. If this error occurred by typing the
menu file name from the DOS command line, make sure the name was typed
correctly. If the error occurred as a result of loading from an
existing menu file, make sure the name is correct in the commands
associated with the selected prompt in the menu file. If you suspect
the menu file may be corrupt, restore a backed up copy of the menu
file and try again. If you don't have a backed up copy of your menu
files, copy the menu files from the distribution diskette and edit
them for your system (make a backup copy of edited menu files). This
might also be indicative of a hard disk problem. If this happens
repeatedly, have your system serviced.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Error Encountered Opening File - Please Enter Another Name

PROBLEM
A disk error occurred when the program attempted to write an updated
version of the menu definition file.

SOLUTION
There are several possible reasons why this error can occur; the name
specified for the menu file is invalid. Try typing the name again; be
sure to use a valid DOS filename. The menu file is marked read only.
Try specifying a different menu file filename. The disk you are
trying to write to is full. Write the file to an alternate drive.
The drive you are attempting to write to is a network drive. Check
with your system administrator to be sure you have write permission on
the specified drive.














BCSMENU.DOC Page 41








------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Fatal error processing menu file - please re-start program

PROBLEM
Each edit to a menu item consumes additional memory. When the menu
file is saved to the disk the additional memory is released and the
menu file is read again. An error occurred when the menu file was re-
read.

SOLUTION
Restart BCS Menu Program again. If the symptom persists, the most
probable cause is a physical problem with the disk. You should seek
professional advice to solve this problem.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Invalid Password - Please Try Again

PROBLEM
The specified operation is protected by a password. You typed the
password incorrectly.

SOLUTION
An exact match, without regard to case, did not occur therefore the
entered password is in error. Enter the correct password. (Three
tries at entering the password are permitted before the operation is
aborted.)

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
ERROR - insufficient memory to run program exiting to DOS
(or) Insufficient memory to run program

PROBLEM
BCS Menu Program could not find enough memory to execute and to place
the menu file into memory.

SOLUTION
There must be approximately 384K of FREE memory to run all functions
of BCS Menu Program. Run DOS CHKDSK to see if your system has this
amount of memory available. Try running BCS Menu Program without
loading any TSR programs.











BCSMENU.DOC Page 42








------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
ERROR - Insufficient memory to edit menu
Insufficient Memory to Complete Edit - This Edit Will be Aborted

PROBLEM
Additional memory is required to edit menu items. Each menu item edit
requires still more memory. Your system could not provide the memory
required to perform the edit operation.

SOLUTION
If you have been editing entries, save the menu file (press F9). This
will free additional memory being used by edited entries. If you
cannot enter the Menu Edit Screen at all, your system does not have
enough free memory to perform the edit operation. Make sure your
system has enough available memory (approximately 384K free memory
required - run DOS CHKDSK to see if enough free memory is available).
Try starting BCS Menu Program without loading any TSR programs.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
ERROR - Prompt must contain at least 1 valid character

PROBLEM
You attempted to edit a menu item prompt and pressed ENTER or F10 with
the edit line blank.

SOLUTION
Each prompt must have one or more characters. Press any code
producing key, such as the spacebar, and enter a suitable prompt. If
you are attempting to leave blank lines between prompts, use the line
spacing option instead (select double or triple spacing). The Escape
key may be used to cancel the edit.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
ERROR - Command must contain at least 1 valid character

PROBLEM
You pressed ENTER or the DOWN ARROW leaving a command line blank.
Blank lines are not allowed between command lines.

SOLUTION
Press ESC to abort the edit, or press F10 to save all command lines
and end the edit.









BCSMENU.DOC Page 43








------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
Cannot Insert - this menu has reached the maximum number of entries
allowed

PROBLEM
Each menu may contain up to 100 entries. You attempted to insert an
entry when the menu file already had 100 entries.

SOLUTION
It is hard to imagine a menu that has more than 100 entries! Create
an additional menu file and move some of the entries to that file.

------------------------------------------------------------
ERROR MESSAGE
BCS Menu Program only supports DOS Ver. 3.0 or later
You are running DOS Ver. n.n

PROBLEM
BCS Menu Program is written to use features that are incorporated into
DOS version 3.0 and later. BCS Menu Program will not run under
earlier versions of DOS.

SOLUTION
Upgrade the operating system on your computer to DOS 3.0 or later.





























BCSMENU.DOC Page 44








APPENDIX C - KNOWN PROBLEMS


If you experience any difficulties using BCS Menu Program, please
contact us (see Appendix D for Customer Support information). Our
customers have uncovered the following problems:

------------------------------------------------------------
PROBLEM
Using the DOS APPEND command with the /X Option.
This has been found to be a problem using MS-DOS V3.3. BCS Menu
Program cannot Exit to DOS when the /X option is used with the Append
command. This problem does not occur in IBM's version of DOS; this
has been tested using IBM PC-DOS V3.3 and IBM PC-DOS V4.

The possible solutions to this problem are:
1. Don't use the /X option with the Append command. Add the
directory(ies) to the PATH statement instead.
2. Change to an IBM version of DOS.
3. Don't Exit to DOS from BCS Menu Program.
4. Discontinue using BCS Menu Program.


------------------------------------------------------------
PROBLEM
Using a LOGITECH Mouse.
One customer found that his Logitech mouse wouldn't work with BCS Menu
Program. He obtained a new mouse driver from Logitech and the problem
disappeared.

BCS Menu Program uses standard mouse driver function calls. The mouse
driver supplied with your mouse should be 100% Microsoft compatible.
If you have had your mouse for a while and it does not work with BCS
Menu Program, chances are you need to have the mouse driver updated.




















BCSMENU.DOC Page 45








APPENDIX D - CUSTOMER SUPPORT


Customer Support is provided via CompuServe, BIX (Byte Information
Exchange) and U.S. Mail.

Registered users of BCS Menu Program are given the opportunity to join
CompuServe; this offer includes a $15.00 usage credit (nearly half the
price of BCS Menu Program!).

We may be reached electronically as follows:
CompuServe 71341,1463
BIX ntiedemann
GENIE N.TIEDEMANN

We may be reached by U.S. Mail at:
Bristol Computing Systems, Inc.
Suite 162
200 Linden Street
P.O. Box 9009
Wellesley, MA 02181

































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