
     C D   M E N U    v1.0

     by Daniel Bengs

     Released August 1, 1999


Contents:
=========

  1. Introduction
  2. Using the Programs
     2.1. CD Menu
          2.2.1. The Interface
          2.2.2. The Autorun Feature
          2.2.3. Testing data files.
     2.2. Data File Editor
  3. Version History
  4. License Agreement
  5. Availability
  6. Bug Reports, Suggestions and Requests
  7. Contact Information
  8. Credits, Greets and Addition Information


Important: Read and understand the whole license
           agreement before using this software.



  1.  Introduction
      ============

      "CD Menu" is a freeware program that can be used on your own CD:s
      to make it easier to view what you have on then and run programs,
      open zip or other files or simply open folders.
      The program "Data File Editor" that is included is used to make the
      data files, which contain the information about what is on the CD:s.
      Both programs are 32-bit and are intended to be run in the Windows
      environment.


  2.  Using the Programs
      ==================

     2.1.  CD Menu
           -------

           This is the program that you put on your CD and you can use the
           autorun feature to have the program start each time you insert
           your CD into you CD-ROM drive. Read more about that in section
           2.1.2.

           It is intended to be run on CD:s, and only from a hard drive
           when testing a data file to make sure it is ok. See more about
           testing data files in section 2.1.4.

           This program (including Data File Editor) is freeware so you can
           use it freely for your own personal use. For commercial use a fee
           of 20 US dollars or 100 FIM has to be paid to the author.

           Also if you find this program useful I'd like to receive a card
           or some money to encourage and support me in my work.

           If you have more than one CD drive then you are first asked to
           choose a CD drive when CD Menu is started . Choose the drive that
           your CD is in. You can have up to ten CD drives. If you have the
           CD you want to use is in a CD drive that is not visible in the
           list then you have to put the CD in a drive that is visible. You
           can later change CD drive by pressing the Choose CD button or
           pressing ALT-C.

           The reason to that you have to choose CD is so CD Menu shall know
           which drive to use. CD Menu puts by default the CD drive letter
           in front of the path name that is used to locate a program on the
           CD. That is so you can put in any CD drive, for example your
           friend might have a the CD on "E:" while you have it on "D:".
           Then if you specify the path to a program as
           "D:\directory\program.exe" then it will work on your computer but
           not on your friend's computer. Neither will it work after you
           have made any drive changes. Using the drive letter can also be
           turned off if you want to specify the CD-ROM drive path yourself,
           but will most probably only work on your own computer.


           2.1.1. The Interface
                  -------------

                  On the left side is a list of items that are found on the
                  CD are. In the middle is a description of the chosen item.
                  Under the description box is a button, which is used for
                  executing or opening a file or opening a folder.
                  
                  On the right side are four buttons. About show a little
                  About window, Options show an Options windows where you
                  can change some options. With Choose CD you can change
                  the CD drive to be used and Exit exits the program.

                  In the Options window you can change three things:
                   - The path to the data file.
                   - Wheter the cd drive letter should be put in front of
                     the path to the program or whatever it is.
                   - Whether to run programs minimized or not.

                  Changing the path will have no effect except in the config
                  file. The data file is only loaded at start, as it should
                  already be specified in the config file.

                  So changing the path is merely for easily changing the
                  value in the configuration file.

                  See more about the configuration file in 2.1.3.


           2.1.2. The Autorun Feature
                  -------------------

                  To use the autorun feature in Windows just go through the
                  following three steps.

                  1) Open Notepad or any other text editor and enter the
                     following text:

                        [autorun]
                        OPEN=AUTORUN\CDMENU.EXE
                        ICON=AUTORUN\CD.ICO

                  2) Save the file as "autorun.inf". This file should be put
                     in the root directory of the cd that you create.

                  3) Put "cdmenu.exe" in the "Autorun" directory or in the
                     place you specified, along with the icon for you cd (if
                     you have one), when you create your cd.

                  Make sure you have got every path and filename correct,
                  because after the CD has been created you cannot change
                  them anymore.

                  The directory where CD Menu will be on the CD is most
                  probably the directory where you will put 


           2.1.3. The Configuration File
                  ----------------------

                  This file (cdmenu.cfg) contains some options for CD Menu
                  and it should be included on the CD. If it isn't CD Menu
                  will complain that it couldn't find the file and will try
                  to create a new one, which is hard on a CD.

                  The file can easily be modifed with a normal text editor,
                  like Notepad. 

                  The syntax for the configuration in the file is:
                    option = value

                  DataFile is the path to the data file. The default is
                  ".\datafile.dat". That is if the data file is in the same
                  directory as CD Menu. If the data files is in another
                  directory then the path should be something like
                  "\directory\datafile.dat". Observe that you don't need
                  nor should put the CD-ROM drive letter in front of the
                  path to the data file. It should work without, and it were
                  there then it would only work with one drive.

                  UseCDletter is whether to use the CD drive letter in the
                  beginning of a path to a program or whatever the path
                  is pointing to. Values can be "YES" and "NO" and the
                  default is "YES". Using the CD drive letter and what it is
                  is explained in section 2.1.

                  RunMinimized is whether to run the programs minimized.
                  This option will probably not be used much, since most
                  install programs ask about where to install the program
                  that is to be installed. But maybe someone will have use
                  for it. Values can be "YES" and "NO" and the default is
                  "NO".

                  If any of these options are not in the configuration file
                  the defaults will be used. If some unknown option is found
                  it will be ignored. If some unknown value is found for
                  UseCDletter and RunMinimized then the defaults are used.
                  
                  The options and values are not case sensitive and if you
                  want a new configuration file if you have accidentally
                  removed something then simply delete it and a new
                  configuration file with default values will be generated.


           2.1.4. Testing Data Files
                  ------------------

                  If you wish to test data files that you have created so
                  that they work you can start CD Menu with a parameter
                  entered in the command line. The parameter is "/C". Put it
                  after "CDMenu.exe" in the command line of a shortcut or in
                  the Run command line or in a DOS Prompt.

                  Then when CD Menu starts it asks you to enter a custom
                  path to the CD. If you have the CD on your C: drive in a
                  directory called "NewCD" then enter "C:\NewCD". You will
                  not be able to test the data file if you have any drive
                  letter in front of your paths in the data file.


     2.2.  Data File Editor
           ----------------

           The Data File Editor is the program that you create your data
           files with.

           A maximum of 200 items can be entered. An item name can be
           maximum 40 characters long. The description box has a maximum of
           500 characters and the path is limited to 180 characters.

           Each item must have an action, currently you can choose between
           "Run File", "Open Folder", and "No Action".

           "Run File" is for executable files or files that have an
           associated extension, that is like .txt files. If you double
           click on a .txt file Notepad will open, or the program that is
           associated to .txt files. If you specify a file with an
           associated extension the program associated to it will be open
           when you press "Run File" in CD Menu.

           "Open Folder" will simply open a folder.

           "No Action" is when you have an item that maybe is a heading or
           a separator and that shouldn't do anything. This is what "No
           Action" is for.

           In the description box you can enter a little description for
           each item, that is also seen in CD Menu.

           In the path box is the path to the program or the folder. If you
           use the CD-ROM drive letter option, which is default, then the
           path should begin with a backslash (\), followed by the directory
           that the program is in and then the filename. So a typical path
           would be: "\directory\program.exe".

           The data file that you get when you save, should be put on the
           CD, either in the directory that CD Menu is located in or in any
           other directory. And then the path to it should be specified in
           CD Menu's configuration file. See more about that in section 
           2.1.3.


  3. Version History
     ===============

    1.0:
      - First public release.


  4. License Agreement
     =================

     This license agreement is a legal agreement between you and and the
     author of this software package. By installing or otherwise using this
     software you agree to be bound by this agreement. If you do not agree
     to the terms of this agreement, you may not install or use this
     software.

     You may use this software for personal use only.
     For commercial use a fee of 20 US dollars or 100 FIM has to be paid.

     You may not modify any part of this software in any way, including but
     not limited to decompiling, disassembling, or otherwise reverse
     engineering the software.

     This program is freeware and you may distribute it in its unmodified
     form to anyone free of charge. You may only charge the users recieving
     the software a "transferring fee". If this software is included on a
     CD-ROM the author would like to receive a copy. 

     The author disclaims all warranties of any kind, either expressed or
     implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of
     merchantability and fitness for a partucular purpose. In no event
     shall the author be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct,
     indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or
     special damages, which may result from the use of this software, even
     if the author has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

     CD Menu is Copyright (c) 1999 Daniel Bengs, All Rights Reserved.


  5. Availability
     ============

     The latest version is always available at my homepage.

     - http://www.qnet.fi/dbengs/


  6. Bug Reports, Suggestions and Requests
     =====================================
     
     Since I only have the possibility of testing the program thoroughly on
     my own computer, there could be a lots of bugs which don't appear with
     my settings. Therefore there can be a lot of bugs and other anomalies
     in this program that I haven't been able to notice.

     I really would like to get bug reports, suggestions and requests.
     Of course the requests should be reasonable.

     If you have anything else to comment on or just noticed some small
     detail that could be made better I'd like to hear about it. How to
     contact me is found in section 7.

     For bug reports it would be good if you included as lot of information
     as possible about the bug and about your hardware and software setup.
     That is your computer and its components and your operating system.
     Anything else that you think is also important you can include. If you
     have any idea why something is or went wrong then include that too.

     As of version 1.0 there are no known bugs.

     If there's something you don't like or if there's something you miss
     then write a suggestion or request to me. If you don't like something
     then also suggest what you would like to have instead, or how something
     should be.


  7. Contact Information
     ===================
     
     If you need help with using this program, if you have found a bug or
     something else you wish to report or have ideas or suggestions for
     this program then you can contact me using any of the methods below.
     Also see section 6. for more about bug reporting and so on.
     
     Should you find this program useful I'd like to receive a card or some
     money that would encourage and support me in my work.

       Snailmail:
          Daniel Bengs
          Vasterskogsvagen 6 A 2
          FIN-65280 VASA FINLAND

       E-mail:
          daniel.bengs@pp.qnet.fi

       Phone:
          +358-6-3215542


  8. Credits, Greets and Addition Information
     ========================================

     Credits:
     --------

        - Code:         Daniel Bengs
        - Graphics:     Daniel Bengs
        - Design:       Daniel Bengs
        - Read Me:      Daniel Bengs


     Beta-testers:
     -------------

        - Henrik Klinkmann


     Greets fly out to:
     ------------------

        - Henrik Klinkmann
        - Tom Wik
        - Carl-Magnus Bjrkell
        - Simon Finne
        - Daniel Slotte


     Additional Information:
     -----------------------

     Check out Henrik Klinkmann's program AutoCD which can be found at:

       http://www.mbnet.fi/~admkirk/

     It is similar to my program but the design is a little different.

     If you want to buy the source code that is ok. Contact me for pricing.

     Check out my other programs at http://www.qnet.fi/dbengs

