CNFGINFO.EXE VERSION 4 Copyright 1992-95 by Rick Meigs ------------------------------------------------- Please review this file for important information ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- <<=DISCLAIMER=>> I CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU DO WITH OR TO YOUR SYSTEM OR YOUR CONFIG.SYS FILE BASED UPON WHAT YOU MAY LEARN FROM THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS PROGRAM OR THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM. YOU ARE FAIRLY WARNED, I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMER. NO WARRANTY OR FITNESS IS IMPLIED. THE INFORMATION AND PROGRAM ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. DOES THIS MEAN I THINK THERE ARE PROBLEMS? NO, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THING WORKS JUST FINE AND THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN BETA TESTED TWICE BY MANY OS/2 USERS. ---------------------------------------------------------------- This whole process started in 1992 when I began researching what many of the config.sys file commands in OS/2 were for. The data file used by this program is the result of this still ongoing research. The data file is now in version 11 (OS2CFG11.DAT), which is provided with this program. OS2CFG11.DAT can be, and is used extensively by hundreds of OS/2 users, without CNFGINFO.EXE. CNFGINFO.EXE is just an additional means of making the information useful to a larger group of OS/2 users. All current versions of this program are Freeware, and free is a very good price. However, free doesn't mean bad. Users indicate that it is a high quality and useful utility. I really hope you find it to be so also. The program may be freely distributed under the following conditions. All copyright notices must not be removed, all files contained in the File Inventory below must be distributed together (you may not remove any files), and you may not charge for the program, except for a nominal distribution fee--generally less than US$5.00. -------------------------- FILE INVENTORY The following files are contained on the enclosed disk. CNFGINFO.EXE 06-04-95 OS2CFG11.DAT 06-04-95 VROBJ.DLL 10-31-94 README.1ST 06-04-95 README.TXT 06-04-95 FILE_ID.DIZ 06-04-95 CSORT101.ZIP 04-28-95 -------------------------- HISTORY Version 1.0 released February, 1994. Version 1.1 released August, 1994. Fixed edit option bug. Version 1.2 - 1.3b were experimental upgrades not released. Version 1.3c (beta, control beta group only) Fixed bug which kept program from locating config.sys on any drive other than "C". Added config.sys file information feature. This feature displays the creation date, file size and number of lines in your config.sys. Also, indicates the line number of any item selected in the config.sys file window. Modified print options. Print option screen automatically closes after printing completed. To close without printing, use the OS/2 way with a double click on upper left corner icon, or press Alt+F4. When loading OS2CFGx.DAT data file, program now indicates which version is being loaded. Data items in your config.sys file which include a drive other than "C" will be properly handled when searching the OS2CFGx.DAT file. Improved internal data handling routines. Version 1.3d (beta, control beta group only) Fixed bug which would not allow program to load OS2CFGx.DAT data file when program was booted from a floppy drive. Added feature which allows the display of device driver information (file date and size) in the Device option feature. Allow you to resize the Device option screen. Device option screen now sorted alphabetically. Print option screen will now stay in the foreground until printing completed or option is deselected. Fixed Edit screen (OS/2 System Editor) so it opens in the foreground instead of background. Added feature which allows the selection of an alternate config.sys file. Just click the right mouse button once on the Config.sys File window. A "pop-up" menu will appear. Select "Load alternate config.sys". If an alternate config.sys file is loaded, edit, device, print and backup options will utilize the alternate file. Added feature which allows the reloading of your boot drive config.sys file. This is useful when you have edited your boot drive config.sys file and want to have the new version displayed for analysis. Just click the right mouse button once on the Config.sys File window. A "pop-up" menu will appear. Select "Reload boot drive config.sys". Improved error handling. Expanded user documentation (the document you are now reading). Increased width of display screens to reduce the need to scroll right to see information. Version 1.3e (wide beta) November 25, 1994 Added an Analyze feature. Checks and gives you general suggestions on items you may wish to modify in your config.sys. Will not actually modify your config.sys file. Use the edit option to do so. Version 1.3f (wide beta) January 15, 1995 Included an interim updated version of OS2CFG9.DAT. Fixed some spelling errors :-(. Fixed a few bugs that were reported from the 1.3e beta. Device Driver feature now reports information on BASEDEV items. Replaced the use of the System Editor with a new edit feature in the main program. Analyze feature is now started as a separate thread. This allows you to freely move between the main program and Analyze. In the past if you switch from the Analyze feature to the main program, you found the main program still lock (not enabled). You can now work on your config.sys file from the main program while keeping the Analyze information available for reference. When you edit your config.sys file using the programs internal editor, the modified config.sys will be automatically loaded and displayed when saved. Version 2.x skipped to align version number with proper ZIP name. Version 3.0a released March 3, 1995 Do to many requests, I've completely changed the way the system is configured. A configuration menu now displays the first time you start the program and sets up the programs INI file. To change the programs configuration, go to the pop-up menu (right mouse button in the config.sys file window) and select "Set Program Configuration". Because of continuing problems, the Rxextra.dll has been removed and those functions are now performed by the initial configuration routine. An updated VROBJ.DLL included. Dated 10-31-94. You can now use any editor you like for displaying the data file and editing your config.sys file. Specify editor in the configuration menu the first time you start the program or change the configuration at any time from the pop-up menu (right mouse button in the config.sys file window). I've only tested it with just a few different editors. Let me know if you have one that does not work. User interface has been redesigned and improved. The README.TXT file will now display the first time you run the program using OS/2s System Editor (E.EXE). After review, just close E.EXE. It will not appear again. Added an icon that allows you to display the entire programs data file from the main menu. It uses your preferred editor unless you have selected the programs internal editor. Then it will default to OS/2s Enhanced Editor (EPM.EXE). Continued to improve internal error checking and handling including checking to insure that only local drives are specified as a valid boot drive. Analyze feature checks additional items including checking SET HELP= for valid directories. Version 10 of the data file has been included (OS2CFG10.ZIP). Version 4.0 released June, 1995 Made the user interface look better (IMHO :->). Analyze now checks for duplicate IOPL commands, checks the BUFFERS statement when using only HPFS, watches for excess FILES parameter, verifies that each driver noted in a DEVICE statement actually exists along the path noted, and several other items. A config.sys search function has been added. This function will allow you to quickly find items in the displayed config.sys file. Just click on the search icon. The Internal Editor has been modified to allow the use of lower case letters. A quick REM function has been added to the Internal Editor. Just click the REM button and the displayed config.sys file line will be automatically REM'd. If the statement is already REM'd, then the REM will be removed. When you modified your config.sys file using the internal editor, the program used to reload the entire modified config.sys file. Although this was done quickly, you lost your spot within the config.sys file and had to scroll back to it. NOW, when you edit using the internal editor, the modified text will be changed on-screen and you will maintain your position within the file. On-screen help was moved to the top so it is close to the icon bar. This will make it much easier to read what each icon is for. Copy and Paste has been added to the Information Window. This will allow you to copy information to OS/2s clipboard for pasting into other applications. Just highlight the area to copy and then click on the copy icon. I may do the same with the config.sys window at some point in the future. You can now pop-up the internal editor by simply double clicking on any config.sys line. A freeware config.sys sort utility has been included. This is not my utility, but for those who would like there config.sys file sorted for readability, it works real nicely. It is a separate file named CSORT101.ZIP and must be run independantly of CNFGINFO. A new quick information group has been added to the main program. This area displays for quick reference four selected parameters which impact overall system performance. The values for these four items, HPFS cache, FAT cache as set in DISKCACHE, THREADS and Swap file size, are those set in your config.sys file. A new quick information group has been added to the Analyze feature which will displays the primary program configuration settings in use by CNFGINFO.EXE. Remember, these can be changed at anytime using the pop-up menu. If during the runnings of CNFGINFO.EXE, your swap file grows 2mbs beyond its initial setting, the program will alter you and suggest you increase the initial size. Version 11 of OS2CFG11.DAT (the data file) is included. -------------------------- INSTALLATION REXX MUST BE INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM TO RUN THIS PROGRAM. For best results, install this program on your hard drive. The partition should not matter, as long as its local. To install: Simply copy all files to a folder of choice and then set up your own program icon on your desktop (or other folder of choice). If you have another version of this program, don't place this version in the same folder. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. The programs INI and DLL may be different. The program will run from a floppy, but the performance is a real dog and I don't recommend it. If you do choose to run from a floppy, DO NOT remove the program floppy from your drive during operation. IMPORTANT NOTE: An upgraded to VROBJ.DLL (dated 10-31-94) must be used. This DLL is provided and may either reside in the same folder as CNFGINFO.EXE or in another folder which is included in your LIBPATH config.sys path statement. If the DLL is included in the same folder as the program, be sure that a period "." is included in your LIBPATH statement right after the equal "=" symbol. This causes OS/2 to look in the current logged folder first for all DLLs. Example: LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL;. -------------------------- TO LAUNCH If you created a program icon, double click on this icon to launch the program. You can also launch the program from within it's folder by double clicking on the CNFGINFO.EXE icon. -------------------------- Q & A Q. Is this program Shareware? A. No, its Freeware, so feel free to pass any version on to friends and other OS/2 users on a not-for-profit basis. Q. Can I use this program at my place of employment? A. Sure. The author does not restrict the program to personal or home use. Q. How do I contact the author? A. Internet: rick.meigs@nwcs.org; or mail: Rick Meigs, 7032 SW 26th, Portland, OR, USA, 97219. Q. How well has this program been tested? A. The program has been through both a small controlled beta and two mass release betas in the OS/2 community at large. No major problems were reported. Several minor bugs have been fixed and many good suggestions have been implemented in this release. This is version 4, which is the second major release. Q. The program indicates that it can't locate OS2CFGx.DAT. Where is this file? A. OS2CFGx.DAT (where "x" is the version number, e.g. OS2CFG9.DAT) may not have been included with the distribution disk. If you don't have the file, you can download it from most BBSs that have an OS/2 area. You must have version 8 or later. The file name will be OS2CFGx.ZIP were "x" is the version number. Q. The program indicates that it can not locate OS2CFGx.DAT, but I have the file. A. The data file (OS2CFGx.DAT) must be in the same folder as the program (CNFGINFO.EXE). Be sure that you have not changed the name of the data file. It must be OS2CFGx.DAT where "x" is the version number. You must also have version 8 or later. Any version before 8 will not work. Q. Is the data file ever updated? A. Yes. At the time of the release of this version (4) of CNFGINFO, the current data file is version 11. Version 11 was release on or about May 26, 1995. As new releases of OS/2 come out and/or as I learn new and interesting "stuff", I release new versions of the data file. The data file is formatted and constructed so it can be used with or without CNFGINFO.EXE. Look for the latest version on most OS/2 BBSs or at ftp.cdrom.com on the Internet. The file name will be OS2CFGx.ZIP were "x" is the version number. Q. Can I print information displayed in the Information Window? A. Yes. Click on the print option and then select the desired action. Q. How do I quit the program? I don't see a "quit" or "Exit" option. A. The standard way to close any OS/2 program is to double click on the System Icon. It is located in the upper left hand corner of the window. OS/2 also provides a shortcut-- Alt+F4 --to close any program. Only Windows users need an Exit option (:->). Q. How do I close the Print Option window? A. The standard way to close any OS/2 window is to double click on the System Icon. It is located in the upper left hand corner of the window. You can also press Alt+F4. Q. How do I close the Device Driver display window? A. The standard way to close any OS/2 window is to double click on the System Icon. It is located in the upper left hand corner of the window. You can also press Alt+F4. Q. Can I load and display an alternate config.sys file? A. Yes. Click the right mouse button in the Config.sys File window. From the pop-up menu, select "Load alternate config.sys file". Select the desired file from the dialog screen and then select "OK". Q. I just edited my boot drive config.sys file using my editor of choice. I want to load and display this revised config.sys. How do I do this? A. When using the programs internal editor, the revised config.sys file will automatically load and display. When using other editors, you can reload by clicking the right mouse button in the Config.sys file window. From the pop-up menu, select "Reload boot drive config.sys file". Q. I just edited an alternate config.sys file (not my boot drive config.sys). I want to load and display this revised config.sys. How do I do this? A. When using the programs internal editor, the revised config.sys file will automatically load and display. When using other editors, you can reload by clicking the right mouse button in the Config.sys File window. From the pop-up menu, select "Load alternate config.sys file". Select the desired file from the dialog screen and then select "OK". Q. How do I edit an alternative config.sys file? A. Load an alternate config.sys file in the Config.sys File window and then invoke the editor just like you do when editing your boot drive file. Q. When I click on a config.sys statement, the system doesn't always have information on that statement. How come? A. The data file for this program contains a vast amount of information on all the standard OS/2 config.sys commands and statements. This information has been compiled over many years from many sources, but it can't and will never be comprehensive. There are just to many programs which add commands and device driver statements to OS/2s config.sys file. These commands and statements are unique to those programs and often change over time. If you have such items and want to help the OS/2 community by adding it to the data file, INTERNET me and I'll be glad to add it with credit to you. As new releases of OS/2 come out and/or as I learn new and interesting "stuff", I release new versions of the data file. The data file is formatted and constructed so it can be used with or without CNFGINFO.EXE. Look for the latest version on most OS/2 BBSs or ftp.cdrom.com and juge.com on the Internet. Q. Has this version of your program been tested with Warp? A. It was been used with Warp Beta II, Warp "without Windows" and Warp "with Windows". No problems have been found. Q. I've found a bug. How do I pass the details on to you? A. Oh no! Can it be? (:->) See BUG REPORTING above. Q. I've changed my hardware configuration. How do I change the configuration parameters so the Analyze feature knows about the change. A. You can change the configuration by clicking the right mouse button in the Config.sys file window. From the pop-up menu, select "System Configuration". Q. Why doesn't the program "snoop" out how much RAM I have as well as the other parameters needed? A. It could, but some use this program in a multi-system environment where they tune config.sys files on a single machine from many machines. They need to have a very flexible and easy way to adjust parameters which may not be the same as there work computer. Q. Does the Analyze feature actually change my config.sys file? A. No. You must make the individual changes. The Analyze feature only makes suggestions which may or may not be appropriate to your situation. Q. Does REXX have to be installed to run the program? A. Yes! CNFGINFO.EXE will not run if you did not install REXX on your system. Q. Will the program work across a network? A. The program is designed to work with "local" drives and partitions, but I've heard from some who have the program on a server and allow access to it from all systems on the network. This appears to work, but if you attempt to load a config.sys file from a drive other than a "local" drive or partition, the program will crash. Been their. Done that. Q. I just got this new version and "installed it". When I started the program, it indicates that it can't find my config.sys file. How come? A. You may have "installed" it in the same folder as a previous version. You should not have done this, but if you will delete the INI file and then restart the program, it will work. Q. Can I "copy and paste" information from the data window to another application? A. Yes. Highlight the text you wish to copy using your mouse. When you highlight the text, a copy icon will appear on the icon bar. Press this icon and the highlighted text will be copied to OS/2s clipboard. You can then paste if from the clipboard to any other application. Q. When I want to locate a config.sys statement in my config.sys file, do I have to scroll now until I find it, or is there a better way. A. There is a better way. Use the Search function. Just click on the Search icon (flashlight) and input the item you are looking for. Press the Find button. The first instance of the string. If this is not the one you are looking for, press the Search icon again and press the Find Next button. Q. Can I Analyze more than one config.sys file at a time? A. Well, yes and no. Analyze will only deal with one config.sys file at a time, but the Analyze feature is a separate thread. Therefore, you do not have to close the Analyze window to go back to the main program. Back at the main program, you can load another config.sys file or change your program settings and run Analyze again. You will have two Analyze windows open, each with information on a different config.sys file or the same config.sys file analyzed with different program settings. You may do this as many time as you like. -------------------------- BUG REPORTING Bug reports/comments should be reported to rick.meigs@nwcs.org. Please include the following information when reporting: Your name and Internet address (or mailing address). Which version were you using. Which version of OS2CFGx.DAT were you using. Describe your hardware configuration in detail. Describe the problem including what you were attempting to do when the problem appeared. Did any error messages appear? If so, what exactly did they say. // END //