
              System Utilities version 230 - ReadMe file 
             ---------------------------------------------

This  application  allows  useful operations to be  performed  from  the 
RiscOS desktop:

  -     The current, library or user root directory can be set either by 
        name,  or by dragging a file or directory to the icon bar.  This 
        comes in very useful for applications such as  compilers,  which 
        expect the current directory to be set up.

  -     The current contexts can be displayed.

  -     A  directory display can be opened directly on a  currently  set 
        context, or by an entered name.

  -     A file finder searches a directory tree for filenames matching a 
        given specification.

  -     System data can be saved by the normal RiscOS dragging method:

               Character set (as a BBC Font file)
               Configuration (CMOS RAM data)
               Wimp sprite pool, Wimp ROM sprites or system sprites

        A saved configuration file can be reloaded.

  -     Key translation can be selected to make First Word Plus  version 
        2 a bit more "keyboard-friendly".



Running
-------

The  shared  C  library must be installed,  as  is  usual  with  desktop 
applications now.  A WimpSlot of 96K is required.

Simply open a directory viewer on the !SysUtil application,  and double-
click  on it.   It will install itself on the left of the icon  bar,  to 
emphasise its association with (mainly) disc filing.

Interactive  help is fully supported,  and can be used to find  out  the 
functions of all the windows and buttons.



Detailed information
--------------------

All  options are controlled via the menu obtained by clicking MENU  over 
the SysUtil icon.  The menu options, in order, are:


  Info          The normal RiscOS-style information box.


  Contexts      Allows  the current directory context to be  manipulated 
                or displayed.  Has the sub-options:

                  Set                   Set  a  context;   pops  up  the 
                                        "Set context" dialogue box.  See 
                                        the relevant section below.  Can 
                                        also  be  selected  by  clicking 
                                        ADJUST on the SysUtil  icon,  or 
                                        by dragging a file or  directory 
                                        to it.

                  Show                  Displays  the current  directory 
                                        contexts.   Can also be shown by 
                                        clicking  SELECT on the  SysUtil 
                                        icon.

                  Show after change     If this option is set  (ticked), 
                                        the   contexts  will  be   shown 
                                        automatically  every  time  they 
                                        are changed by SysUtil.


  Open filer    Allows  a desktop filer display to be  opened  directly.  
                Has the sub-options:

                  Current               Open  a display for the  current 
                                        directory (@).

                  Volume root           Open  a display for  the  volume 
                                        root directory ($).   For  ADFS, 
                                        this  has  the  same  effect  as 
                                        clicking  on the drive  icon  on 
                                        the icon bar.

                  User root             Open  a display for the  current 
                                        user  root directory  (&).   For 
                                        NetFS,  this has the same effect 
                                        as  clicking on the net icon  on 
                                        the icon bar.

                  Library               Open  a display for the  current 
                                        library directory (%).

                  Enter                 Open  a display for a  directory 
                                        name  entered in the  menu  box.  
                                        The  pathname is translated  and 
                                        expanded before use,  so  system 
                                        variables and any filing  system 
                                        prefix can be used.


  Find File     Locate  a file;   pops up the "Find File" dialogue  box.  
                See the relevant section below.


  Save misc     Saves the following as files.  The "Save as" box is used 
                in the normal RiscOS way.

                  Character set         Saves the current System Font as 
                                        a  'BBC Font' file,  i.e.  as  a 
                                        sequence  of  VDU 23  statements 
                                        which can be *PRINTed to set  up 
                                        those  font  definitions.    The 
                                        upper  and lower limits for  the 
                                        range of characters to be  saved 
                                        (in  decimal)  can  be  entered;  
                                        the lowest character that can be 
                                        saved  is  32  (space)  and  the 
                                        highest is 255.

                  Configuration         Saves   the   current   CMOS RAM 
                                        settings  as  a  'Config'   file 
                                        (type  &FF2;   this is an  Acorn 
                                        allocated file type).   All  240 
                                        bytes of memory are saved.

                                        To  reload  the  saved   config-
                                        uration,  drag a Config file  to 
                                        the SysUtil icon on the icon bar 
                                        and confirm that you really want 
                                        to  reload  it.   Location  zero 
                                        (the   Econet  station   number) 
                                        cannot and will not be reloaded;  
                                        a special network administration 
                                        utility is required to do  this.  
                                        A Ctrl-Break may be necessary to 
                                        recognise the new configuration.

                  Wimp sprites          Save  the sprites  contained  in 
                                        the  RAM  portion  of  the  Wimp 
                                        sprite pool as a sprite file.

                  ROM sprites           Save  the ROM part of  the  Wimp 
                                        sprite pool as a sprite file.

                  System sprites        Save the contents of the  system 
                                        sprite area as a sprite file.


  1stWord Keys  When ticked,  enables keyboard translation for use  with 
                First Word Plus  version 2.   See the  relevant  section 
                below.


  Quit          Removes the application from memory.



Using "Set context"
-------------------

To  set a directory context,  pop up the "Set context" window  from  the 
menu or by clicking ADJUST on the SysUtil icon.

To  select what is to be set,  tick the 'Current',  'Home' or  'Library' 
option.   The  current setting for that context,  on the current  filing 
system, is displayed in the 'Path' box.

To select the filing system to be used,  if required,  click on  'adfs', 
'ram',  'net' or 'Special'.   A filing system name, or existing one with 
special  fields  included,  can be entered in the box to  the  right  of 
'Special'.

To  enter  the  current setting,  click on  '$',  '@',  '%'  or  '&'  as 
appropriate.

A  pathname  can  be entered directly in the  'Path'  box  if  required.  
However, the most expedient way to use this is to drag a file, directory 
or application to the window or to the SysUtil icon.   The full pathname 
of  that object (or the directory part,  in the case of a file) will  be 
entered.   Clicking 'Up' will remove the last leaf name component of the 
path.

When  the  correct path has been entered,  clicking 'OK'  will  set  the 
selected context to that.   If the "Show after change" option is set on, 
all three contexts will be shown in a transient window.

Click  'Cancel' or the close box to close the window and not change  the 
current context.



Using "Find File"
-----------------

This  option  will search the directory tree for file names  matching  a 
given name.   Searching is done in the background, so other desktop work 
can continue while the search is running.

Select the "Find File" option from the menu to display the window.

Enter the name to be searched for in the 'Name' box.   The four  options 
to the right of this determine how the name is matched:

  Exact                 The name is matched exactly as entered.

  Containing            Any   file  name  which  includes  the   entered 
                        sequence of characters will match.

  Arthur wildcard       The normal RiscOS wildcard characters are recog-
                        nised  (*  matches any  string,  #  matches  any 
                        character).

  Unix wildcard         Wildcard characters similar to those used on the 
                        Unix (TM AT&T) system are recognised.  * matches 
                        any  string,   ?   matches  any  character.   [] 
                        encloses a set of characters, for example [abcd] 
                        matches  the letter 'a',  'b',  'c' or  'd'.   A 
                        range of characters can also be  specified,  for 
                        example [a-e] matches the letter 'a',  'b', 'c', 
                        'd' or 'e'.  \ can be used to remove the special 
                        meaning of any of these special characters.

When searching for files,  a RiscOS file type can be entered (in hex) in 
the  'Type' box to further restrict the search.   The name of  the  file 
type will be shown in the box to the right.

A  directory for the search to begin from can be entered in  the  'From' 
box.  Another way of doing this is to drag a directory or application to 
the window or the SysUtil icon.

The  options  'Files'  and 'Directories' can be  selected  singly  using 
SELECT, or in combination using ADJUST, to define what is to be searched 
for.  'Directories' will also find applications.

Select  one of the 'Action' options to indicate what is to be done  with 
any  matching  objects  found.   'List details'  will  simply  show  the  
pathnames  (relative to the search root),  types and sizes in a  listing 
window.  'Open viewers'  will  open a directory viewer  for  the  parent 
directory of each object.

When all is set up,  click on 'OK' and the search will start.  It can be 
halted by clicking on 'Abort';   normally the window is displayed  until 
the search is over.



First Word Plus keyboard translation
------------------------------------

One of the things that greatly annoys me about First Word Plus version 2 
is  the function key rearrangement that has been done (is there  anybody 
from  GST  reading this?).   Reformat has moved off f12 -  fair  enough, 
since  this is used for another function in the RiscOS desktop - but  it 
has been put on f7,  which is far too near the Delete Line (f8) key  for 
my liking,  especially as there is no Undo facility to get back the line 
lost when f8 is pressed by mistake.  Copy Block has been lost from Ctrl-
f8 for no apparent reason,  and Indent is too far away (on f9) from  the 
main keyboard area.

To  this  end,  when the '1stWord Keys' option on the menu  is  selected 
(ticked),  certain key translations are performed as below.  I find them 
most useful.


  Print         This  gives  Reformat,  identical to f7.   This  key  is 
                easier to find than f7,  and hitting an adjacent key  by 
                mistake does not have disastrous effects.

  Ctrl-f8       This gives Copy Block, identical to ^C (or to ^f8 on the 
                original 1stWord version).

  Shift-Tab     This  gives an indent,  identical to f9.   Does  nothing 
                when not in WP Mode.




Jonathan Marten
17th February 1990

Archive:        387
Cix:            jmarten
Phone:          (0252) 542431
Email:          jmarten%cix.cix.uucp@ukc.ac.uk
                ukc!slxsys!cix!jmarten

