
*** MOONCOMET DESKTOP v1.7A ***
Designed and developed at MoonComet Software House by Mandar Chitre

CONTENTS
--------

        AUTHOR'S NOTE
        INTRODUCTION
        LICENSE CRAP
        REGISTRATION FORM
        INSTALLATION
        GENERAL GUIDELINES
        WINDOWS 95
        BUGS, PROBLEMS AND TO-DOs
        YOU WANT TO HELP ?


AUTHOR'S NOTE
-------------

I haven't had much time to write a good documentation or help file, so
that will have to wait.  But something to start off with....

Files           Description
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MCDESK.EXE      The desktop!
FOLDER.EXE      Folder / Program Group manager
MCTASK.EXE      Task manager
HIDE.EXE        Utility to hide applications
KILL.EXE        Utility to kill applications
MCDESK.TXT      You are reading it!
BWCC.DLL        Borland Custom Control DLL

McDesk offers you a very configurable desktop.  The other programs are
not integral parts of the desktop, but form excellent companions.  It is
very easy to use, in spite of it's large configurability.


INTRODUCTION
------------

McDesk along with it's other utilities provides a configurable mutli dekstop
shell with a powerful task manager and folders.  It fully supports
drag'n'drop and many other features, which you will wonder how you lived
without!  It also supports simplistic security.

   ** Features **
        * Multiple desktops
        * Each desktop can have it's own backdrop/color
        * Password protection for desktop
        * Password protection for configuration mode
        * Swarm (idea from Xwindows screensaver)
        * Animated icons
        * Cut/paste icons across desktops
        * Startup/Shutdown sequences
        * No more minimized icons messing up your screen
        * Right click for task list
        * Double click for task manager
        * Full drag'n'drop support


LICENSE CRAP
------------

Copyright (c) 1996 MoonComet Software House
Desgined and developed by Mandar Chitre
All rights reserved

IMPORTANT: Read this license agreement before installing this 
software.  Starting the installation process will constitute agreement
to the conditions of this license. If you are not willing to be bound
by the terms of this license agreement, do NOT proceed to install and
use this software and also delete all the files belonging to this
software from your disk.

This software is FREEWARE.  That means you can use and distribute this
software free of charge but you must not sell this software.  If
redistributed, all files in the original package must be distributed
unmodified.  Please fill out the registration form below and email it
to eng30239@nus.sg so that I can keep track of the usefulness of the
software and carry on further developments.  Thanks.


                       DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY

THIS SOFTWARE (including instructions for its use) IS PROVIDED "AS IS"
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
RELATING TO THIS SOFTWARE, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT
NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ALL SUCH WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY AND
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED.  THE ENTIRE RISK ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR
PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION REMAINS WITH YOU.

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR, OR ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN THE CREATION,
PRODUCTION, OR DELIVERY OF THE SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF
BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION,
OR OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE
THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.


REGISTRATION FORM
-----------------

Name            :
Address         :
Country         :
Email           :
Profession      :
Computer Usage  : Programmer / Applications User
Environment     : Office / Home

How would you rate McDesk ?
        Horrible / Bad / Good / Very good / Excellent

Sugestions      :


INSTALLATION
------------

To install McDesk,
        1. run MCDESK.EXE
        2. hold down the left mouse button on the rightmost
           area of the status bar
        3. choose Configure from the popup menu
        4. right click on the screen to bring up menu
        5. choose Options
        6. select Use as shell
        7. click OK
        8. Say YES when it recomends restarting of windows
and presto, it'll start up with your new desktop!

To install McTask,
        1. Edit your SYSTEM.INI
        2. Add the line TASKMAN.EXE=MCTASK.EXE in the [Boot] section
        3. Copy MCTASK.EXE into a directory on PATH
        4. Restart Windows
sorry, I didn't have to time to write a auto install routine!

To install the others: FOLDER,KILL,HIDE
        1. Copy them to a directory on PATH
thats it!


GENERAL GUIDELINES
------------------

STATUS BAR

The status bar is live; you can click on the status bar to bring up various
menus.  The left most part of the status bar which displays the system
resources, pops up into an application list for the desktop.  The central
part which displays the name of the current desktop, pops up into a list
of available desktops.  The rightmost part of the bar pops up into a system
menu and a hotlist

MODES

The desktop functions in two modes: Normal and Configuration.  In Normal
mode, you can not alter the looks of the desktop, but you can launch
applications by clicking on icons or selecting the program name from the
application list.  You can change desktops by selecting the desktop name
from the desktop list.  You can also launch programs from the hotlist.
Right click will bring up a tasklist.

The desktop can be switched to configuration mode through the system menu
(click on the right part of the statusbar).  In configuration mode, right
click brings up a context sensative menu.  Right click on an icon will bring
up a property box.  Double click on the screen will allow you to add icon,
though a better method is to drag'n'drop from File Manager.  Drag'n'drop to
the right part of the status bar will add to hotlist.  In configuration
mode, choosing a program from the hotlist will bring up it's property box.
Desktops can be changed and applications from the application list can be
launched as normal.  You can use rubberband drawing and/or control-left
click to select icons for batch movement or cut/paste.

STARTUP AND SHUTDOWN

Create desktops called StartUp and ShutDown.  The applications on these
desktops will automatically be executed on startup and shutdown of windows.
You can then delete these desktops so that they don't appear in the
desktop list.  They will not be truely deleted, you can access them
anytime by just adding the desktop (same name) again.  Be careful, dekstop
names are CASE SENSATIVE.

Another thing to remember is that McDesk does not process the Load and Run
entries in the WIN.INI.  So if you startup any programs automatically,
be sure to include them in the StartUp desktop.

GOODIES

I don't have much time to explain each and every feature of the shell, so
I'll cover the basic features and leave the rest for you to discover.

   ** Features **
        * Multiple desktops
        * Each desktop can have it's own backdrop/color
        * Password protection for desktop
        * Password protection for configuration mode
        * Swarm (idea from Xwindows screensaver)
        * Animated icons
        * Cut/paste icons across desktops
        * Startup/Shutdown sequences
        * No more minimized icons messing up your screen
        * Right click for task list
        * Double click for task manager
        * Full drag'n'drop support

All settings are stored in MCDESK.INI in Windows directory.  So it is easy
to change things in the text file if needed.

FOLDERS

Folders can be created by adding an icon to run FOLDER.EXE followed by the
name of the folder. eg:

        Program:        FOLDER FOO

will activate a folder called FOO.  The folders are stored in the same
directory as FOLDER.EXE; they are not in text format.  The folder will
remember it's position.  Single click on top left of the folder will
close it.  To get the folder's menu, right click on it's title bar.  You
can have auto-masks for folders so that the folder can pick up files
matching certain masks automatically.  Use ";" to separate multiple masks. 
eg:

        Folder mask:    c:\docs\*.sam;c:\work\*.sam

will pick up all .sam files from the docs and work directories.  The folders
also support drag'n'drop.  To move icons around, use the Shift key because
single click starts up the applications in the folder.  Right click brings
up the property box.... no special mode for configuration for folders.

MCTASK

Double click on desktop and discover for yourself!

KILL and HIDE

These two utilities are especially useful in the StartUp and ShutDown
desktops.  They accept one parameter on the command line.  A window with
that name will be closed or hidden by the utilities.
eg.

        Program:        HIDE Trumpet Winsock

hides "Trumpet Winsock" window.


WINDOWS 95
----------

I already have a 32 bit version of McDesk for Windows 95.  It is quite
well tested as I have been using it extensively for quite a while now,
but there are a few features I'd like to add, but have not had the time.
In case you are interested in the current version, you can pick it up
from my home page:

        http://raffles0005.pc.nus.sg/~mandar/


BUGS, PROBLEMS AND TO-DOs
-------------------------

MCDESK:
        I hope none!  The old version had hardly any.  Because I've
        been using Windows 95, I have been testing the 32 bit version
        much more, and the 16 bit version is less tested.  But it
        should have no bugs.

        Things to do
        ------------
        * Write a good help file
        * Installation program
        * Program Manager group import
        * True Virtual Desktops

KILL:
        Too small to have bugs ;) *touchwood*

HIDE:
        <same as kill>

FOLDER:
        Given GPFs a couple of times (unknown reason)
        Normally no trouble, but if you find any please let me know
        the circumstances under which it caused the GPF

        There have been requests to link up Folder to McDesk in a few
        ways:  same title, delete folder file when deleted from desktop.
        I would like to keep Folder as a separate program, because
        McDesk for Windows 95 uses Explorer instead of Folder, and I
        do not want that to cause problems.

MCTASK:
        On some systems, the first time McTask starts up the
        application list is empty.  Double clicking on the Show all icons
        checkbox solves the problem.


        Again, McTask has been removed from the package in Windows 95
        and therefore except for bug upgrades, there will be no more
        new versions of McTask.


Please direct bug reports and suggestions to

        Mandar Chitre
        MoonComet Software House
        1102/B6, Lakaki Road,
        Pune 411 016.
        INDIA.

or email to eng30239@nus.sg


YOU WANT TO HELP ?
------------------

If anybody out there is good at writing help files, your help would be
greatly appreciated.  I am seriously very busy now.... and without a good
help file half the prospective users would give up !

Any suggestions on additional features are welcome, but I can't promise you
that I'll have them implemented immidiately.... but eventually I'll put them
in.

Please send in the registration form!


Thanks and good luck,
Mandar Chitre.
