Contents

MenuControl basics

Open file

Activate menu record

Specify menu modification

Key recording

Activate menu configuration


MenuControl basics

MenuControl consists of memory-resident part MC_WIN and instructional program MC_LEARN.

The instructional program records all data essential to ignoring or modifying specific menu options in the operations of your choice.

Data for the system is managed in adjustment files and menu data files.

In order to compose new control data in the instructional program for a menu modification, it is necessary to carry out the following steps:

1) 	An adjustment file has to be  opened. Thus, a menu data file will automatically be created which accommodates the data which has been recorded. Subsequently, the instructional program moves into the background.

2) 	The desired menu option has to be chosen (not by means of the accelerator keys). To  activate menu record, press both shift-keys simultaneously immediately before clicking menu option.

3) 	Instead of the chosen menu point appearing, a dialog appears, enabling you to enter a more precise specification of the menu modification. To register menu option and save its modifications click  'OK'  button.

When all the desired menu modifications have been carried out in this manner, either the instructional program can be exited or a new adjustment file can be opened. Thus, the adjustment file applicable to this point has been created.

Finally, the menu configuration stored in the files has to be  activated  .

Additional topics:

Open file

Activate menu record

Specify menu modification

Activate menu configuration


Open file

In order to be able to work with the instructional program, an adjustment file has to be opened.

All commitments made subsequent to this will now be allocated to this file. An opened adjustment file stays working until MC_LEARN is cancelled or a new adjustment file is opened.

In order to open an adjustment file, click the option  open new file  or  open existing file in the menu  'file' . Now a dialog will appear prompting you to enter the name of the file. If the name of the directory is missing when the name of the file is entered, the working directory will be choosen. To exit dialog click 'OK' button or press 'enter' key. It can also be cancelled at any time by clicking 'cancel' button.

An error will be registered for the  open new file dialog if the file already exists. Otherwise the system creates an adjustment file with the given name, and generates the applicable  menu data file in addition. In case the menu data file already exists, the user will be prompted to decide if the previous data shall be placed ahead of the new data or not.

An error will be registered for the  open existing file  dialog if the file cannot be found.

After the dialog has been exited, the instructional program automatically steps into background and doesn't revive until menu record is activated.

Additional topic:

Activate menu record


Aktivate menu record

In order to activate menu record, press both shift-keys simultaneously immediately before clicking the menu option. Instead of the chosen menu point appearing, now a dialog will appear, enabling you to enter the desired modifications. The accelerator keys are not supported.

Additional topic:

Specify menu modification


Specify menu modifications

The module file name as well as the title of the chosen window being displayed, and also all modifications which should be effective if this window is activated in the future, will be recorded.

The module file name and the menu-option identification parameter are recorded to later identify the menu-options which will have been changed. Also, the title of the window to be identified can be made available for refference by checking box consider title. But this is not usually necessary.

The following modifications may be effected for the chosen menu option:

1) 	Ignore:

Choosing this point has its result, if the menu-option in question is clicked after activation of the menu configuration, a report will be displayed that this action has been blocked for this user.

2) 	Exit windows:

Checking this point has its result, that subsequent clicking of specified menu option will cause Windows to exit.

This feature is offered as an alternative to menu-option 'abort' or 'exit' in programs which are started automatically together with Windows on the DOS level; feature causes Windows to exit also when the programs are exited.

Choosing this point excludes all others.

3) 	Replay keyed-in entries automatically...:

If this option is checked, the instructional program transfers to the key recording mode after exiting the dialog, and that is, by means of the  'OK' button. The keys entered in the key recording mode will be restored as if they had been entered at this point in time, if the menu option is clicked subsequently.

 4) 	Execute program:

By checking this menu point it is possible to trigger the start of a program by subsequent clicking of the specified menu option.  The name of the program has to be entered in the provided field. If the point  'Ignore' has not been checked in addition, activity applicable to this menu will be  executed following the program start.

5) 	Take over adjustment data:

This menu point makes it possible to apply several adjustment files dynamically. When choosing this point, the adjustment file name has to be entered also. After the menu configuration  which has been adjusted here has been activated, clicking the specified menu option will effect that the data of the given adjustment file be retrieved before the actions applicable to that menu option are executed.

For each point, besides commitment to the above possibilities, the following combinations are also possible:

Point 1) and Point 3)

Point 1) and Point 4)

Point 1) and Point 5)

Point 1) and Point 3) and Point 4)

Additional topic:

Key recording


Key recording

Key recording is activated automatically if replay keyed-in entries automatically... is checked in the specify modifications  dialog.

The beginning of key recording mode is signalled by the following report:

'Press both shift keys to exit keyed-entering'

In addition, an acoustic signal will be emitted whenever a key is pressed, as long as the key recording mode is active.

If 'ignore' has not been checked in the  specify modification dialog, the chosen menu point will be triggered after activating key recording.

If 'ignore'and 'execute program' have been checked, the program which has been entered will be started after activating key recording.

All subsequent key entries will be registred now, and be read out automatically upon calling this menu point at a later date. Key combinations using  ALT key are supported. The mouse is not supported.  Approximately 500 keys can be entered per menu option.

To exit key recording, press both shift keys simultaneously.

Additional topics:

Specify menu modification

Activate menu configuration


Activate menu configuration

The menu configuration and the keyboard configuration (keyboard configuration only with KeyControl) are contained in an adjustment file and a menu data file. These files must be previously generated using MenuControl instructional program and / or KeyControl dialog program.

To activate menu configuration, program  MC_WIN has to be started. This can be done in one of the following ways:

1) 	If  MC_WIN  is not aktive, it may be activated for testing purposes by pressing 'execute' in the Program Manager's  'file'  dialog. In this case, the adjustment file name is to be entered as call parameter.

2) 	As a rule,  MC_WIN  should be started together with Windows. To do this, an entry in Windows file  WIN.INI  may be made under  [Windows] label. In case no entry exists, the following line will be added:

Run=mc_win.exe .

If such a line already exists under other program names, the program name  mc_win  may be affixed, separated by a space.

In this case, a word processing program may  not  be used.

If  MC_WIN  is to be run without run parameters, file @KC$ADAT.DAT always has to exist and has to be able to be located using search path. MC_WIN  initially acquires a valid menu and keyboard configuration from this file. See to it that @KC$ADAT.DAT contains the correct configuration already at the start of  MC_WIN (e.g., by copying an adjustment file). If KeyControl is also active and a keyboard and menu configuration was activated prior to the Windows start, then  @KC$ADAT.DAT  is automatically available and contains the current keyboard and menu configuration when  MC_WIN  is called.


Adjustment file:

An adjustment file contains data about menu configuration from the instructional program. It may also contain data of KeyControl software for keyboard configuration.

You are free to choose the name  of these files.


Menu data file:

A menu data file contains data regarding menu configuration set up in instructional program MC_LEARN. It never appears directly, however, but rather, functions in response to an adjustment file.

The names of menu data files are formulated automatically from an adjustment file name by changing the type-extension in '.MCD'.