FM Starter READ Me File
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I. Overview

FM Starter is utility for File Manager which is very simple, yet adds suprisingly 
powerful capabilities to File Manager and Program Manager. 

Basically, FM Starter allow you to open File Manager to a directory specified in the 
command line argument.  Also, if "/PROMPT" is sent as the command line parameter instead
of a directory name, an input box will appear which allow you to specify _any_ directory.

For example, if you open File..Run and type "{path}\FMSTART.EXE C:\WINDOWS", File Manager will
start and will be automatically be displaying files in the Windows directory.


II.  Using FM Starter

The real power of FM Starter comes when you create Program Manager icons which launch 
FMSTART with different directories and/or drives.  This allows you to have a single 
Program group which contains _Icons_ which represent directories.  When selected, each icon 
will open File Manager to the directory specified in the command line parameter.

On my setup, I have one group called "Files" which contains 10 icons, each one launches 
FMSTART.EXE but contains a different directory in the command line. Each of these icons uses 
the folder icon which is contained in the FMSTART.EXE file.

My "Files" group contains 4 other icons:

  One icon labelled "[A: FLOPPY]" with the command line "{path}\FMSTART.EXE A:\".  This 
      icon uses the floppy drive icon contained in the FMSTART.EXE file.
  Two similar icons for my CD Rom drive and Hard Drive
  One icon, labelled "Other...", which calls FMSTART.EXE with the /PROMPT switch instead 
      of a directory.  This pops up a simple input box where I can enter any directory.


I have included FILES.GRP with the Zip file.  This is an example Program Manager group file
which uses FM Starter in the manner described above.

III  Even Cooler with HP Dashboard

While great in Program Manager, FM Starter's usefuleness is even greater when used with
HP's Dashboard. Since Dashboard shows each group as a menu with each group item as
it's menu items, I now have a "Files" pull-down menu with menu items for each of my most 
accessed directories and each of my drives.  Try it, you'll like it!

NOTES:

FMSTART.ZIP file list

FMSTART.EXE  	Main Executable
README.TXT	This file
THREED.VBX	Custom Control used for the 3-D style input box.  This can be left in 
		the same dir as FMSTART.EXE, or better yet copied to your Windows system
		directory.  Make sure not to copy this over a newer version.
VBRUN300.DLL	VB run time library. Same directory requirements as THREED.VBX above.
FILES.GRP	Sample Program Manager group file.  Copy this to c:\WINDOWS, then create a new
		group using this as the group file in Program Manager.


FMSTART requires THREED.VBX, which is included in the .ZIP file

FMSTART is Freeware.  I wrote it very quickly, but plan to expand on the concept.  Please
send any suggestions you might have that could help improve FM Starter.  Also, please let 
me know if you are enjoying it or have any other comments or suggestions.

If File Manager is already open when FMSTART.EXE is called, it will be closed, then relaunched.

Ben Dean