Copyright: "EGRESS" (c) 1993,94 by Kurt P. Herzog
Citation: "EGRESS" (c) 1993,94 by Kurt P. Herzog


General Information about EGRESS

EGRESS is a simple program that will allow you to click an icon in Program Manager and have WINDOWS immediately terminate, or terminate and restart, or even reboot your computer.  You can also use EGRESS to execute recalcitrant DOS  applications that could not normally be run from within WINDOWS.

EGRESS is aware of SmartDrive. and DoubleSpace/DriveSpace.  If your system uses SmartDrive EGRESS will force the disk cache to be written back to disk prior to carrying out any shutdown operations.

Use File Manager to copy EGRESS.EXE and EGRESS.HLP to any convenient directory.  The directory does not have to be on the PATH   The examples shown here have EGRESS located in a subdirectory of WINDOWS named "UTIL".  Next install EGRESS in as many of your Program Manager Groups as you wish.  Use the File Manager "Drag & Drop" feature to drop EGRESS on the desired Groups, or use the Program Manager  "File"-"New"-"Program Item"  facility.

You may also wish to install EGRESS in your Start-Up Group  to be run as an icon on your desktop.  You may suppress the caption cliche's ("To Depart Gracefully") by including a single parameter of /Q on the command line.  The command line field of the Program Manager properties would look something like this:  (Leave off the "/Q" to be entertained).

C:\WINDOWS\UTIL\EGRESS.EXE /Q

Three warnings . . .

     1)  EGRESS will immediately execute when you activate it with a command line parameter (except for "/Q").  It will not stop to verify that you wish to terminate WINDOWS the way closing down from Program Manager or File Manager will.

     2)  EGRESS will not save any new settings or icon arrangements you may have made in your groups.  If you wish to save new settings, exit through Program Manager or File Manager in the normal way.

     3)  EGRESS, like almost all other software, is not guaranteed.  The author would be glad to hear from you if you find a bug (Heaven Forbid!) or have a suggestion for an improvement.

EGRESS does not modify any WINDOWS files, nor change any DOS files.  You can easily remove it from your system by deleting it's icon from your Program Manager groups and then deleting EGRESS.EXE and EGRESS.HLP from the directory you installed them in.

Please remember that EGRESS is Shareware.  Shareware is NOT "free software"!  If, after you have tested it for a few weeks, and you find it to be useful you are expected to register with the author by paying a small fee.

Click this line to learn how to register EGRESS

Click this line to return to the main Index


How to set up EGRESS to shutdown WINDOWS

Run EGRESS with the option keyword "QUIT" on the command line of the Program Manager Properties.  Alternatively you can specify a number between 1 and 255 (except for 066 & 067) that will be returned in the DOS Errorlevel


How to set up EGRESS to restart WINDOWS

Run EGRESS with the option keyword "RESTART" on the command line of the Program Manager Properties.  It should look something like this:

C:\WINDOWS\UTIL\EGRESS.EXE RESTART


How to set up EGRESS to reboot your computer

Run EGRESS with the option keyword "REBOOT" on the command line of the Program Manager Properties.  EGRESS will direct Windows to inform all active applications that Windows is closing down.  If any application refuses to close, the reboot will be aborted.

The command line parameter should look something like this:

C:\WINDOWS\UTIL\EGRESS.EXE REBOOT

You may also configure EGRESS to reboot your computer regardless of any Windows applications that may refuse to close.  This feature is useful in some networked and remote-access situations, but should not normally be used unless absolutely necessary.  It is possible to destroy files, cause cross-linked sectors, and cause other grievous harm to your data!  But if you must...

C:\WINDOWS\UTIL\EGRESS.EXE CRASHOUT

(Good luck)


Run a DOS Application

EGRESS can shut-down WINDOWS, run a DOS program and then restart WINDOWS.  This is a useful feature if you have one or more DOS applications that simply will not run from within WINDOWS, even after much fiddling with PIF files and other options.

Setup your Program Manager properties for EGRESS similar to the example below.  The "Working Directory" indicates where EGRESS  can be found.  If EGRESS  is on your PATH you won't need this, or you could include it as part of the "Command line" entry.  Including it in the "Working directory" entry leaves more room in the "Command line" entry for the required path to the DOS program and any necessary command-line parameters.

You will probably want to assign a custom Icon, instead of the default EGRESS icon that would normally

be shown.  Choose "Change Icon" and then "Browse" to pick a suitable Icon from Program Manager,

MORICONS.DLL, or from a collection of your own.

WINDOWS always exits with the current directory set to itself.  Your DOS application will need to change the directory if it requires a specific directory to be current at the time it is executed.

Notice that the "Command Line" entry includes the full path to the DOS program: "c:\fun\cosmo.exe" in this case.  The full path is required, even if the  DOS program is located on the PATH.

The DOS program you specify to be run must be an .EXE or .COM program.  You cannot specify a .BAT file.  If you must run a .BAT file, you will need to run another version of COMMAND.COM with the desired .BAT file named as a parameter.  Here is an example:

"EGRESS.EXE c:\dos\command.com /c c:\fun\cosmo.bat"


Contents

                   EGRESS  -  "To depart Gracefully"

MAIN INDEX

Click on the subject desired for more information:

General information about EGRESS

How to set up EGRESS to shutdown WINDOWS

How to set up EGRESS to restart WINDOWS

How to set up EGRESS to reboot your computer

How to run a DOS application

How to Register EGRESS

Copyrights & Credits


ERROR- Can't Find Program

The command-line parameter for EGRESS does not specify a valid path and program.  You must specify the complete path to the DOSRunning a DOS ApplicationApplications Won't Close


ERROR- Application(s) won't Close

One or more WINDOWS applications refused to close (terminate).  This could be caused by a file not being saved or by responding "Cancel" to an application's "OK to close?" question.


                            Registering EGRESS...

EGRESS is Shareware.  If you find this program useful and/or amusing please register with the author by paying the regular registration fee of $5.00.  If this program is not worth $5.00 to you, don't use it!  Registered users will receive notification of the next release of EGRESS.

Please notice that EGRESS does not "nag" you to register.  The author is depending on your voluntary registration to keep up his morale and encourage him to produce bigger and better Shareware programs (He also has 3 college-age children and a wife to support).

Please pass along copies of EGRESS to your friends and favorite bulletin boards.  Be sure to include all of the original distribution package, which includes EGRESS.EXE, EGRESS.HLP, EGRESS.TXT, PURGE.TXT and README.TXT.  Your installation package may also have included the installation program files INSTALL.EXE and INSTALL.INF.

Click here to register NOW!

Click here for Copyright information


Copyrights

EGRESS is Copyright(c) 1993, 1994 by:

Kurt P. Herzog

1440 N.E. Tenth Street

Grants Pass, Oregon 97526 USA

You can reach the author by E-Mail on CompuServe at 72122,2023

From the Internet send Mail to  72122.2023@compuserve.com

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WINDOWS and MS-DOS are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation, copyright 1990-1994.

Borland Pascal, Turbo Pascal and Turbo Pascal for Windows are trademarks of  Borland International, copyright 1983, 1990-1994.

The icons used in EGRESS came (with some modifications) from a collection distributed by Bright Futures, Inc.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights:

Use, duplication or disclosure by the Government is subject to

restrictions set fourth in subparagraph (a) through (d) of the

Commercial Computer Restricted Rights clause at FAR 52.227-19 when

applicable, or subparagraph (c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data

and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-1013, and in similar

clauses in the NASA FAR Supplement.

License Agreement:

This software is provided on a trial basis for a 60 (sixty) day period.

This is intended to allow 30 days to decide on the purchase of this

software, and 30 days to purchase a copy.  After 60 days, should you

decide not to purchase this software, you must remove all copies from

your system.  By using this software you are agreeing to these terms.

Warranty:

This  software  is sold on an as-is basis.  The author (Kurt P. Herzog)

specifically disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied.  In no event

shall the author be liable for any loss of profit or any other damage

including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or other

damages including damages to a third party.  By using this software you

are agreeing to these terms.  If these terms are not agreeable, do not use

this software.


ORDER FORM
REGISTRATION FORM    Print this form on your printer by selecting "Print Topic" from the Help "File" Menu.

EGRESS    Registration Form                                              Version 1.3  10/94

Mail this form with your check or money order payable in US funds to:

Kurt P. Herzog

1440 N.E. Tenth Street

Grants Pass, OR 97526 USA

Your Name:  ________________________________________________________

Address:      ________________________________________________________

City:            ________________________________________________________

State:          ______________________     Postal Code:  ___________________

Country:      _________________________

Register EGRESS for each machine on which the program is used.

Enclose $5.00 (Check or Money Order in US funds) for each copy of

EGRESS being registered:

           Number of copies__________  x  $5.00        =            $___________

You will receive an acknowledgment and receipt by return mail.

(The remainder of this is optional, but the author would like to know...)

Where did you get your copy of EGRESS?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Comments?  Criticism?  Accolades?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!


path
PATH - the directory "route" that DOS follows to locate programs.  Normally defined in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  See your DOS manual for more information.


dos
DOS - The "Disk Operating System".  The most basic software level installed on your computer.  See your DOS manual for more information.


pif
PIF - a "Program Information File".  A file of program information and options that pertain to a single application to be run from within WINDOWS. See your WINDOWS manual for more information.


moricons
MORICONS.DLL - A file containing dozens of icons for use with WINDOWS program manager items.  This file comes with WINDOWS version 3.1.


exe
.EXE - The normal type of DOS' "executable" program files.  See your DOS manual for more information.


com
.COM  - A normal type of DOS' "compiled" program files.  See your DOS manual for more information.


bat
.BAT - A DOS "batch" file of commands to be executed.  See your DOS manual for more information.


command
COMMAND.COM - DOS' command processor.  See your DOS manual for more information.


errorlevel
ERRORLEVEL - A code returned by DOS programs when they terminate.  "0" normally indicates no error, or a normal termination.  Other numbers can represent various other conditions.  See your DOS manual for more information.


drag
DRAG & DROP - You must have WINDOWS version 3.1 to use this feature.  See your WINDOWS manual for more information.


filenew
See your WINDOWS manual for instructions on how to create new Program Items within your Program Manager Groups.


startup
START-UP GROUP -  Programs in the Start-up group are automatically started when WINDOWS starts.  You must have WINDOWS version 3.1 or later to use this feature.


SmartDrive
SMARTDRIVE - SmartDrive is disk caching software that has been supplied with Windows and DOS.  It improves the speed of your computer by deferring disk activity to less busy times.


DoubleSpace
DOUBLESPACE/DRIVESPACE - Disk compression software that is part of DOS 6.x.