Advanced Program Executioner APEX v1.0 Copyright (C) 1989 Mark A. Heath SHAREWARE NOTICE ================ This program is shareware. You are free to distribute it as long as you don't sell it and as long as this documentation file is included with the program. If you decide to use this program yourself, please send a $20.00 shareware fee to: Mark A. Heath 2001 Pearson Dr. Midwest City, OK 73110 When your shareware fee is received, I will send you the latest version of APEX and your name will be added to my list of registered users. I will notify all registered users of any updates to APEX, and the updates will be made available at a minimal charge to cover mailing and diskette expenses. INTRODUCTION ============ APEX is a handy utility called a program selector. If you haven't ever used a program selector before, you'll definitely want to add APEX to your library. A program selector provides the means to switch easily between ProDOS system programs. The selector allows you to choose a system program to be executed, and when you quit the system program, you will return to the selector. FEATURES ======== APEX provides two ways to launch a system program. The first method is called a 'run list'. A run list is simply a custom designed menu of frequently used programs. The second method allows you to launch any system file by first choosing a disk from a list of all online volumes, and then choosing one or more subdirectories (if necessary), and finally choosing the program file. When APEX is first launched, it will search your system for a RAM disk. If a RAM disk is found, APEX will install itself on it. Then, you can instantly switch back and forth between system programs and APEX. If no RAM disk is found, you will be prompted for the APEX disk when you quit an application. A unique feature of APEX is the ability to specify an initialization file for a program in the run list. An initialization file contains code that may be necessary for an application-specific setup such as setting soft switches, installing drivers, etc. HOW TO INSTALL APEX =================== To use APEX, simply execute the APEX.SYSTEM file included with this documentation file. You will then be presented with the APEX screen. If you wish to make APEX self-booting, you should make APEX.SYSTEM to the main directory of a bootable ProDOS disk. APEX.SYSTEM should be the first xxx.SYSTEM file in the main directory. If your disk already contains one or more xxx.SYSTEM files, the following procedure should be followed to install APEX: 1. Copy the first xxx.SYSTEM file from the main directory of the boot disk to a temporary ProDOS disk. 2. Delete the first xxx.SYSTEM file from the main directory of boot disk. (This is the file that you copied to the temporary disk.) 3. Copy APEX.SYSTEM to the main directory of the boot disk. 4. Copy the xxx.SYSTEM file from the temporary disk back to the original disk. 5. Delete the xxx.SYSTEM file from the temporary disk. Now, APEX will automatically be installed whenever you boot this disk. HOW TO USE APEX =============== When APEX is launched, you will be presented with the main APEX menu. The first four options in the menu are: Run Program, Add Entry, Edit Entry, and Remove Entry. The rest of the menu is composed of the programs in the run list. Pressing RETURN executes the highlighted option. You can move the highlighter with the arrow keys or by pressing the number or letter corresponding to an item. When you choose the Run Program option, APEX will present you with a list of all online disk devices. You should then choose the desired disk by using the arrow keys and pressing RETURN. APEX will then display a list of subdirectories and system files. Choosing a subdirectory will cause APEX to show another list of subdirectories and system files. Selecting 'Parent Directory' causes APEX to 'back up' a level within the directory hierarchy. If you select a system program, APEX will attempt to launch the program. If you press ESC before you choose a system program, you will return to the main APEX screen. The Add Entry option gives you the ability to create your own customized run list. When you select this option, you will be asked to provide three pieces of information: the run list name, the full pathname, and the full pathname of any initialization file. The run list name is the name of the program as you want it to appear in the run list, such as '1989 Budget' or 'Label Printer'. Type the name in the space provided and press RETURN. The name can be up to 23 characters long, including spaces. The full pathname tells APEX where to find your program. A full pathname must begin with a slash and a volume name, and must be 64 characters or less in length. An example of a full pathname is /MYDISK/PROGRAMS/APEX.SYSTEM. The pathname should specify the location of a launchable SYS file. The initialization pathname tells APEX where to find the initialization file. This field should usually be left blank. A blank entry tells APEX that no initialization file is needed. The Edit Entry selection allows you to change any of the information specified in a run list entry. If there are no entries in the run list, no action results from choosing this option. The Remove Entry option allows you to delete an entry from the run list. When you choose Remove Entry, you will be asked to select (by moving the highlighter) the program you wish to remove. Pressing RETURN will delete the program, and ESC will abort back to the main menu. Again, if there are no entries in the run list, no action results from choosing this option. Pressing RETURN when the highlighter is on a run list entry, the programs initialization file (if any) will be executed, and then the desired application will be launched. When changes are made to the run list via the Add, Edit, or Remove Entry options, the new run list is saved to the original APEX boot disk. If the disk is not found, you will be prompted to insert it. The disk must not be write-protected, and the APEX file must be unlocked. Changes are also recorded to the RAM disk copy of APEX, if one exists. TECHNICAL INFORMATION ===================== RAM disk use: When APEX is initially executed, it searches through your system for a RAM disk. The RAM disk will be found if it meets one of the following criteria: 1. It is a SmartPort device with device type $00. 2. It is a slot 3 device that does NOT use the 64K of auxiliary memory in IIc, IIGS, or IIe with an Extended 80 Column Card installed. Virtually all RAM disks meet these requirements. Note that the /RAM volume that ProDOS creates in the 64K of auxiliary memory does NOT satisfy either of these criteria. If a RAM disk is found, APEX copies itself onto the RAM disk using the filename APEX.SYSTEM. Any other file with this name is overwritten. Once APEX is installed on the RAM disk, do not rename the RAM disk or the APEX.SYSTEM file. If you do so, you will still be able to return to APEX, but you will be prompted for the APEX boot disk. Initialization files: Initialization files are loaded and executed at location $6000. These files must perform their intended duties and return to APEX via an RTS instruction. Locations $00, $01, $06, $07, and $1000-$5FFF must be preserved. I recommend using the BIN filetype for initialization files. NOTE: The load address of $6000 could possibly change for future versions of APEX. For this reason, you may wish to make your initialization files relocatable. DISCLAIMER ========== APEX has been extensively debugged, but 100% perfection is impossible. The author shall not be held responsible for any damage done to any hardware, software, disks, or any other entity.