


         Open data files of the built-in applications
                     OPEN  Version 1.00
              Copyright (C) 1995 Hiroyuki Sekiya
                     OPEN  Version 1.20
	      Changes and bugfixes - 1999 Paulo Custodio

[0] Changes 1.00 to 1.20

  These changes were done on 1999 by Paulo.Custodio@snafu.de with the 
  permission granted by the author.

  1.10 to 1.20:
        New features:
	- Accepts multiple command line arguments and wild cards, and presents
	  a list of all the files selected for the user to choose - handy to
	  have one icon to open all your databases: "open *.gdb"
	- sopen.exe (simple open) also included. It is smaller and accepts
	  only a single file as argument - for those who do not want to use 
	  the extra bytes of memory for the menu.
	Bug fixes:
	- Did not work when relative paths were given on command line
  1.00 to 1.10:
	New features:
	- Open 1-2-3 and Quicken files
	- Open files with unknown file extension with MEMO
	- Set default path to \_DAT;\123;\QUICKEN on both A: and C:,
	  do not prompt "Abort, Retry, Fail?" if drive A: is not available
	Bug fixes:
	- When the PIM application was open, it had to be manualy closed 
	  and re-opened for the file given as parameter to open.exe to 
	  be loaded.
	- WDB files were not being opened
	Known Bugs:
	- To open 1-2-3 files a keyboard buffer extender might be needed
	  (e.g. kbuf128.sys that comes with kstuff.zip from SUPER www.palmtop.net)
	- If Quicken is in the Register screen, open needs to be called twice
	  to open the file

[1] What is OPEN?

  OPEN launches the built-in application and immediately opens
  the file specified as its command line parameter.  You can
  use it to open a database file (when you know its filename)
  with one action.  You can also use it to add a data file
  (instead of a program file) to AppManager.


[2] Hardware/Software requirement

  This program runs on DOS process shelled out from the System
  Manager of the 100/200LX.   It does not run on pure DOS
  process nor on DOS process provided by MaxDOS.


[3] Installation

  Copy open.exe to a directory defined by PATH statement
  (a:\bin, for example).


[4] Usage

  Press [CTRL]+[123] on System Manager to shell out to DOS
  process. Run OPEN as follows.
          >open phone.pdb
  If phone.pdb exists on a:\_dat or c:\_dat, then PhoneBook
  will be launched to open the file. You can open a file placed
  in a directory other than a:\_dat and c:\_dat by naming it
  with a full path.
          >open a:\_dat\pdb\phone.pdb

  OPEN.EXE can open database files for Database, NoteTaker,
  PhoneBook, ApptBook and WorldTime.  If you do not specify a
  file extension as in a following example, OPEN searches in
  the order of gdb -> ndb -> pdb -> adb -> wdb.
          >open phone


[5] Environment variables

  If your files for built-in application are placed in
  directories other than a:\_dat and c:\_dat, you can define
  the directories in the environment variable DBPATH. For
  example add a following line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT:
          set dbpath=a:\_dat\gdb;a:\_dat\pdb;a:\_dat\adb
  then you can open a:\_dat\gdb\akiba.gdb by "open akiba" or
  a:\_dat\adb\appt95.adb by "open appt95".


[6] Tips

  By using OPEN.EXE, you can add a data file to AppManager.
  Within the "Add application" screen, add the full path of
  OPEN.EXE into 'Path:' box and give the data file name as its
  parameter.  The entire line should look like this:
          Path: [a:\bin\open.exe akiba.gdb|60      ]
  Write a inverted '?' in comments, so that you are not asked to 
  press a key when open returns.

  You can also create an icon to open all your databases, writing in
  path:
	  Path: [a:\bin\open.exe a:\_dat\*.pdb a:\_dat\*.gdb|60 ]


[7] Copyright, disclaimer and distribution policy

  This program is a copyrighted freeware.  Its copyright is
  owned by its author, Hiroyuki Sekiya.  You can freely copy
  and use it for your non-commercial and private use.

  Prior permission from the author is necessary, if you want to
  post it on other information services, web sites, FTP sites,
  or similar locations, or to include it in electronic storage
  media.  Please contact the author by e-mail in such cases.

  The author is in no way responsible for any damages, which
  may be caused by using, or by inability to use, this
  software.


[8] History of this software

  This software was originally developed as one of the 9 new
  programs bundled with the book "HP200LX Software Bible",
  co-authored by Hiroyuki Sekiya and Hirotaka Hamada, published
  by Softbank, Tokyo, in April 1996 (ISBN4-89052-911-X).  As
  such, the programs should not be distributed on networks nor
  regarded as freeware.  In short, you needed to buy the book
  to use them.

  Fortunately the book received an enthusiastic acceptance
  within the HP200LX user community in Japan and it reached an
  out-of-print status two years after its publication, in 1998.
  Now that the book is no more available easily, the author of
  these programs decided to release them as copyrighted
  freeware.


[9] Contact address of the author

  The author of this program, Hiroyuki Sekiya, can be contacted
  at the following addresses.

  E-Mail:
    hiroyuki.sekiya@nifty.ne.jp
    JBD00432@nifty.ne.jp
    SDI00992@nifty.ne.jp
  WWW:
    http://member.nifty.ne.jp/~sekiya/


                                                Hiroyuki Sekiya



                                Translated from the Japanese by
                                Toshiki Sasabe
                                toshiki@j.email.ne.jp

    Note from the translator:
    This document is a translation of the original Japanese
    document open.txt (included in this package as open.jpn).

