TLXMOUSE: Mouse Menu for Telix v3.12

TLXMOUSE

A Mouse Menu

for

Telix v3.12

Mouse Menu and Documentation written by

Bob Jonkman

SOBAC Microcomputer Services

203-45 Charlton Ave. W.

Hamilton, Ontario

Canada L8P 2C2

(416) 521-6401

by Bob Jonkman

Version 1.3, December 28/89

I've never been a fan of mouses, but when someone gave me a mouse I was going to make durn sure it was going to work its little tail off. Well, as luck would have it, one of the first applications I tried it with didn't work too well at all. That application was Telix v3.11, and I immediately set out to do something about it. The result was the Logitech(tm) Mouse Menu for Telix 3.11.

Setting Up

==========

The first thing you should do is install the Logitech(tm) mouse driver that came with your mouse. It's either called MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.SYS. If you want to use MOUSE.COM you can just type MOUSE at the prompt, or, even better, include the MOUSE command in your Telix start up batch file (What? You don't have a start up batch file? Read on!). Even better than that is to include the MOUSE command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. If you want to use MOUSE.SYS you have to include a line in your CONFIG.SYS file similar to DEVICE=MOUSE.SYS. Check out the documentation that came with your mouse for more details.

The next thing is to install the Telix-specific instructions for your mouse. These instructions are in the file TELIX.MNU, which came with this ZIPfile. You will need the Logitech(tm) MENU.COM program that came with your mouse. You can type MENU TELIX at the prompt to make your mouse behave properly for Telix, and then start Telix. Of course, it's far more convenient to have the MENU TELIX command in your Telix start up batch file (What again? Read on!).

That should do it. Telix can now be used with your mouse, or vice-versa...

Using the Mouse with Telix

==========================

When you first start Telix you may notice that the cursor now responds to mouse movements¹. That's only the beginning. Pressing the middle button² will pop up the Telix help screen, just like ALT-Z. However, now you can select any function by highlighting that function with the mouse, and pressing any button. To exit this menu, highlight the word ENTER in the sentence "Press ENTER for none" and press any button.

If your menu selection brings up a sub-menu, then you can choose a sub-function by highlighting it with the mouse and pressing the left mouse button. Pressing the right mouse button will cancel the sub-function, and pressing the middle button will pop up the help screen.

The first thing you will probably want to do is dial a BBS number. Select "Dialling Directory" with the mouse, and press any button. The dialling directory screen pops up. You can move the selection bar by moving the mouse up and down, mark and unmark entries by pressing the middle mouse button, highlight different sub-functions by moving the mouse from side to side, and select them by pressing the left mouse button. The right mouse button cancels the dialling screen and returns you to the terminal screen.

The function I use the most frequently while online is the Scroll Back Buffer. To make it easier to access, you can scroll back at any time from the terminal screen by pressing the right mouse button. Moving the mouse up and down scrolls the buffer, pressing the right button again will return to the terminal screen, and pressing the middle button pops up the help screen.

Caveats

=======

At any time you can use the regular Telix ALT keys to execute functions, EXCEPT when you've popped up the Telix Help Screen with the middle mouse button. In that case, you're stuck to using the mouse to select your function. You can cancel by highlighting ENTER in the sentence "Press ENTER for none" or by pressing a combination of two buttons on a three-button mouse.

During redialling the mouse movement is disabled so that accidentally moving the mouse won't cancel the dialling sequence. If you use a combination of ALT keys and mouse selections, it is possible to get into a situation where the mouse won't move the cursor or the middle mouse button just produces spaces. If that happens, just press the right mouse button several times until the terminal screen is restored and the mouse functions properly.

Depending on how you've got your colours configured in Telix, the highlights on the Help Screen may or may not show up. You'll have to experiment a bit to find out what works best. I have my menu colours set to dark grey on cyan, and the menu bold colour set to light green. It's ugly, but it seems to work OK...

This mouse menu was compiled with Logitech's NEWMENU.COM program, and probably won't work with Microsoft's mouse driver, or any other. However, the original TELIX.DEF file is included with the ZIPfile, and you can compile the menu for your own mouse. I'm told the Logitech mouse language is compatible with Microsoft's.

In Telix v3.12 there is a function called Doors Mode, accessed with Alt-Equals. When this is activated, Telix no longer sends out ASCII characters to the modem, but sends the keyboard scanning codes instead. TLXMOUSE is such an obedient program that it no longer sends out ASCII codes either, but sends the cursor key codes instead. Of course, this means that you can't use the mouse to turn off the Doors Mode, and you'll have to do it by pressing ALT-Equals instead. Catch-22!

Acknowledgements

================

Many thanx to Colin Sampaleanu, the author of Telix, without whom none of this would have been necessary...

Telix is probably a trademark of Exis, Inc.

Logitech and Logimenu are trademarks of Logitech, Inc.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Disclaimer

==========

The usual disclaimers apply... If you use this menu driver,you do so at your own risk. It's not particularly dangerous, but neither Bob Jonkman nor SOBAC Microcomputer Services will take any responsibility for anything at all.

Version History

===============

V1.3:Added DOORS option in Main Menu screen for compatibility with Telix v3.12.

V1.2:Cleaned up the internal code. No functional changes.

V1.1:Fixed the CTRL-@ (Printer Log) bug.

Fixed the Redial option bug on the Dialling Screen. Prettied up the main menu selection.

Included the TELIX.DEF file.

V1.0: Original release.

What's a SOBAC?

===============

SOBAC Microcomputer Services was founded in 1987 to supply small businesses with application programs to help automate their office procedures. Most application programs are customized programs written with off-the-shelf database, spreadsheet, or accounting programs.If you own a small business and think you could benefit by putting your paperwork on computer, give us a call at (416) 521-6401.

Creating a Telix Start Up batch file

====================================

Things go so much more easily when you get the computer to do all your work for you. I use a small batch file to start up my Telix program, so that I only have to type TX at the DOS prompt...


@ECHO
OFF
REM
TX.BAT
REM
START UP FILE FOR TELIX V3.1x



REM
This tells me when I've Jumped to a DOS shell...
SET
OLDPROMPT=%PROMPT%
SET
PROMPT=CALLED FROM TELIX-3$_%OLDPROMPT%



REM
This lets Telix find its overlay files, etc.
SET
TELIX=C:\COMM\TELIX-3



REM
This activates the mouse driver if you haven't done so
REM
already in your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file
C:\MOUSE\MOUSE



REM
This prepares the mouse for Telix
C:\MOUSE\MENU
TELIX



REM
Finally, call the Telix program, and allow parameters
C:\COMM\TELIX-3\TELIX
%1 %2 %3 %4



REM
Reset the mouse for use with DOS and other programs
C:\MOUSE\MENU
STANDARD



REM
And clean up the environment from before...
SET
TELIX=
SET
PROMPT=%OLDPROMPT%
SET
OLDPROMPT=



REM
EOF: TX.BAT

Naturally, you may need to change some of the pathnames to work with your system...

Button Functions

      ┌─────────────────┬────────────────┬─────────────────┬───────────────┐
      │         Action  │ Left Button    │ Middle          │ Right Button  │
      │                 │                │ Button   (or    │               │
      │                 │                │ both buttons    │               │
      │                 │                │ on  a    two    │               │
      │ Screen          │                │ button mouse)   │               │
      ├─────────────────┼────────────────┼─────────────────┼───────────────┤
      │ Terminal        │ <ENTER>        │ Pop  up   the   │ Pop up   the  │
      │ Screen          │                │ Help Screen     │ Scroll  Back  │
      │                 │                │                 │ buffer        │
      │                 │                │                 │               │
      │ Help Screen     │ Select         │ Select          │ Select        │
      │                 │ Function       │ Function        │ Function      │
      │                 │                │                 │               │
      │ Scroll  Back    │ <ENTER>        │ Pop  up   the   │Cancel.        │
      │ Screen          │                │ Help Screen     │ Return to     │
      │                 │                │                 │ Terminal      │
      │                 │                │                 │ Screen        │
      │                 │                │                 │               │
      │ Function        │ Select   Sub-  │ Pop  up   the   │ Cancel        │
      │ Sub-menu        │ Function       │ Help Screen     │               │
      │                 │                │                 │               │
      │ Dialling        │ Select   Sub-  │ Mark   number   │ Cancel        │
      │ Screen          │ Function       │ for dialling    │               │
      │                 │                │                 │               │
      │ Re-dial         │ Skip to  next  │ Pop  up   the   │ Cancel        │
      │ Window          │ number         │ Help Screen     │               │
      │                 │                │                 │               │
      └─────────────────┴────────────────┴─────────────────┴───────────────┘

--- !"#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@AB

1Cursor movement may depend on the settings on your modem. With typically compatible modems, command echoing should be set on with ATE1.

2Pressing the middle button on a three button mouse is exactly the same as pressing both buttons on a two button mouse. Argh. Mouses should only have one button so you can't possibly press the wrong one...