LFNCall --- Long file names with WIN-OS/2
=========================================

Version 1.8

At first:
~~~~~~~~~
This program is only for people who works object oriented with the Workplace
Shell under OS/2 and must use WINDOWS-programs.

What's on ?
~~~~~~~~~~~
To create for example a text with WINWORD you can start WINWORD, type in your
text and call "Save as...". This is not that what I mean.
I have in my template folder an empty Winword-Text and set it as template.
If I want to create a new text I drag it to my text folder. So I have a new
icon. Now I give the Icon the name for my text and can edit the text with
WINWORD if the association for *.DOC is correct.

ok.

But what happens if I use a long name for the new text ?

For OS/2 programs no Problem. But Win-OS/2 programs can not handle long names.

And now LFNCall:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the installation of LFNCall there is an icon "Winword-LFN", which is
associated with the file type "*.DOC".
With double click on a text with the name "letter to chef.DOC" happens the
following:

The file will be moved with a short name into the root of the drive (or copied
to the temp. folder, look at "Technical Hints") and WINWORD will be startet
with this file.

Restrictions:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To save the edited document the application must be closed if you are ready.
Second the file name that is shown in the title of the started program is
the short name of the moved file.

Installation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who is reading this text has already decompressed the ZIP-File in a directory
on the harddisk.

Attention: REXX must be installed.

Now you can start INSTALL.CMD. After selection of the language happens the
follwing:

1) The installer detects the WIN-OS/2 and te DOS folder and the the neccessary
files will be copied to this folder, all can be deinstalled with LFNUNINS.CMD.

2) Now you select the mode. You can choose "move" (recommended) od "copy",
see also under "Technical hints".

3) Then the LFN-folder and the icons will be created.
For some programs the setup is automated. The installer searches in the file
WIN.INI for the following applications with their file types:
- MS Winword (*.DOC)
- MS Word Viewer 97 (*.DOC)
- MS Excel (*.XLS)
- MS Powerpoint (*.PPT)
- MS Powerpoint Viewer 97 (*.PPT)
- WordStar fr Windows (*.WSD)
- Xoom Word Pro (*.XMD)
- Corel WordPerfect (*.WPD)
- Lotus Wordpro (*.LWP)
- Lotus 1-2-3 (*.WK?)
- Corel Draw! (*.CDR)
- Visio (*.VSD)

To setup other applications a object with the name "Create LFN Object" is
created in the LFN folder. If you start this you must type in the command
of the executable (with full path) and the file type that should be
associated with this application. Also the mode of the application must
be selected: Windows, DOS window or DOS fullscreen.
By the way, the setup of file types and document types is very easy with the
tool ASSOEDIT from Henk Kelder.

ATTENTION: The long file names don't have 2 spaces at once. There can be more
spaces but not at once. Also there can be german ,,, or "!!" or wraps.
The character '&' is not allowed in filenames.

Update:
~~~~~~~
To update a previous installation of LFNCall please use also INSTALL.CMD.

Technical Hints:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The background process "LFN-Demon" ends automatically if there is no edit
process active after a short waiting period. if you want to leave it open in
the WIN-OS/2 session you can do it with the commandline parameter "/N" in the
settings of the "LFN-Demon" object in the folder "LFN-Calls".

For using DOS programs there is a separate script that doesn't need the demon.
If a DOS program is running and the user starts a windows program there can be
problems. Several DOS programs uses many CPU power, especially Clipper- and
Pascal-programs when they polling for keyboard inputs. I have set the DOS
setting DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION to OFF in HSTART.CFG.
In the moment of setting the focus to another window the DOS program is
'freezed' and does not use so much CPU power. So the copying or moving of the
file with the LFN and the start of the windows program gets enough power.

Beginning with V 1.8 the user can set the windows class name for programs that
have a start6 loader. This loader starts a subprogram and ends. So the LFN demon
thinks that the program has ended. In this case a class should be detected.
In older versions of LFNCall this was hardcoded for Lotus 123 and Visio.
Now the user can set it in the file LFNCALL.INI. The default settings are the
following:

VISIO16.EXE=VISIOA
WPWIN.EXE=WPWIN
WSWIN.EXE=WSWin 2.0
XMWIN.EXE=Xoom Word Pro
123W.EXE=123WParent

The name of the exe file corresponds with the appropriate class name.
Class names can be detected with Borland's "Winsight".
In some cases the class name is not neccesary. The name of the starting program
can be changed in the settings of the LFN object. Examples are the
Word Viewer 97 and the PowerPoint Viewer 97, see later in this file.

Beginning with V 1.7 you can select the mode. You can select "move" od "copy"
during the installation or by setting the parameter "Mode" in the file
LFNCALL.INI. The file is moved to the root of the drive or it is copied to the
temp. folder that is determined through the environment variable "TMP".
One user that uses Lanthastic network has reported that he can not access the
root of network drives with WIN-OS/2, he must use "copy". Otherwise "move" is
recommended because it is faster.

Hints for Applications:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Word Viewer 97 and the Powerpoint Viewer 97 are not detected via the
associated filetype like the other programs but they are detected by a setting
in the section [MS Setup (ACME) Table Files]. To detect Powerpoint correctly
the filetype PPT should be associated in [Extensions] with Powerpoint and not
with the viewer, DOC correspondending with Winword and not with the Word Viewer.
In the LFN symbols INSTALL.CMD sets for Powerpoint POWERPNT.DLL and for the
viewer PPTVIEW.DLL, that is correct, do not set it to .EXE !
At the same time only one instance of Powerpoint Viewer 97 started with LFNCall
can run, for a second instance is normally not enough memory available.

License:
~~~~~~~~
LFNCall is freeware, not public domain. Anybody can use it on any machines.
The components of LFNCall have to be in orginal state, reverse engineering
or other changes are prohibited.
Sale is also prohibited.

Disclaimer:
~~~~~~~~~~~
You use LFNCall at your own risk, the author gives no warranty for the function
or any others things affected by this program.
Under no circumstances the author is liable for any loss or damage supposed to
derive from the use of the program.

Contact:
~~~~~~~~
My address: "Thomas@Bohn-Stralsund.de"

Info and other programs on my homepage: 
"http://Bohn-Stralsund.de"

Special thanks:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special thanks to Philip G. A. Griffin-Allwood for the help on creating
of this version.

Philip G. A. Griffin-Allwood, Ph.D.
Kentville, N.S., Canada
e-mail: pgaga@auracom.com
http://www.glinx.com/~grifwood

Other rights:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Die Programme HSTART und HWAIT stammen von Henk Kelder.
FILEREXX.DLL ist eine Rexx-Bibliothek von Jeff Glatt.
