>Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2000 02:14:22 -0500 (EST)
>From: "Thomas Mueller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: Re-grading Arachne
>
>It would be much nicer to be able to install a new Arachne from a
>.ZIP file, and copy, and if necessary slightly modify, the previous
>ARACHNE.CFG, than to run the ARCHN*.EXE and go through the
>"wizards". How did software install "wizards" get that name? It is
>rather disconcerting to go through that clumsy scrolling during the
>install when it would be so much smoother to edit a configuration
>file.
Yes, Tom, you are basically right. But the selfextracting archive and
wizards are designed for newbies. If they come from WINDOWS they are
accustomed to this kind of install. I think the main intention is to
get these mostly just curious people with Arachne as fast as possible
online. For customization the Wizards and the Options page are much
less convenient.
It would be necessary to hear what ordinary people (not from the
list) say. I mean, people who install Arachne for the first time and
do not know anything about configurating modem, loading packet
driver etc. I remember that I was really impressed then seeing how
smooth Arachne installed (Version 1.48). After quite a number of
attempts with nettamer, smtpop and others, it was the only
application which entirely worked at the first try.
Then it took me a long time until I knew what is where on the Options
page. Tired of waiting for the GUI every time, I started editing
ARACHNE.CFG. Then I gradually forgot what is where, and now I am
thinking about the question which selfmade utility is going to get
the Arachne hotkey "O". Probably it will be the function to select
between user profiles / national codepages. So far my Arachne
career...
Although I very much prefer well commented configuration files, too,
I think the setup procedure can be useful. Not for me, but probably
for others. Any Arachne user can:
- extract new version into a different directory and compare the
files
- load ARACHNE.CFG and edit it with Arachne's text editor
- insert as many comments as he or she wants, change the order etc.
The main philosophy of customizing in Arachne is that the complete
configuration fits into one file. Arachne as a one-click function
to switch between an unlimited number of configurations. Clarence's
MIMESWAP.OOK is a good idea for those few settings that are not
included in ARACHNE.CFG, but might be necessary to change.
As you must start Arachne with a batch file anyway, it is no put the
configuration files as a parameter into the command line. I wrote a
new batch file ARASTART.BAT
L:
cd \
copy nul L:\history.lst
copy M:\%1.ACF L:\ARACHNE.CFG
copy M:\%2.PCK L:\ARACHNE.PCK
copy M:\%3.MIM L:\MIME.CFG
call arachne.bat %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9
MOVE L:\ARACHNE.CFG M:\%1.ACF
MOVE L:\ARACHNE.PCK M:\%2.PCK
MOVE L:\MIME.CFG M:\%3.MIM
L:\ is Arachne's directory (eg. RAM disk). In M:\ there are some
less frequently needed modules, and the preset configuration files.
Call Arachne with ARASTART.BAT userprofile screen mime followed by
all further command line parameters.
%1 concerns the general configuration included in ARACHNE.CFG for
different users, different providers, different machines etc.
%2 makes sense if you need task switching in the DOSShell programme.
This works only offline with a worse video. So I have ONLINE.PCK and
OFFLINE.PCK (and an OFFLINE.CFG with dialer switched off)
%3 concerns alternative settings in MIME.CFG (viewers,
editors, utilities etc.)
Regards,
Christof
_______________________________________________
Christof Lange
Prokopova 4, 130 00 Praha 3, Czech Republic
phone: (+420-2) 22 78 18 00 / 22 78 20 02
fax: (+420-2) 22 78 18 01
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
WWW: http://www.volny.cz/cce.zizkov
