File: "-ReadMe.TXT"                                       Update: June 28, 2016

Short description of FutureOS
=============================

I.00) Installation of the Operating System
------------------------------------------

I.01) You have received FutureOS on disc
----------------------------------------
You are the owner of one of the following ROM expansions: X-MEM, M4, MegaFlash,
ROM-RAM-Box, SYMBiFACE II, RAMcard etc. In  this  case you put the installation
disc in drive A and start the installation process with: run"disc". Then please
follow the instruction of the configuration / installation application.

I.02) You got FutureOS on your EPROMs
-------------------------------------
If you are using a EPROM card, then FutureOS was delivered on four 16 KB EPROMs
or on two 32 KB EPROMs. Every one of  your  four 16 KB EPROMs needs its own ROM
number. If you got two 32 KB  EPROMs  then  every EPROM needs to occupy two ROM
numbers.
Please install your EPROMs in the correct sockets of your EPROM card and assign
the correct ROM select. The ROM numbers may be selected through jumpers f.e.


I.10) Verify the installation
-----------------------------
I.11) The sign on message
-------------------------
After the installation of FutureOS in your system you have to make a reset. The
standard switch-on-text should appear like  usually.  FutureOS adds four lines.
The following example shows it for the CPC6128:
 FutureOS (oG) Turbo Desk ROM aktive!
 FutureOS (oG) Utility-ROM aktive!
 FutureOS oG/+ Floppy ROM aktive!
 Future Operating System oG c1989 - 2016
If one or more of the above  lines  are  missing,  then there must have been an
error during the installationo.  But  before  restarting the whole installation
process again you  should  switch  your  computer  off,  then  unplug all other
expansions and eventually switch it on  again.  If  the sign on text still does
not appear, then the CPC is not able  to  recognize one or more of the FutureOS
ROMs. Please make sure, that there is  no  DOUBLE occupation of ONE ROM number.
Every ROM needs it's own number.

I.12) Request the actual version of FutureOS
--------------------------------------------
With the RSX command !FVER or !FHELP you can ask for the actual version of your
FutureOS installation. Your get the date of the last modification and some more
information of the system.

I.20) Working with FutureOS
---------------------------
After successful installation you  can  work  with  FutureOS.  Start the system
using the RSX commands !OS or  !FDESK.  When starting FutureOS using the !FDESK
command it is possible to jump back from FutureOS to BASIC without changing the
first 48 KB of the RAM. But in  this  case  48 KB expansion RAM (E-RAM) will be
occupied during the FutureOS session.  But  usually  you will prbably start the
system using command !OS, so all memory is usable for FutureOS.
After starting FutureOS you will come directly to the Desktop. The upper screen
part is filled with icons. Below there  is  the  area to display file names and
for the two status lines.
The Desktop can be used by moving  a  mouse  pointer or the keyboard. The mouse
pointer can be moved by cursor keys  and  copy  or by one of the joysticks. The
icons can also be activated by using the keyboard. Here some of the hot keys:

SPACE ...: (key A-M) select medium      L ...: Loading (of files)
D .......: read Directories             S ...: Saveing (of files)
X .......: eXecute an application       P ...: Print files or DIRectories
V .......: View text of pictures        A ...: tag All used files Again
E .......: Erase files                  U ...: Untag all tagged files
N .......: reName disc or files         O ...: call the OK icon
C .......: Copy disc or files           Q ...: Quit the OS or restart it
J .......: Jump to the first file name of the file sectioin window
B .......: Move the mouse pointer to the next file name, without tagging a file

I.21) General information about the Graphical User Interface
------------------------------------------------------------
Enter the RSX command !OS in Basic to start FutureOS. You will find yourself in
the Desktop of the FutureOS, called Turbo-Desk.  In the upper screen part there
are four lines of icons. Every line contains seven icons. The lower half of the
screen is used to work with  files.  The  two  lines  at the bottom are used to
display status messages or error messages.
If you look at the upper left corner of the screen, you see a little arrow. You
can control the arrow with the  Joystick  0  and  1, the cursor keys, different
mice, track balls, the analogue joystick, a light pen and the Grafpad 2.
If you have selected drive icons and subsequently clicked at the DIR icon, then
you can use the mouse pointer also to tag files.

ATTENTION: Before you can work  with  files  or  applications  you must tag the
correspoinding drive icons and then click at the DIR icon. This is needed since
FutureOS buffers the DIRectories in E-RAM to speed up floppy access.

During regular operation you HAVE to click  at  the DIR iocn after EVERY change
of a floppy disc to read and buffer the DIRectories again.






I.12) The icons of the storage media A..M - hot keys: first SPACE, then A to M
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The icons for storage media are the icons of  the  upper line A, B, C, D, E, F,
G, H and M; and the four left  icons  of  the  second line I, J, K and L. Every
letter symbolizes a storage medium.
- A symbolizes the internal 3 inch drive.
- B symbolizes the drive at disc-drive-B port.
- The icons C and D symbolize two extra drives  (C  and D - use DS 3 and 4). If
  you expand the DS-decoding of the internal  FDC you can work with four drives
  A, B, C and D (have a look in some computer magazines).
- The icons E and F  symbolize  the  two  5.25"  or 3.5" drives of the external
  Vortex F1-D, F1-S, M1-D or M1-S controller.
- If you add  two  further  drives  (drive  select  3  and  4) to this external
  controller, you can use them through the icons G and H.
- The four partitions of  the  (Dobbertin-)hard-disc are symbolized through the
  icons I, J, K and L.
- The M icon symbolizes the RAM disc, compatible to 444 KB Dobbertin.

The icon of an unused medium is  shown  in  dark.  If  you want to use it, then
mouse over the icon and click  at  it.  The  icon  turns from dark into bright.
After the selection of a medium you have to click at the DIR icon.
By clicking on the drive icons  you  can  select and deselect them alternately.
But you need the DIR icon for using the drives (look there).
Never use a stripped icon, the assigned drives are not connected.

I.24) The DIR icon - hot key: D (DIRectory)
------------------ - ----------------------
The DIR icon is the fifth icon  from  left  in the second icon line. DIR stands
for the word DIRectory (of a floppy  or hard-disc). The activation of this icon
reads all the DIRectories of  all  tagged/activated  devices. The first page of
the first DIRectory will be displayed on screen.
When using more than one device  at  the  same  time,  then only the DIR of one
device will be displayed at a  timt.  With  the  SHIFT and CONTROL keys you can
page the DIR(s) up and down.

Since FutureOS buffers the DIRectories of all  devices in E-RAM it is necessary
to re-read the DIRs after any exchange  of  a  disc using the DIR icon. The DIR
icon can also be used by pressing the key "D" on the keyboard.

To be able  to  perform  file  operations  the  DIRectories  of the appropriate
devices have to be read first.  Under  FutureOS all DIRectories are buffered in
expansion RAM. The RAM-buffering of  DIRs  strongly  increases the speed of all
kinds of file-operations.

The selection of devices can be done by  using the mouse pointe or by using the
keyboard: First you press the space key,  then a message will be displayed. Now
you enter a letter from "A" to  "M" to select the corresponding storage device.
This procedure seems to be  more  complicated,  but  eventually it's more quick
than using firmware commands.

I.25) The selection of files / start applications
-------------------------------------------------
To be able to start an application or  to work with files you must first select
the appropriate devices  which  contains  the  files.  Then  you  must read the
directory of that drive(s) by using the DIR icon.
If the lower part of the  screen  shows  a  directory  you can simply tag files
through moving the arrow over the filename  and  press Copy or Fire 1. The name
of a tagged file, is shown underlined. After  tagging a file the arrow jumps to
the next file automatically. For untagging a file just tag it again.
Under FutureOS all file-operations deal with  tagged  files. After using a file
it's status becomes "used" (file-name is shown streaked out).



I.26) The TYPE icon - V (View)
------------------- - --------
The TYPE icon (located right the DIR icon)  is  the sixth icon from left of the
second icon line. Its function is the TYPing of files, viewing pictures and the
presentation of file-headers (file-icons) on the screen.

* To  show  files  on  screen  you  must  first  tag  their  file-names  in the
directory(s). Then you have to  activate  the  TYPE  icon,  a menu appears. Now
press the "1" key for  TYPing  files.  First  the  file-header  is shown (if it
exists).

If you want to view a picture then  this  will be loaded and shown now. You can
adjust the screen MODE by using the  cursor  keys or joystick's Right and Left.
And the screen format can be selected by the Up and Down keys.
In case of viewing a text file, after  pressing any key, a second menu appears.
This second menu gives you the  possibility  to  select the screen format (rows
and lines) in which the first file  should be displayed. For regualar files you
should display them with the usual 80  chars  per  line and 25 lines per screen
(select 1).
FutureOS then loads the file in an E-RAM buffer and shows it on the screen. You
can page up and down through the use  of  the cursor keys or a joystick (up and
down). To end the file-show simply COPY or leave the file at it's lower end.
If you have tagged  more  files  (different  DIRs  are  possible) it's the same
procedure for every file.

* Point 2) of the initial TYPE  icon  menu shows you the 128 bytes file-headers
of all tagged files. After showing  the  first file-header, simply type any key
to show the next file-header of the next tagged file (if there is one).
If you press the ESCape key the  function  is stopped and the last file remains
tagged. After pressing ESC the last used file  is now the first tagged one. You
can start it with the RUN icon for example.
Under FutureOS the file-header  is  strongly  expanded,  all  the 128 bytes are
used. So a pure AmsDOS file-header  always contains some string-trash, but that
isn't dangerous. FutureOS file-headers give  you  more information, but they're
fully compatible to AmsDOS headers.

I.27) The LOAD icon - hot key: L (Load)
------------------- - -----------------
The LOAD icon is the seventh icon of  the second icon line. It's function is to
load a file into memory. Like ever only tagged files are used.
To load the first tagged file, just click  on the LOAD icon, then the LOAD menu
appears. This menu asks you how to load the tagged file. There are five ways to
load a file:
- Loading type 0: loads the  file  to  the through it's header specified memory
  address in the correct (expansion-)RAM.
- Loading type 1: loads a  file  in  the  standard  64 KB RAM at address &0000.
  These files normally end with the extension 64 KB.
- Loading type 2: loads a (big) file in  the expansion RAM. The file is load at
  address &4000 of expansion RAM block &C4. This is the first byte of the first
  block of the expansion RAM. The file  can  contain  up to 512 KB. Such a file
  ends with the extension X16.
- Loading types 3) & 4) load a file at any address in the standard RAM (type 3)
  or expansion-RAM (type 4).








I.28) The SAVE icon - hot key: S (Save)
------------------- - -----------------
The SAVE icon is the eight  of  the  second  icon  line.  It allows you to save
programs or parts of the memory  as  files.  But  you  can only save to a drive
which is active. It's directory must be read.  The menu gives four ways to save
a file:
- 1) Save Foreground program: allows  you  to  save the at last started program
  back to a drive. You can edit  drive, user number, filename and the extension
  of the program/file. The target drive  is symbolized through the char (a...m)
  at the left end.
- 2) Save Background program: Same as point 1.). The saved file is the actually
  present Background-program. You can save  a Background-program only if you've
  started one before.
- 3) Save main memory:  gives  you  the  possibility  to  save  a file with the
  maximum length of 64 KB out  of  a  defined  RAM configuration. First you are
  asked for drive,  user,  filename  and  extension.  This  is  managed through
  editing the string  "A00:ProgNameExt".  Then  you  are  asked  for the start-
  address. After that you're asked for the RAM configuration. Normally you give
  the value &C0, that means saving from  the  standard 64 KB. The last question
  examines the file-length in KBs.
- 4) Save expansion-RAM: This type of  saving  is very similar to typ 3 saving.
  The difference is, that the expansion RAM is to be saved. The file can have a
  length up to some hundred KBs, depending on the existing expansion RAM.


I.29) The OK icon - hot key: O (OK)
----------------- - ---------------
The OK icon is located at the right  end  of the second icon line. It gives you
the possibility to jump back to a  previously  started program. But only if the
program has this feature. If you haven't start a program which uses the OK icon
and you klick on it there will be an error message.


I.30) The ERAse icon - hot key: E (Erase)
-------------------- - ------------------
The ERAse icon lies at  the  most  left  end  of  the  third  icon line. It has
different functions, which  are  all  connected  with  erasing  data. After the
activation of the ERA icon you can choose a function in the appearing menu:
- 1) Erase file(s): By pressing "1" you'll enter the file eraser. It allows you
  to erase all tagged files. Different drives  can  be used. You can then press
  "4" or "5" to choose the erase mode.  With  4) All & now you erase all tagged
  files immediately. The erased files  are  then  gone  for ever. If you aren't
  sure use 5) instead of 4) !!!
  With 5) With  security-query  you  can  delete  files  selective. You will be
  queried for every file if it should be erased or not.
- 2) Format disc: allows you  to  format  discs. You can format Data-, System-,
  IBM- or Vortex. After choosing the format you  will be asked for the drive in
  which the disc is located. Please  put  first  the disc in the correct drive,
  then press the drive-letter "A".."H" and RETURN.

I.31) The REName icon - hot key: N (Name, reName)
--------------------- - -------------------------
The REName icon is the second  icon  from  left  in  the third icon line. After
activation press "1" to REName  files.  How  ever,  only tagged files are used.
After pressing 1 the first tagged  filename  is  displayed twice. The upper one
remembers you how it looks like before renaming. The lower filename is there to
be renamed. You  can  change  the  user-number,  the  file-name  and  the file-
extension. But you can't change the  drive.  You  can only use chars between 32
and 127 inclusive for the new name.
If the disc format allows it, then you can also change the name of the disc.

I.32) The COPY icon - hot keys: C (Copy) or F (Filecopy)
------------------- - ----------------------------------
The third icon from the left of the third icon line is the COPY icon.
Point 1) gives the possibility to  copy files multidirectional! That means that
there can exist multiple sources and  multiple  targets of files. In the second
menu you can decide if you  want  to  copy  all  the tagged files to one target
(point 3) of if you want  to  copy  different files to different targets (point
4). Here you can choose destination, user number, file-name and extension.
Point 2) of the COPY icon main-menu  allows  you to copy a disc (Data-, System,
ibm- or Vortex format, single/double sided, and double-steps).
If the source and the target drives  are  identical you have to swap the discs.
At the bottom of  the  screen  will  be  messages.  The  disc-format is emerged
automatically. Depending on the format the target-disc may be formatted.

I.33) The PRINT icon - hot key: P (Print)
-------------------- - ------------------
The PRINT icon is located at the  fourth  left position in the third icon line.
It has two features. The printing of DIRectories or files through the connected
Printer. Hence the icon-menu has two points:
1) Print file(s): allows you the  printing  of  all tagged files one after one.
   The ESC key stops it.
2) Print DIR: prints out  the  DIRectory  of  a  drive.  Just type in the drive
   letter (a to m) and press RETURN.

I.34) The RETAG icon - hot key: A (All, retag em All)
-------------------- - ------------------------------
The fifth icon of the third icon line  is  the ReTag icon. It's function is the
retagging of all used (previously tagged) files shown streaked out. These files
will become tagged again (shown underlined).
Through the RETAG icon you can use  a subset of files for different operations.

I.35) The UNTAG icon - hot key: U (Untag)
-------------------- - ------------------
The fourth icon of the third icon line  is  the UNTAG icon. It's function is to
UNTAG all tagged files.  After  a  click  on  this  icon  all previously tagged
("used") files will be untagged.  You  can  use  the  DIR  icon to get the same
effect (if you haven't changed a disc), but it reads all DIRs again.


I.36) The MONitor icon - hot key: M (Machine Monitor)
---------------------- - ----------------------------
The MONitor icon is the icon at   the  right  end  of the third icon line. It's
used to start the machine monitor  of  FutureOS.  More information are given in
the big handbook. Please use the  monitor  only  if  you are very familiar with
your CPC's hardwar.

I.37) The ALARM (WECKER) icon - hot key: W (Wake up!)
----------------------------- - ---------------------
The second icon from the right end of the forth icon line is the ALARM / WECKER
icon. Use the Cursor-keys and COPY  (Joystick  and  Fire  1)  or ESC to set the
Alert time video oriented.

I.38) The END icon - hot key: Q (Quit)
------------------ - -----------------
The END icon is located at  the  right  of  the forth icon line. It can:
1) Start FutureOS new: starts the Future Operating System again.
2) Initialize  AMS-OS:  ends  the  current  FutureOS  session  and  initializes
Amstrads OS. This function is equal to a reset of the CPC.






I.39) The RUN icon - hot key: X (eXecute)
------------------ - --------------------
The RUN icon is located most left in  the  lower icon line. In case the name of
any file is tagged, then it will be loaded and subsequently executed in memory.
The first tagged file will be used.
If there is no tagged file present the following menu will be displayed:
1) Start actual Foreground-program: The  last  started program would be started
again, because it's still in the  RAM  and  the  OS has memorized it's location
through it's file-header.
2) Start actual  Background-program:  The  actual  Background  program  will be
started. A Background program  is  a  special  program  which  is nested in the
expansion memory.
3) Jump into RAM: This point allows you to jump at any address in any connected
(expansion-)RAM. When you want to jump  in  the standard memory you should give
&C0 as RAM block when you're asked. Attention! You should know where to jump.
4) Start ROM application: Will start  an application from an FutureOS expansion
ROM. First you select the XROM, then the application of this XROM.

I.40) The TIME and DATE icons - hot keys: Y (Time) and Z (Date)
----------------------------- - -------------------------------
They're located in the lower icon line. The TIME icons at the left side and the
DATE icons at the right side. You  can  use  them  to define time and date. For
changing the values just use the Cursor-keys  and  Copy (or a Joystick and Fire
1). Press the ESCape key to leave.

I.41) The IDE icon - hot key: I (IDE device)
------------------ - -----------------------
This icon is located at the very right  end  of the second icon line. It allows
to access IDE devices,  for  example:  X-MASS,  IDE8255,  CPC-IDE, SYMBiFACE or
others. To use IDE devices a fifth  FutureOS  ROM is needed, which contains the
IDE/FAT management software.

I.42) The <I> icon - hot key: I (Information)
------------------ - ------------------------
The <I> icon is the most right icon  of  the lower icon line. If you've started
an INFOrmation-system or Help-system  before  you  can  now  enter through this
icon. If there is no INFO / HELP  system present nothing will happen except the
appearance of an error-message.



        Comments, critics and notices are welcome every time.
            Only together, we can make the system better.
                 Send email to: FutureSoft at gmx.de


                          Important notice:
                 You can contact me through internet
                         http://www.FutureOS.de

