1/666667 NEWSTART.EXE 1.03 FreeWare from Mote Prime BBS Columbia South Carolina - 803-782-3772 Sysop - Jeff Elkins Files Included: NEWSTART.EXE NEWSTART.HLP NEWSTART.WRI Assorted .RLE Files. NewStart V1.03 is a Windows 3.0 utility designed to change your startup RLE file from Microsoft's to one of your choice. Copy Newstart and the .RLE files you wish to use to generate startup screens into your windows subdirectory or the subdirectory of your choice. Newstart uses methods previously described to build a new WIN.COM file in your windows subdirectory. In essence, It COMBINES the files 'WIN.CNF' ,a .LGO file, and the .RLE file (Run-Length Encoded 4-bit) picture file into the file 'WIN.COM'. This is the equivalent of the DOS copy command: COPY WIN.CNF /B + VGALOGO.LGO /B + ???.RLE /B WIN.COM. Creating RLE Files: To create your own RLE file create a graphics file in Windows Paint or the paint program of your choice. Save it as a BMP or GIF file (if your paint program allows GIF format). If like me you can't draw worth a hoot start with a GIF you know and love. Previously I stated that the image could be no larger than 640X480 and have no more than 16 colors. I was wrong. I have since converted GIFs as large as 800X600X8. The largest RLE I have is 260K and the WIN.COM produced by NewStart with that RLE is 265K. Works just fine on my vanilla VGA system. Experiment and see what you can come up with. To protect yourself remember to make a backup copy of your Win.Com file !! Next, use a graphics conversion program such as WinGIF or Paint Shop to convert the BMP or GIF file to a 'Format RLE' or 'Format RLE 4' file. The file should now be usable as a Windows 3.0 startup screen. Display Adapters: As far as display adapters go, NewStart has only been tested on VGA. Support code for XGA , 3514/A , SuperVGA , EGA and CGA is present but HAS NOT BEEN TESTED ! To determine video vertical resolution I'm using the Windows API call GetDeviceCaps(HDC,vertres)" Petzold's "Programming Windows" version 3 lists the following values: CGA EGA VGA 8514/A VERTRES 200 350 480 760 In addition, from PC Magazine: HERCULES SVGA XGA VERTRES 348 600 768 producing the following selection table: VERTRES .LGO FILE DEFAULT RLE FILE 200 CGALOGO.LGO CGALOGO.RLE 348 HERCLOGO.LGO HERCLOGO.RLE 350 . EGALOGO.LGO EGALOGO.RLE >= 480 VGALOGO.LGO VGALOGO.RLE EGA monochrome users may have problems. I'd try to copy your EGAMONO.LGO file in the system directory to EGALOGO.LGO and see if it works. Repeat these steps for the EGAMONO.RLE file. Please remember this is FREEWARE -- Not a Nag-Screen to be found. If you have a better idea, or if you can pass details about YOUR video adapter along, let me know and I'll gladly code them in. Since this is freeware : I ACCEPT NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR PROBLEMS RESULTING IN IT'S USE !!! If you have problems please contact me on GENIE (J.ELKINS1) , COMPUSERVE (70302,1573) or on my BBS and I'll try to help resolve the problem. Thanks Again Jeff Elkins Sysop - Mote Prime BBS ========================================== I've had a report of a user having problems when creating RLE files with WinGif and Paint Shop. For your own safety : MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF THE ORIGINAL WIN.COM !!!! KEEP IT IN YOUR WINDOWS SUBDIR IN CASE YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. In addition I've added two new features to Newstart: 1. NewStart has a button which will restore Microsoft's default RLE file. 2. NewStart will create a copy of WIN.COM called WINBAK.COM before it changes your RLE. It does this each time you change the RLE so you always have a copy of the previous WIN.COM in your Windows subdirectory. I personally have created over a hundred startup RLEs with virtually no problems whatsoever except for the occasional ugly startup screen. If you create your own RLE and it's distorted simply use NewStart to choose a new startup RLE or restore the default RLE using the restore default button or last resort, copy WINBAK.COM to WIN.COM. Plus you did make a backup copy of the original WIN.COM, right ? ***************************************************************** A tip of the hat to Mike Mezaros who reported a possible difference in various OEM install routines for windows and for suggested improvements. Read Mike weekly in the Z-Net PC magazine online. ***************************************************************** Kudos to Bernie Anger who was kind enough to help me out with Win API calls. ***************************************************************** Thanks to Barb Bowman for her feedback ***************************************************************** Thanks to Juan Jimenez of Borland , ********************************************************* make a backup copy of your Win.Com file !! Next, use a graphics conversion program such as WinGIF or Pxtq^mjfc-_\ZVR O       y v roIk^hjda^ZVR O      &^b   F~-/V X    ? A w   S ' W W 4k  ll&GI4c"Z4\^j$Zu Ltt4\^j$Zu Lt Helv Tms Rmnhave problems. I'd try to copy your EGAMONO.LGO file in the system directory to EGALOGO.LGO and see