Your START disk has two types of files on it: runnable programs with their companion files and the source code listings for those programs. To fit all of these files onto your START disk, we compressed the source code listings using the ARChive utilities set. This compresses many different files together into a single file, reducing the overall size by 40 percent or more. We have provided the program ARCX.TTP on your START Disk so you can expand each file back into its original form.

GETTING STARTED
Your START disk is not copy-protected and you should make a copy of it immediately. Make sure that the write-protect window is open on the START disk at all times.

Format a disk for backup

1 Take a blank disk and make sure that the write-protect window on this disk is closed. Label this disk "START Backup" and place it in Drive A. Warning: The contents of this disk will be erased, so be sure that there is nothing on it you want to save!

2 From the desktop, click once on the Drive A icon; it will change color.

3 Select the File option on the menu bar and then select Format from the drop-down menu. An alert box will appear with a warning; click on the OK button.

4 When the Format dialog box appears, select Single-Sided, if it is not already highlighted and click on the Format button.

5 When the disk is formatted, another alert box will tell you how much space is available on that disk. Click on OK and then on the Exit button in the Format dialog box.

Copy your START disk onto your backup disk

1 If you have more than one drive, put your START Backup disk into Drive B.

2 Put your START disk in Drive A.

3 Point the mouse cursor at the Drive A icon and then hold the left mouse button down. The Drive A icon will change color. Drag it to the Drive B icon (only the icon's outline will move). When the Drive B icon is highlighted, let go of the mouse button.

4 A message will ask you if you are sure you want to copy the disk. Click on OK. After a few moments, another dialog box will appear; click on the Copy button. When the copying is finished, you will be returned to the desktop.

(If have only one drive, begin by inserting your START disk. You will have to switch disks several times during the copy operation; simply follow the instructions on the screen. When the computer refers to Dish A, it means your START disk; Disk B is your START Backup disk.

Now put your START disk in a safe place and use your START Backup disk. You may now put your START Backup disk in Drive A and double-click on the Drive A icon to see the disk's contents. Any program with a .PRG extender may be run directly from your START Backup disk, but please read the companion START article for full instructions before running any program.

UNARCING THE SOURCE CODE FILES
Copy the ARCed source code file you wish to examine and the program ARCX.TTP onto a blank formatted disk

1 Format a second blank disk just as you did to make your START Backup Disk; label this disk "UnARC."

2 Find the icon of the file "ARCX.TTP" and point to it with the mouse cursor. In the same way that you dragged the Disk A icon when you copied your START disk, hold the left mouse button down and drag the ARCX.TTP file icon to the Disk B icon. When the Disk B icon changes color, let go of the mouse button.

3 When the computer asks you whether you're sure you want to copy the file, click on OK. (Note to single-drive system users: You will have to swap disks several times when copying files, just as you did when copying a disk. Just remember that now your START Backup disk is Disk A and your UnARC Disk is Disk B.)

4 Now repeat steps 2 and 3 to copy the source code file you want to examine onto your Un-ARC disk. Refer to the companion START article for the correct file name.

Now, unARC the source code file

1 Insert your UnARC disk into Drive A and press the Escape key to see the directory.

2 Double-click on ARCX.TTP

3 At the prompt, type in the name of the ARC file you just copied over to your UnARC disk and press Return. As the program runs, it will display the names of the new files as it unARCs them.

If ARCX.TTP can't find a file, it may be because you have misspelled the name of the ARC file. Remember, you must type the filename exactly as it appears in the directory.

In addition to the source code listings, some ARC files may also contain an ASCII text file (called BREAKDWN.TXT) which shows the program's structure. You can examine this file from the desktop by double-clicking on its icon and then clicking on View (to see it on the monitor) or Print (to print it out).
 
 

DISK CONTENTS The five great programs on this issue's START disk should convince you that the sheer computing power of the ST makes it a definite contender in the business market. CardSTak: If you've followed the Hypercard hoopla, you've probably wondered what the fuss is all about. Now see for yourself how convenient a free form database really is. You don't have to be a computer whiz to use this program; just visualize using 3-by-5 cards to maintain your files. Files: CARDSTAK.PRG, CARDSTAK.RSC, CARDSTAK.ARC. CARDSTAK.PRG and CARDSTAK.RSC must be in the same directory to run this program. Lock & Key: If you share your computer at home or work, use Lock & Key to keep private files private. Simply put your sensitive files together in a folder, and Lock & Key will hide the folder from the directory-until you give it the correct password. Files: LOCKKEY.PRG, LOCKKEY.DAT and LOCKKEY.ARC. LOCKKEY.PRG and LOCKKEY.DAT must be in the same directory to run this program. The Director: If you have so many files on so many disks that you can never find the file you want, then you need The Director. The Director will read your disk directories into a single file that your favorite database can understand; you can even give each disk a unique name to help you remember which file is where. Works on hard disks, too! Files: DIRECTOR.PRG and DlRECTOR.ARC. Wall Street: Now the excitement of the stock exchange comes to your ST. Wheel and deal, buy low and sell high, gamble your fortune on a hot tip-a tip that may make you a millionaire or a pauper. File: WALLST.PRG. START Selector: When this gem came into START's offices, we knew we had to get it to you as soon as possible. The START Selector is an easy-to-use, versatile replacement for the GEM file selector box in any program you run. Boot your computer with your START backup disk (see Disk Instructions at left) and you'll never want to be without the START Selector again. Files: STSELECT.PRG and STSELECT.ARC. STSELECT.PRG is in the AUTO folder of the START disk.