Re: Getting past login

[Carl Distefano cld@xxxxxxxx]

Reply to note from "Robert Holmgren"  Sat, 25 Aug
2007 18:51:15 -0400

> Sure. Presume you're using Xy4? Create a file called MG.LOG,
> in the same directory as Editor.exe. Put any character in it.
> Then in STARTUP.INT, near the top, add a line that says:
>
> BX login MG Q2 ;*;

I would modify these instructions in one small but important respect.
Instead of putting any character into your .LOG file, leave the file
empty (just command NE MG.LOG, then STore); or put a func NO
(command PFUN NO), or embed an  (command EX), at the very
top of the file, then STore it. The reason is that the LOGIN (a/k/a
LOGON) command *RUNs* the .LOG file exactly as if it were an XPL
program launched with the RUN command. If you put a character in the
.LOG file, it will be inserted (PV'd) at the cursor position when the
LOGIN command is executed (while STARTUP.INT is running, the character
will probably be placed on the CMline), and this stray character may
cause problems when subsequent commands in STARTUP.INT are reached.
In a single-user system, the .LOG file should be an XPL program that
does precisely NOTHING -- achieved by following one of the
instructions above.

For a multi-user XyWrite setup, the .LOG file for each user can act as
a mini-STARTUP.INT, so that when the user logs in to an already-
running XyWrite session, it executes commands to load the user's
preferred default settings, KBD file, printer file, etc. This feature
merits only passing comment in the Command Reference Guide (p. 2-40),
but it's actually quite powerful.

Logging in is a pain for single users, but the pain is eased a bit
when you understand why you're doing what you're doing, and how the
command works. In any event, it's a one-time chore: Create a well-
formed .LOG file, add a LOGIN command to STARTUP.INT, and you're done.

--
Carl Distefano
cld@xxxxxxxx