Simplified "installation" of xy4

[Harry Binswanger xywrite@xxxxxxxx]

Re Nancy F's tribulations and some of the advice given her:
  since Nancy willing admits to computer-nonsavviness, if she has any
trouble installing the new disks, rather than going into setup or changing
Autoexec.bat, wouldn't it be easier to get Xy4 installed on a co-worker's
computer, then just copy needed files over to her computer via diskettes?

As far as I know, there's nothing sneaky that Xy does in its
installation--all that it does is to put files on your harddrive. And only 5
or so files are even crucial. Let's see, aside from editor.exe there's:

  xy4.kbd (or personalized equivalent)
  settings.dfl
  a .prn file (the one from xy3 will do in a pinch--but then make sure it
            loads after settings.dfl loads)
  lj4.bin (if you are using a hp4 or later laser printer)
  default.fnt (to be put in c:\btfonts--a directory you have to make)
 
--those are the essentials, right? Then one needs at least a minimal
startup.int file to load the above.

Next in line would be
  dict.spl
  xy4.mnu
  xy4.hlp
  xy4.dlg
  all the *.spd files (various fonts) for the btfonts directory
  wfbg.syn (if you want the thesaurus)

Have I omitted anything? or isn't the above 95% of what most of us really use?

If so, making the c:\btfonts directory is one DOS command (md c:\btfonts)
then you copy over some or all of the above and you are "installed."

The only slightly tricky parts would be making the startup.int (but users
upgrading from xy3 can work from their old ones) and selecting the right
.prn file (again, use your old one at least as a start).

Also recommended: don't use xy4.kbd--start with your xy3 .kbd file and make
any changes you feel the need for after reading about the extra features xy4
makes available (notably wysiwyg view).

Regards,


Harry Binswanger
hb@xxxxxxxx