
                             4DOS v7.50

                     README.TXT -- February 2003

                          JP Software Inc.
                            P.O. Box 328
                     Chestertown, MD 21620, USA

                           (410) 810-8818
                         fax (410) 810-0026
                       Email sales@jpsoft.com
                        Web http://jpsoft.com


Greetings, and thanks for trying 4DOS!

This file contains a variety of information you should read before using
4DOS, including:

      Installation and "Branding" Notes
      Files Included with this Version
      Technical Support and Downloads
      Legal Notices

Other information is available in other files:

      For ...                                See ...
      -----------------------------------    ------------
      Complete list of new features          WHATSNEW.TXT
      Introduction and Installation Guide    INTRO.TXT
      Product and upgrade information        PRODUCTS.TXT
      Support plan information               SUPPORT.TXT
      New customer order form                ORDERS.TXT
      Current customer upgrade order form    UPGRADES.TXT
      Trial version information              TRIAL.TXT
      License agreement                      LICENSE.TXT


INSTALLATION AND "BRANDING" NOTES
---------------------------------

   Our products are generally distributed as EXE files which install the
   product when run.  The EXE files are "ZIP-compatible" (i.e., they can 
   also be read as .ZIP files).  Products distributed on CD are shipped 
   with individual files visible; the files are not compressed into a 
   single .EXE file.
   
   If you have unzipped a distribution .EXE file yourself, or are using
   a CD copy, and prefer to perform the installation manually, see the 
   Introduction and Installation Guide in the file INTRO.TXT.  The 
   detailed instructions for 4DOS are in Chapter 5.

   If you unzip the distribution EXE file manually, you will find many \
   extra files which are used by the installer and are not part of the 
   product itself.  You can use a command similar to the following in the 
   product directory to get rid of the extra files (this assumes you have 
   not installed other non-JP Software files in the product directory 
   which this command would delete):

      *del /qe *.dat p*.dll *wise*.*

   If you are installing a purchased copy of 4DOS from a CD, you can
   install most files manually by copying them from the appropriate 
   directory on the CD if you wish.  However the BR4DOS.EXE file can 
   only be extracted by using the installation software.  To extract 
   this file when performing a manual installation, copy the files 
   yourself, then run SETUP.EXE in the CD's 4DOS directory and select 
   the "Brand" option to install your name and serial number and copy 
   BR4DOS.EXE to the hard disk.

   If you are installing 4DOS under plain DOS (without Windows 9x/ME)
   you MUST use manual installation, as the automated installer is 
   Windows-based.  In this case if you have a purchased copy on CD, 
   you will not be able to extract the BR4DOS.EXE file used to install 
   your name and serial number in 4DOS.  If you informed us of your 
   need to be able to install and brand 4DOS without Windows present, 
   we should have shipped a floppy disk containing BR4DOS.EXE along 
   with your CD.  If we did not, please contact us and we will ship 
   or email a copy to you.

   When installing 4DOS under Windows 95/98 we recommend that you do NOT
   use a "long" directory name.  If you do, you will have to know and use
   the equivalent short name to load 4DOS in CONFIG.SYS; it's easier to
   simply use a short name from the beginning.  (This is not a 4DOS 
   limitation.  It's because DOS, which starts before Windows 95/98 and
   loads the primary command processor, cannot handle long file names.
   While 4DOS fully supports long file names, to make DOS work well it 
   is best to install 4DOS in a directory with a short name.)

   You can view any of the documentation files on-line, or copy them to
   your printer.  The Introduction and Installation Guide in 4DOS.TXT
   has page breaks, headers and footers; all other documentation files
   are unpaginated ASCII text.


Branding

   If you are installing a purchased copy of 4DOS, or have purchased an
   upgrade, you may need to run the "branding" program to install your
   name and serial number in 4DOS (trial version users can skip this
   section).

   In most cases the installation process will run the brand program for
   you if it is available.  If it is not, or you need to perform the 
   branding manually for another reason, use the instructions here.

   The brand program is named BR4DOS.EXE.  In order to perform the
   branding you will need the brand program, and the registered name, 
   serial number, and validation code which came with your purchased 
   copy of or upgrade to 4DOS.

   (If you have lost your branding information it is replaceable, but a
   small charge is required as recreating the branding codes is a multi-
   step process.  To request replacement codes contact JP Software at 
   sales@jpsoft.com, or at one of the addresses listed at the start of 
   this file.)
   
   To run BR4DOS.EXE use these simple steps:

      (1) Start 4DOS or go to an existing 4DOS prompt.

      (2) Change to the directory where 4DOS.COM is installed, and
      verify that both 4DOS.COM and BR4DOS.EXE are in that directory.

      (3) Locate the branding information which came with your copy
      of 4DOS (information from other products won't work!).

      (4) Enter the command BR4DOS and follow the instructions on the
      screen.

   If you attempt to brand your downloaded copy and receive the message
   "contact JP Software or your dealer for an upgrade", then you are not
   not eligible to download and brand a trial version of this release -- 
   instead, you must purchase the upgrade.  See UPGRADES.TXT for an order 
   form.  Once you have ordered an upgrade you can continue to use the 
   trial version until your upgrade arrives.

   If you receive any other error, you have probably mistyped your name,
   serial number, or validation code, or are attempting to use the brand
   program or codes from one product with another product, which will
   not work.


FILES INCLUDED
--------------

   The following files are included with 4DOS 7.50:

         4DOS.COM          4DOS program file
         4HELP.EXE         4DOS help program
         4DOS.HLP          4DOS online help text
         4DOS.ICO          Icon file for 4DOS under Windows
         BATCOMP.EXE       Batch file compression utility
         BR4DOS.EXE        Brand program for registered users to
                              install name and product serial number
         CSCLEAN.BAT       Batch file used to restore CONFIG.SYS
                              during uninstall
         EXAMPLES.BTM      Sample batch file demonstrating the use of
	                     variable functions and internal variables
         HELPCFG.EXE       Color configuration program for the help
                              system
         INTRO.TXT         ASCII copy of the 4DOS Introduction and
                              Installation Guide
         KSTACK.COM        Memory-resident program used by the
                              KEYSTACK command
         LICENSE.TXT       License agreement
         OPTION.EXE        Program used by the OPTION command
         ORDERS.TXT        New customer order form
         PRODUCTS.TXT      Product and ordering information
         README.TXT        This file
         SUPPORT.TXT       Technical support contacts, support plans,
                             and paid support options
         TRIAL.TXT         Explanation of trial version
         UPGRADES.TXT      Upgrade order form
         WHATSNEW.TXT      Complete list of new features and bug fixes


TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND DOWNLOADS
-------------------------------

   Complete details on technical support, including support plans and 
   terms and conditions, are in SUPPORT.TXT and on our web site.

   Standard, no-charge support is available electronically through our 
   online support forum, where our support personnel can read and respond
   to your messages, and other users can respond as well.  The forum is 
   accessible via several methods; for complete details and access links 
   see the support area of our web site at http://jpsoft.com.

   We also offer paid support options which include automatic upgrades
   and support by private email or telephone.

   If the support forum is not accessible to you, or you need to include 
   confidential information in your support request, you can also contact 
   us via email at support@jpsoft.com.

   Technical support messages should be sent as standard ASCII text.  
   Please do not transmit attached files, binary files, screen images, or
   any file over 10K bytes in size to any of our electronic  technical 
   support addresses unless asked to do so by our support staff.

   To download JP Software files, including maintenance updates and trial 
   versions, visit:

      >> Our web site at http://jpsoft.com

      >> Our ftp site at ftp.jpsoft.com


LEGAL STUFF
-----------

Copyright 2003, JP Software Inc., All Rights Reserved.  Published by JP
Software Inc., P.O. Box 328, Chestertown, MD 21620, USA
phone 410-810-8818, fax 410-810-0026.

Take Command and 4DOS are registered trademarks of JP Software Inc.
4DOS and 4NT are JP Software Inc.'s trademarks for its family of 
character-mode command processors.  JP Software, jpsoft.com, and all JP
Software designs and logos are also trademarks of JP Software Inc. Other
product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners.

All prices and terms subject to change without notice.
