Passing an Application's Start Up Directory via SETUP.INF

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a

SUMMARY

This article discusses setting up the Microsoft Windows version 3.0 SETUP.INF file to pass an application's default start up directory via the SETUP.INF file when you run the Windows Setup program, SETUP.EXE.

MORE INFORMATION

If you edit the Windows 3.0 SETUP.INF file, you need to use the following procedure to pass a startup directory other than the program's directory if you want to add a new program item to a default group. For more information, see pages 555-556 of the "Microsoft Windows User's Guide."

1. Confirm that the application is in the DOS PATH.

2. Edit the SETUP.INF with a standard ASCII text editor and locate the group you want to add the new program item to:

   Example --------

   [Main] "File Manager", WINFILE.EXE "Control Panel", CONTROL.EXE "Print Manager", PRINTMAN.EXE "Clipboard", CLIPBRD.EXE "DOS Prompt", COMMAND.COM, PROGMAN.EXE, 1 "Windows Setup", SETUP.EXE "Read Me", "NOTEPAD.EXE README.TXT"

3. Add a new line to this section (the example is Word for Windows):

   "WinWord", C:\DATA\WINWORD, WINWORD.EXE

   Explanation -----------

       - "WinWord" is the icon label.
   

       - "C:\DATA\" is the startup directory. "WINWORD" is the executable
         file. Windows automatically adds the .EXE extension.
   

       - WINWORD.EXE is the location for the icon that represents the
         program item.
   

         NOTE: If this is entered as "C:\DATA\WINWORD.EXE", Setup truncates
         the statement to "WINWORD.EXE" and the startup directory is not
         specified.
   

4. Find the section [dontfind] in the SETUP.INF and add a new line:

         WINWORD.EXE
   

The preferred workstation installation method is to install Windows 3.0 on a network (see "Microsoft Windows User's Guide," pages 543-556), and then go to each workstation and run the SETUP /N command. In large workstation groups, it may not be efficient to do this; in this case, customize each workstation individually. By editing the SETUP.INF file with a text editor, you can enhance the SETUP /N command so that it customizes each workstation to a company standard.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Windows User's Guide." Version 3.0, "Networks and Windows," pages 543-556.