NewDeal Hot Tip 1621

GEOS.INI: [system]

handles = <number>

This key specifies the maximum number of handles that NewDeal will use. Each handle requires 16 bytes of conventional memory while NewDeal is running. If this key does not exist, NewDealdefaults to 1000. NewFile requires a minimum of 2000. Suggested value is 3500.

serialNumber = <number>

This key holds the serial number.

drive <letter> = <number>

This key allows you to override what NewDeal discovers about your disk drives when you boot NewDeal. There is no way to tell NewDeal a drive exists when it thinks it doesn't, but you can change the presumed media or make NewDeal ignore a drive. Multiple keys may be used of the form

<letter> is the drive letter
<number> indicates the media, acceptable values are

= 65535 ( fixed disk)
= 0 (ignore the drive)
= 360 (360K 5.25")
= 720 (720K 3.5")
= 1200 (1.2M 5.25")
= 1440 (1.44M 3.5")
= 2880 (2.88M 3.5")

EXAMPLES:

drive a = 1200
drive b = 1440
drive c = 65535

font = nimbus.geo

This key causes a font driver to be loaded. Font drivers allow NewDeal to use outline font technology. If this key does not exist, nimbus.geo will be loaded. If nimbus.geo is not found, only bitmap fonts can be used. Multiple drivers can be specified. These can either be placed on the same line, separated by spaces, or they can be placed across several lines. If they are placed across several lines, be sure to enclose the entries with curly braces. The only driver available at the time of this writing is nimbus.geo.

fontid = berkeley

This key specifies the default font to be used. The default font is used by NewDeal in the event that a requested font is not available. Changing this font affects the menus and similar items throughout NewDeal.

fontsize = 10

This key specifies the point size of the default font. In the event that an application requests a font which is not available, the default font and point size are used. Available point sizes depend on the font specified. Berkeley includes 9, 10, 12, 14 and 18 point, but 18 point is too large for some applications to work comfortably.

fontmenu = <value>
fonttool = <value>

These keys specify the list and order of fonts to be included in the short menu and popup lists for all applications, unless overridden by similar keys in the specific category for an application. The value is a string of four-digit hex numbers that are the font IDs. It's easiest to set this key from Preferences.

memory = <filename>

This key defines the swap drivers to be loaded. Swap drivers allow NewDeal to use memory above the conventional 640K. If this key does not exist, New Deal attempts to determine the appropriate drivers to use. This key may be set with the Preferences application. More than one driver may be listed on the same line, separated by spaces, or they can be placed across several lines. If they are placed across several lines, be sure to enclose the entries with curly braces.

Available drivers are

emm.geo

LIM 4.0 standard expanded memory driver. A DOS-level memory driver must also be loaded, usually called emm.sys and loaded from the config.sys file

extmem.geo

80286 extended memory driver

xms.geo

XMS/HIMEM.SYS driver. A DOS-level driver must be loaded, like himem.sys, to manage the extended memory

disk.geo

Swap to a file on the hard disk.

EXAMPLE:

memory = {
emm.geo
xms.geo
extmem.geo
disk.geo
}

continueSetup = <true|false>

If this key is true, NewDeal will begin by running the graphical setup program. The graphical setup program will reset this to false upon completion.

setupMode = <0|1|2|3>

Graphical setup has four modes, numbered 0 to 3. To perform full graphical setup, set setupMode to 0. The other modes are used internally to Preferences and Setup and are not documented here.

penBased = <true|false>

This key is set to true if the associated system is pen-based. For NewDeal, this should be set to false.

inkTimeOut = <number>

On a pen-based system, this is the number of clicks (60ths of a second) that the system will wait after the user has stopped inputting ink before it processes it.

noVidMem = <true|false>

If this key is set to true, the vidmem.geo library will not be loaded. Use this key only on systems do not have a printer.

noFontDriver = <true|false>

If this key is set to true, the outline font driver will not be loaded. Use this key only on systems that have no outline fonts.

splashscreen = <true|false>

If this key is set to true, a LOADER.EXE that does not contain a graphic can display a text message while NewDeal is starting.

splashtext = <string>

If splashscreen is set to true, this key contains the text that will appear on the screen if a non-graphic loader is used.

splashborder = <number>

If a non-graphic loader is used and splashscreen is set to true, this key will display a border around the splashText. Available values for this key include:

0 = none
1 = normal retail version
2 = wizard version

splashcolor = <number>

This keys determines the background color displayed when using a non-graphic loader. If the monitor is not capable of color, the system will use black, white, or 50% dither pattern as appropriate.

Last Modified 5 Mar 1999