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11.12 Make-up of the MAGX.INF file

With the MAGX.INF file one can make settings that influence MagiC's behaviour. The following apply:

Entry Meaning
 
#_ACC Desk accessories are loaded from the path specified in this line; if the line is missing, they will be loaded from the current directory of the boot drive, i.e. generally from the root directory.
 
#_APP The directory for launching the 'AUTO applications' can be specified with this line. The programs present here are then loaded before the launch of the shell and are available more-or-less immediately; the programs are launched in the graphics mode. Warning: One should only place programs here that are moderate in their memory usage; if one loads, say, WORDPLUS in this manner then no other program can be loaded any more unless one had limited its memory hunger by using LIMITMEM.TTP (a utility supplied with MagiC).
 
#_AUT Specifies the program that is to be loaded and launched (in graphics mode) automatically in place of the desktop or the default shell at system startup. Only when the application specified here terminates itself and has not specified a successor with shel_write, will the desktop or the default shell be launched; the entry is thus practical particularly for a 'login program' in networks.
 
#_BKG With this entry one can specify the colour and fill-pattern of the default desktop background by entering a number num. For instance num = 120 (== 0x78) results in light grey; here 0x70 is the fill-pattern (7=fully filled) and 8 is the colour. Thus the code corresponds to the value that sets the appearance of a filled rectangle in the AES object G_BOX.
 
From MagiC 5.20 onwards.
 
#_BUF Sets the size of the shell-buffer; this has to be variable so that any shell can accommodate its data. The size may not exceed 65535; at least 4192 bytes are reserved in all cases. A program can obtain the size of this buffer with shel_get. A value that is too small means that not all of the data can be saved.
 
#_CTR This entry marks the end of the MagiC variables, and serves as an identifier that the following data (of the control field or desktop) are adopted directly in the shell buffer.
 
#_DEV Determines the device number for the VDI; the device number is not evaluated if the system has just been restarted for a resolution change. If the VDI returns an error-code on opening of the workstation, then a re-start will be made with device number 1 (current resolution). The usual resolutions of ST/TT are:
 

2 = ST-Low, 3 = ST-Medium, 4 = ST-High
6 = TT-Medium, 8 = TT-High, 9 = TT-Low

Further ones depend on the device drivers that were declared in the ASSIGN.SYS file. As of MagiC 4, the above-mentioned number must be followed by a further one that describes the Falcon030 resolution modes. This second number must be included, as otherwise the MAGX.INF file will not be read.
 
#_DRV No longer present from Mag!X 2.0 onwards.
 
#_ENV With this entry one can define the environmental variables. As the character strings are adopted up to the end of the line, there may be no comments at the end of an #_ENV line (this is necessary to allow semicolons or spaces in the environment string, for instance). The environment passed by the BIOS will be used by the AES, and passed on, when no #_ENV line has been entered.
 
#_FLG Determines various MagiC settings. The value included here is taken to be a bit-vector, and interpreted as follows:
 
Bit-0 = Position of the MagiC logo (set ==> left);
from Mag!x 2.0 onwards
Bit-1 = Activation of the 3D-look (set ==> 3D off);
from MagiC 3.0 onwards
Bit-2 = Display Backdrop button? (set ==> no);
from MagiC 3.0 onwards
Bit-3 = Window name in 3D-look? (set ==> no);
from MagiC 4.0 onwards
Bit-4 = 3D font in window title? (set ==> no);
from MagiC 4.0 onwards
Bit-5 = Use realtime scrolling? (set ==> no);
from MagiC 4.02 onwards
Bit-6 = Use realtime sizing and moving? (set ==> no);
from MagiC 5.10 onwards
Bit-7 = Use 3D menus? (set ==> yes);
from MagiC 6.00 onwards

Note: If this entry is missing then all flags will be taken to be 0. If bit 2 is set, then a backdrop can be performed by a short click on the name field of an active window.
 
#_FSL This entry allows settings for MagiC's file-selector. First comes a flag which is ignored at present and so should be 0. Next follows a character string of possible file-type masks, separated by ';'. Double masks are separated from each other by ',' (e.g. '*.PRG,*.APP' or '*.JPG,*.JPEG').
 
From MagiC 5.10 onwards.
 
#_HDV No longer present from Mag!x 2.0 onwards.
 
#_INW This entry permits changing the appearance of the INFO line in all windows. There are 4 parameters on the line, which represent in turn:
 
lineh Line height; a height of 0 means standard height
fontID Font ID for the INFO line; a 0 here means the same font as that for the large AES text
monoFlag 1 (equidistant) or 0 (proportional)
fontH Font height for vst_height

From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
#_MAG This entry is reserved, and currently serves as a pure comment.
 
#_OBS The height of a resource unit of measure can be set as of MagiC 5.20 independently of the large AES font. Specially with vector fonts one should enter a fixed 8*16 raster here so as not to confuse user programs.
Syntax: #_OBS <horizontal raster> <vertical raster> 0 0
 
From MagiC 5.20 onwards.
 
#_SCP Sets the full path for the GEM clipboard (e.g. C:\CLIPBRD\); here one should always specify an existing directory, since it will be undefined otherwise.
 
#_SHL Contains the full path of the default shell, which will be launched after processing the #_AUT entry, if appropriate. The shell is always launched in graphics mode. If this entry is missing, then MAGXDESK will be launched.
 
#_SLB Here one can load any number of shared libraries, with each listed on a separate line starting with '#_SLB'. These are loaded when the AES starts, and freed again at termination or a resolution change.
Some of these (WINFRAME) alter the properties of the AES (as a sort of system extension), others (PDLG, EDITOBJC) can be 'reserved', so if a program calls Slbopen, for instance, the libraries do not have to be specially loaded in; this is sensible if one has sufficient memory or a slow storage medium (loading in of an SLB costs time).
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
#_TRM Contains the program name and complete path for the program that performs redirection of TOS programs to windows. When launching the first TOS program, the program specified here is automatically loaded into memory beforehand (if it has not been loaded previously).
 
From Mag!x 2.0 onwards.
 
#_TSL Controls the distribution of CPU time between foreground and background processes. The fist value yields the length of a timeslice in multiples of 5 ms, the second the background priority: '32' means a priority of 1:32 for background processes. If any statement is missing, the preemptive multitasking is deactivated and cooperative multitasking is activated. The value defined here can also be set with the bundled configuration ACC/CPX.
Tip: In case of boot problems, it is recommended that this command is removed from the MAGX.INF file and the settings performed with the CPX module; in that case the boot phase runs in cooperative mode (so task-switching only takes place when the currently running program makes a system call), which usually avoids any timing problems.
 
From Mag!x 2.0 onwards.
 
#_TXB
 
#_TXS From MagiC 5.20 onwards, the font and its height may be set separately for the small and large AES font. One has to specify here whether the font is proportional or monospaced. Proportional fonts work as of MagiC 6. Syntax for the large
font is: #_TXB <fontID> <monoFlag> <pixelHeight>, and for the small font: #_TXS <fontID> <monoFlag> <pixelHeight>.
 
As of MagiC 5.20.
 
#_TXT Sets the font and text height of the AES font; the format is: <Height of large font> <height of small font> <font ID>. The font height is set by the AES with vst_height; a height of 0 denotes standard settings; font ID 1 is the system font.
 
As of Mag!X 2.0, additional parameter; no longer present from MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
#_WND Sets the maximum number of windows that may be managed. Valid values are between 0 and 64; however, you shouldn't use a value < 16. If this entry is missing, then a value will be taken as 16. Hint: When using MGNOTICE, enter at least 30.
 
From Mag!X 2.0 onwards.
 
#[aes] The information for the AES begins with the line following this command; the lines relevant to the AES all start with '#_???' and come before the line #[shelbuf]. If this section identifier is not found, then one will be assumed implicitly before the first line.
 
From MagiC 5.01 onwards.
 
#[boot] From this section identifier onwards, the following values are evaluated before the start of the AES. The section includes the number of cookies, the log-file, and tiles plus logo image to be used for the background during booting (see below).
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
#[shelbuf] With this section identifier, the AES section ends.
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
#[vfat] With this entry one can specify the drives that are to support long filenames in Windows95 format; the entry can be seen as an alternative to the program VFATCONF. The line following this entry must start with the keyword drives=, and contains a listing of the drive partitions that are to support long filenames. Example: drives=cdef. For each drive specified in this way an unmount is perfomed first, so that it is possible to use long filenames on boot drives as well.
 
From MagiC 5.01 onwards.
 
aux The GEMDOS standard files can now be redirected also to BIOS devices that lie in u:\dev: Example: aux=u:\dev\modem
 
As of MagiC 6.20.
 
biosdev Definition of the BIOS devices. As without changes to the MAGX.INF a few filenames in u:/dev will be missing from MagiC 6.20 onwards, herewith a few examples for various computer types that are to be inserted:
 
Atari ST:
biosdev=3,u:\dev\midi
biosdev=6,u:\dev\modem1

Atari Mega-STE:
biosdev=3,u:\dev\midi
biosdev=6,u:\dev\modem1
biosdev=7,u:\dev\modem2
biosdev=8,u:\dev\serial2

Atari TT:
biosdev=3,u:\dev\midi
biosdev=6,u:\dev\modem1
biosdev=7,u:\dev\modem2
biosdev=8,u:\dev\serial1
biosdev=9,u:\dev\serial2

Atari Falcon:
biosdev=3,u:\dev\midi
biosdev=6,u:\dev\modem1
biosdev=7,u:\dev\lan

Mac:
(None)

As of MagiC 6.20.
 
cookie Determines the number of cookies in the cookie jar. By default at least 20 cookies are always installed.
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
con The GEMDOS standard files can now be redirected also to BIOS devices that lie in u:\dev: Example: con=u:\dev\console
 
As of MagiC 6.20.
 
image Draws a logo in the centre of the screen.
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
log The BIOS outputs of the AUTO folder are intercepted and written to the specified log-file. You can also put u:\dev\null here in order to suppress the output completely.
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 
prn The GEMDOS standard files can now be redirected also to BIOS devices that lie in u:\dev: Example: prn=u:\dev\prn
 
As of MagiC 6.20.
 
titel Before executing the AUTO folder, the screen can be tiled first.
 
From MagiC 6.00 onwards.
 

Note: Lines starting with a semicolon are ignored, and so can be used for comments. From MagiC 5 onwards, a faulty line found when evaluating the MAGX.INF file will be displayed on the screen; but as the AES has not yet been initialized at this point in time, the output cannot be made to a dialog box.

See also:: Example of a MAGX.INF file   MagiC   Style guidelines

11.12.1 Example of a MAGX.INF file

#_MAG MAG!X V6.20
#[boot]

cookies=50
log=c:\log\magic.log

tiles=C:\GEMSYS\GEMDESK\PAT\16\PAT27.IMG
image=C:\GEMSYS\GEMDESK\PAT\256\MAGIC.IMG

;Atari TT:
biosdev=3,u:\dev\midi
biosdev=6,u:\dev\modem1
biosdev=7,u:\dev\modem2
biosdev=8,u:\dev\serial1
biosdev=9,u:\dev\serial2

con=u:\dev\console
aux=u:\dev\modem
prn=u:\dev\prn

#[vfat]
drives=ag
#[aes]

#_DEV 1 0
#_FLG 0
#_WND 40

#_SCP C:\CLIPBRD\
#_TRM c:\gemsys\gemdesk\vt52.prg
#_ACC c:\acc\
#_APP C:\APPS\

#_ENV AVSERVER=JINNEE
#_ENV SHELL=d:\desktop\gemini\mupfel.ttp

#_SLB 0 WINFRAME.SLB
#_SLB 0 PDLG.SLB

#_SHL d:\desktop\jinnee\jinnee.app

#[shelbuf]
#_CTR
#a000000
#b000000
#c7770007000600070055200505552220770557075055507703111103
#d                                            ;
#_DSK MAGXDESK V5.02 1

See also: MagiC   MAGX.INF file


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