V U T R A X S E T U P ========================= General ======= You may want to PRINT this note for reference during installation. To do this in almost all text display programs select [Print] from (File). Nomenclature ============ X: designates a hard disk drive (Usually C:) R: designates the CD-ROM drive letter. (Various) N: designates a Network drive letter. (Various) Where these appear substitute the appropriate disk letters. You can substitute network or other drive names for any of these if required or explicit network paths - the letters simply indicate the normal location. Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10 (x86 & x64 variants) =============================================================== [If you are running Vutrax 13.0b as a 'Vista Workaround' setup first remove your old installation rather than 'update' it.] Login as your normal user account (NOT the supervisor). To install the system directly from the .ZIP file:- 1. Download the .ZIP file and open the folder it was saved in. 2. Open the .ZIP (double Click or Right Click and [Open]). In the extractor - choose to extract ALL the files. 3. Run (Double Click) on VTXAUTO.EXE You can make a CD if you want from the file using the free burner that comes with most CD/DVD/Blu-ray drives. With a physical CD insert it and wait for it to auto-play. In other circumstances (or if Auto-play is disabled):- 1. View the content of the CD, downloaded .ISO file image, or start [My Computer] & navigate to your Vutrax installation files folder. 2. Double click on VTXAUTO.EXE if present. otherwise use VUTRAX_SET_UP.EXE. You should normally install into \Users\\Vutrax e.g. For user 'CAD' you choose \Users\CAD\Vutrax For normal users there is no need to do anything else. If you must do a global installation accessible to a number of users or over a network:- 1. Login as Administrator, navigate to the Vutrax install folder, Right click [Vutrax_Set_Up] and select [Run as Administrator]. The suggested install folder for this style is C:\VUTRAX . Let the installation run normally. 2. [Start] > [Computer] (or Windows Key + E) Navigate to your Vutrax folder (NOT its content) (e.g. Double Click in turn C:, Users, and ). Right click on [Vutrax], select [Properties] & tab [Security]. Click [Advanced] and select the row Allow Full Control \Users\ ... ... This folder, subfolders and files (choose more limiting access permission if required.) [OK] your way back out of the dialogue boxes. 3. If you want a shared initialisation file (window preferences, Recent file lists etc.) search the help for VTXINIFILE for details of how to set this up. To run individual user menus visit [Projects] from (File) 4. Switch users/login to your Vutrax user and start it normally. Vutrax module selections particular to Windows x64 (the 64 bit versions) are made at run-time and do not effect install time detection. Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, 2000, ME, XP & XP x64 ============================================= To install the system directly from the .ZIP file:- 1. Download the .ZIP file and open the folder it was saved in. 2. Open the .ZIP (double Click or Right Click and [Open]). Depending on the issue of Windows you may first need to obtain a .ZIP extractor like WINZIP. In the extractor - choose to extract ALL the files. 3. Run (Double Click) on VTXAUTO.EXE You can make a CD if you want from the file using the free burner that comes with most CD/DVD/Blu-ray drives. If you have a physical CD insert it and wait for it to auto-play. In other circumstances (or if Auto-play is disabled):- View the content of the CD, downloaded .ISO file image, or start [My Computer] & navigate to your Vutrax installation files folder. Double click on VTXAUTO.EXE if present. otherwise use VUTRAX_SET_UP.EXE. You should normally install into C:\VUTRAX Vutrax module selections particular to XP x64 are made at run-time and do not effect install time detection. Windows NT 3.51 =============== In the program manager left click [File] and then [Run]. Browse for or directly type in: R:\VTXAUTO.EXE (R: designates the CD-ROM drive letter.) Once the Installer is running ============================= You have to choose between the free and customised versions. Free: Indefinite use at up to 256 pin complexity. If you already use VUTRAX and are only trialling a new version, override the directory to use (say) VTXFREE with a similar program group name to leave your production system intact. Customised: You need to have a 'configuration file' supplied by us defining your system capabilities. The remaining dialogues are normally left at their default settings except for icon preferences. You always get a program group so you can de-select all startup icons if you wish. The [Hot Keys] check box enables various Cntl+Alt+Letter sequences to start parts of VUTRAX. If you always click icons, or don't want your current hot keys messed with, deselect this box (You can also set them up yourself later). If the installer offers to install extra modules (that it finds in your installation folder) accept those checked by default and add any you have purchased. You can add these modules later as described in 'Installing Interface Modules and Libraries'. When the files have been copied you are asked whether to finalise. Normally answer [Yes]. Installation is complete and VUTRAX should start itself. Documentation ============= The primary documentation consists of an integrated set of tutorials and technical reference in 'Browser' format. To get started with the help system select [Contents] from (Help) Click the Blue [Tutorial Route Map] button. The top left item describes how to lay out your window for best effects. You can then work through the items in the order indicated choosing branches according to what you want to do. Installing Interface Modules and Libraries ========================================== Once you have an idea how the basic system works, you may want to add additional interface modules, or supplements to the libraries. For each one select [Install] from (File > Setup > Configuration) and follow the same basic procedure as for the main installation. Upgrading ========= Up-issues of Vutrax are normally installed over the existing system, and where possible adopt your existing menu and similar settings. First [Enable Changes] from (File > Setup > Configuration) and then start the installer that comes with the new system. Do NOT use the [Install] used for Interface Modules which may be inadequate for the new system. Removal / Uninstall =================== Because Vutrax does not interfere with the registry or install files into Windows folders, use of the Windows install/remove is not required. The installed Vutrax includes [Uninstall] from within it's menu system, or from a program group. In the event that these fail use Windows Explorer to:- Drag Vutrax install folder to the recycle bin (confirming any queries about re-only files) Drag any \windows\vutrax.ini to the recycle bin. Delete the program group and any icons on the desktop. **************************************************************** * MOST END USERS SHOULD IGNORE THE REMAINDER. * * * * THE REST OF THIS NOTE IS FOR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS * * AND CUSTOMERS MANAGING MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF VUTRAX. * **************************************************************** Checking the CD-ROM =================== Error checking and correction on CD-ROMs is extremely good, but if you are having difficulties with installation it is possible that there is a fault on the CD-ROM or your drive. To check that the files are reading as intended go to the program manager or Task bar [Run] and type the following (in any letter case and without any \ characters):- R:FILECHK *.* and execute it. If this announces a few dozen files, and then terminates after a minute or two without error, the check is OK. (R: designates the CD-ROM drive letter.) If you made your own CD from a .ISO file download you can also check it's integrity - look for the MD5 checksum information on the download page. Networks ======== VUTRAX can be installed while accessing the masters over a network. If you can access the media directly over the network set up a network drive to the media, and proceed as described. If you can only access a remote hard disk, then the easiest ways to proceed are usually as follows:- Create a directory on the hard disk (say X:\VTX) CD-ROM: Copy the root directory of the CD to X:\VTX Downloaded: Copy the installer and master files to X:\VTX For CUSTOMISED system add the configuration file (on a floppy disk or e-mailed) to X:\VTX directory. On the remote machine(s), use network drive N: to access the software as in:- N:\VTX\VUTRAX_SET_UP.EXE If your networked drive or folder is not mapped to a drive letter replace 'X:' and or 'N:' with the appropriate form of \\REMOTE_MACHINE\SHARE_NAME. If there are any spaces in the network path enclose the whole path in "..." quotes. Customising Sets of Masters and Revisions ========================================= If you store the packed masters file on a hard disk and need to make multiple installations you may find it worthwhile merging the master file and subsequent revisions and interface modules OF THE SAME ISSUE into a single file. You should give this file a new extension to ensure that you do not get confused (we recommend *.XPK), but the first 7 characters of the name part must be unchanged. Remove the target file if it exists. Then IN THE ORDER THAT YOU WOULD HAVE INDIVIDUALLY INSTALLED THEM (thus starting with the .M01 file) build the file repeatedly using a command of the form:- SQUASH *.* . -c -ppw -s -n -n (SQUASH is a utility provided with all FREE and CUSTOMISED versions of VUTRAX) Example: You have the original files VTX14_0B.M01 onwards and update VTX14_0C.R01, and you want to merge these into a single large file VTX14_0X.XPK. From the VUTRAX main menu select a [Specify] item and run program VTXSHELL. At its command prompt:- DEL vtx14_0x.xpk SQUASH *.* . -c -ppw -s -nvtx14_0b.m01 -nvtx14_0x.xpk SQUASH *.* . -c -ppw -s -nvtx14_0c.r01 -nvtx14_0x.xpk EXIT Later, you want to add revision VTX14_0C.RPK to this file:- SQUASH *.* . -c -ppw -s -nvtx14_0c.r01 -nvtx14_0x.mpk Multiple Configurations of VUTRAX on a single Platform ====================================================== You will normally allow the installer to build or update the program group or start folder called VUTRAX. If you want to install VUTRAX more than once on a machine (e.g. older and latest versions) you should choose an alternative group name and destination directory for the new installation so that they retain independent sets of startup icons. The only currently known difficulties with multiple issues are:- o De-installation removes the stored window preferences and VUTRAX font. To restore the font select [Font Selection] from (File > Setup > Configuration). Window size and position preferences are stored as you use them. To retain these settings, remove the unwanted Vutrax by using the Vutrax that you are keeping as follows:- [Option n] from (Specify) and enter command 'vtxshell'. In the shell enter commands setattr \vutrax_folder_to_remove\*.* /r- /s erasedir \vutrax_folder_to_remove\*.* exit o If you load an OLDER issue over a more recent one, the menu settings update will probably be inaccurate or fail. VTXCD.ASC / README.TXT RDB 26 Jul 2015