The menu system requires a drive T to be mapped to a unique directory from any other user' drive T mapping. This is because the menu system uses batch files to run the options selected, in order to remove any memory overhead, and each user needs to be sure that their menu is running the correct, unique, batch file. Novell provides a simple way to achieve this using the %STATION statement in the System Login Script. %STATION returns the workstation's network connection number. No two connection numbers are ever they same.

Below the directory SYS:PUBLIC subdirectory there needs to be created a subdirectory called TEMP, below this there needs to be a number of subdirectories, each called a number from 1 to 25 (assuming a 25 user version of Novell - if the version were to be upgraded to 50 Users, 25 more subdirectories would need to be added 26-50), so that a drive letter can be mapped to a unique directory for each workstation. This mapping is accomplished by the system login script.

Within the System Login Script is the line:

MAP T:=SYS:PUBLIC\TEMP\%STATION

So for connection number 12, say:

T: = SYS:PUBLIC\TEMP\12

In order for the menu system to operate, it must be loaded by the workstation the user is on. This is accomplished by modifying the workstation's AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Normally the end if the file might look like:

IPX (or ODI loader)

This is amended to:

Alternatively it might be:

@C:\NWCLIENT\NOVELL\STARNET.BAT

In this case, the batch file STARTNET.BAT is amended to replace the Login statement with the command PLOOP. If no Login statement is present, on the line after 'F:', the command PLOOP is simply added.

PLOOP.BAT is a batch file which resides in the SYS:LOGIN directory and stands for Program Loop.

If there is more than one file server on the network, modifications to the workstations NET.CFG file are required. If NET.CFG does not exist in the Workstations root directory (or the NET$DOS.SYS file if remote booting) this file must be created. It is a standard ASCII Text file, and must contain the line:

PREFERRED SERVER = <server name>

for example, this could be:

PREFERRED SERVER = MIKE

If the user would like the menu to be in colour, the line:

SET COLOUR = ON

should also be included in the workstation's AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

See the File List for information on PMENU files and their configuration.

End Document