UA-Shell original program by: David Knott currently maintained by: [simoN] Version 9.20 - 10 August 2003 release UA-Shell is a comprehensive program that ties together all of the utilities associated with UA into a single package. Everything that you need to run hacked UA adventures (including support for character generation and character training utilities) is included in this package. The "basic" package stops there, but the "complete" package also includes all available editor support and hack notes. If you downloaded the "basic" package, then the web site: http://frua.dns2go.com/pc/uashell/ provides links to the UA-Shell Editor support packages used by UA-Shell. If you attempt to do your own editing, UA-Shell will inform you as to which missing files you will need to install for that purpose. Installation: ------------- To install UA-Shell, copy the files from this package into your main UA directory and then run the file "UASHELL.BAT". The new installation procedure will not copy all of your UA-Shell files into your "DOWNLOAD" subdirectory and re-install them -- to do that, select the "Editors|Reorganize" option from the UA-Shell menu bar. Copying of hacked designs: -------------------------- There is no menu option for copying hack files from one design to another. However, the process for doing so is fairly simple: (1) Apply the source design for your hack via the "Designs|Apply" option. (2) Select "Designs|Run" to start up UA itself. (3) From within UA, create or select the new design. Exit UA before attempting to do anything fancy with it. (4) As soon as you exit UA, UA-Shell will start up again and detect that UA and UA-Shell have different design directories selected. UA Shell will ask you if you wish to copy the source design to the new design. Click "Yes" to cause UA-Shell to copy the files and then apply the new design. Note that UA-Shell no longer overwrites files in this process. If for any reason this copying option is invoked by mistake, click "No" to avoid the copying. UA-Shell will then prompt you to re-apply one or the other of the two designs. Note that the application process will be automatic if one of the two designs is "DEFAULT.DSN" -- UA-Shell will not permit you to copy to or from that design. If you select "Cancel" or reject all offered options, UA-Shell will apply "DEFAULT.DSN". UA Directory Structure: ----------------------- With all the editors and other support programs for UA that are currently or soon to be available, it is likely that your main UA directory is starting to get rather cluttered. UA-Shell attempts to combat this clutter by moving as many files as possible out of your main UA directory into the PROGRAMS subdirectory, which you may regard as a black box where much can be kept hidden. With UA-Shell in full operation, your UA directory should contain the following subdirectories: ART: This subdirectory is used by the main UA program to hold art that you intend to import into your designs. Files to be imported by the batch file editors (such as those supporting Peter Kos's editor programs) must be in this directory, but files to be imported by the "standard" editors may be stored elsewhere if desired. In version 7.12 and later of UA-Shell, this directory contains subdirectories for different art and other file types. DEFAULT.DSN: This subdirectory stores the original versions of any files that have been replaced or patched by any previously applied hacks. UA Shell severely limits what you can do in this subdirectory for your own protection. DISK1, DISK2, DISK3: These subdirectories contain the current working versions of your UA game files, as well as the default versions of any files for which no hacks have yet been applied. DOCS: This subdirectory, created as part of UA-Shell, contains text files. It is recommended that you use this subdirectory to store any small text files that you might want to read while running UA-Shell. The UAHELP file is too big to be read from within UA-Shell, but most other UA-related text files that I have tried seem to fit. Also, don't try to cram the UA newsletter into this directory -- most issues of the UA newsletter are executable programs, not text files. DOWNLOAD: This subdirectory is where you should initially place your editor files after you unzip them. UA-Shell will move these files from there to their proper locations the next time you start up UA-Shell. PROGRAMS: This subdirectory contains as many programs and support files for UA-Shell and the various UA editors and utilities as can be placed there without hurting their functionality. TEMP: This subdirectory is where UA-Shell moves editor files that it does not need. Generally, you should delete all such files except for archives (".ZIP" and ".SIT") and importable files (".FON", ".LBM", ".PCX", and ".XMI"), which you should move into other directories as you see fit. WORKING: This subdirectory has been set aside for use by various older art editors. *.DSN: Design directories contain imported art files, edited monster files, hacked game files, character generation templates, and/or character trainer programs and support files. They may contain other files, but neither UA-Shell nor the main UA program will access these files. Troubleshooting: ---------------- If you run into any problems with UA-Shell, please contact: [simoN]