TxLaunch is a utility program that allows you to harness the power and flexibility offered by ThmIndxrTM from an easy-to-use Windows dialog box application. From the TxLaunch window, shown below, you can select settings for all of the command line options available, and launch the TixrCfg and TixrCmd utilities for editing the configuration and command files you use.
TxLaunch is a native Windows application, and includes a complete Help file. For your review, we have included complete a complete explanation of each of the program's controls below.
Tip: When TxLaunch is first started, the settings in the dialog controls reflect the default settings used by ThmIndxrTM, with one exception: Verbose mode is automatically selected unless you specifically turn it off. The settings TxLaunch uses as defaults can be changed by making your selections and saving them in a DEFAULT.TXS file in the same directory that contains the TXLAUNCH.EXE program file. The DEFAULT.TXS file will then be automatically loaded each time TxLaunch starts, establishing your choice of default values without needing to press Load Settings... as a first step.
The Title String entry defines the string displayed in the browser's title bar when the HTML output page is viewed; it also is used as a title heading at the top of the HTML page, and in the <ADDRESS> line in the page footer.
The visible page title string (at the top of the HTML document) is written using <CENTER> and <H1> formatting. You should not use any HTML formatting commands in the Title String entry.
TxLaunch will not accept an entry in the Title String editfield that only contains whitespace characters. If you enter such a string, the program will detect it when you press the Go! button. It will then display an error message, and return you to the dialog to correct the problem before ThmIndxrTM is started.
A non-empty Title String entry must be defined either on the command line (supplied by the Title String editfield of the TxLaunch dialog) or in a command file when ThmIndxrTM is run, or a fatal error will abort the program's operation. The command file does not have to be directly referenced in the TxLaunch window: If the file specified in the Configuration File editfield refers to a command file that contains a Title String entry, TxLaunch will find it when the Go! button is pressed, and allow ThmIndxrTM to run.
TxLaunch will not accept an entry in the Input Directory field that only contains whitespace characters. If you enter such a string, the program will detect it when you press the Go! button. It will then display an error message, and return you to the dialog to correct the problem before ThmIndxrTM is started.
A non-empty Input Directory selection must be made either on the command line (supplied by the Input Directory editfield of the TxLaunch dialog) or in a configuration file when ThmIndxrTM is run using TxLaunch.
If the Write Output HTML File entry does not contain a drive letter, the HTML page is created on the current drive when ThmIndxrTM is run. If the Write Output HTML File field does not include any path information, the HTML page is created in the current directory of the drive where it is being written.
TxLaunch fills the default HTML file page name in the Write Output HTML File editfield when it first starts. If you delete the text of the entry, ThmIndxrTM builds a default filename that is based on the version number of the program.
Note: If the Write Output HTML File editfield does not include an extension when the Go! button is pressed to start ThmIndxrTM, TxLaunch appends an extension of ".htm" to the editfield text, and uses the result as the filename for the HTML file that will be generated. If you wish to write an HTML file with no extension (which is not recommended), put a period ('.') at the end of the filename in the editfield.
The Log File editfield determines the name, and optionally the location, of the log file ThmIndxrTM creates when it is run. All of the log information is written to this one file, even when Recursive mode has been selected.
TxLaunch supplies the default log file name in the Log File editfield when it first starts. If you delete the text of the entry, ThmIndxrTM will not create a log file.
If a Log File entry does not contain any path data, ThmIndxrTM writes its log file to the current directory on the current drive when it is run (the location specified by the Input Directory field). If the Log File entry only specifies a drive letter, the log file is written to the current directory on the specified drive. If the Log File entry only specifies a directory path (no drive selection is made), ThmIndxrTM writes its log file to the specified directory on the current drive.
Note: If the Log File editfield does not include an extension when the Go! button is pressed to start ThmIndxrTM, TxLaunch appends an extension of ".log" to the editfield text, and uses the result as the filename for the log file that will be written. If you wish to write a log file with no extension, put a period ('.') at the end of the filename in the editfield.
The Trace Events to Level control sets the detail level written to the log file:
Debug and greater detail levels should not normally be used. The size of the log file grows dramatically with each higher level of detail, and could easily fill a large disk during recurisve processing. In addition, writing increased levels of detail takes significantly longer. Using the higher detail levels is advised only when reporting a problem running ThmIndxrTM when you have been asked to send the log file, and then only for the specific directory where the program encountered its difficulty.
A configuration file defines the overall operating mode under which ThmIndxrTM executes, as opposed to command files, which define how the program deals with a specific set of images that are incorporated into an HTML page.
Use the Configuration File editfield to specify the configuration file ThmIndxrTM processes to set its global operating parameters.
Note: If the Configuration File editfield does not include an extension when the Go! button is pressed to run ThmIndxrTM, TxLaunch appends an extension of ".cfg" to the editfield text, and writes the result as the filename for the configuration file. If you wish to use a configuration file with no extension, put a period ('.') at the end of the filename in the editfield.
If the Configuration File editfield does not include an extension when the Edit... button is pressed, TxLaunch appends an extension of ".cfg" to the editfield text, and uses that as the filename to pass to TixrCfg. If you wish to edit a file with no extension, put a period ('.') at the end of the filename in the editfield.
TixrCfg is run as a separate process. The TxLaunch window is not hidden or minimized, and you can switch back and forth between the two tasks as you wish.
This button is disabled (grayed) unless an entry is present in the Configuration File editfield.
A command file defines how ThmIndxrTM deals with a specific set of images that are incorporated into a particular HTML page, as opposed to configuration files, which define the overall operating mode under which the program executes. Command files can be used to create unique Web pages within a site by adjusting the background and table parameters, for example, while staying within the general constraints defined by the configuration file established for the site.
If you are not using a configuration file, or if the configuration file does not specify a command file, use the Command File field to indicate the command file ThmIndxrTM is to process for the directory where the program first starts reading images. If the Recursive flag is set, the program will look for command files by the same name in child directories it has recursed into during processing.
Tip: If a Command File is being used, it should generally be in the same directory from which ThmIndxrTM is reading image files. This is strongly suggested to minimize confusion.
Note: If the Command File editfield does not include an extension when the Go! button is pressed to launch ThmIndxrTM, TxLaunch appends an extension of ".cmd" to the editfield text, and uses the result as the filename for the command file. If you wish to use a command file with no extension, put a period ('.') at the end of the filename in the editfield.
If the Command File editfield does not include an extension when the Edit... button is pressed, TxLaunch appends an extension of ".cmd" to the editfield text, and uses that as the filename to pass to TixrCmd. If you wish to edit a file with no extension, put a period ('.') at the end of the filename in the editfield.
TixrCmd is run as a separate process. The TxLaunch window is not hidden or minimized, and you can switch back and forth between the two tasks as you wish.
This button is disabled (grayed) unless an entry is present in the Command File editfield.
Once these minimum requirements are met, you can press the Go! button to have TxLaunch start ThmIndxrTM and generate your HTML page. If you did not enter a Title String or Input Directory in the TxLaunch window, the files you specified are checked to insure they contain the required entries. If an error is found, TxLaunch displays a message box telling you what needs to be corrected, and you are returned to the dialog to fix the problem.
When everything is in order, a console window is automatically opened for the ThmIndxrTM progress displays and any error messages that may be generated, ThmIndxrTM is started, and TxLaunch terminates.
If you want to save the settings in the TxLaunch window (in case you need to regenerate the HTML index page at a later time, or as the basis for building another page), you will need to write them to disk using the Save Settings... before pressing the Go! button to start ThmIndxrTM.
Libraries used by this program:
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ThmIndxrTM Command File Creator Utility
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