Download a demonstration/unrestricted version of DESL from its Vigyan origin. The easiest way to do this is to use the link to the proper DESL page and read the instructions for downloading the self-extracting archive which contains the DESL executable, a documentation unpacking utility and the packed documentation file.

Save the downloaded self-extracting archive file to the location where you want the DESL system to be built and to live.

That's it. Remember, you will have downloaded the documentation. If you do not want to actually produce web pages on your computer then you can later delete the everything which will get produced in the "doc" subdirectory once you run the self-extracting archive.

Before I begin, I'll refer you to the documentation location where this information is given in more detail.

OK. At the location where the downloaded file "deslsys.exe" had been saved run this self-extracting archive like : deslsys.exe -dir. Be sure to use the -dir option after deslsys.exe.

That's it. The executable desl.exe should now exist at the same location and there should have been a doc subdirectory written into and/or created and written into. Everything in the doc directory and below it is either the local documentation or a utility to deal with this documentation. If you never intend to need the local DESL documentation then you can delete the entire contents of the doc directory, any directory below it and the doc directory itself.

Like I did in the cases above, before I begin, I'll refer you to the documentation location where this information is given in more detail.

DESL, or should I say its executable desl.exe, is now ready for use. But, even if you don't want to fool with producing the local web documentation pages (see FAQ item below), you still are encouraged to define some system environmental variables which will make life (using DESL) much easier.

The DESLH environment variable is one which defines the directory where the DESL executable (desl.exe) lives. This variable is defined in the autoexec.bat file under Windows 9X and through the Control Panel|System|Environment|User Variables path under Windows NT.

If desl.exe is located at c:\DESL then the value of DESLH is C:\DESL. In the case of the autoexec.bat file, the appropriate line would look like :

SET DESLH=C:\DESL

The DESLPW environmental variable is the best place to define the DESL password. Although it is not the only way for it to be defined, this method of definition is the cleanest way to define the DESL password.

A caveat : If a newer version of DESL is downloaded a new password will be effective and the DESLPW variable will have to be also updated.

SET DESLPW=JuerT673DoiWoOUy

If the DESLPW environment variable is not set in the autoexec.bat file, the DESL initialization file is the next best way to issue the DESL password.

There is an additional means by which the DESL password may be set.

If a file called DESLPW exists in, first, the path defined by the DESLH Environmental variable or, second, the current directory and the content of the first line of this file is the 16-character DESL password, then the DESL password will be set.

If the environmental variable DESLI is not defined then DESL tries to load DESLINIT from the directory from which it is being executed. If no such file is found DESL begins without it. And, in this case, the user must enter the 16-character password when prompted to do so. This prompt will occur if either there has been no DESL password entered or or an illegal password has been entered. You might enter a password this way once or twice, but you won't want to do this much more than that. Believe me. Produce an initialization file and then forget it. With such a file the only time you will have to deal with the password is when you download a newer version of DESL.

The environmental variable DESLI which defines a complete path, including the file name, to a DESL initialization file, will obviate the need to have an initialization file in the directory where DESL is being run.

Again, in the case of Windows 9X and the autoexec.bat file, the appropriate line would look like :

SET DESLI=C:\DESL\DESLINT

if DESLINIT was the name of the file.

This variable DESLI points to the DESL initialization file which holds DESL commands and options which will be processed before the user is given control. Since a DESL password, tied to the particular executable you had downloaded, is required as the first DESL command the initialization file is a good place to put the password command and the actual password.

A typical initialization file might have as a minimum the contents :

password 4eUtFRju338ZxC1k

That's it. Now you are ready to run DESL.

 **********************************************
 No valid PASSWORD and/or Date has been entered.
 **********************************************
 
 DESL Reference Code : APPD
 
 ...Ending DESL Version 012599...
 
 The DESL log file "log31523.dsl" was produced.

In the doc directory, when you ran the self-extracting archive deslsys.exe, a file named shddoc and an executable named makesys.exe were produced. If, in the doc directory you run makesys.exe, that utility will process the shddoc file to yield numerous HTML files. You can then point your web browser to the page desl.htm in the doc directory. It will lead you to all other documentation. If the unrestricted version of DESL was downloaded the capability to include user notes in the web pages produced locally. The unrestricted version of DESL must, however, be run at least once without the use of notes before it can be run with notes. In other words, if notes are desired, the most previous execution of DESL should not be that of a Demonstration version.

Each time DESL is downloaded a fresh documentation package is also downloaded. When you do download a newer DESL system or merely want to force the inclusion of a modified set of user notes in the exsing web documentation the makesys.exe utility can be run. This utility process the current shddoc file, regardless of its origin. And, you should NEVER edit the shddoc file. Never.

The short answer is yes. However, the ability to include notes from one or more (up to 10) user notebooks in the local DESL web documentation is not active when you have the demo version. Also, the demo software will die approximately 30 days from the time of the download.

If you had indicated or indicate in the future via the form that you want to be informed of any pertinent changes either in the DESL executable or the documentation then you will be emailed of such as often as necessary. Remember. If you have an annual subscription to DESL you can download the file as often as you want to.

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