Config IV -- A CC4 configuration manager

I. Installation

If you are installing the CC4 Configuration Manager for the first time, simply unzip all the files into a dedicated folder outside CC4. If your Zip utility fails to create an empty folder called Plugins, you should do so manually.

If you are updating from a previous version, you should extract or move CfgIV26.exe into your Config folder. Also extract or move Plugin.txt into the folder and answer "yes" to the confirmation prompt. Leave the Plugins folder alone. Then either delete the earlier version CfgIV##.exe or move it into a Save folder.

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(This is the user documentation for Config, a configuration manager for Close Combat III. Instructions for turning one's own CC4 file patches into a plugin for use by Config are provided in the file Plugin.txt.)

II. Intro

Config will now allow CC4 users to easily modify the confuration of Close Combat III, and to install and uninstall patches with a single mouse click. Config will also allow users to easily switch their configuration to any pre- designated set of patches.

III. Plugins

Modifications to CC4 are now encapsulated in _plugin_ files. These files have file type PLN. To introduce a new plugin to Config, simply copy the plugin file into the Plugins directory before invoking Config. When Config starts, it will automatically pick up all new plugins in the Plugin folder and file them into the "Not installed" collection of plugins displayed by the application.

IV. User Interface.

All plugins known to Config will be displayed in the "Installed" and "Not installed" windows. Commands are issued by selecting a plugin in one of the windows and pressing the right mouse button key. The following commands are available:

A) Install -- Installs the plugin into CC4 B) Uninstall -- Uninstalls the plugin from CC4
C) Readme -- Views the Readme.txt file written for this plugin
D) Delete -- Deletes the plugin, both from Config AND from the Plugins folder. If you don't want to lose the plugin file in the Plugins folder, then make a copy of it first.

V. Collections of plugins.

Config also supports install/uninstall of collections of plugins bundled together as one unit. This is useful for quickly switching from one configuration to another. For example, you may have three on-line friends: 1) one likes who plays standard CC4, 2) a second who likes a campaign with tank-diminished play, 3) and a third who likes a particular campaign with particular weapons changes. Config will allow you to switch from one configuration to another with a single mouse click.

Bundled plugins are implemented by Config as ZIP files. To bundle a set of plugins, archive them into a ZIP file in Win95, and then put the ZIP file into the Plugins folder. When you launch Config, the app will display the ZIP file as an archive in the "Not installed" section. If any of the individual plugins comprising your archive are currently installed, then you must uninstall them first. The install/uninstall commands can then be applied to the archive, and the installs and uninstalls will be applied to all plugins in the archive.

Zeppo9 [zeppo9@my-deja.com]