CUSTOM.GSOS DOCUMENTATION Revised to work with GSOS System 6.0.1 only. Overview CUSTOM.GSOS is a program for the Apple IIgs that lets you customize the startup screen that appears when you boot GSOS. As supplied by Apple, the GSOS System Disk 6.0.1 contain a file in the SYSTEM directory with the name START.GS.OS. In this file, among other things, are two small pictures or icons that are displayed when your IIgs is booted. One is a picture of a computer other contains the text string "Welcome to the IIgs". This program lets you replace those two pictures with icons of your own choosing. Perhaps you would prefer a picture of a bug with a line through it and the text "Who ya gonna call?". Or perhaps a picture of yourself with the text "You are HOT tonight!". Perhaps not. At the very least you can expect to impress your friends with your computer expertise with the help of CUSTOM.GSOS. Your personalized icons Where do you get these icons? From a IIgs paint program. From collections of clip art. From a scanner like ThunderScan. Any source of pictures that can produce output in standard, non-compressed, image format is acceptable. With Paintworks Gold this format is called Screen Format. And since the IIgs startup screen is in 640 pixel mode (Ultra High Res), the picture you use will be interpreted in 640 mode. I use the word interpreted because it's perfectly ok to use a picture with CUSTOM.GSOS that was painted in 320 mode. The colors will come out funny but the shape will remain the same. How To Run CUSTOM.GSOS The object of this exercize is to replace the START.GS.OS file in the SYSTEM directory with a copy containing your personalized icons. You will input the START.GS.OS file, input a picture containing your icons, tell the program where in the picture to find your icons, and then output a new START.GS.OS file. The larger icon (the picture of the computer) is set by positioning a movable box over the picture and releasing the mouse button. The smaller icon ("Welcome ...") can be set in either of two ways: by positioning a movable box over the picture, or by entering a text string directly. In fact, if you just want to change the text that greets you on the startup screen, you don't have to bother yourself with pictures or icons, just input the START.GS.OS file, select "Set 2nd Icon by Text" from the menu, enter your new text (up to 19 characters), and output the new file. Step by Step Step 0. Make sure you are running the version of GSOS whose START.GS.OS file you want to modify. To modify a file that came with System 6.0.1, you must be running under 6.0.1. This release and updated rewrite only works for System 6.0.1.) Step 1. With the Open START.GS.OS File option, read in the START.GS.OS file in directory SYSTEM. Step 2. With the Open Picture File option, read in a picture with your new icons. This file must be a non-compressed ($C1) screen file. Step 3. Use the Select 1st Icon option to put a box around the part of the picture to use as the 1st (larger) icon. Press the mouse button to see the box. Step 4. Use the Select 2nd Icon option to specify the 2nd (small) icon in the same way, or use the Set 2nd Icon by Text option to enter the text directly (19 characters max). Step 5. Use the Show Icons option to check your work. Use the Save GSOS File option to save a copy of the START.GS.OS file with the new icons. Step 6. Rename your new file START.GS.OS (in directory SYSTEM) and reboot. -end of doc-