root/scripts/README.Menuconfig

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This is the Linux kernel menuconfig README file.

Menuconfig gives the linux kernel configuration a long needed face lift.
It features text based color menus, radiolists and dialogs, but does
not require X Windows.  With this utility you can easily select a
kernel option to modify without having to sift through 100 other options.

The windowing support utility (lxdialog) is a VERY modified version of the
dialog utility by Savio Lam <lam836@cs.cuhk.hk>.  Although lxdialog is 
significantly different from dialog, I have left Savio's copyrights intact.
Please DO NOT contact Savio with questions about lxdialog.  He will not be
able to assist.


Please feel free to send any questions or comments or suggestions to
William Roadcap <roadcapw@cfw.com>.


Some menuconfig keyboard hints:

Menus
----------
o  Use the Up/Down arrow keys (cursor keys) to highlight the item 
   or submenu you wish to select.  
   Shortcut: Press the option's highlighted letter. (usually the first)

o  Use the cursor keys to highlight <Select> and press <ENTER>.  
   Shortcut: Press <Space Bar> or <S> if there's no item beginning with <S>.

o  To exit a menu use the cursor keys to highlight the <Exit> button and 
   press <ENTER>.  
   Shortcut: Press <Esc> or <E> or <X> if there's no option beginning 
             those letters.

   Also, the <TAB> key will toggle between <Select>, <Exit> and <Help>

o  To get help with an item, use the cursor keys to highlight <Help> and
   Press <ENTER>.
   Shortcut: Press <H> or <?>.


Radiolists  (Yes/No/Module)
-----------
o  Use the cursor keys to select the option you wish to set and press
   <O> or the <SPACE BAR>.
   Shortcut: Press the first letter of the option you wish to set then
             press <O> or <SPACE BAR>.

o  To see available help for the item, use the cursor keys to highlight
   <Help> and Press <ENTER>.
   Shortcut: Press <H> or <?>.

   Also, the <TAB> key will toggle between <Select> and <Help>


Data Entry
-----------
o  Enter the requested information and press <ENTER>

o  For help, use the <TAB> key to highlight the help option and 
   press <ENTER>.  You can try <TAB><H> as well.


Text Box    (Help Window)
--------
o  Use the cursor keys to scroll up/down/left/right.

o  Press <E>, <X>, <Enter> or <Esc> to exit.


Final Acceptance
----------------
With the exception of sound configuration, YOUR CHANGES ARE NOT FINAL.
You will be given a last chance to confirm them prior to exiting menuconfig.



Other information:

Menuconfig attempts to reduce the amount of time it takes to reconfigure
the kernel. 

Menuconfig keeps a cache of it's compiled configuration scripts in 
/usr/src/linux/.menuconfig.in.  This file will only be rebuilt if you
do a 'make mrproper' or if the kernel version changes.  If you make manual 
changes to any of the config.in files in the kernel source tree, you 
must remove .menuconfig.in so that menuconfig will know to rebuild it.

The windowing utility, lxdialog, will only be rebuilt if your kernel
source tree is fresh, or changes are patched into it via a kernel patch
or you do 'make mrproper'.  If changes to lxdialog are patched in, most
likely the rebuild time will be short.  You may force a complete rebuild
of lxdialog by changing to it's directory and doing 'make clean all'

NOTICE:  lxdialog requires the ncurses libraries to compile.  If you
         don't already have ncurses you really should get it.

         The makefile for lxdialog attempts to find your ncurses header
         file.  Although it should find the header for older versions of
         ncurses, it is probably a good idea to get the latest ncurses
         anyway.

WARNING: It is not recommended that you change any defines in lxdialog's
         header files.


*** IMPORTANT, OPTIONAL ALTERNATE PERSONALITY AVAILABLE ***
***                                                     ***
If you prefer to have all of the kernel options listed in a single menu, 
rather than the default multimenu hierarchy, you may edit the Menuconfig 
script and change the line "single_menu_mode="  to "single_menu_mode=TRUE".  
Don't forget to remove linux/.menuconfig.in afterwards.

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