root/scripts/README.Menuconfig

/* */

This is the Linux kernel Menuconfig README file.

Menuconfig gives the Linux kernel configuration a long needed face
lift.  Featuring text based color menus and dialogs, it does not
require X Windows.  With this utility you can easily select a kernel
option to modify without sifting 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, comments or suggestions to
William Roadcap <roadcapw@cfw.com>.

READ ON! There are hints and notices below...


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 (hotkey).
             Pressing a hotkey more than once will sequence
             through all items which use that hotkey.

o  Use the cursor keys to highlight <Select> and press <ENTER>.  
   Shortcut: Press the <SPACE BAR> or <S> if there is no item using
             <S> as it's hotkey.

o  To exit a menu use the cursor keys to highlight the <Exit> button
   and press <ENTER>.  
   Shortcut: Press <ESC><ESC> or <E> or <X> if there is no hotkey
             using those letters.  You may press a single <ESC>, but
             there is a delayed response which you may find annoying.

   Also, the <TAB> and cursor keys will cycle 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
   <S> or the <SPACE BAR>.
   Shortcut: Press the first letter of the option you wish to set then
             press <S> 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> and cursor keys will cycle between <Select> and
   <Help>


Data Entry
-----------
o  Enter the requested information and press <ENTER>
   If you are entering hexidecimal values, it is not necessary to
   add the '0x' prefix to the entry.

o  For help, use the <TAB> or cursor keys 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.  The VI editor
   keys h,j,k,l function here as do <SPACE BAR> and <B> for those
   who are familiar with less and lynx.

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


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

If Menuconfig quits with an error while saving your configuration,
you may look in the file /usr/src/linux/.menuconfig.log for
information which may help you determine the cause.


Other information:

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'

If you use Menuconfig in an XTERM window make sure you have your 
$TERM variable set to point to a xterm definition which supports color.
Otherwise, Menuconfig will look rather bad.  Menuconfig will not 
display correctly in a RXVT window because rxvt display's only one
intensity of color, bright.


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. 

         If you have upgraded your ncurses libraries, MAKE SURE you
         remove the old ncurses header files.  If you don't you
         will most certainly get a segmentation fault.

WARNING: It is not recommended that you change any defines in
         lxdialog's header files.  If you have a grayscale display and
         are brave, you may tinker with color.h to tune the colors to
         your preference.

COMPATABILITY ISSUE:
         There have been some compatability problems reported with
         older versions of bash and sed.  I am trying to work these
         out but it is preferable that you upgrade those utilities.


******** 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".

This mode is not recommended unless you have a fairly fast machine.

<END OF README>

/* */