Program Opener - Prop2 
                               James Burnley and Ron Ghosh 
                   http://www.ill.fr/computing/cs-software/all-software/
                             Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble

Prop is a tool for running programs and providing basic means for examining printer files 
and graphical output for programs ported directly to WINDOWS from unix and X-window 
graphics.  It creates an environment within which programs are run, and simplifies printing and plotting results on PCs.

INTRODUCTION
Data analysis programs were initially developed as dialogues between the user and the 
program, each answer being checked for logical consistency.  Command driven 
programs subsequently developed required further syntax checks, evolving into the 
visual GUI packages more acceptable today to the infrequent user.  Many early programs 
remain in use today.

Running these early programs on WINDOWS requires that the environment, often set 
up in a "login" script on a traditional operating system (Unix, VMS).  This is not 
easily setup for these programs unless a batch file is created.  A predecessor 
"helper" program writing such batch files was RSAS. In addition the results must be 
capable of being printed easily on a WINDOWS printer, as too must graphical output.

Prop provides an easily tailored solution where different projects can group together 
programs, raw data (stored apart since typically they are merely local copies from a 
permananent archive), and work-file directories constituting a set.

LAUNCHING Prop
The installation procedure places Prop in the Start/Program menu; a shortcut may also 
be placed on the desktop.  In the program's directory there are html helpfiles which 
can be browsed.  The program restarts with the last project used, or prompts for
information on a work directory, raw data directory, program directory etc. to create 
a new project.  Clicking to select a program then launches that desired program.  A 
work tab switches the view to the files stored in the working directory; clicking on 
these brings the file up in an editor for examination or printing.  PGPLOT graphics 
are drawn in a shared window with menu options to fix the size and position, as well 
as to print results.

CONFIGURING
The menu options allow the current project to be modified or saved as a new project.  
A limited list of previous projects is conserved, ready for re-use.

INSTALLATION and REMOVAL
Prop is installed using the Microsoft installer (click on filename prop_2.4.msi) s, which defines where it will be stored, and it can then be deleted using the standard add/remove program option in the 
"Settings/Control panel"  START-menu. 


R. Ghosh, Epsom, November 2015