How To Start Up Your
"Porta-SiMPLE" Flash Drive

Simply plug your "Porta-SiMPLE" flash drive into a USB port on any Windows computer. (If a "gray box" appears, select the "Open folder to view files" option.)

A window should open displaying the contents of your flash drive. (If the window fails to appear, just use your "My Computer" to display the contents of your flash drive.) In the window, find the multi-colored ball¹ labeled "Fetch The Proper Icons".

¹[The icon may be some other image, depending on the version of Windows that is running on the host computer.]

Each time you plug in your "Porta-SiMPLE" flash drive, you should first double-click the "Fetch The Proper Icons" icon (even if the "proper" icons already seem to be present in the window). A new black window (displaying the word "Working...") will appear for a moment.*

(With Windows 7, another preliminary black window might also appear momentarily.)

When the black window(s) disappear, you should see a "Drop SiMPLE Listing Here" icon, a "S i M P L E" icon, and a "SiMPAINT" icon in the flash drive's window:²

²[Some of the icons may be other images, depending on the
version of Windows that is running on the host computer.]

*NOTE: If the host computer is using an older version of Windows (such as Windows "Me", etc.), double-clicking the "Fetch The Proper Icons" icon might do absolutely nothing. In this event, you will need to use the "Old Fetch The Proper Icons" icon instead. (This older icon can be found directly inside the SiMPLE folder.)

SiMPLE can be used in either "Drag & Drop" mode (for beginners & non-programmers), or in "Command-line" mode (for intermediate/advanced users):

• To use SiMPLE in "Drag & Drop" mode, merely drag any SiMPLE source listing document onto the "Drop SiMPLE Listing Here" icon. (If you'd like to try it, the folder named "SiMPLE Samples" contains some SiMPLE source listings that have already been created for you.)
  
  
• To use SiMPLE in "Command-Line" mode, just double-click the "S i M P L E" icon.

*[If you are using a "restricted" computer (such as ones found at public schools, libraries, etc.),
"Command-Line mode" might not work. You may need to be logged on as an "administrator".]

The SiMPAINT program is used to create your own graphics images. To use SiMPAINT, just double-click the "SiMPAINT" icon.

Have Fun Using Your "Porta-SiMPLE!"

[The Porta-SiMPLE Flash Drive first determines the drive letter that it has been assigned, and the version of Windows that the host computer is running. It then uses this information to fetch the proper start-up icons for SiMPLE. Once these icoms are available, they may be re-used indefinitely thereafter. It is not necessary to fetch them again unless you change host computers (or unless you plug the Flash Drive into a different USB slot).]