RUNFIRST

A program for opening an HTML file in the user's default browser upon inserting a CD. It is started automatically by Windows 95's autorun feature and passes the name of itself with an .HTM extension to the operating system. If this seems confusing, just follow the instructions below and all will become clear. :-)

Decide on a name for the HTML file you want to have automatically displayed. Make sure it has an 8.3 filename. Create and test the file. Then rename RUNFIRST.EXE with the same root as whatever you called the HTM file. For example, if you chose AUTORUN.HTM as the HTMLfile, rename RUNFIRST.EXE to AUTORUN.EXE.

Put the renamed RUNFIRST.EXE and your HTML file into the same folder in your CD structure. It needn't be in the root but it could be if you wish.

Create or edit a text file called AUTORUN.INF in the root directory of the CD structure to contain the following lines:

[autorun]
OPEN=[path]RUNFIRST.EXE

Replace [path] with the path to the directory in which you placed the program earlier and RUNFIRST.EXE with the name you called it when you renamed it, e.g. if you had placed AUTORUN.EXE and AUTORUN.HTM in the TOOLS directory, your AUTORUN.INF would look like this:

[autorun]
OPEN=TOOLS\AUTORUN.EXE

 Enjoy!