[thelist] Lynx for Windows 98 and 2000 + a tip

[George Dillon]

Having previously tried and failed and given up in bafflement, I've now got
Lynx working in Win98 and with Apache delivering my SSI-built pages too...
No really it was nothing... in the end it was quite simple, but as it
flummoxed me for a bit I thought I'd tipify this beginner's howto:

<tip type="Getting started with Lynx for Windows 9x">

To install and use Lynx under Win9x:

1.  GETTING LYNX: Get a *compiled* version of Lynx.  I just got mine from:
http://www.fdisk.com/doslynx/lynxport.htm the current relevant file being
http://www.fdisk.com/doslynx/wlynx/lynx_w32.2.8.2rel.1.zip (674 kb)
Note that this is the most recent version as of 15th December 2000 and may
have changed by the time you read this. Of course you could try:
http://browsers.evolt.org/index.cfm/dir/lynx/

2.  INSTALLING LYNX: Unzip it using folder names to a directory of your
choice... e.g. c:/Program Files/Lynx

3.  CONFIGURING LYNX: To use it on your system you will probably need to
change a few lines in the lynx.cfg file.
3.1 If you want to test your sites OFF-LINE (while running Apache), you'll
need to change the line which begins:- STARTFILE: to something like:
STARTFILE:file://localhost/~/
3.2 If you want to access help, you'll need to change the HELPFILE: line.  I
couldn't work out how to write the path other than by drilling back to my
drive root from my localhost in my Apache htdocs directory, so here's my
clumsy-but-it-works version:
HELPFILE:file://localhost/../../../progra~1/lynx/help/lynx_help_main.html

4. RUNNING LYNX: Lynx is a command-line app, so either open a DOS window and
bash away or create a batch file to start it.  The command is "lynx URL" & I
can only get it to work if I have Apache running and point Lynx to my
localhost.  To do this using a shortcut to a batch file, try this:

4.1 Create a text file with these 2 line (adapted to your set up):
     cd c://progra~1/lynx
     lynx http://localhost/
and save it as lynx.bat
4.2 In Windows Explorer, right-click on lynx.bat, select the program tab and
(if you want to):
4.2.1 Change the Icon
4.2.2 Check Close on exit
4.2.3 Select Run: Normal window
4.3 Select the Screen tab and (if you want to):
4.3.1 Check Usage:Window
4.3.2 Check Initial Size: 50 lines
4.4 Click OK.  The dialogue will close and a new item named just 'lynx' will
appear.  Holding ctrl + shift while dragging this to your
desktop/startmenu/launchbar will then give you a shortcut.

</tip>

HTH

George