World of Ham Radio 1997/WOHR97_AmSoft_(1997-02-01).iso/amsoft/dos/amsoft.iii

Text File | 1997-02-01 | 16KB | 302 lines

          AmCall (tm) Ham Logbook Version 1.01 - Jan 1995

        (C)1995 Alan Freeman KC5JGP, (C)1995 AmSoft

Read ORDER.FRM file to order the enhanced DOS or WINDOWS versions of the
AmCall Logbook (tm), other AmSoft products, or AmSoft's mailing address.

NOTE:  This program is disk intensive and must operate from a fixed hard
drive.  It can run from a floppy however slower performance will occour.
It can not be run direct from CD-ROM because of it's requirement to write
data files.  Use a hard drive for AmCall.  See the Instructions below.
Please read this entire document before attempting the AmCall program.

                   Thank you

==============================================================================
  W H A T   I S   T H E   A M C A L L   A U T O M A T I C    L O G B O O K
==============================================================================

AmCall is not just another Ham logbook.  AmCall does things that no other
logbook to date has attempted.  It works interactively with AmSoft's "The
World of Ham Radio" Callsign (tm) CD-ROM to fetch the callsign data.  It
allows you to program your own defaults and pop-up picklists, to help quicken
your data entry chores.  AmSoft's Pietro de Volpi and A+ Software Company's
Alan Freeman have teamed together to give you a logbook, unlike any you have
used before, it's programmable!

The first objective of the AmCall Logbook was to eliminate as many keystrokes
and as much data entry as possible. At the same time we wanted as much speed
in access as possible too. This will become evident the first or second time
you type in a callsign.  You don't have to do a search to find if the call
sign is already in the logbook and then do an add. By default if the callsign
is already in the logbook it will be pulled up, and if not, the CD-ROM drive
will be searched for the callsign data, if the CD-ROM disk is on-line.  If it
is, the data is then imported into the logbook, temporarily, and you are
prompted as to whether you wish to add the record.  If the data is not found,
or the CD-ROM is not on-line, you are also prompted.  You can then add the
record or make changes immediately.  Any of the fields that have a red
background allow the use of AmCall's pop-up picklists.  Just press F1, and a
picklist of your favorite defaults is presented.  Use the arrow keys, or the
first letter of the menu item to insert the data into your record, or press
the ESCape key to leave the field empty or unaltered.

One thing you'll notice right off the bat if you're not accustomed to UTC
(Universal Coordinated) time, is that AmCall does the work for you.  It shows
both local and UTC time.

Another nice feature is the 256 byte memo area.  That's four lines of 64
characters.  Many of the standard Microsoft (tm) editing keys are used for
marking, cutting, pasting, line insertion or deletion, and cursor motions.

There's ample room for lots of phone numbers, too.  Seems these days everyone
has more than one or two numbers.

The AmCall program settings are stored in a text file called AMCALL.INI.  The
initialization file is easy to understand and is self documented.  Just use
any text editor to set the AmCall Logbook up your way!

AmCall has hidden power too.  If you need to import old database data, you
can use the handy IMPORT option.  If you need to do the opposite, that is
export the AmCall data, that feature has been included also.  The import and
export are command line options.  Just type AMCALL EXPORT to export your
database to an ascii delimited file. To import an ascii delimited file type
AMCALL IMPORT.  The field order for the delimited file is as follows:
CallSign, Name, QTH, Class, Date, Time, Length, Frequency, Send RST, Recv RST,
Mode, QSL Sent, QSL Recv, Power, Address, City/State/Zip, Country, Phone,
WorkPh, DataPh, FaxPh, Birthday.  This constitutes the 22 fields that are
exported and imported.  The Memo's are not exported or imported at this time.
Each item must have a parentheses before and after the data, with a comma
separating each field, i.e.., "KC5JGP", "Alan Freeman", "Fort Worth", ...

When records are deleted, the action is quick and easy, but safe.  To cut
down on hard disk and floppy disk fragmentation the database is not packed
each time a deletion occurs.  It can be pack at your convenience by typing
AMCALL PACK at your dos prompt.

Another nice feature is the printer menu.  You can print a mailing label, an
entire record, or the entire database.  The data is exported to a file called
AMCALL.LST, and in the order of entry.  But, you can rearrange the data into
sorted order by using the small batch file called SORTLIST.BAT.  Just type
SORTLIST at your dos prompt, and the AMCALL.LST data will be sorted by
callsign and exported to a file called AMCALL.SRT.  By sending the data to a
file first, you are given the opportunity to massage the data.  When you are
ready to print it, just type PRINTLST AMCALL.SRT or PRINTLST AMCALL.LST at
your dos prompt.

By far though, we're sure you'll find that the best feature of all is the
automatic search of the AmSoft CallSign (tm) CD-ROM for new entries.  We hope
you get many of good years of use from your new AmCall Logbook.  Although
AmCall will run without the CD-ROM, if you use it with the AmSoft (tm) CD-ROM
you get the added advantage of the exclusive database lookup feature.  Either
way, it's a real winner.

==============================================================================
      O P E R A T I N G   A M C A L L   O N   Y O U R   S Y S T E M
==============================================================================

To install the program AmCall from the AmSoft CD-ROM operate CDVIEW from the
root of the CD-ROM drive.  From CDVIEW go to the directory called AMCALL press
enter, you now see a file: COMPRESS.ZIP press (D)ecompress and type in the
path C:\AMCALL and press enter.  The program will be automatically installed
on your hard drive.

To bring up the program, your DOS prompt should look like this: C:\AMCALL>
(or whatever directory you installed AMCALL into).  Type AMCALL and press the
enter key.

If you put the AmSoft Callsign (tm) CD into your CD-ROM drive whenever you use
the database, you will get call automatic lookup.  Regardless of whether the
callsign data is found or not, the AmCall software will still work, once
installed to your C: drive.

Type in a callsign at the CALL field and press ENTER.  Since this is your
first entry, the system will look up the entry from the CD-ROM, and then
ask you if you wish to add it.  If you select yes, then you can travel down
through the fields by pressing the down arrow key or the enter key.  Edit
anything you wish. By pressing F1 on some fields (RED fields if using color),
you are given choices from a picklist.

Press enter until you have filled in all the fields you wish to fill in.  As
you travel from field to field you should notice that a help line at the
bottom of the screen always tells you what is expected of you for that
particular field or action.

Once you have filled in all the fields that you need, press the F2 or ESC key.
If any changes were made, you will be asked if you wish to save the record.
If you select Y, then the record is added or saved to your system.  The next
time you type that callsign, the record is retrieved from your database
instead of the CD-ROM.  You'll be amazed at the speed of the file lookups,
both with or without the CD-ROM. The database can handle nearly 33000 records,
so it's not likely that you will fill it up quickly.

REMEMBER, the CALLSIGN field is basically the home input field.  If you want
to look up a call sign, type it in.  It will come to the screen.  To look up
another, just TYPE OVER the old callsign and be sure to blank or space out
left over characters from the previous callsign.  Press ENTER to initiate the
search.  Once an individual is in the database, you cannot change his or her
call sign.  You must create a new callsign record with the new callsign and
then delete the old record (The CALLSIGN field is the key field and therefore
cannot be changed).

Almost all the features presented by the function key menu on line 25 of your
screen must be accessed while your cursor is positioned in the CALL(SIGN)
field.  To get it there, press ESCape or F2.  Always read the bottom HELP line
and line 25 assist line.

To add a memo to a file, press the F8 key, while the cursor is in the CALL
field.  Write your memo, then press the ESCape key.  The memo will be saved
automatically.

To scroll all entries in your database, press the PageUp or PageDown keys.
Each entry is shown.  When you hear the deep uhhh sounding chime, this
indicates that you have either wrapped around the end or the beginning of the
database.  This just lets you know you've made one complete cycle through the
database.  While browsing the log records in this fashion, you may edit them
by pressing the down arrow or the ENTER key.

Once you're into a record, you must press the F2-Save key to exit that record
and to continue on to another record.

You can also search for items in your database by CALL, NAME, ADDRESS, CITY,
STATE, ZIP, or QTH.  Just press the F3 key, and select the search field.  Next
enter all or part of the text you are looking for.  Press enter when you are
done.  The data in your database will be searched.  When matches are found,
they will be displayed.  Once a match has been found, press the F4 key (Again)
to look for the next match, or press the F3 key to change the search criteria.

Pressing F5 will clear the current record from the display.  This action does
not erase the record, or effect the data in any way.

Pressing the F6 key allows you to print a label, an entire record, or to port
all entries in the database to a file called AMCALL.LST.  That file is an
ascii text file that can be edited or printed as is.  It can also be sorted
by typing SORTLIST at your dos prompt.  It can be printed by typing PRINTLST
at your dos prompt.

Pressing the F8 key allows you to edit a records memo.  You can press the
shift+right arrow key to highlight text.  Pressing Control+Insert will copy
the marked text to the copy buffer.  By pressing Shift+Insert the marked text
is added to the memo.  Or you can press DELETE while text is marked to delete
it.  Control+Y deletes an entire line of text, while pressing ENTER with the
INSERT mode on adds a line.

At the printer menu, if your printer is turned off, the data will be written
to a file in the AMCALL directory.  For labels the file is AMCALL.LBL and the
file is continually appended each time you select print.  This way you can
selectively create a file for various mailings.  Use the DOS delete command
to remove the AMCALL.LBL if you wish to start over with a new label file.

For the list, the file is not appended.  It is overwritten each time with a
new list.  Remember, the disk files are only created if the printer is not
found ON.

==============================================================================
    E D I T I N G   A M C A L L . I N I   F O R   Y O U R   S Y S T E M
==============================================================================

Edit the AMCALL.INI file with your dos editor or text editor. It is a standard
ascii text file.  Read the remarks within the file for setup examples.

Be sure to set the CD-ROM drive option to the correct drive that you use for
your CD-ROM, or make it blank if you have no ROM drive.  It is defaulted to
the D:\ drive, if you use E:\ or F:\ or another drive just change it to the
drive letter your CD-ROM is installed on.

Edit the picklist menu items to fit your needs.  Edit the time zone data to
your taste.  The calculations are done for you automatically.

If you are using a monochrome or hercules monochrome monitor (non-Color
monitor), be sure to set the COLOR MONITOR = N parameter.  AmCall does not use
graphics mode, but it does use colors extensively if allowed to.

==============================================================================
    L A S T   M I N U T E   N E W S   A N D   D I S C L A I M E R
==============================================================================

A last minute bonus was added to the program.  Pressing the ALT-1 key while
in the CALLSIGN field, with turn on a 9 1/2 minute timer that will chime to
remind you to ID.  Pressing ALT-1 repeatedly toggles the TIMER off and ON.
The UHHH sound means OFF, and the DO-DUL-LOU sound means it is ON.  Also a
little symbol (like the OHMS symbol) is written to the right of the current
time to indicate the timer is on.  Once on, the timer will chime twice every
9 1/2 minutes, until turned off, or you exit the program.  Each time you exit
the program and reenter you have to turn the timer back on.

BROWSE.EXE is another program written by Alan Freeman.  You may use BROWSE to
read your favorite ascii files for non pecuniary interests only.  BROWSE.EXE
is not shareware, freeware, or public domain.  Vendors may not sell, duplicate
or use browse.exe.

As mentioned earlier, the AmCall Logbook program does not require the use of
the CD-ROM, however the use of it greatly enhances the power of this program.

Neither AmSoft or the author, Alan Freeman, warrant this program to completely
be free of defects.  While every attempt has been made to make this program
run as specified and free of defects, we must specify that the final judgment
to use or not to use the program is yours, you are without recourse for this.

==============================================================================
     H A V E   L O T S   O F   F U N   -   7 3   F R O M    A M S O F T
==============================================================================


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