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@video @macro key,'@keys bright,yellow,blue' @macro win_text @win line1,column40,depth22,width38 @out cyan @endm @macro win_text_r @win line1,column40,depth22,width38 @out red @endm @macro magenta,'@col char,white,magenta' @macro yr,'@col char,yellow,red' @macro yb,'@col char,yellow,blue' @macro bc @dim @col char,black,cyan @endm @macro bg @dim @col char,black,green @endm @macro cr,'@col char,cyan,red' @map #,9c @nf map @col page,white,blue @gon @double_line @border cyan 0 7--------8------8------8--2----8--------8--------8-------9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-8-2-8-9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-8-8-5-8-9 0 0 7--5--9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-----------3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7--8--5--8--9 7--8--8--5--8--8--8--8--9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1---------9 7--5--8--9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7--2-8--9 7---5---9 Menus nesting 7--8-2-8--9 0 0 0 Quiet Please! 0 0 7--5--8--8--9 7----------------------3 0 0 0 7---8-2-8--------9 7--8--8-2-8--8--9 0 0 7--5--9 7--8--5--8--8--9 0 7--8--5--8--9 @col char,white,red @win line18,column2,depth5,width21,pattern 176 A representation of the menu structure in INTRO... @end @nf help @col char,cyan,blue @win line13,column2,depth10,width36 A highlight memory facility is used to help navigation through the task: When a menu is entered for the first time: the 1st topic is highlighted. When a menu is re-entered: The topic highlighted when was last hit for that menu is highlighted. Press F1 on main-menu for more help. @end @nf 1 @col page,cyan,blue @bbmenu cyan,blue $key$ @border cyan An introduction to Taskmaster @win line1,column2,depth10,width38,pattern 177 @out cyan Main menu {What is Shareware? } {What is Taskmaster? } {Who needs Taskmaster? } {Why choose Taskmaster? } {Where do I start? } {Which machines run Taskmaster? } {Programming } {Purchasing Taskmaster } $win_text$ Introduction Welcome to FmP Taskmaster; the menu system that is not just a menu system. Whilst a menu is displayed you can highlight a topic in several ways: 1. Press <space> 2. Press or or or . 3. Press the 1st letter of a topic 4. Press a highlighted character When the topic you are interested in is highlighted press (not required if you press a highlighted character). Press <esc> to move back up the menu structure; you are now at the top so pressing <esc> will exit Taskmaster. @use 'Select topic, then press or press <esc> to quit this task' @end @nf 11 @bbmenu cyan,blue $key$ @win line2,column3,depth6,width36,pattern 176 @out cyan What is Shareware? {Try before you buy } {Registration } {Trial period } {Copying the Shareware disc } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 111 $magenta$ $win_text$ Try before you buy The shareware concept allows you to try Taskmaster for a month before you are obligated to register (i.e. purchase) the right to use it indefinitely. If you don't think you need Taskmaster you can simply erase the software and you have no further obligations. If you feel that Taskmaster cannot meet your need because of a perceived inadequacy in the product please inform us of your requirements. Perhaps you have missed a vital piece in the jigsaw and Taskmaster is suitable after all. We rely on feedback to improve the product and its presentation. @end @nf 112 $magenta$ $win_text$ Registration I am sure you can appreciate that Taskmaster has taken literally years of development. This development is on-going. When you register you will be sent the latest version of Taskmaster. There are many other benefits. To register simply send a payment of forty five pounds sterling to FmP, Market Square Chambers, Congleton, CW12 1ET England. You may also pay by VISA or Mastercard by phone. North American users may prefer to register with MVP Software Inc, 1035 Dallas SE, Grand Rapids MI 49507. Buying Professional Taskmaster is an alternative to registration. @end @nf 113 $magenta$ $win_text$ Trial period You are free to Try Taskmaster for 30 days before choosing to: 1. Delete and make no further use of any part of Taskmaster 2. Register with FmP or MVP by making the appropriate payment 3. Buy a pre-registered copy 4. Buy the Professional version of Taskmaster Remember that it is a criminal offence to continue using Taskmaster without registering it. @end @nf 114 $magenta$ $win_text$ Copying the Shareware disc Please feel free to copy Taskmaster to your friends and colleagues. A mechanism is provided to make this easy in OVERVIEW task. You may of course use diskcopy to make copies of your original disk. Please do not use any other method. We wish to maintain the integrity of copies of Taskmaster. The above mentioned methods of duplication are the best ways to ensure this. @end @nf 12 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth8,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan What is Taskmaster {Menu system } {Replacement for Batch } {Front-end } {Security system } {Your personal software slave } {Your machine's master } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 121 $bc$ $win_text_r$ Menu system Taskmaster is an extremely powerful menu system. Like any useful menu system it needs to be set up before becoming useful. Taskmaster is, we believe, unique in that it can be set up either by non-programmers or by programmers. If you are a non-programmer you can use CONFIG or take the opportunity to begin programming in Taskmaster (an ideal place to start). Programming is easier than you think and will be more rewarding and produce results over which you have total control. This flexibility sets it apart from all other menu systems we know of. @bright @end @nf 122 $bc$ $win_text_r$ Replacement for Batch Just as the MS-DOS batch processor interprets BATCH commands found in a file with an extension of BAT, Taskmaster interprets PROTEAN commands which it reads from a file with a filetype of TSK. The difference is that the commands of the batch language are few and very limited but those of Taskmaster are many and powerful. @bright @end @nf 123 $bc$ $win_text_r$ Front-end Most use of a computer involves interaction with people, displaying information for them to read and obtaining replies to questions. This is the type of use for which Taskmaster was designed. Taskmaster excels at launching other applications. When it does so it can be made to shrink to less than 2k and still wake up when the application exits. Another major area is that of file handling. I.e. the storage and retrieval of information in files. Taskmaster can do this also but it should be remembered that this is really the preserve of PROTEAN. @bright @end @nf 124 $bc$ $win_text_r$ Security system Taskmaster has many features which help you maintain the security of your computers. In Taskmaster, all security features are optional; you apply those which suit the installation. Briefly these include: Access via Passwords and usernames. Preventing access to the system prompt. Preventing other applications allowing access to the system prompt. Controlling access to files and directories. @bright @end @nf 125 $bc$ $win_text_r$ Your personal software slave You can train Taskmaster to do your bidding. Once taught, Taskmaster never tires of the tasks assigned. Just consider the implications of an INTELLIGENT, fully customisable menu system. Ask it to launch applications, check that they ran successfully, or take remedial action if they didn't. Ask it to backup important files or process output from one application to hand to a subsequent one. @bright @end @nf 126 $bc$ $win_text_r$ Your machine's master Taskmaster won't make mistakes. It can detect errors caused by applications and utilities not performing as expected and take corrective actions. Taskmaster effectively sits between the unfriendly operating system and the screen and keyboard. Taskmaster is therefore called a user- interface. It will make your machine offer you a friendly face whilst dealing with the operating system for you. Taskmaster can perform its tasks either on demand or at specific times and dates. @bright @end @nf 13 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth7,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Who needs Taskmaster? {Computer users } {Computer Traders } {Language students } {Non-Programmers } {Programmers } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 131 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line3,column4,depth5,width35,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Computer users {Novice end users } {System administrators } {Busy Computer professionals } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 1311 $cr$ $win_text$ Novice end users Novices are people with limited computer experience. They are often intimidated by computers. They need: 1. A friendly interface. 2. Help when they get stuck. 3. Relief from having to learn about the operating system (it can be hard enough to learn the applications). 4. Safeguards to prevent accidental damage to important files. 5. The means to record their actions to help support staff. In a word: Taskmaster. @end @nf 1312 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line4,column5,depth7,width34,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan System administrators {To make systems more secure } {To provide on-line help } {To minimise training } {Encourage computer-phobics } {Avoid silly and costly errors } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 13121 $cr$ $win_text$ To make systems more secure Hacking and viruses are a real threat to companies whose PC are open to casual users. No system can be totally secure. Very high security is costly and or makes great demands on system resources slowing response times. The security features offered by Taskmaster are enough for all but a few percent of installations. If you use virus scanning software this can in all probability be automated by Taskmaster. For instance Taskmaster could be made to run the virus check when the machine is idle (recording details of run time), perhaps when the operator has gone to lunch. @end @nf 13122 $cr$ $win_text$ To provide on-line help This task is an example of a help system. It was written in a couple of days. This task is very flexible as one can take a form and make it into a menu with several new forms leading from it WITHOUT ALTERING A LINE OF CODE. All the words are present in forms and menus all of which are contained in the forms file. This can simply be edited and once SCR has been run again the new forms and menus are present and operational. This is form 13122. Selection 2 from menu 1312, which was selection 2 from menu 131, which was selection 1 from menu 13, which was selection 3 from menu 1. Too simple for words. @end @nf 13123 $cr$ $win_text$ To minimise training When a new user is given a PC, the whole machine is a mystery. You may not remember this situation. It is being repeated daily the world over. The natural reaction is to send them away for training. Most of this training is geared towards learning things they shouldn't have to know. Taskmaster can be used to shield the novice user from the pain they would otherwise suffer learning the complexities of DOS and enable them to concentrate on learning the application(s). @end @nf 13124 $cr$ $win_text$ Encourage computer-phobics Many people never 'take' to computers. They feel that the machine is so un-forgiving that it is not worth the effort of learning how to 'drive' it. Many executives have far too many pressures on their valuable time to spend it wrestling with DOS. Taskmaster can make it all so much easier to get on with the job in hand. It takes un-believers and makes them enthusiasts. @end @nf 13125 $cr$ $win_text$ Avoid silly and costly mistakes How many horror stories must we hear about people playing with FORMAT or FDISK and destroying weeks, months or even years worth of effort? Taskmaster can effectively prevent users making this kind of mistake. @end @nf 1313 $cr$ $win_text$ Busy Computer professionals How much time is spent repeating complex and tedious sequences of commands? The more complex a sequence of commands the more prone it is to error and the less likely it is to lend itself to a BATCH file solution. Taskmaster isn't just for novices or System administrators; it is also the flexible tool that professionals require. @end @nf 132 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line3,column4,depth5,width35,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Computer Traders {To attract 1st time buyers } {Wanting a custom solution } {Systems-Integrators } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 1321 $cr$ $win_text$ Wishing to attract first time buyers Customers who would otherwise be intimidated and say 'Maybe next year!' can be persuaded to buy today. They will be more than willing to come back to the trader with that little bit extra and pay for it! @end @nf 1322 $cr$ $win_text$ Wanting a custom solution In the fiercely competetive hardware marketplace it is becoming more and more difficult to sell on price. What traders need is a way to make a particular machine attractive to a particular customer. With the aid of Taskmaster he can do this with the minimum of effort and the maximum personalisation. @end @nf 1323 $cr$ $win_text$ Integration of existing systems Whatever the customer's needs in terms of applications, they can be integrated by Taskmaster into a coherent whole. Even if they come from a variety of sources they can be made to look as if they do not (at least until they are launched). @end @nf 133 $cr$ $win_text$ Language students Thinking of learning to program? Now you have the perfect first language: Taskmaster. As soon as you want to get more adventurous you can move up to PROTEAN building on the skills you have learned and creating applications with exactly the same user interface. Multi-user or client server needs? PROTEAN can even cope with these. @end @nf 134 $cr$ $win_text$ Non-Programmers Even if today you don't want to be able to 'program' Taskmaster you can use the pre-configured tasks CONFIG and STANDARD which will offer the same facilities as 'the best of the rest' of menu products. One day you may need to have that flexibility. It would be a pity if you were stuck with an inflexible competitive product then. @end @nf 135 $cr$ $win_text$ Programmers Programmers may wish to use Taskmaster for a whole variety of reasons: They may like to use Taskmaster to front-end their works. They may want to build a program development harness with Taskmaster to help edit, compile and test in their chosen language. Perhaps they just like the flexibility Taskmaster offers or they might have ambitions to move up to PROTEAN. @end @nf 14 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth11,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Why choose Taskmaster {Mature and well proven } {Taskmaster is portable } {You can't grow out of it } {You design 'look-and-feel' } {Restricted access } {Low machine overhead } {Built in POPUP commands } {Integrates existing systems } {Avaliable for Networks } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 141 $bg$ $win_text$ @translate Mature and well proven Taskmaster has a long pedigree. It has been a commercial product retailing for #325 before being enhanced and offered as shareware for #45. Taskmaster is just part of the PROTEAN language which is used extensively by public utilities in 'mission critical' applications. @bright @end @nf 142 $bg$ $win_text$ Taskmaster is portable Taskmaster will run on virtually any MS-DOS machine. It is also available for CDOS, Unix and XENIX. (All trademarks acknowledged). @bright @end @nf 143 $bg$ $win_text$ You can't grow out of it Taskmaster is a sub-set of PROTEAN. What this means is that Taskmaster commands are actually PROTEAN commands. There are many more commands in PROTEAN than there are in Taskmaster. This is because Taskmaster is intended for Job Control and menuing whereas PROTEAN is a fully-fledged High Level 4GL language. Once you have mastered Taskmaster and need to develop more complex applications, you will find it very easy to move up to PROTEAN because much of it will already be familiar. @bright @end @nf 144 $bg$ $win_text$ You design its 'look-and-feel' Unlike other MENU products which impose a specific user-interface on you, Taskmaster allows you to create one that actually suits you. Other menu products may super- ficially appear more attractive; you must remember however that you are probably stuck with their appearance, e.g. the headings, the number of options, fixed copyright messages and the general layout etc. With Taskmaster you are in control and you decide what is displayed. @bright @end @nf 145 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line3,column4,depth6,width35,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Restricted access {To the prompt } {Via passwords } {Via User groups } {Via Hidden attribute} @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 1451 $bg$ $win_text$ Can prevent access to the prompt Perhaps some of your machines are susceptible to intrusion by unwanted users. Maybe you fear that an inquisitive or malicious person will erase or corrupt your system. Perhaps it holds private or sensitive information,e.g. personnel records or company finances. Taskmaster has several very effective ways of preventing such unauthorised access including preventing access to the system prompt. This severely restricts an intruder's ability to access or destroy your valuable data. @bright @end @nf 1452 $bg$ $win_text$ Can demand password entry Passwords are a well established method of allowing access to only authorised users. Taskmaster passwords are maintained by EUC, the End User Computing option, which is supplied when you register Taskmaster. The catalogue is held in an encrypted format so is resistant to hacking. @bright @end @nf 1453 $bg$ $win_text$ User group flexibility When an end user is introduced to the catalogue via EUC he is assigned a User Group number. When the user logs in to Taskmaster by supplying the correct username and password the user group number is passed back to the task. The task can make intelligent use of this number to grant access to applications as appropriate to that user's status in the organisation. One could for instance allow users in group 50 only, access to the accounts system. @bright @end @nf 1454 $bg$ $win_text$ Hiding of files and direcories The DOS HIDDEN attribute for files and directories can be directly manipulated by Taskmaster. This has many possible uses including hiding diretories before shutting down the system. No standard DOS utility allows the manipulation of this attribute. Taskmaster can also directly mani- pulate all other DOS attributes. @bright @end @nf 146 $bg$ $win_text$ Low machine overhead Taskmaster for MS-DOS is implemented in 8086 Assembler. This makes it fast, compact and efficient. If Taskmaster's RAM residency is too large to allow the loading of a particularly large application you may load the application with the LARGE command instead of the RUN command. In this case, Taskmaster shrinks to less that 2k before the large application loads. @bright @end @nf 147 $bg$ $win_text$ Sophisticated screen handling POPUPS allow an area of screen that already contains data to be overwritten temporarily with some new information and subsequently restored. Taskmaster has a comprehensive set of commands to make this possible. You may even save the entire screen and subsequently restore it, say after running an application. @bright @end @nf 148 $bg$ $win_text$ Can integrate existing systems Taskmaster can find out whether an application has completed successfully by actually reading the text of the screen. For example when WordStar saves and exits it outputs the word 'Saving' on line 4 of the screen. Taskmaster can read this to determine if the file needs to be backed up for example. @bright @end @nf 149 $bg$ $win_text$ Available in Networking version Taskmaster is available in a version for Novell networks. This is known as Professional Taskmaster. Instead of registering the Shareware version you may purchase the Professional version. Professional Taskmaster users have the benefit of some extra commands as well as the features enabled by it being Netware aware. The EUC supplied with the Netware version is also multi-user. @bright @end @nf 15 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth5,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Where do I start? {How to invoke Taskmaster } {The examples supplied } {The on-line manuals } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 151 @col char,blue,cyan @dim $win_text$ How to invoke Taskmaster The Shareware version of Taskmaster always loads with 2 initial screens. These you may find annoying. They are a gentle reminder that you have yet to register. The registered and Professional versions have a /q flag which suppresses the first of these LOGON screens. The second screen - the Registration screen is not displayed by registered or professional versions. The Taskmaster interpreter is called TM.EXE and may be invoked without parameters. This action will cause it to display further details about how to load it! @bright @end @nf 152 @col char,blue,cyan @dim $win_text$ The examples supplied There are a number of applications supplied with the shareware version of Taskmaster. It is envisaged that users will initially gain access to them via the OVERVIEW task though this is not mandatory. Please note that OVERVIEW loads certain of the demonstration tasks with a flag set to make the task behave in a low-security mode. Failure to set this flag may mean that the only way to exit from Taskmaster is to reboot the machine. That is the cost of security. @bright @end @nf 153 @col char,blue,cyan @dim $win_text$ The on-line manuals Two tasks are supplied describing in some detail the commands and system variables and basic concepts of Taskmaster and the directives available in SCR. No on-line documentation can replace the printed manual. You may purchase a printed manual at registration time. The on-line manuals may be printed to disc in a format suitable for printers supporting the IBM Graphic character set. See PRINTMAN and PRINTSCR tasks. @bright @end @nf 16 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth6,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Which machines support Taskmaster {Virtually any IBM PC Compatible } {Certain Multi-user CDOS machine } {Certain Unix machines } {Clones running Xenix } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 161 @col char,white,green $win_text$ Virtually any IBM PC Compatible Taskmaster has been written to run on generic MS-DOS. If you find any problems running Taskmaster on any machine/video/dos combination please report it to FmP. We can only fix problems we know about! @end @nf 162 @col char,white,green $win_text$ Certain Multi-user CDOS machine Taskmaster was originally written for CCP/M (remember that?). It was later supported on CDOS on these and other machines. The CDOS version of Taskmaster is separately sourced from the MS-DOS version (it is a CMD file not an EXE file). The CDOS version is not available as Shareware. @end @nf 163 @col char,white,green $win_text$ Certain Unix machines There is also a Taskmaster for Unix System V that is currently available for certain ICL machines. We will be pleased to make it more widely available if a commercial need is presented. @end @nf 164 @col char,white,green $win_text$ Clones running Xenix The Unix system V version of Taskmaster is also available on Xenix 386. @end @nf 17 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth6,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Programming {The Basic task } {Security features } {Menus } {Data capture } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 171 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line3,column4,depth5,width35,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan The Basic task {Task layout } {Developing Templates } {Core commands } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 1711 $yr$ $win_text$ Task layout All tasks must follow the same basic layout: Data declarations END command Executable code ENDTASK command @VIDEO Screen data @EOF Taskmaster ceases to read the source if and when it encounters an ENDTASK command. SCR starts to process the file into templates after it encounters the @video directive. @end @nf 1712 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line4,column5,depth7,width34,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Developing templates {Format of forms file } {Format of a form } {Default actions } {Separate development } {Processing forms } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 17121 $yr$ $win_text$ Format of forms file The @video directive signals to SCR that it should start forms processing. This allows forms information to be located in the TSK file along with Task information. SCR simply ignores all lines before the @vid directive. Then come the forms themselves. There can be any number subject to the size of the index (practical limit is about 150 per forms file). If your editor doesn't add ^Z at end of file (most do) end with @eof. Summary of forms file structure: @VID {{one or more forms}} @EOF @end @nf 17122 $yr$ $win_text$ Format of each form Each form has a name. The name is declared using an @nf directive. To name a form FRED you would use @nf FRED. Each form ends with @END. Everything in between @nf and @END is treated as text (unless it is a directive, which all start with @ in column 0 - or it is a special character). A CLEAR SCREEN will normally occur before the form is displayed. Summary of form structure: @nf formname {{1-24 lines text}} {{plus any number of directives}} @END @end @nf 17123 $yr$ $win_text$ Default actions Each new form that is displayed will be in the default colours and at the default intensity. These may be changed by @DEFAULTS directive. By default, forms always clear the screen before they are displayed, which is of course not always desirable and can therefore be prevented. Also by default, Taskmaster clears the screen after displaying a template. This also can be prevented. @end @nf 17124 $yr$ $win_text$ Separate development The development of templates can be treated as a quite separate activity from the development of the rest of the task. The template source need not even reside in the same file as the task source. It may if desired reside in a file with a filetype of MAC. @end @nf 17125 $yr$ $win_text$ Processing forms Before a template can be displayed it needs to be processed. This makes it efficient and fast to display. Templates are edited as SOURCE CODE which contains a number of commands which are known as directives. The Template source code is processed by SCR.EXE; the Screen Template Processor. SCR creates an output file with an extension of .OVR. Each OVR file can have up to 150 odd templates and may be used by any number of tasks. @end @nf 1713 $yr$ $win_text$ Core commands Having processed the forms and created your OVR file, the next job is to get Taskmaster to display them for you. Each form has a name. To display a text-only template, we use the PUT command. Before doing this we must make sure that the forms file has been opened and is ready for use by means of the FORMS command. This is normally one of the first commands in a task. @end @nf 172 $yr$ $win_text$ Security features To prevent users breaking out of Taskmaster using control_c or control_break: DISABLE CTRL_C Certain applications, once loaded, allow other applications to be called. To prevent this: DISABLE SHELLING To prevent a task exiting to DOS don't let it execute a STOP command. @end @nf 173 $yr$ $win_text$ Menus Example SCR code follows: @nf main_menu @bbmenu cyan,blue {{First topic}} {{Second topic}} {{Third topic}} The task part: MENU 1,'MAIN_MENU' Option 1,1 option 1 code return Option 1,2 Option 1,3 option 2 and 3 code return endm 1 @end @nf 174 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth8,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Data capture {Simple screens } {High level commands } {Easy screen design } {Editing capability } {Interacting with users } {Obtaining the validated data } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 1741 $yr$ $win_text$ Simple screens Here is a screen of text, which was entered using a wordprocessor. In Taskmaster, screens are known as templates. Some are simple like this one and only contain text. Others contain fields for data entry and are known as forms. Menus are another special kind of template. @end @nf 1742 $yr$ $win_text$ High level commands No matter how complex a template is it is displayed using a single PUT command. It may clear the screen before and/or after display. If it contains fields for data capture these can be pre-filled with information that can be edited prior to being validated. For example to edit and validate 5 fields using 3 commands: FIELDFILL TITLE FORE SUR CNO SPD PUT EDIT_DETAILS GET TITLE FORE SUR CNO SPD @end @nf 1743 $yr$ $win_text$ Easy screen design The placement of the fields on the screen, the wording of the prompts and the nature of the validation to be performed are all defined in the form called EDIT_DETAILS. @nf edit_details @str min1 @str @str min1 @str @dec minint,maxint,minplace,maxplace Title [[Mr ]] Forename [[fred ]] Surname [[bloggs ]] Customer ref [[23443]] Order value [[23.22 ]] @end @end @nf 1744 $yr$ $win_text$ Editing capability The fieldfill command has the effect of pre-filling the data entry fields in the next form to be displayed with the PUT command. @end @nf 1745 $yr$ $win_text$ Interacting with users The PUT command displays a template on the screen. If the template has data capture fields, then it also allows editing of the contents of these fields using INS and DEL keys. When the user presses the key the current contents of the fields will be validated in accordance with the field types. Any errors will be flagged by making the opening feet flash. Only when the fields pass all the validation checks will the PUT command complete. @end @nf 1746 $yr$ $win_text$ Obtaining the validated data After a PUT command that references a template containing fields, the data from the fields is moved into datatypes named in a subsequent GET command (or commands). Note that the GET command need not immediately follow the PUT command. @end @nf 18 @bbmenu cyan,blue @win line2,column3,depth8,width36,pattern 176 $key$ @out cyan Purchasing Taskmaster {The software only } {The printed manual } {Support } {How do I register } {User group } {Extra utilities } @use 'Select topic then press or press <esc> to quit this menu' @end @nf 181 $yb$ $win_text$ @translate Shareware Taskmaster - software only If you find the on-line manuals sufficiently comprehensive for your needs you can register for #45. The task PRINTMAN.TSK will allow you to print selected sections from the on-line Taskmaster manual. The task PRINTSCR.TSK will allow you to print selected sections from SCRMAN; the on-line SCR manual. @end @nf 182 $yb$ $win_text$ @translate The printed manual This costs an additional #20 It is an A5 ring bound volume running to 300 odd pages and includes at least twice the detail of the on-line versions. @end @nf 183 $yb$ $win_text$ Support Once registered, you are entitled to free support for 3 months. Further support (including automatic provision of any updates), can be purchased at extra cost. Purchasers Professional Taskmaster will be entitled to hotline support. @end @nf 184 $yb$ $win_text$ How do I register To register, simply follow the details displayed when you load Taskmaster. @end @nf 185 $yb$ $win_text$ User group FmP would be pleased to pool user generated information and ideas. We would, therefore, welcome the formation of an independent user group with whom we would be willing to liase on technical matters. @end @nf 186 $yb$ $win_text$ Extra utilities Registration has other benefits besides furthering the shareware concept and easing your conscience. We will supply EUC which will allow you to implement username, password and user-group security measures in your tasks. EUC also allows you to find out who is making use of the system, when they last logged in, which application they attempted to load and the operating system response. We will also supply a copy of TIDY.EXE which automatically edits your source code to correctly indent and otherwise improve it. @end @eof