Really Useful CD 1/ReallyUsefulCD1.iso/extras/graphics/_chart/_help

Text File | 1990-04-05 | 6.4 KB | 132 lines

Application: !Chart: Version 1.0.
ReadMe File.

  The application is designed to assist in the production of
graphics that represent a value or several values up to a maximum
of 12.

  There are two major parts to the program.

  The first part takes numeric values, input from the keyboard,
summing them if desired, and transforms the result into a
histogram.  The data thus formed may then be sent to an FX type
dot matrix printer into which special characters have been
previously downloaded.  The data may also be sent to the printer
for normal printing in tabulated form.

  The second part organises the data previously input at the
keyboard, into a form suitable for drawing bars whose length is
proportionate to the values of the the data. These may then be
drawn into a Draw style window.  The result may then be saved
and/or printed, or passed to the !Draw application for editing.

  Interactive help is provided in the main window.  As this is
abbreviated of necessity, the following guide would repay careful
study.

                              Guide

  Template file.
  This resides in the application directory.  It sets the size and
other attributes of the windows.  The initial values in the
writable icons may be reset by amending the templates using the
FormEd editor. (Available from Archive).  Take care when carrying
out amendments as the application expects specific items in the
windows and may crash if they are altered.

  !Boot, !Run, !Sprites, sprites and Setprinter files are also
resident in the application directory.  They are all essential to
the correct running of the application.  Either the operating
system or the application will tell you if anything is wrong.
Examine the files if you get an inexplicable failure.  The
Setprinter file will supply the printer codes for the FX types of
printer.  It has been tested with the Canon PW-1080A.  You may
write your own codes by editing the file using the !Edit
application.  Your printer operating manual will tell you what to
do.  However, switching between the programmable character set and
normal set, and setting the line spacing, is a part of the print
function and cannot be easily changed by you.

  Operation.

N.B. Information contained in the writable window icons is read
only when a selection is made from the main window menu.  If you
make changes, reselect items from this menu.

  Setting up.
  Follow the standard procedure for the Riscos system to display
the main window.  Decide how many bars you want to print or draw,
and set the number of bars to this figure. (12 max).  Set the
label group to either months, weekdays or own-set with 1,2 or 3
respectively.  Change the bar style if you wish to.  Sixteen
special characters are downloaded when you choose this menu item.
If you choose own-set in the label group, you must select the
label item on the menu and type in the labels you want.  Three
characters only of the labels are printed at the bottom of the
bars.   Prompts are provided at the bottom of the label dialogue
box to assist you while entering the labels.

  You should now have the figures to be entered before you.  They
will either be complete for each bar or will be figures which have
to be summed to arrive at the figure for each bar.  Anything more
complicated than straight summing will have been done on a
calculator, it is assumed.

  Entering data.
  Select 'Enter data' on the menu.  A dialogue box appears. The
caret is waiting for an entry.  If summing, make entries until all
the data for the first bar has been entered and then enter '/'.
This terminating character is close to hand (or finger) on both
the keyboard and the numeric key pad.  While you are making
entries, the last entry is shown, by  count and value entered, in
the bottom slot(icon) of the dialogue box.  If summing is not
required, click on the 'Sum' icon.  Only one entry per bar is then
expected.  The first entry is for the first bar.  This is shown in
the middle slot of the dialogue box and is updated for each bar in
succession.  When you have completed the number of bars you have
requested, the dialogue box disappears.

  Printing.
  Select the print item on the main-menu-sub menu.  The tabulation
does not need the special characters so should be possible on any
printer.  In fact it can be sent to a file by setting the printer
on the icon bar to 'file'.  See page 186 of User Manual.  Before
printing a histogram you must download the special characters to
the printer.  While this is happening, the usual screen prompts about
inserting a particular disc etc. may be sent to the printer
instead of to the screen.   A command window giving help during
downloading has been provided.  Your printer should give a beep if
the download has been successful.  If you have not downloaded, the
printer may print only the heading and baseline.  The effect of
attempting a download to a non FX printer may be unhappy.

  Editing.
  Select 'Edit data' on the menu having previously set the bars to
be edited on the grid of 12 icons.  The 'enter data dialogue box'
appears waiting for an entry for the first of the selected bars.
Non selected intermediate bars are skipped.  Entries are NOT
governed by the No. of bars setting in the main window.  To print
or draw edited bars, they must be within the selected range.  E.g.
You have edited bars 3 and 6.  No. of bars == 4.  Only bar 3 would
be printed.  Amend No. of bars to 8 and both edited bars will be
printed when you reselect 'Print' on the main menu.  Of course all
other bars for which data has been entered and which are within
range, will be printed.

  Drawing.
  The drawing section of the program is a little more difficult to
operate.  All that we aim to do is to amend a drawing, previously
created in the !Draw application, by adding some precise values.
Click on the Draw item on the menu to display a drawing window.
Drag a baseline file, or other draw file, previously created on
the !Draw application, into the window.  This sets up a diagram in
memory.  On the drawing window menu, select 'Show bars' and if
there is anything to show, they will appear.  You now have a
drawing in the correct format which may be saved, printed or
edited.  What you do with it is up to you, but there are many
possibilities.  For example, bars may be horizontally presented as
in a normal bar chart.  To print, drag the saveas file icon to
your printer icon on the iconbar.

  End of Guide
  End of ReadMe