The Ultimate Shareware Collection

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ The Ultimate Shareware Collection / TheUltimateSharewareCollect.cdr / lb.hlp < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1992-04-28 | 27.9 KB | 683 lines

\i Help on Help \i LookBook Reader Help ∙ Copyright 1990-92 ∙ Red Oak Data Systems, Inc. Browsing Help ───────────── The help text (and other text) can be reviewed by using the cursor keys to scroll through the text. The \iDOWN\i and UP arrow keys move forward and backward in the text one line at a time. The \iPgDn\i and PgUp keys move forward and backward in the text one screen at a time. The current line indicator (\i">"\i) in the far left screen column marks your cursor key movement and the percent sign (\i"%"\i) shows your relative position in the help text file. You may alter the display of the current line by pressing the \i"Aa"\i key ("Aa" means any shift status) to cycle through three possible display attributes -- normal, highlight and intensified. The current line must be on a text line for you to see the effect of the attribute change. The current line can be "anchored" on any chosen line of the display screen by turning on the \iscroll-lock\i feature. The scroll-lock feature's file positioning can cause slower floppy disks to thrash. If you experience an annoying amount of thrashing, you may wish to avoid this feature. You may go directly to specific help topics by pressing the \i"F8"\i function key to obtain a list of topics to choose from. You also can use \iCtrl-PgDn\i and Ctrl-PgUp while browsing to jump to the next or previous topic. The \iESCAPE\i or ENTER keys are used to exit help and return to the program. NOTE: You can print this help file by selecting the "F10=Print" option. There are 14 pages of text. \i Program Overview \i Paged Document's "Book" Presentation ────────────────────────────────────── The second screen line will show the type of file you are currently reading. It will either say "Paged Document" or "DOS Text". If it says "Paged Document", you are viewing a document that has been "paged" like a traditional book (or manual, catalog newsletter, etc.). The reader presents these "paged documents" in an environment that looks and acts like a traditional book -- letting you use your computer text as you normally use printed text. The reader lets you "turn" pages via the \iCtrl-PgUp\i & PgDn keys and go directly to pages using the "F5=Goto" function. Also, the reader provides support functions that let you perform other traditional book operations such as: ■ Opening to pages from a Table of Contents. ■ Context look up from "back of the book" style Index. ■ Book marking with date stamping and contexts. ■ Writing notes and linking them to pages. Document and Support Views ────────────────────────── ┌──────╖ ┌────────╖ ┌──────╖ F8 │Topics║<─┐ │ ║ ┌─>│Topics║ F8 ╘══════╝ │ │Document║╖ │ ╘══════╝ ┌────────╖<┘ │ Text ║║ └>┌────────╖ │ Table ║ │ ║║ │ Text ║ F3 │ of ║<─────>│ ║║<──────>│ Index ║ F2 │Contents║ ┌─>╘════════╝║<─┐ │ List ║ ╘════════╝ │ ╘════════╝ │ ╘════════╝ │ │ ┌───────╖ │ │ ┌───────────╖ F6 │ Notes ║<──┬┘ └┬>│ Bookmarks ║ F4 ╘═══════╝ | | ╘═══════════╝ | ┌─────────────╖ | └>│ LB_ED or ║<┘ │User's Editor║ ╘═════════════╝ "Views" ─────── The term "views" is used here to describe the document and supporting functions' review screens. Browsing the document and support views works just like the review of this help information (see Browsing Help). To understand the format and use of a views' text you must think of each view as consisting of lines as they would appear on a printed page, or be included in a typical computer print file. The program presents these lines for you to read. When possible, the program will use the text according to the unique purpose of a view -- such as retrieving a page gleaned from the text of the Table of Contents. DOS Text ──────── DOS text refers to a file structure commonly used to store ASCII text on DOS computers. The structure of these files allows them to be read or printed "as is". Common examples of DOS text files are "readme" and print report type files. When using the reader with DOS text files you will have access to all the reader's features except the "Index View". Also, the "Table of Contents View" will only be available when a prepared table file exists. \i ALT \i Key for Function Descriptions ─────────────────────────────────── The reader's abbreviated function descriptions are explained via drop down windows that you summon with the ALT key. You can move through the description windows by using the LEFT and RIGHT cursor arrow keys. Pressing the ENTER key will select the current window's function. Functions also can be selected by using the function key or the \ifirst letter\i of the function description. The first letter method also works when selecting options within a function. Using \i"F7=Search"\i to Locate Text in Views ─────────────────────────────────────── You can search each view, including this help view, to find words and phrases. Upon selecting the "F7=Search" function you must enter the phrase you wish to locate. If a previous search phrase exists you must use either the "Rr", "Ss" or "Esc" keys to edit or erase the retained phrase. You may toggle the case sensitivity of a search by pressing the "F7" key after the entering the search text. After entering your search text you can start a forward search by pressing either the ENTER key or the DOWN ARROW key. The UP ARROW key starts a backward search. The locator column shows the search's progress by placing the percent sign according to the current search location. The search can be aborted by pressing any letter key or the space bar. At the completion of a successful search the program highlights and centers the search text. Using the ENTER Key Shortcut ──────────────────────────── The ENTER key can be used to switch between the document view and the last used support view. This "shortcuts" the normal function or "first letter" keystroke and aids in making repeated references to and from a support view. The ESCAPE Key ────────────── Use the ESCAPE key when you wish to end or back out of a choice path. The program protects you by providing prompts to guide you through problem situations. "Option Not Available" ────────────────────── When using the reader in a supporting role such as on-line help, you may encounter an "Option Not Available" message. This means that the preparer has decided to block your access to the option for programming reasons. \i Document View \i Document Structure and Use ────────────────────────── The document view is the focal point of the program. The program opens to and exits from this view. Also, access to the support views start from and return to the document view. Initial document opening is at the top of the document where paged documents often include specific preparer instructions. Current Line ">" ──────────────── The current line, indicated by a greater than sign (">"), has two important purposes. First, it signifies the beginning position for searches. Secondly, it marks the text line that the program uses to extract "illustration display" and "companion program" commands. Your document will clearly indicate that it contains display or program commands. If so, be sure to place the current line indicator according to the author's instructions. Document View Keys ────────────────── Cursor Keys for Browsing ──────────────────────── PgUp & PgDn - Up..Down screen. \iCtrl-PgUp & PgDn\i - Up..Down \i"Paged"\i document page. Up & Dn Arrow - Up..Down one line. Home & End - 1st..Last document line. Ctrl-End - Last Indexed Page. Position Indicators: ──────────────────── ">" = Current line which controls command execution and the beginning point for a search. "P" = Current line is top of indexed page. "%" = Relative position in the document. To Adjust Display: ────────────────── Ctrl-Left & Right - Sets spaces or characters to skip before text display begins. Used for text centering or bringing "off screen" text into view. Tab and Shift-Tab - Adjusts left margin text display. Used for centering text. Ctrl-E - Toggles Enhanced Display for DOS text documents or when index building. "A" or "a" - Toggles pointer line display attribute. Other Keys: ─────────── Ctrl-F - Displays full name of file being reviewed. ENTER - Switches to and from document and last feature such as notes, index, etc. Alt - Drops down detailed function description windows where functions can be highlighted using the Left-Right Arrow Keys and selected with the ENTER key. Ctrl-N & Ctrl-B - Initiates (N)ote & (B)ookmark creation. Used when LB_ED is to be used in half screen mode. Places LB_ED over document text. "/?" Key - Sets bookmark with text and date. "%5" Key - Goto percentage position. Scroll Lock - Anchors the current line (">"). Document View Function Keys: ──────────────────────────── F1 = Displays help screen or help file if on line. F2 = Index review and page retrieval. F3 = Table of contents review & chapter retrieval. F4 = Bookmarks - set, review, edit, page retrieval. F5 = Enter page to go to in document. F6 = Notes - review, create, edit. F7 = Search for phrase in document, forward and reverse. F9 = Execute {COMMAND:} or {DISPLAY:} for current line or temporarily exit to DOS. F10= File-Utility options - See Color & Config. \i Text Index View \i Page and Text Highlighting ────────────────────────── The text index can be browsed like the document to view index citations. You can use the index view's "F7=Search" function to locate specific index entries. As you review the index list you will notice that the reader highlights portions of each entry's text and each entry's page. The highlighted text and pages are an important part of document and index look up function. The highlighted page shows the page to be retrieved while the highlighted text shows the text to be found on that document page. Finding Index Entries in the Document ───────────────────────────────────── Pressing the ENTER key while in the index view returns you to the document view at the citation's highlighted page. Once on the page, the program attempts to locate the citation's highlighted text by automatically using the "F7=Search" function. You will notice that the search string retains the citation's highlighted text for finding additional occurrences on the page. If the text can't be found on the page, you will be prompted to further or abandon the search. To search multiple citations use the shortcut ENTER key to return to the index. The return to the index view will be at your departure position -- for continuous selection of the index entry's other pages. Index Options: ────────────── ENTER - Go to document page highlighted. Escape - Return to document - no position change. F7 Search - Find phrase in index entries. F8 Topics - Go directly to alhabetic headings. F10 Print - Print to file or printer. Tab - If 2 column index list in use, change columns. Right Arrow - Highlight page citation of right. Space Bar - Summons Topic List. Cursor Keys - Browse index as in document. \i Table of Contents View \i The table of contents often contains multiple topic listings so be sure to review the preparer's comments at the top of the file. To open to a document page or location listed in the table of contents, place the current line marker (">") on the line containing the desired document page or percentage location and tap ENTER. Your place in the table of contents will be preserved upon return. The "shortcut" ENTER key can be used as a quick means to switch between the document and table of contents view. Although table entries usually reference page beginnings, special use tables may reference topics that appear at other than page tops. Preparers can place keywords in the contents' text to direct the program to find precise page locations. When the program detects a keyword it will automatically load and start the "F7=Search" function upon return to the document to find exact table references. Table of Contents Options: ────────────────────────── ENTER - Go to document page indicated. Escape - Return to document - no position change. F7 Search - Find phrase in table of contents. F8 Topics - Go directly to Topic headings. F10 Print - Print to file or printer. Cursor Keys - Browse as in document. \i Bookmark View \i Setting Bookmarks ───────────────── Bookmarks can be set by placing the current line marker (">") on the desired document text line and then pressing the "?/" key or through the option highlight selection by pressing "F6" and "S". When setting a bookmark, the reader records the date, page and up to 25 characters from the beginning of the current text line. Care should be taken to mark a line containing text so the bookmark's precise location can later be retrieved. Bookmark Retrieval ────────────────── Bookmark entries can be browsed like the document. To access bookmarked pages, you must point to the bookmark page with the current line (">") indicator. The current line placement must be at the line containing the desired page or percentage location. Once you have pointed to the bookmark you can retrieve it by tapping the ENTER key. You will be returned to the document where the program automatically starts the "F7=Search" function to retrieve the exact keyword location. If for some reason the keyword text can't be found on the bookmark page, you will be prompted. Bookmark Editing ──────────────── You may add comments to bookmarks, create new ones, or delete old ones. You can do this with the reader's editor, LB_ED, or with any word processor that can produce a DOS text file. The reader automatically invokes LB_ED unless you have indicated another word processor's command (see Color & Config). LB_ED follows normal word processing conventions and provides on line help via the "F1" function key. The reader lets you configure an alternate directory for storing bookmark files. Without the alternate directory indication, bookmark files will be expected to reside in the same directory as the document. The command that invokes bookmark creation can be modified before confirmation. Usually the command's contents would be confirmed without change. However, you have the opportunity to examine and change the command and file names if desired. The command line also can be used to select the half screen operation of LB_ED (see using LB_ED). Your Bookmarks ────────────── The bookmarks that you manually record should use the same format as the program's bookmarks. Bookmark pages and percentage locations must appear as the last text on the line. Search text should be enclosed by quotes. If quotes appear in the search text you must further enclose the enclosing quotes with asterisks. Pages must use the document's page format -- either chapter (12- 1234a) or consecutive numbering (1234a). Percentage locations must be followed by a percent sign (1%, 12.12%, etc.). Examples: ───────── This will work: ─────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: "American Corporations" page 364 see also *"Delaware"* page 258 Please note that the column position of the pages is unimportant so long as they appear last. And, so will this: ────────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: "American Corporations" 12.12% see also *"Delaware"* 43% But these won't: ──────────────── Page 364 below should appear at line end: ───────────────────────────────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: American Corporations on 364, see also Delaware on 258 Pages must be preceded by spaces: ───────────────────────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: American Corporations page364 see also Delaware page..258 Bookmark Options: ────────────────── ENTER - Go to document page indicated. Escape - Return to document - no position change. F2 - Executes LB_ED or word processor to create or edit entries. F7 Search - Find phrase in bookmark file. F7 Print - Print to file or printer. Cursor Keys - Browse as in document. \i Notes View \i You may add and edit notes with the reader's editor, LB_ED, or with any word processor that can produce DOS text files. The reader automatically invokes LB_ED unless you have indicated another word processor's command (see Color & Config). LB_ED follows normal word processing conventions and provides on line help via the "F1" function key. The reader lets you configure an alternate directory for storing note files. Without the alternate directory indication, note files will be expected to reside in the same directory as the document. The command that invokes note creation can be modified before confirmation. Usually the command's contents would be confirmed without change. However, you have the opportunity to examine and change the command and file names if desired. The command line also can be used to select the half screen operation of LB_ED (see using LB_ED). Note page linking is an extension of the search routine. You may link notes to pages by preceding your notes with the document page number enclosed in brackets "{}". This form enables a page's notes to be retrieved automatically using the "F5=PageLink" function. Note Examples: ───────────── {123} Line 10 of page 123 should read: " This is a note that is attached to page 123 and . . ." {A-2a} This is a sample note that would pertain to data found on page 2a of appendix A . . . Note Options: ───────────── ENTER - To document page indicated. Escape - To document - no page change. F2 - Executes LB_ED or word processor to create or edit notes. F5 - Places {document page} in search variable and locates page notes. F7 Search - Find phrase in note entries. F10 Print - Print to file or printer. Cursor Keys - Browse as in document. \i Using LB_ED \i Using LB_ED to Create Notes and Bookmarks ───────────────────────────────────────── LB_ED is a limited feature text editor (word processor) that works with the reader to let you create note and bookmark files. It includes standard features required for text editing such as searching and block operations. LB_ED's on-line help, invoked via the "F1" function key, lists the available features and the keys used to select them. To let you use your favorite word processor with the reader (see Editor Command under configuration topic), LB_ED has been included as a stand alone program that the reader calls by DOS command. When you select the note or bookmark creation functions the reader places the appropriate LB_ED command line at the screen top for review. Example: C:\LB\LBED C:\EXAMP\LBOOK.NOT The command is simply a DOS command that would be entered at the DOS prompt. The first part of the command is the program name and path. The second part of the command is the file to be edited. Note and bookmark files have the same name (first 8 letters) as their "parent" document and an extension of "PIN" for bookmark entries and "NOT" for notes. You may modify the command and signal acceptance with the ENTER key. Upon acceptance, the file will be opened if it exists. If it doesn't exist, LB_ED will request permission to create it. Upon exit, LB_ED will ask permission to update the disk file if it detects that changes may have been made to the file. Half Screen Mode ──────────────── LB_ED can be used in a half screen window, placed over the document text. This mode can be selected by directly invoking LB_ED from the document view. This can be done by keying the Ctrl-B (bookmarks) or Ctrl-N (notes) combinations. The selection of the half screen mode can be done by appending a "space plus" (" +") or "space minus" (" -") to the LB_ED command before confirming the command. The plus sign places the LB_ED window at the top of the screen while the minus sign places the window at the bottom of the screen. Example: C:\LB\LBED C:\EXAMP\LBOOK.NOT + (top half) Example: C:\LB\LBED C:\EXAMP\LBOOK.NOT - (bottom half) LB_ED File Sizes and Screen Dimensions ────────────────────────────────────── LB_ED uses the reader's row and column settings up to a full limit of 25 rows. The colors used by LB_ED are taken from the reader's config file. The maximum file size for LB_ED is 1,000 lines or 40k. A warning will be given when the file size approaches the limits. LB_ED Errors and Memory Requirements ──────────────────────────────────── Your document may have been distributed without a copy of LB_ED. If LB_ED (or your editor) can't be started, the reader displays an error message. Problems result from either the inability to find the program file or the lack of adequate memory. The reader warns you when LB_ED's available memory is below the needed amount (132K). \i Color & Config \i Selecting Colors ──────────────── The color selection facility (F10-S) provides four predefined color schemes and two predefined monochrome schemes. The monochrome schemes are simply black over white, or white over black and cannot be changed. The color schemes can be used "as is", or modified on an item by item basis. The plus and minus keys toggle color choices and the ENTER key confirms them. Once confirmed, the sample portion of the screen displays the new choice. You may experiment with color combinations and either choose to abandon them or use them before returning to the document. You also may choose to save them to disk so that they will automatically load when the reader starts (see "Use Doc/Set Colors" topic below). Use Doc/Set Colors ────────────────── Authors need to control text colors in documents that use color commands. This ensures that document colors appear as intended. If used, the document's text colors override your color scheme selections on document opening. To cancel or reset the document colors toggle them from the Utility menu by pressing "F10" and "U". Program Setup - "F10-P" ─────────────────────── Editor Command ────────────── The Editor Command variable enables you to record the command to replace LB_ED with your word processor. It is best to include the command drive and directory. For example in "c:\wordproc\wp", the command used to execute your word processor would be "wp" - located on drive "C" in the directory "wordproc". Directory for Notes and Bookmarks ───────────────────────────────── Normally, the reader expects a document's notes and bookmarks to reside in the same disk and directory as the document. This is not practical for CD-ROM's or other instances where the document's resident disk can't be written to. To accommodate these instances, you may record an alternate directory here. Video Options ───────────── Point Line Type - This selection lets you choose how to display the current line. The choices are "hilite", intense and normal. Enhanced Text - This selection lets you toggle the recognition of imbedded display commands. This does not work for "paged documents". Snow Filter - Turn ON for CGA systems that flicker, other than CGA will register NA. Updating Configuration options ────────────────────────────── After recording your configuration choices you may save them to disk, use them for the current session only, or abandon the selections made. Margin and Skip Positions ───────────────────────── In anticipation of you using LookBook with all types of text we have given you the ability to position text that might not otherwise be in view. The skip setting will skip text at the beginning of a line. The margin setting will adjust the left margin. Go to DOS ───────── Temporary exit to DOS. Exit or New Document ──────────────────── Select a new file or EXIT. Same prompt that ESCAPE presents. \i End of Help \i