FishCard is a program for reviewing electronic flash cards. It works by showing you the question and, when you tell it to, showing you the answer. It does not handle multiple-choice or fill-in answers, although that may be added in a future version.
FishCard 2.1 solves a problem in FishCard 2.0 and 2.01, wherein using a comma in a question or answer alters the display order of the cards. As a result of this change, files with commas created in this program will show a box in previous versions. Since FishCard is freeware, the best way to avoid this problem is to simply upgrade FishCard to avoid this problem to FishCard 2.1 for the Macintosh or FishCard 1.1 for MS-DOS.
If you are familiar with the 1.x versions of FishCard, you will notice that there have been many changes. First you will notice the new options on the opening screen. You can select fonts for the question and answer prompts. This will be useful for those who want to review using characters not available in the Chicago font, such as the Greek characters in the Symbol font.
The other major new feature is the “Speak Question” and “Speak Answer” check boxes. If these are checked, the computer will read the question and/or answer aloud. In order for this to work, you must have the PlainTalk installed on your computer. It can be downloaded from the Internet at: ftp://ftp.info.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/Apple.Software.Updates/US/Macintosh/System/Speech/PlainTalk_1.4.1/English_Speech_Recognition.sea.hqx
The “Display Question” and “Display Answer” prompts, if checked will display the question and/or answer. “What is this good for?” you might ask. For one thing, you can use it to make a spelling review. Enter the word under both question and answer, and then check “Speak Question” and “Display Answer.” The computer will say the word, and you can spell it to yourself, then check the answer.
The FishCard interface has also been redesigned. It is similar to that used on the MS-DOS version of FishCard, where the question is displayed on the top and the answer appears below, while the question is still visible. The review and editor both use this new interface.
To create a new FishCards file, click the “Create New Cards” button. In the following box, click “New” to tell the program you want to make a new file rather than add to an existing one. It will present you with the standard save dialog box, asking you to find where you want to store your FishCard file. You can store FishCard files on any rewritable media, including hard disks, floppies, removable disks (SyQuest, Zip, etc.), and a network disk your computer has save access to. Then, enter a question in the top box and an answer in the bottom box. Click next to go to the next card, and previous to go back. When you are done, click “Stop Editing” and you will be asked if you want to save changes. Click “Cancel” to continue editing, “No” if you don’t want to keep your cards, or “Yes” to save them. Although FishCard is set up in a question and answer format, you can put whatever you want to be shown first in the upper box and whatever you want second in the lower box.
Once you have saved a FishCards file, you can review it at any time by clicking the “Review Cards” button. You will then presented with the standard open file dialog box to locate your FishCards file. Be sure that it is a FishCards file, because FishCard displays all TEXT files (files from the Nisus word processor may also be displayed). Once you select the file, you will be shown the first question. When you click “Answer” the answer will appear below. At any time, you can click “Stop” and the computer will stop showing the FishCards.
On the answer screen there is a button labeled “Review”. The intention of the Review button is to allow you to select certain FishCards to be reviewed later. This is especially useful if you have a 200 card list, and you only want to practice the 20 you are having trouble with. The cards you select will be saved in a file in the same folder as your original file, with the same name but with an ® added to the end. I call this file an ® file. The FishCard will be kept in the original file as well. The ® file is completely independent and does not need the original file. You can also use the Review button on files that are themselves ® files, there will just be another ® added to the end. Theoretically, you could do this forever, however you are limited by the maximum name length imposed by the Macintosh operating system. If you use the “Stop” button, any FishCards marked for review will still be saved. If you do not mark any for Review, a ® file will not be created.
A feature added in version 1.1 is the automatic review feature. If there were cards marked for review, the computer will now ask if you want to review the cards as soon as you are done going through them.
The FishCard editor has been redesigned for version 2.0. It uses the same format described earlier under creating new FishCards. To delete a card, click the “Delete” button and it will be erased. In browsing the card in the editor, using the “Next” and “Previous” buttons, give the computer a moment to go to the next card. The arrow changes to a wristwatch, but this may happen so quickly that you may not see what the pointer is changing to. Wait for the pointer to become an arrow before clicking again.
The “Import” button on the FishCard screen allows you to import a return-delimited text file and save a copy as a FishCard file. I created this feature to import some files from an old (1985) program called Flash Card. The “Delete first pair?” prompt is asking you if you want to delete the first pair. Some programs, like Flash Card, use the first entry in their file as prompts. Since FishCard does not use prompts, it offers to delete them. If you choose not to and the file had prompts like this, they will appear as the first FishCard (which could be useful in reminding you what the “question” and “answer” really are).
The “Export” button has the exact opposite effect. It converts a FishCard file to a standard return-delimited text file, and offers to allow you to add prompts.
Is this the only version of FishCard you’ll ever make?
Absolutely not. I plan to update and add features to FishCard, as well as fix any bugs or incompatibilities that might come up. In addition, an MS-DOS version of FishCard is available. If you have both a Mac and an MS-DOS computer, and have a program that allows you to use an MS-DOS floppy on a Mac or a Mac floppy with Windows, you will be able to use the same FishCard files on both systems. Just be sure that your FishCard file conforms to MS-DOS's 8.3 character file name limit.
So what features are you planning for future versions of FishCard?
In the future, there may be additional file manipulation features, such as the ability to merge and split FishCard files. If you have other ideas, you are welcome to suggest them to me. Contact information is below.
Where exactly did you get the name FishCard?
“Fish” and “Flash” are similar words, and I thought it sounded neat.
What is special about FishCard to you?
FishCard is the first program I really wrote with the intent of filling a purpose, not just trying to make a little money. The similar program I use (the aforementioned Flash Card from 1985) lacks a mode that is virtually identical to the way people study with flash cards. The multiple choice was sometimes too easy, and the fill-in too specific.
Do you want money for FishCard?
No. But if you like and use FishCard, please register so that I can notify you of updates.
How can I get in touch with you?
Via e-mail and via postal mail. My e-mail address is: dsmueller@besler.org
My postal mail address is:
David S. Mueller
223 Hookano St.
Hilo, HI 96720-6216
USA
How can I learn about your other programs?
The easiest way is to visit my web site at http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/1342/index.html. If you don’t have web access, you may send me an e-mail message and I would be happy to send you some information.
What do I need to do to register?
It’s very simple. Just print and fill out the registration form, which is in the file “Registration Form”, put it in an envelope, and mail it to me. You may also send the information to me via e-mail, or fill out the registration form avalable on my web site.
I thought I saw an MS-DOS program named FishCard. Is there any connection?
Yes. The MS-DOS program FishCard is the MS-DOS version of this program. Files are cross platform. Any file made with this version will work on the MS-DOS version, and vice-versa. The only limitation is MS-DOS's 8.3 character filename limit. There is one main limitation, and that is that the MS-DOS version does not support other character sets than English. The MS-DOS version also does not support speech.
What about my old FishCard 1.x files?
The file format for FishCard 2.1 has been changed slightly from previous versions. An invisible character was necessary to replace the comma in order to avoid problems. FishCard 2.1 files will work with previous versions, however a box will appear in place of commas. Previous version files should work, unless they contain commas. FishCard 1.1 for MS-DOS supports the new modified FishCard format.
FishCard for Macintosh Version History
1.0 - July, 1996 - Initial release.
1.01 - December, 1996 - FishCard will now work properly if the name is changed from "FishCard 1.0".
Permission is hereby granted to redistribute FishCard 2.1 to whomever you feel would like and/or benefit from it, including posting on Internet sites. If you wish to distribute FishCard 2.1 on a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or book package, please contact the author.
FishCard uses the following external commands (XCMDs) and external functions (XFCNs):
