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4 2. INSTALLATION 2.1 System Requirements RGB-TechWriter runs on IBM PC, XT, AT, or compatible computers equipped with an 80-column monitor, one double-sided disk drive, and DOS 2.0 or higher. 147 KB of free memory is required to run the program, but a minimum of 206 KB is recommended and 270 KB is needed to reach the full text capacity. Because RGB-TechWriter uses color to represent special character attributes (like subscripts), the full benefit of the program can only be realized when used with a color monitor. RGB-TechWriter communicates directly with the video memory, so only video adapter cards which are compatible with either the IBM monochrome adapter or the IBM color graphics adapter will function properly. IBM's enhanced graphics adapter or a compatible equivalent is particularly well suited to this application. 2.2 Floppy Disk System If your system does not have a fixed disk, then this section is for you. Otherwise, proceed to section 2.3. The first thing you should do is make a working copy of your RGB-TechWriter diskette and store the original in a safe place. Start by formatting a new double-sided diskette. Be sure to include the DOS system files, and give the disk an appropriate volume label. The details can be found under the "FORMAT" command in your DOS manual. You must use DOS version 2.0 or later. Only two RGB-TechWriter files need to be copied to your disk. The first is the executable program, TW.EXE. If, for example, you have placed the original disk in drive A: and your new working disk in drive B:, type copy a:tw.exe b: The second file will have the name TW.DAT and is created according to section 2.4. You may want to copy additional files to your working disk. An AUTOEXEC.BAT file is useful, especially if you have a battery-backup clock or have written a program to load an alternate character set to your printer. The DOS utilities FORMAT and CHKDSK are useful for initializing and monitoring the disks you use for saving text. 2.3 Fixed Disk System Setting up RGB-TechWriter on a system with a fixed disk is somewhat more involved than for diskettes, but the extra speed with which the program loads and recovers files is well worth the effort. The procedure described here uses directory paths to create a nice environment for keeping track of the large number INSTALLATION 5 of files you can store on a fixed disk. Start by creating a special subdirectory to contain the RGB- TechWriter program files. Call this directory TW. Start by switching to the root directory of the fixed disk (usually drive C:), by typing C: cd \ Now create the new directory by typing md tw which stands for "make directory TW." Place the original RGB- TechWriter disk in drive A: and copy the main program into the TW directory: copy a:tw.exe \tw One more file will have to be copied into this directory. It will be called TW.DAT and directions for creating it are given in section 2.4. You may want to create several additional directories as a way of categorizing your files. You might want to have a subdirectory called LETTERS, one called PAPERS, one called LISTS, etc. for saving the text files you create with RGB-TechWriter. You will also want to create directories for your executable program files. A subdirectory called DOS will put that long list of DOS files neatly in one place. If you are a programmer, a separate subdirectory for each language is a good idea. In fact, the only files which can't be sorted into a subdirectory are the system files COMMAND.COM, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC.BAT. Note that the latter two of these are optional files for tailoring your system environment. The only catch to putting all of your files in subdirectories is in gaining access to them. Normally, DOS only looks in the "current" directory when you try to execute a program. Thus you might place yourself in your LETTERS subdirectory by typing cd \letters which means "change directory to the LETTERS directory within the main (root) directory." But if you tried to start RGB-TechWriter by typing TW, DOS wouldn't find it because it's in a different directory. There is a clever way around this problem, however. The PATH command within DOS allows you to specify a list of subdirectories you would like DOS to search if it doesn't find the program you want in your current directory. If you have executable program files in the directories TW, DOS, BASIC, and PASCAL, you need to give DOS the following command: INSTALLATION 6 path \tw;\dos;\basic;\pascal Now when you type TW from the LETTERS directory, DOS will find TW.EXE in the \TW directory. This command is most conveniently included within the AUTOEXEC.BAT file so that it gets taken care of automatically each time the system is turned on. 2.4 Printer Selection RGB-TechWriter can drive any printer provided that it allows the computer to adjust the vertical distance skipped when a carriage return is encountered. RGB-TechWriter uses this "vertical motion index" mechanism for superscripts, subscripts, underlining, and fractional line spacing. The RGB-TechWriter disk contains data files for several printers. There are many other printers that are compatible, but only those in Table 2.1 have been tested. Furthermore, every one of the printers shown is capable of producing some special characters even though the printer data files supplied may not provide the necessary character definition codes. TABLE 2.1 Printer Configuration Files Printer Data File Name Special Character Support AT&T 473 AT&T473. * Partial built-in char. set DEC LN03 Laser DECLN03. Built-in tech. char. set Epson RX-80 EPSON80.RX * Dot graphics HP LaserJet HPLJ. None provided HP LaserJet HPLJ.ME Math Elite font cartridge HP ThinkJet HPTJ. None provided IBM Graphics Printer IBMGP. None provided IBM Proprinter IBMPRO. Partial built-in char. set Okidata 92 (Original) OKI92.OKI Downloadable (OKI-DLCG) Okidata 192 (for IBM) OKI192.IBM Downloadable (OKI-DLCG) Texas Instruments 855 TI855. * None provided Texas Instruments 855 TI855.GM * Greek/Math font cartridge Toshiba P341 TOSH341. * None provided * Includes user-supplied configuration data Select the configuration file which most closely corresponds to your printer. Copy this file to your RGB-TechWriter working disk under the name TW.DAT. If, for example, the original disk is in drive A:, your working disk is in drive B:, and you selected the Okidata 192, you would type copy a:oki192.ibm b:tw.dat If you have installed RGB-TechWriter on a fixed disk, type INSTALLATION 7 copy a:oki192.ibm c:\tw\tw.dat All of the printers listed use a parallel interface except for the laser printers, which normally use a serial interface. RGB-TechWriter always prints to the parallel port, but the MODE command in DOS can be used to redirect this signal to a serial port. Details on redirecting parallel output to the serial port are contained in your DOS manual. If you need to alter the codes sent to your printer, section 6 describes how to modify the file TW.DAT. 2.5 Default Parameters In addition to containing the codes specific to your printer, the file TW.DAT contains parameters which affect the editing environment. RGB-TechWriter is initially configured with the following default parameters: Maximum text length set for 30000 characters, Files are saved on drive A:, Print 10 characters per inch, Single line spacing (6 lines per inch), 1 inch margin on all four sides, Page numbering in upper right corner. If you would like for the program to start up with different initial values, you can change the default parameters by modifying the file TW.DAT as described in section 6. In particular, you will probably want to change the default drive to B: for a two-floppy system, or to C: for a fixed-disk system. If you have ample memory, you may also want to increase the maximum text length, up to 62768. 2.6 Using Borland's Lightning Dictionary RGB-TechWriter does not come equipped with a built-in spelling checker, but it works very well with Turbo Lightning, a spelling checker and Thesaurus available from Borland International. This section describes how to install Lightning so that it works with RGB-TechWriter. If you do not have this product, proceed to section 2.7 to test your installation. If you have a two-floppy system, follow the instructions provided with Lightning to create a diskette containing the Lightning dictionaries. It is not necessary to put the Lightning files on the same diskette with your RGB-TechWriter program. When you run Lightning with RGB-TechWriter, you will first load Lightning from drive A: as described in the Lightning documentation. Replace the Lightning diskette with your RGB- TechWriter diskette and load RGB-TechWriter with your data diskette in drive B:. Once RGB-TechWriter has started, you can remove its diskette from drive A: and replace it with your INSTALLATION 8 Lightning diskette. Lightning needs to have access to its on- disk dictionaries whenever you ask it to look up the spelling of a word. RGB-TechWriter is fully memory resident, so you won't need to replace the RGB-TechWriter diskette until you are ready to exit RGB-TechWriter and return to DOS. If you have a fixed-disk system, follow the instructions provided with Lightning to create a subdirectory containing the Lightning Dictionaries. It is not necessary to put these in the same directory with your RGB-TechWriter program. If you include the name of the subdirectory containing the Lightning files in your PATH command (See section 2.3), then you can invoke RGB- TechWriter with Lightning using the following batch file, which you might name TWL.BAT: light envi a tw This batch file invokes Lightning, sets the environment for RGB- TechWriter, and finally starts RGB-TechWriter. This assumes that you have set up RGB-TechWriter as environment choice "a", but you could use any choice from "a" through "m". Unfortunately, none of the predefined environment choices provided on the Lightning diskette is fully compatible with RGB- TechWriter. The remainder of this section describes how to set up the Lightning environment to work correctly with RGB- TechWriter. Change your disk and directory to where your Lightning files are stored. Invoke Lighting by typing LIGHT. Next start RGB-TechWriter by typing TW. If you have a floppy system, you will of course need to put your RGB-TechWriter diskette in drive A: first. The RGB-TechWriter introductory screen should appear. If you have a floppy system, put the Lightning diskette back in drive A:. Now hit the INS key and specify the drive which contains the Lighting files. Finally, enter the RGB-TechWriter editing mode by hitting the E key. Call up the Lightning menu by hitting Shift-F8. Select the Environment option by hitting the Enter key. Move the green bar to an application you don't own and don't plan to acquire. I'll assume you chose letter "A". Now hit function key F2 to edit this environment. The first thing to do is set the name, which is choice A. In response to the query, type RGB-TechWriter. Your selection has now been renamed. Hit F2 again to set up the particulars so that they will work with RGB-TechWriter. Table 2.2 shows how the list should look when you have made all of the necessary changes. To enter a "None", just hit the Enter key. When you get to selection P, specify that Lightning should look on the screen (option E). Follow the instructions, using the "Insert" label in the upper-right corner of the screen. INSTALLATION 9 TABLE 2.2 RGB-TechWriter Environment for Lightning B: RGT (Right arrow key 1) C: None (Right arrow key 2) D: LFT (Left arrow key 1) E: None (Left arrow key 2) F: None (Left arrow key 3) G: BKS (Backspace key 1) H: None (Backspace key 2) I: DEL (Delete key 1) J: None (Delete key 2) K: INS (Insert toggle 1) L: INS (Insert toggle 2) M: Screen (Get word from) N: 002 (Piping delay) O: ON (Auto proof) Escape your way back up to the top-line Lightning menu. You have completed the environment change, but there's one more item to attend to. Lightning, by default, uses certain function keys which also have meaning to RGB-TechWriter. To avoid conflicts, it is necessary to reassign the "hot keys" for Lightning. Do this by selecting the Options choice. As long as you avoid duplicating RGB-TechWriter functions, you can set the hot keys any way you like. A configuration which has proven to be very convenient is given in Table 2.3. TABLE 2.3 Lightning "Hot Keys" A: ON (Auto proof) B: ON (Confirm window) C: ShftF1 (Main menu hot key) D: PLS (Last bad word hot key) E: ShftF4 (Check word hot key) F: MIN (Screen check hot key) G: ShftF3 (Review screen hot key) H: ShftF2 (Thesaurus hot key) I: CtrlF1 (Toggle auto proof hot key) Escape back to the top-line menu and select the Setup choice. If you have not already set up your dictionaries, do so now. Then save all of the changes you have made by selecting choice D. For now on, you can call up the Lightning menu using Shift-F1, instead of Shift-F8. Whenever you hear Lightning "Beep" at you, you can have it check the spelling of the suspected word simply by hitting the large "+" key by the numeric keypad. If you want to check the entire screen, hit the "-" key by the numeric keypad. If you have a keyboard with 12 function keys, you may want to install keys 11 and 12 for this purpose, instead. INSTALLATION 10 Once you have built up a respectable auxiliary dictionary (including some obvious dictionary omissions like "RGB- TechWriter"), you will find that Lightning and RGB-TechWriter were meant for each other! 2.7 Running RGB-TechWriter for the First Time It's finally time to try out RGB-TechWriter. If you have a floppy disk system, insert your TechWriter diskette in drive A: and a formatted data disk in drive B:. If you have a fixed disk you should change to the TW directory by typing cd \tw Examine the directory by typing dir You should have at least the two files TW.EXE and TW.DAT. If not, you have not completed the instructions in sections 2.2 through 2.4. You may have more files if you copied other files from the RGB-TechWriter distribution diskette. Start the program by typing tw It will take a few seconds for the program to load into memory. If you do not have enough free memory to run RGB- TechWriter, you will be told so and returned to DOS. If the program cannot find the file TW.DAT, it will warn you and proceed to use a default printer specification. When it is ready, an introductory screen is displayed. This screen contains the copyright and distribution notices. It also tells you which disk drive is set up as the default. If this is the drive where you have your TechWriter files, then just hit the Enter key. If not, hit the Ins key and type in the correct drive letter, followed by a colon; then hit the Enter key. The screen you see at this time is the "File Screen Menu." The commands listed at the top of the page are selected by hitting the appropriate letter key. It is not necessary to hold down the shift key or hit the Enter key. Start by creating a simple file from scratch. Simply hit the E key to begin editing your new file, which starts out as nothing more than a single blank space. As soon as you hit the E key you will be moved into the "Editing Mode." The screen is blank except for a title line at the top and a menu line at the bottom. The first thing to learn is how to get help. When in the editing mode, just hit function key F1, as indicated at the bottom of the screen. Do this now. You will be presented with a concise description of all of the keys and commands. This will usually be enough to remind you of what to do. If you need more INSTALLATION 11 information, complete descriptions are in the documentation. To go back to editing, hit the Esc key. Do so now. Your cursor should now be situated in the upper-left corner on line 1, column 1, as indicated in the upper-right corner of the screen. Now type yourself a message. Anything will do, but make it at least two lines long. Don't hit the Enter key at the end of the first line. RGB-TechWriter will "wrap" the cursor back to the start of the next line at the appropriate time. If you make a mistake while typing, use the backspace key to erase the mistake and try it again. When you have finished this "paragraph," hit the Enter key. You will see a small yellow dot at the end of your text which reminds you that there is a "hard" carriage return at that point. These hard carriage returns keep the paragraphs separate. One is created every time you hit the Enter key, and you can delete them just like any other character using the delete key or the backspace key. Let's edit your text by inserting an additional sentence right in the middle of your paragraph. To get to the middle, use the cursor-arrow keys to move the cursor until it is situated where you want to enter more text. Now type another sentence. You will notice that the previous text moves over to make way for the new text as you type. What's more, the words are continuously shuffled around to make sure that no line exceeds the allowed line length. Let's suppose now that you want to split your paragraph into two separate paragraphs at the point where your cursor is now located. It's easy...just hit the Enter key. If you want to have a blank line between the paragraphs, just hit the Enter key again. You should now have two separate paragraphs, each terminated by a yellow dot, and you may have chosen to add a blank line between them. Let's move the second paragraph to the beginning of the text. To do this, move the cursor to the beginning of the second paragraph. Hit function key F8. The colors at the cursor location will be inverted to blue on white, and the word MARK at the bottom of the screen will be highlighted. Move the cursor to the beginning of the line which comes immediately after the end of the second paragraph and hit function key F8 again. The entire second paragraph should now be highlighted. Move the cursor to where you want to move the marked paragraph. Because we want this paragraph at the beginning of the text, the fastest way to get there is to use Ctrl-PgUp to move immediately to the start of the text. Now move the marked block of text by hitting function key F9. Rearrange the text until it meets with your approval. Now, let's save it. You can get back to the File Screen Menu by hitting function key F10, as shown at the bottom of the screen. Do so now. We want to save the file, so hit the S key. You will be asked for a file name. You can use any name with up to 8 letters or numbers. Do not add a three-letter extension, as RGB- TechWriter will automatically add .TWF (for TechWriter File). INSTALLATION 12 Your file will be saved to disk as soon as you hit the Enter key when you finish typing the file name. To be sure, clear the text in memory by hitting the C key. Now hit the E key to see that the text has been blanked. Return to the File Screen Menu using F10. Now get your file back off of the disk by hitting the G key and entering the file name. It is not necessary to enter the ".TWF" extension, but remember to hit the enter key when you finish typing the file name. Once your file is in memory, you can edit it by hitting the E key. Get yourself back to the File Screen Menu. Let's print out your file. First hit the P key. You are given a choice of printing to the screen, printer, or disk. Let's start with the screen, so hit S. We want to start at the beginning, so just hit the Enter key to acknowledge this. Likewise, we want to print to the end, and we only want to see 1 copy. Your text will be displayed on the screen, and will scroll off as it goes. If you need to stop the action, use either Crtl-S or Crtl-NumLock. Be careful that you do NOT accidentally hit Ctrl-C or Ctrl-Break. Turn on your printer. Now hit the P key to print the text, but this time hit P again to select the printer. Hit the Enter key for each of the next three options presented. If your printer has separate data and correspondence quality modes, you will then have to make this selection. A message should appear that your text is being printed. When it is done, you should have a printed copy of your text. If you do not, then you have either selected the wrong file for TW.DAT (see section 2.4), or your printer is not on the list (see section 6). You can stop the printing to screen, printer, or disk at any time while it is in progress by hitting the P key again. With this introduction you should be able to investigate the contents of other files. Specifically, you may want to alter the default parameters stored in the file TW.DAT, as described briefly in section 2.5 and in detail in section 6. Use the R - Revise File command to save the changes you make. You also may find it informative to check out the file GUIDE7.TWF which illustrates several of the more advanced features of RGB- TechWriter. INSTALLATION