ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 Shareware Freeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)

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

/ ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng) / ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I / UTILITY / SCREEN / TXTSHW30.ZIP / TEXTSHOW.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1991-04-12 | 23.0 KB | 539 lines

******************************** * TEXT-SHOW 3.0 * * ShareWare Version * * Documentation/Information * ******************************** OVERVIEW: ========= TEXT-SHOW is a highly stylized screen presentation program from DECISIONS Software of Phoenix, Arizona. The program allows the user to create customized screen presentations using text screens saved or captured with the included TXTCAP.COM resident screen capture utility. TEXT-SHOW features include multiple screen fades and segues, special screen effects, text display using customized and computer fonts, border and screen clearing effects and more. The text screen is one of the may be used by any computer system, with or without a color monitor and/or graphics card. The program will run on any IBM compatible computer with a minimum of 256K of RAM memory. The files included in this ShareWare version are: TXSHO3.EXE - The Text-Show program TEXTSHOW.SPT - Demonstration Script File TEXTSHOW.DOC - This documentation file TXTCAP.COM - Screen Capture Program WMTELL*.COM - Sample Music Files ORDER.FRM - Order Form *.SCR - Several captured screen files used in the demo Text-Show script. TEXT-SHOW Demonstration Show =========================== A demonstration of many of the features of TEXT-SHOW is included in this ShareWare version. To view the demo, change to the directory where the TEXT-SHOW files are stored. From that directory type TXSHO3 at the DOS prompt and press the Enter key. A brief ShareWare screen will appear. In a few seconds, the demonstration program will begin. TEXT-SHOW SHAREWARE VERSION ========================== The ShareWare concept is quite simple. Try out TEXT-SHOW for a short period of time (30 days maximum). If you would like to order TEXT-SHOW, simply send in the Registration/Order form included with this file (ORDER.FRM) along with your payment. If not, erase the files, discontinuing all use of the program. The ShareWare version of TEXT-SHOW is identical to the registered version with a few exceptions. 1. A brief ShareWare screen appears at the beginning and end of each session of TEXT-SHOW. These screens are removed in the registered version. 2. The registered version includes a professionally printed and bound user manual. The documentation in this manual is more in depth. 3. The registered version comes with Run-Time Modules which allow you unlimited distribution of shows you create with TEXT-SHOW with no royalties or fees. Page 2. REGISTRATION/ORDER INFORMATION ============================== We plan to continually add to and improve the TEXT-SHOW series of programs. Plans call for adding new and unique screen fades/segues, allow for user queries, and so forth. Registration will guarantee that you receive the latest version of TEXT-SHOW and associated files and that you will be notified as each update is available. We have included a form for your use in ordering TEXT-SHOW. The order form is contained in the file ORDER.FRM and is stored as simple ASCII text. You may print this form on your line printer. To print, first log on to the drive/directory where the order form file is located. Be sure your printer is turned on and ready to print. At the DOS prompt type: TYPE ORDER.FRM>PRN and press the Enter key. You may also load and print the form from any editor/word processor that accepts and prints ASCII text files. Once you've printed the form, fill out the information requested and return along with your payment to the address indicated and we'll rush you your registered version of TEXT-SHOW. All orders and inquiries should be directed to: DECISIONS Software P.O. Box 31418 Phoenix, AZ 85046 (602)-992-0310 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: ====================== Minimum hardware requirements for using TEXT-SHOW are an IBM compatible computer, DOS 2.xx or higher, 256K RAM memory and a monitor. Page 3. USING TEXT-SHOW ============== This ShareWare documentation file contains information on how to use TEXT-SHOW to create your own customized screen presentations. It covers each of the features available in TEXT-SHOW. In-depth explanations and tutorials are included in the printed and bound manual that accompanies the registered version but are not included in this ShareWare documentation. We do provide you, however, with all the information needed to tryout and use every feature available in TEXT-SHOW. If you haven't viewed the demonstration of TEXT-SHOW yet, we suggest you do so before continuing with this documentation. The demo will give you a good overview of the capabilities of the program. To see the demo show, change to the directory where you have installed your TEXT-SHOW files. At the DOS prompt type: TXSHO3 and press the Enter key. The program will load and run the demonstration files. A. VIDEO MODE: TEXT-SHOW uses the standard ASCII text mode of your computer. While not required, presentations may be viewed on systems that contain CGA, EGA, VGA and Super VGA graphics cards. It is important to have an understanding of how TEXT-SHOW stores and displays screen files. To accomplish the nifty screen fades and segues, TEXT-SHOW must store at least one screen file in background memory while displaying another visual (or foreground) screen. The number of screens you store in the background at any one time depends on the memory available to your system. To use the features of the program, you only need memory for two screens. . . the foreground, visible screen and one background screen. There is NO limit to the total number of screen files you may use in a presentation. For those with limited memory, we have included a CLEAR command. When you have displayed a screen you may clear the memory that was required for its display and then load a new screen file. You will notice in the demo that we load up to 5 screens at any one time. This is the maximum amount that may be in memory in this ShareWare version. To load more, simply load new screens in one of the 5 screen slots. The size of each captured screen file is 4007 bytes. Page 4. HOW TEXT-SHOW WORKS ================== You interface your captured text screens with TEXT-SHOW using a proprietary Script format. The Script format is simply a set of one or two word commands that tells TEXT-SHOW what you want to do. An example of a Script file is the demonstration file TEXTSHOW.SPT. Take a look at this file in any editor/word processor that is able to load and read ASCII based text files. Once you have created or captured the text screens you wish to include, you need to tell TEXT-SHOW when and how you want them displayed. You may also use the Script to display text (using custom or computer fonts), clear screens or draw screen borders, pop up windows/boxes, make sounds, etc. You may create the Script in any editor/word processor that can save a file in standard ASCII format. Once you've completed your Script you can name it using any conventional DOS characters. To see the show at the DOS prompt you would type: TXSHO3 [Filename.Ext] and then press the Enter key. The Script file and TXSHO3.EXE file must be in the same drive/directory. If no file name is given when TXSHO3 is entered at the DOS prompt, the program looks for a default file named TEXTSHOW.SPT. That's what we named our demo Script. If TEXT-SHOW can't find the Script file it will tell you. Let's say you created a Script file named MYSHOW.SHW and you want to view the show. From the DOS prompt you type: TXSHO3 MYSHOW.SHW and press the Enter key. Be sure there is a space between TXSHO3 and your Script file name. You may, of course, add to, change or delete lines/commands in your Script file at any time. SCRIPT COMMANDS =============== The following is a review of all the Script commands available in TEXT-SHOW. Script files may be prepared in any editor/word processor that is able to save files in the ASCII format. Each Script command must be on a separate line. Any combination of upper and lower case letters are allowed. The proper syntax outlined below must be followed. We have grouped the commands in six main categories. They are: 1. File Commands 2. Fades, Segues & Effects 3. Clearing the Screen 4. BIG Fonts 5. Text Display 6. Miscellanous Commands Page 5. 1. File Commands: There are three file commands. They are LOAD, CLEAR and SEND. LOAD [Filename.Ext] [Number] ---------------------------- This script command is used to load a SCR screen file. The LOAD command is followed by the filename and extension. Finally, you must assign that file a number. For example, if you wanted to load a SCR file named MYFILE and assign it as file number one the syntax would be: LOAD MYFILE.SCR 1 You may also designate a drive and directory if your SCR file is not in the same directory as the TXTSHO.EXE program. For example, if your file is located on drive C in a directory named SCRPICS, then the proper syntax would be: LOAD C:\SCRPICS\MYFILE.SCR 1 Be sure there is a space between each element of the command. The LOAD command does not display the file on screen, but simply sends the information to memory. To display a file, you use the SEND and FADES script commands after the LOAD command. CLEAR -------------- This command is the opposite of the LOAD command. It removes all SCR screen file information from memory. It does not affect the display screen. SEND [Number] ------------- This command identifies the loaded SCR screen file you wish to manipulate by it's number. The SEND command is used just prior to identifying how you want the screen displayed. The actual command to display the screen is the FADES command. We will next examine the multiple fades available in the category named Fades & Seques. 2. Fades, Seques & Effects: These commands actually display's your loaded SCR screen file on to your screen. There are two commands in this category. They are FADES & SHAKE. The proper syntax for the FADES command is: FADES [Number] -------------- There are 17 possible fade/segue numbers that follow the FADES command. Here is a list of the screen fade numbers and the type of fade/segue it invokes. 1 - Explode 2 - Slide Left 3 - Slide Right 4 - Slide Up 5 - Slide Down 6 - Horizontal Blinds 7 - Puzzle Pieces 8 - Radar Sweep 9 - Page Roll 10 - Vertical Blinds 11 - Window Wipe 12 - Fast Dissolve 13 - Slow Dissolve 14 - Open Curtain 15 - Close Curtain 16 - Side Wipe 17 - Instant On (Entire Screen appears instantaneously) Page 6. 18 - Vertical Split 19 - Squeeze 20 - Snake 21 - Pour Top To Bottom SHAKE [Seconds] --------------- The SHAKE command is a special effects script command. It will shake your video display for the number of seconds you wish. View the demo to see how we used this special effects command. 3. Clearing the Screen: There are two commands in this category. They are CLS and SEND 6. The proper syntax for CLS is: CLS --- The CLS script command clears the screen. It fills the screen with blank characters. You may designate colors for the screen with the COLOR command discussed next. COLOR [Foreground Color Number,Background Color Number] ------------------------------------------------------- The color command is used for foreground and background color of the screen. For example, the script command COLOR 15,4 would display any text in white letters on a red background. The following list contains the Color Numbers used in TEXT-SHOW. 0 - Black 4 - Red 8 - Dark Gray 12 - Bright Red 1 - Blue 5 - Purple 9 - Bright Blue 13 - Bright Purple 2 - Green 6 - Brown 10 - Bright Green 14 - Yellow 3 - Cyan 7 - Gray 11 - Bright Cyan 15 - White To invoke blinking simply add 16 to the number in the chart above. For example, the script command COLOR 31,4 would display any text in blinking white letters on a red background. Page 7. SEND 6 ------ This command will send blank characters to memory. You then may use any of the 17 fades with the FADES command to clear the screen using the fade effect. 5. Text Display: TEXT-SHOW features the ability to display any text you wish to add to any screen. The text may be in your resident computer font or in the custom BIG Font supplied with TEXT-SHOW. For your resident computer font there are two script commands used to display the desired text and an optional color command. They commands are: COLOR [Foreground Color Number,Background Color Number] ----------------------------- The color command is used for foreground and background color of the text. The colors may be different than the screen color (For color selection numbers see the color chart above). For example, the script command COLOR 15,4 would display any text in white letters on a red background. AT [Row, Column] ---------------- The AT script command places the desired text to begin at a specific screen row and screen column. There are 25 rows and 80 columns on each screen. If you wanted a line of text to appear in the upper left hand corner you would enter the following script command: AT 1,1 PRINT ["Text"] -------------- This is the script command that actually displays the text on your screen. Your text must be enclosed by quotation marks. Example: If you wanted to enter text that said ACME Widgets Budget Review the proper syntax would be: PRINT "ACME Widgets Budget Review" TEXT-SHOW also lets you display custom Big Fonts. These would mainly be used for titles and special effects. The commands for display text in this font are similar to the commands above. BCOL [Foreground Color Number] ------------------------------------------------------- Big Fonts use the current background color of the screen. You must designate the foreground color of the font text using the color chart. A special color number of -1 (negative one) is used when you desire a multi-colored font. BAT [Row Word,Column Word] ----------------------------- The BAT script command is identical to the AT command. BPRNT ["Text"] -------------- This is the script command that actually displays the custom font text on your screen. Your text must be enclosed by quotation marks. Example: If you wanted to enter text that said ACME Widgets Budget Review the proper syntax would be: FPRNT "ACME Widgets Budget Review" BCHR [ASCII Character Number] ----------------------------- This command allows you to display your Big Font using any of the 255 ASCII Characters. See the demo script for sample characters. Page 8. BWID [Number] ------------- This will adjust the size of the Big Font. One is a normally Big Font. Two is a Huge Font. 6. Miscellanous Script Commands MOUSE [On/Off]: --------------- If you have a mouse active on your computer you may use it as a pointer and a remote control device. To activate the mouse the proper syntax is MOUSE ON. When you turn the mouse on, a cursor will appear in the upper right hand corner of your screen. You may then move the cursor on your screen as you move your mouse. To make the cursor disappear the proper syntax is MOUSE OFF. If the mouse is connected, you may use it as a remote control device wether or not the pointer is displayed. Clicking the right and center mouse buttons move forward one screen. Clicking the left mouse button will end the show. DELAY [Seconds] --------------- You may create a designated delay between screens by using the DELAY script command. If you wanted to delay 3 seconds between screen actions the proper syntax would be: DELAY 3 PAUSE ----- Pause is similar to delay except that a key press or mouse click is required for the show to continue. Pressing the left mouse key or the Esc keyboard key will terminate the show. Pressing any other key will move forward to the next script command. LOOP ---- If you wish to redisplay the entire show from the beginning without having to rerun TEXT-SHOW you would use the LOOP command. This will start the show over from the very beginning. In the ShareWare version, this means from the opening ShareWare screen. In the registered version, this means from the first command in your script file. BORDER [ASCII Character Number] -------------------------------- You may draw a border around any screen with the BORDER script command. You may also choose a color for that border using the color chart listed earlier in this documentation. To draw a single line border on your screen the proper syntax would be: BORDER 1 To draw a double line border the proper syntax would be BORDER 2. To draw a border comprised of ASCII Character 219 the proper syntax would be BORDER 219. Page 9 BOX [Row Begin,Column Begin,Row End,Column End,Character #] ------------------------------------------------------------ You may create Pop-Up windows/boxes using this script command. There are five (5) parameters that must be entered. Row Begin is the upper left corner of where you want the box displayed; Column Begin is the beginning column number; Row End is the lower portion of the box; Column End is the ending column number of the box. Character # is used to designate the type of frame you wish to display. You may use any of the ASCII 255 characters as this number. Character numbers 1-4 are special designated characters. They are as follows: 1 = Single Line Frame 3 = Double/Single Mixed Frame 2 = Double Line Frame 4 = Single/Double Mixed Frame To designate the color of the box, you first would issue the COLOR script command. The first number (foreground) represents the color of the frame and the second number (background) represents the color of the box. For example, if you wish to draw a red Pop-Up box with a white double line frame beginning at Row 10, Column 10 and ending at Row 15, Column 40, the proper script commands are: COLOR 15,4 BOX 10,10,15,40,2 Please view the demo TEXT-SHOW script (TEXTSHOW.SPT) for more examples on using and drawing Pop-Up boxes/windows. PAINT [Row Begin,Column Begin,Row End,Column End] ------------------------------------------------- This is similar to the BOX command, except that the purpose is to re-color the current screen without destroying the display. The parameters needed are the same as mentioned above. The paint color is set by using the COLOR script command. For example, if you wished to paint the top half of the screen with white characters on a red background the commands would be: COLOR 15,4 PAINT 1,1,12,80 See the demo script TEXTSHOW.SPT for more examples on using the PAINT command. SOUND [Number] -------------- You may use this command when you desire a sound to highlight a screen or message. There are five distinct sounds included in this version of TEXT-SHOW. All sounds are relatively short in duration. The number following the Sound script command must be between 1 and 5. RUN [Filename.Extension] ------------------------ This command is a built in shell feature of TEXT-SHOW and may be used to run other executable (.EXE or .COM) programs without disturbing your screen presentation in TEXT-SHOW. This command was originally created to allow users to play music while a screen from TEXT-SHOW appears on the monitor. The demo script, TEXTSHOW.SPT, gives an example of using the RUN command in this fashion. You may also use the command to run any program. When the shelled program ends, you are returned to your TEXT-SHOW where you left off. For example, if you wish to run a program named EXAMPLE.COM from within your TEXT-SHOW, the proper syntax would be: RUN EXAMPLE.COM. Be sure there is a space between the command RUN and the full filename of the program. Page 10 ---------- TXTCAP.COM ---------- TXTCAP.COM is memory resident screen capture program. The purpose of this program is to capture any text screen you can display on your monitor in the Bload, Text-Show, SCR file format. To use this program, simply type TXTCAP.COM at the DOS prompt. You will see a brief message appear on your screen. The message tells you that the program has been loaded, is memory resident and may be invoked by pressing the Ctrl-F9 key combination. HOW TO CAPTURE SCREENS: When you have a text screen displayed that you wish to capture, press the Ctrl-F9 key combination (while holding down the Ctrl key press the F9 function key). A prompt will appear at the upper left hand corner of your screen. This prompt asks you to enter a filename. The filename must contain no more than 8 valid DOS filename characters and should be followed with a SCR extension. After you have entered the filename, press the Enter key. The program will then capture the graphics screen in SCR Text-Show file format. The captured file will reside in the current drive and directory. If after pressing the Ctrl-F9 key combination you determine that you really don't want to save the screen, simply press the Esc key. Your screen will return and the file will NOT be saved. To remove the ScreenCapture program from memory, simply type TXTCAP /U at the DOS prompt and press the Enter key. This will unload (remove) the program from memory, i.e., it will no longer be memory resident. OTHER PROGRAMS FROM DECISIONS ============================= DECISIONS Software also offers PCX-SHOW & Utilities. PCX-SHOW is a graphic screen presentation program using the PCX file format. Like TEXT-SHOW, it uses multiple screen fades, seques and special effects but the screens it displays are EGA/VGA graphic screens. The program comes with a series of PCX file utilities including a graphics screen capture program; a utility that converts an ASCII screen to a graphics screen and saves it in PCX format; a PCX file viewing/printing program and more. See the file ORDER.FRM for details. DISCLAIMER ========== TEXT-SHOW is a copyrighted program of Decisions Software of Phoenix, Arizona. These programs are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Decisions Software and it's employees shall have no responsibility or liability to you or any other person, persons, or entity with respect to loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by use of these programs or their documentation.