Loadstar 128 #20/q20.d81/t.q & a

Text File | 1990-01-01 | 8.7 KB | 180 lines

                    T o t a l R e c a l l    Q  a n d  A

Question: This program isn't like most LOADSTAR programs.  How come?

Answer: I've developed my own style which, once you get used to it, makes
perfect sense.  Whatever you need to do next is prompted for; you don't use
big menus.  Give it a try.

Question: Should I copy TotalRecall to another disk?

Answer: Yes.  If you plan to use BatchMaker and MenuMaker, copy them to the
disk, too.  LOADSTAR 128's Copy It feature will copy the necessary files,
but in general, you need all of the files associated with the TotalRecall
system except the "t." files.   Those you should print out for reference.

Question:  Do I have to use BatchMaker to create these files?

Answer:  No.  BatchMaker attempts to remove the thinking from the file
creation process.  If you are comfortable with word processing, instead of
using BatchMaker you can use any SEQuential file editor or word processor
that will dump files to disk in a SEQuential format.  You should set left
margins to 0, top and bottom margins to 0.  You should convert colons to
chr$(219) and commas to chr$(221).  I use THE WRITE STUFF, and this is very
easily done using redefinable characters.  BatchMaker does this
automatically.  An advantage of using a word processor is that you can
include the "file" option in daily or info files.  It is probably also
faster once you know how to do it.  I do all of mine with a word processor.

Question:  What about "edstar.seq"?

Answer:  "eds.seq", on Side One, is a line editor that runs in the C-64
mode, 40 columns.  Use it if you don't have a word processor like THE WRITE
STUFF.  It won't allow you to enter the codes you need for colons and
commas, so your only recourse is to not use colons or commas on your
calendar.  To use "edstar.seq", load and run it, then at the "filename"
prompt, enter any garbage sequence and press RETURN.  The drive will blink,
but don't worry.  You can turn the drive off and on if you want the blinking
to stop.  Then enter your file data and press CTRL-S when ready to save.
Enter the filename and press RETURN.

Question:  Am I limited to 8 lines of text in a calendar block?

Answer:  This is a function of your printer really.  If you have a wide
carriage printer, you can get up to 18 lines in a block.  If you have an 80
column printer, 8 lines is the smallest block.  They may get a little
larger, depending on how many days are in the month, and what day the month
starts and ends on.  There are 28 blocks in February 1998, because it is 28
days long, and starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday.  February of 1992 has
35 blocks, because it starts on Saturday and ends on Saturday.  It thus
includes parts of 5 different weeks.  The more blocks you have, the fewer
lines there are available in each block.

Question:  Can Master Batch files use graphics and dates?

Answer:  A qualified yes.  If you create them with a SEQuential file editor
or word processor, they can, but if you use BatchMaker, they cannot.  This
was just to simplify coding and operation for users.

Question:  Can Informational files be grouped together in a single file?

Answer:  No!  Informational files are pretty much one calendar block
affairs.  If they get too big to fit in a block, the remaining information
in the file is read, and ignored.  However, this wastes a little time.  You
will get "Block Full" messages from TotalRecall.  That is why BatchMaker
does what it can to limit how much you enter.  Since this is a batch type
operation, and multiple files can be accessed, there is no good way to
prevent you from having too much information for a block, though.

Question:  Can I use more than one graphic in a block?

Answer:  A qualified yes!  They cannot be side by side, but instead, for
wide carriage printers, you can have a graphic at the top and bottom of the
calendar block.  It does involve a bit of trickery, and BatchMaker won't
allow you to do it.  You must use a word processor or SEQuential file editor
to do this.  Each graphic block is introduced in a file by the word
"graphic" and closed by the phrase "graphic end".  For the second graphic in
a file block, instead of using "graphic", use the word "graphic+".  For
example:

 graphic
 money bag
 00
 graphic end
 graphic+
 antique car
 00
 graphic end

would print 2 graphics in the same block.  Money Bag would be in the top
half of the block and Antique Car would be in the bottom (if there was still
room in that block.)

Question:  How many graphics can I have on a calendar?

Answer:  You can have up to 19 unique 3 block graphics on a calendar and up
to 35 2 block graphics on a calendar.  You can have combinations of the two
also.  Notice I said "unique".  You drastically skew that number if you use
the same graphic more than once.  If you do that, you could conceivably have
one or two graphics in every block, depending on calendar size.  For
example, if you have five birthdays in a month, and used a graphic called
"cake" or "present" for all of them, the buffer space taken by each one is
considerably less than if you used a unique graphic for each one, and the
technique is faster too.  Practically, you have access to more than you will
probably ever use.  Most people don't have wide carriage printers, meaning
most people are limited to probably 35 or 42 (one in each block) for months
with that many blocks.

Question:  Do my date entries have to be in order?

Answer:  No!  When editing a block for a month, enter them as you remember
them.  They will be in the correct block when TotalRecall accesses them.
The months have to be in order.  If you use BatchMaker, this is not a
problem.  It can only really come up if you use a word processor or
SEQuential file editor to create your files.

Question:  What happens if my message is too wide for the calendar block?

Answer:  If you manage to get one in that is too long, the extra characters
are simply truncated.  That is the worst that can happen.

Question:  How can I add information to an existing file?

Answer:  Use the "Merge" option in BatchMaker (or a word processor).  In
BatchMaker, you will get a directory before you enter the file name.  In
this mode, you MUST enter a file exactly as it appears on the directory.
You will not be allowed anywhere in BatchMaker to use pattern matching (*
and ?) characters in filenames.  The type of file, info or daily, will be
automatically determined.  From there, entry follows the procedures outlined
in the Read It for BatchMaker.  You can use the merge function to add more
months to a file, before or after the starting month in a file.  For
example, if you create a file for February, you can later merge a file for
January or March to it, or just add more information for February.  When you
merge files, you will be asked for a pattern before being asked for a
filename.  This just limits what you are shown in the way of a directory.
When you choose a file to merge with, it must match exactly the name on the
disk.

Let's merge into the file Friday we created in our demonstration.  From the
"Merge..." file, type "y" for "yes" and press RETURN. At the next screen,
for "Pattern", enter "F*" and press RETURN.  You will see in the directory
the file Friday, which we just created.  So, for the filename to merge into,
type Friday and press RETURN.  It must be typed EXACTLY as it appears in the
directory.  The message you will see says:

   Friday will be recreated/expanded on drive 8

(or whatever your destination drive is).

Next you will have the choices of "Printer" and "Exit".  Enter "p" to toggle
the printer "On", and then, press "e" to "Exit".  Those are the only choices
at THIS menu, and the only exit is by pressing 'e'.

Next, you will see "Removing Friday from drive <source #>", then "Beginning
Merge...", and then "Processing Info/start load Informational".  The wording
on these lines may be a little different for you.  They are all only
informational!

Now we are back at the familiar "Text", "Graphic", "Exit" screen.  Press "t"
for "Text".  We are going to add, at respective prompts, 1 line, 3
characters high, 2 characters wide.  When asked for the text for line 1,
type in "The Weekend", and press RETURN.  Verify that it is correct, then
press "e" at the "Text", "Graphic", "Exit" screen.  Verify this choice, and
you will see 'Completing Merge' on screen.  Shortly after that you will
again see the 'Merge...' screen.  Check your printer to see that the new
line is added to the Friday file.  That is the procedure for merging into an
existing file using BatchMaker.

Question:  Will there be updates?

Answer:  MAYBE for TotalRecall.  I don't think I'll update BatchMaker,
unless someone comes up with an idea I find really intriguing (or someone
does the update).  They are pretty generic in function, and that is
intentional.

egb

                            **** RETURN - Menu ****