The PC-SIG Library 10

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/ The PC-SIG Library 10 / The PC-Sig Library - Shareware for the IBM PC and Compatibles (PC-SIG)(Tenth Edition Disks 1-2804)(1991).iso / PC_SIGCD / 26 / 2 / DISK2628.ZIP / README.TXT < prev

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Text File | 1990-10-02 | 25KB | 500 lines

LessIsMore Registration and Instructions ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ LessIsMore is NOT a public domain program. LessIsMore is copyrighted by R*D Applied Technologies, and retains all rights pertaining to LessIsMore. R*D Applied Technologies grants a restricted permission to users to make and distribute copies of LessIsMore. If you continue to regularly use LessIsMore, you are expected to register with R*D Applied Technologies using the form provided below. If LessIsMore is used for business purposes, or for gain, then a copy of LessIsMore must be purchased for each computer it is to be used on. Private individuals and computer clubs are granted permission to copy and distribute LessIsMore for evaluation by others on the following conditions: ∙ You may NOT sell, rent or lease the disk for profit. Doing so is a violation of R*D Applied Technologies copyright. ∙ You may NOT charge anything for LessIsMore (except for authorized user groups, which may charge a cost based fee (not to exceed $10) to cover disks and handling). ∙ You may NOT copy the printed documentation in any manner or form. ∙ You may NOT copy the graphics used in LessIsMore in any manner or form. ∙ You may NOT bundle LessIsMore with any other product. ∙ You may NOT distribute versions of LessIsMore which have been modified in any way. ∙ You must include ALL of the files which are distributed with LessIsMore. These files must be ARCHIVED together if you place them on an electronic bulletin board. R*D Applied Technologies provides quantity discounts for LessIsMore. The discount schedule is: QUANTITY DISCOUNT PRICE PER COPY 1-10 0% $20 10-50 10% $18 50-100 20% $16 SITE LICENSE --- $1,000 ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ LessIsMore Registration Form ║ ╟───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ ║ ║ NAME_________________________________________ ║ ║ ║ ║ COMPANY NAME_________________________________ ║ ║ ║ ║ STREET ADDRESS_______________________________ ║ ║ ║ ║ CITY__________________________STATE__________ ║ ║ ║ ║ ZIP CODE_____________________________________ ║ ║ ║ ║ DISK SIZE: 5¼"___ 3½"___ ║ ║ ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ LessIsMore is distributed as ShareWare and is completely supported by user registrations. You may register your copy of LessIsMore by filling out the form provided and mailing it along with a check or money order for $23.00 ($20.00 + $3 s/h) to: R*D Applied Technologies, Inc. 3209 Barkley Drive Fairfax, Va. 22031 You will receive the latest version of LessIsMore which is Windows 3.0 compatible, and includes additional graphic background selections. You will also be placed on our update list to receive automatic notification of LessIsMore updates, new graphic backgrounds, and new software releases from R*D Applied Technologies. R*D Applied Technologies staff members include highly talented graphics artists that can create or enhance a graphic background for use with LessIsMore. They are also able to quickly replicate a company logo, and incorporate it in a unique graphic to customize the look of LessIsMore for business environments. Rates for these services are reasonable, and available upon request at (703) 641-0107 or at the address above. INSTALLING LessIsMore LessIsMore is an office automation utility program that currently runs under Microsoft Windows V.286, 386 and 3.0 real mode. The upgrade to run LessIsMore in V.3.0 protected mode is expected to be shipped in December 1990. Registered users will automatically receive this upgrade. LessIsMore can be installed such that it: ∙ Runs automatically upon turning on your computer ∙ Runs automaticaly upon starting Windows ∙ Can be opened, along with Windows, from the DOS command line ∙ Can be opened from within Windows. The following paragraphs address installation and configuration for each of these options. OPTION 1. Runs automatically upon turning on your computer. ∙ Copy the following LessIsMore files into the Windows directory on your hard drive: LIM.EXE, LIMSETUP.EXE, LIMCNFG.TXT. If you use a CGA monitor, copy CGALIM.EXE instead of LIM.EXE and CGASETUP.EXE instead of LIMSETUP.EXE. LIM.EXE and LIMSETUP.EXE will work with all other monitor types, including VGA, EGA, Hercules, and Super VGA. ∙ Open Windows and enter the Windows directory. Select WIN.INI and open by double clicking on the file name with your mouse, or by pressing the <enter/return> key. ∙ Find the line,"run= ", and type LIM.EXE (or CGALIM.EXE if you use a CGA monitor) after the <=> symbol. ∙ Save the file using the Save command in the pull down File Menu. ∙ Without closing the Notepad utility currently containing WIN.INI, again use the pull down File Menu to Open your AUTOEXEC.BAT file by typing C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT when the File Name dialog box opens. ∙ Insert the Windows directory into the path statement, e.g. PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\DBASE;C:\WINDOWS; OR, if there is no path statement Add the following path statement: PATH=[D]:\ [D]:\[WINDOWS DIRECTORY], where: [D] is the letter of the hard drive or hard drive partition containing the Windows program and files, and [WINDOWS DIRECTORY] is the name of the directory containing the windows program, e.g. WINDOWS. ∙ Add a line at the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file with the single word "WIN" (don't type the quotes). ∙ Save the file ∙ Exit Notepad ∙ Exit Windows ∙ Reboot your computer. The computer will now open with LessIsMore running under Windows. OPTION 2: Run automatically upon starting Windows. ∙ Perform all the steps described for OPTION 1, only leave out the added AUTOEXEC.BAT line, "WIN". When you reboot your computer, you will be at the C: prompt. Type WIN. Windows will open with LessIsMore running as an application. OPTION 3: To open LessIsMore and Windows from the DOS command line. ∙ Perform all the steps described for OPTION 2, only this time leave out the change to <run=> in the WIN.INI file. To open Notepad to modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, pull down the System Menu by clicking on the square button in the upper left corner of the Notepad window. Select Run. When the Run dialog box opens, type "Notepad". After saving the new version of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, close Notepad and then close Windows. Reboot your computer. At the C: prompt, type WIN LIM. Windows will open with LessIsMore running as an application. OPTION 4: To open LessIsMore from inside Windows. ∙ Perform the same steps as in OPTION 3. At the C: prompt, type WIN. Windows will open. Either select LIM.EXE with your mouse, or pull down the System Menu, select Run, and type LIM.EXE. Double click or press the <enter/return> key to open LessIsMore. USING LIMSETUP.EXE LessIsMore has been designed to use generic application names in its Program Selection Menu. That is, instead of naming the Word Processor that is accessed by LessIsMore by its commercial product name, e.g. WordPerfect, MultiMate, MS-Word, etc., only "Word Processor" is used. The advantage of this approach is that it results in interface consistency regardless of the mix of application and utility software. The approach, however, requires the use of a configuration file (LIMCNFG.TXT) that instructs LessIsMore which application programs to use, and where to find them on the hard disk. The utility program LIMSETUP.EXE (CGASETUP. EXE for CGA monitors) is used to create the configuration file. LIMSETUP.EXE is a small Windows-based application program that simplifies the writing of the LIMCNFG.TXT file. You can open LIMSETUP.EXE in any of the following ways: ∙ At the DOS command line, type WIN LIMSETUP, then press the <enter/return> key ∙ After opening Windows, select Run from the System Menu, and type LIMSETUP.EXE ∙ Double click on LIMSETUP.EXE in the MS-DOS window in Windows ∙ Within LessIsMore, select Run in the File Menu and type LIMSETUP.EXE. LIMSETUP.EXE displays a form on the screen. You need to replace the "*.*" entries with the names and, in some instances, the paths of the programs, or PIF (Program Information File) files that will be accessed through LessIsMore. PIF files are used to open non-Windows programs. MS-Windows V2.x and 3.0 provide many PIF files for popular application programs. These PIFs can be used and customized depending on your particular hardware configuration. In addition, you can refer to your Windows Users Guide for instructions for creating PIF files using PIFEDIT.EXE. A sample, text-only set of entries is provided below, and can be used as a model for your own LIMSETUP entries. Word Processor WORD.PIF Spreadsheet D:\EXCEL\EXCEL.EXE Database DBASE.PIF Draw DESIGNER.EXE Paint PBRUSH.EXE Publish WRITE.EXE Project PS4.PIF Communications BITCOM.PIF Calendar CALENDAR.EXE Clock CLOCK.EXE Card File CARDFILE.EXE In this example, all of the PIF files and all of the Windows-based programs, with the exception of Excel, should reside in the Windows directory. If your programs and PIF files do not reside in the Windows root directory, then you must either provide the path information in your LIMSETUP entry (as shown in the case of the Windows application Designer), or else include the path information in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. NOTE: If you don't have a program in your computer that corresponds to one of the named applications or utilities, leave the "*.*" in the text entry box for that selection. Failure to do so can result in a system error. After you have completed your entries using LIMSETUP.EXE, click on the screen's OK button. This action will automatically save your entries in the LIMCNFG.TXT file, making them immediately available for selection by LessIsMore. The LIMCNFG.TXT file can be updated at any time using LIMSETUP.EXE, or the Windows Notepad utility. OPENING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME Depending on how you have your computer configured for Windows and LessIsMore, open LessIsMore. LessIsMore will open with the Program Selection menu highlighted. Use the mouse, <tab> key, or <cursor> keys to point to the application or utility program in the menu that you wish to run. After pointing, click the left mouse button, or use the <spacebar> to select the program. Repeat these steps for each program you wish to run in the same session. (Note: Pressing the mouse button, or the <spacebar> a second time will deselect your choice.) After all the programs have been selected, use the mouse to click on the OK button in the Program Selection Menu, or press the <enter/return> key. Either of these actions will create program selection icons that will line up, left-to-right, along the bottom of the Windows screen. Non-Windows programs will not actually run until they are launched from the icon line. Windows applications, however, will launch and run as soon as the OK button or <enter/return> key is utilized. Some Windows application programs will open in full screen mode. When this happens, you can iconize the program by selecting Minimize from within the Windows application's File drop down menu, or by clicking on the downward pointing arrow in the upper right corner of the Windows screen. RUNNING NON-WINDOWS APPLICATIONS The following steps are required to launch and run non-Windows application programs from the icon line. Programs such as WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3, dBase III+/IV, Harvard Graphics are examples of non- Windows programs that are launched from icons. Icons that have been placed by LessIsMore on the icon line can be easily accessed using either the mouse or the keyboard. These procedures are discussed below. Using the Mouse: Place the arrow cursor over the icon belonging to the program to be launched. Click once with the left mouse button to expand the Windows pop-up menu. Select and click once on Restore or Maximize to launch the program. Alternatively, place the arrow cursor over the icon and double click. This action will also launch the program. Using the Keyboard: Press the <alt> and <tab> keys simultaneously. This will cause one of the icons to highlight its program name. Continue to press and release the <tab> key while holding down the <alt> key. This will cycle the Windows focus from one icon to the next and then across the LessIsMore screen and Program Selection Menu. Removing your finger from the <alt> key will launch whichever program is highlighted at the time. RUNNING WINDOWS APPLICATIONS As mentioned earlier, Windows application programs are launched when the OK button or the <enter/return> key is used after program selection. Because programs that are launched utilize precious computer memory even when they are not in use, it is good practice not to select Windows programs until they are actually needed. It is easy to return to the Program Selection Menu to select and launch a Windows program when it is needed. This and other related procedures are addressed in the section which follows. SWITCHING AMONG PROGRAMS Using the steps described above, let's assume that we have selected a word processor (WordPerfect), a spreadsheet (Lotus 1-2-3), and a database management system (dBase III+). We next use the <alt><tab> key combination to launch and run WordPerfect. After a few seconds for Windows to store away in a temporary disk file information concerning the status of the computer, the opening WordPerfect screens will appear on your monitor. You will find that the program behaves the same as always, only now Windows has added a few, important new capabilities to WordPerfect that allows WordPerfect to share text and data on your monitor's screen with other programs, and vice versa. These capabilities will be addressed in some detail in the section on cutting and pasting between application programs. For now, we are primarily interested in moving among application programs. To do this we use the same <alt><tab> keys we used to initially launch and run WordPerfect. Now, while you are still in WordPerfect, hold the <alt> key down and tap the <tab> key once or twice. Notice that a menu bar appears at the top of the WordPerfect screen, and that the names of the Application Programs that you selected earlier, as well as LessIsMore and the Program Selection Menu also appear in succession in the menu bar. When you find the program that you want to run, lift your finger from the <alt> key. This will launch and run a new program, or will reactivate a program that has already run, such as LessIsMore. Choosing the Program Selection Menu when it appears in the menu bar will allow you to use LessIsMore to select and launch additional programs at any time during your computer session. Once a new program comes to the screen as an icon or as a running program, you can return to WordPerfect by again using the <alt><tab> key combination method. If the current running program is not a character-based program such as WordPerfect or Lotus 1-2-3, i.e. it is a Windows-based GUI program, there will be no menu bar. Instead, selection icons will be placed on the screen. On the other hand, if a Windows program is selected that was running prior to program switching, a window showing the last state of that Windows program will be brought to the forground for inspection and possible selection. Additional information concerning the use of Windows for program switching can be found in the Windows User's Guide that comes with the Windows program. CUTTING AND PASTING BETWEEN APPLICATION PROGRAMS (Windows 2.x) MS-Windows provides a clipboard for transfering data, text and graphics between application software program files. Even in programs that do not normally use a mouse, the mouse can be activated for marking areas on the screen prior to copying (writing) and pasting (reading) the data into a file in another application program. The typical sequence of steps when using the clipboard is to: ∙ Mark the area to be copied to the clipboard ∙ Copy the highlighted area to the clipboard ∙ Switch to another application program (using <alt-tab> key combination) ∙ Paste the contents of the clipboard into the current file. The clipboard is accessed using the Clipboard menu which is displayed using the keyboard by holding down the <alt> key and pressing the <spacebar>. Once the menu has been displayed, there are several items in the menu that can be selected, and other items that are not active. The selections that are used to transfer data between application programs are: ∙ Mark: This selection is made when you want to select an area of data, text or graphics for copying to the clipboard. ∙ Copy: This selection is made when you want to copy the marked data, text or graphic to the clipboard. ∙ Paste: This selection is made when you want to paste the contents of the clipboard into the current file displayed on the screen. Transfering requires that the items to be copied must first be selected, or marked. This is done by bringing up the Clipboard menu and selecting Mark on the menu. Either a mouse can be used to make the selection, or pressing the <K> key will also cause Mark to be selected. The next step is to identify the area that is to be marked, holding the left mouse button down, and dragging the mouse over the area until all the data, text or graphic is highlighted. It is also possible to use the cursor keys to Mark an area on the screen for copying to the clipboard. Use the cursor keys to move the cursor to the beginning of the information that you want to copy. Hold down the <shift> key and then use the cursor keys to highlight the selected information. To cancel the selection, press <escape>. Once the area has been marked, the next step is to redisplay the Clipboard menu and select Copy on the menu either with the mouse or by pressing the <Y> key. This action causes the highlighted area to be written to the Clipboard, which makes the information available for pasting into another application program file. Next, either start or switch to the application program that is to receive the data that is in the Clipboard. Position the cursor where you want the data to be placed. Pasting the contents of the Clipboard is done by displaying the Clipboard menu and selecting Paste. The data previously copied into the Clipboard will be written to the screen starting at the current position of the cursor. Review the Windows Users Guide for additional information and tips on how to use the powerful Clipboard feature of MS-Windows. CLOSING PROGRAMS Windows and, hence, LessIsMore will not let you close non-Windows programs from inside Windows. You must first return to the Application, and then close your program in the normal manner. In this fashion, you are always assured of the opportunity to save the latest version of whatever file you are working on, as well as any configuration information that may have changed during the latest session with the program. On the other hand, Windows programs may be closed in any one of three ways. First, you may close the program from within, just as you would close a non-windows program. Second, you may select to close the program from its icon. Windows programs will ask you if you want to save your latest changes before closing without actually reopening the program. Last, you can close your Windows session. Windows will again ask you if you want to save changes made to each and every Windows program that has run and not been closed prior to closing itself. It is important to close programs thoughtfully rather than by using quick and dirty methods, such as rebooting your computer, or simply turning the power off when you have completed a session. Failure to do so will leave large temporary Windows files on your designated or default hard drive. These files are typically hundreds of thousands of bytes long, and will probably need to be cleared out prior to initiating another LessIsMore work session. In any event, it is good practice to check the Windows temporary file directory periodically to clear out file residue that may have accumulated over time. The Windows User's Guide describes how to configure and manage temporary files and the temporary file directory. EXITING LessIsMore To exit from LessIsMore, pull down the File Menu and select Exit. This action will put you in the Windows MS-DOS directory that contains LessIsMore. To exit Windows entirely, either simultaneously depress the <alt><F4> keys, or select Close from the System Menu. Press the <enter/return> or click on the OK button to respond to the Windows dialog box asking if you are sure you want to leave Windows. This action will return you to DOS.