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CONTRIBUTION / REGISTRATION FORM
Product: FAS-TYPE - Typing Instruction for the IBM-PC and compatibles.
1. Your Name: _________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
City: ________________________ State:________ Zip:_____________
2. Serial Number from the README file: #__________________
3. Date that you received your copy of the product: _____________________
4. Check the computer that the product is being used on:
( ) IBM-PC
( ) IBM-XT
( ) Other: ___________________(Specify)
5. Contribution / Registration: ($20.00 Suggested)
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6. Fold this sheet with payment attached and mail to:
Trendtech Corporation
P.O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
7. Please write your comments on the back of this form.
8. Thank You.
-0-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 1
_______________________________________________________________________
*** User Supported Software ***
FAS-TYPE
A custom typing instruction program for
IBM-PC style keyboards
*** U S E R ' S G U I D E ***
(Version 2.1)
(C) 1983,84,85 Trendtech Corporation, Inc. Wayne, New Jersey 07470
Licensed Material - Program and Documentation Property of Trendtech Corp.
_______________________________________________________________________
FAS-TYPE
-1-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 2
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
_____________________________________________________________________
Licence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The User Supported Concept . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter 1
Equipment Required . . . . . . . . . . 6
How to make a "Working" Copy of FAS-TYPE . . . 6
Hard Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
How to use FAS-TYPE . . . . . . . . . . 10
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . 10
How to Operate . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
During Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The "Escape" Key . . . . . . . . . . . 11
How to Stop Using FAS-TYPE . . . . . . . . 11
Clock Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Messages & Errors . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Screen Keyboard Display . . . . . . . 12
Beginner Drills . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Text Panel above Keyboard . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 2
Dual Purpose of Function Keys . . . . . . . 14
Menu Hopping . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
HELP Facility . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
How to use the HELP Facility . . . . . . . 15
Chapter 3
Main Menu - Master List -- Menu #1 . . . . . 16
Beginner Drill Selections -- Menu #2 . . . . 18
Drill Combinations Tutorial . . . . . . . 20
Beginner Exercises -- Menu #3 . . . . . . . 25
Advanced Exercises -- Menu #4 . . . . . . . 27
Keyboard Aids -- Menu #5 . . . . . . . . 29
Chapter 4 - Sub-Menus
Progressive Letters Selection Screen . . . . 31
Progressive Numbers Selection Screen . . . . 33
How to Type Capital Letters . . . . . . . 34
Appendix A How to Print the HELP Screens . . . . . . 35
Appendix B Modifying the Exercise Files . . . . . . 36
Appendix C How FAS-TYPE Selects Lines for Display . . 39
"44" Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Appendix D List of Files on FAS-TYPE Diskette . . . . 40
Appendix E Program Messages . . . . . . . . . . 41
Glossary of Terms Used . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
-2-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 3
LICENSE
_________________________________________________________________
A limited license is hereby granted to all users of this
program and documentation to make copies of the FAS-TYPE software
programs and documentation, and to distribute them to other users
on the following conditions:
a. NO price is charged for the program or documentation.
However, minimum distribution costs incurred by computer
clubs may be charged.
b. Recipients are INFORMED of the User-Supported concept
and are encouraged to support it with their donations.
c. Recipients are informed that both the software and
documentation for FAS-TYPE are registered with the U.S.
Copyright Office.
d. No one may modify the program or the documentation; EXCEPT
that lesson files may be modified to suit the user as out-
lined in the appendix section of the documentation.
Free distribution of software and voluntary payment for its
use eliminates advertising and distribution costs and expensive
copy-protection schemes. Users can obtain quality software at
reduced costs; they can try it out in their own home or office
and can do so at their own pace. High quality programs will
survive based solely on their usefulness to the computing
community.
-3-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 4
DISCLAIMER
__________________________________________________________________________
In no event will Trendtech Corporation or the Author be
liable to you for any damages, including any lost profits, lost
savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out
of the use of or inability to use this program, even if Trendtech
Corporation or the Author has been advised of the possibility of
such damages, or for any claim by any other party.
THE USER-SUPPORTED CONCEPT
__________________________________________________________________________
User-supported software is a unique method of distributing computer
programs. The concept is based on three beliefs:
1. That the value and utility of software is best
assessed by the user on his/her own system.
2. That the creation of personal computer software can
and should be supported by the computing community.
3. That copying of programs should be encouraged rather
than restricted.
FAS-TYPE is distributed on ONE double-sided diskette. The
diskette contains the program, drill and lesson files, help
files, the complete documentation text consisting of over 45
pages and a batch file for printing it out on your printer.
You or anyone else may request a complete copy of FAS-TYPE
from the author by sending a check or money order for $20.00 to
cover the cost of handling, distribution, and includes your
contribution and registration fee. Don't forget to include your
complete mailing address; mail your request to:
Trendtech Corporation
FAS-TYPE Program
P. O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey 07470
For those of you who still have single-sided drives, just
add $5.00 to the above amount and the author will send you the
program and documentation on two single-sided diskettes.
The author welcomes your comments and criticisms about this
program. User-suggested changes and enhancements will be
seriously considered. Please send all querys and comments IN
WRITING to the above address. Enjoy the program and share it
with others.
--- William J. Letendre (President/Author)
Trendtech Corporation
-4-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 5
INTRODUCTION
__________________________________________________________________________
FAS-TYPE is an easy to use menu-driven interactive typing program
that is designed for use by IBM-PC and PC-standard Personal Computer
users who desire to learn the basic skills of touch typing on the
IBM-PC style keyboard.
The program is oriented towards beginners who wish to learn at
their own pace. No scores or records are kept for auditing your
progress; you'll know if your're getting better. Timings, WPM,
percent of accuracy, and number of errors are displayed at the
end of each drill or exercise.
Advanced typists may find this program useful for learning the
uniquely styled IBM-PC keyboard. FAS-TYPE has the capability to drill
you on all upper-case symbols and CAPITAL Letters; you must use the
CORRECT Shift key in order to successfully type any of these
characters. You will also learn how to use the ENTER Key; its
use is required for exercises selected from the Advanced Menu.
Most drills, exercises, and features are selectable by the use of
the IBM-PC's keyboard function keys located on the extreme left of the
main typing area. There is also a HELP Facility available with each
Menu that you can use for quick reference while you are using
FAS-TYPE.
FAS-TYPE is very flexible for the beginning typist. Through the
use of the function keys, the beginner can select many combinations of
drill sequences from the Beginners Menu. In addition, one or more
features can be set from the Keyboard Aids Menu. The combinations are
many; you can adjust your drills to boost your typing skills in those
areas that you may feel are weak (i.e. Numbers, CAPITALS, special
symbols, etc.).
------------------------
IBM is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp.
-5-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 6
C H A P T E R O N E
_____________________________________________________________________
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
To successfully use FAS-TYPE on your PC, it must consist of
the following minimum configuration:
1. 64K of RAM
2. One floppy disk drive - double sided
3. Color Graphics Adapter Card
4. DOS 2.x
5. Standard IBM PC-style Keyboard
HOW TO MAKE A "WORKING" COPY OF FAS-TYPE
To protect your original FAS-TYPE diskette from wear-and-tear,
we suggest that you create a "working copy" that you can use on a
day-to-day basis. Then you can put your original FAS-TYPE diskette
in a safe place where you can have ready access to it should your
"working copy" become unusable.
To create a working copy, you will need:
o Your original FAS-TYPE diskette
o Your DOS System diskette
o A high-quality BLANK diskette
You are now ready to start. If you have a two-drive PC follow the
instructions for a TWO-DRIVE System below. If you have only a
one-drive PC then follow the instructions for a ONE-DRIVE System.
TWO-DRIVE SYSTEM:
1. Insert your DOS System diskette in drive A.
2. Insert a high-quality BLANK diskette in drive B.
3. Format the BLANK diskette in drive B by typing in
the following DOS command:
FORMAT B:/S
4. When formatting is finished type in the DOS command:
COPY A:COMMAND.COM B:
5. Remove your DOS system diskette from drive A and insert
the FAS-TYPE program diskette.
-6-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 7
6. Copy the contents of the program diskette in drive A to
your newly formatted diskette in drive B by carefully
typing in the following DOS command:
COPY A:*.* B:
This will take a while; there should be 55 files
copied. Check using the DOS command DIR b:.
7. Remove your original FAS-TYPE program diskette from drive A and
store it in a safe place.
8. Remove the diskette from drive B and label it "FAS-TYPE
WORKING COPY". You can write-protect this diskette if you
desire.
9. Go to the section entitled "HOW TO USE FAS-TYPE".
ONE DRIVE SYSTEM:
1. Insert your DOS System diskette in drive A and insure
that the DOS "prompt" is A>.
2. Format a new high quality BLANK diskette by typing in the
following DOS command:
FORMAT B:/S
Carefully follow the instructions given on the screen for
swapping diskettes on your one-drive system.
3. When formatting is finished insert your DOS System
diskette back into drive A and type in the DOS command:
DISKCOPY A: B:
Carefully follow the instructions given on the screen for
swapping diskettes on your one-drive system. Your FAS-
TYPE diskette is the SOURCE diskette and the newly
formatted blank diskette is the TARGET diskette.
4. When the copy process is finished re-insert your DOS
System diskette in drive A; store your original FAS-TYPE
diskette away in a safe place and label the new diskette
"FAS-TYPE WORKING COPY". Now type in the DOS command:
SYS B:
Carefully follow the instructions given on the screen for
swapping diskettes. Your new "FAS-TYPE WORKING COPY"
-7-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 8
diskette is the TARGET disk.
5. Insert your DOS System diskette in drive A and type in
the following DOS command:
COPY A:COMMAND.COM B:
Carefully follow the instructions given on the screen for
swapping diskettes. Your new "FAS-TYPE WORKING COPY"
diskette is the TARGET disk.
6. Creation of your "FAS-TYPE WORKING COPY" diskette is now
complete. You may "write-protect" it if you desire.
-8-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 9
HARD DISK
If you have a Hard-Disk and are using DOS 2.x you can load up
FAS-TYPE and all its data files onto the hard disk very easily. You
will then be able to use FAS-TYPE any time you like without worrying
about where the diskette is and having to load it into the computer
every time you want to practice typing. Just follow these simple
instructions:
Since there are a large number of files associated with
the FAS-TYPE program, we recommend that you create a separate
directory on the hard disk to hold them:
To make a new directory to hold the FAS-TYPE
program and lesson files, do the following:
1. Make sure you are in DOS and the C> prompt
is displayed.
2. Go to the root directory by typing in:
chdir \ <enter>
3. Create the new directory by typing in:
mkdir c:\ftype <enter>
Now copy the contents of the your original FAS-TYPE
diskette into the newly created directory \ftype
as follows:
1. Insert the original FAS-TYPE diskette
into drive A.
2. Make sure you are in DOS (the C> prompt)
3. Type in:
copy a:*.* c:\ftype <enter>
4. Each file name will list on the screen
as it is being copied.
5. When the copy process is complete, remove your
original FAS-TYPE diskette from drive A,
insert it into its protective jacket and
put it away in a safe place.
6. You are now ready to use FAS-TYPE:
a. Type in:
chdir \ftype <enter>
b. Type in:
fastype <enter>
and the program will start.
-9-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 10
HOW TO USE FAS-TYPE
You can begin to use FAS-TYPE immediately. There are no special
preparations you have to make, although we strongly recommend that you
make a "Working Copy" as outlined above in the section entitled "Making
a Working Copy" as soon as possible.
GETTING STARTED
You can use FAS-TYPE from either the A drive or B drive. Insert
your FAS-TYPE "Working Copy" diskette (or your original FAS-TYPE
diskette) in the disk drive of your choice. Follow the instructions
given below for starting the program:
1. If you "power-on" or "boot" (CTRL/ALT/DEL) your PC with the
FAS-TYPE "Working Copy" diskette already in drive A, then
the program will start automatically.
2. If you are already in DOS (the A> prompt) then simply
insert the FAS-TYPE "Working Copy" diskette into either
drive and type in "fastype" <enter>, or "b:fastype"
<enter> and the program will start.
HOW TO OPERATE
The first thing you will see on your display when FAS-TYPE starts
is the title screen. The program will ask you to respond by pressing
any key to continue, or, if you want to suppress all sounds (QUIET
Mode), then press the <Esc> key. Select the appropriate response.
FAS-TYPE will now ask you for the disk drive location (A,B,C,D,E)
where the program and related files reside. Respond with the correct
letter in upper or lower case. FAS-TYPE assumes that all of the files
it needs can be located on the diskette in the drive that you specify.
The program will then display a pause message while it reads in
some tables and in a short time will display the Main Menu.
At this point you can either browse through the menus, set program
features, or select drills or exercises. To begin immediately though,
just press F10 to start a drill. If you haven't made any selections,
that's ok, FAS-TYPE will automatically select the HOME keys for you to
be drilled on.
DURING OPERATION
Whenever the screen keyboard is displayed and you are performing a
drill or exercise, or even after a drill or exercise is completed, YOU
CAN ALWAYS RETURN TO ANY OF THE FIVE MENUS BY SIMPLY PRESSING ONE OF
THE FIVE FUNCTION KEYS LABELLED F1 THROUGH F5 TO MAKE OTHER
SELECTIONS.
-10-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 11
THE "ESCAPE" KEY
The Escape key is located in the upper left corner of the main
typing area. Pressing it any time during your use of FAS-TYPE will
cause the MAIN MENU to be displayed.
HOW TO STOP USING FAS-TYPE
There are two ways to end a FAS-TYPE session and return to the
PC-DOS Operating System.
1. Display the Main Menu (function key F1) and then select and
press function key F8 to return to PC-DOS.
-or-
2. Press the CTRL/BREAK keys as you normally would to
"break-out" of any DOS or BASIC function.
Either method is satisfactory.
CLOCK RESET
FAS-TYPE uses the internal clock timer during drills and
exercises and resets it to 00:00:00. When you stop using FAS-TYPE a
message will be displayed on the screen asking you to set the time. If
you desire that your PC should always be set to the correct time then
key in the correct time and press the enter key. Or, you may use the
DOS command "TIME" to do so. Pressing the enter key without setting
the time will cause the clock to be set to 00:00:00.
MESSAGES AND ERRORS
You should never encounter any error messages during the proper
and normal use of your FAS-TYPE program. If you followed the
procedures correctly for creating a "Working Copy", have a
Color/Graphics adapter, responded correctly to the disk drive prompt,
and followed correct procedures for loading the disk drives then you
will have nothing to worry about.
FAS-TYPE does, however, test for and detect certain errors
(missing Color Adapter card for example) that could occur. These,
along with other messages, are fully documented in Appendix E. Please
read them so that in the unlikely event that you have problems you will
be aware of where to find assistance.
-11-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 12
THE SCREEN KEYBOARD DISPLAY
The screen displayed keyboard is the heart of FAS-TYPE and is
always displayed during a drill or exercise session. The idea behind
its use is to allow you to look at a simulated keyboard to help you
form spatial relationships between your finger placements and the
various keys that you want to learn how to type without actually
looking at the real keyboard.
The screen display consists of two elements, a simulation of the
main typing area of the IBM-PC keyboard which occupies the lower half
of the screen and a text panel which occupies the upper half of the
screen. The contents of the text panel will vary depending on whether
you are in a beginner mode performing basic drills, or exercising a
lesson from one of the advanced menus.
BEGINNER DRILLS
While you are learning how to type you will be building a typing
"vocabulary" as you learn new letters, numbers, symbols, and CAPITAL
letters. The text panel will show the various characters that are used
in each drill and which you will be learning how to type. This
information is displayed on four lines labelled "Letters", "Numbers",
"Symbols", and "Caps". If you are just starting out on the HOME keys
the "Letters" line will display "asdfjkl; ", and the other three lines
will be blank except for the label. If you are learning how to type
numbers then the "Letters" line will contain whatever letters where
there before, and the "Numbers" line will contain the numbers you
selected from the Numbers List.
If you select the CAPITAL-letters-only option then the "Caps" line
will show all of 26 capitalized letters of the alphabet; the other
lines will be blank. This means that you will be drilled on CAPITAL
Letters only.
EXERCISES
If you choose any of the exercises from Menu #3 or Menu #4 then
the text panel portion of the screen will display two or three lines of
text that you will be required to type. Below each character of the
text will appear a pointed cursor which will indicate to you the next
letter or character to be typed. As you successfully type each
character, the cursor will advance to the next character on the line.
The exercise ends when all of the displayed characters have been
SUCCESSFULLY typed. That means that the cursor will not advance to the
next character if you type an error; it will only advance when you
correctly type the character that it is pointing to.
-12-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 13
TEXT PANEL ABOVE KEYBOARD
Information displayed in the text panel includes a title line
which indicates the menu that the drill or exercise was selected from
and a time clock display which begins incrementing in seconds when a
drill or exercise begins. The last line of the text panel shows the
number of characters that you have to SUCCESSFULLY type to complete the
drill. A "Get Ready" and "Start" prompt is also shown. This allows you
to position yourself and prepare to start typing.
-13-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 14
C H A P T E R T W O
___________________________________________________________________________
PROGRAM FUNCTION KEYS
FAS-TYPE makes extensive use of the FUNCTION keys to control the
selection and initiation of various drills, exercises and program
features. The function keys are located on the PC keyboard to the
left of the letter keys. They are labelled F1 from the top through F10
on the bottom.
DUAL PURPOSE OF FUNCTION KEYS
The ten function keys as they are used with FAS-TYPE serve a dual
purpose. First, they are used to display various menus, and secondly,
while a menu is displayed,they are used to select an exercise, feature,
or option. Refer to the "Summary of Function Key Usage" in Appendix A.
For example, if you are performing a drill using the screen displayed
keyboard and you press function key F2, the drill will terminate, the
screen keyboard will be erased and the Beginner Menu will be displayed
on the screen. If you press F2 again while the Beginner menu is
displayed, you will select the "HOME Keys Only" option.
On the other hand, a few function keys are used for only one
purpose. An example of that would be the use of the F10 function key.
It is always used to start an exercise or a new drill. This is the case
if either a menu is displayed; or the screen keyboard is displayed and
you are at the end of a drill or exercise.
You should become familiar with the use of the function keys in
FAS-TYPE. You will use them to switch from one kind of exercise to
another, and to turn features ON or OFF.
See the section entitled "Explanation of Menu Lists" for a full
description of the use of each function key.
-14-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 15
MENU HOPPING
You can switch from one menu display to another menu display
quickly by using the ALT key on the lower left portion of the main
keyboard. If, for example you have the Beginners Menu currently
displayed and you want to switch to the Keyboard Aids Menu without
returning to the Main Menu you can do this by first pressing and
holding down the ALT key then pressing function key F5. The display
will switch from Menu #2 to Menu #5 immediately. Function key F5 is
the key you would normally press while the Main Menu is displayed to
get to the Keyboard Aids Menu.
The ALT key only works when one of the five major menus is
displayed, and only with function keys F1 through F5. Each menu has a
menu number shown in the upper right hand corner of the screen. To
immediately display a menu corresponding to the function key numbers,
hold the ALT key down and press the desired function key. The ALT key
and function keys are not used when the sub-menus are displayed-see
Chapter 4.
HELP FACILITY
All of the menus in FAS-TYPE have a HELP Facility available for
you to use as a quick reference while selecting an exercise or feature.
There are four HELP screen pages for each menu. Each HELP page is
displayed in high resolution text mode and may be difficult to read if
you are using a composite monitor or TV set. See Appendix A for a
solution to this problem.
HOW TO USE THE HELP FACILITY
When any of the five major menus are displayed, function key F1 is
the key you can use to get the HELP pages. Page one of the four
pages is always displayed first. A blinking WAIT message is displayed
while the HELP text is being loaded into screen memory.
Line 25, displayed in color on the bottom of the screen gives you
instructions for getting to each screen page and for exiting out of the
HELP Facility to return to the menu list. You can <f>orward to the
next screen page, <j>ump backwards to the previous page, or press the
<Enter> key to get back to the menu that you asked HELP from. (You
can also get out of HELP by pressing the ESCape key, however, the MAIN
MENU will be displayed)
The instructions change too depending on what page you are looking
at. For example, if you are looking at page four, obviously you can't
<f>orward to the next page because there is no page five, therefore
the <f>orward message won't show on the line.
Try the HELP Facility to become familiar with how the screens
operate. If you have loaded FAS-TYPE into your PC and have a menu
displayed, just press F1, watch the Help Facility text fill the screens
and then press the forward and backward keys to see the effects.
-15-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 16
C H A P T E R 3
__________________________________________________________________________
EXPLANATION OF THE MENU LISTS
There are five menus and two sub-menus available to guide you with
your selection of drills, exercises, keyboard aids, and options. Each
menu is activated by pressing one of the function keys located on the
left hand side of the keyboard.
With a few exceptions, function keys F1 through F5 are always
available to you; you can press them any time DURING, or at the
completion of any drill or exercise and the indicated menu will be
displayed. The function keys are not available during the Progressive
Letter and Number selection menu displays, nor during the Help Facility
display. In these instances, use the Enter Key to return you to the
appropriate menu.
MAIN MENU - Master List -- Menu #1
Function key F1 displays the Main Menu
The Main Menu is like the table of contents in a book; it contains
a list of the other four menus available and the proper function key to
press in order to display that menu on the screen. This is also the
menu from which you should "gracefully" terminate the program and
return to DOS.
The following text describes the purpose of each function key
available with the Main Menu. Don't forget about the dual purpose of
the function keys described earlier in Chapter 2.
F1 - HELP Facility
Pressing F1 while the Main Menu is displayed activates a "HELP
Facility" that you can use for quick reference while learning
FAS-TYPE.
F2 - BEGINNER DRILLS MENU
Pressing F2 while the Main Menu is displayed will cause the
Beginner Menu in turn to be displayed on the screen. The Beginner Menu
contains drill selections that you can use to help you to learn how
to type beginning with the HOME keys and progressing through additional
letters, numbers, symbols, and Captial letters.
F3 - BEGINNER EXERCISES MENU
Pressing F3 while the Main Menu is displayed will cause the
Beginner Exercises Menu in turn to be displayed. The Beginner
Exercises Menu contains exercise selections that you can use after you
have learned how to type all of the letters on the PC keyboard.
Instead of randomly selected letters being flashed on the screen
keyboard as in the basic drills, pre-defined exercises are selected
-16-
FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 17
randomly from disk and displayed in the text panel. Your task is to
type the character pointed to by the "<" cursor. These exercises are
typically 80 characters in length.
F4 - ADVANCED EXERCISES MENU
Pressing F4 while the Main Menu is displayed will cause the
Advanced Menu in turn to be displayed. The Advanced Menu contains
pre-defined exercises that you can use after you have learned how to
type all of the letters, all of the numbers, all of the Capital
letters, and some symbols such as the period, comma, bracket, etc. The
pre-defined exercises read from the diskette consist of simple words,
short sentences, and paragraphs that are displayed in the text panel
above the screen keyboard. Your task is to type the characters pointed
to by the " " cursor. These drills are typically 120 characters in
length.
F5 - KEYBOARD AIDS MENU
Pressing F5 while the Main Menu is displayed will cause the
Keyboard Aids menu in turn to be displayed. The Keyboard Aids Menu has
handy typing aids for the beginner. These typing aid options can be
"toggled" ON or OFF by pressing the appropriate function key. Some of
the available options include hidden keys, sound, outline of HOME keys,
etc. A message at the bottom of the menu display will indicate the
setting of your selection at the time the function key is pressed.
F6, F7 - not used
These function keys are not used by the Main Menu. Nothing will
happen if they are pressed.
F8 - Exit to DOS
Pressing F8 while the Main Menu is displayed will cause FAS-TYPE
to terminate. The screen is cleared and a message will appear
asking you to reset the time. After you have responded to the time
message the DOS prompt will appear at the top of the screen.
F9 - Re-display Main Menu
Pressing F9 while the Main Menu is displayed will simply cause the
Main Menu to be re-displayed. This is in keeping with the purpose of
F9 in all the other menus; that is, to exit the current menu display
and return to the Main Menu display.
F10 - Start Drill
Pressing F10 while the Main Menu is displayed will cause the
keyboard screen to be displayed and any selected drill or exercise to
begin. If no drill or exercise has been selected from another menu
then FAS-TYPE will select the HOME keys only for you to exercise with,
and the count of the number of characters in each drill is set at 20
characters.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 18
BEGINNER DRILL Selections -- Menu #2
Function Key F2 displays the Beginner Drills Menu
The Beginner Drills Menu is displayed when F2 is pressed while the
Main Menu is on the screen, or any time during a drill or exercise. This
is the menu that you can use to build your typing vocabulary. You
would typically start with the HOME keys and as your typing skills
increase you would select additional letters to learn; then you can try
numbers, symbols, and finally Capital Letters. The function keys
available in this menu are described as follows:
F1 - HELP Facility
Pressing F1 while menu #2 is displayed activates the "HELP
Facility" for Menu #2.
F2 - HOME Keys Only
Pressing F2 while menu #2 is displayed will cause just the
HOME keys to be available for you to practice on. The count of the
number of characters that you must successfully type for each drill
remains set at the count you specified in Menu 5 or will be set to 20.
F3 - Progressive Letters
Pressing F3 while menu #2 is displayed will cause the display of a
letter selection screen to be activated. From this screen you can
select additional letters that you want to practice on. See Progressive
Letters Screen in Chapter 4.
F4 - Progressive Numbers
Pressing F4 while menu #2 is displayed will cause a display of the
number selection screen to be activated. From this screen you can
select numbers that you want to practice on. See the Progressive
Number Keys Screen in Chapter 4.
F5 - Special Characters & Symbols
Pressing F5 while menu #2 is displayed will cause the selection of
all upper-case and lower-case symbols from the main typing area to be
selected. These symbols will be added to any selections you may have
made from the Progressive Letters or Numbers menu. If you do not like
typing symbols, press F4 again to turn this option OFF; the
special characters and symbols will be removed from your drills.
F6 - CAPITAL Letters Only
Pressing F6 while menu #2 is displayed will cause selection of
Capital Letters Only for you to practice on. The count of the number of
Capital Letters for each drill remains set at the count you may have
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 19
specified in Menu 5 or will be set at 20. Read the section entitled
"HOW TO TYPE CAPITAL LETTERS".
F7 - All of the above
Pressing F7 while menu #2 is displayed will cause all letters,
symbols, numbers, and Capital Letters in FAS-TYPE's vocabulary to be
available for you to practice on. The count of the number of characters
for each drill will remain set at the count you specified in Menu 5 or
will stay set at 20.
F8 - not used
This key is not used in this menu, nothing will happen if it is
pressed.
F9 - Return to Main Menu
Pressing F9 while menu #2 is displayed will cause the Main Menu to
be re-displayed. Selections made from the Beginner Drills Menu will
remain in effect.
F10 - Start Drill
Pressing F10 while menu #2 is displayed will cause the keyboard
screen to be displayed and any selected drill or exercise to begin.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 20
DRILL COMBINATIONS TUTORIAL
The following section describes some of the various combinations
of letters, numbers, and characters that you can select from the
Beginner Drills Menu (#2). The combinations are selected based on the
SEQUENCE in which you press the function keys and make selections from
the Progressive Letters and Progressive Numbers sub-menus.
To begin this tutorial make sure the Beginner Drills Menu (#2) is
displayed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To start on the HOME keys only:
This sequence will reset all previous drill settings.
1. press F2 - Home keys only
2. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;
Symbols:
Numbers:
Caps:
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To add letters:
This sequence will add letters to your drill selection.
1. press F3 - Displays Progressive Letters sub-menu
2. select #4 - letters g and h
3. press enter key to return to Menu 2
4. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;ei<rugh
Symbols:
Numbers:
Caps:
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 21
To add numbers:
This sequence will add some numbers to your drill selection.
1. press F5 - Displays Progressive Numbers sub-menu
2. select #1 - numbers 4,5,6,7
3. press enter key to return to Menu 2
4. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;ei<rugh
Symbols:
Numbers: 4567
Caps:
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To add symbols:
This sequence will add symbols to your drill selection.
1. press F5 - turns symbols selection ON and adds
then to your existing drill list.
2. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;ei<rugh
Symbols: ,./'`[]-=\!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"~|<>?
Numbers: 4567
Caps:
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To use Capital letters only:
This sequence will reset all previous drill selections.
1. press F6 - selects Capital letters only and
erases all other selections.
2. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters:
Symbols:
Numbers:
Caps: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 22
To add some lower case letters and some numbers to
the Capital Letters drill selection:
This sequence will add lower case letters and numbers.
1. press F6 - Select Capital letters only;
erases all other selections.
2. press F3 - Displays Progressive Letters sub-menu
a. Select #4 - g and h
b. press the enter key to return to Menu
3. press F5 - Displays Progressive Numbers sub-menu
a. Select #1 - 4567
b. press the enter key to return to Menu
4. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;ei<rugh
Symbols:
Numbers: 4567
Caps: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To reset the above conglomeration:
This sequence will reset all previous drill settings.
1. press F2 - Home keys only
2. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;
Symbols:
Numbers:
Caps:
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To try everything all at once:
1. press F7 - ALL of the above
2. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;ei<rughtyqwopcvnzxbm
Symbols: ,./'`[]-=\!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"~|<>?
Numbers: 4567382910
Caps: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 23
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To select ALL Capital letters and ALL numbers combination:
This sequence will reset all previous drill selections.
1. press F6 - selects Capital letters only-this
erases all other selections.
2. press F5 - Progressive Numbers sub-menu
a. select #4 (all)
b. press enter to return to menu 2.
3. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters:
Symbols:
Numbers: 4567382910
Caps: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To add the HOME keys to the ABOVE drill combination:
This sequence will cause the HOME keys to be added to the
above drill list.
1. DO NOT press F2-HOME keys only. This would
erase the above combination.
2. instead press F3 - Progressive Letters sub-menu
3. select #1 (Home keys)
4. press Enter key to return to menu 2.
5. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;
Symbols:
Numbers: 4567382910
Caps: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To select the HOME keys and the numbers 4567:
This sequence will reset all previous drill selections.
1. press F2 - HOME Keys only-resets all other
selections.
2. press F5 - Display Progressive Numbers sub-menu
3. select number 1 - 4567
4. press enter to return to menu 2
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 24
5. press F10 - Start drill
Text panel display:
Letters: asdf jkl;
Symbols:
Numbers: 4567
Caps:
Begin typing if you like then press F2 to continue the tutorial
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Many other combinations are possible, these examples were intended
to show you some of the methods that can be used for selecting various
drill combinations. We leave other combinations to your imagination.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 25
BEGINNER EXERCISES -- Menu #3
Function key F3 displays the Beginner Exercises Menu
This menu is displayed when F3 is pressed while the Main Menu is
on the screen or any time during a drill or exercise. With this list
you can select pre-defined drills from disk. The pre-defined drills
consist of three letter word groups, four letter word groups, or
variable length phrases. You can select the kind of drill you want to
practice on by pressing the appropriate PF key.
F1 - HELP Facility
Pressing F1 while Menu #3 is displayed activates the HELP
Facility for this menu.
F2 - WORDS - 3 Letter Groups
This function key will cause FAS-TYPE to access a series of disk
files containing 3-letter word group exercises. Each exercise will be
displayed in the text panel of the screen keyboard. Your task is to
correctly type the letter pointed to by the cursor. The cursor
advances to the next character on the line when the one pointed to is
correctly typed. The drill ends when all displayed characters have been
successfully typed.
F3 - WORDS - 4 Letter Groups
This function key will cause FAS-TYPE to access a series of disk
files containing 4-letter word group exercises. The exercise process
works the same as above.
F4 - Phrase Groups
This function key will cause FAS-TYPE to access a series of disk
files containing common everyday phrases you may find in speech or
print. The exercise process works the same as above.
F5 - Keyboard Prompting
This function key acts as a toggle to turn the screen keyboard
"delayed prompting" feature ON or OFF.
If you think you have mastered the keyboard well enough where you
could type the exercises without the screen keyboard prompting aid, you
can use this key to turn delayed prompting OFF. Pressing it again will
cause the delayed prompt feature to turn back ON.
Note: The delayed keyboard prompting feature will also remain set to
ON or OFF for any selections from the Advanced Exercise Menu (#4)
(described later). Regular keyboard prompting is always ON for any
selections from the Beginner Drills Menu (#2).
F6, F7, F8 - not used
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 26
These function keys are not used in Menu #3. Nothing will
happen if they are pressed.
F9 - Return to Main Menu
Pressing F9 while Menu #3 is displayed will cause the Main Menu to
be displayed. Selections made from this Menu will remain in effect.
F10 - Start Drill
This function key will cause the keyboard screen to be displayed
and any selected exercise to begin.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 27
ADVANCED EXERCISES -- Menu #4
Function Key F4 displays the Advanced Exercises Menu
This menu is displayed when F4 is pressed while the Main Menu is
on the screen or any time during a drill or exercise. With this menu
list you can select pre-defined exercises from disk. The pre-defined
exercises consist of words, sentences, and short paragraphs. You can
select the kind of exercise you want to practice on by pressing the
appropriate PF key. The function keys available in the Advanced
Exercise Menu are described as follows:
F1 - HELP Facility
Pressing F1 while the Advanced Exercise Menu is displayed
activates the Help Facility for this menu.
F2 - Easy Sentences
This function key will cause FAS-TYPE to access a series of disk
files containing various short sentences. Each exercise will be
displayed on the top of the screen keyboard. Your task is to correctly
type the letter pointed to by the cursor. The cursor advances to the
next character on the line when the one pointed to is correctly typed.
The exercise ends when all displayed characters have been successfully
typed.
F3 - Hard Sentences
This function key will cause FAS-TYPE to access a series of disk
files containing short sentences which are more difficult to type. Each
sentence includes Capital letters and punctuation. The exercise process
works the same as for F2 above.
F4 - Short Paragraphs
This function will cause FAS-TYPE to access a series of disk
files containing short paragraphs. Each paragraph contains one or more
sentences, and includes capital letters, punctuation, and numbers. The
exercise process works the same as for F2 above.
F5 - Keyboard Prompting
This function key acts as a toggle switch to turn the screen
keyboard "delayed prompting" feature ON or OFF.
You can use this key to turn delayed prompting OFF. Pressing it
again will cause the delayed prompt feature to turn back ON.
Note: the delayed keyboard prompting feature will also remain set to ON
or OFF for any selections from the Beginner Exercises Menu described
earlier. Regular keyboard prompting is always ON for any selections
made from the Beginner Drills Menu.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 28
If your really good, you could try typing the pre-defined
exercises using the hidden key option with the "delayed prompting"
turned OFF.
F6, F7, F8 - not used
These function keys are not used in menu #4. Nothing will happen
if they are pressed.
F9 - Return to Main Menu
Pressing F9 while the Advanced Exercises Menu is displayed will
cause the Main menu to be displayed on the screen. Any selections made
from this menu will remain in effect.
F10 - Start Drill
This function key will cause the keyboard screen to be displayed
and any selected drill or exercise to begin.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 29
KEYBOARD AIDS -- Menu #5
Function Key F5 displays the Keyboard Aids Menu
The Keyboard Aids Menu is displayed when F5 is pressed
while the Main Menu is on the screen or any time during a drill or
exercise. With this menu list you can select features such as outlining
of HOME keys to aid you in finger placement on the keyboard, hidden
keys whereby the letters on the screen keyboard keys are erased,
turning all sound ON or OFF, etc. Any feature selected from this menu
will remain in effect during any form of drills or exercises until you
reset them. More than one option can be selected during a display of
this menu. When you look at this menu on the screen, observe that the
capital letter portion of the (ON/off) definition indicates the initial
setting. The function keys available in the Keyboard Aids Menu are
described as follows:
F1 - HELP Facility
Pressing F1 while the Keyboard Aids Menu is displayed activates
the Help Facility for Menu 5. You can use this as a quick reference to
guide you in the use of the options available in this menu.
F2 - QUIET Mode
This function key acts as a toggle switch to turn all sound ON or
OFF. The message displayed at the bottom of the screen will indicate
the setting of the sound option after you press this key. This option
remains set until you reset it again.
F3 - Hidden Keys
Pressing this key will erase all of the letters from the screen
keyboard keycaps. You may wish to use this feature after you have
memorized the key letter placements. You will still be prompted to
press the indicated key during a drill or exercise but will have to
rely on your memory to remember the other keys that are adjacent
to it.
F4 - Outline HOME keys
Pressing this key will cause boxes to be drawn around the HOME
keys of the screen keyboard. The first box is drawn around the ASDF
keys and the second box is drawn around the JKL; keys. This is a
keyboard aid designed to assist you in the correct positioning of your
fingers on the keyboard during typing. This option remains in effect
until you turn it OFF.
F5 - Signal Keystroke Error
Pressing this key will enable a sound to be emitted from the
speaker when you make a keystroke error. A large red X will flash over
the key that you pressed incorrectly and at the same time the speaker
will sound indicating that you made an error.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 30
Note: if all SOUND has been suppressed via the F2 key (or was selected
when you started FAS-TYPE) then the keying error sound will also be
suppressed even though the message may indicate that it has been turned
on.
F6 - Align Finger Positions
Pressing this key will cause lines to be drawn on the screen
keyboard that will separate the keys vertically. It will indicate all
the keys that should be pressed with the same finger. This is a helpful
keyboard aid designed to assist you in keying the letters with the
correct fingers. It can be used together with the outline of the Home
keys option.
F7 - Reset Keyboard Aids
Pressing this key will reset all of the keyboard aids to their
original values of ON or OFF when you started FAS-TYPE. If you get
confused as to what features are ON and what are OFF after using
FAS-TYPE for a while, you can press this key to reset them to their
original status indicated by the "(ON/off)" value next to each item in
the list.
F8 - Change Character Count
Pressing this key will cause a message to be displayed on the
bottom of the screen requesting the duration, in number of characters
to be typed, for any drill selected from the Beginner Drills Menu. You
can select a length of 10 to 99 characters. If you don't select a
length then FAS-TYPE will use a length of 20 characters for each
drill. The duration in number of characters for any exercise selected
from the Amateur or Advanced menu is already set from the pre-defined
lessons on disk. The number in brackets [] indicate the current
setting of the character count.
F9 - Return to Main Menu
Pressing F9 while the Keyboard Aids Menu is displayed will
cause the Main menu to be re-displayed on the screen. Options
selected from this menu will remain in effect.
F10 - Start Drill
This function key will cause the keyboard screen to be displayed
and any selected drill or exercise to begin.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 31
C H A P T E R 4
__________________________________________________________________________
*** S U B - M E N U S ***
PROGRESSIVE LETTERS SELECTION SCREEN
The Progressive Letters Selection Screen is displayed when you
press function key F3 while the Beginner Drills Menu (#2) is displayed.
The purpose of this screen is to allow you to increase your typing
skills by letting you add more letters to your typing knowledge. For
example, the next set of letters that you have to learn after you have
become proficient with the HOME keys are the letters e and i.
Select these letters by typing in the number of its position on the
displayed list - number 2. Then, in addition to being drilled on the
HOME keys, the drills will also include the letters e and i.
Your selection is cumulative, that is, whatever number you select
for the new letters you want to learn, the drills will include ALL of
the letters listed up to that point. So, if you select number 5 for the
letters t and y you will be drilled on all of the letters listed
previously up to and including t and y; that is: (asdfjkl; space,
enter key, ei,uv,ty).
You can select any number listed. If you change your mind while
the list is still displayed, just type in a different number; to cancel
a selection already typed in press the space bar. The selection goes
into effect only when you press the ENTER key. If you decide not to
make a selection just press the enter key to return to the Beginner
Drills menu.
The HELP screen for this menu will give you helpful hints on
the correct method for typing letters.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 32
____________________________________________________________________
| |
| |
| +++ PROGRESSIVE LETTERS +++ |
| |
| Key in a NUMBER for the letters you want to learn: |
| |
| 0. HELP Facility - Progressive Letters |
| |
| 1. a s d f j k l ; + space bar (the HOME keys) |
| |
| 2. e i + enter key |
| |
| 3. r u |
| |
| 4. g h |
| |
| 5. t y |
| |
| 6. q w o p |
| |
| 7. c v n |
| |
| 8. z x b m |
| |
| |
| Type your selection here: __ then press ENTER Key. (<-) |
| |
|____________________________________________________________________|
Illustration of Progressive Letters Selection Menu
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 33
PROGRESSIVE NUMBERS SELECTION SCREEN
The Progressive Numbers Selection Screen is displayed when you
press function key F4 while the Beginner Drills Menu is displayed. The
purpose of this screen is to allow you to increase your typing skills
by letting you add number keys to your typing knowledge.
The selection of number sets that you want to learn works the same
as the Progressive Letters, that is, whatever set of numbers you
select, all of the numbers in the previous sets will be included. For
example, if you want to learn how to type 3 and 8, then select #2 from
the list; that selection will also include the numbers 4,5,6,7 from #1
in the list.
If you select #5 - "No numbers", then any numbers previously
selected and included in your drill will be eliminated from your next
drill.
The HELP screen for this menu will give you helpful hints on
the correct method for typing numbers.
____________________________________________________________________
| |
| +++ PROGRESSIVE NUMBERS +++ |
| |
| Key in a NUMBER for the set you want to learn: |
| |
| 0. HELP Facility - Progressive Numbers |
| |
| 1. 4 5 6 7 |
| |
| 2. 3 8 |
| |
| 3. 2 9 |
| |
| 4. 1 0 |
| |
| 5. No numbers |
| |
| |
| |
| Type your selection here: __ then press ENTER Key (<-) |
| |
|____________________________________________________________________|
Illustration of Progressive Numbers Selection Menu
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 34
HOW TO TYPE CAPITAL LETTERS
__________________________________________________________________________
Using the SHIFT (up-arrow) keys:
The shift keys on the PC keyboard are located on either side
of the row of keys above the space bar. Notice where they are. The
shift keys are pressed down and held with either pinky finger while the
Capitalized letter is being typed with a finger on the opposite hand.
The right shift key is used to capitalize a letter that is struck
with the left hand, and the left shift key is used to capitalize a
letter that is struck with the right hand.
When you have gained sufficient skill in your typing, you will
find that the time required to type a capital letter will gradually
decrease and the operation will be performed without conscious effort
on your part. As a beginner, your primary aim is to develop a smooth,
even operation and to avoid any break in your typing rhythm.
To capitalize a letter that is struck with the right hand -
1. Reach over with the pinky (a-finger) of your left hand
and depress the left-hand shift key.
2. While holding down the shift key, press the letter to be
capitalized with the right hand finger.
3. Release the the shift and return the a-finger to its HOME
position.
To capitalize a letter that is struck with the left hand, follow
the same procedure outlined above, using the semi-colon (;) finger on
the right hand to press the right shift key.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 35
-- A P P E N D I X A --
HOW TO PRINT THE HELP SCREENS
If your PC system has a printer attached to it you may want to
obtain a printout of the HELP Facility screens associated with the five
menus and two letter/number selection menus.
Included on your FAS-TYPE diskette is a short BASIC program
that can be used for this purpose. It will neatly print two HELP
screens per printed page (assuming 11" page length), including a
title and page breaks. The full printout of all menu HELP screens
will require about 14 pages. To use this utility program, just
perform the following actions:
1. Get into BASIC
2. If your FAS-TYPE disk is in
drive A type: LOAD"prthelp.bas"
- or -
If your FAS-TYPE disk is in
drive B type: LOAD"b:prthelp.bas"
3. Turn on your printer and align the
paper to top of form.
4. Press F2 or type RUN <Enter> to start
the printing process.
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 36
-- A P P E N D I X B --
MODIFYING THE EXERCISE FILES
The diskette files that are used when making selections from the
Beginner or Advanced Exercise Menus can be modified by you at any time.
You may want to include special words or phrases that are unique to
your business, profession, or student activities and which would be
frequently typed such as scientific terminology, or "legal-eze". The
following text describes the process for modifying the files and some
pitfalls you should be aware of.
FILE BACKUP
Before you do anything at all regarding modifying exercise files,
you should make BACKUP copies of the exercise files you intend to
modify. Copy the MFnn.typ files to be modified to another diskette and
keep it handy so you can recover the files if you mess up. Remember,
you also have your original copy of FAS-TYPE to recover files from.
FILE IDENTIFICATION
Each file is associated with a particular function key of the
Beginner and Advanced Exercise Menus. The file name is in the format
"MFnn.typ"; for example, "3211.typ". The first character of each file
name is a number corresponding to the menu number (M) from which an
exercise was selected. The Beginner Exercise Menu is displayed by the
use of function key F3 so all exercise files whose name begins with the
number 3 are used by exercises selected from Menu 3 (Beginner Drills
Menu). The same goes for Menu 4 (Advanced Exercises Menu). So, all
files that begin with the number 3 are for exercises selected from the
Beginner Exercises Menu and all files that begin with number 4 are for
exercises selected from the Advanced Exercises Menu. No other menu
uses exercise files. Go ahead and do a DOS "DIR" command on the
drive where the FAS-TYPE diskette resides to verify this.
The second character of the file name corresponds to the function
key number (F) selected from within the menu. For example, if you have
the Advanced menu (#4) displayed and you press F2 for Short Sentences,
FAS-TYPE will randomly select a file from the group whose names begin
with "42".
The third and forth characters of the file name make up the
file number of the six files within each group. The file numbers range
from 10 to 15. Files beginning with "44" range from 10 to 19 (10
files).
Each file name has a suffix of ".typ" attached to indicate that is
associated with the FAS-TYPE program. Now you can identify each
exercise file. Use the following guide to assist you:
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FAS-TYPE User's Guide Page 37
Exercise file identification:
M F n n . t y p
M = Menu Number - 3 for Amateur Menu;
4 for Advanced Menu
F = Function Key Number in each menu
2, 3, or 4
nn = File number in each "MF" group
10, 11, 12, ....
.typ = File Extension name
The following table summarizes the file associations:
Beginner Exercises Menu (F3)
F2 = files 3210.typ thru 3215.typ
F3 = files 3310.typ thru 3315.typ
F4 = files 3410.typ thru 3415.typ
Advanced Exercises Menu (F4)
F2 = files 4210.typ thru 4215.typ
F3 = files 4310.typ thru 4315.typ
F4 = files 4410.typ thru 4419.typ
Note: FAS-TYPE WILL NOT RECOGNIZE ANY OTHER FILE NAMES
DURING ITS EXERCISE SELECTION PROCESS.
FILE CONSTRUCTION
All files are in ASCII text and were created using the DOS editor
EDLIN. Each file is six lines in length and each line is up to 39
characters long; the 40th character is a carriage return. You can use
EDLIN or any suitable text editor to modify the files as long as you
abide by the following rules.
FILE MODIFICATION
LINE LENGTH - Each line in a file is limited to a length of up to
39 text characters plus carriage return (total - 40). FAS-TYPE
displays the line in the text panel using WIDTH 40 and places a special
carriage return symbol after the last character in the line (if the
length is 39 characters then the 40th displayable character will be
the <cr> symbol). If you make the lines longer than 39 characters
FAS-TYPE will not use the extra characters and you won't see
them displayed.
CHARACTERS - You can compose each line using whatever characters
you like but FAS-TYPE will only recognize the following:
lower case letters: a thru z, space bar, enter key
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upper case letters: A thru Z
symbols: []/\.,;-='`!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"~|<>?
numbers: 1 thru 9 and 0 (top row of keys)
Any characters not listed above that appear in the first 39 of each
line will be replaced with a ^ symbol before being presented to you on
the screen.
NUMBER OF LINES - The number of lines in each file is limited to
six. FAS-TYPE will only process the first six lines of text in the
file. You can enter less than six lines if you want to, but you will
limit FAS-TYPE's random selection of lines from that file to the
number of lines that actually exist. For example, if you make up a file
of only one line, FAS-TYPE will repeatedly select that line for
display (up to 6 times).
EXERCISE FILE MODIFICATION - SUMMARY
Remember:
- Backup files before modification
- ASCII text characters
- Use EDLIN or suitable editor
- Line length - up to 39 characters
- Number of lines - up to 6 lines
- Limited selection of characters
- Pay attention to file naming conventions
If you use EDLIN, you may want to erase any "nnnn.BAK" files that
EDLIN creates when it writes your modified file to disk. This is to
save room since the FAS-TYPE disk is pretty well packed with stuff.
If you accidentally delete or mis-name one or more of the exercise
files, FAS-TYPE will let you know with a screen message that the file
is missing, but ONLY when FAS-TYPE makes an attempt to use it.
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-- A P P E N D I X C --
PRE-DEFINED EXERCISES - (MENU #3 & #4)
The following section describes how FAS-TYPE selects lines from
all of the pre-defined exercise files stored on the program diskette
for you to type.
HOW FAS-TYPE SELECTS LINES FOR DISPLAY
For all exercise files with the exception of those starting with
the name "44" (see below), FAS-TYPE treats each line independently of
the others in the same file. It randomly selects any two of the six
lines for display on the screen for you to type. Three consecutive
exercises are performed with the same file before FAS-TYPE reads
another file. Since the selection process is random, some lines may
appear to be duplicated on the screen and others may not show up at all
until the next time FAS-TYPE uses that file.
When modifying the exercise files you should consider this by
limiting phrases and/or sentences to ONE displayable line (39 or less
characters); since there is no guarantee that sentences of more than
one line will be displayed together (except "44" files) it may appear
that phrases and/or sentences seem fragmented.
"44" FILES
File names that begin with "44" are selected from the Advanced
Menu by pressing F4 for "Short Paragraphs". FAS-TYPE will display
three of the six lines in consecutive order; the first exercise will be
for lines 1,2, & 3 and the second exercise will be lines 4,5, & 6;
FAS-TYPE will then randomly select another file from the "10" to "19
range.
Here you may create sentences of greater than one line (but
only 39 text characters per line) and they will be displayed together
when selected by FAS-TYPE. Be careful about continuing a sentence from
line 3 to line 4 because when lines 1, 2, and 3 are displayed on the
screen the paragraph or sentence may appear to be incomplete because of
their continuation onto lines 4, 5, and 6.
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-- A P P E N D I X D --
LIST OF FILES ON FAS-TYPE DISKETTE
Use the DOS command "DIR" to verify that these files exist on your
FAS-TYPE program diskette:
readme
3210.typ, 3211.typ, 3212.typ, 3213.typ, 3214.typ, 3215.typ
3310.typ, 3311.typ, 3312.typ, 3313.typ, 3314.typ, 3315.typ
3410.typ, 3411.typ, 3412.typ, 3413.typ, 3414.typ, 3415.typ
4210.typ, 4211.typ, 4212.typ, 4213.typ, 4214.typ, 4215.typ
4310.typ, 4311.typ, 4312.typ, 4313.typ, 4314.typ, 4315.typ
4410.typ, 4411.typ, 4412.typ, 4413.typ, 4414.typ, 4415.typ
4416.typ, 4417.typ, 4418.typ, 4419.typ
hm1.typ, hm2.typ, hm3.typ, hm4.typ, hm5.typ, hml.typ, hmn.typ
prthelp.bas, scrn.typ, autoexec.bat, fastype.bat, fastype.exe
printdoc.bat, fastype.doc
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-- A P P E N D I X E --
PROGRAM MESSAGES:
The following program messages are listed for your convenience.
Some of these messages may occur as a result of improper use of
FAS-TYPE. After each message is listed the reason that caused it, and
a possible action for you to take to continue using FAS-TYPE or
prevent occurences of errors during your use of the program.
Message 1:
"HOLD IT!! You're not using the
Color/Graphics Adapter card.
FAS-TYPE uses medium resolution color
graphics and requires that adapter.
Returning to DOS..."
Cause: The program was unable to detect the presence of the
Color/Graphics card in your PC.
Action: Check the board; make sure you're using DOS; if you
have both a color monitor and monochrome monitor, switch
to the color monitor.
Message 2:
"Press any key to continue..."
Cause: You just started up FAS-TYPE, and the title screen
is displayed.
Action: If you don't want to hear any speaker sounds during
your use of FAS-TYPE then press the Escape Key,
otherwise simply press any other key to continue (the
space bar is the easiest for you to use).
Note: The QUIET mode option can also be set
from Menu #5.
Message 3:
"Type in the letter of the Disk
Drive where you have FAS-TYPE
stored: (A, B, C, D, E)"
Cause: You have just started up FAS-TYPE and responded to
the title screen request to continue. FAS-TYPE must
be able to find predefined exercises and other kinds
of data on the program diskette and wants to know the
disk drive letter where you have the program diskette
inserted.
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Action: Respond with the proper letter in either lower-case or
or upper-case. You won't be able to continue until you
type in a correct letter. Also, if you respond with one
of the correct letters but don't have a disk drive that
corresponds to one of the above letters then FAS-TYPE
will automatically select disk drive A.
Message 4:
"Drive x has been selected"
Cause: You responded to the above message with a valid disk
drive letter.
Action: The program continues to operate expecting to find all
of the data it needs on the program diskette in the disk
drive that you specified above.
Message 5:
"Disk file 'scrn.typ' is missing!"
"Cannot continue...."
Cause: FAS-TYPE attempted to find the master table file
on the diskette in the drive you specified and it was'nt
there.
Action: Do a DOS "dir" command to verify its presence
(scrn.typ), then reload FAS-TYPE and start over.
Maybe you specified the wrong disk drive at startup.
Message 6:
"Disk drive 'x' is not ready"
"Press any key to continue"
Cause: The disk drive door is open or there is no diskette
inserted in the drive you specified when you started
the program.
Action: Check the disk drive.
Message 7:
"Disk file `d:MFnn.typ' is missing!
"Press any key to continue"
Cause: FAS-TYPE attempted to randomly select a pre-defined
lesson on the program diskette and could not find it.
Action: Continue to use the program if you like; but you should
check the diskette to find the reason why the file is
missing. It may have been copied wrong or miss-named.
Press F10 to continue, or one of the Menu selection
keys for a different selection.
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Message 8:
"Disk file 'd:hmxx.typ' is missing!"
"Press any key to continue"
Cause: The program attempted to find a HELP file and could
not find it on the diskette in the drive you specified
when you started FAS-TYPE.
Action: Use the DOS "dir" command to verify its presence;
maybe you specified the wrong drive at startup.
Message 9:
"Disk file 'd:xxxx.typ' is damaged!"
"Unable to continue!"
Cause: The scrn.typ file has been altered or there is a disk
media error.
Action: Use your FAS-TYPE distribution diskette to make another
"working copy".
Message 10:
"Error - Try Again" (in red, flashing)
Cause: You stopped FAS-TYPE then typed in the TIME but
made a mistake. The time should be in the form
hh:mm:ss.
Action: Type in a new time or just press the enter key.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED
Beginner Drills
Any selection from Menu #2. Uses random prompting of the
keyboard characters that you want to learn how to type.
Delayed Prompting
When using pre-defined exercises where you have to type a line
of text displayed in the text panel; if you don't type the
letter pointed to by the cursor within a short period of time,
the letter will flash on the keyboard display.
Enter Key
The "bent arrow" key to the right of the right hand when
resting on the home keys. Sometimes known as the "return" key.
Escape Key
The "Esc" key located in the upper left portion of the keyboard
typing area. When pressed any time during your use of FAS-TYPE
will cause the MAIN menu to be displayed.
HELP Facility
Pages of text that are displayed on the screen to assist you
in your use of the program. Available for all menus in
FAS-TYPE.
Hidden Keys
A feature of the program whereby all of the characters that
are displayed on the screen keyboard keycaps are erased.
Designed to aid in your memorization of the keyboard.
HOME keys
The keys of the standard typewriter keyboard where the four
fingers of both hands normally rest in preparation for, and
during typing.
Keyboard Aids
Selections from Menu #5 designed to help you in your quest of
learning how to type. Some aids are: sound, key outlines,
drill count, etc.
Keyboard Prompting
The flashing of the key on the screen keyboard that you are
supposed to type. You can't proceed to the next character
until you have successfully typed the character you are being
prompted for.
Keystroke Errors
If you press a wrong key during drills or exercises other than
the one you were prompted for, then FAS-TYPE will count that
as a keystroke error. In calculating Words Per Minute,
FAS-TYPE is rather forgiving and only penalizes you one word
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for every keystroke error.
Main Menu
The master list from which you can switch to any one of four
other menus in order to select drills, exercises, or keyboard
aids. First displayed when you start the program; displayable
any time afterward by pressing function key F1.
Menu Hopping
Switching immediately from one menu to another by using the
ALT key in combination with the function key number related to
the menu that you want to switch to.
Pre-defined drills
Text files that accompany FAS-TYPE. They consist of words,
phrases, sentences, and paragraphs from which the program
randomly selects portions of, presents them to you in the text
panel and expects you to type them as shown during Beginner
and Advanced exercises.
Program Function Keys
The two columns of gray-colored keys labelled F1 through
F10 to the left of the main typing area on the keyboard. These
keys are used to select menu displays, and within each menu,
to select various drills, exercises, keyboard aids, and other
features.
Program Termination
The act of ending your practice typing sessions with FAS-TYPE
and returning to the PC's Disk Operating System.
Screen Keyboard
A display on the screen of the PC's keyboard minus the
function key area and keypad.
Text Panel
The upper half of the display area above the screen keyboard
that shows you the characters, or pre-defined exercises that
you are to type. It is also used to display the results of
your typing exercise, i.e. accuracy, WPM, etc.
Toggle
The act of turning something ON and OFF by repeatedly
pressing a particular function key. Most of the selections
from the Keyboard Aids menu can be "toggled" ON and OFF.
QUIET Mode
Using FAS-TYPE with all sounds suppressed. Convenient in a
classroom or office environment where the sounds may disturb
others. Selectable at the time you start-up the program or
later through a menu selection.
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*** END OF DOCUMENTATION FOR FAS-TYPE PROGRAM ***
Enjoy!
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