>This version: 1.56, 16.v.93. This is a FREEWARE application.
F R A N G L A I S : A French Vocabulary Learning Aid
by Nigel Caplan, (c)1993.
Contents
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1. Overview.
2. Technical Documentation
3. User Guide.
4. Licence Details.
5. Conclusion.
6. Revision History.
7. By the Same Author.
1. Overview.
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Hi There!
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FrAnglais is a brand new application that is designed to be used as a French vocabulary aid. It allows you to enter vocabulary, look at lists of itto learn and then have the computer test you, either from French to English or visa versa. It is applicable at all levels of French, and because you can add vocab over a period of time, it is great for accumulative learning or testing. FrAnglais comes with vocabulary from the GCSE topics, so is perfect for that stage (I'm using it myself!).
2. Technical Documentation.
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NB: Don't be put off if you don't understand this bit; jump to the user guide!
Files.
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The !FrAnglais directory should contain these files:
!Boot - Boot file
!Run - Run file
!Sprites - The filer sprites
!RunImage - Main BASIC program
!Palette - the program palette
!Default - the desktop palette
GameSpr - the sprites for the program
!Help - this file.
VocabInfo - a text file with info about the data files
Vocab - Directory containing the data files.
KeyStrip - A Draw file of the accents available on the function keys.
Techy bits.
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The application is completely written in BASIC V and tested on my ARM2 RISC-OS 2 A3000. It will run from any medium, but as I do not know the details of BASIC VI in RISC-OS 3 I can't speak for that; there should not be any problems, however. The programing is quite clumsy (but at least there aren't any GOTOs!) The data files that hold the vocab are created by BASIC, which for some reason codes it backwards, so it is almost impossible to edit in Edit. Please don't delete/alter the files unless you know what you are doing, as the program may not work! You will need some memory in the SYSTEM SPRITES area to run; you can do this via the Task Window.
3. User Guide.
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Using FrAnglais.
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Load file menu.
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FrAnglais allows you to specify which file to use. I use this facility to split vocab into topics, keeping it to a manageable size. I have included some files that I am using in conjunction with my GCSE revision, and these files conatain all the vocab on that topic in the syllabus. This is great if you, like me, are doing GCSE, or French at any other level. The on screen prompts are simple enough (you don't need a GCSE to answer these!), but when entering a filename make sure it is exactly as it appears on the catalogue.
Please see the file 'VocabDetails' for info. on the different data files.
If you wish to start a new file from scratch, press [RETURN]. You can also use this facility to clear the memory during a session. This menu can
also be accessed using option 11 on the main menu.
The Main Menu.
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This is (not surprisingly) the central structure of FrAnglais. This is
its layout:
1. The Options:
1-4: List/edit vocab
5-9: Test vocab.
10 : Save Alterations.
11 : Load new file (takes you to the Load File Menu)
12 : Exit FrAnglais.
2. The topic of the current file.
3. The number of words in it.
4. If the file is modified or not.
Options 5-10 may be greyed out for various reasons. If there is no vocab in any (or all) or the catagories, the test options will be suspended, and if there have been no alterations, you can't really save them! If you do select a greyed out option, you will be told why it is unavailable.
After carrying out most functions, you will be returned here.
Listing Vocabulary.
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Options 1-4 on the main menu allow you to look at and/or edit one section of the vocab. This is the classification:
1. NOUN - any normal noun preceeded by le/la (un/une for vowels)
2. VERB - any verb in its infinite in French and English (ie. 'to type' etc)
3. ADJECTIVE - any adjective in its regular masculine form.
4. MISCELLANEOUS - any other word or phrase.
The keypad + takes you forward, and the keypad - takes you back. [SPACE] returns you to the menu. Pressing [E] allows you to edit a word, in case there has been an error (I made so many, I added this function!). You need toenter its reference number which is displayed on the left of the screen. NB: It must be a CAPITAL E.
As you can see, there is room for 200 pieces of each type of vocab, making 800 in all. This can be expanded if you know what you are doing!
Adding Vocabulary.
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I have included some vocabulary in the application, but you may want to add more. You can add vocabulary from options 1-4 on the main menu. For example, to add nouns, you should be an the 'list/edit nouns' option.
Press [A] to access the add vocabulary screen and follow the on screen prompts to enter your new words. Here are the conventions I have used; I suggest that for consistency you also follow them. There is some logic in them - promise!
- Everything is entered in lower case letters, except proper nouns where applicable.
- Nouns that begin with consonants are preceeded by le or la.
- Nouns that begin with vowels are preceeded by un or une.
- Where there are two or more versions of the same word, they are given in alphabetical order with a slash (/) separating them.
- Commas should NEVER be used - they terminate input!
- Try not to give two French words the same English translation (or visa vera); this can be very confusing when you are being tested!
- Accents are available on the function keys. There is a key strip provided.
- Capital letters do not need accents, strictly speaking, so I have not included these characters.
Save Alterations.
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If you have modified the current file, it will be shown on the main
menu screen and option 10 will be white (ie selectable), otherwise it will
be grey (ie unselectable). Choosing this option presents you with the save
alterations screen. To cancel, just type 'C', to continue follow the
instructions. Please do enter a filename that is less than 10 chars. The
topic is the text that is displayed on the bottom of the main menu, and is
used for a more detailed description. Have a look at the supplied files as
an example.Once you have saved the file, this will be shown on the main menu.
Testing of Vocabulary.
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Options 5-9 on the main menu allow you to be tested on the vocabulary by the computer. Again, this is by catagory, and there is a test all option. You can be tested French-English or English-French. If you have chosen the test all option, then you will be asked for the total number of words you wish to be tested on. Press return to select all of them. Otherwise, you willbe asked for a start and end number; similarly, pressing RETURN twice will select all the words. Again, words should be entered in lower case, with accents on the F-Keys. At the end the computer will give you your score and the words you got wrong - learn from your mistakes! You can save these words in a new file so that you can look at them at your leisure. Please note, you must load this file if you wish to use it from the main menu.
You can press ESCAPE during testing. This will stop the test and give you your result. This is because most of the files are over 100 words, which makes a very long test!
For options 5-8, the words are displayed in the order they appear in thefile; in the test all section, they appear randomly. You may notice an increase of time when using test all; this is due to the random feature, ensuring you are not asked the same question twice. I should imagine it is fine on an ARM3 - I'm saving up for one, but it could take a long time..!
If there are no words at all, or no words in one catagory, then the
relevant option(s) will be greyed out. If you try to select a 'grey' option,
you will be given a message. Press any key to return to the main menu.
The Escape Key (The lesser PANIC button).
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The ESC key has different actions, depending on where you are in the program:
Menu/Function Action.
Main Menu Exits (warning if vocab not saved)
Load Menu Press a key, and return (go) to main menu.
Save Alterations Abort save and return to main menu.
Save Mistakes Restart procedure (Press [C] to cancel
List/Edit vocab Exits (warning if vocab not saved)
Test Vocab Curtails test, and displays result
Anywhere else Either: Exits, or Follow on screen instructions.
These are designed to make exiting the program as easy as possible; a maximumof two ESCs should nearly always exit.
The slightly different feature of the save mistakes function is to ensure youcannot accidentally quit and lose the chance to save that data.
There is a warning given if you try to leave without saving any altered
vocab; you press SPACE to save, and any other key to exit.
The above table also shows what happens if there is some other error. The
nature of this error will always be displayed.
The Key Strip (Draw file, filename='KeyStrip')
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I have included a Draw file of the layout of the accents on the function
keys, created using a PD proggy called DrawStrip. You need Trinity.Medium
from Applications Disc 1 to see it properly; I recommend you print it out
to speed up entering words.
4. Licence Details.
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Here is a question: When is PD not PD? Answer: When David Holden writes in Archive. His definitions caused me to rethink, and I believe that FrAnglais would be called FREEWARE.
What this means is that you can distribute this application freely, but no charge must be made for it (except P+P etc). I retain the copyright on it, however, and the right to be identified with the software. The application shold not be split, but new vocab. files can be distributed under these conditions (please see 'Future Improvements'). Any PD library is welcome to distribute it, as well as Bulletin Boards, magazines, schools, clubs, Uncle Tob Cobley 'n' All!
5. Conclusion.
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Credits.
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A few thank-yous now: To David Holden at APDL for giving me an identity crisis; to Dave at the DataFile for being very helpful when I release PD software; to Guttorm Vik for StrongEd2 (Shareware version) which I used for this text file - I spoke with him at the Spring BAU Show, and he informed methat my computer was out of date, and I should upgrade to RISC-OS3 - something else for the wish-list!; and to all you happy people out there who have bothered to read this text file!
The End is Nigh!
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I hope FrAnglais will find a niche in home education (and maybe schools?!?), and as it is FREEWARE, it won't break any budgets! It certainly shows how computers can be used in very diverse areas. FrAnglais encourages typing skill and of course the learning of vocabulary. It provides a ready reference of words, and a means of charting progress.
As they say in French, Bonne chance! (Good Luck!)
Nigel Caplan.
6. Revision History.
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Revision History.
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0.96 - Development version, with lots and lots of bugs.
1.00 - First fully working version.
1.10 - Added ability to use different files.
1.15 - Added edit feature on listings. Escape now works. Other minor enhancements. Rewrote this text file, using guidelines for the GCSE project I have got to do next year! Entered more Vocab.
1.16 - Added save alteration feature.
1.50 - Radical re-write! Removed old data file editor, and incorporated in the list words option.
1.51 - Finally fixed the frivolous listing routine (alliteration rules!); it works well.
1.52 - Changed some escape routines, so pressing the panic button during a test merely sends you back to the main menu, allowing you to curtail a long test.
1.53 - Added facility to specify start and end points in testing one group of words only.
1.54 - Bug fixes in the test all option.
1.55 - Sent FrAnglais to Loso!!! for his expert bug testing. No bugs (!) but I implemented some of his recommendations: display numb. words and save mistakes. Also improved error handling/escape.
1.56 - FIRST FREEWARE RELEASE:Menu features that are unavailable (ie due to there being no words loaded) are greyed out, and cannot be selected.
Future Improvements.
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Apart from bug fixes, there will probably not be any many alterations toFrAnglais. However, I am thinking of expanding it to accept other languages under the name of LiguaMaster. This may never come about, and it may not be PD/Freeware. If you would like me to send you details of LinguaMaster, or newdata files with more GCSE topics on them, then write to me at the address below. Please, please include a stamped address envelope: I do not make a profit! Please note that you may have to wait some time before you get any info. as I have exams. soon and may not have much time for programming in the near future. If you want to send me a disc of PD (and a stamp!), I will return it with some of my stuff on it, and the latest version of FrAnglais and all the data files . Alternatively, check out your local PD library (esp. Datafile and APDL): they will get all major upgrades.
If you enter some more vocab. files, then please send them to me; I willreturn the disc with the latest version and some PD. PD libraries are welcometo send off for data files - the success of this venture really does depend on you - the end user!
Nigel Caplan,
33 Alwoodley Lane,
Leeds,
West Yorkshire,
LS17 7PU.
7.By the same author.
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Look out for these PUBLIC DOMAIN programs in your PD library, or write to me at the above address.
Quote1 - QuoteAbility - the PD game of quotes.)Educational and fun
Quote2 - QuoteAbility 2 - the Quote-A-Thon. )games - free!
>End of help file. If it scrolled past at twice the speed of light - well, that's life! Au revoir!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
