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My Idea Problem Solver V2.3 c 1994 by Peter Neuendorffer To Register, send $22 to Introduction 1 Peter Neuendorffer Organize the Idea 2 1399 Commonwealth Ave #11 Menus and Hot Keys 3 Allston MA 02134 Text Editing 4 Tel.617-254-2213 Features 5 Topics 6 Important Note 7 A hard drive is required (1Meg free space recommended) Make sure you read the IMPORTANT NOTE at the end of this manual. Are you the kind of a person who likes to jot notes on restaurant napkins? You carry a little note pad everywhere? You are always trying to figure out how to do things, make things, or fix things? Well even if you are not that kind of person, you may like My idea. Run MY IDEA DEMO from DOS to see a demonstration. My idea takes you from the idea or problem, such as "build a car" or "improve my looks" or "great American novel," to describing what is involved, how to do it, and where to go for help. You go through some hoops, but when you are done writing, you may be surprised at how much you already knew about your problem. "The problem is half the solution" is surely a hackneyed statement. Rather "Knowing what the problem is, is half of the solution." This software let's you build six areas. You enter a paragraph for each area, then set up Topics for the area. You have to complete all the Topics in the Area BEFORE you can go on to the next area. I wanted to give the software the flavor of a video game where you achieve each level. The six areas "Tasks" "Resources" "Data" "Research" "People" and "Implementation" are laid out on the main menu from Left to Right on the top, then Left to Right on the bottom. You can return to previous areas, but cannot proceed to the next area until the current Working Area is finished (checked off.) The key to close sections is F5. Or Escape and return at a later time. So an Area has topics. Once the topics are named, you can go back and forth between them. To install, copy the files to a sub directory on your hard disk. A hard disk is required. 700K free disk space required after installation. When working on an idea, save it with a file name of your choosing. When working on it again, run <Myidea>. Then give the idea name (actually any name) and the original filename. You can run <MYIDEA FILENAME> from DOS. The software keeps track across sessions. Press Alt-X anywhere to quit the program. When editing text in My idea, use Alt-N to insert a blank line, Alt-Y to delete a line, and Alt-C to clear text to the end of the line.When editing, press Alt-B to manipulate the text (all text except questions and answers.) My Idea now has full word wrapping. My Idea has six areas -TASKS, RESOURCES, DATA/MATERIALS, RESEARCH, PEOPLE and IMPLEMENTATION. Each will have up to 8 topics. each Topic you write a paragraph, ask questions, answer questions, and make notes. You write progress notes and overviews. When an area is complete (checked off) you can create a report (MAKE REPORT) for the screen, a text file, or the printer. The software has three menus: MAIN MENU -The main command. AREA MENU -Work on an area (topics,notes,progress) TOPIC MENU -Work on a topic (questions, answers, notes, progress, phrase) Organize the Idea pg 2 To start an idea file, run My idea. Later, when you continue work on your idea, run <My idea filename> from DOS, or just run <MY IDEA> and fill in the old idea name (any name will do). Use the correct file name for your idea. There is only one file for each idea. First, enter a paragraph about your problem-idea. You can edit this again later. Once this paragraph is "closed" (F5), you get a menu of AREAS for your idea-problem. The areas are TASKS, RESOURCES, DATA/MATERIALS, RESEARCH, PEOPLE, and IMPLEMENTATION. Start by completing the TASKS AREA, Then move to the other areas. Remember, press Alt-X to end your session. A section is marked completed (checked off) by pressing F5 from the section. Each AREA is set up identically. Start with TASKS. First, enter a paragraph about TASKS. When the paragraph is completed (F5), name the topics for the area. relating to TASKS, such as "write letters", "interview","get references","take college boards." When the topic names for TASKS are complete (F5), the menus will be updated with your topic names. When working on a topic, it is a good idea to access it from the AREA NAME in the main menu -the top (orange) item in each block of the main menu. That way an intermediate (Green) menu appears, showing the status of each topic. Complete (check off) all four sections for every topic in order ====> to continue on to RESOURCES. The sections are Paragraph, Questions, Answers, and Notes. All must be completed from within the topic name. When topic names are complete (F5) you work on them. Choose a topic. First, write a paragraph, this time about the topic. After pressing F5, enter Questions about the topic. After each question, press Enter. Then, a short Phrase relating to the question. (F5 to close questions) Now, Answer the questions for a topic -you only see the short phrases here. Next, enter Notes about the topic. You can re edit Questions, Answers and Notes later. You can move back and forth ====> between topics. [To close out topic Notes (F5), you must choose a topic name, then press (F5) -even if you have accessed NOTES from another menu. You can complete the various topics in any order, moving between sections and topics within the Area menu. ====> After completing all four sections for EVERY topic [Paragraphs, Questions, Answers, and Notes], continue on to the next area "RESOURCES" and so on. If a topic is complete (checked off), choose that topic from the MAIN or Area menu. You will see a new menu of questions, answers,notes, and progress. You can change answers by choosing answers and pressing F2. Edit Notes and Progress as well. ====> You cannot move on to the next area, until you complete the 4 Topic sections for every topic in the current work area! Menus and Hot Keys pg 3 Main Menu=====> Area Menu=====> Topic Menu (1) Main Menu: =after you complete opening paragraph. See "features." TASKS RESOURCES DATA/MATERIALS | AREAS topic topic .... | topic topic .... | | | RESEARCH PEOPLE IMPLEMENTATION | | --- OVERVIEWS MAIN PARAGRAPH MAKE REPORT Topics and areas are checked off when completed. The working area will be shown with a blinking Red arrow. From the main menu, choose an AREA NAME (top selection of each AREA block, in orange capitals) to get to the Area menu. Choose a topic to bypass the Area menu. (2) Area Menu: topic (Choose a topic to work on.) topic Notes (all notes for the area) Progress (all progress for the area) The status (checked off) of each topic will be shown. (see "Completing Topics" section of this manual). If the area is all checked off, the words "Area Complete" are displayed. (3) Topic menu: Questions (for 1 topic) Answers " Notes " Progress " phrase " Hot Key Where What it's for: | Alt-X anywhere -Quit the program | | Alt-W anywhere -Go to the main menu | | F1 when prompted -See questions | | F2 when questions shown -Re Edit questions | | F2 when answers shown -Re Edit answers | | F2 when paragraphs shown -Edit paragraphs | | Alt B when editing text -Block Edit Commands | | Alt T from Area Menu -Topics changes | | F10 from Main Menu -Rename area | | F8 from Main Menu -Rename idea | Text Editing p 4 When entering in questions and answers, you must press ENTER to make the data stick, before escaping. All other text (any text black over 3 lines) acts differently- you get what you type, by pressing an Escape. Escape takes you out of any section. F5 is reserved for closing out an entire section and moving on. Do not use it for just exiting. F5 is reserved for saying "I'm all done with this section." To re edit a paragraph, find it. The screen should say "F2 to Edit Paragraph" or "F2 to Edit Notes". Press F2 to edit the paragraph,then Escape to get out. When editing paragraphs, use the Alt-N combination to insert a blank line, Alt-Y to delete a line, Alt-C to clear text to the end of line. Alt-U will restore any text (other than questions or answers) to where it was when you began editing the text section. You may type to the end of the line and the text will automatically wrap for the whole text area. You may insert text in the middle of a line and it will wrap. You may position the cursor at the end of a line, press Delete, and all the words that fit from the next line will be moved back to the current line. Commands when Editing text: (press F2 when asked) (escape to leave edit mode) Alt-U: Undo all the changes since you entered the screen. Alt-C: Clear the current line from the cursor to the end of the line. Alt-N: Insert a blank line at the cursor. Alt-Y: Delete the line at the cursor. Alt-B: Text block editing commands. This brings up a menu. Block commands apply to all text except Questions and Answers. - Sort Text: Sort selected lines of text. - Copy Text: Copy selected lines of text to the clipboard. - Cut Text: Delete selected lines and put in clipboard. - Paste Text: Paste lines of text from the clipboard. - Match Text: Find matches between current text and other topics. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sort: Paragraphs, overviews,notes, progress may be sorted. When editing, Press F2 if necessary. Then select the beginning line to sort (up and down arrows.) Press F7. Then select "Sort Text" from the menu. Then mark multiple lines (down/up arrow keys.) And Press Enter. Now move this block of lines up or down, and press Enter again. Copy: When editing, Press F2 if necessary. Then select the beginning line to sort (up down arrows.) Press F7, then select "Copy Text" from the menu. Then mark multiple lines (down/up arrow keys) and Press Enter to copy the text. Cut: When editing, Press F2 if necessary. Then select the beginning line to sort (up down arrows.) Press F7, then select "Cut Text" from the menu. Then mark multiple lines (down/up arrow keys) and Press Enter to cut the text. The text is in the clipboard for future pasting. Paste: When editing, Press F2 if necessary. Then press F7, and select the "Paste Text" option. Press Enter, and the current text in the clipboard will be pasted after the last line of the current text area, as it fits. Match: This option does not change any data. It analyzes the current text paragraph and comes up with a "fuzzy" match on one or more topic names from your idea. You may then choose the topic name to move to that topic. (Note that the list of topics used in this search only consists of topics from areas in the current work area, or from areas before the current work area.) If the topic you choose is incomplete, it will take you to the current working section (paragraph, questions, etc.) for that topic. Features pg 5 Writing sections: From the Main menu, you may write Overviews of the main IDEA and of each AREA (Tasks, Resources, Data/Materials, Research, People, and Implementation). You edit notes, or write progress notes. Main Menu: From the main menu, you may jet to any area or topic. Use up, down,right, and left arrows to select an area or topic (if there are topics). Then press Enter to go to that area or topic. It is best when working your way through writing areas and topics to select from the first item of each AREA at the main menu, so you can see your progress (check marks.) Selecting a topic from the main menu instantly takes you to a topic, whatever it's status. But selecting an AREA name first will bring a menu showing the topics' status. Make Report: From the main menu you may create a report of the entire idea. This is generated automatically. Choose "Make Report". Decide whether to send the report to the screen, to a text file, or to the printer. Then select an Area from the menu, or all areas. The next menu is to choose selected sections to include in your report: paragraphs, questions/answers, notes, progress, and overviews. Just press enter (====OK===) to select all, or move the highlight bar to a section and press SPACE BAR to toggle it on/off. (* means on .) Cancel will clear all the sections. Press Enter when done. If sent the report to the screen: use Alt-S to search for a word or phrase, and Alt-L to search for the next occurrence. Page Up and Page Down to move through the pages. Control-Page-Down goes to the last page, and Control-Page-Up returns to the first page. The report reflects the current information about your idea. If you change the information, future reports have your new information. ======> If you are reading a Report on your display screen that was generated from the main menu MAKE REPORT, at any time you may press F2. Move the shade bar up and down with the up and down arrows. Press Enter, and you will be returned to the main program, but IN THE SECTION that that text comes from, whether paragraphs, questions, answers, notes, progress, or overview. You will now be out of the report. Remember Alt-W, or repeated escapes returns you to the main menu. Renaming Areas: You can rename areas. Select an area (such as TASKS) from the MAIN MENU (orange on blue). Highlight the area name, the top (orange) bar for each area. Now press F10. Type in the new area name and press enter. Please note: in order to make things compatible with the first version of My idea (1.0), version 1.0 will display the original "factory" names. But this version will always display your new area names. Renaming the Idea: You can rename the Idea name (not the file name) by pressing F8 from the Main Menu Enter a new name. Topics p 6 Rename, Sort, Add, Delete. Move, Phrase Renaming Topics: You can rename topics. Select an area (such as TASKS) from the main menu (orange top bar) PRESS ENTER) Now Highlight the topic name you wish to rename. Press F10, (or Alt-T) and choose Rename Topic from the menu. Type in the new name, and press enter, or Escape to cancel. Very importantly, this will NOT move any data around. If you want to sort topics, sort them as described below. It's a good idea to use a new name that means about the same as the old one -now ALL the titles for this topic will have your new name. Sorting topic names: You can sort the order of a topic in an area menu. Select an area from the Main Menu (orange top bar on main menu). Highlight a topic to sort in the area menu, and press F10 (or Alt-T.) Then choose Sort Topic from the menu. Then move the topic name with up or down arrow keys, and then press Enter. Add Topics: You can add a new topic to an area. The only restriction is that the new area must have at least one topic already. Press F10 (or Alt-T) from the Area Menu (green), and choose Add Topic. Now enter in the name of the new topic. If their are already eight topics in the menu, the software will refuse to add a new one. Please note, that adding a topic can change the Current Working Area, as the new topic is incomplete (not checked off.) Delete Topics: You can delete a topic from an area. Care must be taken not to delete large volumes of data, as once the topic name is deleted, it's data no longer exists. Choose an Area (enter), then press F10 (or Alt-T.) Then choose Delete Topic from the menu. Answer "Y", Enter, "Y" to get past the safety screens. The order of the Working Area may be different in the Main Menu, as once an incomplete topic is deleted, it may allow the Area to be checked off as complete. If the topic to delete is the only one on the Area's list, the software will not let you delete it. Move Topics: You can move a topic, with all it's data to a different area. The topic cannot be the only one on the Area list. Choose an Area Menu (enter) and press F10 (or Alt-T). Now choose Move Topic from the menu. Now choose the new area from the next menu, and press enter. I hope you enjoy using My idea and register it soon. For product support, call Peter Neuendorffer at 617-254-2213 (voice). Topic Phrases: This option allows you to enter in a short catch phrase for any topic. Access this option from the Topic Menu. Select "phrase" from the Topic Menu (magenta.) Enter a phrase. This phrase will only be used on the topic menu display screen. For example, if the topic was "buy truck" you might enter in "See the USA with a Tom Truck" for the topic phrase. To remove a phrase, select the phrase and enter in the word none alone on the line. Important Note pg 7 When you fill in Topics by writing paragraphs, questions, answers and notes, you close off each of those sections with F5. In order to "close" the Notes section, you access Notes by Pressing ENTER on a Topic name, then pressing F5. When closing off notes, do NOT access notes from a menu item named "notes." Thus, say, to complete a topic "practicing the piano", you press enter on "practicing the piano", enter a paragraph, close the paragraph with F5, enter questions, close with F5, enter in answers, close answers with F5. To Close off Notes: PRESS ENTER ON THE TOPIC NAME "practicing the piano" and enter in Notes from there. Then Press F5 from there. As you "close" each section, a check mark appears next to the topic name in the (green) Area Menu. You get this Area Menu when you select an Area Name from a top bar in the main menu (orange on blue).