Atari Mega Archive 1/Atari Mega Archive - Volume 1.iso/apps/other/morsemag.zoo/readme.doc

Text File | 1992-07-22 | 14KB | 286 lines

                              MorseMagic!

I.  Introduction

   Welcome to the exciting world of MorseMagic!  Whether you're a
seasoned Professional or a newcomer to Morse Code, you will find
something useful for you in this program.

   MorseMagic is actually TWO programs in one package.  First, there
is a handy Morse practice utility with all the various features you
would expect (details later).  Secondly, there is a unique Morse code
tutorial that ACTUALLY TEACHES Morse code, in 21 modules.

   MorseMagic will run on a 520 or 1040ST in either MEDIUM or HIGH
resolution.  The author recommends Medium resolution color, as the
character display is larger and a bit easier to read.  The program is
as yet untested on a MEGA but it SHOULD run.

   One final introductory note before we go into the program details:
MorseMagic is a teaching and practice utility, not a game.  The
various menus and screens are simple (no graphics backdrops), but they
control a very powerful program that will help you to learn Morse code
or improve your speed in the minimum possible time.

II.  THE MAIN MENU SCREEN

   When you call up MORSMAGI.PRG, the first thing you will see is the
MAIN MENU.  It is divided up into 4 selectable GEM drop-down menus.
Let's take them one by one:

DESK MENU:
     Every GEM-based program has this as the first menu.  When
selected, you will see a selection called "About Program."  Clicking
on this will give you information about the program, and the author's
name and address.

     MorseMagic is designed to operate efficiently with practically
ANY accessory you want.  Accessory selections will appear under the
DESK menu, but unless the ACCESSORY option is selected, they will be
lightened and therefore unselectable.  More on this in a moment.

SELECTION MENU:
     This is the primary GEM drop-down menu you will use in
MorseMagic.  In it, you will find all the practice utility program
selections, plus the pathway to the Tutorial.

     The first item is "Tutor".  Clicking on this will take you into
the Tutor.  We will discuss the Tutorial program shortly.

     The second thru the sixth items control the programming for the
practice utility.  You can select Letters only, Numbers only, Letters
and Numbers combined, Punctuation only, or ALL (everything randomly
combined).  Selecting any of these 5 options will give you the
practice utility groups-selection menu, where you can select up to 100
groups in a practice session.  (Note:  a group is comprised of 5
(five) characters).  All of MorseMagic's practice exercises, whether
in the practice utility or in the Tutor, are sent in GROUPS OF FIVE.
Once you select the number of groups, point and click on "OK".  If you
decide not to use the practice utility, simply click again on the
groups (this will deselect it), then click on "OK."  You will be
automatically returned to the Main GEM menu.

     Once you have selected your groups and exit the groups menu by
clicking on "OK", the program will pause for a short moment to build
up the practice exercise.  The time it will take to do this will
depend on the number of groups you have selected and the type of
characters you desire.  In any event, it's just a moment's time.  Once
the program is ready, the screen will be cleared, and you will have
the following options:

     <B>egin, <P>ause, <C>ontinue, <Q>uit.

   To begin the practice session, simply press "B" on the keyboard.
"P" will halt the exercise until you press "C" (to continue).  "Q"
immediately stops the exercise and puts you back at the MAIN MENU.

   By now, you're probably wondering how to set the speed, tone, and
other features that are common (and required!) in a Morse practice
utility.  Hang on, it's coming in a moment.

   Back to the SELECTION menu -- you will also see a selection called
"Sending".  Selecting this will permit you to use your ST as a
practice oscillator!  Simply use the fire button of your joystick or,
most preferably, wire up a Morse hand key to the fire button pins.

   The last selection, "Quit", will exit you back to the desktop.

OPTIONS MENU:

   Selecting the "Options" drop-down menu will give you the following
selections:

Set Speed
Set Tone
Display
Print
Spacing

   These options are extremely powerful and give you total control
over the practice utility.  NOTE:  these options DO NOT have any
effect on the Tutorial.  The Tutorial is an entirely self-contained
program.

Set Speed:  When you call up Set Speed, you are given a dialog box
containing two buttons and a slider.  Whenever this option is called,
it presets to approximately 10 words-per-minute (WPM).  To change the
speed, point on the slider, hold the LEFT mouse button down and slide
it left or right.  Sliding it to the left INCREASES the speed, and to
the right DECREASES the speed.  Once you move it up or down some, you
can find out the new speed in WPM by selecting the COMPUTE SPEED box.
When selected, you will hear a series of tones that will last for 10
seconds.  When this is finished, the program will calculate the speed
and display it for you below the slider.  You can repeat this action
as many times as you like until you obtain the speed you desire.
Notice that there is an indicator number just to the right of the
slider.  As a time-saver, you might want to note the number that
correctly corresponds to your favorite speed, then just move the
slider until that number is selected.  You then will have no need to
compute the speed.  Once you've settled on a setting, select the
ACCEPT box, and your speed will be installed.

Set Tone:  When called, this option gives you a small dialog box with
three "buttons".  The first, called "Lower", lowers the tone (which
you will hear all the time this option is selected).  The second,
called "Raise", raises the tone in incremental steps.  The third
installs the tone value and exits you back to the Main menu.

Display:  This simple, yet powerful option permits you to either turn
off the character display during a practice session entirely, allow
character displays during a session (while they're being sent to you),
or only afterwards.

Print:  This option controls the program's actions with your printer,
if you have one.  Normally, the program will default to the "OFF"
selection, which means that none of the practice sessions will be
printed out on your printer.  Selection "Before" gives you a hard-copy
printout of the practice groups before they are actually sent.
"After" gives you an option to print after transmission of the
characters.

You can see that by combining the Display and Print options, you can
have wide and powerful control over the action of the practice
utility.  For example, if you're a code instructor and only want a
printout for your reference, you can turn the display "off", and
select Print "Before".  Other combinations will give you various
effects for whatever your circumstance are.

Spacing:  Selecting this option gives you a small menu with two
options:  "Normal" and "Extended."  Spacing, by the way, is the amount
of time allotted between characters.  "Normal" is the
internationally-accepted standard, which is the program's default.  If
you select "Extended", the amount of time between characters will be
lengthened.  The effect of selecting "Extended" is tremendous -- it
allows you to copy code at what SEEMS to be an slower speed, while IN
EFFECT the characters are being sounded at a much faster speed.  This
option is particularly useful when you are trying to increase your
code speed.  By selecting extended and substantially increasing the
speed, you'll learn to hear and copy Morse characters at a "faster"
rate.  Later, you can deselect Extended mode and you should note a
dramatic improvement in your copying ability!

ACCESSORY MENU:

   The Accessory menu has two selections:  "Use", and "Return".  When
you select "Use", your accessories (if they were loaded in a boot-up)
will now be selectable at the DESK menu.  However, the rest of
MorseMagic will NOT be