PCjs Machines
Home of the original IBM PC emulator for browsers.
PC-SIG Diskette Library (Disk #1043)
[PCjs Machine "ibm5170"]
Waiting for machine "ibm5170" to load....
Information about “SNAP FILER & MASTER MENU”
SNAP FILER is a compact, memory-resident database program with many of
the features of a built-in spreadsheet for use with jobs too small or
short-term to require a slower, more complicated database.
Organize data as a table or spreadsheet, with rows and columns
displayed on-screen. Pull-down menus help make this program easy to
operate. Keep track of names, addresses, sales, or anything else that
can be kept in a list. Define and use dates, times, names, and dollar
amounts for fields, with automatic proofing and formatting for each.
Sort, search, and calculate the data in each file. SNAP FILER uses
formula relationships in fields, with automatic recalculation after
each entry. Print reports, either the current file or a certain block
of data. Import and export files in .DIF format to other software
packages such as Lotus 1-2-3.
Create customized menus to be "control centers" for running
application programs and frequently-used DOS routines. For the novice,
it saves a lot of frustration. For the more experienced user, it saves
a lot of time.
You can run applications at the touch of a single key instead of typing
in commands. No more forgetting commands or DOS directory names -- all
these are entered one time only and MENU MASTER remembers the commands
for you. It frees you from having to remember and type those
complicated commands -- letting you concentrate on getting your work
done.
Major features include:
~ Menu settings entered directly from program -- no text editor needed
~ Ability to "chain" multiple menus together
~ 24 menu items with user-defined prompts, passwords and paths
~ Up to seven command lines per menu item
~ Custom screen colors and individual menu prompt colors
~ Personalized menu title with your own or company name
~ Custom on-screen user notes
~ Optional date and time display and clock chimes every hour
~ Menu screen blanks after three minutes to prevent screen burn-in
~ System password with extensive protection flexibility
FILE1043.TXT
Disk No: 1043
Program Title: SNAP FILER, MASTER MENU version 2.12
PC-SIG version: 1.1
SNAP FILER is a compact, in-memory database program with many of the
features of a spreadsheet built-in for use with jobs too small or
short-term to require a complicated database. SNAP FILER organizes data
like a table or spreadsheet, with rows and columns displayed on-screen.
The top line displays pull-down menus, which makes this program easy to
operate. You can keep track of names, addresses, sales, or anything
else that can be kept in a list. You can define and use dates, times,
names, and dollar amounts for fields, with automatic proofing and
formatting for each. You can sort, search, and calculate the data in
each file. SNAP FILER uses formula relationships in fields, with
automatic recalculation after each entry. You can print reports, either
the current file or a certain block of data. It also imports and
exports files in DIF format to other software packages, such as
LOTUS123.
MENU MASTER lets any computer user create customized menus to be
"Control Centers" for running application programs and frequently-used
DOS routines. For new users, it saves a lot of frustration. For the
more experienced, it saves a lot of time. Applications can be run at
the touch of a single key instead of typing in commands. No more
forgetting commands or DOS directory names -- all these are entered one
time only and MENU MASTER remembers the commands for you. It frees you
from having to remember and type those complicated commands and lets you
concentrate on getting your work done.
Major features include:
- Simple to learn, easy and fast to use
- Enter menu settings directly from program, without needing text editor
- Clear, clean and attractive screen layouts
- Ability to "chain" multiple menus together
- Up to 24 menu items with user-defined menu prompts, passwords,
Directory paths, and command settings
- Up to 7 command lines per menu item
- Customize the screen colors and individual menu prompt colors
- Personalized menu title with your own or company name
- Customize on-screen user notes
- Optional date and time display
- Clock chimes softly on the hour
- Menu screen blanks after 3 minutes to prevent screen burn-in
- System password with extensive protection flexibility
The documentation provided is very good, containing many examples and
sample screens. This program is well suited for users of any caliber --
novice to expert.
Usage: Database/Menuing System.
Special Requirements: None.
How to Start: Type GO (press enter).
Suggested Registration: $25.00 for SNAP FILER, $30.00 for MENU MASTER.
File Descriptions:
------------ SNAP FILER
SNAP COM Main program
SNAP 000 Overlay file
SNAP MSG Message file
SNAP HLP Help file
SNAP DOC Documentation
SAMPLE DIF Sample data file
------------ MENU MASTER
MMPRG EXE Main program
MENU BAT Start up batch file
MMSTR DOC Manual
PC-SIG
1030D E Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale Ca. 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1988,89 PC-SIG, Inc.
GO.TXT
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ <<<< Disk No 1043 Snap Filer, Master Menu >>>> ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ To print the documentation for Snap Filer, type ║
║ COPY SNAP.DOC LPT1: (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To run the program Snap Filer, type: SNAP (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To print the documentation for Master Menu, type: ║
║ COPY MMSTR.DOC LPT1: (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ To run the program Menu Master, type: MENU (press enter) ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
MMSTR.DOC
M e n u M a s t e r
2.12
Menuing System for IBM-PC Computer and Compatibles
by
John Franck
1200 Jefferson Davis Rd.
Martinsville, Va. 24112
(703) 632-3845
CompuServe 70077,3453
BBS Support 703-632-2079
This is an abbreviated version of the Owner's Manual for persons
evaluating Menu Master for their own use. Not all of the features
are documented here. Registered Users (those who pay the modest
registration fee of $30) will receive the official Program Disk,
printed manual, and will be entitled to free upgrades, telephone
support, information on program "secrets" and other such benefits.
John Franck February 4, 1987
INTRODUCTION
--------------
I used to spend a great deal of time working with new PC users,
trying to get them comfortable with MS-DOS, the IBM-PC's operating
system. Learning to use word processing, database, or spreadsheet
software is tough enough for newcomers to PC's without the added
burden of remembering all those DOS commands.
Most of the PC's at the office were of the hard disk variety.
Since the software programs and files were on the hard disk, I
wrote a Menu Utility program to help people negotiate their way
around the computer. In the mornings when they turned on their
computer, they would automatically see a menu from which they could
run Lotus 123, copy some disks, dial Dow Jones for their favorite
stock quotes, do a little Word Processing, etc., etc. - all without
having to remember or type any commands. Their response was
gratifying, to say the least! The program later evolved into Menu
Master.
Menu Master allows any computer user to create customized menus
that can be a "Control Center" for running application programs and
frequently used DOS routines. For new users it saves a lot of
frustration. For the more experienced it saves a lot of time.
Applications can be run at the touch of a single key instead of
typing in commands. No more forgetting commands or DOS directory
names - all these are entered one time only and Menu Master
remembers the commands for you. It will free you from the burden
of remembering and typing those complicated commands and will let
you concentrate on getting your work done.
MAJOR FEATURES
--------------
- Simple to Learn, Easy and Fast to use
- Enter Menu Settings directly from program, without the need
for text editor
- Clear, clean and attractive screen layouts
- Ability to "chain" multiple menus together
- Up to 24 Menu Items with user-defined Menu Prompts,
Passwords, Directory Paths, and Command Settings
- Up to 7 Command Lines per Menu Item
- Customize the Screen Colors and Individual Menu Prompt Colors
- Personalized Menu Title with your Own or Company name
- Customize On-Screen User Notes
- Optional Date and Time Display
- Clock chimes softly on the hour.
- Menu Screen Blanks after 3 minutes to prevent Screen Burn-in.
- System Password with extensive protection flexibility
GETTING STARTED
---------------
In order for MENU MASTER to work properly, the following 2 files
must reside in the same sub-directory of your Hard Disk:
MENU.BAT - Program Initiation File
MMPRG.EXE - MENU MASTER Program
The program also self-generates a file in the same sub-directory
called MMSTR.STG which contains all of the Menu Settings that you
will enter. (If you ever want to delete all of your Settings, you
can easily do it by deleting the MMSTR.STG file.)
Once the files MENU.BAT and MMPRG.EXE have been copied onto the
Hard Disk, you can run Menu Master by simply typing in the word
"MENU" at the C> prompt.
The following screen will appear (fig. 1):
(Figure 1)
==============================================================
= =
= =
= M e n u M a s t e r =
= =
= Version 2.12 =
= February 4, 1987 =
= (C) Copyright 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 by John Franck =
= =
= If you find this program useful to you, =
= a payment of $30 per system is requested. =
= =
= John Franck =
= 1200 Jefferson Davis Rd. =
= Martinsville, Va. 24112 =
= =
= Please copy this program and share it with others. =
= =
==============================================================
Press any key to continue ...
This TITLE SCREEN appears only once per day, so as to not interfere
with MENU MASTER's ease-of-use. (There's a secret way to
permanently bypass this screen for registered users only.) Just
press any key to continue...
The next screen, MAIN MENU (fig. 2), is the one you will normally
see when using MENU MASTER. It is from this screen that you select
your Applications at the touch of a single key.
(Figure 2)
=============================================================
= =
= 05-16-1985 M e n u M a s t e r 8:06:10 am =
= =
=============================================================
= =
= A - G - =
= =
= B - H - =
= =
= C - I - =
= =
= D - J - =
= =
= E - K - =
= =
= F - L - =
= =
=============================================================
= =
= ESC = DOS ALT-letter = Modify F10 = Colors =
= =
=============================================================
C:\ * Unregistered Copy *
About the MAIN MENU:
The MAIN MENU displays the current Date and also provides a digital
Clock. The Clock chimes softly every hour as long as the menu is
active.
Up to 24 Menu Selections can be entered into MENU MASTER,
with their prompts appearing on this screen. Although only 12
selections appear in the illustration (fig. 2), 2 additional
columns of 6 may be added. (The procedure for adding columns is
discussed later in the section "Modifying System Settings".)
Your Menu Selections can be individually Password Protected. If a
selection is protected, the user is prompted to enter the password
before running the selection.
Whenever you finish running a program, MENU MASTER returns you to
this screen so you can quickly move on to something else.
To prevent "Screen Burn-in", the screen will go blank after about 3
minutes of no activity. The Time will continue to be displayed and
updated. To re-display the screen, simply press any key.
The current Drive and Directory are displayed at the lower left of
the screen.
The message "* Unregistered Copy *" will appear at the bottom of
the screen if you have not yet registered your copy of Menu Master.
ENTERING MENU SETTINGS
----------------------
To enter, modify or examine menu settings, hold down the "ALT" key
and press the letter of the item you wish to select.
For example, let's enter a menu setting for Formatting Floppy
Disks. This will allow you to have a permanent menu selection for
formatting disks at the touch of a single key from MENU MASTER's
Main Menu.
In our example, we'll assume the following:
- We want "Format a Disk" to appear as Menu Item A on the Main
Menu
- This Menu Item is to be password protected using "ROSEBUD" as
the password.
- The DOS FORMAT Command is located on a sub-directory entitled
DOS (C:\DOS).
- The DOS Format Command, "FORMAT A:", will format a disk
located in Drive A.
To enter these settings in Menu Item A, hold down the ALT key
and press "A".
press ALT-A
The MODIFY Screen will appear as shown in Fig. 3:
(Figure 3)
============================================================
= =
= Menu Prompt : _ =
= Password : =
= Directory Path : C:\ =
= Command Line 1 : =
= 2 : =
= 3 : =
= 4 : =
= 5 : =
= 6 : =
= 7 : =
= =
= RETURN = Accept Del = Delete ESC = Escape =
= =
============================================================
This MODIFY screen is used to enter new or to modify existing
menu settings. You also can use it to examine settings which
have already been entered. There are 4 fields to enter for
the "Format a Disk" menu setting example. Enter them now as
illustrated in Fig. 4.
(Figure 4)
============================================================
= =
= Menu Prompt : Format a Disk =
= Password : ROSEBUD =
= Directory Path : C:\DOS =
= Command Line 1 : FORMAT A: =
= 2 : =
= 3 : =
= 4 : =
= 5 : =
= 6 : =
= 7 : _ =
= =
= RETURN = Accept Del = Delete ESC = Escape =
= =
============================================================
In our example (fig. 4), the Menu Prompt setting is what you will
see next to the letter "A" on the Main Menu screen. This can be
anything you like describing what the selection does. The maximum
length of Menu Prompts is 60 characters, but this depends on how
many columns of menu selections you have. (We'll discuss how to
change the number of columns later.)
Menu Master will automatically fill in the Directory Path setting
with the current drive and directory. This field will only need
changing if your application resides on a drive or sub-directory
other than the Current Directory (C:\). In the illustration, the
FORMAT.COM file is on the subdirectory called C:\DOS, so we added
"DOS" to this field. (Refer to your DOS manual if you need
information on Directory Paths.)
The Command "FORMAT A:" is the DOS command that will format a disk
in Drive A. Commands can be up to 60 characters in length.
You will notice that we did not enter anything for the 2nd thru
the 7th Command settings. Just leave them blank if you don't need
the extra commands. Menu Master will run every command that it
finds in Commands 1-7. If you use Batch Files for a series of
commands, using Menu Master's 7 settings can be a much better
alternative.
Keep pressing RETURN or TAB to skip through the rest of the command
settings. After the 7th Command field, your settings will be saved
and you will return to the Main Menu screen again. The menu
prompt, "Format a Disk", will appear next to Menu Item A on the
Main Menu as shown in Figure 5.
(Figure 5)
=============================================================
= =
= 05-16-1985 M e n u M a s t e r 8:06:10 am =
= =
=============================================================
= =
= A - Format a Disk G - =
= =
= B - H - =
= =
= C - I - =
= =
= D - J - =
= =
= E - K - =
= =
= F - L - =
= =
=============================================================
= =
= ESC = DOS ALT-letter = Modify F10 = Colors =
= =
=============================================================
You can now "Format a Disk" by pressing the letter "A". Because
you entered a password setting, you'll be prompted to give the
password before you're able to run the selection in A. When
prompted for the password, enter "ROSEBUD" (the password you gave
to A) and you will immediately escape from Menu Master and can
Format the Disk. Try this example on your computer now or enter
another setting of your own. You may have to change the Directory
Path to the proper setting for your particular computer setup,
depending on what directory contains FORMAT.COM.
Note: All passwords in Menu Master are "case sensitive". This
means that the user must enter the password EXACTLY.
Upper/lower case letters and spaces ARE significant.
CHANGING OR DELETING MENU SETTINGS
----------------------------------
To change or delete settings, go from the Main Menu to the Modify
screen by pressing ALT and the letter you wish to modify. The
existing settings will be shown. You can edit settings by using the
Backspace or Delete keys and then re-typing what you want. Press
RETURN or TAB to skip down to the next fields. After the 7th
field, your changes will be saved and you'll return to the Main
Menu again. To leave the Modify Screen without saving any changes,
simply press the ESC key at any time.
CHANGING THE DISPLAY COLORS
---------------------------
By pressing F10 from the Main Menu, you'll activate the Color
Experimentation Window. Using this feature, you can try out
various color combinations to suit your own tastes. The window
displays a representation of the current Foreground, Background,
and Menu Border colors. By pressing the Left or Right cursor keys,
you can see up to 16 different Foreground (text) colors. Up or
Down cursor keys will display the 8 possible Background colors.
Page Up or Page Down will display the 16 Menu Border colors. When
you find the combination you like, just press RETURN to save the
color settings and return to the Main Menu. If you don't want to
save the color settings, press ESC and you'll see the Main Menu
with the old colors.
Menu Prompts and the Menu Title can be given individual colors of
their own by using the Color Over-ride feature. To do this, go to
the Modify Screen of the menu item whose prompt you wish to Color
by pressing ALT-Letter from the Main Menu. Then, simply enter the
2-digit color number you want, enclosed by brackets [], immediately
after the Menu Prompt setting.
For example, in the "Format a Disk" setting described earlier, you
would enter the Menu Prompt as follows to color the prompt Blue:
Menu Prompt : Format a Disk[01]
You can use the Color Experimentation Window as a reference for
color numbers. The numbers are displayed there in addition to the
actual colors. For further reference, a list of valid color
numbers follows:
00 Black 04 Red 08 Gray 12 Lt Red
01 Blue 05 Magenta 09 Lt Blue 13 Lt Magenta
02 Green 06 Brown 10 Lt Green 14 Yellow
03 Cyan 07 White 11 Lt Cyan 15 Super White
Notes: The color number entered in brackets, [], MUST be a 2-digit
number. Also, if you enter a number that is the same color
as the screen Background, the Prompt will become invisible.
By adding 16 to the color number, you can make the prompt
blink. For instance, [17] will display a blinking Blue
prompt.
MODIFYING SYSTEM SETTINGS
-------------------------
There are a variety of System Settings that can be changed to
further personalize and protect your Menu Master setup. To display
the SYSTEM SETTINGS screen, press ALT-Z.
Press ALT-Z
You'll be asked to enter the System Password. Menu Master has a
default System Password of "MMSTR". Enter the password "MMSTR"
(upper case) when prompted. You'll see the following display
(fig. 6):
(Figure 6)
==============================================================
= SYSTEM SETTINGS: =
= =
= =
= Menu Title : M e n u M a s t e r_ =
= System Password : MMSTR =
= Registration Code : =
= =
= PROTECT - ESC to DOS : N =
= Menu Settings : N =
= Screen Colors : N =
= On-Screen Notes : Y =
= =
= OPTIONS - Blank the Screen : N =
= Hide Date & Time : N =
= =
= # of Selection Columns (1-4) : 2 =
= =
= =
= RETURN = Accept DEL = Delete ESC = No Change =
==============================================================
Here's a description of all the System Setting Options (from
fig. 6):
- The Menu Title can be changed to anything you like, up to 58
characters. Use the Backspace or Delete Keys to edit the title
and press RETURN or TAB to skip down to the next field.
- The default System Password is MMSTR (case sensitive). This
password can (and should) be changed to anything you like up to
15 characters. BE SURE TO WRITE DOWN YOUR SYSTEM PASSWORD and
hide it away somewhere. You won't be able to modify System
Settings without it.
- The Registration Code is a special code you will receive when you
register your copy of Menu Master. Entering the Registration
Code will disable the annoying Title Screen that keeps asking for
the modest registration fee. It will also disable the
* Unregistered Copy * message that continually haunts the bottom
of your menus.
- You can password protect 4 different activities with the System
Password, in addition to protecting access to the System Settings
screen. By placing a "Y" next to any of the activities listed,
protection is enabled and the user will be asked for the System
Password when he tries to do the activity.
"ESC to DOS" protection is a way to prevent unauthorized users
from having access to DOS.
"Menu Settings" protection will keep unauthorized users from
seeing or altering your Menu Settings.
"Screen Colors" protection will keep unauthorized users from
tampering with the Main Menu's screen colors.
"On-Screen Notes" is a facility that lets you write up to 3 lines
of notes in the bottom rectangle of the Main Menu screen. This
feature can be useful if you have special instructions that need
to be seen by your users. The default for this setting is "Y"
(enabled).
- Two other Options can be set at the System Settings screen:
After several minutes of inactivity, Menu Master will blank its
screen to prevent screen burn-in. Normally, the blank screen
will continue displaying "Menu Master 2.12" and the Time.
Placing a "Y" next to the "Blank the Screen" option will
COMPLETELY blank the screen, and "Menu Master" and Time will not
be displayed. The default setting is "N".
"Hide Date & Time" will remove the date and time display from the
Main Menu Screen. The default setting is "N".
- " # of Selection Columns (1-4)" allows you to change the number
of available menu selections. Each column contains 6 selections,
so you can increase the number in multiples of 6. The default is
2 columns, or 12 selections. Menu Master ALWAYS remembers the
settings for 24 selections, regardless of whether or not they are
available for use. Menu Prompts can be up to 60 characters, but
if more than 1 column of selections is displayed, not all of the
60 characters will be visible. The following table lists the
Menu Prompt lengths that will be displayed:
Active Characters
# Columns Selections Displayed
1 6 60
2 12 30
3 18 18
4 24 12
Note: You can "hide" menu selections by reducing the number of
columns. If the selections are not visible on the Main
Menu, they will not operate. However, the settings for
hidden selections are still saved. Increasing the number of
active menu selection columns will re-activate the hidden
selections.
After the number of columns is selected, the System Settings are
saved and you'll return to the Main Menu.
ON-SCREEN NOTES
---------------
As previously mentioned, On-Screen Notes is a facility that lets
you write up to 3 lines of notes in the bottom rectangle of the
Main Menu screen. This feature can be useful if you have special
instructions that need to be seen by users.
To activate On-Screen Notes, press ALT-Y.
Press ALT-Y
After entering the System Password (if protected), you'll see a
cursor appear in the Main Menu's lower rectangle. Type up to 75
characters per line, using the Backspace and Delete keys to edit if
needed (similar to entering Menu Settings).
You will notice the 2nd note line already contains the default Main
Menu instructions, "ESC=Return to DOS ALT-Letter=Modify...etc."
This line can also be modified. If you delete the 2nd line and try
to leave it blank, the default will re-appear. To keep it from
re-appearing, enter at least a blank space character (space bar) on
the line.
MULTIPLE MENUS
--------------
What if several people use the same PC, but each one wants his own
menu? Or what if you want to set up a sub-menu for all of your
utility programs? No problem! You can link Multiple Menus with
Menu Master. The procedure for doing this is documented in the
"official" Owner's Manual you will receive after registering your
copy of Menu Master.
BATCH FILES
-----------
Currently, Menu Master supports a maximum of 7 commands for a
single Menu Item (in addition to the Directory Path setting).
Having this many available commands per setting should normally
keep you from having to create any Batch Files. If you have used
batch files much in the past, you'll really appreciate this
feature!
For routines longer than 7 commands, a Batch File can be created
using DOS's EDLIN utility or a Text Processor. See your DOS manual
for more instructions on Batch Files. Use Menu Master to execute
your Batch File by placing the Batch Filename (without the .BAT
suffix) in your command setting.
Note: Batch Files sometimes prevent you from returning to Menu
Master after the file is executed. Be sure to include the
command "MENU" as the last command in your Batch File so
that it will return you to Menu Master.
You can run Menu Master automatically whenever you turn on your
computer by including the command "MENU" as the last item in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Your DOS Manual has a section which covers the
AUTOEXEC file.
Menu Master's Program Intitiation File, MENU.BAT, is a very simple
batch file that initiates the program's batch sequence. If ever
misplaced or altered by mistake, the MENU.BAT file can be re-
created as follows:
ECHO OFF
CLS
MMPRG
RUN
INFORMATION ON DISTRIBUTION AND UPGRADES
----------------------------------------
Menu Master is distributed under the consideration that people
enjoy sharing software with each other. It takes some experimenting
with software to see if it fits your own work environment and it's
really not fair to have to pay for something before you know it
works for you.
You are encouraged to give a copy of Menu Master and its
documentation to anyone you like. You must tell the person to whom
you give the copy that this is a User-Supported program and urge
them to promote the spirit of what that means.
For those of you evaluating Menu Master for the first time, please
feel free to call me if you have any questions or suggestions.
Evaluate the program at your own pace. If you decide it doesn't
suit you needs, erase the disk, or better still, give it away to
someone else.
If you find Menu Master useful and intend to keep it for your own
use, you must register your copy within 45 days after receiving it.
To register, fill out the Registration Form and send it along with
a $30 check, payable to John Franck.
Those who register will receive a Program Disk containing the
latest version of Menu Master and a nicely printed manual. They
also will be notified by mail as newer versions are released and
can obtain a free upgrade by sending in a blank disk - quite a deal
for just 30 bucks !
Corporations, schools, or any other groups are required to register
copies of the program for each computer system using Menu Master.
Discount rates are available for registering multiple copies.
Please be sure to provide a name of an individual who is your
corporate or group contact for support and upgrade purposes.
For those of you who participate in the User-Supported concept and
send in the few bucks to authors who work so hard for you - THANK
YOU! The rest of you who continue using User-Supported programs
without "bucking up" (and you know who you are), well... shame on
you!
I plan to continue upgrading and improving Menu Master, especially
since so many of you have thrilled me with your honesty by sending
in the modest registration fee. I've received good ideas from many
of you that I plan to include in later versions.
In summary, Menu Master is just a plain and simple good deal! The
User-Supported concept lets you decide for yourself whether the
program is suitable for your use. It also allows me to keep
distribution and advertising costs to a minimum and share these
savings with you in the form of a very low price. For only $30,
you get an original Program Disk, printed manual, and most
importantly - peace of mind ! In addition, you can get the latest
developments or upgrades sent to you FREE of charge.
Thanks,
John Franck
INVOICE
-------
For those of you who need an invoice for Tax or Accounting
purposes, the following Invoice can be used. It is not necessary
to return this invoice with your registration form. You may retain
this copy for your own records.
For your information, applicable Federal and State taxes are paid
on any proceeds from Menu Master registration fees.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVOICE
M e n u M a s t e r 2.12
Custom Menu Software
(C) 1987 by John Franck
Date: ____________ INVOICE # 45231
Remit to: John Franck
1200 Jefferson Davis Rd.
Martinsville, Va. 24112
Unit Extended
Item Qty Price Price
---------------------------- ----- ----- --------
Menu Master Software
Version 2.12 Registration Fee _____ 30.00 ________
Add 4.5% State Sales Tax
Virginia Residents Only ________
Total Amount ________
Make Check payable to: John Franck
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTRATION FORM
-----------------
M e n u M a s t e r 2.12
Custom Menu Software
(C) 1987 by John Franck
I'm honest! I have looked Menu Master over and have decided to
keep it as part of my PC software library. Please register my
copy. My check for $30 per system using Menu Master is enclosed.
I understand that registration entitles me to the latest Program
Disk and documentation, free upgrades of Menu Master, telephone
support, program "secrets", and other such benefits.
Name _________________________________________________________
Street or PO Box _____________________________________________
City ____________________________ State ________ Zip _________
Version Number _________
Where did you obtain your copy of Menu Master ?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
You should have 3 files on your disk: MMSTR.DOC, MENU.BAT, and
MMPRG.EXE. Are they all there ? ___________
Any special needs, comments or ideas for improvements ?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Name of Contact Person (for Corporations, schools, etc.):
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Send this Registration Form with payment to:
John Franck
1200 Jefferson Davis Rd.
Martinsville, Va. 24112
SNAP.DOC
Snap Filer
User's Guide
Version 1.0
Copyright 1986 by Marty Franz
All Rights Reserved
Marty Franz
525 W. Walnut St.
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 2
INTRODUCTION
The Snap Filer is a database program with many of the features of
a spreadsheet built-in. With The Snap Filer you can keep track of
names, addresses, sales, or anything else that can be kept in a
list. You can sort, search, and calculate using this data. You
can also place commands in macros to automate tedious data entry.
Using the Snap Filer is easy, but you should take the time to
read either this file or the .HLP file that came on the diskette
or archive.
REGISTERING
This program is distributed as user-supported software. If you
find the Snap Filer to be a useful program, then your donation of
$25 will be gratefully accepted. In return you will receive
notification of updates, access to the Turbo Pascal source code,
and the gratitude of the author. Please send your contributions
to:
Marty Franz
525 W. Walnut St.
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
You may freely copy and share this program, provided you include
the documentation files SNAP.DOC (containing this message) and
SNAP.HLP on your distribution media. Distribution via diskette
and bulletin board is encouraged, as are comments and
suggestions.
REQUIREMENTS
To use the Snap Filer, you need an IBM PC, XT, PCjr, AT, or close
compatible with at least 192KB of memory, one diskette drive, and
a monochrome or color display adapter and monitor. The more
memory you have, the more information you'll be able to store in
your files. You need PC DOS 2.1 or higher as your operating
system.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 3
FILE CONTENTS
The diskette or archive that you have received should have the
following files in it:
SNAP.COM Snap Filer main program
SNAP.000 Snap Filer overlay module
SNAP.HLP startup help file
SNAP.MSG error message file
SNAP.DOC main documentation file
INSTALLATION
To install the Snap Filer, follow these steps:
1. Make a copy of the distribution diskette for backup
purposes. Consult your DOS manual for more information about
this. You can then use this diskette as-is if you have a
floppy diskette-based system.
2. Copy the contents of the distribution diskette to a suitable
directory on a hard disk. You must copy AT LEAST the files
SNAP.COM and SNAP.000. The message and help files are
optional but highly recommended unless you are drastically
short on disk space.
3. Print a copy of the manual by copying the file SNAP.DOC
(this document) to the printer with the following command:
A>copy snap.doc prn:
BASICS
The Snap Filer is a compact, fast in-memory file manager. You can
use it to keep track of lists, tables, and other jobs too small
or short-term to require a "real" database.
The Snap Filer organizes data like a table or spreadsheet, with
rows and columns displayed onscreen. The rows are called
"records", and you can have up to 4096 of them in your file. The
columns of the file are called "fields", and you can define up to
255 of them. The Snap Filer lets you:
- add and delete fields in records, and records in the file
- define and use dates, times, names, and dollar amounts for
fields, with automatic proofing and formatting
- quickly sort records into ascending and descending order
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 4
- select sets records and fields using complex search criteria
(wildcard pattern matching, and, or, interval)
- change every occurrence of one type of data to another
- import and export files in DIF format to other spreadsheets
and graphing programs
- print reports, including automatically-calculated field
totals
- define formula relationships in fields, with automatic
recalculation after entry
SCREEN LAYOUT
The Snap Filer's screen is divided into several areas:
The status line is on line 1 and tells the name of the file you
are working on, the record number and field you are currently at,
and the amount of memory remaining to hold your data.
The pulldown menus are displayed below the status line. They are
activated by pressing /. You can then either select an option
with the arrow keys or the first capital letter in the option's
name; or, alternately, you can press Esc to resume editing your
file. The pulldown menus allow you to design, edit, select, and
analyze the data in your file.
The work area is the remainder of the screen. This shows you up
to 20 records of the file, with up to 80 characters of
information visible in each record. The display can be "scrolled"
up and down and left to right by using the arrow and movement
keys (see below).
When you get an error message, the Snap Filer will beep and
display in a separate window. Press Esc to cancel the message
and resume editing. If you don't have the message file SNAP.MSG
available, you won't get the text of the message displayed.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 5
RECORDS AND FIELDS
A record in the Snap Filer is a collection of up to 255 fields of
information. You can have as many records as will fit in memory,
up to 4096. Each field in the record has a definition, which
determines the type of data it can hold. A definition can be any
one of the following types:
Info general information
Name a person's name
Money a dollar amount
Amount a numeric field with a decimal
Quantity an integer (no decimal) amount
Phone a phone number
Date a calendar date
Time a time in military format
Only the Info type is not formatted; all other numeric fields
(types Money, Amount, and Quantity) will be right-justified and
padded with leading blanks to the appropriate width.
Name fields are switched to last name first for correct sorting
and searching.
Phone numbers must be entered as a string of digits. If there are
seven digits entered, a local phone number is generated; if ten
digits, a long-distance number with the first three digits being
an area code.
Date fields are entered as six digits and converted to MM/DD/YY
format. Time fields are entered as four digits and converted to
HH:MM format. The default for a date field is today's date, and
for a time field it is the current time. You must accurately set
your PC's clock for these to be correct.
In date, time, and phone number fields, if punctuation is present
the field is proofed to see if it matches the format selected for
the field.
STARTING THE SNAP FILER
To start the Snap Filer from DOS, enter:
A>snap
If you already have a file to use, you can enter
A>snap <filename.dat>
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 6
where <filename.dat> is the actual name (directory, path,
filename) of the file you want to work with.
If you have the Snap Filer in another directory, you must use the
switch -o to tell the filer which directory to use for the
message and help files:
C>snap <filename.dat> -o<dirname>
Once the Snap Filer has been started, you can then begin to edit
and analyze your data with it.
MOVEMENT
You can move around the work area with the PC's arrow keys and
the WordStar movement commands:
^D move one field right
^S move one field left
^E move one record up
^X move one record down
^R move one page up (also PgUp)
^C move one page down (also PgDn)
^Q^R move to top of file
^Q^C move to bottom of file
^W move to first field in record (also Home)
^U move to last field in record (also End)
These keys also work when you are editing the contents of a
field, with the exception of top and bottom and file.
EDITING INFORMATION
WordStar's editing keys also work in the Snap Filer. These
include the following:
^V insert a record (also Ins)
^Y delete a record (also Del)
^T delete the current field
Esc edit the current field as a line
When you edit a field as a line, you can use the editing and
movement keys to position the cursor. The Del key will delete a
single character; so will Backspace. The Ins key toggles
character insertion and overwriting: when you see Insert
displayed in the status area, what you enter will insert into the
data in front of the cursor; otherwise, it overtypes what's
already there. ^T will delete successive words, and ^Y will
delete the entire field. Press Return to "take" the new field, or
Esc to put the old one back.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 7
While you are editing, the block commands of WordStar are also
available, including:
^K^B begin block mark
^K^K end block mark
^K^C copy block to cursor (acts as a fill command)
^K^V move block to cursor (entire records only)
^K^Y delete block
^K^H unmark block
The block can grow larger with successive marks, but never
smaller, or an error message results.
The copy block command works a little differently than
WordStar's. The field under the cursor is considered to be the
source of the copy if a group of fields are marked. This lets you
fill fields from a single field. If records are marked, the copy
command places the records marked after the record with the
cursor.
USING THE PULLDOWN MENUS
Pulldown menus are activated by pressing the / key. This
highlights the pulldown menu bar below the status area on the
screen. Press Esc to cancel and return the work area. You can use
the arrow keys and the first capital letter in the option name to
move between the various displayed options. The various options
are described in more detail below:
THE FILE MENU
Use the File menu to load and save files, begin a new file,
display a directory of files, and import and export files in DIF
format.
Snap Files in DIF format can be exchanged with other software
packages, such as Lotus 123. You will lose some field definition
information, however, since the DIF format does not specify some
of the information the Snap Filer needs to know about fields.
THE EDIT MENU
The Edit menu contains the block commands mentioned earlier, plus
commands to locate and change text. Both the Locate and Global
change options allow you to enter a search pattern instead of
just text. See the section on the Select option for more
information on patterns.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 8
THE GOTO MENU
The Goto menu contains commands to goto a specific record or
column in the file, plus change the file to the current format.
You must "goto" a new format whenever you change the definition
of a field, such as changing an Info field into a Date field. The
Goto/New format option will also recalculate any formula fields.
THE ANALYZE MENU
The Analyze menu contains commands to sort, calculate, include,
and omit records marked with the Select menu.
The Include and Omit options work with records you have selected
using the Select menu options. Include will display only the
selected records; Omit will display all BUT the selected records.
You are then free to further search, edit, or inspect these
records. When you want to return to the original database, use
the Undo option.
WARNING: If you add or remove fields, or delete, copy, or move
blocks of records, the hidden records (included or omitted) will
be permanently purged from the database. When in doubt, save a
copy of your database to another file.
The sort Ascending and sort Descending options will sort a single
field (or block if one is marked) into ascending or descending
order. Remember, names must in be last name, first order and
dates must be in YY/MM/DD order to sort correctly. You can form
compound sort keys by defining temporary fields and using the
Split and Join options to copy data there, then sorting the data,
then removing the field when you are done.
THE SELECT MENU
Use the Select menu to select a group of records in the database
based on various criteria. Choose the letter next to the type of
search that you want. Every search but the text search is done
using standard ASCII sequences, so numbers and letters will sort
correctly.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 9
The Snap Filer also recognizes more than just text to search or--
you can specify a "regular expression", including the following
special characters:
% is used to indicate the start of the field
$ is the end of the field
? is any character; a wildcard
[ ] encloses a set of characters, any one of which can
match
[~ ] encloses a set of characters, all of which must NOT be
present.
\ is an escape character, used for entering any of the
characters shown above literally.
& when changing text, inserts the matching portion of the
string that was found.
For example, the pattern %[aeiouy] will match any field that
begins with a vowel. When specifying a set of characters, you can
also use a - to indicate a range: [A-Z] matches any uppercase
letter, for example.
THE PRINT MENU
The Print menu controls printing of reports. The Begin option
will print the current file or block on the printer. You can
optionally select a title, include a date/time/page number
heading, and set the page length and width using other options.
Pressing ^U (Control-U) will cancel printing. You can set the
width of a field with the Format option. Using a width of zero
for a field will cause it to not be printed on the report.
You can include automatic totals in the report by choosing the
Automatic totals item from the Options menu. This will
automatically compute the total of any Amount or Money fields and
print them at the bottom of the report.
THE DESIGN MENU
The Design menu lets you add, remove, swap, or change the various
field definitions in the database. You can also split and join
fields to make compound sort "keys".
You can also use the Design menu to associate a formula with a
field. Select the Design/Formula option and enter your formula
for the field. The formula will use the values of the fields in
the same record as the field you are defining.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 10
THE OPTIONS MENU
Use this menu to change the various global options in the
database, including search case, confirmation of commands, and
automatic recalculation of formula fields.
Search case determines whether upper and lower case characters
match. For example, treating upper and lower case characters the
same, the string "cat" matches "CAT" or "Cat". With this option
set to "no" (the default value), "cat" will only match "cat".
Automatic recalculation of fields is done whenever a Money,
Amount, or Quantity field is changed. With large databases, this
can be annoying during data entry. Turning this option off
(answering No) will cause recalculation of fields to occur only
if you select the Goto/New format option from the menu.
FORMULAS
You can define a formula with any field, or enter a formula at
any time for a single item. The standard numeric operations
(+,-,*,/) are defined, as well as the functions:
RecNo returns the current record number
FieldNo returns the current field number (1-255)
Count(fieldno) counts the items in a field
Sum(fieldno) sums the items in a field
Min(fieldno) returns the smallest item in a field
Max(fieldno) returns the largest item in a field
Avg(fieldno) returns the average of the items in a field
Along with the functions shown above, you can also use the names
of the fields in your file in a formula. For example, if you
have defined fields called Cost, Quantity, and Total, you could
then define a formula in the Total field such as
Cost * Quantity
While the recalculation option is on, any changes to any of the
amount, quantity, or money fields (including but not limited to
Cost, Quantity, or Total) in any record will cause recalculation
to occur. You can turn off this option from the Options menu.
Use the Design/Formula option to assign a formula to a field.
When you use the Calculate option, the current field will hold
the result if no block is marked. If a block is marked, all the
fields marked will hold the result. The Go to/New format option
will recalculate the values of all the formulas defined in a
file.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 11
The "fieldno" argument to builtin functions can be kept in
another field, then selected with that field's name. For example,
you can use the expression:
Sum(Period)
where Period is a numeric field that contains the field number to
compute the totals for. "Period" should contain a number between
1 and the total number of fields in the file. If it doesn't, the
value held in Period will be rounded up or down as needed.
WARNING: Avoid field names that match the names of the builtin
functions listed above. This will cause unexpected results when
you perform calculations, since the field names have precedence
over the function names.
MACROS
You may enter any combination of keystrokes into a field and
execute them by pressing ^P. To enter control characters, place a
^ in front of them. ^[ is used for the character Esc. You might
want to define a Macro field (column) in your file for this. You
can avoid printing it by setting the field's display format to
zero (0).
Often when using macros you might want to turn off the
confirmation of potentially destructive commands like
Design/Remove and File/Save. You can do this by first selecting
the Confirm commands option from the Options menu and answering
No to it.
You can write macros to go to other records and fields and
continue execution there by placing ^P in the macro.
Pressing control-A (^A) aborts execution of the macro and returns
control to the keyboard.
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 12
QUICK REFERENCE
Here's a list of the control keys used in the Snap Filer:
^A Abort macro execution
^B Recalculate entire database
^C Move ahead one page (20 records)
^D move one field right
^E move one record up
^K^B begin block mark
^K^K end block mark
^K^C copy block to cursor (acts as a fill command)
^K^V move block to cursor (entire records only)
^K^Y delete block
^K^H unmark block
^Q^R move to top of file
^Q^C move to bottom of file
^R move one page up (also PgUp)
^S move one field left
^T delete the current field
^U move to last field in record (also End)
abort printing if in progress
^V insert a record (also Ins)
^W move to first field in record (also Home)
^X move one record down
^Y delete a record (also Del)
Esc edit the current field as a line
Snap Filer User's Guide Page 13
ERROR MESSAGES
Here's a list of the error messages contained in the file
SNAP.MSG. If you haven't included the SNAP.MSG file in your
directory, you can use the error message number to look up the
message's meaning:
001 Field width must be between 1 and 64
002 No room for a new field
003 Cannot remove last field
004 Unknown field name
005 Cannot swap field with itself
006 Date must have format MMDDYY or MM/DD/YY
007 Time must have format HHMM or HH:MM
008 Phone number must have format DDD-DDDD or (DDD) DDD-DDDD
009 Invalid dollar amount
010 Invalid amount
011 Decimal field too large
012 Marked block already exists
013 Record number out of range
014 Field number out of range
015 No block marked
016 Cannot copy/move block to itself
017 Only records can be moved
018 Bad search pattern
019 Pattern not found
020 Only records can be included/omitted
021 No records have been included/omitted
022 Error reading file
023 Error creating or writing file
024 Error in formula
025 Only entire records can be printed as a block
026 Page width must be between 1 and 255 columns
027 Page length must be between 10 and 255 lines
028 Printing width must be between 0 and 64
029 Report canceled
030 No files found
031 Directory not found
032 Filespec in error
033 Only records can be joined
034 Only records can be split
035 Invalid column to split at
999 Unknown error
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #1043
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
FILE1043 TXT 3168 5-23-89 9:05a
GO BAT 38 10-19-87 3:56p
GO TXT 1002 3-24-89 11:31a
MENU BAT 27 6-23-88 8:18a
MMPRG EXE 59532 2-11-87 7:26a
MMSTR DOC 38124 2-11-87 7:33a
SAMPLE DIF 453 5-30-98 10:29a
SNAP 000 30208 4-24-87 10:17a
SNAP COM 53838 4-24-87 10:17a
SNAP DOC 27959 4-24-87 10:02a
SNAP HLP 9893 4-24-87 8:22a
SNAP MSG 1218 1-06-87 2:00p
12 file(s) 225460 bytes
89088 bytes free