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[PCjs Machine "ibm5170"]
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Information about “SCROES AND PRN SET”
SCRDES is a full-screen text/graphics editor designed to ease the coding
of custom screens -- such as menu screens, data-entry forms and help
screens -- into programs. The editor was created for use with CGA and
EGA, but will also function with a monochrome card, although with less
distinctive effects.
The program was designed primarily to produce binary files of the type
``character, attribute, character, attribute'' for inclusion in
Assembly language programs, or to be read directly from a file to the
screen buffer in a high-level language. It will also produce ASCII
text files of the form character, character, CR/LF, character,
character, CR/LF (25 lines) suitable for use in interpreted languages
such as BASIC or dBase III.
PRNSET is a universal nonresident printer-setting program that takes its
configuration information from a file, which you can make with any text
editor. This feature makes it possible to set the print control symbols
for any printer and select and organize the instructions you want to
have in PRNSET's repertoire. It can operate interactively through a
menu, from a batch file, or directly from the DOS command line.
File Descriptions:
PRNSET EXE The operating program.
PRNSET DOC User's manual.
PRNSET DAT The default data file. Set for Epson LQ-800.
FX-80 DAT Altenative data file for Epson FX-80 printer.
FX-86 DAT Data file for Epson FX-86e printer.
IBM DAT Data file for IBM ``Graphics'' printer.
LQ-800 DAT Data file for Epson LQ-800 printer.
OKI DAT Data file for Okidata 92 printer.
XXXXXX DAT Other data files. They name the printer they support.
COUNTPGS EXE Count the pages in a file before printing.
COUNTPGS DOC Documentation for COUNTPGS.
E88 EXE A simple ASCII text editor.
E88 DOC Documentation for E88.
README Instructions and file explanations.
COUNTPGS.DOC
COUNTPGS v. 1.12
--------
Purpose: Find out how many pages a file or set of files contains be-
fore you print it out. Also checks for badly paged files.
Format: COUNTPGS [[d:][path]filename.ext ...] [/P] [/Lnn]
__ ____ ____________
d: is the drive letter, path is the DOS path, and filename.ext
may contain DOS's usual wildcards (* and ?). If COUNTPGS is
entered bare, without filenames, COUNTPGS will ask for them.
/P anywhere in among the parameters will cause COUNTPGS to
echo its output to the printer.
/Lnn specifies nn lines/page if no FF's found (default is 66).
Remarks: To find out how much paper to lay out, I once looked at the
end of a file and found page 1105. So, I wrote COUNTPGS.
That turned out to be Chap. 11, p. 5, of course, & the whole
thing ran to about 100 pp. Whew!
COUNTPGS can handle up to 25 filenames at a time, which may
contain wildcards. Each must have its own drive and path des-
ignations. Examples:
COUNTPGS b:xyz.txt
COUNTPGS b:\*.doc
COUNTPGS b:abcd.txt c:\xyz*.doc c:\foo\ab??.* /P /L55
If you prefer to give the file specs interactively, enter just
COUNTPGS, and you'll be asked for the filenames. (/P and /L
can go in like filenames.) When you've entered as many as you
want, a bare <Enter> tells COUNTPGS to take it away.
Most printers will feed out the rest of the page when they en-
counter a "form-feed" character, ASCII #12. (On the screen,
it shows up as either ^L or the Venus (female) sign. If you
have this file on the screen, you can see a form-feed charac-
ter at the end, after the address below.) Some files use
form-feed characters to divide pages; some just feed out the
proper number of lines per page. If it finds any form-feeds
at all, COUNTPGS expects the number form-feeds to be the num-
ber of pages. When there are no form-feeds, COUNTPGS calcu-
lates the number of pages from the line count.
Two things can go wrong: (1) the end of the file may be ragged;
i.e., it may not come out even with the paper. If you want to
COPY PRN a bunch of files like that, you'll have to do some-
thing clever. (2) The FF's may be wrongly placed, making some
pages longer than the piece of paper. COUNTPGS will warn and
do its best to explain if it finds either of these faults.
---R. N. Wisan, April, 1988
37 Clinton St, Oneonta, NY 13820
E88.DOC
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[Abridged E88 manual for abridged version of E88 pack-
aged with GKAL grade processor & PrnSet printer setter]
.----------------.
| A ssociation of| The author of this program is a member of
| S hareware | the ASP and has agreed to abide by its
| P rofessionals | high standards of quality and support.
| ---------- | -------------
`-----MEMBER-----'
(C.) Copyright 1986,87,88 Microsystems Research and Engineering
(C.) Copyright 1986,87,88 Emery D. Wooten Jr.
E88, M.R.E. Software, Microsystems Research and Engineering (TM)s
All rights reserved
II
PREFACE
E88 was originally designed as an editor to write assembler
language code but has since been enhanced into a full function text
and programming editor. Since the shareware release of version 1.00
the editor has been updated seven times including this version.
E88 is short for editor in 8088 machine language. The editor is
written in 100% assembler language which accounts for its compact
size and lighting fast speed. This editor was designed and written on
an IBM PC and is intended for use on IBM and closely compatible
machines.
The goal of this editor is to provide a new concept in text
editing. It does not use all of the complicated keyboard commands
associated with many editors and word processors. The result is a
very fast, natural, logical, and easy to learn user interface. Most
of the editing functions of E88 are direct, one keystroke, commands.
This editor uses the IBM keyboard the way it was intended to be
used, not the way some "ported over" programs use it. The function
keys are used heavily but in a logical and easy to remember fashion.
The numeric keypad/cursor control keys provide text control as it
should be provided, fast, versatile, and full featured. All complex
file control and setup functions are accessed via a menu driven
command window with helpful prompts, which are brief but informative.
A help screen is also provided and can be accessed directly from edit
mode or from the command window. This help screen provides an
abbreviated list of the editor's direct functions.
E88 represents an amalgamation of user ideas forged with the
speed and precision of machine language coding into a sleek little
computer program whose ease of use and price/performance ratio are
unmatched by any major commercial product. Since E88 is shareware,
and M.R.E. Software is a very small company, user ideas are the
primary source of innovation and improvement in this product.
Comments received from registering users ARE read, answered, and
appreciated. Good ideas are incorporated in future versions whenever
possible. If, after evaluating the program, you decide to register
your copy, please feel free to send any comments or complaints (we can
take it) that you think will improve a future version. You WILL
receive an answer. E88 IS actively supported.
If you are familiar with older versions of E88, then you will be
pleased with this new edition. The new features definitely make the
program more useful than ever before. The basic simplicity of
operation has been retained even with the additional power.
If you are not familiar with E88, then prepare yourself for a
surprisingly fresh, new approach to text editing. The speed and
power provided by E88 is unmatched by any other editor in its class.
You will be able to master the commands and functions of E88 in just
a few minutes and retain this knowledge after only a couple of
sessions. You'll never dread loading and running a text editor again
as long as you have E88.
III
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
E88 will run on the IBM PC-XT-AT-PCjr-PS/2 and all true compatibles.
The general system requirements are outlined below.
Memory .......... 64-640 Kb. The edit file size is a function of free
memory.
Operating sys. .. MS/PC DOS version 2.00 or later.
Video ........... Standard color graphics and monochrome display
adapters are supported as well as the 43 line/screen mode of the
IBM compatible EGA adapter. The display adapter is selected
automatically on systems with only one adapter installed, but
may be user selected using start-up options on multiple adapter
systems.
Disk ............ All disk I/O is controlled through standard DOS
function calls. Any valid path and filename may be used in
the file specification.
Files ........... E88 reads/produces standard ASCII text files with an
optional tab compression mode. Standard ASCII files are the type
required by most assemblers and compilers. Tab compression mode
provides a method of compressing text files to preserve disk
space while still retaining DOS compatibility.
Printer ......... The printer output from E88 is standard ASCII text
which should be acceptable to all printers. It should also be
noted that no filtering is done on the text when it is sent to
the printer. The user may specify any special codes such as
escape codes directly on a line in the file and force the printer
to do whatever he desires. Some special characters in the IBM
extended character set (above ASCII 127) as well as some control
characters (below ASCII 32) may not be acceptable to some
printers and could cause unusual looking printouts.
Note that many printers may be controlled by encoding the
desired control characters in the file by adding 128 to the basic
ASCII code. For example the BEL character would be ASCII 135
instead of ASCII 7 ie. 7+128=135
Keyboard etc. .... E88 supports both the 83 and 101 key format. It
uses the standard BIOS interface and starting with version 4.20
it is able to read and display the complete IBM character set.
Most characters may be entered using Ctrl key combinations,
those that can't may be entered by holding down the [Alt] key,
typing the ASCII value on the numeric keypad, and releasing
[Alt]. WARNING: E88 will allow ALL ASCII control codes to be
entered into a file and saved to disk. The user is warned that
some control codes such as EOF(26), CR(13), and LF(10) are
essential to the file structure of ASCII files and could cause
problems to E88 and other ASCII programs if used improperly.
The CR(13) character (a musical note) is also used by E88 to
indicate a line contains trailing blanks. This feature may also
be employed by the user to pad a line with trailing spaces.
E88 also provides internal translation routines to allow
the user to redefine keyboard commands using The E88 Text Editor
machine covered in section 4.
S P E C I A L N O T I C E:
What you have here is a version of E88.EXE which has been cut
down to accompany GKAL (grade processor) or PrnSet (printer
setter). Permission of M.R.E. Software, publisher of E88 to
make this adaptation is hereby gratefully acknowledged.
This version, standing by itself, is an able and easily
learned little text editor. What you don't have (that you
get with the full E88 package) is E8M.EXE. That program is
a "machine" to construct customized versions of E88.EXE. By
means of E8M, you can adjust the colors and put the various
editor functions on whichever keys you like. Thus, you can
make E88 more like the word processor you're used to.
The present version of E88.EXE has been set up pretty much
as described in this manual, except that:
1. The /W option is automatically on. What it does is make
the cursor keys a little less like a programming editor
& slightly more like a word processor. See section 3.11,
page 6 for details.
2. The default file suffix has been changed from E88's regular
.ASM to blank. This makes E88's filenames work just like
DOS.
If you find this E88 useful, you can probably find the regular
version on your local BBS or you can write to the publisher:
M.R.E. Software
150 Jones Street
West Point, Ms. 39773
Frankly, if you like what you see here, you might as well pay
up & register at once, using the form at the end of this manual.
For $25 you get a full registration and a copy of the full pro-
gram disk. Appendix D at the end of the manual has more infor-
mation about registration.
The abridgement prepared and this page (only) written
by R. N. Wisan, 37 Clinton St, Oneonta NY 13820.
IV
C O N T E N T S
PREFACE ......................................................... II
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS ........................................... III
PART 1 *** THE E88 TEXT EDITOR
(1.) STARTING E88.................................................. 1
Filenames .................................................. 1
Options .................................................... 1
Examples ................................................... 2
Indirect mode ............................................ 2
Direct mode .............................................. 2
Miscellaneous .............................................. 3
Special start/restart features ........................... 3
(2.) THE EDIT SCREEN .............................................. 4
Top line information ....................................... 4
The remainder of the screen ................................ 4
Miscellaneous .............................................. 4
(3.) PROGRAM CONTROL .............................................. 5
The numeric keypad ......................................... 5
[Up] [Dn] [Lt] [Rt] ... Cursor keys ...................... 5
[Pg Up] [Pg Dn] ...... Scrolling ........................ 5
[Home] [End] ......... Scroll 1 line .................... 5
[Ctrl] [Lt] & [Rt] .... Find previous/next word .......... 5
[Ctrl] [Home] ........ Home cursor ...................... 5
[Ctrl] [End] ......... Cursor to end of line ............ 5
[Ctrl] [Pg Up] ....... Go to top of file ................ 5
[Ctrl] [Pg Dn] ........ Go to end of file ................ 5
[Ins] ................. Insert a character ............... 5
[Del] ................. Delete a character ............... 6
Word processing mode ..................................... 6
The function keys ........................................ 6
[F1] .................. Command window call .............. 6
[Shift] [F1] .......... Set the right margin ............. 6
[Alt] [F1] ............ Instant help ..................... 6
[F2] .................. Printer call ..................... 6
[Alt] [F2] ............ Alternate printer call ........... 7
[F3] [F4] [F5] [F6] [F7] [F8] ... Pagers ................. 7
[Alt] [F3] [F4] ....... Send printer strings ............. 7
[Alt] [F5] ............ Make cursor TOS .................. 7
[Alt] [F6] ............ Page to last active screen ....... 7
[Alt] [F7] ............ Rep. Load buffer ................. 7
[Alt] [F8] ............ Load buffer ...................... 7
[F9] .................. Insert a line .................... 7
[Shift] [F9] .......... Quick default directory .......... 8
[Alt] [F9] ............ Change line attribute ............ 8
[F10] ................. Insert a line from buffer ........ 8
[Alt] [F10] ........... Delete a line .................... 8
[Ctrl] [F1-F10] ....... Programmable characters .......... 8
[ENTER] ............... Record screen / Reset tab cnt. ... 8
[Ctrl] [Enter] ........ Toggle auto-indent mode .......... 8
[Tab] ................. Tab the cursor ................... 8
[Shift] [Tab] ......... Set the tabs ..................... 8
Additional information on functions ...................... 9
Command modes .............................................. 11
V
(E.) END the edit and save this file ..................... 11
(B.) BACKUP (create filename.bak) ........................ 11
(F.) FILES (directory search) ............................ 11
(C.) CHANGE the filename (for saving) .................... 11
(D.) DEFINE block operation .............................. 11
DELETE the marked block ............................. 12
MOVE the marked block ............................... 12
COPY the marked block ............................... 12
PRINT the marked block .............................. 12
TRANSFER marked block to disk ....................... 12
(H.) HELP ................................................ 12
(K.) KEY file saved for this directory ................... 13
(L.) LOAD another file (with options) .................... 13
(M.) MERGE data from another file ........................ 13
(P.) PROGRAM Ctrl. keys and def ext. ..................... 13
Special supplemental information about setup files .. 13
(S.) SEARCH and [replace] string ......................... 14
(T/W) TAB comp.( )/WORD wrap( ) (x)=on .................. 14
(Q.) QUIT * RETURN TO DOS * NO SAVE ...................... 15
PART 2 *** THE E88 TEXT EDITOR MACHINE (E8M.EXE)
This section omitted from abbreviated version
APPENDIX A - E88 program compatibility ............................ A1
Memory resident programs ..................................... A1
Prokey ..................................................... A1
Sidekick ................................................... A1
Non resident programs ........................................ A1
Assemblers / Compilers ..................................... A1
Communications programs .................................... A1
Operating system files ..................................... A2
Data base data files ....................................... A2
APPENDIX B - The E88 help screen .................................. B1
A printable reproduction ................................... B1
A note about the help screen ............................... B1
APPENDIX C - License / Warranty / Trademarks ...................... C1
License .................................................... C1
Warranty ................................................... C2
Trademarks ................................................. C2
APPENDIX D - Registration ......................................... D1
Why should I register ? .................................... D1
Registration fees .......................................... D2
The M.R.E Support BBS ...................................... D2
Registration form ..................................... D3 & D4
1
>> Section 1 << STARTING E88
E88 may be started either directly or indirectly from the DOS
prompt. There are also several options available to the user at
run-time. This section will discuss filenames and options needed to
begin an editing session with E88.
>> 1.1 << FILENAMES
Standard DOS notation is acceptable. d: [path] filename [.ext]
If no path is specified then E88 will use the default directory. If
no filename extension is specified then E88 will use its user
definable internal default. If the desired file to be edited does not
have an extension then 3 blanks should be entered for an extension.
>> 1.2 << OPTIONS
E88 supports several options which may be specified on the DOS
command line at execution. They are listed below.
The /B option: (blanking)
The /B option will eliminate "blanking" of the display when
the screen is scrolled. This feature is useful on machines
which have the newer display adapters. The user may determine
if his computer will tolerate this feature by starting E88 using
the /B option and looking for display "fetches" (interference)
when the screen is scrolled. This option only applies to color
graphics adapters and has no effect on mono or EGA displays.
The /C option: (color)
The /C option will force the video output to be directed to the
color graphics display adapter. This option is useful when a
system is equipped with two adapters. See also the /M option.
The /E option: (end the file with no EOF mark)
The /E option will suppress the end of file marker being added
to the end of a saved file. Although most programs accept this
format some may require the marker. The /E option is
recommended for .SYS and .BAT files.
The /H option: (high resolution EGA)
The /H option will direct the editor to operate in EGA 43
line/screen mode.
The /I option: (auto indent mode)
The /I option will start the editor in auto-indent mode. The
cursor will be tabbed to the first tab stop each time <ENTER> is
pressed. This mode may be toggled on and off by pressing the
key combination <Ctrl> <ENTER> while in edit mode.
The /M option: (monochrome)
The /M option will force the video output to be directed to the
monochrome display adapter. This option is useful when a system
is equipped with two adapters. See also the /C option.
2
The /T option: (tab compression)
The /T option will cause the editor to toggle into tab
compression mode. Unless the mode is changed from the command
window the loaded file will be saved tab compressed.
The /R option: (word wrap mode)
The /R option turns on word wrapping. This mode may be changed
from the command window later.
The /S option: (silence)
The /S option will silence all sound effects except for error
messages.
The /W option: (word processor insert mode)
The /W option will direct the editor to function in word
processor mode. This mode is discussed in detail later in the
manual. (IN THE CUT VERSION THIS SWITCH DEFAULTS TO ON.)
>> 1.3 << EXAMPLES
>> 1.3.1 << INDIRECT MODE
To start E88 in indirect mode simply enter E88 at the DOS prompt.
The editor will be loaded and will prompt the user for the edit
filename. Start-up options must be specified at the DOS prompt.
example: C>E88 /B
Would execute E88 with screen blanking disabled and prompt the
user for a filename.
example: C>E88 /B/C/W
Would execute E88 with screen blanking disabled, force the video
output to the color graphics adapter, and place the editor in
word processing mode. The user would then be prompted for a
filename.
>> 1.3.2 << DIRECT MODE
To start E88 in direct mode, the filename must be specified on
the command line.
example: C>E88 MYFILE.DOC
Would execute E88, which would then load MYFILE.DOC for editing.
example: C>E88 MYFILE
Would execute E88, which would then load MYFILE.(default ext.)
example: C>E88 /B/W \JUNK\THAT_OLD.BAT
Would execute E88, disable screen blanking, place the editor in
word processing mode, and load the file THAT_OLD.BAT from the
pathed directory JUNK.
example: C>E88 BBSLIST.(enter three spaces for the extension)
Would execute E88 and load the file BBSLIST no extension, for
editing.
3
>> 1.4 << MISCELLANEOUS
Start-up option letters as well as filename specifiers are NOT
case sensitive. e88 /m myfile.dat would work just as well as
e88 /M MyfiLE.dAT. The spacing and order are important however.
CORRECT: E88 [/option] [d:]\[path]\filename[.ext]
s s s b b
p l p a a
a a a c c
c s c k k
e h e s s
l l
a a
s s
h h
The /T, /R, and /I options are reversible after the editor is
executed, all others are not.
>> 1.4.1 << SPECIAL START/RESTART FEATURES
E88 provides a pair of special features that may be used on
start-up in indirect mode or upon a restart from within the editor.
Although these options are mentioned on the opening screen they are
not entirely obvious. These options are very useful and should be
noted by the user.
(1.) Entering a null string at the filename prompt will terminate the
program.
(2.) Entering a filename which includes an asterisk (*) wildcard
character will prompt the editor to do a directory search. The user
may enter any valid path and filename/wildcard combination to search
any directory. See the FILES command covered later in this manual
for more information and examples.
4
>> Section 2 << THE EDIT SCREEN
This section outlines the edit screen. It provides information
relating to the top line status and also provides information on
interpreting the displayed text file
>> 2.1 << TOP LINE INFORMATION
FILENAME LINE COL FREE MODE RtMar.=xx
current | text | cursor | 78 char. | current mode| the right margin
file | line#| column | lines free| EDIT etc. | value setting
The indicated line number represents the current line that the cursor
resides on IN THE FILE being edited. A line consist of a screen line.
example: > this is supposed to represent text on the E88 screen
> text text text text text text more text etc.. on and on
> new line of text across screen starts at arrow on left
represents 3 lines of the text file
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>> 2.2 << THE REMAINDER OF THE SCREEN
The remainder of the screen contains the text file that is being
edited and also contains a "> " ,nothing, or the letter "F " in the
first two columns of the screen on each line. An arrow "> "means that
this is the beginning of a new line. If the first two columns are
blank, the line is an extension of the previous line. There is no
limit on line length. It is the user's responsibility to insure that
the length does not exceed that which is acceptable to the assembler
or compiler that the text file is to be used with. The letter "F " in
the left two columns indicates that this line is available but not in
use. The appearance of the first line marked "F " is the physical end
of file. Although it is possible to type on these free lines, any
text present on these lines will not be saved to disk. This feature
will allow the user to make notes on these lines if desired, however
these notes will not be saved or reloaded.
>> 2.3 << MISCELLANEOUS
Some files, such as database record files and ANSI graphics
files, contain lines padded with spaces on the end. E88 will include
a carriage return character (ASCII 13 a musical note) on the display
screen when a line such as this occurs. This feature allows the user
to have a visual indication of where the end of the line actually is.
The CR character is also used by E88 to determine the end of the line
when the file or block is to be saved to disk. The user may also
employ this feature to pad lines with spaces. Use the [Alt] numeric
keypad to enter a CR after the proper number of spaces at the end of
a line. Press [Alt] and type 13 on numpad then release [Alt].
Extended lines are counted as a line when referring to E88's line
number or free lines remaining information. They are however saved
to disk as being one complete line of text.
example: > this represents a line of text on the E88 editor screen
which is extended ( notice no arrow ) into this line
* 2 lines to E88 but only one long line to the disk file.
5
>> Section 3 << PROGRAM CONTROL
This section provides information regarding program control. It
outlines the use of the numeric pad, function keys, tabs, enter, and
programmable keys.
>> 3.1 << THE NUMERIC KEYPAD
The numeric keypad provides standard cursor as well as complete
and extended screen control.
[Up] [Dn] [Lt] [Rt] ... MOVE CURSOR
The four arrow keys provide cursor control as expected but also
provide screen control. Whenever a cursor movement would cause the
cursor to be positioned off the top or bottom of the screen an
automatic screen scroll will occur. This includes end wrap for the
left and right arrows as well as simply holding the up and down arrow
keys to force a scroll.
[Pg Up] [Pg Dn] ... SCROLL ENTIRE SCREEN 24 LINES
The page up and page down keys will cause an immediate 24 line
scroll to the preceding or following page of text.
[Home] [End] ... SCROLL 1 LINE AT A TIME
The home and end keys will cause a 1 line scroll up and down.
[Ctrl] [Lt] & [Rt] ... FIND WORDS
These keys will find the previous/next word in the line.
[Ctrl] [Home] ... HOME THE CURSOR
The key combination of [Ctrl] [Home] will home the cursor.
[Ctrl] [End] ... GO TO END OF LINE
This combination will place the cursor at the end of the current
line plus one.
[Ctrl] [Pg Up] ... GO TO TOP OF FILE
This key combination will cause the editor to instantly locate
on Line 0, Row 1, Col 2, of the file being edited. It is denoted
as the Go to TOF command.
[Ctrl] [Pg Dn] ... GO TO END OF FILE
This is the Go to EOF command. The logic behind this command
constantly keeps track of the current EOF even with changes in
file length. When this key combination is pressed the editor
will locate the cursor on the end of the last line in the file
plus one position.
[Ins] ......... INSERT CHARACTER
Toggles the insert mode. The insert and delete character keys
work exactly like they do in the BASIC program editor. The insert key
toggles on and off. Insert mode is indicated by a "fat" cursor. When
insert is enabled, characters will be inserted into the line at the
current cursor position while all characters to the right are moved
and wrapped around to the next line if necessary. The editor will
also insert an extension onto the line if needed. The insert mode is
toggled off with any screen or cursor movement including tabs with the
exception of backspace. Backspace backs up and deletes the character
leaving the program in insert mode just like BASIC.
6
[Del] .......... DELETE CHARACTER
Deletes the character at current cursor position.
>> 3.1.1 << WORD PROCESSING MODE
Word processing mode is entered by using the /W option on the
command line. This feature in no way magically transforms E88 into
a word processor. It merely changes some of the key assignments
and functions. These changes are outlined below.
The insert mode becomes a true toggle. Pressing the insert key
will cause a "fat" cursor as described in the insert key function
above, but the editor remains in insert mode even with cursor
movement. There are only two ways to exit insert mode, they are,
press the insert key again, or position the cursor past the end of
the current line. This feature is similar to the insert scheme used
by many popular word processors.
The Ctrl. Home key also function differently. Pressing the
[Ctrl][Home] key will cause the cursor to move to the start of the
current line. This represents a change from earlier versions in which
the [Home], [End], [Ctrl][Home], and [Ctrl][End] keys were actually
swapped. With the introduction of The E88 Text Editor machine these
keystrokes may be changed by the user if desired. The function
assigned to [Ctrl][Home] on default will be "go to start of line" and
not "home cursor". Therefor the user can set up the editor to be
completely compatible with older versions.
>> 3.2 << THE FUNCTION KEYS
[F1] .......... COMMAND CALL
F1 calls the main command menu window, discussed in detail later.
[Shift] [F1] .. SET RIGHT MARGIN
Shift F1 sets the right margin value at the current cursor
position. The right margin is in effect when the editor is in
word wrap mode. This feature is useful for typing formatted
text such as pre-written text to be uploaded in E-Mail messages.
The default value for this setting is 74. This is the correct
value for using the MRE BBS system.
[Alt] [F1] .... INSTANT HELP SCREEN
Alt. F1 provides instant on-line help. This method of calling
the help screen by-passes the command window. Help is still
available from the command window, maintaining compatibility
with older versions and supporting the needs of novice users.
[F2] .......... PRINTER CALL (standard)
F2 calls the printer !? Make sure the printer is on (if it isn't
DOS will indicate the error). Place the cursor on the line where
the printout is to start and press [F2]. The printer will print
lines and the cursor will move and the screen will scroll until
any key is pressed or the end of file is reached. The cursor
indicates the line currently being printed. Termination of the
print will restore the screen and cursor to their previous
positions. * Extended lines will be added together and printed
just as if they were one long line.
7
[Alt] [F2] ... PRINTER CALL (with arrows printed)
This key combination causes the same action as described above
except that the arrows are printed.
[F3] [F4] [F5] [F6] [F7] [F8] ... PAGERS
F3 through F8 are called pagers. Pressing these keys will cause
the text to scroll instantly to a page that has been preset by the
user. To preset the page for each key, simply scroll to the
desired page, hold the shift key down, and press F3 to F8. That
key is then set to the displayed page and will return to that
point from anywhere in the text. These keys will remain set until
reset, which can be done as often as necessary. Upon start-up the
pager keys are set up to split the file into equal parts. [F3]
points at the first page and [F8] points at the last page in the
file with all others equally spaced in between. This feature
allows rapid access to any area in the file. This feature may be
overridden by the PGR default file however. For more information
about the PGR file see the setup mode section.
[Alt] [F3] [F4] .. SEND PRINTER CONTROL STRING
This key combination will send a pre-programmed string to the
printer. The default strings will form-feed and reset an Epson
compatible printer respectively.
[Alt] [F5] .... MAKE CURRENT LINE TOP OF SCREEN
This combination will make the current line the new top of screen
[Alt] [F6] .... RECOVER LAST ACTIVITY SCREEN
This combination will recover the last screen that edit activity
occurred on. This feature allows the user to scroll or page all over
the place and still instantly recover the last screen where a letter
was typed.
[Alt] [F7] .... LOAD BUFFER WITH SAME LINE
This is the repeat load buffer command. This command is
identical to the [Alt] [F8] command below except that the cursor
is not moved down to the next line. Audible feedback is
provided to verify the command was executed. This command is
useful when a line needs to be duplicated several times. An
example is the many 'DB' Pseudo-ops used in an assembly language
data segment.
[Alt] [F8] .... LOAD LINE INTO BUFFER (does not delete as does F10)
This is the load buffer command key combination. When this command
is issued, the line that the cursor is on will be loaded into a 32
line buffer. The cursor will then move to the next line down,
which, if the user desires, may also be loaded. Up to 32 lines
may be stored in this manner and recovered with the [F10] key.
The use of this command in combination with the [F10] key may used
to do a block copy of up to 32 lines at a time. To copy more than
32 lines at a time see the block operations section.
[F9] .......... INSERT A LINE
F9 will insert a line into the text directly above the line that
the cursor is on when the key is pressed.
8
[Shift] [F9] .. QUICK DIRECTORY LISTING (default drive & extension)
Shift F9 will display a quick default directory search. The
default directory will be searched for all filenames ending in
the currently defined default extension.
[Alt] [F9] .... TOGGLE LINE ATTRIBUTE (join or seperate lines)
This key combination will toggle the attribute of the current
line. It will change an extended line into a new line or a new
line into an extended line. This can be used to separate or join
lines in the file.
[F10] ......... INSERT A LINE FROM THE BUFFER
This key will automatically insert a line of text which has been
saved in the 32 line buffer. The insert will occur at the current
cursor position in the same manner that the [F9] key effects an
insert. Lines may be saved into the buffer by the [Alt] [F8]
load buffer command or by the [Alt] [F10] delete line command.
[Alt] [F10] ... DELETE CURRENT LINE (line is placed in the buffer)
This key combination is the delete line command. When this
command is used the current line will be deleted from the screen
and the file will scroll up to fill the vacated space. The
deleted line is not lost forever however, it is placed in a 32
line circular buffer. The last 32 deleted lines may be recovered
by simply pressing [F10] after positioning the cursor at the
desired insert position. Using the key sequences of [Alt] [F10]
and [F10] in combination can be used to move a block of text (up
to 32 lines at a time) from one place in the file to another.
[Ctrl] [F1-F10] .. SPECIAL CHARACTERS (types user defined character)
These key combinations print a special character which has been
pre-programmed by the user for the particular function key. The
programming of these keys is discussed later in the setup window
instructions. The default character set for these keys is the
set of line graphics characters.
[ENTER]
The enter key is used much as with any other editor. When typing
in text, hitting [ENTER] will cause the cursor to move to the
start of the next line, inserting a line if it is at the end of
file. [ENTER] also resets the tabs and records in memory the
current text screen. There is one difference with this editor to
many others including the Microsoft BASIC program editor. It is
NOT necessary to press [ENTER] to insure that your screen changes
have been preserved. The program logic automatically detects a
screen change and records the new screen. This prevents the old
BASIC problem of forgetting to press [ENTER] and having to
re-type a change.
[Ctrl] [ENTER] .. TOGGLE AUTO INDENT
The key combination of [Ctrl] [ENTER] will toggle the editor's
auto-indent mode. When in auto-indent mode the cursor is
automatically tabbed to the first tab stop. This process is
essentially identical to pressing [ENTER] and [TAB] in sequence.
[Tab]
The tab key tabs the cursor to the user preset tabs.
[Shift]*[Tab] .. SET TAB
This key combination of shift and the tab key will set a tab on
the screen. E88 supports 20 tab positions which can be set to
function in almost any manner imaginable.
9
To set the tabs:
(1.) Press [ENTER] (this clears the tab COUNT) *** See note 1 !
(2.) Move the cursor to the desired tab position.
(3.) Hold down a shift key and press the tab key.
(4.) Tab 1 is now set and the next tab is ready to be set.
(5.) Repeat this procedure until the speaker beeps if desired.
More on the tab function :
1. To set the first tab, which is the position that the cursor will
move to when in auto indent mode, the editor must NOT be in
auto indent mode. This is because the cursor will automatically
be tabbed by the [ENTER] key and the tab count WILL NOT be
cleared. The tabs MAY be set when the editor is in auto-indent
mode, however the user should be aware that the tab count will
start with the second tab. For more information about auto-
indent mode see [Ctrl] [ENTER] in this section.
2. The speaker will beep when the 20th tab is set. When the speaker
beeps this indicates that the count is about to start over at the
first tab. The tab function on both tabbing and setting the tabs
is a rollover procedure. When the last tab is reached, the
program will start over with the first tab again. There is no
beep during normal tabbing,
3. The tabs can be set in any order desired. The cursor does not
have to tab from left to right. For example 38,24,36,5,10,15,38,
24,36,71,... is a perfectly legal tab setup. The default tab
setup is a repeating sequence of 2,12,22,42,2,12,22,42,2,12,22,42
and so on.
4. Any tab can be set at any time. Simply clear the tab count by
pressing [ENTER]. Tab the cursor normally with the tab key while
counting the number of tabs. When the desired tab is reached,
position the cursor on the proper column and perform step 3
above. *** See note 1 if setting tabs in auto-indent mode.
5. The tab setup is saved within the setup file E88SETUP.DEF which
is discussed later in the command mode section. To save the tab
setup, the user must go into setup mode. (See command mode option
"P.")
Alphanumeric keys:
Type as usual.
>> 3.2.1 << ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON FUNCTIONS
The circular buffer referred to in the previous function
descriptions is used as temporary storage area for deleted and
saved lines. The buffer is always available to accept 32 new
lines. Circular implies that the last 32 lines either saved or
deleted may always be recovered from the buffer. The lines are
stored using "last in - first out" or "STACK" logic.
10
Mini-Merge .... Another use for the buffer
The circular buffer contents may be transferred from one file to
another. The user may load the circular buffer with information
from a file, select the (L.) option from the command window, load
a new file, and dump the buffer contents into the new file. This
feature is great for copying a small subroutine or a couple of
paragraphs from one file to another. For larger transfers a full
scale file merge and a block to disk transfer are also provided.
11
>> 3.3 << COMMAND MODES
Pressing function key [F1] will call E88's command window. The
command mode will allow the user to save, backup, or exit from editing
as well as setup some editor defaults and perform block and disk
operations. The following information is provided to serve as a
guide to the command mode functions.
[Esc]
The escape key will return to edit mode.
(E.) END the edit and save this file
This command will save the file to the drive and filename
displayed in the upper left corner of the screen. The program
will return to DOS when the save is complete.
(B.) BACKUP (create filename.bak)
This command will create a backup file using the displayed
filename (as above) but with the extension of BAK. This command can
be used as often as necessary during the edit to insure that a loss of
power or other unthinkable event would not cause a loss of data. Note
that no backup file is automatically produced as with EDLIN.
(F.) FILES (directory search)
This command allows the user to display any directory or
specified files in any directory. The window will display some
help information for using the search. One may enter any valid
path and combination of DOS wild cards as a criterion for the
search, at the prompt. Simply pressing [ENTER] without any
criteria will result in a *.* display of the current default
directory. The pathname(s) and filename must be separated with
a backslash (\) for the search to work properly. Example:
\PROCOMM\DOWNLOAD\*.MSG would display all the files with the
extension of .MSG in the sub-directory DOWNLOAD of the directory
PROCOMM a sub directory of the root. Any valid path and
filename may be used. Refer to your DOS manual for information
concerning filenames, wildcards, etc.
(C.) CHANGE filename (for saving)
This command allows the user to save a file under a different
name. This is useful in cases where a standard format is used to
set up a source file. The user can load the standard file,
change the name, and save the edited file without effecting the
standard load file. When pressed, the current file specification
will be displayed. The user may then press [ENTER] to return
with no change, or enter the new file specification.
(D.) DEFINE BLOCK operation
This command provides access to E88's extended block operations
menu window. Before this command is issued a text block should
be defined by the user. Failure to do this will result in a
harmless error message which includes information on how to
define a block. A block is defined by pressing Ctrl. B with the
cursor on the line one desires to mark. This procedure should
be performed twice, thus denoting the beginning and end of the
block. Pressing Ctrl. C will clear all block marks. Selecting
the (D.) command will open a window which offers the following
block operations:
12
D./ INDICATES THESE ARE DEFINE BLOCK SUB-COMMANDS
D./(D.) DELETE the marked block.
S This sub-command will remove the marked block from the file.
U This process is executed very fast and is not reversible, so
B the user is advised to use this with care. Please note that
the disk file is not affected unless the edited file is
saved, so an error may be corrected by simply reloading the
file.
D./(M.) MOVE the marked block.
S This sub-command will delete the marked block from its
U current location and insert it at a new location selected
B by the user. Instructions are provided "on screen" as to
the new location selection process. Basically, the user is
returned to a pseudo edit screen which allows full operation
of the screen control keys including vertical cursor keys,
page keys, home and end keys, Ctrl. page keys, and even the
pagers. When the desired position in the file is reached
pressing [ENTER] will execute the move command. Pressing
[Esc.] will abort the command and return the user to edit
mode leaving the original block unchanged.
D./(C.) COPY the marked block.
S The copy sub-command operation is identical to the move
U command (see above) with the exception that the original
B marked block is not deleted. This command also provides
a chaining feature allowing the user to make multiple
copies of the block. This chaining option is prompted for
in the screen window after each copy is made. [ENTER] and
[Esc.] provide control over the copy command as outlined
above under the move command.
D./(P.) PRINT the marked block.
S The print sub-command will send the marked block to the
U printer. This is useful for unattended printing of a
B section of text or for use with a print spooler or buffered
printer.
D./(T.) TRANSFER marked block to disk.
S The transfer sub-command provides the E88 user with the
U very powerful ability to build a custom file from selected
B bits and pieces of other files. This command will literally
allow you to "pick apart" one or more files and merge the
pieces into one file. This command is extremely useful
for building program source code from subroutine libraries
or selecting text data of interest from a large file to be
included in another file. When this command is issued, E88
will either create or APPEND a file called E88DTF.(default
extension) in the current directory with the data from the
marked block. The E88 Disk Transfer File is saved as a
standard ASCII file including the EOF mark. This file may
later be renamed, edited, or operated on just as any other
ASCII file. To create a new E88DTF any existing E88DTF file
with the same extension must be either renamed or erased.
(H.) HELP
This command provides a quick reference to most of the key
functions as well as some very important program information.
Press the escape key to return to editing.
13
(K.) KEY file saved for this edit file
The key file command will create a file which is named for the
edit file but given the extension of PGR. This file will reside
in the same directory as the edit file and will be pathed to that
directory automatically by E88. The PGR file is a special file
associated only with the edit file. It contains all of the
information in E88SETUP.DEF and also contains the currently set
pagers when it was saved. The use of E88's setup files is
described in detail in a special section that follows below.
(L.) LOAD another file (with options)
This command allows the user to load and edit another file
without leaving the editor. The current file may be saved or
discarded. See section 3.2.1 for information about how to use the
(L.) command to merge data between files.
(M.) MERGE data from another file
This command, when executed, will prompt the user for the
filename of the file to merge with the current edit file. The
merged data will be appended to the current edit file.
(P.) PROGRAM Ctrl. keys and default extension
This command will open a new window which will prompt the user
for new characters for the Ctrl. F1 to F10 characters and the
default filename extension. Pressing [ENTER] without entering
a new value for these parameters will leave them unchanged. When
the setup prompts have cycled through, the user will be asked to
optionally create an E88SETUP.DEF file. This file contains the
set of tabs, special characters, and the default extension that
were in effect at the time of the save. The use of E88's setup
files is described in detail in a special section that follows
below.
>> SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SETUP FILES <<
This information is presented to allow the user to understand the
loading process used by E88 so that the setup files may be used to
their maximum advantage. Since some confusion and complaints were
acknowledged with older versions of E88 it was felt that a complete
description of this process should be provided. Please note that it
is no longer necessary to create an E88SETUP.DEF file in each sub-
directory to get the needed color changes. The E8M.EXE (the machine)
program will allow the user to define all internal defaults.
When E88 is executed it first searches the ROOT directory of the
current drive for the file E88SETUP.DEF. If this file is found the
editor will set its internal parameters to those specified by this
file. Thus, the user may create an E88SETUP.DEF file in the root
directory of his disk and allow that file to serve as a MASTER setup
file. This eliminates the need to put a setup file in each sub-
directory just to get the various parameters set like you want.
Next, E88 searches the CURRENT directory for the file E88SETUP.
DEF. If found then it sets its parameters to those specified by
this file. This will allow the user to create many setup files, one
in each sub-directory, so E88 can be used to do many different tasks
without the need to reset the tabs, colors, or default extension.
An example would be to put a setup file in the communications
14
directory that makes the default extension .DOC or .DAT . You could
also put one in the directory where "C" programming is done to set
the tabs up for indenting lines. There are numerous places where
these extra setup files may be useful.
Next the edit file is prompted for or loaded, depending on the
start-up method used. As a final step E88 searches for a file with
the same name as the edit file but with the extension .PGR. This
file, if found will again override all the previous parameters and set
the pagers to the values they had when the .PGR file was created. The
.PGR file is saved and searched for in the same directory that the
edit file resides in. This file is mainly used for debugging source
code since a programmer can set the pagers to areas in the edit file
where he is working. After exiting E88, he may then reload the editor
later and instantly page to these preset areas.
If none of these files is found then E88 uses its internal
defaults.
* * Please note that beginning with version 4.20, MRE Software is
including The E88 Text Editor machine to produce a customized copy
of the editor. Henceforth the internal defaults may be set up
exactly to the user specs. Although E88 will still support the .DEF
file methodology, many users will not need a .DEF file at all.
(S.) SEARCH and [replace] string
When this command is selected the user will be prompted for the
search and replace strings. The strings may be up to sixteen
characters in length. Once the strings are entered the user will
then be given the option to do a standard search or a search and
replace. Pressing the [+] key will cause a replace all to occur.
The user is advised to use the replace all with caution. The
search will begin at the current line position in the file and
continue until the string is found or any key is pressed. If the
string is found the screen containing the find will be displayed
and the cursor will be positioned on the first character of the
string. The user may then press [space] to skip and continue,
[ENTER] to replace the string and continue, [\] to "drop out" to
edit mode leaving the screen at the current position, or [Esc]
to end the search.
Entering a null string in response to the search string prompt
will cause the command to be terminated. Entering a null string
for the replace string is OK however, since replacing with a null
string simply deletes the search string from the file. Audible
feedback is provided to the user during the search process and
all information concerning the search is displayed on the top
line. Pressing any key while the search is in progress will end
the search.
(T/W) TAB comp.( )/Word wrap( ) (x)=ON
This command toggles tab compression and word wrap modes on and
off. The lower-case (x) indicates that the mode is active.
Pressing the "T" or "W" key will toggle these states and the
current status will be indicated on the screen.
(T) on/off
Tab compression compresses the file by using a process of
imaginary tab stops in the disk file. E88 will NOT automatically
15
turn tab compression on and off when a file is loaded depending
on whether tab characters are detected in the file. This
represents a change from earlier versions. This method of file
compression is completely compatible with MS-DOS. The MS-DOS
"TYPE" command will properly expand and display a tab
compressed file for example. One recommended use for tab
compression is for electronic mail files. Since most "E" mail
and BBS programs will expand tab compressed files properly, the
use of this mode will reduce file size, and hence, upload time.
Since the process is reversible, E88 may be used to expand or
compress any text file and save it in the format desired.
WARNING: Tab compression is not recommended for program source
code since most compilers will not expand the inserted tab
characters in data definitions. If you do save a source file
using tab compression, DON'T PANIC the process may be reversed
by reloading the file with E88, manually turning tab compression
off and then saving the file. All general text files may be
saved using tab compression however, and a fair savings in disk
space can be expected.
(W) on/off
Word wrapping will cause the word being typed to be picked up
and carried around to the beginning of the next line when one
has typed off the right margin of the screen. A new line will
be inserted in the file to prevent overwriting the data present
on the next line. If the editor is in auto indent mode the word
will be wrapped around to the auto indent position.
(Q.) QUIT * RETURN TO DOS * NO SAVE
This option allows the user to return to D.O.S. without saving
the file. When this option is selected the user may then press
[Esc] to return to D.O.S or any other key to return to editing.
>> END OF PART 1 <<
EM1
>> PART 2 <<
>> SECTION 4 << THE E88 TEXT EDITOR MACHINE
[Since this version of E88 is not accompanied by the
E8M machine, this section of the manual is omitted.]
A1
>> APPENDIX A << E88 PROGRAM COMPATIBILITY
This information is provided for users who desire to use E88
in combination with, or as a supplement to, other MS-DOS applications.
The information provided here was compiled primarily from user input.
M.R.E. software request that all users who discover new uses for E88
or encounter compatibility problems when using the editor with other
programs, please drop us a note. Include as much data as possible
about how the program(s) work, or don't work, together.
>> A.1 << MEMORY RESIDENT PROGRAMS
>> A.1.1 << ProKey (R)
If you are a ProKey user you must either suspend ProKey, so that
all aspects of E88 will be functional, or if you desire, you can set
up a specific macro set that allows the E88 function keys to work
normally. Invoking E88 can then be done from a batch file that
initiates your desired macro set as well as E88. Of course, when
through with E88, your same batch file can restore your usual macro
set.
>> A.1.2 << SideKick (R)
E88 works well with SideKick. The only reported problem is a
slight loss of speed in cursor movement and screen scrolling. This
is thought to be due to SideKick's sampling of the keyboard input
in search of its calling sequence. As one user described it, "Its
like swapping from your warp engines back to impulse drive".
>> A.2 << NON RESIDENT PROGRAMS
>> A.2.1 << ASSEMBLERS / COMPILERS
There have been no problems reported using E88 with any assembler
or compiler. Several of the more popular programs that programmers
report using the editor with are listed below.
Microsoft MASM 5.00 (R) (C) Copyright Microsoft corp.
Microsoft C Compiler " " "
Microsoft Pascal compiler " " "
Microsoft QuickBASIC compiler (R) " " "
Borland Turbo Pascal (R) (C) Copyright Borland International
Ashton Tate Dbase III (C) Ashton Tate (command language files only)
>> A.2.2 << COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMS
Because of its small size and ease of use, E88 is widely used as
the editor to match with ProComm (C) Copyright Datastorm Technologies
Inc. Since the editor produces standard ASCII output it may be used
to create and edit electronic message or text files for use with any
communications package. Note that the tab compressed mode may be
used with many "E" mail and BBS systems. The savings in file size and
upload time could go a long way toward paying the E88 registration
fee.
A2
>> A.2.3 << OPERATING SYSTEM FILES
E88 is 100% MS/PC DOS compatible. It is excellent for creating
and maintaining .BAT and .SYS files. The /E option is recommended
when creating these files because it prevents the double prompts that
sometimes occur when a .BAT file has completed execution.
>> A.2.4 << DATA BASE DATA FILES
DO NOT attempt to edit a data base record file with E88 without
first making a backup. Although E88 is fine for editing the
programming language for most data bases it is not compatible with
the record files. E88 terminates a line when the last non-blank
character occurs. Most data base programs use FIXED LENGTH records
and fill in the lines with blank characters. These files should be
edited with the data base itself, not a text editor, since a change in
the length in only one record will render the file useless ! If you
are in doubt about the editor being compatible with any file MAKE A
BACKUP FIRST !!!
>> A.2.5 << SPELL CHECKERS AND OTHER PROGRAMS
E88 users report that the Turbo Lightning (TM) spell checker
works extremely well with E88. This is another fine BORLAND (R)
product. The user should create an environment for E88 that does not
use destructive backspacing. This can be done by setting backspace =
None.
Several E88 users, who are also engineers, report that E88 will
fit and work fine with AutoCAD (TM) from Autodesk Inc. (R)
B1
>> APPENDIX B << THE E88 HELP SCREEN
This appendix contains a printable reproduction of the E88 help
screen for version 4.20. It may be printed out and used as a quick
reference card. When editing with E88 the help screen may be called
using either [Alt] [F1] or the command window option (H.).
>> B.1 << A PRINTABLE REPRODUCTION
|------ Plain -----|------ Ctrl ------|----- Shift ------|------- Alt ------|
| F1 = Com. window | F1 = special chr | F1 = Set RtMar. | F1 = Instant help|
| F2 = Printer call| F2 = special chr | F2 = No action | F2 = Print+arrows|
| F3 = TOF/pager | F3 = special chr | F3 = Set pager | F3 = Print ctrl=1|
| F4 = Call pager | F4 = special chr | F4 = Set pager | F4 = Print ctrl=2|
| F5 = Call pager | F5 = special chr | F5 = Set pager | F5 = Curline=TOS |
| F6 = Call pager | F6 = special chr | F6 = Set pager | F6 = Recover last|
| F7 = Call pager | F7 = special chr | F7 = Set pager | F7 = Rep buf.load|
| F8 = EOF/pager | F8 = special chr | F8 = Set pager | F8 = Load buffer |
| F9 = Insert line | F9 = special chr | F9 = No action | F9 = Toggle attr.|
| F10= Ins. buffer | F10= special chr | F10= No action | F10= Delete line |
| PgU= screen up | PgU= top of file |------------------|------------------|
| PgD= screen down | PgD= end of file | * E88 CUSTOM HELP SCREEN AREA * |
| Hm = scroll 1 up | Hm = home cursor | |
| End= scroll 1 dn | End= end of line | Use this area to add your own notes |
| Ins= insert mode | -> = next word | for using E88. This area may be |
| Del= delete char | <- = prev word | personalized by using the E88 Text |
|------------------|------------------| Editor Machine. |
| Shift TAB sets tab at cursor pos. | |
| ENTER will save screen & reset the | - help us help you - |
| tab count to zero. (1 in ^AI mode) | S U P P O R T S H A R E W A R E ! |
| Ctrl. Enter will toggle auto indent.| Register your copy. |
| * Press Esc. to exit this screen. | See the .DOC file for more info. |
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
>> B.2 << A NOTE ABOUT THE HELP SCREEN
This is a reproduction of the default E88 help screen. The E88
text editor machine has the ability to produce a dynamic help screen
depending on changes made by the user.
C1
>> APPENDIX C << LICENSE / WARRANTY
>> C.1 << LICENSE
E88 version 4.20 is being distributed under the "shareware" or
user supported concept. This software is NOT free software. The
use or reproduction of this software outside of the limits specified
in this license agreement is prohibited.
Non-registered users are granted a limited license to use this
software for a period not to exceed thirty days. During this period
they should test and evaluate the software to determine if it will
meet their needs. The use of this program beyond this limited time
period requires registration. Non-registered users are not allowed
to distribute this software without the express written permission
of Microsystems Research & Engineering. The only exceptions to this
distribution restriction are SYSOPS of electronic bulletin boards and
distributors of public domain and user supported software. SYSOPS
and software distributors must abide by the copying restrictions
specified below.
Registered users are granted the right to use E88 on only one
computer at any time. Site licensing agreements are available for
businesses, corporations, and government agencies. Registered users
are also granted the right to copy and distribute E88 subject to the
following conditions.
E88 must be copied in its original unmodified form with the
exception that the serial number of the distributor may be
be changed to the new distributor's serial number. This
exception only applies to registered users, SYSOPS who are not
registered users must not alter the files in any manner.
All of the files must be included in the copy.
No fee or charge may be requested or paid to any licensee by the
recipient of the copy.
E88 may not be distributed in conjunction with any other product
without the express written consent of MRE Software.
C2
>> C.2 << WARRANTY
Microsystems Research and Engineering makes no warranty of any
kind, express or implied, including without limitation, any
warranties of merchantability and or fitness for a particular purpose.
Microsystems Research and Engineering shall not be liable for any
damages, whether direct, indirect, special or consequential arising
from a failure of this program to operate in the manner desired by the
user. Microsystems Research and Engineering shall not be liable for
any damage to data or property which may be caused directly or
indirectly by use of the program.
IN NO EVENT WILL Microsystems Research and Engineering BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST
SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF
YOUR USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY
OTHER PARTY.
>> C.3 << TRADEMARKS
IBM, IBM PC-XT-AT-PCjr-PS/2 and PC-DOS are registered trademarks
of International Business Machines Corporation.
Microsoft, Microsoft BASIC, MS-DOS, MASM, and Microsoft Macro
Assembler are registered trademarks of Microsoft Inc.
ProComm is a registered trademark of Datastorm Technologies Inc.
PC-BOARD is a registered trademark of Clark Development Co.
Other tradenames are referenced where they occur.
D1
>> APPENDIX D << REGISTRATION
>> D.1 << WHY SHOULD I REGISTER ?
E88 is distributed under the shareware concept. Shareware is a
unique marketing concept born of the computer revolution. Users are
allowed to obtain complete working programs to freely test and
evaluate for a limited time period. If they find the programs useful
then they are required to register their copy of the program. The
small registration fee goes to support the authors and encourage them
to continue to improve the software.
Shareware depends on honesty. The computer programs are freely
distributed as finished products. The authors of this type of program
depend completely on the honesty of end users for compensation for
their work. If you use a shareware program, any shareware program,
please be honest and register your copy. Shareware is not free
software. It requires just as much work and effort to produce as
the highly advertised commercial products, but it usually sells for
a small fraction of the price.
Registering a shareware program also gives you the unique
opportunity to do something that is virtually impossible with
most commercial software. When you register, your comments and ideas
are usually communicated directly to the author of the program and the
response you will receive is from him/her. (it is in this case) This
fact assures you that your ideas are heard by someone who is paying
attention. It is also from this pool of suggestions and ideas that
future improvements are spawned.
Shareware companies in general don't spend millions of dollars
doing "market research" or advertising the heck out of their products
in order to sell you something that you have only read about. We
lay it out there on the line....here it is....fully functional....you
like it, please buy it, you don't .... erase it. We also don't charge
you $400.00 for our products. Don't take this the wrong way however,
commercial software is a necessity. LORD knows that this program
would not exist if it weren't for MS-DOS and MASM. (which are quality,
reasonably priced, and supported). Shareware that is of high quality
at low prices does tend to keep all software prices lower and is
therefor a necessity in its own right. When you support shareware
you not only receive the right to use a good program (usually with
free updates) but you also make a statement to the entire software
industry. Make the free world economy work! Register shareware.
D2
>> D.2 << REGISTRATION FEES
The registration fee for E88 version 4.20 is only $20.00.
This is one of the more reasonably priced editors available anywhere.
We know of no comparable commercial product that offers so much, for
so little, to so many!
>> D.2.1 << SITE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Site licenses are available for $15.00 per copy to qualified
businesses, corporations, individuals, and government agencies. This
represents a $5.00 per copy or 25% savings. A minimum of five copies
must be registered to qualify. Site licensed organizations will
receive a 5.25 inch diskette which contains a current version of the
editor.
Future updates of the site license copy are provided as follows.
The first update is free. All others $20.00
Prices are for a titled master copy and cover all charges including
shipping. Licensees will be informed when updates become available
and given the option to update at will. There is NO penalty for
skipping updates.
Businesses may of course register less than five copies at the
individual copy price.
>> D.3 << THE M.R.E SUPPORT BBS
M.R.E. Software provides a support bulletin board system for
distributing the latest versions of E88, on-line registration, and
processing user questions and suggestions. We are running the latest
version of PC-BOARD and our primary SYSOP is Tom Ford. E88 author,
Emery Wooten may also be reached via the BBS.
Non-Registered users:
Will be given limited access to the BBS. We are currently
running an "open" system and no delay is imposed requiring you to
make two calls to gain access. Non registered users will be provided
with access to the main message base, the MRE file area, and the
on-line registration procedure. You will be able to download the
latest version of E88 and a few other selected files. Questions and
suggestions from non-registered users will be processed as time
permits.
Registered users:
Will be given complete access to the BBS with full time
allocation. You may access our base of selected quality shareware
and public domain software and download the latest versions.
Registered users will also have access to the MRE, and other
conference areas. The MRE conference is a lively discussion of E88
and other MRE products and future plans. Other conferences discuss
the news and views of the IBM/compatible industry. Registered users
will be given priority support and consideration.
Telephone: (601) 494-8078 <data> 24 hours/day 7 days/week
You are invited!
D3
>> D.4 << REGISTRATION FORM
This section contains the E88 registration form. It is meant to
provide users with a convenient means to register. You may fill out
the form right on your screen and print it using E88. Thank you for
your support.
* If you are filling out the form using E88, simply type over the
underlines. They are provided for users who prefer to write. We
prefer that you type or print clearly.
To print, place the cursor on the next line and press [F2].
D4
REGISTRATION FORM ver 4.20
YES! I would like to register my copy of E88. I have read the
information contained in appendix C and D as well as tested the
software and would like to support the efforts of MRE software.
Distribution point ID. number: 0101549B5D For office use only
please do not alter.
Name .............:
Street Address ...:
City .............:
State ............:
Zip Code .........:
Place an X by those that apply.
_ I am enclosing $20.00 per copy for 1 to 4 copy(s) registration.
* Supplied on diskette(s) for $25.00 per copy for 1 to 4 copies.
* Mississippi residents must add 6% sales tax.
* International users please send a money order in U.S. dollars
_ Requesting site license for _______ copies at $15.00 per copy.
* A minimum of 5 copies is required to qualify for site license.
* Supplied on diskettes for $17.50 per copy for 5 or more.
Enclosed : - Check - Money Order - Company PO.
- I prefer to purchase using my VISA/MasterCard.
- VISA - MasterCard
Card #: ____ ___ ___ ___ Expires date: /
Card issuing bank name: _________________________________________
your signature ________________________________________
You MUST sign this form if using a credit card.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
*** The following info is optional. Answer only those you wish.***
Company/Title ............:
Age ......................:
Where did you obtain E88? :
Computer type/brand ......:
Printer ..................:
Monitor ..................:
What do you use E88 for ? : _ Programming _ General editing _ Other
If other please explain:
I have the following comments / suggestions about E88:
Send to: M.R.E. Software 150 Jones St. West Point, Ms. 39773
FILE1303.TXT
Disk No: 1303
Program Title: SCRDES, PRNSET
PC-SIG version: 1
SCRDES is a full-screen text/graphics editor designed to ease the coding
of custom screens, such as menu screens, data-entry forms and help
screens, into programs. The editor was created for use with CGA and
EGA, but it will also function with a monochrome card, albeit with less
distinctive effects.
The program was designed primarily to produce binary files of the type
"character, attribute, character, attribute" for inclusion in Assembly
language programs, or to be read directly from a file to the screen
buffer in a high-level language, but it will also produce ASCII text
files of the form character, character, CR/LF, character, character,
CR/LF (25 lines) suitable for use in interpreted languages such as BASIC
or dBASE III.
PRNSET is a universal printer-setting program that takes its data from a
file, which you can make with any text editor. This feature makes it
possible to set the print control symbols for any printer and select and
organize the instructions you want to have in PRNSET's repertoire. It
can operate interactively through a menu, from a batch file, or directly
from the DOS command line. It is nonresident.
Usually you would use a printer setter to prepare the printer before
printing out a plain text file. A program which sends its own printer
control instructions (like a wordprocessor) would override anything you
sent it with PRNSET. Occasionally, however, you can set something which
your program doesn't know about. If your program can't switch between
draft and letter quality, for instance, you may find you can set one of
these with PRNSET, and the program will leave it that way. Everything
after PRNSET is optional. If you enter PRNSET bare, it will use
PRNSET.DAT as the default file, take its data from that, and give you a
menu to choose from.
Usage: Color Screen Form Designing; Printer Setter.
Special Requirements: An EGA card and DOS 3.0 or higher.
How to Start: Type GO (press enter).
Suggested Registration: $15.00
File Descriptions:
SCRDES DOC Information and instructions.
SAMPLE SCR Sample file.
SAMPLE INS Sample file.
SCRDES COM Program file.
PRNSET EXE The operating program.
PRNSET DOC User's Manual.
PRNSET DAT The default data file for PRNSET.EXE. As supplied,
it's correct for an Epson LQ-800.
FX-80 DAT Altenative data file for Epson FX-80 printer.
FX-86 DAT Data file for Epson FX-86e printer.
IBM DAT Data file for IBM "Graphics" printer.
LQ-800 DAT Data file for Epson LQ-800 printer.
OKI DAT Data file for Okidata 92 printer.
XXXXXX DAT There may be other data files. Their names suggest
what printers they're for.
COUNTPGS EXE An extra utility. Use it to count the pages in a
File before you print it. Instructions for it are
in COUNTPGS.DOC.
COUNTPGS DOC Documentation for COUNTPGS.
E88 EXE A simple ASCII text editor. Use it if your word
Processor won't do straight ASCII. Instructions for
it are in E88.DOC.
E88 DOC Documentation for E88.
README Instructions and file explanations.
PC-SIG
1030D E Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale CA 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1989 PC-SIG, Inc.
GO.TXT
╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ <<<< Disk No 1303 SCRDES, PRNSET >>>> ║
╠═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ To print the documentation, type: ║
║ ║
║ MANUAL (press enter) ║
║ ║
║ How to start SCRDES: ║
║ ║
║ At the DOS prompt type [drive:]\[path]\scrdes to execute the ║
║ program. At the program header, press any key to begin entry of ║
║ characters or to load a screen file. The screen will be cleared ║
║ to the initial default color. ║
║ ║
║ How to start PRNSET: ║
║ ║
║ Type PRNSET (press enter). To run PrnSet, both PRNSET.EXE and ║
║ PRNSET.DAT must be on the default disk or somewhere on the DOS ║
║ path, where PRNSET can find it. The full syntax for starting ║
║ PrnSet is: PRNSET [[d:][\path]datafile] [{+|-}inst[/n]]... ║
╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
PRNSET.DOC
PrnSet
PrnSet
Universal Printer Setter (Non-Resident)
Version 2.2
Programmer: R. N. Wisan, March, 1988
37 Clinton Street, Oneonta, NY, 13820
Not Copyright: Enjoy.
PrnSet 2.2 Page i
Contents
Contents
1 What PrnSet does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 The Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3 Running PrnSet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.1 The Interactive Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3.2 The Command Line Mode . . . . . . . . . . 4
4 Making a Data File for Your Printer . . . . . . 5
4.1 Helpful Hints About Data Files . . . . . . 7
5 Screen Colors and Other Things . . . . . . . . 8
5.1 Screen Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.2 Debugging Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Appendix A: Update History . . . . . . . . . . 10
PrnSet 2.2 Page 1
1 What PrnSet does
1 What PrnSet does
Prnset is a universal printer setting program:
- It gets its data from a data file, which you can make with
any text editor. This makes it possible
a. to set the print control symbols for any printer
b. to select and organize the instructions you want to
have in PrnSet's repertoire.
- It can operate interactively through a menu, from a batch
file, or directly from the DOS command line.
- It needs DOS 2.00 or higher.
- It is non-resident. It lives on disk.
You normally use a printer setter to prepare the printer be-
fore printing out a plain text file (like this document). A
program which sends its own printer control instructions (like a
word processor) would over-ride anything you sent it with PrnSet.
Occasionally, however, you can set something which your program
doesn't know about. If your program can't switch between "draft"
and "letter quality," for instance, you may find you can set one
of these with PrnSet, and the program will leave it that way.
2 The Files
2 The Files
As provided: PrnSet comes in the following files:
PRNSET.EXE The operating program.
PRNSET.DOC This Manual
PRNSET.DAT The default data file for PRNSET.EXE. As supplied,
it's correct for an Epson LQ-800.
xxxxxx.DAT There may be other data files. Their names suggest
what printers they're for.
COUNTPGS.EXE An extra utility. Use it to count the pages in a
file before you print it. Instructions for it are
in COUNTPGS.DOC.
E88.EXE A simple ASCII text editor. Use it if your word
processor won't do straight ASCII. Instructions for
it are in E88.DOC.
PrnSet: Running PrnSet Page 2
3 Running PrnSet
3 Running PrnSet
To run PrnSet, both PRNSET.EXE and PRNSET.DAT must be on the
default disk or somewhere on the DOS path, where PrnSet can find
it. The full syntax for starting PrnSet is:
PRNSET [[d:][\path]datafile] [{+|-}inst[/n]]...
Note that everything after PRNSET is optional. If you enter
PRNSET bare, it will use PRNSET.DAT as the default file, take its
data from that, and give you a menu to choose from. To use a
different data file, enter the name of the file with, optionally,
a drive and path designation. If you give no suffix, PRNSET will
default to .DAT. (If you've set a DOS path, PrnSet will search
all over it for your data file. You really need to give a path
specifier only if the file you want is NOT on the path.)
That's enough to get you going in the interactive mode. The
"[{+|-}inst[/n]]..." options concern the command mode, and we can
put off explaining it to Section 3.2.
3.1 The Interactive Mode
3.1 The Interactive Mode
To start PrnSet, type PRNSET and press <Enter>. Shortly you
should see a menu something like this:
-------------------PrnSet for Epson LQ-800----------------------
| F1 gets help <Esc> gets you out. F3 to change colors|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| Misc || Fonts || Style || Format |
|--------------||--------------||--------------||--------------|
|[Reset Prn ]|| Pica || NLQ || LMargin |
| ManualStyle || Elite || Cond || RMargin |
| VerySmall || 15 cps || Wide || 8 Line/inch |
| Tiny || Proportional || Underline || 6 Line/inch |
| || || Emph || n/180"/Line |
| || || Dbl Strike || SkipOver |
| || || Italic || |
| || || SpScr || |
| || || SbScr || |
| || || DownLd Char || |
| || || || |
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| Arrows move; <Enter> turn on/off; F10 sets prn; Del clrs; |
----------------------------------------------------------------
If anything's gone wrong, you'll see a message like "Can't find
PRNSET.DAT" in the bottom line. In such a case, check to make
sure PRNSET.DAT is on the default drive or at least somewhere on
the DOS path. On the other hand,
PrnSet: The Interactive Mode Page 3
=====================EMERGENCY MESSAGE=======================
| With the wrong combination of your monitor and PrnSet's |
| colors, you might be unable to SEE the menu. PRESS F3. |
| You'll get another fuzzy screen with one readable line: |
| |
If you can't read the menu above, press the spacebar.
| If you can't read the menu above, press the spacebar. |
| |
| Press the spacebar and everything will come clear. Then |
| <Esc> to exit & press Y when asked, to save the setting. |
| To manage this, PRNSET.EXE must be in the default drive. |
=============================================================
Assuming all's well, you must first specify what instructions
you want to send the printer; then you send them. The menu ex-
plains itself pretty well, and you can get help by pressing F1.
To Specify What to Send,
1. Use the cursor pad keys to move the emphasized bar to the in-
struction you want to give. Then press <Enter>. One press
toggles the instruction ON ("Tell the printer to turn this
feature on"), another <Enter> toggles it OFF ("Tell the
printer to turn this off"), and a third toggles it back to
silent ("Say nothing to the printer about this feature").
Some instructions (like "Pica") have no OFF instruction, so
they just toggle between ON and silent. Some instructions
(like "LMargin") need a number, so when you toggle it on,
you're asked for "Number." Type in what you want and press
<Enter>.
or,
2. Just type the first two letters of the instruction you want
(uppercase or lowercase doesn't matter). "EL" for "Elite" is
the equivalent of moving to "Elite" and pressing <Enter>.
To Send the Instructions:
Press F10. As you enter instructions, the ones that are live
are highlighted. They aren't sent to the printer until you press
F10. Then, you get a solemn announcement to that effect, and you
can press either Esc to quit or any other key to continue in
PrnSet. (F9, by the way, does the same thing.)
If you send several instructions at once, they'll be sent NOT
in the order you punched but in the order of the screen, from top
to bottom for the left column, then top to bottom for the next
column and so on. Thus, if a later instruction cancels an ear-
lier one, thats what you'll get. For example, if you set "Pica
ON," "Elite ON," "8 Line/inch ON," "6 Line/inch ON" from the menu
above. It would turn on Pica, then turn on Elite (which cancels
Pica), then 8 lines per inch, then 6 lines per inch (canceling 8
per inch), and you'd wind up with Elite at 6 lines per inch.
That's why "Reset Prn" is put first, so it can clear the printer
before anything else is sent.
PrnSet: The Interactive Mode Page 4
Unless you tell it to, PrnSet never clears the printer. That
means that successive sendings, even successive runs of PrnSet
are cumulative. If you send "Elite", quit PrnSet, run PrnSet
again and send "Wide", you have a printer set for Wide Elite.
If You've Made a Mess:
You can clear PrnSet by pressing Del. That turns all in-
structions silent and puts the bar back at upper left. This does
nothing to the printer. It just lets you start PrnSet afresh.
To See What You've Done:
Press F5, and PrnSet will send a test line of type to the
printer.
3.2 The Command Line Mode
3.2 The Command Line Mode
When you know what's on PrnSet's menu, you may prefer to skip
all the foofaraw and enter what you want directly at the DOS com-
mand line. Naturally, if you want to run PrnSet from a batch
file, you have to use this method. To do it, after "PRNSET " or
"PRNSET filename ", put a "+" (to say "Turn on") or a "-" ("Turn
off") and the name of the feature you want turned on or off.
Thus:
PRNSET +ELITE
turns on Elite without going through the menu. If all's well,
PrnSet will confirm what it sent to the printer. Otherwise, you
get an error message. You can send several instructions at once.
To turn on Elite, turn off italics, and set the left margin to 12
characters, you enter:
PRNSET +ELITE -ITALIC +LMARGIN/12
As a matter of fact, you need only the first two letters of the
instruction (that's all PrnSet will notice) and they can be upper
or lower case. You'd get the same effect with:
PRNSET +EL -it +Lm/12
Notice how the number for LMargin is entered with a slash, as
/12. Remember, the full syntax for starting PrnSet is:
PRNSET [[d:][\path]datafile] [{+|-}inst[/n]]...
PrnSet: The Command Line Mode Page 5
Here are the rules for instructions:
____
- Each instruction must begin with either + or -.
- Each instruction that requires a number must end with /n
(where n is the number).
- Spaces must be used to separate instructions from each
other.
- There must be no spaces in the instruction.
In the command line mode, unlike the menu mode, instructions
are executed in the order in which they are given. Thus:
PRNSET +pica +elite
leaves the printer set for elite, while
PRNSET +elite +pica
leaves it set for pica.
4 Making a Data File for Your Printer
4 Making a Data File for Your Printer
Everything PrnSet knows about your printer it gets from the
data file. By default, it uses file PRNSET.DAT, though you can
tell it otherwise when you load. If you have several printers,
you might want to keep separate data files for them and tell
PrnSet to use the one you want when you load it.
To make a data file, you can use any text editor that can
refrain from putting funny characters in the files. (WordStar
works, for example, but only in the nondocument mode).[1] You
will need to work out in advance a list of the features you want
to control from the menu and the ASCII numbers of the symbols the
printer must be sent to turn each of those features on and off.
You'll need to explore your printer's manual to find these.
Here are the rules for a PrnSet data file:
1. Comments: semicolons and anything on a line after a semicolon
will be ignored, so you can use semicolons to put REMarks in
your file. Blank lines also are ignored.
-----------
1. If you have nothing else, EDLIN, the silly line editor that
comes with DOS would do. Since I wouldn't wish EDLIN on a
dog, I've put a simple text editor called E88 on the disk.
Please note that E88 is not in the public domain. It's a
shareware program, copyright by M.R.E. Software. If you find
you use it, you ought to pay up the reasonable price asked.
PrnSet: Making a Data File for Your Printer Page 6
2. Title: The first line is a title. What you put here will
appear at the top of the menu. You can use up to 12 charac-
ters. Best use the name of the printer.
3. Categories: Any line (after the first) which does not contain
an equal sign ("=") will be taken as the name of a category.
- The category name may have up to 12 characters.
- You may have up to four categories, and each category may
have up to 17 instruction items in it.
- Items entered after a category name will be assigned to
that category. If no items are entered for a category,
the category is ignored. (If you enter two category
names with nothing between, only the second one counts.)
4. Items: The format for an instruction item goes like this:
Name= n,n,n...[#|$n] [m,m..]
That means:
a. There must be a name (up to 12 characters) followed by
an equal sign followed by at least one series of
numbers.
b. The first series of numbers (n,n,n...) must be the ASCII
numbers (decimal) for the symbols to turn ON the in-
_______
struction. I say again, ASCII numbers. You can't use
letters. "Escape E" must be entered as 27,69.
c. The numbers must be separated with commas. There must
be no spaces in the string.
d. At the end of the ON sequence, a Dollar sign with a
numeral ($1 to $4) or a pound sign (#) will tell PrnSet
to get a number from the user for the instruction (like
LMargin). "#" tells PrnSet to get the number in the
form of a byte. "$n" tells it to get the number in the
form of a string of n numerals. If necessary, zeros
will be prefixed to make up the n characters: given $4,
PrnSet will turn the entry "23" into "0023".
e. After the first string, you can put a space followed by
a second string of numbers to provide a turn-OFF in-
struction. If there's no OFF string, then:
- If the instruction takes a number (ON string ends
with # or $n), PrnSet will send ON 0 for off (that
would work for LMargin)
- If it doesn't take a number, PrnSet will send no OFF
signal at all. It will toggle between ON and si-
lent. (That's how "Pica" and "Elite" work on
Epsons.)
PrnSet: Helpful Hints About Data Files Page 7
4.1 Helpful Hints About Data Files
4.1 Helpful Hints About Data Files
To see how a file should look, see my PRNSET.DAT or any of
the other DAT files supplied as a model. A few hints:
- Each category will occupy one column on the menu, and it
can have 17 instruction lines. If you need more than that,
you'll have to devote a second category like "Fonts" and
"Fonts Cont'd".
- Remember that the order in which you put things in the data
file is the order in which they will appear on the screen,
and that is the order in which (in the menu mode) they'll
go to the printer. Consider what must be done before what.
If you use a tab set, it may matter whether you send it
before or after a font width change. Put "Reset Printer"
first. (Pointless to send other things and then reset, but
you may want to reset and then send.)
- Be careful what names you use. PrnSet recognizes only the
first 2 characters for command line entries or keyboard
interaction. (It's not case-sensitive; upper and lower
case count the same.) If you use "Superscript" and "Sub-
script", PrnSet will treat them both as "SU" and you'll get
whichever comes first. That's why my PRNSET.DAT calls them
"SperScript" and "SbScript".
- Some Printers have a reset symbol, as Esc "@" (27,64) will
re-initialize almost any Epson. Some, like the IBM "Graph-
ics" printer don't. You can make a sort of reset instruc-
tion by concocting a string that turns off everything you
might have turned on. PrnSet will accept up to 40 numbers
per instruction.
- It's tempting to put everything the printer can do into
your data file. It may be better to keep the menu clean.
If you never use international alphabets, why clutter the
menu with them? It's easy to edit your data file if you
need to expand your offering. As a matter of fact, you
might make several files for different purposes. Copy the
one you want to PRNSET.DAT or just call for what you want
at the command line.
The PRNSET.DAT supplied is simply what I'm using on my
Epson LQ-800 at present. This printer will do lots of
things I haven't entered, but so far I'm not using them.
Explore your printer manual.
- You can, in a sense, create features your printer doesn't
have by combining instructions it does have. For instance,
my PRNSET.DAT (for an Epson LQ-800) contains:
Manual Style= 27,103,27,48 27,80,27,50
Very Small= 27,83,0,27,80,15,27,51,16 27,50,18,27,84
Tiny= 27,83,0,27,77,15,27,51,16 27,50,18,27,80,27,84
PrnSet: Helpful Hints About Data Files Page 8
"Manual Style" is 15 char/inch and 8 lines/inch, which just
puts an 8.5" x 11" pica layout onto a 5.5" x 8.5" page for
IBM manual size binders (provided the file is paged with
FF's). "Very Small" and "Tiny" are both superscript at
16/180 inches per line. "Very Small" uses condensed pica
at 17 characters per inch, while "Tiny" uses condensed
elite and puts 20. I may have overdone it.
- If you have trouble, you can make PrnSet report exactly
what data it's getting from your file. See Section 5.2,
p. 9 below.
5 Screen Colors and Other Things
5 Screen Colors and Other Things
PrnSet has a built-in reconfiguration procedure. From its
regular menu, press F3, and you'll get a different menu:
-------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| Reconfiguration Menu |
| |
| F1 Plain text F2 |
| |
| F3 Emphasized F4 |
| |
| F5 Frame F6 |
| |
| To adjust foregrounds use F-keys plain |
| For backgrounds, use Ctrl with F-keys |
| |
| To file current data press F9 |
| |
| <Esc> gets you out |
| |
-------------------------------------------------------------
From this menu, you can do two things. You can adjust the color
scheme, and you can make a record of the printer data read from
the .DAT file to help debug a new .DAT file.
5.1 Screen Colors
5.1 Screen Colors
At the Reconfiguration Menu, press the indicated function
keys and the menu will change colors to show what you've done.
The colors cycle. Odd-numbered keys (F1, F3, F5) take you round
the cycle one way; even-numbered keys go around the other way.
Pressing the keys plain adjusts foreground colors. To adjust
backgrounds, hold down Ctrl while you press the keys.
You set only those three colors. The moving cursor bar in
PrnSet's regular display is always the reverse of "Plain text."
PrnSet: Screen Colors Page 9
Experiment to your heart's content. What looks best depends on
your taste and your monitor. Here are two settings I like:
Plain text: Green on Black White on Blue
Emphasized: White on Black Intense Cyan on Blue
Frame: Black on Brown Cyan on Blue.
When you like the setting, press <Esc>. Before it lets you
out, PrnSet will ask
Record this setting permanently? (Y/N)
If you press Y, PrnSet will make the change permanent by rewrit-
ing part of PRNSET.EXE. This works only if PRNSET.EXE is on the
default drive/directory, so make sure you have it there when you
want to reconfigure.
5.2 Debugging Help
5.2 Debugging Help
When you're writing a printer data file, mistakes are easy to
make and often curiously hard to spot. For this reason, I've
left a debugging feature in the program.
If PrnSet is unable to load its data because of a defect in
the .DAT file (too much data, too many categories, etc.) it will
create a file called PRNSET.LST on the default drive/directory
contining a record of the data it succeeded in getting. If the
data loads all right but the printer doesnt' seem to be doing
what you meant, you can force PrnSet to create a PRNSET.LST by
pressing F9 at the Reconfiguration Menu.
PRNSET.LST should contain the title, each of your category
names, and all the instructions. For each instructions you see
- its name (with the two-character key PrnSet has constructed
for it)
- whether it takes a number, some numeral characters or
nothing at all
- the numbers (decimal) of the turn-on and turn-off instruc-
tions.
These data should all be the same as what you've put in your data
file, of course, but note that the numbers in PRNSET.LST are not
just reprinted from your file. They're reconstructed from the
data as PrnSet absorbed it, so you can tell what's going down
right and what isn't.
PrnSet: Update History Page 10
Appendix A: Update History
Appendix A: Update History
Version 1.1 December, 1986
I'd appreciate word from people whose printers need things PrnSet
can't give them. Okidatas, it turns out, need some numbers (left
margin, for instance) entered as strings. So provided in 1.1.
Provision made for comments in data file.
Version 1.2 February, 1987
Minor change: screen colors specified with typed constants.
Colors can be jiggered with DEBUG or disk editor without source
code or Turbo compiler.
Version 1.3 June, 1987
Another minor change to make recovery from off-line printer more
graceful. A minor cost for this is giving up the option to
redirect output to a file by changing a constant in the source.
Version 1.4 November, 1987
Reconfiguration option added, so user no longer needs source
code. Just to be sure, maximum length of print control strings
is increased from 24 to 40. Help screen prettied up some, too.
Version 1.5 Also November, 1987
Reconfiguration is more convenient than in 1.4. Can be done from
inside PrnSet (F3), and its screens are more polished.
Version 2.1 December, 1987
Rewritten in Turbo Pascal 4; smoothed and slightly shrunk; now
makes an .LST record automatically if error prevents loading
data. Reconfiguration procedure simplified.
Version 2.2 March, 1988
Better handling of disk and printer errors. Reconfiguration also
recolors E88.EXE if it's on the default drive.
Programmer: R. N. Wisan, March, 1988
37 Clinton Street, Oneonta, NY, 13820
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #1303
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
SAMPLE INS 153 2-08-88 5:05p
SAMPLE SCR 4000 3-28-88 8:59a
SCRDES COM 60087 5-03-88 10:15a
SCRDES DOC 16586 5-06-88 8:55a
FILE1303 TXT 3373 2-23-89 1:29p
COUNTPGS DOC 3074 4-26-88 10:55p
COUNTPGS EXE 14368 4-19-88 4:31p
E88 DOC 86302 2-21-88 9:57p
E88 EXE 20705 3-11-88 7:23p
FX-80 DAT 1340 4-20-88 10:51p
FX-86 DAT 1590 4-20-88 10:51p
IBM DAT 1108 4-20-88 10:51p
LQ-800 DAT 1321 4-20-88 10:52p
LX-86 DAT 1315 4-20-88 10:52p
OKI DAT 1634 4-20-88 10:55p
PRNSET DAT 1323 4-20-88 10:29p
PRNSET DOC 29473 3-20-88 10:52p
PRNSET EXE 39904 3-30-88 11:56p
README 1254 4-26-88 10:45p
GO BAT 38 10-19-87 3:56p
GO TXT 1618 2-21-89 11:07a
MANUAL BAT 147 12-15-88 12:39p
22 file(s) 290713 bytes
17408 bytes free