PCjs Machines
Home of the original IBM PC emulator for browsers.
PC-SIG Diskette Library (Disk #1671)
[PCjs Machine "ibm5150"]
Waiting for machine "ibm5150" to load....
Information about “PC-BROWSE REFERENCE DISK (1670 ALSO)”
Want a straightforward wordprocessor you can use without reading a
manual? Easy to learn and easier to use, WORDMASTER offers a full
function wordprocessor for either computer beginners or folks who do
not need something close to desktop publishing.
What's best about WORDMASTER is its menu system. Almost any command can
be located by moving about it. After flicking a few keys, a beginner
will suddenly be using windows without needing hours of study and
explanation. More advanced users will find every basic command in
wordprocessing available on screen.
Macros come alive with WORDMASTER. The excellent user guide offers a
clear explanation of this handy tool. The simple command setups lets
users set up blocks of macros almost instantly. Likewise, lots of
commands let the more sophisticated format a page in virtually any way.
The program includes drivers for Epson dot matrix compatibles,
lasers, Okidata 92's, and Star printers. It offers full font commands
that work on almost every Epson compatible.
BR1.DOC
tm
PC-Browse User's Guide
By Steven B. Levy, Bob Wallace, and Corey Smith
Version 1.00
September, 1989
The unmodified PC-Browse distribution diskettes may be freely copied
and shared in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, but
not in Great Britain or elsewhere in the world. Printed copies of this
document may not be copied in any way without a license from Quicksoft.
For more information, see the Licensing Appendix.
(c) Copyright 1989 by Bob Wallace, Quicksoft. All Rights Reserved.
Quicksoft, 219 First Ave N. #224, Seattle, WA 98109. (206) 282-0452.
Printed and published in U.S.A.
PC-Browse is a trademark of Quicksoft.
Quicksoft is a registered trademark of Quicksoft.
PC-Write is a registered trademark of Quicksoft.
Microsoft Word is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
WordPerfect is a registered trademark of WordPerfect Corporation.
WordStar is a registered trademark of WordStar Inc.
WordPerfect is a registered trademark of WordPerfect Corporation.
IBM PC, PC AT, and PS/2 are registered trademarks of the IBM
Corporation.
Any other trademarks should be credited to their respective companies.
Additional editing: Betty Houser
Special thanks to our Beta testers for their suggestions and
corrections, and to all of our registered users for their continued
support.
Package ISBN 0-926447-00-9
Manual ISBN 0-926447-01-7
Disk 1 ISBN 0-926447-02-5
Disk 2 ISBN 0-926447-03-3
Table of Contents
What is PC-Browse 5
About this User's Guide 6
Manual Terminology and Notation 6
Installing PC-Browse 7
PC-Browse Tutorial 9
For People Who Don't Read Manuals 9
What Does PC-Browse Do? 10
Finding, Viewing, and Pasting Text 11
Using PC-Browse Applications 17
More Advanced Applications 20
Developing Your Own PC-Browse Applications 23
Summary 27
Suggested Applications 29
Dictionary 29
PC-Write Page Layout Library 29
Political Party Platform 30
Family Tree 30
Class Notes 31
Telemarketing Script 31
On-Line Help 31
Programmer's Library 32
How to Build PC-Browse Files 33
About Delimiters 33
Rules for Delimiters 33
What are Targets and Triggers? 34
The Linear Search 34
The Lookup Search 37
Requirements for a Lookup File 37
Entering and Sorting the Data 38
Merging the Data 40
Defining the Parameters 41
Using the File 41
Links Between Files 43
Creating an Index Page 43
Using the Index Page 44
Reference Section 45
Getting Help 45
Viewing the Main Menu 45
Running PC-Browse 46
Exiting PC-Browse 49
Popping up PC-Browse 49
File Name Patterns 51
Loading a File into PC-Browse 52
Files You Can Load with PC-Browse 54
Moving Around in PC-Browse 55
Normal Search 58
Case Matching and Wild Cards in a Search 59
Foreign and Special Characters in a Search 61
Searching Multiple Files 62
Keyword Searches 64
Links Between Files 68
Running Other Programs 69
Additional Windows 70
Navigating Within PC-Browse 71
The Location List 71
The Bookmark 73
Pasting and Printing 73
Setting the Output File Name 76
Customizing 77
Descriptions of the Parameters 77
File Load Parameters 77
Startup Parameters 81
How to Define Parameters 85
Summary of Parameters 88
Appendix 89
Using PC-Browse with Other Programs 89
About the Program's Author 89
Licensing PC-Browse 89
Glossary 91
What is PC-Browse?
PC-Browse is a memory-resident program for IBM PC compatible computers
that helps you find information in your files. In its most basic form,
it searches a file (or a number of files) for specific text. It uses
about 60K of memory; or 3K if you put it into EMS memory.
You can pop up a PC-Browse window over your application program, enter
the name of a file to search and the text you want to find, and press
the search key. PC-Browse quickly finds and displays the information
you seek. Press the search key again to continue searching until it
finds all occurrences of the text. You can paste information into your
application program, copy it to a file, or print it. PC-Browse offers
some "navigational" tools, or place markers, so you can quickly move
back and forth between pages of text.
PC-Browse offers a second level of search features, used with easy-to-
build PC-Browse application files. First you can do a linear search for
a keyword in a file, which is a word defined by special characters.
Second, you can do a much faster lookup search in a file whose keywords
are in alphabetic or numeric order. Finally, you can trigger either
kind of search from a cross-reference at one place to a keyword at
another place, in the same file or another file. This link ability
gives PC-Browse a hypertext quality.
Some applications for PC-Browse:
* Create pop up on-line help for a custom application.
* Look-up customer information while you're doing something else.
* Find a lost memo when all you remember is a word or two from it.
* Make catalog and pricing information quickly available online.
* Pop up your company procedures manual.
PC-Browse is a brand new product. As with version 1.00 of any product,
be extra careful. We have tested PC-Browse extensively, but just to be
on the safe side:
1. Save your application file before you bring up PC-Browse.
2. Use extra caution when using PC-Browse with EMS memory (/E switch).
On the other hand, don't hesitate to search for or look at any file
with PC-Browse. Because it doesn't write to the file, there is no
chance of harming your file.
Finally, we'd really appreciate your ideas and suggestions for new
features or changes. We'd also like to know how PC-Browse helps you get
your work done. Write to us at:
Quicksoft - Browse Ideas
219 First Ave N. #224
Seattle, WA 98109
- 5 -
About this User's Guide
This Guide is divided into seven main sections:
The Installation section shows how to put PC-Browse on your computer.
The Tutorial guides you through PC-Browse, giving you hands-on
experience with the sample files included on the PC-Browse diskette.
The Suggested Uses section presents several sample applications of
PC-Browse, emphasizing the lookup search.
In How to Build PC-Browse Files you learn how to build application
files, using the lookup search, the linear search, and cross-
referencing.
The Reference section contains definitive information on every
PC-Browse operation.
The Customizing section gives detailed instructions on adapting
PC-Browse to your files and preferences.
Finally, the Appendix contains a glossary and special PC-Browse
information.
Manual Terminology and Notation
* The notation <Enter> means you should press the Enter or Return key.
* This manual uses abbreviations for some keys. These are:
Shf The Shift key
Ctl The Ctrl key
Bksp The Back Space key
Grey+ The grey-colored + (plus) key at the right of your keyboard.
Grey- The grey-colored - (minus) key at the right of your keyboard.
* Text that you should type is often surrounded by double quote marks.
For instance, if the instructions tell you to type "A:", type only
A: and not the quotes.
* If a command requires that you press a combination of keys
simultaneously, they are shown as a unit. For instance, Shf Ctl F1
means press and hold the Shift key and the Ctrl key and while
holding them down press the F1 key.
* If a command requires pressing a sequence of keys, they are shown
following each other, separated by the word "then". For instance, F9
then Grey+ means press the F9 key, then release it and press the
Grey+ key.
- 6 -
* Since most printers are unable to print the entire extended ASCII
character set (0 to 31 and 128 to 255) this on-disk version of the
manual does not contain any. These characters are described or
represented by other printable characters. The printed version of
this manual does contain them, as do most printer manuals.
Installing PC-Browse
The following instructions assume you have some familiarity with your
computer and DOS. If you are unfamiliar with terms such as "default
drive," "file name," "subdirectories," or "path", or with basic DOS
commands such as COPY and FORMAT, you may want to review your PC-Write
or DOS manual before installing PC-Browse.
PC-Browse comes on two 5 1/4 inch diskettes or one 3 1/2 inch diskette.
The Program diskette contains the PC-Browse program plus some
documentation and sample application files:
GO.BAT Types the next file, READ.ME.
READ.ME Text file with any last minute release information.
BR.EXE PC-Browse program; the only file you need to use PC-Browse.
BR.HLP PC-Browse help file (has links to BTUT.BRS and BREF.BRS).
BTUT.BRS PC-Browse on-line tutorial (used with BR.HLP).
BREF.BRS PC-Browse on-line reference (used with BR.HLP).
BRxxx.DEF Various control files to set alternate color combinations.
BRDEF.LST Describes all the BRxxx.DEF files.
AREACODE Area code and city listings, explores linking concepts.
MISUSED Commonly misused words, explores finding the word at the
cursor.
HAMLET Heavily cross-referenced "To be or not to be" hypertext
example.
QUARTO Subsidiary file used by the HAMLET application.
GLOSSARY Subsidiary file used by the HAMLET application.
DECISION Decision-tree application that shows how to create online-
help.
SAILBOAT A parts list for a sailboat that shows the lookup search.
MENU A menuing application that launches other programs.
CATALET Text file used with the MENU application.
CREDLET Text file used with the MENU application.
PCWRHELP Text file used with the MENU application.
ADDRESS An address "book" that shows the PC-Browse paste feature.
PARTTEM A PC-Write merge template used in building a lookup file.
PARTSRT A sorted parts-list for use with PARTTEM.
SUPPLIER A cross-referenced listing to demonstrate the index page.
The Reference diskette contains PC-Browse documentation. The GO command
on this disk types the instructions for using it. The full PC-Browse
manual is in files BR1.DOC, BR2.DOC, BR3.DOC, and BR4.DOC. You can
print the manual with a DOS command like:
COPY BR?.DOC PRN <Enter>
- 7 -
To install PC-Browse on a hard disk system:
1. Choose or create a directory on your hard disk to be your PC-Browse
work directory. Make it the default directory. You can install
PC-Browse either in an existing directory (with your PC-Write files,
for example) or in a directory of its own. To create a new directory
to use PC-Browse and make it the default, at the DOS prompt type:
MKDIR drive:\directory <Enter>
CHDIR drive:\directory <Enter>
where "drive" is the letter of your hard drive and "directory" is
the name you want. For example, for a subdirectory called PCBR on
your C drive, type:
MKDIR C:\PCBR <Enter>
CHDIR C:\PCBR <Enter>
Move ahead to "To continue installing PC-Browse:", below.
To install PC-Browse on a two-floppy-drive system:
1. Select a blank, formatted diskette. Label it "PC-Browse Work Disk".
Place it in the B drive, and make B the default drive.
To continue installing PC-Browse:
2. Place your original PC-Browse Program diskette in drive A. Copy the
PC-Browse files to your work diskette or directory by typing:
COPY A:*.* <Enter>
3. Decide if you want the full plain text manual. The PC-Browse
Reference diskette contains the full PC-Browse manual in plain text
form. If you want these files, replace the diskette in drive A with
the PC-Browse Reference diskette and type:
COPY A:*.* <Enter>
4. Add a line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file so PC-Browse can find its Help
file. To use PC-Browse from any directory and have PC-Browse help
available, add this line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file (where
drive:\directory is the same as above):
SET PCBROWSE=drive:\directory
5. That's it. Remove your original PC-Browse diskettes and store in a
safe place.
- 8 -
PC-Browse Tutorial
First, A Word for People Who Don't Read Manuals
What's that? You never read manuals? Not even if we say, "Pretty
please?" Aw, c'mon, just the first two sections of the Tutorial. We
promise they'll be short. Just skip the introduction and read the
section What Does PC-Browse Do? Then load PC-Browse and your favorite
word processor (that's PC-Write, right?), and try the examples in the
next section, Finding, Viewing, and Pasting Text.
Many of the hints, suggestions, and sample uses described in this
manual have come from people who tested early versions of the product
as we developed it; we're grateful for their suggestions. In fact, we'd
love to hear from you about how you're using PC-Browse; drop us a line
at Quicksoft.
Now, Back to the Tutorial
Remember your first Swiss Army Knife? Remember looking at all those
blades and gizmos, trying to figure out each one? Remember, too, how
quickly it became indispensable?
Sure, there were better knives if you needed to do some serious
cutting, and real screwdrivers for assembling your bookshelves. But all
of your "real" tools were bulky. There was the Swiss Army Knife, always
ready to work for you when you needed to tighten a screw, or cut a
loose thread. Likewise, PC-Browse is a tool you can always keep on your
computer, to help when you need it to look at or find a file, or get a
directory.
PC-Browse is both a familiar and a completely new type of product.
You've already used many of its functions. Pop-up programs (or TSRs)
have been around for years. There are a number of find-text-on-my-disk
utilities. You can use any word processor to view text files and
extract portions of them for further use; even hypertext, or cross-
referenced on-screen information, is used for on-line help in a few
products. In some ways, there's little new in PC-Browse.
What is new is that PC-Browse combines these concepts, with a few more,
into a handy Swiss Army Knife utility. As with any product, there are
two steps to learning it: first, figuring out what it does and second,
discovering how to do it. In this tutorial, you'll learn the "what" and
the "how."
This tutorial is divided into the following topics:
* What Does PC-Browse Do?
An overview of the capabilities of your new Swiss Army Knife.
- 9 -
* Finding, Viewing, and Pasting Text.
How to use PC-Browse with the text files already on your disk.
* Using PC-Browse Applications.
A view of more interesting application files, along with an
introduction to cross-referenced material (hypertext).
* Developing Your Own PC-Browse Applications.
How to develop PC-Browse applications for your own use or for
distribution to other folks.
What Does PC-Browse Do?
In this tutorial, we'll look at some problems you could solve with
PC-Browse:
1. How can I find the memo on restructuring I wrote 6 months ago?
Pop-up PC-Browse and tell it to search the whole disk for, say,
"restruct." It will quickly find each file containing the search
text, and show you that text in context! A single keystroke moves
from one reference to the next. You can even use multiple windows
to keep track of different references.
2. What's Mr. Walton's address?
If you're typing a letter to him, put the cursor on his name and
pop up PC-Browse to jump to his page in your address file.
PC-Browse can even paste the address right into your letter.
3. What's the area code for El Paso?
Simply pop-up PC-Browse's area code application and ask it to find
El Paso.
4. Is it correct to say, "What's the affect of this decision?"
With our sample misused-words application, just put the cursor on
"affect" and press the hot key. You'll see how to use "affect" and
"effect" correctly.
5. What do we charge for part #73241?
Pop up PC-Browse with your parts list, type in the part number,
and you can look it up in a flash! It takes only a few seconds to
look up any of thousands of parts.
6. How do I add online help to an application or product designed
without it?
You can create a PC-Browse file with an index of help topics on
the first page. A user needing help just pops up PC-Browse, uses
the arrow or tab keys to select a topic, and jumps right to it.
- 10 -
7. Could I do that with an online procedures manual?
Of course. You can use PC-Browse's cross-referencing feature
(hypertext) to let users explore company procedures and decision-
making policies in as much detail as necessary.
We'll answer all seven of these questions in greater detail at the end
of the tutorial.
Finding, Viewing, and Pasting Text
We suggest that you read this section at your computer, with PC-Browse
and a word processing program loaded. It takes only a few minutes to
copy PC-Browse to a disk and try out the dozen or so main commands.
Loading PC-Browse:
1. If you haven't installed PC-Browse on your computer, just copy the
following files from your PC-Browse Program diskette to a work disk
(if you have a hard disk, put them in a new subdirectory such as
\PCBR):
BR.EXE ADDRESS DECISION HAMLET QUARTO
BR.HLP AREACODE GLOSSARY MISUSED SAILBOAT
2. Load PC-Browse from the DOS prompt by typing:
BR <Enter>
If you have a full-color monitor, instead type:
BR /C <Enter>
You'll see the copyright screen, and then the DOS prompt.
3. Now load your favorite word processor, and create a "scratch" file
for editing.
This file is only for practice, as you explore ways in which PC-Browse
and other applications can communicate. With a hard disk, start your
word processor from the PC-Browse subdirectory if possible (or else
give the PC-Browse subdirectory path whenever you enter PC-Browse file
names during the tutorial).
Remarks
Like most pop-up programs, PC-Browse works only with text-based
programs such as PC-Write, Word Perfect, WordStar, Microsoft Word in
text mode, etc. PC-Browse won't pop up over Microsoft Word in graphics
mode, other graphic programs, or Windows.
- 11 -
Popping Up PC-Browse:
You should be in your word processor, editing a practice file.
1. Hold down the Shift and Ctrl keys, and press the F1 key.
We'll refer to this process as "Press Shf Ctl F1". This is the main
hot key that pops-up PC-Browse "over" whatever program you're using.
PC-Browse covers the top part of your screen. (If you need to change
this hot key because another of your programs uses Shf Ctl F1, see
the Customizing section.) The initial screen is:
+File:------------------------------Find:cursorword-------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F6:File F9:Find----------------------------------+
2. To return to your application, simply press the Esc key.
Your word processor's screen is restored. Now press Shf Ctl F1 again
to pop PC-Browse back up.
The basic operation in PC-Browse is file viewing. You can view one file
while you're working in another. Even with a multiple-window word
processor such as PC-Write or Microsoft Word, it's easier to keep a
file you're referring to in PC-Browse and pop it up when you need it.
If you're in Lotus 123 and need to review the memo that describes your
spreadsheet, PC-Browse may be the only way to go.
Viewing a File with PC-Browse:
1. Press F6 to select a file.
2. Type the file name "ADDRESS" and press the Enter key.
PC-Browse quickly loads the file and displays the first page.
3. Browse through the file by pressing the PgDn or PgUp keys.
These keys scroll the file one line at a time, within a page. To
scroll faster, a whole window at a time and across pages, press
Shf PgDn or Shf PgUp. If you reach the start or end of the file,
PC-Browse beeps. Little triangles just above the lower right corner
point up or down to show you which direction you can scroll.
- 12 -
4. Look at the major PC-Browse functions on the menu at the bottom of
the window:
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F4:Backtrack F6:File F7:Paste F9:Find F10:First-page+
5. Press and hold the Shift key by itself to view another group of
functions:
| |
+Esc:Unload F4:View-locations F7:Print ----------PgUp/Dn:more+
Now you've seen both of the PC-Browse menus. This will be easy.
There are a few more function key operations, not on these menus.
You can use PC-Browse with an alternate pair of menus which show all
function keys but with more abbreviated labels (see: Customizing).
6. Release the shift key to see the Main Menu again.
7. Press the F1 key to see on-line help.
You can use PgDn, Shf PgDn, and so on to browse through the help
screens. When you're done, press the Esc key (or the F1 key) to
return to PC-Browse.
Let's search for Spencer Katt's address in this file.
Searching for Text in One File:
1. Press the F9 key to type the Find text. Type:
katt
The Find text is the text you're asking PC-Browse to search for.
We're searching a single file, ADDRESS, as you can see on the top
line of the window.
2. Press the Grey+ key to begin the search.
You don't have to press the Enter key after typing the Find text. If
you do press Enter after typing the Find (or the File) text, either
Grey+ or a second Enter starts the search. The Grey+ key is the
darker + key on the right side of the keyboard.
PC-Browse finds the right address immediately. Of course, this is a
small file, but it can search files quite rapidly, even on a basic
PC or XT. Mr. Katt's address is on the screen, and the word "Katt"
is highlighted.
What if this is not the Katt you're looking for? Press Grey+ or
Enter to continue the search. Since this is the only Katt in the
ADDRESS file, PC-Browse will beep and tell you it couldn't find it.
- 13 -
PC-Browse can interact with your host application in two ways. First,
when you pop it up, the word at the cursor (if any) automatically
becomes the Find text. Second, you can paste selected text directly
into your application, just as if you had typed it yourself.
3. Press Esc to return to your word processor.
4. Enter "Walton" on a line in your practice file. Leave the cursor
just after the "n".
5. Try to remember the address. Scratch your head, since you don't
know it, unless you've done the Tutorial before!
6. Press Shf Ctl F1 to pop-up PC-Browse. The Find text will be the
name "walton".
7. Press Enter or Grey+ to search. PC-Browse finds "Walton" this time.
Let's paste this address into your word-processing practice file.
Pasting Text Into Another Program:
1. Press Esc to return to your word processor, and put the cursor at a
place in the document to insert the address. Press Shf Ctl F1 to
pop-up PC-Browse again.
2. Press the F7 key. The Paste Menu appears:
| |
+Esc:Cancel F4:Start mark F5:Marked text F6:Filename F7:Window F8:Page+
3. Use the Up and Down Arrow keys to move the cursor to the first line
of the address.
4. Press the F4 key to start marking lines for pasting.
5. Use the Down Arrow key to extend the marked (highlighted) area
through the last line of the address.
If you didn't start with the right line, simply move the cursor to
the correct first line and press F4 again to restart the marking
process.
- 14 -
+File:address.sam------------------Find:walton------------------------+
| |
|Jack Walton |
|1139 73rd Place |
|Seattle, WA |
| |
|Victoria I. Warshawski |
|Lake Front Drive |
|Chicago, IL |
| |
| |
+Esc:Cancel F4:Start mark F5:Marked text F6:Filename F7:Window F8:Page+
6. Press the F5 key to tell PC-Browse that you want to paste the marked
lines.
PC-Browse asks when you want to paste the text:
| |
+Esc:Cancel paste F9:Paste now F10:Paste when Paste-hotkey pressed----+
Your word-processor's cursor (since it's the host application, this
cursor is not visible) was just after the "n" in "Walton", but you
want to paste it to the line below. Press F10 to tell PC-Browse you
will press the Shf Ctl F7 key to paste these lines into your
application. (You could press F9 to paste them after "Walton", and
put it on the next line with your word processor.) Pressing F10 (or
F9) returns to your word processor.
7. Move to the next line in your word processing file, make sure you're
in "push" or "insert" mode, and press the Shf Ctl F7 hot key. The
address is pasted into your file.
You can also print text if your printer is hooked up (Shf F7 on the
Main Menu), or print text to a file (Shf F6 to set the file name,
then Shf F7). See Printing and Pasting in the Reference section for
more information.
We knew where to look for Mr. Walton's address. What if we don't know
what file it's in?
Searching for Text in Many Files:
1. Press Shf Ctl F1 to pop-up PC-Browse again.
This time, we'll search the entire directory (or diskette) for
references to "walton".
2. Press F6 to type a file name. Type *.* and press Enter.
The "*.*" says to search all files in the current directory. These
are the same wild card characters you use with DOS. You could type
- 15 -
"?." for all one-character file names or "*.doc" for files with .DOC
extensions. Since we haven't specified a particular file and haven't
told PC-Browse to search yet, no file is loaded into the PC-Browse
window.
3. Press F9 to type the Find text. Type "walton" and press Grey+ to
begin the search.
This multi-file search can present the results to you in two ways:
showing you each file in turn, or showing you a list of files by
name. Now PC-Browse asks which you would like, with the following
prompt:
| |
+Esc:Cancel F9:View each match as found F10:Collect matches and list--+
4. Press F9 to see each file containing "walton".
PC-Browse quickly loads and scans each file in turn, looking for the
Find text. As it scans a file, it displays the file name at the top
of the window. When it finds your text, it displays the file,
highlighting the text found. If this is not the reference you were
looking for, you could press Enter (or Grey+) again to keep
searching. Don't do this quite yet, however.
Before we move to the next section of the Tutorial, we'll describe two
other features related to finding text, with suggestions for exploring
these features on your own.
Exploring on Your Own:
First, suppose you're not sure this is the "walton" you're looking for.
You could search for another with the Grey+ or Enter key, but how would
you get back to this one if you wanted to? PC-Browse offers two ways to
do this. The first method is to open another PC-Browse window. The
second method uses the automatic location list.
1. Press F2 to Open another window.
There's room on your screen for two windows (you can set this; see
Customizing). PC-Browse copies the current window to the bottom half
of the screen, and all activity now occurs in this lower window. The
upper window is "frozen" for now.
2. Press Enter (or Grey+) to search again in the new window.
PC-Browse first saves your place (location) in a list. In a few
seconds you'll find another reference to "walton". Let's return to
the first "walton" you found.
- 16 -
3. Press F4 to return to the previous location.
Even if that reference was in a different file, PC-Browse quickly
switches back to the first one. It saves your "trail" back to where
you started, if it can. When the list gets too long (about ten
levels by default) it only saves the most recent locations.
4. Return to the upper window by pressing Shf F2.
This closes the lower window. The original text returns to the lower
part of the screen.
What if you want to search your entire hard disk for "walton"?
5. Press F6, type "\*\*.*", and press Enter.
The "\*\" represents all directories on the disk. We've extended the
DOS asterisk convention a bit. Just as "\brs\*.*" tells PC-Browse to
search all files in the BRS directory, "\*\*.*" tells PC-Browse to
search all files in all directories.
Press Enter again to start the search. You can also press Grey+
right after typing the File text to start searching immediately.
Since the PC-Browse directory, if you created one, is one of the
last directories, it may take a while to reach the ADDRESS file.
PC-Browse asks you to press F9 to see each file containing the
search text, or F10 to see a list of all such files. If you have
more than one disk drive, you can also search multiple drives. For
example, "ce:\*\*.*" searches both drives C and E.
Using PC-Browse Applications
PC-Browse comes with a number of sample applications. Some are useful
on their own; others simply help you explore the various tools of the
PC-Browse Swiss Army Knife.
We'll start with two "real" applications that you may find useful. Then
we'll use some of the "demonstration" files to explore more features,
such as hypertext. Finally, we'll look more closely at these files so
you can learn how to design your own applications.
1. If you haven't already loaded PC-Browse and then your word
processor, please do so. Make sure you have a practice file loaded
in your word processor.
2. Pop-up PC-Browse by pressing Shf Ctl F1.
3. Press F6, type the file name AREACODE, then press Enter.
4. Press Ctl PgDn and Ctl PgUp to browse through the file page by page.
- 17 -
Each page has an area code, the state and time zone for that area
code, and a list of the major cities in that area. Since this file
(like most PC-Browse oriented files) is divided into pages, you can
look through it quickly with Ctl PgDn. In this file each page is
shorter than the window, but that's not always the case. (You can
look at a longer page with the scrolling keys PgUp and PgDn, but
they don't skip across pages like the Ctl PgUp and Ctl PgDn keys.)
What's the area code for El Paso? We need to find El Paso in the
AREACODE file.
Finding an Area Code for a City:
1. Press F9 and then type "El Paso".
Previously, we used Grey+ to start a search. However, it searches
from your current position in the file to the end. Since you may be
in the middle of this file, we need to search from the top.
2. Press F10 or Shf Grey+ from the Find prompt to search from the start
of the file.
PC-Browse finds El Paso and highlights it. Since the 915 area code
covers two time zones, El Paso is noted specifically as being on
Mountain Time.
+File:areacode---------------------Find:El Paso-----------------------+
|915 |
|Texas <TX> (CST/MST) |
|Abilene (CST), El Paso (MST), Midland (CST), Odessa (CST) |
|San Angelo (CST), Sweetwater (CST) |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F4:Backtrack F6:File F7:Paste F9:Find F10:First-page+
Let's try a harder city to spell, such as Hamtramck (near Detroit).
Luckily, we don't have to spell the whole word.
3. Press F9, type "hamt", then press F10 to search from the beginning.
PC-Browse finds whatever text you type; you're not limited to whole
words. You can also use PC-Browse wild cards in the Find text, as
described in the Reference section under Using Wild Cards in a
Search.
Note that a city in this area code, Warren, has the same name as a
city in another state. The city name is followed by a
cross-reference to this other state, with the state abbreviation in
a different color (depending on your monitor type).
- 18 -
4. Press Tab to highlight the cross-reference (to Ohio).
The Find text changes to the text you highlighted, surrounded by a
pair of "funny characters." These characters indicate a cross-
reference, or hypertext link.
5. The Find text is now "oh" surrounded by PC-Write's bold face
characters (code 2). Press Enter to search for it.
PC-Browse finds the first page in the file with OH as the "page
title." You can now check the area code for Warren, OH rather than
Warren, MI.
Automatic cross-referencing is the heart of the hypertext concept. You
select text that is specially marked, and then at the press of a key
you're whisked off to the material referenced by that text.
In PC-Browse terminology, the "OH" that you tabbed to is called the
trigger keyword, because the code 2 characters trigger a search for
other material. When you pressed Enter, PC-Browse jumped to the target
keyword of that search, the <OH> on the Ohio page. This type of
searching is called keyword searching.
6. Press F4 to return to the page you started the cross-reference from.
As you jump around a cross-referenced document or group of
documents, pursuing ideas and connections, you can always work your
way back up the trail you followed.
Checking a Commonly Misused Word:
1. Press F6, type the PC-Browse application file name MISUSED, then
press Enter.
This file contains about 100 often misused words, listed in an index
in the first page. Each word in this list is the trigger to a page
of information about correct and incorrect usage of the word. To get
back to this first page at any time, press F10 (or Shf Grey+).
2. Use Tab and Shf Tab to select words. The Find text reflects each
selection.
Since this list is arranged as a table, you can also use the four
Arrow (cursor) keys to move about it. When the trigger words are not
in nicely lined-up rows and columns, only Tab and Shf Tab select
them.
Let's assume you're writing about Swiss Army Knives and "Their Affect
on Software Utilities". Should you use "Effect" instead?
- 19 -
3. Select (with Tab or Arrows) affect (or effect) and press Enter.
PC-Browse displays a page of information about the use of the words
"affect" and "effect". A little reading, and you discover that the
correct word here is "effect."
You can also conduct a keyword search by typing in a word directly.
4. Press F9, type "alter", and then (instead of pressing Enter) press
F3. This converts the Find text to a trigger keyword and does a
keyword search from the start of the file.
Of course, that's a lot of keys to check one word. Now let's see how to
call PC-Browse directly from your application and check a word with
just one keystroke.
5. Press Esc to return to your word processing practice file.
Assume that you're typing along when you're confronted by the
devastating question of using "it's" or "its" in a sentence. You
could pop up PC-Browse, press F9, type the word, and press F3, or
you could pop up PC-Browse, point to "its" in the index at the start
of the file, and press Enter. But there's an easier way.
6. Type "its" (or "it's") in your word processing practice file. With the
cursor still on or just after the word, press Shf Ctl F3.
PC-Browse pops up and automatically jumps to the page where "its"
and "it's" are discussed. The Shf Ctl F3 hot key is simply a
shortcut to look something up from your word processor or other
program.
More Advanced Applications
From here on, the Tutorial is addressed to users who might want to
create their own PC-Browse files, whether for their own use or for use
by others. If this doesn't describe you, here's a good point to leave
the Tutorial and simply begin using PC-Browse. As you work further with
the program, feel free to turn to the Reference section of the manual
to learn more about the features we've introduced here.
"Hyper-Documents" That Span More Than One File:
1. Load the sample PC-Browse file HAMLET. Use the Tab key to mark the
trigger keyword "To be..." on the first page, and then press Enter
to link to the famous speech.
This file contains a heavily annotated version of the most famous
passage in English-language theatre. Normally when you read
Shakespeare, the footnotes are distracting, pulling your eye to the
bottom of the page and making it hard to concentrate. Most notes
- 20 -
contain only simple definitions of obscure words; notes about the
content refer to essays at the back of the book, so you have to flip
back and forth.
Hypertext solves these problems. HAMLET is simply a neutral example
of some heavily cross-referenced material. It could be a procedures
manual or employee handbook, on-line help specific to a Lotus
payroll application, or a genealogy record.
2. Use Shf PgDn to browse through the speech a bit. When you're done,
use Shf Grey+ or F10 to return to the first page, and then Tab to
the reference "Quarto Text". It will appear in the Find text prompt
surrounded by the trigger delimiters, code 22 and code 20.
The so-called First Quarto is the first published version of
Shakespeare's Hamlet; it's different, to say the least. Note the
word (a file name) in brackets after the reference. This means the
cross-reference is in another file. The Find text doesn't show the
other file name, but PC-Browse keeps track of it.
+File:hamlet-----------------------Find: quarto text -----------------+
|of the play. |
| |
| The text given here of "To be, or not to be" is from the First |
|Folio; the few significant differences from the later Quartos are |
|noted in the cross-references. |
| |
| This famous speech also exists in the First Quarto in a much |
|different form (see Quarto Text [quarto] for comparison.) |
| |
| (Press F4 to return to previous view) |
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F4:Backtrack F6:File F7:Paste F9:Find F10:First-page+
3. Press Enter to find the target of the cross-reference "Quarto Text".
PC-Browse automatically switches files. The file name on the top
line changes.
4. Tab to the "To be..." trigger, then press Enter to view this speech
as it appeared in 1602. Now Tab to the note on "Marry" to the right
of the text.
The "Marry" trigger also cross-references to another file, but here
you can't see the file name. When you build a PC-Browse file, you
decide whether a cross-reference shows the file name or not. Here it
would have been distracting. In fact, we could have made "marry" in
the text itself the trigger, once again hiding the file name.
5. Press Enter to follow the "Marry" cross-reference into the GLOSSARY
file.
- 21 -
6. Press F4 a few times, backtracking along your reference trail and
eventually returning to the HAMLET file.
If you did some exploring already, the location list may have filled
up, so you may not get all the way back. Explore this file on your
own, tracing some of the cross-reference trails between the
different files.
"Hyper-Fast" Searching with Lookup Trigger Keywords:
So far in this Tutorial, we've been looking at normal text searching
and one type of PC-Browse keyword search, linear keyword searching.
Here we'll look at the other type of keyword search, lookup keyword
searching.
A lookup search is extremely fast; it can search a two megabyte file in
under 2 seconds on a PC AT. A file designed for lookup searching has
several special requirements: the keywords must be unique, and the
pages in the file must be sorted by keyword. Lookup files are usually
created from a database program. Common uses include parts lists,
customer names, and so on.
1. Load the PC-Browse file SAILBOAT.
We have a customer who ordered part 9047; we need to know how much
it costs.
2. Press F9 and type "9047" as the Find text. Press F2 to do a lookup
search.
PC-Browse places special characters around the Find text to turn it
into a lookup trigger. A lookup search isn't noticeably faster on a
short file such as SAILBOAT. By the time your parts file grows to
100K or so, the speed difference will be obvious.
Cross-references within the file can also trigger a lookup search.
There's one for the part we're looking at, a "Barberhauler Bullet
Block w/Becket." It's actually the special trigger characters, not
the F2 or F3 key, that indicate a lookup search is appropriate. This
parts list is designed for lookup by part number, but it could have
used a part name instead. Your database program can create a lookup
file for each case.
You could also search for a part by pressing F9, typing the part
number, and pressing F3 to do a linear keyword search. This would
not search as quickly, however. You could even press F9, type the
part number, and press Grey+ to just search for the number as normal
text. This is as slow as a linear search, and it would also find the
same number within a phone number or address, not just as a part
number.
- 22 -
As you see, from the user's perspective lookup keyword searching is
almost the same as linear keyword searching. The differences are
internal, within the file. In the next section, we'll examine these
differences.
Developing Your Own PC-Browse Applications
In this last section, we'll see how PC-Browse files are created by
examining them "side-by-side" in your word processor and in PC-Browse.
To follow along in this section, you'll need a word processor that can
display the ASCII characters between 1 and 31, often called control
codes. PC-Write is ideal; however, the non-document mode of WordStar
also works, as well as WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, and most other word
processors in their "no-format" modes. You can build PC-Browse files
with any word processor or editor that can produce ASCII text; you
don't have to use control codes. The files we'll examine were built
using these control codes. PC-Browse files that use control codes are
cleaner looking, since the control codes are invisible.
A Simple PC-Browse File: AREACODE
1. If you haven't already loaded PC-Browse and then your word
processor, please do so.
Follow the instructions in the first part of this Tutorial, under
Loading PC-Browse.
2. Load the file AREACODE into your word processor. Pop up PC-Browse
(Shf Ctl F1) and then press F6 to load AREACODE there, too.
Some word processors may keep a file open, preventing other programs
from using it. PC-Browse loads a file in read-only mode, but your
word processor may still have it locked out. In this case, return to
DOS and make copies of the files AREACODE, MISUSED, HAMLET, and
SAILBOAT under alternate names. Now you can look at one copy of the
file in your word processor and another copy in PC-Browse.
3. Press Esc from PC-Browse to return to your word processor. Note the
form feeds separating each PC-Browse page, shown as a pair of
characters, code 12 and 15, or "^L".
Information in a PC-Browse file should be divided into "bite-sized"
nuggets for easy digestion by users. PC-Browse can handle pages of
any size, but 5 to 20 lines, or one window full, is a good size for
most application pages. Consider breaking up longer material into
two or more pages, connected with hypertext links.
4. In your word processor, go to the first line of the file and scroll
horizontally to the end (In PC-Write, press End. In WordStar, press
Ctrl-Q D.) Note the material in brackets that begins [BR=.
- 23 -
The text in brackets defines the file characteristics for PC-Browse.
It looks for [BR= when it loads a file, in the first 160 characters
of the first line. We place it out beyond character 80 in our files
so that it doesn't show up on the screen and confuse users. The /I,
/J, and /K parameters define the characters that delimit trigger and
target keywords in this file.
The /I part gives the first and last character of a target keyword.
The target keyword is the text sought during a keyword search
(either a linear search or a lookup search). The /I:60.62 says a
target keyword is any text that begins with character 60 ( < ) and
ends with character 62 ( > ). These characters are called
Delimiters. Note the "<NJ>" on the second line of the file; since
it's surrounded by angle brackets, "NJ" is a target in this file.
The target delimiters can be different in each application; that's
why there can be a [BR= line in each application file.
The /J part gives the delimiters for a linear search-trigger
keyword. Here, /J:2.2 says that a linear trigger is any text with a
character 2 on both sides of it. (In PC-Write, this appears as the
bold face font; in WordStar, as "^B".) On the fifth line of the
file, note the two cross-references, "DE" and "OH", surrounded by
these symbols. PC-Browse does not display characters whose ASCII
value is less than 32. Therefore they make ideal characters to use
for delimiting keywords, since they don't interfere with the text.
The /K part would give the delimiter for a lookup search-trigger
keyword. Here, /K is undefined, since this file isn't designed for
lookup searching.
The various keyword delimiters highlight their keyword on screen.
Characters less than 32 that aren't used as delimiters also
highlight text on the screen, making them valuable for emphasizing
words. You can control both kinds of highlighting (see Customizing).
You'll see an example of this when we look at MISUSED.
5. Pop up PC-Browse to see how this file appears in a PC-Browse window.
Skip back and forth through the file in PC-Browse and in your word
processor to see how it looks in PC-Browse and what's really in the
file.
PC-Browse Index Page: MISUSED
1. Load the file MISUSED into your word processor. Pop up PC-Browse and
load MISUSED there, too. In your word processor, find [BR= on the
first line of the file.
The target and trigger keyword delimiters are different here from
those used in AREACODE. Also, neither the target nor the trigger
delimiters for this file are visible in PC-Browse, because both are
less than 32.
- 24 -
2. Scroll your word processor file down about 20 lines until you come
to the page titled "ACCEPT versus EXCEPT". Pop up PC-Browse and
press Ctl PgDn from the first page to find this page, too; then
press Esc to return to the word processor.
This page has target keyword delimiters around ACCEPT and EXCEPT at
the top as well as general-emphasis "font" characters around the
words as used in a sentence. The in-sentence words are neither
triggers nor targets; they are just emphasized with the PC-Write
bold font, character 2. Some monitors show this emphasis
highlighting better than others; pop up PC-Browse briefly to see how
it appears on yours.
Don't be confused by the fact that we used character 2 as a trigger
keyword delimiter in the file AREACODE. Each PC-Browse file can have
the same delimiters, or every file can use different ones. You can
develop a style and stick to it for your applications; we've mixed
and matched in ours for demonstration purposes.
3. Return to the start of the file in both PC-Browse and your word
processor. In PC-Browse, all of the columns line up; in PC-Write and
some other word processors, they also line up.
The trigger keywords must line up in columns to be selected in
PC-Browse with the up and down Arrow keys as well as the Tab key. If
there is an index page, it is normally the first page of the file, but
a row-and-column index works on any page.
Cross-References to Other Files: HAMLET
1. Load HAMLET into your word processor. Pop up PC-Browse and load
HAMLET there, too. In your word processor, find the [BR= in the
first line.
This file uses visible delimiters for target keywords (characters 60
and 62, the angle brackets) and hidden delimiters for the linear
trigger keywords (characters 22 and 20).
2. In your word processor, look at the third paragraph. Note that the
trigger keyword "Quarto Text" is followed by a word in brackets.
The word in brackets is the name of the file that will be loaded and
searched when the user Tabs to this trigger and presses Enter to
follow the link.
This cross-reference file name in brackets is visible in PC-Browse.
Pop up PC-Browse to confirm this. A bracketed file name must follow
the trigger immediately (one space between them is allowed, to keep
the screen from looking cluttered).
- 25 -
3. In your word processor, scroll down about 30 lines to the middle of
the soliloquy. Find the trigger keyword "Rub" followed by a word in
brackets.
This is also the name of the file to load when the user Tabs to this
trigger and presses Enter. Because the file name starts with a
question mark, it is invisible in PC-Browse. Pop up PC-Browse to
confirm this.
4. The triggers in parentheses to the right of the soliloquy may not
line up in your word processor. Pop up PC-Browse briefly and press
Shf PgDn to reach this part of the file; confirm that they are
aligned in PC-Browse.
PC-Write font characters (values 0 to 31) are not displayed in
PC-Browse; therefore, they're ignored in counting column positions
for alignment. The line with the "Rub" note also has a trigger in
the text of the soliloquy. Therefore the "Rub" note may appear to
the right of the "Coil" note a few lines below in your word
processor, since there are no other triggers on the "Coil" line.
Lookup-Search Files: SAILBOAT
1. Load the file SAILBOAT into your word processor. Pop up PC-Browse
and load SAILBOAT there, too. In your word processor, find the
"[BR=" text.
This file uses a visible start-delimiter for targets (character 35,
#) and hidden delimiters for the lookup triggers (characters 22 and
20). This time there is no linear search-trigger, only a lookup
search-trigger.
The end-delimiter for target keywords in this file, character 8, has
a special meaning to PC-Browse. It indicates that a target keyword
is ended by any character that is not a letter or a number. So in
this file any space, end-of-line, or other non-letter-or-number
after the word or number marks the end of the target. In this file,
the ending delimiter is usually the end-of-line.
Here, too, character 2 is used for emphasis on part names and
prices.
2. Look at the second page of this file (part #1012, the shroud pin).
In a lookup file, each page must contain exactly one target (1012 on
this page). It can contain any other information you wish. The
targets must also appear in ASCII-sort order (basically
alphabetical, with numbers sorting ahead of letters). It is this
ordering that makes lookup searching so fast even on huge files.
- 26 -
Summary
That's your guided tour of PC-Browse features. There are a number of
features we haven't covered, such as more Hot Key shortcuts, search
wild cards, printing information, and the many customization options.
We started this Tutorial by asking a series of seven questions in the
section "What does PC-Browse Do". Now we'll give the specific answers:
1. How can I find the memo on restructuring I wrote 6 months ago?
Pop up PC-Browse, press F6, type "\*\*.*", and press Enter. Then
press F9, type "restruc", and press Grey+ then F9. If it's on your
disk, PC-Browse will find it.
2. What's Mr. Walton's address?
Put the cursor on "Walton" in your word processor. Pop-up PC-Browse,
press F6, and load the ADDRESS file. Press Enter or Grey+ to find
the address. To paste in the address, press F7, move to the first
line of the address, press F4, move to the last line, press F5, and
then press F9.
3. What's the area code for El Paso?
Pop up PC-Browse and press F6 to load the AREACODE application. Then
press F9, type "El Paso", and press Grey+.
4. Is it correct to say, "What's the affect of this decision?"
Put the cursor on "affect", pop up PC-Browse, press F6, and load the
application MISUSED; then press F9, then F3. Read the text of the
page PC-Browse displays.
5. What do we charge for part #9054?
Load the SAILBOAT file, press F9, type "9054", and press F2 to do a
lookup search for the part number.
6. How do I add online help to an application or product designed
without it?
Cannibalize a copy of the MISUSED application. Build a table of
contents of all the terms you think users might look under; set them
up as keyword triggers to help-text pages, as they are in MISUSED.
Even if a specific term isn't in the table, users can search for it
by typing it at the Find prompt and pressing Enter. You could even
build a series of sub-indexes; certain terms in the table of
contents could link to another table with additional choices.
- 27 -
7. Could I do that with an online procedures manual or decision tree?
Adapt the sample DECISION file, "What To Do on the Weekend". This is
a computerized decision tree for deciding what to do on a weekend in
Seattle.
8. Explore PC-Browse on your own. Modify our sample files to see how
they work. Experiment.
What do you mean, there wasn't a Question 8? Life always gives you a
Question 8 -- "Where do I go from here?"
- 28 -
BR2.DOC
Suggested Applications
In this chapter you will find some uses for PC-Browse in addition to
those touched on earlier. We hope this will stimulate your own
creativity and allow you to develop unique applications of your own.
Dictionary
You could build just a word list, or a true dictionary with
definitions, parts of speech, hyphenation, and the like. If you sort
the dictionary alphabetically, you can search it quickly with a lookup
search. You can even trigger a lookup search of a word in the host
document with the Shf Ctl F2 hot key. Cross references between words
are easy to include. The dictionary acts like part of the application
program you are working on.
When you type a word into a document and want to verify its meaning,
press Shf Ctl F2. The definition is displayed in the window. To paste
the information into your document, press F7. You can also pop up
PC-Browse with Shf Ctl F9, type the word into the Find text and press
F2. When you are unsure of the spelling as well as the definition,
search for just the part of the word you know, using a normal search
with wild cards instead of a fast lookup Search.
Some examples of dictionaries that you can build:
Foreign Language dictionary
Chemical Engineering dictionary
Dictionary of Dept. of Education terminology
Dictionary of terms used in The Dune Trilogy
Accounting dictionary
Parts dictionary
Glossary
PC-Write Page Layout Library
If you find that most of the word processing documents you create
follow a few given formats, you can build a library of format templates
that can be pasted into a document when you create it. Each page of the
library can be dedicated to a different page layout: one for memos,
one for monthly reports, one for letters, and so on. You can include
standard text, such as your letterhead, as well as Guide lines and
Ruler lines.
To use a particular template, pop up PC-Browse and search for the
corresponding page. Then use paste, F7, to insert the page layout
information directly into your document.
- 29 -
Political Party Platform
You can assemble position papers, speeches, and other documentation
together into a single file that outlines the candidate's (or party's)
views on the issues. The file can be used by people who are on the
phone or as a training tool for any campaign worker. It may also be an
interesting tool to send to the press.
A user pops up PC-Browse and is presented with a list of choices or
general topics of interest. They simply highlight the topic they wish
to learn about and press Enter. PC-Browse presents the information on
that topic, or it can be broken down into subtopics. The user continues
to step through the levels, moving from general towards specific.
Information from one topic area can be cross referenced to another. For
instance, one aspect of the education reform policy may include money
for a drug education campaign. If the two topics are linked at this
point, users can read about the drug program in brief and return to the
specific information about educational reform.
You could also use PC-Browse to do a political analysis of a city or
county. Enter information about the elected officials, corporate board
members, "Old-Boy" networks, and real estate owners and developers.
Fill in cross-references based on current and prior relationships. Find
out who's really important, and why.
Family Tree
You may think your family is already overly cross-referenced
(especially during the holidays) but reading a family history can leave
you flipping a lot of pages. The hypertext links that are created with
PC-Browse make flipping "pages" much easier. You can save both
genealogical information and your family history.
Pop up PC-Browse and type in your Find text. That could be the name of
a relative, a date, a city, or perhaps the old family home. Pressing
Enter quickly whisks you off to that place in history. If there is a
cross reference to another person or place you can highlight it with
the Tab key and press Enter to move on. As you move through the
branches of the tree, you can use the location list to quickly return
to your starting point.
Just as family members share common experiences, they share a page
describing those experiences, because each member can have a link to
the event. So your Great Grandmother will have a link to "Winter 1894"
about surviving in the family home in South Dakota and so will each of
her siblings. Now you can leave your family's branch of the tree and
see how your Great, Great Aunts and Uncles fared after that terrible
winter.
- 30 -
Class Notes
Notes taken during a lecture can be extremely useful. But often at the
end of a semester, half of them are unreadable and the other half don't
make sense. The only way to find anything is to read this scribble,
line by line, from day one. By entering your notes into the computer
every night (ok, once a week) you can clear up any inconsistencies
before you forget the entire lecture. Then you can PC-Browse through
them line by line, or search for specific words, phrases, or dates. The
search and paste features will make that term paper a snap.
If you feel adventurous you can build search triggers to link one piece
of information with another, or perhaps link notes from another class
in another file. Your class notes can be the foundation for a
specialized dictionary or glossary useful in future courses. For some
fields such as history or anatomy, cross references can be quite
useful. "Oh, the tibia is linked to the fibula, the fibula is linked to
the patella,...."
Your only problem comes when you try to explain to your instructor that
you can't take the test today because your dog ate your floppy disk.
Telemarketing Script
A telemarketing script can be formatted as a decision tree that walks
the salesperson through the sales pitch. Again, the ability to be
resident is an advantage, since you can pop up the script on top of
another program, such as an order entry form. Since PC-Browse links the
pieces of the script quickly and quietly, the customer doesn't wait
while the salesperson pages through his or her notebook.
The salesperson pops up PC-Browse with the Shf Ctl F10 hot key which
automatically moves to the beginning of the script. As the conversation
progresses, he or she need only use the Tab or Arrow keys and the Enter
key to move to the next part of the script. Related information such as
warranties, product descriptions, and the like can be quickly accessed
using cross references. The F4 key jumps back from the related
information to the previous place in the script.
The customer list can also be kept in a PC-Browse file, to quickly pop
up ordering history, preferences, or any collections problems you have
had. At Quicksoft, we use PC-Browse to check for valid registration
numbers. You can also link in your price list, terms, shipping rates;
all those notes taped to the office wall. Great for networks!
- 31 -
On-Line Help
PC-Browse is an outstanding tool for adding on-line help to an
application you've developed or a program you've purchased, because it
is memory resident and can pop up over any non-graphics application.
PC-Browse also uses the word at the cursor in the host document as the
Find text, which helps you create context sensitive help screens.
When users pop up PC-Browse, they are presented with an index of help
topics. They highlight the topic they need and press Enter to see that
information. You can design a help file with topics (target keywords)
that match the headings or other vocabulary of the application program.
Then the user can move the cursor in the application program to the
heading and then pop up PC-Browse with Shf Ctl F3 to jump right to the
topic. And topics can have cross-reference links to other topics in the
same or other files.
Programmer's Library
The search and paste features of PC-Browse allow a programmer to avoid
retyping often repeated code. There are two methods used to accomplish
this.
First, you can browse existing files for the code you want. No extra
effort is required to create an additional file. Pop up PC-Browse,
designate file or files to be searched, and enter the Find text. Paste
any lines you like back into the program you're writing.
Second, you can create a file with only commonly used code. This
library file can be indexed and cross referenced for faster retrieval.
Shf Ctl F10 pops up an index of available routines. Highlight your
selection with the arrow keys and press Enter to find the lines of code
you need.
Either way, F7 pastes the code directly into the host program file,
saving time and eliminating typing errors.
- 32 -
How to Build PC-Browse Files
Don't let the idea of having to "build" a file keep you from making
your own PC-Browse applications. The files are easy to create. These
examples use PC-Write to make files, but you can use any text editor,
or a word processor in "non-document" mode (also called ASCII, "un-
formatted" or "DOS text" mode).
In this section, you will build some sample files. This serves two
purposes: to teach you the basics of constructing a PC-Browse file and
to stimulate your creativity. There are many possible ways to use
PC-Browse, from the very simple to the highly complex.
About Delimiters
A delimiter is a symbol that sets a keyword apart from the rest of the
text. You define your own delimiter pairs (a starting symbol before the
keyword, and an ending symbol after it) for the three kinds of
keywords. The three customization parameters are:
* Target keyword (parameter /I)
* Linear search-trigger keyword (parameter /J)
* Lookup search-trigger keyword (parameter /K)
These delimiters are called file load parameters because they define
keywords in the file and can change with each file loaded. Targets and
triggers are covered more below.
Rules for Delimiters
* You can use almost any character as a delimiter. You can also use a
special "non-alpha" wild card, indicated by character code 8, as the
ending delimiter only. The non-alpha character matches any character
that is not a letter (a through z, A through Z) or a number (0
through 9). The effect is to define a keyword as any word
(alphanumeric string) following the starting delimiter you choose.
* There are six characters that you cannot use as delimiters. They are
character codes:
0 (keyword not used) 11 (PC-Write Guide Line font) 10 (line feed)
8 (non-alpha wild card) 13 (carriage return) 12 (page break)
* The same character can be used as both the starting and the ending
delimiter in either kind of search-trigger keyword or in a target
keyword that is used in a linear search. However, for a target
keyword used in a lookup search, the beginning and ending delimiters
must be different.
- 33 -
What are Targets and Triggers?
Just remember that "to hit the target you must first pull the trigger".
The trigger keyword is composed of the text you wish to find plus the
delimiters that define the type of search. This concept, that the
delimiters define the type of search, is very important. PC-Browse
reads the delimiters to decide whether to use a lookup search or a
linear search.
Now we can type trigger keywords with their delimiters, or place
trigger delimiters around existing text in the file. This creates a
trigger (also called a link or cross-reference) to somewhere else: the
same keyword, but surrounded by target delimiters. If you select a
trigger and press the Enter key, you get a lookup or a linear search
(depending on the delimiters) for the target. This ability to link or
cross-reference text is called hypertext.
A target keyword is the goal of the search, the location you want to
find. In a lookup search, each target keyword must occur only once. In
a linear search, the same target keyword can occur one or more times
within the same file.
A word of warning about the characters you define as delimiters: When
you create a file, be careful not to use the delimiter characters for
anything else. An extra trigger delimiter just gives a meaningless
cross-reference, so an occasional occurrence is okay. But suppose the
leading delimiter for a target keyword is the # symbol (code 35). If
you use the # symbol in an address (as in Suite #100), PC-Browse will
think it's a target keyword, too. If you try a lookup search in this
file, this out-of-sequence target can make the lookup search fail.
Get in the habit of using delimiter characters that are not likely to
be used in normal situations. PC-Write font characters (codes 1 to 31,
with the above exceptions) are fine. They are also invisible, which you
may prefer in your application. You can enter them in most word
processors by holding down the Alt key and entering the code number
with the right-hand keypad. Whether or not the delimiters are visible,
they cause the keyword itself to be highlighted, unless you change this
(see: Customizing).
The Linear Search
In this exercise you are the owner of a small neighborhood hardware
store. You have already created a file called SUPPLIER with information
about the companies that supply your store with merchandise. Each of
your suppliers has two pages in the file. The first page contains the
name of a contact person plus their office address and phone number.
The second page contains more detailed information about ordering
procedures. You want to create a link between the two pages, placing a
- 34 -
trigger keyword on the address page and a target keyword on the
ordering information page.
To Create a Link:
1. Load the SUPPLIER file into PC-Write or your word processor.
2. Skip to the second page. The first page is an index page. The second
page looks like:
*Humble Beginnings Seeds*
Sandra Hansen
1616 Whatcom Dr
Bellingham, WA 98725
(206) 345-6821
comments:
Here the "*" (code 42) is the target keyword delimiter.
3. Move your cursor to the comments line and type:
<HBS Order Info>
Here the "<" (code 60) and ">" (code 62) are the linear search
keyword delimiters.
4. Move your cursor down through SUPPLIER until you reach this entry:
Humble Beginnings Seeds account # N/A
Order Policy:
phone orders 1 800 717 3483 9:00am to 5:30pm PST
no mail orders
Delivery:
Normal UPS is standard. Blue or Red label extra.
Expect delivery time of a week or so from order date.
Payment:
Payment due 30 days from order date. no discounts
NOTE: Their beginnings may be humble but the accounts
receivable staff isn't. Get payment there no later
than 30 days past due!!!!
Return Policy:
5. On the line above "Humble Beginnings Seeds account #" type the
following:
*HBS Order Info*
- 35 -
Try setting the delimiter characters for the next supplier in the file,
JKY Electronics. Use <JKY Order Info> as the trigger and *JKY Order
Info* for the target.
Now that the delimiter characters are in place, you must tell PC-Browse
what they are.
To define the Delimiters:
1. Move your cursor to the very first line of the file, past the end
of the line.
2. Type:
[BR=/I:42.42/J:60.62]
Now it should look something like this:
Index of Suppliers [BR=/I:42.42/J:60.62]
<Humble Beginnings Seeds> <JKY Electronics> <Jennings & Jennings>
<Hon Ltd. of America> <Nordic Garden Works> <Rivers Wholesale>
<Old Mare Glue Works>
The /I:42.42 defines the character "*" as the target delimiter on both
sides, and the /J:60.62 defines the characters "<" and ">" as the
linear search keyword delimiters.
4. Save the SUPPLIER file.
We placed [BR=....] in the middle of the screen where it is visible in
the PC-Browse window. If you would prefer not to see it, move the
entire string out to the right beyond column 80. The parameters will
take effect, but be out of the visible range of the window.
Now let's follow a link in the SUPPLIER file.
To Follow a link:
1. Pop up PC-Browse with Shf Ctl F1.
2. Press F6. PC-Browse asks for the name of the file to load. Type:
SUPPLIER <enter>
- 36 -
3. Press the Ctl PgDn key to go to the second page:
*Humble Beginnings Seeds*
Sandra Hansen
1616 Whatcom Dr
Bellingham, WA 98725
(206) 345-6821
comments: <HBS Order Info>
4. Press Tab to highlight <HBS Order Info>, and then press Enter (or
Grey+). When PC-Browse reads the < and >, it knows to strip them
off, add * and *, and do a search for *HBS Order Info*.
The Lookup Search
A lookup is an extremely fast search of records that are sorted in
alphabetic or numerical order. It is especially useful for very large
files created with a database. For example, you can create an on-line
catalog, or a list of your customer's addresses and phone numbers.
Since PC-Browse is RAM-resident, you don't have to exit your word
processor to lookup your information. And with the PC-Browse paste
feature, you can insert that information right into the file you are
working on.
Requirements for a Lookup File
A lookup search only works on a file that meets these conditions:
1. Exactly one target keyword must be defined per page. Every page must
have a target keyword, and no page can have two of them.
2. Every page must fit into the PC-Browse text buffer (memory that
holds text from the disk). By default, the buffer is 4096 bytes, but
you can change this (see Customizing).
3. The pages in the file must be sorted by their target keyword. This
sort order starts with the numbers 0 through 9, then the letters A
through Z. The sort does not differentiate between upper and lower
case letters.
4. If the target keywords are numbers, they all must be the same length
(with leading zeros if necessary) to lookup correctly. For instance,
this:
8 zebra 3485 help 0912 AppLE 67 HELLO
sorts into the following order:
0912 3485 67 8 AppLE HELLO help zebra
- 37 -
In this example, we'll make a PC-Browse file listing parts for a
hardware store. To make things easy, it contains only 15 items. These
items are sorted by part number, the target keyword in this example.
Each page will have a part number, brief description of the item,
retail price, name of the manufacturer, and an area for additional
comments.
We'll use the PC-Write merge procedure to create the file, and the DOS
sort command to put the items in order. If you are using another text
editor to do this, or a database program to sort and produce the file,
the discussion here should help you adapt to these other programs. In
fact, a database program is recommended for organizing, sorting, and
preparing data for the PC-Write merge function, or directly for the
PC-Browse file.
Entering and Sorting the Data
If you prefer not to type the entries in this example, you will find a
copy of the sorted file, ready to be merged, in a file called PARTSRT.
If you wish to use the PARTSRT file, copy it to your word processor's
work diskette or directory. If you are using the PARTSRT file you can
skip over this section and move directly to the next section, Merging
the Data.
To enter and sort the data:
1. Create a file called PARTLST using PC-Write or your word processor.
If you are using another text editor, create an ASCII (non-document)
file.
2. Type the following into the file PARTLST, starting in column number
one. The information is shown in unsorted comma-separated form, a
standard merge format.
7055,2 hp lawn mower,South Lawn & Garden,$145.00
6002,Swiss Army Knife,Hon Ltd. of America,$5.95
7004,seeds - bush beans,Humble Beginnings Seeds,$0.30
6010,No. 1 phillips screwdriver,Rivers Wholesale,$2.00
8065,toaster oven,JKY Electronics,$45.00
6035,carpenters glue - 12 oz bottle,Old Mare Glue Works,$2.80
6047,tape measure - 25 foot,Rivers Wholesale,$15.50
8045,light bulb - 25 watt,Benson Lighting,$1.00
6051,combination square with level,Rivers Wholesale,$7.85
7023,legume inoculant,Humble Beginnings Seeds,$1.00
6098,16 piece socket set - metric,Hon Ltd. of America,$4.00
6022,spray lubricant - 6 oz aerosol,Hon Ltd. of America,$2.95
7018,garden rake - 6 foot handle,Nordic Garden Works,$10.00
6001,No. 2 phillips screwdriver,Rivers Wholesale,$2.95
8002,multi-outlet power strip,Jennings & Jennings,$6.95
- 38 -
Each line is equivalent to a record in a database program. The
commas separate the fields of information. The arrangement is:
number,description,manufacturer,price
3. Save the file and exit to the DOS prompt.
4. To sort the contents of PARTLST and send the output to a file called
PARTSRT, type:
SORT <PARTLST >PARTSRT
The DOS redirection operators < and > tell DOS to sort the contents
of the file PARTLST and send the sorted data to a file called
PARTSRT. You may need to copy the file SORT.EXE from your DOS
diskette first.
5. Look at the file PARTSRT with your word processor or the DOS TYPE
command. If the file is correct it will look like this:
6001,No. 2 phillips screwdriver,Rivers Wholesale,$2.95
6002,Swiss Army Knife,Hon Ltd. of America,$5.95
6010,No. 1 phillips screwdriver,Rivers Wholesale,$2.00
6022,spray lubricant - 6 oz aerosol,Hon Ltd. of America,$2.95
6035,carpenters glue - 12 oz bottle,Old Mare Glue Works,$2.80
6047,tape measure - 25 foot,Rivers Wholesale,$15.50
6051,combination square with level,Rivers Wholesale,$7.85
6098,16 piece socket set - metric,Hon Ltd. of America,$4.00
7004,seeds - bush beans,Humble Beginnings Seeds,$0.30
7018,garden rake - 6 foot handle,Nordic Garden Works,$10.00
7023,legume inoculant,Humble Beginnings Seeds,$1.00
7055,2 hp lawn mower,South Lawn & Garden,$145.00
8002,multi-outlet power strip,Jennings & Jennings,$6.95
8045,light bulb - 25 watt,Benson Lighting,$1.00
8065,toaster oven,JKY Electronics,$45.00
Remarks
If you are using a database program, create the file and a data entry
screen to input the data. Enter all the data as shown. Next, sort the
information in the part number column in ascending order. Send the
output of the sort to a file called PARTSRT using standard comma
separated merge format.
- 39 -
Merging the Data
If you use PC-Write, load the merge template file PARTTEM. For a
database or another merge program, use this file to understand the
general format. PARTTEM looks like this:
{part,}
{description,}
{manufacturer,}
{price,}
{}
*{part}
{description}
{price}
<{manufacturer}>[SUPPLIER]
Comments:
The line directly following "Comments" contains a hard page break,
codes 12 and 15. The page break at the end divides each merge entry
into separate pages. Make sure at least the form feed (code 12)
separates each page. The code 15 after it is optional.
The braces define the merge variables in PC-Write format, except for {}
which separates the input template from the output template. The first
four lines define the input file, and the final seven lines define the
output file. The leading asterisk in *{part} is the starting target
keyword delimiter, which you'll define later with /I:42.8.
Similarly, <{manufacturer}> is a linear search-trigger keyword. The
[SUPPLIER] after it is a cross-reference to a file called SUPPLIER.
To merge the comma-separated information into new file:
1. Load the template file PARTTEM. (We assume you are using PC-Write.)
2. Press the Shf F3 key. The PC-Write Merge Menu appears across the top
of the screen.
3. Press F9 and type the name of the input file, PARTSRT. Don't press
Enter yet.
4. Press F10, type the name of the output file, PARTS, and press Enter.
5. To merge all of the records automatically, press F10.
Remarks
If you have a problem with the PC-Write merge, check to make sure the
information in PARTSRT is correct. Check for extra or missing commas,
particularly in an address. If a comma is used that does not separate
fields, surround the field with quote marks ("). Check your PC-Write
manual for further details.
- 40 -
Defining the Parameters
The last step in building a lookup file is to define the keyword
delimiters.
To define the delimiters:
1. Load the PARTS file into PC-Write or your word processor.
2. Move to the top line in the file, anywhere after the part number.
3. Type the following:
[BR=/I:42.8/J:60.62/K:40.41]
Here /I:, /J: and /K: define the target, linear search, and lookup
search keyword delimiters respectively. The target keyword is
delimited by a leading "*", the linear trigger is delimited by "<"
and ">", and the lookup trigger is delimited by "(" and ")".
Using the File
Now let's pop up PC-Browse, load your PARTS file, and try searching
for some items.
To Do a Lookup Search:
1. From DOS, PC-Write, or another application, press Shf Ctl F1.
2. Press F6. PC-Browse asks you for the name of the file to load. Type:
PARTS <Enter>
If the file PARTS is not in the current directory (or the PCBROWSE=
or PATH= directories) you will need to supply a path name so
PC-Browse can find the file.
3. Press F9, type 7004, and press F2 (not Enter). The F2 key places
the lookup delimiters around the part number and starts a lookup
search. You get:
+File:PARTS-------------------------Find:#7004 -----------------------+
| |
|*7004 |
|seeds - bush beans |
| |
|$0.30 |
|<Humble Beginnings Seeds>[supplier] |
|comments: |
| |
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F4:Backtrack F6:File F7:Paste F9:Find F10:First-page+
- 41 -
Try a lookup for the following numbers:
6022
8002
7023
8065
Let's suppose that the owner of a store would like to sell more of the
multi-outlet power strips, part number 8002. We think the toaster oven
is an obvious candidate for a power strip. Let's add a lookup
cross-reference to the comment line.
To place a Lookup trigger into a file:
1. Call up the PARTS file in your word processor and find the toaster
oven page.
2. Move to the comments section and type:
Don't forget the power strip (8002)
where "(" and ")" are the lookup trigger keyword delimiters, defined
with /K:40.41 in [BR=/I:42.8/J:60.62/K:40.41].
Now you can jump directly from the toaster oven page to the power strip
page. Just tab to the (8002) and press Enter.
+File:PARTS------------------------Find:#8065 ------------------------+
| |
|*8065 |
|toaster oven |
| |
|$45.00 |
|<JKY Electronics>[supplier] |
|comments: Don't forget the power strip (8002) |
| |
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F4:Backtrack F6:File F7:Paste F9:Find F10:First-page+
Remarks
A lookup search is much faster than a linear search, which just scans
the whole file. It works like this:
1. Compare the lookup keyword wanted with the current page's target
keyword.
2. If they are the same, we're done.
3. If they aren't the same, restrict the search to the part below or
above the current page as appropriate, and try again from the middle
of what's left.
- 42 -
Links Between Files
From each part number page, there's a link to the source in the
SUPPLIER file.
To link to another file:
1. From PC-Browse, using the PARTS file, find part 6002. It's the
Swiss Army Knife.
2. Press the Tab key to select the manufacturer, <Hon Ltd. of America.>
3. Press Grey+ (or Enter). You see the SUPPLIER page for Hon Ltd. of
America.
4. Press F4 to return to the PARTS file.
Your PARTS file has one supplier for each part. Suppose you discover an
alternate supplier; for example, Rivers Wholesale also sells Swiss Army
Knives. Unlike using a fixed-format database, adding a second supplier
as an inter-file link is easy to do.
To make a link between files:
1. Call up the PARTS file in your word processor and find the Swiss
Army Knife page.
2. Add the following line under Hon Ltd. of America:
<Rivers Wholesale> [SUPPLIER]
That's it. From PC-Browse, you can select <Rivers Wholesale>, and jump
to its page in the SUPPLIER file.
Remarks
Even if two files are linked with a keyword search, the various keyword
delimiters could be different in each file. In this case the SUPPLIER
file and the PARTS file use the same keyword delimiters.
Following a link can do more than just switch to another text file. It
can also run another program. For example, following a link with the
keyword ORDER could start running your accounting package to enter a
purchase order. See the Reference Section for details.
Creating an Index Page
By placing a trigger for each target on the first page of a file, you
create an index page. This gives you (or an end user) a way to quickly
jump to any page, without typing.
- 43 -
To create an index page:
1. Edit the file SUPPLIER. Go to the first page.
The first page looks like this:
Index of Suppliers [BR=/I:42.42/J:60.62]
<Humble Beginnings Seeds> <JKY Electronics> <Jennings & Jennings>
<Hon Ltd. of America> <Nordic Garden Works> <Rivers Wholesale>
<Benson Lighting>
Several keyword triggers are in place. However, there are two left for
you to enter.
2. Under <Nordic Garden Works>, type: <Old Mare Glue Works>
3. Under <Rivers Wholesale>, type: <South Lawn & Garden>
Using the Index Page
In a keyword search, typing a close but incorrect name like "Benson
Lights" will not match the target keyword. With the index page, you can
select the name from the list.
To use the index page:
1. Press Shf Ctl F10. PC-Browse pops up and moves to the first page in
the file.
2. Use the Tab or Arrow keys to highlight one of the triggers. Try "Hon
Ltd. of America".
3. Press Grey+. PC-Browse reads the delimiters surrounding the text and
does a Linear search for *Hon Ltd. of America*.
This gives us four different ways to find our suppliers:
1. Link from the part number.
2. Link from the index.
3. Pop-up PC-Browse with Shf Ctl F9, enter the name at the F9 prompt
and press F3.
4. Pop-up PC-Browse with Shf Ctl F3 with the name at the original
program cursor.
- 44 -
BR3.DOC
Reference Section
In this section, you will learn how to:
Get Help Do a Normal Search
Load PC-Browse Do a Keyword Search
Exit PC-Browse Run other programs
Pop-up PC-Browse Bring up additional windows
Load a File Use the location list
Move around Paste and print
You don't have to read this section of the manual in any particular
order. Each subsection is self-contained, containing detailed
information about a specific topic.
Getting Help
To View the PC-Browse Help Screens:
1. Press F1 when the main PC-Browse menu is displayed. You'll see brief
descriptions of the function keys, shifted function keys, cursor
control keys, and navigation keys.
2. Use the normal PC-Browse viewing keys to browse the Help file:
Scrolling PgUp, PgDn, and their Shf and Ctl versions
Select Topic Arrows, Tab, Shf Tab
Jump to Topic Enter or Grey+
Searching F9, Grey+
Begin/End F10 or Shf Grey+, Shf F10 or Shf Grey-
Location list F4, Shf F4, F5, Shf F9
3. Press the Esc or F1 key to leave the Help screens. You'll return to
where you left off in the PC-Browse window.
Remarks
The help screens are simply the PC-Browse file BR.HLP, with links to
the on-line tutorial file BTUT.BRS and reference file BREF.BRS. You can
edit these files if you like.
Viewing the Main Menu
There are two sets of main menus, one with descriptive terms for common
functions, the other with abbreviated terms for all functions.
- 45 -
The simpler main menus are the default:
* The simplified Main Menu is visible when you have a file loaded:
Esc:Exit F1:Help F4:Backtrack F6:File F7:Paste F9:Find F10:First-page
* The simplified Shift Main Menu is visible if you hold down either
shift key:
Esc:Unload F4:View-locations F7:Print PgUp/Dn:more
The abbreviated main menus are turned on with the /A switch (see:
Customizing):
* The abbreviated Main Menu is visible whenever you have a file
loaded (Esc:Ext, not shown, is at the left):
F1:Hlp F2:Opn F3:Op+ F4:Lc- F5:Lc+ F6:Fil F7:Pst F8:Dir F9:Fnd F10:Top
* The abbreviated Shift Main Menu is visible if you hold down either
shift key (Esc:UnL, not shown, is at the left):
F2:Op- F4:Lst F6:PTo F7:Prt F9:Lc* F10:Bot
Function keys aren't used with Ctl or Alt. Here's a preview of function
key operations:
Key Normal Operation Key Shift Operation
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Esc Ext Exit to application F1 UnL Unload from memory
F1 Hlp Browse help file F1
F2 Opn Open new window F2 Op- Shut current window
F3 Op+ Re-open a window F3
F4 Lc- To prior location F4 Lst Show location list
F5 Lc+ Re-visit location F5
F6 Fil Enter File name F6 PTo Enter file to print to
F7 Pst Paste text F7 Prt Print text
F8 Dir Enter directory name F8
F9 Fnd Enter Find text F9 Lc* Set protected location
F10 Top Jump to first page F10 Bot Jump to last page
RUNNING PC-BROWSE
Running PC-Browse is a two-step process. First, you load the PC-Browse
program into your computer's memory. You usually do this only once, at
the start of a day's work session. Then, to call PC-Browse into action,
you pop it up by pressing its "hot key."
- 46 -
PC-Browse is a pop-up program, also called a TSR (for "Terminate and
Stay Resident," a program that stays in memory). Pop-up programs are
different from most other programs. To use your word processor, say,
you must exit the program you're currently using first. A pop-up
program, on the other hand, is always loaded and ready. Even if you're
working with your word processor or spreadsheet, you can use PC-Browse
without exiting simply by "waking it up" with its hot key. When you're
done PC-Browsing, you return to your spreadsheet or word processor
exactly where you left off.
The only catch is you must load PC-Browse at the start of your work
session (or, at any rate, before your word processor or spreadsheet).
"Loading" a pop-up program simply means copying it from disk into
memory, and running the initial startup portion. You can also unload
PC-Browse from memory, to get more memory for a large program.
You can use one of three methods to load PC-Browse into memory:
1. Load PC-Browse without a file. When you pop it up from DOS or
another program, you load the file you want to browse.
2. Load PC-Browse along with the file you want to display. Then you can
view this file automatically whenever you pop up PC-Browse.
3. Include either method in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to automatically
load PC-Browse each time you start your computer.
To load PC-Browse only:
* At the DOS prompt, type:
BR <Enter>
The PC-Browse front screen will appear. It contains information about
the product. The DOS prompt is redisplayed below the message. To load
PC-Browse from another disk or directory, include the drive
specification and path before the BR command.
Now you can run a word processor, database, etc. PC-Browse waits in the
background until you press the hot key to pop it up; the unique
combination of keys that tells PC-Browse to become active.
To load PC-Browse along with an initial file:
* At the DOS prompt, type:
BR drive:\path\filename <Enter>
- 47 -
where drive, path, and filename define the file to be loaded into
PC-Browse. For example, to load PC-Browse with an initial file named
file.one, type:
BR FILE.ONE <Enter>
You'll need to specify the drive and/or path if the file you want to
use is not in the current directory, or a PATH= or PCBROWSE=
directory (see: Loading a File into PC-Browse), such as:
BR D:\BR2\FILE.TWO <Enter>
To load PC-Browse whenever you start your computer:
1. Using PC-Write (or an ASCII text editor), modify your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file. This file, in the root directory of your hard disk or boot
diskette, is run every time you start your computer. If you don't
have one, use PC-Write or your text editor to create one.
2. Add one of the following lines to the file:
drive:\path\BR (To load without a file)
drive:\path\BR drive:\path\filename (To load with a file)
where BR loads PC-Browse into memory and "drive:\path\filename"
defines the file to be loaded. The "drive" and "path" in front of BR
are important, since the current directory when AUTOEXEC.BAT runs is
the root directory. For example, if PC-Browse is in the directory
PCBR on your C drive, and you want to load an initial file from your
PCW directory, the AUTOEXEC.BAT line might be:
C:\PCBR\BR C:\PCW\MYFILE.DOC
Remarks
There are various customizing switches you can use when you load (see:
Customizing). Two are common. The first, /C, turns on color if you have
a color monitor. The second, /E, tells PC-Browse to load most of itself
into expanded memory (also call EMS or LIM memory). If your computer
has this kind of memory, and all your applications use it in the
standard way (like PC-Browse), then PC-Browse uses only 3K (instead of
60K) of normal memory. These switches go after the BR command, usually
last on the line. For example:
BR AREACODE /C /E
To unload PC-Browse from memory:
1. If PC-Browse is not active, pop it up with Shf Ctl F1 (or any
PC-Browse hot key).
- 48 -
2. Press Shf Esc; then press F9 to confirm. PC-Browse removes itself
from memory.
PC-Browse may not be able to free itself from memory. In some cases, it
must stay to maintain an internal structure called the "Interrupt
Chain." This happens if you load additional pop-up programs after you
load PC-Browse (these programs must "chain" through PC-Browse to get
keyboard "interrupts"). If you load PC-Browse after all other resident
programs, you can free it with Shf Esc.
Exiting PC-Browse
When you "exit" from PC-Browse, it becomes inactive, but stays in
memory until you need it again. To remove PC-Browse from memory, you
need to "unload" it (above).
To exit PC-Browse temporarily:
* Press Esc.
* Or, press Shf F2 if you have only one PC-Browse window open.
The PC-Browse window disappears from your screen as it becomes
inactive; you return to the original program you were running when
you popped up PC-Browse. It is still in memory, waiting in the
background until you need it again. The Shf F2 key closes the
current window, so if there's only one window, PC-Browse exits in
the same way.
Popping Up PC-Browse
The hot key is the key (or combination of keys) that pops up PC-Browse,
making it the active program on your screen. There are six hot keys,
but all except the first are shortcut keys to do various PC-Browse
operations immediately after it pops up. The hot key combinations are
written in the form "Shf Ctl F1." This means that you must hold down
the shift and the control keys and then press the F1 key.
You can change the hot key combinations. If one of your programs uses
Shf Ctl F1, or you have a computer that does not recognize Shf Ctl
combinations, you could tell PC-Browse to pop up with a hot key like
Alt Ctl F1 or Ctl B. (see: Customizing.)
To pop up PC-Browse:
* Press Shf Ctl F1.
- 49 -
Shf Ctl F1 is the "basic" hot key. If you had already loaded a file
into PC-Browse, the page you last viewed is in the PC-Browse window
and the full Main Menu appears. All windows, files, and other items
are the same as when you left. If you pop up PC-Browse without an
active file, the screen looks like this:
+File:-----------------------------Find:cursorword--------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
+Esc:Exit F1:Help F6:File F9:Find----------------------------------+
When you pop up PC-Browse, the word at the cursor in the underlying
application becomes the Find text. Say you're writing a letter to Ms.
Sanchez and your address file is loaded in PC-Browse. To find her
address, put the cursor on her name, pop up PC-Browse with Shf Ctl F1,
and hit the search (Grey+) key.
The text at the cursor depends on the application. In a word processor,
it's the word just typed. In a spreadsheet, it's the current cell. In
DOS, it's usually the current drive or directory. If the cursor is just
after a word, that word becomes the Find text. If the cursor isn't on
or right after a word, the original Find text isn't changed when you
pop up. PC-Browse skips commas and some other punctuation when scanning
back to find the start of a word.
To start a Lookup search for the word at the cursor:
* Press Shf Ctl F2.
PC-Browse pops up and does a lookup search, the same as Shf Ctl F1
then F9 then F2. The word at the cursor becomes a lookup search-
trigger keyword.
To start a Linear search for the keyword at the cursor:
* Press Shf Ctl F3.
PC-Browse pops up and does a linear search, the same as Shf Ctl F1
then F9 then F3. The word at the cursor becomes a linear search-
trigger keyword.
- 50 -
To pop up PC-Browse and prepare to get a directory:
* Press Shf Ctl F8.
PC-Browse pops up with the cursor at the File prompt, the same as
Shf Ctl F1 then F8. Type the file name pattern you want.
To pop-up PC-Browse and move the cursor to the Find prompt:
* Press Shf Ctl F9
PC-Browse pops up with the page you last viewed, but with the cursor
at the Find prompt, the same as Shf Ctl F1 then F9. The word at the
cursor becomes the Find text. Press Grey+ to search for it, or F10
or Shf Grey+ to search from the start of the file.
To pop-up PC-Browse and view the first page of the current file:
* Press Shf Ctl F10.
PC-Browse pops up at the first page of the file, the same as Shf Ctl
F1 then F10. This is particularly useful with files that have an
index page at the start. Use the arrow keys to highlight a keyword,
then Grey+ or Enter to jump to the target keyword.
File Name Patterns
Several PC-Browse operations apply to a group of files, not just one
file. For these, you type a File Name Pattern at the "F6:File" prompt.
A file name pattern looks like this:
drive\path\filename
"drive" can be:
* A drive specification of one or more drive letters followed by a
colon. For example, to search drive C, type "C:". To search drives A
and C, type "AC:" (but you can't get a directory with multiple
drives, only search through them). To search the default drive, you
don't need a drive letter.
"path" can be:
* A specific directory path, such as "\PCW\" to search the PCW
subdirectory in the root directory, or "LETT\" to search the
subdirectory LETT in the current directory.
* path\*\ to also search all paths "downstream" from a given
directory. For example, "PCW\*\CAT" finds PCW\CAT, PCW\R1\CAT,
PCW\R2\D2\CAT, and so on.
* *\ to search all paths "downstream" from the current directory
(i.e., the current directory and any of its subdirectories).
* \*\ to search the whole disk (all paths on the drive from the root
directory).
- 51 -
You can also put "/s" after the file name to search all
subdirectories, as you can with many DOS commands. For example,
"\CAT/s" finds all files on the disk named CAT, and "PCW\KIT/s"
finds PCW\KIT, PCW\D3\KIT, and so on.
"filename" can be:
* A specific file name.
* *.* to search all files.
* A combination of DOS wild card characters and text to narrow the
search:
The ? wild card matches any one character.
The * wild card matches all characters that follow it.
The ?'s and *'s can only be used at the end of the file name or
extension; a pattern such as "?BC" will not work (see your DOS
manual for further details). For example, "*.BAT" finds all files
with the extension BAT, and "A??.*" finds any three-letter file name
starting with A and any extension.
Here are some examples of file name patterns:
CD:*.DOC
searches all files with the extension DOC on the current directories of
drives C and D.
CE:\PCW\*.*
searches all files in the PCW directories on both drives C and E. (You
wouldn't believe how hard it is to find files when you have several
hard disks. Or maybe you would....)
C:*\*.BAT
searches all .BAT files on the current directory and its subdirectories
on drive C.
\*\*.*
searches all files on the current drive.
Loading a File into PC-Browse
Unless you always use the BR filename command to use PC-Browse with one
file, you'll need to tell PC-Browse to load new files. A directory
option makes this easy to do.
- 52 -
To Load a File into PC-Browse:
* Press F6. PC-Browse prompts you to type a file name in the "File:"
area of the top line. When you're done, press Enter. PC-Browse
displays the first page of the file.
You can specify a drive (b:myfile.doc), a path (\br\myfile.doc), or
both (c:\pcw\myfile.doc). If you don't specify a drive or path
(myfile.doc), PC-Browse looks for your file in the current
directory, and then each directory specified by your PCBROWSE= or
PATH= environment variables.
PC-Browse shows (and remembers) the full name of your file on the top
line. If you exit, change directories, and then pop up PC-Browse again,
it uses this path to find the file. For example, if MYFILE.DOC is in
your PC-Write directory, the "File:" prompt shows:
+File:C:\PCW\MYFILE.DOC------------Find:------------------------------+
| |
You can enter a file name pattern at this prompt if you don't know the
exact file you want. Then you can either get a directory of all
matching file names, or all matching file names whose files also
contain the Find text. (This is covered in Searching Multiple Files.)
To Select a File from a Directory:
1. Press F6, type a file name pattern, then press F8 (not Enter).
2. Or, press F8, type a file name pattern, then press Enter (or F8).
A list of file names matching this pattern appears. The pattern must
be for a single drive only. The first one is highlighted. File name
patterns are described above.
3. Use the Arrow keys to select the file (or subdirectory) you want.
The name also appears in the "File:" prompt. There are two kinds of
file name lists:
* If your file name pattern includes directories, such as \*\ or
/s, the matching names are listed in one column. Use the Up and
Down Arrows to select the file you want.
* If your file name pattern assumes the current directory, such as
P?.DOC or *.*, the matching names and subdirectories are listed
in five columns. All four Arrow keys select a file name or
subdirectory. Subdirectory names end with "\". The parent
directory is also listed, as "..\".
- 53 -
4. Press Enter to load the selected file. If you select a directory
name ending in "\" instead, you get a list of its files in this
directory. Select "..\" to go back to the parent directory. Note
that PC-Browse does not actually change your current directory.
Remarks
Your path is set by the PATH command, which tells DOS and PC-Browse
where to look for files if they are not in the current directory. The
path lets programs find your files as you change directories on your
hard disk. The PATH command puts the various paths into the PATH=
environment string. There is also a PC-Browse "path" environment
string, PCBROWSE=. The PCBROWSE= environment string is searched first.
Put PC-Browse text files into a separate directory (one not in your
PATH) to keep DOS searches fast. The PCBROWSE= and PATH= strings can
have multiple paths, separated by semicolons.
If PC-Browse can't find a file in your current directory or along your
path, it beeps and displays "Can't find filename", where "filename" is
the file you asked for.
Files You Can Load With PC-Browse
Text Files:
PC-Browse works easily with "straight-ASCII" text files. These files
contain only "printable" characters; they have no formatting or
"control" codes. These files include:
* PC-Write files without format commands (or with them; see below).
* Output files from a database or spreadsheet "print to file" option.
* Word processor files saved in "non-document" mode.
* Batch (.BAT) files or program source files (.C, .PAS, or .ASM).
* Text files downloaded from bulletin boards.
In normal text files, each line ends with a carriage return and line
feed (code 13 then 10). PC-Browse assumes the line feed (code 10) ends
a line. Carriage return (code 13) doesn't force the end of a line; it
is ignored before a line feed, and assumed to be a PC-Write X font any
other place. For extremely large files with very short lines, you can
save some room by leaving out the carriage returns. This applies to
some PC-Browse applications using the lookup search. But for most text
files, and any file created with PC-Write, each line should end with
the normal carriage return and line feed pair. Tabs (code 9) are also
accepted, and shown assuming Tabs are set every 4 columns.
Word Processing Files:
Most word processing files include formatting codes for margins, fonts,
and so forth. PC-Browse knows how to read these codes in PC-Write
files; it displays them as easily as it does text files. PC-Write font
- 54 -
characters (all codes below 32) and guidelines (all lines starting with
code 11) are "hidden", as they would be in PC-Write's Hide mode.
PC-Write page break lines (code 12, or the pair 12 then 15) are hidden,
but actual text on a line after a form feed is visible (including
PC-Write page numbers).
Many other word processors store formatting information in the first
few hundred bytes of their files. You never see it when you're working
in the word processor, but it's there. The rest of the file is
relatively "clean", so just use Shf PgDn to skip the first screen.
In some word processors, every paragraph is stored as one very long
line. You can use the Shf Left and Right Arrow, Home, and End keys to
view the long "lines" in these files.
A few word processors store your text in a completely non-ASCII,
proprietary format. You may have difficulty reading such files with
PC-Browse.
Other File Types:
Other files, such as programs (.EXE, .COM) or spreadsheet files (.WK1)
can also be displayed in PC-Browse, but, since they are not ASCII
files, you will probably have trouble recognizing more than small
fragments of them. You may find the text of any messages they display.
Some database files (dBase, PC-File) are partially readable.
You can't read encrypted files (so much for peeking at the passwords)
or files compressed with archiving programs. PC-Browse won't show
understandable text. There's nothing wrong with your file, or with
PC-Browse; the contents just aren't in standard text format. Since
PC-Browse never writes to the file, you can always PC-Browse a file
without harm.
Moving Around in PC-Browse
Information in a PC-Browse file is divided into pages. Pages are always
separated by a form feed (a PC-Write page break). The form feed symbol
is character code 12 and looks like a plus sign with the letter "o" on
top of it. In PC-Browse, as with a printed report, each page of text is
separate. In order to display material as clearly as possible, PC-
Browse shows only one page at a time. You won't see the bottom of one
page and the top of another (as you would with PC-Write.)
To scroll one line at a time within a page:
* Press PgDn to scroll forward (toward the end of the file).
* Press PgUp to scroll backward (toward the top of the file).
- 55 -
PgDn and PgUp allow you to scroll one line at a time within a page
of text. Scrolling stops when you reach the top or the bottom of the
page.
To move in larger jumps (even across pages), use Shf PgDn or Shf PgUp.
To scroll one window at a time:
* Press Shf PgDn to scroll down one window.
* Press Shf PgUp to scroll up one window.
Shf PgDn and Shf PgUp scroll one window's worth at a time, until you
reach the top or bottom of the page. Shf PgDn at the bottom of a
page goes to the top of the next page. Likewise, Shf PgUp at the top
of a page jumps to the bottom of the preceding page. Shf PgDn at the
end of the last page or Shf PgUp at the top of the first page just
beep.
You will notice the graphical reminder, near the bottom of the right
edge of the window (marked by the # in the figure below). If you can
page down, you see a downward pointing triangle. If you can page
up, the triangle will point upwards. If you can page in either
direction, the triangles join to become a diamond.
| #
+Esc:Unload F4:View-locations F7:Print ----------PgUp/Dn:more+
Finally, if the entire file fits in the window and has no page
breaks, you can't scroll in either direction, and no PgUp/Dn marker
appears on this line.
To move directly from page to page, use the Ctl PgUp and Ctl PgDn keys.
To scroll one page at a time:
* Press Ctl PgDn to move to the next page.
* Press Ctl PgUp to move to the prior page.
Ctl PgDn takes you to the top of the next page (except on the last
page of the file). In the middle of a page, Ctl PgUp moves to the
top of that page. If you press it again, it moves to the top of the
preceding page, and so on until you reach the top of the file.
People are particular about PgUp and PgDn. About 30% feel they move in
the wrong direction. Another group feels PgUp/Dn and Shf PgUp/Dn should
be swapped. You can alter these keys to suit yourself with the /A:
switch (see: Customizing).
- 56 -
To move to the top or bottom of the file:
* Press F10 or Shf Grey+ to move to the top of the file.
* Press Shf F10 or Shf Grey- to move to the end of the file.
Grey+ and Grey- refer to the plus and minus keys on the numeric
keypad at the far right of the keyboard, not the keys across the top
of the keyboard. They're grey rather than white on most keyboards.
Not all keyboards have Grey+ and Grey- keys.
You may be looking at a file wider than 78 columns. You can scroll the
window left or right on the page to see the entire file through the
PC-Browse window.
To scroll the window left:
* Press Shf Left Arrow. The text on the page moves right, so you can
see 20 more columns on the left.
To scroll the window right:
* Press Shf Right Arrow. The text on the page moves left, so you can
see 20 more columns on the right.
To scroll left to the left margin:
* Press the Home key. The start of every line is visible.
To scroll one window right from the left margin:
* Press the End key. Columns 79 to 156 (one window width right) are
visible.
You can also move to the next or prior trigger keyword (a highlighted
word that links to the location of its target keyword). The selected
trigger keyword replaces the Find text. Any upper case letters in the
trigger keyword become lower case in the Find text, since lower case
matches both upper and lower case in a keyword search.
To scroll to next or prior trigger keyword:
* Press Tab to move to the next trigger keyword.
* Press Shf Tab to move to the prior trigger keyword.
* Press an Arrow key to select a trigger keyword if they're lined up
in rows and columns.
A trigger keyword is a word surrounded by special characters
(delimiters) that initiates a linear or lookup search. (Keyword
- 57 -
Search discusses triggers and delimiters.) If there are no (more)
trigger keywords in the file, PC-Browse beeps. If the file is long,
the bottom line of the window shows you it's searching for the
trigger.
Normal Search
In a normal search, PC-Browse scans the file for the next occurrence of
the find text.
To do a normal search:
1. Press F9. The cursor moves to the Find text area. You see the Find
menu:
MATCH F5:Any alpha F6:Non-alpha. SEARCH F10:From top Grey+:From cursor.
2. Type the text you want to search for.
The default Find text is the word at the cursor in the original
program when you pressed the hot key. (If there was no text at the
cursor, the Find text does not change). If this is the text you want
to search for, you don't need to press F9 or type it in again.
3. Press the Enter key to just accept the Find text without starting a
search.
4. Or press one of the search keys to start searching from the F9
prompt:
Grey+ (or Ctl-L) to search from the current location forward.
Grey- (or Ctl-O) to search from the current location backward.
Shf Grey+ (or F10) to go to the top of the file and search forward.
Shf Grey- (or Shf F10) to go to the very end and search backward.
To do a normal search on a word from another program:
1. From that program, place the cursor on the word you wish to search
for. The cursor can be on any character of the word. It can also be
on the space just after the word, so you can type the word and then
search for it with PC-Browse.
2. Press Shf Ctl F9. PC-Browse pops up and puts the word at the cursor
in the original program into the Find text. The cursor is in the
Find text.
3. Press one of the search keys described above.
Once PC-Browse finds the text, the search stops and the found text is
highlighted.
- 58 -
To search for further occurrences of the find text:
* Grey+ (or Ctl-L) searches forward.
* Grey- (or Ctl-O) searches backward.
* Enter searches forward (at the Find or File prompt, Enter just
accepts the text).
* Shf Grey+ (or F10) then Grey+ searches forward from the top.
* Shf Grey- (or Shf F10) then Grey- searches backward from the end.
While PC-Browse is searching, it displays the following message:
| |
+Finding... (xx%) [Press any key to stop search]----------------------+
where "xx" indicates how far the search has progressed through the
file. If you press a key while this message is displayed, the search
stops.
If PC-Browse finds the text, the window shows the page, with the found
text highlighted (if you found invisible text, like a font , the next
character is highlighted). The file locations both before and after you
made the jump are saved in the location list. Press F4 to return to the
previous location, or Shf F4 to view the list. (See: Location List.)
If PC-Browse does not find the text, it displays "Not found: text"
where "text" is the text you were searching for. The message is cleared
the next time you press a key.
Case Matching and Wild Cards in a Search
PC-Browse has case matching rules and wild card characters that help
you search for text. It uses the same case matching and wild cards as
PC-Write's Find function. These aren't the same as the file name wild
card characters * and ? used at the File: prompt.
During a search, lower case letters match the corresponding upper case
and accented letters. For example, "a" matches "a", "A", or any of the
foreign language A's in the upper ASCII set. To match only the lower
case "a", press F4 (a right facing triangle) before the "a". (Lookup
keyword searches are different; all cases match.)
Also, a single space matches any combination of spaces, font characters
(codes 1 to 31, except 12), line boundaries (code 13,10 pair), or PC-
Write Guide Lines (any line starting with code 11). Again, the F4 wild
card before a space makes it match exactly one space.
PC-Browse normally ignores PC-Write font characters in the file (codes
less than 32). For example, if your Find text is Gregor, PC-Browse
finds Gregor even if the "G" is boldfaced. However, if you put
explicit font characters in the Find text, they must occur in the file
- 59 -
to match (unless they are also wild cards, in which case you need the
F4 wild card in front of them).
Like a wild card, a trigger keyword delimiter modifies the search.
Either a linear or a lookup search-trigger keyword delimiter matches
the corresponding target keyword delimiter. A lookup trigger delimiter
also invokes a lookup search instead of a normal, linear search. Also
in a lookup search, all letter cases match.
You can use the following wild cards to find a text string with a
particular pattern:
Key Code Description
F4 16 Matches the next character exactly. In particular:
A space matches exactly.
A lower case letter matches exactly.
A trigger keyword delimiter matches exactly.
A character that represents a wild card matches exactly:
Alt-A (code 14), Alt-D (code 16), Alt-J (code 8),
Alt-M (code 7), Alt-X (code 13) and Alt-Z (code 15).
If you want to search for one of these PC-Write font
characters, you must precede it with F4 so that it does
not act like a wild card.
F5 07 Matches any letter or number found at that position, but
not spaces or symbols (i.e., matches "a" or "3" but not
"." or "$").
F6 08 Matches any space or symbol found at that position, but
not letters or numbers (i.e., matches "." or "$" but not
"A" or "3"). Use F6 to find whole words: "at" surrounded
by F6 characters won't find "cat" or "match".
F7 15 Matches any one character, blank, letter, number, or
symbol.
F8 13,10 Matches a line boundary, the characters at the end of a
line. Line boundaries contain a carriage return (code
13) and line feed (code 10). Code 13 by itself matches the
carriage return; code 14 by itself, a line feed.
Here are some examples (for this example, ! is used for the F4 wild
card, @ for F5, # for F6, and $ for F7):
Text Wild Card Matches Doesn't match
ax!$ F4 ax$ axe, ax*
Ho@se F5 House, Horse Hose, Ho-se
C#PO F6 C.PO, C+PO C3PO, CAPO
A$om F7 Atom, A:om Aom, A..om
- 60 -
Foreign and Special Characters in a Search
If the text you want to find contains foreign or special characters,
you can enter them from the keyboard using the Accent key. Each special
character is created typing the first of a pair of characters, then the
Accent key, then the second of the pair. The Accent key acts like a
special Left Arrow, overstriking the first character with the second.
PC-Browse supports both the normal IBM extended character set and the
alternate "Code Page 850" character set (if your computer hardware
supports its use).
To enter foreign or special characters with the Accent key:
* Type one of the characters below, then the Accent key, then the
second character.
Here's the table of the keystroke combination that create the accented
characters (since many printers cannot print them, we did not put the
accented characters themselves in this manual):
Code Keys Code Keys Code Keys Code Keys
128 C and , 141 i and ` 154 U and " 222 * 7 and `
129 u and " 142 A and " 155 c and / 224 * a and /
130 e and ' 143 A and o 157 = and Y 226 * g and /
131 a and ^ 144 E and ' 160 a and ' 227 * p and /
132 a and " 145 a and e 161 i and ' 228 * S and /
133 a and ` 146 A and E 162 o and ' 229 * s and /
134 o and a 147 o and ^ 163 u and ' 231 * t and /
135 c and , 148 o and " 164 n and ~ 232 * F and /
136 e and ^ 149 o and ` 165 N and ~ 233 * h and /
137 e and " 150 u and ^ 166 a and _ 234 M and /
138 e and ` 151 * u and ` 167 o and _ 235 * d and /
139 i and " 152 y and " 168 ? and ? 236 * $ and `
140 i and ^ 153 O and " 173 ! and ! 237 * f and /
If you have a VGA display and are using the code page 850 extended
character set, you lose the above characters marked with *; however you
gain the following:
Code Keys Code Keys Code Keys Code Keys
155 o and / 209 D and - 216 I and " 231 t and h
157 O and / 210 E and ^ 222 I and ` 232 T and H
181 A and ' 211 E and " 224 O and ' 233 U and '
182 A and ^ 212 E and ` 226 O and ^ 234 U and ^
183 A and` 213 i and . 227 O and ` 235 U and `
198 a and ~ 214 I and ' 228 o and ~ 236 y and '
199 A and ~ 215 I and ^ 229 O and ~ 237 Y and '
208 d and -
- 61 -
Remarks
PC-Browse also accepts PC-Write font characters, entered with the Alt
key and a letter.
You can also search for any character by entering its numeric code at
the Find prompt. Just hold down the Alt key as you enter the decimal
code using the numeric keypad. The character appears when you release
the Alt key.
Searching Multiple Files
PC-Browse allows you to search for the Find text in multiple files on
your disk. Basically, you use the DOS wild card characters you're
already familiar with, ? and *. You can view each file containing the
Find text, or put a list of such files onto the location list.
To search multiple files:
1. If the text you want to search for is not already in the Find
prompt, press the F9 key, type the search text, and press Enter.
Don't start the search by pressing Grey+ yet.
2. Press F6, or F8. PC-Browse prompts you to enter a file name. Press
F8 if you know you want a list of files, not a view of each one.
3. Type the file name pattern using a combination of text and file name
wild cards.
4. Press the Enter key to accept the file name, or Grey+ to accept it
and then search.
5. When the search first starts, you get the following prompt (unless
you pressed F8; then PC-Browse knows you want a list of files):
| |
+Esc:Cancel F9:View each match as found F10:Collect matches and list--+
* Press F9 to load each file containing the Find text.
When a match is found, PC-Browse displays the file, highlighting
the found text. You can move around through this file freely with
PgDn, Shf PgDn, and so on. If this is not the occurrence of the
Find text that you're looking for, press Grey+ or Enter to keep
searching. The search will continue through the end of the
current file and then on to the next file that matches the file
name pattern.
You can also press Shf Enter to go right to the next file and
search. Press Shf Enter as soon as you know the current file is
- 62 -
not the one you want. You can also press Grey- to search
backwards in the file; however, it won't go back to a prior file.
* Press F10 to put all files containing the Find text on the
location list.
This process may take a while. It adds to the location list,
described below. When it finishes, the location list is
displayed. Use the arrow keys to select a file to load. Since the
location list has a limited size, all locations may not fit. This
means you only get the end of the list. However, you can press
the Shf F9 key first to set a protected location, and then cancel
the search when the list fills. Then you get the first part of
the list. You can also make the location list bigger (see:
Customizing).
As each file matching the pattern is searched, its name is displayed in
the File prompt, along with the original file name pattern. For
example, if the pattern is:
CE:\PCW\*.*
the File prompt might display:
+File:CE:\PCW\*.*=C:\PCW\MYFILE.DOC---Find:browse---------------------+
| |
While PC-Browse is searching, it displays the following message:
| |
+Finding... (xx%) [Press any key to stop search]----------------------+
where "xx" indicates how far the search has progressed through the file
being searched (the counter starts over with each file). If you press
any key while PC-Browse is searching, the search stops (the key's
normal action does not occur).
If you change the Find text after a multi-file search and search again,
PC-Browse asks if you want to continue the multi-file search, or just
search the current file:
| |
+Esc:Cancel F9:This file only F10:All files matching file spec------+
Press F9 to just search the current file, or F10 to continue the multi-
file search but look with the different Find text.
If PC-Browse can't find any file that matches the file name pattern, it
shows the message: "Can't find filename pattern" where "filename
- 63 -
pattern" is what you entered at the File prompt. (The message clears
the next time you press a key to do something.)
If no (more) occurrences of the Find text can be found in any file that
matches the file name pattern, PC-Browse displays "Not found text"
where "text" is the text you were searching for. PC-Browse shows the
last file (if any) that contained "text."
Remarks
PC-Browse, by default, skips certain non-text files in a multiple file
search. Files with extensions .COM, .EXE, .OBJ, .OVL, and .OVR are
skipped unless you specifically tell PC-Browse to search them (e.g., by
setting the File text to *.EXE). In addition, hidden files are skipped,
but again if you know the name of a hidden file you can search it by
giving the name at the File prompt. Also, you can customize the list of
excluded file name extensions, to skip large non-text files like
compressed files or fonts (see: Customizing).
Keyword Searches
There are two kinds of keyword searches; a linear keyword search and a
lookup keyword search. This section describes keyword searches in
general, and linear and lookup searches in particular.
A linear keyword search is a kind of normal search. The Find text has
linear search-trigger keyword delimiters, which match the same text
with target keyword delimiters. In a normal search, "paint" finds
"paint" (or "Paint", "PAINT", etc). In a linear keyword search
"<paint>" finds "^paint*" (or "^Paint*", etc.), assuming < > and ^ *
are the defined linear-search trigger and target keyword delimiters.
A lookup keyword search appears on the surface like a linear keyword
search. However, it does not scan the whole file like a normal search
or a linear keyword search; instead it uses a much faster method
(divide and conquer) since the file is sorted by the keyword. The
lookup search is an extremely fast search of sorted data, most useful
with large files created from a data base program. There are four
requirements for a lookup search:
1. Each target keyword can appear only once in the file.
2. Each page must have one and only one target keyword.
3. Each page is limited to no more than 4096 bytes (or current buffer
size).
4. The lookup targets must occur in alphanumeric sort order, so a page
with "Beckett" comes before the one with "Brecht," which comes
before the one with "Shakespeare."
PC-Browse does a "divide and conquer" to do a lookup search. First it
compares the target keyword on the current page to the one it's
seeking. If it's looking for "Marimba" and finds "Glockenspiel," it
knows the target keyword must occur later in the file. But if it finds
- 64 -
"Sousaphone," it knows "Marimba" lies in the first part of the file. It
repeats this strategy with the selected portion of the file, choosing a
page in the middle and comparing keywords again. This continues until
it hits the target. Should there be two occurrences of the target text,
there is no guarantee which one it will find.
Note that both lookup and linear searches find the same target keyword;
they simply use different methods. The lookup search is much faster on
large files (perhaps 20 times faster on a 2-megabyte file), but lookup
files have more exacting design requirements.
To describe a keyword search, we use the idea of a trigger keyword and
a target keyword. The trigger keyword is the word that can start a
search; the target keyword is the word found by such a search. A
keyword search only finds words delimited (specially marked) as search
targets. Keyword searching requires files designed for PC-Browse. If
you just want to find a text string within a normal file, use the
normal search, described above.
There are three ways to trigger a keyword search:
1. Convert normal PC-Browse Find text to a trigger keyword, and then
search.
2. Pop up PC-Browse and do a keyword search for the word at the
application cursor.
3. Start a search from a trigger embedded in the text. This method
allows you to link (cross reference) related information. This
capability is often referred to as hypertext.
To do a keyword search on a word you type in:
1. Press F9 to put the cursor at the Find prompt. Type the text you
want to search for.
2. Press F3 to convert the Find text to a linear trigger keyword and
begin the search. PC-Browse places the linear search-trigger
delimiters around the Find text and forces the text to lower case.
It then searches the file (from the top, not simply from the current
location) for the first occurrence of the Find text as a target
keyword.
3. Or, press F2 to convert the Find text to a lookup trigger and begin
the search. PC-Browse places the lookup search-trigger delimiters
around the Find text and does a faster lookup search. There should
only be one occurrence of the lookup target text.
Let's assume your linear search-trigger keyword delimiters are "{" and
"}", your target keyword delimiters are "<" and ">", and you typed "hi"
at the Find prompt. If you simply press Grey+, PC-Browse does a normal
search, finding "hi", "this" and "<hi>". However, if you press F3
- 65 -
instead, it converts the Find text to "{hi}" and finds only "<hi>". The
braces in the Find text "{hi}" tell it to look in the file for "<hi>";
the trigger delimiters match the target delimiters. Now if you press
Grey+, you get a linear keyword search, because the find text "{hi}" is
still active.
While PC-Browse is doing a linear search, it displays the following
message:
| |
+Finding... (xx%) [Press any key to stop search]----------------------+
where "xx" indicates how far the search has progressed. If you press a
key while this message is displayed, the search stops (the key's action
is ignored).
If PC-Browse finds the target, the search stops and the found text is
highlighted. If not, it displays "Not found {text}" where "text" is
the target you were searching for and "{" and "}" are the search-
trigger delimiters. (The message clears when you press a key.)
For a lookup search, if the targets are not sorted in the file,
PC-Browse may (or may not) discover this and display: "Pages must be
sorted for a Lookup search to work". PC-Browse displays the page with
the target keyword that caused it to give this message. However, often
it won't detect that the file is not sorted, since this faster search
does not read the whole file. It simply tells you it can't find your
text. Also, each page must fit into the PC-Browse text buffer. If it
finds a page larger than the buffer (4096 bytes by default) with no
target keyword, it displays the message "Pages in this file are too
long".
To continue searching for the same target keyword:
* Press the Grey+ or Enter key. The target keyword for a linear search
may occur more than once. Grey+ or Enter finds the next one. (Grey-
finds prior ones.) The braces are still in the Find text, so each
repeated search is still a linear keyword search. If you press F9
then F3, you also get a linear keyword search, but from the top of
the file.
For example, in the file AREACODE, each state abbreviation is a target
keyword. Since some states have several area codes, some target
keywords occur several times. If you type CA as the Find text and then
press F3, PC-Browse finds the first page, 209/Fresno. If you press
Grey+, it finds the next one, 213/Carson.
If you press Grey+ after doing a lookup search, it does the lookup
search again. Since each target appears only once, it finds the same
page. This is one way to get back to a target page after you've found
- 66 -
it (via lookup search) and then browsed around the file. You might also
change files and press Grey+ to repeat the lookup search in the new
file.
To do a keyword search on a word from another program:
1. From that program, place the cursor on the word you wish to search
for. The cursor can be on any character of the word. It can also be
on the space just following the word, so you can type the word and
then search with PC-Browse.
2. Press Shf Ctl F3 to do a linear keyword search. PC-Browse pops up,
grabs the word at the cursor in the original program, makes it lower
case, adds the delimiters to create the linear search-trigger
keyword in the Find text, and searches for the first occurrence in
the PC-Browse file of that word as a target keyword.
3. Or, press Shf Ctl F2 to do a lookup search. A similar process
occurs, using lookup search-trigger delimiters.
If the PC-Browse file has no appropriate keyword definitions, it
pops up, but gives you a message and leaves the cursor at the Find
text prompt.
For example, load the sample file MISUSED into PC-Browse. Press Esc to
return to your original application (or the DOS prompt). Type the word
"its" and then press Shf Ctl F3. PC-Browse pops up and jumps to the
page covering the proper use of "its" and "it's."
To do a keyword search on a cross-referenced word:
1. Use Tab (or Shf Tab) to select the next (or previous) trigger
keyword. If the trigger keywords are aligned in rows and columns,
you can also use the four Arrow keys. When you select a trigger
keyword, it appears as new the Find text, in lower case. These keys
stop at both linear and lookup search-trigger keywords.
2. Press the Grey+ or Enter key to search for the target keyword. This
searches from the start of the file for the first occurrence of the
text as a target keyword.
For example, load the sample file HAMLET into PC-Browse. Each time you
press Tab, the next trigger is highlighted. The Find text shows the
trigger you just found. If you tab to the "outrageous fortune" trigger
(the fourth trigger in the file) and press Grey+, you jump to the page
with "<OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE>" at the top as the target keyword.
If the triggers are lined up in contiguous rows and columns (called an
index page), the four Arrow keys also select a trigger keyword. For
example, in the sample file MISUSED the first page is an index page.
- 67 -
You can use the Arrow keys to highlight a trigger keyword, and then
Enter or Grey+ to jump to the corresponding target page.
You may want to search for a particular trigger keyword itself. For
example, you want to find all cross-references to a given target
keyword.
To search for references to a keyword:
1. Place the trigger keyword in the Find text. You can type the keyword
at the F9 prompt and press F3, use the Tab key to select it, or type
the keyword and delimiters yourself.
2. Press F9 to go to the Find text.
3. Press Ins, then F4. This inserts the F4 wild card in front of the
first search trigger keyword delimiter, to make it match exactly.
4. Press End, then Bksp. This removes the final search-trigger keyword
delimiter.
5. Press Grey+ to search. Because of the F4 wild card, you get a normal
search.
Remarks
Most of our sample files use PC-Write font characters as trigger
delimiters. In MISUSED, for example, the index on the first page
doesn't show the trigger delimiters, because PC-Write font characters
are hidden in PC-Browse. This makes the table easier to read. Fonts do
appear in the Find text when you use Tab or Arrow keys to highlight a
trigger.
Links Between Files
You can put a file name in square brackets after a trigger keyword to
link to the target keyword in that file. This can be handy to organize
your application files. An earlier example used PARTS and SUPPLIER
files to keep different information in different files. Very large
applications can be easier to manage if divided into separate files.
The left square bracket must come either right after the trigger
keyword, or with one space between. If you want the file name in
brackets hidden in PC-Browse, put a question mark after the left square
bracket; in this case you can't put a space between the keyword and the
bracket. Some examples:
#3478 [PARTS] Link to part #3478 in the PARTS file.
<PLIERS>[TOOL.LST] Link to keyword PLIERS in the file TOOL.LST.
<HAS CAR>[?SCRIPT2A] Link to keyword HAS CAR in the SCRIPT2A file,
but don't show the brackets or the file name.
- 68 -
Running Other Programs
PC-Browse can also run another program when a trigger keyword is
selected, instead of linking to the other file. In fact, it can run any
DOS command. Basically, you just put the DOS command in square brackets
instead of a file name. But there are some rules.
First, PC-Browse must be in non-resident mode. You must run PC-Browse
as a normal program, instead of a resident (TSR) program. DOS can't
handle a resident program that pops up over a second program and runs a
third program. In non-resident mode, you cannot use the Esc key to
exit; you must use Shf Esc to unload PC-Browse from memory and exit.
To load PC-Browse in non-resident mode, use the /M startup
customization option, usually by giving it on the command line that
starts PC-Browse. For example:
BR MAINMENU.BRS /M
Next, you must tell PC-Browse you want to do a DOS command, not just
link to a file. To do this, follow the "[" (or the "[?" if you want to
hide it) with a ">". For example:
Lotus [>123 PAYABLES]
*Word Processor*[?>ED]
"Regrets-Letter"[?>ED BOZOLET.TMP /e]
*Prepare New Disk*[?>c:\sys\FORMAT B:/s]
After PC-Browse runs the other program, the PC-Browse window returns.
For example, [>TYPE BETA.DOC] types BETA.DOC and returns to PC-Browse.
In this case, the file would whiz by so fast you couldn't see it. But
you can tell PC-Browse to give the message "Press any key to continue"
and wait for the user to press a key before returning. Put a /P before
the command text to do this. For example, [/P >TYPE BETA.DOC]
Even though PC-Browse is "non-resident", when you use it to run another
program you can pop up PC-Browse in that other program (you just can't
run yet another program). You can give users of these programs access
to on-line help, customer information, etc. When you include a command
to run another program, you can also give the name of a PC-Browse file
to be made available when the user pops up PC-Browse. Every program you
run can have its own PC-Browse help file. The /H switch does this. For
example:
*Payroll[? /H:FEEDEM.BR >123 PAYRLL89.WKS]
*Payables[?/H:STALLEM.BR >123 PAYBLE89.WKS]
If you use several of these options, start with the "?" that hides the
entry, then put the /H:File and /P switches, and finally the ">"
followed by the DOS command line.
- 69 -
This ability to "launch" other programs can be used to create a menu of
programs and commands to run from PC-Browse. This can be handy for
people who are not overjoyed when they see a DOS prompt. The sample
application file MENU gives you a model to start from. Here's a sample
page from this file:
<DOS>
Dir[?/p>dir /w]
Check Disk[?/p>chkdsk]
Shell to DOS[?>c:\command]
(remember: type the word 'EXIT' to return to this menu.)
F10 to Return to the Main Menu
"Dir", "Check Disk", and "Shell to DOS" are all triggers surrounded by
the delimiters code 22 (leading) and code 20 (trailing).
The first line, <DOS>, is a target keyword used to reach this page from
the main menu. The second contains the trigger keyword Dir (the
[?/p>dir /w] part is invisible). When the user selects this trigger
with the Tab key and hits Enter, the DOS directory appears, followed by
Press any key to continue. After viewing the directory and pressing a
key, the user sees this menu page again.
The third menu item runs a program called COMMAND. Since this is the
DOS command processor, when the user selects this option they get a
normal DOS prompt, and can run any DOS commands (similar to PC-Write's
F1 then F4 option). The DOS command exit leaves this shell of DOS and
returns to the PC-Browse menu again.
Additional Windows
PC-Browse can display a large amount of information. You can view
different but related references at the same time with multiple
windows. The number of windows depends on the height of the windows,
which you can define yourself (see: Customizing).
To open a new window:
* Press F2. If there is room on the screen, an exact copy of the
current window is opened below it. You continue working in the new
window while the original remains visible.
There must be room on the screen to display the full window (minus 1
line; the top line covers the bottom of the window above). By default,
there are 25 screen lines; the first window takes lines 1-13, the
second lines 13-25. If you change the height to 9 lines, three windows
fit, on lines 1-9, 9-17, and 17-25. If your screen can display more
lines (as EGA and VGA adapters do) you can tell PC-Browse to use a
longer screen. (See: Customizing.)
- 70 -
To shut the current window:
* Press Shf F2. The current window is closed and you are returned to
the window above. Pressing Shf F2 at the first window exits; you are
returned to the original program.
To reopen a window:
* Press F3. Unlike F2, which opens a new window, F3 reopens the last
one that was shut. A window can be reopened as long as another
window has not been opened with F2.
You can slide the PC-Browse windows down on the screen, to see your
application screen underneath. Then you can slide it back again. The
Shf Up and Down Arrow keys do this.
To slide the window down:
* Press Shf Down Arrow.
To slide the window up:
* Press Shf Up Arrow.
Navigating Within PC-Browse
As you explore with PC-Browse, traveling within a file or across
several files, there is always the chance that you may get "lost."
PC-Browse provides you with two navigational aids that allow you to go
off on tangents, confident that you can return to your starting point
or to any interesting "way stations" that you noted while PC-Browsing.
The Location List
The location list is the main navigational aid. Each location records
the file, your position in it, and any "found" text. Every time you
search for text or link to a keyword, PC-Browse puts both the original
and the new location on a list. If the original was already on the
list, it doesn't go on twice. Pressing Tab to select a trigger word
doesn't save the location, but does change it (since the selected text
changes). If you press Enter to follow this link, then the location is
saved. All PC-Browse windows share one location list.
You can put any location on the list yourself. If you are viewing one
file but have set a location in another, PC-Browse automatically
returns to the correct file when you return to that location. The file
name, screen position, and selected ("found") text are restored.
- 71 -
The location list is sequential; location 1 is followed by location 2,
then location 3, and so on. You can go back up the list with F4, then
either go down the same list again with F5, or start a new branch with
any search or with the set-location key, Shf F9. You can also view the
entire list and select a location from it, with Shf F4. There is only
one path, so if you start a new path at location 3, every location
beyond that (such as 4 and 5) is cleared.
There is a limit to the number of location marks you can set, and that
number varies. PC-Browse allocates 1024 bytes by default for storing
the location list for all windows. You can increase this to store a
longer location list (see: Customizing). When the list is full and you
add a new location, the oldest location is normally removed.
However, when you use Shf F9 to put a location on the list, that
location is protected. PC-Browse asks if it's okay to remove a
protected location from the list with the prompt:
| |
+Protected location found: Esc:Cancel F9:Overwrite it--------------+
A small arrow in the upper right hand window border shows the location
list status. If the arrow is pointing down, you are at the start of the
list. If it is pointing up, you are at the end of the list. A double
headed arrow means you are in the middle of the list and can go in
either direction.
To set a position on the location list:
* Press Shf F9. Any search also puts the locations before and after
the jump on the list.
To move to the prior location on the list:
* Press F4. If you're at the start of the list, PC-Browse beeps.
To move to the next location on the list:
* Press F5. If you're at the end of the list, PC-Browse beeps.
To view and select from the location list:
* Press Shf F4. The last location on the list (where F4 would take
you) is highlighted.
* Press Up or Down Arrow to select a location. F4 and F5 also move the
selection up and down. The list scrolls to show all locations.
- 72 -
* Press Grey+ or Enter to jump to the location. The old location does
not go on the list.
* Or, press Esc to cancel the location list view.
The location list indicates a protect location with a character that
looks like an upper case "P" and a lower case "t" (code 158). A
location added by a multi-file search for the find text is marked with
a fancy "f" (code 159). Both of these marks are shown just to the left
of the filename. ( directly below the "F" in File in the example
below).
+File:c:\br\hamlet-----------------Find:Thus conscience does make-----+
| a:\launch browsers |
| c:\br\address Walton |
| c:\br\hamlet of the play. |
| c:\br\hamlet <TO BE, OR NOT TO BE> |
| c:\br\hamlet Must give us pause. |
| c:\br\hamlet Thus conscience does make |
| c:\br\quarto in his mind with |
| |
+Arrows highlight entries, Enter selects (Esc:Cancel)-----------------+
Remarks
One kind of multiple-file search adds a list of all files that contain
the Find text to the location list. (See: Searching Multiple Files.)
The Bookmark
The bookmark also saves a location (like the location list), but only
you can set it (PC-Browse never sets it). The bookmark remains in
effect until you set a new one.
To set the bookmark:
* Press Ctl Home.
To return to the bookmark:
* Press Ctl End.
Pasting and Printing
You can paste selected text into your original application. You can
also print selected text to your printer or to a file. Pasting into
your application tells PC-Browse to "type" it just like it came from
the keyboard. If you're pasting text into a word processor, make sure
it is set for "insert" or "pushright" mode; otherwise, existing text
may be overwritten.
- 73 -
To paste or print with PC-Browse:
1. Press F7 to paste, or Shf F7 to print. You get the following menu:
| |
+Esc:Cancel F4:Start mark F5:Marked text F6:Filename F7:Window F8:Page+
2. Press one of the following keys:
Esc Cancels the operation and returns to the PC-Browse Main
Menu.
Up/Down The up- and down-arrow keys move the blinking cursor to
Arrow select lines for marking (this is the only time PC-Browse
uses a cursor).
F4 Starts marking lines, beginning with the cursor line.
F5 Pastes or prints the marked lines.
F6 Pastes or prints the name of the current file, with the
drive and path.
F7 Pastes or prints the contents of the current PC-Browse
window.
F8 Pastes or prints the entire current page that you are
viewing. The page may extend in either direction beyond
the window to the page break.
3. For a Paste, PC-Browse then asks when you want to paste the selected
text:
| |
+Esc:Cancel paste F9:Paste now F10:Paste when Paste-hotkey pressed----+
4. Now you have three Paste choices:
Esc Cancels the entire paste operation.
F9 Exits PC-Browse and immediately pastes the text into your
application. You must be confident that your cursor is
correctly positioned.
F10 Exits PC-Browse and returns to your application. When
you're ready to paste in the text, press Shf Ctl F7 and
the selected text will be pasted.
- 74 -
5. For a Print, PC-Browse asks if you want a form feed with the
following menu:
| |
+Esc:Cancel F9:Send form feed at end (force page out) F10:No form feed+
6. Now you have three Print choices:
Esc Cancels the entire print operation.
F9 Sends a form feed after printing. This advances
continuous feed paper to the next sheet, or ejects
sheet-fed paper, including laser printer paper.
F10 Does not send a form feed after printing. To print
several short items on one piece of paper, select F10 for
all but the last. On the last item select F9 to advance
or eject the paper.
7. For Paste or Print, if PC-Browse finds any PC-Write font characters
(codes below 32), it prompts you with:
| |
+Esc:Cancel Font char found; F9:No font chars F10:Include font chars--+
8. Now you have three choices:
Esc Cancels the entire operation.
F9 Skips over (does not include) all PC-Write font
characters. Select this if you're pasting to an
application other than PC-Write, or if you don't want the
font characters in a PC-Write document. If you're pasting
"hypertext" material with cross-references that use font
characters as delimiters, this removes them. Use this
option for printing, unless you are printing to a PC-
Write file or these characters are printer escape
sequences.
F10 Includes the font characters. This pastes or prints the
characters exactly; they are not translated as in
PC-Write. For example, if the word "text" is in PC-Write
bold font characters (code 2), it sends the code 2's and
the word "text" to the printer. It does not print the
word "text" in boldface.
Remarks
You can turn off the form feed and font character prompts, opting
instead for a setting of Always (always send form feed, always include
font characters) or Never (never send a form feed, never include font
characters). (See: Customizing.)
- 75 -
A paste, by default, simulates pressing the Enter key at the end of
each line. You can change this. For example, if the end-of-line
character is a space, pasted text will word wrap in a word processing
program. In a database program, you might want to simulate the Tab key
at the end of each line, since the Enter key might exit the data-entry
screen.
For some applications, including PC-Write versions before 3.03, a paste
incorrectly simulates the Shf Enter key at the end of a line, instead
of the Enter key. This is not serious. To correct this, you can
customize PC-Browse to always include something called the piping
delay, or to have each paste prompt you as to whether to include it. By
default, the piping delay never occurs. If you have problems pasting,
set this parameter to prompt you about including the piping delay, and
try it both ways. If you include the piping delay, some applications
may "hang" when you try to paste in text from PC-Browse.
Setting the Output File Name
You can set the name of the print output file. You can print to a disk
file, or add to the end of a file, to accumulate text. You can also set
a device name, such as LPT2.
To change the output file name:
1. Press Shf F6. The cursor jumps to the File prompt.
2. To print the file on your printer, type PRN and press Enter. PRN
is the DOS name for the printer. (PC-Browse also sends output to the
printer if there's no text in this field.)
To send the output to a file, type the name of the output file. If
the file already exists, PC-Browse asks you if you want to replace
it with the new material, append the material to the end of the
existing file, or cancel the request entirely:
| |
+File found; Esc:Cancel F9:Replace file F10:Append to end----------+
Press F9 to replace the file, or F10 to add the material to the end
of the file.
- 76 -
BR4.DOC
Customizing
You customize PC-Browse by defining parameters. There are two types of
parameters: File Load Parameters and Startup Parameters. This section
includes:
* Descriptions of the parameters
* Places you can define parameters
Descriptions of the Parameters
Each parameter controls one PC-Browse feature. You only need to define
a parameter if the default setting of the feature does not fit your
needs. A parameter consists of:
* The switch character, "/" (slash)
* The letter or number that represents the parameter
* A colon (optional)
* One or more letters or numbers, separated by periods.
You can put spaces between parameters, but not within a parameter. Here
are some examples of parameters:
/A:N.A
/I:60.62
/W:7
You can omit any options you don't need in parameters with several
options. For example, /A:N.N.A could be written as /A:..A since N is
the default setting.
In each description below, the first line shows the parameter with its
default value.
File Load Parameters
File load parameters define the window length, keyword delimiters,
print and paste options, and screen colors for a file. You can include
file load parameters directly in each PC-Browse file. Then, when you
load a file, it uses the specific parameters for that file. They can
also be given as startup parameters when you first load PC-Browse.
File load parameters in one file can be defined differently from those
in the next file. Once the parameter is defined it remains active until
you load another file that actually changes it (loading a new file per
se doesn't reset parameters to their default settings).
- 77 -
Window Length Parameter
/W:13
Sets the number of lines in the PC-Browse window, and therefore how
many windows can fit on the screen (this is also affected by the
screen length, parameter Y). The default of 13 lines allows for two
windows. The minimum total length is three lines, and the maximum is
the number of lines on the screen (25, or as set by parameter Y).
The maximum number of windows is limited for small /W: values, as
shown below. Here are some possible choices for a 25 line screen:
/W:13 2 windows of 11 lines /W:5 5 windows of 3 lines
/W:9 3 windows of 7 lines /W:4 6 windows of 2 lines
/W:7 4 windows of 5 lines /W:3 8 windows of 1 line
Keyword Delimiter Parameters
Delimiters are the symbols that define text as a target keyword, lookup
trigger keyword, or linear trigger keyword. A delimiter can be any one
character, empty (no such keyword defined), or a "non-alpha" code that
matches any space or character that is not a letter (A to Z, a to z) or
digit (0 to 9). Characters are defined by their character codes. The
empty delimiter is code 0; non-alpha is code 8. By default, all
delimiters are zero, so no keywords are defined. Codes 10, 11, 12, and
13 cannot be delimiters, except 12 (page break) can be used as a start
delimiter if the keyword is always the first thing on a page. The
parameter value is the starting and ending delimiter, separated by a
period.
/I:0.0
Defines the target keyword delimiters. There is only one kind of
target keyword, whether you are doing a linear search or a lookup
search. To use a lookup search, the two delimiters must be
different. For example:
/I:60.62 Starting delimiter is "<"; ending delimiter is ">".
/J:0.0
Defines the linear search-trigger keyword delimiters. Using the
linear trigger and target keyword allows you to link related text
for easy retrieval. For example:
/J:47.8 Starting delimiter is " / "; ending is any non-alpha.
/K:0.0
Defines the lookup search-trigger delimiters. A lookup is a fast
search of sorted pages. A lookup trigger can also be included in the
file for linking text. For example:
/K:35.8 Starting delimiter is "#"; ending is any non-alpha.
- 78 -
Print and Paste Parameters
/G:P.P.0
For printing, tells whether or not to include PC-Write font
characters, whether to include a final form feed, and what
end-of-line character to use.
/G:A.x.x Always print font characters.
/G:N.x.x Never print font characters.
/G:P.x.x Prompt each time to ask user about font characters
(default).
Printing font characters (most codes from 1 to 31) is different than
printing the text in the font style. Normally you would only include
font characters if you were printing to a file to be used with
PC-Write, or a file with embedded printer codes.
/G:x.A.x Always send a form feed after each print request.
/G:x.N.x Never send a form feed after the print request.
/G:x.P.x Prompt the user after each print request (default).
For some kinds of files, you may always or never want the form feed.
/G:x.x.13 Sets end-of-line character to carriage return only.
/G:x.x.32 Sets end-of-line character to a space.
By default, PC-Browse sends a carriage return and line feed to the
printer at the end of each line. You may want to change this because
of the way your printer works.
/H:P.N.0
For pasting, tells whether or not to include PC-Write font
characters, whether to include a "piping delay", and what
end-of-line character to use.
/H:A.x.x Always paste font characters.
/H:N.x.x Never paste font characters.
/H:P.x.x Prompt each time to ask user about pasting font
characters (default).
Normally, you only include font characters (codes 1 to 31) when you
paste PC-Write text from one file to another.
/H:x.A.x Always include the piping delay.
/H:x.N.x Never include the piping delay (default).
/H:x.P.x Prompt each time to ask user about including the
piping delay.
The piping delay makes PC-Browse wait until the second request for
each key from the host program when pasting. This fixes pasting into
PC-Write versions up to 3.02, and some other programs. PC-Write
- 79 -
versions 3.03 and up, and PC-Write Lite, work with or without it.
Some programs work without the delay, but hang if you include it.
/H:x.x.0 Enter keystroke at end-of-line.
/H:x.x.9 Tab keystroke at end-of-line.
/H:x.x.32 Space at end-of-line.
You can set the end-of-line character to fit the needs of the
program you are pasting to. In many database programs Tab moves from
field to field. In most word processors, a space makes the pasted
text wrap correctly. The Enter value (0) and Tab value (9) do not
actually send codes 0 and 9; instead they simulate the pressing of
these keys.
Screen Attribute Parameters
Screen attributes define the way parts of the PC-Browse window are
displayed: reversed, underlined, in a color. etc. The parameter has
three parts, giving values for monochrome, single color, and full color
displays. Since most people only use one type of monitor, you can enter
a single value that sets the value for all three (/1:7 is the same as
/1:7.7.7). To set attributes for a full-color monitor, you must add a
foreground and a background color to form a complete attribute. Since
these are file load parameters, each file can use different colors.
Here are the parts of the PC-Browse window and their default values:
/0:112.112.112 The Window Frame; the single line border surrounding
the window.
/1:9.15.79 The Menu, found along the bottom frame; displays your
options.
/2:7.7.116 General Text; the text from the file you are viewing.
/3:1.7.126 Font text; text surrounded by PC-Write font
characters.
/4:9.112.127 Target keywords; text surrounded by target keyword
delimiters.
/5:15.15.113 Trigger keywords; text surrounded by linear or lookup
delimiters.
/6:112.120.64 Text found by a normal search, or selected trigger
keyword.
/7:9.120.79 Top line prompt text, for File and Find prompts.
/8:7.7.126 Help Text; general text when you view the help file.
/9:1.120.79 Message Text, on the bottom line.
- 80 -
Screen Attribute Values
Monochrome Value Single Color Value
--------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Black 0 Black 0
Underline 1 Normal (light on dark) 7
Normal (light on dark) 7 Normal Bright 15
Bright underline 9 Reverse (dark on light) 112
Normal Bright 15 Reverse Bright 120
Reverse (dark on light) 112 Blinking, add +128
Blinking, add +128
Full Color
Foreground Value Foreground Value Background Value
-------------------- ------------------- -------------------
Black 0 Dark Grey 8 Black 0
Blue 1 Light Blue 9 Blue 16
Green 2 Light Green 10 Green 32
Cyan 3 Light Cyan 11 Cyan 48
Red 4 Light Red 12 Red 64
Magenta 5 Light Magenta 13 Magenta 80
Brown 6 Yellow 14 Brown 96
Light Grey 7 White 15 Light Grey 112
Here are some examples:
/6:9.15.31
When a search finds the text, it is displayed underlined (9) on a
monochrome monitor, in bright characters (15) on single color
composite monitor, and as white letters on a blue background (15 +
16) on a full color monitor.
/0:7
The frame of the window will be displayed with normal light-on-dark
characters on monochrome and single-color composite monitors. Full-
color monitors will display the frame as light grey on black.
Startup Parameters
Startup parameters tell PC-Browse about your computer and allow you to
define preferences such as window attributes and hot keys. You enter
these parameters when you load PC-Browse into memory. Do not put them
into the file load parameter area.
- 81 -
User Preference Parameters
/A:N.N.N
Sets three options for interacting with PC-Browse.
/A:A.x.x Full but abbreviated main menu option.
This sets whether you get the abbreviated menu with all function
keys listed, or the normal main menu with more descriptive key
names.
/A:x.A.x Swap PgUp/PgDn keys with Shf PgUp/PgDn keys.
Swaps the PgUp/Dn and Shf PgUp/Dn keys, so PgUp and PgDn scroll by
screenful.
/A:x.x.A Swap PgUp and PgDn (also Shf and Ctl versions).
Swaps the direction of the PgUp and PgDn keys (and their Shf'd and
Ctl'd versions).
/Z:COM.EXE.OBJ.OVL.OVR
This gives file name extensions that PC-Browse doesn't search. If
you don't want to search a particular database, spreadsheet, etc.
files, add their extensions to this list. A "+" after the ":" adds
to the default list; without a "+", this list replaces the default.
There is a limit of 25 extensions. Note that periods (not commas)
separate the items.
/Z:+DBL.WKS Don't search *.DBL or *.WKS files either.
/Z:COM.EXE Search all but *.COM and *.EXE files
System Parameters
/C (default is off)
Turn on color when present; use color attributes.
/C Use color attributes.
/E (default is off)
Tells PC-Browse to use EMS memory, if available. By default it
doesn't use EMS, since some programs use EMS in non-standard ways.
PC-Browse can share EMS with most other programs, since it uses EMS
in standard ways. LIM 3.2 and up is supported. Additional buffers
set with /X go into EMS, to a maximum of 20K.
/E Set PC-Browse to use EMS memory.
- 82 -
/M (default is off)
Tells PC-Browse to run stand-alone. By default, PC-Browse is
memory-resident, using approximately 60K of memory. When it runs
stand-alone, you must load the program each time you want it. Needed
to run programs from PC-Browse, as in a menu system.
/M Set PC-Browse to run stand-alone.
/X:4096.1024
Tells PC-Browse how much memory to reserve for the text buffer and
the location list. A larger text buffer makes searching faster.
Also, each page in a file used for a lookup search must fit in the
text buffer. The location list size indicates approximately how many
location entries can be saved, with about 45 bytes per entry. The
total of both numbers cannot exceed 36K bytes (less any extra screen
buffer set with /Y).
/X:6000.1024 Increase text buffer to 6000 bytes.
/X:4096.2000 Increase location list to 2000 bytes.
/Y:25.80
If your monitor supports more than 25 lines (many EGAs and VGAs
offer this option) or more than 80 characters per line, this option
lets you use the full height. PC-Browse windows are always 80
columns wide, but it uses the true screen width to save the
application screen. PC-Browse knows about some 132 column displays
automatically. Increasing these parameters requires memory (about 4K
more for a 50-line display), limiting the maximum PC-Browse text
buffer length (see /X parameter).
/Y:43.80 EGA with 43 line display.
/Y:50.80 VGA with 50 line display.
/Y:66.132 Special 66 line by 132 column display.
/B:N.N
Sets two options for display adapters.
/B:A.x Remove synchronization, speed up EGA/VGA. Normal video
synchronization avoids "snow" on CGA display adapters.
If you have an EGA or VGA adapter this option can
speed up operation.
/B:x.A Remove text mode check, permit non-standard modes.
Removes the check for a normal video text mode. If
PC-Browse won't pop up with a non-standard or
extra-function display adapter, try it. If you get
non-textual garbage when PC-Browse pops up, the
display is in graphics mode and PC-Browse won't work.
- 83 -
Hot Key Parameters
To avoid conflicts with other programs, or just for personal
preference, you can redefine the hot key combinations. You may use any
one key with the Shf, Ctl, and Alt keys. The value is a number from 0
to 7 for the Shf/Ctl/Alt status, a period, and a number (the scan code)
for the individual key. Here are the Hot Key parameters and their
defaults:
/P:3.59 (Shf Ctl F1) Pop up PC-Browse to the last place viewed.
/Q:3.60 (Shf Ctl F2) Pop up and do a lookup search for the word at
the cursor.
/R:3.61 (Shf Ctl F3) Pop up and do a linear search for the word at
the cursor.
/S:3.65 (Shf Ctl F7) Paste text into application, if paste is
active.
/T:3.66 (Shf Ctl F8) Pop up and move to the File text area to do a
directory.
/U:3.67 (Shf Ctl F9) Pop up and move to the Find text area.
/V:3.68 (Shf Ctl F10) Pop up and move to the first page.
Shf/Ctl/Alt keys:
0 (none) 2 Ctl 4 Alt 6 Ctl Alt
1 Shf 3 Shf Ctl 5 Shf Alt 7 Shf Ctl Alt
Keyboard Scan Codes:
Key Code Key Code Key Code Key Code Key Code
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Esc 1 E 18 J 36 PtSc 55 76*
1 2 R 19 K 37 SpBar 57 Rt 77
2 3 T 20 L 38 F1 59 G+ 78
3 4 Y 21 ; 39 F2 60 End 79
4 5 U 22 ' 40 F3 61 Dn 80
5 6 I 23 ` 41 F4 62 PgDn 81
6 7 O 24 \ 43 F5 63 Ins 82
7 8 P 25 Z 44 F6 64 Del 83
8 9 [ 26 X 45 F7 65
9 10 ] 27 C 46 F8 66
0 11 Rtrn 28 V 47 F9 67
- 12 A 30 B 48 F10 68
= 13 S 31 N 49 Hm 71
Bksp 14 D 32 M 50 Up 72
Tab 15 F 33 , 51 PgUp 73
Q 16 G 34 . 52 G- 74
W 17 H 35 / 53 Lf 75
* (Code 76 is the center key of the numeric keypad, with NumLock on
it is the 5 key.)
- 84 -
Here are some examples:
/P:4.25 Sets the hot key for popping up to Alt P.
/U:0.57 Sets the Paste hot key to the space bar (fine as long
as you don't ever use spaces. As a rule, don't
redefine a hot key as a single keyboard key without
one of the shift keys.)
Remarks
Redefining hot keys can be useful, but you can run into conflicts with
other programs. Be aware of key combinations used by other programs,
including other pop-up programs. For example, PC-Write uses Shf Ctl F5 to
clear the hold area, and Shf Ctl F6 to append a box to the hold area.
How to Define Parameters
There are four ways to define parameters. PC-Browse reads them in the
following order:
1. The control file called BR.DEF
2. The environment string SET BR=
3. The command line when you enter the BR command.
4. Within a text file, in [BR=...] brackets on the first line.
Defining Parameters in the BR.DEF File
When you run PC-Browse, it first looks for a file called BR.DEF. This
file must be in the current directory when you call PC-Browse, or in a
directory listed in PCBROWSE or PATH environment strings. You can
create BR.DEF with PC-Write or any text editor. BR.DEF is limited in
size to the text buffer size, usually 4K.
The main advantage of using BR.DEF is that each parameter can go on a
separate line. This means you can place comments after the parameters
to document them. In the other methods, all parameters must be listed
on the same line.
To define parameters with BR.DEF:
1. Using a text editor or PC-Write, create a file named BR.DEF in the
directory from which you normally call PC-Browse or in a directory
in the PATH.
2. Place each parameter definition on its own line. If you want to use
comments, start each with a left parenthesis. You don't need to end
them with a right parenthesis. For example, to use a color monitor,
set the basic pop-up hot key, set the length of the window, and
- 85 -
change the color of the text in the window, create a BR.DEF file
like this:
/C (use a color monitor
/P:5.48 (set basic pop-up key to Shf Alt B (B is for Browse)
/W:7 (set window length to 7 lines; allows 4 windows
/2:4 (set normal text to black with red
Defining Parameters in the Environment
After it checks for a BR.DEF file, PC-Browse checks the computer's
environment for a BR= string. If PC-Browse finds the same parameter
defined in both BR.DEF and the environment, the environment setting
takes precedence.
The environment is an area of memory where DOS holds text parameters.
You place text into the environment with the DOS SET command. The
information from the DOS PATH and PROMPT commands is put into the
environment. There is one restriction; the default environment is
limited to 160 bytes. If you exceed this, you get the message:
Out of environment space
If you have a long PROMPT (it might look neat, but it eats space) or
PATH, you can decrease their sizes, leaving more room. If you use DOS
version 3.1 or later, you can increase the environment (to a maximum of
32,768 bytes) by adding the SHELL command to your CONFIG.SYS file, as
follows:
SHELL=c:\command.com /e:# /p
where "c:\command.com" is the command processor and "#" is the new
size, in bytes. (DOS 3.1 only: /e: is in 16 byte blocks, and you must
remove all spaces in the line.)
To define parameters in the environment:
* At the DOS prompt type:
SET BR=/parameter1/parameter2/parameter3/...........
Note that there must be no space between "BR" and the equals sign.
For example, to set a color monitor, the basic pop-up hot key, the
window length, and the color of the text in the window, type the
following at the DOS prompt:
Set BR=/C/P:5.48/W:7/2:4
- 86 -
Defining Parameters from the Command Line
After PC-Browse checks the environment, it searches the command line
for parameters. You enter parameters on the command line like you do in
the environment, all on one line and one right after the other (or
separated by spaces). Place the parameters after the BR command, and
after the file name, if any. If there are parameter conflicts with
either the BR.DEF file or the BR= environment string, the command line
takes precedence.
To define parameters from the command line:
* At the DOS prompt, type:
BR filename /parameter1 /parameter2 /parameter3 /.....
where "filename" is the file to load into PC-Browse (optional). For
example, to load the default file HAMLET, and set a color monitor,
the basic pop-up hot key, the window length, and the color of the
text, type the following when loading PC-Browse into:
BR HAMLET /C /P:5.48 /W:7 /2:4
Defining Parameters Within a File
Finally, as PC-Browse loads each file, it checks for parameters on the
first line. You can only define file load parameters in a file, not
startup parameters. These parameters take precedence over all others. A
parameter in a file stays set until you load another file with a
different setting for that parameter. Parameters must occur in the
first 160 characters of the first line of the file.
To include file load parameters in a file:
* Anywhere in the first 160 characters of the first line of the file,
type:
[BR=/parameter1/parameter2/......]
For example, to set the window length type the following on the
first line of the file:
[BR=/W:7]
- 87 -
Summary of Parameters
Parameter(default) Description
------------------ --------------------------------------------
/A:N.N.N Choose Menu type and PgUp/Dn actions.
/B:N.N Video Synchronization and Text Mode check.
/C (off) Use Full Color screen attributes.
/E (off) Use EMS expanded memory.
/G:P.P.0 Print: include fonts, form feed, end-of-line char.
/H:P.N.0 Paste: include fonts, piping delay,end-line char.
/I:0.0 Target keyword delimiter.
/J:0.0 Linear search-trigger delimiter.
/K:0.0 Lookup search-trigger delimiter.
/M (off) Run in stand alone mode.
/P:3.59 Set basic "last page viewed" hot key.
/Q:3.60 Set "lookup search word at cursor" hot key.
/R:3.61 Set "linear search word at cursor" hot key.
/S:3.65 Set "Paste text" hot key.
/T:3.66 Set "Directory" hot key.
/U:3.67 Set "Pop up to Find text" hot key.
/V:3.68 Set "Pop up to first page" hot key.
/W:13 Set length of window, in lines.
/X:4096.1024 Set size of text buffer and location list.
/Y:25.80 Set size of screen display (rows and columns).
/0:112.112.112 Set screen attribute for the Window Frame.
/1:9.15.79 Set screen attribute for the Menu.
/2:7.7.116 Set screen attribute for the General text.
/3:1.7.126 Set screen attribute for PC-Write font text.
/4:9.112.127 Set screen attribute for Target keywords.
/5:15.15.113 Set screen attribute for Trigger keywords.
/6:112.120.64 Set screen attribute for text found by a search.
/7:9.120.79 Set screen attribute for File and Find prompts.
/8:7.7.126 Set screen attribute for Help text.
/9:1.120.79 Set screen attribute for Message text.
- 88 -
Appendix
Using PC-Browse with other programs
PC-Browse is designed to be as friendly as it can be with other
application programs and TSR's (memory resident programs). You may load
PC-Browse first if other TSR's request that they be loaded last (don't
they all). Conflicts may, however, occur whenever you are using a TSR.
Sometimes redefining the hot key will resolve the problem, sometimes
changing the load order will help, and sometimes two programs or a
combination of programs simply will not work together. Here are the
conflicts we are aware of:
Novell Network
Load PC-Browse before network software. Novell must be loaded last.
Ventura Publisher
Unload PC-Browse before running Ventura; it needs plenty of memory.
PC-Tools, version 5.0
If you use the shell program, load PC-Browse first.
Works ok with version 5.5.
Software Carousel
Don't pop up PC-Browse with left shift key; it blanks the screen.
TallScreen
Incompatible with PC-Browse.
Turbo Lightning v1.00a
If PC-Browse is loaded first, it won't pop up.
If PC-Browse is loaded last, it works until Lightning pops up.
Concurrent DOS v2.0
Incompatible with PC-Browse.
Sidekick
Load PC-Browse first. It pops up over Sidekick, but not reverse.
InSet
PC-Browse will pop up over InSet, even in graphics mode.
Other TSR's in general:
To avoid possible conflicts within DOS, PC-Browse sets a DOS flag
to "claim" DOS when it pops up, and checks this flag to be sure DOS
is free before it pops up itself. Many other disk-based TSR's do
the same thing. This means PC-Browse won't pop up over an active
disk-based TSR, and vice versa.
Using PC-Browse with other hardware
Keytronics 5151 Keyboard
PC-Browse may interpret keys on the separate cursor pad as shifted
when they are not. Check with Keytronics for an EPROM upgrade to
solve this problem.
- 89 -
About the Program's Author
Steven B. Levy has been programming, on and off, since the late '60s.
In the "on" periods, he created one of the earliest microcomputer-to-
typesetting conversion programs. Among the other software he has
developed are a variety of educational programs for the high school and
college markets and interactive, computer-based training materials for
companies ranging from A.I. giants to retail stores. He joined
Quicksoft as Senior Programmer and Development Manager in 1988. (In the
"off" times, he was Artistic Director for eight years of an Off-Off-
Broadway theatre company and played in a bunch of rock-and-roll bands.)
Licensing PC-Browse
PC-Browse is shareware. This is an unusual approach to marketing
software, one we at Quicksoft have used for many years and that works
well for us and our many customers.
If you have a PC-Browse full registration, printed PC-Browse manual, or
just a user certificate, you have the right to use the PC-Browse
software with your own files. If not, we do expect you to pay for the
use of PC-Browse by purchasing one of these items. Prices are:
Full PC-Browse Registration (include current software, full printed
manual, PC-Browse user certificate, technical support for one year,
and our newsletter, Quicknotes, for one year)....$49.00
PC-Browse printed manual and User Certificate......$24.00
PC-Browse user certificate only....................$10.00
We have group and campus licenses available for cases in which multiple
users in an organization will be using PC-Browse.
If you received PC-Browse with application files from someone else,
they are responsible for paying for your use of PC-Browse with their
files. You still need to pay for the use of PC-Browse if you use it
with your own files.
Assuming you have a copy of the PC-Browse software diskettes, you are
also encouraged to give copies of these diskettes to other people to
evaluate PC-Browse, with some restrictions given below.
If you want to distribute PC-Browse with your own information
(application files), you must get a license from Quicksoft. This is
only fair, since people receiving your information (your customers,
clients, employees, students, etc.) are indeed using PC-Browse with
your information, not just evaluating PC-Browse for their own use.
- 90 -
This license is simple, easy to get, and inexpensive. There are three
payment options:
1. A one-time fee based on projected use.
2. A royalty per unit sold or distributed.
3. A user certificate per person using it.
To order, or for more information call Quicksoft at 1-800-888-8088.
The rules on shareware distribution of PC-Browse are:
1. Please don't copy this printed manual. Purchases of the book pay for
the software. That's why each book comes with a User Certificate.
2. Please distribute complete, unmodified copies only. The person
receiving it deserves a full collection of all files. You can
compress and/or transmit files.
3. Please do not include your own PC-Browse application files (where
PC-Browse is used in a productive way) unless this use is licensed
as described above. You may include other types of files when you
distribute PC-Browse, such as descriptions or tutorials.
4. Please don't distribute copies outside the United States, Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand. In other countries like Great Britain,
France, and Germany, PC-Browse is not distributed as shareware.
5. If you're advertising the diskettes, please describe PC-Browse as
"shareware" and note Quicksoft trademarks "PC-Browse" and
"Quicksoft".
Quicksoft is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals
(ASP). For more information about shareware, you can contact ASP at PO
Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006.
- 91 -
Glossary
Application File
A file loaded into PC-Browse used to help people manage information.
Application Program
The program running on the computer when PC-Browse pops up, from
which PC-Browse gets a word to find, and to which PC-Browse can
paste text.
ASCII
American Standard for Computer Information Interchange, a character
set.
Bookmark
A PC-Browse tool for marking your place in a file so you can quickly
return to it.
Cross-reference
See Link.
Delimiter
A character used to "flag" text as a type of keyword in the file.
File Area
The area on the top frame of the window (left side) where the file
name or file name pattern to be searched is typed.
File Load Parameter
Parameters that define information that applies to a particular
file. The definitions of file load parameters are kept with each
file on the first line.
File Name Pattern
A combination of text and/or wild card characters that defines which
files to include in a multi-file search. The file name pattern is
used in place of a specific file name.
Find Area
The area on the top frame of the window where the text to be
searched for is typed.
Find Text
The text that is to be searched for.
Host Document
The application software (or DOS) that is running when you activate
PC-Browse.
Hot Key
Key or combination of keys that activates (pops up) a TSR program.
Hypertext
Non-linear text; text with links from one point or block to another
pointer or block (term invented by Ted Nelson).
Linear Search
One of the three search methods. Instead of searching for all
occurrences of text, searches only for text designated as a target
keyword, through the use of delimiters.
Link
A connection between two places in a file or between two files,
based on a trigger keyword in one place and a target keyword in the
other place; a cross-reference.
- 92 -
Location List
A method of remembering each place (location) as you search within a
file or across files. You can move quickly, back and forth, along
the list.
Lookup Search
One of the three search methods. Like the linear search it only
looks for text designated as a target keyword. Lookup search can
only be done on a file sorted alpha-numerically. It is a fast method
of searching large amounts of information.
Multi-File Search
Any search that automatically searches more than one file for the
find text. Wild card characters are used to build a file name
pattern in place of a specific file name. PC-Browse then searches
for all files that match the file name pattern.
Normal Search
A search for any and all occurrences of the find text.
Open
Creates another window on your screen (assuming space is available).
The new window will be an exact copy of the current window.
Parameter
Defines the way PC-Browse works. See File Load and Startup
Parameters.
RAM-resident
See TSR.
Shut
Close the current window and return to the last window opened, or to
the host document if there is only one window.
Startup Parameter
Parameters that define information common to all files.
Target Keyword
The delimited text within a file that both a lookup and linear
search attempt to find.
Trigger Keyword
The delimited text within a file that initiates (triggers) a lookup
or keyword search for the matching target keyword.
TSR
Terminate and Stay Resident. A TSR program loaded into your computer
memory (RAM) remains inactive and invisible until you activate it.
Also called RAM-resident.
Wild Card
A special character that matches or represents another character or
characters. There are two kinds: file name pattern wild cards and
text search wild cards.
Window
The box that appears over the top of your host document when the hot
key is pressed. PC-Browse allows for more than one window to be
visible at a time. The actual number of windows that can be
displayed depends on the number of lines on the screen and length of
each window. See also Open and Shut.
- 93 -
Index
entries with * are found in the tutorial section.
43 line display 83 Find Prompt 51
50 line display 83 Linear 50
About this User's Guide 6 Lookup 50
Application files 7 Popping up 12*
ASCII 54 Paste 74
Attributes 80 Top of File 51
Bksp 6 How to define parameters 85
Bookmark 73 Hypertext 19*, 65
BR.DEF 85 building links 43
BREF.BRS 7 Hamlet application 20*
BTUT.BRS 7 Index page creating 43
Case matching 59 Installation 7
Color monitor 82 Keyword delimiters 78
Colors 80 keyword search 64
Command line parameters 87 using an index page 19*
Ctl 6 LIM memory 82
Customizing 77 Linear search 64
Delimiter rules 33 adding a trigger 35
Delimiters 33 building an application 34
Delimiters care in using 34 defining delimiters 36
Directory selecting a file 53 delimiters 78
Display size 83 Linking files 68
Documentation on disk 7 Loading PC-Browse 11*
EGA 83 an application 52
EMS memory 82 autoexec.bat 48
End-of-line character Location list 71
for pasting 79 adding manually 72
for printing 79 changing size 83
Environment limit 72
defining parameters in 86 move back 72
increasing size 86 move forward 72
Exit 49 view entries 72
Expanded memory 82 Lookup search 37, 64
File load parameters 77, 87 adding a trigger 42
Font characters build file with mail merge 40
for pasting 79 defining the parameters 41
for printing 79 requirements 37,64
Foreign characters 61 Sailboat application 22*
Form feed handling 79 sorting the targets 39
Function key summary 46 delimiters 78
Glossary 91 Manual Terminology & Notation 6
Grey+ 6 Memory loading into 47
Grey- 6 Menu 45, 69
Help 45 abbreviated 46
Hot key 49 default 46
Basic 49 set style of 82
Definition 84 viewing main menu 45
Directory 51 Monitor display size 83
- 94 -
Multiple file search 62 PCBROWSE= 48, 53, 53
list files 62 PgUp/Dn options 82
load files 63 Piping delay 79
files not searched 64 Pop up 12*, 49
Non-alpha character 33 Print 73
Non-ASCII files 55 PC-Write font characters 75
Non-document 54 sending form feeds 75
Non-resident mode 69, 83 to a file 76
Normal search 58 Program diskette 7
multiple files 15* Reference diskette 7
one file 13* Running other programs 69
word from another program 58 Sample files using AREACODE 17*
Parameters 77 Sample files using HAMLET 20*
BR.DEF file 85 Sample files using MISUSED 19*
color monitor 82 Sample files using Quarto 21*
defining from command line 87 Sample files using SAILBOAT 22*
defining in environment 86 Screen attributes 80
EMS memory 82 values 81
end-of-line character paste 79 Screen colors 80
end-of-line character print 79 Screen size 83
File Load 77 Scroll
Files not to search 82 bottom of file 57
font characters for pasting 79 horizontally 57
font characters for printing 79 next trigger 57
form feed handling 79 one line 55
hot key 84 one page 56
how to define 85 one window 56
keyword delimiters 78 top of file 57
linear search delimiters 78 Search keys 58
location list size 83 Searching a single file 13*
lookup search delimiters 78 Searching multiple files 15*, 62
Menu option 82 Selecting a file 12*
monitor display size 83 SET BR= 86
PgUp/Dn options 82 SET PCBROWSE= 48, 53, 54
piping delay 79 Shf 6
screen attributes 80 Shf Ctl F1 49
SET BR= 86 Shf Ctl F2 50
stand alone version 83 Shf Ctl F3 50
startup 81 Shf Ctl F7 74
summary 88 Shf Ctl F8 51
target keyword delimiters 78 Shf Ctl F9 51
text buffer size 83 Shf Ctl F10 51
text mode check 83 Sort order 37
video synchronization 83 Stand alone version 69, 83
Window Length 78 Startup parameters 81
file load 87 Subdirectory-creating 8
Paste 73 Suggested Applications 29
end-of-line character 75 Summary of parameters 88
into another program 14 Target 19*, 34
marking text 14* Target keyword delimiters 78
PC-Write font characters 75 Text buffer changing size 83
- 95 -
Text mode check 83
Trigger 19*, 34
Trigger jump to next 57
TSR
conflicts with other programs 89
definition 47
working with other programs 89
Unload 48
Using with other programs 89
Using sample file AREACODE 17*
Using sample file HAMLET 20*
Using sample file MISUSED 19*
Using sample file SAILBOAT 22*
Using sample QUARTO 21*
VGA 83
Video synchronization 83
Viewing a File 12*
What is PC-Browse 5
Wild card patterns 51, 62
multi-file search 15
searching 59
Windows
length 78
multiple 70
open 16*, 70
reopen 71
shut 71
"Snow" 83
[BR=... 87
- 96 -
FILE1671.TXT
Disk No: 1671
Disk Title: PC-Browse Reference Disk (1670 also)
PC-SIG Version: S1.1
Program Title: PC-BROWSE
Author Version: 1.01
Author Registration: $69.00 plus $5 shipping
Special Requirements: None.
The PC's primary limitation has just been overcome! Finally you can be
working in one application, and still have access to the information
contained in all your other text files. Imagine you're working in your
spreadsheet when you realize you need some information in a memo you
wrote two days earlier. No need to exit your spreadsheet, just use PC-
BROWSE to pop the old memo onto the top of your screen. Better still,
PC-BROWSE will let you cut and paste part or all of that memo right into
your spreadsheet--even though the original memo was written with your
wordprocessor. Sounds incredible, and it is!
PC-BROWSE is a top notch software product from Quicksoft, the authors of
famed PC-Write. As expected, PC-BROWSE is loaded with all the extras
needed to optimize your use of this powerful tool. PC-BROWSE will let
you search entire directories for a word or phrase, then view each file
in that directory where the requested word or phrase occurs. Once you
find what you were looking for, you're free to browse through the
surrounding text.
Because PC-BROWSE can actually recognize the word at your cursor when
activated, it has hypertext-style functionality never before possible on
an overhead memory program requiring only 60K of RAM (3K if loaded into
EMS). PC-BROWSE is so well designed, it can even remove itself from
memory when you no longer need its unique skills, all without rebooting-
-now that's polished software.
The uses for PC-BROWSE are numerous: create on-line context-sensative
help files for any program, create study guides or customized
dictionaries, compile a program with often used lines of code, write a
telemarketing script with various categories of information, keep
product literature handy and accessible by product number, features, or
use. But most importantly, you will never have to exit your current
application to go browse text files in an attempt to find additional
data; PC-BROWSE will do it for you.
PC-SIG
1030D East Duane Avenue
Sunnyvale Ca. 94086
(408) 730-9291
(c) Copyright 1989 PC-SIG, Inc.
Directory of PC-SIG Library Disk #1671
Volume in drive A has no label
Directory of A:\
BR1 DOC 64780 9-29-89 7:27p
BR2 DOC 35051 9-29-89 7:27p
BR3 DOC 76158 9-29-89 7:28p
BR4 DOC 46831 9-29-89 7:28p
FILE1671 TXT 3627 1-01-80 12:14a
GO BAT 20 9-29-89 7:20p
READ2 ME 603 9-29-89 7:29p
7 file(s) 227070 bytes
91136 bytes free