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+------------------------------------------+
| VIDEOCAT Registration Form Version 7.3 |
+------------------------------------------+
Registration fee: $20.00 (one fee covers DOS, Windows and OS/2
editions).
You may try out these programs free of charge for a reasonably
brief evaluation period. If you decide that you want to continue
to use them on a regular basis, please fill out this form and
return it with your check for $20.00 payable to W. A. Jackson to:
William. A. Jackson
6529 Matilija Avenue
Van Nuys, California 91401-1535
Registration entitles you to use the programs, get technical
support and receive future upgrades, all in accordance with the
terms and conditions set forth in the User Manual. The
registration fee is refundable if you are dissatisfied with the
program for any reason within 90 days after registration.
Name: ________________________________________
Company:* ________________________________________
Street Address: ________________________________________
City/State/ZIP ________________________________________
Telephone:* ________________________________________
Disk format you can conveniently use (check all that apply):
____ 5.25" DD (360kb) ____ 5.25" HD (1.2mb)
____ 3.5" DD (720kb) ____ 3.5" HD (1.44mb)
Do you run under (check all that apply):
DOS?____ Windows?____ OS/2?____
Do you want to receive the source code?* _____Yes _____No
(If you are not experienced in C Language programming, the source
code will be of no interest or value to you.)
Where did you obtain your copy of VIDEOCAT?____________________
_______________________________________________________________
Comments/Suggestions:* ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
* Optional entries.
VIDEOCAT DOS Edition
VIDEOCAT Windows Edition
VIDEOCAT OS/2 Edition
Videocassette Catalog Program
Version 7.3
USER MANUAL
_______
____|__ | (tm)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
Copyright (C) 1986-1993
William A. Jackson
6529 Matilija Avenue
Van Nuys, California 91401
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page i
_________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
What this Program Does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
A Special Note About Version 7.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Minimal Instructions for the User in a Hurry . . . . . . 2
System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Known System Incompatibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Compatibility with Prior Versions . . . . . . . . . . . 4
License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Disk Vendors, Bulletin Boards, etc. . . . . . . . . . . 5
Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Warranties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ASP Ombudsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
If You Have Trouble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Source Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Future Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Primary Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
File Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Save As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Convert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Change Dir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Add . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Add . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
View Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Title Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Location Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Year Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
New Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Options Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Ratings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Color Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Sound Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
MPAA Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Labels Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Help Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page ii
_________________________________________________________________
Help Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Using Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
About Videocat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Author Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Mouse vs. Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
DATA DESCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
MPAA Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Minutes Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Cassette Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Index Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
* * * *
"You have all your videotapes alphabetized on
index cards."
-- Billy Crystal to Meg Ryan in "WHEN HARRY
MET SALLY..." (1989).
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 1
_________________________________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION
What this Program Does
----------------------
VIDEOCAT is a specialized database program designed for
cataloging a collection of movies or similar materials stored on
videocassettes. The program is available in three editions for
the DOS, Windows and OS/2 operating environments. All three
editions are data-file compatible. Each data record contains the
following information:
- title
- year of release
- subject type
- form type
- quality rating
- MPAA audience rating code
- actors (maximum 3 names)
- director
- cassette number
- index number on cassette
- color/black & white
- sound type
- running time
- video/film format
- free-form user comments (3 lines)
The program enables the user to build and modify a data file
of records containing this information for items in your video
collection. This program was designed for collections of
theatrical motion pictures; however custom configuration options
permit adaptation to other specialized types of collections.
Using the program's View functions you can display the data
file in a variety of formats and sequences. You can also use the
Search option to display only those records having particular
characteristics (e.g. westerns with John Wayne). Using the
program's File functions you can print a hard copy listing.
Using the program's Label functions you can print labels on
a variety of commercially available label stocks.
This program has been designed with large collections in
mind. Theoretically the program could handle data files with up
to 65,535 records. For all practical purposes the number of
records is limited only by available disk space, with each record
taking up 384 bytes.
Note that this program is for cataloging YOUR collection.
The small demo file included with the distribution package is for
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 2
_________________________________________________________________
demonstration purposes only. A surprising number of users assume
that this is a database of all videos available for rental and
write complaining that I haven't included enough videos. If a
reference data base is what you want, I recommend Microsoft's
Cinemania.
A Special Note About Version 7.3
--------------------------------
In prior versions the different editions of Videocat
presented quite different user interfaces and had separate user
manuals. The main objective of Version 7.3 has been to present
highly similar interfaces to DOS, Windows and OS/2 users. When
you have learned to use one, changing to one of the others should
be a relatively painless experience. Where there are
differences, they will be noted in this manual, but the
instructions are pretty much the same for all three editions.
The user interface is rather similar to the Windows edition
of Videocat Version 7.2 and is based on the IBM Common User
Access standard. This standard is widely used in Windows
programming, so if you are an experienced Windows user you should
find that you already have most of the skills required for
running Videocat.
The development of Version 7.3 involved very extensive
programming changes. Although the program has undergone "Beta"
testing by experienced users (whose help is gratefully
acknowledged), it is probable that some undiscovered bugs are
still lurking. If you find one, let me know.
Minimal Instructions for the User in a Hurry
--------------------------------------------
O.K., you're impatient and you want to take a quick test
drive to see what this baby can do before you spend a lot of time
reading the rest of the manual. This section provides minimal
instructions for that purpose.
You can run the program from a floppy disk if you want, but
performance will be better if you run from a hard drive. I will
assume you are going to use your C: drive; substitute another
letter if applicable. Create a subdirectory (MD VIDEOCAT) and
make that the current directory (CD VIDEOCAT). Copy the
executable program you want to use (vcd.exe for DOS, vcw.exe for
Windows, or vcp.exe for OS/2) into that directory; and also copy
the demonstration data file, VCATDEMO.DAT.
To run the DOS edition, enter VCD at the prompt.
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 3
_________________________________________________________________
To run the Windows edition starting from the DOS prompt,
enter WIN VCW. If you already have windows running, get into the
File Menu and use the Run command, entering C:\VIDEOCAT\VCW.
To run the OS/2 version, you must have OS/2 running.
Activate the OS/2 full-screen prompt, get into the VIDEOCAT
subdirectory, and enter VCP.
When the program window appears, select the File menu from
the menu bar (click on File with your mouse or enter Alt-F from
the keyboard). Select the Open command. Select the VCATDEMO.DAT
file. You are now off and running and the rest should be
intuitive.
System Requirements
-------------------
All editions require an IBM-compatible PC. A mouse and
printer are strongly recommended, but you can get along without
them. I have only used a VGA display in developing the program,
but I would expect it to operate correctly on other displays.
The DOS edition has only been tested under DOS Versions 5.0
and 6.0; I do not know if it will run under prior version of DOS.
The Windows edition requires Microsoft Windows, Version 3.1
or later. The code is specific to Version 3.1 and I do not
believe the program will run under earlier versions of Windows.
The OS/2 edition requires IBM OS/2 Version 2.0 or later.
The code is specific to Version 2.0 and I do not believe the
program will run under earlier versions of OS/2.
Known System Incompatibilities
------------------------------
No system incompatibilities with standard DOS, Windows or
OS/2 setups were reported during Beta testing of Version 7.3.
One Beta tester reported incompatibility with an add-on Windows
print manager but not with the standard Windows print manager.
Also, if you have installed software which enables you to
undelete erase files, you may find that it is carefully saving
copies of temporary files created by Videocat and you will have
to manually erase those copies.
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 4
_________________________________________________________________
Compatibility with Prior Versions
---------------------------------
Data files are completely compatible with Videocat Versions
7.0, 7.1 and 7.2. It should be noted that the standard edition
of Videocat in prior versions supported only a single data file
which had to be named either VCATDATA.DAT or VCATDEMO.DAT. All
editions of Version 7.3 support multiple data files which can
have different names.
Version 7.3 some, but not all, of the custom configuration
files created under prior versions. If you created any of the
following custom configuration files under prior versions, you
can copy and use them directly with Version 7.3:
VCATCOLR.CFG custom color type descriptions
VCATFMAT.CFG custom format descriptions
VCATFORM.CFG custom form descriptions
VCATMPAA.CFG custom MPAA rating descriptions
VCATRATG.CFG custom quality rating descriptions
VCATSOUN.CFG custom sound type descriptions
VCATSUBJ.CFG custom subject descriptions
The present version of VCATWIN can convert data files from
Versions 5.x and 6.x to the current format.
License
-------
This is "user supported software", or "shareware". It is
NOT in the public domain but is protected under the copyright
laws of the United States. You are granted a limited license to
use, copy and distribute Videocat subject to the following
conditions:
1. You may make personal, non-commercial use of Videocat
during a reasonably brief trial period; if you become a
registered user (see Registration below), your license for
personal use becomes perpetual;
2. You may distribute copies to others who may also make
royalty-free use during a relatively brief trial period and may
obtain a perpetual license by becoming registered users;
3. You may upload copies of the applications package
(executable file and manual, but NOT source code) to electronic
bulletin boards and information services;
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 5
_________________________________________________________________
4. You may make a modified version of the program for your
own use only;
5. You may not modify the program or its documentation or
source code in versions you distribute to others;
6. You may not charge any fee for copying and distribution
of Videocat other than reasonable costs of copying, information
service on-line charges, shareware disk distribution charges, and
similar nominal costs not exceeding $10 for this program,
provided that you clearly disclose that the program is shareware
and that payment of your distribution charge does not excuse the
obligation to pay a registration fee to the author.
Disk Vendors, Bulletin Boards, etc.
___________________________________
Disk vendors, electronic bulletin boards, user groups,
computer clubs, swap meets, etc. are all welcome to distribute
Videocat, subject to the restrictions in item 6 under "License"
above.
My current practice is to mail major releases of Videocat to
vendors approved by the Association of Shareware Professionals.
I use the group mailing service of the ASP to send out one big
mailing to all such vendors at the time of release. I do not
have the time to respond to individual requests from newly-
approved ASP disk vendors; they will just have to wait for the
next big mailing. Non-ASP disk vendors are welcome to distribute
the program, but I do not have the time to respond to mail from
individual vendors requesting that I fill out their forms and
give them a disk. I also ignore mail from other organizations
with sure-fire, get-rich-quick schemes to promote this program
and help me achieve fame and fortune.
I find that users who have obtained Videocat from disk
vendors, bulletin boards or swap meets often have received very
outdated versions. Sometimes they have not received all the
files. Sometimes they have received damaged disks or corrupted
files. The best way to be sure you have a complete and undamaged
copy of the most recent release is, of course, to become a
registered user.
Registration
____________
Videocat is shareware. It is NOT free software. The author
depends upon your integrity in becoming a registered user if you
choose to continue using the program after a brief trial period.
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 6
_________________________________________________________________
The shareware concept is based upon the expectation that
users who test a program and decide they want to continue using
it will register with the author and send in a registration fee.
Electronic bulletin boards and disk vendors charge only for their
distribution services and do not pay any royalties to shareware
authors. Honest vendors explain this system clearly; shady
operators obscure it. If you did not understand that
registration and payment of a fee to the author was expected,
complain to the vendor you dealt with and any magazine in which
it advertises. Do not sent me a letter saying that you "bought"
Videocat from some disk distributor and now expect full support
without compensating the author. I also have no control over the
quality of diskettes used by disk vendors. If you got a
defective diskette from a disk vendor, complain to them, not to
me.
Since this is essentially an honor system, your voluntary
compliance is fundamental to the continued viability of the
shareware concept which enables the economical distribution of
professional quality programs for special applications which do
not represent a large enough market to justify marketing through
conventional retail channels. Videocat would never have reached
its current stage of development without the support and
encouragement of registered users. Although it is obvious that I
am not going to retire on royalties from Videocat, there are
costs associated with its distribution and maintenance and I do
expect the project to support itself financially.
Aside from the appeal to your integrity, there are several
practical advantages which I would suggest make it worthwhile for
you to become a registered user:
- The version you have may not be the most
current version; if it is not current, you
will receive the most current version by mail
on disk when your registration is received.*
- Registered users usually get reasonably
prompt responses to questions and requests
for help. (Frankly, I do not have a lot of
patience or motivation in dealing with
questions from non-registered users.)
- Registered users always get the next
significant** upgrade free of charge by mail
on disk shortly after it is ready for general
distribution.
- After the first significant** upgrade,
additional upgrades will be made available to
registered users at a nominal handling charge
(currently estimated at $5).
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 7
_________________________________________________________________
- Registered users sometimes get an advance
peek at new features through interim editions
sent to them for "Beta" testing.
- Registered users often see their suggestions
reflected in changes to the program.
- Registered users are provided with complete
source code on request without additional
charge.
* I'll confess that sometimes I run a little late in processing
registrations. I will not, however, cash your check until I have
acknowledged your registration and made sure you have the most
recent release.
** Interim releases are sometimes posted on bulletin boards and
substituted in mailings to new users without being generally
distributed to all users and vendors. These "slipstream"
modifications usually contain very minor corrections of problems
which do not affect all users, so I mail them only to users who
report encountering the specific problem corrected. Mailing of
an interim release does not count as a significant upgrade.
Videocat is not "crippleware" or "ransomware". The same
version is distributed to all and you do not have to pay extra to
get a "full-featured" version that really works.
Registration is accomplished by simply mailing the
registration form which is included in the documentation file
with a check for $20 to
William A. Jackson
6529 Matilija Avenue
Van Nuys, California 91401
$20 is a bargain. I have seen authors of clearly inferior
programs request two, three or four times as much. If you send a
letter with a long list of questions you would like answered or
design changes you would like to have made before deciding
whether to part with your $20, don't expect a reply. If you send
a check for a lesser amount, I will accept it as a "conscience"
payment, but don't expect to get the privileges of a fully
registered user. If you send a check for a greater amount, I
will accept it gracefully.
Please use the registration form. Users who send me a
letter instead typically omit such important information as what
version they now have and what disk size they prefer.
There is no extra charge for foreign registration, although
I may send your updates by surface mail which can take a couple
of months to reach overseas locations. Videocat contains no
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 8
_________________________________________________________________
cryptographic or other security functions and is not, to the best
of my knowledge, subject to any U.S. export restrictions. I have
found that three payment methods work out pretty well for
overseas users: (1) an international postal money order
denominated in U.S. dollars; (2) a bank check drawn on a branch
or correspondent bank in the United States; and (3) just
enclosing a U.S. twenty-dollar bill in the letter (I suppose it's
risky, but in some countries the bank service charge for foreign
payment draft almost doubles the cost of registration). A method
which does NOT work out very well is a check denominated in U.S.
dollars but drawn directly on a foreign bank with no ability to
clear through the U.S. banking system.
I am not able to accept credit card orders because this is
not a large enough business to justify the effort and cost of
setting up for credit cards.
This is a one-time royalty, although additional upgrades
beyond the first after registration may be subject to a nominal
handling charge. I make no guarantees as to how long or how
often future upgrades will be released and I reserve the right to
discontinue development and support of Videocat at any time.
I am continually surprised at how long old versions continue
in circulation and it has occurred to me that someday I may move
and registrations may continue to come to my present address
after the expiration of the time during which the post office
will forward mail. If you should find that your registration is
returned as undeliverable, you can try to contact me through
electronic mail on Compuserve or you could try to get a current
address from the Association of Shareware Professionals.
Warranties
__________
Did you seriously expect warranties with user-supported
software? Just to make sure that everything is perfectly clear,
this software comes without any warranties, express or implied,
including warranties of merchantability or suitability for
intended purpose. It is distributed to you "as is" and "with
faults". Under no circumstances shall the author be liable for
any consequential damages.
I do have a liberal refund policy (although no one has yet
asked for a refund). If for any reason you are dissatisfied with
Videocat within 90 days after registration, I will cheerfully
refund your royalty payment on request. Your remedy for any
damage or defect is limited to a refund of your registration fee.
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 9
_________________________________________________________________
ASP Ombudsman
-------------
This program is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the
shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a
shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the
member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can
help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but
does not provide technical support for members' products. Please
write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442
or send a Compuserve message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman
70007,3536.
Installation
------------
If you are using the Windows version of Videocat (VCW.EXE)
you must have already installed Microsoft Windows, Version 3.1 or
later. If you are using the OS/2 version of Videocat (VCP.EXE)
you must have already installed IBM OS/2 Version 2.0 or later.
Put the Videocat distribution diskette in a floppy drive.
For the purpose of this discussion I will assume drive A:, but it
could be any floppy drive.
You can run the program from floppy disk, but I don't
recommend it. It will run much slower from floppy and floppies
wear out with frequent use, possibly resulting in data loss. I
recommend that you install on a hard drive. For the purpose of
this discussion I will assume drive C:, but it could be any other
hard drive. Make the hard drive the active drive (C:). Make a
subdirectory; I suggest calling it VIDEOCAT (MD VIDEOCAT). Make
that subdirectory the active path (CD VIDEOCAT). The next step
is to install the Videocat files, but the procedure will vary
according to how you received the distribution file(s).
If you got the disk directly from me and it's a high density
disk, copy the files directly (COPY A:*.*).
If you got the disk from either me or a disk vendor on a low
density diskette, you will probably find that the disk contains a
self-extracting compressed file called VIDEOCAT.EXE. Execute it
to extract the files (A:VIDEOCAT).
If you downloaded the program from a bulletin board, you
will probably get it in ZIP form. For the purpose of this
illustration I will assume that you downloaded a file called
VCW73.ZIP, that you download files into directory C:\DOWNLOAD and
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 10
_________________________________________________________________
that you keep PKUNZIP in directory C:\PKWARE. Extract the files
by unZipping them (C:\PKWARE\PKUNZIP C:\DOWNLOAD\VCW73.ZIP).
You will need to have free disk space on your hard drive
equal to about three times the size of the largest data file you
work with. This space is needed to create temporary files which
are erased when the program terminates normally. Initially you
will probably want to check out the program using the sample
demonstration file, VCATDEMO.DAT, which is not real large. As
you build your own data file, its size will grow at the rate of
384 bytes per record. If you have a thousand records in your
data file, you will need over a meg of free disk space. The
current version of Videocat does not check for the availability
of free disk space, so if you run out you will get a message
indicating a write(), fwrite() or DosWrite() error.
To execute the program from the command line, enter VCD (for
the DOS edition), WIN VCW (for the Windows edition) or VCP (for
the OS/2 version).
If you already have Windows running, you can run
C:\VIDEOCAT\VCW from the Run command in the File menu. You may
wish to install the program in Windows so that you can run it
from Windows using the Program Manager. Follow the instructions
in Chapter 3 of your Microsoft Windows User's Guide. The
intended icon for VCATWIN is a drawing of a videocassette. If
Windows picks a different icon, you can change the selection
using the Change Icon option in the Properties dialog box of the
Program Manager.
Once you are tired of playing with the demo data file, it's
time to create your own data file using the New command in the
File menu. You then use the Add command from the main menu bar
to add your own records.
If You Have Trouble
-------------------
My experience with users has convinced me that most
questions can be answered and problems solved by simply reading
and following this Manual carefully.
This manual assumes that the reader has some familiarity
with the Common User Access conventions. I am therefore not
including such general information as how to user menu bars,
scroll bars, dialog boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, entry
fields, etc. If this stuff is new to you, I recommend that you
read Chapter 1 ("Windows Basics") of the Microsoft Windows User's
Guide (Version 3.1).
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 11
_________________________________________________________________
Some user problems do indeed uncover bugs in the program. I
encourage you to report suspected bugs with a fairly complete
description of the problem, the circumstances under which it
occurs, and relevant information about the computer system you
are running it on. If an error message is displayed, write down
both the caption and the message text. If you discover a bug due
to my programming error, I will fix it as soon as possible.
Let me clarify that a "bug" is an error which prevents the
program from working as described. If you would prefer that the
program do something different from the description in this
manual, that is a design change suggestion, not a bug report. I
welcome such suggestions, but I do not feel obligated to act on
all suggestions. If your suggestion seems to be of widespread
interest, I will consider adding either as a program feature or a
user customization option. I do not, however, have the time to
write custom versions of the program for users with special
needs.
You can send questions, complaints, comments and suggestions
by regular mail to the address given above. It may be helpful
to give me your phone number, because sometimes I have difficulty
understanding the problem description and a phone call is the
simplest way to clear up the confusion. I apologize for not
providing my phone number, but I have no support staff and I want
to deal with your problem when I have the time to give it proper
attention, which may not be the case at the moment you call. I
also have learned from other shareware authors that users in
distant places sometimes forget about time zone differences and
call at the most peculiar times. If you are a Compuserve
subscriber, you can send E-mail to me at account number
71571,1234. If you are an Internet user, you can link with my
Compuserve account by using address 71571.1234@compuserve.com and
I will be able to reply via a link with Internet. Users who
provide PARTICULARLY VALUABLE bug reports or suggestions for
improvement MAY be placed on my subscriber list even if they made
no voluntary royalty contribution payment. That is the only
reward for contributing ideas.
Source Code
___________
Registered users can request the complete C language source
code for all three editions of the program. There is no extra
charge for the source code, but if you are not a programmer you
will not find it either interesting or useful, so please do not
put me to the extra cost of sending you the source code if you
are unable to make any use of it. The DOS edition was developed
under Borland C++ with the TurboVision application framework; it
would not be practical to compile it in a different environment.
The Windows edition was developed under Microsoft Visual C++; it
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uses only standard Windows library functions and could be easily
recompiled using a different Windows 3.1 development product.
The OS/2 edition was developed under IBM CSet/2; it uses only
standard OS/2 and Presentation Manager library functions and
could be easily recompiled using a different OS/2 2.x development
product.
Future Changes
______________
There are a number of minor adjustments which will probably
be inserted as "slipstream" changes. If you find some aspect of
the program mildly annoying you might write to me even if you
haven't seen a new release announcement; I might be able to give
you a more recent copy which corrects the problem.
As for major changes in future versions, I have a backlog of
excellent user suggestions to work on. These fall into two
categories: (1) allow for more data; and (2) make the program
easier to use. Although not entirely inconsistent, these two
objectives are difficult to balance. It's sort of like the
"tastes great" vs. "less filling" beer commercial. Keep those
suggestions coming and I will see what I can do.
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Primary Window
--------------
The primary window presents to users the objects and actions
of the application. In the DOS edition the primary window fills
the entire screen. In the Windows and OS/2 editions the primary
window is moveable and sizeable and can be minimized to an icon.
The primary window has a menu bar which displays the available
menus of commands (activated either by mouse click or by keyboard
using Alt+ the highlighted letter). There is also a workspace
(or client area) which is initially empty but will display a list
of records after a file has been opened. Records are listed in
abbreviated form, but will be fully displayed when clicked with
the mouse. Scroll bars at the right and bottom edges of the
window permit you to view portions of the data file which will
not fit into the window. Scroll bars are activated with the
mouse. You can also use the Page Up, Page Down, Home and End
keys on the keyboard to move rapidly through the file.
Records are displayed in abbreviated form, one record per
line. To see a complete record, click on it with the left mouse
button and a dialog will appear with complete data. The dialog
will also give you the options to edit, delete or print the
record.
In the DOS edition, if you have no mouse, hitting the Enter
key has the same effect as clicking the top displayed record. If
you need to scroll beyond the normal end of file so that you can
get the last record all the way to the top of the window, hit the
F8 key.
Videocat uses a batch file update procedure. That means
that changes you make will not be reflected in the main window
display until you Save changes to the file.
Menus
-----
Menus are selected from the menu bar by clicking on the menu
name with the mouse or by pressing the ALT key and the letter key
for the underlined letter in the menu name. When a menu is
selected a "pull-down" list of menu commands will appear. A menu
command is chosen by clicking the mouse on the desired item or by
typing the underlined letter. A menu can be canceled by pressing
ESC or by clicking the mouse anywhere outside the menu.
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In many cases the execution of a menu command will activate
a dialog box with additional controls.
File Menu
---------
The File menu enables the user to work with data files
through actions that manipulate the file as a whole.
The New command allows the user to create a new file which
will become the active file. It is also recommended that all
data files have the ".DAT" suffix.
The Open command reads an existing file and displays it for
manipulation. The initial template for data files is "*.DAT".
You can change it to list choices with other suffixes, but it is
recommended that you use a ".DAT" suffix in naming all data
files. A list box displays files in the current directory
matching the template. In the Windows and OS/2 editions the Open
dialog box also provides controls which can be used to change the
active drive and directory; in the DOS edition any change in
active drive or directory must be made from Change Dir in the
File menu before selecting Open. Choosing the ".." option moves
to the parent of the current subdirectory. Clicking on a file
once displays it in the filename window, which can be selected by
clicking "OK". Double clicking on a listed file selects it
immediately. The program performs a rather simplistic test to
try to detect whether or not the selected file is a valid
Videocat data file; if it is able to detect that the file is not
a valid data file, it will refuse to open it. If you try to
outsmart it by opening such files as "COMMAND.COM", you may be
sorry. Although the Open dialog permits you to navigate
throughout the various disks and directories in your system, it
is recommended that you keep your data files in the same
subdirectory as VCATWIN.EXE.
The Save command updates the current file with pending
change transactions and writes it to disk. The file remains the
active file, but will now reflect changes which have been
processed. This is the same as the "Update" command which was
used in prior versions of Videocat.
The Save As command merges pending changes with the current
file content and writes the result to a different file, leaving
the current file unchanged.
The Convert command invokes a dialog which can be used to
convert data files created under prior versions of Videocat to
the current format. This is necessary for data files created
under versions 4, 5 and 6. It is not usually necessary for data
files created under versions 7.0, 7.1 or 7.2; however putting
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files created under these versions through the conversion process
can clean up certain minor errors which could occur under these
versions.
The Change Dir command (DOS edition only) invokes a dialog
which can be used to change the active drive and/or directory
which will be used by Open, Save and Save As.
The Print command prepares the currently displayed file
(which may be either a regular data file, a sorted data file, or
a search data file) for printing and prints it on the printer.
You will be given a choice of long format (1 record per page, all
data labeled), medium format (all data, but condensed to permit
several records to be printed on each page), or short format
(limited data, one line per record). The DOS and OS/2 editions
use the default printer directly. The Windows edition uses the
Windows print manager, and will give you the opportunity to
select or configure any printer you have installed in Windows.
The Review Changes command permits the user to review
pending transactions awaiting update. A pending transaction can
be deleted from the list by clicking it with the mouse. Remember
that the Change command generates two transactions: a delete for
the original record and an add to replace it with the changed
version. To undo a change it is necessary to correctly identify
the related add and delete pair and delete both.
The Exit command ends the VCATWIN application and removes
its window from the screen.
Add
---
The Add command is used to create a new record for addition
to the file. This command invokes a dialog box which displays a
blank record and permits the user to enter data in the various
fields. The new record will not immediately appear in the main
window listing but will be held in a list of pending changes
until a Save or Save As command is executed.
View Menu
---------
The View menu contains commands that enable the user to
select different ways of looking at the content of the active
data file without affecting the file itself.
Title Order is the order in which records are stored in the
data file and the normal sequence in which records are displayed
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on the screen. Optionally the file can be displayed in Location
Order (cassette and index sequence) or Year Order (year of
production sequence). When you first select either location or
year order, the program will sort the data file into temporary
files in the specified sequences. If your data file is very
large, this can take a while; a dialog box will display progress
to reassure you that the program is working. These files will be
deleted when either the active data file is changed or the
program terminates normally; but while they exist these temporary
sorted files do take up disk space which will not be available
for other disk-intensive activities, such as saving an updated
file.
The Search command causes only those records having certain
record values to be displayed. A dialog box is invoked which
permits the user to select the key values for the search. The
display is always in title order. Note that search keys are
conjunctive, i.e. a record must meet all of the search criteria
in order to be displayed. If you select subject "Western" and
actor name "John Wayne", only records which have both Western in
the subject field and the name John Wayne in one of the actor
fields will be displayed. If the screen is empty after you
performed a search, this means the program was unable to find any
record matching your search criteria. To get the data file
displayed again, click on View again and select Title Order (or
Location Order or Year Order).
The New Records command causes only those records created
(or modified) on or after a specified date to be displayed. This
is particularly useful for printing a catalog supplement to show
recent additions if you don't want to reprint your entire
catalog. Note that prior to Version 7.2 the program did not
include date stamp information in data records, so you may find
that some of your older records are ignored by this command.
When you select the Print command from the File menu, the
file which is printed is the file as currently displayed; thus
you can print out sorted listings or search results.
Options Menu
------------
The Options menu contains commands that permit the user to
customize the way in which the program works. The available
options permit the user to change the descriptive text for
various category codes in the data record. Users with
specialized collections (home video, training tapes, all adult
titles, etc.) can replace the default set of descriptions which
was designed for a broad range of theatrical motion pictures.
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Customization options are currently available for Subjects,
Forms, Ratings, Formats, Color Types, Sound Types and MPAA Codes.
If you choose to custom configure the descriptive text for
classification category codes, I urge you to think out a
comprehensive plan carefully before implementing it. Frequent
and haphazard changes can introduce a lot of confusion.
Labels Menu
-----------
The Labels Menu provides a specialized function to print
labels for videocassettes. This function requires that the data
file be sorted in cassette number order. If the currently
displayed file is not so sorted, the program will ask for
permission to do so.
The Labels Dialog gives you several choices of label stocks.
Label stocks are described as either "continuous feed" or "laser
sheet". Continuous feed labels come in a long strip intended for
pin or tractor feed through a standard printer; you should
position your label stock in your printer so that the first
position struck by the print head will be just within the upper
left corner of a label. Laser sheet labels are single sheets of
peel-off labels designed for laser printers. You may be able to
use laser sheets in a standard printer, but you will have to
determine by experimentation how to position the laser sheet
relative to the print head so that printing will fall within the
labels.
The dialog box for Labels will also display the lowest and
highest locations read in sorting the data file. If you do not
wish to produce labels for the entire collection, you can change
the starting and ending location numbers to confine the range.
You can choose between single-title (most information) and
multi-title (less information, multiple titles on a label)
formats. Note that data lines are truncated to fit the
designated label size. The data format is the same for all label
sizes and the printed lines are simply truncated to fit narrow
labels.
In the DOS and OS/2 editions Videocat uses the default
printer and assumes pretty standard characteristics (10
characters per inch, fixed font, 6 lines per inch, ASCII codes
for controlling carriage return, line feed and form feed). In
the Windows edition Videocat uses the Windows Print Manager and
will give you the opportunity to select and configure the printer
to be used. In addition, for some (but not all) label formats
the Widows edition will give you the opportunity to change the
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printer font. When you change the font the program will adjust
horizontal spacing according to the size of the selected font but
will not adjust vertical spacing. Font point sizes should not be
much larger or smaller than about 10.
Video label stocks are becoming easier to find, but I will
add some tips on sources of supply. Continuous form, pinfeed
labels for VHS and Beta can be ordered from (I get no
commissions):
Virginia Specialty Products
P.O. Box 985
Vienna, Va 22180
[(703) 280-1742]
[best source for small package sizes]
[slow in filling orders]
United Ad Label Co.
650 Columbia Street
P.O. Box 2216
Brea, Ca 92622
[(800) 423-4643]
[best source for bulk packages]
[quick to ship]
Note that Videocat does not presently support pin-feed face
labels (although it does support laser sheet face labels). The
pin-feed spine labels are spaced at 1" intervals, so there is an
even number in the standard 11" page. The continuous-feed VHS
and Beta face labels are spaced at intervals which do not fit
evenly into the standard 11" page, and I have not been able yet
to figure out how to get the Windows print manager to handle them
properly.
United Ad Label Co. also distributes laser sheet labels;
their part number for VHS spine labels is PV541. Avery now
distributes video spine and face labels under part number 5199.
The dimensions of the Avery and United Ad Label products are
identical, but United Ad Label packages the spine and face labels
separately while Avery distributes a combo pack with sheets of
both types in the same package. United Ad Label sells direct to
the public while Avery distributes through retailers. I have
found the Avery labels in stock at my local Egghead Software
store and listed in a number of mail order catalogs. If you want
to get the Avery labels by mail, my personal recommendation would
be:
Paper Direct
205 Chubb Avenue
Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071-0618
[(800) 272-7377]
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If you own a laser printer, do yourself a favor and get the
Paper Direct catalog, even if you decide to get your video labels
elsewhere. Paper Direct has a delicious selection of hard-to-
find papers. If you own a pin-feed printer, get the United Ad
Label catalog; they have more kinds of labels than you ever
dreamed existed!
There used to be an Avery product for VHS labels which I
rejected because it had both horizontal and vertical labels on
the same sheet (the LaserJet forces a form eject every time you
change orientations). The UAL product and the new Avery product
both have all horizontal (portrait orientation) labels.
Note also that HP recommends that you open the back "Face
-Up" door of the HPLJ II to minimize paper jams and internal wear
when printing labels. If you want to try this on any brand or
model of laser printer other than the HP LaserJet Series II,
please read your manual carefully to be certain that you are
following all procedures prescribed for label printing.
Help Menu
---------
The Help menu allows users to access various help
information.
In the Windows edition the Help Index command uses the
Windows help system to access a fairly comprehensive file of help
topics provided with the program (VCW.HLP). If you are not
familiar with the Windows help system, you can use the command
Using Help (sometimes known as "Help on Help") to learn about it.
In the DOS and OS/2 editions the help menu does not
presently include topical help (the Help Index and Using Help
commands) but the remaining commands are supported in the Help
menus of all editions.
The About Videocat command displays a dialog box with the
program name, version number and copyright notice. This is the
same dialog box which is displayed when the program is started.
The Author Info command displays a dialog box with the
author's name, address and Compuserve account number.
The Registration Info command displays a dialog box with
brief information on how to register.
Mouse vs. Keyboard
VIDEOCAT Version 7.3 Page 20
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------------------
Although the mouse offers many advantages, some users find
that they can work faster with a keyboard. Many (although not
all) features can be accessed through the keyboard.
UNDERLINED LETTERS. Many menu choices and button
descriptions include an underlined letter. This indicates that
the item can be selected by entering that letter from the
keyboard. Note that in the case of the main window menu bar, the
Alt key must be pressed at the same time as the letter. In other
menus and dialogs it is not necessary to use the Alt key.
ACCELERATORS. Certain commands can be executed through
keyboard accelerators which by-pass the menu system. These are
shown in the menu items.
TAB KEY. In dialog boxes controls are often placed in
groups (sometimes surrounded by a box). Pressing the tab key
moves to the next group. Note that in the main workspace
pressing the tab key has the same effect as clicking the top
record with the right mouse button.
ARROW KEYS. Within a group of controls, focus can be moved
from one control (checkbox, button, menu item, etc.) to another
using the up and down arrow keys. In the primary window
workspace the up and down arrows cause the display to move up or
down one record.
SPACE BAR. Tapping the space bar generally has the effect
of selecting the control (button, checkbox, etc.) which is
currently highlighted. Note that in the main workspace pressing
the space bar has the same effect as clicking the top record with
the left mouse button.
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DATA DESCRIPTIONS
The ultimate purpose of this program is to organize
information and make it accessible. In designing the program I
had to make choices about what kinds of data to record and how to
organize and represent it. I get a lot of letters from users who
would have made some of those choices differently. Some are
"bootlegging" changes by using data fields for purposes other
than those intended, sometimes with adverse effects on program
operation. I have included custom configuration options which
give users the ability to change many of those choices.
Some users complain that there are too many data categories.
You don't have to use them all. I strongly recommend that you
enter a title and year in every record; otherwise all fields are
purely optional.
Other users complain that there are not enough data
categories. The comment field is intended to respond to this
issue; you can put any information you think is important in the
comment field. I strongly recommend that you put all your
special interest information in Comments; output gets confusing
when you bootleg special interest information into fields
intended for other purposes.
Each of the data items has a size limit and the edit fields
are programmed to refuse to accept characters in excess of that
limit. Since text is always added in insert (rather than
typeover) mode, you may have to delete existing characters or
blanks before you can enter new characters.
Title
_____
Enter the title of the movie or other item. The maximum
size is 40 characters; the program will not permit you to enter
more. It is suggested that the words "A", "An" or "The" at the
beginning of a title be appended to the rear after a comma. For
example, instead of entering "THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI",
enter "BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE". This keeps the
alphabetical sequence a little more meaningful. For an episode in
a series, it is suggested that the series title be entered first,
then the episode title. For example: "STAR TREK: GAMESTERS OF
TRISKELION" and "STAR TREK: SPOCK'S BRAIN".
Note that since the program sorts the titles in ASCII
(American Standard Code for Information Interchange) sequence,
titles beginning with punctuation marks or numeric characters
will come before titles beginning with alphabetical characters.
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Thus the movie "1941" will be placed near the beginning of the
catalog before titles beginning with letters and not in the N's
as is common in the organization of published movie guides.
The title is a semi-mandatory entry and should not be left
blank. More than one record can have the same title, but they
will look the same in the normal screen display, which shows
title only. Minor variations in the title field can make it easy
to distinguish between multiple versions of the same film. For
example: "TOPPER" and "TOPPER [COLORIZED]"; "A STAR IS BORN
[EDITED FOR TV]" and "A STAR IS BORN [UNCUT]"; "CITIZEN KANE
[COPY 1]" and "CITIZEN KANE [COPY 2]"; etc.. Likewise you can
indicate when a title continues over more than one cassette, e.g.
"GONE WITH THE WIND [PART 1]" and "GONE WITH THE WIND [PART 2]".
The title field can also be used to keep track of blank tape
segments. For example, if you decide that "PORKY'S" isn't worth
keeping, just use the Change function to change the title field
to read "BLANK - 94 MINUTES". You can then use the Search
function to find all listings which have the word "BLANK" as part
of the title field, then use Change again when something new is
recorded in the same space.
Year
____
Year is intended to be the year of release of a production,
normally expressed as 4 numeric digits, e.g. "1939". The program
treats the year as a 4-byte character string, so non-numeric
characters will not be rejected. If you don't know the year for
sure, either look it up in a published movie guide or make a
reasonable guess.
Names
-----
The program allows for recording the names of up to three
actors and one director. When you indicate that you want to
enter a name a dialog box will appear with two edit fields: one
for the last name and one for the first name of the person. The
maximum combined length of the first and last names is 30
characters; any excess length will be truncated from the first
name. In supplying the LAST name, enter the person's last name,
including prefixes and suffixes which are properly part of the
last name. For example: "VON STROHEIM" and "FAIRBANKS, JR.". In
that last example the program will replace the comma and space
with a single space, turning it into "FAIRBANKS JR.". This is
necessary because the comma character is the delimiter which
separates first and last names in the way the name is stored by
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the program. Comma-deletion was added in Version 7.03 of the
standard edition of VIDEOCAT; if you have a data file created
under a prior version you may find that any names which included
commas are somewhat garbled. You can edit these records to clean
them up.
Try to be consistent in the way you enter names. Different
spellings will be treated as different names.
Now enter the first name. For example, "ERIC" and
"DOUGLAS". If middle names or initials are important, they
should be appended to the FIRST name. For example: "LESLIE ANNE"
and "GEORGE C.".
Subject
-------
A list of 42 enumerated subject categories will be displayed
on the screen whenever you indicate that you wish to enter or
change a subject. Pick the one which seems most appropriate and
click the button. If a category feels right to you it's correct
enough.
Form
----
A list of 24 enumerated form descriptions will be displayed
in a dialog box whenever you indicate that you wish to enter or
change a form description. As in the case of subject code, the
enumerated choices are the only choices; pick the one that feels
right to you.
In designing this program I looked at a number of published
movie guides and television program listings and noted that
movies are usually categorized in a genre described with one or
two words, such as "western" or "musical comedy". The subject
and form system which I devised is intended to implement this
approach. One of the faults I find with other video catalog
programs is they typically provide only a small number of very
broad genre classification categories. I don't think that is
adequate for the serious collector with a large collection.
MPAA Code
---------
A dialog box will present a list of the audience suitability
ratings of the Motion Picture Association of America.
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Rating
------
A dialog box will present a list of 8 enumerated rating
descriptions. The rating system is one commonly used in movie
guides and TV schedule listings. Whether you rate a movie based
on your personal opinion or that of professional critics is up to
you.
Color
-----
A dialog box will present a list of types of color
characteristics (color, black & white, colorized, etc.).
Sound
-----
A dialog box will present a list of types of sound
characteristics (mono, stereo, silent, etc.).
Format
------
A dialog box will present a list of film and video formats
(VHS, Beta, 35 mm, etc).
Minutes Length
--------------
A dialog box will present an edit field for your entry.
This entry may be up to 3 characters long and may be any
combination of numbers and letters, although it is recommended
that the characters be numeric and represent the running time in
number of minutes.
Cassette Number
---------------
A dialog box will present an edit field for your entry.
This entry may be up to 4 characters long and may be any
combination of numbers and letters. It is recommended that you
use numeric characters only. It can be omitted, although in the
cataloging of a large collection this is the most useful single
piece of information. If you use a simple sequential numbering
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system, this will support a library of up to 9,999 cassettes,
which is adequate for most users. If you include non-numeric
characters, you may cause unintended effects on range selection
aspect of the label printing utility.
Index Number
------------
This entry may also be any combination of letters and
numbers up to 4 characters in length. It is recommended that you
use numeric characters only. If you have multiple items on the
same cassette you may either place the tape counter number or the
sequence number. By sequence number, I mean coding the first
movie "1", the second "2", and so on. Fanatics may prefer to use
tape counter numbers. This entry is optional, but I strongly
recommend that you use it. When the Label function prints a
label for a cassette it will print multiple items in Index Number
sequence. Using non-numeric characters in this field may produce
unintended effects on the sorting sequence for label printing.
Comments
--------
The program will display a small text editor window in which
you can write free-form comments in 3 lines of 60 characters
each. The cursor can be moved using the arrow keys, Home, and
End. Text can be deleted using the Delete or Backspace keys.
In order to maintain compatibility with the prior editions
of VIDEOCAT, the text in the edit field is in fixed width
spacing, so in the Windows and OS/2 editions it will look a
little different than it will when the record is displayed in
other windows which use variable width spacing.
This field can be used to store any other data (e.g. Oscars
and other awards) or a short plot summary, or any other
information you might want to file with the record. Since you
can search your data file for information contained in the
comment lines, this is an easy way to add new kinds of search
keys, such as names of script writers, musical score composers,
production studios, etc.