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Quick Shop
The Grocery Shopping Assistant
Copyright (c), 1992, By Chet Langin, Langin Software
All Rights Reserved
No warranty is expressed or implied
Table of Contents
1. Installation
2. What Is Quick Shop?
3. The Six Lists
4. The Three Windows
5. The 20 Procedures
6. The Three Switches
7. The Six Functions
8. Adding a Dish's Ingredients
9. Stop!!! Not This Way!!!
10. Your First Shopping Trip
11. Regular Usage of Quick Shop
Appendix A, Troubleshooting
Quick Shop, Page 2
1. Installation
================
Quick Shop must be installed before it can be run. The
installation routine...
1) Sets the beginning colors, which can later
be changed from within the program. (See
Section 5.20.)
2) Sets the default maximum file sizes, which
can later be changed with command line
switches. (See Section 6.)
3) Creates a QS.CFG file which saves
configuration settings.
4) Checks for the existence of all program
files.
5) Copies the program files to another disk
and/or directory, if desired. A directory is
created if it does not already exist.
6) Prints the manual (MANUAL.DOC), if desired.
Quick Shop does not have to be uncompressed. (It is
already uncompressed.)
Quick Shop can be run from its current disk and
directory if there is some available disk space.
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files are not changed.
The installation routine can be stopped at most places
while it is running by pressing the <ESC> key.
To run the installation routine, simply enter...
INSTALL
Quick Shop, Page 3
2. What is Quick Shop?
=======================
Quick Shop is a goal-oriented program.
The goal is to make your grocery shopping quicker and
easier.
The overall premise is this:
Pick the food dishes you want, and have
Quick Shop list the ingredients you
need--sorted by grocery store aisle.
Anxious to get started?
You should be! But, if you don't know how to use Quick
Shop properly, it won't help you!
The most important part of this manual is Section 10.
It leads you through your first typical meal planning
session. When you make it through Section 10, you'll see
how Quick Shop can save you much of the time and dreariness
involved in meal planning. Time you can spend in better
ways!
But, the other sections in this manual are important,
too. They explain the "nuts and bolts" of Quick Shop. Time
spent, now, with this manual, will be time earned, many
times over, in the weeks, months, and years, ahead.
Especially, don't miss the "Hot Tip" in Section 8.1!
2.1 Saving Lists
-----------------
You never have to save lists in Quick Shop. It is done
automatically!
Quick Shop, Page 4
3. The Six Lists
=================
Quick Shop is a relational database. Technically
speaking, this means that the information is stored in
several lists--not just one. The different lists are
related to each other in one or more ways.
The primary advantage of a relational database is
flexibility. You'll appreciate this most when you enter the
ingredients of a new food dish. (See Section 8.) If an
ingredient already exists in Quick Shop, you just select it.
Otherwise, when you enter a new ingredient, it becomes
available to be selected by future food dishes.
Quick Shop does this by using six lists. Here are the
filenames and the list each one contains...
1) INGRED.QS1 Ingredients
2) MDISH.QS1 Meat Dishes
3) GDISH.QS1 Grain Dishes
4) FDISH.QS1 Fruit Dishes
5) VDISH.QS1 Vegetable Dishes
6) DDISH.QS1 Desert Dishes
3.1 Ingredient List
-------------------
The Ingredient List is the foundation of Quick Shop. It
consists of ...
A Name
------
Each ingredient must have a unique name.
For example, "Chicken, Whole". The Ingredient
List is kept in alphabetical order at all
times. Similar items should be entered so
that they will be listed together. For
example, "Chicken, Cutup" and "Chicken
Breasts"--all of the chicken ingredients begin
with the word "chicken". Later, when you want
to find chicken ingredients, just enter
"chicken" and you will be placed in the list
where you can select the appropriate chicken
ingredient. (See Section 7.4.)
Brand names are okay, such as "Cookies,
Oreo". Whatever makes it easiest for you.
Duplicate listings, spelled differently,
are also okay. You can have both "Green
Onions" and "Onions, Green". It doesn't hurt
a thing!
Quick Shop, Page 5
Ingredients do not have to be food. Other
items, such as toilet paper and facial tissue
can be entered, too.
A Description
-------------
This is for any information which you may
wish to add, such as "box", "bottle", or
"can". It could also be a brand name, or what
size, or how many in a package. For example,
"Two-liter bottle" or "six-pack".
It could be the location in the grocery
store, such as "top shelf" or "ask meat man".
It could be a description of the package,
such as "blue lid" or "red box".
Think of it in this general way. If you
became sick and your spouse or children had to
do the grocery shopping, the description would
help them get the correct groceries.
A Mark
------
This indicates whether or not something
will appear on the shopping list. An
ingredient can be marked more than one time,
indicating how many times that ingredient is
needed.
A Coupon
--------
This indicates if you have a coupon for
that ingredient. A symbol will appear by this
ingredient on the shopping list.
A Reminder
----------
For ingredients that you need almost every
shopping trip, such as bread and milk. You
can use the "Toolbox/Mark Reminders" procedure
to have Quick Shop mark these items for you
before each shopping trip. (See Section 5.18.)
Quick Shop, Page 6
The Aisle
---------
The grocery store aisle where this
ingredient is located. It can be a number or
a description, such as "meat" or "dairy".
When the shopping list is printed, the
ingredients are sorted by aisle.
3.2 Meat Dish List
-------------------
Quick Shop also consists of five food dish lists: Meat,
Grain, Fruit, Vegetable, and Desert. The Meat Dish List is,
generally speaking, for main dishes, including protein and
fish. If you're not sure which list to put a particular
food dish into, don't panic! Do what makes sense to you!
Food Dishes all have the same structure...
A Name
------
A unique name which describes each food
dish, such as "Helen's Chef Salad" or "Sausage
& Biscuits".
Location of Recipe
------------------
Where to find the recipe, if you need it,
such as "Church Cookbook, Page 73".
A Mark
------
Selects a food dish for printing and also
marks all of the ingredients listed for that
dish. The ingredient marks are incremented.
That is, if "Tomatoes, Fresh" is already
marked once, and a food dish is marked which
has "Tomatoes, Fresh" listed as an ingredient,
then the "Tomatoes, Fresh" mark will increase
from 1 to 2.
Note that only the listed food dish
ingredients are marked when that food dish is
marked. What this means is that if you mark a
Quick Shop, Page 7
food dish, and then add an ingredient to that
dish, then the new ingredient will not be
marked.
Add your food dish ingredients first!
Then, mark the food dish!
A List of Ingredients
---------------------
What ingredients are needed to make the
dish. List everything, even such common
things as ketchup. It's better to leave it on
the list, then to have hamburgers on, say,
Thursday and discover, then, there's no
ketchup!
When you add an ingredient to a food dish,
Quick Shop checks to see if the ingredient
already exists. If it doesn't, Quick Shop
adds the new ingredient to the Ingredient
List. You can find it later (See Section 7.4)
and add the Description and Aisle.
3.3 Grain Dish List
--------------------
For food dishes with a primary ingredient of grain.
This includes bread, rice, pancakes, and pasta, such as
spaghetti, noodles, and macaroni. If you're not sure which
dish list to use, don't worry. Use any of them which is
convenient for you.
See Section 3.2, "Meat Dish List," for an explanation of
the food dish lists.
3.4 Fruit Dish List
--------------------
For food dishes with primary ingredients of fruit!
See Section 3.2, "Meat Dish List," for an explanation of
the food dish lists.
3.5 Vegetable Dish List
------------------------
For food dishes with primary ingredients of vegetables!
See Section 3.2, "Meat Dish List," for an explanation of
the food dish lists.
Quick Shop, Page 8
3.6 Desert Dish List
---------------------
For deserts!
See Section 3.2, "Meat Dish List," for an explanation of
the food dish lists.
3.7 Types of Lists
-------------------
The word "list" is used extensively in Quick Shop.
Here's a clarification of how it is used:
Ingredient List: The master list.
Food Dish List: Just the ingredients used
in particular food dishes.
Shopping List: Just marked ingredients.
3.8 Flexibility!
----------------
The Quick Shop lists are designed for flexibility to
allow for future expansion. For example, because Quick Shop
is a relational database, future lists can be added for
prices, calories, and other information, and these future
files can be related to the six existing lists.
Quick Shop also offers you two ways of expanding the
lists yourself, if you are capable.
1) A "Toolbox/Save to ASCII" procedure allows
you to write your Quick Shop lists to ASCII
comma delimited files. This means that you
can transfer your Quick Shop files to other
programs which use this structure.
2) A programmer's explanation of the Quick
Shop file structures is provided to registered
users. This means capable programmers can
access Quick Shop files.
Quick Shop, Page 9
4. The Three Windows
=====================
Quick Shop divides the video screen into three windows:
1) The Dialog Window
2) The Procedures Window
3) The List Window
Only one window is "active" at a time and each has its
own characteristics. An "active" window has a double-line
border. An "inactive" window has a single-line border.
4.1 The Dialog Window
----------------------
The Dialog Window goes across the top of the screen. It
creates a dialog between you and the program. If the
program needs to tell you something, it does so in the
Dialog Window. If it needs to ask you something, the Dialog
Window is where it gets the answer.
Generally speaking, if you're not sure what to do, next,
check out the Dialog Window.
These are the editing commands for the input line of the
Dialog Window:
Cursor Movement
---------------
Character Left <Left Arrow>
<Ctrl-S>
Character Right <Right Arrow>
<Ctrl-D>
Word Left <Ctrl-Left Arrow>
<Ctrl-A>
Word Right <Ctrl-Right Arrow>
<Ctrl-F>
Line Left <Home>
<Ctrl-QS>
Line Right <End>
<Ctrl-QD>
Quick Shop, Page 10
Inserting and Deleting
----------------------
Insert <Insert>
<Ctrl-V>
Delete <Delete>
<Ctrl-G>
Backspace <Backspace>
<Ctrl-H>
Delete Word <Ctrl-T>
Delete Line <Ctrl-Y>
<Ctrl-Backspace>
Delete to EOL <Ctrl-QY>
Restore Line <Ctrl-R>
<Ctrl-QL>
Other
-----
Escape <Escape>
<Right Mouse Button>
<Ctrl-U>
Select <Enter>
<Ctrl-M>
<Center Mouse Button>
<Left Mouse Button>
4.2 The Procedures Window
--------------------------
The Procedures Window gives you a choice of procedures.
There are 20 of them and they are explained in Section 5.
When you are accessing a list, the procedure choices
disappear and are replaced by function key choices. (The
function keys are explained in Section 7.)
In any other program, the Procedures Window would be
called a menu. But, this is a program about food, and, when
you're talking about food, a menu is a selection of things
to eat (not a selection of computer procedures).
Therefore, in Quick Shop, the choice of things to do is
called the Procedures Window.
Quick Shop, Page 11
Procedures can be selected three ways:
1) By using the arrow keys to highlight the
appropriate procedure, and pressing <ENTER>.
2) By pointing and clicking at a procedure
with a mouse, if you have one.
3) By pressing the highlighted character of a
procedure. So far, this has always been the
first letter of a procedure. But, in future
versions, it may be a letter other than the
first one.
4.3 The List Window
--------------------
The List Window is where you actually do things with
items in a list, such as add or change ingredients and
dishes.
The input areas of the List Window use the same
keystrokes described above for the input line of the Dialog
Window (See Section 4.1).
However, these additional keystrokes are also available:
Go to the next item: <Down Arrow>
<Tab>
Go to the previous item: <Up Arrow>
<Shift Tab>
Go to the next screen: <Page Down>
Go to the previous screen: <Page Up>
Skip forward 10 screens: <Ctrl-Page Down>
Skip back 10 screens: <Ctrl-Page Up>
Go to the first screen: <Ctrl-Home>
Go to the last screen: <Ctrl-End>
Increment a mark/coupon/reminder: +
Decrement a mark/coupon/reminder: -
Quick Shop, Page 12
5. The 20 Procedures
=====================
The 20 Quick Shop procedures are divided into three
groups:
1) The "Access Lists" group
2) The "Print" group
3) The "Toolbox" group
On the Quick Shop video screen, the groups are in the
Procedures Window and they look (something) like this...
+- Procedures Window -+
| |
| Main Procedures |
| | +- Procedures Window -+
| Help | | |
| Access Lists... | ---------> | Access Lists |
| Print... | ------+ | |
| Toolbox... | --+ | | Help |
| Exit Quick Shop | | | | Ingredients |
| | | | | Meat Dishes |
+---------------------+ | | | Grain Dishes |
| | | Fruit Dishes |
| | | Vegetable Dishes |
+- Procedures Window -+ | | | Desert Dishes |
| | | | | Exit These Choices |
| Toolbox | <-+ | | |
| | | +---------------------+
| Help | |
| Remove All Marks | |
| Increment All Marks | | +- Procedures Window -+
| Decrement All Marks | | | |
| Mark Reminders | +---> | Print |
| Save to ASCII File | | |
| Change Colors | | Help |
| Exit These Choices | | Shopping List |
+---------------------+ | Meat Dishes |
| Grain Dishes |
| Fruit Dishes |
| Vegetable Dishes |
| Desert Dishes |
| Paper Eject |
| Exit These Choices |
+---------------------+
Quick Shop, Page 13
Here are explanations of the 20 procedures:
5.1 Access Lists/Ingredients
---------------------------------
Allows you to add, change, mark, and delete
Ingredients.
5.2 Access Lists/Meat Dishes
---------------------------------
Allows you to add, change, mark, and delete Meat
Dishes.
5.3 Access Lists/Grain Dishes
----------------------------------
Allows you to add, change, mark, and delete Grain
Dishes.
5.4 Access Lists/Fruit Dishes
----------------------------------
Allows you to add, change, mark, and delete Fruit
Dishes.
5.5 Access Lists/Vegetable Dishes
--------------------------------------
Allows you to add, change, mark, and delete Vegetable
Dishes.
5.6 Access Lists/Desert Dishes
---------------------------------
Allows you to add, change, mark, and delete Desert
Dishes.
5.7 Print/Shopping List
------------------------
Prints the Shopping List, sorted by aisle. Only marked
ingredients are included.
5.8 Print/Ingredients
----------------------
Similar to the Shopping List, except the ingredients are
Quick Shop, Page 14
sorted in alphabetical order. Prints only marked
ingredients. Use this to proofread your ingredients. To
print all of the ingredients, first use "Toolbox/Increment
All Marks" (See Section 5.16). Next, print the ingredients.
Afterwards, use "Toolbox/Decrement All Marks" (See Section
5.17). This leaves all of the marks as they were when you
started.
5.9 Print/Meat Dishes
----------------------
Prints marked Meat Dishes along with the ingredients for
each dish. Use this to supplement the Shopping List so that
you can remember what ingredients go with what dishes.
Can also be used to proofread the Meat Dishes. To print
all of the Meat Dishes, use "Toolbox/Increment All Marks"
(See Section 5.16), first. Next, print the Meat Dishes.
Finally, use "Toolbox, Decrement All Marks" (See Section
5.17) to put the marks back to their previous conditions.
5.10 Print/Grain Dishes
------------------------
See Section 5.9, "Print/Meat Dishes."
5.11 Print/Fruit Dishes
------------------------
See Section 5.9, "Print/Meat Dishes."
5.12 Print/Vegetable Dishes
----------------------------
See Section 5.9, "Print/Meat Dishes."
5.13 Print/Desert Dishes
-------------------------
See Section 5.9, "Print/Meat Dishes."
5.14 Print/Paper Eject
-----------------------
Some printers require an extra paper ejection so that
the printed material can be removed from the printer. This
procedure allows you to eject the paper from within Quick
Shop.
Quick Shop, Page 15
5.15 Toolbox/Remove All Marks
------------------------------
Sets all marks in all of the lists to zero. Sets all
coupons to zero. Does not effect Reminders. Do this when
you first start a new Shopping List.
5.16 Toolbox/Increment All Marks
---------------------------------
Increments all of the marks in all of the lists. Does
not effect Coupons or Reminders.
Why would you need this?
Suppose that you have already started your Shopping
List, and, then, you decide you want to print all of your
food dishes. Follow this procedure:
1) Increment All Marks
2) Do the printing
3) Decrement All marks
The marks will be in the same condition as when you
started, and you can finish your Shopping List.
5.17 Toolbox/Decrement All Marks
---------------------------------
Decrements all marks. See Section 5.16,
"Toolbox/Increment All Marks."
5.18 Toolbox/Mark Reminders
----------------------------
Marks every ingredient for which a Reminder is
indicated. Start your Shopping List like this:
1) Remove All Marks (See Section 5.15, above)
2) Mark Reminders
Then, finish your Shopping List. See Section 10.
5.19 Toolbox/Save to ASCII File
--------------------------------
Allows you to save the Quick Shop lists to ASCII comma
delimited files. This way, they can be used by other
programs which use this structure.
Quick Shop, Page 16
5.20 Toolbox/Change Colors
---------------------------
Allows you to customize the video screen colors. A
color chart is displayed in the List Window in order for you
pick your colors by the number.
An area of the screen blinks, and the Dialog Window
tells you what to do, next...
"Press <TAB> to select area, then press
<ENTER>. ESC to exit."
Each time you press <TAB> a different area of the screen
blinks. When you select a new color, the blinking area of
the screen is what will receive the new color. (You can
also press <SHIFT TAB> to select areas of the screen in
reverse order.)
When the area of the screen you want to change is
blinking, press <ENTER>. The Dialog Window tells you,
again, what to do...
"Select a color. Enter a number between 1 and
128."
Determine the number of the color you want from the
color chart and enter it. (You can also press <ESC>,
instead.)
Keep pressing <TAB> and entering color numbers until you
are finished. Then, press <ESC>. The Dialog Window will
ask you...
"Save changes? (Y/n)"
If you select "Y", the changes will be saved to QS.CFG,
the configuration file, and will be used, again, the next
time with Quick Shop. If you select "N", the changes will
not be saved to disk. The Dialog Window will ask you...
"Restore starting colors? (Y/n)"
If you want to go back to the colors you started with,
just press "Y". Otherwise, "N". Either way, you will go
back to the selection of Toolbox procedures.
Quick Shop, Page 17
6. The Three Switches
======================
Quick Shop offers three command line switches. A
"command line switch" is something which is entered at the
DOS prompt when the program is started.
For example, the standard way to start Quick Shop is to
enter...
QS
However, the /S switch can be entered, too. Like
this...
QS /S
The three switches can be entered in any order. They
can be entered in either uppercase or lowercase.
6.1 The /S Switch
------------------
The "S" stands for "Skip." When Quick Shop starts, it
checks the validity of each item in each list to be sure
that the list has not been corrupted. This can take a
while.
If you are sure the lists have not been
corrupted, then you can use the /S switch to skip the
validity check. The advantage is that the program starts
faster. The disadvantage is that, if the lists have been
corrupted, the program may not work correctly.
6.2 The /I Switch
------------------
The "I" stands for "Ingredients." This switch shows and
determines how many ingredients can be handled by Quick
Shop. The maximum is theoretically 65,565, but it really
depends on how much memory your computer has. If you set it
too high, the program won't run. To see the current
setting, enter...
QS /I
To set a new amount, say, 10,000, enter...
QS /I10000
(Leave the comma out of the number.)
When you set a new amount, the /S switch is ignored.
That is because the validity check at the start of the
Quick Shop, Page 18
program allows Quick Shop to immediately see if the new
value will work. (Better to find out at the start, then in
the middle!)
6.3 The /D Switch
------------------
The "D" stands for "Dishes." This works the same way as
the /I switch (See 6.2, above), but determines how many of
each type of food dishes can be handled by Quick Shop.
Quick Shop, Page 19
7. The Six Functions
=====================
The six functions are indicated by function keys drawn
on the video screen. They appear when you access a list.
You can only use them when they are visible. Press the
appropriate function key on your keyboard, or point and
click at one on the screen with a mouse.
<ESC> is also displayed for the escape key. Use it when
you are ready to leave the list. Any additions or changes
are automatically saved.
7.1 <F1> Help
---------------
Calls up a help screen.
7.2 <F2> Add
--------------
Clears the screen so that you can add an ingredient or
dish. What it does is go to the end of the list. After you
enter the new item, Quick Shop inserts the new item
alphabetically where it belongs.
7.3 <F3> Delete
-----------------
Deletes an ingredient or dish. You are asked if you are
sure. When the item is deleted, the space is closed up
automatically.
7.4 <F4> Search
-----------------
Searches for an item. Get to know this function key!
It is the fastest way to get around in a list. It ignores
uppercase and lowercase.
You can use it three ways:
Exact Matches
-------------
Enter the exact name of an ingredient or
dish. You will find if it exists.
Quick Shop, Page 20
Close Matches
-------------
Enter something that will get you in the
general area of where you want to be in the
list file. For example, enter "chi" and you
will be placed at or near "chicken" entries.
Once you're close, you can use <Page Up>
and <Page Down> to scan that area of the
list.
"Blanks"
--------
Search "for nothing" and you will get
items with blank entries.
This is how you do it: Press <F4> and,
then, immediately afterwards, press <ENTER>.
What you get depends on the type of list:
Ingredient Lists
----------------
You will get the next
Ingredient, if any, which does
not have an entry for either the
Description or the Aisle.
Use this feature after
entering new Ingredients to a
Food Dish. You don't have to
remember what they are or write
them down....
> Exit the Food Dish list
> Access the Ingredient list
> Press <F4>
> Press <ENTER>
...Quick Shop will find them
for you! (Then, you can fill in
the Descriptions and Aisles.)
Food Dish Lists
---------------
You will get the next Food
Dish, if any, which does not
have any Ingredients listed.
Quick Shop, Page 21
7.5 <F5> Renew
----------------
Renews an item to its condition when it was just
displayed. Use this if you accidentally change an item and
want to restore it. Will not bring back deleted items.
Does not work after an item is no longer displayed.
7.6 <F6> Q-Mark
-----------------
For "Quick Mark." Allows you to mark a displayed item no
matter where the cursor happens to be. (Otherwise, the
cursor has to be in the "Marked" box.) Lets you mark items
quickly!
Quick Shop, Page 22
8. Adding a Dish's Ingredients
===============================
When you add Ingredients to a Food Dish, you are really
dealing with two lists at once:
1) The Ingredients list
2) The Food Dish list
This means that the two lists have to be coordinated
with each other: for every Ingredient listed in a Food Dish
list, there has to be a corresponding Ingredient listed in
the Ingredient list.
How does Quick Shop handle this?
It's a three-step process:
1) Every time you enter an Ingredient in a
Food Dish, Quick Shop searches the Ingredient
list to see if the Ingredient already exists.
If it does, things proceed and you don't even
notice it.
2) If an exact match is not found, Quick Shop
finds the closest thing, and you are given the
opportunity of choosing a near match.
3) If you don't want the near match, Quick
Shop asks you if you want to add the new
Ingredient to the Ingredient list. You can
add it, or, you can stop the process without
adding anything.
Incidentally, the Ingredients which are in a Food Dish
list are always kept in alphabetical order. When you change
an Ingredient name or add a new Ingredient, you may see the
list "jump" as it is reordered.
Now, that you are aware of what's happening, this is
what it looks like to you as it happens. Suppose that you
want to add "Sausage" to Mexican Pizza in the Meat Dish
list.
In "Ingredient 6/20" (6 of 20), next page, "Lettuce" was
erased and "Sausage" has been typed. But, the <ENTER> key
has not been pressed, yet. When, <ENTER> is pressed, Quick
Shop will search the Ingredient list to see if "Sausage" is
there.
Quick Shop, Page 23
+-------------------- List Window --------------------+
| |
| Meat Dish List |
| |
| Meat Dish Name: Mexican Pizza |
| |
| Mark? (+/-) 1 |
| |
| Location of Recipe: |
| In Cook's Head (Sorry, recipe not available) |
| |
| Ingredient 2/20: Bisquick |
| Ingredient 3/20: Cheese, Cheddar, Shredded |
| Ingredient 4/20: Cornmeal, Yellow |
| Ingredient 5/20: Hamburger (Ground Beef) |
| Ingredient 6/20: Sausage |
| Ingredient 7/20: Onions, Fresh |
| Ingredient 8/20: Taco Mix |
| |
| Meat Dish 18 of 21 |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
In the next diagram, only the ingredients are shown, to
save space. <ENTER> has been pressed. Quick Shop looked
for "Sausage" and did not find an exact match. The closest
thing that Quick Shop did find was "Sausage, Italian", which
is now displayed, temporarily, for "Ingredient 6/20".
| Ingredient 2/20: Bisquick |
| Ingredient 3/20: Cheese, Cheddar, Shredded |
| Ingredient 4/20: Cornmeal, Yellow |
| Ingredient 5/20: Hamburger (Ground Beef) |
| Ingredient 6/20: ^v Sausage, Italian |
| Ingredient 7/20: Onions, Fresh |
| Ingredient 8/20: Taco Mix |
You can tell that "Sausage, Italian" is temporarily
listed because of the two arrows, ^v, next to it. (Sorry,
real arrows appear on the video screen, but not here,
because not all printers can print them.) The arrows mean
that you can now scroll through the Ingredient list to see
if a near match will do. You scroll and also find "Sausage,
Log".
Meanwhile, the Dialog Window keeps you up to date. It
says...
"Use: Arrow keys, Escape, or Enter".
You already know that the arrow keys will scroll though
the Ingredient list, but what about Escape and Enter?
Quick Shop, Page 24
Enter
-----
Pressing <ENTER> indicates to Quick Shop
that you really meant "Sausage, Italian" and
not "Sausage", and "Sausage, Italian" is added
to the Mexican Pizza dish.
Escape
------
Pressing <ESC> means that you didn't mean
"Sausage, Italian" or "Sausage, Log" or any
other Ingredient already listed.
If you press <ESC>, Quick Shop still needs to know if it
should add "Sausage" to the Ingredient list. So it asks you
through the Dialog Window, which says...
"Add 'Sausage' to Ingredient list? (Y/n)"
If you press "Y", then "Sausage" is added, otherwise,
"Sausage" is erased from the video screen and you're back to
Square One.
8.1 Hot Tip!
-------------
In the example, above, you could have entered "sau" as
an ingredient, and Quick Shop would still have found
"Sausage, Italian"!
Learn to use shortcuts like this!
Enter...
"chi" for "chicken" !
"bro" for "broccoli" !
"spa" for "spaghetti" !
Save yourself gobs of typing time! If you get it wrong,
just press Escape!
(The full name of an ingredient just has to be typed in
the first time you enter that ingredient!)
Quick Shop, Page 25
9. Stop!!! Not This Way!!!
============================
You may be anxious to get started using Quick Shop, or
you may see it as just more work that has to be done...
...but one thing is fairly sure...
...you are probably thinking about getting all of your
recipes together and spending a few hours typing Ingredients
into Quick Shop.
Stop!!!
That's not how Quick Shop was meant to be used!!!
Go spend some quality time and enjoy life.
Come back to Quick Shop when you're actually ready to
make your shopping list. Then, follow the instructions in
the next section.
Quick Shop, Page 26
10. Your First Shopping Trip
============================
You're ready to give Quick Shop a workout and you just
need some guidance to make it easy. You're in luck because
that is what you're going to get!
Follow these steps:
10.1 Start Quick Shop
----------------------
At the DOS prompt, enter...
QS
10.2 Set Reminders
-------------------
Select "Access Lists" from the Main Procedures list.
When, you get a choice of lists, select "Ingredients". You
will be placed in the Ingredients list.
Think of items that you will need on every grocery list,
such as bread and milk. Use <F4> to find each item. If an
item does not already exist, use <F2> to add it. Put a
number in the "Remind" box indicating how many of these
items you think you will need each time. Do not put
anything in the "Marked" box at this time.
The number you put in the "Remind" box stays there week
after week (unless you specifically change it).
Worried about getting the Aisles correct? Don't worry
about it, now. If you know an Aisle from memory, it's okay
to enter it. But, this is not the time to start looking up
Aisles.
Press <ESC> to go back to the Procedures Window. (Your
"Remind" numbers are automatically saved.) Press <ESC> to go
back to the Main Procedures.
10.3 Remove All Marks
----------------------
From the Main Procedures list, select "ToolBox" to get
the Toolbox Procedures. Then, select "Remove All Marks".
This clears the Shopping List so that you are ready to make
a new one.
(The "Remind" numbers you just set are not cleared.
They are retained unless you specifically change them.)
Quick Shop, Page 27
10.4 Mark Reminders
--------------------
From the Toolbox procedure list, select "Mark
Reminders". Quick Shop scans the Ingredient list. For
every "Remind" number, Quick Shop "Marks" the Ingredient.
Your Shopping List has just started to take shape!
From now on, you add your regular items just by
selecting "Mark Reminders". You'll never forgot toilet
paper or facial tissues, again!
Press <ESC> to leave the "Toolbox" procedures.
10.5 Select Existing Food Dishes
---------------------------------
From the list of Main Procedures, select "Access Lists".
Then, select "Meat Dishes". (Don't eat meat? Select
"Vegetable Dishes"!) You will enter a food dish list.
Use <Page Up> and <Page Down> to scan the food dishes.
Find any that you want.
Sample Food Dishes
------------------
You may not find any sample Food Dishes
that you want. If so, skip to Section 10.6.
Next time, after you have entered some of your
own Food Dishes, and you want to select your
own, continue here.
Or, perhaps you have found a sample Food
Dish that you do like, but you use different
Ingredients. Go ahead, and change them (see
Section 8).
Your Food Dishes
----------------
The first time, you will probably start
entering some of your own Food Dishes (see
the next section). The second time, you will
think "I just had those!" and, so, you will
enter some more. Around the third or fourth
time you use this program, you will probably
start selecting your own Food Dishes.
Quick Shop, Page 28
When you find a Food Dish you want, select "Q-Mark".
The Dish will be marked and so will each Ingredient on list.
If you are going to have the same dish, twice, press
"Q-Mark" twice.
If you change your mind, put the cursor in the "Marked"
box and press the minus key (-). The Ingredients will also
be changed.
10.6 Add Food Dishes
---------------------
Odds are, you will want to add Food Dishes. Almost
every shopping trip, you will want to add at least one dish.
However, just add the food dishes you want to shop for
at this time. This is how Quick Shop is intended to grow: a
little at a time. Just what you need. No more. No less.
Use your brain, your recipe box, your cookbooks, your
family, your friends, or whatever it takes to come up with a
dish you wish to add.
Select "Add" to get a blank screen. Enter a unique dish
name. This is the time to enter the location of the recipe,
as you probably just got it to look up the Ingredients.
Do not Mark the new dish, yet. You have to enter the
Ingredients, first.
Enter the Ingredients for this new dish. (See Section
8.) If you have to add Ingredients not already in the
Ingredient list, do not worry about Descriptions and Aisles,
just yet. That comes later.
Once the Ingredients are listed, select "Q-Mark" to mark
the dish and its Ingredients.
To enter another new dish, Select "Add", again, to get
another blank screen.
Press <ESC> to return to the "Access Lists" procedures.
10.7 Do Other Types of Dishes
------------------------------
Repeat steps 5 and 6, above, for each type of dish
(fruit, desert, etc.). You may not want, say, any Grain
Dishes. No matter. Do what works for you.
Quick Shop, Page 29
10.8 Select/Add Individual Ingredients
---------------------------------------
From "Access Lists", select "Ingredients". You will be
placed in the Ingredients list.
Now, is the time to Mark additional individual
Ingredients, such as cookies, and, also, non-food items such
as ink pens and paper, if you get these items at the grocery
store.
Use "Search" to find an item, or "Add" to add a new item
to the list, then use "Q-Mark" to mark the item. You can
add new Ingredients, too.
10.9 Indicate Coupons
----------------------
Get your coupons. Use "Search" to find the Ingredients
that you have coupons for. Place the cursor in the
"Coupons" box and press the plus sign (+). When the
Shopping List is printed, an indication will be made as to
which Ingredients you have coupons for.
If a coupon requires that you buy two or more of
something, be sure that the item is marked at least that
number of times.
You will probably find that you forgot to mark an item
for which you have a coupon. It is perfectly okay to go
back to Step 10.8, above, and add and mark new items.
10.10 Fill in the Blanks
-------------------------
Now, is the time to enter the Descriptions and Aisles,
if you know them, of newly added Ingredients. Use a blank
search (See Section 7.4) to seek them out.
If you don't know an Aisle, you can guess or leave it
blank. More on Aisles, later.
Press <ESC> to return to "Access Lists". Press <ESC>,
again, to return to the "Main Procedures".
10.11 Print a Shopping List
----------------------------
From "Main Procedures", select "Print". Then, select
"Shopping List". It will be printed.
The Shopping List will show how many times each item is
marked. The marks are general guides to indicate how much
Quick Shop, Page 30
of each item to buy. For example, if three dishes use
sugar, then sugar may be marked three times. But, you would
only buy one bag of sugar.
10.12 Print Dishes (Optional)
------------------------------
From the "Print" procedures list, you may also want to
print the dishes. This may help you if you can't remember
what Ingredients were selected for what dishes.
10.13 Review the Shopping List
-------------------------------
The Shopping List is your scratch paper. It is not an
"official document" which has to be submitted to some
"higher authority".
If you know some Aisles are wrong, change them on the
printed Shopping List. For the Aisles you are not sure
about, just let them be.
This is the time to check and see if you already have
some of the Ingredients you need (such as ketchup, sugar,
etc.) If you don't need to buy an item, scratch it off on
the printed Shopping List.
10.14 Reprint the Shopping List, if Needed
-------------------------------------------
If you made a lot of changes on the printed Shopping
List, you may want to make the appropriate changes to the
Ingredients list and print the Shopping List, again.
10.15 Go Shopping
------------------
As you shop, jot down the correct Aisles on your printed
Shopping List. Make a list of the things you forgot, so you
can redo them.
10.16 Make Corrections
-----------------------
When you get back to your computer. Enter the
corrections you made while shopping.
Quick Shop, Page 31
10.17 Stop
-----------
Forget about Quick Shop until the next time you start a
grocery list.
Go have some fun!
Quick Shop, Page 32
11. Regular Usage of Quick Shop
================================
The previous section led you through one shopping trip
in a particular order of procedures. However, Quick Shop
does not have to be used that rigidly. It has three general
phases that you go through. Just so you stick to this
general outline, you'll do okay.
Phase 1, Prepare
----------------
Do these in any order...
Set Reminders (Section 10.2)
Remove All Marks (Section 10.3)
Phase 2, Mark
-------------
Do these in any order...
Mark Reminders (Section 10.4)
Select Existing Food Dishes (Section 10.5)
Add Food Dishes (Section 10.6)
Select/Add Ingredients (Section 10.8)
Indicate Coupons (Section 10.9)
Fill in the Blanks (Section 10.10)
Phase 3, Print
--------------
Print these in any order...
Shopping List (Section 10.11)
Dishes (Section 10.12)
Quick Shop, Page 33
Appendix A, Troubleshooting
===========================
If you have trouble with Quick Shop, consider these
possibilities...
Quick Shop Won't Start
----------------------
This could be for at least three reasons:
1) It cannot find the QS.CFG (configuration)
file. Perhaps the INSTALL routine saved
QS.CFG in an unexpected place. Run install,
again, and try a different disk drive or
directory.
2) You don't have enough memory. Use the /I
or /D switches (see Section 6) and specify
less amounts.
3) "File Too Big". You used the /I or /D
switches (see Section 6) and made an amount
too small. Use a larger amount.
Disk Errors
-----------
Disk errors are reported by the number, but the most
common disk errors are simple things like...
Disk too full
Disk is write-protected
Drive not ready
Check these things first. Make sure you haven't changed
disks in the middle of the program. Make sure there's room
on the disk for the lists to grow.
If you get a disk error and simply can't figure it out,
write down the error number and contact Langin Software.
Quick Shop, Page 34
How to contact Langin Software
------------------------------
If you are a member of CompuServe, that is the best way.
Send messages to 73770,615. These messages are checked
almost daily. Sometimes, several times a day.
You may write to Langin Software, 532 W. 3rd St.,
Centralia, IL 62801.
You may call at (618) 532-4899. Langin Software is a
home business. An answering machine is not used. Please
do not call after midnight or before 7:00 a.m., Central
time.
If all else fails, Langin Software shares a fax with
another business. (618) 532-0075. Faxes may not be
received until the following business day.
Quick Shop, Page 35
