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Power-Programmierung
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CD1.mdf
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magazine
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compute
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1991_10
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howto
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howtouse.dsk
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Text File
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1994-04-26
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6KB
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126 lines
HOW TO USE THE DISK
Before you begin using the magazine disk, we highly recommend
that you make a backup copy and keep the original in a safe place.
If possible, use the DISKCOPY command to make your backup copy.
Some files on the disk may be located in subdirectories, and the
COPY command won't copy all the files in a subdirectory unless you
specify the path.
Running the Menu
Descriptions of all the programs on the disk are contained in
COMPUTE's Menu Operating System (CMOS). Run the menu by
entering MENU at the DOS prompt. If you have a Microsoft or
compatible mouse, it's automatically detected.
Before running the disk programs, follow the instructions in
the documentation files included with the programs. Generally, all
documentation for the programs is located on disk. Remember that
some files on the magazine disk are not executable programs; for
instance, some files may contain only the data for a program. Two
files that work with CMOS are LAUNCH.EXE and MENU.CTS and should
not be run or tampered with in any way.
The entry highlighted when the menu boots is Information and
Extras. If you select this option, another menu appears with
additional programs or information about the magazine. These
options may vary from issue to issue, but normally, you can print a
subscription form for COMPUTE Magazine, print a monthly disk
survey form, print the disk contents, or print this HOWTO file.
To get started with the menu, highlight a program name with
the cursor or move the mouse pointer and click the left button. A
description of the program appears in the box at the bottom of the
screen. To select a program, press Enter or click the left mouse
button. To go back to the previous screen, press the Esc key or
click the right mouse button. Once you've selected a program, a
list of options appears at the top of the screen and the
requirements for running the program appear in the box located in
the upper right corner.
If a program runs from CMOS, that option is offered when the
program is selected. If Run isn't an option, the program must be
run from DOS. First read or print the documentation file; then
install the program. Exit the menu and run the program, following
the instructions in the documentation file.
More Tips
Be sure that your graphics system (Hercules, CGA, or EGA) matches
the program requirements.
Don't be concerned that your PC disk might have a virus. We get
a disk with the latest version of each program from the author, and
we run a battery of tests on each file to ensure that it's virus-
free.
Before running a program that you've installed from the menu,
be sure to change to the correct drive and directory.
The file T.EXE on each disk is the latest version of TurboTYPE
(July 1989), our file lister. You can use TurboTYPE to view any
ASCII file.
If you can't display a directory of the disk with the DIR
command, the disk is probably defective. Return your disk to us,
and we'll quickly send you a replacement.
Installing Programs
Before you can run a program from your hard disk or another floppy
disk, you must install it. You can install the programs from CMOS
or from the DOS prompt. To install a program from the menu,
highlight the program's name and press Enter or click the left
mouse button. Follow the prompts to continue installation or press
the Esc key to return to the previous menu or screen.
You can install the files to your hard drive or a floppy disk.
If you choose the defaults, the files install to C:\COMPUTE\monthyear\
on your hard drive or the root directory of your floppy disk. The default
directory for each disk reflects the month and year of the issue of
the magazine.
To edit the default directory, use the backspace key and the
cursor keys. Enter the complete pathname to the directory where you
want to install the files. If the directory doesn't exist, it will
be created for you.
To install a program from the DOS prompt, use your backup copy
of the disk and enter MENU source destination. If the program files
are compressed, source is a file in the root directory with a PAQ
extension. If the files have not been compressed, source is the
name of the subdirectory in which the files are stored. Destination
is the drive and directory where you want the program files to
reside. If this destination directory doesn't exist, it will be
created for you.
Once the files are installed, they're ready to run. If you
installed the files to your hard drive, exit the menu and use the
CD command to change to the directory where the program files are
located.
Programs That Require DOS
Some programs on PCs and compatibles require COMMAND.COM (a DOS
file) to operate. Floppy drive systems look for COMMAND.COM on
drive A, so it's best to keep a disk with COMMAND.COM in drive A.
If there's room on the disks that contain the working copies
of the programs, you can copy COMMAND.COM onto them. If there
isn't room, place a COMMAND.COM disk in drive A and the copy of the
program disk in drive B. Then run the program from drive B.
If the system you're using boots from a hard drive, the
computer can find COMMAND.COM on the hard drive. If you boot a hard
drive system from a floppy disk in drive A, you should keep a
COMMAND.COM disk in drive A.
With the exception of the shareware programs, the entire contents
of COMPUTE and COMPUTE's PC disk are copyright (c) 1991 by COMPUTE
Publications Int'l, LTD. The programs are intended for use by the
purchaser of the disk/magazine and may not be distributed to others in
any form. We ask that you respect the copyright.