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The Ultimate Shareware Collection
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1992-05-16
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\i Introduction \i
The discussion and examples in the following "Quick Start"
topic will show you how to use the CD-ROM library. You should
also read the brief discussion that starts on page In-1 of the
catalog. The information there tells you about $ave-On-$oftware,
how to get updates to the library, BBS usage and more. You can
use the Table of Contents to automatically access this information
by topic. Use of the Table of Contents is explained in the
"Quick Start" topic.
\i Quick Start \i
!Important!
Please take a few minutes to complete the "Quick Start". It
briefly explains the organization of the CD-ROM library and how to
use our electronic catalog to access the library. Three examples
are provided to help you get up to speed quickly. If you need
additional help, use the "F1" function key and select the "Program
Help Topics" for review. First time users should press the Page
Down (PgDn) key now for more on this topic.
LookBook presents text and supporting information via
"views". Each view -- including this help view -- consists of
continuous, "print file", text that you find in the "doc" and
"readme" files of shareware programs. Accordingly, your normal
cursor keys work as you would expect to let you browse and read a
view's text. The HOME key will take you to the beginning of a
VIEW and the END key will take you to the end of a VIEW. The DOWN
and UP arrows move directionally one line at a time, and the PGUP-
PGDN keys move one screen at a time.
Each "view" corresponds to a traditional document function.
The DOCUMENT view presents the body of the text -- in this case,
our catalog's program descriptions -- while the TABLE OF CONTENTS
and INDEX serve in traditional roles, although in an automated
fashion. In fact, the catalog text that is used to access the
library, comes directly from the printed version. Two other
views, NOTES and BOOKMARKS provide the traditional support that
their names suggest -- note taking and book marking.
Table of Contents Example
─────────────────────────
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Note │
│ This text assumes that you are using the booklet that came │
│ with your CD-ROM disk. If you are reading this "on screen" │
│ as part of LookBook's help function, you can follow these │
│ instructions easier by printing this text via the F10 key. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
1. Get to the Table of Contents View
You can access the TABLE OF CONTENTS view from the DOCUMENT
view. To get to the DOCUMENT view from anywhere in the
program, repeatedly press the ESCAPE key until you come to the
exit prompt. Selecting "Resume" at the exit prompt will return
you to the DOCUMENT view.
You can identify the DOCUMENT view by the page number display
on the right end of the second screen line. Once in the
DOCUMENT view press F3 or "C" to select the TABLE OF CONTENTS
view.
2. Select a category and page.
For this example we will be looking for the program "Ample
Notice" in the "Desktop Managers" category. To select the
category use the HOME and Down Arrow keys to move the current
line indicator (">") to the following text line:
Desktop Managers DT 46
Note: You may find it helpful to change the current line's
display attributes. Pressing the "A" key will cycle
through the three available choices.
3. Go to the document page
Once you have the current line positioned properly, press the
ENTER key. This will take you to the page listed at the end of
the current line. Once on the selected page, LookBook
automatically locates the target topic heading -- in this case
"Desktop Managers".
Now that you are at the topic you can see the program "Ample
Notice" listed as the first program for this topic. Unless you
were specifically looking for a program, as in this example,
you would normally go to a topic heading and browse to find
programs of interest to extract.
Index Example
─────────────
1. Get to Index View
You access the INDEX view from the DOCUMENT view. To get to
the DOCUMENT view from anywhere in the program, repeatedly
press the ESCAPE key until you obtain the exit prompt.
Selecting "Resume" at the exit prompt will return you to the
DOCUMENT view. You can identify the DOCUMENT view by the page
number display on the right end of the second screen line.
Once in the DOCUMENT view press F2 or "I" to select the INDEX
view.
2. Select the desired program.
For this example we will be looking for LookBook's shareware
entry by using the "Topic" feature to find the LookBook listing
in the index list.
Once you are in the INDEX view press either "T", "F8" or the
Space Bar to bring up the topic list. The topic window will be
displayed in the center of the screen. The INDEX topic list
contains the alphabetic headings "A" through "Z". You select
individual topics with the cursor keys or by pressing the
topic's "key letter". Upon selecting a topic, the ENTER
key will take you to that topic in the text.
Steps to locate the "LookBook" entry:
A. Bring up the topic list - Press "F8"
B. Select alpha heading "L" - Press "L"
C. Go to alpha heading "L" - Press ENTER
D. Browse to LookBook entry - Press Dn Arrow <repeatedly>
until "LookBook" and page "211" are highlighted.
3. Find the program description in the catalog.
Once you have highlighted the LookBook entry, the ENTER key will
take you to page 211 where the program automatically finds
the "LookBook" entry. You can use this position for the
"Program Extraction" example that follows.
Program Extraction Example
──────────────────────────
We will use "LookBook" as the extract example. If you don't
have the LookBook catalog entry displayed from the previous
example, go through the Index example again.
Once you have the LookBook program description on the screen,
place the current line marker (">") on the line containing the
LookBook heading -- UT247: LookBook v2.52 -- and then press "F9".
This will summon the extract option window. If you didn't have the
current line marker positioned properly, you will get an
explanation window that explains the proper use of the "F9 Run"
function. Read this explanation and then try the operation again.
Your extract options are:
■ Extract Program Extracts program to disks as submitted
by the author.
■ Copy Archive Copies compressed archived "ZIP" files
as stored on our BBS.
■ Resume Return to catalog review.
Note: The "F1" key summons explanatory help for each option.
We will demonstrate the extract option here. The copy option
is very similar and should be easy to use once you are familiar
with the extract option.
Place the blinking right bracket ">" on the extract option and
press ENTER.
1. The extract routine reports the total archive files found.
Each archive file will expand to fit on a 360K disk. Although
some archives will expand to less than 360K, disk space
calculations assume that the full 360K will be needed.
2. The program prompts for a destination. This normally would
be one of your floppy drives, but it can be any legal drive
or directory combination you want. For now, use a floppy
drive by either pressing the ENTER key to accept the default
of "A", or by backspacing over the "A" and replacing it with
your drive letter choice.
3. Next you will be asked for a destination disk type. This is
important when using multiple disks for space checking and
for floppy disk insert prompts.
4. Once you have entered the above information you will be
given the opportunity to accept or change your entries.
Once accepted, the program checks the validity of your
choices and examines the destination for adequate free
space. If problems arise, you may exit to DOS at this
time to investigate your destination problems.
5. Upon finding a legal destination with adequate space the
program launches the extract using PKUNZIP. The progress of
PKUNZIP will display on the screen.
6. After the extract is complete, you may press ENTER to return
to the extract window where "Resume" or escape will return
you to the catalog.
\i Image File Set Up and Viewing \i
Setting Up SOSVIEW.BAT
───────────────────────
You will be happy to know that the library's image support
will accommodate your favorite image display program. If you
haven't settled on a graphic display program be sure to check out
the CD-ROM Library's offerings since they include several excellent
image viewing programs.
Once you have a viewing program you wish to try, you can set
up SOSVIEW.BAT to view images without having to leave the library.
If you are using a shareware program, make sure that you abide by
the trial period and registration requirements of the program's
author. Remember, SHAREWARE needs the registrations of satisfied
users.
To set up SOSVIEW.BAT, you will need to copy SOSVIEW.TMP from
the root directory of the CD-ROM to a "SOSCD" directory on any hard
drive on your system. SOSVIEW.TMP includes the commands and
instructions to support several different viewers.
Form:
COPY <CD Drv>:\SOSVIEW.TMP <Your Drv>:\SOSCD\SOSVIEW.BAT [ENTER]
Example:
COPY E:\SOSVIEW.TMP C:\SOSCD\SOSVIEW.BAT [ENTER]
You will need to indicate your chosen viewer by removing the
"REM" (remarks) designation from the sample command line for your
viewer. Also, you must make sure the sample command has the exact
path information for your viewer. See example 2 that follows.
The following general rules for SOSVIEW.BAT should be used
with the "how to" comments included in SOSVIEW.TMP.
1. SOSVIEW.BAT file must:
A. Be on a disk drive of "C:" or higher.
B. Reside in a directory named "SOSCD".
Examples: C:\SOSCD\SOSVIEW.BAT
D:\SOSCD\SOSVIEW.BAT
Remember don't use A: or B:! LookBook won't
execute a batch file from those drives.
2. The "viewer" command in the file must:
A. Contain the full path of the image viewer command.
B. Include any command line parameters that your
viewer needs.
C. Provide for parameter %1 to designate the image file
name to display.
Example: E:\VPIC\VPIC %1 /A /E
Remember the full path -- drive and directory --
must be given. Since we will be executing across
drives and directories, DOS may not find a command
that does not have a specific path.
Image Viewing and Copying
─────────────────────────
Once you establish an image viewing program via SOSVIEW.BAT, you
can view the library images while in the library. Image viewing and
copying works much like program extraction and copying. To view an
image, place the current line marker (">") on the image you wish to
work with and press "F9" or "R". This loads the image control program
that presents you with the following options:
■ Copy Image Copy the image to a destination you choose.
■ View Image Uses your designated viewing program to
view the image. See "The Image Batch File"
topic about setting up a batch file to view
images.
■ Resume Returns to catalog viewing.
\i Initiating the CD-ROM System via INSTALL \i
The CD-ROM system works best when the FILES and BUFFERS
system parameters are set at 10 or greater. If you are unsure
about your settings, you can run INSTALL.EXE. This program
will report your current values if under the recommended amounts
and change them with your permission. INSTALL.EXE also will create
a batch file that will let you start the system from any DOS
prompt.
To start INSTALL.EXE: <CD_ROM Drive>:\\INSTALL [ENTER]
Example: E:\\INSTALL [ENTER]
\i Catalog Transfer to Hard Disk via INSTALL \i
You can improve your search times by transferring the catalog
and related files to one of your hard disks. The space required
approximates 850K. "INSTALL.EXE" on the CD-ROM disk will install the
catalog and related files to one of your hard disk drives. To use
it just follow "INSTALL" with the command line parameter -- "HARD".
Form: <CD_ROM Drive Letter>:\\INSTALL HARD [ENTER]
Example: E:\\INSTALL HARD [ENTER]
The transfer guides you by prompting for disk locations and
checking the validity and space available at your chosen location.
\i Copyright Notices \i
All Shareware programs are the copyright of the respective
program authors.
The LookBook program and portions of the menu system are
copyright Red Oak Data Systems Inc.
Ultimate Shareware Collection CD-ROM is the copyright of $ave
On $oftware. Permission to use the on line catalog descriptions
located in the individual file directories is granted to support
BBS use. The high resolution digital images found on this CD-ROM
in the areas designated Digital Images / Digital Tours (TM) may be
used for personal use only. Commercial use or resale of these
images, in whole or in part, is prohibited.
\i Disclaimer \i
We disclaim any liability for damages that may arise from the
use, misuse, or inability to use, any software programs contained
on this CD-ROM and cannot guarantee the effectiveness or suitability
of any program. The catalog information contained on this CD-ROM is
believed to be correct, but is not warranted in any way.
\i End of Catalog Help \i