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1992-12-09
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- P C - F O R M S -
DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY SYSTEM
(The Electronic Forms Library)
USERS' MANUAL
for the
PC-LIBRARY PROGRAM
Copyright 1990-91
William W. Blackledge
3704 Edgewater Drive
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
73116
(405) 840-3563
_______
____|__ | (R)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
******************************************
** TABLE OF CONTENTS **
******************************************
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Summary of PC-LIBRARY'S Features . . . . 2
PC-LIBRARY Program Startup . . . . . . . 4
Variable Files . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Text Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Source Text Rules . . . . . . . . . . . 10
******************************************
WordStar is a trademark of WordStar International Inc.
WordPerfect is a trademark of WordPerfect Corporation.
PC-Write is a trademark of Quicksoft.
FriendlyWriter is a trademark of Friendly Soft Inc.
Copyright 1990-91
William W. Blackledge
3704 Edgewater Drive
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
73116
(405) 840-3563
PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL
OVERVIEW
PC-LIBRARY is a companion program to the PC-FORMS program.
It is used to create and maintain the Forms Libraries used
with PC-FORMS for document assembly. The program assists
the user in creating variable files for Forms Libraries
after the text sections have been entered in the ".LEX"
files with their .TXn heading/index lines. It also assists
in up-dating the variable file for a particular Library
after text and/or variable names have been added.
In addition, the PC-LIBRARY program, PCLB.EXE, may be used
to print, or to create files containing, the Text Indexes,
the Text Library, the Variable Prompts and the Variable Help
Messages from a PC-FORMS Forms Library. These lists can be
used to collect information from clients for a particular
document. They may also be used to provide instructions to
a secretary or typist for completing the document.
This program automatically links to the WordStar, WordPer-
fect, Microsoft Word, VDE, PC-Write or FriendlyWriter word
processing program if it is in the same directory with one
of those programs. If linked with a word processor the
appropriate conversion utility program must be in the same
directory, for WordPerfect - CONVERT.EXE; for Microsoft Word
- WS_RTF.EXE and for FriendlyWriter - FWCNV.EXE.
- 1 -
The program will access only those library files (with
the .VBL and .LEX suffixes) which are in the current working
directory so you must change to that directory before start-
ing the program.
SUMMARY OF PC-LIBRARY'S FEATURES
PC-LIBRARY is started by entering the command "PCLB" at the
DOS prompt. The opening screen displays a list of the forms
libraries available in the current directory. The user is
asked to enter a form name or, if help is desired, a ques-
tion mark.
Entering a question mark displays the general program help
file FMHELP.MSG which may be browsed more conveniently from
the PC-FORMS program. You may read the help messages a
screen at a time in the PC-LIBRARY program but you cannot
scroll backwards in the messages as is permitted in PC-
FORMS. The <ESCAPE> key is used to exit the help screen.
After entering a form name the PC-LIBRARY menu screen ap-
pears with the following options:
1. Text Index for <FORMNAME>
2. Text Library for <FORMNAME>
3. Variable Prompts for <FORMNAME>
4. Variable Help for <FORMNAME>
5. Quit - Start Another Form
6. Quit - Exit to Word Processor
Your selections are made from this menu by entering the
appropriate numeral. Selections 1, 3 and 4 create files
- 2 -
listing the contents of the index, prompt and help sections,
respectively, of the variable file for the designated forms
library.
The Text Library selection, (Selection 2), is used for
creating a file of the text sections in the .LEX files of a
forms library. While doing so, a numbered blank is placed
in the text for each variable name and the variable prompt
for that name is numbered with the number of that blank.
This makes it possible to dictate or list the responses for
each variable by number. These prompt numbers are displayed
as the document is being assembled.
The program also saves the text heading lines in alphabeti-
cal and numeric sequence as it proceeds through the .LEX
files with the file and selection numbers related to them.
This information is used to update the index section of the
variable file.
When the Text Library file is completed the program asks the
user if he, or she, desires to update the variable file for
the designated forms library. A (Y)es answer results in the
program renaming the old variable file with a .BAK suffix.
It then creates a new variable file containing the following
information:
1. In the Prompt section (.QN heading line) the variable
prompts are numbered in sequence as they appear in
the text sections.
- 3 -
2. In the Help section (.HP heading line) the variable
help messages are listed in alphabetical sequence
according to the first letter of the variable name.
3. In the Index section (.IX heading line) the text
heading lines are listed in numeric and alphabetical
sequence.
These files can be revised to fit the needs of a particular
forms library using a word processor capable of producing a
plain ASCII text file. For Example, the user may wish to
include capitalized headings in the Text Indexes to assist
the user in selecting text sections for inclusion in a
document.
This concludes the summary of PC-LIBRARY'S features. The
remainder of this manual consists of detailed instructions
for the use of PC-LIBRARY users who want more information
about how the program works.
PC-LIBRARY PROGRAM STARTUP
The PC-LIBRARY program is started by entering "PCLB" at the
DOS prompt. If you do not include a form name the program
will ask for one.
The following are correct start-up entries at the DOS prompt
for the PC-LIBRARY program:
C>pclb
or
C>pclb wills
The PC-LIBRARY program will display on the screen and store
- 4 -
in a file one or more sections of a forms library variable
file. The output file is named with the form name plus one
of the following suffixes:
.INX - for the Text Indexes,
.TXT - for the Text Library,
.PMT - for the Variable Prompts and
.HLP - for the Variable Help Messages.
If requested, these files may be printed as they are being
prepared. If the user has a word processor, it is recom-
mended that they be printed using it.
After the PC-LIBRARY program is started and a form name
entered the following menu is displayed:
1. Text Indexes for <formname>
2. Text Library for <formname>
3. Variable Prompts for <formname>
4. Variable Help for <formname>
5. Quit - Start Another Form
6. Quit - Exit to Word Processor
The Text Library routine substitutes a numbered blank for
each variable name in the library files. It assigns the
number to the prompt for that variable. The text is then
revised and saved in a file with its menu and text selection
numbers shown in the heading. While doing this the program
saves numeric and alphabetical listings of the text headings
with which to up-date the variable file if asked to do so.
- 5 -
This means that the language of the text headings should be
selected carefully with the knowledge that it will be used
as an index line to that section of text in the variable
file.
The Text Library routine of the PC-LIBRARY program also may
be used to enter or update variable prompts in the variable
file for a particular forms library. That routine checks
for a prompt for each variable name in the forms library.
If no prompt is found for a variable in the variable file
the user is asked to enter one. At the end of the routine
the user may then instruct the program to update the varia-
ble file.
After you have prepared new text files, or added variable
names to existing ones, you should run the Text Library
routine. It will number the variables in sequence and ask
you to input prompts for those without prompts in the varia-
ble file. After updating the prompt section of the file you
can then add help messages in the help section of the varia-
ble file for the new variables, if desired.
VARIABLE FILES
There is one variable file for each forms library. This
file is named with the formname followed by the suffix
".VBL". The file contains a section of variable prompts
headed by the dot command ".QN", a section of variable help
- 6 -
messages headed by the dot command ".HP" and a section of
the text heading lines in numeric and alphabetical sequence
headed by the dot command .IX. Each time a GLOBAL VARIABLE
appears in the selected text, the prompt for that variable
will be displayed unless a response for it was entered
previously.
Each time a LOCAL VARIABLE appears in the text the user will
be prompted for a response for that variable in that text.
If the variable name begins with a punctuation mark other
than a question mark or the tilde (~) character, the user
will be reminded of the previous entry for the variable and
permitted to retain it or change it. If the variable name
begins with the tilde (~) character the Standard Response
shown in the prompt section of the variable file for that
name will be displayed and the user permitted to retain or
change it.
Each prompt is entered in this file on the line immediately
after the line containing the variable name in curly braces.
The help sections of variable files contain brief statements
for each variable name explaining what data should be en-
tered in response to the prompt for that variable. These
messages must also be entered in the file on the line imme-
diately following a line containing the variable name in
curly braces. The variable help messages are not required
for the program to run properly. If there is no help mes-
- 7 -
sage for a variable name the user will be advised of that
fact if help is requested for it.
TEXT FILES
Text files are named with a form name of six or less charac-
ters plus a two-digit number plus the suffix '.LEX'. The
files supplied with the programs should demonstrate most of
the features of the system. They may be used as templates
for the development of other user-prepared files. There may
also be a sample file called SAMPLE01.LEX on the disk which
you may use as a template to create a Forms Library.
Text files may begin with one or more dot command lines for
formatting the documents. A format line in this section of
the text file will be applicable to all of the following
text sections unless a different format line is included in
them.
Each text section of these files begins with a .TX number
followed by one or more asterisks and a heading/index line
in capital letters followed by one or more asterisks. The
file may contain WordStar, Version 3.3, dot command lines
for formatting the final document. If the PC-FORMS System
programs are linked with a word processor these codes are
converted to the proper codes when your listing or document
is complete.
- 8 -
If WordStar dot commands are used in the text files they
will be passed through to the output document without modi-
fication. In addition, the programs utilize the .FT command
line to display a formatting ruler line consisting of a
capital L for the Left Margin marker, a capital P for the
Paragraph Margin marker, a capital R for the Right Margin
marker, exclamation marks for regular tab stops and the
number mark # for decimal tab stops.
Following are some of the dot commands which may be incorpo-
rated in the text files:
.FT followed by a format ruler line.
.HE followed by a header line for each page.
.FO followed by a footing line for each page.
.MTn for number of lines in top margin.
.MBn for number of lines in bottom margin.
.HMn for number of lines between heading and text.
.FMn for number of lines between footing and text.
.PLn for number of total lines per page.
.POn for number of characters to offset left
margin.
Text files must be in ASCII characters. The document format
section is not required in every file. In Versions prior to
4.0 the special ".FT" dot command was required to be the
first line in the file or the first line after a ".TXn"
command line. This is not required in later versions.
SOURCE TEXT RULES
The following are the rules which must be followed in the
preparation of the source text section of text files:
1. ASCII CHARACTERS. The text must be in ASCII charac-
- 9 -
ters.
2. PARAGRAPH TERMINATION. Paragraphs and lines which
stand alone, such as formatting lines, MUST BE TERMI-
NATED WITH A CARRIAGE RETURN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE
LAST CHARACTER OR PUNCTUATION MARK.
3. LINE TERMINATION. EACH OF THE LINES WITHIN A PARA-
GRAPH, OTHER THAN THE LAST ONE, MUST END WITH A SPACE
BEFORE THE CARRIAGE RETURN.
4. TEXT ARRANGEMENT. The text within a paragraph may be
arranged for display right-justified by the insertion
of not more than one extra space between words and an
unlimited number after any period, colon, exclamation
mark or question mark. These extra spaces are removed
by the revision process.
5. VARIABLE NAMES. Variable names must be enclosed in
curly braces and must not exceed 23 characters in
length, including the curly braces. There are two
major types of variable names, GLOBAL and LOCAL, which
are distiguished by whether the first character after
the initial curly brace is alphanumeric. GLOBAL varia-
ble names begin with an alphanumeric character.
6. VARIABLE RESPONSE TREATMENT. The responses for GLOBAL
- 10 -
variables are automatically substituted for those
variable names in all later sections of text selected
for the document. The responses for all LOCAL varia-
bles other than those beginning with a question mark
will be displayed when the name is encountered in later
sections of text and the user given an opportunity to
change it for that section of text. The user will
always be prompted for a response if the variable name
begins with a question mark.
7. SPECIAL AND LOCAL VARIABLE USAGE. The following is a
summary of how SPECIAL AND LOCAL variables are used in
text libraries:
The latest responses for the following five SPECIAL
variables are saved in the proof file of the Document
being assembled. These variable names are used for
the following purposes:
1st SPECIAL Variable
Char Program Response
> - Automatically inserts a ">" character to
center the user response. (Indicated by -> on
the variable input screen)
~ - Displays a 'Standard Response' for the Varia-
ble Name and permits the user to retain it or
change it.
0 or | - Adjusts the number of spaces after the
variable response to keep additional
information on the same line in the same
relative position as it was in the text
library file.
& - Displays the user's previous response to the
Variable Prompt, if any, and permits the user
to retain it or change it.
- 11 -
REGULAR LOCAL variable names are used in sections of
text where the response usually will not be repeated in
later sections of text. The responses to these varia-
ble names are NOT SAVED in the proof file of the docu-
ment being assembled and are used, as follows:
1st REGULAR LOCAL Variable
Char Program Response
? - Always displays the prompt for the Variable
Name, since the previous response was not
stored.
! - Displays the user's previous respones to the
Variable Prompt, if any, and permits the user
to retain it or change it.
For the "!" character you can substitute any non-alpha-
numeric character other than one of those listed above.
8. SPECIAL GLOBAL VARIABLE. There is one special GLOBAL
variable name available which is begun with the zero
'0' character after the first curly brace. It is used
to adjust the spaces after the variable response in the
same way as the SPECIAL LOCAL variable beginning with
the vertical bar '|'.
9. OTHER WORDSTAR DOT COMMANDS. Other dot commands may
appear in the format section of the file or in a text
section. Dot commands may not appear within a para-
graph of text since, if placed there, they will be
merged with the text when it is revised.
10. FORMAT COMMAND LINE. The .FT dot command, as explained
- 12 -
above, is used in text libraries to establish the format
of the following text. The characters which may be
used in a format command line are shown below:
Permissable format line characters follow:
L = Left Margin
P = Paragraph Margin
! = Ordinary Tab Stop
# = Decimal Tab Stop
R = Right Margin (also a Tab Stop)
- = Spacing (Fill) Characters
If your word processor supports hanging indents, as the
latest versions of WordStar do, you can use the paragraph
margin to begin the first line of each paragraph to the left
of the left margin, leaving the paragraph number in the
margin. You must remember to re-configure the word proces-
sor for this style of paragraphs before revising the docu-
ment with it.
The numbered paragraphs above are examples of text done with
hanging indents.
###
- 13 -
INDEX TO PC-LIBRARY USERS' MANUAL
Arranging Text for Display, 10
Asterisks in Text Heading Lines, 8
Beginning Text Sections in Variable Files, 8
Characters in Text Library Files, 9
Contents of Variable Files, 3
Coversion of Document to WordPerfect, 8
Creating Variable Files, 1
Dot Command Lines
WordStar Vers. 3.3, 8
Dot Command Lines in Variable Files, 8
Dot Commands in Text Files, 12
Entering or Updating Variable Prompts, 6
Entering Prompts in the Variable Files, 7
Entering Variable Help Messages in Variable Files, 7
Exiting the Help Screen, 2
Extra Spaces in Text Selections, 10
Files
Text Index, 1
Text Library, 1
Variable Help, 1
Variable Prompt, 1
Format Command Line, 12
Format Line in Variable Files, 8
Forms Libraries Available, 2
General program help file, 2
Global Variables, 6
Heading/Index Lines, 1
Index Section, 6
Local Variables, 7
Menu of PC-LIBRARY Program, 5
Menu screen, 2
Modifying Variable Files, 4
Naming Text Files, 8
Numbered Blanks in Text Library, 3
Opening Screen, 2
PC-LIBRARY Menu, 5
PC-LIBRARY Output Files, 4
PC-LIBRARY PROGRAM STARTUP, 4
Question Mark for Help, 2
- 14 -
Selection of Text Headings, 5
Selections from Menu, 2
Standard Response, 7
Starting PC-LIBRARY, 2
Start-up entries, 4
Suffixes of Output Files, 4
SUMMARY OF PC-LIBRARY'S FEATURES, 2
Terminating Lines within Paragraphs, 10
Terminating Paragraphs, 10
TEXT FILES, 8
Text heading lines, 3
Text Headings
Alphabetical Listings, 5
Numeric Listing, 5
Text Index Files, 1
Text Library Files, 1
Text Library Routine, 5
Text Library Selection, 3
Updating Index Section of Variable Files, 3
Updating the Variable File, 6
Updating Variable Files, 1
Use of Hanging Indentation, 12
VARIABLE FILES, 6
Variable Help Message Files, 1
Variable Help Section, 6
Variable Names, 10
Variable Prompt Files, 1
Variable Prompts Numbered, 3
Variable Prompts Section, 6
Variable Responses
Treatment of, 10
Variables
Global, 10
Local, 11
Regular Local, 11
Special Local, 11
WordStar
Version 3.3 Dot Command Lines, 8
- 15 -
