Network Support Library/RoseWare - Network Support Library.iso/print/novprt/PSELECT.TXT

Text File | 1991-04-16 | 11KB | 256 lines

P-SELECT -- For Novell Network Users

What is P-Select:

P-Select is a utility that allows you to select your Novell network
printer without leaving your application.  For example; you're in
Wordperfect, and you print your draft document to your local
printer.  After proofing it, you decide to print a final copy.  Now
you have to save it, exit out of Wordperfect to DOS, and issue a
Capture command (trying to remember all of the parameters), and
then re-load Wordperfect, then your document, and then print it!

Whew!  Why not simply hit a hot-key (ALT-P), and have P-Select pop
up over your document, with the option of selecting the desired
file server, print queue and print options, and then just printing
your document again.

If your a Novell user, and you have access to more than one
printer, than P-Select will make your printing tasks much easier.
Novell, and several third party vendors have made distributed
printer support a common feature.  But with so many printers, you
need a way of selecting your desired printer, without having to
return to DOS each time.

Try P-Select .... We're sure that it will make your life easier, it
has for us!


Installation:

Installing P-Select is easy.  On your diskette is a file named
PSELECT.EXE.  Simply copy it into a network directory in which all
of your users have a search map to.  (For example: F:\PUBLIC)
That's all there is to it.

In addition, this disk contains a file called ORDER.TXT which
contains an order form that can be printed using the DOS command
COPY ORDER.TXT > LPT1.  Use this form when registering your copy of
P-Select.


Registration:

We feel that P-Select is a valuable and useful product.  This
version of P-Select is provided for your evaluation only.  You may
use it for a period not to exceed 30 days.  After that period of
time, you must either register the product, or stop using it, and
destroy all copies.

This evaluation copy of P-Select will only allow you to select a
printer five times, after which you must re-load it.  This
restriction is of course removed from the registered version.

Cost:

The cost of P-Select is a very reasonable $89.00 (US Funds) or
$99.00 (Canadian Funds).  This will provide you with a registered
version (You'll sleep better knowing that), and we will also send
your out the most recent, unrestricted version, with a printed manual.
The registered version entitles any number of users on a SINGLE file
server to use P-Select.

At the current time, we are only able to process orders that are
paid by check (Canadian or US bank) or by Money Order.

Based upon the favourable responses from many of our users, we are
planning to add some additional features, including auto-attaching
to file servers from within P-Select and user-definable Hot-Keys.

Using P-Select:

Load P-Select by running PSELECT.EXE as the first application after
you have logged onto your file server.  This means after you have
loaded your network drivers, but before any other software products
or menu systems.  You might consider running it from within your
System or User login script files.

You will be returned to the DOS prompt, at which time you proceed
as normal.

If your memory swapping will be done to a disk file ( see hardware
requirements below), you may optionally specify a particular
directory to create the temporary file in.  Set an environment
variable PSELECT to the requested directory.  For example, to use
the directory C:\TEMP as your swap area, include the following in
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:   SET PSPATH=C:\TEMP

If this environment variable is not set, or if it is an invalid
directory, then the directory from which PSELECT was loaded will be
used.

If you wish to execute a batch or program file directly after loading
P-Select, you have two options.  First, pass the name of the program
or batch file as a parameter.  For example, PSELECT MENU.BAT, would
load P-Select, which would then run the batch file MENU.BAT.  If you
are calling P-Select from your login script, your limited to 14
characters with the EXIT statement.  To get around this, an
environment variable named PSLOAD is used.  Set it to the name of the
file that you would like loaded after P-Select.  For example, your
login script might look like this:

SET PSPATH="D:\"
SET PSLOAD="MENU.BAT"
EXIT"PSELECT"

In this above example, you are first setting the swap path to D:\,
which will be used for memory swapping in cases where expanded memory
is not available.  The next line sets up the name of the file to have
P-Select execute after loading.  Finaly, the third line loads
P-Select.

When ever you wish to select a printer, simply press the Hot-Key,
which is <ALT><P>.  P-Select will then pop up over what ever work
you are doing.

From the main P-Select screen, hit <F1> to display a list of file
servers.  Any and all file servers that you are attached to will be
displayed.  Use your up and down arrow keys to highlight the
desired file server, and hit the <ENTER> key to select it.

Hit <F2> to display a list of print queues for the selected file
server.  The print queue names those stored within Novell's bindery
files, are were named when your printers were installed.  Highlight
the desired print queue using the up/down arrow keys, and hit
<ENTER> to select it.

Use <F3> to change your default printer options.  These setting
default settings are straight forward and are fully described in
your Novell manual.  Note that the defaults that you select remain
in effect until you change then again.  The initial defaults are as
follows:

                    Banner Heading:(Blank)
                      Forms Number: 0
                  Number of Copies: 1
                          LPT Port: 1
                       Tab Setting: 0
                          Time Out: 10

Hit <F4> to load Novell's PCONSOLE utility.  Use this option is you
wish to view or in any way edit the print queues.


When you have selected your desired file server, print queue and
print options, hit <ENTER> from the main P-Select screen to select
you printer setup.  Any printing that you send to the above
selected printer port will be sent to the desired print queue.  You
will then be returned to you application just where you left it.

Hit the <ESC> key to return to your application without changing
your previous printer setup.

If you wish to select your local printer, rather than a shared
network printer, simply hit the <ESC> key at the file server list,
and then enter to select LOCAL.


Hardware Requirements:

P-Select will operate on any IBM or compatible PC running DOS 3.1
or greater.  That is all your machine has to have.  If you have
either expanded or extended memory in your PC, P-Select will make
use of it.  Portions of P-Select are loaded into memory when you
hit your Hot-Key.  This memory swap will occur faster if extra
memory is available, however if it is not, a temporary disk swap
file will be used.  These temporary swap files will be uniquely
created, and deleted when they are no longer required.  Even
greater performance gains are available if you use some type of
expanded/extended memory management utility such as HIMEM or QEMM.


A word about TSR's:

P-Select is a product that loads into memory, and then while
remaining resident, returns you to the DOS prompt.  It remains
active in the background, waiting to spring into action when you
press the Hot-Key, <ALT><P>.  Most programs handle the keyboard in
a traditional manner, and do not restrict P-Select (or any other
TSR for that matter) from scanning the keyboard for the Hot-Key.
A few programs redirect the keyboard mapping's, and hamper P-Select
from the Hot-Key check.  P-Select will not function with these
types of products.  If you suspect your having a problem, check
with the manual that came with your conflicting product.


P-Select takes up about 20k of base memory.  This number may vary a
bit depending upon the version of DOS that you are using.

Note that you are not able to load P-Select more than once.  This
feature is designed to maintain memory efficency ... Makes sense too!

To unload P-Select from memory, hit <ALT><U> from the main P-Select
screen.  You will then be returned to DOS.

Support:

User support for P-Select is available free of charge to all
registered users.  Not that we think you'll need it, but if you do,
we'll be glad to help out.  You can contact us for P-Select support
using the following media:

      Mail:       Software Solutions
                  234 Weldon Ave.
                  Oakville, Ontario
                  Canada
                  L6K 2H8

      Phone:      [phone]

      Fax:        [phone]

      E-Mail on
      Compuserve  76137,3150


Orders are only taken through the mail using the order form
provided (See ORDER.TXT).  P-Select support questions for
non-registered users will be handled through E-mail or regular mail
only (See above for addressing).

Legalities:

For those who are not familiar with LEGAL STUFF, the following
basically says that you will NOT sue me.  Nuff said!


Warranty:

You may return Software IN ITS ENTIRETY for any reason within 30
(thirty) days of receipt for a refund.  Please contact the vendor
from whom it was purchased for a return authorization.  You must
return or destroy all copies of Software (installation and backup).

Beyond the 30-day return period indicated above, Software is
provided "AS-IS" without warranty of any kind.  The entire risks as
to the results and performance of Software are assumed by you.


Limitation of Liability:

Software Solutions will not be liable for consequential, special,
indirect or other similar damages or claims, including loss of
profits or any other commercial damage.  In no event will Software
Solutions liability for damages to you or any other person ever
exceed the price paid for Software, regardless of any form of the
claim.

Software Solutions specifically disclaims all other warranties,
expressed or implied.  Software Solutions makes no representations
or warranties with respect to the fitness of our software or any
particular purpose, business or application.  Any implied warranty
is limited to 30-day return period and is otherwise expressly and
specifically disclaimed.