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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PMANUAL.DOC -- PUZZY USER'S MANUAL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________________
| |
| WELCOME TO PUZZY |
| |
| The puzzle game with REAL |
| Jigsawed pieces in 256 Colors |
| From Hawkeye Softworks |
|___________________________________|
CONTENTS Page
==========================================================
Copyright Notice & Warranty Disclaimer -------------- 1
How to Use This Manual ------------------------------ 1
About Shareware, the ASP, and the ASP Ombudsman ----- 2
About the Shareware Version of PUZZY --------------- 2
Installation Instructions --------------------------- 3
Running PUZZY (Quick Start) ------------------------- 6
Running PUZZY (Detailed Instructions) --------------- 7
PUZZY Scoring System -------------------------------- 9
Technical Problems & Error Messages ----------------- 10
Optimizing PUZZY Performance ------------------------ 12
Registration & Ordering Info ------------------------ 14
Registration & Order Form --------------------------- 16
==========================================================
=======================================
COPYRIGHT NOTICE & WARRANTEE DISCLAIMER
=======================================
PUZZY is Copyright (c) 1992 by Hawkeye Softworks,
300 Golfview Ave., Iowa City, IA, 52246, All Rights Reserved.
Some graphic effects were implemented with assembly language
routines from the GX Development Series libraries, Copyright by Genus
Microprogramming, 2900 Wilcrest, Suite 145, Houston, TX 77042-3355, All
Rights Reserved.
PUZZY and its accompanying documentation carry no warranty, expressed
or implied, as to their merchantability or fitness for a particular
purpose. In no event will the copyright holder be liable for damages
arising from the use of, or defects in, the PUZZY program.
======================
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
======================
"Quick start" and more complete operating instructions are given
later in this manual. But please take a few minutes to read the next
few sections, which briefly explain the shareware system and the limits
of your license to use and distribute the shareware version of PUZZY.
Page 2
===============================================
ABOUT SHAREWARE, THE ASP, AND THE ASP OMBUDSMAN
===============================================
Shareware is a distribution method that gives you a chance to try
out software before buying it. If you like it and continue to use it
after a reasonable tryout period, you are expected to REGISTER with the
author and pay him/her a set fee.
Shareware authors are paid NOTHING by distributors. They are
paid only through registration fees. To put it another way: whatever
you may have paid for your evaluation copy of PUZZY went to the
distributor, not to Hawkeye Softworks, who developed it.
Hawkeye Softworks is a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP), an association of authors and distributors that
sets standards for the shareware system and educates members and the
public about shareware. The ASP maintains an Ombudsman office to
mediate disputes between ASP members and their customers, and has
published the following description of its Ombudsman service:
The ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for
you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with
an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem
with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover
Road, Muskegan, MI, 49442, or send a CompuServe message via
CompuServe mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
====================================
ABOUT THE SHAREWARE VERSION OF PUZZY
====================================
This version of PUZZY is Shareware. If you like PUZZY and intend
to continue using it, please print and fill out the REGISTRATION FORM
at the end of this manual and send it with the Registration fee to the
address given on the FORM.
Also at the end of this manual are instructions for charging your
Registration to VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, or DISCOVER.
When you register, you'll get a printed Manual and a PICTURE SET
disk of your choice, containing 5-8 more PUZZY pictures. You'll also
get free technical support for a full year, and you'll be able to order
more PUZZY PICTURE SETS, which are available only to registered users.
Whether or not you register, you may make multiple copies PUZZY and
distribute them freely to friends, user groups, and computer bulletin
boards, so long as the following conditions are met:
1. Anyone, except ASP Distributor Members, who wishes to distribute
PUZZY for any kind of remuneration must first contact Hawkeye
Softworks for authorization. ASP Distributor Members are hereby
granted authorization to distribute PUZZY, but they must still
notify Hawkeye Softworks prior to distribution, to ensure they are
selling the latest version.
Page 3
2. The PUZZY program and all its subsidiary files must be distributed
in unaltered form; file names may not changed; and copyright notices
may not be removed. Specifically, no changes may be made to the
files called PUZZY.EXE, PUZZY.RSC, and PMANUAL.DOC, nor to any of
the picture files identified by a .PZY extension. The files may be
re-compressed with an archiving program other than the one used by
Hawkeye Softworks, in which case the installation program, called
MAKEPZY.EXE may be replaced with other installation or decompression
programs and the text file called README.1ST need not be included.
We hope you'll give PUZZY to your friends, so they can try it. And
when you do, please encourage them to register too. Shareware will
continue to exist only if users support it.
=========================
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
=========================
PLEASE NOTE: These instructions apply only to disks that were
copied from master disks distributed by Hawkeye Softworks. Some
distributors and bulletin boards distribute PUZZY after compressing
its files with some alternative archiving program, in which case
they should have supplied you with their own installation instructions.
To determine whether these instructions apply to you, use DOS's DIR
command to see what files are on your PUZZY disk. The files to look
for are:
1) MAKEPZY.EXE -- The install program supplied by Hawkeye Softworks
2) PZYARC.BCF --- The archive containing all the PUZZY files.
If you find both of these files, you can follow these instructions for
installing PUZZY (or re-installing as needed) . If you don't find
these files, you must use another install procedure and follow whatever
alternative instructions your distributor supplied. However, all other
sections of this manual will still be appropriate.
The PUZZY program CANNOT be run from the distribution disk. It's
compressed into an archive file and must be decompressed (Installed)
before you can run it. An install program, called MAKEPZY, takes care
of decompressing and copying the files to your hard drive.
MAKEPZY is simple to use and should run without problems if you
follow the instructions exactly and take these 2 steps:
STEP 1 -- Insert the PUZZY diskette (or a backup copy) into the
proper drive and close the door or lever.
STEP 2 -- If the PUZZY diskette is in Drive A:, type:
A:MAKEPZY (then press the ENTER key).
If the PUZZY disk is in another drive (e.g., B:), type THAT
letter in instead of "A" in the above command.
[Continued on next page.]
Page 4
MAKEPZY will ask two questions:
1) What drive are you installing FROM? (the SOURCE drive)
Type the letter of the drive in which you just inserted the PUZZY
disk, then press the Enter key. Note: "Drive A:" will be displayed
in the response box and, if that's correct, simply press Enter. If
you're using another drive, type ITS letter over the A: and then
press Enter.
2) What drive and directory do you wish to install TO?
(This is the so-called TARGET PATH.)
Most people will want to put PUZZY on drive C: and will find it
convenient to use "PUZZY" as the directory name, so you'll see
"C:\PUZZY" displayed in the response box. If that's acceptable,
simply press Enter. Otherwise, type in your own path and then press
Enter. But be sure to type it as you would for a DOS command, that
is, a drive letter followed by a colon (:), then a backslash (\),
then a directory name, with NO BLANK SPACES between characters.
For example, to put PUZZY on drive D:, in a directory called PUZZY,
type:
D:\PUZZY (then press Enter).
Or, if you want to nest the PUZZY directory under another directory
on drive C:, called "GAMES," you'd type:
C:\GAMES\PUZZY (then press Enter).
You may call the PUZZY directory anything you wish, as long as it's an
acceptable DOS name. If the named directory already exists, PUZZY will
be installed there; if it doesn't exist, MAKEPZY will create it. But
you must name SOME directory: you can't install PUZZY in the root
directory of any drive.
PLEASE NOTE that you can install PUZZY on a 3.5" diskette, but it will
run much too slowly. For best results tell MAKEPZY to put PUZZY on
your hard drive.
NOTE FOR BBS USERS who have downloaded PUZZY to a hard drive:
You can't install FROM and TO the same hard drive, but you can install
to a 3.5" floppy and then copy the uncompressed files back to a hard
disk. Or you can install from one hard disk to another, if you have one.
To install FROM a hard disk, you must go to the directory containing
the PUZZY files, using DOS's CD command, and type "MAKEPZY" (without
quotes and drive specifier). Then specify your hard drive, say C:, as
the source drive. All else will be the same as described above.
Page 5
ARE WE READY TO RUN YET?
------------------------
The installation takes just a few minutes and, if all goes well,
you'll be ready to run PUZZY. So, unless MAKEPZY gave you an error
message, you can skip down to the "RUNNING PUZZY" section for operating
info. If PUZZY doesn't run correctly, even though the installation
seemed to go well, read the TECHNICAL PROBLEMS section below, for
possible solutions.
When MAKEPZY runs into problems, such as insufficient disk space or
an incorrect drive or path name, it displays an error message and
aborts the installation. It's then up to you to correct the problem
and try installing again. Here's a list of the most likely problems
and solutions:
1. SOURCE DRIVE incorrectly specified -- Be sure you entered the letter
of the drive where the PUZZY disk was inserted. (Did you type A in
the response box but have the PUZZY disk in Drive B:, or vice versa?)
2. SOURCE DRIVE door or lever was not closed or disk not properly
inserted. Be sure to close the door/lever, if there is one, and
leave it closed until installation is finished.
3. SOURCE and TARGET DRIVES were the same -- You can't install FROM and
TO the same drive, even if you specify a different directory as the
TARGET.
4. TARGET DRIVE incorrectly specified -- Did you specify a drive that
doesn't exist? Did you specify the same drive for both SOURCE and
TARGET?
5. TARGET PATH incorrectly specified -- You must enter the path name as
you would for a DOS command, namely, a drive letter followed by a
colon (:), then a backslash (\), then a directory name, with NO
SPACES between characters. For example, C:\PUZZY, but not C\PUZZY
or C:PUZZY. Also, you must specify SOME directory name: you cannot
simply enter "C:" when asked for a TARGET PATH.
6. TARGET DRIVE does not have enough space -- The uncompressed PUZZY
files need about 500K bytes. If you get an "Insufficient Space"
message, you'll need to delete some other files to make room for
PUZZY.
What else can go wrong? Many things. But if MAKEPZY doesn't succeed
on the first try, don't give up. Study the above problem list and try
a few more times. (You could make the same mistake repeatedly, so try
some variations, like a different TARGET PATH name.) If that doesn't
work, try installing PUZZY on someone else's machine or, if you're not
an expert, ask a computer guru to try installing it. If even these
things fail, chances are that the PUZZY disk or one of its files is
damaged. So you should contact the distributor for a replacement.
Page 6
===========================
RUNNING PUZZY (Quick Start)
===========================
This section tells you enough to get started quickly, but it omits
a lot of details. So, before long, you'll probably want to read the
later sections for more complete information. And you'll probably want
to print a hard copy of this manual, so it will always be handy. To do
this, type:
PRINT PMANUAL.DOC (then press the ENTER key)
For now, though, let's try a "quick start."
First, be sure that the PUZZY directory is the "active" directory.
If it isn't, you'll need to use DOS's CD (change directory) command, by
typing:
CD PUZZY (then press the ENTER key).
Of course, if you chose some other name for the PUZZY directory, use
THAT name instead of "PUZZY" in the CD command.
Now, to start PUZZY, simply type its name at the DOS prompt:
PUZZY (then press the ENTER key).
At startup, PUZZY displays a menu that gives you 4 choices:
1) RUN PUZZY, 2) PREVIEW a picture, 3) OPERATING INFO, and 4) QUIT.
These choices are described just below the menu and, at the bottom of
the screen, are instructions for making choices from the menu with your
keyboard or mouse. We suggest that you:
First select PREVIEW to see some of the pictures you can use.
Next, select OPERATING INFO to learn how PUZZY is played.
Then select RUN PUZZY and get to work on a jigsaw puzzle.
PUZZY lays out the puzzle pieces much as you'd lay out a jigsaw
puzzle on a card table. You spread the pieces around the edges of the
table and clear a spot in the middle, where you assemble the pieces.
In PUZZY, the "middle of the table" is displayed as a GRID, and it
covers your whole screen. The "edges" of the table are displayed on 8
other screens, called STASH areas. You move around the STASHES to find
pieces and bring them back to the home GRID for assembly.
You use your keyboard or mouse to move around the STASHES and use
your mouse to select and insert pieces. If you want to peek (cheat) at
the picture you're building, just press the "P" key. If you want to
pop up the menu, just press "M." (You can return to the puzzle you're
working on by clicking on the "Cancel menu" button.) You can also
toggle the sound off/on by pressing "S," and you can pop up OPERATING
INFO by pressing the F1 key or "H" for help. This is the same OPERATING
INFO you get as a menu selection, and it explains all the above and more.
Page 7
Playing PUZZY is much like building a jigsaw puzzle, but PUZZY adds
a few wrinkles. PUZZY clocks your speed and keeps track of your
guessing errors. So, when you complete a puzzle it reports your TIME
and gives you a SCORE (correct moves minus guessing errors). Then
PUZZY combines your TIME and SCORE to get a PERFORMANCE RATING that
places you on an 8-point scale ranging from NOVICE (lowest) to TOP GUN
(highest), with such things as SLOW POKER and LOOSE CANNON in between.
If you have a slower machine, like an 80286 or (heaven forbid) an
8088, or if PUZZY is forced to use your hard disk in place of memory,
your PERFORMANCE RATING is adjusted to give you a fair chance to earn
TOP GUN. See the PUZZY SCORING SYSTEM section below for details.
WARNING: PUZZY IS ADDICTIVE -- At first, you'll probably find it
challenging just to assemble the jigsaw puzzles. Later, you'll want
to work for a better SCORE, TIME, and PERFORMANCE RATING. Once you've
earned a higher rating, like "Over-Achiever" or "Top Gun," you'll want
to organize PUZZY TOURNAMENTS among your family, friends or co-workers.
And then you'll need to register and order more PUZZY PICTURE SETS, so
you'll always have new challenges, so you can flaunt your PUZZY PROWESS,
and so everyone in a PUZZY TOURNAMENT will have an equal chance to win
(with pictures they've never seen before).
======================================
RUNNING PUZZY -- DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
======================================
When you select RUN from PUZZY'S menu, you'll see a list of the
pictures you can use. [The Shareware version comes with 6 pictures,
but you can get more if you Register: the maximum number of pictures
PUZZY can use is limited only by the size of your hard disk.] If you
have more than 10 pictures, you can scroll the list up and down to see
them all. Follow the instructions at the bottom of your screen for
scrolling the list and selecting from it.
When you select a picture to RUN, PUZZY displays it so you can
study it as long as you wish. When you press a key or click the left
mouse button, PUZZY begins to jigsaw the picture and posts a message:
"Cutting Pieces-Please Wait." While it is jigsawing, it is also
spreading the pieces randomly around the edges of the playing table.
When finished jigsawing, PUZZY focuses your screen on the middle of
the table, where you re-assemble the pieces. The "middle" of the table
is displayed as a GRID, so you can see where pieces belong. But you
don't see any pieces until you shift your screen to the "edges" of the
playing table, which we call STASH areas or simply STASHES. The table
layout is shown in the diagram below, with the HOME GRID in the middle,
surrounded by the 8 STASHES.
+=============================+
| STASH 7 | STASH 8 | STASH 9 |
+=========+=========+=========+
| STASH 4 | GRID 5 | STASH 6 |
+=========+=========+=========+
| STASH 1 | STASH 2 | STASH 3 |
+=============================+
Page 8
MOVING AROUND THE TABLE WITH KEYBOARD OR MOUSE:
1. You can use the cursor (Arrow) keys to move up, down, left and
right. Also, the Home key gets you to the GRID from any STASH.
2. You can use the number keys 1 thru 9 to shift to the various
numbered areas shown in the diagram. Use either the number keys at
the top of the keyboard or on the number pad (with NumLock on).
[If you don't have separate cursor and number pads, you'll have to
turn NumLock off whenever you want to use the cursor keys.]
3. You can use the mouse by pointing to a "Hot Spot" on the screen and
clicking the left mouse button. This is the fastest and easiest
method for most people. This is how it works:
If you're in one of the STASHES, part of the HOME GRID will be
visible. Click on the HOME GRID to go there.
The HOME GRID has a Hot Spot for each of the 8 STASHES, arranged
much like the diagram above. So click on the lower-left corner to
go to STASH 1, click on the lower-middle to go to STASH 2, and so
on. [The next time you run PUZZY, choose "OPERATING INFO" from the
menu: it will display a diagram showing the GRID's hot spots.]
SELECTING AND INSERTING PUZZLE PIECES:
The reason for moving around the table, of course, is to find
puzzle pieces. You must select pieces from the STASHES and bring them
to the HOME GRID for assembly.
To select a piece, point to it with the mouse and click the left
button. The selected piece will be surrounded by a red box and on-
screen instructions that tell you what to do next. And what you do
next is: left-click the mouse to move the piece to the GRID or
right-click to cancel your selection. [ HINT: The mouse need not be
pointing to the piece for this second click. And if you want to make
Top Gun, you'll have to learn how to point and DOUBLE-CLICK the left
button, which moves the piece to the GRID instantly. ]
When you bring a piece to the GRID, it is displayed inside a red
box. Point the mouse to where the piece belongs and left-click to
insert it or right-click to cancel your selection.
If you click on the correct spot, the piece will be inserted and
you'll get an "OK" beep. Otherwise, you'll get a "Raspberry" beep for
guessing wrong. If you guess wrong twice, PUZZY will return the piece
to the STASH, but not before posting a message and playing a "Too Bad"
tune. [ This is to discourage trial & error assembly.]
When you've inserted all the pieces, PUZZY re-displays the picture
without the jigsaw lines, so you can admire your work. When you press
any key or left-click the mouse PUZZY displays a Scoreboard showing your
SCORE, TIME, and PERFORMANCE RATING. At your next key press or mouse
click, you'll be returned to the menu.
Page 9
OTHER ACTIVE KEYS:
F1 or H -- Pops up the Help-Info screens; same as what you get if you
select Operating Info from the menu.
M -- Pops up the menu.
P -- Allows you to Peek at the picture you're working on, but not
before PUZZY warns you that it will subtract 3 points from
your score each time you peek. PUZZY gives you a chance to
cancel the peek and protect your score.
S -- Toggles Sound off/on. If it's on, S will turn it off; if
it's off, S will turn it back on. Sound is on at startup.
Esc -- This is the BOSS KEY. Press Esc to exit quickly from PUZZY
so the Boss won't catch you PLAYING PUZZY on company time.
You'll exit on the first press of the Esc key, except when
you've popped up the menu from the playing table. In that
case Esc will return you to wherever you were on the playing
table. And you can exit from there by pressing Esc again.
====================
PUZZY SCORING SYSTEM
====================
When you complete a puzzle, PUZZY reports your SCORE, TIME and
PERFORMANCE RATING.
Your SCORE is the number of pieces you inserted minus the number of
guessing errors and penalties. PUZZY sounds an "OK" beep to tell you
when you've inserted a piece correctly and gives you a "raspberry" beep
to tell you when you've made a guessing error. PUZZY subtracts 3
penalty points from your score each time you peek (cheat?) with the "P"
key or use the menu to PREVIEW the same picture you're working on.
The highest possible (perfect) score is 36, the number of pieces.
If you make a lot of errors and do a lot of peeking, you could get a
negative score. (In fact, the lowest possible score is -32,768, which
is the largest negative number your computer can store as a so-called
"integer variable.")
PUZZY starts the clock to time your play at the moment it finishes
jigsawing pieces and displays the HOME GRID. It stops the clock at the
moment you insert the last piece. And the clock keeps running if you
peek with the "P" key, pop up the menu with "M," or get help with the
"H" or F1 keys. So if you're shooting for a speed record, avoid doing
anything but selecting and inserting pieces.
Page 10
PUZZY combines your SCORE and TIME to obtain a PERFORMANCE RATING
that ranks you on an 8-point scale, ranging from TOP GUN (highest) to
NOVICE (lowest). RATINGS are assigned as follows:
RATING REQUIRED SCORE REQUIRED TIME (min:sec)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1. TOP GUN Perfect 36 Under 2:30
2. OVER-ACHIEVER Perfect 36 2:30 to 3:29
3. FAIR-TO-MIDDLER Perfect 36 3:30 to 4:29
4. QUICK & DIRTY 31 to 35 Under 3:30
5. LOOSE CANNON 30 or lower Under 3:30
6. SLOW POKER Perfect 36 4:30 or More
7. HUNT & PECK 30 or lower Under 4:30
8. NOVICE 35 or lower 4:30 or More
If you have a slower machine, like an 80286 or 8088, or if PUZZY
must use your hard disk in place of memory, your PERFORMANCE RATING will
be adjusted to give you a fair chance to earn TOP GUN. In these cases,
PUZZY will report your actual TIME, but may subtract up to two minutes
when it determines your rating. So it may use, say, 3 minutes when your
actual TIME was 5, if you're getting the maximum handicap.
PUZZY subtracts 20 seconds for 80286 users and a full minute for
those with 8088 machines. And even if you have a souped-up 486, PUZZY
will subtract a full minute if it's forced to use your hard disk for
storing images, due to lack of free memory.
PUZZY tells you in advance when it needs to adjust your score: at
startup, it gives you a message and waits for you to press a key before
it displays the menu. And although the adjustment is fair, you'll
still be missing out on the snappy effects PUZZY may be able to produce
on your machine. So if you get such a message, you should read the
OPTIMIZING PUZZY PERFORMANCE section for possible ways to remove the
handicap.
==========================================================
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, ERROR MESSAGES & WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
==========================================================
When PUZZY encounters a problem, it gives you an Error Message.
"Fatal Errors" cause PUZZY to abort completely; "Non-Fatal Errors"
prevent it from working as expected, but allow it to continue until you
decide to exit. Below is a list of Fatal and Non-Fatal error messages,
along explanations and possible corrective actions you can take.
FATAL ERRORS
1. "Required VGA Card &/or Monitor Not Installed."
PUZZY uses 256-color pictures, and it can't run on your system unless
you have a VGA card and Color Monitor capable of displaying them.
2. "ABORTING PUZZY -- Could Not Initialize Mouse."
If you don't have a mouse, PUZZY can't run on your system. If you
have a mouse, but haven't installed the "mouse driver" software
properly, PUZZY will think you have no mouse. In this case, consult
your mouse's manual for instructions on installing the mouse driver.
Page 11
3. "Not Enough Memory to Run PUZZY."
Most likely, you have ample memory to run PUZZY, but much of it must
be occupied by "memory resident" programs. PUZZY won't start when
it finds less than 300K bytes of memory available to it. But before
it gives up it checks to see if there is space in Expanded or
Extended memory, if your machine has these. If this fails, PUZZY
tries to use your hard disk as "virtual memory" and warns you that
this arrangement will probably cause it to run too slowly. See the
OPTIMIZING PUZZY section for possible ways to free up memory.
4. "PUZZY.RSC Resource File Not Found in Current Directory."
PUZZY can't run without this file, so it won't start unless it finds
PUZZY.RSC in the currently "active" directory. Check the directory
in which PUZZY was installed, using DOS's DIR command. If PUZZY.RSC
isn't in that directory, you'll need to re-run the install program,
as you did earlier: either PUZZY.RSC was never installed or it was
somehow erased afterward. If PUZZY.RSC is in its proper place,
PUZZY will still be unable to find it if you did not use the CD
command to make the PUZZY directory the "active" directory, as
explained earlier. For example, you can't run PUZZY from another
directory by typing "C:\PUZZY\PUZZY."
5. "ABORTING PUZZY -- Could Not Create Screen Buffer."
Even though there is enough memory, there was a problem when PUZZY
tried to create the large buffer (block of memory) that it needs for
storing screen images. If this occurs, try rebooting your machine
and running PUZZY again. Try this two or three times if it doesn't
work the first time. If it still doesn't work, try freeing up more
memory according to suggestions given in the OPTIMIZING PUZZY
section.
NON-FATAL ERRORS
6. "Chosen Picture Not Usable: Not 320x200x256."
PUZZY requires "VGA Mode 13" pictures, which are 320 pixels wide,
200 pixels high, and have a palette of 256 colors. You will get
this message if a PUZZY picture file is damaged, in which case you
should try re-installing with MAKEPZY as you did before.
7. "PUZZY Couldn't Display Chosen Picture: File may be Damaged"
PUZZY was unable to load the picture from your hard disk, either
because the file is damaged or because it encountered a disk-read
error. Try to RUN or PREVIEW the picture a few more times. If that
doesn't work, the picture file may be damaged, and you'll need to
re-install with MAKEPZY.
8. "No PUZZY Picture Files Found: Can't Run or Preview Any Pics."
PUZZY picture files have a .PZY extension (as in LION.PZY). These
files must be in the same directory that contains the PUZZY program.
If you get this message, PUZZY will not abort, but the only menu
option that will work is "OPERATING INFO." See Error #4 above for
possible causes and solutions to this problem.
Page 12
9. "PUZZY Can't Jigsaw Your Picture: Not Formatted as a .PZY File."
You'll get this message if a picture file is not formatted correctly,
even if it is a "Mode 13" image and has a .PZY file name extension.
You can display the picture with PREVIEW, but you can't use it as a
puzzle, because the file does not contain some extra information
PUZZY needs to jigsaw it. If this information is not intact, the
file may be damaged, and you'll need to re-install with MAKEPZY.
10. "Memory Allocation Error: Can't Make File List."
PUZZY has no "built in" list of picture files to display when you
select RUN or PREVIEW from the menu. Instead it creates the list
from the files it finds on your hard disk and grabs a chunk of
memory in which to store the list. You'll get this message if, for
some reason, your computer refused to allocate another memory
chunk. Try RUN or PREVIEW a few more times. If that doesn't work,
reboot your computer and try RUN or PREVIEW a few more times. If
that doesn't work, you may need to free up more memory. This error
is rare, and is usually related to the use of "Expanded" or
"Extended" memory. See the OPTIMIZING PUZZY section for ways to
get PUZZY into "Conventional" memory.
If PUZZY doesn't run properly, but gives NO message telling you what's
wrong, the fault probably lies in the installation. Try re-installing.
If PUZZY still won't run properly, you may have a defective PUZZY disk
and should get a replacement.
============================
OPTIMIZING PUZZY PERFORMANCE -- Speeding it up by freeing more memory
============================
If PUZZY tells you it was forced to use Expanded or Extended
memory, or that it's using the hard disk as "Virtual" memory, it may
run more slowly than desirable. If you get no such message, PUZZY is
running as fast as your machine allows, so you can skip this section.
For those who've never seen PUZZY run at optimum speed, the next
paragraph describes how its graphic effects should look. This will
help you decide whether to make the extra effort needed to speed it up.
[If you're satisfied with the way PUZZY runs now, why bother?]
When you select a puzzle piece from a STASH, the piece and its
surrounding red box should pop up together: you shouldn't see an empty
box first and then the piece drawn over it. When you insert a piece,
PUZZY should pop it in place, beep "OK", and reactivate the mouse so
fast you'll miss it if you blink. [8088 machines are an exception:
they take 2 or 3 blinks at best.] When PUZZY tells you its "Cutting
Pieces: Please Wait," it's copying images from your hard disk to memory,
so its speed will depend on that of your hard disk. But on a 25MHz 386
machine, jigsawing should take under 2 seconds; on a 10MHz 286 machine
(IBM Model 50) it should take under 30 seconds. [The one 8088 we've
timed took just over 3 minutes, running at 6.4MHz.]
To attain maximum speed on any machine, PUZZY must store all its
images in so-called "Conventional memory." If your machine has the
standard 640K bytes of Conventional memory, it has more than enough
unless too much is already taken by other programs you've loaded in.
Page 13
At startup, PUZZY determines whether there is enough Conventional
memory to store images. If it finds less than the 300K bytes it needs,
it checks to see if you have so-called "Expanded memory" and, if so,
whether there's enough free space in it. Failing this, PUZZY checks
so-called "Extended memory," which all 286, 386, and 486 PC's have. If
there's not enough free Extended memory, PUZZY tries to use your hard
disk as "Virtual memory." Finally, if PUZZY can't find hard disk room,
it will abort and give you a "Not enough memory" message.
[Note: if you run PUZZY under Microsoft Windows, you'll always get a
"PUZZY must use Extended Memory" message, but it should still run at
near-optimum speed. If so, you can ignore the message -- and skip the
rest of this section.]
When PUZZY uses Expanded or Extended memory, it takes longer to
jigsaw the puzzle pieces. But you may notice no slowdown in selecting
and inserting pieces, while your play is being timed. When PUZZY is
forced to use the hard disk, everything slows to a crawl. And this
takes a lot of the fun out of playing PUZZY. To get the best performance
your machine can provide, you must free enough Conventional memory for
PUZZY to work with.
The quickest and easiest way to get more memory is to do a "clean
boot" from a floppy disk inserted in drive A:. Chances are you already
have a DOS "boot disk" for use in case your hard disk fails, so all you
need to do is boot with this disk to run PUZZY and reboot from the hard
drive when you're finished.
If you don't have a "boot disk," you'll need to make one with the
DOS FORMAT command. With DOS Version 5.0, this is done simply by using
the "s/ option" with FORMAT. Insert a blank disk in Drive A: and type:
FORMAT A: /s
[You may also need the "/f option" to specify the disk's capacity.]
If you have an earlier DOS Version, your DOS manual will give you
alternative instructions for making a boot disk. Just be sure that it
has both of the "hidden system files," as well as COMMAND.COM on it.
[If your boot disk also has CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, these
may be loading other programs into memory, so you won't get a "clean
boot" as expected.]
An alternative to using a clean boot each time is to remove some of
the so-called "terminate-and-stay-resident" (TSR) programs that are
probably occupying memory. First, you must find out what other programs
are already "resident" in memory when PUZZY starts up; second, you must
decide which you can remove; and third, you must remove them.
TSR's are usually loaded by your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files,
which your computer always processes when it boots up. So, you'll have
to edit these files to remove expendable TSR's. BUT UNLESS YOU'RE
EXPERIENCED AT THIS, YOU SHOULD GET HELP FROM SOMEONE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE.
And whether you or someone else edits these files, be sure that your
"mouse driver," probably called MOUSE.SYS or MOUSE.COM, is not removed.
Page 14
===================================
REGISTRATION & ORDERING INFORMATION
===================================
BENEFITS FOR REGISTERING: You'll get an add-on PICTURE SET disk,
which you may choose from the list below. And you'll get an enlarged,
printed manual, with hints on achieving TOP GUN and ideas on organizing
PUZZY TOURNAMENTS as a party game, lunch-time sport, or family evening.
You'll also get free technical support for a full year, and you may order
more PUZZY PICTURE SETS. [These SETS are NOT shareware and they are
available only to registered users.]
Below is a list of the PICTURE SET disks that are now available.
Each disk contains 5-8 PUZZY pictures, depending on how many will fill
a 5.25" disk. The pictures are not compressed, so all you need do is
copy them to your PUZZY directory, and you're ready to run with them.
PICTURE SETS
=========================================================================
SET #1 -- WILD ANIMALS: from Africa & around the world.
SET #2 -- PETS & FARM ANIMALS: cats, dogs, horses, cattle & more.
SET #3 -- CITY SCENES: Skyscrapers, skylines, factory, & more.
SET #4 -- FAMOUS PAINTINGS: from renaissance to contemporary.
SET #5 -- BUILDINGS & MONUMENTS: from the U.S. and Europe.
SET #6 -- ANCIENT RUINS: Roman, Greek, Egyptian & Meso-American.
SET #7 -- LANDSCAPES: mountains, forest, lakes & pastoral scenes.
SET #8 -- BIRDS: from North America and around the world.
SET #9 -- GEOMETRICAL SHAPES: 2D & 3D, real toughies for PUZZY.
SET #10 -- AERO-SPACE: planes, choppers, & space shuttle.
SET #11 -- AUTO ALBUM: classics, sports cars, race car action shots.
SET #12 -- ENVIRONMENT ALERT: endangered species, pollution sources, etc.
SET #13 -- KID PACK: educational & fun. Cartoons, geometric shapes, etc.
teach reading, counting and visual-spatial skills.
=========================================================================
PICTURE SETS are only $5.00 each, and even less when you order 6 or
more. You can order any 6 SETS for $25, or get all 12 extra SETS for
only $40. (Remember: you get one SET as part of your Registration.)
Write to Hawkeye Softworks for full catalog descriptions of all these
PICTURE SETS. By the time you read this we'll probably have many more.
Page 15
TWO WAYS TO REGISTER AND ORDER PICTURE SETS:
--------------------------------------------
1) If you wish to charge your Registration and/or Extra PICTURE SETS
to a VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS or DISCOVER card, you must
order from Public (software) Library by calling 800-242-4PsL (from
overseas: 713-524-6394) or by Fax to 713-524-6398 or by CompuServe
to 71355,470. To speed up ordering and avoid errors, tell the
person who answers the phone that PUZZY's REFERENCE NUMBER is
#10626.
PLEASE NOTE: The PsL phone, Fax, and CompuServe numbers
ARE FOR REGISTERING AND ORDERING BY CREDIT CARD ONLY.
Hawkeye Softworks can NOT be reached at those numbers.
To contact Hawkeye Softworks about dealer pricing, volume
discounts, site licensing, the status of product shipment,
the latest version number, or for technical information or
to discuss returns, write directly to Hawkeye Softworks at
the address below.
2) If you wish to pay by check or money order you must mail your order
directly to Hawkeye Softworks. For your convenience, a Registration
& Order Form is provided below. Print this Form on your printer and
mail it with your payment to the address given on the Form. Or, if
you prefer, simply use a hand-drawn facsimile of the Form.
TO RECAP: Hawkeye Softworks does NOT take credit card orders directly.
To pay by credit card, you must contact PsL, as explained in
#1 above. And note that PsL TAKES ONLY CREDIT CARD ORDERS.
SHIPPING & HANDLING CHARGES:
If you order from PsL, S&H charges will be $4.00 for each order
shipped within North America and $10.00 otherwise.
If you order directly from Hawkeye Softworks, postage is included in
the purchase price for North America. Others add $6.00 for postage.
PLEASE NOTE: The prices given above and on the Order Form for
Registration, PICTURE SETS, and Shipping & Handling
can be guaranteed for only one year from the release
of this version of PUZZY (9/1/92). Prices and/or
Shipping & Handling charges may change after 9/1/93.
á
The form on the next page is for your convenience in registering
directly with Hawkeye Softworks. Just print it on a dot-matrix
printer, fill it out, and send it with your payment to the address
given on the form. If you can't print the form, a hand-drawn facsimile
will do.
Page 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
=============================== Mail to: Hawkeye Softworks
PUZZY REGISTRATION & ORDER FORM 300 Golfview Avenue
=============================== Iowa City, IA 52246
NAME ________________________________________________ DATE: ________
ADDRESS __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Where did you get your shareware version of PUZZY?
[If from a dealer, please give their name & approximate purchase date.]
__________________________________________________________________
Circle the ONE FREE PICTURE SET you wish to receive as one of your
Registration benefits. AND ALSO Circle any others you wish to order:
SET #1 SET #2 SET #3 SET #4 SET #5
SET #6 SET #7 SET #8 SET #9 SET #10
___________________________________________________________________
AMOUNT ENCLOSED:
REGISTRATION (including 1 free PICTURE SET) ------------- $20.00
ADDITIONAL PICTURE SETS
($5 each, any 6 for $25, or all 12 Extra Sets for $40) --__________
SHIPPING ($6.00 for orders outside North America) -------__________
______________________________________________________________________
TOTAL ENCLOSED* --------__________
*SORRY, but we can only accept payment in U.S. Dollars.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------