The Business Master (4th Edition)

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#1# Super Forms by Super Software Super Forms gives you the capability to use your computer to create forms tailor-made to suit your unique needs. Once created, these forms can be filled out and stored under code names pertaining to their use (i.e. billing, invoice, comments, etc). Super Forms also gives you the capability to print and/or store completed or master forms. Comments or suggestions for improving Super Forms will be appreciated. Super Forms requires an IBM PC or compatible with at least 384K of RAM. Printers supported include the Epson graphics printers and most other dot matrix and laser printers. Display adapters known to work with Super Forms are the IBM monochrome, color, and enhanced graphics adapters. #5# You are currently using the On-Line Manual. Normal commands: ════════════════ Escape -- Escape from the on-line manual. Home -- First page of the on-line manual. End -- Last page of the on-line manual. PgUp -- Previous page (will wrap from first page to last page). PgDn -- Next page (will wrap from last page to first page). Any key -- Proceed thru the manual one page at a time, exit on-line manual after the last page. Possible errors: ════════════════ 1. No manual screen defined for your selected area. 2. Couldn't find SF_HM.TXT. Are both the manual (SF_HM.TXT) and the index index (SF_HM.INX) in the subdirectory specified under the install portion of Super Forms? From the main Super Forms menu use Installation Misc section to check the default help/manual path. #10# A file input/output error has just occurred. This could be caused by many different situations. Super Forms has caught the error and is giving you a general description of the error. Often you will need to just press a key a few times to allow Super Forms to execute the next command. This will probably result in several additional warning messages but eventually they will stop. Things that can result in an error are running out of disk space while saving a form. Trying to export a form to a name that is the same as the name of a subdirectory will also cause an error. Many other things can also cause errors. Most of the common errors are checked for and add many extra lines of code to Super Forms. If you don't understand why you got this error then please write up a software performance report describing the steps leading up to this problem. Please enclose a shift print screen of the error screen. Sorry for the problem you are having in this area. #20# General help for all menus: This menu is broken up into two basic windows. The window at the top of your screen shows several options to choose from. The window at the bottom of the screen expands on what will occur if you choose the highlighted option (the one that has a different background color). Options may be selected in one of two ways. You can either press the first letter of the desired command or move the highlight bar over the desired option and press enter. To move the highlight bar use either the space bar, up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, or right arrow. You can also use home to move to the first top line item on the menu. Using the first letter of a command only works in the ACTIVE window. If you don't have any pulldown then the active window is the top window. Once you pulldown one of the options that becomes the active window. You must use one of the commands in the pulldown once it is active. You can always use Escape to back out of the pulldown and return to the top menu. #21# You are now using the Super Forms Main Menu. From here you can access the main functional areas of Super Forms. Refer to the On-Line Manual to get a feel for what a fully featured forms manager can do. We have tried to design Super Forms to let you get your job done quickly and easily. Please feel free to forward any suggestions for improvement to us at Super Software, Attn: Super Forms Author. #22# You are currently using the Editor Menu. From it you can execute many of the editor commands. When you highlight one of the editor commands the help at the bottom of the screen will provide additional information on the option. If you see a command (ex. (Alt+S) ) at the end of the help, use that command next time instead of the editor menu. The command is a short hand method of using the editor without the pulldown menu. There are two ways to call up the Editor Menu. 1. Escape - Means "I want to go to the Main Menu". The exit pulldown will be used allowing you to quickly exit. 2. F10 - This is the normal method. Super Forms will remember the last menu command and automatically highlight it. This allows easy access to groups of close commands. Example: Working with blocks you could use F10 and the block operations pulldown to mark the start of a block. The next time you press F10 you will find the block operations pulldown is automatically highlighted to allow you to easily mark the end of a block. #100# This screen provides basic information on the status of the Super Forms' Editor, your printer defaults, etc. Under the "Current printer related defaults" you will find the user function names. If you take a close look at the bottom of the editor screen you will notice a character attribute area. When you see a 1, 2, 3, or 4 pop up this is what it is referring to. The user functions are defined to contain specific information for each printer and can be customized by the user. See the printer installation area for more details. #105# Super Forms has now grown so large that we have almost run out of unique keys for editor commands. We reserved virtually the last key (Alt-) to call up an additional menu command. That is the menu that you are using now. Displayed are a list of additional command(s) available to you. Press the letter for which command you wish to execute. Press escape if you got here by accident. #110# Field markers are used in two ways: ═══════════════════════════════════ In master forms you insert field markers (the ~ character) to mark areas you want protected in the completed form. By filling the unused areas of a form with the field markers you limit the area of the form that can be filled out later. In completed forms this option inserts the field markers into unprotected areas of your form to show where you can type. Field markers will be inserted into the form but won't print or in any way affect operation of Super Forms. They only show you where you can type. The tab key will jump you between unprotected areas in the completed form (the fields). Note: Field markers can be entered and deleted using the keyboard keys. #111# This option gives you an easy way to draw a border around the outer edge of your form. The line will be solid, adding the correct characters at the corners of the form. Whatever was in the first character space around the outer edge of the form WILL be overwritten unless it is protected. The default line drawing palette will be used. Use Alt+L to alter the default palette. #112# This option allows you to remove the entire border from your form with a single keystroke. The first character position around the entire outer edge of the form will be erased unless it is protected. #113# The clear form option allows you to start again with a clean slate. It can be used in both master and completed forms. In a master form it will erase everything in the form. In a completed form it will erase only the information you have entered into the form since you called it up to fill it out. This is a easy way to start over if you really don't like the way a form looks. #114# Super Forms allows you to use your computer's system clock to obtain the current date and time for use in your form. If you choose either date or time feed, then the computer's clock will be checked for the current time or date and then inserted at the current cursor position. This option can be used in both master and completed forms. As much of the date or time as will fit will be inserted into the available space. Be careful if you are close to the right margin or protected characters. Date formats: 0 mm/dd/yy 06/15/89 Time formats: 24 hour formats (Example 1 mm-dd-yy 06-15-89 (Example 0 hh:mm:ss 13:30:15 using 2 yy-mm-dd 89-06-15 using 1 hh:mm 13:30 15 Jun 1989) 3 mmddyy 061589 1:30:15 PM) 12 hour AM/PM formats 4 yymmdd 890615 2 hh:mm:ss 01:30:15 PM 5 dd mmm yy 15 Jun 89 3 hh:mm 01:30 PM (Military) 6 Julian 9166 (last digit of year & 001-365 day of year) 7 dd/mm/yy 15/06/89 8 dd:mm:yy 15:06:89 9 ddmmyy 150689 A yy/mm/dd 89/06/15 B yy:mm:dd 89:06:15 C mm:dd:yy 06:15:89 #115# The commands for block operations in Super Forms are laid out differently than earlier versions. The basic reason for the change was to make a command set that was logical and easy to use. To make the transition easier we have included this Ctrl+K menu to translate as many of the old commands as possible into their exact duplicate in the commands for this new version of Super Forms. Sometimes that wasn't possible so you won't find them on this menu. Example: block fill for tilde ~. This is now part of the Ctrl+A, block attribute add command. It does much more than the old command but is not an exact replacement for Ctrl+K then I. All previous capability has been retained and greatly enhanced! Refer to the on-line manual under the block operations area for more information on how to use the new commands. #117# You can create many different sizes of forms in Super Forms. One of the most common is 64 lines by 80 columns. Text 80 columns wide at 10 cpi will just fill a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper. Most printers use 66 lines per page vertically. So allowing for a little leeway on positioning the printer head at the VERY top of the page, things should fit well. If you have a 80 column printer like the Epson MX80 you can print a form as large as 88 lines by 132 columns by using compressed print and 8 lines per vertical inch. #118# Press G to start the graphics drawing. The default is N to prevent errors. You are now in a full screen graphics walk-around mode. Depending on the mode selected (see the characters in the lower right hand and upper right corner of the screen) different things will happen. Options are: G Graphics - A full screen walk-around mode where you use the cursor keys to draw figures. Whatever character is needed will be substituted to make the lines solid. N Neutral - You can walk around without affecting any characters. E Erase - Erase the character under where you move the cursor. D Drag - This mode will drag/repeat the character under the cursor as you move it around. Use N to position the cursor over the character to be repeated before using D. 1-4 Palette - Shorthand method to select the default graphics palette. Press either G, N, E, D, or 1-4 to select the function. The active mode is shown in the lower right corner of the screen. #119# Set the graphics palette with Alt+L. You can choose single line graphics, double line graphics, or a combination. As a short hand method press 1-4. A sample character based on the palette selected will appear in upper right corner of your screen. Esc will return you to the editor. #120# The patch function will try to connect any adjoining character graphics symbols. The symbols will be joined with one of the other character graphics symbols that best completes the form. ONLY the immediate four characters are scanned (characters left, above, right, and below). Based on these a character out of │ ─ ┌ └ ┐ ┘ ├ ┤ ┬ ┴ ┼ is picked. You MUST have already placed a character graphics symbol of some type in the scanned character space for it to be considered for patching. Example: │ │ ─────── will be patched to ─────┼─ │ │ Please note the first example had a character graphics symbol in the area and needed to be patched. If it had not been there, Super Forms would have left the space blank instead of substituting the intersection symbol. Super Forms has to make a lot of assumptions when it is patching a form. Sometimes it won't choose the character you think it should. This command gives you a good start on the patching. You will sometimes have to add the final touches. #122# Super Forms is not a wordprocessor. It is a forms manager. Forms are a fixed length unlike wordprocessing files. If you want to insert a line something has to disappear (unless you use F2 to resize and lengthen the form first). Super Forms inserts lines by moving the line the cursor is on and every line below down by one. Where does the line go? It disappears. One inviolable rule in Super Forms is: Never allow a protected character to be altered! In any conflict between a protected character and a non- protected character, the protected character wins. If you force a line of unprotected text to move down over a line of protected text, the unprotected text loses. Use the block operation commands if you just want to move text around in your form. #124# Your form size will not decrease when you delete a line. The unprotected text is just moved up one line, overwriting any unprotected text on the cursor line. If you get tired of seeing these messages set the default help/message level to zero (command is Ctrl+V). #130# The delete block command deletes the unprotected text in the marked block. Please be careful with this command. Use the Ctrl+V command if you want to alter the default help/message level and get rid of these prompts. See the copy block (Alt+C) and move block (Alt+M) commands for other options. #132# The copy block command copies the unprotected text from the marked block to your current cursor location. Your cursor will be in the upper left of where the text will be copied. This is a copy (make a duplicate) so none of the text in the marked "source" block will be modified unless the blocks overlap. See the move block (Alt+M) and delete block (Alt+D) commands for other options. #134# The block move command moves the unprotected text from the marked block to your current cursor location. Your cursor location will be the upper left corner of where the text will be moved. This is a move (displace -- from one point to another) so all the unprotected text in the marked block will move. See the copy block (Alt+C) and delete block (Alt+D) commands for other options. #150# Super Forms Editor Commands: FUNCTION KEYS ALT FUNCTION KEYS CTRL FUNCTION KEYS ═════════════════════════ ═══════════════════════ ═══════════════════════ F1 - Help AF1 - ┌ ╒ ╓ ╔ CF1 - ┼ ╪ ╫ ╬ F2 - Resize Master Form AF2 - ┐ ╕ ╖ ╗ CF2 - N/A N/A N/A N/A F3 - Insert Field Markers AF3 - └ ╘ ╙ ╚ CF3 - ░ α Φ N/A F4 - Delete Field Markers AF4 - ┘ ╛ ╜ ╝ CF4 - ▒ ß Θ N/A F5 - Draw Line AF5 - ─ ═ ─ ═ CF5 - ▓ Γ Ω N/A F6 - Erase Line AF6 - │ │ ║ ║ CF6 - █ π δ N/A F7 - Draw Border AF7 - ├ ╞ ╟ ╠ CF7 - ▌ Σ ∞ N/A F8 - Erase Border AF8 - ┤ ╡ ╢ ╣ CF8 - ▐ σ φ N/A F9 - Clear Form AF9 - ┬ ╤ ╥ ╦ CF9 - ▀ µ ε N/A F10- Editor Menu AF10- ┴ ╧ ╨ ╩ CF10- ▄ τ N/A N/A Graphics set: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 NOTE: The Alternate and Control Function Keys have four different sets of codes depending on the palette selected using Alt+L. The Greek characters in palette 2-4 in the control function keys are used to send special escape sequences to the printer. See the manual for more details on this. Keys labeled N/A return a space (" "). #151# Single keystroke commands (many of these can also be executed thru F10): Block Operations: Text Attributes: ═════════════════ ════════════════ Alt+S - Start Block Alt+B - Bold Character Alt+E - End Block Alt+U - Underline Character Alt+C - Copy Marked Block Alt+M - Move Marked Block Alt+D - Delete Marked Block Alt+H - Hide Marked Block Alt+V - Make Marked Block Visible Graphic Operations: File Operations: ═══════════════════ ════════════════ Alt+G - Graphics Walk-Around Ctrl+S - Save Form and Resume Edit Alt+L - Line Graphics Palette (1-4) Alt+X - Exit Editor (Save Form) Alt+P - Patch Form Ctrl+R - Read Text from Disk (Import) Ctrl+W - Write Text to Disk (Export) Ctrl+P - Print Current Form Ctrl+X - Exit to DOS Shell (Global) Alt+- - Additional Command Menu (Enter mode and future expansion) #152# Single keystroke commands continued: Date, Time, and Numbering: ══════════════════════════ Ctrl+D - Date (Auto Date Setup) Ctrl+F - Feed Date/Time into form Ctrl+T - Time (Auto Time Setup) Ctrl+N - Number (Auto Number Setup) Additional Commands: ═════════════════════ Alt+I - Information about Form Ctrl+V - Verbose (Help Message Level) Ctrl+Y - Delete Line Ctrl+Enter - Inserts a line in the form at the current cursor line. Make sure ALL text can move down a line without trying to overwrite a protected line or character. In this move a protected area won't change. #153# Most printers support printing of these characters. Super Forms provides printer drivers to handle these characters. If you have a text only printer then Super Forms provides a translation of these characters into something your printer can handle. The export function gives you the ability to translate these characters into normal ASCII characters that most word processors can handle. Cursor movement commands: ═════════════════════════ Use the keypad arrows to move Home Move to upper left of screen left, right, up, and down. End Move to lower left of screen Ctrl+Home Upper left of form Use the Control key with the Ctrl+End Lower left of form keypad left and right arrows Ctrl+PgUp Top of form - same column to move to left and right of form. Ctrl+PgDn Bottom of form-same column Note: Commands with a + in them are entered by holding down the first key and then pressing the second key. For example: to use the Ctrl+Home command you would hold down the Control key and then press Home once. #154# Note: Auto numbering, auto date, and auto time are set up only in master forms. When you "fill out" the master form this information is used to automatically insert the updated number, date, or time into the completed form. Special character oriented commands affecting only printing: Alt+U -- Underline the character under the cursor. NOT on graphics! Alt+B -- Bold the character under the cursor. NOT on graphics! Alt+1 -- User defined function 1. \ Alt+2 -- User defined function 2. \ Use the Alt+I command to see Alt+3 -- User defined function 3. / the installed names for these. Alt+4 -- User defined function 4. / Note: These affect only the printed form. A status of these commands is shown on the bottom of the screen. You can see the status updated as you move the cursor. Character status will toggle from U and B if you press the key again. The user defined functions can be altered thru the installation portion of Super Forms. #160# This menu allows you to change all the colors used in Super Forms. To change a default color - first use the up or down arrow key to select the color, then type in the new color. When you have changed all the colors press Ctrl+D to display these colors in a sample window. As with all installation options, these changes will not be used until you choose the retain option on the main menu. This allows you to experiment with the installation options and then not have to lose your original defaults. Please keep in mind the foreground text colors can be 0-15, the background 0-7. If you choose a text color the same as a background color then the text will disappear. You may notice some of your installed color combinations result in invisible lines on the Ctrl+D popup window. Please be careful not to choose this color for one of your text colors!! Note: For many of the Super Forms installable options and user inputs you will see a prompt containing the characters . If you count the number of 's you will find the maximum number of characters that can be entered. Escape is used throughout Super Forms to signal "I want out". Press Enter, up arrow, down arrow, or whatever is asked for to enter the desired value. Escape will throw away any immediate changes and get you out of the area you are in. #161# Please note that the background color (0-7) is one digit long and the foreground color (0-15) is two digits long. That is why you will see the input prompt (the s) change it's width as you go between the colors. #165# This screen shows the possible combinations of colors in Super Forms. The top set (Main Super Forms colors) show you what the various menus will look like. The Editor colors are those used only while you are editing a form. These colors will show you what underline, block, protected, etc will look like. If you are using a non IBM display adapter you may have to "play" with the colors to get a pleasing combination. Super Forms defaults to colors that work well with the IBM Color Graphics Adapter, IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter, and IBM Monochrome Display Adapter. On some monochrome display adapter clones you may need to alter a foreground text color to get the background to change intensity. The default combination of colors will work on any 100% IBM PC compatible display adapter! #170# Super Forms supports virtually the entire IBM Extended ASCII Character Set. Your choice of what character to chose for borders, lines, boxes, etc. just became more complex. Super Forms has four basic graphic line sets or palettes to choose from: 1 ┌────┬────┐ 2 ╒════╤════╕ 3 ╓────╥────╖ 4 ╔════╦════╗ │ │ │ │ │ │ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ├────┼────┤ ╞════╪════╡ ╟────╫────╢ ╠════╬════╣ │ │ │ │ │ │ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ └────┴────┘ ╘════╧════╛ ╙────╨────╜ ╚════╩════╝ ░ ▒ ▓ █ ▌▐ ▀ ▄ α ß Γ π Σ σ µ τ Φ Θ Ω δ ∞ φ ε reserved │ │ │ │ ╘══════╤════════╛ ╘══════╤═══════╛ │ │ ╘══════════════════╧═══ Printer commands. The above boxes show you what the boxes and lines drawn with each palette look like. Below the boxes are some stand-alone characters which can be entered from the keyboard. The shaded block characters in palette 1 are useful in designing logos or just to emphasize a section of a form. The Greek characters in palettes 2 and 3 can be used to send commands to your printer during printing. #171# Enter these characters into your form thru the use of function keys. FUNCTION KEYS ALT FUNCTION KEYS CTRL FUNCTION KEYS ═════════════════════════ ═══════════════════════ ═════════════════════ F1 - Help AF1 - ┌ ╒ ╓ ╔ CF1 - ┼ ╪ ╫ ╬ F2 - Size Form AF2 - ┐ ╕ ╖ ╗ CF2 - N/A N/A N/A N/A F3 - Insert Field Markers AF3 - └ ╘ ╙ ╚ CF3 - ░ α Φ N/A F4 - Delete Field Markers AF4 - ┘ ╛ ╜ ╝ CF4 - ▒ ß Θ N/A F5 - Draw Line AF5 - ─ ═ ─ ═ CF5 - ▓ Γ Ω N/A F6 - Erase Line AF6 - │ │ ║ ║ CF6 - █ π δ N/A F7 - Draw Border AF7 - ├ ╞ ╟ ╠ CF7 - ▌ Σ ∞ N/A F8 - Erase Border AF8 - ┤ ╡ ╢ ╣ CF8 - ▐ σ φ N/A F9 - Clear Form AF9 - ┬ ╤ ╥ ╦ CF9 - ▀ µ ε N/A F10- Editor Menu AF10- ┴ ╧ ╨ ╩ CF10- ▄ τ N/A N/A Graphics set: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 NOTE: The Alternate and Control Function Keys have four different sets of codes depending on the palette selected using Alt+L. The Greek characters in palette 2-4 in the control function keys are used to send special escape sequences to the printer. See the manual for more details on this. Keys labeled N/A return a space (" "). #175# The marked block defines the area for the grid. All characters in the marked block will be erased. You will be asked for the vertical and horizontal spacing for the grid. If the desired spacing provides even spacing the grid will come out completely even. Otherwise you will be left with an off size block at the ends. See the examples below. ┌┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┐ ┌─┬─┬─┬─┬─┐ ┌──┬──┬──┬┐ ┌───┬───┬─┐ ┌────┬────┐ ┌┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┬┐ ├┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┤ ├─┼─┼─┼─┼─┤ ├──┼──┼──┼┤ ├───┼───┼─┤ ├────┼────┤ │││││││││││ ├┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┤ ├─┼─┼─┼─┼─┤ ├──┼──┼──┼┤ ├───┼───┼─┤ ├────┼────┤ ├┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┤ └┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┘ └─┴─┴─┴─┴─┘ └──┴──┴──┴┘ └───┴───┴─┘ └────┴────┘ └┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┴┘ vert 1 vert 1 vert 1 vert 1 vert 1 vert 2 horz 1 horz 2 horz 3 horz 4 horz 5 horz 1 #177# After you input the text press Enter to insert it into your form. Press Escape if you want to exit without altering your form. The text will be inserted vertically into your form. The first character will be at the current cursor location. The next character will be on the same column but one line down. Etc. If you input text longer than the number of lines to the bottom of your form, inserting will stop at the last line of the form. As with all editing commands, you can't use this to overwrite protected text. The length of the prompt using 's will vary depending on the number of lines from your current cursor location to the bottom of your form. #182# Want to save a Super Forms' form in a format readable by virtually all the word processors? Choose this option. Of course you will lose the advantages of form compression, character attributes, and often the line drawing/character graphics. You will be given the option to translate the line drawing characters into symbols like - and +. Choose this option for maximum compatibility with other software packages. This command allows you to easily transfer sections of one form to another. Export all or a portion of this form. Call up the destination form and use the import command to retrieve the previously saved information. If a block is marked, Super Forms will give you the option of exporting only the marked portion of the form. #184# Want to read a text file into a Super Forms form? This command allows you to import text created under almost any other software program. The only requirement is the imported file must be in ASCII. If you have a block marked you will be given the option to import text into only the marked section of your form. #186# Many of the editing commands have optional prompt messages to provide information and serve as a safety catch in case of mistakes. The extent of the user help/interference offered by Super Forms is tied to the message level. The more potentially harmful a command, the lower the message level has to be set for the command's warning/prompt to disappear. Examples: Command Tied to Help/Message level ═══════ ══════════════════════════ Patch form 4 (no message 3 and below) Block delete 1 (no message at level 0) Various other commands 1-4 (level varies) Most of the block operations and some of the other editing commands provide this feature. The default (unless installed otherwise) is to provide the maximum level of user help messages. #196# The auto time command allows you to automatically add the time to a form as it is filled out. Steps for use: 1. Load a master form. 2. Add a auto time field to the form (use Ctrl+T). 3. Save the form. 4. Fill out the form. Did you notice how the form "came up" with the current time? This time is stored in your computer's clock. Please ensure your computer "knows" the correct time. The format for auto time is taken from the default time format selected previously. If no default is chosen we use: hour hour:min min:sec sec. Our default time format is commonly called military time (based on a 24 hour clock). The clock starts at midnight as 00:00:00, goes to 13:00:00 at 1PM, and continues counting up until 23:59:59. Add 12 to the hour if it is after noon. Please ensure there is sufficient free characters between the start of the auto time field and the right edge of your form. That will allow all the auto time field to be seen. #198# Super Forms allows you to set up one auto number field within a master form that will automatically increment each time the form is filled out. If you desire a starting number other than 1, simply type it in. Super Forms will use the updated number as the starting point. When the form is saved Super Forms will read the auto number location and update all its pointers to contain your new number. The auto number will "roll over" from all 9s to 1 when you exceed the maximum number for the field. Any invalid character (non-numeric) will generate an error and cause the auto number to reset to 1. Example: auto number width is 5, the number 00A01, contains an invalid character (A). Ensure the form containing the auto number field can be updated with a new number when you fill it out. i.e. Don't put a write protect tab on a diskette containing the auto number form, etc. #199# This command allows you to automatically add a date to a form when you fill it out. Steps for use: ══════════════ 1. Load a master form. 2. Add an auto date field to the form (use Ctrl+D). 3. Save the form. 4. Fill out the form. Did you notice how the form "came up" with the current date? The date stored in your computer's clock provides this information. The format for auto time is taken from the default date format selected previously. If no default is chosen we use: Month/Day/Year. Example: 12/30/87. Please ensure that there is sufficient free between the start of the auto date field and the right edge of your form. This will allow the auto date field to be seen. #200# Help for Directory Screen: To edit a form use the up or down arrows on the numeric keypad to highlight a form name and then press enter. All files in the directory listing are sorted. Super Forms can handle a directory containing up to 150 forms. If you have more master or completed forms than that in a SINGLE directory then please break the directory into smaller ones before running Super Forms. Super Forms stores descriptions of forms, print attributes, etc. in the form. Because of this it takes longer to do a file directory. A basic rule of thumb for the time to read a form is 5 forms per second on floppy or 10 on hard disk. This means a hard disk with 100 master forms should take about 10 seconds to retrieve the directory. This delay is caused by the slowness of the drives and can be speeded up 3-5 times if you store the forms on a RAM disk! Directories are much faster if the default directory contains the forms. As your disk drive becomes fragmented the directories will take longer. See your local PC guru to find out how to de-fragment your hard disk. A disk cache of about 100k bytes will also greatly reduce the time needed to do a directory and help overcome the effects of a fragmented hard disk. Please ensure your Config.SYS contains sufficient buffers (20 or 30 -- see your DOS manual for details). #201# Super Forms allows you to obtain an abbreviated directory by pressing any key during the time the additional form information is being read. Directory information is obtained in the following order: 1) All the form names are read along with their modification dates. 2) The form names are sorted. 3) The forms are opened one at a time to read the form size, print attributes, and description. This is the slow part of the directory process. When you do a directory the above three steps are done. You have the option to interrupt the process during step 3. All the forms before the interruption will contain full information. The forms after the interruption occurred will contain spaces in the unread information areas. This shortened method for reading the directory is provided to make it easier for you to handle large groups of forms. #202# Think about the organization of your hard disk. If your forms normally fall into categories like personal, business, auto, etc. consider setting up your hard disk to minimize the number of forms you have to work with at one time. Example: c:\sf -- The main Super Forms program (be sure to save a configuration file containing this as the default path). c:\sf\personal -- Your personal forms. You simply specify this is the default path when prompted by Super Forms. c:\sf\business -- Your business related forms. c:\sf\auto -- Your car related forms. #203# Default print attributes are stored as part of the form. Further information on the default Prt Attr displayed on the directory: D - Draft (use characters instead of graphics for very fast printing) C - Clear Forms Overlay (Use preprinted forms and overlay new info) M - Multiple copies specified 6 - Six lines per inch (default of 66 lines per page) 8 - Eight lines per inch (default of 88 lines per page) L - L is displayed if 1) 6 lpi is selected and lines per page is anything other than 66 or 2) 8 lpi is selected and lines per page is anything other than 88 S - Small text (compressed). This allows 130 columns on normal paper. V - Very dark graphics. If you are using a bit image graphics printer and have a graphics driver installed then the form will print in double density graphics. #204# Cursor key movements: Up Arrow - Move up one form. Down Arrow - Move down one form. PgUp - Move up one page of forms. PgDn - Move down one page of forms. Ctrl+Home - Move to the first form in the directory. Ctrl+End - Move to the last form in the directory. Other commands: T - Tag the displayed form. U - Untag the displayed form. Space Bar - Toggle the status of the tag field. Note: Use the tag field for printing mutiple forms at one time. Choose the print option off the main menu then tag mutiple forms. When you press enter all the forms tagged (including the one you have highlighted) will be printed. Use Enter to select the highlighted form and start operations using it. #205# Super Forms will sort the directory you are viewing based on the "field" you select. It may be: 1. The name of the forms. 2. The number of lines in the forms. 3. The number of columns in the forms. 4. The date the forms were last modified. 5. The stored print attributes within the forms which specify the number lines per inch, number of copies, etc. Please note that the sort order is for the attributes with the most periods on the left to be displayed at the top of the list. 6. The form descriptions. 7. You may also choose the direction of the sort. Forwards or backwards. NOTE: Do NOT delete forms and then use the sort option. Once you delete a form, it's information is removed from the directory listing and you will be sorting the "Deleted" message instead of the real information. This also applies when you press a key during the form directory to abbreviate the listing. #210# You are being asked to think of a name for this form. There are some things you should know about the form name and path. Super Forms provides full access to all drives and directories on your system. Because of this, form names are a little complex. The first part of the form name is the drive and path (this part is optional). The last part of the form name is simply the designator or name for this form. Example: C:\SF\MyForm.FRM │││ ││ ││ │ ╞╛╞══╛╞════╛╞══╛ │ │ │ ╘═══ Extension (master forms use a .FRM extension) │ │ ╘═════════ Your form name for later reference │ ╘═════════════ The working directory ╘═══════════════ The working drive Form names consist of up to 8 characters with only some of the keyboard characters valid. For example: a space isn't valid as part of a filename and neither is a | character. If you would like to add a description to the form use the up arrow to move to the top line. When finished editing press enter or down arrow. #212# Super Forms couldn't locate any forms in the specified directory. Master forms have a .FRM extension; completed forms have a .FOF extension. Do you have any forms like these in the specified directory? The computer uses a "mask" for directories. The mask used is either "*.FRM" or "*.FOF". Super Forms automatically adds this mask to the path for you. #213# Super Forms couldn't locate your form. Are you sure you entered the correct path to get to your form. Computers are dumb, you have to tell them everything. Try using the select form option on the main menu. Super Forms will find all the forms in your specified directory and allow you to use a color bar to select the form. #215# Super Forms is asking you for a form name with an optional directory so it will know where to save your form. This area allows you to specify the directory Super Forms will use to save forms and the name for the form. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\SF ╞╛╞═╛ │ ╘══════ The working directory ╘════════ The working drive Form Name: YourForm.FRM ╘══════════╧═ The name you want to save it under The extension (.FRM) can be either .FRM or .FOF depending on whether it is a master or completed form. If you don't specify the extension Super Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extensions are .FRM (master form) and .FOF (completed form)! #216# Form names consist of up to 8 characters with only some of the keyboard characters valid. For example: a space isn't valid as part of a filename and neither is a | character. If you would like to add a description to the form use the up arrow to move to the top line. When finished editing press enter or down arrow. Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on directories and file names. #220# Your floppy or hard disk is used to store forms. Many times, forms will be organized into groups and stored in specific areas called subdirectories. The computer needs to be given a location called a directory, to find the forms. The computer's first "guess" on where to find the forms will be your current default subdirectory (unless you install a default path under the installation section). Most of the time this will be what you want. If in doubt, press enter! The forms are probably located in the current directory which is normally the default. A more technical description follows on the next help page. #221# This area allows you to specify the path Super Forms will use to access master forms. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\SF │││ │ ╞╛╞═╛ │ ╘══════ The working directory ╘════════ The working drive Since ALL master forms have a .FRM extension, Super Forms will ask the computer to tell it all the forms on drive C: in the subdirectory \SF. The "mask" used to get the directory is C:\SF\*.FRM. If there are no forms in the directory you specified, you may see the error message that says "Could not find C:\SF\*.FRM". If you are not sure what you should use just press enter without changing any of the information. Chances are that the default is what you want (that is why we made it the default). Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #225# Your floppy or hard disk is used to store forms. Many times, forms will be organized into groups and stored in specific areas called subdirectories. The computer needs to be given a roadmap called a directory, to find the forms. The computer's first "guess" on where to find the forms will be your current default subdirectory (unless you install a default path under the installation section). Most of the time this will be what you want. If in doubt, press enter! The forms are probably located in the current directory which is normally the default. A more technical description follows on the next help page. #226# This area allows you to specify the path Super Forms will use to access completed forms. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\SF │││ │ ╞╛╞═╛ │ ╘══════ The working directory ╘════════ The working drive Since ALL completed forms have a .FOF extension, Super Forms will ask the computer to tell it all the forms on drive C: in the subdirectory \SF. The "mask" used to get the directory is C:\SF\*.FOF. If there are no forms in the directory you specified, you may see the error message that says "Could not find C:\SF\*.FOF". If you are not sure what you should use just press enter without changing any of the information. Chances are that the default is what you want (that is why we made it the default). Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on paths and file names. #228# Super Forms is looking for a new unique form name. When creating a form use a unique name to ensure you don't overwrite another of your master forms when you save it. This area allows you to specify the directory Super Forms will use to access master forms and the name for the form. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\SF ╞╛╞═╛ │ ╘══════ The working directory ╘════════ The working drive Form Name: NewForm.FRM ╘═════════╧═ The new master form you want to create If you don't specify the .FRM extension Super Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extension for a master form is .FRM! Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on directories and file names. #230# Super Forms is looking for a master form name with an optional directory. This area allows you to specify the directory Super Forms will use to access master forms and the name for the form. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\SF ╞╛╞═╛ │ ╘══════ The working directory ╘════════ The working drive Form Name: YourForm.FRM ╘══════════╧═ The master form you want to edit If you don't specify the .FRM extension Super Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extension for a master form is .FRM! Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on directories and file names. #235# Suepr Forms is looking for a completed form name with optional directory. This area allows you to specify the directory Super Forms will use to access completed forms and the name for the form. You can access forms anywhere on your system. Example: C:\SF ╞╛╞═╛ │ ╘══════ The working directory ╘════════ The working drive Form Name: YourForm.FOF ╘══════════╧═ The completed form you want to edit If you don't specify the .FOF extension Super Forms will add it for you. The ONLY allowable extension for a completed form is .FOF! Refer to your Disk Operating System (DOS) manual for detailed information on directories and file names. #240# Do you want to save the form that was on your screen prior to calling up this menu (and its help)? If so, answer yes. Your other options are not saving the form and returning to your form for further editing. Super Forms will retain the current form in memory for a limited time. You will be able to resume editing if you accidentally say no. The pulldown for this editing operation will be extended one deeper to allow this temporary option. The ability to resume editing will remain until you use another main menu command that forces Super Forms to overwrite some of the in-memory form information. #300# Your options are: U Select a printer by pressing U and going thru the use a predefined printer type. This must be done before you can customize a printer driver. This first step sets up the basic printer defaults. M Modify a predefined printer type. This allows you to customize the printer driver for things like initialization string, user defined functions, etc. You should first choose a basic printer type with the U option. C Change the printer and user defined function names. This option allows you to alter the default names displayed for these. S Show the installed printer defaults. This screen will display a number on the left side to number each string. These numbers correspond to the numbers on the "Modify predefined printer type" section. Super Forms will support almost any printer on the market. Some of the printers like the Epson are so numerous we have taken the time to really customize Super Forms to provide many print options. #301# Super Forms provides two basic categories of support for printers: 1) Text drivers for those printers that support the Extended ASCII character set and a translated draft mode for generic printers. This driver will support: IBM Graphics printer compatible codes (ASCII codes above 127 like ┌ ┼ ┐ etc). Super Forms sends the same character graphics symbols as you see on the screen to the printer. NO bit-image graphics escape sequences are used. Use of other escape sequences is optional. - Works with Epson FX-85 in the IBM mode and many laser printers. HP LaserJet MUST use font cartridge Y or our optional soft fonts disk. - Supports printing of forms in 4 sizes (with cartridge Y). - Soft fonts disk also supports landscape/sideways fonts. - HPGraph provides a static 10 cpi, 66 lpi font with graphics symbols. Plain dot matrix/daisywheel. Only standard ASCII (like 1, 2, Z, -, etc.) are sent to this printer. No control codes. ALL character graphics symbols are translated to a standard symbol like -, |, and +. This type should work with ANY printer. #302# IBM Quietwriter Model 2 (user provided info - see if it works for you). - Use IBM Graphics Printer type with NO Escape sequences. - Regular forms (up to 8" wide), ALL dip switches must be OFF/DOWN. - Wide forms (over 8" wide), ONLY dip switch 3 is ON/UP. 2) Bit-image graphics driver for fully Epson compatibles. - Able to take FULL advantage of all print capabilities in Super Forms This includes solid vertical and horizontal lines in 4 sizes and 2 graphics densities. - Printers in this category are: (1) Epson RX-80, MX-80, FX-80, FX-85, MX100, FX100, FX185, LQ1500, etc. (2) Panasonic 1080, 1090, 1091, 1092, 1592, and 1595 (3) IBM Proprinter (4) Star Gemini-10X and Radix-10 (5) Plus many others Others: - Capability varies with other printer types. - Most of them do not support solid graphic lines. #303# Notes: 1. The HP LaserJet using Font Cartridge Y will handle only about 80 lines on a page when using 8 lines per the inch. Six lines per inch comes out perfect. Using the same method as described in note 1, choose 80 lines per the page. 2. To save the print attributes you must use the install option (I) on the print menu AND then save the form to disk. If you fail to save your form after editing it, then all new print attributes will be lost! 3. Some printers using the text driver may substitute single line graphic characters for the double line version (example: ┼ verses ╬). #305# These codes are broken into five basic groups. 1. Codes 1-8: Printer initialization/exit, form initialization/exit, and and the 6 lines per inch (6 lpi) and 10 characters per inch (10 cpi) codes. The drawing below shows you how they are used. ╒═════ Printer Initialization │ ╒═══ Form Initialization │ │ ╒═ Print one line │ │ │ -- Send text quality codes to printer (see 19 & 20) │ │ │ -- If 6 lpi use 6 lpi codes else use 8 lpi codes │ │ │ -- If 10 cpi use 10 cpi codes else use 17 cpi codes │ │ ╘═ End printing line and loop back to print another line │ ╘═══ Form Exit ╘═════ Printer Exit 2. Codes 9-16: User defined character attributes. These codes are used for editor Alt 1-4 functions that can attach to characters. 3. Codes 19-20: Selects either high quality or draft quality text. #306# 4. Codes 21-68: Character graphics symbols. If you are using a text driver this string will be sent to the printer to print the the character shown. On some printers you can get them to print character graphics symbols but they aren't in the same order as the IBM Extended ASCII Symbols. These codes allow you to translate the order to match your printer. Also you can install an escape sequence for each one of these symbols to get your printer into graphics, draw the character, then return to normal text mode. These translate strings offer you a means to really customize Super Forms. These codes do not affect the graphics drivers. In the bit-image graphics drivers, a graphics escape sequence is used to draw the entire line at one time instead of using these translate strings. 5. Codes 69-98: Greek characters. These are user defined commands to direct the printer to do something. They are defaulted to spaces to maintain correct form spacing. Add any printer commands you want for these special characters. The first time Super Forms encounters the symbol in a form it will send the on sequence. The second time it will send the off sequence (they toggle states each time used). #307# Super Forms allows you to customize the "translate strings" it uses to work with your printer. These printer command strings consist of up to 18 (24 decimal) characters to be sent to the printer plus a length character you use to tell Super Forms how many of the characters to send. All codes are displayed in hex (base 16). If you are changing codes in this area you probably are already used to working in hex. If not, then most computer books provide a quick tutorial on working with hex and may even provide a conversion table between decimal and hex. We include a form for this (HEX-DEC.FRM). Please be careful when modifying these codes. You can easily install codes that have your printer doing all sorts of strange things. Nuff said. #310# This menu gives you complete control over the way you print a form. It also places a lot of responsibility on you to know how your printer works. In particular you need to know how wide the form is and whether it will fit on the width of paper in your printer. Most Epson series printers can only print 80 characters per line normally or 132 characters per line using compressed print. This is the type of information you will need to refer to your printer manual for or see a PC Guru in your area. Warnings: ═════════ Epson series printers can't print both compressed and bold at the same time. Because of this conflict, Super Forms disables bold when printing a compressed form. #315# High level problem description: Super Forms has sensed an error while trying to initialize your printer. The perceived error may or may not be real. The most common problem here is that someone forgot to turn on their printer. The second most common problem is that the printer is off-line. If you are fairly sure that everything is all right with your printer, then tell Super Forms to NOT abandon printing and to try printing anyways. If there really is an error/problem in your system then your system may lock up! Technical problem description: Interupt 24 (Abort, Retry, Ignore) checking has been vectored thru the Super Forms code disabling that message. The result of an interupt call indicates that there is a serious printer problem in your system. You will no longer have the option to abort thru the Int 24 handler. If you choose to proceed with printing, ALL further error messages will be disabled. This will cause one of three things to happen. One - if there is no problem, then printing will work as normal. Two - you may be able to "print thru" the error with Super Forms continually ignoring the errors (nothing to the printer). Three - your system locks up forever, there really is a serious problem! #320# The "Status" on the left reflects the selected options for printing. These options can be changed by pressing the key shown under the "Select" heading. Some combinations of the options are not valid. That is why some of the selected options under "Status" switch their condition. For example, when you press 8 for 8 lines per vertical inch - the 6 will be deleted from the "Status" area. You can't have both 6 and 8 lines per inch selected at the same time. Many printers do not support the full range of options shown. A summary of printer capability is shown below. Plain dot matrix - Only D, C, M, L, and P. Epson compatible - ALL options are supported. HP LaserJet - D, C, 6, 8, and L. IBM Graphics - ALL options are supported. Epson LQ1500 24 pin printer - ALL options are supported. This printer also supports both high quality and draft quality text thru the draft option when printing. The default is high quality text. Not all 24 pin printers support double tall. #321# To change the default printer type use the installation portion of Super Forms located off the main menu. Don't forget to tell Super Forms to retain the new printer type. Notes: 1. Some options are not compatible with others. For example -- if you choose D for draft, then you CAN'T also have high quality dark lines and vice versa! The draft option also selects the text quality mode. 2. Using preprinted forms. Super Forms has a clear forms overlay selection on the "Print Options" menu allows you to easily use many of the preprinted forms. To use this feature you first create a master form to act as the template. Make sure that all the "fields" match or align with those on your preprinted form. Fill out the master form. When you go to print, select C for clear forms overlay. This will ensure only the unprotected area (the text you just typed in) will be printed. The master form outline is protected in completed forms, so it doesn't print! See the form CFO-GRID.FRM for a template. 3. For the installed print options to be stored in the form you must first call the form up in the editor, choose the desired options from the print menu, press I to install the options in the form header and most important SAVE the form to disk. #330# You are being asked to input in HEX the byte you would like to enter at this location. Don't forget the length byte has to contain the number of characters you want to send to the printer. The length byte doesn't count against the total so the maximum is 18 (24 in decimal). These codes are sent to the printer during printing. #335# Super Forms allows you to download custom fonts to your printer before printing a form. Steps in the process: ═════════════════════ 1. You select any font other than 0. Assume Font 1. 2. Tell Super Forms to print. 3. Super Forms will run a DOS shell to execute FONT1.BAT (place the commands for downloading your font in FONT1.BAT). 4. After FONT1.BAT executes, normal printing of your form will take place. The batch file's name is built up of 'FONT' plus the 'font number you select' plus '.BAT'. Example: You select font 27, then Super Forms will execute FONT27.BAT before printing your form. #340# This option refers to the actual number of lines on the paper in your printer. Normally a 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper using 6 lines per contains 66 lines (6x11=66) or 88 lines using 8 lines per inch (8x11=88). Suepr Forms will print blank lines at the end of your form to advance the paper to the top of the next page. Examples: Form length L setting Additional line feeds ═══════════ ═════════ ═════════════════════ 64 66 2 80 80 0 Formula for additional line feeds (ALF) ALF = Form length - L setting. If ALF is 0 or negative, no additional line feeds will be printed. A few printers may require "tweeking" of these numbers to compensate for nonstandard paper or unusual print size. The default minimum lines per page setting is the length of your form. The maximum is set to the maximum lines supported by Super Forms (88 lines or a full page at 88 lines per page). #345# Super Forms allows you to print more than one copy at a time. Enter the number of copies desired at the prompt. Please ensure you have the "lines per page" option set for the correct value to advance your printer after printing a form to the top of the next page. The default value will work for most printers. A few printers may require the number of lines under "lines per page" option to be modified. You may abandon the printing of multiple copies just like a single copy. By pressing a key on your keyboard, you can signal to Super Forms to give you this option. If selected, all further copies will be abandoned. #350# Only the editor has access to the routines necessary to save a form. Please call up a form for modification before trying to customize the default print attributes. The directory gives you a summary of what print defaults are stored in each form. Help behind the directory screen describes in detail what each character in the print attribute summary means. Steps to save a custom print configuration: ═══════════════════════════════════════════ 1. Call up a form for modification. 2. Press Ctrl+P to print the form. 3. Customize the print attributes. 4. Press I to install the defaults into the form header. 5. Press Escape to return to the editor. 6. SAVE THE FORM! #352# Super Forms supports printing multiple forms in a batch mode. In the previous menu, you tagged a group of forms to be printed at one time. Each of those forms will be loaded and then printed in the order they were displayed in the directory. During printing, the default print attributes stored in each form will be used. This includes the number of copies, whether to compress the printed form, etc. You can't override any of the stored print default attributes. If you need to override the stored print defaults, then print one form at a time. You will be given the option to override any of the stored default print attributes. #370# Super Forms allows you to customize the name of the printer and user defined print functions/attributes. When you chose a basic printer type (under Use Printer), Super Forms installs a generic set of text labels. As you customize the printer driver you should modify these names to document the changes. Example: If you customize user function 4 to switch your printer into double high then install the user function 4 name to say "Double High Character". The names you install can be called up for review while you are in the editor. Call up any form and press Alt+I for information. You will be able to see what the user defined functions will do from their names. Use the modify printer driver option to modify the command codes sent to your printer when a user defined function is attached to a character. #375# This very confusing screen shows you the codes contained in the user configurable printer command strings. These strings control many of the operations during printing. See the modify option on the printer selection menu for a breakdown of what each command string does. The format for the information is: Location 1 2 3-26 What it is [Command string number] [length] [printer commands] Number base (in decimal) (in hex) (in hex) The first byte of the command tells Super Forms how many of the possible 24 bytes to send to the printer. Hex (base 16) was chosen for the commands to reduce the display space and to allow more commands per string (example: 255 is hex FF). If you have trouble with hex don't despair. We have included a form containing a hex to decimal conversion table. #400# This installation area allows you to define: 1) The default master form path. This is where Super Forms will look for your master forms (the ones ending with a .FRM extension). 2) The default completed form path. This is where Super Forms will look for your completed forms (the ones ending with a .FOF extension). Note: When you fill out a form it will be read from the master form area and saved to the completed form area. Example: Master path: C:\SF Completed path: A:\ If we fill out C:\SF\YourForm.FRM the name will be converted to A:\YourForm.FOF and be saved on drive A. This is ONLY the default. You can override the default form name and path at save time. The .FRM or .FOF extension cannot be changed! #401# 3. The default path for accessing the on-line manual and context sensitive help. Make sure you include the index file (.INX) along with the help and manual file (.TXT) in the specified directory. 4. Default message level. This is used in the editor to determine the extent of interference Super Forms presents to the user to execute a command (or help if you would prefer to look at it from that side). A message level of 4 will ensure all messages are displayed. Level 0 should be reserved for the expert user since this will take the safety (Are you sure (Y/N)?) off several potentially dangerous commands. 5. Sound/beep on errors. Some people find programs that beep on errors to be annoying (me for one). This option will allow you to disable ALL warning beeps in Super Forms. 6. You can install Super Forms to use Enter for the next field (Database mode) or Enter for start of next line (Wordprocessing mode). #405# Super Forms allows you to specify how the form directories will be sorted. You can specify both the field to sort on and the direction. The installation section you are using allows you to specify these options. When Super Forms first comes up it will use these installed options as the directory sort options. Any change you make to the sort options while viewing the directory will be retained during the use of Super Forms. If you want the options to be permanent then they must be installed and saved using the installation section of Super Forms. #410# Super Forms allows the default form paths, program colors, etc. to be saved in a configuration file. If no configuration file is specified on the command line (ex. C:>SF MyConfg.CNF) when you call up Super Forms then Super Forms will use the default name of SF.CNF. You are being asked for the name of the configuration file to load. You may have several configuration files saved under different names. Examples: Epson.CNF (for Epson printers), BW.CNF (for black and white composite monitors attached to a composite color card), etc. Please make sure that the configuration file you are asking Super Forms to use is really a Super Forms configuration file! Remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #411# Super Forms allows the default form paths, program colors, etc to be saved in a configuration file. If no configuration file is specified on the command line (ex. C:>SF MyConfg.CNF) when you call it up, Super Forms will use the default name of SF.CNF. You are being asked for the name of the configuration file to save all the program defaults to. You may have several configuration files saved under different names. Examples: Epson.CNF (for Epson printers), BW.CNF (for black and white composite monitors attached to a composite color card), etc. Please remember you can always press ESC if you got into this area by accident. #20050# Quick startup info: Super Forms is a form-generating program which lets you, the user, generate (Create) master forms tailored to your unique needs. Once you create the forms you can fill them out using the Fillout mode, where all the text from your master form is completely protected. The form can then be printed with all lines and information from the master form or you can use a preprinted form (on the print menu use C - Clear forms overlay) and only print the information you entered in the Fillout mode. Before you can get solid lines on the printout you must install a driver for your specific printer type. To do this, go to the Install pulldown and press P for Printer. Then press U for use a predefined printer type. Select your printer type from the menu and press the number or letter to the left of it. Return to the opening menu and press R to retain the new printer definition. You can now print any of the included forms using either the main menu Print option or from within the editor (the form is displayed in front of you) by pressing Ctrl+P for print. Refer to other sections of the On-Line Manual for additional information. F1 is always available to call up help while you are using Super Forms. #20051# ┌──────────────────────────┐ │ Commonly Asked Questions │ └──────────────────────────┘ 1. Does Super Forms require a video graphics adapter? No, Super Forms will work with all video adapters for the IBM PC. This includes the MDA, CGA, EGA, and VGA display adapters. Super Forms uses characters which look like graphic symbols (character graphics) to ensure maximum compatibility and speed. Text based graphics is 10 to 100 times faster than bit image graphics. 2. Can I design my own forms? Yes. Super Forms allows you to easily customize any of the standard forms included in the package or to easily create your own forms. A form of average complexity can easily be created in less than 20 minutes. #20100# Super Forms is a form-generating program which lets you, the user, generate master forms tailored to your unique needs. Integrated into Super Forms is both a forms editor and an installation program to allow you to customize it. Things such as colors, type of printer, and default data paths can be specified. Super Forms allows you to create or revise a master form or completed (filled out) form. A master form can be altered only when in the "Create or Revise a master form" mode. Master and completed forms can be stored as well as printed. Once a master form has been created and saved, you can recall it an unlimited number of times to fill out and then store as a completed form. Super Forms supports IBM (Epson) compatible printers as well as several other printers, however only Epson, Prowriter, and certain other printers can take advantage of the compressed mode used by Super Forms for printing out larger forms. #20101# Super Forms requires an IBM PC (tm) or compatible with at least 384K of RAM (only 320K of this is needed by Super Forms). Direct screen memory access is used to provide high speed screen updates. This may make Super Forms unusable on some "not too close" IBM PC compatibles. IBM monochrome, color, and enhanced graphics adapters are known to work with Super Forms. If you are using an IBM color graphics card with a "green screen" then you must use the DOS MODE command on your DOS diskette to default to black and white (type MODE BW80 and then run Super Forms). If you are using a serial printer, then use the DOS MODE command to route the serial printer to LPT1 (see your DOS manual for details). #20102# Super Forms has grown so large that it now uses additional files to provide enhanced support. The additional files contain the context sensitive help and the on-line user's manual (SF_HM.TXT and its index SF_HM.INX). These files must be available to allow Super Forms to provide the on-line support for F1 (Context Sensitive Help) and the on-line manuals available from the main menu and within the editor. Please ensure these files are available in your default directory when you run Super Forms. To check, use the DOS command DIR <Enter>. All the names of the files on your drive will be listed on the screen. These additional files MUST remain available during the entire time you are running Super Forms. Sections of these files are brought into the computer's memory for the additional user support. This is one of the penalties for a more powerful program. Super Forms "knows" where to find these additional files (drive and directory), so you still can change drives and directories. You can install this path in the installation section. #20200# ┌──────────────────────────── Super Forms ─────────────────────────────┐ │ Manual Create Edit FillOut Revise Print Install Quit │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The Main Menu options with descriptions are below. M On-Line Manual: This is an online manual covering features of Super Forms in more depth than the documentation available in the manual. C Create: This option allows you to create a new master form. You will be able to designate the form size (maximum size is 88 lines by 132 columns), add (or delete) a border and draw horizontal or vertical lines (sorry no diagonal lines are possible using character graphic symbols like those used in Super Forms). The cursor keys are enabled, so you can "walk around" a newly created form. E Edit: The Edit option allows you to recall a master form and further modify it or just take a look at it. The above Create option ONLY works on new forms -- the Edit option can ONLY be used on a form after it has been created. #20201# F Fill Out a master form: With this option, you can retrieve, and complete a copy of a master form. A copy of master form is loaded and then converted to a completed form. Text you add to the completed form can be manipulated. However, any text which was part of the master form is now protected and can't be changed. R Revise a Completed (filled out) Form: Here you can recall a completed form for revision. This option is the same as the Edit option, except you're not starting with a "clean slate" master form. You have complete freedom to revise any portion of the form except for the master form outline and text. P Print a Form: This option gives you full access to the computer directories and drives to allow you flexibility in searching out and printing forms. If you have an Epson or Epson compatible, then you can take advantage of the solid lines and compressed print format for larger forms. Simply tag multiple forms and Super Forms will print all of them for you. #20202# I Install: The installation portion of Super Forms allows you to customize the colors, printer type, help/manual path, and other options. Q Quit and exit to DOS: All good things must come to an end. Choose this option if you want to leave Super Forms and return to DOS. #20300# Master forms are forms in an unprotected mode where you can alter them in any way. The master form mode is where you create the forms that you will later fill out or complete. "Fields" can be set up in master forms to simulate some of the features of data base programs which allow you to jump between form data entry areas. Super Forms doesn't support data fields in the normal sense. Since Super Forms is based around a word processor model instead a data base model, a unique method is used to simulate fields. (This isn't all bad. By using the wordprocessing approach Super Forms gains a great deal of flexibility.) This works by your setting up the master form such that only blank areas in the form are where you want the "fields" to be. In the completed form the tab key will then allow you to tab to the next unprotected area. Two methods are provided to allow fields to be easily set up. 1. If you have a master form that has very few areas you want to write in, then use F3 to fill the entire form with field markers '~' (tilde). Then just walk around with the cursor and clear out the area you want to be able to fill in for the completed form. The space bar #20301# works well for this. A field marker, tilde, can be entered from the keyboard simply by pressing that key for small touchups. 2. To selectively unprotect a section of the master form, use F3 to fill the block the entire form with tildes. Next mark a block and then use the block delete command to delete the undesired section. Don't worry about the field markers from the master form showing up in the completed form. Field markers from the master form will remain invisible. They are used only to keep track of what is protected. Also the field markers will not show up when you print the form. Converting the field markers to spaces is also provided when you export a block from a form. When you are completing a master form, use insert field markers (F3) to show the unprotected parts. The field markers will show up in the unprotected text color, highlighting where the main form is unprotected. These tildes will show you where you can type. They will appear in the same text color as any other text you type in but won't print or have any affect on anything you are doing. #20302# Setting up fields isn't hard. All you are doing is limiting the unprotected areas to where you REALLY want to type. Super Forms then tabs between these areas in the completed form. Don't forget that shift Tab takes you backwards thru the fields. AUTO NUMBERING: To set up auto numbering in the master form press Ctrl+N. Ensure there is enough space to insert the number between the cursor position and the right side of the form. Each time you fill it out -(Main Menu FillOut) the number will increment. If you need to change the number in the master form, start with a different sequence number then just type over the old number. The sequence number MUST be a valid number (if you choose a five digit number it MUST be between 00000 and 99999)! AUTO DATE: To set up the auto date function in the master form press Ctrl+D. Please ensure there is enough room to insert the date between the cursor position and the right side of the form. Each time you fill out a form Super Forms will look at your computer's clock and insert that date into the form at this point. #20303# AUTO TIME: Auto time is set up the same as auto numbering and auto date. You use the Ctrl+T to set up the location for the time to be inserted into a form as you fill it out. Please make sure there is enough space to insert the time between your current cursor position and the right side of the form. #20400# If you don't have a printer, then you've got problems. This section assumes you have no problems (at least not printer problems). Super Forms supports various laser, dot matrix, and daisy wheel printers such as the HP LaserJet, Epson MX, FX, and RX series, the Prowriter dot matrix, and almost any printer in the generic text mode. You can print a form from the main menu using the print form option or by pressing Ctrl+P while in the editor (form will be visible on your screen). Super Forms does not require you to define your printer type before you can print. A default printer type is assumed which should work with any printer but will not be able to print out the larger forms or solid lines. Here are some notes to help keep your association with Super Forms on a friendly basis. 1. Most printers can print 66 lines per page. Most of the pre-defined forms are 64 lines x 80 columns, allowing a couple of extra lines at the end to compensate for paper alignment. Adjust your printer so the first line prints at the VERY top of the page. If you don't, some of the forms may spill over onto the next page. #20401# 2. Some printers have micro-justification (usually controlled by a switch inside the printer). Make sure this switch is off before using Super Forms (usually this means turning off the switch AND turning the printer off and back on). If your printer uses micro- justification, then the right border of the printed form will NOT line up vertically. 3. If you do not have an Epson compatible, Prowriter, or certain other printers then you can't use the compressed print mode. See the printer installation area for current list of printers. 4. The install portion of Super Forms will allow you to set up the codes needed for almost any printer. 5. Some laser printers may require you to save the form to an ASCII file via the export provisions in Super Forms. Then after proper printer initialization, you can print the ASCII file from DOS with the command: COPY "filename" PRN (or LPT1:, COM1, ETC.). #20402# 6. The HP LaserJet printer is now supported by Super Forms. Solid vertical and horizontal lines are supported (you MUST use font cartridge "Y"). Due to the way the HP LaserJet works, you must completely finish printing one form under Super Forms before printing another. Let the printer rest a few seconds until the motor turns off. You will then be able to print another form. If you see error 22 (printer buffer overflow) flash on the LaserJet display then you need to press a key to stop Super Forms from printing, take the printer off line, and do a form feed. This will allow you to get your printer set up correctly to begin printing another form. 7. Using preprinted forms. Super Forms has a Clear Forms Overlay (CFO) selection on the "Print Options" menu allows you to easily use preprinted forms. To use this feature you first create a master form to act as the template. Make sure that all of the "fields" match or align with those on your preprinted form. Fill out the master form. When you go to print, select C for Clear Forms Overlay. This will ensure only the unprotected area (text you just typed in) will be printed. The master form outline is protected in completed forms, so it doesn't print! #20403# 8. Sideways printing. Sideways(tm) 3.0 by Funk Software, Inc. supports sideways printing of text containing character graphics symbols like those used in the Super Forms forms. If you have a wide form and want to print it out sideways, then continue reading. You must export a form before it can be printed under Sideways. To do this: a. Call up a form under option E, F, or R from the main menu. b. Press Ctrl+W. c. If a block is marked, answer no to export only marked block. d. Do NOT translate the border characters, we want them left as character graphics, not translated to : and -. e. Specify a temporary file name (example: temp). f. Exit Super Forms and call up Sideways. g. Print your exported file, NOT the Super Forms form. h. Using normal sized print, a 130x53 form should fit on a page. #20500# USING THE INSTALLATION PORTION OF SUPER FORMS ═════════════════════════════════════════════ The Super Forms program contains a section you will never need to use -- unless you want to customize the way Super Forms runs. Everything in Super Forms is defaulted such that most users will never NEED to reconfigure it, except for printer type. If you do change the defaults, a new configuration file (SF.CNF) will be saved on the default drive and directory. Super Forms now supports multiple configuration files thru both the command line argument when you call up Super Forms (ex. SF MyConfig.CNF) and allowing you to specify save and load names for the configuration file. SF.CNF contains ALL the installation options you have selected. You can have multiple configuration files defined. Several configuration files may be kept on the same disk by giving them a different name and then calling them up on the command line or be renaming them to SF.CNF and using them as the default. This same method allows you to handle several printers connected to a single computer, each printer needing a special version of SF.CNF, the configuration file. Don't forget to use the DOS MODE command to route your printer to LPT1 if it isn't already on LPT1. #20600# Advanced features ═════════════════ Graphics walk around -- Call up a form and press Alt+G to start the full screen graphics walk around. You will be able to use the keypad cursor keys to add all kinds of graphics to your form. Patch mode -- To use the patch mode, call up a form for viewing. Press Alt+P to patch the form. Super Forms will make its best guess on modifying every graphic character in the form to connect with the others around it. This will connect your graphics figures giving the form a finished look. DOS Shell -- At any prompt in Super Forms you can press Ctrl+X and shell out to DOS. From there you can use all the commands normally available in DOS. When you finish type EXIT to return to Super Forms. Please ensure that COMMAND.COM is in your default directory or path and that you have enough free RAM to use the DOS shell (10-20K is plenty). Refer to your DOS manual for a complete list of available commands. #20700# HISTORY OF REVISIONS: ═════════════════════ SuperForms v3.12c Sep 1993 This is the latest & gretest release of Super Forms. It provides all the functions of forms packages costing many times it's cost while providing one of the most friendly user interfaces available today. #20800# Notes on Super Forms ════════════════════ Super Forms has been under development for over five years. During this period it has evolved into a package that quickly lets users do their work involving forms without a complex set of commands. If you have any suggestions for further improvement please forward them to us. We will try our best to incorporate your suggestions! Information relating to Super Forms follows. These items didn't seem to fit into any other sections but needed to be passed on to you. GENERAL: 1. Super Forms was developed by Dave Black of MaeDae Enterprises. 2. Special thanks to Robert Granger for his help with printer drivers. 3. Super Forms was written in C. The source for Super Forms consists of about 20,000 lines of code (C and Assembly). 4. Special thanks to Jim Nech at SSS for his excellent C & Assembly language windowing package (Professional C Windows) used in Super Forms. It comes with complete source code and is only $89. This package is a must for software developers (info/orders 713-484-8061). #20801# 5. Screen manipulation, including windowing, is handled by writing directly to screen memory. This provides extremely fast screen updates and allows high speed text scrolling on the screen. Checks are done to determine if your system is color or monochrome. The corresponding section of video screen memory is used. 6. Super Forms is constantly being improved to add new commands and to better fill your needs. Please provide suggestions for improvement. Super Forms will continue to improve as long as people suggest improvements and still require this type of package (which may be a very long time in our paperwork/form oriented society). 7. The limit on the number of forms in a directory for Super Forms is 150 forms. If you have more forms than this in a SINGLE directory, then please divide the directory before running Super Forms. 8. Super Forms keeps track of the on-line manual and the context sensitive help thru a number called a "location". When you call up the on-line manual or context sensitive help you will see this number listed on the bottom of the screen. It can be used as a reference number if you have any comments or questions concerning any of the information presented. #20802# SAVING: 1. Retyping the file name is required only if you have created a new master form or filled out a master form. If you are editing an existing form then press enter when asked for file name and the original file name will be used. 2. While saving a form, Super Forms is constantly checking for any errors that may have occurred. If an error is detected, then Super Forms will prompt you for the necessary action. DEFAULT DRIVE: Duprt Forms allows you to change the default drive so you can have full access to all the drives on your system. If an error occurs while saving to one drive, you can always switch to another drive and try again. #20803# DIRECTORY SUPPORT: Many of the menus allow you to access directories. You can access all the directories available on all the disk drives in your computer if you are using DOS ver 2.0 or later. Super Forms supports directory paths up to 60 characters in length. Please limit your path to this length. FILE NAME EXTENSIONS: 1. Super Forms uses the file name extensions .FRM for master forms and .FOF for completed (filled out) form respectively. You will see these extensions displayed when you access the forms thru the directory listing and on the top line while editing forms. 2. Forms, when saved to disk, consist of only the text and the attributes for protected, underline, bold, Usr1, Usr2, Usr3, and Usr4. A small header is also added to the front of each form containing information about the form size. The file is written in a compressed format sometimes compressing an entire line into 3 characters. This saves diskette space but makes the file unusable by most word processors UNLESS you export the form (see the section on exporting forms). #20804# MEMORY USAGE: Memory resident programs, such as SideKick or printer spoolers will subtract from the amount of memory available to run Super Forms. If you have only 384K of memory and load in any memory resident programs, then Super Forms may not run. In fact, it is possible for some of the memory resident programs to get your computer so "balled up" that Super Forms won't be able to run! This includes device drivers like ANSI.SYS. Your free computer memory space (RAM) is displayed on the bottom line when you use the context sensitive help (F1) or the on-line manual. #20805# FUTURE PLANS FOR SUPER FORMS: Please check every couple of months to learn about the latest features. Any suggestions for further enhancements would be appreciated! We will try to maintain a very fair upgrade policy. We want to remain sensitive to your needs. #20900# Unable to run SSINFO.EXE - The latest information on our products! Please ensure SSINFO.EXE is in your current working directory. Are you out of free RAM (see the bottom line of this screen)? If it shows less than about 80K, try running SSINFO.EXE directly from DOS. If SSINFO.EXE has been lost, call: Voice 1-713-488-0210 FAX 1-713-280-0099 #20950# Unable to run SSUPPORT.EXE - The latest information for technical support! Please ensure SSUPPORT.EXE is in your current working directory. Are you out of free RAM (see the bottom line of this screen)? If it shows less than about 80K, try running SSUPPORT.EXE directly from DOS. If SSUPPORT.EXE has been lost, call: Voice 1-713-488-0210 FAX 1-713-280-0099 #21100# Command menu: All the commands in Super Forms may be entered directly within the editor. Many of the commands may also be entered thru a pulldown command menu. The pulldown command menu may be called up thru either Escape or F10. When you press Escape the assumption is you want to exit Super Forms so the Exit pulldown is automatically used. If you use the F10 key to call up the command menu then the previous command or state of the menu is used. You will probably want a command in the general area of your last choice so this is saved between uses. You will notice the command menu has a help window at the bottom of the screen that expands on what will happen if you choose that option. Many of the commands can be entered without you calling up the command menu. If there is a command sequence shown at the end of the help window, you could have entered it instead of calling up the command menu. Example: Help for BlockOps - Start block shows a (Alt+S). That means you can press Alt+S the directly in the editor to mark the beginning of a block INSTEAD of going thru this menu. #21200# The block operations in Super Forms are laid out in three logical groups. These are: (1) Those dealing with moving text around in your form -- Alt+M (move), Alt+C (copy), and Alt+D (delete) (2) File export and import -- Ctrl+W (write/export) and Ctrl+R (read/import). (3) Block enable/disable -- make visible (Alt+V) or hide a block (Alt+H). These four groups allow you to work on the marked portion of the form. This marked portion (block) is laid out as a rectangle. You must mark the diagonal corners of the rectangle with the Alt+S being the upper left corner (start) and the Alt+E being the lower right corner (end). You will then be able to work with just this small section of the form for - Alt+C, Alt+M, Alt+D, Alt+V, etc. Those of you who liked the previous set of Ctrl+K block operations will be pleased that most of them still work. The Ctrl+K command maps many of the old commands from previous versions of Super Forms into the new easier to use/remember commands. Please note that the Status area in Alt+I will give you the current block status. #21300# To export a form type Ctrl+W (for write). When you export a form you take the form you see in front of you and write it to a disk file in a standard format the word processors and other packages can read. All special control codes that Super Forms uses are removed as the file is written. To access this function use Ctrl+W. You will be given the option of exporting the entire form or just the marked area. This is referring to a section of text you may of marked using the block operations (Alt+S and Alt+E). Most of the time you will want to work with the entire form. Many word processors can't handle character graphics like ┼ ▓ ▒ ┐ and │. Because of this, Super Forms provides a translation capability to translate these characters into normal characters that somewhat look like the character graphics symbol. Example: ┼ becomes a + after translation. #21301# To import a ASCII file press Ctrl+R (for read). Importing means reading a standard text file off disk into your form. Any strange characters like î û etc. will be automatically translated to spaces before it is inserted into your form. Many word processors put these strange characters into the file to keep track of paragraphs, new lines, etc. The current cursor location is used as the starting point to read the file into. If you have the cursor at line 2 and column 2, then the file will be read into your form starting at this location. The second line will be read into line 3 and column 2. #21400# To print a form type Ctrl+P. Super Forms allows you to print your form while still in the editor. This capability may not be too obvious. To print your form you press Ctrl+P. A menu will appear giving you several options on how to print the form you see in front of you. While the print menu is visible press F1 for help on the print options. To make the print options a permanent part of your form you must first select the I option to install them in the form header and then save the form to disk. Until you update the form on your disk, it will insist that it doesn't know your preferences in print style. Super Forms supports many different printers. The capabilities of each differ. To get the most out of Super Forms you must first define your printer type. This is done from Install off the main Super Forms menu. Support is also provided to allow you to customize the printer drivers to better fit your needs. #21600# Fields allow you to "jump" between data entry areas in the completed form and to protect areas of a completed form which don't contain any text. A special character, the tilde ~, is used to allow this. In the master form use the ~ key (Yes, it really is on your keyboard.), to fill all the areas where you don't want someone to be able to type in the completed form. You can fill areas by hand with the ~ key or use the block operations to accomplish it. To use the block operations to simplify the job, first mark a block with Alt+S and Alt+E. Don't forget you can use F3 and F4 to insert and delete field markers for the entire form. Once you have field markers set up in the master form, save it and call it up under the FillOut a master form option. The Tab key will allow you to "jump" between the unprotected areas/fields in the completed form. You will notice ~s don't show up in the completed form but really do prevent you from typing in certain areas of the form. Note: The ~s won't affect printing or exporting a form. Use them freely. Use F3 to show what is unprotected in a completed form. #END#