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README.SRC
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1992-08-16
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23KB
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628 lines
%%*
%%* README.SRC
%%* User's guide for David's Readme Compiler v2.0
%%* (c) 1991, 1992, David Harris, all rights reserved.
%%*
%%* Compile an executable readme from this file using
%%* the command 'RCOM README.SRC'.
%%*
%%*
%%* This line is a comment.
%%* Note that because of the particular way this file is
%%* parsed, blank lines ARE significant.
%%*
%%* The next line is the title for the main screen.
%%*
%%Title 0, David's Readme Compiler v2.0 - User's Guide
%%*
%%*
%%* The next statement specifies an opening screen, which is
%%* presented to the user when the program is run.
%%*
%%Opening_screen 2000
%%*
%%* Now we'll actually declare the opening screen. For
%%* performance reasons, it should be placed as close
%%* to the start of the file as possible.
%%*
%% 2000, 0, 0, 0, 8, Welcome to David's Readme Compiler v2
David's Readme Compiler allows you to create standalone guides,
readme files, and other textual references.
Version 2 of DRC supports many new features: if you currently
use DRC v1, please examine the section "What's new in DRC v2"
on the main menu.
%%*
%%*
%%* Now we'll define a status line for the main screen:
%%*
%%Status_line 2001
%%*
%% 2001, 0, 7, Status line
David's Readme Compiler, (c) 1991, 1992, David Harris.
%%*
%%*
%%* Next, define a screen which DRC can present when the
%%* user asks to edit a topic using the <F10> menu
%%*
%%Edit_screen 2002
%%*
%% 2002, 0, 87, 87, Editing a topic
While you edit this topic, the following keys are
available for your use:
Arrows: move in the indicated direction
Ctrl-Arrows: move a word at a time
PgUp/PgDn: move a screen at a time
Tab: moves to the next field on the screen:
a field is anything starting with a
left square bracket ([). This feature
is handy for designing forms which the
user is to complete.
Ctrl-Y: delete the current line
Del, Bks: delete char right, delete char left
Ins: toggle insert mode (defaults to OFF)
%%*
%%*
%%* And lastly we'll set the default flags values for
%%* the whole script. We'll use the value 7, which indicates
%%* that the user can Edit, Save, and Print the readme screens.
%%*
%%Default_flags 7
%%*
%%*
%%* The next line is the first top-level entry in the file (note
%%* the type of 0). The second integer means that this entry leads
%%* to a sub-menu of items of type 100 in the file.
%%*
%% 0, 100, About the Readme Compiler
%%*
%%*
%%* The next entry is a top level item with no sub-entries: when
%%* selected, its associated text will display at once.
%%*
%% 0, 0, Installing the Readme Compiler
To install David's Readme Compiler, place the files
README.BIN and RCOM.EXE in a directory somewhere.
Actual location doesn't matter, so long as both are
in the same place. If you intend to use the -s switch
to RCOM to create simple readmes (ie, readmes without
extended searching and formatting features) then you
should also copy README1.BIN to the same location.
The programs can be on the path if you wish, but
they don't have to be, provided they are all in
the same directory.
%%*
%%*
%%* The next line is an index entry for items of
%%* type 300: when it is selected, all the items
%%* of type 300 in the file will be collected into
%%* a menu and displayed. Notice that the index
%%* entry itself has no associated text.
%%*
%% 0, 300, Creating a Readme source file
%%*
%% 0, 25, Using David's Readme Compiler
%%*
%% 25, 0, Compiling the source file
To create a standalone guide, enter the command
RCOM <filename>
where <filename> is the name of the source file you
have created. RCOM will make a temporary file, and
will then bind it to README.BIN as a .EXE file with
the same name as the input file. That's all there
is to it!
%%*
%% 25, 0, Simplified Readmes
David's Readme Compiler allows you to create two types of
readme; the usual readme has full searching capabilities,
a number of extra formatting features, and enhanced print
facilities, including PostScript printing.
If the size of the final readme is critical, or you don't
need the extra capabilities, you can have DRC create a
simplified readme by using the -S switch on the command
line. A Simplified readme is about 10KB smaller than a
standard readme, but is much less capable.
Example: RCOM -s <filename>
Standard and simplified readmes can be created from the
same file - the syntax is common.
%%*
%% 25, 0, To clear or not to clear...
By default, DRC clears and paints the screen, but you can
force it to come up over the top of the current screen by
by invoking it with a /S switch: when it terminates, the
screen will be left as it was on entry. This is useful if
you want to use DRC to generate a help system which is
spawned by a parent program.
%%*
%% 25, 0, Running the compiled readme
Once you have compiled and bound your readme, you can use
it at once simply by typing its name.
%%*
%% 25, 0, Using the compiled readme
When your readme is running, the user will normally use it like
a simple menu-driven application. When the user hightlights an
option in a topic list and presses <Enter>, either another list
will appear, or the actual text of the entry. Pressing <Esc>
steps back to the previous list.
At any time the user can press <F10>, which will popup a menu
containing the options which are available at the time. From
a list, only the search options are ever available. From the
text of a topic, the search options and any others you have
enabled will be present in the menu. By default, options other
than the search options are disabled, but you can enable them
on a case-by-case basis, or globally, using the %%D operator
in the source file.
%%*
%% 25, 0, Searching for text
The user can search for text in the readme either by selecting
Find text from the option menu, or by pressing <F7>. The
search options cannot be disabled - they are always available.
The Find text operation always starts at the beginning of the
readme, while the Find again option starts after the last
find. A short-cut for Find again is the <F8> key.
Searches are case-insensitive - so NETWare is matched the same
as NetWare.
%%*
%% 25, 0, Printing a topic's text
If you have enabled printing on an option, then the user can
select Print from the options menu. A small dialog will
appear allowing the user to choose a printer port, and to
indicate whether the printer is a PostScript printer. The
values for each setting can be changed by pressing <Space>,
and the user can move between fields using the arrow keys.
DRC's printing is not fancy, but it's functional.
%%*
%% 25, 0, Editing a topic's text
If you have enabled editing for an option, then the user
can choose Edit from the options menu. If you have defined
an edit-mode screen using the %%E operator, it will appear
as soon as the choice is made.
DRC's editing facilities are not extensive, but they are
perfectly adequate for allowing a user to fill in an order
form or a questionnaire. While editing, the following
keys are available:
Arrows: move in the indicated direction
Ctrl-Arrows: move a word at a time
PgUp/PgDn: move a screen at a time
Tab: moves to the next field on the screen:
a field is anything starting with a
left square bracket ([). This feature
is handy for designing forms which the
user is to complete.
Ctrl-Y: delete the current line
Del, Bks: delete char right, delete char left
Ins: toggle insert mode (defaults to OFF)
%%*
%% 25, 0, Saving a topic's text
If you have enabled saving for an entry, this choice on
the option menu will allow the user to save the conte