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Text File | 1994-05-26 | 40KB | 856 lines

\i Help on Help \i LookBook Reader Help ∙ Copyright 1990-92 ∙ Red Oak Data Systems, Inc. Browsing Help ───────────── This help text, and the text in other program "views", can be viewed by using the cursor keys to scroll through the text. The DOWN and UP arrow keys move forward and backward in the text one line at a time. The PgDn and PgUp keys move forward and backward in the text one screen at a time. The current line indicator (\i">"\i) in the far left screen column marks your current line position. In the same column, the percent sign (\i"%"\i) visually represents your relative position in the help text file. You may change the current line's display by pressing the \i"A"\i key to cycle through three possible display choices -- normal, highlight or intensified. Also, the current line can be "anchored" on a display screen line by turning on the \iscroll-lock\i feature. You can go directly to specific help topics by pressing the "F8" function key to obtain a list of topics to choose from. You also can use Ctrl-PgDn and Ctrl-PgUp while browsing to jump to the next or previous topic. The ESCAPE or ENTER keys exit the Help view and return you to your most recent program view. NOTE: PRINTING THE HELP TEXT You can print this help file by selecting the "F10=Print" option. There are 14 pages of text. \i Program Overview \i Paged Document's "Book" Presentation ────────────────────────────────────── In addition to LookBook documents, the LookBook reader can be used to view DOS Text files such as "read.me" and print files. The second screen line will show the type of file you are currently reading. It will either say "Paged Document" or "DOS Text". If it says "Paged Document", you are viewing a document that has been "paged" like a traditional book (or manual, catalog newsletter, etc.). The LookBook reader presents these "paged documents" in an environment that looks and acts like a traditional book -- letting you use your computer text as you normally use printed text. The LookBook reader lets you "turn" pages via the Ctrl-PgUp & PgDn keys and go directly to pages using the "F5=Goto" function. Also, the reader provides support functions that let you perform other traditional book operations such as: ■ Opening to pages from a Table of Contents. ■ Word/phrase look up from "back of book" style Index. ■ Book marking with date stamping and contexts. ■ Writing notes and linking them to pages. Document and Support Views ────────────────────────── ┌──────╖ ┌────────╖ ┌──────╖ F8 │Topics║<─┐ │ ║ ┌─>│Topics║ F8 ╘══════╝ │ │Document║╖ │ ╘══════╝ ┌────────╖<┘ │ Text ║║ └>┌────────╖ │ Table ║ │ ║║ │ Text ║ F3 │ of ║<─────>│ ║║<──────>│ Index ║ F2 │Contents║ ┌─>╘════════╝║<─┐ │ List ║ ╘════════╝ │ ╘════════╝ │ ╘════════╝ │ │ ┌───────╖ │ │ ┌────────────╖ F6 │ Notes ║<──┬┘ └┬>│ Book Marks ║ F4 ╘═══════╝ | | ╘════════════╝ | ┌─────────────╖ | └>│ LB Ed or ║<┘ │User's Editor║ ╘═════════════╝ "Views" ─────── The term "views" describes the document and supporting functions' review screens. Browsing the document and support views works just like the review of this help information (see Browsing Help). Each view's text appears as it would on a printed page or as it would be stored in a typical computer print file. The program presents the text lines for you to read by scrolling the text file according to your cursor key commands. In addition, the program intelligently reads the text according to the purpose of a view and the specific actions that you request -- such as retrieving a page or linking a note. You can go to any view by pressing the view's letter key. For example, "D" will take you to the document view and "I" will take you to the index view and so on. The following table summarizes the views and their "key letters". Views and Selection Keys ╔═════╤═══════════════════╤══════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ Key │ View │ Purpose ║ ╠═════╪═══════════════════╪══════════════════════════════════════╣ ║ T │ Table of Contents │ Chapter/topic headings with page #s. ║ ╟─────┼───────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ D │ Document │ Text of document. ║ ╟─────┼───────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ I │ Index │ "Back of book" style index list. ║ ╟─────┼───────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ N │ Notes │ Notes that you have recorded. ║ ╟─────┼───────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ B │ Book Mark │ Book marks that you have created. ║ ╟─────┼───────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ H │ Help │ ║ ║ │ Quick Program │ Quick key and purpose summary. ║ ║ ^ │ Program │ This file - help with LookBook. ║ ║ │ │ Document │ Document purpose and use. ║ ╟──┼──┴───────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ └──> These letters can be used to select views at any time. ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Viewing DOS Text Files ────────────────────── DOS text or ASCII, pronounced "ASKEY", refers to a file structure common to all DOS based computers. The structure of these files allows them to be read or printed "as is". Common examples of DOS text files are "read.me" and print files. When using the LookBook reader with DOS text files you will have access to all of the LookBook features except the "Index View". Also, the "Table of Contents View" requires a prepared contents list file. Using the ENTER Key Shortcut ──────────────────────────── The ENTER key can be used to switch between the document view and the last used support view. The ENTER key displays the "View/Option" selection window that allows you to switch between views by "point and shoot" cursor key highlighting. The selection window also provides fast access to the frequently used program options. ALT Key for Function Descriptions ───────────────────────────────── The LookBook reader's abbreviated function descriptions appear via drop down windows that can be summoned with the ALT key. You can move through the description windows by using the LEFT and RIGHT cursor arrow keys. Pressing the ENTER key will select the current window's function. Functions also can be selected by using the function key or the first letter of the function description. The first letter method also works when selecting options within a function. The ESCAPE Key ────────────── Use the ESCAPE key when you wish to end or back out of a choice path. The program protects you by providing prompts to guide you through potentially confusing situations. "Option Not Available" ────────────────────── When using the LookBook reader in a supporting role such as providing on line help to another application, you may encounter an "Option Not Available" message when selecting an option. This is not a problem, it just means that the parent application chose not to support the particular option. Using \i"F7=Search"\i to Locate Text in Views ───────────────────────────────────────── You can search each view, including this help view, to find words and phrases. Upon selecting the "F7=Search" function you will be given the following options: ■ Modify current phrase Edit the most recent search word or phrase. ■ Key new phrase Enter a brand new word or phrase to look for. ■ Start forward search Starts looking for the search phrase in the text following the current line. You also can start the search from the entry line by pressing the down arrow key. ■ Start backward search Starts looking for the search phrase in the text that precedes your current line position. You also can start the search from the text entry line by pressing the up arrow key. ■ Match upper and lower case This option turns case sensitivity OFF and ON. When turned OFF the search function will look for any matching text without regard to the upper or lower case status of the text. With case sensitivity ON, the program will look for exact upper and lower case matches. For example, a case sensitive search for "Canyon" would find "Canyon" in the phrase "We visited the Grand Canyon.", but not "canyon" in the phrase, "the trail into the canyon was narrow." ■ Match whole word This option turns "whole word" searching OFF and ON. The search function considers a whole word to be matching text that does not have a preceding or following alphabetic character. For example, "can" would be not found as a whole word in this text, "To be candid", but would be found in this text, "Mike did 'can' the winning bucket." ■ Index Occurrences This option only appears when you are in the document. It enables you to select the document location "hits" found for the most recent text index look up. Progress reporting After starting a search, a progress window displays the starting percent position and the percent position in progress. The search can be aborted by pressing any letter key or the space bar. At the end of a successful search, the program places the target text's line at the center of the screen and highlights the target text. \i Document View \i Document Structure and Use ────────────────────────── The document view is the focal point of the program. The program exits from this view and the utility functions are selected from this view. The text can be browsed using the cursor keys and pages can be turned (in prepared documents) by using the Ctrl-PgDn and Ctrl-PgUp key combinations. Current Line ">" ──────────────── The current line, indicated by a "greater than" sign (">"), serves two purposes. First, it signifies the beginning position for searches. Secondly, it marks the text line that the program uses to extract auxiliary program commands. Auxiliary Commands ────────────────── Auxiliary commands can be used for such tasks as archive file extraction, displaying images, and for performing other supporting functions. If a document uses this feature, it will give clear instructions on how to use the auxiliary commands that accompany it. Document View Keys ────────────────── Cursor Keys for Browsing ──────────────────────── Pressing: Moves current line: Up & Dn Arrow - Up..Down one line. PgUp & PgDn - Up..Down one screen. Ctrl-PgUp & PgDn - Up..Down one document page. Home & End - To 1st..last document line. Ctrl-End - To top of last page. Position Indicators: ──────────────────── ">" - Points to the current line, which is used for command, image display and search reference. "P" - Replaces ">" when current line points to the first line on a page. "%" - Displays relative percentage position of the current line to the entire document. Display Formatting Options: ─────────────────────────── Ctrl-Left & Ctrl-Right These change the amount of characters to be skipped at the beginning of the document's text lines. As the keys are pressed, the text will "pan" in the direction selected. You can use these keys to view the text of documents that have more character columns than your screen can display at one time. Tab and Shift-Tab These keys change the left margin -- the first character column that LookBook uses to display the document text. As the keys are pressed the text will adjust to the new settings. Ctrl-E "Toggles" enhanced display characteristics for DOS text documents and for documents that you are building. As you press the key combination, the display will cycle through the three enhanced text options starting with the current option. The three options include color recognition, highlight recognition, and just text (reveals command codes). "A" or "a" "Toggles" pointer line display through intensified text, highlighted (inverse) text and normal display. Other Keys: ─────────── Ctrl-F - Displays the full file name of the current document. ENTER - Presents the selection window where the document reference can be retrieved or where other frequently used options can be selected. Alt - When the menu is active, pressing the Alt key will display drop down windows for the menu functions. The left and right arrow keys will display the window for the adjacent menu choice. Ctrl-N & Ctrl-B - Shortcut keys to initiates (N)ote and (B)ook mark editing. "/?" Key - Sets book mark with text and date. "%5" Key - Go to percentage position. Scroll Lock - Anchors the current line (">") at the active display row. Shift-F7 - Display and selection of "hits" found for the most recent text index look up. Document View Function Keys: ──────────────────────────── F1 = Displays help screen and other help as available. F2 = Swaps to index view. F3 = Swaps to table of contents view. F4 = Book mark options -- set, view, edit. F5 = Go directly to a document page. F6 = Note options -- review, create, edit. F7 = Search for word or phrase. F9 = Run an auxiliary program or display an image as referenced on the current text line. F10= File-Utility - See File-Utilities option. \i Text Index View \i Page and Text Highlighting ────────────────────────── The text index can be browsed like the document to view index word and page references to the document text. You can use the index view's "F7=Search" function to locate specific index text. Also, the "F8=Topic" feature displays an alphabetic heading list that you can use to "zoom" to a specific alphabetic listing. As you browse the index list you will notice that LookBook highlights words and phrases to signal reference text and cited pages. The highlighted page marks the document page to be retrieved while the highlighted text marks the text referenced on that page. Finding Index Entries in the Document ───────────────────────────────────── Pressing the ENTER key while in the index view displays the View- Option window. The arrow will be on the "Document" choice, and, if the current line included a valid page entry, that page will be shown next to the document option description. When you select the document option, the program presents a prompt to inform you of the reference search. When finding a lone reference, the program will place you in the document view on the line containing the reference text. When finding multiple references, the program presents a prompt that notifies you that the reference locations have been saved for your selection and review. These saved references can be later accessed through the Shift-F7 key combination or through the search function's "Index Occurrence Review" option. When a text reference can't be found, the program will prompt that it was unable to find a reference. When this happens you must review the page manually to locate the intended reference. Also, you can use the retained search string to search other adjacent pages if you feel that the index page reference is amiss. Index View Options: ─────────────────── ENTER - Presents the selection window where the document reference can be retrieved or where other frequently used options can be selected. Escape - Returns you to the document view at your last document viewing position. F7 Search - Find a word or phrase in index list. F8 Topics - Go directly to alphabetic topic headings. F10 Print-Utility - Print, capture or select other utility options. Tab - Swaps between columns for 2 column format. Left-Right Arrow - Select adjacent page references. Space Bar - Display-select from Topic List. Alt - When the menu is active, pressing the Alt key will display drop down windows for the menu functions. The left and right arrow keys will display the window for the adjacent menu choice. "A" or "a" - "Toggles" pointer line display through intensified text, highlighted (inverse) text and normal display. \i Table of Contents View \i The table of contents has a traditional format that can be browsed like the document. The F8=Topic feature enables lengthy table of contents lists to be organized and accessed via a "topic" type outline. The topic feature takes you to different sections of the table of contents automatically. Also, the "F7=Search" function can be used to locate a specific word or phrase. As your browse the table of contents, the program examines the current line for valid reference pages and reference text. Any references found will be highlighted. To retrieve the references, press the ENTER key to summon the selection window, then select the document option. This will take you to the referenced page at the referenced text line. Upon return, your place in the table of contents will be preserved. Table of Contents Options: ────────────────────────── ENTER - Presents the selection window where the document reference can be retrieved or where other frequently used options can be selected. Escape - Returns you to the document view at your last document viewing position. F7 Search - Find a word or phrase in the text. F8 Topics/Space Bar - Go directly to Topic headings. F10 Print-Utility - Print, capture or select other utility options. Alt - When the menu is active, pressing the Alt key will display drop down windows for the menu functions. The left and right arrow keys will display the window for the adjacent menu choice. "A" or "a" - "Toggles" pointer line display through intensified text, highlighted (inverse) text and normal display. \i Book Mark View \i Setting Book Marks ────────────────── Book marks can be set by placing the current line marker (">") on the desired document text line and then pressing either the "?" or "/" key, or, through the option highlight selection by pressing "F6" and "S". When setting a book mark, the LookBook reader records the date, page, and up to 25 characters from the beginning of the current text line. Care should be taken to mark a line containing text. This enables the book mark's precise location to be retrieved. Book Mark Retrieval ─────────────────── Book marks that you set are stored in a DOS text file. The program stores your book marks in the order that you create them. This means that the most recent book marks will appear at the end of the file. To retrieve a book mark position you simply browse to the desired book mark. To initiate the retrieval make sure that you have placed the current line ">" on the book mark line that contains the document page and press ENTER. Pressing the ENTER key while in the book mark view will display the View-Option window. The arrow will be on the "Document" choice. If the current line included a valid book mark page entry, that page will be shown next to the document option description. The book mark page will be retrieved after pressing the ENTER key to confirm your choice. Book Mark Editing ───────────────── You may add comments to book marks, create new ones, or delete old ones. You can do this with the LookBook editor, LB Ed, or with any word processor that can write to a DOS text file. The LookBook reader automatically invokes its own editor, LB Ed, unless you have indicated another word processor's command (see File- Utilities topic). LB Ed follows normal word processing conventions and provides on line help via the "F1" key. The LookBook reader lets you establish an alternate directory for storing book mark files. Without the alternate directory indication, book mark files will be expected to reside in the same directory as the document. The command that invokes book mark creation can be modified before confirmation. Usually the command's contents would be confirmed without change. However, you have the opportunity to examine and change the command and file names if desired. The command line also can be used to select the half screen operation of LB Ed (see using LB Ed). Your Book Marks ─────────────── Book marks that you manually record should use the same format as the program's book marks. Book mark pages and percentage locations must appear as the last text on the line. Search text should be enclosed by quotes. If quotes appear in the search text you must further enclose the enclosing quotes with asterisks. Pages must use the document's page format -- either chapter (12-1234a) or consecutive numbering (1234a). Percentage locations must be followed by a percent sign (1%, 12.12%, etc.). Examples: ───────── This will work: ─────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: "American Corporations" page 364 see also *"Delaware"* page 258 Please note that the column position of the pages is unimportant so long as they appear last. And, so will this: ────────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: "American Corporations" 12.12% see also *"Delaware"* 43% But these won't: ──────────────── Page 364 below should appear at line end: ───────────────────────────────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: American Corporations on 364, see also Delaware on 258 Pages must be preceded by spaces: ───────────────────────────────── Legal obligations of outside directors: American Corporations page364 see also Delaware page..258 Book Mark Options: ────────────────── ENTER - Displays View/Option window a document book mark can be retrieved, or where other often used options can be selected. Escape - Returns you to the document view at your last document viewing position. F4 - Executes LookBook editor, LB Ed, or your word processor to create or edit book marks. F7 Search - Find word or phrase in book mark file. F9 - Runs an auxiliary program or displays an image referenced on the current text line. F10 Print-Utility - Print, capture or select other utility options. Alt - When the menu is active, pressing the Alt key will display drop down description windows for the menu functions. The left and right arrow keys will change the description window to that of the adjacent menu choice. "A" or "a" - "Toggles" pointer line display through intensified text, highlighted (inverse) text and normal display. \i Notes View \i You may add and edit notes with the LookBook editor, LB Ed, or with any word processor that can write to a DOS text file. The LookBook reader automatically invokes LB Ed unless you have indicated another word processor's command (see File-Utilities topic). LB Ed follows normal word processing conventions and provides on line help via the "F1" key. The LookBook reader lets you choose an alternate directory for storing note files. If you don't choose an alternate directory, note files will be expected to reside in the document's drive and directory. The command that invokes note creation can be modified before confirmation. Usually the command's contents would be confirmed without change. However, you have the opportunity to examine and change the command and file names if desired. The command line also can be used to select the half screen operation of LB Ed (see using LB Ed). LookBook accomplishes note page linking through the text search routine. This gives you the ability to link notes through an easy to understand text convention. Simply precede your notes with the appropriate document page number and enclose them in brackets "{}". Page referenced notes can be found later through the "F5=PageLink" function. The "F5=PageLink" function will automatically search for the references to the most recently viewed document page. Note Examples: ───────────── {123} Line 10 of page 123 should read: " This is a note that is attached to page 123 and . . ." {A-2a} This is a sample note that would pertain to data found on page 2a of appendix A . . . Note Options: ───────────── ENTER - Displays View/Option window a document book mark can be retrieved, or where other frequently used options can be selected. Escape - Returns you to the document view at your last document viewing position. F4 - Executes LookBook editor, LB Ed, or your word processor to create or notes. F5 - Places {document page} in search variable and locates page notes. F7 Search - Find word or phrase in note file. F9 - Runs an auxiliary program or displays an image referenced on the current text line. F10 Print-Utility - Print, capture or select other utility options. Alt - When the menu is active, pressing the Alt key will display drop down windows for the menu functions. The left and right arrow keys will display the window for the adjacent menu choice. "A" or "a" - "Toggles" pointer line display through intensified text, highlighted (inverse) text and normal display. \i Using LB Ed \i Using LB Ed to Create Notes and Book Marks ────────────────────────────────────────── The LookBook editor, LB Ed, is a limited feature text editor/word processor that works with the LookBook reader to let you create note and book mark files. It includes standard features required for text editing such as searching and block operations. LB Ed's on-line help, invoked via the "F1" key, lists the available features and the keys used to select them. To accommodate other editor and word processors (see Editor Command under configuration topic), LookBook's editor provides editing capabilities through a stand alone program that the program loads through a standard DOS command. When you select the note or book mark creation functions the LookBook reader places the appropriate editor command line on the first screen line for review and editing as shown here: Command File Path ---------- ------------------- Example: C:\LB\LBED C:\EXAMP\LBOOK.NOT The command appears as a DOS command that would be entered at the DOS prompt. The first part of the command is the program name and path. The second part of the command is the file to be edited. Note and book mark files have the same name (first 8 letters) as their "parent" document and an extension of "PIN" for book mark entries and "NOT" for notes. You may modify the command and signal your acceptance with the ENTER key. Upon acceptance, the target file will be opened if it exists. If it doesn't exist, the LookBook editor will request permission to create it. Upon exit, the LookBook editor will ask permission to update the disk file if it detects that changes may have been made to the file. Half Screen Mode ──────────────── The LookBook editor can be used in a half screen window, placed over the document text. This mode can be selected by directly invoking LookBook editor from the document view. This can be done by pressing the Ctrl-B (book marks) or Ctrl-N (notes) combinations. The half screen mode can be selected by appending a "space plus" (" +") or "space minus" (" -") to the editor command before pressing ENTER to confirm the command. The plus sign places the LookBook editor window at the top of the screen, while the minus sign places the window at the bottom of the screen. Example: C:\LB\LBED C:\EXAMP\LBOOK.NOT + (top half) Example: C:\LB\LBED C:\EXAMP\LBOOK.NOT - (bottom half) LookBook Editor File Sizes and Screen Dimensions ──────────────────────────────────────────────── The LookBook editor uses the LookBook reader's row and column settings and takes its colors from the LookBook configuration file. The LookBook editor has a maximum file size of 1,000 lines or 40k. A warning will be given when the file size approaches the limits. Errors and Memory Requirements ────────────────────────────── Your document may have been distributed without a copy of the editor. If the LookBook (or your designated) editor can't be started, the LookBook reader displays an error message. This situation will likely occur when the program file can't be found, or when available memory is insufficient to load the editor. \i File - Utilities \i Selecting Colors ──────────────── The color selection facility (F10-S) provides four predefined color schemes and two predefined monochrome schemes. The monochrome schemes are black over white, or white over black and cannot be changed. The color schemes can be used "as is", or modified on an item by item basis. To select colors press F10 and then S. This displays the color selection screen where predefined schemes can be selected and optionally customized. You can use the plus (+) and minus (-) keys to "toggle" choices and then confirm them by pressing the ENTER key. Once you confirm a choice, the sample portion of the screen displays the new choice. You may experiment with different color combinations and choose to abandon your changes or accept hem for use during the current session only, or, save them for future sessions. Use Doc/Set Colors ────────────────── A unique feature of LookBook is the ability to imbed color commands for text highlighting. A document that uses imbedded color commands must establish its own color scheme to avoid problems of invisible text and ugly color combinations. The program uses the document's color scheme on opening, overriding your selected color scheme. The "Doc/Set Colors" option swaps between the document color scheme and your selected color scheme. The program adjusts the document's color to the new colors and retains as much highlighting as possible. Program Setup ───────────── Editor Command ────────────── The Editor Command variable enables you to record the command to replace the LookBook editor, LB Ed, with your word processor. It is best to include the command drive and directory. For example in "c:\wordproc\wp", the command used to execute your word processor would be "wp" - located on drive "C" in the directory "wordproc". Directory for Notes and Book Marks ────────────────────────────────── You can record a specific directory location for document notes and book marks. Normally, LookBook stores a document's notes and book marks in the document's drive and directory. This is not workable when a document resides on a CD-ROM or other write protected media. Since it is impossible to write to this type of disk, you must specify an alternate system drive and directory where the notes and book marks can be written. Video Options ───────────── Use the left and right cursor arrow keys to choose: Point Line Type - This selection lets you choose how to display the current line. The choices are "hilite", intense and normal. Enhanced Text - This selection lets you "toggle" the recognition of imbedded display commands. This does not work for "paged documents". Snow Filter - Turn ON for CGA systems that flicker, other than CGA will register NA. Updating Configuration options ────────────────────────────── After recording your configuration choices you may save them to disk, use them for the current session only, or abandon any changes just made. Margin and Skip Positions ───────────────────────── This capability can be used with DOS text files to center the text display or bring "off screen" text into view. The skip setting ignores beginning text. The margin setting will adjust the left margin. Text Mark and Print ─────────────────── This feature lets you highlight portions of the document's text for printing or capture to another file. The program provides prompts to guide you and lets you escape when desired. You will be given an opportunity to remove "text commands" before printing. These commands provide color highlighting signals and are useful only under LookBook, so you would normally want to remove them. File Sizes, Pages ───────────────── This option presents an information screen that lists the actual LookBook pages assigned and the equivalent printed pages that each view's text would require. It also gives the number of topics assigned for each view. Go to DOS ───────── Temporary exit to DOS. Exit Prompt ─────────── Select a new file or EXIT. Same prompt that ESCAPE presents. \i End of Help \i