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╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ ║
║ ┌──────────────────┐ ║
║ │ │ ║
╟──────────────┤ PCForm ├──────────────╢
║ │ │ ║
║ └──────────────────┘ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ The 'P'ick and 'C'lick Forms Generator ║
║ and Management System ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ Version 3.0b ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ ║
║ │ │ ║
╠═══╡ R E F E R E N C E M A N U A L ╞═══╣
║ │ │ ║
║ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ ║
║ ║
║ ║
║ Copyright - 1991-93 - CareWare ║
║ All Rights Reserved ║
║ ║
║ ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
┌─────────┐
┌─────┴───┐ │ (R)
──│ │o │──────────────────
█▀▀▐ █ █ │ ┌─────┴╨──┐ │ Association of
█▄▄▐▄█▄█ │ │ │─┘ Shareware
Software └───│ o │ Professionals
──────│ ║ │────────────────────
└────╨────┘ MEMBER
License and Warranty Page i
____________________________________________________________
License
------------------------------------------------------------
This material is distributed as a Shareware product and is
not presented free of charge. Shareware is an innovative
idea allowing you to try computer software before you buy.
Non-registered users of PCForm are licensed only to use this
product on a trial basis, not to exceed 30 days, for the
purpose of evaluating whether or not PCForm meets their
needs. Continuous non-registered use of PCForm beyond this
trial period by any person, business, corporation, govern-
mental agency or other entity is prohibited.
Please read Appendix C for information concerning your
entitlements upon registration.
Warranty
------------------------------------------------------------
CareWare WARRANTS THAT PCForm WILL PERFORM SUBSTANTIALLY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACCOMPANYING WRITTEN MATERIALS.
CareWare MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-
ABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CareWare
SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER DIRECT,
INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL ARISING FROM A FAILURE OF
THIS PROGRAM TO OPERATE IN THE MANNER DESIRED BY THE USER.
CareWare SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO DATA OR
PROPERTY WHICH MAY BE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE
OF THE PROGRAM.
IN NO EVENT WILL CareWare BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE,
INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL
OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR
INABILITY TO USE THIS PROGRAM, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER
PARTY.
Copyrights
------------------------------------------------------------
The PCForm software and Reference Manual are Copyright,
1991-93, to CareWare with All Rights Reserved.
Acknowledgements Page ii
____________________________________________________________
** The shareware principle works for you **
R. J. Crouch
CareWare
307 Gracie Road
Nevada City, CA 95959
(916) 265-8704 -- CIS 74270,516
This program is produced by a member of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that
the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to
resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by
contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The
ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545
Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message
via Mail to ASP Ombudsman ID: 70007,3536. You may also FAX
your message to the ASP Ombudsman at 616-788-2765. For
faster service please be sure to include your phone number.
** Trademarks **
IBM and AT are registered trademark of International
Business Machines Corporation. Microsoft is a registered
trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Mouse Systems is a
registered trademark of Mouse Systems Corporation. Epson is
a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.
Hewlett-Packard, HP and LaserJet are registered trademarks
of Hewlett-Packard Company. All registered and unregistered
trademarks are the sole property of their respective
companies.
Introduction Page iii
____________________________________________________________
PCForm provides an easy means for creating tailored made
professional looking forms and line drawings, and the
ability to catalog forms in a structure setup by its user.
PCForm offers a straight forward and easy approach to
software use. Prompted displays guide you through any
needed response. Two point line and box drawing simplifies
form development. A fully mouse sensitive screen and
pull-down menus provide access to all features. An Auto-Tab
service simplifies the filling in of existing forms. Block
functions (copy/cut/paste/move) assist in easy form
editing. A complete ASCII format insures maximum system and
printer compatibility.
PCForm's unique Form Management System allows you to store
and retrieve your forms in an order setup and maintained by
you to meet your needs. Your computer and its disk
operating system (DOS) provide a means for organizing its
files. PCForm capitalizes on this service and brings it to
you in an organized way. Consider PCForm as a filing
cabinet for your forms. Just pick from a list and you are
on your way. PCForm does all the work for you.
Incorporated within PCForm is a comprehensive manual viewer.
The entire PCForm Reference Manual is just a key stroke
away. Table of Contents referencing and direct page access
provide quick avenues to use information. A printed manual
is not required. This saves you the added cost associated
with printing such a manual not to mention the paper used in
its production.
CareWare's goal is to produce software that is reliable and
easy to use. PCForm is constructed with this in mind. We
try to consider the user and what would make their task
easier and more productive. If there is anything more we
can do to accomplish this goal, let us know. User response
is a major tool in our product development and refinement.
On the other hand, if you don't like what this software
offers, then by all means, don't use it. Fortunately, the
choice is yours and you haven't lost a thing. This is what
the Shareware concept is all about.
Enjoy!
Table of Contents Page iv
____________________________________________________________
License and Warranty ......................... i
Acknowledgements ............................. ii
Introduction ................................. iii
System Requirements .......................... 1
Things to Know ............................... 2
Installing PCForm ............................ 4
Form Management System ....................... 5
PCForm Screen Organization ................... 7
Top Line ..................................... 8
Pull-Down Menu ............................... 10
Forms ..................................... 10
Location (Management) ..................... 12
Pages ..................................... 13
Block (Copy/Cut/Paste/Move)................ 14
Tab (Auto-Tab) ............................ 17
Calculate (Math Functions) ................ 18
Make (Print) .............................. 19
Setup ..................................... 20
Help ...................................... 22
Exit ...................................... 23
Control Line ................................. 25
Sgle, Dble, Char .......................... 25
Again, Line, Box .......................... 26
Undo, Menu, Title, Ruler, Help............. 27
Line Drawing ................................. 28
Editing Keys and Tab ......................... 29
Insert, Delete ............................ 29
Copy, Cut ................................. 30
Paste, Move ............................... 31
Insert/Delete Column ...................... 31
Copy/Paste Line ........................... 32
Tab ....................................... 32
Math Functions ............................... 34
Screen Blanker ............................... 38
Mouse Operations ............................. 39
Printer Use .................................. 41
Viewing the PCForm Reference Manual .......... 42
PCForm and Windows 3.x ....................... 43
Appendix A:
Key Chart ................................. 47
Appendix B:
Epson Printing Modes .......................48
Appendix C:
Registration Information and Form ......... 49
System Requirements Page 1
____________________________________________________________
Computer:
An IBM-PC (AT/XT) or close compatible
(includes Tandy 1000 series)
Operating System:
DOS 2.1 or greater
Memory:
At least 384,000 bytes of available memory
Video:
CGA/EGA/VGA/MCGA/MDA card and monitor
(color or monochrome)
Disk Drives:
One floppy disk drive - PCForm occupies about 285,000
bytes of disk space. For a larger form storage capac-
ity, two floppy drives and/or hard disk is encouraged.
Pointing Device:
A mouse is recommended but not necessary. PCForm was
tested using both Microsoft and Mouse Systems drivers.
Printer:
Any printer capable of producing characters from the
ASCII standard and IBM extended character sets. Please
consult your printer manual for specific information.
PCForm provides support for printers capable of
printing in any of the following modes.
IBM - Epson - HP LaserJet II/III series
Note: Please view Appendix B for the Epson modes
supporting graphic character printing.
Things to Know Page 2
____________________________________________________________
** Program Files **
The following eleven files comprise the whole of PCForm and
was originally distributed in a self-extracting compressed
format under the file name of PCF30B.EXE.
PCFORM.EXE - The main running program
PCFORM.CFG - Configuration file for PCForm
PCFORM.DOC - The PCForm Reference Manual (this file)
REGISTER.FRM - Software registration form
FORMS.EXE - Sample forms (self-extracting)
README.TXT - Quick start information
VENDOR.DOC - PCForm distribution information
PCFORM.ICO - Windows 3.x Icon for PCForm
PCFORM.PIF - Windows 3.x Program Information File
INSTALL.COM - Install service startup file
FILE_ID.DIZ - Description in ZIP for BBS distribution
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: It is strictly prohibited to share or distribute
PCForm without the above files present and in their
original condition. The complete set of files may be
distributed in there uncompressed form or a
compressed form suitable for your distribution
requirements. The compressed file MUST bear the
primary file name of PCF30B.*. Please DO NOT com-
press these files for distribution without insuring
proper file integrity!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Things to Know (cont.) Page 3
____________________________________________________________
** Operational File **
The following file is needed by PCForm for its proper
startup configuration.
PCFORM.CFG
PCForm will look for this file either in the current
directory or by using an environment variable (PCFORM=)
established in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.
Note: If PCForm is unable to fine this file, you are asked
to enter its location.
** Starting PCForm **
To start PCForm type its name at your DOS prompt and press
<Enter>.
Example: PCFORM <Enter>
Note: Please see the section on installing PCForm for
additional information before starting.
** Establish your startup search path **
To avoid root directory clutter, PCForm will organize your
forms from an established directory. Use the menu options
Setup/Path, within PCForm, to create this directory path.
Example: C:\PCFORM
Use the menu options Setup/Save to make this setting
available for any subsequent use of PCForm.
Note: The initial default drive and directory startup
search path is set for: CURRENT DRIVE\PCFORM.
Installing PCForm Page 4
____________________________________________________________
PCForm is designed with the ability to install itself. This
eliminates the need for other external programs. To start
the installation process type the following command line at
your DOS prompt and press <Enter>.
INSTALL
Note: PCForm must be in the current directory to
install properly.
PCForm will present you with a window asking for the
location to which you would like the program installed.
Type in the appropriate drive and directories (if any) and
press <Enter>. The following is an example of what this
entry might look like.
C:\PCFORM
If the location does not exist, PCForm will create it for
you. Once this location is established, PCForm will copy
itself and supporting files to its new residence and return
you to DOS. The following files are copied during the
install procedure and need to be present.
PCFORM.EXE - PCFORM.CFG - PCFORM.DOC
PCFORM.PIF - PCFORM.ICO - REGISTER.FRM
FORMS.EXE (sample forms - optional)
PCForm should be started from the current directory. If you
always intend to start PCForm from a disk location other
then where it resides, adding a line to your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file will stop PCForm's request for its location.
SET PCFORM=location
Replace the word 'location' with the appropriate drive
and/or directories. It should match the location given for
the above installation.
Example: SET PCFORM=C:\PCFORM
If you are unsure of this command, please consult your DOS
reference manual for information on the use and placement of
environment variables and the SET command.
Form Management System Page 5
____________________________________________________________
The Form Management System provides an excellent environment
for the storage of forms already created or filled in. Your
computer and its Disk Operating System (DOS) has the
capability to effectively manage your disk files. The
ability to group like material in the same area on a disk is
a powerful tool. PCForm and its Form Management System
capitalizes on this ability and breaks down the DOS file
hierarchy for you in an organized manor. You only have to
deal with one hierarchical level at a time. The process of
selecting and storing your forms is an easy task. Your
computer disk truly does become a filing cabinet.
PCForm uses the same naming convention as DOS in identifying
the different levels of the Form Management System. The
following analogy does best to demonstrate the four system
levels.
PCForm Comparison DOS
------ ---------- ---
Directory Filing Cabinet Directory
Subdirectory Cabinet Drawer Subdirectory
Extension Folder Extension
Form Contents File
PCForm has a limit to the number of entries it will
management at each level. However, the Form Management
System still has the potential to catalog and present over
nine million forms.
Limit Level
----- -----
54 - Directories x
54 - Subdirectories x
36 - Extensions x
90 - Forms =
-------------------
9,447,840
Form Management System (cont.) Page 6
____________________________________________________________
It is important to note that DOS has limits on what it will
manage and PCForm is bound by these constraints. These
limits vary according to your DOS version and primarily with
the type of disk drive used. For most normal density floppy
disk drives DOS will allow 112 file or directory names per
level. The maximum number of entries for a hard disk can be
substantially more and is generally based on its partition
size. A definitive answer to this is not possible for this
manual without knowing all of your system parameters. Do
not despair, PCForm will inform you if the DOS limit is
reached. Even with the worst scenario, the Form Management
System can catalog over 320,000 forms.
The number of forms you are able to save also is limited by
the available disk space. The more disk space the more
forms you are able to catalog. PCForm calculates the amount
of disk space your form will require. If there is not
enough room available to save the form, PCForm will inform
you. This permits you the opportunity to change disks.
Movement throughout the various levels of the Form
Management System is accomplished with the 'Location'
command from the PCForm Menu Line. Please read the section
on The Pull-Down Menu for detailed information on the use of
the 'Location' command.
PCForm Screen Organization Page 7
____________________________________________________________
A lot of care and thought has gone into developing the
screen you see when entering PCForm. PCForm's screen layout
is designed to give its user all the visual information
needed to easily create great looking forms and line
drawings. A familiarization of the terms PCForm uses for
its various visual components is helpful in the subsequent
understanding of this manual. These screen components are
discussed in more detail throughout this manual.
Form Screen
The main center portion of your screen used for form
development and fill in. This area contains the text
cursor.
Top Line
The top most line of your screen is shared by three
services; Title Line, Menu Line, Ruler Line. You
toggle between these services by pressing the <F9> key
or by using one of the Control Line command.
Control Line
The bottom most line of your screen; This area
provides the visual cues for activating the various
PCForm commands and line drawing features.
Position Window
The small window at the bottom right of your screen;
This area displays the row and column position of the
cursor. Pressing the Right mouse button will toggle
the display between the mouse cursor position and the
text cursor position.
Marker Column
The far right column of your screen; This area marks
the relative position of the cursor within a form. It
also is used for mouse scrolling and paging.
Top Line Page 8
____________________________________________________________
The Top Line of your screen is shared by three services;
Title Line, Menu Line, and Ruler Line. These services are
made available for display on the Top Line in any one of
three ways.
1. Pressing the <F9> key will toggle through these
services.
2. You can call a Top Line individually by holding
down the <Alt> key and pressing the highlighted
capital letter of the Control Line command word.
<Alt> + <T> for Title Line
<Alt> + <M> for Menu Line
<Alt> + <R> for Ruler Line
3. Placing the mouse cursor over the desired Top Line
title listed on the Control Line and pressing the
Left button also will activate the service.
Title Line
This line displays the form name, its location within
the Form Management System and the number of pages it
occupies. The Title line contains the following
subject designations.
Frm: The name and extension of the form displayed
Pth: The current drive and startup search path
Dir: Your current directory location
Sub: Your current subdirectory location
Pg: The form page currently on display
Of: The total number of pages occupied by your form
Top Line (cont.) Page 9
____________________________________________________________
Menu Line
This is perhaps the most important Top Line service.
This pull-down menu provides you the means to access
all of PCForm's supporting features. When the Menu
Line is active, you are presented a line (level one)
with ten menu choices.
Forms Location Page Block Tab Calculate Make Setup Help Exit
Each of these menu items has a subset (level 2) of
additional choices. It is from the subset the actual
feature is selected.
Use the arrow keys or roll the mouse to highlight your
menu choice and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button.
Pressing <Esc> or the Right mouse button will exit the
Menu Line. Detailed information on what service each
menu choice provides is discussed later in this manual.
Ruler Line
This line presents a graduated ruler on the Top Line.
Used in conjunction with the Position Window, the Ruler
Line provides a convenient way for organizing and
constructing your forms.
Pull-Down Menu Page 10
____________________________________________________________
The PCForm menu is one of the services offered on the Top
Line of your screen. All the specialize features of PCForm
are available from the Menu Line. The pull-down menu is
activated in any one of three ways. You may toggle to the
Menu Line by pressing the <F9> key. You also can go
directly to the Menu Line by holding the <Alt> key down and
pressing the <M> key or by placing the mouse cursor over the
word 'Menu' on the Control Line and pressing the Left mouse
button.
When the Menu Line is active, you are presented a line
(level one) with ten menu choices.
Forms Location Page Block Tab Calculate Make Setup Help Exit
Each of these menu items has a subset (level two) of addi-
tional choices. It is from the subset the actual feature is
selected. Use the arrow keys or roll the mouse to highlight
your first menu choice (level one) and press <Enter> or the
Left mouse button. This presents a window with a list of
level two choices. Use the arrow keys or roll the mouse to
highlight your second choice and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button to select the feature. Pressing the <Esc> key
or the Right mouse button will exit the Menu Line.
Forms
-----
This level one menu item provides the necessary tools for
form manipulation. The following is a list of services
available from this menu choice.
New
A window will appear asking you to type in the name of
your new form. You may enter any DOS acceptable file
character up to a maximum of eight characters. PCForm
will only display valid characters. This service also
is used to give an existing form a new name. The old
form remains unchanged.
Load
A window will appear with a list of forms with the
current extension and from the present location. To
bring one of these forms to the screen, use the arrow
key or roll the mouse and highlight the desired form
name and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 11
____________________________________________________________
Forms (cont.)
--------------
Save
This menu choice will save, to disk, a form of the
name and to the location listed on the Title Line. If
a form name is not present, you are asked to supply
one. PCForm requests confirmation to overwrite a form
if the form name already exists.
Save As
This menu item combines the features of 'New' and
'Save'. After modifying an existing form, use this
menu item to save your form under a new name.
Clear
This menu item will clear form the screen the current
form and reset the form name to none. You are given
an opportunity to save your form before clearing
begins. Any form activity will be lost if it is not
saved. Clearing a form only effects what is on the
screen and does not delete or alter a form already
saved to disk.
Merge
A window will appear with a list of forms with the
current extension and from the present location. To
merge one of these forms with the current form on the
screen use the arrow keys or roll the mouse and
highlight the desired form name. Press <Enter> or the
Left mouse button to merge the form. The form will
load on the next available page. If no page is open
the form will load on page four writing over the
material on that page. A merged form will only load
as far as available pages.
Delete
A window will appear with a list of forms with the
current extension and from the present location. To
delete one of these forms from your disk use the arrow
keys or roll the mouse and highlight the desired form
name. Press <Enter> or the Left mouse button to
delete the form. PCForm will request confirmation
before a form is deleted.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 12
____________________________________________________________
Location
--------
This level one menu item provides the necessary tools for
form management. The following is a list of services
available from this menu choice.
Drive
A window will appear with a list of available disk
drives. To change drives use the arrow keys or roll
the mouse and highlight the desired drive letter.
Press <Enter> or the Left mouse button to change to
this drive. If the default startup search path is
present on the new drive, PCForm will ask for con-
firmation to start from this location. Otherwise, the
search starts from the root directory. PCForm will
support up to seven disk drives.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: If you change floppy disks while in PCForm, you
need to log back onto the drive where the disk
change took place. PCForm must have the new
disk information to keep its lists current.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Directory
This menu item will allow you to move to an existing
directory or create a new directory. The upper window
holds a list of directories from the startup search
path. To pick a new directory location use the arrow
keys or roll the mouse and highlight the desired name.
Pressing <Enter> or the Left mouse button will move
you to that directory location. To create a new
directory type in the desired name and press <Enter>
or the Left mouse button.
Subdirectory
This menu item will allow you to move to an existing
subdirectory or create a new subdirectory. The upper
window holds a list of subdirectories within the
current directory location. To pick a new subdir-
ectory location use the arrow keys or roll the mouse
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 13
____________________________________________________________
Location (cont.)
-----------------
Subdirectory (cont.)
and highlight the desired name. Pressing <Enter> or
the Left mouse button will move you to the new
subdirectory. To create a new subdirectory type in
the desired name and press <Enter> or the Left mouse
button.
Extension
This menu item will allow you to change existing form
extensions or create a new extension. The upper
window holds a list of extensions from the forms in
your present location. To pick an existing form
extension use the arrow keys or roll the mouse and
highlight the desired extension. Press <Enter> or the
Left mouse button to make this the new current
extension. The list of forms available for loading is
now only comprised of forms with this extension. To
create a new form extension type in the desired name
and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. The new
extension name becomes the current extension.
Note: These form extensions are excluded from view or
use - COM, EXE, (T)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: Some of the following menu services are accessible
directly with the use of key strokes as noted by the
key symbol <> next to the command wording.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pages
-----
This level one menu item provides access to your various
form pages, the ability to clear and remove form pages, and
the means to change the page length. The following is a
list of services available from this menu choice.
Go Page #1 - <F1>
This menu item will take you to page number one.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 14
____________________________________________________________
Pages (cont.)
--------------
Go Page #2 - <F2>
This menu item will take you to page number two.
Go Page #3 - <F3>
This menu item will take you to page number three.
Go Page #4 - <F4>
This menu item will take you to page number four.
Clear Page - <F5>
This menu item presents a window with a list of the
pages your form occupies. To clear a page from your
forms use the arrow keys or roll the mouse and
highlight the desired page. Press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button to clear this page. You then have the
option of removing this page from your form altogether
(restacking) or just making this page blank.
Page Size - <F6>
This menu item presents a window with the two page
lengths PCForm supports (11 and 14 inches). To change
the page size use the arrow keys or roll the mouse and
highlight the desired size. Pressing <Enter> or the
Left mouse button will change your form to the
selected size. The form length is noted on the
Control Line to the left of the Position Window.
Block
-----
This level one menu item allows you to perform block editing
operations (copy/cut/paste) on your forms. The following is
a list of services available from this menu choice.
Copy - <Ctrl> + <F1>
This option allows you to copy large blocks of
information from your form to another page or form.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 15
____________________________________________________________
Block (cont.)
--------------
Copy (cont.)
After selecting this option, a box appears on the
Control Line, "Mark Pos", indicating the service is
active. Mark the area to copy by placing the cursor
at one of its corners and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button. A "+" will appear indicating the first
position marked. Now place the cursor at an opposing
diagonal corner or opposite end of a line and press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button. The information
contained within this area is stored in a block buffer
for later retrieval using the "Paste" command.
Cut - <Ctrl> + <F2>
This option allows you to cut (remove) from your form
large blocks of information. After selecting this
option, a box appears on the Control Line, "Mark Pos",
indicating the service is active. Mark the area to
cut by placing the cursor at one of its corners and
press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. A "+" will
appear indicating the first position marked. Now
place the cursor at an opposing diagonal corner or
opposite end of a line and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button. The information contained within this
area is removed from your form and stored in the block
buffer. The removed information can be placed on
another page or form using the "Paste" command.
Note: Any information incorrectly cut can be restor-
ed by promptly using the Control Line "Undo"
command <Alt> + <U>. The information cut still
remains in the block buffer for later use.
Paste - <Ctrl> + <F3>
This option allows you to Paste (place) on your form
information previously copied or cut. After sel-
ecting this option, a box appears on the Control Line,
"Mark Pos", indicating the service is active. Mark
the position for the placement by moving the cursor to
the upper left corner of the area to hold the
information and press <Enter> or the Left mouse
button.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 16
____________________________________________________________
Block (cont.)
--------------
Move - <Ctrl> + <F4>
This option allows you to move large blocks of
information. After selecting this option, a box
appears on the Control Line, "Mark Pos", indicating
the service is active. Mark the area to move by
placing the cursor at one of its corners and press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button. A "+" will appear
indicating the first position marked. Now place the
cursor at an opposing diagonal corner or opposite end
of a line and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button.
The information contained within this area is removed
from your form and stored in the block buffer. A box
now appears on the Control Line, "Move to", indicating
the need to mark the position to place the stored
information. Mark the position for the placement by
moving the cursor to the upper left corner of the area
to hold the information and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button.
Clear
This option allows you to clear the block buffer of
any information previously copied or cut from your
form. All information copied or cut remains in the
block buffer until Cleared, with this option, or until
overwritten with new information entered with the
"Copy" and "Cut" commands.
Ins Column - <Ctrl> + <F5> (Insert Columns)
Using this menu item will insert an entire blank
column. All characters on and to the right of the
column are pushed right to accommodate the new space.
Del Column - <Ctrl> + <F6> (Delete Columns)
Using this menu item will delete an entire column.
All characters in the column are deleted. All
characters to the right of this column will move left
one space filling the void created by the deletion.
Note: When inserting or deleting a column, you have
the option of marking your column positions.
Please see the section on "Editing Keys and
Tab" for more information about column marking.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 17
____________________________________________________________
Tab
---
This level one menu item allows you to define or load
up to 120 tab stop per form page. A defined set can be
saved and later applied for easy fill-in on commonly used
forms. The following is a list of services available from
this menu choice.
Auto On/Off
If a tab set is currently defined or loaded, this
option toggles between Auto-Tab on and off. A box on
the Control Line is lit indicating Auto-Tab on. This
service is the same as pressing the key combination
<Shift> + <Tab> when a tab set is defined or loaded.
Make/End Set
This option allows you to make (define) an Auto-Tab
set. Select this option first to begin defining a tab
set. Move the cursor to each position on your form
you desire to have a tab stop and press <Enter>. These
position are recorded and later played back, with
"Auto On", in the order for which they are entered.
Select this option again when finished to indicate the
end of your tab set.
Load Set - <Ctrl> + <F9>
This option displays a window with a list of the tab
set files you may use with Auto-Tab. Use the arrow
keys or roll your mouse to select the appropriate
file and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. The
tab stops are loaded and Auto-Tab is set to on.
Clear Set
This option clears from memory the currently defined
or loaded tab set. It does not remove a tab set from
your disk.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 18
____________________________________________________________
Tab (cont.)
------------
Save Set
This option allows you to save for later use a defined
tab set. When selected and a tab set is defined, a
window appears asking for the name you would like to
use for this tab set. Enter any appropriate DOS file
name with no extension. All tab files are saved with
the extension "(T)" and are stored in the same
location (drive/directory) as PCFORM.EXE.
example of tab set file name: MYFILE.(T)
Delete Set
This option allows you to delete from your disk any
tab set file you no longer wish to use. A window
appears with the list of available tab set files. Use
the arrow keys or roll your mouse to select the file
to delete and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button.
Confirmation is requested prior to deletion.
Calculate
---------
This level one menu item allows you to Add, Subtract,
Multiply, or Divide numbers on your form. The following is
a list of services available from this menu choice.
Add
This menu choice activates the addition math
function.
Subtract
This menu choice activates the subtraction math
function.
Multiply
This menu choice activates the multiplication math
function.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 19
____________________________________________________________
Calculate (cont.)
------------------
Divide
This menu choice activates the division math
function.
Results
This menu choice activates the results function for
the placement of the answer derived from the above
math functions.
Format
This menu choice allows you to format the results of
the math functions.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: Please refer to the section in this manual on
"Math Functions" for more detailed information on
the Calculate services.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Make
----
This level one menu item is used to print your form, change
the printer port (LPT) to which printing is directed, and to
view the current mode used for printing. The following is a
list of services available from this menu choice.
Print Form
This menu choice will send to your printer the form
currently displayed on the your screen. Printing is
done from internal buffers so you must first 'Load'
your form before printing can begin.
Note: You are notified if your printer is not on or
connected to the selected printer port (LPT).
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 20
____________________________________________________________
Make (cont.)
-------------
Set LPT
A window will appear with the list of printer ports
(LPT) supported by PCForm. To change ports use the
arrow keys or roll the mouse and highlight the desired
port number. Pressing <Enter> or the Left mouse
button will direct any printing through this LPT port.
Use the menu option Setup/Save if you wish to the made
this the default setting for any subsequent use of
PCForm.
See Mode
A window will appear showing the current printing
mode. Use the menu option Setup/Printer to change
this setting.
Setup
-----
This level one menu item allows you to change the PCForm
startup defaults. The following is a list of services
available from this menu choice.
Path
This menu item allows you to establish the disk drive,
directory, and form extension PCForm will use for its
search upon each startup. This search provides PCForm
with the information needed to organize the listings
for the Form Management System. Follow the menu
prompts and enter the necessary information.
Note: If no directory is given, PCForm will search
from and begin within the root directory. It
is highly recommended hard disk users establish
a separate directory for PCForm's use. The
root directory of a hard drive generally should
only consist of pertinent system files and
other directories.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 21
____________________________________________________________
Setup (cont.)
--------------
Colors
There are 19 color combination used in PCForm. This
menu item allows you to change any combination to the
colors desired. All necessary key commands are listed
for you on the screen. It is recommended to select
the default colors until you get a feel for the screen
lay out of PCForm.
Mouse
Use this menu item to inform PCForm of your intent for
mouse use. Press the appropriate key, as outlined by
parentheses (), for your response. If the response is
(Y)es, all subsequent use of PCForm will include mouse
services.
Note: If PCForm does not detect the presence of an
installed mouse driver, it will not provide
mouse support.
Printer
This menu item allows you to select the printing mode
used by PCForm. Use the arrow keys or roll your mouse
to highlight the appropriate printing mode. Press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button to select this mode.
PCForm support the following printing modes.
IBM - Epson FX/LQ - HP LaserJet II/III series
Form Feed
By default, PCForm adds a printer form feed at the end
of each page it saves. Conditions may exist, like
creating custom DOS batch files, where you do not
want form feeds in your files. Use this option to
instruct PCForm of your intent for the use of printer
form feeds.
Blank Time
This menu item allows you to select/deselect the use
of PCForm's automatic screen blanking service. Please
refer to the section on Screen Blanker for additional
information.
Pull-Down Menu (Cont.) Page 22
____________________________________________________________
Setup (cont.)
--------------
About PCF
This menu item displays the PCForm version number and
the address and phone number for inquires or support.
If the copy of PCForm is registered, then the name of
the registered user and their registration number also
are displayed.
Save
This menu item will save the above setup default
settings and the selected LPT port setting.
Note: Any changes to the above Setup items are
session only and are not permanent unless
saved with this service.
Help
----
This level one menu item provides on-line help in the use of
the various services offered by PCForm. These help windows
are the same as those provided by pressing the <Alt> + <M>
keys, except you are taken directly to the help topic
selected. The following is a list of services available
from this menu choice.
Quick Keys
This menu item provides a list of the keys used by
PCForm and a brief description of their function.
Top Line
This menu item provides a summary description of the
Top Line services of PCForm.
Management
This menu item provides a summary description of the
Form Management System.
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 23
____________________________________________________________
Help (cont.)
-------------
Control Line
This menu item provides a summary description of the
various Control Line features.
Pages
This menu item provides a summary description of the
various paging functions.
Block/Tab
This menu item provides a summary description of the
various Block (copy/cut/move/paste) and Tab functions.
Drawing
This menu item provides a summary description of the
line drawing capabilities and functions of PCForm.
Calculate
This menu item provides a summary description of the
math functions for PCForm.
View Manual - <Alt> + <V>
This menu item provides on-line viewing of the PCForm
Reference Manual (PCFORM.DOC). This service also is
available by pressing the above key combination.
Please refer the section in this manual on "Viewing
the PCForm Reference Manual" for more information.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: All of the above help topics are discussed in more
detail in sections of this manual specific to each
topic.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pull-Down Menu (cont.) Page 24
____________________________________________________________
Exit
----
This level one menu item allows you to exit PCForm in either
one of two ways and to quickly activate screen blanking.
The following is a list of services available from this menu
choice.
Quit PCForm - <Alt> + <Q>
Use this menu item to quit your current session of
PCForm and return to DOS. Before leaving, you are
asked if you would like to save any form modified
since the last save.
Blank Screen
This menu item allows you to activate the PCForm
screen blanking services.
DOS Command Line
This menu item allows you to temporarily exit PCForm
returning you to the DOS prompt. From this position
you are able to issue any needed DOS commands. When
finished, type EXIT at the DOS prompt and press
<Enter>. You then will return to PCForm from where
you left off.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: For this service to operate properly, PCForm
must fine a copy of the system file COMMAND.COM
or whatever command processor is in use. It
should reside in the location specified by the
environment variable COMSPEC which DOS estab-
lishes when you start your computer. PCForm
will warn you if it is unable to find
COMMAND.COM. If this is the case, the DOS
Shell service is ineffective. Please consult
your DOS reference manual for specific
information on the use of the environment
variables COMSPEC and SHELL.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Control Line Page 25
____________________________________________________________
The bottom line of the PCForm screen is occupied by the
Control Line. This area provides the visual cues for
activating various commands and line drawing features. To
invoke a Command Line service hold the <Alt> key down and
press the highlighted capital letter of the command word or
place the mouse cursor over the command word and press the
Left mouse button. The entire command word now becomes
highlighted indicating the service is on. To deactivate the
service repeat the same key strokes or mouse action, or
press the key combination <Alt> + <X>. The following is a
list of the Control Line commands and a description of the
service each provides.
Sgle - <Alt> + <S>
This command provides a single line, horizontal or
vertical, for use in line drawing. Pressing the right
or left arrow key places a horizontal line at the
present cursor location. Pressing the up or down arrow
key places a vertical line at the present cursor
location.
Dble - <Alt> + <D>
This command provides a double line, horizontal or
vertical, for use in line drawing. Pressing the right
or left arrow key places a horizontal line at the
present cursor location. Pressing the up or down arrow
key places a vertical line at the present cursor
location.
Char - <Alt> + <C>
This command displays an ASCII character chart from
which you select the character used for drawing. Use
the arrow keys or roll the mouse to select the
appropriate character and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button. After your selection, pressing any one
of the arrow keys places that character at the present
cursor location.
Note: All line drawing done with the arrow keys is
suspended while <Caps Lock> is on.
Control Line (cont.) Page 26
____________________________________________________________
Again - <Alt> + <A>
This command will reinstate for drawing the last
character selected for the ASCII character chart. This
feature allows you to switch between line and character
drawing without having to select the same character
each time.
Line - <Alt> + <L>
This command will draw a continuous horizontal or
vertical line between two marked points. The character
used for the line is selected with the Sgle, Dble or
Char command. To mark your two line points move the
text cursor or mouse cursor to the first position and
press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. A "+" will
appear indicating the first marked position. Now move
the text cursor or mouse cursor to the second position
and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. A line of
the type selected is drawn between these two points.
Note: The direction in which the marking occurs does
not matter as long as they are in the same
horizontal or vertical axis.
Box - <Alt> + <B>
This command will draw a box between any two diagonally
opposing marked corners. The character used for the
box perimeter is selected with the Sgle, Dble or Char
command. To mark your two box points move the text
cursor or mouse cursor to the first corner position and
press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. A "+" will
appear indicating the first corner position. Now move
the text cursor or mouse cursor to the second corner
position and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. A
box is drawn connecting these two opposing corners.
Note: The direction in which the marking occurs does
not matter as long as they are not in the same
horizontal or vertical axis.
Control Line (cont.) Page 27
____________________________________________________________
Undo - <Alt> + <U>
This command will remove from your form any activity
performed since the last "Save" or the last mark and
draw. Using the Undo service immediately after a "Cut"
operation will restore to the screen the edited portion
of your form.
Menu - <Alt> + <M>
This command will display the Menu Line at the top of
your screen. The menu is now ready for use.
Title - <Alt> + <T>
This command will display the Title Line at the top of
your screen.
Ruler - <Alt> + <R>
This command will display the Ruler Line at the top of
your screen.
Help - <Alt> + <H>
This command will display the help window allowing you
to page through the various help topics.
Note: You can reset all Command Line activity by pressing
the <Alt> + <X> keys or by placing the mouse cursor
over the letters Alt+, at the far left, and pressing
the Left mouse button. This provides a convenient
way for switching between line drawing and text
entry.
Line Drawing Page 28
____________________________________________________________
Line drawing is essential for good form appearance. The
whole propose of a form is to organize information. One of
the best type of boundaries for this organization is the
drawn line. PCForm tries to made computer line drawing as
easy as possible, but as with most things in live, a little
practice does help in making this a simple task.
The main point to this manual section is to aid you in the
line drawing process. If you have not read the section on
the Control Line commands, you should do it at this time.
All key and mouse commands needed for line drawing are
discussed in that section.
PCForm makes a valiant effort in calculating what line
character is needed to join or cross another line. Because
of the numerous possibilities and the time involved needed
to perform these comparison, not all characters are placed
by PCForm. It is felt that time is the most important goal
and with proper form layout and design, a minimal of
clear up is required. You are always given at least the
line or box marked.
The text cursor will change to a small box when any line
drawing command is active. This gives you an instant visual
indication of the active command mode.
Drawing Tips:
Plan ahead; outline on a piece of paper the look and
information your form needs. A little thought in the
beginning can save a lot of time in form development.
Draw all perimeters of boxes first then add any
divisional lines.
Repetitive line drawing is best done by drawing the
first line, loading it into the line buffer <Ctrl> +
<F8> and then placing the contents of the line buffer
<Ctrl> + <F7> at the next line location.
Only draw with the arrow key for non-joining lines.
Arrow key drawing is suspended while the <Caps Lock> is
on.
Double clicking the same cursor location while 'Char'
and 'Line' are highlighted will place the selected
character at that position. This is helpful in
placing characters not automatically created by PCForm.
Editing Keys and Tab Page 29
____________________________________________________________
PCForm is not a word processor but does employ a modest
array of editing abilities common with most text entry. The
following is a list of the keys used for editing and a des-
cription of their function.
<Insert> or <Ins>
Pressing this key will toggle the insert mode. While
insert is on, pressing a key will place that character
at the present cursor location. All characters on the
current line from the cursor position are pushed to
the right to accommodate the new character. The shape
of the cursor is taller while in insert mode. The
characters pushed off the right of your screen while
inserting are not lost but stored in an extended line
buffer. These stored characters will roll back on
screen as deleted space becomes available.
<Delete> or <Del>
Pressing this key will delete the character at the
present cursor location. All characters to the right
of this location will move left one space filling the
void created by the deletion.
<F7> - Insert Line
Pressing this key will insert a blank line at the
current cursor line location. All subsequent lines
will move down to accommodate the newly inserted line.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: You cannot insert more lines than the length of
your form page. PCForm will warn you if the
page length limit is reached. The two line
length PCForm supports are 63 and 81. This
allows for a 1/4" margin top and bottom on an 11
and 14 inch page respectively.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Editing Keys and Tab (cont.) Page 30
____________________________________________________________
<F8> - Delete Line
Pressing this key will remove the line at the current
cursor line location. All subsequent lines will move
up filling the space created by the deleted line.
<Ctrl> + <F1> - Copy Block
Pressing this key combination allows you to copy large
blocks of information from your form to another page or
form. After selecting this option, a box appears on
the Control Line, "Mark Pos", indicating the service is
active. Mark the area to copy by placing the cursor at
one of its corners and press <Enter> or the Left mouse
button. A "+" will appear indicating the first
position marked. Now place the cursor at an opposing
diagonal corner or opposite end of a line and press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button. The information
contained within this area is stored in a block buffer
for later retrieval using the "Paste" command.
<Ctrl> + <F2> - Cut Block
Pressing this key combination allows you to cut
(remove) from your form large blocks of information.
After selecting this option, a box appears on the
Control Line, "Mark Pos", indicating the service is
active. Mark the area to cut by placing the cursor at
one of its corners and press <Enter> or the Left mouse
button. A "+" will appear indicating the first
position marked. Now place the cursor at an opposing
diagonal corner or opposite end of a line and press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button. The information
contained within this area is removed from your form
and stored in the block buffer. The removed inform-
ation can be placed on another page or form using the
"Paste" command.
Note: Any information incorrectly cut can be restored
by promptly using the Control Line "Undo"
command <Alt> + <U>. The information cut still
remains in the block buffer for later use.
Editing Keys and Tab (cont.) Page 31
____________________________________________________________
<Ctrl> + <F3> - Paste Block
Pressing this key combination allows you to Paste
(place) on your form information previously copied or
cut. After selecting this option, a box appears on the
Control Line, "Mark Pos", indicating the service is
active. Mark the position for the placement by moving
the cursor to the upper left corner of the area to hold
the information and press <Enter> or the Left mouse
button.
<Ctrl> + <F4> - Move Block
Pressing this key combination allows you to move large
blocks of information. After selecting this option, a
box appears on the Control Line, "Mark Pos", indicating
the service is active. Mark the area to move by
placing the cursor at one of its corners and press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button. A "+" will appear
indicating the first position marked. Now place the
cursor at an opposing diagonal corner or opposite end
of a line and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button.
The information contained within this area is removed
from your form and stored in the block buffer. A box
now appears on the Control Line, "Move to", indicating
the need to mark the position to place the stored
information. Mark the position for the placement by
moving the cursor to the upper left corner of the area
to hold the information and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button.
<Ctrl> + <F5> - Insert Column
Pressing this key combination will insert an entire
blank column. All characters on and to the right of
the column are pushed right to accommodate the new
space.
<Ctrl> + <F6> - Delete Column
Pressing this key combination will delete an entire
column. All characters in the column are deleted. All
characters to the right of this column will move left
one space filling the void created by the deletion.
Editing Keys and Tab (cont.) Page 32
____________________________________________________________
Insert/Delete Column (cont.)
Note: When inserting or deleting a column, you have
the option of marking your column positions. If
you respond (N)o, the column adjustment begins
at the current cursor location and continues to
the end of your form page. If you respond
(Y)es, place the cursor at the first position
and press <Enter> or the Left mouse button. Now
move the cursor to the second position and press
<Enter> or the Left mouse button. Column
adjustment will take place only between these
two marked points.
<Ctrl> + <F7> - Place Line Buffer
Pressing this key combination will place the contents
of the line buffer at the current cursor line location
overwritting the old line.
<Ctrl> + <F8> - Load Line Buffer
Pressing this key combination will save the contents of
the line at the current cursor line location to a
storage buffer for later retrieval and placement. The
present line remains unchanged.
<Tab>
Pressing the <Tab> key moves the cursor left to the
next tab stop. The default tab setting is eight,
making its stops 8, 16, 24, 32 . . . and so on. If a
tab stop is beyond the line limit, the cursor wraps to
the next line stopping at column one.
<Shift> + <Tab>
You can change the tab spacing by placing the cursor in
the appropriate column and pressing the key combination
<SHIFT> + <Tab>. If the cursor is in column 12 when
this occurs, the new tab stops are 12, 24, 36, 48 . . .
and so on.
Note: The above two standard tab features are not available
while the "Auto-Tab" service is active.
Editing Keys and Tab (cont.) Page 33
____________________________________________________________
Keyboard ASCII Characters
Like DOS, PCForm can display ASCII characters using
your keyboard. Holding down the <Alt> key while typing
the ASCII code for a character, using the numeric key
pad, produces that character at the present cursor
location.
example: The ASCII decimal code for the one half sign
(1/2) is 171. To display this character on
your form, first position the cursor at the
spot you want this character to appear. Now,
while holding down the <Alt> key and using
the numeric key pad, type 171. Release the
<Alt> key to display this character.
ASCII character charts and their accompanying decimal
codes are available in most computer reference books.
Generally, they are in the rear of a book listed as an
Appendix. Your DOS reference manual has such a chart.
Math Functions Page 34
____________________________________________________________
PCForm has the ability to do math calculations with numbers
on your forms and then place the computed results to a
desired form location. The results are displayed with any
one of the three types of selectable formats (simple,
monetary, decimal). You can access these math functions in
either of two ways:
1) By selecting Calculate from the Pull-Down Menu
2) By using the following math function keys
Add - <Alt> + <+>
Subtract - <Alt> + <->
Multiply - <Alt> + <*>
Divide - <Alt> + </>
Results - <Alt> + <#>
Format - <Alt> + <F>
Calculating Numbers
-------------------
To perform math calculations first select the appropriate
function. The selected math function is displayed on the
control line for easy reference. Place the text or mouse
cursor anywhere over a number on your form and press <Enter>
or the Left mouse button. This number is stored for later
use in the calculation. Now place the text or mouse cursor
over your second number and press <Enter> or the Left mouse
button. The selected math function is performed on these
numbers and the results stored for later use or placement.
Continue selecting numbers for calculating or select a new
math function. Each number entered is calculated, using the
math function selected, with the results of the previous
calculation.
The order in which numbers are entered for calculation is
important when doing subtraction or division. The second
entry is always performed on the first entry.
Math Functions (cont.) Page 35
____________________________________________________________
Displaying the Results - <Alt> + <#>
--------------------------------------
To place the results of your math calculation, select
Calculate/Results from the Pull-Down Menu, use the math
function key combination <Alt> + <#>, or press the Right
mouse button. The word "Results" is displayed on the
control line indicating the active math function. Now place
the text or mouse cursor at the location where you would
like to display the results and press <Enter> or the Left
mouse button. The results are displayed from the cursor
location to the left. This allows for right column alignment
which is the most common for number placement.
Results Format - <Alt> + <F>
------------------------------
There are three types of output formats you may use to
display your results.
Simple - Monetary - Decimal
To pick the desired format, select Calculate/Format from the
Pull-Down Menu or use the math function key combination
<Alt> + <F>. The following is a description of each format
type.
Simple
The results are displayed with a one point accuracy to
the right of the decimal point if a decimal point is
contained in the results. If a greater accuracy is
needed, then use the Decimal format.
example: 12 / 3 results 4
10 / 3 results 3.3
4 x 2.17 results 8.7
4.23 x 9.86 results 41.7
Monetary
The results are always displayed with a two point
accuracy to the right of the decimal point.
example: 12 / 3 results 4.00
10 / 3 results 3.33
4 x 2.17 results 8.68
4.23 x 9.86 results 41.71
Math Functions (cont.) Page 36
____________________________________________________________
Decimal
After selecting the decimal format, you are presented
a window allowing you to pick the accuracy of the
results format. You may choose an accuracy from 1 to
10 places to the right of the decimal point. The
results are always displayed with this point accuracy
and zeros are added if necessary. The following
illustrates a four point displacement.
example: 12 / 3 results 4.0000
10 / 3 results 3.3333
4 x 2.17 results 8.6800
4.23 x 9.86 results 41.7078
Results Format - <Alt> + <F> (cont.)
---------------------------------------
Commas are automatically inserted, every three digits to the
left of a decimal point, if one is found in a number picked
for calculation. Part of the results format is the option
of automatically inserting commas even if one does not
appear in a selected number.
All format options are saved to the configuration file
(PCFORM.CFG), for later use, by selecting Setup/Save from
the menu line.
Results Accuracy
----------------
The figures returned by a calculation is accurate for a
maximum of 16 digits. This is ample and in fact exceeds
most desk calculators.
example: 123,456,789.2345 x 9876.54321
results: 1,219,326,313,442.402000000
The above example uses the Decimal format with a nine point
decimal setting, however, the calculator can only provide
the first 16 digits. All places held by zeros to the right
of the first 16 digits should not be considered accurate.
If the zeros to the right of a decimal point are within the
16 digit limit, then they are considered accurate.
example: 9876.5432 x .78925
results: 7,795.061720600
Math Functions (cont.) Page 37
____________________________________________________________
Results Accuracy (cont.)
-------------------------
All results not contained within a selected format are
rounded to the nearest whole value. If the above example
were to use a decimal place setting of six instead of nine,
then the answer is rounded up to:
7,795.061721
The rounding up or down of a results is the same for all
format settings (simple, monetary, decimal).
Screen Blanker Page 38
____________________________________________________________
PCForm is equipped with its own key activated and auto
screen blanking functions. This blanking service is not
hardware dependent and should work on any monitor supported
by PCForm. The screen blanker merely places a black window
over the entire screen. The contents of the previous screen
are saved for later retrieval.
The following key combination invokes the key activated
screen blanking service.
<Ctrl> + <F10>
(While holding down the <Ctrl> key press the <F10> key)
To activate screen blanking from the Pull-Down Menu select
Exit/Blank Screen.
You also may use the automatic screen blanking service. This
service will blank your screen after a predetermined number
of minutes of no keyboard or mouse activity. To engage or
disengage this service select Setup/Blank Time from the
Pull-Down Menu. If you elect to use automatic screen
blanking, a menu is presented from which you select the
number of minutes to use for the blanking service. Use the
arrow keys or roll your mouse to make the appropriate
selection then press <Enter> or the Left mouse button to
activate the service. Use Setup/Save to make your selection
available for any future use of PCForm.
Once screen blanking is active, pressing any key or mouse
button will restore the PCForm screen allowing you to
continue your work.
Mouse Operations Page 39
____________________________________________________________
A main design feature of PCForm is its integrated use of
the mouse services available to your computer. Using any
type of pointing device makes software interaction much
easier. To take advantage of these services you need a
mouse connected to your computer and its software driver
installed. If these two conditions are met, PCForm will
attempt to provide you with mouse support. PCForm was
tested using both Microsoft and Mouse Systems drivers.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: An aggressive effort was made to make PCForm compat-
ible with as many mouse devices and drivers as
possible. If you have informed PCForm of your intent
to use a mouse, through the Setup facilities (see
Pull-Down Menu), and your mouse still does not work,
then we are truly sorry. PCForm can only query DOS
(Interrupt 33H) about the status of your mouse. It
is the responsibility of your mouse software to work
hand in hand with DOS to provide the needed mouse
information.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Most all commands and selections within PCForm can be
achieved with mouse movement and/or buttons. The following
is a description of the various mouse operations offered.
<Enter> or <Esc> Key Prompt
Your mouse buttons will supply the necessary response
to these key prompts.
Left button = <Enter>
Right Button = <Esc>
Arrow Key Prompts (up, down, right, left)
Any mouse movement will have the same effect as any
directional arrow key prompt.
Mouse Operations (cont.) Page 40
____________________________________________________________
Text Cursor Movement
Placing the mouse cursor anywhere on the Form Screen
and pressing its Left button will move the text cursor
to that location.
Scrolling Up or Down
Placing the mouse cursor on one of the Marker Column
arrows (up or down) and pressing the Left button will
scroll your form in that direction.
Top or Bottom of Form
Placing the mouse cursor on one of the Marker Column
arrows (up or down) and pressing the Right button will
take you to the top or bottom of your form.
Paging Up or Down
Placing the mouse cursor in the Marker Column above or
below the Marker Column Indicator and pressing the Left
button will move your form up or down one screen page
(23 lines).
Mouse Cursor Coordinates
Pressing the Right mouse button anytime during form
creation or fill-in toggles the display for the mouse
cursor coordinates in the Position Window at the lower
right of your screen.
Printer Use Page 41
____________________________________________________________
The design of PCForm makes it as generic as possible to most
printers. The fundamental standard for computer character
interaction is the ASCII standard (American Standard Code
for Information Interchange). PCForm uses the ASCII
graphics characters available to your computer to construct
professional looking forms. PCForm saves and prints all
form designs in strictly ASCII format.
You have the option of directing printing through any one of
three printer ports (LPT1, LPT2, LPT3). Printer port #1 is
the most common standard and the default for PCForm. If
your printer requires a different port, you can use the
Make/Set LPT option from the Pull-Down Menu to change
printer ports.
PCForm provides support for today's most commonly used
printing modes (IBM, Epson, HP LaserJet). Must printers
support at least one of these modes. You can use the menu
option Setup/Printer to select the printing mode most
appropriate for your printer. Please refer to Appendix B
for information on the Epson printing modes which support
the graphics character table.
All printing within PCForm is done from internal buffers.
You need to 'Load' your form first before any printing is
done. Once a form is loaded use the Make/Print option from
the Pull-Down Menu to print your form.
The printing of multiple copies is supported by PCForm.
After selecting the menu option Make/Print, you are
presented a window allowing you to select the number of
copies to print. You can print from 1 to 20 copies of a
selected form.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: The default setting for most Epson and HP LaserJet
printers is a character set that does not provide
line drawing characters. It may not be possible to
print your form properly from outside of the PCForm
environment. Please consult your printer manual for
information on using its control panel to select a
character set that supports the graphics characters
(ASCII 128 thru 255) when printing outside of PCForm.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Viewing the PCForm Reference Manual Page 42
____________________________________________________________
The PCForm Reference Manual (PCFORM.DOC) is viewable from
within PCForm. This provides an easy and convenient way for
complete reference to all PCForm information. The manual is
brought to your screen for viewing in either one of two
ways.
1) From the Pull-Down Menu, select - Help/View Manual
2) From the Form Screen press keys <Alt> + <V>
Once invoked, the bottom line of the viewing screen lists
the keys used for browsing through the manual.
<Up Arrow> - Move up one line
<Down Arrow> - Move down one line
<Page Up> - Move up one screen (23 lines)
<Page Down> - Move down one screen (23 lines)
<Home> - Go to beginning of manual
<End> - Go to end of manual
<P>age - Go to page number entered
<C>ontents - Show Table of Contents
<Esc> - Exit and return to form development
Placing the mouse cursor over a key description and pressing
its Left button will yield the same results as pressing that
key. Pressing the mouse Right button will exit the viewer.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: In order to use the on-line viewer, the file
PCFORM.DOC must be in the same directory location as
PCFORM.EXE. If you invoke the viewer and the
reference manual (PCFORM.DOC) is not found in this
location, a "File not Found" window will appear. If
you do not need the manual for on-line reference, you
can delete it from your disk. PCForm will continue
to work properly without this file.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PCForm and Windows 3.x Page 43
____________________________________________________________
PCForm works quite well as a "Non-Windows Application" from
within the Windows 3.x environment. It must be noted that
PCForm is not a "Windows Application", but a separate .EXE
file that can be started and used from within Windows. The
following two files, supplied with PCForm, provide Windows
with information it needs on the location of PCForm within
your system, its operating needs, and the Icon to use for
PCForm. These two files are copied for you as part of the
PCform install service.
PCFORM.PIF (Program Information File)
PCFORM.ICO (PCForm Icon)
If you did not install PCForm using its built-in install
facility, you need to copy both of these files to the
directory location on your computer where PCForm is stored
(e.g., C:\PCFORM). The following is an example of what this
DOS command line might look like.
COPY PCFORM.PIF C:\PCFORM
COPY PCFORM.ICO C:\PCFORM
Please note that you may need to change the drive and
directory information (C:\PCFORM) to the location you have
established on your computer for PCForm.
PCForm and Windows must be installed on your computer before
proceeding with the following installation steps.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: The following two installation steps are accomplished
from within the Windows environment. This text is
not meant to be a tutorial but merely outlines the
procedures required to install a working application
for Windows. A general working knowledge of the
Windows environment is helpful in the installation
process. Please consult your Windows User's Guide
for any specific information or commands you do not
understand. Both of these steps are performed from
the Windows' "Program Manager" and all words in
quotes (" ") are as they appear in Windows 3.x.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PCForm and Windows 3.x (cont.) Page 44
____________________________________________________________
Establishing PCForm as a "Non-Windows Application"
--------------------------------------------------
Please note that for each occurance of [location] in the
following outline you need to type the correct drive and
directory location to which you have installed PCForm. The
default location supplied with these files is C:\PCFORM\.
Examples: C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.EXE
C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.PIF
C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.ICO
Start Windows 3.x
From the "Program Manager" window
* Click on the "Non-Windows Application" icon
* Pull-Down "File" from the "Program Manager" menu bar
* Click "New"
* From the "New Program Object" dialog box
- Select "Program Item"
- Click "OK"
* From the "Program Item Properties" dialog box
- For "Description:" type --> PCForm
- Press <Tab>
- For "Command Line:" type --> [location]\PCFORM.PIF
(example: C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.PIF)
------------------------------------------------------------
* For Windows 3.1 only
- For "Working Directory:" type --> [location]
(example: C:\PCFORM)
------------------------------------------------------------
PCForm and Windows 3.x (cont.) Page 45
____________________________________________________________
Establishing PCForm as a "Non-Windows Application" (cont.)
----------------------------------------------------------
- Highlight and Click "Change Icon"
- From the "Select Icon" dialog box
+ For "File Name:" type --> [location]\PCFORM.ICO
(example: C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.ICO)
+ Click "OK"
- Click "OK"
This completes the first step in the installation of PCForm.
Changing the Program Information File (PCFORM.PIF)
--------------------------------------------------
The only information you may need to change in the PIF file
is the location on your computer where you have installed
PCForm. The rest of the information in this file is
established based on the operational requirements of PCForm
and Windows and should not be changed. The default settings
in the dialog boxes for the PCFORM.PIF file supplied are as
follows:
1) "Program Filename:" --> C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.EXE
2) "Window Title:" --> PCForm
3) "Optional Parameters:" --> WIN
4) "Start-up Directory:" --> C:\PCFORM
Items 1 and 4 may need changing based upon the drive and
directory location of PCForm on your computer. If this is
the case, then the following steps are used to edit the
PCFORM.PIF file.
From the "Program Manger" window
For Windows 3.0
* Click on the "Accessories" window
For Windows 3.1
* Click on the "Main" window
PCForm and Windows 3.x (cont.) Page 46
____________________________________________________________
Changing the Program Information File (cont.)
----------------------------------------------
* Select and Click the "PIF Editor" Icon
- Pull-down "File" from the "PIF Editor" menu bar
+ Click "Open"
+ From the "Files" selection box select PCFORM.PIF
Change the following two dialog boxes
1) "Program Filename:" --> [location]\PCFORM.EXE
(example: C:\PCFORM\PCFORM.EXE)
<Tab> <Tab> <Tab>
4) "Start-up Directory:" --> [location]
(example: C:\PCFORM)
- Pull-down "File" from the "PIF Editor" menu bar
+ Click "Save"
- Pull-down "File" from the "PIF Editor" menu bar
+ Click "Exit"
This concludes the steps necessary to install PCForm as a
"Non-Windows Application" for Windows 3.x.
Starting PCForm from within Windows 3.x
---------------------------------------
From the "Program Manager" window
* Click on the "Non-Windows Application" window
- Select and Click the "PCForm" Icon
PCForm will start directly from its form screen bypassing
the Title page. To return to Windows exit PCForm as you
would normally. Pull-down the 'Exit' command from the menu
bar and select 'Quit PCForm' or press keys <Alt> + <Q>.
Appendix A: Key Chart Page 47
____________________________________________________________
The following chart provides a quick reference for the keys
used by PCForm. Detailed descriptions of these key
functions are discussed elsewhere throughout this manual.
------------------------------------------------------------
Normal
<F1> - Go to page #1 <F2> - Go to page #2
<F3> - Go to page #3 <F4> - Go to page #4
<F5> - Clear page <F6> - Change page size
<F7> - Insert line <F8> - Delete line
<F9> - Toggle top line <F10> - View help pages
<Ins> - Insert character <Del> - Delete character
<Home> - Start of line <End> - End of line
<PgUp> - Up one screen <PgDn> - Down one screen
<Ctrl> +
<F1> - Copy block <F2> - Cut block
<F3> - Paste block <F4> - Move block
<F5> - Insert column <F6> - Delete column
<F7> - Place line buffer <F8> - Load line buffer
<F9> - Load Auto-Tab file <F10> - Blank screen
<PgUp> - Top of form <PgDn> - Bottom of form
<Home> - Top of screen <End> - Bottom of screen
< -> > - Far left screen < <- > - Far right screen
<Alt> +
<S> - Draw w/single line <D> - Draw w/double line
<C> - Draw with character <A> - Use previous <Alt>+<C>
<L> - Draw marked line <B> - Draw marked box
<U> - Undo last draw/edit <M> - Display Menu Line
<T> - Display Title Line <R> - Display Ruler Line
<H> - View help pages <Q> - Quit PCForm
<X> - Reset control line <V> - View Reference Manual
<+> - Add Numbers <-> - Subtract Numbers
<*> - Multiply Numbers </> - Divide Numbers
<#> - Place Math Results <F> - Math Results Format
------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix B: Epson Printing Modes Page 48
____________________________________________________________
The following is a list of the Epson printing modes sup-
ported by PCForm. If your printer or its printing mode is
not in this list, then Epson did not provide graphics
character table printing for your mode (prior to 1987).
This list is current as of August 1991. If your printing
mode is newer then this date, it is likely your printer will
support Epson graphics character table printing.
9 Pin Printers
IX-800 EX-800 EX-1000 FX-86e FX-286e
FX-800 FX-850 FX-1000 FX-1050 DFX-5000
DFX-8000 LX-86 LX-400 LX-800 LX-810
LX-850 LX-1050
24/48 Pin Printers
SQ-850 SQ-2500 SQ-2550 TSQ-4800 LQ-200
LQ-400 LQ-450 LQ-500 LQ-510 LQ-550
LQ-570 LQ-850 LQ-850+ LQ-860 LQ-860+
LQ-870 LQ-950 LQ-1010 LQ-1050 LQ-1050+
LQ-1060 LQ-1060+ LQ-1070 LQ-1170 LQ-2500
LQ-2500+ LQ-2550 DLQ-2000 TLQ-4800
Action Printer (9 and 24/48 pin printers)
Apex-80 T-750 T-1000 L-750 L-1000
2000 2500 3000 4000 4500
5000
Appendix C: Registration Information and Form Page 49
____________________________________________________________
Registration of PCForm grants a user the license to use this
product on a single computer. A registered user may use
PCForm on a different computer, but may not use it on more
than one computer at the same time.
Registrants for the disk version of PCForm ($30.00) also
receive the following items on disk.
o Latest version of PCForm
o FFU.EXE - A small (less than 9K) and very fast
find-a-file utility; will find any file anywhere on
a disk and return its location. (versatile and
very handy)
All registered users of PCForm will receive prompt and
courteous support from CareWare. Product support is
provided by mail, telephone, and CompuServe Information
Service (CIS) electronic mail.
Product information and support line: (916) 265-8704
CompuServe user ID number: 74270,516
Notification of major upgrades, when available, is provided.
There is no additional registration fee for any upgrades you
may obtain. A nominal disk duplicating and handling fee of
$5.00 (U.S.) is charged if you acquire your upgrade from
CareWare. An additional fee of $4.00 (U.S.) is required for
disk mailing outside of the United States (first class air).
Discounts for multiple registrations are available. The
cost per copy is figured on the base price for PCForm
($25.00). One disk is provided with more available upon
request ($3.00 each less applicable discount). Use the
following chart when figuring total cost for registration.
# Copies -- 5-9 10-25 26-50 51-75 76-99 100+
Discount -- 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Customized versions of PCForm for specific needs also are
available from CareWare. Please contact us regarding
feasibility and cost for implementation.
Please use the registration form supplied. It contains
information we need to provide the support you deserve.
PCForm
Version 3.0b
Software Registration Form
____________________________________________________________
CareWare
307 Gracie Road
Nevada City, CA 95959 Date: _____________
Count Description Amount Total
----- ----------- ------ -----
_____ PCForm registration only $25.00 ea $ _______
_____ PCForm registration and latest $30.00 ea $ _______
version on disk (includes Find
File Utility)
Disk size: ( ) 5 1/4" (360K)
( ) 3 1/2" (720K)
Please add $4.00 for disk shipping
outside of U.S. (first class air) $ _______
Total submitted $ _______
Name: ______________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________________
Please help us track the distribution of PCForm and
let us know where you found this copy.
____________________________________________________
Comments: __________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Please make payable to the author - R. J. Crouch
ORDERS OUTSIDE OF THE U.S. - Please send international
postal or money orders in U.S. dollars.
Thank you for registering PCForm.