Monster Media 1996 #15

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Wrap

Text File | 1996-04-01 | 24KB | 476 lines

┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ The BEAVIS & BUTT-HEAD │ │ Automated Episode Guide v1.0w │ │ Win32s / Windows 95 / Windows NT Version │ └────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────┐ │ What This Program Does │ └──────────────────────────┘ This is a full-featured Win32s/Win95/WinNT program that makes it easy to view info on the popular MTV show, Beavis & Butt-Head. ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ How To Run This Program │ └───────────────────────────┘ There are several ways to run the A.E.G. in Windows 3.1 (All of these methods assume that you have already unarchived the .ZIP file into a directory somewhere on your hard drive): USING THE A.E.G. FROM THE WINDOWS FILE MANAGER: ----------------------------------------------- Run the Windows 3.1 File Manager. Click on the hard drive icon of the hard where the A.E.G. program executable currently resides. Click on the folder/directory where the .EXE program is located. Find the small icon that represents the .EXE and click on it. If you did everything correctly, the first window of the A.E.G. should appear on your screen. For more info on the operation of this program, read the "How To Use This Program" section which is elsewhere in this file. USING THE A.E.G. FROM THE PROGRAM MANAGER RUN MENU: --------------------------------------------------- Click on the FILE menu at the top of the screen in the Windows Program Manager. A drop down menu will appear with several options. Click on RUN (it should be the next-to-the-last item on this menu). A dialog box will appear on your screen with four buttons (OK, Cancel, Browse & Help). Use the BROWSE button to tell Windows where the A.E.G .EXE file is located (You will get a BROWSE dialog box where you can click on the various directories and drives that you maintain on your computer - if you aren't sure how to use this dialog box, see the Windows documentation for more information). Once you have told Windows where to find the A.E.G. executable file, the RUN dialog box will have the path & filename in the COMMAND LINE text box. Click the OK button. If you did everything correctly, the first window of the A.E.G. should appear on your screen. For more info on the operation of this program, read the "How To Use This Program" section which is elsewhere in this file. USING THE A.E.G. FROM A PROGRAM MANAGER PROGRAM GROUP: ------------------------------------------------------ This is how to add the A.E.G. to an already existing Program Group on your Windows desktop. If you'd rather put the new A.E.G. program icon in a seperate program group, see the Windows documentation for details on creating a new program group. Click on the FILE menu at the top of the screen in the Windows Program Manager. A drop down menu will appear with several options. Click on NEW (it should be the first item on this menu). A dialog box named NEW PROGRAM OBJECT will appear on your screen with three buttons (OK, Cancel & Help). The PROGRAM ITEM option is already selected. Click the OK button. A PROGRAM ITEM PROPERTIES dialog box will appear on your screen with five buttons (OK, Cancel, Browse, Change Icon & Help). It also has four empty text boxes (Description, Command Line, Working Directory and Shortcut Key). Use the BROWSE button to tell Windows where the A.E.G .EXE file is located (You will get a BROWSE dialog box where you can click on the various directories and drives that you maintain on your computer - if you aren't sure how to use this dialog box, see the Windows documentation for more information). The A.E.G. program's drive path and filename should now be in the Command Line text box. Two other options are available now, but they aren't required: (1) You can type in a detailed description in the Description text box (if you don't, Windows will use the whatever characters are on the left of the period in the filename). (2) You can also change the default icon of the program at this time (or any other time in the future) by clicking on the Change Icon button. I've included five icons linked into the executable of the A.E.G. program. If those aren't to your liking, you can change them by using the Browse button on the Change Icon dialog box that is now on your screen. Once you have the path & filename in the Command Line text box, hit the OK button and the A.E.G icon should appear in the opened program group. If it didn't, go back to the beginning of this section and make sure you've followed all the steps correctly. You may now click on the A.E.G.'s icon to start the program. See the "How To Use This Program" section on how to use the program, once it's running. USING THE A.E.G. FROM "MY COMPUTER" IN WINDOWS 95: -------------------------------------------------- Open the "My Computer" folder and click on the icon of the hard drive where the A.E.G. executable resides. Open the folder/directory that you have stored the A.E.G. program(s). Click on the icon that represents the A.E.G. .EXE file. (If you don't understand how to use folders, see the Windows 95 documentation for more information). USING THE A.E.G. FROM THE EXPLORER IN WINDOWS 95: ------------------------------------------------- Start the Explorer and click on the hard drive and then the folder/directory where the A.E.G. executable currently resides. Click on the icon that represents the A.E.G. .EXE. (If you don't understand how to use the Explorer see the Windows 95 documentation for more information). USING THE A.E.G. FROM A SHORTCUT UNDER WINDOWS 95: -------------------------------------------------- Right click on the location you want a "shortcut" for this program to reside (the desktop, or in a folder for example). A pop up menu will appear. Choose NEW from the menu and move to the Create New Shortcut option from the sub-menu that appears. A dialog box will appear. Click the BROWSE button and specify the location of the A.E.G. executable on your hard drive. Give the shortcut a suitable name and the icon will change and be ready for use. Double click on the icon to run. (If you don't understand how to create a shortcut, maneuver the BROWSE/File dialog box or any other operation under Windows 95, see the Windows 95 documentation). For details on how to use the program after it's running, keep reading... ┌───────────────────────────┐ │ How To Use This Program │ └───────────────────────────┘ When you first run the A.E.G., you will get a small window with a little information about the program. There will be two buttons in this window (OK and Cancel). If you click the Cancel button, the program will stop running and you will be returned to where you were at before you started the program. If you click the OK button, a larger window will appear on your screen. It will have the title and version of the A.E.G. on the top border and three menu titles directly underneath. This window is the main viewing screen of the A.E.G. All episode information from the program will be displayed within this window. NOTE: You can hit the F1 key at anytime after the A.E.G. main viewing screen is visible to get an ONLINE HELP FILE version of this document! Also, this help file is taken from the 16 bit Windows A.E.G., so some references to the 16 bit Windows version & a couple of the "screen shots" may differ slightly from the Win32s version, but both programs are generated from the exact same source code, so the differences are only cosmetic. You choose options from the three menus on the menu bar in order to display the various information contained in the A.E.G. The three menus are EXIT, EPISODES and HELP. Each of these will contain at least one option underneath (but probably more than one). Here's a rundown of each of the three menu titles and the options that may appear beneath (I have paraphrased some menu options because they may different depending on the specific A.E.G. that you're running): --------------------------------------------------------- Exit Episodes Help --------------------------------------------------------- | Clear Screen F8| | Season 1 >| | Master Help F1| | Exit F9| | Season 2 >| | Useless Help F2| +----------------+ | Season 3 >| | About Program F2| | Season 4 >| | Shareware F3| | Season 5 >| | Disclaimer F4| | Season 6 >| | Information F5| +-----------+ | Other SBI Prgs F6| +-------------------+ You will notice a couple of things (that I can't recreate here because this is a plain ASCII text file). First, each menu option has *ONE* character UNDERLINED. This is the KEYBOARD SHORTCUT for that given menu option (See the section that follows about Keyboard Shortcuts). Second, the MENU OPTIONS on the EPISODES drop down menu have little triangluar arrows pointing to the RIGHT of each option (I used the > character to represent them on the above diagram). These arrows mean that each option has ANOTHER sub-menu. You can cascade these sub-menus by highlighting the menu option (it will automatically pop up to the right of the drop down menu that you are currently using). You can then move your mouse to the right in order to highlight the various options on that sub-menu. Be sure to hold down the left mouse button until you are on the sub-menu option that you want to choose! It takes a bit of dexterity on the longer sub-menus. If that's too hard, read the section that follows on Keyboard Shortcuts. MENU OPTIONS: To choose things off any of the three drop down menus, you simply move your mouse down until the reversed/highlight is over the option that you want. Here is a list of the "general" options that will appear on most of the A.E.G. program drop down menus. ------------------- Exit ------------------- | Clear Screen F8| <--- This option will clear the viewing screen. | Exit F9| <--- This option quits & exits the A.E.G. +-----------------+ (Note: the F8 & F9 function keys will activate these two menu options at *almost* any time). ------------- Episodes ------------- | Season 1 >| <--- These menu options will pop up a sub-menu to the | Season 2 >| <--- right of each option (notice the little arrow). | Season 3 >| <--- On the pop up sub-menu will be a list of the various | Season 4 >| <--- episodes of the TV show for that given season. | Season 5> | <--- +-----------+ -------------------- Help -------------------- | Master Help F1| <-- Summon the Master Index of the Online Help system! | Useless Help F2| <-- This will pop up a reminder on how to use the A.E.G. | About Program F3| <-- Displays the title, version & programmer of the A.E.G. | Shareware F4| <-- A shareware reminder. | Disclaimer F5| <-- A disclaimer about the information in the A.E.G. | Information F6| <-- Some info specific to the TV show featured. | Other SBI Prgs F7| <-- A list of other Snake-Byte programs. +------------------+ (Note: the Function keys F1 - F7 will activate these menu options at *almost* any time). KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS: Each option on each menu (and the three menu titles on the menu bar) have *ONE* character UNDERLINED. This represents the keyboard shortcut for THAT given menu option. Most people prefer to use their mouse pointer to click on the option, but these keyboard shortcuts perform the same actions as the mouse. The way to "activate" the keyboard shortcut is to press the <ALT> key on your keyboard (it should be a small key on either side of your <SPACE BAR>). When you press the <ALT> key, you will notice that the first menu title on the menu bar is highlighted in reverse colors (the colors vary, depending on the color scheme that you run on your computer). This means that the option that is highlighted is now activated and can be chosen by pressing your <ENTER> key. For example, if you hit <ALT> and the EXIT menu title is highlighted on the menu bar, if you were to hit <ENTER> the menu beneath the EXIT title will drop down. You can use your cursor arrow keys to move the reversed/highlighted area back and forth on the menu bar (or up and down within a drop down menu). For example -- if you want to view the 9th episode of the first season, the keyboard shortcut would be as follows (note: press each key listed once in this sequence, and don't hold any of the keys down): <ALT> e 1 9 ACCELERATOR KEYS: If you see a "key" listed on the right side of a menu option, that "key" will execute the given menu option AT *ALMOST* ANY TIME DURING the A.E.G. program's execution. For example, at anytime after you get the main A.E.G. window on your screen, you can hit the F2 function key to bring up the brief "Help" dialog box, or the F7 key to bring up a list of other programs available from Snake-Byte Incorporated. NOTE: If one of the dialog boxes is already on the screen (the Other S.B.I. Programs box, for example), the Accelerator Keys will not work until you click the OK button to cancel the dialog box. Also, if you have hit the <ALT> key to activate the Menu Bar, the Accelerator Keys will not work until you complete the Keyboard Shortcut sequence *OR* hit the <ESC> key to "de-activate" the Menu Bar, canceling the Keyboard Shortcut sequence. ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ The Harsh Reality of Trickle Down Economics │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘ This program took a lot of hard work to produce (Several weeks of honing the Windows code and a week of entering the data and debugging and proof reading the output). This all resulted in over 13,000 lines of C/C++ code!) And, unfortunately, nothing in life is free. But this nifty little program almost is! That's right -- you can clear your conscience and assure that there'll be future updates to this program (as well as other neato-frito programs from Snake-Byte Inc.) for the ridiculously reasonable, almost-FREE sum of $5.00. How can we afford to let this rare jewel of a program go for the piddly little amount of $5.00?!?! Because, here at Snake-Byte Inc., we deal in VOLUME! VOLUME!! VOLUME!!! We'll eat a bug to make a sale! Come on down to our Midnight Madness sale and...Wait a minute. Wrong sales pitch. Sorry. Anyway, you get the picture. <Insert normal shareware begging/pleading/demanding here>. What do you get for your $5.00? That warm-tummy feeling of satisfaction knowing you did the RIGHT thing. This program is in no way "Crippled". I detest "CrippleWare" and decided early on that I wouldn't do that kind of thing. So, there's no "registered version". What you have now is the fully-functional program. It contains one little shareware notice option on the Help menu (that you don't even have to look at if you don't want to) and it shows that "nag" screen ONLY when you exit the program, so it doesn't inconvenience you before or during the program's execution. (And if that gets your shorts in a bunch, send me a 3.5 disk plus return postage and the registration fee and I'll compile you a special version sans nags!). Here's where to send the cash/check/money order: Will Morgan 2516 Wood St. Texarkana, Tx 75503 ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ A Note To Fans of this TV Show From Europe, Australia │ │ or the United Kingdom Who Want To Register The A.E.G. │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Because this TV show is popular overseas, a perplexing question came up recently from a person in the United Kingdom: How do I get the proper currency to register the A.E.G.? Well, John McCoy came up with a solution to this problem. His email message follows: Date: Sat, 10 Feb 1996 21:31:21 Subject: Re: Yeah, I finally did it.... From: "John A. McCoy" <jamccoy@maurabrid.win-uk.net> All I did was take my VISA card to a Bureau d'Echanges (currency exchange) and say: "I would like to buy <amount> US, American Dollars, please." It took a while for the clerk to follow my intent, but I eventually got <currency amount> in odd-looking money. I slipped both into an airmail envelope and added stamps, and an address. Hopefully the correct address. You don't need a card to buy currency, any Bx will take any currency and sell you any other, and that day's rate for swapping is marked prominently. The rate you buy dollars with sterling pounds is LESS than the rate you buy pounds with dollars. And they charge a commision, but these rules and extras are also made prominent. Have to be, by law. John A. McCoy email: jamccoy@maurabrid.win-uk.net ┌──────────────────────────────────────┐ │ The History of This Win32s Program │ └──────────────────────────────────────┘ Version 0.999 - Beta version. Honed the mechanics of the program. Version 1.0w - First release version of this 32 bit Win32s program. Added an Online Help system that can be activated by the F1 key. ┌─────────────────────────┐ │ Known Bugs & Problems │ └─────────────────────────┘ There are no known bugs or problems. ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │ Swatting Any Pesky Insects │ └──────────────────────────────┘ If you encounter any problems with this program (either bugs in the actual mechanics of the program, or misspellings and/or incorrect info in the various episode data fields) please drop me a line at one of e-mail addresses in the last section of this document. I will try and implement the fix in the next version of the program that I release. ┌────────────────────────────┐ │ Big Plans For The Future │ └────────────────────────────┘ I will update this program if/when new episdes/seasons are completed. If the show no longer exists on television, the only updating I can do is to correct any misspellings and other errata. If you spot something that is wrong, email me and I'll include the correction in the next version. I may add a Character Menu option with brief descriptions of the regular characters from the show. I'll probably add some printing routines so you can print out a brief episode list, eps by season, a particular episode by itself or a full blown, everthing-included EpGuide. I want to add some global search routines. I'd really like to add some multi-media stuff to the program, like sound clips or maybe some pictures. But, due to the legal ramifications, this dream may never come true. Slimy, show-bid'ness lawyers just love to prey on the little guys who use the images and/or sound clips of their copyrighted and trademarked clients. Other A.E.G.'s? Yes, TV Buffs and Couch Potatoes! I plan on releasing a series of A.E.G.'s for various TV shows based on this A.E.G. "engine". Here are the shows that currently have A.E.G.'s available in 32 bit DOS, 32 bit OS/2 Text *AND* PM versions as well as 16 bit & 32 bit Win32s versions. (check at ftp.cleaf.com /pub/mst3k/snake-byte): TV Show Name DOS Filename OS/2 Text OS/2 PM Win Filename ======================================================================== Mystery Science MSTDOS##.ZIP MSTOS2##.ZIP MST_PM##.ZIP MSTWIN##.ZIP Theater 3000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The X-Files XFLDOS##.ZIP XFLOS2##.ZIP XFL_PM##.ZIP XFLWIN##.ZIP ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quantum Leap QLPDOS##.ZIP QLPOS2##.ZIP QLP_PM##.ZIP QLPWIN##.ZIP ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Star Trek: TNGDOS##.ZIP TNGOS2##.ZIP TNG_PM##.ZIP TNGWIN##.ZIP Next Generation ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Star Trek: TOSDOS##.ZIP TOSOS2##.ZIP TOS_PM##.ZIP TOSWIN##.ZIP Original Series ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Deep Space 9 DS9DOS##.ZIP DS9OS2##.ZIP DS9_PM##.ZIP DS9WIN##.ZIP ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Simpsons SMPDOS##.ZIP SMPOS2##.ZIP SMP_PM##.ZIP SMPWIN##.ZIP ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Babylon 5 BA5DOS##.ZIP BA5OS2##.ZIP BA5_PM##.ZIP BA5WIN##.ZIP ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Beavis and BVS_PM##.ZIP BVSWIN##.ZIP Butt-Head ======================================================================== 32 bit Win32s/Win95/WinNT versions of all the above programs are on the way! *ALL* versions are available on the FTP site at ftp.cleaf.com, which is where I release all Snake-Byte programs. The path is /pub/mst3k/snake-byte (for the MST3K programs) /pub/mst3k/snake-byte/NON-MST3K (for all others) You can also point your World Wide Web browser to the following URL: http://www.cleaf.com/~wmorgan/snake.html If you're interested in seeing an A.E.G. for your favorite show, contact me via one of the methods described below. Production of other A.E.G.'s depend on the availability of information about the show (via Internet) and whether or not the show's info translates well to a single screen in the A.E.G. ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Other Programs Available From Snake-Byte Incorporated │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ 32 bit DOS, 32 bit OS/2 text mode, 32 bit OS/2 Presentation Manager & 16 bit Windows/Win95 versions of the DALLAS COWBOY FANATIC's Companion. They're available from ftp.cleaf.com /pub/mst3k/snake-byte/NON-MST3K/Cowboys the filenames CBYDOS##.ZIP (DOS) or CBYOS2##.ZIP (OS/2 text), CBYWIN##.ZIP (Windows/Win95) or CBY_PM##.ZIP (OS/2 P.M.). ┌────────────────────────┐ │ Gratitude Department │ └────────────────────────┘ Extra special thanks to Frank Miller, my C programming guru. If it weren't for Frank, I probably would've given up on C programming within the first few days. He has helped me solve many of my seemingly endless beginner's problems. ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Contacting the Author of This Program │ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ Want to thank me for such a fantastic program? Bitch me out for wasting your download time & hard drive space? Suggest future additions to this program, corrections on the data/info or ideas for future programs? Lonely and just need a cyber-shoulder to cry on? Well, for all these reasons except that last one there, you can contact me by one of the following methods: Fidonet Netmail: 1:3819/128.103 Fidonet Echos I Hang Out On: MST3K, NFL & OS/2 Internet email: wmorgan@clover.cleaf.com will.morgan@p103.f128.n3819.z1.fidonet.org US Snail Mail: (See Address in the Shareware Nag)